The Leadership Enigma

Adam Pacifico
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For 30 years I've uncovered the best and worst of human behaviour and endeavour.Now it's time to truly understand what we mean by leadership in a chaotic world. I've delivered live events to over 60,000 around the world as a leadership expert, author, opinion columnist and barrister. Each week I'll explore the power and potential of the human being with global experts, academics, rising stars, ambitious upstarts and disruptors across sectors, disciplines and geographies as we explore 'The Leadership Enigma.'Whether you are an entrepreneur, business owner or seasoned corporate executive, this show will uncover the tools, techniques, strategies and lessons learned to catapult your leadership capabilities in preparation for success in a constantly changing landscape. The Leadership Enigma is an award winning globally ranked show powered by LaunchPod Studios. www.leadersenigma.comYouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. FEB 9

    Manjul Tilak | Authentic Leadership in the Age of AI | Why HR Must Lead the Mindset Shift

    In this episode, we talk about why organisations that don’t adapt to AI risk falling behind, and how HR can lead one of the most important transformations organisations are facing today. From storytelling and humility in leadership to real, practical AI use cases within HR 💡, this conversation challenges traditional ways of thinking about leadership and change. We also explore why mindset, authenticity, and human skills will matter even more as AI becomes part of everyday work 🤝 — and why HR has a critical role to play in shaping that future. 👉 Watch till the end for powerful advice on staying relevant, confident, and future-ready 🚀 Powered by Emeritus: www.emeritus.org #futureofwork #artificialintelligence #careergrowth #mindsetshift #reinventyourself #leadership #aijobs #careeradvice #personalgrowth #workplacetrends #mentalhealthatwork #resilience #lifelonglearning 🚀 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    25 min

  2. JAN 26

    Let Leaders Lead: Why Comfort Is Killing Capability at Work | Lisa Bodell

    Leaders today are expected to provide endless support, flexibility, and comfort — yet leadership burnout is at an all-time high. In this episode of The Leadership Enigma, Adam Pacific is joined by leadership expert Lisa Vidal for a powerful, honest conversation about what’s really broken at work. Together, they challenge the idea that leadership is about keeping people comfortable and explain why capability, clarity, and accountability matter more than ever. This episode explores: - Why support without standards doesn’t work - How culture became confused with comfort - Why leaders feel trapped and burned out - The danger of employee engagement without accountability What it really means to be a human-centred leader If you’re a leader, CHRO, or executive navigating growth, complexity, and rising expectations — this conversation will resonate deeply. 👉 Like, subscribe, and join the conversation. #futureofwork #artificialintelligence #careergrowth #mindsetshift #reinventyourself #leadership #aijobs #careeradvice #personalgrowth #workplacetrends #mentalhealthatwork #resilience #lifelonglearning 🚀 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    41 min

  3. JAN 12

    HR Keeps You Out of Jail | But That’s Not the Real Job | Athelie Williams

    HR has two roles: keep the business out of jail and unlock human performance. In this powerful conversation, Ashley Williams (former CHRO of BT Group and BHP) explains what truly matters for HR leaders during periods of growth and transformation. We discuss: - Why HR must be a business function, not just a support function - The reality of transformation in large organisations - Leadership clarity, trust, and resilience in uncertain times - How human performance must serve business strategy If you’re a CHRO, senior leader, or HR professional navigating complexity, this episode will challenge how you think about the role of HR. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    45 min

  4. 12/16/2025

    AI Is Changing Every Career | Reinvent Yourself or Be Left Behind 🚀🤖 | Vikram Bector

    Today, I’m joined by Vikram Bector, a seasoned business leader with decades of experience navigating change at the highest levels. The world of work is changing faster than ever 🌍⚡ From AI and automation to mindset shifts and career reinvention, every profession is being disrupted. In this episode, we dive deep into: 🔹 Why no job is truly safe in the age of AI 🤖 🔹 How mindset blocks can hold you back more than skills 🧠 🔹 The careers most at risk — and the ones that will thrive 📉📈 🔹 Why resilience, creativity, and adaptability are the new superpowers 💪✨ 🔹 Real stories of reinvention, failure, and growth from decades of leadership experience If you’re a professional, leader, or anyone feeling uncertain about the future of work — this conversation is for you. 👉 Watch till the end for powerful advice on staying relevant, confident, and future-ready 🚀 #futureofwork #artificialintelligence #careergrowth #mindsetshift #reinventyourself #leadership #aijobs #careeradvice #personalgrowth #workplacetrends #mentalhealthatwork #resilience #lifelonglearning 🚀 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    26 min

  5. 12/01/2025

    Podium to boardroom | Adrian Moorhouse | 242

    Dive into this powerful episode of The Leadership Enigma as Olympic gold medallist and world-record-breaking swimmer Adrian Moorhouse opens up about the mindset, failures, resilience, and leadership lessons that shaped both his sporting greatness and his business success. From being bullied at school, to becoming world number one for six years, to then leading a company of hundreds — Adrian reveals the turning points that defined his life, including: 🏊‍♂️ The moment he realised he could never succeed alone 🏅 How failure at the Olympics led to his biggest breakthrough 🌍 Why great culture and great performance MUST coexist 🧠 The mindset shift every leader needs in 2025 👥 How to build teams that thrive — not survive 📈 Why accountability and human-centred leadership are inseparable Whether you're a leader, entrepreneur, coach, or simply someone chasing high performance, this conversation will give you real, honest, and practical insight into what it takes to win — in sport, in business, and in life. 🔔 If you enjoyed the episode: Like, comment, subscribe and share! We’ve got 350+ leadership episodes waiting for you on the channel. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    54 min

