Innovating Leadership:
Co-Creating Our Future

Hosted by Maureen Metcalf

Conversations with global thought leaders on leadership, culture, and innovation—designed for executives navigating complexity and building resilient organizations.

Shifting from Trusting Institutions to Trusting People

Episode Description

Danièle Henkel explores a meaningful shift in how trust operates, moving from reliance on institutional structures toward direct, authentic relationships between people. Tracing her journey from Morocco to building a successful Canadian enterprise, she describes love in its many forms, passion for the work and genuine respect for people, as the foundation of organizational trust. She emphasizes ethical accountability, taking clear and responsible positions rather than cutting corners, and a relentless optimism that reframes setbacks as opportunities.

Key Takeaways

Trust is shifting from institutional structures toward direct, authentic relationships between people.
Genuine respect and passion for the work form the foundation of organizational trust.
Challenges and setbacks can deepen a leader’s commitment to transparent, ethical practice.
Ethical accountability means taking clear, responsible positions rather than taking shortcuts.
Relentless optimism helps leaders transform obstacles into opportunities for growth.

Why This Episode Matters

Executives come away understanding that as trust in institutions erodes, authentic, people-centered relationships and ethical accountability become the real foundation of leadership.

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Featuring

Danièle Henkel, Knight of the Order of Merit & CEO of Daniele Henkel Enterprises

Episode Topics

Culture Change • Ethics & Moral Decision Making • Leadership Capability & Maturity

Podcast Air Date

March 17, 2020

Episode Duration

41min

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Season 6

Episode Number 8

Episode Content:

What’s love got to do with leadership? Turns out: quite a lot!

Danièle Henkel sees love in many ways: from passion for your work to genuine respect for the people around you. It’s another facet in building trust; in this case, though, the trust is in people rather than institutions. In a world where leaders often take the quick path – and its ethical shortcuts – to achieve success, Danièle’s take on trust and authenticity in the C-suite is enormously refreshing. She shares her personal journey, from her early days in Morocco to running a successful company in Canada – and the lessons that journey taught her. Each setback along the way has only fueled her relentless optimism, and her drive for leaders everywhere to be clear and responsible for their words and actions.

Produced in association with the International Leadership Association: https://ilaglobalnetwork.org.

Other episodes you’ll enjoy:

Leader Character with Dr. Mary Crossan
Love at First Slice: Pizza & Passionate Leadership with Tom Krouse
The Rise of Humanness: The Role of People in an AI World with Chris Nolan & Michael Schindler

Resources:

There’s lots more to learn about (and from) Danièle on her website at https://danielehenkel.com.

Our host, Maureen Metcalf, posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can subscribe here.

Maureen’s latest book is Innovative Leadership & Followership in the Age of AI. The Kindle version is available at https://amzn.to/44buVz8.You’ll find further details about it at https://bit.ly/LeaderInAI. Her other 10 books are available on Amazon here.

Books we’re reading for fun or personal development right now include:

Everyday Ubuntu: Living Better Together, the African Way by Mungi Ngomane. Hardback (https://amzn.to/48Doh6j) and audiobook (https://amzn.to/48YCRF4)
Nerve: Lessons on Leadership from Two Women Who Went First by Martha Piper & Indira Samarasekera. Paperback (https://amzn.to/3tOtzg4) and audiobook (https://amzn.to/41OYdT5)
Jilly Truit murder mysteries by Beverley McLachlin:
- Full Disclosure – https://amzn.to/46TxW6Q (paperback) https://amzn.to/46VDL3Q (audiobook)
- Denial – https://amzn.to/46YCbhs (paperback) https://amzn.to/3GJc0AA (audiobook)
Women and Leadership: Journey Toward Equity by Sherylle J. Tan & Lisa DeFrank-Cole

NOTE: As an Amazon partner, we may make a small commission from books you buy through these links.

Other episodes you’ll enjoy

Reality Lost: How Disinformation Shapes Your World with Tara McGowan
Building Trust in Uncertainty: A Personal & Professional Journey with Dr. Mary Jo Burchard
Democracy: Are We a Brittle Twig or Supple Bamboo? with Matt Qvortrup

Guest(s):

Danièle Henkel, Knight of the Order of Merit & CEO of Daniele Henkel Enterprises

Guest(s) Bio:

By awarding her the medal of the Knight of the Order of Merit of France in 2017, the Mayor of Paris, the Honorable Anne Hidalgo, in a well-crafted formula and of her own, said of Mrs. Danièle Henkel that she is “l ‘uniqueness in universality’. Daniele Founder and CEO of Daniele Henkel Entreprises, she markets avant-garde and non-invasive technologies for medical aesthetic centers. In addition, as a brand, she develops franchises and offers medico-aesthetic express services and a range of cosmetic products. Just recently, she launched a digital television platform, danielehenkel.tv, entirely dedicated to empowering small and medium-sized businesses and offering visibility to entrepreneurs in the regions. As a speaker, Danièle Henkel lends her voice to many causes around the world: social entrepreneurship, education, succession, social skills, health, human and ethical values in business, just to name a few.

Transcript