Growth Hacking Culture

Navigating Digital Transformation in the modern landscape requires more than just processing power; it demands a resilient Human Infrastructure to safeguard your brand’s most valuable asset: trust. In this episode, Ivan Palomino is joined by Gal Borenstein, CEO of The Borenstein Group and author of Don't Believe the Hype, to explore the "Bionic Branding" framework.
As corporations race to integrate generative AI, many are falling into a "reputation gap" where efficiency comes at the cost of authenticity. Gal explains why AI currently lacks the "common sense" of leadership and how a "Bionic" approach—pairing machine speed with human oversight—is the only way to scale without breaking the corporate soul. Whether you are dealing with "AI slop" or trying to maintain a premium narrative, this 57-minute deep dive provides the strategic roadmap for the AI era.
Key Takeaways
The Trust Millisecond: Decades of brand equity can be dismantled in a single millisecond by unmonitored AI hallucinations or cold, automated "Dear Empty" errors.
Options vs. Decisions: While AI excels at generating high-speed options and data analysis, it lacks the moral agency and cognitive experience required for final executive decision-making.
The 98% Accuracy Trap: In the corporate world, a 2% failure rate in AI can lead to a 100% loss in client trust; leaders must identify where "almost right" is a liability.
Controlling the Narrative: If a company does not proactively manage its digital story, AI-driven scrapers and competitors will define the brand narrative for them.
Internal Trust Index: Protecting a brand starts internally; executives must measure and align internal trust before scaling external AI operations.
Connect with Gal on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/galborensteinexecutiveprofile/  and ask him for a copy of his latest book
Gal's website https://www.borensteingroup.com/ 
Episode Timestamps
4:22 – Why AI is currently failing the "leadership" test.
9:15 – The "Dear Empty" error: How automation ruins credibility.
13:40 – Why AI can provide options, but never make real decisions.
18:55 – The 98% Accuracy Trap: When "almost right" is a disaster.
23:12 – The #1 mistake: Automating without a core purpose.
28:45 – Emotional IQ: The human skill AI can’t mimic in the boardroom.
33:20 – The Guardian Digital Trust Framework™ explained.
38:10 – How to measure your company’s internal "Trust Index".
43:55 – Why your narrative is being hijacked by unmonitored algorithms.
49:05 – The Bionic Executive: Steve Austin's lessons for AI leaders.
54:30 – How to control your brand's story before your competitors do.
Episode Resources
The GUARDIAN Digital Trust Framework™: A methodology for measuring and protecting brand equity.
Bionic Branding: The strategy of balancing machine speed with human judgment.
Don’t Believe the Hype: Gal Borenstein’s guide to trust in the AI cycle.
The Trust Index: A benchmark for internal alignment and authenticity.
Quote of the Episode
"AI can give you speed, but only a human can give you a promise." — Gal Borenstein
 
If you found these insights on Bionic Branding valuable, please subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your feedback helps us bring more world-class strategists to the show. 
This episode is brought to you by Experts Suisses. 
 
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When navigating organizational change, communicating uncertainty effectively is the most critical skill a leader can possess. While many leaders' first instinct is to wait for "all the facts" before speaking, silence during a transition can be dangerous. Neuroscience reveals that the human brain treats ambiguity as a physical threat, triggering a "survival mode" that stifles creativity and fuels the "rumor mill". In this episode, we sit down with Salvatore Manzi, author of Clear and Compelling, to dismantle the myth that leaders must have complete data before engaging their teams.
Sakvatore introduces his "Uncertainty Framework," a tactical four-step roadmap designed to restore psychological safety when the destination is still moving. We explore why clarity is more valuable than certainty, how to use the "Lighthouse Method" for consistent updates, and the "Pilot’s Secret" for explaining decision-making processes rather than promising impossible outcomes. Whether you are leading through a merger, a reorganization, or a shifting market, this conversation provides the executive toolkit needed to command a room when the data is incomplete.
Key Takeaways
The Stress of Silence: Research indicates that uncertainty is actually more stressful to the human brain than knowing a negative outcome is certain.
Survival vs. Collaboration: When leaders are silent, employees' brains switch to self-preservation, causing collaboration and productivity to drop significantly.
The 4-Step Framework: Leaders should follow a specific sequence: 1) State the obvious (what is and isn't known), 2) Take a stand (commit to a belief), 3) Invite participation (give the team a role), and 4) Connect to the big picture.
The Lighthouse Method: Trust is built through predictability; frequent, brief "pulses" of information are more effective than infrequent, dense updates during a crisis.
Transparency in Process: Instead of making hollow promises, leaders should explain the how behind their decision-making to build trust without risking broken commitments later.
Episode Resources
Clear and Compelling: The book by Salvatore Manzi outlining communication strategies for leaders.
Nature Communications Study: Research cited regarding the brain's heightened stress response to uncertainty.
The Uncertainty Framework: The tactical 4-step roadmap for leading through the fog.
Connect with Salvatore Manzi on LinkedIn
 
