Podcast : The Honest Mic
Host: Fortune
About This Conversation
Leadership is easy to describe when everything is working.
The more interesting question is what happens when it isn’t.
A decision goes wrong.
A mistake becomes visible.
The pressure rises.
And suddenly, what matters is not the image of leadership we like to present, but what we actually do next.
In this conversation on The Honest Mic, we explore leadership from exactly that perspective: not as a search for flawless performance, but as the ability to remain credible, responsible, and effective when reality doesn’t follow the plan.
Because mistakes are not necessarily what damage credibility.
What happens after them can.
Do we become defensive?
Do we look for someone to blame?
Do we waste energy trying to protect the image of being right?
Or do we look at what happened, understand why it happened, take the information it gives us, and use it to make the next decision better?
That distinction matters to me.
Years in high-performance sport have taught me that mistakes are visible. Results are visible. Decisions have consequences. There is very little value in pretending otherwise.
And the same principle applies far beyond sport.
Leadership is tested when there is no perfect answer available, when information is incomplete, when expectations are high, and when other people are watching how we respond.
We also explore the relationship between pressure and performance.
Pressure does not have to be something we fight against. Used well, it can sharpen focus, clarify priorities, and reveal the structure we have already built.
That is why the moments when things go wrong can sometimes tell us far more about a leader than the moments when everything goes right.
Not because the mistake defines us.
But because our response to it says a great deal about how we lead.
Topics We Discuss
- What leadership looks like when things go wrong
- Why a mistake does not automatically destroy credibility
- Responding to errors without becoming defensive
- Looking for the reason instead of the blame
- Decision-making when there is no perfect answer
- How pressure can sharpen focus
- What high-performance sport can teach business about responsibility
- The difference between protecting an image and protecting credibility
- Why the response to a mistake can matter more than the mistake itself
Listen to the Episode Clicking the button up there!
Podcast: The Honest Mic
Host: Fortune
Episode: Leadership When Things Go Wrong | Silvia Rizzo
Duration: approximately 22 minutes
Host Feedback:
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“Silvia Rizzo was a fantastic guest and an absolute pleasure to talk with. She brings a calm confidence and depth of experience that makes every insight feel grounded in reality. What I appreciated most was her willingness to have an honest conversation about leadership, pressure, and decision-making without relying on clichés or motivational soundbites. I really enjoyed this conversation.”
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