Transformation in Turbulent Times with Former Telstra CEO Andy Penn

Generative AI is reshaping how leaders think, decide, and communicate. Used thoughtfully, it can sharpen strategic thinking and accelerate decision-making. But when GenAI output replaces genuine insight, it can expose leaders who can't defend their thinking under pressure. In this episode of Leadership Lounge, Emma Combe sits down with Amy Scissons, Sean Dineen, and Fawad Bajwa to explore how senior leaders can harness GenAI's potential while avoiding its pitfalls. They discuss: How C-suite leaders are using GenAI in their work  The growing concern about "workslop"—GenAI-generated output that lacks real insight The critical skills needed to pressure-test GenAI output and avoid shallow thinking Why transparency and accountability matter more as GenAI becomes embedded in workflows  “Leaders carry a lot of wisdom. They need to feed that wisdom into AI and educate it. Context is king.” Sean Dineen, Leadership Advisor, Russell Reynolds Associates  Four things you'll learn from this episode: 1. GenAI can elevate strategic thinking: senior leaders are using GenAI as a sparring partner to pressure-test decisions, create board personas, and refine their perspectives before high-stakes moments. 2. Polish doesn't equal depth: GenAI-generated output can look impressive, but it can also lack substance. Leaders who can't defend their thinking under scrutiny will be exposed. 3. Critical thinking is your competitive advantage: the ability to interrogate GenAI output, provide context, and apply wisdom separates leaders who use GenAI effectively from those who outsource their judgment. 4. Transparency and accountability are non-negotiable: leaders must own their outputs, regardless of how much GenAI contributed to the process. In this episode, we will cover: (02:00) Using GenAI as a sparring partner and creating board personas to pressure-test strategic thinking. (04:39) Why senior leaders should experiment with GenAI tools to build confidence before trusting them with critical decisions. (09:05) The personal risk for leaders who rely on seemingly polished GenAI output without developing their own point of view. (09:50) How GenAI can create false flattery and why leaders need to ask it to be critical. (10:50) Why credibility is a leader's currency—and how shallow GenAI-generated thinking can erode trust. (13.13) Why critical thinking—built through struggle and learning from mistakes—is the most essential leadership skill in a GenAI world. (16:20) The importance of transparency and accountability when using GenAI tools. (17:45) How GenAI output reflects your approach: clear and thoughtful inputs amplify clarity; rushed inputs amplify shallowness. A closer look at the research from this episode: Boston Consulting Group, AI at Work 2025: Momentum Builds, but Gaps Remain | BCG  Russell Reynolds Associates, Season 5 - Ep. 2 | AI or Die: A Conversation with Coveo Chairman and CEO Louis Têtu | Redefiners - Podcast Series | Russell Reynolds Associates  Harvard Business Review, AI-Generated “Workslop” Is Destroying Productivity  Russell Reynolds Associates, Global Leadership Monitor | Russell Reynolds Associates  Russell Reynolds Associates, Season 3 - Ep. 18 | A Front Row Seat to the AI Revolution with Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith – Part 2 | Redefiners - Podcast Series | Russell Reynolds Associates 

Transformation continues to be the word at the top of leaders’ minds. Whether it’s due to changes in technology with AI, market shifts, the regulatory landscape, or unexpected global events, leaders are looking to transform their organization’s operations and culture to be more agile, innovative, and resilient.  In today’s Redefiners, Marla Oates and Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic talk with former Telstra CEO and managing Director, Andy Penn, about how he led the transformation of Australia’s largest telecommunications company. Andy shares what it was like stepping into the CEO role at Telstra at a turbulent time for the company, its customers, and the board. He talks about the key lessons he learned leading a multi-year company-wide transformation effort, and how he put the right team and culture together to get it done. He also talks about his current roles in cybersecurity, providing critical insights on how to prepare for and deter cyber-attacks.   We’ll also hear from Tuck Rickards, a leadership advisor at Russell Reynolds Associates, who will discuss what he believes is the leadership formula for effective AI transformation.  Four things you’ll learn from this episode:  The key steps and KPIs when implementing a transformation project Tips on putting together the right leadership team and organizational culture to help make reinvention happen How to prepare for cyber-security risks while balance the productivity benefits of AI projects How to successfully transition from CEO to board and advisory roles  If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like these Redefiners episodes: Talking Transformational Leadership with RRA’s CEO Constantine Alexandrakis Leadership Lounge: How to Build a Top-Performing C-suite: The Leadership Blueprint for Sustained High Performance Trust Your Gut: AXA’s Thomas Buberl Talks Transformation and Reinvention Leadership Lounge: From Firefighting to Future-Building: How Leaders Can Master Perpetual Transformation Driving Transformation with Volvo Cars President and CEO Jim Rowan Leadership Lounge: Unleashing AI’s potential: Are you ready to lead the charge?  Learn more with the latest research from Russell Reynolds Associates: Adapt or Die in the Age of Perpetual Transformation Why Most AI Transformations Fail Before They Start  

