IDEAS+LEADERS

Dr Elena Paweta

Effective communication skills are essential in your career. Each Monday, join Dr Elena Paweta, executive communication coach and IDEAS+LEADERS founder, as she interviews business leaders and entrepreneurs on business communication, leadership and building relationships. If you want to progress in your career, become more charismatic and impactful leader, or just want to hear advice from top business leaders, this is the podcast for you.

  1. 8H AGO

    295. How to Build the Culture of We - Laura Kriska

    In episode 295 of the IDEAS+LEADERS Podcast, I’m joined by Laura Kriska, Harvard Business Review contributor, TEDx speaker, and author of The Business of WE. Laura has spent over 30 years working with global organizations, helping leaders close the “us vs. them” gaps that quietly undermine trust, collaboration, and performance. We talk about why division inside organizations is growing across cultures, generations, functions, and ways of working and what leaders often fail to see until it starts affecting results. Laura shares practical, research-backed insights from her work and her recent Harvard Business Review article on collaboration, showing how small, everyday behaviors can rebuild trust faster than most people expect. In this episode, we discuss: How “us vs. them” thinking shows up in teams and why it’s more common than we think The subtle ways leaders unintentionally create division What actually builds trust in today’s hybrid and global workplaces Why language, goals, and resource decisions shape team dynamics Simple shifts that can transform collaboration almost immediately This is a thoughtful and practical conversation on moving from awareness to action—and building what Laura calls a true “WE” culture inside organizations. You can connect with Laura here: Laura Kriska Thank you for joining me on this episode of IDEAS+LEADERS. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review so that more people can enjoy the podcast on Apple https://apple.co/3fKv9IH or Spotify https://sptfy.com/Nrtq.

    30 min
  2. APR 20

    294. Your Next Leadership Chapter - Federico Malatesta

    In episode 294 of the IDEAS+LEADERS Podcast, I’m joined by Federico Malatesta, founder of FM Transformational Coaching, executive and transformational coach, and former CIO of a $40B energy portfolio. Today, Federico works with executives and high-achievers navigating complex transitions, helping them make sense of uncertainty, understand real trade-offs, and act with intention when the old story no longer fits. We explore what happens when leadership is no longer about having the right answers, why many of the frameworks we rely on fail in real life, and how identity, context, and decision-making shift in moments of transition.  In this episode, we discuss: Why leadership frameworks often break down in complex situations What it means to read context instead of chasing certainty What happens when the story you’ve been telling about yourself no longer works The myth of the “authentic self” and why it can be misleading Why midlife is a necessary redesign rather than a breakdown How horses can reveal stress patterns and leadership blind spots Tune in for a reflective and insightful conversation on leadership, identity, and navigating complexity with intention. You can connect with Federico here: https://federicomalatesta.com/Thank you for joining me on this episode of IDEAS+LEADERS. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review so that more people can enjoy the podcast on Apple https://apple.co/3fKv9IH or Spotify https://sptfy.com/Nrtq.

    32 min
  3. APR 6

    292. Leadership Evolution in High-Growth Companies - Benoy Tamang

    In episode 292 of the IDEAS+LEADERS Podcast, I’m joined by Benoy Tamang, executive coach and leadership advisor with nearly 40 years of experience building companies, leading executive teams, and coaching founders and CEOs globally. Having worked with public companies as well as multiple startups, Benoy now focuses on helping leaders scale their organizations by evolving their leadership, building strong systems, and developing high-performing teams. We explore why many companies struggle to grow despite strong products and teams, how founders often become the bottleneck as organizations scale, and what leadership evolution is required to move from founder to CEO and eventually to coach. Benoy shares practical insights on building organizations that can grow sustainably without burning out their leaders. In this episode, we discuss: Why founders often become the bottleneck in their own companies The leadership shift from Founder to CEO to Coach How to create systems that allow teams to win Why self-care is a leadership advantage, not a luxury How to identify blind spots and overcome unconscious incompetence Tune in for a practical and insightful conversation on leadership, scaling organizations, and becoming the kind of leader your company needs at every stage of growth. You can connect with Benoy here: https://www.techceocoach.com/ Thank you for joining me on this episode of IDEAS+LEADERS. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review so that more people can enjoy the podcast on Apple https://apple.co/3fKv9IH or Spotify https://sptfy.com/Nrtq.

    32 min
  4. MAR 30

    291. Communicating Like a Leader - Andrea Wojnicki

    In episode 291 of the IDEAS+LEADERS Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Andrea Wojnicki, executive communication coach, Harvard Business School PhD, and founder of Talk About Talk. Andrea works with ambitious professionals and executives at companies like Deloitte, JPMorgan, MasterCard, EY, and PwC, helping them communicate with clarity, confidence, and credibility. Her Harvard Business Review article, A Simple Way to Introduce Yourself, became one of the top three most downloaded HBR articles in 2023. We explore why communication is one of the most underestimated leadership skills, how professionals can intentionally shape their personal brand, and what it really takes to build executive presence in high-stakes environments. Andrea shares practical, research-based frameworks that can be applied immediately, from introducing yourself to communicating with precision and impact. In this episode, we discuss: Why many professionals struggle to introduce themselves effectively Andrea’s simple Present–Past–Future framework for powerful introductions What it means to be yourself on purpose in personal branding How to build executive presence through communication The most common communication mistakes in high-stakes situations Tune in for a practical and insightful conversation on communication, confidence, and building a strong professional identity. You can connect with Andrea here: https://talkabouttalk.com/ Thank you for joining me on this episode of IDEAS+LEADERS. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review so that more people can enjoy the podcast on Apple https://apple.co/3fKv9IH or Spotify https://sptfy.com/Nrtq.

    29 min
  5. MAR 23

    290. Neurodiversity as a Leadership Advantage - Sandra Crespo

    In episode 290 of the IDEAS+LEADERS Podcast, I’m joined by Sandra Crespo, executive coach, speaker, and mental health professional specializing in neurodiversity and leadership. Sandra works with organizations to build environments where “neurospicy” talent can thrive, combining insights from mental health, systems thinking, and leadership development. She is the creator of the S.P.I.C.Y. Framework, a strengths-based approach that helps organizations turn neurodiversity into a real advantage rather than a checkbox. We explore why traditional workplace systems often fail neurodivergent professionals, how ADHD shows up in high-performing environments, and what leaders need to understand to build teams that are both effective and sustainable. Sandra shares a refreshing perspective on leadership that moves beyond performance and productivity toward clarity, access, and human-centered design. In this episode, we discuss: Why traditional leadership models overlook neurodiversity How ADHD can be a strength in creative and high-pressure environments What workplace systems unintentionally create friction for different brains How leaders can design teams and communication for clarity and effectiveness Tune in for a thoughtful and practical conversation on leadership, neurodiversity, and building workplaces that truly work for everyone. You can connect with Sandra here: https://www.theneurospicysw.com/ Thank you for joining me on this episode of IDEAS+LEADERS. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review so that more people can enjoy the podcast on Apple https://apple.co/3fKv9IH or Spotify https://sptfy.com/Nrtq.

    28 min
5
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

Effective communication skills are essential in your career. Each Monday, join Dr Elena Paweta, executive communication coach and IDEAS+LEADERS founder, as she interviews business leaders and entrepreneurs on business communication, leadership and building relationships. If you want to progress in your career, become more charismatic and impactful leader, or just want to hear advice from top business leaders, this is the podcast for you.