Lancefield on the Line

How do you respond when you’re caught off guard? Imagine holding a meeting but you don’t know how to respond to a situation. The way you react to your anxieties can negatively impact the outcome you want to achieve. It doesn’t have to be this way; you can be prepared. In this episode I am joined by Matt Abrahams, an expert in communication. He says there are ways of preparing yourself and then responding, which is achieved through changing your mindset and having structures to follow. He discusses the common moments we get caught off guard at work and how we can prepare for them. He also shares ways that you can become a better listener, and his methods to talk smarter in the moment. It's about getting out of your head and finding ways to connect with the other person. “You actually have to prepare to be spontaneous” – Matt Abrahams You'll hear about: About Matt Abrahams Matt Abrahams is a leading expert in communication with decades of experience as an educator, author, podcast host, and coach. As a Lecturer in Organisational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, he teaches popular classes in strategic communication and effective virtual presenting. Outside of the classroom, Matt is a sought-after keynote speaker and communication consultant. He has helped countless presenters improve and hone their communication, including some who have delivered IPO road shows as well as Nobel Prize, TED, and World Economic Forum presentations. His online talks garner millions of views and he hosts the popular, award-winning podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart The Podcast. Resources: • Profile: https://mattabrahams.com/about/ • Book: ‘Think faster, talk faster’ - https://mattabrahams.com/books/ • Podcast: https://mattabrahams.com/podcast/ My resources: Find out more about my new venture, Strategy Shift (https://bit.ly/3TMvj3y). Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj). Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

What impact do the biases you hold have on your work? Living and working in a more critical manner allows you to be more informed and less impacted by bias. This can have positive impacts on your work and those around you, just by challenging yourself to think differently. In this episode I am joined by Alex Edmans, author of May Contain Lies. He shares his deep knowledge of bias and how to think smarter and more critically. He discusses how he uses this within personal aspects of his life too. Are you confusing correlation with causation? A statement with a fact? Evidence with proof? This episode is full of practical advice you can use in your projects or meetings. Or even when listening to the news, to become more aware of what could be misinformation. “Misinformation affects our professional and personal lives” – Alex Edmans You'll hear about: About Alex Edmans Alex Edmans is Professor of Finance at London Business School. He has a PhD from MIT as a Fulbright Scholar, and was previously a tenured professor at Wharton and an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. He has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, testified in the UK Parliament, and given the TED talk “What to Trust in a Post-Truth World” and the TEDx talks “The Pie-Growing Mindset” and “The Social Responsibility of Business” with a combined 2.8 million views. He is a non-executive director of the Investor Forum, on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Responsible Investing, and on Royal London Asset Management’s Responsible Investment Advisory Committee. He has won 25 teaching awards at Wharton and LBS and was named Professor of the Year by Poets & Quants in 2021. His resources: •Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aedmans/ •Book: www.maycontainlies.com •Resources and research: www.alexedmans.com My resources: Find out more about my new venture, Strategy Shift (https://bit.ly/3TMvj3y) Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj) Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7) ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP) ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

How well do you ask questions? Asking questions can be more than a way to elicit an answer. They allow us to form connections. Used in the right way they are a powerful tool for us to learn from each other. In this episode I am joined by philosopher, Dr Pia Lauritzen, who spends her life researching the art and science of question-making. This is becoming even more important as more organisations are opening up their approach to innovation, strategy and transformation, inviting people to share their perspectives. We discuss ways of asking better questions, and getting the balance right between asking questions and sharing knowledge. We also delve into why you need to find out what people care about to be able to connect through questions. “Questions are probably the most powerful way of being in the world” – Pia Lauritzen You'll hear about: About Pia Lauritzen: Pia Lauritzen is a Danish philosopher and tech entrepreneur. She holds a PhD in philosophy and is the inventor and founder of Qvest and Question Jam. She has published five books (Questions is upcoming on Johns Hopkins University Press in November 2023), and her regular column for strategy+business is read by more than 20,000 decision makers worldwide. Her resources: •Profile: https://www.pialauritzen.dk/ •Questions: Brief Books About Big Ideas, by Pia Lauritzen - https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/23069/questions •What You Don’t Know About Questions (TEDx Talk) - https://www.ted.com/talks/pia_lauritzen_what_you_don_t_know_about_questions •Six Reasons Successful Business Leaders Love questions, by Pia Lauritzen •Question Jam - https://www.questionjam.com/ •Qvest platform - https://www.qvest.io/ My resources: Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj). Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

