The stereotype of the hard-charging executive is hurting performance. Scott Lamb moved to NYC to pursue journalism, but ended up joining Buzzfeed when it was just five people and has been on the startup path ever since. In this episode, Scott sits down with Annie Riley to explore a different model for leadership– one rooted in curiosity, steadiness, psychological safety, and real human connection. They discuss what’s really behind vague feedback about “executive presence”, how management is a learnable craft, and how to have hard conversations that don’t FEEL bad.
Time Stamps:
00:00 — Why management matters
02:07 — Scott’s leadership style
04:08 — Joining BuzzFeed at five people
06:13 — Management is a skill
08:47 — The problem with “executive presence”
10:02 — Visibility vs. impact
13:21 — Directness over aggression
17:20 — Tough conversations done well
19:42 — Leading through layoffs
22:19 — Avoiding emotional dumping
24:56 — How to fire someone clearly
29:29 — The power of “say more”
37:22 — Listening and accountability
43:04 — Why humor matters at work
48:06 — Reps over perfection
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