The World Class Leaders Show: The CEO leadership podcast for leaders who solve big problems and build better futures.
Andrea Petrone
If you’re a CEO or senior executive, your challenges don’t sound like “I need more leadership tips.”
They sound more like:
“Why am I still carrying this company on my shoulders?”
“Why doesn’t my top team own the strategy the way I do?”
“How do I challenge the board or investors without blowing up the relationship?”
“How do we build a company that still matters in 10 years, not just hit this year’s numbers?”
The World-Class Leaders Show is the CEO leadership podcast built for those questions.
Hosted by Andrea Petrone – A Global Influencer, CEO Whisperer, WIley Author, Executive Coach and Speaker – the show goes deep into what it really takes to lead at the top: using power well, doing the identity work of leadership, and making the big decisions that shape the future of your company.
Each episode brings real CEO stories and the best business thinkers in the world to the table. You’ll hear how sitting and former CEOs, chairs, and C-suite leaders tackle the biggest business problems of our time – growth, culture, strategy execution, transformation, technology, risk, and talent – and how they stay true to who they are while doing it.
You’ll use this podcast to:
Get your executive team truly aligned, so you stop re-fighting the same battles in every meeting.
Turn strategy into a small set of clear priorities and behaviours your people actually execute.
Hold your ground with boards, investors, regulators, and powerful internal stakeholders – and still move the agenda forward.
Use your voice and position with more clarity and impact, so people know what you stand for and where the company is going.
Find fresh inspiration and language to build a better future for your organization, your people, and the markets you serve – without losing yourself in the role.
Featuring leaders from Fortune companies and some of the best thinkers in the world (like Amy Edmondson, Adam Bryant, James Keyes), the show is known for its richness, depth, and straight talk. Ranked in the top 5% of podcasts globally, it’s followed by thousands of CEOs and senior executives who want more than recycled ideas and surface-level conversations.
If you care about solving real business problems, shaping the future, and doing the inner work required to lead at the very top, this podcast is for you.
Subscribe to The World-Class Leaders Show and upgrade both your leadership – and the future you’re building.
For ongoing CEO insights and behind-the-scenes context from each episode, follow Andrea Petrone on LinkedIn.
They sound more like:
“Why am I still carrying this company on my shoulders?”
“Why doesn’t my top team own the strategy the way I do?”
“How do I challenge the board or investors without blowing up the relationship?”
“How do we build a company that still matters in 10 years, not just hit this year’s numbers?”
The World-Class Leaders Show is the CEO leadership podcast built for those questions.
Hosted by Andrea Petrone – A Global Influencer, CEO Whisperer, WIley Author, Executive Coach and Speaker – the show goes deep into what it really takes to lead at the top: using power well, doing the identity work of leadership, and making the big decisions that shape the future of your company.
Each episode brings real CEO stories and the best business thinkers in the world to the table. You’ll hear how sitting and former CEOs, chairs, and C-suite leaders tackle the biggest business problems of our time – growth, culture, strategy execution, transformation, technology, risk, and talent – and how they stay true to who they are while doing it.
You’ll use this podcast to:
Get your executive team truly aligned, so you stop re-fighting the same battles in every meeting.
Turn strategy into a small set of clear priorities and behaviours your people actually execute.
Hold your ground with boards, investors, regulators, and powerful internal stakeholders – and still move the agenda forward.
Use your voice and position with more clarity and impact, so people know what you stand for and where the company is going.
Find fresh inspiration and language to build a better future for your organization, your people, and the markets you serve – without losing yourself in the role.
Featuring leaders from Fortune companies and some of the best thinkers in the world (like Amy Edmondson, Adam Bryant, James Keyes), the show is known for its richness, depth, and straight talk. Ranked in the top 5% of podcasts globally, it’s followed by thousands of CEOs and senior executives who want more than recycled ideas and surface-level conversations.
If you care about solving real business problems, shaping the future, and doing the inner work required to lead at the very top, this podcast is for you.
Subscribe to The World-Class Leaders Show and upgrade both your leadership – and the future you’re building.