Fixing problems is often seen as a slow, complex process but it doesn’t need to be this way. You can solve the hardest problems your organisation faces at speed; you just need to know how. In this episode I am joined by Harvard Business School professor Francis Frei. She talks about what it takes to build trust fast, and how to focus on the hard problems. She also shares how to scale an idea to create real change and how to build a more inclusive environment that enables it. Frances counters many management practices and mindsets we've heard of so get ready to be challenged and indeed surprised. “Leaders need to decide, which is the big problem we should work on now” – Frances Frei You'll hear about: ● How to combine the long and short term ● Identifying the big problems ● Tackling a deficit of trust ● Making the right new friends ● Moving from prototype to scaling ● The power of storytelling ● Judgement and curiosity don't sit well together ● What makes a more inclusive environment? ● What is Frances most proud of? ● The impact Frances wants to have on the world ● Finding inspiration About Frances Frei: Frances is a professor of Technology and Operations Management at Harvard Business School. A global thought leader on organizational change, Frances is widely recognized for her dynamic teaching style and breakthrough insight into how to move fast and fix things. Her research investigates how leaders create the context for organizations and individuals to thrive by designing for excellence in strategy, operations, and culture. In 2017, she took a leave from HBS to serve as Uber’s first senior vice president of leadership and strategy to help the company navigate its very public crisis in leadership and culture. Her resources: •Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesfrei/ and https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6587 •Services: https://anneandfrances.com/work-with-us •Book: Move Fast and Fix Things https://anneandfrances.com/books •Podcast: Fixable. https://anneandfrances.com/fixable My resources: Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj). Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ●&

What is the culture in your organisation like? Culture is more popular and necessary for management to consider than ever. Talking about culture is one thing, improving it, evolving it into something better, more inclusive, and higher performing is quite another. In this episode my guest is Aga Bajer, a leading authority on culture. We talk about what it takes to develop a greater sense of belonging, and what that means and involves. She shares how organisations can develop and evolve a culture as well as the important role fun plays in the process. Aga also discusses the impacts deep belonging has on culture as well as the misconceptions commonly held around it. So, if you're looking to supercharge the performance of your team, this episode is certainly for you. “Culture is a movement rather than a mandate” – Aga Bajer You'll hear about: · Aga’s definition of culture · Why codifying culture is important · How do you evolve culture? · How do you bring culture to life in organisations? · How do you scale culture pilots? · How important is fun to culture? · The impact of deep belonging on culture · Misconceptions about culture · The impact Aga wants to have on the world About Aga Bajer: Aga is the Founder and CEO of CultureBrained, the first-of-its-kind virtual community for Culture Leaders. She’s spent more than 20 years helping leaders build cultures that foster belonging, innovation, and high performance. She’s the host of the CultureLab podcast and co-author of the book ‘Build a coaching culture.’ Her resources: • Profile: https://www.agabajer.com/about-aga-bajer/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/agabajer/ • Community: CultureBrained Community https://www.agabajer.com/culturebrained-community/ • Podcast: Culture Lab Podcast - https://www.agabajer.com/podcast/ • Book: Build a coaching culture. https://www.agabajer.com/book/ My resources: Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj). Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

