Leading Through Integrity: Why Technology Alone Won't Solve Your Hardest Problems

Nathan Trail sits down with Richard Smyth, AVP of Innovation and Technology at Georgetown University, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, integrity, and the values that guide decision-making in complex environments. Richard shares why technology alone doesn’t solve every problem and the importance of distinguishing between technical solutions and adaptive challenges that require deeper organizational change. The conversation explores what it means to lead with integrity, even when it doesn’t yield immediate results, and why building trust matters more than short-term wins. Richard also reflects on a powerful question from a mentor that reframed his entire approach to leadership: what do you want people to say about you when you’re gone? It’s a candid look at the principles that define meaningful work, the impact leaders have on the people around them, and why how you treat others is just as important as what you accomplish.