The Octopus Organization with Phil Le-Brun
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
Release Date: 02/25/2026
The Voice-Driven Leader with Jeremie Kubicek
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
Does the way you speak as a leader unlock your people’s potential or hold it back? In this episode, Kevin and Jeremie Kubicek discuss what it means to be a voice-driven leader and why people development often gets crowded out by the demands of daily work. Jeremie explains that great leadership starts with a real commitment to development, not just delegation, and requires leaders to understand how each person is wired, how they learn, and where they are in their growth journey. Their discussion highlights the importance of meeting people where they are, using the developmental square to...
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How Listening Can Lead to Feedback
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
Most leaders think feedback starts with what they say. They’re wrong. If you’ve ever given feedback and gotten resistance, hesitation, or no real change… this episode is for you. In this episode of Remarkable TV, I share a simple but powerful shift: Start with listening, not telling. You’ll learn: Why feedback must be accepted before it can be used How asking the right question reduces resistance instantly The fastest way to turn feedback into a coaching conversation What to prepare before any feedback discussion This approach will help you create better conversations, stronger...
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Setting Explicit Expectations with R. Karl Hebenstreit
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
How can leaders create more clarity in uncertain times? In this episode, Kevin and Karl Hebenstreit discuss why clarity has become such a critical leadership need, especially in uncertain times, and why so many performance problems can be traced back to assumptions instead of explicit conversations. They talk about the danger of relying on the Golden Rule in leadership, the importance of moving toward the Platinum Rule by understanding how others want to be treated, and the reality that expectations must flow in every direction, not just from leader to team member. Karl shares practical...
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When Was the Last Time You Changed Your Mind? - Thoughts from Kevin
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
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Building Relationship Currency with Ravi Rajani
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
How can leaders build stronger relationships that lead to greater trust, influence, and results? In this episode, Kevin talks with Ravi Rajani about the idea of “relationship currency” and why success in leadership and business ultimately comes down to how effectively we communicate and connect with others. Ravi explains that relationship currency is created when two people engage in a meaningful value exchange focused on helping the other person achieve their goals without self-interest. Their discussion explores the importance of shaping our internal story, recognizing how the labels and...
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Are You Willing to Ask for Help? - Thoughts from Kevin
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
Are you willing to ask for help? I’ve learned that asking for help isn’t weakness—it’s awareness. And as a leader, it can make all the difference in your results and your relationships. You’ve been there—I know I have. You’re stuck. You know you could ask for help… but you don’t. So the real question is: why? In this episode of Remarkable TV, I share why asking for help is one of the most important (and most overlooked) leadership habits—and what happens when we avoid it. Here’s what I want you to think about: - Why asking for help is awareness, not weakness - The real...
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Building the Superintelligent Firm with Stephen Wunker
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
What would it take for your organization to become truly superintelligent in the age of AI? In this episode, Kevin sits down with Stephen Wunker to explore how leaders must move beyond simply layering AI onto existing processes and instead rethink their organizations from first principles. Steve uses the metaphor of the octopus, with its distributed intelligence and interconnected yet autonomous arms, to explain how AI enables a shift from rigid, top-down hierarchies to flexible, horizontally connected “work charts” where information gets to the right people at the right time. They discuss...
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Do You Reward Overpreparation? - Thoughts from Kevin
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
Are you unintentionally slowing your team down by rewarding overpreparation? In this episode of Remarkable TV, I explore a leadership trap many of us fall into: equating more preparation with better results. But in today’s fast-moving, uncertain world, that assumption can cost us time, momentum, and better decisions. You’ll learn: Why “what gets rewarded gets done” matters more than you think The difference between progress and polish How overpreparation is often fear in disguise Why more prep doesn’t always lead to better decisions How leaders set the tone for speed, clarity, and...
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Your Best Meeting Ever with Rebecca Hinds
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
What if you treated every meeting you lead as a product you were responsible for designing? In this conversation, Kevin sits down with Rebecca Hinds to explore why meetings—arguably the most important product in any organization—are often created with less intention than the products and services we sell. Rebecca shares why meetings become organizational “junk drawers” and explains how applying a product-design lens can transform them from time drains into high-leverage leadership tools. Drawing on the seven principles from her book, she challenges leaders to rethink meeting volume,...
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How Often Do You Think About Your Habits? - Thoughts from Kevin
The Remarkable Leadership Podcast
How often do you think about your habits? The reality is that a large portion of what we do every day is automatic. And while habits help us function efficiently, they can also quietly limit our growth—especially if we never stop to examine them. In this episode, I explore the double-edged nature of habits: why they are essential, why they can be dangerous, and how unexamined habits may be holding you—and your organization—back from improving. If you want to grow as a leader, it starts with awareness. Resources & Next Steps If you’d like help improving your leadership or your...
info_outlineHow can organizations become more adaptable in a world of constant change? In this episode, Kevin sits down with Phil Le-Brun to explore why traditional change efforts often fail and what companies should do to succeed in today’s complex environment. Phil introduces the metaphor of the octopus organization, a model for agility and continuous learning. He contrasts it with the outdated tin man approach that views people as interchangeable parts in a machine. Kevin and Phil discuss the difference between complicated and complex systems, emphasizing why leaders must move beyond linear plans and embrace learning as the path to change. They also discuss how clarity, ownership, and curiosity form the foundation of adaptability and why leaders must foster environments where these traits can thrive.
Phil's Story: Phil Le-Brun is the co-author of The Octopus Organization: A Guide to Thriving in a World of Continuous Transformation with Jana Werner. He is an executive in residence at Amazon Web Services and a former corporate VP and international CIO at McDonald’s Corporation. At McDonald’s, he co-led the consolidation and modernization of technology across thirty-eight thousand restaurants globally. In his current role, Phil engages with Fortune 500 executives and their teams and with public-sector customers to mentor, advise, and guide them on their journeys to become more adaptable organizations. He is a sought-after speaker and has been featured in Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian.
https://www.theoctopusorganization.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillebrun/
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