In this episode of The Optimal Leadership Podcast, our host Wilf Blackburn speaks with Professor Vladimir Pucik, Visiting Emeritus Professor of International Business at Aalto School of Business, Helsinki, Finland.

Together, they explore the leadership capabilities that matter most in a complex global world: listening, humility, critical thinking, and human connection.

This conversation goes beyond the usual discussion of communication and leadership presence. Professor Pucik argues that leaders must learn to listen not simply to respond, fix, or win, but to learn. For global CEOs, this becomes even more important when leading in unfamiliar environments, where cultural context, trust, and psychological safety shape whether people feel able to speak up.

A key theme throughout the episode is that some leadership responsibilities  ...