Marcus East has spent his career inside some of the world’s most recognized organizations, including Apple, Google, IBM, National Geographic, and Marks & Spencer. In this episode of Partnering Leadership, he joins Mahan Tavakoli to discuss the ideas behind his book, Working with Dinosaurs: How to Lead Technological Evolution from the C-Suite. The conversation goes far beyond technology. It gets to the heart of why successful organizations often struggle to adapt even when smart leaders can clearly see change coming.

Marcus shares lessons from leading large-scale transformations across both technology-native companies and legacy institutions. Drawing on experiences ranging from National Geographic’s digital reinvention to the resistance he encountered at Marks & Spencer, he explains why organizational inertia is rarely caused by a lack of intelligence or strategy. More often, the barriers come from success itself. The systems, incentives, habits, and leadership behaviors that once created growth can quietly become the very things preventing change.

The discussion also challenges much of the current AI hype. Marcus argues that AI will not magically fix broken organizations. In fact, organizations with weak data foundations, fragmented operating models, and outdated leadership structures may find their problems exposed even faster. The conversation explores why some companies accelerate through disruption while others become trapped defending processes, structures, and metrics that no longer fit the future they are entering.

Mahan and Marcus also explore the human side of transformation. They discuss why executives often resist the very changes they publicly support, how “legacy thinking” shapes decision making, and why many transformation efforts fail between the CEO’s vision and frontline execution. Marcus offers a candid look at what distinguishes organizations that adapt successfully, including the operating models, collaboration patterns, and leadership mindsets he observed inside companies like Apple and Google.

For CEOs and senior executives facing pressure to modernize while still delivering results today, this episode offers practical insight into the realities of organizational change, leadership alignment, and technological evolution. It is a thoughtful conversation about how leaders can avoid becoming trapped by the systems and successes of the past while preparing their organizations for what comes next.

Actionable Takeaways:

• You’ll learn why some of the biggest barriers to transformation come from leaders who were highly successful under the previous model.

• Hear why Marcus believes many AI investments will fail and what separates organizations that will actually benefit from AI adoption.

• You’ll hear the striking contrast between how National Geographic approached innovation versus the resistance Marcus encountered at Marks & Spencer.

• Learn why many organizations struggle not because the CEO lacks vision, but because execution breaks down deep inside the organization.

• Hear how legacy systems become emotional and political issues, not just technology problems.

• You’ll discover why leaders cannot take everyone along on a transformation journey and what it means to build a “coalition of the willing.”

• Learn the difference between organizations obsessed with process and those obsessed with customer outcomes.

• Hear why companies like Apple and Google organize engineers, designers, marketers, and business leaders differently from most traditional organizations.

• You’ll learn why many leadership teams measure activ

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

Partnering Leadership Website

What makes a great CEO today won’t be enough tomorrow. In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Carolyn Dewar, McKinsey Senior Partner and coauthor of A CEO for All Seasons—a practical, research-backed roadmap for leaders navigating the full arc of CEO leadership. Building on her global work advising top executives and the success of her previous bestseller CEO Excellence, Carolyn offers a candid, timely, and deeply strategic perspective on how CEOs can lead—and let go—with clarity, discipline, and impact.

Carolyn and Mahan explore the four leadership “seasons” every CEO moves through: preparation, early tenure, sustained performance, and exit. But what sets this conversation apart is its real-world focus on what actually trips up leaders—misjudged transitions, misplaced confidence, and the false comfort of past success. This isn’t theoretical leadership advice—it’s practical insight shaped by years of advising CEOs and boards during high-stakes moments.

What emerges is a compelling case for fit over familiarity, foresight over reaction, and reinvention over complacency. Carolyn makes it clear that the best CEOs aren't simply great strategists—they're great at timing, sequencing, and knowing when to shift or step aside. She shares stories of leaders who planned their exits with grace and those who stayed too long—and why boards often get it wrong.