  6. 11/17/2025

    Ep 241: Fearless & Unfiltered | Jessica Sweetman

    British singer-songwriter Jessica Sweetman shares her incredible story of resilience, creativity, and leading with authenticity. From busking in Soho and performing in jazz clubs at 16, to squatting inside a Nashville record label until they offered her a deal, Jessica’s fearless pursuit of her dream redefines what it means to lead yourself through risk, rejection, and reinvention. Now working independently, collaborating with legends like Paul Oakenfold and Alfie Boe, and recording at Abbey Road Studios, Jessica opens up about mental health, self-leadership, and finding peace in the chaos of the music industry. 🎧 In this episode: How Jessica broke into music against all odds Why her record deal nearly broke her — and how she came back stronger The truth about creativity, control, and leadership in the arts Her powerful new collaborations and life lessons on authenticity 👉 Subscribe for more inspiring conversations with global leaders, creatives, and change-makers. NOTE: Jessica Sweetman and Alfie Boe have recently collaborated on a duet called "Broken Perfect Love" and are touring together, with Sweetman as a special guest on Boe's 2026 tour #LeadershipEnigma #JessicaSweetman #MusicIndustry #Creativity #Leadership #Resilience #AbbeyRoad #PaulOakenfold #AlfieBoe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    48 min

  7. 11/03/2025

    240: Weed Empire | Adam Bierman

    Adam Bierman—co-founder of MedMen—shares how a desperate, all-in bet on a federally illegal, unlicensed Venice Beach shop in 2010 became the world’s most recognized cannabis brand, with Apple-style stores from Beverly Hills to Fifth Avenue and a multibillion valuation. A dingy dispensary doing ~$300k a month revealed massive demand; a “Canna Mums” encounter reframed the mission from retail to culture, policy, and patients. MedMen pieced together legitimacy—operating under California’s medical veil, banking out of Las Vegas, and listing in Canada—helping drag cannabis into the mainstream (yes, Kardashians and Kimmel included). But hypergrowth met hard limits: heavy cash burn, governance questions, and a key PharmaCann merger slowed by unusual DOJ antitrust scrutiny under AG William Barr. Financing from Gotham Green Partners (Jason Adler) kept the lights on—on senior, highly protected terms. As debt mounted and regulation remained choppy, the story ended in bankruptcy/liquidation, even as MedMen’s retail blueprint reshaped how dispensaries look and operate across the U.S. Why leaders should watch: 🌟Operate at the edge—professionally: If you’re in a gray zone, build legal, policy, and regulatory muscle early. 🌟Purpose fuels endurance: Mission moments (like “Canna Mums”) align teams and win stakeholders. 🌟Brand ≠ business: Beautiful stores and celebrity buzz can’t replace unit economics and cash discipline. 🌟Know your capital stack: Convertible, secured money buys time—but often controls the downside. 🌟Governance scales growth: Incentives, board structure, and spend controls matter more at speed. 🌟Regulatory timing is execution: Antitrust, banking, and listing choices can make—or break—deals. 🌟Narrative management: Fame multiplies scrutiny; prepare for media, parody, and reputational shocks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 6m

  8. 10/23/2025

    239: From Hype to Action | Sam Burman

    Leaders are rushing into AI—but many treat it like another IT program. In this episode, Sam Burman, Global Managing Partner for Frontier Tech at Heidrick & Struggles, shares practical steps to activate AI without losing the human system at the heart of every organization. We cover why the CEO must be the sponsor (not the expert), how to align the exec team on investment, governance, adoption, and operating models, and when to build vs buy vs partner. We discuss the rise of the Chief AI Officer (strategist + storyteller), the power of tying AI to core strategic drivers, and why fast followers are winning by doing something now. Looking ahead—from enterprise GenAI adoption to AGI scenarios—boards will choose: multiply your people, or chase marginal gains. Top takeaways 🌟CEO sponsors; exec team owns 🌟Align on strategy, governance, adoption 🌟Consider a CAIO with commercial + storytelling capabilities 🌟Build for top line; buy for process; partner for speed 👉 Don’t forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & SHARE Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    52 min
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About

For 30 years I've uncovered the best and worst of human behaviour and endeavour.Now it's time to truly understand what we mean by leadership in a chaotic world. I've delivered live events to over 60,000 around the world as a leadership expert, author, opinion columnist and barrister. Each week I'll explore the power and potential of the human being with global experts, academics, rising stars, ambitious upstarts and disruptors across sectors, disciplines and geographies as we explore 'The Leadership Enigma.'Whether you are an entrepreneur, business owner or seasoned corporate executive, this show will uncover the tools, techniques, strategies and lessons learned to catapult your leadership capabilities in preparation for success in a constantly changing landscape. The Leadership Enigma is an award winning globally ranked show powered by LaunchPod Studios. www.leadersenigma.comYouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Adam Pacifico
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    245
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Adam Pacifico
  • Show Website
    The Leadership Enigma