Second Crack — The Leadership Podcast

If you already know what the right decision is, what's really stopping you from taking it? Most leaders don't struggle because they lack information. More often, they hesitate because something less visible gets in the way. In this episode, we welcome back leadership author, former Chief Sustainability Officer, and executive advisor Jim Massey. Building on the ideas from his new book Risk in Action, we explore why risk is often misunderstood—and why the biggest barriers to leadership are rare...

In this episode, we welcome Jia Hou, a global business leader who has spent the past fourteen years helping industrial companies grow across Europe and Asia. Drawing on her experience spanning markets, organizations and regional businesses, Jia shares why business challenges are rarely just about culture. Instead, they are about leading across different business realities, decision-making logics and systems of execution. Highlights The discussion begins with the concept of "China Speed"—a ter...

Many leaders reach a point in their career where something feels slightly "off" — even when, on paper, everything looks successful. In this episode, Gerrit Pelzer shares his personal professional journey: from studying chemistry and earning a PhD, through senior leadership roles in the chemical industry (including several years as an expat in Thailand), to eventually becoming an executive coach. Rather than telling a story for its own sake, this conversation uses Gerrit's journey as a case st...

In this episode, we return to the updated Inner Development Goals (IDG), and reflect on what has changed, why it matters and how IDG is now even more relevant for leaders that want to develop resilient leadership. Why IDG matters Today leaders are not primarily challenged by 'technical problems' where clear solutions exist. Instead they face adaptive challenges in an increasingly complex, interconnected, and fast-moving world. IDG answers: What inner capacities do leaders need in order to lea...

In this episode, we explore forgiveness as an essential yet often overlooked capacity in leadership. Inspired by the updated Inner Development Goals 2.0, which now include forgiveness, we ask what it really means to forgive in a corporate context — and why it might be one of the strongest acts a leader can take. We look at how resentment and hurts drain energy, how unresolved conflicts hold teams back, and how forgiveness can help rebuild trust and release energy for growth and collaboration....