The Impact Multiplier CEO | Leadership and CEO Evolution for Scaling Businesses

Richard Medcalf | CEO Strategic Leadership & CEO Transformation Expert
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Semiweekly

As a CEO, you’ve demonstrated your ability to solve complex problems and achieve extraordinary results. You've skills, resources and experience. But you have the potential for even greater impact and a more satisfying legacy. What will it take to multiply your positive impact - in the business, for your people, and in the world at large? Join Richard Medcalf, Founder of Xquadrant, and high-impact CEOs from some of the world’s most exciting firms - for a perspective-shifting conversation at the intersection of strategy, leadership and purpose. You’ll learn from how they think and how they lead when the stakes rise. And you’ll discover the hidden sources of leadership leverage that take them to their next level, and will take you to yours. Richard Medcalf, founder of Xquadrant, CEO coach, and author of Making TIME For Strategy and The 10X Reckoning, has advised founders and CEOs of scaling businesses for over 20 years – from disruptive scale-ups to billion-dollar corporations – on CEO leadership, CEO transformation, and executive team development. The show helps founders and CEOs strengthen their CEO leadership, accelerate CEO evolution, and build businesses that can scale without becoming dependent on the founder. Episodes explore founder & CEO leadership, CEO transformation, CEO accountability, executive team ownership, vision execution, strategic execution, strategic leadership, strategic decision making, leadership leverage, founder bottlenecks, CEO bottlenecks, scaling culture, CEO evolution, business plateaus, and the defining decisions behind extraordinary companies. You'll also discover Richard's practical frameworks for CEO transformation: Leadership Leverage, Leadership Constraints, The Defining Move, The 10X Reckoning, and other ideas that help founders and CEOs evolve to lead organisations that scale faster than their own personal capacity. Questions we explore include: How do you break the founder/CEO bottleneck? What creates leadership leverage? How do you build executive team ownership and accountability? Why do leadership teams struggle with strategic execution? How do you create a scaling culture? How do you build an accountability culture? How do you scale without becoming the centre of every important decision? What separates CEOs who hit a business plateau from CEOs who create extraordinary businesses? What does CEO evolution entail? When is it time to make a defining move? How does CEO transformation drive business growth? If you're building a scaling business and believe your next breakthrough depends on your own CEO evolution, not simply better strategic decision making, you'll feel at home here. Popular Episode Topics Include: CEO Leadership, CEO Transformation, CEO Accountability, Executive Team Ownership, Founder Bottleneck, CEO Operating System, Vision Execution, Vision Execution Gap, Strategic Leadership, Strategic Decision Making, Scaling Culture, Accountability Culture, Leadership Leverage, Organisational Leverage, Business Plateau, Scaling a Business Without Burnout, and CEO Evolution.

  1. 17h ago

    10X Will Be Too Much Sacrifice (The 10X Reckoning, Audiobook, Chapter 3 on Playing Bigger)

    What if your next breakthrough didn't require more sacrifice, but a completely different way of thinking about success? In this chapter of The 10X Reckoning, Richard Medcalf challenges one of the most common beliefs among successful founders and CEOs: that achieving the next level of impact must come at the expense of your health, relationships or happiness. Instead, he argues that many leaders become trapped by outdated "survival games" that leave them either grinding relentlessly or playing it safe. Neither leads to your greatest work. Through the stories of accomplished entrepreneurs and business leaders, Richard introduces a different approach: Play to Play. You'll discover why your next 10X isn't about working harder, but about creating a game that genuinely energises you. He explains how to reconnect with meaningful ambition, rediscover your Ignition Zone, and design a definition of success that multiplies both your impact and your enjoyment of the journey. If you've started wondering whether your biggest achievements are behind you, or whether the next level simply isn't worth the cost, this chapter will help you imagine a future where extraordinary impact and genuine fulfilment can exist together. Resources📒 Get the book: The 10X Reckoning https://xquadrant.com/reckoning 📘 Download the companion workbook and watch the chapter video: https://xquadrant.com/reckoning3 Explore more episodes and resources for founders and CEOs at: https://xquadrant.com/podcast The 10X Reckoning is Richard Medcalf's guide for founders and CEOs who believe their greatest contribution still lies ahead. Across this audiobook, Richard explores CEO leadership, CEO evolution, executive team ownership, leadership leverage and the defining decisions that help successful founders and CEOs make the quantum leap to create their life's greatest work. Richard Medcalf is founder of Xquadrant, CEO coach, and author of Making TIME For Strategy and The 10X Reckoning.

