Old World Wisdom for Modern Leadership w/ Fabrice Desmarescaux

Relationships at Work - the leadership podcast helping you build workplace connection, improve culture, and avoid blind spots.

In this episode of Relationships at Work, host Russel Lolacher welcomes Fabrice Desmarescaux — McKinsey partner, leadership advisor, and author of The Art of Retreats — to explore how ancient wisdom can help solve very modern leadership challenges.

Fabrice draws from a range of traditions, from Eastern philosophies like Taoism and Buddhism to Western teachings and monastic practices, to show how leaders can reconnect with purpose, presence, and clarity in a fast-paced, performance-driven world.

💬 Topics discussed include:

• Why short-term thinking is eroding leadership impact
• How retreats create space for connection and insight
• The role of mindfulness, reflection, and solitude in leadership
• Applying ancient principles without bringing religion into the workplace
• A simple mindset check that can shift any leadership interaction

🗣️ “Everything I write about in the book is, as I said, 2000 or 3000 years old for the most part.” – Fabrice Desmarescaux

Whether you're leading a team or leading yourself, this episode offers a grounded, universal lens to rethink how we show up at work.

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