Episode 10: “Assassination” - Leadership as a Dangerous Activity (Part 1)

A conversation with George A. Papandreou

On the tenth episode of the On the Balcony podcast, Michael Kohler welcomes a most fitting guest to discuss Heifetz’s book, particularly the chapter entitled “Assassination”.  Former Prime Minister of Greece, George A. Papandreou will be joining the podcast for two episodes to discuss Chapter 10 of Leadership Without Easy Answers, and its impact upon his role in salvaging the Greek economy in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, the hunt for scapegoats when things got heated and people had to endure real losses, and the immense challenges of adaptive work.  He opens up the episode with an exploration of why it was meaningful for him to serve his country , despite his efforts being met with resistance, outrage, and disagreement.  

Papandreou also goes on to elaborate what it’s like to be a figure of authority and become a lightning rod, especially in the wake of a global crisis that pitted the countries in the EU against one another. Both he and Kohler recall the hate and fear that festered on the continent during this time of distress and why change was so hard to enact. So on this very special episode of On the Balcony, listen in as two experts discuss how to lead a divided society, what challenges arise for an authority figure in such circumstances, and why the desire for order and a semblance of normalcy often supersedes compassion and empathy.