In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz is joined by Chris Brook-Carter, Chief Executive of the Retail Trust and former Managing Director at IGD, to explore one of the most important questions in business today: what truly makes a great CEO? Chris draws on years of experience leading complex organisations through disruption and change — from high-pressure commercial environments to purpose-driven transformation. He shares candid reflections on how the best CEOs balance clarity with curiosity, conviction with care, and ambition with empathy. Together, Gary and Chris unpack the anatomy of modern leadership — what separates good executives from great ones, how to lead through uncertainty with integrity, and why emotional intelligence is now as essential as strategic vision. It’s a powerful, insider’s view of the mindset and habits that define exceptional CEOs — and a reminder that the future of leadership belongs to those who lead not just with their heads, but with their hearts. Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.
In this episode of Unlock Your Leadership, Dr Gary Crotaz is joined by Chris Brook-Carter, Chief Executive of the Retail Trust and former Managing Director at IGD, to explore one of the most important questions in business today: what truly makes a great CEO?
Chris draws on years of experience leading complex organisations through disruption and change — from high-pressure commercial environments to purpose-driven transformation. He shares candid reflections on how the best CEOs balance clarity with curiosity, conviction with care, and ambition with empathy.
Together, Gary and Chris unpack the anatomy of modern leadership — what separates good executives from great ones, how to lead through uncertainty with integrity, and why emotional intelligence is now as essential as strategic vision.
It’s a powerful, insider’s view of the mindset and habits that define exceptional CEOs — and a reminder that the future of leadership belongs to those who lead not just with their heads, but with their hearts.
Originally recorded for The Unlock Moment podcast.