Simon Bowen is the founder of the Models Method, helping Fortune 500 companies, government organizations, and leaders simplify complexity, sharpen strategic thinking, and create competitive advantage.
Leaders are often asked to solve problems like declining sales, poor performance, or stalled growth. But what if the problem being presented isn’t the real problem?
Simon calls the deeper, often unspoken issue the “ache.” We explore why leaders need to look beyond symptoms, how organizational systems and culture influence performance, and why succession planning often transfers responsibilities without preserving the thinking that made an organization successful.
We also discuss how visual models clarify complex ideas, why customers value how a company thinks, and how AI is changing the value of expertise. As AI takes over more repeatable thinking, human judgment, empathy, character, and accountability become increasingly important.
At the heart of the conversation is a simple but challenging idea: Before solving a problem, make sure you understand what’s really causing it.
Find episode 535 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts!
Watch this Episode on YouTube | TLP 536: The Problem Beneath the Problem with Simon Bowen
Key Moments
- Why leaders need to look beneath the stated problem to find the underlying ache.
- Why succession requires transferring judgment and wisdom, not just responsibilities.
- How the environment shapes behavior and performance.
- Why an organization’s way of thinking is part of the value it offers customers.
- How AI makes human judgment, empathy, and accountability more important.
- How visual models help leaders make complexity easier to understand and navigate.
The Leadership Podcast is sponsored by W.S. Darley & Company.
Founded in 1908, Darley remains a family owned and operated business, providing the highest quality equipment solutions to our country’s warfighters and firefighters.
Learn more at darley.com and darleydefense.com
Memorable Quotes
“Great leaders operate below the surface, not one level down, but two levels down.” Share on X “Why gets you heard, but how gets you chosen.” Share on X “If it's not codified… It would collapse.” Share on X “As soon as context has slipped away, meaning has slipped away.” Share on X “People have to be able to believe in your thinking to be able to buy from you.” Share on X “The environment always wins.” Share on XExplore the full archive at www.theleadershippodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts!
Resources Mentioned
- The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com
- Sponsored by | www.darley.com
- Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com
- Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com
- Simon Bowen Website | www.modelsmethod.com
- Simon Bowen LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm
From the Episode
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