EEC 413: Leadership Advice from Dr. Rolf-Dieter Heuer, Past Director General at CERN

Have you ever questioned the very nature of existence? Have you wondered how it all started and what secrets the universe holds? For most of us, these matters are beyond our comprehension. And yet, these are questions scientists at CERN - the world's leading research body for particle physics - are currently exploring. Dr. Heuer discusses with host Dr. Katrina Burrus the experiences and challenges to which he now attributes his successful leadership and achievements within the scientific community. Who is Rolf-Dieter Heuer? Dr. Heuer studied physics at the University of Stuttgart. He then obtained his PhD in 1977 at the University of Heidelberg under Joachim Heintze. His post-doc studies include the JADE experiment at the electron-positron storage ring PETRA at DESY, and from 1984, at the OPAL experiment at CERN, where he also became a spokesperson of the OPAL collaboration for many years. Having been offered a full professorship for experimental physics at the University of Hamburg, Heuer returned to DESY in 1998. In 2004, he was appointed DESY's Research Director. In December 2007, the CERN research council announced that Heuer will take office as CERN's Director General starting 1 January 2009. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development

Maria Gallucci is a multi-award-winning real estate agent and proud CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). Growing up as one of six hearing children raised by Deaf parents, she learned ASL before English and helped her parents buy a home at just 12 years old. How did "Raised in Silence" teach you profound lessons on listening and love? Why do people struggle to connect in a hearing-centered world? What from your childhood inspired you to help others feel understood? What is "Deaf Gain" and how can it help build stronger relationships in leadership? What mindset shift turns awkwardness into a genuine connection? Maria Gallucci Maria Gallucci is a multi-award-winning real estate agent and proud CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). Growing up as one of six hearing children raised by Deaf parents, she learned ASL before English and helped her parents buy a home at just 12 years old. This experience shaped her passion for inclusive communication and helping those who are often overlooked. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Andres Lares is the Managing Partner at Shapiro Negotiations Institute and co-author of Persuade: The 4-Step Process to Influence People and Decisions. What is your four-step process to persuade others? Why do people focus on logic rather than emotion? How can you build credibility quickly? When is the right time to go first in negotiations? What are the five main aspects of emotional intelligence? Andres Lares Andres Lares is the Managing Partner at Shapiro Negotiations Institute and co-author of Persuade: The 4-Step Process to Influence People and Decisions. His expertise ranges from coaching live negotiations for sports clients, including the Cleveland Browns and Brooklyn Nets, to developing online content for facilitating programs in real estate, advisory, media, banking, and pharmaceutical sectors. He is a guest lecturer on negotiation at universities like Johns Hopkins University, has been a contributor to numerous national media outlets, including Forbes, Entrepreneur, Selling Power, and many more. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Norman Wolfe is the Founder and CEO of Quantum Leaders, Inc., a strategy execution consulting firm focused on transforming businesses to unlock the power of the human spirit. The Living Organization® System emphasizes treating organizations as dynamic, living entities. How does this approach differ from traditional business paradigms, and how does it impact strategy execution? How can leaders create a culture where employees feel both valued and aligned with the company's mission? Leadership can often feel lonely at the top. Why? What strategies do you recommend for organizations trying to embrace change and innovate while maintaining alignment with their core values? What is your next book? Norman Wolfe Norman Wolfe is the Founder and CEO of Quantum Leaders, Inc., a strategy execution consulting firm focused on transforming businesses to unlock the power of the human spirit. With over 30 years of experience, Norman is a pioneer in leadership and organizational performance, known for guiding companies through significant transitions to achieve extraordinary results. A former executive at Hewlett-Packard and board member of multiple organizations, Norman is also the author of The Living Organization, a groundbreaking book on creating high-performing companies. He is passionate about shifting business paradigms and helping leaders foster dynamic, living organizations. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Loren Greiff is an executive career coach and strategist. She is the founder and president of PortfolioRocket, a career coaching business she started in 2020 to help executives over 40 advance their careers, overcome ageism, and land jobs faster while earning more. Many executives over 40 hear the word "overqualified" in job searches. What does that term really mean? You've said that experience is no longer currency - relevance is! What strategies can senior executives use to package 20+ years of experience so it resonates in today's market? Traditional networking only has a 2% success rate, and you have developed methods that are much more successful. What are your methods? What role does age bias play in leadership opportunities, and how can executive coaches help their clients navigate that bias? For leaders who feel invisible despite their accomplishments, what practical steps do you recommend to reignite confidence? Loren Greiff Loren Greiff is an executive career coach and strategist. She is the founder and president of PortfolioRocket, a career coaching business she started in 2020 to help executives over 40 advance their careers, overcome ageism, and land jobs faster while earning more. Loren has extensive experience working in executive search and corporate roles, and she focuses on helping clients develop actionable strategies for job search, interviewing, salary negotiation, and personal brand articulation. She also hosts a podcast called Career Blast In A Half and is active as an executive board member for Fast Company. Her coaching emphasizes turning clients into opportunity magnets by mastering the hidden job market and overcoming limiting beliefs related to ageism and hiring biases. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Steff Vanhaverbeke is a Lecturer and AI Adoption Coach at Syntra, where she empowers professionals and entrepreneurs to navigate the fast-changing landscape of artificial intelligence. How can professionals develop "cognitive agility" to thrive alongside AI rather than fear being replaced? What are the five human skills that AI can't automate, and why are they crucial for career security? What is an AI Agent? What is the "Superworker" methodology and how does it deliver 3x productivity gains? Steff VanHaverbeke Steff Vanhaverbeke is a Lecturer and AI Adoption Coach at Syntra, where she empowers professionals and entrepreneurs to navigate the fast-changing landscape of artificial intelligence. With a sharp eye for both human potential and technological innovation, she guides learners in understanding, integrating, and confidently using AI tools to enhance their work without losing their human edge. Steff brings over 28 years of experience in coaching, facilitation, and training to the classroom, blending cognitive agility, systems thinking, and practical tech know-how into every session. Her teaching goes beyond tooltips and trends, she creates safe, interactive learning environments where participants develop critical thinking, creative resilience, and a clear vision of their role in an AI-augmented world. Her mission: help people become not just users of technology, but adaptive thinkers and ethical decision-makers in a world shaped by it. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

