The Human CEO Podcast

Resilience Expert Russell Harvey: Mastering Leadership in a VUCA World

Russell Harvey · July 9, 2024

Executive Coach · Leadershipin

Interview with Russell Harvey

Resilience Expert Russell Harvey: Mastering Leadership in a VUCA World

Podcast: The Human CEO Podcast

July 9, 2024 · 34 min

Listen

Resilience Expert Russell Harvey: Mastering Leadership in a VUCA World

0:00 / --:--

The Human CEO Podcast

GO TO APPLE PODCASTS →

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.

Featured onApple Featured onSpotify Featured onYouTube

View profile →

About this episode

Join us in this episode of the Human CEO Podcast as we sit down withRussell Harvey, the Resilience Coach, to explore the vital role of resilience in leadership. Discover how Russell's extensive experience in coaching and development has shaped his approach to helping leaders thrive in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments. Learn practical tips and insights to enhance your own resilience and lead your team through challenging times.

Russell Harvey shares his journey to becoming the Resilience Coach, highlighting the importance of resilience in leadership. Learn how to navigate a VUCA world, balance optimism with reality, and build adaptability in your team. Discover practical tips and insights on how to enhance your own resilience and lead with confidence through uncertainty. Russell also shares influential books and leaders that have shaped his approach, making this a must-watch for anyone looking to improve their leadership skills and organisational culture.

What’s Your Human CEO Culture Score? Take the free scorecard to find out now.

Website - https://humanculture.scoreapp.com

Watch the episodes on Youtube - / @thehumanceopodcast

Follow: Instagram - @humanpeopleculture

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/human-people-culture

Guest Details:

Website - https://www.theresiliencecoach.co.uk/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/russelltheresiliencecoach/

Guest: Russell Harvey