What type of stimuli helps you to think? Leaders often shy away from using visual stimuli as it can be seen as gimmicky. But knowing where, when, and how to use it can transform how problems are solved. My guest in his episode is Holger Nils Pohl, one of the best at using visual thinking to tackle complex problems. He discusses how to apply it, and the tools you can use to help you and your team use it in a meaningful way. He also shares how to avoid doing it badly, something many leaders can struggle with. He gives insight into how he uses his background in teaching within his work, how he deals with perfectionism and why autism is his superpower. “A lot of the struggles we have are actually caused by missing clarity” – Holger Nils Pohl You'll hear about: ● The importance of clarity in business ● Why multi-sensory stimuli amplify conversations ● The scientific nature of visual senses ● The three elements of Holger’s framework ● The role teaching plays in Holger’s work ● How to tame perfectionism ● How Holger prepares to work at his best ● Why autism is a superpower ● What impact does Holger want to have? About Holger Nils Pohl: Holger is a multi-passionate creative, visual strategist, author of Non-Fiction, Kids' and Fantasy books, trainer, and autistic. He believes in the transformational power of visual tools and creates clarity for his clients, workshop delegates, readers, and viewers. He does this by reducing complexity to simple, actionable steps. His resources: • Profile: https://clarity.holgernilspohl.com/pages/about-holger • Books: Creating Clarity – www.holgernilspohl.com/claritybook and The Wrong Planet – www.holgernilspohl.com/autism • Courses: https://clarity.holgernilspohl.com/pages/courses My resources: Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj). Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

How do you create purposeful success? As a leader it can be challenging to define what success means to you. To achieve this, you need master your inner journey by reflecting, collaborating, and reinventing yourself. My guest in this episode, Paolo Gallo, is an expert in developing leaders who do just this. We talk about the importance of foundational beliefs that guide how leaders think and behave. As well as how we should think about what success means, and what it implies for who you spend your time with, and what you spend your time on. We reflect on what it takes to refresh and reinvent your identity as you look to amplify and enhance your leadership impact. Paulo also discusses why leaders can have such narrow definitions of success. “What unites people with organisations is not what you do, but how you are doing it” – Paolo Gallo You'll hear about: · Why personal beliefs are important to Paolo · Paolo's most important belief · How do so many people lose their identity? · What leads to narrow definitions of success? · What does it take to find peace with oneself? · Knowing yourself vs playing the outer game · Achieving spiritual levels of leadership · Myths about leadership About Paolo Gallo: Paolo is an executive coach, bestselling author and keynote speaker. He collaborates with Bocconi and Ashridge Business Schools. He was the chief human resources officer at World Economic Forum in Geneva, chief learning officer at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. and director human resources at European Bank for Reconstruction & Development in London, with previous experiences at International Finance Corporation in Washington, D.C. and Citigroup in London, New York and Milan, his hometown. His resources: • Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paologallo-coaching-keynotes-/ • Book ‘The Seven Games of Leadership’: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/seven-games-of-leadership-9781399405478/ My resources: Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj). Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

Are you considering a career transition? More people are. But it’s not an easy endeavour. It comes with a sense of excitement and fear. In this episode Herminia Ibarra gives insights into what it takes to transition careers. She discusses why having a grand plan is the wrong move, the importance of developing your own story and why practice makes perfect. She also explores the signals we can look for to know when we are making the right decisions, as well as what she has learned from her own career changes. “It’s not just an issue of time, it’s also extricating yourself from a context that defines you” – Herminia Ibarra You'll hear about: · Why having a grand plan is wrong · How to find the people you want to become · How to balance doing and exploring · Tips to develop your own story · Signals to look out for when making decisions · What helps people make wise decisions? · Radical vs incremental ambitions · Herminia's learnings from her career transitions · What impact does Herminia want to have? About Herminia Ibarra: Herminia is the Charles Handy Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School. Prior to joining LBS, she served on the INSEAD and Harvard Business School faculties. An authority on leadership and career development, Thinkers 50 ranks Herminia among the top management thinkers in the world. She is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network, a judge for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award, a Fellow of the British Academy, and the 2018 recipient of the Academy of Management’s Scholar-Practitioner Award for her research’s contribution to management practice. Her resources: • Profile: https://herminiaibarra.com/about/ • Books: ‘Act like a leader, think like a leader’ and ‘Working Identity: unconventional strategies for reinventing your career’ https://herminiaibarra.com/act-like-a-leader-think-like-a-leader-book/ My resources: Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj). Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

