ROAR Mindset: Leading Through Chaos

Peter Brandenburger
  • 0.0 (0)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

ROAR Mindset: Leading through Chaos helps leaders stop fighting disruption and start turning it into an advantage. Hosted by Peter Brandenburger, the show shares stories, insights, and strategies to reframe chaos, focus on what matters most, and lead with clarity and confidence when it counts.

  1. Architecting for Impact with Anil Kumar

    6D AGO

    Architecting for Impact with Anil Kumar

    Summary In this episode of ROAR Mindset: Leading through Chaos, Peter Brandenburger sits down with Anil Kumar, Principal Engineer and System Architect at Intel, to explore what technical leadership means and why its lessons apply to every leader navigating complexity. Anil explains that technical leaders are not just expert problem solvers. They are accelerators for others. Their role is to elevate capability, remove friction, clarify direction, and create conditions where teams move faster and with greater coherence. The conversation covers collaboration across ecosystems, aligning innovation with business needs, and ensuring coherence across hardware, software, and go-to-market realities. Anil reflects on career lessons that shaped him, including the importance of zooming out, adapting plans with humility, and continuing to learn even when success feels comfortable. Key Takeaways • Technical leaders act as accelerators for others, increasing the performance of the whole system. • Collaboration across disciplines creates coherence and impact. • Innovation succeeds when it aligns with business and ecosystem realities. • Understanding go-to-market constraints strengthens technical credibility. • Coaching fosters ownership and sustainable growth. • Adaptability requires humility and the willingness to pivot. • Trust with customers and partners is a long-term advantage. • Communication improves when you focus on what matters to the other person. • Leaders must continuously assess the value they are adding. • Zooming out prevents misalignment and wasted effort. Links to Anil’s Books Connecting the Internet of Things https://www.amazon.com/Connecting-Internet-Things-Connectivity-Standards/dp/1484288963 Demystifying Internet of Things Security https://www.amazon.com/Demystifying-Internet-Things-Security-Successful/dp/1484228952 Subscribe for more conversations on leading through chaos. Chapters 00:00 – Why Technical Leadership Matters 02:05 – What Matters Most: Multiplying Capability 04:10 – Defining Technical Leadership 06:41 – The Three Criteria of Technical Leadership 09:39 – Communicating Across Disciplines 13:07 – Technical Leadership vs. Management 15:09 – The Wave Analogy: Coherence Across the Stack 19:38 – A Career Lesson: Another Technological Mistake 22:41 – Go to Market Reality 25:22 – Google TV and Scaling Under Pressure 28:37 – Leaving Comfort: What Am I Learning? 33:06 – The Three Criteria for a Role Shift 34:01 – Why a Technical Leader Became a Coach 36:39 – Calm Adaptability 38:44 – Synthetic Deadlines and Context Switching 41:04 – AI, Long Cycles, and Future Thinking 42:23 – Trust as a Competitive Advantage 44:37 – The Leadership Question That Guides It All 45:46 – Final Reflection

    48 min
  2. Leading with Radical Honesty and Authenticity with Chris Kelly (Part 2)

    12/18/2025

    Leading with Radical Honesty and Authenticity with Chris Kelly (Part 2)

    In Part 2 of the conversation with Chris Kelly, he shares his experiences and insights from his time at Intel, with a particular focus on his leadership role in Malaysia. He discusses the importance of building trust, the challenges of managing projects, and the significance of honesty in leadership. Kelly emphasizes the need for authentic relationships, and you might be intrigued by his leadership lessons from soccer. Book: Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:52 Building Trust for an Uncertain Organization 10:04 Know Your Capability Set 14:40 Headcount is NOT Success 18:10 Answering Challenging Questions in an Open Forum 19:58 Access to Leaders 22:09 Greatness Remains 25:16 The Power of Honesty in Leadership 28:27 Leadership Lessons from Soccer (Real Football)

    34 min
  3. Leading with Radical Honesty and Authenticity with Chris Kelly (Part 1)

    12/11/2025

    Leading with Radical Honesty and Authenticity with Chris Kelly (Part 1)

    In Part 1 of this ROAR Mindset conversation, Peter speaks with Chris Kelly, a global technology leader with 28 years of experience at Intel. Chris shares how stepping into new spaces, both in life and in leadership, taught him to lead with clarity, honesty, and presence. They explore what Chris learned after leaving corporate life, how long-distance walking shaped his understanding of pace and agency, and two leadership stories from his time at Intel: building the PC reference board infrastructure and reframing senior technical leadership. Along the way, Chris offers practical insights on shelving ego, learning from mistakes without personalizing them, and avoiding the trap of vicious compliance. This episode is filled with guidance for leaders navigating uncertainty and leading teams through disruption. Book: Things Become Other Things by Craig Mod. The Japanese word Yoyū was the word from this book. 00:00 Introduction to the Roar Mindset 00:19 What matters to Chris Kelly 01:41 Detoxing from Corporate Life 02:52 Abundance Mindset 06:37 Power of Agency 08:01 Exploring the World 16:26 Too Many Reference Boards 18:52 Navigating Uncertainties 26:20 Trust and Resiliency 32:43 Learning from Failures 36:11 Radical Honesty 40:35 Embracing Failure and the End 43:32 Celebrating Transitions 46:42 Midmortems: Learning and Improving Mid-Project 48:22 Creating Space for Creativity and Abundance 51:09 Radical Honesty and Authenticity in Leadership 54:30 The Pitfalls of Inauthentic Relationships 01:04:30 Improving Meeting Efficiency and Decision Making 01:13:59 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

