The Leadership Enigma

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. Check out the YouTube Channel to see all the photos referred to in this episode: https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosWatch & Subscribe: 👀 https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosListen & Subscribe: 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/5NSnRyHzPmyY5OWhGzKU5Pwww.leadersenigma.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anthony Stephen Malone is a former 5th Generation soldier with the British Army, author of 5 books and was taken hostage by the Taliban for 190 days. Anthony Joined the Paras at age 17 and served in multiple locations across the world. He has dedicated his life to various intelligence and security agencies which in turn led to his period in captivity having been taken by the Taliban for 190 days. Anthony's military training has ensured he has a very positive mindset where failure is never an option.  Anthony chose to keep going back to hostile environments after his military life as he always felt at home living and working in chaos. He returned to Afghanistan as part of  Operation Patriot which was focused on helping local veterans get out of the country  following allied force withdrawal and the Taliban retaking control of large areas of the country. It was when Anthony returned to Afghanistan overtly to try and assist families leave the country that he was abducted spending 190 days in an underground Taliban interrogation centre in Kabul. Anthony had no reason to believe that his liberty was at risk prior to this event as his efforts in country were purely humanitarian.  Anthony was the victim of an internal power struggle within the Taliban itself and it was the extremist element that decided to remove Anthony and two others from the street and take them to HQ which then turned into 190 days of captivity.  Anthony was soon to endure over 4 weeks of torture and interrogation leaving him with broken bones, nerve damage, concussion and more. It was at this point that mindset became all important for Anthony to push away any feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, even with the fear of execution being mooted by his captures. Anthony had two options, either curl up, cry and die, or make the best of the situation and focus on the potential for a positive resolution. Anthony explains a fascinating exchange he had with his interrogator that became a battle of purpose and wits which eventually led to his release. His biggest takeaway remains the ability to use negative and painful experiences to help others navigate and cope with stress and challenge. Check out the YouTube Channel to see all the photos referred to in this episode: https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosWatch & Subscribe: 👀 https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosListen & Subscribe: 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/5NSnRyHzPmyY5OWhGzKU5Pwww.leadersenigma.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kate Waterfall-Hill is a leadership coach and consultant with a passion for people development. This episode explores the challenges for all those individual contributors and small consultancies that serve to provide products and services to the largest organisations on the planet. This is all about David meeting Goliath and how leaders try and have it all, whilst doing it all without losing it all!Leaders and especially founders must find the balance between the human doing and the human being with a solid support system around them.  Kate outlines her 5 point plan for impactful leadership which includes1. Be Open to Change 2. Know Your Purpose 3. Time to Think 4. Time to Lead 5. Time for You. Kate has recently become something of a Tik Tok star as she pokes some fun all those leaders spouting corporate gobbledegook, jargon and general nonsense as part of our day to day lives in helping David support Goliath. www.waterfallhill.co.ukAlso check out www.leadersenigma.com and our YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigmaWatch & Subscribe: 👀 https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosListen & Subscribe: 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/5NSnRyHzPmyY5OWhGzKU5Pwww.leadersenigma.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Jonathan Reichental is a Founder, Professor, author and former Chief Information Officer for the city of Palo Alto, Silicon Valley.  Jonathan has recently released his new book 'Data Governance for Dummies' which is an Amazon No1 best seller. 83% of CEO's want a data driven organisation yet only 32% are realising this result. 47% of data created has critical errors within it that impacts work and 48% of employees tend to follow their gut rather than the data. All leaders of any sized business will use and manage data, but how many are able to turn that data into insight and wisdom? In this episode Jonathan will outline what data governance is, why it is important (non-negotiable) and what all leaders need to consider regardless of the size and complexity of the business. Jonathan outlines a step approach to creating your data strategy and how to think about expense, execution, operations, cataloguing, analytics and insights. The sheer scale of data created and consumed is almost incomprehensible and Jonathan helps us understand terms such as 'data exhaust' and 'dark data' as this episode is a must for all leaders to understand how data governance works and how to apply it to an organisation in a way that improves results and doesn't disrupt. www.reichental.comWatch & Subscribe: 👀 https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosListen & Subscribe: 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/5NSnRyHzPmyY5OWhGzKU5Pwww.leadersenigma.