The Connected Leadership Podcast

What happens when you strip away the assumption that success is measured solely by profit? In this deeply authentic conversation,  Andy Lopata is joined by Paul Hargreaves to explore how commercial businesses can thrive by putting people and the planet at the centre of their operations. Paul opens up about his non-traditional path to business—from spending over a decade doing inner-city charity wo...

Does your pursuit of happiness actually make you miserable? In a world obsessed with Instagram-perfect lives and self-help gurus promising a "magic bullet," it's easy to feel like you are failing if you aren't constantly happy. In this refreshing and deeply honest archive episode, Andy Lopata speaks with Paul McGee (aka "The SUMO Guy"), author of The Happiness Revolution. Bringing his trademark "M...

Are you trying to advance your career, but unsure who to ask for help? Have you ever wondered if you need a mentor, a coach, or a sponsor—and what the difference actually is? In this episode from the archive, Andy Lopata sits down with two giants of the mentoring world: Vanessa Vallely OBE (founder of WeAreTheCity) and Kerrie Dorman (founder of the Association of Business Mentors). Together, they...

When The Big Issue launched in 1991, it didn't just introduce a new publication; it fundamentally changed the face of homelessness. By offering a "hand up, not a hand out," it turned vulnerable individuals into micro-entrepreneurs and challenged the traditional charity model. In this inspiring episode from the archive, Andy Lopata speaks with Nigel Kershaw, Chairman of The Big Issue Group, about t...

When the pandemic hit, the instruction was simple: "Go home." But returning to a hybrid model? That's a complex, messy experiment full of grey areas. In this episode from the archive, Andy Lopata chats to human potential expert Nikki Bush, dialing in from Johannesburg. They explore why the return to hybrid work is causing so much stress for both leaders and teams, and why standardising rules acros...

Have you ever let a bad commute ruin a crucial meeting? Or sent a hasty, frustrated reply to a message you misunderstood? In this highly relatable episode, Andy Lopata sits down with Vicky O'Farrell, known as the "Queen of Behaviours," to unpack how the minor inconveniences of our day can hijack our brains, alter our moods, and ultimately sabotage our professional relationships. Andy and Vicky div...

Inflation, recession, global conflict, and post-pandemic exhaustion. Leaders today are operating under unprecedented levels of pressure, and many are finding that their own—and their team's—"fuses are getting shorter and shorter." In this archive episode of  Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata sits down with international speaker and serenity expert Martin Laschkolnig to discuss how leaders ca...

Connecting With Authenticity With Roxanne Derhodge We hear the word "authenticity" constantly in leadership circles, but what does it actually mean beyond just "removing the mask"? In this thought-provoking episode from the archive, Andy Lopata explores a radically different definition of authenticity with psychotherapist and author Roxanne Derhodge. Roxanne reveals that true authenticity doesn’t...

Does your daily schedule look like a solid wall of back-to-back video calls? Do you find yourself constantly saying, "I just have to get through this week"? If so, you might be driving straight toward burnout. In this vital archive episode of The Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata sits down with leadership experts Dr. Amy Bradley and Dr. Katherine Semler to explore the hidden mechanics of exh...

In a business world dominated by back-to-back screen time, have we forgotten the profound impact of physical presence? In this thought-provoking episode, Andy Lopata talks to seasoned change leader and executive coach Gary Gamp to explore why getting out from behind the screen—and out of the formal boardroom—can dramatically alter the trajectory of your professional relationships. Andy and Gary de...

Are you tired of the corporate grind but terrified to leave the "security" of a full-time salary? You aren’t alone. In this high-impact archive episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata sits down with Matt Crabtree—the man who meets CEOs and shows them how to successfully jump ship. Matt shares the raw, honest truth about his transition from a senior role at Barclays to building a multi-m...

Is your leadership style costing you a fortune? In this high-energy episode from the archive, Andy Lopata revisits a global conversation with employee engagement specialists Scott Friedman and Paul ter Wal. They challenge the outdated "command and control" hierarchy, replacing it with a radical yet profitable philosophy: Happiness makes money. Engagement isn't just a corporate program or a ping-po...

