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Perspectives

Don Layton: Resilient podcast

Leading through uncertainty

How can organizations lead through uncertainty and times of disruption? According to Freddie Mac CEO Don Layton, turning around a failing business takes leadership in finance and organizational transformation, and even a philosophical survey of your career.

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Finding the right balance

To be effective in any leadership role, it’s all about striking the right balance. With a background in finance, Don Layton acknowledges that quantitative skills can help drive success early on. But as you advance in your career, there’s a need for equilibrium and qualitative skills to motivate people and lead through uncertainty.

If your company is in existential trouble, the balances are easy. Move fast. There’s no nicety about it—you have no choice. [Under] normal circumstances, you have to be a little more balanced about it all.

In this episode, Don shares that turning around a failing business requires a clear view of the direction you’re headed, moving toward it with purpose, and communicating that direction in digestible ways. He also explains that a positive personality with great interpersonal leadership skills will rise above those with only quantitative skills. Being resilient and leading through uncertainty calls for the ability to stay confident, calm, and strategic during transformation.

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Resilient is an award-winning podcast series that features authentic, engaging, and thought-provoking conversations with leaders. Hear interviews and personal stories about how CEOs, senior executives, government officials, board members, and people outside of the business world embrace complexity to lead, navigate, and disrupt to accelerate performance. And discover what they learned about resilience amid risk, crisis, and disruption.

For more in the series, visit the Resilient podcast library page.

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