  2. 3d ago

    Free Me from This Golden Prison (The 10X Reckoning, Audiobook, Chapter 2 on the CEO Bottleneck)

    You've built a successful business. From the outside, it looks like freedom. But inside, you feel trapped by the very success you worked so hard to create. In this chapter of The 10X Reckoning, Richard Medcalf explores why so many founders and CEOs become prisoners of their own success. As your business grows, it's easy to become the bottleneck—the person everyone depends on, the one who carries every important decision, and the one who can never truly step away. But the next level of growth doesn't come from working harder. It comes from learning to let go. Through the stories of leaders who escaped their own "golden prison", Richard explains why the uncomfortable "Wobble" is a necessary stage of building a business that no longer depends on you. You'll discover why great CEOs shift from Operator to Architect, how to identify the few activities where you create unique value, and why building a business that thrives without you is one of the defining leadership moves you'll ever make. If you've ever felt exhausted by being the centre of everything, this chapter will challenge you to stop protecting your current success and start designing the business - and the life - you really want. Resources📒 Get the book: The 10X Reckoning https://xquadrant.com/reckoning 📘 Download the companion workbook: https://xquadrant.com/reckoning2 Explore more episodes and resources for founders and CEOs at: https://xquadrant.com/podcast The 10X Reckoning is Richard Medcalf's guide for founders and CEOs who believe their greatest contribution still lies ahead. Across this audiobook, Richard explores CEO leadership, CEO evolution, executive team ownership, leadership leverage and the defining decisions that help successful founders and CEOs make the quantum leap to create their life's greatest work. Richard Medcalf is founder of Xquadrant, CEO coach, and author of Making TIME For Strategy and The 10X Reckoning.

  3. 5d ago

    I'm Successful. Am I Done? (The 10X Reckoning, Audiobook, Chapter 1 on CEO evolution)

    You've built a successful business. People admire what you've achieved. Yet something inside you knows you're capable of far more. This opening chapter introduces the idea of the 10X Reckoning—the defining moment every successful founder and CEO eventually faces. Will you continue expanding your impact, or slowly become trapped by the very success that got you here? Richard Medcalf explores why many accomplished leaders eventually become limited by the habits, beliefs and leadership style that created their earlier success. Whether you're stuck in operations, playing too safe, or moving too slowly towards a bold vision, you'll discover why the next breakthrough isn't about finding a better strategy. It's about becoming a different kind of leader. This chapter introduces the three patterns that repeatedly appear in ambitious leaders: • Feeling stuck in the day-to-day • Playing safe despite a bigger vision • Moving too slowly towards work that truly matters Most importantly, it asks a simple but confronting question: If your greatest work is still ahead of you... what's stopping you? Resources📒 Get the book: The 10X Reckoning https://xquadrant.com/reckoning 📘 Download the 10X Reckoning Companion Workbook: https://xquadrant.com/reckoning1 Explore more episodes and resources for founders and CEOs at: https://xquadrant.com/podcast The 10X Reckoning is Richard Medcalf's guide for founders and CEOs who believe their greatest contribution still lies ahead. Across this audiobook, Richard explores CEO leadership, CEO evolution, executive team ownership, leadership leverage and the defining decisions that help successful founders and CEOs make the quantum leap to create their life's greatest work. Richard Medcalf is founder of Xquadrant, CEO coach, and author of Making TIME For Strategy and The 10X Reckoning.

  4. Aug 18

    Is This Book for You? (The 10X Reckoning, Audiobook, Introduction)

    Success isn't the finish line. It's the moment many founders and CEOs unknowingly begin to plateau. In this introduction to The 10X Reckoning, Richard Medcalf explains why this audiobook isn't about becoming successful—it's about what comes after success. If you've built an exceptional business but feel there's still a bigger contribution waiting to be made, this chapter introduces the leadership challenge that defines the rest of the book: your 10X Reckoning. You'll discover why your greatest obstacle isn't a lack of strategy, resources or opportunity, but the hidden limits created by your own success. Richard shares the personal mission that drives his work with founders and CEOs around the world, explains what you'll learn throughout the audiobook, and challenges you to treat these chapters not simply as ideas, but as a turning point in your leadership journey. By the end of this introduction, you'll understand who this audiobook is for, why your next breakthrough depends on becoming a different kind of leader, and why your greatest work may still lie ahead. Resources📒 Get the book: The 10X Reckoning https://xquadrant.com/reckoning Explore more episodes and resources for founders and CEOs at: https://xquadrant.com/podcast The 10X Reckoning is Richard Medcalf's guide for founders and CEOs who believe their greatest contribution still lies ahead. Across this audiobook, Richard explores CEO leadership, CEO evolution, executive team ownership, leadership leverage and the defining decisions that help successful founders and CEOs make the quantum leap to create their life's greatest work. Richard Medcalf is founder of Xquadrant, CEO coach, and author of Making TIME For Strategy and The 10X Reckoning.

