Reflections inspired by my conversation with Avivah Wittenberg-Cox

In every episode of the Positive Leadership Podcast, I meet leaders who help me see the world differently. But some conversations stay with me long after we finish recording.
My exchange with Avivah Wittenberg-Cox is one of those moments.

Avivah has spent her career advising CEOs, shaping boardrooms, and reframing the global conversation on gender balance, generational awareness, and — more recently — longevity. But what struck me most was not only her expertise. It was her clarity. Her ability to look at society, organizations, and even families as interconnected systems — and to show how leadership must evolve accordingly.

Today, I want to share what this conversation unlocked for me, and how it echoes some of the most transformative insights from past guests of the podcast.

1. Change is slow — and that’s not a weakness, it’s a rhythm

One thing Avivah said has been echoing in my mind ever since: “I don't mind slow change 1:09:54 as long as it's in the right direction.”

It reminded me of something Dr. Marc Schulz told me when we discussed the Harvard Study of Adult Development: the most meaningful transformations in our lives are rarely immediate. They compound. They mature. They take patience.

In a world of quarterly pressures and instant expectations, it’s a leadership skill to stay present through long arcs of change — whether it’s transforming a company, shifting a culture, or, as Avivah has lived, advancing gender balance over decades.

That patience is not passive. It’s committed.

2. Balance is no longer a “nice to have” — it’s a strategic capability

Avivah rejects the idea that gender balance is a diversity initiative.
For her, it’s a business imperative rooted in cultural and contextual awareness — understanding how people operate across genders, generations, and even within couples.

This multidimensional view of balance broadened my perspective.
It resonates with what Durreen Shahnaz shared about economic systems: when we don’t integrate all stakeholders, we leave value on the table.

It also echoes Jeff Raikes’ reminder that strong organizations grow from strong human relationships — those based on trust, empathy, and mutual support.

Leadership today requires reading the whole system, not just one part of it.

And that includes the home.
Avivah’s work on dual-career couples highlights something organizations often ignore: that leadership is shaped outside the office too. If we care about talent, we must care about the contexts that enable it.

3. We must all rethink time — and redesign leadership for longer lives

The most provocative part of our conversation may be Avivah’s message on longevity.

We are entering a world where living to 90 or 100 will become the norm.
And yet, most of our corporate structures — career paths, leadership expectations, retirement models — were designed for a world where life ended at 65 or even younger.

Avivah’s “4-Quarter Lives” framework is a wake-up call.
We devote enormous attention to Q2 (the acceleration years) and almost none to Q3 and Q4, where reinvention, wisdom, and contribution take center stage.

Her perspective intersects beautifully with what Durreen Shahnaz told me: that the future — whether environmental, organizational, or societal — belongs to those who combine realism with “defiant optimism.”
A longer life is not a risk to manage. It’s an opportunity to redesign.

And leaders must be ready.

4. The thread connecting all these episodes: a more human kind of leadership

Listening again to my conversations — with Avivah, Jeff, Durreen, and many others — a pattern is emerging.

Leadership is becoming:

• more intergenerational

• more relational

• more self-aware

• more long-term

• more connected to broader societal systems

And above all, more human.

Whether we discuss AI with Avivah, philanthropy with Jeff Raikes, or economic redesign with Durreen Shahnaz, the message is consistent:

Positive leaders look beyond the immediate. They build deep connections across cultures, generations, and systems to shape purpose, bring clarity, lead with empathy and authenticity, and turn impact into a lasting force for good.

A final reminder: wisdom can come from anywhere

Near the end of our conversation, Avivah shared a mantra she received from her son.
I won’t spoil it here — it’s worth hearing in her own voice — but I was moved by how something so simple could carry so much power.

It reminded me that leadership is not only shaped by mentors, books, or boardrooms.
Sometimes, our deepest lessons come from the people who know us best.

As we navigate a changing world…

This episode reaffirmed something essential for me:
that leadership in today’s world demands a new mindset — one that embraces balance, longevity, humility, and the courage to rethink what we take for granted.

My hope is that these reflections inspire you to pause, question, adjust, and lead with greater awareness — for yourself, for your teams, and for future generations.

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