Leading with integrity: Leadership talk

How often in your career so far have you brushed off an unsatisfying interaction as "they're just a difficult person"? I'll confess I used to do this A LOT. But as leaders, we can't afford to take that easy way out. This week on Leading with integrity, I'm joined by excellent guest Brenda Neckvatal to discuss the complexities of teamwork, the importance of communication, and the challenges leaders...

Hands up who has worked for a bad manager, toxic boss, or terrible leader? I've been known to say that everyone has a story of a bad manager, but far fewer have a story of a great one - and that's really what Leading with integrity is all about: flipping that narrative. So meeting this week's guest, Thomas Harris, and hearing his similar take on it was highly rewarding. In his own words, he wants...

Are you a fan of the MCU, or the Marvel Comics? How about The Office? Or Avatar: The Last Airbender? If not, then this may not be the episode for you because in this conversation, I discuss with guest Dr. Sy Islam the intersection of leadership and pop culture, particularly through the lens of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We discuss how leaders can learn valuable lessons from pop culture narrati...

What is your perception of HR? What role does this business function play in your work life, and your career? My guest this week is Mandee Bowsmith, a seasoned veteran of two decades in human resources in municipal government, having specialized in labor relations, employee benefits, and risk management. Mandee has some fascinating insights into the world of Governmental HR. Today's topics include...

What's the secret to managing change? How can you overcome that classic resistance every new programme faces? Is there a way of doing these things without loosing team mates or relationships? My guest in this episode is Gretchen Villegas, an International Development Executive who has worked for organisations like the Peace Corps, as well as big corporates and NGOs. Gretchen has been involved in p...

It's fair to say this week's guest, Chris Hood, has had a pretty incredible career so far, from retail to the film industry, and from big tech to starting his own video game studio. He's also passionate about keeping the focus on customer service and leveraging technology. Somehow, Chris has also found time to write a book and appear on numerous podcasts too. We'll hear highlights about his incred...

In this episode we're talking about decision-making with the insightful Jodi Hume, a seasoned decision support facilitator and former COO. As leaders navigate the complexities of modern business, they often encounter the paralysis of indecision. Jodi brings a wealth of experience to the table, shedding light on how leaders can overcome these hurdles by focusing on avoiding 'wrong' decisions rather...

If you've spent any time working in a corporate environment, then you've probably been told many times that 'leaders are to be taken seriously' and 'the workplace is no place for silliness or joking around'. In today's episode we're going to be challenging that myth . Just because business is serious doesn't mean the humans within that environment can't have a bit of fun and laughter. Busting that...

Raise your hand if you've ever gone out of your way to avoid conflict? Or been afraid of getting into one, especially at work? Being totally honest with ourselves, the majority of humans will have raised our hands (not you A.I., keep scrolling!) because its uncomfortable, and in most of our experiences, doesn't lead to good outcomes. It's certainly something most leaders and new managers will stru...

Instead of asking "What if it doesn't happen/what if I fail?", try asking yourself "What if it does/what if I succeed?" In this episode, I'm joined by leadership consultant, executive coach, author, and trailblazer in women’s leadership strategy: Kisha Wynter. We'll be talking about Kisha's experiences in Fortune 500 companies, life, career, equity and gratitude in corporate America, and what she...

Today we're talking confidence and it's role in leadership, how great leaders use it to best effect, and why it changes with context. I'm joined by guest Sabine Gedeon, who lives by the mantra of 'Confidence, Influence, Impact', is all about courageous leadership, and works to support leaders as they seek to elevate their approach. We get into some big topics from confidence itself through introve...

Today marks the final entry in our 4-episode arc on burnout, stress, and anxiety in the workplace. And I couldn’t have picked a better guest to round off that mini series than the self-described ‘Chief Burnout Officer’, Michael Levitt. Michael is a recognized global thought leader on burnout and workplace culture, his expertise in these areas stems from his extensive background in HR leadership an...

As he's currently leading his own company, despite having retired three times, it's probably fair to say my guest this week - Dr Frank Douglas isn't very good at retirement! But, as we talk about at the beginning of this episode, as long as you're doing meaningful work, feel like you're having an impact, and/or enjoy what you do: why stop? We talk about stress and anxiety at work, how this ultimat...

