Beyond Tough vs. Nice: Striking the Leadership Balance with Ahmed Moussa
January 6, 2026
Can you drive high performance without sacrificing your team’s well-being?. In this episode of The Secret Life of Great Leaders, host Michael Bunting speaks with Ahmed Moussa, General Manager at Sanofi UK & Ireland, to unpack how he led a massive cultural transformation that boosted engagement by 40% while simultaneously increasing revenue. They explore the "tough vs. nice" paradox, the discipline of weekly reflection, and why the most dangerous thing a leader can do is pretend they don't have a "Red Zone".
Leadership is often presented as a choice between being a "driver" who gets results or an "enhancer" who builds relationships. Ahmed Moussa, General Manager at Sanofi, argues that true excellence lies in the integration of both. Drawing from his experience leading Sanofi Canada to the "gold standard" of cultural turnaround, Ahmed shares the practical rituals that moved his team from reactive patterns to values-aligned growth.
The conversation dives deep into the necessity of self-regulation and the "Triple Goal", balancing performance, learning, and joy at work. Ahmed reveals his team's "Friday Ritual", a space dedicated to vulnerability where leaders own their mistakes and provide real-time feedback to stay in the "Green Zone". From his military-influenced childhood to navigating the rise of AI in the workplace, Ahmed offers a raw, honest look at what it takes to lead with both a head and a heart.
What You’ll Learn
- How to reframe "tough conversations" as acts of kindness
- Why pausing and reflecting on your behavior is the cornerstone of leadership development
- The "Fast Brain vs. Slow Brain" framework
- How to create psychological safety through vulnerability
- The Triple Goal formula for sustainable organizational culture
- Why identifying your "Red Zone" is actually a "Green Zone"
Ahmed Moussa is the General Manager for Sanofi’s General Medicine portfolio in the UK and Ireland. With a career defined by transformational leadership, he previously led Sanofi Canada through a benchmark cultural shift that resulted in a 40% increase in engagement and significant revenue growth. Ahmed is a dedicated advocate for "Green Zone" leadership, focusing on self-regulation, vulnerability, and the pursuit of the "Triple Goal" in business.
Episode Highlights:
- [00:00] Intro
- [02:39] The Willingness to Grow:
- [04:02] The Tough vs. Nice Paradox
- [06:47] Military Lessons
- [10:47] The Sanofi Canada Case Study
- [13:36] Balancing Tough and Kind Leadership
- [16:29] The Importance of Practice
- [21:47] The Power of Friday Rituals
- [28:21] Meditation, Gratitude, and Positivity Crackers
- [33:16] The Darkest Red Zone
- [44:51] Leadership in the Age of AI
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