"If you're walking through the fog, it's more important to have a torch than it is to actually know the destination. A leadership who speaks in times of uncertainty is that torch." — Salvatore Manzi
Thank you for listening to this episode on the art of leadership communication. If you found these insights valuable, please subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on your preferred platform to help other leaders discover these strategies. For more tactical advice and to download the frameworks discussed today, be sure to visit the resources listed in these show notes.
 
This episode is brought to you by Experts Suisses. 
 
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Is your organization trying to drive at Formula 1 speeds using a horse-and-carriage engine? In this episode, we dive into the "Speed Paradox" of AI leadership and why buying the latest technology is useless if your corporate culture is built on layers of bureaucracy.
 
Corporate structures are often designed for safety and consensus, but the AI era demands non-linear speed and workforce autonomy. Nikki Barua, CEO of Flipwork, joins Ivan Palomino to explain why the "Command and Control" model is now a recipe for disaster. You will learn:
The Navy SEAL Framework: How to shift from massive "armies" to mission-oriented, agile teams.
Autonomy with Guardrails: The psychological and structural shift needed to empower employees without creating chaos.
The 90-Day Sprint: A tactical approach to "People Squared" productivity that doubles capacity without increasing headcount.
 
00:00 – The Speed Paradox: Why corporate engines are failing.
06:45 – Agility vs. Speed: Why "Better Brakes" allow you to drive faster.
12:30 – Beyond KPIs: Using the "Anti-Vision" to ensure project success.
19:20 – The "Painted Picture" strategy for team motivation.
26:40 – The Diamond Organization: Navigating the future of entry-level work.
33:42 – The Meta-Skill of Unlearning: Shedding old corporate habits.
Featured Guest: Nikki Barua
Nikki Barua is the CEO of Flipwork and a leading voice on workforce transformation. She helps organizations navigate the intersection of human psychology and exponential technology.
Connect with Nikki: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkibarua/ 
Visit Flipwork: https://www.flipwork.ai/ 
Check Nikki's book Beyond Barriers: How to Unlock Your Limitless Potential 
 
This episode is brought to you by Experts Suisses. 
 
Sign up for "Simply Human" (Ivan's free monthly email newsletter): https://simplyhuman.substack.com/
Follow the Growth Hacking Culture Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growth-hacking-culture/id1610439533
Visit Ivan Palomino's Blog: https://www.ivanpalomino.net/blog-ivan-palomino
Follow Ivan Palomino on Twitter: https://x.com/ivanpalomino_
Follow Ivan Palomino on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivanpalomino.official/
 