  5. Jul 28

    The 10X Reckoning Audiobook – start here

    What if your life's greatest work isn't behind you, but still waiting to be created? Over the next few episodes, Richard Medcalf is releasing the complete audiobook of The 10X Reckoning, free on this podcast. Written for founders and CEOs who have already achieved extraordinary success, this audiobook explores the hidden CEO leadership challenges that emerge after you've "made it" and asks a simple but confronting question: are you truly done, or is your greatest contribution still ahead of you? Across the series, you'll discover why so many successful leaders become trapped by their own success, how to escape the golden prison of day-to-day operations, build a leadership team that can scale without you, reignite your energy and conviction, and make the defining moves that multiply your impact without multiplying your stress. Each chapter combines real stories, practical coaching and powerful questions designed to help you confront your own 10X Reckoning and step into the leader your next chapter demands. Whether you're feeling stuck in the weeds, playing too safe with your biggest vision, or simply know you're capable of much more, I hope these chapters challenge you, encourage you and help you create your life's greatest work. Resources📒 Get the book: The 10X Reckoning https://xquadrant.com/reckoning Explore more episodes and resources for founders and CEOs at: https://xquadrant.com/podcast The 10X Reckoning is Richard Medcalf's guide for founders and CEOs who believe their greatest contribution still lies ahead. Across this audiobook, Richard explores CEO leadership, CEO evolution, executive team ownership, leadership leverage, CEO transformation and the defining decisions that help successful founders and CEOs make the quantum leap to create their life's greatest work. Richard Medcalf is founder of Xquadrant, CEO coach, and author of Making TIME For Strategy and The 10X Reckoning.

  6. 06/19/2025

    Leadership Leverage: why self-replicating systems beat founder-led impact | Etienne Salborn (SINA) - S14E19

    What if the solution to global poverty wasn’t more aid, but more entrepreneurs? In this episode, Richard Medcalf speaks with Etienne Salborn, founder of the Social Innovation Academy (SINA), a transformative movement turning refugees, orphans, and disadvantaged youth into social entrepreneurs. From a single project in Uganda to 19 communities across Africa, Etienne’s work is redefining education, leadership, and impact—by creating “change-maker makers.” In this conversation, you’ll learn: Why the traditional aid model often fails—and how SINA’s “free responsibility” philosophy rewrites the rulesHow a traumatised youth can transform into a powerful leader of a thriving enterpriseThe radical initiation that helps people shed limiting beliefs and reclaim their agencyHow to scale leadership without centralised control—so movements grow like forests, not factoriesWhat most leaders miss about building others who can lead without you For anyone who wants to multiply leaders and leave a legacy that lasts, this one’s essential listening. Resources/sources mentioned: SINA: GoogleHome - SINA (Social Innovation Academy) Home - SINA (Social Innovation Academy) The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/) Join the Crucible (https://xquadrant.com/crucible), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world. Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/ For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/etienne-salborn

  7. 06/12/2025

    CEO Transformation: what enterprise change teaches the CEO the hard way | Mike Ettling (former CEO, Unit4) - S14E18

    What if your biggest leadership challenge wasn’t strategy, but self-doubt?  In this episode, Richard Medcalf speaks with Mike Ettling, who recently stepped down as CEO of Unit4 after a transformative six-year tenure. Mike led the company through a complete business model overhaul—from a fragmented, on-premise software provider to a unified, cloud-first organisation. Along the way, he navigated culture shifts, private equity pressures, and the internal doubts that come with playing at the highest level. Now in his new role as a chairman and mentor to CEOs, Mike reflects on what it really takes to lead and multiply impact. In this conversation, you’ll learn:  Why hiring for hardship and failure stories beats CV credentialsHow to manage self-doubt when you're surrounded by brilliant peopleWhat really breaks a transformation (hint: it's not your product)The overlooked power of cadence, culture, and purpose in a private equity environmentWhy moving from CEO to chairman demands a radical shift in how you add value A must-listen for any leader navigating complexity—or preparing to let go and lead in a new way.   Resources/sources mentioned: Unit 4 (https://www.unit4.com/ )Mike Ettling Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeettling/ Join the Crucible (XquadrantTHE CRUCIBLE (Private Invitation, our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: Xquadrant‘Making Time For Strategy’ book, by Richard Medcalf - Xquadrant‘Making Time For Strategy’ book, by Richard Medcalf - Xquadrantxquadrant.com/time For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/mike-ettling

