614: Why Executive Leaders Feel Lonely - The Strategy Skills Podcast Recap
Podcast: The Strategy Skills Podcast
Published: 2025-12-29
Duration: 56 minutes
Guests: Adam McGraw
Summary
Adam McGraw discusses the loneliness faced by executive leaders and introduces Crew, a leadership community designed to foster authentic connections. Crew provides a safe space for leaders to engage meaningfully and grow both personally and professionally.
What Happened
Adam McGraw, a former Fortune 100 VP turned entrepreneur, co-founded Crew, a leadership community catering to executives. He highlights the challenges executives face in forming deep connections due to their busy and politically charged work environments. Crew aims to provide a safe and authentic space where leaders can connect, learn, and grow without the typical transactional networking.
Crew operates mostly virtually, supported by an app platform and virtual cohorts, but it also values in-person interactions through three major flagship events annually. McGraw notes that while they initially believed virtual connections would suffice, there is a significant craving for in-person connections among members. These events are designed to be energizing, blending learning with fun and authenticity.
The community is highly curated, with 85% of members joining through referrals, ensuring a dedicated and engaged group of leaders. The pricing model is targeted, with annual fees ranging from $2,500 to $5,000, reflecting the value and exclusivity of the experience offered.
McGraw emphasizes that Crew is not just about professional networking but a melting pot of diverse perspectives, especially focusing on non-mainstream topics like AI and the nuances of leadership in the modern world. The community is also expanding its reach with local and regional touchpoints in major cities across the U.S.
There is a strong focus on helping leaders define personal success beyond external validations. McGraw stresses the importance of grounding leaders in an environment that encourages vulnerability and personal growth.
Books like 'Positive Intelligence' by Shirzad Chamine and 'The Magic of Thinking Big' by David Schwartz have influenced McGraw's approach to building Crew. These works underscore the power of mindset and the importance of positive psychology in leadership.
Key Insights
- Crew, a leadership community for executives, operates primarily through virtual platforms but hosts three major in-person events annually to satisfy the strong demand for face-to-face interactions.
- 85% of Crew's members join through referrals, ensuring a highly curated and engaged community of leaders seeking authentic connections beyond transactional networking.
- Crew's annual membership fees range from $2,500 to $5,000, reflecting the exclusivity and value of the community experience offered to executive leaders.
- Books like 'Positive Intelligence' by Shirzad Chamine and 'The Magic of Thinking Big' by David Schwartz have influenced Crew's focus on mindset and positive psychology in leadership.