If you're a CEO, board member, or senior leader shaping the next phase of your organization, this conversation will challenge how you think about leadership longevity and legacy. You’ll walk away with practical framing for making bold decisions and managing change—not just within your business, but within yourself.

Actionable Takeaways

• Hear how to recognize the brief “unfreezing moment” that gives new CEOs a rare chance to reshape direction, expectations, and ambition
• Learn why even the most successful CEOs must reinvent themselves—or risk becoming the barrier to future growth
• Discover why the best succession plans start in a CEO’s first year, not their last
• You’ll learn how boards often default to “more of the same”—and why that mindset leads to costly misalignment
• Explore Carolyn’s take on what only the CEO can and should do—and how over-functioning CEOs damage execution
• Hear how some leaders design in tension—reverse mentors, red teams, bold advisors—to avoid echo chambers
• Learn how to approach succession planning not as a person to pick, but as work to define
• Find out what CEOs should leave behind in their final year—and what mistakes lock in poor transitions
• You'll hear examples of how great CEOs sustain performance through S-curves while preparing for what’s next
• Gain perspective on how Carolyn sees AI as a CEO’s partner, not a proxy for real leadership

Connect with Carolyn Dewar

A CEO for All Seasons
Carolyn Dewar LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

Partnering Leadership Website

Executive presence is one of those concepts every leader knows matters, yet very few can clearly define or develop. In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Alexa Chilcutt and Carl DuPont, co-authors of The Presence Principle: Embodying Executive Presence to Lead with Impact. Drawing on their work in executive education at Johns Hopkins University, they unpack what presence actually looks like in practice—and why most leaders get it wrong.

What makes this conversation stand out is the shift away from surface-level advice. This isn’t about “owning the room” or projecting confidence. Alexa and Carl go deeper, reframing executive presence as something that begins well before a leader speaks—and often shows up in ways they aren’t even aware of. From mindset and self-awareness to subtle behavioral cues, they highlight how leaders shape perceptions long before they intend to.

The conversation also challenges a common trap: trying to “perform” leadership rather than embody it. Many leaders, especially those stepping into more senior roles, feel pressure to adopt a version of executive presence that doesn’t fit who they are. Alexa and Carl make a strong case that this approach not only fails but erodes trust over time. Instead, they point to the discipline of aligning presence with authentic strengths, while still being intentional about how those strengths are expressed.

There’s also a practical edge throughout. Whether it’s understanding how the brain reacts under pressure, recognizing how attention and technology affect presence, or making small but meaningful adjustments in communication, the discussion stays grounded in real leadership behavior. These are not abstract ideas. They are habits leaders carry into every meeting, every interaction, and every decision.

For CEOs and senior executives, this episode offers a sharper lens on a topic that often feels vague. It’s a reminder that leadership impact is not just about strategy or decisions, but about how consistently and intentionally you show up in the moments that matter.

Actionable Takeaways

• You’ll learn why executive presence starts long before you enter the room—and how leaders often miss the most important part of that preparation
• Hear how subtle, often unconscious signals—like voice, posture, and attention—shape how others interpret your leadership
• You’ll learn why trying to “act like a leader” can actually undermine your effectiveness, especially at senior levels
• Hear how top leaders build presence through small, consistent shifts rather than dramatic changes
• You’ll learn how the brain’s safety vs. danger response quietly influences how you show up under pressure
• Hear why multitasking may be eroding your leadership presence more than you realize
• You’ll learn how to balance collaboration with self-advocacy so your contributions are both recognized and trusted
• Hear how leaders can use reflection to close the gap between how they think they show up and how others actually experience them
• You’ll learn why consistency—not intensity—is what ultimately builds lasting executive presence
• Hear how presence directly connects to a leader’s ability to engage, align, and move people to act

Connect with Alexa Chilcutt and Carl DuPont

The Presence Principle Website

Alexa Chilcutt LinkedIn

Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:

Mahan Tavakoli Website

Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn

Partnering Leadership Website