You know them from the Amsterdam Business Forum 2024 stage: Adam Grant and Brené Brown. Both also sat down with Steven Bartlett, host of Diary of a CEO and headline speaker at Amsterdam Business Forum 2026. As a preview of September 18, we went back to both episodes and listened with a different ear: what can we learn from Steven himself?
First, a quick introduction on Steven Bartlett.
Steven built Social Chain from his student bedroom, became the youngest Dragon in BBC's Dragons' Den history, and now hosts Europe's most listened-to business podcast, The Diary of a CEO.
At Amsterdam Business Forum 2026, he shares his insights on building human-centered organisations. Here are 4 surprising lessons to get you started.
"Maybe I'll be richer. But maybe I won't be richer in a psychological or social capacity."
~ Steven Bartlett, in conversation with Adam Grant
Diary of a CEO: Steven Bartlett and Adam Grant
One narcissistic player in a key role is enough to stop a team from improving.
Steven is a Manchester United fan. And he has a verdict on Ronaldo: a net negative.
He points to the Ronaldo Effect: every team he joined after Real Madrid declined in performance. The club that was top of the league when he signed even gave up a six-point lead.
The question isn't who performs. It's who makes others perform better. That's the difference between Ronaldo and Messi, and between a good team and a great one.
The lesson: make sure every player in a key role is someone who makes others perform better.
Steven once got out of bed at 1 AM to go to work, while his girlfriend was asleep. He struggles, in his own words, "to tolerate people that aren't as obsessed, that aren't as committed."
Sound familiar? Then this one's for you.
Maybe that drive got you where you are. But is it still working, for you and the people around you? "Maybe I'll be richer," Steven says. "But maybe I won't be richer in a psychological or social capacity."
The lesson: The habits that got you here might be costing the people around you more than you think. So ask someone who works closely with you what your obsession costs them. Ask for an honest answer.
"Our objective isn't to be nice. It's to be kind."
~ Steven Bartlett, in conversation with Brené Brown
Diary of a CEO: Steven Bartlett and Brene Brown
Nice means keeping the peace. Kind means telling the truth, even when it's uncomfortable.
Steven sees it in his own work. Some listeners ask him to stop talking about topics they find uncomfortable, such as the risks of AI. He keeps talking about them anyway. Because helping people isn't always about making them feel comfortable. Sometimes it's about saying what needs to be said.
The same is true in leadership.
The feedback you don't give today often becomes the problem you have to solve six months from now.
The lesson: choose kindness over niceness. Your team needs honesty more than comfort.
Steven's definition of trust cuts straight to the point: "I trust people who say things in public that are against their near-term interests."
Most people speak up when it benefits them but trust grows when people do the opposite. When they admit a mistake. Share bad news early. Or tell an uncomfortable truth that would be easier to keep to themselves.
The lesson: if you want people to trust you, say something they'd never expect from you. Especially when it doesn't work in your favour.
Adam Grant challenged you to rethink how you unlock the best in people. Brené Brown showed you what gets in the way.
Steven Bartlett brings both threads together. He has lived every one of these lessons: as an entrepreneur, investor, and podcaster.
On September 18, he takes the stage at Amsterdam Business Forum 2026.