Real World Leadership

Resilience and focus. Neuroscientist Benjamin Bargetzi shares how these two qualities can help anyone manage trauma, leverage AI, and become better leaders.

What does a GC have that the average lawyer may not? Learn what longtime GC Heather White looks for, plus her take on how COVID and AI changed the game.

Is verbal identity as important to branding as graphics and other visuals? Find out as The Vanguard Network speaks to strategist and veteran copywriter Jim Larkin.

In this episode of Pharmaceutical Executive’s podcast series Leading Edge With Ken Banta, The Vanguard Network founder and CEO is joined by branding strategist Andy Milligan, founding partner of The Caffeine Partnership, where the duo examine why life sciences companies urgently need to rethink how they build, protect, and communicate their brands. From the erosion of trust in pharma to the discon...

As general counsel, Tom Sabatino is very familiar with business upheaval. He tells the Vanguard Network why current upsets are different, and how leaders can keep cool.

During business disruptions, Anika Therapeutics CEO Cheryl Blanchard takes a no-nonsense approach with C-suite leaders. Find out how she does it without creating a toxic workplace culture.

Business psychologist Dr. Sharon Melnick says the C-suite isn’t immune to burnout. Learn the root cause of simultaneous exhaustion and overwhelm, as well as the fix.

In this episode, hosts Nate Beaver and Kyle Faget examine the tension between federal and state authority in healthcare regulation. They explore when the FDA has the final say—and when states step in, highlighting real-world examples and legal implications for companies, counsel, and innovators navigating this evolving landscape.

Ken Banta, founder and CEO of the Vanguard Network, is a recognized expert in leadership and organizational change. With a rich background as a journalist—covering pivotal events like the Eastern European revolutions for Time magazine—Ken transitioned into corporate leadership, helping guide major turnarounds at companies such as Pharmacia and Bausch & Lomb. His latest book, Seeing Around Corners,...

In this episode of Your Partner In Success Radio, Denise Griffitts speaks with Ken Banta, a leadership advisor and founder of The Vanguard Network. Drawing on insights from his book Seeing Around Corners, Ken explains how leaders can navigate disruption and crisis while keeping their organizations aligned and resilient. The discussion highlights common mistakes executives make, the importance of c...

Timothy Chow, managing director and senior advisor at Patrick Doerr LLP, visits the Vanguard Network to share practical uses for AI, including applications for corporate problem-solving.

Wes Adams is an organizational psychologist and author who studies what makes our work matter to us. Unsurprisingly, leadership has a lot to do with it.

Ryan McMullan, principal consultant at Lean Green Way, spoke with Vanguard about the evolution of sustainability in business, setting industry standards, and the importance of having patience.

Dr. Jeremy Collins, MD, is the director of medical services at Encompass Health. He shares how his prior career in ballet informs his leadership style today.

Aileen Gonsalves is an actor/director with the Royal Shakespeare Company in London. She speaks with Vanguard about how this led her to a business consultancy.

Terry Szmagala is founder and principal at TGS Advisory and former executive vice president and chief legal officer for Eaton. He speaks to Vanguard about how companies can benefit from cultivating a more proactive relationship with the government.

In a turbulent era for biopharma, leadership demands clarity, resilience, and adaptability. In this candid podcast conversation with Pharm Exec, Ken Banta, founder and CEO of The Vanguard Network, shares high-level insights on what CEOs can do to thrive amid the disruption—from regulatory agility to cultural resilience. The corporate strategy expert explains why the best leaders are the best learn...

Just how valuable is the GC to the Board of Directors? Immeasurably, according to Deb Boyda. In fact, the GC holds the unique position of representing shareholder interests with a deep understanding of a business's inner workings. Listen to her insights into how a GC can become both trusted and invaluable to the Board.

In this episode of Unlocking Leadership we explore the imperative for C-suite leaders and boards to realign their strategies and operating models to respond to the evolving geopolitical landscape. A team of international experts from the EU, Washington, D.C. and China join us to discuss this and more, exploring how organizations can: - Create intelligence-gathering mechanisms and protocols that en...

In a conversation with Skot Waldron, Ken Banta discusses the importance of community for C-suite leaders and the challenges they face in the current business landscape. He highlights the need for a safe environment where leaders can share ideas and problems with peers. Ken also addresses the challenges of managing the hybrid work environment and the importance of purpose and adaptability in leader...

In the crowded life sciences market, a great product isn’t enough—branding is the real differentiator. In this episode, Michael Watras, CEO of Straightline, unpacks why CEOs must be the chief storytellers of their companies. He makes the case for branding as a strategic imperative, weaving together product value, team culture, and sustainability to win over consumers and investors alike.

Visionary leaders can't succeed if they don't bring their teams along for the ride. Change management expert John DiGiambattista talks about the importance of adapting leadership to a VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) environment. For DiGiambattista, success lies in promoting adaptability, shared purpose, and a mindset that views challenges as opportunities for growth.

In this “golden age” of biotech, why is it so hard for so many companies to raise money? According to Nancy Lurker, former CEO of EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, it comes down to a shortfall in communications skills. Listen to Nancy's practical advice for entrepreneurs, and hear why she remains optimistic about the future of healthcare innovation.

As the head of a branding firm, Skot Waldron often saw companies commission campaigns which they later discarded because of a shift in strategy. This led him to focus instead on corporate culture—helping leaders create alignment by developing their own personal brand.

For Dr. Jack Drescher, the problems caused by stress hark back to a much earlier period of human evolution, when “fight or flight” were the two basic ways to respond to a threat. The modern executive must adopt a different approach to anxiety—one that includes being willing to share these issues with others.