Redefiners Podcast: Leadership Lounge

Episode: How to Build a Top-Performing C-suite: The Leadership Blueprint for Sustained High Performance
Date: October 8, 2025
Host: Emma Coombe (London Leadership Advisor)
Guests:

• Danny Ryan, Leadership Advisor (London, RRA)
• Andreas Gil Cazares, Leadership Advisor (Madrid, RRA)

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the question: How do you build an executive team that’s not just good, but exceptional—and sustain that high performance over time? Emma, Danny, and Andreas share research-backed insights and personal experience on what truly constitutes a top C-suite. They explore common mistakes in executive hiring, the importance of cultural and behavioral diversity, psychological safety, swift decision-making, and what to do when someone in the C-suite isn’t the right fit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Avoiding the Echo Chamber & Unconscious Bias

• Main Idea: The danger of hiring only people who are similar to the CEO or existing execs.
• Danny Ryan [01:52]:

  "The big one that I see and warn against is really the risk of unconscious bias—hiring people like us. What you get really is this kind of echo chamber."

• Echo chambers are comfortable but stifle the diversity of thought required for navigating ambiguity and change, particularly in rapidly scaling sectors like biotech.
• Emma Coombe [02:43]:

  "Homogenous boards can often feel the most comfortable ... but actually boards are about having heterogeneous views about it being a bit uncomfortable because there really are a diverse range of opinions."

2. The Role of Cultural Fit—And Its Pitfalls

• Andreas Gil Cazares [03:49]:

  "One common mistake that CEO makes when building the executive team is to underestimate the impact or the cultural fit when making new hires."

• Shared the example of a commercial director hired for their credentials but who undermined company values, prompting key talent to leave.
• Emma [04:41]:

  "We have to be a bit careful on cultural fit ... Sometimes we would talk about having the right mix of behaviors and the right mix of psychometric profiles."

• Ideal teams blend differing personalities and behavioral traits for agility and constructive debate.

3. Building Teams Equipped for Transformation

• Stat [05:48]: Only 13% of C-suite leaders strongly agree their executive team can transform their organization in response to new threats and opportunities (2025 Transformational Leadership Study).
• Andreas [06:17]:

  "You need to find people that are interested in learning new things instead of just knowing things."

• Key trait: A learning mindset—seeking to ask questions and move beyond comfort zones.
• Danny [06:56]:

  "Curiosity in learning is critical, but so is knowing that you won't somehow be punished for making a mistake. Failing fast and reiterating is a crucial part of evolution."

• Culture of humility and psychological safety is vital, enabling people to innovate and admit when something doesn’t work.

4. Psychological Safety & Leading by Example

• Emma [07:27]:

  "Role modeling the right kinds of behaviors ... being honest about what is and isn’t working feels more important than ever."

• Danny [08:17]:

  "I think being able to admit your own mistakes and failures goes a long way. Leaders who do this authentically can help give others the permission to be more human too."

• Leaders admitting their own fallibility sets the cultural tone, empowering honest feedback and diverse viewpoints.

5. Mechanisms for Collaboration & Decision-Making

• Andreas [09:42]:

  "To foster greater collaboration and decision-making in top teams, it's essential to establish governance mechanisms and implement frameworks to define who recommends, who approves, who executes."

• Clear frameworks reduce overlap, fast-track decisions, and decrease conflict.
• Building both hard skills and emotional intelligence is crucial for handling inevitable points of conflict constructively.

6. Addressing Underperformance in the C-suite

• Emma [11:58]:

  "The top regret amongst new CEOs was not moving fast enough on making changes to their top team."

• Andreas [12:09]:

  "If the CEO doesn't make quick decisions that may erode trust within the team ... You need to be empathetic, you need to provide feedback, clear feedback."

• Danny [13:32]:

  "The quick resolution is the best one because allowing someone to struggle ultimately hurts them, their team, the organization. ... We should get better ... at having conversations about what is ahead and starting to plan for it early."

• Proactive, transparent, and compassionate communication helps both the organization and the individual.

7. Planning for the Future

• Emma [14:45]:

  "One exercise that we’re spending more and more time on is building future facing success profiles. ... The best leaders have regular fit-for-the-future conversations."

• Looking forward, not backward, allows for smoother transitions, minimizes misalignment, and supports individual career growth.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Danny Ryan [01:52]:

  "If you plow in one direction and everyone's in agreement, how much that really serve you going forward?"

• Andreas Gil Cazares [03:49]:

  "They hire a commercial director that didn't fit with the company culture ... Some of the key talent decided to leave the company because of that."

• Emma Coombe [06:46]:

  "That distinction between learning and knowing is brilliant, Andres."

• Danny Ryan [08:17]:

  "It’s a kind of superpower...being able to admit your mistakes authentically."

• Andreas [12:09]:

  "If the CEO doesn't make quick decisions that may erode trust within the team."

• Emma Coombe [14:45]:

  "An incumbent can sometimes realize that they're not the right person to drive onto this next stage and nor would they be happy. ... And then it can be much more of a calm departure."

• Emma Coombe [Conclusion, 15:20]:

  "Avoid the echo chamber. Hire C suite executives who will challenge your thinking, not just complement your style. ... Address performance issues quickly and compassionately. Delayed decisions in a C suite can erode trust and hurt everyone involved."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – Introduction & episode focus
• 01:22 – The foundation for a high-performing C-suite
• 01:52 – Common mistakes: unconscious bias & echo chambers
• 03:49 – The pitfalls of ignoring cultural fit
• 06:17 – Building adaptability: Curiosity and resilience
• 08:17 – Creating psychological safety and learning from failure
• 09:42 – Governance, emotional intelligence, and collaboration
• 11:58 – Handling underperformance and change in the C-suite
• 14:45 – Future-facing profiles and smoother executive transitions
• 15:20 – Final summary and major takeaways

Practical Takeaways

• Build diversity—of background, perspective, and style—to avoid groupthink.
• Be precise about what “fit” means: Values matter, but so does behavioral and cognitive diversity.
• Foster curiosity, continuous learning, and a “fail fast” mentality.
• Leaders must show vulnerability and model the behaviors they want from their teams.
• Establish clear governance in decision-making and invest in emotional intelligence.
• Move quickly and compassionately on underperformance; don’t let trust and momentum erode.
• Regularly revisit what success looks like as roles and organizational needs evolve.

For more insights or to submit a leadership question for the next Leadership Lounge, reach out to RedefinersRussellReynolds.com