executiveland
the podcast
EXECUTIVELAND: The Unwritten Playbook of the C-Suite takes you behind the closed doors of executive leadership. Hosted by executive coach Elizabeth Freedman, each episode reveals the lessons leaders rarely share openly — and the practical strategies you need to thrive when the stakes are highest.
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In this episode of Executiveland, host Elizabeth Freedman introduces the first chapter of the unwritten C-suite playbook titled, ‘I Thought This Was My Decision’. Drawing on two decades of advising senior leaders, she explores the surprising reality many executives face when they realize their authority is more limited than expected.
Elizabeth breaks down why empowerment at the executive level looks different, why clarity around decision rights is essential, and how leaders can avoid turning blurred lines into self-doubt. She also offers practical strategies to build trust, expand influence, and exercise discernment in choosing which decisions to own.
You’ll explore:
Elizabeth breaks down why empowerment at the executive level looks different, why clarity around decision rights is essential, and how leaders can avoid turning blurred lines into self-doubt. She also offers practical strategies to build trust, expand influence, and exercise discernment in choosing which decisions to own.
You’ll explore:
- Why new executives often feel less empowered than anticipated
- The blurred lines of decision-making in the C-suite
- How to avoid letting comparison undermine confidence
- Building trust and credibility over time
What Nobody Ever Told You About C-Suite Leadership
episode 1
Join host Elizabeth Freedman for a candid conversation with Ravi Kumar, CEO of Cognizant, as he shares a behind-the-scenes view of what it truly takes to lead a global enterprise of over 350,000 employees. Ravi talks about the duality of leading in the present while staying relevant for the future, the concept of "strategic patience," and how influence is what truly drives transformation at scale. Ravi reflects on the underestimated value of roles that build influence, the importance of psychological safety in driving AI adoption, and how today’s leaders must be interdisciplinary, adaptable and ready to unlearn.
You’ll explore:
This conversation is about learning to navigate complexity, build trust at scale and stay grounded in purpose. Listen here:
You’ll explore:
- What being a CEO actually entails
- Why “strategic patience” is critical in high speed markets
- The underrated power of sphere of influence
- Why the next CEO should own the future, not the past
This conversation is about learning to navigate complexity, build trust at scale and stay grounded in purpose. Listen here:
ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY: COGNIZANT CEO RAVI KUMAR ON DEMOCRATIZING AI
episode 2
In this episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman returns with a new chapter of the unwritten C-suite playbook: “Do I Really Have to Spell It Out?” Drawing from years of coaching senior leaders, she unpacks why clarity in communication is one of the most overlooked drivers of performance, and why even seasoned executives fall into common traps.
Elizabeth explores how decoding, vague messaging, and a lack of ownership can derail strategy and credibility. Through practical examples, she shows how to shift from hinting to directness, and how clear, confident communication can accelerate results, build trust, and amplify a leader’s impact.
You’ll explore:
Elizabeth explores how decoding, vague messaging, and a lack of ownership can derail strategy and credibility. Through practical examples, she shows how to shift from hinting to directness, and how clear, confident communication can accelerate results, build trust, and amplify a leader’s impact.
You’ll explore:
- Why leaders often assume their message is clearer than it is
- The hidden impact of vague feedback and indirect messaging
- How confidence shapes clarity in high-stakes conversations
- Practical tools to sharpen communication and ensure understanding
The hidden rules of talking to executives
episode 3
Howard Ungerleider, former CFO and President of Dow, joins Elizabeth Freedman on this week’s episode to explore the unwritten playbook of the C-suite. With decades of experience inside one of the world’s largest companies, Howard shares the mindset shifts, leadership habits, and executive presence required to succeed in the C-suite.
They unpack the challenges new executives face, why enterprise thinking is non-negotiable and how skills like influence, humility, and listening are often more valuable than formal authority.
You’ll explore:
They unpack the challenges new executives face, why enterprise thinking is non-negotiable and how skills like influence, humility, and listening are often more valuable than formal authority.
You’ll explore:
- Advice for navigating the boardroom and building trust with stakeholders
- The emotions toll of the C-suite and how to manage the pressure
- How to compartmentalize stress and stay grounded in your “why”
- How to use the “bite, snack, meal” approach when you want to be heard
Howard Ungerleider: Why Strong C-Suite Leaders Must Be Willing to Challenge
episode 4
In this solo episode, Elizabeth Freedman breaks down a surprising pattern she sees in even the most capable senior leaders - a mismatch in terms of the value they may be giving and getting back.
