136: Leading a Life of Reflection | Chris Grant OBE

Chris Grant OBE has worked at the most senior levels across sectors including Chair of the Chip & Pin Programme for all the banks and retailers, he served on the Board of Sport England and currently as The Chair for British Basketball Federation . Chris received his OBE for services to Sport from the late Her Majesty in 2021 and has worked with great musicians, business leaders, athletes, and sports teams. 

Chris is the ultimate observer of human beings and group dynamics and has always found solace and safety at the front of the room as opposed to staying in the background. Chris’s personal leadership enigma is how he considers life and embraces the unknown by pushing his own capabilities and increase his own self-awareness.

 We are all the product of our parents and Chris recounts how his father served in the Second World War and was part of the Windrush generation where he dealt with overt racism and systemic bias. Chris was able to leverage his ‘heritage’ (pride) and ‘baggage’ (obstacles) to craft his own path by understanding that he had an ability to arbiter, facilitate and bring people together. 

 Chris shares the deeply personal story of how he was diagnosed with prostate cancer a year ago and how the experience changed and shaped his outlook on life with an increased sense of mystery about himself with the realisation that you are never really in control. 

The devastating news challenged his personal belief systems and biases and modified his thinking to make room for new a new reality and let go of some lifelong assumptions. As Chris tells me, ‘we are all dying’, therefore we need to make the most of the time we have and to lead a life of service. 
All leaders must ask themselves, ‘what’s the shape of the hole you are leaving behind us and what’s the space you are creating for others to perform?’ Chris also sought strength from the advice of Max De Pree in that, the ‘first responsibility of the leader is to define reality and the last is to say thank you’ 
Chris is thankfully on his way to full recovery 

This episode is packed full of learning nuggets and reflections from an experienced yet deeply humble leader. I also ask Chris a question at the end of the show that I have never asked a guest before, the answer is the reason I continue this work…thank you Chris. 
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