The Partnership Playbook: Lead with Clarity, Partner for Leverage, Reclaim Time

Phil Hayes-St Clair
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Helping leaders grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and bring real meaning to their teams. The Partnership Playbook is for CEOs, founders, and go-to-market leaders who want to grow without noise, scale without burnout, and build partnerships that actually matter. You’ll hear clear thinking on: - How to become a great CEO - How distribution, supply chain, and product partnerships create resilience - How leaders use partnerships to simplify strategy, not add more work Hosted by Phil Hayes-St Clair - CEO coach and partnerships advisor with 20+ years of experience across healthcare, biotech, aerospace, and eCommerce. Each episode blends practical insight with leadership reflection you can actually apply. New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, including: - A weekly partnership episode - A weekly leadership episode - A long-form CEO conversation If you’re looking to grow with intent, lead with confidence, and build something your team believes in—you’re in the right place. Start anywhere. Stay for the clarity. Learn more at philhsc.com Know a great future guest? Send them here: philhsc.com/expression-of-interest

  1. 160. How “great deals” quietly destroy growth (and what GTM leaders can do differently)

    4D AGO

    160. How “great deals” quietly destroy growth (and what GTM leaders can do differently)

    What if the deals your team celebrates most are quietly undermining your growth and leadership credibility? Most GTM leaders are trained to optimize for speed, logos, and booked revenue. But when pricing decisions ignore margin durability and capacity strain, “great” deals can quietly erode unit economics, exhaust teams, and distort future negotiations. This episode reframes how strong leaders evaluate deals—without becoming blockers or sounding negative. Learn how pricing, margin, and capacity trade-offs actually work—and why ignoring any one of them damages growthUnderstand how incentives and “strategic” discounts distort deal structure and become permanent over timeGain practical questions that help you challenge bad deals with commercial confidence and leadership clarity If you want to grow with discipline, protect your unit economics, and lead GTM conversations that hold up under pressure, this episode will sharpen how you think about deals. New episodes Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. More from Phil Hayes-St Clair Subscribe to the free Wednesday Partnership Newsletter (and get immediate access to my Frameworks Vault) FOR CEOs If you’re stepping into bigger leadership moments and want support at the CEO level, explore my CEO Coaching. FOR GTM LEADERS If you're ready to build a repeatable GTM system that actually closes deals and creates leverage for your organisation, apply to join The Partnership Lab Find me on LinkedIn The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts. PS - Have a CEO guest recommendation for the show? Share this link with them.

    12 min
  2. 159. You want to lead a basketball team (not a golf team)

    6D AGO

    159. You want to lead a basketball team (not a golf team)

    Are you leading talented people who work hard but don’t really move together? Most leadership teams don’t struggle with effort. They struggle with coordination. As companies grow, it’s easy to drift into a model where everyone performs individually, yet progress feels heavy, slow and overly dependent on the CEO. In this episode, Phil breaks down a simple but powerful distinction that reshapes how CEOs think about leadership, growth, and team performance. Learn how to diagnose whether your company is operating like a golf team or a basketball teamUnderstand why individual excellence can quietly stall company-wide growthDiscover practical leadership moves that shift teams from effort-driven to intent-driven performance If you want to lead a team that creates real momentum (not just activity) this episode will give you a clearer way to see, think and act as a CEO. ALSO, take a listen to Ryan Hawk's Learning Leader Show. It's a brilliant leadership resource. New episodes Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. More from Phil Hayes-St Clair Subscribe to the free Wednesday Partnership Newsletter (and get immediate access to my Frameworks Vault) FOR CEOs If you’re stepping into bigger leadership moments and want support at the CEO level, explore my CEO Coaching. FOR GTM LEADERS If you're ready to build a repeatable GTM system that actually closes deals and creates leverage for your organisation, apply to join The Partnership Lab Find me on LinkedIn The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts. PS - Have a CEO guest recommendation for the show? Share this link with them.

    8 min
  3. 158. How to go from sales to strategic partner in complex markets with CEO Hamid Ghanadan

    JAN 30

    158. How to go from sales to strategic partner in complex markets with CEO Hamid Ghanadan

    What if the fastest path to growth wasn’t selling harder but partnering deeper? If you’re scaling in healthcare, biotech or B2B you already know this: the complexity is compounding. Partners are either a liability or your greatest growth accelerant. In this episode with CEO Hamid Ghanadan, we explore: How empathy + clarity unlock high-trust partnershipsWhat most CEOs get wrong about change readiness and executionA leadership framework for growth when data is unclear Learn how to position your product and your people for growth through partnerships. 🎧 Listen now and rewire your go-to-market thinking. New episodes Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. More from Phil Hayes-St Clair Subscribe to the free Wednesday Partnership Newsletter (and get immediate access to my Frameworks Vault) FOR CEOs If you’re stepping into bigger leadership moments and want support at the CEO level, explore my CEO Coaching. FOR GTM LEADERS If you're ready to build a repeatable GTM system that actually closes deals and creates leverage for your organisation, apply to join The Partnership Lab. Find me on LinkedIn The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts. PS - Have a CEO guest recommendation for the show? Share this link with them.

    1 hr
  4. 157. How GTM leaders can forecast growth without pretending certainty

    JAN 29

    157. How GTM leaders can forecast growth without pretending certainty

    What happens when leaders ask you for certainty—but the market refuses to cooperate? As a GTM leader, forecasting today isn’t just about numbers. It’s about trust, credibility, and leadership in motion. You’re expected to be decisive in a world defined by unknowns. The pressure to sound certain is real, but it often makes forecasts brittle and trust fragile. In this episode, Phil reframes forecasting as a leadership skill and shows how the strongest GTM leaders earn confidence by naming risk, structuring uncertainty, and leading with judgment instead of theater. Learn how to forecast in a way that builds leadership credibility—even when outcomes changeDiscover a practical framework to communicate confidence, risk, and unknowns without losing authorityReplace false precision with a repeatable forecasting rhythm that improves growth decisions and leadership trust If you want to lead GTM growth with clarity, confidence, and credibility—this episode will change how you forecast. New episodes Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. More from Phil Hayes-St Clair: Subscribe to the Wednesday Partnership Newsletter (and get immediate access to my Frameworks Vault) Find me on LinkedIn The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts. PS - Have a CEO guest recommendation for the show? Share this link with them.