Using the “give and get” equation, Elizabeth shares how healthy, high-performing leaders and organizations strike a healthy balance between what they give and what they get.
The problem is when the Give and Get Equation gets out of balance, and it happens more than you might think.
In this podcast episode, you’ll learn:
Using the “give and get” equation, Elizabeth shares how healthy, high-performing leaders and organizations strike a healthy balance between what they give and what they get.
The problem is when the Give and Get Equation gets out of balance, and it happens more than you might think.
In this podcast episode, you’ll learn:
- Why so many leaders struggle to give and get value equally
- How overgiving value can keep others underperforming
- Why overgiving value doesn’t guarantee visibility or recognition
- Ways to rebalance the equation and lead with more impact
The Hidden Trap of Overgiving
episode 5
“You need to deliver the message I need to hear - not just what you want to say.” David Roberts, CEO of Verra Mobility, joins Elizabeth Freedman on Executiveland to discuss leadership in the C-suite and the unwritten playbook for executives. He’s been the CEO of public, private, and PE-backed companies and offers insights on how executives best navigate each of these environments. You’ll also hear David share the realities of leading as CEO, why nobody gives you a pat on the back, and the role of coaching in executive leadership.
You’ll explore:
You’ll explore:
- Why you get two minutes to share your message
- The need to stop storytelling and co-create instead
- How to bring focus and accountability to leading teams
Leading Without Excuses: How CEO David Roberts Drives Focus and Accountability at Verra Mobility
episode 6
In this episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman returns with Part 2 of the “Give and Get” Equation. While overgetting can be strategic in moments of transition or investment, it becomes a problem when leaders stop seeing value as a constant exchange. Elizabeth explains how it quietly erodes trust and brand, and why leaders need to check their assumptions about what they’re contributing. She also walks through subtle, but telling signs of overgetting, like passivity in meetings, lack of team development, or operating with exceptions during company-wide changes.
You’ll explore:
You’ll explore:
- Subtle signals your contribution may not match the value you’re receiving
- How language like “should” signals entitlement to others
- The importance of going first when you want more opportunity, trust, or respect
- A three-part check-in to realign your executive brand
What Hurts Your Executive Brand
episode 7
In this episode of Executiveland, host Elizabeth Freedman introduces the first chapter of the unwritten C-suite playbook titled, ‘I Thought This Was My Decision’. Drawing on two decades of advising senior leaders, she explores the surprising reality many executives face when they realize their authority is more limited than expected.
Elizabeth breaks down why empowerment at the executive level looks different, why clarity around decision rights is essential, and how leaders can avoid turning blurred lines into self-doubt. She also offers practical strategies to build trust, expand influence, and exercise discernment in choosing which decisions to own.
You’ll explore:
Elizabeth breaks down why empowerment at the executive level looks different, why clarity around decision rights is essential, and how leaders can avoid turning blurred lines into self-doubt. She also offers practical strategies to build trust, expand influence, and exercise discernment in choosing which decisions to own.
You’ll explore:
- Why new executives often feel less empowered than anticipated
- The blurred lines of decision-making in the
C-suite - How to avoid letting comparison undermine confidence
- Building trust and credibility over time
What Nobody Ever Told You About C-Suite Leadership
episode 8: ENCORE EPISODE
Former Chief Sustainability Officer of Dow, Mary Draves joins Elizabeth Freedman to reflect on her journey to the top of a Fortune 100 company and the learning curve that came with it. Mary shares what no one tells you about stepping into a top job, why she felt temporarily lost despite being a high performer, and how coaching helped her course-correct. She opens up about running for Congress after retiring from corporate life, building resilience in the public eye, and what she learned about leadership in both boardrooms and political campaigns. This episode is a clear look at the emotional weight of executive roles and the clarity that comes from overcoming challenges.
You’ll explore:
You’ll explore:
- The steep, and silent, learning curve of the C-suite
- Why feedback often surprises even experienced leaders
- The executive cost of over-preparing and overpleasing
- How to make better, faster decisions, without losing your edge
- What leaders can learn about purpose and clarity from political campaigns
MARY DRAVES: Former Dow CSO and Congressional Candidate - Leading with Humanity
episode 9
In this episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman shares a framework for leaders who want to make 2026 an impactful year for their business. She introduces “The Matters Model,” a simple tool drawn from years of coaching senior leaders, and explains how the most effective executives align their work to what matters most at the enterprise level. Elizabeth breaks down why even high-performing leaders can miss the mark on impact and what to do instead.
