Hiring a C-level executive isn't just about filling a seat; it's about altering the DNA of your leadership team. In this episode, Werner Spronk (Tech Terra Search) joins Chris Parker to reveal why 85% of an executive's success depends on their fit within the existing team dynamic - not just their resume.

We explore the dangerous trap of "lazy leadership" in hiring, why AI will never replace the "Human IP" of a great recruiter, and how to use tools like the Job Fulfillment Matrix to stop hiring for skills and start hiring for energy.

Key Topics:

• The 85% Rule: Why team constellation matters more than individual competence.

• Lazy Leadership: Are you hiring a mirror image of yourself or what the team actually needs?

• The Job Fulfillment Matrix: A tool to identify burnout risks before you sign the contract.

• Human IP vs. AI: Why the future of recruiting is about sensing stress and trust, not keyword matching.

• Candidate Strategy: How to flip the interview script to ensure you are a "net add" to the team.

About the Guest:Werner Spronk is a headhunter and founder of Tech Terra Search, specializing in C-level Product and Technology roles for mid-market scale-ups. He advocates for a holistic, data-informed approach to building leadership teams.

Learn more: https://ebullient.com/podcast/team-dynamics-werner/

In this episode of the Business Simplicity Podcast, Chris Parker speaks with Karen de Boeck and Jürgen Maus about the launch of Green Elephants, a company built to support meaningful change in organisations through purpose-led business design. Together, they reflect on how the Simple Business Design approach shaped their journey from concept to launch.Karen and Jürgen bring a rich combination of strategic clarity and emotional insight. They share candidly about the creative and practical aspects of forming Green Elephants, the values that drive them, and how they aim to help other leaders navigate change without losing their human core.Listeners will gain a grounded sense of what it means to launch a business from a place of intention. The conversation touches on the importance of listening first, creating aligned structures, and designing simplicity into systems from the beginning.This episode speaks directly to executives who are rethinking growth, realigning after investment or leadership transition, or seeking traction in complex transformations. The discussion reinforces that clarity and momentum are not found through control, but through curiosity and coherence.Karen de Boeck and Jürgen Maus are the co-founders of Green Elephants, a consultancy focused on enabling purpose-led transformation through practical design methods. Karen brings deep expertise in systemic facilitation and human-centered business, while Jürgen contributes operational acumen and clarity of execution. Together, they guide teams toward alignment, simplicity, and lasting change. Learn more: https://ebullient.com/podcast/green-elephants/

In this Business Simplicity Podcast episode, Araz Najarian joins Chris Parker in a conversation about how psychometrics can sharpen leadership and strategy.

The key to organizational longevity? Staying connected to customers and adapting continuously - not industry trends or luck. Araz highlights the difference between value creation (as perceived by customers) and value capture (extracting returns). Companies focused only on capture lose relevance when markets shift.

Araz debunks the myth that strategy is a one-time, top-down exercise. Instead, she champions "strategizing as learning" - a dynamic, inclusive process. Psychometric tools help leaders understand team dynamics, revealing biases (e.g., avoiding tough decisions) and aligning diverse strengths. These tools aren’t for labeling but for asking better questions and fostering psychological safety. The episode also underscores the importance of skilled debriefing to turn psychometric insights into action - like adjusting meeting habits that are biased towards certain preferences over others or recognizing team blind spots. And Araz debrief Chris’s personal Strategising Preferences Report with him live in this episode.

For executives navigating complexity, this conversation is a reminder that staying relevant requires constant connection to the outside world and the discipline to create value as perceived by customers. These insights matter now more than ever as leaders face markets defined by rapid change and must organize themselves not just to survive, but to pay people well, reinvest intelligently, and drive compounding growth across generations.

Learn more: https://ebullient.com/podcast/psychometrics-araz-najarian/