Momentum with Sidekick

What if the biggest leadership breakthrough of your career didn't happen in the boardroom, but on the side of a mountain?  In this episode, Bonny is joined by Spencer West and Alex Meers to explore how climbing Kilimanjaro transformed the way they think about leadership, success, and what truly matters. Although Bonny climbed the mountain just months ago and Spencer and Alex made the journey o...

Most leaders know where they want to go. The real challenge is getting everyone else moving in the same direction.   We often think leadership is about setting a vision. But as Nithya Ramachandran argues, that's only the beginning. In this episode of Momentum, we explore the balancing act between vision and execution, ambition and adaptability, strategy and action. Drawing on her experience le...

Talent doesn’t grow on its own. It’s shaped by systems, sponsorship, stretch, and leadership behavior. In this episode, Bonny sits down with Dani, a senior leader in planning and inventory management at major Canadian retailers, to explore what talent and leadership development really looks like inside high-performing companies. Building on the ideas from our Talent Trap conversation, we go deeper...

What if “strategic planning” is actually the reason your strategy isn’t working?   In this episode, Bonny and Nora unpack one of the most widely accepted, and rarely questioned, concepts in business: strategic planning. In this episode, they challenge the assumption that strategy and planning are one and the same and explore how confusing the two can lead to false progress, endless motion, and tea...

In this episode, Bonny and Nora are joined by Carlton Yearwood, whose experience spans Fortune 200 and the Big 4, the US Marines, government, coaching, and ministry contexts. Together, they challenge a common myth: ownership and accountability aren’t performance tools — they’re a cultural operating system.   Why do leaders say they want ownership but design against it? Why is it so seemingly hard...

In a world of constant change, why are we still designing leadership teams for stability? In this episode, Bonny and Nora explore why leadership roles can no longer be designed for stability in a world defined by uncertainty, volatility, complexity and constant change. Joined by Dave Berney, fractional CFO and CEO/founder of HAB Strategy, the conversation challenges the assumption that senior lead...

Your best person is exhausted. Your steady performer is coasting. Your eager learner isn’t growing. And … everything still comes back to you.  In this episode, Bonny and Nora challenge a hard truth: the Talent Trap isn’t about having the wrong people on your team. It’s about how leadership habits quietly shape the system your team operates in. When you default to speed, safety, and star players, y...

In this episode, Bonny and Nora explore the power of integration and facilitative leadership through a real-world case study with Liz Rose, President & COO of T1.  Liz shares how she brings this leadership style to life to create clarity, confidence and results—partnering with visionary leaders, aligning people and priorities, and enabling teams to do their best work. She opens up about what d...

Everyone says they want more ownership on their team, but is your leadership enabling it, or actually killing it?  In this episode, Bonny and Nora unpack one of the most requested (and misunderstood) traits in modern leadership: ownership. Drawing on real client stories, organizational psychology, and practical tools, they break down the difference between ownership, responsibility, and accountabi...

Leaders often don’t need more ideas; they need clearer thinking on the ones they already have. In this episode we circle back on our most talked-about episodes in 2025 to unpack what’s new, what we missed, and what matters most as leaders head into 2026.  In this episode, Bonny and Nora circle back on the conversations from 2025 that didn’t stop when the mics turned off. As the pod enters its seco...

Most resolutions fail when they’re made alone. As we’re likely to head into a year of extremes, the real advantage won’t come from motivation, but from shared commitments, clear systems, and the confidence to navigate uncertainty together.  In this episode, Bonny is joined by co-host Mark Harrison, a serial entrepreneur, community builder, and purpose-driven leader. They unpack why resolutions and...

In a hypergrowth company, culture isn’t just a backdrop, it becomes a force that can accelerate you or quietly hold you back. And as headcount rises, speed intensifies, and (market) pressures raise, every leader eventually faces the same question: will our culture evolve by design or by default? In this episode, Bonny sits down with Olivia (Lia) van Eyk, CMO of Steadily, to explore what really hap...

What if culture isn’t just the backdrop to strategy, but the thing that sets your organization apart? In a time shaped by rapid innovation, shifting expectations, and a more fluid world of work, culture has become both more fragile and more powerful.  In this episode of Momentum with Sidekick, Bonny and Nora explore how culture truly takes shape, and what happens when the habits and beliefs that o...

Complexity doesn't hold you back; disconnection does. Discover how leaders who integrate and facilitate keep teams moving faster and stronger together.  In this episode, Nora and Bonny unpack two overlooked leadership superpowers reshaping what it means to lead in a complex, ever-evolving world: integration and facilitation. While traditional skills like vision, strategy, and decision-making r...

Is choosing between big goals and small wins setting you back? In this episode, Nora and Bonny explore how 1+1=3 when it comes to achieving your team’s and organization’s goals. They tackle one of the biggest myths in leadership: that you must choose between setting bold, audacious goals or focusing on small, measurable wins. They unpack why this “either/or” mindset limits performance and how real...

AI isn’t just transforming technology, it’s transforming leadership. So, where are you on the adoption curve, and how do you lead when your team is spread across it?  In this episode of Momentum, Bonny van Rest and Nora Griffiths unpack the real leadership challenge behind AI adoption. Drawing on new research, corporate examples, and everyday moments of tension, from AI-shaming to bottom-up innova...

We all love a good idea. But what actually makes something innovative, and who gets to decide?  In this episode of Momentum , Bonny and Nora go beyond the buzzwords to unpack what innovation really means, and why so many leaders feel stuck between big ideas and real impact. Is creativity enough? What role does culture play? And how can we balance speed with societal impact?  You’ll hear why innova...

What if high performance wasn’t about hustle, but rather about how you recover? In this episode, Nora and Bonny unpack the powerful connection between recovery, leadership, and performance with two standout guests: former pro-athlete turned Non-Profit leader Micaëlla Riché , and Hugh Lawson a purpose-driven leadership advisor inspired by his athletic experiences. Together, they explore how athlete...

In this episode, Bonny and Nora turn the People vs. Purpose vs. Profit conversation on its head, reframing it through the lens of your leadership mindset. They dive into three common leadership styles: command-and-control, servant leadership, and human-centric leadership. Spoiler! It’s not about choosing one. It’s about knowing when to use each, and why your leadership mindset might be the ultimat...

AI is evolving fast, but is it actually becoming more human? And what does that mean for leadership, decision-making, and how we create momentum in business?  In this episode, Nora and Bonny explore the fascinating, yet messy, intersection of AI, empathy, and action. With guests Ok Ikejiani and Israel Diaz, they unpack the capabilities, limitations, and leadership implications of AI becoming more...

Uncertainty isn’t going away—so how do today’s leaders work with it, not against it?  In our debut episode, we explore how leaders can reframe uncertainty—not as a threat to be avoided, but as an opportunity to be designed for. Drawing on research, real-world examples, and proven leadership principles and frameworks, Nora and Bonny break down why uncertainty feels more intense today and how forwar...