We all have that one co-worker. The one who microwaves smoked mackerel in the breakroom, doesn’t pull their weight on group projects, or simply drives you up the wall. It’s easy to look around the office (or the Zoom screen) and think, "I am surrounded by idiots." But before you vent to your work bestie... what if they aren't the problem? What if the real issue is the environment? Or worse... what...

What does it take to lead a team where the margin for error is measured in centimeters and the consequences of a mistake are devastating? In this high-flying episode from the archive, Andy Lopata sits down with Dan Lowes, a former RAF fighter pilot and Executive Officer of the world-renowned Red Arrows. Dan pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build and maintain an elite, high-perform...

Is admitting a mistake a sign of weakness or a leadership superpower? In this episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata reaches into the archive to share a fascinating conversation with James Cleverly MP. Cleverly explores the "artificiality" of politics—a world where a simple "I’ll check those figures and get back to you" can be framed as a lack of credibility, and any change of course i...

What is the single most important factor that separates the highest-performing teams from the rest? When Google launched "Project Aristotle" to answer this exact question, they assumed the answer would be a mix of education, experience, and demographics. They were wrong. The number one element of a successful team, according to Google's massive study, is psychological safety. In this episode from...

Welcome back to The Connected Leadership Bytes. In today’s archive episode, Andy is joined by Ben Brabyn, a former Captain in the Royal Marines, former CEO of the renowned London tech company Level39, and a pioneer who helped build one of the world's first crowdfunding platforms. Drawing from his unique career journey—spanning military service, investment banking at JP Morgan, and tech entrepreneu...

The higher you climb, the lonelier it gets. It’s a well-worn cliché, but what is the raw, human reality behind it? What happens when the pressure to be a "dealer in optimism" becomes an unbearable weight? In this episode from the archive, Andy Lopata revisits his conversation with former senior executive and leadership coach, Ray McGrath. Ray shares the deeply personal and powerful stories behind...

Are today's young adults really that different from previous generations? In this fascinating episode, Andy Lopata sits down with Alexis Redding, who shares the incredible story of a Harvard study where she unearthed a lost trove of college student interviews from the 1970s and tracked down the participants 50 years later to play back their tapes. Through this unique "time capsule" research—and by...

What does it take to swim across the world’s most dangerous stretches of water with no wetsuit? For record-breaking endurance swimmer Anna Wardley, the answer isn’t just physical grit—it’s the power of her invisible team. In this week's episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata revisits his episode with Anna Wardley, who went from being a novice swimmer in her 30s to conquering the Englis...

The battle over the office is raging. Leaders like Elon Musk and Alan Sugar are demanding a full return, calling remote workers lazy. But are they fighting a losing battle against the biggest shift in work in 100 years? In this episode from the archive, Andy Lopata revisits his conversation with author and thinker Julia Hobsbawm OBE about her game-changing concept: "The Nowhere Office." This isn't...

What happens when a joke bombs in the boardroom? In this episode from the archives on humour, Andy Lopata brings in the headliners: two of the world's funniest keynote speakers, Jeremy Nicholas from the UK and Tim Gard from the US. This isn't just about telling jokes; it's a masterclass in the strategic use of humour to enhance leadership. Discover why the most successful leaders aren't afraid to...

In this captivating episode, Andy Lopata sits down with the remarkable Marianne Abib-Pech. A dynamic leader, Marianne transitioned from a highly successful corporate finance career—culminating as CFO of Shell Aviation at just 34—to launching an M&A advisory practice for frontier markets in 2014. In 2022, she co-founded Transitions First, an international industrial venture fund dedicated to scalab...

Are you feeling stuck? Have the last few years left you with itchy feet, questioning your career path and wondering what's next? You are not alone. Many professionals are currently re-evaluating their futures, but making a major career pivot is terrifying and fraught with risk. In this episode from the archive, Andy Lopata is joined by his regular guest Luca Signoretti to provide a practical playb...

As a leader, your instinct is to be nice. You avoid tough conversations to keep the peace and offer vague praise to maintain morale. But what if this well-intentioned kindness is the single most damaging thing you can do for your team? In this thought provoking episode from the archive, Andy Lopata is joined by self-leadership expert and author of The New Leadership Playbook, Andrew Bryant. Andrew...