For new CEOs, few relationships matter more—and few are more complex—than the relationship with their board. The tone set in the first year can either establish the board as a powerful ally or create friction that slows progress.  In this episode of Leadership Lounge, Emma Combe is joined by three of our trusted leadership advisors Rusty O’Kelley, Anita Wingrove, and Ty Wiggins, to explore how new CEOs can build trust, alignment, and effective ways of working with their boards—and how that relationship evolves over time.  They discuss:  Why the CEO–board relationship is so critical in the first year of leadership  What new CEOs should seek to understand about their board before and during the transition  How transparency and candor build credibility and trust  Where conflict most often arises between CEOs and boards—and how to navigate it constructively    “You ultimately want their perspective on key matters. And for that, they need to have the unvarnished truth.”  Ty Wiggins Leadership Advisor, Russell Reynolds Associates  Four things you’ll learn from this episode:  Early engagement with board members helps new CEOs understand individual perspectives, priorities, and expectations—reducing the risk of misalignment later on.  Clear priorities, timelines, and metrics give boards confidence and prevent anxiety from filling information gaps.  Candor builds trust—boards are most effective when CEOs share the full picture, including challenges, alongside a clear plan forward.  The CEO–board relationship must evolve over time, with periodic resets helping to maintain alignment.   In this episode, we will cover:  (01:45) Why the CEO–board relationship is critical in the first year  (03:10) How new CEOs should prepare for working with multiple board perspectives  (05:05) What to understand about the board during the selection and transition phase  (10:30) What effective transparency with the board really looks like  (13:40) How to share difficult news without undermining confidence  (16:20) The most common sources of tension between CEOs and boards  (18:55) Managing disagreement constructively and maintaining trust  (24:10) When and how to reset expectations with the board over time  (26:45) The most common mistakes new CEOs make—and how to avoid them  A closer look at the research from this episode: CEO Transitions | Russell Reynolds Associates The New CEO | Russell Reynolds Associates  

Leadership is crucial to provide vision, direction, and motivation, guiding individuals and organizations toward common goals and overall success. This is true whether it’s in business, society, or your local community.   Today, Clarke Murphy sits down with His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan, a well-known leader in the Catholic church, in the New York City community, and around the world. Cardinal Dolan shares his path to leadership roles in the Church and how he looks at developing the next generation of Church leaders. He talks about what goes into electing the next Pope and lessons on leading through uncertainty. He’ll explore the commonalities that business and religious leaders have when it comes to the challenge of earning and developing trust. And he shares his views on the role of faith in today’s world of technology and change.  We’ll also hear from Dean Stamoulis, a leadership advisor at Russell Reynolds Associates, who shares why thoughtful succession planning—and the responsible transfer of power—are essential to long-term leadership continuity.   Four things you’ll learn from this episode:  The key insights business leaders can learn from religious leaders to help them build and maintain trust in their organizations The criteria that go into deciding who the next Pope will be and how to manage through leadership uncertainty The critical skills and traits to look for in the next generation of leaders His views on the role of faith today in a fast-changing world  If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like these Redefiners episodes: The Urgent Race to Create 800 Million Jobs: World Bank President Ajay Banga’s Global Challenge Leadership Lounge: How to Create and Maintain Impact as a Leader Action Creates Hope: A Conversation with IRC President and CEO David Miliband Leadership Lounge: The Art of Succession: How to Identify Tomorrow's Leaders Today Thriving Through Adversity: How WTO’s Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is Solving Global Problems Leadership Lounge: Beyond Handshakes: How to Build Trust and Transform Executive Team Performance

