There is one sure way to kill strategic thinking and this is through ‘busyness’. Join Andrea in this episode as he tackles and challenges the perception of always being busy and how it can harm your business. The World Class Leaders Show BRAND NEW YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59dect0RJ5cuxIXsX7hCRw KEY TAKEAWAYS Many people feel so busy they are already losing sight of what is really important in both the medium and the long term. If we are already rushing through tasks and moving from one task to another then we don’t allow enough time to analyse and strategise. An overly busy environment often leads to distractions and disruptions. You can find yourself in this busy environment accidentally but once you realise, Andrea encourages you to break out of the cycle so you can operate at your full potential. BEST MOMENTS "The pace of business now is incredibly high” “Busy environments can lead to constant distractions and disruptions” “I strongly recommend you break this vicious cycle” VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! The World Class Leaders Show YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59dect0RJ5cuxIXsX7hCRw Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

On the occasion of the official launch of our new YouTube Channel for the show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59dect0RJ5cuxIXsX7hCRw Andrea revisits an episode from summer 2023 and is joined by Alain Bejjani, former CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Group, an international diversified conglomerate with ventures in shopping mall ownership and operation, hotel ownership and operation, retail stores, leisure and entertainment centers, and mixed-use residential communities, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates with operations in the Middle East and Africa. He served as CEO from February 2015 until January 2023. Alain shares his stories and learnings from his 8-year tenure as a CEO including revealing how he rallied teams through disruptive change and unprecedented crises. Listen to this episode to learn how to drive digital innovation, empower your people, adapt in turbulent times, and align business with purpose. Alain distills profound lessons on authentic leadership, cultivating organizational culture, and finding opportunities amidst challenges! KEY TAKEAWAYS Communicate a compelling vision and create a burning platform to drive change even when times are good. Invest early in digital capabilities and customer experience to future-proof your business. Build an empowering, people-first culture that gives ownership and purpose. Stay resilient by focusing on progress over perfection. Walk the talk - tough decisions on people and resources show your commitment. Lead authentically; don't put on a mask at work. Merge your personal and professional values. BEST MOMENTS "Rejection and failure are part of the entrepreneurial journey; persist through the no’s to get to the yes." "If Plan A doesn't work, the alphabet has 25 more letters. Stay persistent." "The way we lead our company is just as important as what our company does." "A crisis represents opportunity hidden in the challenge. Seize the chance to make changes not possible in normal times." VALUABLE RESOURCES The Big Leap Leaders Eat Last Principles by Ray Dalio Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favorite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE GUEST  Alain Bejjani is a Lebanese business executive. He was the CEO of the Majid Al Futtaim Group, an international diversified conglomerate with ventures in shopping mall ownership and operation, hotel ownership and operation, retail stores, leisure and entertainment centers, and mixed-use residential communities, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates with operations in the Middle East and Africa. He served as CEO from February 2015 until January 2023. Bejjani was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1973. He studied law at the University of Paris XII Val de Marne and the Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour. After graduating, he worked as a lawyer in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates. In 2006, he joined the Majid Al Futtaim Group, where he held a number of senior positions. In 2014, he was appointed Chief Corporate Development Officer and Brand Officer. In 2015, he was appointed CEO. As CEO, Bejjani oversaw the growth of the Majid Al Futtaim Group into a global leader in the retail, leisure, and hospitality sectors. He also led the company's expansion into new markets, such as India and China. In 2023, he was replaced as CEO by Ahmed Galal Ismail. Bejjani is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on the Future of Retail. He is also a board member of several companies, including the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

In this episode, Andrea explores what he calls ‘artificial harmony’ and its impact on organisations. He discusses why fake harmony impacts a company and team negatively and talks about how to instead create an environment that thrives on constructive conflict. KEY TAKEAWAYS Artificial harmony is convenient for senior staff and leaders, it creates the illusion that people are happy If there is only artificial harmony then it isn’t easy or comfortable to have honest conversations The best results happen when there is proactive and useful ‘conflict’ leading to discussions, ideas and solutions Many leaders may prefer artificial harmony because it makes their lives easier as well as preserves their authority Constructive conflict doesn’t create a negative environment Unaddressed conflict can lead to mistrust and decreased team performance BEST MOMENTS "Artificial harmony is convenient” “Conflicts are avoided” “Artificial harmony kills results” “Great leaders really recognised the value of constructive conflict, they provoke it intentionally” VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