    1h 17m
  4. How curiosity and vision helped launch Intel® Evo™ with Josh Newman (updated)

    11/27/2025

    How curiosity and vision helped launch Intel® Evo™ with Josh Newman (updated)

    In this episode, Peter Brandenburger speaks with Josh Newman, Vice President at Intel, who led the creation of Project Athena and the subsequent launch of the Intel® EVO™ brand. Josh shares how the PC industry reached a moment where the old innovation approach no longer applied, and how he and his team stepped into that disruption with curiosity and a user-centered mindset. Josh describes how Project Athena began with uncertainty and no defined path forward. By listening directly to users, the team uncovered the insight of why people turn to their PCs. This reframed the direction and led to a new vision for what laptops should become. This is a story of leading a disruption, one you create, with curiosity instead of control, partnering across a global ecosystem, and letting clarity emerge through connection and insight. It is also a reminder that even the most successful innovations begin with ambiguity and require leaders to act before they know exactly where the work will lead. Learn more about Intel® EVO™ at https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/systems-devices/laptops/evo.html l Reference to Melissa Gregg's book Work’s Intimacy Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Roar Mindset 01:18 Meet Josh Newman: What matters most 02:47 PC Innovation Initiative 05:15 Understanding PC User Behavior 09:50 Project Athena: Vision and Execution 18:52 The Rise of Freelancers and the Impact of COVID-19 22:34 Reflecting on Remote Work and COVID-19 23:16 The Power of Connected Minds in Innovation 25:00 Industry-Wide Collaboration and the Intel® Evo™brand 27:30 Challenges and Successes in the PC Ecosystem 36:56 The Future of AI and PC Innovation 42:58 Leadership Insights and Final Thoughts

    45 min
  5. Courageous Leadership and DDOs with Delena Gutierrez

    11/20/2025

    Courageous Leadership and DDOs with Delena Gutierrez

    When people development and business growth happen together, we all win. In this ROAR Mindset episode, host Peter Brandenburger talks with Delena Gutierrez, a certified coach with 17 years of corporate leadership experience, including senior and executive roles leading teams through growth and transition. She has seen up close what it takes to lead with courage and self-compassion, including her time inside a Deliberately Developmental Organization (DDO) where development was built into everyday work. Delena helps leaders rethink their approach so both people and organizations can thrive. She shares how DDOs make development part of the operating system itself by integrating feedback, reflection, and shared learning into the flow of work. We explore the courage it takes to share development openly, how teams move past hesitation and expanding work to include individual growth creates thriving teams. Related books and articles: Immunity to Change by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey An Everyone Culture: Becoming a Deliberately Developmental Organization by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey et al HBR Article on DDO - https://hbr.org/2014/04/making-business-personal ________________________________________ Episode Highlights 00:00 Introduction to the ROAR Mindset 00:25 Meet Delena Gutiérrez: Leading Through Growth 02:00 What Is a Deliberately Developmental Organization (DDO)? 07:00 Why Development Belongs in Daily Work 10:00 The Cost of Avoiding Difficult Conversations 14:00 Retention, Trust, and Real Collaboration 18:00 Feedback Without Fear: Naming What’s True 22:00 The Fishbowl: Practicing Transparency and Challenge 25:00 Silence as a Leadership Tool 29:00 Integrating DDO Practices in Any Organization 33:00 Courage, Compassion, and Self-Leadership 38:00 Turning Chaos Into Growth 45:00 Leadership Lessons Relearned 48:00 One Word to Describe Her Leadership Mindset

