255. How Leaders Sound Smart Without Saying Too Much

This podcast explores key leadership qualities and communication strategies with Adam Bryant, a former New York Times journalist and author known for interviewing over 500 CEOs. Bryant highlights the importance of simplifying complexity, communicating authenticity through values, and navigating the inherent paradoxes of leadership. He emphasizes that leaders often err by not simplifying their message enough and not repeating it sufficiently for it to resonate. The discussion covers the necessity of building a "listening infrastructure" to counter information bubbles and the value of empathy in communication, encapsulated in the concept of overcoming "expertitis." Bryant also shares his framework for powerful communication: insight, the story behind it, and its influence on leadership style.