Beyond the Noise

Beyond the Noise Media

Beyond the Noise is for the leaders everyone turns to, yet who rarely get space to think for themselves. Hosted by executive coaches Khurshid Zaynutdinov and Anastasija Lynch, trusted by board directors, founders, and senior leaders. Real conversations on clarity, fulfilment, and leadership that lasts. Helping you lead with energy instead of exhaustion.

  1. Oct 1

    Fear, Trust & Corporate Culture: Leading When Things Get Complicated with Fay Niewiadomski

    Your company says it values trust. Your people are quietly running on fear.Fay Niewiadomski has spent decades working with CEOs, boards and leadership teams. She joins Anastasija and Khurshid to talk honestly about what's happening inside organizations right now: decision fatigue in a world that won't stop moving, values on the wall that nobody lives, why you can't build trust when performance runs on fear, and what AI can never do for you as a leader.About Fay: founder and CEO of ICTN, former dean, award-winning change management strategist, and leadership coach. With around 20 years in academia, four businesses founded, a clinical hypnotherapist, and creator of The Four Journeys of a Leader program.Fay's book — Decisions That Matter: Rethink, Reimagine, Reset Your Lifehttps://tinyurl.com/ytnr7tpb🔗 Connect with FayLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fayniewiadomski/ICTN: https://www.ictn.com/Chapters0:00 Intro0:54 Meet Fay Niewiadomski3:24 The biggest struggle leaders face right now5:44 Why the best leaders stop trying to control everything8:53 It's never one leader10:24 Why your company values mean nothing13:26 The cost of being wrong17:34 Shareholders vs. stakeholders20:48 You can't build trust in a culture of fear23:37 What to do when you're stuck in a fearful culture29:17 The developer who stopped using AI30:29 What AI can't do: judgment and wisdom34:54 Has leaders' communication got worse?37:25 Are you surrendering to AI?41:30 Business emotional intelligence46:11 Who inspires Fay49:17 Competence, courage and compassion50:42 You don't have to be open with everyone all the timeBeyond the Noise — honest conversations for leaders navigating a world that won't slow down. Hosted by Anastasija and Khurshid.Watch the full video episode on YouTube and subscribe for new episodes biweekly.

  2. Aug 20

    Paralyzed From the Neck Down, He Still Says It Was a Gift

    Paralyzed from the neck down at 21, and the first thought that ran through his head wasn't fear — it was gratitude that he still had his mind. Max was snowboarding in Colorado when a fall left him with a C3-C4 spinal contusion. What followed was a recovery built on faith, an almost stubborn refusal to let go of momentum, and a complete rewrite of what he thought mattered. He talks with Anastasija and Khurshid about the accident itself, the mentor who told him "don't let me believe in you more than you believe in you," and why so many of us wait for a crisis before we let ourselves change. Timestamps:0:06 – Welcome + introducing Max0:24 – The accident: paralyzed from the neck down3:20 – What losing control taught him about the control we think we have4:14 – The first thought after the injury: gratitude for his mind8:46 – Khurshid's story: living in the present with a premature son10:12 – Faith before and after the injury — the prayer the rescuers mistook for a head injury15:22 – Getting through the hardest days18:14 – Borrowing belief from the people around you21:43 – His mission: helping people understand adversity27:44 – "Don't let me believe in you more than you believe in you"31:37 – What he used to chase that wasn't worth it37:46 – Why we wait for a crisis before we change41:26 – Separating what's actually important46:03 – His dream: helping people understand their own power52:15 – Closing advice: define your vision, your why, and your anti-why About Max:Max is a snowboarding accident survivor who was paralyzed from the neck down with a C3-C4 spinal contusion and made what he calls a "110%" recovery, going on to run two ultra marathons and complete a half Iron Man. He now works to help people understand adversity, tap into their own potential, and stop waiting for a crisis to make the changes they already know they need to make. Follow Max: https://www.instagram.com/maxwellkrohn/ Web: https://maxkrohn.com/ More from Beyond the Noise:🌐 https://btnpod.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btntalks/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-the-noise-podcast/

  3. Aug 6

    She Survived 11 Layoffs, Then Quit Anyway — Here's What Broke Open

    You get laid off, and instead of falling apart, you smile, then cry the second no one's watching. Years later you finally quit a job you actually like, and somehow that's scarier than any layoff ever was. Lin Cassie went through multiple rounds of layoffs across two countries, the first as a 20-something in 2008, the last as a design manager in Berlin, before making the strange discovery that walking away on her own terms was harder than being pushed. She and hosts Anastasija and Khurshid dig into what it actually felt like in the room each time, how she traced her own fears back to her parents', and why she thinks the leadership traits that get rewarded right now might be part of the problem. About Lin Cassie:Lin Cassie is a leadership coach and systems consultant who helps leaders and teams navigate the complexity of modern work — from organizational growth and shifting roles to cross-functional collaboration. Her approach starts with cultivating awareness: helping people recognize their habitual patterns and create space to make sense of pressure and uncertainty, so they can respond intentionally rather than react automatically. From there, she expands the focus to the wider organizational system — helping leaders move beyond silos, make better decisions, and build stronger alignment across teams. 🔗 Connect with Lin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lin-cassie-zhen-73215113/ More from Beyond the Noise:🎥 Full video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/s1e3Vkfjaag🌐 https://btnpod.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btntalks/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-the-noise-podcast/

  4. Jun 25

    More Responsibility. Less Support. Why Leadership Feels So Isolating | Bo Balachsan

    What happens when leadership becomes more demanding, more uncertain, and more isolating? In this episode of Beyond The Noise, we sit down with Bo Balachsan, founder of Leadership Club, a leadership coach, and a product leader, to explore the realities many leaders experience but rarely discuss openly. As responsibility grows, so does pressure. Decisions become higher stakes, expectations increase, and many leaders find themselves carrying more while feeling less supported. We discuss: • Why leadership often becomes isolating• The hidden pressure of decision-making• Why are many leaders promoted without being properly prepared• AI, uncertainty, and the changing nature of work• Emotional intelligence in modern leadership• The value of community, reflection, and peer support• What becoming a parent taught Bo about leading others This conversation is for founders, executives, managers, and professionals navigating increasing responsibility in a rapidly changing world. Connect with Bo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/borderlessbo/Leadership Club: https://www.leadershift.club/Leadership Club LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadershift-club/ Connect with the hostsAnastasija Lynch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasija-lynch-coach/Khurshid Zaynutdinov: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khurshidz/ If you enjoyed this episode, follow Beyond The Noise and share it with someone who might benefit from the conversation.

About

Beyond the Noise is for the leaders everyone turns to, yet who rarely get space to think for themselves. Hosted by executive coaches Khurshid Zaynutdinov and Anastasija Lynch, trusted by board directors, founders, and senior leaders. Real conversations on clarity, fulfilment, and leadership that lasts. Helping you lead with energy instead of exhaustion.