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New Leader, Same Problems?

July 24th, 2026

When performance slips, replacing the person at the top can feel like the obvious answer. From Prime Ministers and CEOs to football managers, leadership turnover is often seen as the fastest route to change.

But does changing a leader actually improve performance, or does it simply create the feeling that something is being done?

In this episode, Grace is joined by Stuart Duff to unpack why we are so quick to replace leaders. Together, they explore the psychological forces behind leadership change — from the illusory truth effect and fundamental attribution error to the romance of leadership.

Drawing on research from politics, business and sport, they ask why we so readily blame individual leaders while overlooking systems, culture and circumstances, and examine what really happens after leaders are replaced.

Available on Apple PodcastsSpotify, and all major podcast platforms.

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