Welcome back for Season 6 of Redefiners! What better way to kick off the new year than introducing Russell Reynolds Associates’ first-ever Chief Science Officer, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic. And if that wasn’t enough, Emma Combe from the Leadership Lounge joins Marla Oates for this special conversation.  In this episode, Tomas shares his latest research on talent management, leadership development, and the human-AI interface. He’ll explain why authenticity is overrated, how to use negative thinking as a positive force, and what leaders new in their roles can do to gain competence and confidence to be successful. He’ll dig into AI and how people can stand out in a sea of technology while avoiding the growing problem of “AI workslop.” He’ll look at how AI is impacting the traditional career ladder and what leaders need to do to develop young talent for future leadership roles. And he’ll highlight the key leadership topics he’s tracking in 2026.  We’ll also hear from Amy Scissons, RRA’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, who will highlight a key AI challenge many leaders are only just beginning to notice.   Four things you’ll learn from this episode: How to rethink authenticity and use negative thinking as a positive force What leaders new to their roles need to do to gain competence and be successful How to avoid AI workslop and how AI is impacting the traditional career ladder What are the key leadership topics Tomas is tracking in 2026  If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like these Redefiners episodes: The Leadership Lessons That Shaped Us: Celebrating 100 Episodes of Redefiners Leadership Lounge: How to Create and Maintain Impact as a Leader Banking on AI: How Goldman Sachs CIO Marco Argenti Is Rewriting the AI Playbook Leadership Lounge: Unleashing AI’s potential: Are you ready to lead the charge? Talking Transformational Leadership with RRA’s CEO Constantine Alexandrakis Leadership Lounge: How to nail your first year as CEO 

There was no shortage of challenges for leaders in 2025, as they navigated a year filled with uncertainty and change. Leaders’ skills were tested as they steered their organizations through changes in the global economy, geopolitics, AI transformation, succession planning, and board relationships.  In this final Redefiners episode of the season, hosts Marla Oates and Simon Kingston take a look back at 2025, highlighting how guests from the year are navigating these challenges. Hear from former CEO and current Chairman of Coveo Louis Têtu and Goldman Sachs CIO Marco Argenti on AI transformation; World Bank President Ajay Banga on culture change; Russell Reynolds Associates CEO Constantine Alexandrakis, Pets At Home CEO Lyssa McGowan, and former President and CEO of Marvel Entertainment Peter Cuneo on stepping into the CEO role; Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman and former chair and CEO of MTV International Bill Roedy on leadership; plus insights from RRA leadership advisors in the Leadership Lounge.  If you’d like to hear more, check out all the episodes of Redefiners and Leadership Lounge.  Redefiners and Leadership Lounge will return with more conversations with global leaders in January 2026, so be sure to follow and subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss an episode!   Happy holidays! 

Creating leadership impact isn’t about one defining moment—it’s about the ripple effects your leadership generates over time. In this episode of Leadership Lounge, Emma Combe sits down with Shannon Knott and Erin Marie Collins to unpack what meaningful impact looks like today, and how leaders can sustain it. They explore: Why impact extends beyond results to the experience others have of your leadership. The key skills—curiosity, adaptability, and an understanding of your purpose—that enable long-term influence. How to evaluate whether your leadership is truly landing across stakeholder groups. Why reflection and feedback loops are essential to maintaining credibility and trust.  “Leaders who can sustain real impact do so because they’re able to stay curious. They continually learn and adjust. They treat leadership less like a position and more as a practice.”   — Shannon Knott, Leadership Advisor, Russell Reynolds Associates  Four things you'll learn from this episode Impact is intentional: define it consciously and test it objectively through feedback. Curiosity sustains relevance: stay adaptable and open to learning at every stage. Feedback fuels evolution: build a trusted “cabinet” to give unfiltered perspectives. Purpose anchors action: a clear sense of values helps leaders maintain credibility and trust.  In this episode, we cover: (01:35) How you define leadership impact and why it extends beyond results to lasting influence (04:10) The skills that sustain long-term impact (07:25) Why leadership must shift from mastery and control to influence and judgment as careers progress (09:42) Practical ways to assess whether your impact is landing across teams and stakeholders (12:10) How reflection, feedback, and purpose create a rhythm for sustained leadership effectiveness (14:38) What inspirational leaders do differently to remain authentic and effective over time   A closer look at the research from this episode: Edelman Trust Barometer 2025 Russell Reynolds Associates Global Leadership Monitor, H2 2025 

