E13 | Why Mindsets Matter More Than Skills for Organizational Change | Paulo Pisano

About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of a coaching mindset for effective leadership and organizational change, featuring insights from Paulo Pisano.

In this episode we explore how a coaching mindset becomes a practical leadership advantage in volatile times. We hear Paulo Pisano reflect on the meta-competencies — curiosity, presence, active listening and openness — that he cultivates across teams at Booking and beyond. Paulo explains how coaching shifts our focus from fixing tasks to shifting the way we observe situations (first- and second-order learning), and why contracting, boundary-setting and offering help clearly are essential when coaching inside an organization. We share his tips for leaders: prioritize mindset before tools, keep practicing self-awareness, and design team spaces that turn individual expertise into coordinated impact. Paulo Pisano brings decades of global HR and OD experience across more than 30 countries. An INSEAD MBA and UFRJ alumnus, Paulo blends strategy, M&A integration and executive coaching with somatic and ontological approaches. He has coached senior executives, designed leadership development, and led large transformation efforts in financial services, tech and energy. Currently Chief HR Officer at Galp, Paulo is also a NED/Trustee at Stir Education and an accredited ICF coach. His work…

People in this episode

Host: Damian Goldvarg

Guest: Paulo Pisano

Topics covered

• coaching mindset
• organizational change
• leadership
• meta-competencies
• self-awareness
• team dynamics

Keywords

• coaching
• leadership
• organizational learning
• HR
• transformation
• self-awareness
• team impact

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Booking, Galp, Stir Education, ICF

Books & works: Lead With a Coaching Mindset: How the Best Leaders Unlock Potential

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