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Allen Morrison is a Professor at Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University and Stewart Black is the Global Chief Leadership & Strategy Officer at Squire Patton Boggs an international law firm and also Adjunct Professor at INSEAD. They are the co-authors of Enterprise China which is the result of decades of experience and research as to the dominance and continuing impact of China on the global economy. This episode is relevant to all leaders and all businesses, large or small. You may be thinking about operating in China, leaving China or simply curious as to the global impact of Enterprise China and why you should even care!This is a fascinating episode that outlines that leaders must understand that they are dealing with Enterprise China not Chinese Enterprises as we examine the often-misunderstood interconnectedness of the Chinese state and Chinese businesses, demonstrating that individual firms and companies are often just the tip of the iceberg.China is the largest simple market and for many years has been considered the 'Factory of the World.' My guests outline the three elements of the Chinese Commercial Strategy as 1. Ending reliance on the West 2. Dominating domestic markets 3. To win internationally and facilitating the West to become highly dependant on China. Both guests outline real case studies of companies strategising for commercial success, outlining pitfalls and clear strategic and leadership implications that must  be considered. www.enterprisechina.comWatch & Subscribe: 👀 https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosListen & Subscribe: 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/5NSnRyHzPmyY5OWhGzKU5Pwww.leadersenigma.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rupal Patel's high octane career in the CIA has taken her from the jungles of Columbia to the war zones of Afghanistan. As a young female of colour within the complex and political world of briefings for The President, 4 Star Generals,  Congress and International Government Agencies, Rupal quickly focused on leveraging her strengths as opposed to her weaknesses. Rupal is the daughter of Indian immigrants and a native New Yorker. She grew up in a loving and high functioning family where she came to love studying and analytical challenges. Her work was important for translating noise into signal. In this episode we discuss the ability to have critical conversations in the company of experts and specialists, the ability to lead with values at the heart of all you do which Rupal describes as Identify Driven Leadership and tactical ignorance. Now a successful entrepreneur, author and international speaker who passionately believes in helping people to think bigger, lead better and be bold. www.rupalypatel.comWatch & Subscribe: 👀 https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosListen & Subscribe: 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/5NSnRyHzPmyY5OWhGzKU5Pwww.leadersenigma.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Finney is the youngest solider to be awarded the George Cross for his actions whilst serving in Iraq. Today Chris is a family man and entrepreneur with an enduring point of view of his heroic actions, his leadership and his legacy. The George Cross was created in September 1940 by King George VI and is ranked alongside the Victoria Cross. Chris joined the army cadets aged 13 and the regular army at the tender age of 16. He trained at the Army Foundation College in  Harrogate where by his own admission he grew up and started to understand what life without his parents would be like and how each day needed his full effort regardless of his personal levels of motivation as his life was now about discipline. Chris joined The Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured Corp which resulted in him being deployed to Iraq on operational duties at 18 years old. After only one week he crossed the border into Iraq and whilst on routine patrol Chris's armoured column was hit by what they didn't know at the time, was friendly fire delivered by an American A10 Tank Buster plane. During the ensuing chaos, breakdown of command and communications, Chris found himself in a life or death situation. Chris had been injured by shrapnel, his gunner had multiple injuries including being shot by a 30mm round, he was unable to get his rifle, his vehicle was on fire and others were now running for their lives as the plane began to come round for a second attack. Whilst Chris's actions saved the life of his gunner Alan, he and others also had to make the heart wrenching decision not to make an attempt to save another gunner as it was simply too dangerous at the time and they had to accept the loss of one life as opposed to loss of multiple lives . Chris was surprised to learn from his Commanding Officer that he was to be awarded the George Cross in recognition of his actions from her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth IIAfter leaving the military Chris had joined forces with Joe Calzaghe the former undisputed Middle Weight Boxing Champion of the World to raise funds for Help The Heroes. Today Chris is happily married with three children running two garden centres as an entrepreneur and business owner.  Watch & Subscribe: 👀 https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosListen & Subscribe: 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/5NSnRyHzPmyY5OWhGzKU5Pwww.leadersenigma.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Ryan is the President and CEO of Mercedes Benz Financial Services in Canada and this episode is part of our CEO series.  James started his life as a musician, studying Comparative Literature and then moving and working in Germany as an intern for Mercedes Benz in 1995. James has had multiple roles within the organisation leading to his current role as CEO and President responsible for a $5bn portfolio. James and I explore how his early years as a musician (drummer) have crafted his approach to leadership which has allowed James to be very thoughtful and deliberate as regards his leadership, impact and legacy. As a CEO James is humble enough to realise that he can’t be expert in all that he oversees, and his style allows him to empower others whereby he can lead by asking questions and increasing his own awareness in order to be the strategic as opposed to the technical operator. James understood the real power in leading by questioning and with that, James’ style of leadership was underpinned by his ability to listen and really hear others. The Post pandemic environment challenged James’s leadership and questioned his own thinking and norms when it came to the issue of physical office space and flexibility for his teams. James asked his staff a series of questions and quickly understand they need to be a Purpose Driven Organisation and that the office space was not to simply facilitate work but was necessary to create collaboration, connection and camaraderie. As part of James’ focus on listening, he carried out a series of ‘stay’ interviews to complement what they were hearing in the ‘exit’ interviews. The results were fascinating as it helped the organisation understand what people were motivated about including, purpose, personal growth and the importance of culture which has never been so important in post pandemic environment.  