Just because someone delivers results doesn’t mean they can lead people.
Meet Ganesh. He’s a successful senior product manager at a major airline. Executives love him, his team delivers results, and his career is thriving. But when one of his best employees unexpectedly resigns, he starts questioning his leadership. His team rarely speaks up, and feedback suggests he’s intimidating. He’s been so focused on performance that he may have forgotten the people behind it.
In this episode, Jay sits down with Marcel Schwantes, executive coach, keynote speaker, and author of Humane Leadership. Together, they explore why organizations promote the wrong leaders, how trust drives performance, and what it really takes to lead with both accountability and humanity.
Notable Quotes
“If you really want to initiate that cycle of trust, starts with you, the leader.” — Marcel Schwantes
“They have to make sure that people know that they matter, that they have a voice.” — Marcel Schwantes
“You have to have not only, yes, you have to hold people accountable, but what about the caring side?” — Marcel Schwantes
About Our Guest
Marcel Schwantes is an executive coach, keynote speaker, author, and leadership expert who helps organizations build healthier, more human workplaces. Drawing from his experience in HR leadership and his own encounters with toxic management, Marcel advocates for a leadership approach grounded in trust, authenticity, and developing others. His book, Humane Leadership: Lead with Radical Love, Be a Kick-Ass Boss, challenges traditional leadership practices and explores the behaviors that create stronger teams and sustainable performance.
Resources & Links
Marcel Schwantes
Website – https://www.marcelschwantes.com/
Humane Leadership Book – http://www.marcelschwantes.com/book-humane-leadership
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcelschwantes/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/marcel.schwantes/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9fO2r_ZQ3wy5ie522f-DTQ?view_as=public
X – https://x.com/MarcelSchwantes
Jay Abbasi
Website – https://jayabbasi.me/
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayabbasi/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jayabbasi_/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/thejayabbasi/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@jayabbasipodcast
Join Us Next Time
On Friday, Jay shares practical meeting hacks that can transform how you lead your team. From starting meetings effectively and encouraging honest feedback to keeping employees engaged and communicating difficult news, Jay reveals simple strategies he’s used and taught leaders to make meetings more productive, meaningful, and effective.