 In the first episode of 2024, Andrea outlines what he is committed to deliver for the world class leaders show in 2024. He gives three specific things he aims to start in 2024 and asks, what are you going to do this year to be successful? KEY TAKEAWAYS Making commitments is one thing but the most important thing is to honour them. We are all busy but that’s why it’s essential that you plan and make sure you can honour the commitments you make. A true leader, does what they say they are going to do. Andrea is in the process of creating his YouTube channel and writing his book! BEST MOMENTS "We can make great things together” “Don’t make wishes, make commitments” “The way to grow podcasts is definitely by sharing, liking, reviews” “I have decided the book is going to be important to me in 2024” “I love the work I do I know it makes a real impact on people” VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

Andrea speaks with Niclas Persson CEO and co-founder of Deedster, a company aiming to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy through engaging technology. Niclas discusses his journey from serving in the Swedish Air Force to working in the financial industry before realising he wanted to make a bigger impact regarding climate change. Niclas talks about the importance of purpose and meaning in attracting talent and describes some of the challenges in educating the market and achieving product-market fit in this new domain. He shares perspectives on taking risks as an entrepreneur, letting go of control as a leader, and staying patient amidst uncertainty. KEY TAKEAWAYS Climate change demands urgent, large-scale action - "every drop matters." Corporations are taking the lead with long-term transition strategies. Solving climate change is difficult and boring for many - focusing on the upsides through exciting, rewarding technology is key to engaging people. Having a strong purpose attracts talent and makes building company culture easier. People want meaning and impact. Educating the nascent "net zero" market on what's possible poses a challenge in achieving product-market fit and revenue. As CEOs, finding and empowering smarter people, and then letting go of control frightens but enables the company to flourish. Balancing bold risk-taking with patience amidst uncertainty has served Niclas well throughout his entrepreneurial journey. BEST MOMENTS "Recruiting teams and getting partnerships in this domain is quite easy...The purpose, the meaning, the purpose of what you do is so strong." "We have really, really hard conversations and maybe too often...we know each other so well, we can be very straight and blunt." "You need just to try to find smarter people than yourself and then hire them, and then empower them." "Be bold, take a lot of risk, as much risk as you can, and even beyond." "For now, this sustainability net zero, I cannot think of anything more important and relevant." VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

Andrea shares ‘the thing’ that keeps most CEOs he has had on the show up at night! He then discusses the four pieces of advice he would give to help tackle it. Andrea also gives an update on a network he is creating, drop him an email if you are interested in getting involved. KEY TAKEAWAYS As a company develops and grows, entrepreneurial spirit can be lost. Flexibility, agility and speed are all attributes of entrepreneurship that can get lost over time. Innovation can easily be downgraded as a priority as a company grows, looking to protect what already exists rather than generating new ideas and opportunities. Creating a culture that encourages risk and operates like a start-up is a way to continue to have an entrepreneurial spirit within your organisation. If you encourage employees to question existing ways of working then you will foster a culture focused around innovation. Try and identify one area in your organisation that if transformed, will have a big impact on your results. BEST MOMENTS "There is one thing that is quite consistent across the board” “As companies grow there’s definitely a tendency to get complacent” “You need to promote a culture that encourages risk taking” “There must be something somewhere that can be an incredible transformational element for the organisation” "That's what start-ups do, put the customer at the centre of their work...they have this relentless interest of creating value for the customers" VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

Andrea interviews Luca Bovalino, CEO for North America of the parking business unit at technology company FAAC Group. Luca has over 20 years of international management experience working across Europe, Asia and North America. Luca discusses the importance of bringing together diverse cultures after mergers and acquisitions. Luca shares how focusing on common goals and really getting to know your team members as people first, regardless of background, builds trust and transparency for better performance. KEY TAKEAWAYS Merging acquired companies that have diverse cultures can accelerate performance if managed properly Allow teams to preserve their native culture rather than enforcing one company culture Identify common goals and focus on human similarities rather than cultural differences Build personal connections among teams by opening up and sharing non-work-related details Servant leadership that supports employee motivation and retention drives customer satisfaction The world is still focused and talking about leadership because there are still many leaders out there who don’t know how to manage people effectively. BEST MOMENTS "Diversity is a richness in problem-solving, it’s a richness in accelerating the solution of a problem." "If you take care of your employees, they will surely care for your customers." “The world has changed. I mean, we did what we call the digital transformation today. Yesterday we were part of an industrial company. Today we woke up as an IT and software house.” “You have Germans, Bulgarians, Italians, Israelis and Americans. Fine. What are the common denominators? Human beings.” “it’s brilliant the approach you have and are seeing results [as a leader]” VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

