Positive Leadership
Positive Leadership has the power to change the world. By focusing on trust, empathy, authenticity and deep collaboration, leaders can energize their teams to achieve success for individuals, their organizations, and society as a whole. Yet, it remains relatively unknown outside positive psychology and neuroscience circles.
Join Jean-Philippe Courtois, former member of the Microsoft senior leadership team alongside Satya Nadella and co-founder of Live for Good, as he brings Positive Leadership to life for anyone in a leadership capacity—both personally and professionally. With help from his guests, Jean-Philippe explores how purpose-driven leaders can generate the positive energy needed to drive business success, individual fulfillment, and societal impact across a range of industries—from technology and social enterprise to sports and coffee.
Most importantly, you’ll learn practical tips to apply in your own life—so you can start making a positive difference in the world.
Positive Leadership
"Controlled Chaos": How to Scale Innovation Without Killing Culture with Katarina Berg
In this new episode of the Positive Leadership Podcast, I’m delighted to welcome Katarina Berg, a leader who has redefined HR and culture for the digital age.
As the long-time CHRO of Spotify and now Chief People Officer at On, Katarina has been at the helm of some of the most intense “hyper-growth” stories in tech history. But her journey started long before boardrooms—growing up sailing the world and being homeschooled on the ocean taught her a vital lesson: You cannot control the waves, you can only adjust your sails.
In our conversation, we dive deep into her philosophy of “Controlled Chaos,” a bold approach that challenges the traditional command-and-control models of corporate leadership.
Together, we explore a fascinating reality: What happens when you trust your employees enough to let them work from anywhere—not just as a perk, but as a business strategy? Katarina reveals how the “Work From Anywhere” policy at Spotify unlocked talent globally, and how she is now applying similar principles of trust and speed at On.
But the real revolution isn't just about policy. It is about connection. We discuss her famous “Walk and Talks”—solving complex business problems on mountain trails rather than in meeting rooms—and how staying close to nature makes us better decision-makers.
In this episode, we cover:
- The Origin Story: How a childhood spent navigating high seas shaped her resilience and adaptability as a leader.
- The Philosophy: Why “Controlled Chaos” is essential for innovation, and why rigidity is the enemy of growth.
- The Strategy: How to implement a “Work From Anywhere” culture that actually works (and isn’t just hybrid theater).
- The Method: The power of the “Walk and Talk” to break down barriers and foster deep human connection.
- The Future: Her advice for the leaders of 2030: “Dare to be bold, lead with your heart, and always lift others as you rise.”
Katarina reminds us that Positive Leadership is not about choosing between high performance and human care. It is about realizing that you cannot have one without the other.
I hope you’ll enjoy this energizing conversation with Katarina Berg.
🎧 If you enjoyed this conversation, you may also like these episodes:
- Hubert Joly: On “The Human Magic” and leading with purpose: https://www.jpcourtois.com/podcast/fr-liberer-la-magie-humaine-pour-reussir-avec-hubert-joly
- Jesper Brodin: Learning to embrace risk at IKEA: https://www.jpcourtois.com/podcast/learning-to-embrace-risk-with-jesper-brodin
- Kathleen Hogan: On building a people-first culture at Microsoft: https://www.jpcourtois.com/podcast/empowering-people-and-organizations-with-kathleen-hogan
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