Returning guest Dean McAlister, EVP, Inizio Biotech, has spent over 35 years in Fortune 500 pharma leadership, including nearly 3 decades at AstraZeneca. Hear how to prepare to lead in an uncertain environment, how to develop conscious competence as a leadership skill, how to become more adaptable as a leader, how to stop your ego from getting in the way as a leader, and how to build the courage to say what needs to be said in meetings. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn, and Dean on LinkedIn

Dr. Kisito Futonge Nzembayie is an Assistant Professor at Trinity Business School, Director of the MSc in Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and a serial EdTech founder. Hear how to build entrepreneurial spirit within your organization, why AI readiness (Artificial Intelligence) is about more than just technology, the importance of digital literacy & digital fluency when it comes to AI, what causes digital transformation efforts to fail, and what he learned about cultural intelligence & cultural awareness from his experiences in China. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn, and Kisito on LinkedIn

Welcome back to our special Gen Z mini-series of Leadership Discoveries! In this episode, you’ll hear Ailbhe Mc Namara, 1st Year Human Resources Management (HRM) Student at Technological University Dublin. Hear how leaders can provide more guidance & mentorship, what we can learn from bad leadership, why Gen Z has the reputation of being more outspoken, why a strong purpose makes a strong culture, and a surprising Quick-Fire round. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn, and Ailbhe at TUDublin.ie and on LinkedIn

Welcome back to our special Gen Z mini-series of Leadership Discoveries! In this episode, you’ll hear Barry Kavanagh, Customer Success Manager at Diligent. Hear how Gen Zers and Zillennials think about their career path, why Steven Bartlett is so inspiring, what goes into a holistic company culture, the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) in a leader, and a Quick-Fire round filled with AI. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn, and Barry at Diligent.com and on LinkedIn

Welcome to our special Gen Z mini-series of Leadership Discoveries! In this episode, you’ll hear Clara Bolger, Payroll Manager for Transoft Solutions in the Netherlands. Hear what leadership means to her, the leaders who inspire her, the company culture Gen Z looks for, her advice to older generations when interacting with Gen Z, and a riveting Quick-Fire round. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn, and Clara at TransoftSolutions.com and on LinkedIn

Jill Ellul has over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and is the Founder & Managing Director of Mojoco, a business consultancy that offers innovation-led solutions to the Pharma, MedTech, and Biopharma sectors. Hear how to boost innovation & creativity in your organisation, how to dissolve groupthink, whether generative AI helps or hurts innovation, how to keep innovation the priority in your organisation, and whether all industries have room to be innovative. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn, and Jill at MeetMojoco.com and on LinkedIn

Richard Cotter is the Head of Organisation Development and Research at Allianz Ireland and is a published academic researcher who holds a PhD in Management Learning. He shares what happens at the intersection of culture & strategy, why he recruited a business anthropologist, the power of ethnography over surveys, how they turned the research into culture change, and how your organisation can have better meetings. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn, and Richard on LinkedIn

Dr. Emmet Oliver is an academic, journalist and broadcaster. Drawing from his recent book Irish Nation Building: Government, Business and Power (1922–1958), Emmet reflects on the lessons modern corporate leaders can learn from history — from flexibility in decision-making to naming the uncomfortable truths others avoid. Emmet uncovers lessons in courage, adaptability and the art of learning from failure every corporate leader can apply today. Connect with Shirley at ShirleyKavanagh.com and on LinkedIn, and Emmet on LinkedIn