Episode 186: Javier Aguirrebeña - Embracing Discomfort
In this episode of EGN Leadership Conversations: The Untold Secrets of the C-Suite, Nick Jonsson welcomes Javier Aguirrebeña, Group Vice President Southeast Asia at MAIRE, to explore a powerful leadership theme:
How embracing discomfort and focusing on the right metrics can transform supply chains and personal performance.
Javier brings deep experience from large-scale industrial and energy projects across Southeast Asia, where complexity, uncertainty, and pressure are part of daily operations. He explains that real transformation doesn’t happen in comfort zones—it happens when leaders are willing to challenge old habits, question assumptions, and measure what truly drives performance.
Why most metrics fail leaders
Javier highlights a common problem in organizations:
Too many leaders track vanity metrics—numbers that look good in reports but don’t actually improve outcomes. He explains how this creates a false sense of progress while deeper inefficiencies remain hidden.
Instead, he advocates for metrics that matter—those that:
Reveal bottlenecks in operations
Improve decision-making speed
Strengthen accountability across teams
Drive real cost and efficiency gains
He shares real examples from supply chain management, showing how focusing on the right data points can dramatically improve forecasting, vendor performance, and risk mitigation.
Embracing discomfort as a leadership advantage
Beyond metrics, Javier dives into the mindset leaders need to succeed. Growth, he explains, requires embracing discomfort—having tough conversations, making bold decisions, and staying disciplined when results aren’t immediate.
He shares how building lasting habits—daily reflection, consistent learning, and structured feedback—helps leaders stay grounded and effective even under pressure. These habits, he says, compound over time and create sustainable performance both personally and professionally.
Practical takeaways for leaders
Listeners will walk away with actionable insights, including:
How to identify KPIs that truly drive results
Ways to challenge legacy processes
Techniques to build resilience through habits
How to lead change without burning out your team
Javier emphasizes that leadership today is not about control—it’s about clarity, consistency, and courage.
Why this episode matters
Whether you lead supply chains, operations, or large teams, this episode offers:
Strategic thinking for complex environments
A fresh approach to performance measurement
Mindset shifts for long-term success
Practical leadership tools you can apply immediately
🎧 Tune in to discover how measuring what matters and embracing discomfort can elevate your leadership and transform your organization.
Contact Javier to collaborate with him:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/javieraguirrebena/
Visit our website to find more podcast https://www.nickjonsson.com/leadership-conversations-the-untold-secrets-of-the-c-suite