The Greatness Code: Alan Guarino on Trust, Authenticity, and Leading Through Crisis

In this episode of All Business with Jeffrey Hayzlett, Jeffrey sits down with Alan Guarino, Vice Chairman of Korn Ferry and author of "The Greatness Code," for a candid look at what actually separates great leaders from the merely credentialed. A West Point graduate and former Army captain who went on to build and sell his own executive search firm before joining the world's largest talent consultancy, Guarino brings decades of boardroom experience to a conversation about authenticity, self-awareness, and the hard work of earning trust.

The two dig into why followership, not authority, is the real measure of leadership, and why hubris remains the number one derailer of executives who should know better. Guarino shares what he calls "radical transparency," the value of facing hard truths head-on rather than skirting the elephant in the room, and how military lessons on duty and accountability shaped his approach to advising CEOs. They also cover the post-COVID shift toward hybrid work, what boards really need from a CEO to build trust, and the toughest conversations Guarino has had behind closed doors with leaders who needed to hear an uncomfortable truth.

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