Own the Stage Like the Boss: Leadership, the Bruce Springsteen Way with Andy Freed
October 23, 2025
What can Bruce Springsteen teach us about leadership?
In this episode of Humanity at Scale, host Bruce Temkin sits down with Andy Freed, CEO of Virtual, Inc., to explore how authenticity, communication, and community can transform the way we lead. Drawing from his upcoming book Lead Like the Boss, Andy reveals how the energy and connection of a great performance can inspire teams to believe, not just follow. From uniting global professionals into purpose-driven communities to using storytelling and repetition to build trust, this conversation uncovers practical tools for leading with heart, presence, and humanity. Whether you’re scaling an organisation or nurturing a team, Andy’s insights show how great leaders don’t just manage; they move people.
What can Bruce Springsteen teach us about leadership?
In this episode of Humanity at Scale, host Bruce Temkin sits down with Andy Freed, CEO of Virtual, Inc., to explore how authenticity, communication, and community can transform the way we lead. Drawing from his upcoming book Lead Like the Boss, Andy reveals how the energy and connection of a great performance can inspire teams to believe, not just follow. From uniting global professionals into purpose-driven communities to using storytelling and repetition to build trust, this conversation uncovers practical tools for leading with heart, presence, and humanity. Whether you’re scaling an organisation or nurturing a team, Andy’s insights show how great leaders don’t just manage; they move people.
Here are some of the topics that Bruce and Andy explore:
- How to transform scattered professionals into cohesive communities through a clear mission and purpose
- The "Barbecue Principle" for building trust and breaking down barriers
- Why face-to-face connection remains critical for building authentic relationships
- How to communicate with intention like Bruce Springsteen by crafting meaningful "setlists" for every interaction
- The power of storytelling to make messages memorable and create a lasting impact
- Why repetition and "playing the hits" matter for leadership communication
- How to "own the stage" in everyday leadership moments through intentional presence
- The importance of making every team member feel valued
Andy Freed is a charismatic business executive and CEO of Virtual, Inc., with over 30 years of experience driving growth, transformation, and operational excellence across global organisations. A Harvard-trained leader with expertise spanning cybersecurity, healthcare, technology, and financial services, Andy is renowned for uniting diverse stakeholders and building high-performance teams. He’s also the author of Lead Like the Boss and host of the podcast 5 Minutes with Andy, where he shares powerful lessons on leadership, communication, and strategic execution.
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