Future Shapers: Next-Gen Leadership Stories

About Future Shapers: Next-Gen Leadership Stories

A BRG podcast spotlighting the journeys of emerging leaders, told through the stories that shaped their paths to success in today's dynamic world. BRG combines world-leading academic credentials with world-tested business expertise. We are known for groundbreaking thought leadership in the fields of corporate finance; economics, disputes, and investigations; and performance improvement. For more, please visit ThinkBRG.com.

Publisher

BRG

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 May 2025

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

8 of 14 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   7 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Optimism Is Moral Courage

   BRG Director Kurt Eicher interviews Longitude Health CFO Ian Spier about how Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic expedition reveals optimism as moral courage for leading healthcare teams through uncertainty.

2. 

   2 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Difference Is the Superpower

   BRG Director Shantee Hope interviews Senior Workforce Transformation consultant Heather Sager about how embracing personal differences becomes a leadership superpower.

3. 

   11 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Captain of Your Own Career

   BRG Director Kelli Foy interviews NCR Voyix Assistant General Counsel Rachel Gervin about leadership lessons from children's literature and navigating a career with resilience and representation.

4. 

   28 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Leadership Is a Muscle

   BRG Associate Director Isaac Wong interviews Riverchain cofounder and general counsel Hsiang Low about developing leadership skills through listening and embracing discomfort.

5. 

   15 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   There's No Leadership Playbook

   BRG Director Mark Jennings interviews Stewarts Partner James Breese about adapting leadership strategies and fostering growth by embracing resilience and learning from mistakes.

6. 

   1 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   "Measured Sacrifice": Making Partner at a Leading Law Firm

   BRG Director Thanh Do interviews Missy L. Griffin, exploring the measured sacrifices and humility required for leadership and partnership in the legal field.

7. 

   12 Aug 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Personal Agency: Leading with Intention

   BRG Director Jason Kuckkan and former Chief Merchandising Officer Moyo LaBode explore personal agency and intentional leadership, drawing insights from "Outlive" to foster career growth and self-awareness.

8. 

   29 Jul 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Empowering Strengths through Trust-Based Leadership

   BRG Associate Director Nancy Cherashore and counsel Natalia Zibibbo explore trust-based leadership, sharing personal stories to empower listeners with empathy and adaptability.

9. 

   15 Jul 2025

   Modern Leadership: How Can I Help?

   BRG Director Jean-Gabriel Despeyroux interviews Latham & Watkins LLP partner Mathilde Saltiel on evolving leadership, emphasizing humility and a service-driven mindset through personal experiences and the show New Amsterdam.

10. 

    1 Jul 2025

    Career Evolution and Leadership Across Cultures

    BRG Director Li Li and Squire Patton Boggs Partner Michelle Bock discuss their international career paths and share insights on building effective global teams through respect and adaptability in this interview.

11. 

    17 Jun 2025

    The Leadership Balance: Opposing Traits That Inspire Trust

    BRG Director Crosby MacDonald and Borden Ladner Gervais LLP Partner Hugh Meighen analyze Robert F. Kennedy's leadership, revealing how balancing opposing traits like empathy and conviction builds trust and inspires effective collaboration in this interview.

12. 

    3 Jun 2025

    Leading with Purpose: From Educator to Healthcare Executive

    Shannon Cermak, Loyola Medicine VP, recounts her transition from education to healthcare leadership to Garrett Mann, BRG Director, revealing how teaching informs her empathetic, purpose-driven approach in this interview.

13. 

    20 May 2025

    Finding Common Ground through Open-Mindedness and Effective Communication Defines True Leadership

    BRG’s Nelida Abi Saab and Lucy Preston, a senior associate at Mantle Law, delve into Adam Grant’s Think Again, using its themes of open-mindedness, effective communication, and constructive dialogue as a lens to reflect on their own leadership journeys and the distinction between managing and truly leading. They highlight the importance of fostering respectful environments that encourage feedback and innovation, emphasizing that authentic leadership is rooted in adaptability, humility, and the courage to uplift others while continually challenging oneself. Selected Transcript Summary [0:39] Nelida and Lucy share how they met at a networking event three years prior, bonding over running. They reflect on leadership, agreeing that it is not the exclusive domain of partners or CEOs—it can start from the first day in any role. Lucy explains that leadership begins when you enter a situation and is separate from seniority or technical skill. [1:33] They discuss the difference between a team member, manager, and leader. Lucy emphasizes that success in leadership involves mastering all three roles. She shares that leadership has been on her mind since entering law and recommends Adam Grant’s book Think Again, which emphasizes persuasion through empathy and finding common ground. [4:08] Lucy applies lessons from Think Again to leadership and the value of starting with shared understanding and curiosity to resolve conflicts. She stresses that narrowing disagreements builds trust and empowerment in teams. She also references Brene Brown’s guidance on giving feedback that is “true, necessary, and kind.” [8:43] Nelida agrees and draws on the book Getting to Yes, relating her experience of separating people from problems to develop collaborative solutions. She highlights the dangers of tunnel vision and unconscious bias, noting that strong leadership requires staying open to new facts and perspectives. [10:50] Lucy introduces the acronym FAIL (First Attempt In Learning), encouraging a mindset that embraces mistakes as opportunities. She calls for objectivity and detachment from personal stakes in decisions, noting the importance of adapting to new information rather than sticking to prior conclusions. [15:43] They discuss flawed assumptions about leadership, particularly the belief that more experience always equates to better leadership. Lucy critiques legal hierarchies and the habit of dismissing junior perspectives. Nelida adds that technical skills alone are insufficient for leadership and that promotions should consider emotional intelligence and people management. [16:52] Nelida and Lucy discuss technical competence versus leadership capability and why being a good performer may not translate to a good leader. Lucy highlights a mentor who exemplified both and how constructive conflict was encouraged in that relationship. Nelida shares her own story of being empowered by a mentor who gave her autonomy early in her career and allowed her to put her skills into action. [23:37] Nelida and Lucy debunk the myth that charisma is a prerequisite for leadership. Nelida argues that true leadership is grounded in integrity, authenticity, and trust. She rejects the "fake it till you make it" mindset, advocating instead for genuine accountability. [24:58] Lucy agrees and highlights the importance of leaders admitting when they are wrong. She critiques societal norms that discourage vulnerability in leadership, affirming that titles and confidence do not inherently make someone a leader. [27:48] Lucy adds that challenges from within a team should be seen as signs of commitment and engagement, not as threats. She shares her own experience of raising issues respectfully in meetings and how such behavior models constructive dissent for junior colleagues. [29:09] They transition to defining essential leadership qualities. Nelida underscores the need for openness to new ideas and adaptability, particularly in fast-changing environments. Lucy adds curiosity, empathy, resilience, not being afraid to fail, and the importance of rejecting tradition for tradition’s sake.

