In this insightful return to Spread Love in Organizations, Naji welcomes back award-winning leadership professor and executive coach Amer Kaissi to discuss his newest book, The Positive Intent Mindset. Building on the foundation of his previous work, Humbitious, Amer shares how his upbringing in war-torn Lebanon, and the example of his mother leading an orphanage during the civil war, shaped his belief that humility and ambition must coexist in effective leadership. In times of crisis and complexity, he argues, leaders must connect with humility while elevating standards with accountability.

The conversation dives deeply into the heart of the Positive Intent Mindset: choosing to assume positive intent as a starting point for leadership. Amer explains that in today’s environment, many teams suffer not from lack of talent, but from assumptions of negative intent that erode trust, engagement, and collaboration. Assuming positive intent is not naïve optimism, it is a courageous leadership choice. It begins with trust, invites open dialogue, and is reinforced by accountability when behaviors are repeated or misaligned. When leaders trust first, they create psychological safety, accelerate collaboration, and foster healthier relationships while also protecting their own wellbeing from the toll of rumination and negativity.

Throughout the episode, Amer offers practical tools leaders can apply immediately, including three reflective questions to challenge bias and judgment. He reminds us that leadership today requires projecting calm, inspiring hope, and being intentional about spreading love, while holding people to high standards. In difficult times, trust and accountability are not opposing forces; they are partners. This episode is a compelling call for leaders in healthcare and beyond to lead with courage, discipline, and a mindset that builds trust before mistrust takes root.

"Trust is the starting point. Project calm, inspire hope, and make accountability the standard."

MEET OUR GUEST Amer Kaissi, an-award winning Professor of Leadership.

Amer Kaissi is an-award winning Professor of Leadership. He is an executive coach that has worked with hundreds of leaders and teams all over the world. Amer is the author of five books, including “Humbitious: the power of low-ego, high-drive leadership.” His newest book is "The Positive Intent Mindset: Exceptional Leadership Through Trust & Accountability". He has been featured on the Harvard Business Review podcast and numerous other media outlets. He has spoken on leadership topics at more than 300 organizations and professional conferences. He lives in San Antonio with his wife and has two grown children in college.

More on Amer and where to find his books here.

In this episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, Naji sits down with Hafedh Haddad, medical director and founder of B2G Life Sciences, to explore a career shaped by curiosity, courage, and meaningful encounters. From medical school in Tunisia to leading pioneering gene therapy clinical trials in France, Hafedh shares how openness to opportunity, rather than rigid planning, guided his journey across academia, biotech, and global clinical development.

Hafedh reflects on the power of encounters in shaping both career and character. He discusses his transition from preclinical research to clinical development, the launch of world-first gene therapy trials in rare diseases, and the founding of his consulting company. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes the importance of trusting the journey, embracing change, and allowing purpose to evolve through experience.

At its core, this episode is about discovery, of the world, of science, and of oneself. Hafedh offers thoughtful insights on leadership, long-term vision versus adaptability, and the responsibility of working in rare and genetic diseases. It’s a powerful reminder that meaningful impact in healthcare often begins with curiosity and grows through humility, relationships, and a deep commitment to patients.

"Plan the bigger vision. Let the details unfold, and move with them."

MEET OUR GUEST Hafedh Haddad Founder & CEO @ B2G Life Sciences.

Hafedh is a medical doctor and holds a master’s degree in clinical research. He has 20 years of experience in clinical research and clinical development, with – among other specialties - a focus on rare and genetic diseases, oncology and biotherapies.

Early in his career, he has collaborated to a few preclinical research programs in neuromuscular disorders within academic laboratories in Paris. He later joined Généthon, a French biotech specialized in the development of advanced therapies, to set up and lead two world premiere gene therapy clinical trials in rare diseases (AAV based in vivo gene therapy in limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 2C and lentiviral ex vivo gene therapy in Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome).

He founded B2G Life Sciences, a medical consulting company in 2011, and has since then worked on several clinical research projects and medical affairs missions for several companies including biotechs and big pharma as well as academic institutions in Europe and North Africa.

Hafedh is an entrepreneur in the healthcare sector with both a strategy and operation-focused mindset. He worked on the ideation and development of different projects including staffing and training, biobanks and MedTech projects.

Hafedh graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis (Tunisia) and University Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris (France).