The Leadership Podcast by Niels Brabandt EMBA MBA MSc / NB Networks

Hosted by Niels Brabandt

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100

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Nov 2026

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About the show

Niels Brabandt, the owner and founder of NB Networks, is your host. Sustainable Leadership. We are helping managers to become better leaders. This show dedicates time to help, to improve and to assist you in achieving your goals. You may already be a leader and aim to become better, or you want to be in a leadership position in the future and avoid mistakes on the way of getting there. Your host, Niels Brabandt, is in business since 1998. He worked for a large corporation as well as a global franchise company before he became full-time self-employed. This podcast is your free access to his knowledge, his experience and his network of experts. What can you expect? You will get scientifically proven expertise. Your host will make unambiguously clear when he is talking about opinion rather than facts. He will address your challenges as a leader or someone who wants to be one and how to overcome them. The challenges you face as a leader in today's business world come from many different aspects of an organisation. Finding the right way to communicate and managing conflicts are just the beginning. Excellent presentations skills are a must today besides dealing with change inside and outside the teams which you have to lead — keeping motivation high means that you must be able to have skills of influence without being manipulative. Negotiate and set goals, be creative and innovative, make the right decisions and position yourself in a business work which heavily relies on networking. You must deliver all this at the best quality with efficient and effective processes during projects which must be on time, on track, on target but under budget. Moreover, of course, you must recruit, develop and retain the best talents of your industry. Your employer's brand and business storytelling become a significant part of your work today. At the same time, hard skills as forecasting, planning, conceptualisation are part of you as a leader mastering Strategy. Of course, selling the products has to work as well in challenging and competitive environments. Niels Brabandt, owner and founder of NB Networks, your host, will help to become a (better) leader.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

November 11, 2026Episode 59717 min

#597 How Leaders Lose Credibility, and How to Keep It | Niels Brabandt

Your leaders are credible, aren't they? Most people answer with a story about how credibility declined, and how fast it happened. In this episode of The Leadership Podcast, Niels Brabandt examines how highly qualified leaders lose credibility and what organisations can do to keep it. Using recent cases, from the Audi chief executive's appearance at a Trump campaign rally and the switched-off intranet comments that followed, to the end of Tesla's Cybertruck and P&O Ferries' admission that it broke the law when dismissing around 800 seafarers, Niels Brabandt shows why behaviour shows values and why lived values decide credibility. He explains the economic, political and personal motives behind credibility-destroying decisions, why mistakes need consequences before moving on, and how Canva handled layoffs differently. You will learn three practical steps: mission, vision and values that are enforced, walking the talk, and constant congruence between what leaders say and what they do. For executives, managers and decision-makers who want to lead with credibility. Host: Niels Brabandt / NB@NB-Networks.com Contact Niels Brabandt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nielsbrabandt/ Niels Brabandt's Leadership Letter: https://expert.nb-networks.com/ Niels Brabandt's Website: https://www.nb-networks.biz/

November 11, 2026Episode 59611 min

#596 AI Co-Thinking Part 4: From Framework to Real-World Results | Nathan Mauck, Robert Greene, Niels Brabandt

How does AI co-thinking work in the real world, all the way up to the boardroom? In the final part of this four-part series of The Leadership Podcast, Niels Brabandt speaks with Prof. Nathan Mauck (University of Missouri-Kansas City) and Robert A. Greene (OIC Innovation), co-authors of AI Co-Thinking: A Framework for Working with AI. The authors share what they have learned since the book was published, why specific audiences adopt AI faster than broad ones, and what they mean by purposeful rewirement: using AI co-thinking to design the next phase of life and work. They also answer the question many European boards ask: how to use AI despite data protection, compliance and personal liability concerns, with practical guardrails and human review. You will learn how to move from framework to results, and why compliance must not become an excuse for standing still. For executives, board members and decision-makers responsible for AI adoption. Host: Niels Brabandt / NB@NB-Networks.com Contact Niels Brabandt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nielsbrabandt/ Niels Brabandt's Leadership Letter: https://expert.nb-networks.com/ Niels Brabandt's Website: https://www.nb-networks.biz/

November 11, 2026Episode 59510 min

#595 AI Co-Thinking Part 3: Executive Self-Coaching with AI | Nathan Mauck, Robert Greene, Niels Brabandt

