Designing Systems, Not Managing People: Modern Leadership by Anne McGhee-Stinson at InteraWorks

In this episode of The Entrepreneur’s Logbook, Zachary speaks with Anne McGhee-Stinson, co-owner and managing partner of InteraWorks, a global leadership and performance firm dedicated to helping organizations strengthen alignment, build trust, and create a culture for performance. Drawing on over 30 years of executive coaching experience with clients like Dell, Microsoft, and Deloitte, Anne challenges the startup playbook’s overemphasis on spreadsheets and conventional tactics. Instead, she introduces listeners to the idea that an organization’s invisible energy, its collective intuition and relational dynamics, drives the results leaders really want. Through a deep-dive discovery process, Anne shows how asking better questions uncovers hidden drivers of productivity and performance, steering teams away from “checklist” solutions toward the underlying behaviors and beliefs that make or break success. Anne and Zachary then unpack the neuroscience behind the fight-flight-freeze instinct and share simple, high-impact techniques, like “name it to tame it”, that help leaders gain mastery over emotional reactions and adopt new, adaptive habits. They explore why leaders must shift from command-and-control to designing living systems that embrace complexity and uncertainty, and they discuss how AI can serve as a force multiplier and thinking partner rather than just another taskmaster. To make these ideas immediately actionable, Anne encourages listeners to expand their perspectives by seeking fresh input, to let go of the myth of predictability, and to lean into complexity as the new normal. Timestamps 1. Focusing on organizational energy and intuition over just strategy – 01:50 2. Conducting deep discovery to uncover the real root causes of performance issues – 03:19 3. Recognizing and managing fight/flight/freeze instincts under pressure – 07:52 4. Applying neuroscience tools like “name it to tame it” for emotional regulation – 11:53 5. Shifting from industrial-age command-and-control to designing adaptive systems – 16:43 Connect with Anne https://www.interaworks.com/   / anne-mcghee-stinson-474a5a1a   Sponsored by We Feature You PR - Helping entrepreneurs build thought leadership through strategic podcast placements and launching their own shows. Ready to amplify your voice? Get in touch today. Subscribe & Review: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform!