# Why Charisma Fails Leaders (After 10,000 Interviews) CEO Rod McDermott, McDermott + Bull; Activate 180

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/lead-the-team-top-2-of-podcasts-1064768/why-charisma-fails-leaders-after-10-000-interviews-ceo-rod-mcdermott-mcdermott-bull-activate-180
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/lead-the-team-top-2-of-podcasts-1064768/why-charisma-fails-leaders-after-10-000-interviews-ceo-rod-mcdermott-mcdermott-bull-activate-180.md
Podcast: [Lead the Team (Top 2% of Podcasts)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/lead-the-team-top-2-of-podcasts-1064768)
Published: 2026-04-13T13:00:00+00:00
Episode link: http://www.benfanning.com/theceosessions/rod-mcdermott
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/399713bf-737b-463c-ae3c-4ecb989443d8.mp3
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Duration seconds: 2316

## Resource

After 10,000 Interviews... Rod McDermott, CEO of McDermott + Bull and founder of Activate 180, has noticed that the executives who win interviews… ...aren’t always the ones who build results. And that’s the trap. It's so easy to fall for the wrong signals. The leader who owns the room. The polished answers. The one who leaves everyone thinking, “That was impressive.” But impressive DOESN'T SCALE. Rod reminded me:Leadership isn’t performance.It’s followership. The real test of a leader isn’t how they show up in the interview. It’s what happens after they leave the room. Do people trust them? Do people believe them? Do people want to follow them when things get difficult? That’s a very different standard. In this episode of Lead the Team, Rod shares what he’s learned from decades inside the world’s most elite boardrooms: • Why charisma wins interviews but loses organizations • The leadership trait that actually creates followership • How great CEOs strengthen the entire enterprise, not just the corner office Are we still falling for impressive leaders… instead of effective ones? ----- Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben Fanning Speaking and Training inquires Subscribe to my Youtube channel LinkedIn Instagram Twitter

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