Is your company a responsible business? Taking the higher ground in business is integral to doing work ethically and with integrity. This is a necessity if you look at the systemic challenges we're facing, whether it's climate change, social inequality, or fragile geopolitics. My guest in this episode, Alison Taylor, shares her wisdom and recommendations on how to tackle this. We talk about how to take a longer view even when faced with urgent, difficult, and immediate pressures. She outlines what she would look for in the mindset and practices of a CEO and Boards looking to take the higher ground, and she calls out some of the biggest myths and misconceptions in the world of business that often create unrealistic expectations for leaders. “We need CEOs to step up and solve societal problems, because no one else is going to solve them” – Alison Taylor You'll hear about: About Alison Taylor: Alison is a Clinical Professor at NYU Stern School of Business, where she teaches professional responsibility, sustainability, and leadership classes. She is also an Executive Director of Ethical Systems, a collaboration between leading academics working on behavioural science, systems thinking and organisational psychology. She’s also a senior advisor at BSR, Zai Lab, KKR, and Pictet Group, a board director at Preventable Surprises, and a member of the advisory board of Venture ESG. Her resources: •Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/followalisont/ •Book ‘Higher Ground’: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Higher-Ground-Business-Right-Turbulent/dp/1647823439 My resources: Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj). Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

Have you ever suffered from anxiety? We all have anxiety. At best, it gives us energy, drive and ambition, but at its worst it can be debilitating. I haven't met or worked with a leader who isn't anxious. The problem is that not many talk about it privately or even publicly. My guest in this episode, Morra Aarons-Mele, is raising our consciousness, understanding and practices in all things anxiety. We talk about what causes anxiety, where it shows up at work and in life, and what you can do to create a healthier relationship with it. She also covers how to listen to your inner voice, how to get in tune with your body, and how it reacts in order to understand different triggers and traps. I was genuinely and sincerely moved by this conversation, especially given some of my own challenges with loneliness. “Anxiety is an ancient emotion in our toolkit of emotions for a reason” – Morra Aarons-Mele You'll hear about: About Morra Aarons-Mele: Morra Aarons-Mele is a global speaker, best-selling author, and entrepreneur. Winner of the 2023 Media Award from Mental Health America. Shortlisted for the 2023 Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement Award for Leadership. Morra is author of The Anxious Achiever: Turn Your Biggest Fears Into Your Leadership Superpower, published by Harvard Business Review Press. Her resources: •Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morraaaronsmele/ •Book ‘The Anxious Achiever’: https://morraam.com/books •Services: https://morraam.com/ My resources: Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj). Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

How do you rate your communication skills? Being able to communicate with creativity and conviction is something leaders need to encourage their teams to contribute more and give meaningful ideas. In this episode I am joined by Neil Mullarkey, comedian, actor and coach to senior executives. He is also a co-founder of the world-famous Comedy Store players in London, and he believes that improv is a key ingredient to being a great communicator. He shares his mindset practices before, during and after a performance, and the best ways you can use improv in a work environment. He discusses whether business and humour can go hand in hand as well as the barriers that are in the way to make this happen. We also talk about how to listen to others, building on what they say, and then bringing more of yourself into the conversation. “Improv is the humour that works in organisations, working with what's in the moment” – Neil Mullarkey You'll hear about: · Neil’s mindset before a performance · Neil’s observations from working with leaders · The best examples of using improv at work · How to make sure your contribution is really good · Can business and humour go together? · Barriers and obstacles in the way · Managing the good times and the bad · What impact does Neil want to have on the world? About Neil Mullarkey: Neil is an actor, comedian, coach, and author. He co-founded the world famous improvisation group The Comedy Store Players with Mike Myers. He’s appeared on the likes of Have I Got News For You, Smith and Jones, Whose Line Is It Anyway, Austin Powers (International Man of Mystery and Goldmember), I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, Lovejoy, Saturday Live, Carrott Confidential, Paul Merton The Series, Spiceworld The Movie and QI. He now also inspires people and businesses to embrace their creativity and enhance their communication skills, working with corporate clients to develop innovation and agility in the workplace. His resources: • Profile: https://shorturl.at/cijOT • Book ‘In the moment’: https://shorturl.at/zAV03 • Services: Learn or Laugh - https://neilmullarkey.com/ My resources: Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj). Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7) ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP) ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