    52 min
  6. Disruption and Customers with Steve Porter

    11/13/2025

    Disruption and Customers with Steve Porter

    In this episode, Peter Brandenburger speaks with Steve Porter about leading through disruption by strengthening customer relationships. Together, they explore how curiosity, empathy, and courage help leaders uncover what customers truly need, collaborate to innovate, and make confident decisions when the path ahead is uncertain. Steve reflects on lessons learned from turning discarded components into opportunity, accelerating product launches with small agile teams, and building trust through honest conversations. They also discuss how to stay steady in moments of tension, when “no” is the right answer, and how mentorship and reflection sustain long-term leadership growth. Resources Mentioned: MicroInequities: The Power of Small by Stephen Young – short introduction video The Power of the Five Whys: Drilling Down to Effectively Problem-SolveHow I Did It: William Wang, CEO, Vizio (requires subscription), or LA Times: He lost money as a young CEO. Then he founded TV giant Vizio - Los AngelesTimes (free) Connect with Steve: LinkedIn Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Roar Mindset 00:36 Personal Stories of Health and Resilience 02:27 Innovative Leadership in Technology 04:03 Navigating Uncertainty and AI Revolution 05:05 Lessons from Vizio Collaboration 09:58 The Power of Face-to-Face Interaction 13:15 Embracing Rotational Roles for Growth 17:28 Building Strong Relationships and Leadership 24:14 The Power of Asking 'Why' 26:03 Building Strong Customer Relationships 27:29 Mutual Value in Relationships 30:26 The Art of Saying No 39:25 Mentorship and Its Importance 44:53 Leadership Lessons and Mindset 47:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

    50 min
  7. Leading with Inner Strength with Addy Roff

    11/05/2025

    Leading with Inner Strength with Addy Roff

    True strength begins within. In this episode of ROAR Mindset, host Peter Brandenburger talks with Addy Roff, a Certified Integral Coach, consultant, and marketing leader with more than twenty years of experience in the tech industry. Addy combines Integral Coaching and Product Marketing to help leaders build awareness, courage, and connection. Together, they explore what it means to lead from within by finding energy and alignment in uncertain times. Addy shares how leaders can transform self-doubt into self-trust, listen to their inner wisdom, and take grounded, courageous action. Addy shares lessons from Playing Big by Tara Mohr, weaving together practical insights for quieting the inner critic, cultivating an inner mentor, and moving from perfectionism to purposeful action. They also dive into Addy’s perspective on core nutrients or the daily sources of energy that sustain creativity and well-being. They discuss how fear, failure, and feedback can become teachers rather than obstacles. The conversation closes with Addy’s reflections on the wisdom she draws from her Icelandic roots. Enjoy! Books Mentioned • Playing Big — Tara Mohr Other recommended related books: • Soul Without Shame: A Guide to Liberating Yourself from the Judge Within — Byron Brown • Real Self-Care — Pooja Lakshmin • Positive Intelligence — Shirzad Chamine Learn More About Addy 🔗 Website: www.addyroff.com 🔗 LinkedIn: Addy Roff Episode Highlights 00:00 Introduction to the ROAR Mindset 00:26 Meet Addy Roff: Integral Coach and GTM Leader 02:10 Discovering Core Nutrients that Sustain Leadership 08:15 The Energy of Alignment and Integrity 13:40 Lessons from Playing Big and the Inner Critic 20:30 The Enneagram Lens on Team Connection 27:15 Real Self-Care and Boundaries for Leaders 35:00 Positive Intelligence and the Power of Inner Awareness 43:40 Reconnection, Renewal, and Courage in Practice 48:00 Leadership Lessons Relearned 50:00 One Word to Describe Her Leadership Mindset

    1h 20m
  8. Harmony in Leadership with Ahmed Omer

    10/16/2025

    Harmony in Leadership with Ahmed Omer

    Harmony in leadership is not about agreement. It is about understanding. In this episode of the ROAR Mindset, host Peter Brandenburger speaks with Ahmed Omer, a global technology leader who brings calm and connection to complex environments. Ahmed shares how he creates alignment among diverse teams by listening deeply, clarifying intent, and focusing on shared purpose. He reminds us that most conflicts arise not from disagreement but from misunderstanding, and that alignment is one of a leader’s most powerful tools. By focusing on harmony rather than control, leaders can build trust, strengthen collaboration, and lead through disruption with confidence. Connect with Ahmed on LinkedIn to learn more about his work guiding global teams through technical and cultural complexity. Episode Highlights 00:00 Introduction to the ROAR Mindset 00:24 Meet Ahmed Omer: A Leader Who Builds Harmony 02:10 Finding Rhythm, Happiness, and Flow 07:00 Navigating Noise and Building Trust 10:00 Aligning Teams Around Shared Purpose 14:45 Creating Strength-Based Organizations 21:30 Becoming a Partner of Choice 27:00 The Extra Mile: Adding Value Through Collaboration 30:00 Leading Through Disruption and Change 38:00 The Power of Listening Without Judgment 50:00 Turning Misunderstanding into Alignment 57:00 Techniques for Clarity and Connection 1:01:00 Leadership Lessons Relearned 1:03:00 One Word to Describe His Leadership Mindset

    49 min
See All (14)

About

ROAR Mindset: Leading through Chaos helps leaders stop fighting disruption and start turning it into an advantage. Hosted by Peter Brandenburger, the show shares stories, insights, and strategies to reframe chaos, focus on what matters most, and lead with clarity and confidence when it counts.

Information