  8. 06/05/2025

    CEO Evolution: how misunderstood founders build paradigm-shifting ventures | Benjamin Rubin - S14E17

    What if your boldest vision is years ahead of its time—so far ahead that the world laughs you out of the room? In this deeply personal and provocative conversation, Richard Medcalf speaks with Benjamin Rubin, serial entrepreneur and founder of both Sirenum and Insectika. Benjamin has a rare gift: creating businesses that challenge entrenched paradigms—from transforming the invisible workforce to reinventing how we feed the world. His journey is one of relentless vision, deep humanity, and surprising leadership insights. In this conversation, you’ll learn: How to lead when your vision is misunderstood—and still get your team onboardWhy a deep understanding of the problem beats brilliant solutionsA simple but radical way to create true belonging and loyalty in your teamThe hidden cost of relying on money to motivate people—and what to do insteadHow Benjamin plans to scale impact without losing himself in the process   This one’s for the visionary leaders who’ve ever felt alone with a world-changing idea. Resources/sources mentioned: The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/) Sirenum ( SirenumSirenum Staff Management Software for Agencies and Hourly Workers Sirenum Staff Management Software for Agencies and Hourly Workers sirenum.com  ) Insectika Biotech ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/insectika-biotechnologies-israel/) Join the Crucible (https://xquadrant.com/crucible), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world. Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/   For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/benjamin-rubin Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:01 Welcome to the Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast 01:44 Benjamin Rubin's Early Ventures and Challenges 02:25 The Mission and Vision of Insecta 03:22 Revolutionizing the Food System with Insect Meal 04:33 Challenges and Innovations in the Insect Meal Industry 05:36 The Importance of Understanding the Problem 06:42 Building and Leading a Visionary Team 15:05 Navigating Rejection and Persevering Through Challenges 21:16 Building High-Performing Teams with Meaning and Belonging 23:51 Questioning the Purpose of Life 24:45 Building a Team with Meaning and Belonging 25:33 Innovative Bonus Schemes and Interdependence 26:44 Finding Deep Meaning in Business 28:28 Understanding Employee Aspirations 38:05 Balancing Leadership and Personal Life 41:47 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

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About

As a CEO, you’ve demonstrated your ability to solve complex problems and achieve extraordinary results. You've skills, resources and experience. But you have the potential for even greater impact and a more satisfying legacy. What will it take to multiply your positive impact - in the business, for your people, and in the world at large? Join Richard Medcalf, Founder of Xquadrant, and high-impact CEOs from some of the world’s most exciting firms - for a perspective-shifting conversation at the intersection of strategy, leadership and purpose. You’ll learn from how they think and how they lead when the stakes rise. And you’ll discover the hidden sources of leadership leverage that take them to their next level, and will take you to yours. Richard Medcalf, founder of Xquadrant, CEO coach, and author of Making TIME For Strategy and The 10X Reckoning, has advised founders and CEOs of scaling businesses for over 20 years – from disruptive scale-ups to billion-dollar corporations – on CEO leadership, CEO transformation, and executive team development. The show helps founders and CEOs strengthen their CEO leadership, accelerate CEO evolution, and build businesses that can scale without becoming dependent on the founder. Episodes explore founder & CEO leadership, CEO transformation, CEO accountability, executive team ownership, vision execution, strategic execution, strategic leadership, strategic decision making, leadership leverage, founder bottlenecks, CEO bottlenecks, scaling culture, CEO evolution, business plateaus, and the defining decisions behind extraordinary companies. You'll also discover Richard's practical frameworks for CEO transformation: Leadership Leverage, Leadership Constraints, The Defining Move, The 10X Reckoning, and other ideas that help founders and CEOs evolve to lead organisations that scale faster than their own personal capacity. Questions we explore include: How do you break the founder/CEO bottleneck? What creates leadership leverage? How do you build executive team ownership and accountability? Why do leadership teams struggle with strategic execution? How do you create a scaling culture? How do you build an accountability culture? How do you scale without becoming the centre of every important decision? What separates CEOs who hit a business plateau from CEOs who create extraordinary businesses? What does CEO evolution entail? When is it time to make a defining move? How does CEO transformation drive business growth? If you're building a scaling business and believe your next breakthrough depends on your own CEO evolution, not simply better strategic decision making, you'll feel at home here. Popular Episode Topics Include: CEO Leadership, CEO Transformation, CEO Accountability, Executive Team Ownership, Founder Bottleneck, CEO Operating System, Vision Execution, Vision Execution Gap, Strategic Leadership, Strategic Decision Making, Scaling Culture, Accountability Culture, Leadership Leverage, Organisational Leverage, Business Plateau, Scaling a Business Without Burnout, and CEO Evolution.

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