For ongoing CEO insights and behind-the-scenes context from each episode, follow Andrea Petrone on LinkedIn.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 8, 2022 • 15min
063: Five reasons why creating a bold vision will transform your company
Creating a bold vision is not what many CEOs do.
Many leaders play conventional by either creating a fluffy vision to hang on the wall or by not finding the courage to aspire to what looks impossible in the present.
They're stuck in their own perspectives that limit them to think bigger. To achieve the impossible.
On the other hand, some (very few though) leaders go beyond what looks possible right now. They see a different future for their companies. And they are committed, and they stand for bringing that future into the current existence.
In this episode, I share five reasons why creating a new future for the business should be at the top of any CEO's priority.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts or reading your comments about this episode at:
Email: andrea@andreapetrone.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/
Want to get a score on your leadership level? Take the free assessment today at: https://www.andreapetrone.com/assessment/
If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog here: https://www.andreapetrone.com/blog
Need more? Book a 30min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/how-to-build-a-bold-vision-for-your-company-article/
Dec 1, 2022 • 47min
062: The Six Mindsets of Extraordinary CEOs with Carolyn Dewar
What separates successful CEOs from average CEOs is not what many people think.
It’s not much about their experience, skills, or abilities.
It comes down to their mindsets.
For episode 062 of my podcast, ‘The World Class Leaders Show’, I invited Carolyn Dewar, Senior Partner in McKinsey & Company’s San Francisco office.
Carolyn co-leads McKinsey & Company’s CEO and Board Excellence practice, partnering with many Fortune 100 CEOs to maximize their effectiveness. She is also the co-author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling book, ‘CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets that Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest’.
By listening to this podcast episode, you will learn more about:
Being bold for the future
Find the people that fit
There’s no “I” with great CEOs
Make the board part of your success story
Ask yourself “Why?”
Doing only what you can do
Let me know your thoughts or share your comments via LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone, or via email at Andrea@andreapetrone.com.
Like my show? Please leaver or write a review on your favorite podcast platform.
For more information on my work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website at https://www.andreapetrone.com/.
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/the-six-mindsets-of-extraordinary-ceos-with-carolyn-dewar-article/
Nov 24, 2022 • 59min
061: My Journey to Building Confidence, Taking Risks and Making an Impact
What is your attitude towards risk and ambition?
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure to be interviewed by Noi Ha Nguyen at the #InsightsSharing Show where I shared my journey, life principles, and insights I learned in the last 20+ years working with leaders.
I thought you might like this to get to know a little bit more about me but more importantly, to get my perspective on things like risk, courage, ambition, urgency, beliefs.
In particular, I share:
The importance and the curse of being ambitious
My approach to career development and risk-taking
How to find your epiphany to make an impact on your future
How risk-averse people can change their attitude
How to change our limiting beliefs
It comes down to self-awareness
The misconception about CEOs
What CEOs are struggling with right now
I look forward to hearing your thoughts or reading your comments about this episode at:
Email: andrea@andreapetrone.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/
Want to get a score on your leadership level? Take the free assessment today at: https://www.andreapetrone.com/assessment/
If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog here: https://www.andreapetrone.com/blog
Need more? Book a 30min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/my-journey-to-building-confidence-taking-risks-and-making-an-impact-article/
Nov 17, 2022 • 49min
060: Doron Myersdorf, CEO of StoreDot on Building a Bold Vision and Perseverance
It’s not so common to meet CEOs who have built a bold vision for their companies and didn’t stop until they achieve it.
Most leaders don’t have either the courage or the persistence to go beyond the drift and make a significant impact. They prefer to play safe and go for more predictable outcomes.
Not Dr. Doron Myersdorf, co-founder of StoreDot. StoreDot’s Mission is to use nanoscale metalloids and proprietary compounds and develop ultra-fast-charging (XFC) battery technology that overcomes major barriers to EV adoption: range and charging concerns.
In this episode, Doron shared his passion, dedication, and persistence to achieve his bold vision to revolutionize the electric automotive industry.