How do you view work life balance? For some it's an indulgence or luxury, for others, it's an essential, non-negotiable aspect of work and life. Whatever your view being more aware of what you want in life is surely an important step for all. In this episode I am joined by Dan Pontefract, who redefines and refrains it by calling it work life bloom. He argues that if we want to apply our best selves to our work, we need to be more human and curious and what it is that we want. He discusses his ideas around work life bloom, and how the concept of work life balance is flawed. He shares how leaders can enable their teams to bloom and how to marshal that process. He also talks about how leaders can protect their own mental health when having to support others through their own struggles. “We bring our lives into our work, nevertheless, our work shapes us” – Dan Pontefract You'll hear about: · Work-life balance is flawed · The masks leaders wear · How leaders can make their team bloom · How to protect your own mental health · How to marshal a group closer to blooming · Devising a harmonious new order within teams · What impact does Dan want to have? · What makes Dan’s best day? About Dan Pontefract: Dan Pontefract is a renowned leadership strategist, author, and keynote speaker with over two decades of experience in senior executive roles at companies such as SAP, TELUS, and Business Objects. Since then, he has worked with organizations worldwide, including Salesforce, Amgen, the State of Tennessee, Nestlé, Canada Post, Autodesk, BMO, the Government of Canada, Manulife, Nutrien, and the City of Toronto, among others. As an award-winning and best-selling author, Dan has written five books: WORK-LIFE BLOOM, LEAD. CARE. WIN., OPEN TO THINK, THE PURPOSE EFFECT, and FLAT ARMY. Dan also writes for Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and other outlets. His resources: • Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danpontefract/ • Book: www.worklifebloom.com • Services: https://www.danpontefract.com/ My resources: Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj). Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

How can you improve your customer and employee experience? People in the CSuite can forget customer and employee experience are linked. If you change how customers interact with products or services, your employees change the way they work too. In this episode I am joined by Tiffani Bova, a growth expert. Her research shows 80% of customer facing employees do not feel the technology they use works for the tasks they are given. The question is, if it doesn’t work for employees how can it work for customers? Tiffani shares what she thinks makes fantastic customer experience, how you can make your employees job easier, and how to nurture an experience mindset within global enterprises. “If you are going to do something for your customer, pause and ask, what is the impact on my employee” – Tiffani Bova You'll hear about: ● What is fantastic customer experience? ● Making it easy for employees to do their job well ● Where CEOs should start ● Nurturing an experience mindset ● Having empowering conversations with employees ● The hardest obstacle for CSuite to overcome ● Creating enterprise wide mindset change ● Tiffani's biggest mindset change ● What is Tiffani working on for her own development? About Tiffani Bova: Tiffani Bova is a leading thinker who Forbes says “reshapes our perception of growth.” As both a practitioner and academic she offers a unique perspective and has helped lead the tech industry through several evolutions over her nearly 30-year career as Salesforce’s former Growth and Innovation Evangelist, and previously as a Research Fellow at Gartner. She is the author of two Wall Street Journal bestsellers: GrowthIQ and The Experience Mindset. She has been named one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50 twice. Her resources: • Profile: https://shorturl.at/cFLN2 • Book ‘The Experience Mindset’: https://shorturl.at/gySV4 • What’s Next Podcast: https://shorturl.at/bEHK0 My resources: Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj). Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7) ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP) ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

How can you undergo digital transformation successfully? Too often, it is led without a clear vision by those at the top of the organisation who are just looking to launch technology pilots across the business. To do it well means you may have to challenge your thinking to inspire new ways of working. David Rogers is my guest in this episode, an expert in digital transformation who has been at the forefront of advising to and teaching companies how to do it well. He discusses the 5 critical steps to digital transformation as well as how companies can sustain it. He also shares how the New York Times went from doing it badly to becoming more profitable and sustainable when they got it right. As well as how A.I. will change the future of digital transformations. “Always be asking, what is the risk of inaction?” – David Rogers You'll hear about: · Does digital transformation apply to all organisations? · 5 critical steps of digital transformation · The non-sequential nature of the 5 steps · How to sustain digital transformation · Companies with admirable digital transformations · What do boards need to avoid and get right? · The biggest shifts David sees in leaders · How ecosystems impact digital transformations · Will A.I. radically change digital transformations? · Quickfire questions for David · What does David's best day look like? About David Rogers: David Rogers is one of the world’s leading experts on digital transformation, a member of the faculty at Columbia Business School, and the author of five books. David helps companies transform their business for the digital age, working with senior leaders at corporations including Google, Microsoft, Citigroup, Visa, HSBC, Unilever, Merck, GE, among others. At Columbia Business School, Rogers is faculty director of executive education programmes on digital business strategy and on leading digital transformation. His resources: • Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrogersdigital/ • Tools and content: www.davidrogers.digital • Book ‘The Digital Transformation Roadmap’: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Transformation-Roadmap-Organization-Continuous/dp/023119658X/ My resources: Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

What dictates meaning? Cultural engagement plays a critical role in influencing people to think and act differently. It can be the difference between meaningful or transactional relationships. To be successful in marketing we need to understand people's values and beliefs more deeply, and how we can then appeal to them. My guest in this episode is Marcus Collins, someone who has done this for a living for years working with some of the world's top brands, including Apple and Beyoncé. He argues that if a brand wants people’s custom it requires trust, intimacy, and being part of their congregation and tribe. He also discusses the meaning of culture, his tips for ambitious business owners and how they can drive consumption without compromising ethics. Crucially he also tells CEOs how they can become better storytellers. “Trust is the mechanism that absorbs uncertainty.” – Dr. Marcus Collins You'll hear about: · What does culture mean to Marcus? · What goes wrong in traditional marketing? · How companies build trust · How brands maintain trust · How could Marcus' work apply to organisations? · 3 tips for ambitious business owners · Driving consumption whilst being ethical · How CEOs can become better storytellers · How disruptive is Marcus' thinking? · Marcus' advice to people looking to do big things · Working as head of Beyonce's digital strategy · Marcus' congregations and tribes · Marcus' best day About Dr. Marcus Collins: Dr. Marcus Collins is an award-winning marketer and cultural translator with one foot in the world of practice—formerly serving as the Chief Strategy Officer at Wieden+Kennedy New York—and one foot in the world of academia—as a marketing professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. Prior to his advertising tenure, Marcus began his career in music and tech with a startup he co-founded before working on iTunes + Nike sport music initiatives at Apple and running digital strategy for Beyoncé. His resources: Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marctothec/ ‘For the Culture’ book: http://marctothec.com/fortheculture Instagram: marctothec.com Twitter: marctothec.com My resources: Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7) ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP) ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur? Discipline for a start. Not just in your work but how you stay true to your values and the way you lead your life. It’s one of the reasons why Keaton Hoskins, my guest in this episode, has successfully scaled a number of multi-million dollar businesses. Keaton discusses how he identifies unmet needs to generate businesses and what it takes to scale them. He gives incredible insight into where you need to focus your time to be a successful serial entrepreneur. He also explains the principles needed to guide wise decisions in business and how he takes care of his mental health in this demanding lifestyle. “I spent a lot of time cultivating in myself value. Value that I could bring to the table.” – Keaton Hoskins You'll hear about: · Where do Keaton's business ideas come from? · How Keaton successfully scaled businesses · Are all of his businesses stand-alone? · How far ahead is Keaton looking with his brand? · Where does Keaton's discipline come from? · How to know where to focus your time · Principles needed to guide wise decisions · Keaton on generating outbound leads · How Keaton works on his mental health · Who does Keaton learn from? · What helps Keaton have his best days? About Keaton Hoskins: Keaton is a serial entrepreneur, Millionaire Mindset Mentor, and TV star of the Diesel Brothers Show. His ‘Limitless Society’ club has grown to over 1000 members in less than a year and produced 8 millionaires (one worth $35 million). He has launched and scaled 30 businesses reaching 8 figures. He has also co-authored a book 'The hardest thing about divorce: going to war with yourself'. His goal is to ‘create a society where people no longer believe in any limits and to help others grow in their dreams, goals, and aspirations. His resources: Profile: https://limitlesssociety.com/themuscle/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.muscle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.muscle Limitless Society: https://limitlesssociety.com/ My resources: Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

Have you ever felt stale, overwhelmed or directionless? You might be performing well, but something's missing. The voice inside your head is getting louder, asking you questions about what your purpose is in life, what you are here to do, and who you are here to serve. My guest in this episode is Tammy Gooler Loeb and she helps people find answers to be able to craft their job, career, and indeed life in a way that is more intentional and fulfilling. Tammy has worked with executives on how to overcome this inertia to forge more fulfilling careers and lives. She discusses why people go stale in their careers and how you can jolt yourself out of it. She also gives insights into ways to build a career with a sense of purpose and how you can create career optionality and begin to trust yourself with your choices. “When people are feeling a little stale or stuck it’s usually because they don’t have all the information they need.” – Tammy Gooler Loeb You'll hear about: · Why do people go stale mid-career? · What can jolt you out of the staleness? · How to build a greater sense of purpose · The importance of trusting yourself · How executives can create career optionality · How executive success is being redefined · The life lessons Tammy has learned · How do you keep yourself fresh? About Tammy Gooler Loeb: Tammy is an Executive and Career Coach, Author, Speaker, and Podcast Host who brings determination and focus to her work with clients who aim to develop greater satisfaction in their careers and work relationships. She is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach by the Co-Active Training Institute, a graduate of the Co-Active Space Leadership Program, and holds an MBA from Boston University. Her award-winning book is called ‘Work from the Inside Out: Break through nine common obstacles and design a career that fulfils you.’ Her resources: • Profile and services: https://www.tammygoolerloeb.com • Book ‘Work from the Inside Out’: https://www.workfromtheinsideout.com • Workbook: https://www.tammygoolerloeb.com/workbook My resources: Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36Xav

How should we be using AI positively and constructively? AI is part of our lives both personally and professionally whether you like it or not. Any senior executive or entrepreneur should be learning more about how best to use AI in their organisation, but there are many implications of its use that need to be considered. In this episode Juliette Powell and Art Kleiner share their wisdom, expertise and considerable research on this topic to give us a nuanced perspective of its use. We talk about fascinating applications of AI, not just generative. How much control we have over it, or think we do, in particular the data it uses. We also talk about how we can build trust in the algorithms and systems and how we can mitigate bias and what companies and governments should be doing more of. “I don’t know where it’s going to go but I am glad to be alive at this moment.” – Juliette Powell You'll hear about: ● What is Artificial Intelligence? ● The implications of illusory control ● What is the AI dilemma ● Data privacy solutions with AI ● Behaviours developers of AI need to change ● How can leaders create AI debate space? ● How should governments use AI ● The biggest myths about AI About Juliette Powell and Art Kleiner: Juliette Powell is an independent researcher, strategist, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker at the intersection of technology and business. She has delivered live commentary on Bloomberg, BNN, NBC, CNN, ABC, and the BBC and presentations at institutions like The Economist, Harvard, and MIT. She was a cofounder with Intel Labs of the research network WeTheData. Art Kleiner is a writer, editor, and entrepreneur who focuses on machine, organizational, and human behaviour, the neuroscience of leadership, content strategy, and the strategies and insights needed in business to manage complex dilemmas. His books include The Age of Heretics: A History of the Radical Thinkers Who Reinvented Corporate Management and The Wise Advocate: The Inner Voice of Strategic Leadership. Their resources: - The book ‘AI Dilemma’: https://kleinerpowell.com/ - Profiles: Juliette - https://kleinerpowell.com/juliette-powell Art - https://kleinerpowell.com/art-kleiner My resources: Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

What can we learn from our childhood? Imagine sailing around the world for 10 years starting from the age of seven, covering more than 47,000 nautical miles. You experience different cultures and enjoy some amazing sights, whilst also dealing with many hardships, including isolation, hunger, and a lack of education. That was Suzanne Heywood's childhood, which she captured in her brilliant book, Wavewalker: Breaking Free. In this episode, Suzanne shares the highs and lows of that childhood, with events and situations unimaginable for many of us. She also talks about how she overcame challenges living at sea and on land, often on her own. We find out about her three superpowers from this experience, and what she's learned from it in terms of how she approaches obstacles, and how she's raised her children. Her experience gives us plenty of inspiring stimuli to help us tackle difficult decisions, situations, and people we face. “My parents chucked me off the boat on an island, abandoned me in New Zealand, and disowned me in Oxford.” – Suzanne Heywood You'll hear about: · Suzanne's highlights of living all around the world · Were physical or mental challenges the hardest? · Where does Suzanne’s determination come from? · How to tackle long periods of boredom · Living in a confined space for a decade · Breaking free from a relationship with her parents · The shifts from boat life to university life · How has her life impacted relationships with her children? · Getting the balance right between work and family About Suzanne Heywood: Suzanne Heywood was born in the UK but for most of her childhood sailed around the world with her family, with limited access to formal education. She came back to the UK aged 17 and won a place to study at Oxford University. After her PhD at Cambridge University, she joined McKinsey and Company where she became a senior partner. She is now a Chief Operating Officer of Exor. She married the late civil servant Jeremy Heywood in 1997 and they have three children. She is the Sunday Times bestselling author of What Does Jeremy Think?, and Wavewalker: Breaking Free Her resources: • LinkedIn: https://rb.gy/wms7n and https://suzanneheywood.com/ • Book ‘Wavewalker’: https://rb.gy/xg9vk My resources: Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals. ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy. ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7). ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP). ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI).

What can we learn from Chinese entrepreneurs? China is home to some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and companies. Yet, much of the management thinking and practices we use comes from Western companies. This episode fills this gap by delving into what it takes for companies to thrive in this dynamic, unpredictable, and hyper-competitive market. Aldo and Sandrine share their collective experience of 60 years of working and living in China, outlining tactics strategic leaders can master, whether operating in China or elsewhere. They discuss the importance of adaptability, customer focus, data, and having a hunger to succeed. They also reveal the mistakes companies make that lead to failure, especially Western companies looking to enter the Chinese market. “In the West a thinker is highly revered. In China an observer is highly revered.” – Aldo Spaanjaars You'll hear about: · Why was the book called Dragon Tactics? · Company success stories in the Chinese market · Sources of systemic failure in Chinese markets · The biggest business myths · The emperor decides but agility rules · Transformational vs incremental innovation · Is there results-driven ruthlessness in China? · Who should we learn from in China? · The biggest disagreement when writing Dragon Tactics · How to go from OK to great in China · The biggest gift of working in China About Sandrine Zerbib & Aldo Spaanjaars: Sandrine is the President of Baozun Brand Management and the President of Baozun Europe. Previously she was President of Adidas Greater China and the CEO of Chinese Group Dongxiang and created her own e-commerce operation industry, which was acquired by Baozun. Aldo manages his own China advisory firm, Dragon Strategies. Until end 2022 Aldo was Executive Vice President, Outdoor at Anta Sports, China’s #1 domestic sportswear company. Over his 25-year career in China, Aldo also held senior leadership roles at Fosun Fashion Group, Lacoste, Adidas Greater China, and J.Walter Thompson. Their resources: Sandrine’s LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/sandrine-zerbib Aldo’s LinkedIn - http://linkedin.com/in/aldospaanjaars Read their book ‘Dragon tactics’: https://www.dragontactics.com/ My resources: Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation. Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader: For more details about me: ● Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals ● About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy ● Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7) ● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP) ● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)