Jeff Couillard and Pablo Romero, The New Dynamics of Power in Leadership

How do you build a team where leadership is shared, not hoarded? Where power is a tool for progress—not control? In this deeply insightful episode, Tyler Chisholm speaks with Jeff Couillard and Pablo Romero, co-CEOs of The Ally Co, about the future of leadership, the hidden cost of hierarchy, and why real change starts with self-awareness. As consultants working with everyone from fast-scaling startups to major global energy firms, Jeff and Pablo share how they help organizations move from performative leadership to purposeful transformation. 

Together, they explore the concept of “leaderful teams”—environments where trust, dialogue, and distributed power become strategic advantages. They dig into how leaders can build psychological safety, address unconscious bias, and break cycles of “artificial harmony” that often undermine growth. The conversation also touches on the Ally Co’s own co-CEO structure, revealing how it models the accountability and allyship they teach. Whether you're managing people, designing culture, or leading change in a complex system, this episode is a must-listen for anyone who believes leadership is a shared responsibility—not a solo act.

In this episode:

• What it means to create “leaderful teams”
• Why power isn’t inherently good or bad—and how to use it more consciously
• The importance of psychological safety in organizational performance
• The common gap between good intentions and real-world impact
• How leaders in technical industries can unlearn old paradigms 
• The value of co-leadership and distributed decision-making

Top 3 Wisdom Bombs

“Leadership isn’t what you do to people—it’s what you do with them.” - Pablo Romero

“If we’ve done our job right, things might feel worse before they feel better. That’s how you know you’re being honest.” - Pablo Romero

“Power is just the ability to affect change. It’s neutral. What matters is how you use it.” - Jeff Couillard

This episode is brought to you by clearmotive marketing. When it comes to marketing that truly matters to your business, clearmotive is your go-to partner. With a proven track record of more than 15 years, they understand what makes your business tick. Learn more at https://www.clearmotive.ca and discover how clearmotive can help your marketing thrive.

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Host links:

Tyler’s website: https://www.tylerchisholm.com

Tyler’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerchisholm

Guest links:

Jeff Couillard’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffcouillard

Pablo Romero’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pabloaromero

The Ally Co. Website: https://theallyco.world

The Ally Co. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ally-co

The Ally Co. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxlsnf6GuT13_duViZ5UlpA

Collisions YYC is a Tyler Chisholm original production // Brought to you by clearmotive marketing