James continues to listen intently to his people which has allowed him to consider how he can measure his leadership by focusing on four key components. 1.    Engagement: the experience that leaders create for their people. 2.    Involvement: allowing people to own the whole not just their part3.    Trust: a critical component especially post pandemic as people ask themselves if they trust their leader and the organisation within which they work. The higher the trust the higher the performance as a business. 4.    Values: values drive value and must be non-negotiable and embedded in all that you do.James also shares the two questions that he always asks himself when he considers an opportunity in his life. Can I learn something? Can I bring something unique to the table? Enjoy this great episode. Watch & Subscribe: 👀 https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosListen & Subscribe: 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/5NSnRyHzPmyY5OWhGzKU5Pwww.leadersenigma.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dan Strode is the author of The Culture Advantage and Group Director of Culture & Strategy for Santander based in Madrid. Dan explains that the best performing companies are doing things culturally in a certain way and that this became the genesis of his book. The pace of change has never been so fast and yet will never be as slow as it is today.  By 2027, 75% of the S&P companies will not be here. Culture patterns and behaviours are important: One of the most important Dan outlines is the ability to rethink your business model and Kodak is a powerful example of not being able to do that. Dan describes culture as “the way we do things around here when no one is looking and there is no advantage to be gained.” Putting people first is essential for any leader. Dan explains that all companies are made up of four key groups; employees, customers, shareholders (financial stakeholders) and finally the communities within which you operate. They create a virtuous circle and by benefitting one you benefit them all. The younger talent populations value meaning, purpose and culture which means the power is shifting and the need for a positive and inclusive culture is non-negotiable.What is the leader’s role in culture? Whilst culture is everyone’s responsibility, Dan’s research reveals that leaders have an outsized role to play. Culture can’t be outsourced to someone else as this simply provides evidence that leaders don’t understand the value of culture. Secondly, leaders must be visible in their role modelling including paying attention to inactivity or tolerance of bad behaviours. Always remember…you are being watched closely as the leader.In the words of Alexander den Heijer, “when I flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” Enjoy this episode and grow your own culture for success.  www.danielstrode.comwww.leadersenigma.comWatch & Subscribe: 👀 https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosListen & Subscribe: 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/5NSnRyHzPmyY5OWhGzKU5Pwww.leadersenigma.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Jankel is an author, keynote speaker, serial entrepreneur, futurist and leadership theorist.A transformational team is one that can deliver predictable efficiencies in the old world, plus adapt grow, learn, be purposeful, shape a vision and deliver something new in the new world. Teams are living systems and therefore complex systems whereby the context is more important than the content. Nick explains that this means that relationships are more important than the products, because the products, services, procedures etc will all invariably have to change. This reinforces the point from Part 1 that the modern leader must not be the problem solver and hero but the leader who creates the environment for their people in teams to evolve, grow, learn and problem solve for themselves as they are normally closest to the issues.Nick explains that Transformational Teams should have 4 key roles which he bases on the iconic ‘A’ Team. One person can do all four, but usually this demands more than one person, and each role has a shadow side whereby strengths become blockages.The 4 roles are:1. The Champion (B.A. Baracus)2. The Commander (Hannibal)3. The Creator (Maverick)4. The Connector (Faceman)Nick also outlines the 4 characteristics of a Transformation Team which are:1. Shared vision - it is for the Commander to have a vision of what can be done andcontinually makes sense of how to adapt in the journey towards that vision whilstallowing people the trust and autonomy to adapt as they see fit to reach the sharedvision.2. Co creativity - Allowing people to have new ideas to be agile, to think, experiment,fail and be super rigorous with creativity across functions.3. Collective responsibility – Accountability and dependability with an ability to flexand renegotiate when things need to change to ensure success.4. Mutual trust – Trust is the lubricant of transformation to navigate significant change.Trust was diminished for many organisations during the pandemic as so much wasasked of their people and customers. The organisations that stayed kind and humancentred found themselves in stronger positions than those who treated the pandemic as a purely transactional event.www.switchonnow.comWatch & Subscribe: 👀 https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videosListen & Subscribe: 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/5NSnRyHzPmyY5OWhGzKU5Pwww.leadersenigma.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.