The Courageous Leaders Podcast
The Courageous Leaders Podcast aims to inspire leaders to step into their courageous zone, be the leader they know they can be and discover the mindset skills and behaviours to take their leadership to the next level.
So listen in, get inspired on how you can grow your leadership impact. Leave a legacy you can be proud of, and build an environment for future leaders to thrive.
Who is Joanna Howes?
Joanna Howes is an award-winning international coach, behavioural expert, specialising in leadership and performance coaching and No 1 best selling international co-author.
Her focus is to help individuals and teams activate their full potential, so they can step into their courageous zone to maximise their influence, build their resilience and take the action needed to become high performers and future-ready leaders.
Joanna is a unique phenomenon within her industry, with over 20 years’ experience working internationally with some of the world's most awarded advertising agencies and leading them to operational and leadership success. Her blend of both innovative operational and transformative change solutions empowers organisations to create environments that are supportive and fearless for their employees.
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The Courageous Leaders Podcast
Why a ‘C’ in your Title Doesn’t Automatically Make You an Executive Leader | Leadership Coach Joanna Howes
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Why are so many executive teams underperforming?
In this solo episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I break down the biggest leadership mistakes I see inside executive teams today, from social loafing and siloed thinking to oversized leadership teams and “Game of Thrones” behaviour at the top of organisations.
I explore why executive leadership is about far more than titles, why leadership teams must operate collectively instead of protecting departments, and why CEOs need the courage to reshape teams when they are no longer serving the business.
If your leadership team feels political, disconnected, slow, or overly comfortable, this episode will challenge how you think about executive leadership.
What We Cover:
00:00 – Why executive teams lose effectiveness
00:52 – Why titles do not equal executive leadership
01:24 – The danger of oversized executive teams
02:24 – Executive teams acting like working groups
02:42 – “Game of Thrones” leadership behaviour explained
03:07 – Why the executive team must become the first team
03:52 – Why CEOs need the courage to challenge comfort
Key Leadership Insights
• Executive teams shape what becomes acceptable in company culture
• Leadership titles do not automatically create leadership capability
• High-performing executive teams think collectively, not territorially
• Oversized leadership teams slow down decision-making and accountability
• CEOs must be willing to challenge comfort and restructure leadership teams
• The behaviour at the top becomes the standard for the entire company
Reflection Questions for Leaders
• Is my executive team truly operating as one team?
• Where are politics or silos damaging decision-making?
• Have titles become more important than impact?
• What difficult leadership change am I avoiding right now?
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