Together you’ll explore:
This episode is your roadmap to making a bigger impact where it counts.
Together you’ll explore:
- Why great work isn’t always viewed as high-impact work
- The hidden executive cost of “excellence in isolation”
- How to spot the difference between elevator and balcony thinking
- What erodes trust at the top and how to fix it
- A practical model to focus work and conversations around what matters most
This episode is your roadmap to making a bigger impact where it counts.
The Executive Impact Formula:
Master Effortless Executive Influence
episode 10
Join host Elizabeth Freedman in her conversation with two executive coaching veterans: Margery Myers and Sarah Woods. With decades of experience advising CEOs and senior teams across industries, they dive into what really makes leaders coachable.They share how curiosity, confidence, and the willingness to get uncomfortable are the real differentiators, and why packaging, polish, and “listening tours” often mask deeper resistance. You’ll hear how coachability shows up in practice, why some leaders fake it, and how the best executives use coaching as a space to sharpen thinking, shift behavior, and drive enterprise results.
Together, they explore:
Together, they explore:
- What coachability looks like in the C-suite
- The hidden risks of uncoachable leadership teams
- How coaching helps leaders navigate pressure, complexity, and real-time decisions
- Why over-coaching can be just as dangerous as none at all
The Executive Advantage: Influence That Actually Works at the Top
EPISODE 11
Influence is the #1 topic that comes up in the coaching room, and not just for aspiring leaders. Even experienced senior executives often say the same thing: influencing at the highest levels feels harder than it should. In this episode, Elizabeth Freedman breaks down why that is, and what leaders can do to shift the effort they’re putting in, without overexplaining, overpreparing, or overthinking.
You’ll learn:
For those looking to sharpen their executive presence and increase impact across stakeholders, this episode offers a clear, actionable roadmap.
You’ll learn:
- Why influence at the executive level is multi-dimensional
- The subtle mistake of communicating to roles instead of people
- The hidden cost of compensation strategies like overpreparing, escalating and too much detail
- Three simple, practical shifts leaders can make today to increase executive influence
For those looking to sharpen their executive presence and increase impact across stakeholders, this episode offers a clear, actionable roadmap.
Advising the C-Suite: What Really Happens When You Coach CEOs
EPISODE 12
Everyone says they want IT to be strategic. But what happens when the
business doesn’t know what it actually needs and the CIO can’t get in the room? Kevin Dushney has led IT across nine biotech companies. He knows what it takes to drive value as CIO when your seat at the table isn’t guaranteed, the business moves fast, and the tech budget comes with scrutiny.
In this episode, Kevin Dushney joins Elizabeth Freedman to talk straight about what works and what backfires when it comes to earning trust, building influence, and delivering outcomes that actually stick.
You’ll explore:
In this episode, Kevin Dushney joins Elizabeth Freedman to talk straight about what works and what backfires when it comes to earning trust, building influence, and delivering outcomes that actually stick.
You’ll explore:
- What to do when you've delivered, but the business isn’t satisfied
- How CIOs earn trust and drive business results without the title
- The hidden cost of “solving problems on your own” across functions
- A better way to define success, and avoid the “post-mortem letdown”
The Strategic CIO: Kevin Dushney on Leading as a True C-Suite Partner
Everyone says they want IT to be strategic. But what happens when the business doesn’t know what it actually needs and the CIO can’t get in the room? Kevin Dushney has led IT across nine biotech companies. He knows what it takes to drive value as CIO when your seat at the table isn’t guaranteed, the business moves fast, and the tech budget comes with scrutiny.
In this episode, Kevin Dushney joins Elizabeth Freedman to talk straight about what works and what backfires when it comes to earning trust, building influence, and delivering outcomes that actually stick.
You’ll explore:
In this episode, Kevin Dushney joins Elizabeth Freedman to talk straight about what works and what backfires when it comes to earning trust, building influence, and delivering outcomes that actually stick.
You’ll explore:
- What to do when you've delivered, but the business isn’t satisfied
- How CIOs earn trust and drive business results without the title
- The hidden cost of “solving problems on your own” across functions
- A better way to define success, and avoid the “post-mortem letdown”
EPISODE 13
Mary Lou Andre, founder and CEO of Dressing Well, joins Elizabeth to explore the often-overlooked power of executive image. Drawing from decades of experience coaching senior leaders, Mary Lou shares how clothing, grooming, and etiquette are not just surface-level details, they’re strategic communication tools that support leadership performance and presence.