Nearly 75% of employees identify their manager as the primary source of workplace stress. In this deep-dive discussion, we explore how AI help for leadership is transitioning from a futuristic concept to a "bionic enhancement" for the modern executive. Host Ivan Palomino sits down with Ben Perreau, the founder of Parafoil, to discuss the "Empathy Mirror"—a radical approach to management that uses technology to reflect our own communication habits back to us.
The conversation challenges the traditional "trial by fire" mentorship model, suggesting that leadership today requires the same level of instrumentation as a modern aircraft cockpit. By leveraging psycholinguistics, Perreau explains how we can analyze the "Human OS" to bridge the gap between corporate efficiency and genuine human connection. We discuss the danger of "average" insights from general AI, the critical role of middle management in shaping culture, and why the most effective leadership technology focuses on the person before the professional. Whether you are leading a small team or a global organization, this episode provides a blueprint for using technology to reclaim your human intuition.
Key Takeaways
The Instrumentation of Leadership: Modern leadership is too complex to be managed by "feel" alone; leaders need digital "flight instruments" to understand team dynamics in real-time.
The "Average" Trap: Relying on general-purpose AI (like standard LLMs) risks sanitizing leadership into a "median" output, whereas specialized AI helps preserve a leader’s unique, authentic voice.
Never Delegate Understanding: While AI can synthesize data, a leader must never outsource the actual understanding of their people to a machine—technology should assist, not replace, intuition.
The Middle Management Engine: Culture isn't just modeled at the C-Suite; it lives and breathes in the daily interactions of middle managers, who carry the heaviest emotional burden of the organization.
Intrinsic Motivation vs. Training: Effective leadership growth happens when a manager wants to become a better person for their own sake, not just because of a corporate HR mandate.
Episode Resources
Parafoil.co: Ben Perreau’s leadership intelligence platform.
The Eames Principle: The design philosophy of Charles and Ray Eames regarding the "delegation of understanding."
Psycholinguistics: The study of the relationships between linguistic behavior and psychological processes.
The "Human OS": The concept of human behavior and communication as a foundational operating system.
Quote of the Episode
"We have been told for decades that leadership is an art... but the old model is breaking. We don't need AI to replace the manager; we need it to act as a bionic enhancement—a mirror that shows us how we truly listen." — Ben Perreau
If you found value in this exploration of the future of leadership, please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Leaving a review helps other innovative leaders find these conversations. For more insights on human-centric leadership, visit our website and join our community of practitioners.
This episode is sponsored by Experts Suisses (Swiss Excellence at Your Service) 

In an era where technology evolves at the speed of light, many organizations find their Digital Transformation efforts stalled by a neglected component: Human Infrastructure. While billions are poured into software patches and AI integrations, the "Human OS"—the cognitive and cultural framework of the workforce—often remains trapped in a legacy state. This episode features a deep dive with Barbara Wittmann, CEO of the Digital Wisdom Collective, into why technical implementation is only 20% of the success equation.
Host Ivan Palomino and Barbara explore the "Stone Age Brain" paradox, where 21st-century tools are wielded by a biological operating system wired for physical threat rather than digital complexity. They discuss the critical need for "Third Spaces" in corporate environments—areas where experimentation is safe and failure is viewed as a prerequisite for growth. Whether you are a senior executive or a middle manager feeling like a "victim" of top-down strategy, this conversation provides a roadmap for shifting from digital literacy to digital wisdom. Learn why the next competitive advantage isn't the AI you buy, but the human capacity you cultivate to use it.
Key Takeaways
Mindset Over Machines: True digital transformation requires an 80% focus on people and mindset, with only 20% allocated to the actual technology.
The "Human OS" Upgrade: Organizations must move beyond teaching technical skills (digital literacy) to fostering "Digital Wisdom," which involves adaptability, awareness, and cognitive growth.
Embrace the "Co-Working Buddy": Instead of fearing AI as a replacement, leaders should frame it as a co-working partner, allowing employees to delegate routine tasks and focus on high-value human connection.
Cultivate "Third Spaces": Innovation thrives when leaders create "gardens" or test environments where teams can play, fail, and iterate without the fear of losing their bonuses.
Empower the Middle: Change ripples outward from middle management; empowering these leaders to move from "victims of strategy" to "owners of transformation" is vital for organizational health.
Episode Resources
The Human OS: A concept describing the biological and cognitive "operating system" of humans that must be upgraded to match modern technology.
Human Infrastructure: The foundational layer of culture, psychological safety, and adaptability required to support digital tools.
Digital Wisdom Collective: The organization led by Barbara Wittmann focused on shifting corporate focus from tech to human potential.
Digital Literacy vs. Digital Wisdom: The distinction between knowing how to use a tool and having the wisdom to integrate it meaningfully into work.
Quote of the Episode
"21st-century software cannot run on a Stone Age brain. To survive the digital age, we don’t just need better tools; we need better human infrastructure." — Barbara Wittmann
 
How to reach out to Barbara Wittmann?
Her website https://www.digitalwisdomcollective.com/
Her newsletter https://digitalwisdomcollective.substack.com/
 
If you found value in this discussion on the intersection of humanity and technology, please subscribe to the show and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us bring more innovative ideas to leaders worldwide.
 
