Growing Pains

49 Christopher Littlefield: The hidden tax on performance: Unseen work

Most leaders believe they understand how work gets done. But much of what people do every day remains unseen. In this episode, Ewa Hutmacher sits down with Chris Littlefield — employee appreciation expert and conflict resolution specialist — to explore what happens when the work behind the work isn’t visible. Because when people don’t feel appreciated or recognized, tension builds, frustration builds, and communication can begin to break down over time. Chris challenges a common assumption:that appreciation is about what we say. Instead, he describes it as a skill — the ability to see, understand, and acknowledge what others contribute. And that shift matters. Because what leaders recognize shows people what they actually see — and what they don’t. So the question is: what are you not seeing today? Learn more about Christopher Littlefield [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-littlefield/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com [https://ewahutmacher.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

48 Joey Hayes: The real work starts after the capital round

Raising capital is often seen as a milestone. In reality, it marks the beginning of a more complex phase of leadership. In this episode of Growing Pains, Ewa Hutmacher speaks with Joey Hayes — founder of thru. and angel investor in more than 65 startups — about what happens after the round closes. Together, they explore a pattern seen across many companies: founders turn inward, communication slows, and the network behind the capital remains largely underutilized. Rather than focusing on funding itself, this conversation looks at what leadership requires once it is in place — and why access to support does not automatically translate into action. If the people around you are willing to help — what is preventing you from engaging them? About the guest Joey Hayes is the founder of thru. and an angel investor in 65+ startups. After experiencing the impact of founder isolation firsthand, he now focuses on helping founders activate the network behind their capital. LinkedIn: Joey Hayes [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeyhayes1/] and thru. [https://www.linkedin.com/company/comethru-co/]To learn more about Joey and thru., please visit: www.comethru.co [https://www.comethru.co/] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com [https://ewahutmacher.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

47 Annmarie Higgins: When There’s Finally No One Left to Impress

When there’s finally no one left to impress, leadership changes. Executive coach Annmarie Higgins and host Ewa Hutmacher explore what happens beneath senior leadership roles — where responsibility is high, expectations are constant, and honest reflection becomes rare. A grounded conversation about: * Loneliness at the top * Values under pressure * Why mindset shifts before behavior * The transformation power of coaching CEOs and C‑suite leaders No performance hacks. No leadership theatre.Just a real conversation about leadership when the mask no longer helps. A question to sit with: What are you no longer willing to ignore — even if it comes at a cost? Learn more about Annmarie Higgins at LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/annmarie-higgins-9b75ab21/] or hopstoneltd.com [http://hopstoneltd.com] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com [https://ewahutmacher.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

46 Gustavo Razzetti: False harmony - why executive teams get stuck

Most leadership teams don’t lack intelligence or good intentions. What they lack is the courage — and the structure — to name what everyone already sees. In this episode of Growing Pains, Ewa Hutmacher is joined by Gustavo Razzetti — culture strategist, bestselling author, and CEO of Fearless Culture, for a candid conversation about false harmony: the quiet agreement that makes teams feel aligned while real issues remain untouched. We explore why leaders confuse politeness with alignment, how silence at the top is often misread as consent, and why teams don’t get stuck because they disagree — but because they stop believing that speaking up will change anything. Drawing on decades of work with executive teams across the world, Gustavo Razzetti shares why avoided conversations create hidden costs, how groupthink disguises itself as consensus, and what it actually takes to move from nice conversations to decisions that stick. A question to sit with: What does your team call “alignment”? What are you actually avoiding? Gustavo Razzetti [http://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavorazzetti] is the bestselling author of Remote, Not Distant, Stretch for Change, and his forthcoming book, Forward Talk [https://gustavorazzetti.com/books/]. He’s facilitated more than 1,500 workshops with leadership teams at Mars, Microsoft, Merck, the Inter-American Development Bank, and hundreds of organizations across the world. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com [https://ewahutmacher.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

45 Pasquale Mazzuca: When leaders have no place to hide

What happens when leaders no longer have clear answers — but still carry full responsibility? In this episode of Growing Pains, Ewa Hutmacher is joined by Pasquale Mazzuca [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pmazzuca/], executive coach and trusted adviser to CEOs and senior leaders for more than three decades. This is a candid conversation about integrity in the boardroom, the discomfort of not knowing, and being true to yourself. Drawing on lived experience across cultures and leadership contexts, Pasquale reflects on what ambiguity reveals — not just about decisions, but about who leaders choose to be. A grounded, human dialogue for CEOs, board members and executive teams navigating uncertainty, pressure and the space between knowing and acting. A question to sit with: When was the last time you had to make a decision without clarity — and what guided you in that moment? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ewahutmacher.substack.com [https://ewahutmacher.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]