We discuss:
The importance of external culture to build successful businesses
The inception of an idea
The courage to persevere despite the general pessimism
How to beat Tesla
The challenges of being a CEO
If you’d like to know more about Doron’s work, he can be contacted via LinkedIn, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/donush/. For more information about StoreDot, go to the website at https://www.store-dot.com/
I look forward to hearing your thoughts or reading your comments about this episode at:
Email: andrea@andreapetrone.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/
Want to get a score on your leadership level? Take the free assessment today at: https://www.andreapetrone.com/assessment/
If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog here: https://www.andreapetrone.com/blog
Need more? Book a 30min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy
Read the article related to this podcast:https://www.andreapetrone.com/doron-myersdorf-ceo-of-storedot-on-building-a-bold-vision-and-perseverance-article/
Nov 10, 2022 • 19min
059: How to Create Alignment with your Leadership Team
Only 20% of CEOs are able of driving change in their organizations.
According to the latest CEO study from Egon Zehnder, a poor alignment between the CEO and the leadership team is one of the main reasons.
You can have a great purpose, the best vision, and a wonderful strategy but if your team is not aligned, everyone is gonna go in different directions. Leaders will build competing priorities and won’t share the same macro objectives.
As I do a lot of work with team alignment at a leadership level, in this episode I share some red flags as well as some solutions that might help you to deal with this problem.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts or reading your comments about this episode at:
Email: andrea@andreapetrone.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/
Want to get a score on your leadership level? Take the free assessment today at: https://www.andreapetrone.com/assessment/
If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog here: https://www.andreapetrone.com/blog
Need more? Book a 30min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/how-to-create-alignment-with-your-leadership-team-article/
Nov 3, 2022 • 36min
058: The Journey from Founder to CEO with Eric Rubenstein
It’s no shock to anyone that starting up a business comes with a lot of challenges, setbacks, and disappointments. People who are driven by the money that can come with success often forget that it takes more than just a good product. It’s understanding your market and understanding people. The people you surround yourself with as part of your team, and the customer.
For episode 058 of ‘The World Class Leaders Show’, I invited Eric Rubenstein, Founder and Managing Partner of New Climate Ventures.
Since its launch in October 2021, NCV has made several investments that cover areas involving climate tech, alternative materials, and food tech – as well as other emissions-avoiding technologies.
Before founding NCV, Eric held positions leading venture investing activities for commodities as well as leading fundamental strategy for oil, refined products, natural gas liquids, plastics, and recycled plastics.
By listening to this podcast episode, you will learn more about:
What are the best attributes of a Founder/CEO
The importance of self-awareness to grow your company
Why diversifying sectors is critical to success
The Founder Journey From Start-Up To Scale
If you’d like to know more about Eric’s work, he can be contacted via LinkedIn, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric--rubenstein/. For more information about New Climate Ventures, visit the website at https://www.newclimateventures.com/.
If you’ve enjoyed this or another of my podcast episodes, please send me any comments via LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone, or via email at Andrea@andreapetrone.com.
For more information on my work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website, at https://www.andreapetrone.com/.
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/the-journey-from-founder-to-ceo-with-eric-rubenstein-article/
Oct 27, 2022 • 21min
057: My Best Advice For First-Time CEOs
Social isolation. Lack of feedback. Fear of making bad decisions. These are typical challenges that first-time CEOs experience.
This is not ideal for leading an organization through the current level of uncertainty.
However, these feelings are normal, so the key is not to hide them. It’s to acknowledge them and learn how to see things from a different lens.
In this episode, I share 8 key pieces of advice for making a smooth transition to a new CEO role which are also applicable to everyone who has a new leadership role in their organization.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts or reading your comments about this episode at:
Email: andrea@andreapetrone.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/
Want to get a score on your leadership level? Take the free assessment today at: https://www.andreapetrone.com/assessment/
If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog here: https://www.andreapetrone.com/blog
Need more? Book a 30min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/my-best-advice-for-first-time-ceos-article/
Oct 20, 2022 • 48min
056: Hans-Martin Hellebrand CEO of Badenova on Turning Leadership Upside Down
In the ‘old’ Western European world, internal business leaders were typically viewed as the top of the organizational hierarchy pyramid — the ones who ‘knew it all’ and made the decisions accordingly.