Together, they unpack what executive image really means today, why “fit, fabric, function, and flair” still hold up, and how to handle situations where appearance gets in the way of performance or perception.
You’ll explore:
Together, they unpack what executive image really means today, why “fit, fabric, function, and flair” still hold up, and how to handle situations where appearance gets in the way of performance or perception.
You’ll explore:
- Why executive image is a communication tool, not a vanity project
- The subtle signals leaders send with poor fit or “anything goes” looks
- The three words that should guide how you dress: appropriateness, boundaries, and respect
- How to eliminate decision fatigue and show up ready, every time
- The real reason image impacts confidence, trust, and credibility
Elevate Your Executive Image with Dressing Well CEO
Mary Lou Andre
EPISODE 14
Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva, founder of the Reinvention Academy and seasoned corporate executive, joins Elizabeth to unpack what it really means to reinvent, personally, professionally, and organizationally. In a world where 1 in 5 companies now reinvents faster than the annual budget cycle, change is no longer a one-time event. It’s a continuous, strategic capability that separates the organizations that thrive from the ones that disappear.
You’ll explore:
You’ll explore:
- Why the old rules of episodic change no longer work
- The psychological contract leaders must rewrite to reduce resistance
- How “kill parties” and micro-experiments can re-energize teams
- The critical difference between reinvention, innovation, and change
- What executives often miss about political intelligence and business modelling
Executive Reinvention with Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva
EPISODE 15
Robert Clarkson, former Chief Revenue Officer (Americas) at Stripe, joins Elizabeth Freedman to unpack what it really means to lead revenue at scale. With a career that spans public, private, and high-growth tech companies, Robert shares the mindset and habits that separate effective CROs from the rest and why great sales leadership has little to do with charisma and everything to do with consistency, clarity, and customer insight.
Together, they explore how the best revenue leaders align sales with enterprise strategy, earn credibility across functions, and drive focus in fast-moving, high-pressure environments. Robert also talks about what he's learned in the C-suite, how he’s coached teams through major transitions, and the critical shift from being a top performer to becoming a top leader.
You’ll explore:
Together, they explore how the best revenue leaders align sales with enterprise strategy, earn credibility across functions, and drive focus in fast-moving, high-pressure environments. Robert also talks about what he's learned in the C-suite, how he’s coached teams through major transitions, and the critical shift from being a top performer to becoming a top leader.
You’ll explore:
- The modern CRO mandate and why it’s not just about hitting targets
- What strong sales leadership looks like in the C-suite
- How to keep teams aligned without micromanaging
- The biggest mistakes leaders make under pressure
- What to do when execution is strong, but outcomes still fall short
Robert Clarkson, Former CRO Americas at Stripe: Why Empathy and Co-Creation Win
EPISODE 16
Strong leadership teams do not happen by accident. In this episode of Executiveland, Elizabeth Freedman focuses on why even smart, experienced senior leaders can find themselves on teams that underperform, and what it actually takes to build teams that deliver real enterprise value.
With teams under extraordinary pressure in 2026, Elizabeth explains why old meeting habits, misaligned agendas, and unclear accountability are quietly eroding performance, engagement, and results.From rethinking team meetings as engines for decision making, to replacing low value updates with real dialogue, to designing agendas that create space for strategic thinking, this episode offers clear guidance for leaders who want better outcomes without adding more complexity.
You’ll learn:
This episode offers a clear, grounded approach to improving performance where it matters most, while within a team or leading one yourself. Tune in to learn how to strengthen your team, increase impact across the organization, and create a leadership environment that supports both results and careers.
With teams under extraordinary pressure in 2026, Elizabeth explains why old meeting habits, misaligned agendas, and unclear accountability are quietly eroding performance, engagement, and results.From rethinking team meetings as engines for decision making, to replacing low value updates with real dialogue, to designing agendas that create space for strategic thinking, this episode offers clear guidance for leaders who want better outcomes without adding more complexity.
You’ll learn:
- Why leadership teams struggle even when individual leaders are strong
- How meeting design directly shapes team performance and accountability
- What separates productive dialogue from time wasting discussion
- How to prepare teams for decisions that actually stick after the meeting ends
- Why enterprise value, not activity, is the real measure of team effectiveness
This episode offers a clear, grounded approach to improving performance where it matters most, while within a team or leading one yourself. Tune in to learn how to strengthen your team, increase impact across the organization, and create a leadership environment that supports both results and careers.