Who is responsible for a burnt out team member? This week my chat with burnout recovery coach Eugene Lee continues, with Part 2 of our Double Episode, we'll be talking about leadership lessons learned, wider leadership implications of burnout and its growing prevalence in the modern workplace, the impact of recent events like the pandemic, and more. Eugene shares some insights and educational lead...

Are you suffering from burnout? Have you experienced it in the past? It’s a hot topic in the modern workplace, with good reason. You only have to glance at recent business headlines to learn people in workplaces the world over are suffering with burnout and related problems like anxiety and stress. So for the next few weeks, we’ll be speaking with burnout, stress and anxiety experts to learn more...

What's the best way to create a culture of autonomy, empowerment, and independence among the people that you lead? My guest today is Marcus Aurelius Higgs. He is a communication coach who works with parents of pre-teen age kids. He helps to help them to show up better, maintain a meaningful relationship with their children and this may sound like a bit of a departure from the topic of leadership.....

Do you often have disagreements at work or with friends? Have you put much thought into the way leaders and colleagues should disagree, or how to do so without disrespecting each other? Central to today's episode is an idea that is too easily forgotten in the heat of the moment with all of the modern context and stresses: it’s ok to disagree with someone. Disagreement doesn’t have to mean animosit...

Do you cultivate resilience in yourself and your team? This week, I'm joined by Chrissy Myers, author of Reluctantly Resilient, CEO of two companies including a third generation family business, and supporter of various non-profits, community projects and philanthropic ventures. We'll be talking about the lessons Chrissy kindly shares from her own career, advice on how leaders can be more resilien...

Are you the smartest person in the room? It's ok not to be, especially when you're the leader, when it's more important to see, appreciate, and leverage the skills & knowledge of all those people in the room who ARE the smartest. In this week's episode of Leading with integrity, I'm joined by Christian Espinosa, he wrote the book on getting the best out of the smartest people in the room. Chri...

Are you serving your people every day? Is it the first thing you think about when you start work in the morning? This week's guest Clifton Savage, CEO, Leader, Consultant, for Clif the answer to these questions is a firm 'Yes', and this service- and people-first approach to leadership - a.k.a. servant leadership - can have impact across your team or business when effectively applied, paying divide...

Can you think of a better person to talk to about teamwork, high performance, or leadership than a former olympic athlete? Especially one from a team-based sport? No? Well, you're in luck then. Because today I’m chatting to Olympian and Coach, Joey Lye, about confidence, high performance, how to adapt and thrive, and her experiences of teamwork, leadership and crisis on the world’s stage as a comp...

Are you the Luke Skywalker in the hero's journey of your life? (Or Harry Potter, if that's more your thing. No judgement..). Have you figured out your purpose? In career, in life, for some it’s a divine calling closely to their beliefs and for others it’s simply about finding the intersection of what they’re good at, what they enjoy, and what they can have the most impact by doing. Whatever the un...

How many people leave jobs because of a toxic, incompatible, or even just lacklustre corporate culture? today I’m joined by organizational culture and leadership consultant Dan Bredeson, he's also founder of Lead Front Consulting LLC, author of the Amazon Bestselling book, "Seeds of Culture" and has over 20 years of experience including leadership positions with Fortune 500 companies. We’re going...

This week I'm speaking with HR Professional, Katie Howard, who's on a mission to put the FUN back into HR. Katie shares some of the wild stories, as well as some enlightening and entertaining ones from a career in HR spanning government, corporate, and consulting. We talk about the red flags to watch out for in companies and in leaders, the pace of change, what great leadership looks like. One of...

Start With Why... or should it be: Start With Who? Today I'm speaking with Juan Alvarado, Keynote Speaker, Leadership Trainer, Podcaster, and US Amry Veteran about how he discovered Gallup Strengths, became a certified coach, and uses it to help leaders be more intentional about their leadership while knowing & playing to their own strengths. Juan also talks about his experiences with PTSD and...