What Changes When You Lead at Scale | Mike Schneider (Managing Director, Bunnings Group)

About this episode

Mike Schneider discusses the essential qualities of leading at scale and the importance of leaving ego behind.

In this episode of Business & Beyond, Bunnings Managing Director Mike Schneider shares what it really takes to lead at scale — and why the best leaders leave ego at the door.​ From a modest upbringing in Sydney to leading one of Australia’s most trusted brands,Mike reflects on the experiences that shaped his leadership philosophy — including moments of failure, tough decisions, and the pressure of leading through uncertainty.​ Topics covered:​ Why great leaders focus on the work, not the title ​ How to build high-performing teams grounded in trust and accountability ​ Lessons from Bunnings’ most challenging periods — and what they revealed ​ Why culture is a long-term advantage (and easy to get wrong) ​ Practical advice for the next generation of leaders​ BCG maintains a professional relationship with the company represented by this episode’s guest. Chapter markers: 00:00:00 Resilience, Setbacks and Fresh Starts​ 00:01:19 Upbringing, Family and Early Adversity​ 00:06:43 Leadership Philosophy and Tough Conversations​ 00:10:39 Humble Starts in Retail and Finding Direction​ 00:18:47 From Retail to Banking and Finding the Calling​​ 00:28:50 Joining Bunnings and Cultural…

People in this episode

Host: Boston Consulting Group BCG

Guest: Mike Schneider

Topics covered

• leadership at scale
• team building
• organizational culture
• personal resilience
• high-performing teams
• leadership philosophy

Keywords

• leadership
• Bunnings
• teamwork
• culture
• resilience
• management
• accountability

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Bunnings Group

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