The Power of "I Don't Know": Transforming Leadership Through Vulnerability
January 20, 2026
What separates leaders who genuinely transform from those who stagnate or regress under pressure? In this episode of The Secret Life of Great Leaders, host Michael Bunting speaks with Dr Alis Anagnostakis, founder of the Vertical Development Institute, about the research behind adult development. They explore edge emotions, the awareness-action gap, why curiosity is the contrasting emotion that enables growth, and the distinction between insights that fade and transformations that last.
What separates leaders who genuinely transform from those who stagnate or regress under pressure? In this episode of The Secret Life of Great Leaders, host Michael Bunting speaks with Dr Alis Anagnostakis, founder of the Vertical Development Institute, about the research behind adult development. They explore edge emotions, the awareness-action gap, why curiosity is the contrasting emotion that enables growth, and the distinction between insights that fade and transformations that last.
What You’ll Learn
- The fundamental difference between horizontal (skills) and vertical (mindset) development.
- How to recognise and bridge the "awareness-action gap" where insights fail to become behaviour.
- Why "edge emotions" like shame and frustration are necessary catalysts for psychological growth.
- The power of choosing curiosity as a cognitive tool to navigate discomfort.
- How to build a tolerance for shame to avoid the "denial loop" that stalls leadership careers.
- The distinction between hedonic happiness (pleasure) and eudaimonic happiness (meaning) in the journey of growth.
Dr. Alis Anagnostakis is an adult development researcher, facilitator, and coach who founded the Vertical Development Institute. With a PhD focused on how leaders relate to uncomfortable emotions during growth, she bridges academic research and practical application in corporate, educational, and organisational settings. Her research on edge emotions and curiosity has illuminated why some leaders transform while others resist the developmental process.
Episode Highlights & YouTube Chapters
- [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
Episode Resources
- Alis Anagnostakis on LinkedIn
- Vertical Development Institute Website and LinkedIn
- Michael Bunting on LinkedIn
- TripleGoal Website and LinkedIn