episode 72 - the word is ferment

What if the key to transformative leadership lies in a barrel of fermenting wine?

In this week’s episode of The Word Is Leadership, I uncork a surprising metaphor for organisational innovation: the science and art of fermentation.

Drawing on Burgundian winemaking traditions and a revealing conversation with a South African master maker, the episode dissects how leaders can cultivate environments where creativity thrives based on the random word “ferment”.

Like winemakers adding cultured yeast to grape must, businesses often rely on external consultants or hires to spark change. But I argue that this “inoculation” risks homogenising strategies into bland corporate copycats.

I suggest that the real magic emerges from nurturing “wild yeast” - the latent potential within teams. Leaders, like wine makers, must curate conditions where organic ideas bubble up, blending terroir (a company’s unique culture) with trust in their people’s innate ingenuity.

Weaving wine trivia with hard-won leadership truths (from the pitfalls of commoditised innovation to the quiet power of minimal intervention) I challenge you to rethink how you foster transformation.

A must-listen for leaders thirsty for originality - and anyone who’s ever wondered what vineyards know about building resilient, adaptive teams. Press play, and let this episode ferment your approach to change.