A parallel entrepreneur, Timothy Totten, runs his legacy family business in the funeral product manufacturing industry, and creates escape games and other team-building activities with his FunVenture partner. Why did you get involved with TEDx? What are the biggest mistakes you've seen hopeful TEDx speakers make? How has landing a TEDx talk changed over the years, and how should people approach the stage today? Besides memorizing a talk, what are the most important steps to having a successful TEDx experience? How do you help those aspiring to the world's most influential stage, and can you guarantee they will get onto that red dot? Timothy Totten A parallel entrepreneur, Timothy Totten runs his legacy family business in the funeral product manufacturing industry, creates escape games and other team-building activities with his FunVenture partner, shares his expert knowledge of famed American Architect Frank Lloyd Wright in storytelling sessions across the country, and volunteers as a curator and coach for TEDxEustis, the event which he created and led from 2018-2025. Today, Totten shares his storytelling expertise and behind-the-scenes TEDx knowledge with hopeful speakers through social media videos and his newsletter, along with both group and one-on-one coaching. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Paul Vanderbroeck is an international executive educator and coach. In his leadership development, he uses a transdisciplinary approach, combining leadership theory and diagnostic instruments with history, arts, and theatre. What are the leadership models that you have chosen for your research and why? What can modern leaders learn from Caesar's career, and how does it apply to leaders today? What can modern leaders learn from Caesar's behavior and development over time? What can modern leaders learn from Caesar's personality? What new elements did your research bring to Caesar's story? Paul Vanderbroeck A historian by training and a former HR executive, Paul Vanderbroeck is an international executive educator and coach. In his leadership development, he uses a transdisciplinary approach, combining leadership theory and diagnostic instruments with history, arts, and theatre. He partners with corporations, non-profit organizations, and business schools. As an independent researcher, he publishes on leadership and organizational behavior. He has authored business books on women leadership and on dual career couples, a textbook on international human resource management, and has co-created a theatre play on women leaders. His latest book is Lead Like Julius Caesar. Leadership Lessons From History's Most Influential Leader. Paul holds a PhD in History from Radboud University (Nijmegen, NL). Paul is married, a father of two adult children, and currently lives in Switzerland. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Mathew Pohl is a former data analytics professional turned small business owner and advocate for organizational growth. He applied the Stages of Growth methodology, achieving a 10x increase in his company's value. What was the driving force behind you becoming an entrepreneur? Tell us about the two seasons of your first business and why those were so different? Why is having a roadmap so important for SMB owners? What is the ReWild Group's roadmap based on? How does Organizational ReWilding differ from EOS? Mathew Pohl Mathew Pohl is a former data analytics professional turned small business owner and advocate for organizational growth. He applied the Stages of Growth methodology, achieving a 10x increase in his company's value. Pohl founded the ReWild Group to share this approach and authored the "Organizational ReWilding Rules for Business Growth" series. He is passionate about helping business leaders and advisers. Pohl enjoys the outdoors in Colorado and spending time with his family. He welcomes collaborations and aims to empower businesses to reach their full potential. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.

Jim Delaney is the Co-Founder and CEO of Traction AI, a go-to-market partner for founders navigating the early stages of growth. What lessons from military leadership carry over into building a high-performing startup team? Why do so many founders struggle with go-to-market execution — and how can they fix it? What does "RevOps" actually mean for an early-stage company? How can a founder align product, marketing, and sales without overhiring or burning cash? What advice would you give to leaders who are stepping into the CEO role for the first time? Jim Delaney Jim Delaney is the Co-Founder and CEO of Traction AI, a go-to-market partner for founders navigating the early stages of growth. A former U.S. Naval Officer and National Security Agency team lead, Jim spent the first chapter of his career in national defense before transitioning into the private sector, where he worked as a senior executive for JPMorgan Chase and on the executive leadership team at Dun & Bradstreet. He then worked for various venture capital and private equity firms as a portfolio CEO for various portfolio companies and led two technology companies to successful exits — Marketwired sold to Nasdaq and Sysomos sold to Meltwater. With over 30 years of experience scaling data and SaaS businesses, Jim brings a rare blend of operational rigor and servant leadership to the startups he supports. He holds a degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA from the Wharton School. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching, which helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching, a company that specializes in leadership development.