 

Why do companies spend billions on leadership development only to see engagement scores tank and top talent quit? The answer often lies in the "blind spots" of the human mind. In this episode of the Growth Hacking Culture podcast, we sit down with Sébastien Page, a leader in quantitative finance and author of The Psychology of Leadership.
Sébastien shares how his own journey through high-stakes stress led him to the world of behavioral and sports psychology. We discuss why the most effective leadership doesn't start with managing your team, but with managing your own brain. From distinguishing between luck and skill to understanding the "Roger Federer mindset," this conversation provides a science-based roadmap for anyone looking to improve their management of individuals, teams, and themselves.
Key topics include:
Self-Management: Why the journey to better leadership starts with changing your brain, not just your team.
Luck vs. Skill: How to distinguish between talent and randomness in high-stakes decision-making.
The Feedback Loop: Strategies to reduce the stress response during performance reviews.
Goal-Induced Blindness: Avoiding the ethical pitfalls and "metrics obsession" that can tank organizational culture.
Books Mentioned
The Psychology of Leadership: Timeless Principles to Improve Your Management of Individuals, Teams, and Yourself by Sébastien Page
Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts by Annie Duke
Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink
Timestamps
3:54 – Sebastien's journey from quantitative finance to sports psychology
8:12 – The Dr. Daniel Zimmert story: Why losing can be your "best match"
17:18 – The Roger Federer 54% rule for handling professional losses
21:50 – The Luck vs. Skill trap in leadership decision-making
26:22 – Handling "Black Swans" and building organizational resilience
31:15 – The "Feedback Fallacy" and the biology of the stress response
35:50 – Why asking for feedback is 50% less stressful than receiving it
40:24 – Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic motivation: Moving beyond "Carrot and Stick"
45:08 – Goal-Induced Blindness: Lessons from Volkswagen and Wells Fargo
49:40 – The Harvard Study: Why relationships are the ultimate indicator of success
51:10 – The foundation of leadership: Why sleep and ethics matter most
Connect with Sebastien
About the book: The Psychology of Leadership
LinkedIn: Sebastien Page
 
Read about the upcoming Ivan Palomino's book THE VINTAGE UPGRADE (the science  of staying relevant in a world obsessed with youth)

We’ve all heard the "hustle harder" mantra, but the numbers tell a different story. Right now, workplace disengagement is a global crisis, costing businesses an estimated $9 trillion in lost productivity. In this episode of the Growth Hacking Culture Podcast, we’re getting real about what it actually takes to lead without running yourself—or your team—into the ground.
Our guest, Hanna Bauer, author of Hustle with a Heart, brings a perspective on resilience that you won’t find in a standard management textbook. After surviving a terminal heart disease diagnosis, Hanna discovered that resilience isn't a personality trait; it’s a systemic outcome built through intentional habits and a supportive environment.
If you’ve ever felt that burnout is just the price of success, this conversation is for you. Hanna breaks down why "running on fumes" makes you a liability rather than a high-impact leader, and how to use her 52 mini-shifts to transform your leadership from the inside out.
In this episode, we explore:
The ROI of Humanity: Why employee engagement isn't just a "nice-to-have," but a multi-trillion dollar financial lever.
The HEART Framework: Breaking down the five pillars—Hope, Empowerment, Accountability, Results, and Trust.
Resilience as a Network: Why leading in isolation is a recipe for failure and how to build a support structure that lasts.
The "Arrhythmia" of Business: How a relentless hustle culture creates chaos in your systems and kills long-term innovation.
The BEAT Method: A simple, 4-step daily practice (Believe, Engage, Act, Transform) to keep your leadership aligned.
This isn’t just about working less; it’s about leading with a clarity that burns away complexity and empowers everyone around you to show up as their best selves.
Connect with Hanna Bauer:
- Book: Hustle with HEART: 52 Mini-Shifts to Maximize your Impact (available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/dDeK4mD )
- Her website: https://heartnomics.com/  
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bauerhanna 
Key Highlights & Timestamps
00:00 – The $9 trillion leadership crisis: Why disengagement is a financial catastrophe.
04:42 – Moving past the grind: Why resilience isn't just "pushing through."
06:30 – Leading with HEART: Building trust and empowerment in your culture.
11:55 – The Bridge Analogy: Why you can't be resilient on your own.
14:20 – The mandatory recovery: Why restoration is as important as the "sprint."
17:35 – Organizational Arrhythmia: Spotting the signs of a broken culture.
23:45 – The invisible waste: Identifying the cost of human potential being left on the table.
28:10 – The ROI of "Soft Skills": Why resilience is the hardest skill to master.
33:20 – Psychological Safety: The secret ingredient for innovation that actually works.
38:55 – Mastering the BEAT: Aligning your internal beliefs with your external execution.
42:15 – Cutting the noise: How clarity of mission prevents leader burnout.
46:30 – Starting Tomorrow: One small shift to change your leadership trajectory.
 