Roughly 1.2 billion young people will reach working age in developing countries over the next 10-15 years. However, current projections show that only 420 million jobs are expected to be created by that time, meaning millions of young people will be left without a clear path to employment.   World Bank President Ajay Banga joins Clarke Murphy and Marla Oates on Redefiners to talk about what the Bank is doing about it, and why job creation is so critical to both developing countries and the global economy. Ajay talks about what he’s doing to transform the 80-year old institution into a faster, more efficient, and more impactful partner in development, including partnering more with the private sector to increase investments in emerging markets. He also discusses what he calls the Decency Quotient and how leaders can tap into that in order to lead people with a hand on their back, not in their face.  We’ll also hear from Rebecca Hart, a leadership advisor in our Atlanta office, who will discuss why the most successful leaders prioritize curiosity over having all the answers.  Four things you’ll learn from this episode: How to get everyone aligned with a bold mandate, mission and vision and how to deal with challenging feedback Why job creation is a critical piece in global development Why the private sector is critical to international development  What the Decency Quotient is and why it matters for leaders today  If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like these Redefiners episodes: Music with a Mission: Former MTV International Chairman and CEO Bill Roedy on Leading with Purpose Leadership Lounge: Built to Last or Built to Learn: How Leaders Can Develop Resilience Action Creates Hope: A Conversation with IRC President and CEO David Miliband Leadership Lounge: From Firefighting to Future-Building: How Leaders Can Master Perpetual Transformation Thriving Through Adversity: How WTO’s Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is Solving Global Problems Leadership Lounge: Beyond Handshakes: How to Build Trust and Transform Executive Team Performance 

Board directors operate in an environment of high complexity and volatility. The question isn't whether crises will occur—it's whether directors have the skills, judgment, and relationships to navigate them effectively.In this episode of Leadership Lounge, we talk to two of our trusted advisors—Gwenael Quere and Ted Dysart—who share their perspectives on:The key skills effective board directors utilize during periods of sustained uncertaintyWhen it's appropriate to step in versus trust management to handle critical decisionsHow to balance individual perspective with building board consensus during volatile momentsThe best approach for managing competing demands when serving on multiple boards facing simultaneous challenges"One key trait is being able to ask the right questions, but also ask those questions in the right way. If a director gets into a meeting and starts asking questions that feel like a trap, the management team will just shut down."-Ted Dysart Leadership Advisor, Russell Reynolds AssociatesFour things you'll learn from this episodeStaying calm, exercising sound judgment, and leading with empathy are three essential traits needed by board directors to effectively navigate volatility.How to get the balance right between being deeply informed and engaged without crossing the line into managing the business during a crisis. Why you must support your CEO’s wellbeing during prolonged stress. A CEO who can’t think clearly is a risk to the entire organization.Structured post-crisis reflection builds organizational resilience—boards that capture and institutionalize lessons from crisis experiences perform better in the future.In this episode, we will cover:(01.50) The key skills board directors should utilize during sustained volatility(03.31) The art of asking the right questions without creating traps for management(05.44) How to decide when to step in versus when to let management handle critical decisions(09.45) Balancing individual perspective with creating board consensus during periods of volatility(11.16) How to manage time and energy when serving on multiple boards facing simultaneous challenges(13.42) How directors can remain mentally sharp and objective during prolonged uncertainty(15.28) Why directors should never let a good crisis go to waste

How does a more than 100-year-old family-owned business continue to evolve and grow across generations to become one of the largest privately held companies in the world? On today’s Redefiners episode, Clarke and Marla are joined by Valerie Mars, former Senior Vice President & Head of Corporate Development for Mars, Incorporated, to talk about how the Mars family grew a small kitchen-table candy company into a $55 billion diversified global food and pet care enterprise.  Valerie talks about the family’s decision to bring in a non-family CEO, how the Five Principles and Mars Compass are used to guide decision-making and nurture a values-driven culture, and what they’re doing to develop the next generation of family leaders.  We’ll also hear from Anuradha Chawla, a leadership advisor in our Toronto office, who will explore when family enterprises should consider introducing non-family management. Four things you’ll learn from this episode: The business and cultural impact of bringing in a non-family CEO to a family-owned enterprise The key traits that make a successful non-family CEO Mars’ Five Principles and the Mars Compass and how they’ve helped guide the company through growth and change How to develop future next generation leaders and how to deal with family succession tensions that may arise   If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like these Redefiners episodes: Leading with a North Star: Former Decathlon CEO Barbara Martin Coppola's Blueprint for Bold Change Leadership Lounge: How can family enterprise leaders stay ahead in a fast-changing world? From Chaos to Clarity: How Bain Capital’s John Connaughton Leads Through Volatility Leadership Lounge: The Art of Succession: How to Identify Tomorrow's Leaders Today Paws, Purpose & Profit: A Conversation with Pets at Home CEO Lyssa McGowan Leadership Lounge: Built to Last or Built to Learn: How Leaders Can Develop Resilience