So Many Questions Podcast: Building Cultures Where Risk-Taking Thrives with Guest Daniel Curtis, Chief Strategy Officer, emc3
See below for audio version
What does it actually take to build a team that takes bold risks and lands on its feet? For Daniel Curtis, Chief Strategy Officer of global events agency emc3, the answer starts with leaders who are willing to go first.
In this episode of So Many Questions, host Rebecca Goodman-Stephens sits down with Daniel to explore how emc3 built a culture where calculated risk-taking and creative courage are not just encouraged but expected. Daniel shares how his leadership team worked deliberately to build psychological safety at every level of the organization, including the moment four leaders stood up in front of the whole company and publicly shared their biggest professional mistakes. He also talks about why he stepped aside from his own role so a rising team member could take over, what his decision to relocate his entire family to New York in his 40s signaled to everyone watching, and why he believes culture without values is just things you do.
In This Episode
02:13 — Why successful people can still be unhappy: the difference between chasing status and doing work that actually fulfills you
06:07 — What professional kitchens taught Daniel about humility, hard work, and what he looks for in people when hiring today
12:58 — The difference between culture and the effects of culture: why perks and social events aren't actually company culture
15:41 — How to give honest feedback without making people afraid to take risks next time
16:16 — Why four leaders stood up in front of the entire team to share their biggest professional mistakes
17:30 — The leadership move that actually builds strong teams: spotting who is better than you and genuinely stepping aside
20:35 — Why Daniel is not the CEO: on knowing your strengths, your limits, and the value of having someone who will stop you
24:36 — When a team member says "I want your job" — and why the right response is to help them get there
40:07 — Separating your identity from your title: what the pandemic forced Daniel to reckon with
41:53 — What Daniel would tell his younger self: why taking calculated risks is the thing most leaders wait too long to do
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