Can executives coach themselves with AI without falling into a self-confirmation loop? In part three of this four-part series of The Leadership Podcast, Niels Brabandt speaks with Prof. Nathan Mauck (University of Missouri-Kansas City) and Robert A. Greene (OIC Innovation), co-authors of AI Co-Thinking: A Framework for Working with AI. The authors explain what executive self-coaching with AI is and is not, why AI offers executives a neutral sparring partner without the need to bluff, how to start with a concrete problem, and how voice mode turns AI into a mirror for your own priorities. They also address the biggest risk: generative AI seeks to please, and a coach built on your favourite books only confirms what you already believe. You will learn how to use AI for self-coaching while protecting yourself against bias and confirmation. For executives, managers and decision-makers who want to reflect and decide better. Host: Niels Brabandt / NB@NB-Networks.com Contact Niels Brabandt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nielsbrabandt/ Niels Brabandt's Leadership Letter: https://expert.nb-networks.com/ Niels Brabandt's Website: https://www.nb-networks.biz/

November 11, 2026Episode 59410 min

#594 AI Co-Thinking Part 2: Every Specialist a General Manager | Nathan Mauck, Robert Greene, Niels Brabandt

Everyone should be a better general manager. In part two of this four-part series of The Leadership Podcast, Niels Brabandt speaks with Prof. Nathan Mauck (University of Missouri-Kansas City) and Robert A. Greene (OIC Innovation), co-authors of AI Co-Thinking: A Framework for Working with AI. The authors define general management not as a position in the hierarchy but as the ability to solve complex problems through critical thinking and broad contextual knowledge. They explain why specialists hold back, how AI co-thinking helps them understand other functions, how to avoid too many cooks in the kitchen, and what to do when senior leaders say: stay in your lane. You will learn how AI can break down silos, reduce key person risk and turn specialists into confident cross-functional problem solvers. For executives, managers and decision-makers building AI-ready organisations. Host: Niels Brabandt / NB@NB-Networks.com Contact Niels Brabandt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nielsbrabandt/ Niels Brabandt's Leadership Letter: https://expert.nb-networks.com/ Niels Brabandt's Website: https://www.nb-networks.biz/

November 11, 2026Episode 5939 min

#593 AI Co-Thinking Part 1: Why Context Comes First | Nathan Mauck, Robert Greene, Niels Brabandt

Back by popular demand: in this first part of a four-part series of The Leadership Podcast, Niels Brabandt speaks with Prof. Nathan Mauck (University of Missouri-Kansas City) and Robert A. Greene (OIC Innovation), co-authors of AI Co-Thinking: A Framework for Working with AI. Context has become the most used and least understood word in the AI debate. The authors explain why context depends on the problem you are trying to solve, why problem definition is the most neglected step in organisations, how much context is enough, and why AI co-thinking is a conversation rather than a vending machine. They also show how to use AI when your own expertise on a topic is low. You will learn how to define the problem before the prompt, curate context instead of dumping data, and make hidden assumptions explicit. For executives, managers and decision-makers who want better results from AI. Host: Niels Brabandt / NB@NB-Networks.com Contact Niels Brabandt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nielsbrabandt/ Niels Brabandt's Leadership Letter: https://expert.nb-networks.com/ Niels Brabandt's Website: https://www.nb-networks.biz/

November 11, 2026Episode 59212 min

#592 Influencing Without Rank: How to Lead Without Formal Authority | Mark Christiani and Niels Brabandt

Your boss can tell you what to do. But how do you influence people when you have no hierarchy, no authority and no rank behind you? In this episode of The Leadership Podcast, Niels Brabandt speaks with Mark Christiani, former US Army Ranger, strength and conditioning coach and author of Influence Without Rank. After leaving the military, Mark Christiani returned as a civilian coach and had to change the culture of military units without any of his former authority. He explains why relationships are the focal point of influence, how reliability builds the reputation that makes rapport possible, why having no rank can be an advantage, how to deliver bad news without becoming the problem, and why one percent improvement per month beats waiting for the perfect solution. You will learn practical steps to lead and create change as an informal leader, specialist or change agent. For executives, managers and professionals who need results through people who do not report to them. Host: Niels Brabandt / NB@NB-Networks.com Contact Niels Brabandt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nielsbrabandt/ Niels Brabandt's Leadership Letter: https://expert.nb-networks.com/ Niels Brabandt's Website: https://www.nb-networks.biz/

November 11, 2026Episode 59114 min

#591 The Unalgorithmic Self: What Leaders Must Never Hand to AI | Ritu Raj and Niels Brabandt