Why do 75% to 95% of business improvement projects fail to last beyond two years?
In this episode, we are tearing down the broken systems that hold businesses back. We are joined by George Pesansky, Operational Excellence Expert and author of Superperformance, to discuss the "massive leaky bucket problem" costing organizations billions.
George argues that most leaders are trapped in a "glass half-empty" mindset—constantly firefighting and obsessing over lagging indicators like profit, rather than mastering the leading behaviors that actually create value. We explore how to shift from the role of a manager to an "Operations Coach" and how to design a culture built for consistency.
Key topics discussed in this episode:
The Utility Factor: Why clarity on "what, how, and why" is the true driver of value.
Overcoming Negativity Bias: How to stop fixating on what's wrong and start scaling what's going right.
The Golden Hour: A mental model for replicating your team’s peak flow states rather than just demanding better scores.
The "Ugly Baby" Method: How to foster true collaboration through high assertiveness and honest feedback.
The Success Formula: Why a perfect technical solution fails if "Acceptance" is low (Success = Quality x Acceptance).
Escaping the Prison of Expectations: How to avoid the burnout that comes from the fear of over-delivery.
Join us to learn how to stop judging your team solely on the scoreboard and start coaching them toward their full potential.
Guest: George Pesansky, Author of Superperformance: 8 Strategies to Reach Full Potential for Yourself, Your Team, and Your Organization
 

Is the EU's 40% women on boards quota a genuine push for diversity or a looming compliance trap?
In this essential discussion, board strategy expert Dr. Keith Dorsey breaks down the unwritten rules of the boardroom and the real danger that the 2026 deadline poses for high-potential women. We move beyond outdated concepts of "Old Boys Networks" to explore the proven science of Optimal Diversity—the powerful combination of demographic and cognitive diversity that drives shareholder value, mitigates risk, and unlocks Blue Ocean strategies.
Dr. Dorsey, author of The Boardroom Journey, provides actionable advice for executives, women, and minorities on how to:
Overcome the narratives of Imposter Syndrome.
Present as a T-Shaped director, ready for governance, not just execution.
Ask the right thought-provoking questions that make you an indispensable candidate.
Key Takeaways:
Compliance Trap: Learn why simply hitting a quota risks tokenism and how to ensure your value is recognized, not just your gender.
Optimal Diversity: Understand the metrics that prove diversity (not just gender) leads to better return on investment (ROI) and risk management.
T-Shaped Leadership: Discover the technique to show deep functional expertise while proving a broad, strategic view of governance.
Interview Mastery: Hear Dr. Dorsey's tips on moving from an executive interviewing style (looking in the rearview mirror) to a forward-looking governance mindset (looking through the windshield).
Imposter Syndrome Antidote: Practical steps to audit your journey, identify your "secret sauce," and bring your whole, authentic self to the boardroom table.
Find Dr. Keith Dorsey's book, The Boardroom Journey, and connect with him on LinkedIn.
 
This episode is sponsored by Experts Suisses: We come in, we stabilize, we innovate, we transfer knowledge—and the company gets back on solid ground.
 

The Confidence Crisis: Why many leaders mistake employee "wounds" for weakness.
Join clinical psychologist Dr. Brian Alman for a powerful discussion on the roots of low morale, burnout, and confidence issues in the modern workplace. Dr. Alman, a world-renowned expert in self-hypnosis and mindset, reveals the direct link between an employee's emotional state and their professional performance.
Learn actionable strategies for leadership and HR to help your team heal limiting beliefs, boost resilience, and drive lasting organizational change. This episode is essential listening for managers, business owners, and anyone committed to fostering a high-performing, healthy workforce.
In this episode, you will learn:
The difference between employee weakness and emotional wounding.
How to use mindset techniques to overcome workplace anxiety.
Practical steps for leaders to rebuild team confidence.
Dr. Alman's key message for improving professional well-being.
CONNECT WITH Dr. Brian Alman:
Some of his books: https://drbrianalman.com/book/
Talk to Brian on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbrianalman/
 
Keywords: Workplace Culture, Leadership, Dr. Brian Alman, Employee Confidence, Burnout, Organizational Change, Hypnosis, Mindset.
This episode is sponsored by Experts Suisses : We come in, we stabilize, we innovate we transfer knowledge—and the company gets back on solid ground.