Humor In The C-Suite

Russell Harvey: The Optimist

Russell Harvey · September 2, 2025

Executive Coach · Leadershipin

Interview with Russell Harvey

Podcast: Humor In The C-Suite

September 2, 2025 · 30 min

Listen to Russell Harvey on Humor In The C-Suite.

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Russell Harvey: The Optimist

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Humor In The C-Suite

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Key topicsLeading Well When the World Won’t Slow DownChange is no longer something leaders navigate occasionally - it is the environment they lead in every day. Russell explores the difference between leaders who are simply surviving relentless change and those who can genuinely say: “There’s a lot going on, and I’m good.” Drawing on nearly two decades specialising in resilience, Russell offers a practical perspective on what resilient leadership actually looks, sounds and feels like when the pressure is real and the uncertainty isn't going away.Before You Add AI to Your Team, Fix the Human OneOrganisations are racing to adopt AI, but Russell believes leaders need to ask a more fundamental question first: what makes our team work brilliantly together? Only then can they understand where AI can genuinely improve performance. With deep expertise in leadership, resilience and navigating persistent change, Russell offers a refreshingly human perspective on AI: the biggest challenge may not be the technology, but how well we lead the people using it.Off the Record — What Leaders Admit in Coaching and Never Say in the BoardroomRussell Harvey has coached leaders to board level for over 6,000 hours, and the same admissions come up in private: they are guessing, they are tired, and they can say neither out loud. Most organisations treat that silence as strength and reward the executive who never wavers, which is how confident-looking teams commit to decisions nobody in the room believes in. Drawing on 18 years with organisations from the NHS to Novartis and Kerry Group, he describes what changes when a leader finally gets one place to think honestly: how they pressure-test a decision before announcing it, and how they pass that same permission down to their own team. Listeners leave able to hear what their leadership group is not saying, and knowing what to do once they hear it.View all topics →

About Russell Harvey

The Resilience Coach | Resilient Leadership Expert

100,000+ People positively affected6,000+ Executive coaching hours£12M+ ROI delivered by RWE npower leadership programme20+ years Learning, leadership and organisational development

Russell Harvey is The Resilience Coach - a resilient leadership expert, executive coach, facilitator and keynote speaker who helps leaders and organisations perform at their best when the world refuses to stand still.

With more than 20 years in Learning, Leadership and Organisational Development, 6,000+ hours of executive coaching and over 70 published podcast appearances, Russell is an experienced and engaging voice on resilience, leadership and navigating persistent change. He has worked with leaders across organisations including Novartis, the NHS, AB World Foods, Kerry Group and The Co-operative Group.

Russell’s work goes beyond helping people simply cope with pressure. He believes true resilience isn’t about “bouncing back”, being tougher or pretending everything is fine - it’s about springing forward with learning and becoming better equipped to lead because of the challenges you’ve faced.

His approach connects the human side of leadership directly to what matters to organisations: engaged people, stronger cultures, better decisions and improved performance. His work has delivered measurable results, including a leadership programme that returned £12 million to the business and a Resilient Leader Programme that achieved more than 1,100% ROI.

In August 2025, Russell achieved his long-held purpose of positively affecting 100,000 people.

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About this episode

In this episode of "Humor in the C Suite," host Kate Davis welcomes resilience expertRussell Harvey. Throughout the episode, Russell elaborates on the intricacies of resilience coaching, emphasizing the balance between creativity and pragmatism. He explains how humor can be a powerful tool for leaders, facilitating open-mindedness and improved team dynamics, even in complex or challenging situations. By sharing personal anecdotes and practical examples, Russell illustrates how storytelling and humor can make rigorous corporate environments more human-centered and supportive. His unique approach to encouraging leaders to embrace laughter and optimism is a refreshing take on enduring corporate challenges, infused with warmth and insight.

Key Takeaways:

Humor is an essential aspect of resilient leadership, fostering team cohesion and bridging human connections in the workplace.Positive psychology and resilience can proactively prepare individuals and organizations for life's unpredictability by focusing on growth-oriented strategies.Building resilience involves understanding and balancing different strengths, with humor serving as a critical tool in personal and professional development.Optimism, rather than naive positivity, is a grounded approach tied to recognizing and leveraging strengths to face challenges efficiently.Transforming corporate culture with humor and creativity can lead to profound improvements in innovation and employee engagement."Part of being resilient is having a purpose and humor, laughter is a tool to get there." — Russell Harvey

Additional Links & Resources:

Interested in being a guest on Humor in the C-Suite? Reach out to book a call with Kate!Learn more about me and my work at katedavis.ca

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Humor in the C-Suite! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, share it with your friends, and leave a rating or review. Your support helps the podcast continue to grow.

Hosted by Kate Davis

Edited by Chris @ Wider View Studios

Guest: Russell Harvey