    10 min
  5. 156. How CEOs create leadership leverage without becoming the bottleneck

    JAN 27

    156. How CEOs create leadership leverage without becoming the bottleneck

    Are you building a leadership team that actually creates leverage — or are you still carrying more weight than you should? In this episode of The Partnership Playbook, Phil breaks down a clear approach to leadership that drives growth and strengthens leadership without sacrificing performance. You’ll learn how to: Create clarity and ownership with direct reports without micromanagingCollaborate as a thought partner without becoming the decision-makerBuild a leadership system that hits the numbers and develops champion leaders If you’re a CEO focused on growth and leadership leverage, this episode will give you a practical framework you can apply immediately. New episodes Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. More from Phil Hayes-St Clair: Subscribe to the Wednesday Partnership Newsletter (and get immediate access to my Frameworks Vault) Find me on LinkedIn The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts. PS - Have a CEO guest recommendation for the show? Share this link with them.

    9 min
  6. 155. How GTM leaders can handle tough partner conversations without burning bridges

    JAN 21

    155. How GTM leaders can handle tough partner conversations without burning bridges

    What’s the real risk of avoiding a difficult partner conversation? In this episode of The Partnership Playbook, Phil Hayes-St Clair breaks down how to plan, approach, and execute difficult partner conversations with clarity, confidence, and leadership presence—so both sides leave with more respect, even if the partnership needs to end. What you’ll gain from listening: How to structure difficult partner conversations that protect trust and accelerate growthA repeatable framework to handle conflict without damaging leadership credibilityHow to end misaligned partnerships cleanly while preserving long-term relationships If partnership growth and leadership clarity matter in your GTM motion, this episode gives you the language, posture, and confidence to lead when it matters most. New episodes Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. More from Phil Hayes-St Clair: Subscribe to the Wednesday Partnership Newsletter (and get immediate access to my Frameworks Vault) Find me on LinkedIn The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts. PS - Have a CEO guest recommendation for the show? Share this link with them.

    10 min
  7. 154. How to create time to think and accelerate growth as a CEO

    JAN 19

    154. How to create time to think and accelerate growth as a CEO

    When was the last time you had real time to think as a CEO? In this episode of The Partnership Playbook, Phil Hayes-St Clair breaks down how CEOs can reclaim time to think and, more importantly, how to use that time to create clarity, momentum, and calm across the business. Learn the simple disciplines that create real thinking time without sacrificing executionDiscover how better thinking improves decision quality, team alignment, and leadership energyBuild a repeatable rhythm that supports long-term growth and confident leadership If you want fewer misfires, clearer teams, and leadership that feels steady instead of reactive, this episode will change how you think about thinking. New episodes Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. More from Phil Hayes-St Clair: Subscribe to the Wednesday Partnership Newsletter (and get immediate access to my Frameworks Vault) Find me on LinkedIn The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts. PS - Have a CEO guest recommendation for the show? Share this link with them.

    12 min
  8. 153. RE-RELEASE: Colonel Kim 'KC' Campbell on leadership in high-stakes environments

    JAN 19

    153. RE-RELEASE: Colonel Kim 'KC' Campbell on leadership in high-stakes environments

    Meet former US Air Force fighter pilot, Colonel Kim 'Killer Chick' Campbell. This is her story including a harrowing experience during a mission in Baghdad, where her aircraft was critically damaged and she had to rely on emergency backup systems to get home safely. Learn how partnerships, trust, and debriefing play a critical leadership role in high-stakes environments. Connect with Kim: Get Flying in the Face of Fear by Kim 'KC' CampbellVisit Kim's websiteConnect with Kim on LinkedIn New episodes Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. More from Phil Hayes-St Clair: Subscribe to the Wednesday Partnership Newsletter (and get immediate access to my Frameworks Vault) Find me on LinkedIn The Partnership Playbook is the podcast for leaders who want to grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and lead their teams with meaning. Each episode gives you practical insights drawn from two decades of building and backing companies, coaching CEOs, and closing high-value partnerships across industries. You’ll learn how to scale yourself as a leader, choose partners that help you grow faster, and turn trust, alignment, and first wins into momentum that lasts. PS - Have a CEO guest recommendation for the show? Share this link with them.

    1h 1m
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Helping leaders grow with clarity, create leverage through partnerships, and bring real meaning to their teams. The Partnership Playbook is for CEOs, founders, and go-to-market leaders who want to grow without noise, scale without burnout, and build partnerships that actually matter. You’ll hear clear thinking on: - How to become a great CEO - How distribution, supply chain, and product partnerships create resilience - How leaders use partnerships to simplify strategy, not add more work Hosted by Phil Hayes-St Clair - CEO coach and partnerships advisor with 20+ years of experience across healthcare, biotech, aerospace, and eCommerce. Each episode blends practical insight with leadership reflection you can actually apply. New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, including: - A weekly partnership episode - A weekly leadership episode - A long-form CEO conversation If you’re looking to grow with intent, lead with confidence, and build something your team believes in—you’re in the right place. Start anywhere. Stay for the clarity. Learn more at philhsc.com Know a great future guest? Send them here: philhsc.com/expression-of-interest

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