AI is here to stay. The question is whether it changes the way we think, act and perceive the world. In this episode of The Leadership Podcast, Niels Brabandt speaks with Ritu Raj, Silicon Valley entrepreneur, abstract painter and author of The Unalgorithmic Self: Art, AI, and the Future of Human Thinking. Ritu Raj founded Avasta and Wag Hotels, helped launch SideCar and worked at Diamond Foundry before turning to painting full time. He explains why we cannot escape a world run by algorithms, why AI multiplies intelligence while only humans multiply meaning, and why the real risk is not machines becoming human but humans becoming more like machines, optimising instead of deciding. You will learn what leaders must never hand to an algorithm: judgement when the data runs out, responsibility for the person in front of you, and accountability for the work that carries your name. For executives, managers and decision-makers leading in the age of AI. Host: Niels Brabandt / NB@NB-Networks.com Contact Niels Brabandt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nielsbrabandt/ Niels Brabandt's Leadership Letter: https://expert.nb-networks.com/ Niels Brabandt's Website: https://www.nb-networks.biz/

November 4, 2026Episode 59017 min

#590 Denial of Facts in Leadership: Why Mindset Is No Substitute for Evidence | Niels Brabandt

When the facts are unambiguous, leaders act accordingly. Or do they? In this episode of The Leadership Podcast, Niels Brabandt examines a growing problem in management: leaders who know the facts, ignore them and decide on opinion instead. From sales targets that ignore an economic crisis to teams expected to do the work of 14 people with six, Niels Brabandt shows why "work on your mindset" is no substitute for a plan. He explains why both leaders and employees carry responsibility, where optimisation is possible and where processes reach their limits, and why the burden of proof always lies with the person making the claim. You will learn how to build a fact-based leadership culture in which reliable, verifiable evidence leads to agreement instead of frustration. For executives, managers and decision-makers who want decisions that stand up to scrutiny. Host: Niels Brabandt / NB@NB-Networks.com Contact Niels Brabandt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nielsbrabandt/ Niels Brabandt's Leadership Letter: https://expert.nb-networks.com/ Niels Brabandt's Website: https://www.nb-networks.biz/

November 4, 2026Episode 58912 min

#589 Expect a Lot, Care a Lot: Why Only 7% of Leaders Get the Balance Right | Niels Brabandt with Victoria Roos Olsson

Have we stopped expecting a lot from leadership? In this episode of The Leadership Podcast, Niels Brabandt speaks with Victoria Roos Olsson, FranklinCovey leadership expert and co-author of Expect A Lot, Care A Lot: How 6 Critical Practices Create High-Performing Teams. Victoria Roos Olsson explains why the best leaders combine very high expectations with genuine care, why only about 7% of leaders currently achieve that balance, and why those who do are three times more likely to have highly engaged teams and achieve six times better results. Drawing on her career in hospitality and FranklinCovey research, she shows why taskmasters and pleasers both fail, why good cop, bad cop management damages culture, and how six critical practices help leaders, and leaders of leaders, build high-performing teams. For executives, managers and HR leaders who want engagement and results at the same time. Host: Niels Brabandt / NB@NB-Networks.com Contact Niels Brabandt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nielsbrabandt/ Niels Brabandt's Leadership Letter: https://expert.nb-networks.com/ Niels Brabandt's Website: https://www.nb-networks.biz/

October 28, 2026Episode 58817 min

#588 The AI-Human Issue: Why Giving AI a Face Backfires | Niels Brabandt

Why do employees welcome AI at home but resist it at work? In this episode of The Leadership Podcast, Niels Brabandt explains the AI-human issue: the gap between useful technology and poorly executed implementation that triggers resistance in organisations. Drawing on real cases from his consulting and interim management work, Niels Brabandt shows why a compelling business case is rarely the problem, why surveillance ideas destroy trust, and why giving AI processes human names and faces backfires. You will learn how sense-making and toxic spread shape the reception of AI, why leaders risk their social legitimacy, and how to involve your people in the design so that AI adoption succeeds. For leaders, executives and decision-makers who want AI to deliver results without losing the trust of their teams. Host: Niels Brabandt / NB@NB-Networks.com Contact Niels Brabandt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nielsbrabandt/ Niels Brabandt's Leadership Letter: https://expert.nb-networks.com/ Niels Brabandt's Website: https://www.nb-networks.biz/