Cracking the Greatness Code in Professional Services | Alan Guarino | 720

Cracking the Greatness Code in Professional Services | Alan Guarino | 720

From Leveraging Thought Leadership by Peter Winick and Bill Sherman

June 25, 2026 · 22 min · Season 1 · Episode 720

About this episode

Alan Guarino discusses the importance of thought leadership and the characteristics of top professionals in the context of his book, The Greatness Code.

What does it look like when someone making $10 million a year calls you and says, "Get me out of here"? For Alan Guarino , Vice Chairman of CEO and Board Services at Korn Ferry , it happens more than you'd think — and it's exactly what pushed him to write The Greatness Code: The Formula Behind Unstoppable Success . Alan has spent decades at the intersection of executive search, C-suite coaching, and talent strategy. He's seen it all: brilliant people in toxic environments, leaders who suck the oxygen out of every room, and — on the other end of the spectrum — a rare few whose leadership style is genuinely awe-inspiring. That range of experience is precisely what gives him the standing to write about greatness, and it's what makes this conversation so grounded. Peter and Alan start with a question that doesn't get asked enough: why would someone at Alan's level — running a globally dominant practice, advising Fortune 500 boards — invest serious time in writing a book and building a public voice? The answer is practical and principled at once. Thought leadership isn't a side hustle for people like Alan; it's a core part of how you stay relevant, how you earn trust before you're…

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Hosts: Peter Winick, Bill Sherman

Guest: Alan Guarino

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Organizations: Korn Ferry

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