Do you believe that the most successful CEOs of the future will look the same as the ones in the present? In this episode, Andrea talks about the differences he believes will be seen in future CEOs and how a lot of this will be related to how they deal with people. He outlines the 6 major traits he believes will make future CEOs based on his experience and knowledge. The 6 Traits of a Future CEO Building purpose-driven companies, creating something meaningful that matters The ability to empower leaders Able to be a catalyst for change and transformation Creating accountability and the ability to bring people together Ego-less with great listening skills Prioritise inspiration over control BEST MOMENTS “What is the future of CEOs of the world?” “What sort of leaders do we want to have, that we need to have that can really make a difference” “We need to transform the company that we are in, in order to get to the level we want” “We come from the century of charismatic leaders, maybe selfish leaders, the future is not for them” “Any style [of leadership] is great depending on the context” VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

Do you think your employees aren’t going the extra mile for you? In this episode, Andrea explores the data behind employee effort and talks about how you, as a leader can employ, engage and retain employees who are willing to go the extra mile for you. Andrea also talks about the SDT theory and how this can help influence and drive behaviours within your business. KEY TAKEAWAYS Focus on your employee's individual motivations. If you can discover what they intrinsically value, you can engage and motivate them. The SDT theory proposes that people have three basic psychological needs, autonomy, competency and relatedness. When these needs are satisfied employees are engaged and more likely to go the extra mile. To drive autonomy you have to let employees decide how they make an impact and allow them to talk openly and make decisions. Foster an environment where everyone is there to grow and be developed, this will create a culture of competence. Constructive feedback, opportunities for employees to build skills and recognising and celebrating their achievements will create an environment of competence. Relatedness is potentially one of the biggest mistakes leaders make. Creating a sense of belonging and connectedness by fostering positive relationships, teamwork and collaboration cannot be underestimated. BEST MOMENTS “Doing more of the same as a leader is not going to be effective” “If people don’t go the extra mile, it means they aren’t happy to do more action than they are already doing” “Offer employees real choices and opportunities to make decisions” “It’s like we are at school, but in a good way” “You’re going to drive motivation to another level” “Relatedness is critical because once you get really related to people everything changes and the magic happens and you see people working better together” VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.

Andrea is joined by Stefano Volpetti, President of Smoke-Free Inhalable Products and Chief Consumer Officer at Philip Morris International. They discuss PMI's bold vision to replace cigarettes with smoke-free alternatives for the 1.1 billion adult smokers globally. Stefano provides insights into PMI's transformation into a consumer-centric company driven by data, science and technology to accelerate the end of smoking. Stefano also discusses his leadership approach during this unprecedented industry transformation, the importance of courage and learning from mistakes, and his humble background that gives him a sense of lightness in leading change! KEY TAKEAWAYS PMI aims to convert 70,000+ employees and 1.1 billion smokers to embrace smoke-free alternatives to improve public health. PMI had to transform into a consumer-centric company focused on data, science and technology to enable this disruptive change. PMI uses the "4As" model - awareness, acceptability, availability and affordability - to change behaviours and transition smokers to smoke-free products. Leading unprecedented industry change requires courage, surrounding yourself with diverse experts, and humility to learn from mistakes. Having overachieved his early life dreams gives Stefano an inner lightness that enables him to lead boldly without heavy pressure. Choosing who you work for based on trust and freedom is more important than choosing the role or compensation. Never forget the human element when making decisions, this will help you avoid mistakes. Stefano learns the most from other people, he describes his learning as ‘human-centric’ and says he learns the most from interactions with a diverse range of people BEST MOMENTS "The faster we get there, the better the impact on public health globally is." "When you are trying to do something you’ve never done before the probability that you will do some mistakes is very high." "The higher I go, the more lightness I feel on my shoulders because I know that I have already overachieved my best life dreams." “Choose the people you work for instead of which business you work for” VALUABLE RESOURCES Like the show? Please leave or write a review on your favourite podcast platform! Let Andrea know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn or via email For more information on Andrea’s work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website    If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog Need more? Book a 30 min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy-call-30. ABOUT THE HOST My name is Andrea Petrone. I'm a Human Performance and Leadership Advisor, Executive Coach and International Speaker. I help leaders and their teams to change their mindsets and master their leadership capabilities so they can achieve extraordinary performance. I've been in the corporate world for more than 20 years working globally - in 6 countries and 3 continents - for medium-large companies.