In this episode of The Executive and The Mystic, Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee explore how leaders can navigate disruption, unpredictability, and rapid change with clarity, courage, and composure.

From global events like COVID to everyday business and personal challenges, uncertainty is unavoidable. The real question is how we respond.

Fred introduces a practical leadership framework built on certainty, courage, and commitment, while Kristina expands into the internal practices that help leaders regulate fear, cultivate resilience, and access clarity under pressure.

Together, they unpack why truth-telling and communication are critical in crisis, how fear and shame impact leadership decisions, and what it means to intentionally train yourself to handle the unknown.

In This Episode:

• What defines uncertain times in leadership and life
• The difference between reacting and choosing your response
• Certainty, courage, and commitment as a leadership framework
• Why transparency and communication stabilize teams
• The role of fear, shame, and ego in leadership decisions
• Growth mindset as preparation for the unknown
• Using curiosity, gratitude, and movement to shift state

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction & framing the conversation 01:20 What are “uncertain times”?

02:49 Disruption to “business as usual” (the album analogy)

04:47 Certainty, courage, and commitment framework

08:52 Truth-telling and transparency in leadership

10:00 Communication as a stabilizing force in crisis

13:03 Ego, fear, and the myth of having all the answers

16:13 Innovation, uncertainty, and decision paralysis

18:22 Stakeholder mindset and leading beyond profit

21:42 Preparing for the unknown as a leadership practice

23:10 Growth mindset and embracing change

28:58 Fear vs. curiosity + worst, better, best framework

34:06 Gratitude vs. anxiety and regulating your state

38:59 Finding coherence: heart, mind, and gut alignment

40:20 Closing thoughts

This episode is presented by Results Through Strategy (RTS)—helping brands align purpose, values, and performance since 2006.

🔗 Helpful Links:

Watch on YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast

Visit 👉 https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executive-the-mystic-video-podcast/

Follow us on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/theexecutiveandthemystic/

Find us on TikTok 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@tetm_podcast

Results Through Strategy 👉 https://resultsthrustrategy.com/

Life Alchemist 👉 https://www.kriswiltsee.com/

What does it actually take to become a C-Suite executive?

In this episode of The Executive and The Mystic, Fred LeFranc and Kristina Wiltsee explore the mindset, emotional state, and perspective required to step into executive leadership.

They unpack the difference between leading a department and stewarding an entire organization—and why becoming a CEO is less about having all the answers and more about developing the right perspective, curiosity, and self-awareness.

They explore culture, vision, decision-making, and the responsibility leaders carry not just for financial performance, but for the people, families, and communities connected to their organizations.

In This Episode

• The mindset shift required to become a CEO
• Why leaders are never truly “ready” for the C-Suite
• Separating ego from the leadership role
• Systems intelligence and organizational perspective
• How culture reflects the personality of the CEO
• Why healthy cultures outperform toxic but “smart” teams
• Navigating uncertainty while maintaining long-term vision
• The difference between being a nice leader and a kind leader
• Making difficult decisions while stewarding the company’s story

Timestamps

• 01:39 What makes someone ready for the C-Suite
• 03:40 Self-awareness and emotional maturity in leadership
• 05:07 The myth that CEOs must have all the answers
• 06:47 Managing ego, vulnerability, and executive pressure
• 10:21 Staying centered during leadership crises
• 12:38 The two-year temporal perspective every CEO needs
• 13:43 Systems intelligence and understanding organizational dynamics
• 20:01 Preparing for the C-Suite mindset
• 26:55 Talent development and working for your people
• 29:17 Why culture is the secret sauce of great organizations
• 36:29 Navigating the whirlwind of business distractions
• 38:35 Making difficult leadership decisions
• 42:00 Stewardship, leadership, and the stories we hold
• 45:41 Closing reflections

This episode is presented by Results Through Strategy (RTS)—helping brands align purpose, values, and performance since 2006.

____________________________________________________

🔗 Helpful Links:

YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast

Visit 👉 https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/

LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executive-the-mystic-video-podcast/

Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/theexecutiveandthemystic/

TikTok 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@tetm_podcast

Results Through Strategy 👉 https://resultsthrustrategy.com/

Life Alchemist 👉 https://www.kriswiltsee.com/

In Part 2 of Cancer, COVID, and Croissants, Fred LeFranc shares what happened after the diagnosis, after the radiation, after the fear.

This episode is about surrender.

It’s about moving beyond intellectual control and into something deeper—asking for help, receiving love, participating in group healing, and ultimately releasing the skepticism that kept a small door open to doubt.

Fred reflects on healing circles, the power of collective coherence, his experience as both healer and healee at Dr. Joe Dispenza retreats, and the pivotal moment when he fully embodied the belief that he was healed.

This is not a conversation about fighting cancer.

It’s about gratitude. It’s about love replacing fear. It’s about becoming a vessel instead of a victor.

And it’s about how surrender transformed not just Fred’s health—but his marriage, his leadership, and the way he lives.

In This Episode

• The power of group healing and coherence
• Learning to ask for — and accept — help
• Becoming a “healee” and surrendering control
• Releasing doubt and going all in
• The meditation that became the pivot point
• Receiving medical confirmation after emotional certainty
• Writing publicly about cancer and vulnerability
• Victim → Victor → Vessel
• Gratitude as a force of healing

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome back

00:47 Surrender and becoming an active participant

02:12 Transformation after India

03:01 Inside the healing sessions

05:26 Bringing group healing home

07:04 Returning to Dispenza—becoming a Healee

08:41 Experiencing unconditional love from strangers

11:54 Synchronicity and Ishmael’s story

14:36 The final meditation: releasing doubt

16:52 The clean PET scan

20:56 Gratitude over outcome

24:10 Sharing publicly and surrendering

28:11 Victim, Victor, Vessel

31:15 The letter and the lesson of gratitude

33:04 Love, coherence, and closing reflections

Have thoughts or reflections from this episode? Email us at growth@theexecutiveandthemystic.com

This episode is presented by Results Through Strategy (RTS)—helping brands align purpose, values, and performance since 2006.

____________________________________________________

🔗 Helpful Links:

Watch on YouTube 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@ExecutiveandMysticPodcast

Visit 👉 https://www.theexecutiveandthemystic.com/

Follow us on LinkedIn 👉 https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executive-the-mystic-video-podcast/

Follow us on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/theexecutiveandthemystic/

Find us on TikTok 👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@tetm_podcast

Results Through Strategy 👉 https://resultsthrustrategy.com/

Life Alchemist 👉 https://www.kriswiltsee.com/