14. 

    5 May 2025

    Discovering Your "Why" and Embracing Leadership as Service to Drive Collective Success

    BRG Director Matthew McSheaffrey and Alex Lerner, a partner at Stewarts, explore key insights from Simon Sinek’s influential books Start with Why and Leaders Eat Last, discussing the power of understanding one’s “why,” leadership as a service, and the importance of creating a “circle of safety” that fosters innovation and team growth. They also reflect on Sinek’s “Why, How, What” framework, the value of mentorship, the impact of influential mentors throughout their careers, key turning points in their professional paths, and the importance of developing self-confidence to continue moving forward. Selected Transcript Summary [00:00] Matthew and Alex introduce themselves and discuss their professional backgrounds and personal connections. Matthew highlights his experience in litigation and arbitration at BRG. Alex shares his journey to partnership at Stewarts and his focus on high-value financial services litigation and particularly group litigation. [2:57] They introduce the topics of leadership and mentorship, focusing on how leadership roles evolve over time. Both reflect on personal experiences transitioning from individual contributors to team leaders. [4:40] Matthew and Alex introduce Start with Why as the foundation for their discussion. Alex summarizes the "Golden Circle" concept: why (purpose), how (process), and what (product). Alex discusses the impact of Start with Why on his leadership style, highlighting the need for leaders to inspire both clients and internal teams by articulating their mission clearly. [9:40] Alex introduces Leaders Eat Last, discussing leadership as a service and the concept of creating a "circle of safety" for teams to thrive and specialize without fear. [13:07] Matthew and Alex agree on the importance of allowing team members room to make mistake early on to build confidence and skill. They discuss how creating safety and trust accelerates individual and team growth. [15:19] Alex reflects on which parts of Sinek’s books resonate most with him, including the focus on introspection, service-oriented leadership, and building empowered teams that act independently but cohesively. [18:59] Alex discusses his personal journey in trying to define his "why," centering around working for justice through collective redress. “The working for justice or access to justice is the why, the collective redress is the what—although that is a bit more debatable—and instructing stewards would be the how,” says Alex. [21:29] Matthew and Alex agree that finding a "why" is challenging but important to building resilient, successful teams. They note that while not all leaders have a "why," working under leaders who do is particularly inspiring. [23:21] Matthew reflects on the role of mentors in his career and how their examples of leadership, quality, and work-life balance have shaped his development. [26:35] Matthew discusses how working closely with Danny Ryan (https://www.thinkbrg.com/people/daniel-ryan/), a BRG managing director and head of the firm’s London office, influenced his own leadership approach, emphasizing trust, high standards, and accountability within teams. Alex shares his experiences learning from multiple mentors, highlighting the value of autonomy, safe spaces to grow, and learning law firm dynamics and leadership behaviors. [34:35] Alex offers advice to mentees: find your "why" early, balance hard work with smart work, and find the right mix of confidence without arrogance to become a good team player and future leader.

Inside a recent episode

Optimism Is Moral Courage

Published 7 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And Shackleton, I mean, without a doubt, I think, you know, he referred to optimism as the ultimate form of moral courage. And particularly in a difficult industry with a lot of uncertainty, a lot of change, you know, highly matrix environments, I think it is a core leadership principle in healthcare specifically. I mean, healthcare... is not an air game, to use a football analogy. It's a ground game. I've heard a leader referred to the day-to-day grind as two or three yards and then a dust-up. And it's tough. It really is difficult. So being able to find the good and keep that optimistic outlook is essential. […]

Who has been a guest on Future Shapers: Next-Gen Leadership Stories

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Ian Spier
• Heather Sager
• Rachel Gervin
• Hsiang Low
• James Breese

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 23 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

33

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32