Today’s business wisdom turns the prevailing structure upside down, with customers sitting at the top of the pyramid; for true organizational success, this is where all business decisions should stem from.
For episode # 56 of my podcast the World Class Leaders Show, I was honored to host a good friend from Germany, Hans-Martin Hellebrand. Hans-Martin is the co-CEO of Badenova, a regional utility company committed to driving energy transition in Southwest Germany. Before joining Badenova, Hans-Martin was managing director of the digital energy retailer eprimo. From 2015 – 2017, he founded and led an innovation center in Silicon Valley, as well as scaling a tech start-up as COO/CFO.
Hans-Martin has studied at internal institutions such as Stanford and Kellogg-Northwestern, and he was awarded “IT Executive 2016” by CIO Magazine. By listening to this podcast episode, you will learn more about:
Lessons Hans-Martin took from his time in Silicon Valley
Four steps to establishing customer-centricity
What it’s like managing a business with a Co-CEO
Supporting Change, and what most people get wrong about CEOs
If you’d like to know more about Hans-Martin’s work, he can be contacted via LinkedIn, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmhellebrand. For more information about Badenova, go to the website at https://www.badenova.de/.
If you’ve enjoyed this or another of my podcast episodes, please send me any comments via LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone, or via email at Andrea@andreapetrone.com.
For more information on my work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the website, at https://www.andreapetrone.com/.
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/hans-martin-hellebrand-ceo-of-badenova-on-turning-leadership-upside-down-article/
Oct 13, 2022 • 19min
055: The Fine Balance of a Leader
What’s the fine balance of leadership?
It’s the perfect equilibrium that great leaders find when they manage their teams. It’s the trade-off between pushing too much and overcontrolling their work and being too distant and often unavailable when teams need it.
In this episode, I’ll share:
The expected consequences of being too pushy
The expected consequences of being too distant
A proven multistep approach to finding the right equilibrium
I look forward to hearing your thoughts or reading your comments about this episode at:
Email: andrea@andreapetrone.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone/
Want to get a score on your leadership level? Take the free assessment today at: https://www.andreapetrone.com/assessment/
If you don’t want to miss any episode and receive the full article in your inbox, subscribe today to our blog here: https://www.andreapetrone.com/blog
Need more? Book a 30min call here: https://calendly.com/andreapetrone/strategy
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/the-fine-balance-of-a-leader-article/
Oct 6, 2022 • 42min
054: Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO of Baker Hughes on Driving Change Through Uncertainty
All successful CEOs possess several critical skills and attributes. Chief among them is the ability to build a diverse team that complements the CEO’s capabilities and expertise and provides both support and challenge as needed.
A CEO must be able to decisively manage ambiguity and constant change, while focusing on strategic clarity and communication.
For episode # 54 of my podcast series, The World Class Leaders Show, I was honored to interview Lorenzo Simonelli, the Chairman and CEO of Baker Hughes, an energy technology company that combines innovation, expertise and scale to provide solutions for energy industrial customers worldwide.
Previously, Simonelli served as President and CEO of GE Transportation where, as one of the youngest division chiefs in GE History, he expanded and diversified GE Transportation by focusing on advanced technology manufacturing, intelligent control systems, and a diverse approach to new propulsion solutions.
By listening to this podcast episode, you will learn more about:
Expanding C-Suite leadership beyond your own skills and expertise
Evolving an organization to keep pace with change, addressing cultural change
Managing communication effectively across diverse groups
Critical attributes for a successful CEO
For more information regarding Lorenzo Simonelli and his work, you can visit the company website https://www.bakerhughes.com/. You may also wish to reach out on Linkedin, at linkedin.com/in/lorenzo-simonelli.
If you’ve enjoyed this or other of my podcast episodes, please send me any comments via LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/andreapetrone, or via email at Andrea@andreapetrone.com.
For more information on my work and access to other valuable resources, please visit the web site, at https://www.andreapetrone.com/.
Read the article related to this podcast: https://www.andreapetrone.com/lorenzo-simonelli-ceo-of-baker-hughes-on-driving-change-through-uncertainty-article/
