The Leadership Enigma

Selva Ramasamy KC (King's Counsel) is a senior barrister, joint head of QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers and an elected Master of the Bench for Inner Temple.   As a King's Counsel, Selva is one of the most senior barristers responsible for conducting some of the most serious and complex cases in the country. Selva was actually the first non white member of his Chambers in its history and now they are one of the most diverse groups of barristers in the country. Selva explains growing up in a mixed race background, spending much of his early childhood abroad until coming back to the UK and attending a boarding school at aged 11. He remembers learning quickly to persuade and influence when clearly different to all those around him and his early experiences of racism have led him to become an advocate for inclusion and diversity within the legal profession. We both remember our early years as student barristers and the small red handbook issued to us all titled 'Learning the Law' by Glanville Williams in which it suggested that women and those from ethnic minorities might consider choosing a different profession due to the difficulties of 'getting on' if not from the standard background and upbringing. Those words continue to provide Selva with the motivation to keep driving change and role modelling a more modern approach at the Bar. Selva's day to day life requires him to deal with people immersed in the most extreme of human emotions with liberty at stake, managing multiple stakeholders and communicating across abilities, cultures and agendas. Selva is very proud of the work being done by Inner Temple and the Sutton Trust to increase social mobility within the profession. Selva tells me that by 'looking different' he is able to dispel certain myths as regards who is and who could become a barrister. The Bar continues to make huge step changes including wellbeing in order to assist barristers cope with the graphic and often brutal nature of the cases they are dealing with day to day, week to week and month to month. This episode provides a unique insight into one of the most intriguing professions, often portrayed in TV and film for it's bizarre and dramatic moments. The reality is a profession of individuals working tirelessly to Bridge the Justice Gap for all of us. We also enjoy a moment of celebration as Selva and I recently won The Hargreaves Cup together which since 1950 has been awarded to the winning Tennis team between the four Inns of Court. Enjoy this 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.

Rupert Jones CBE (Commander of the Order of British Empire) is UK Defence's former Standing Joint Force Commander having served and led in many high stakes environments such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Bosnia and Northern Ireland. He was the youngest Major General at the time and was decorated twice for overseas operations. Among other roles, he now works as an advisor to start-ups.Rupert was always going to embark on a military career as his father served with the Parachute regiment and tragically lost his life during the Falklands War. Rupert was only 13 at the time of his father's death, who posthumously received the Victoria Cross which is the highest award for gallantry. This episode can best be framed by an article Rupert write for LinkedIn.  Today we live in a confused leadership landscape with politicians who are often binary, confrontational, divisive and populist. Outside of politics the trend seems to be towards monochrome and socially constrained leadership. Do we therefore have the leadership culture to thrive given today's geopolitical landscape? Another interesting question during this episode is why the military begin leadership training so early for those attending the Royal Military College at Sandhurst with the motto 'Serve to Lead.' as opposed to the corporate world which seems to isolate leadership training for the experienced and senior. Rupert outlines that leaders must lead with resilience, courage and authenticity which is proving very difficult in the current culture and social media age we live in. Best in class does not mean best leader and the military provides a constant opportunity for leaders to emerge at any level and age. Rupert outlines the 'readiness culture' within the military with an ability to mobilise within 4 hours notice. That idea of a readiness mindset is necessary for corporates navigating a constant VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) landscape. Enjoy this episode. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupertthjones/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.

Rachele Focardi is a leading expert on the multi generational workforce, author and  LinkedIn Top Voice. One of the main questions in this episode is whether 'purpose' remains the great divide or the great connector post pandemic? A quick guide to the Generations: The Silent Generation: Born before 1946Baby Boomers 1946 - 1964Gen X: 1965 - 1980Millennials: 1981 - 1995Gen Z: 1996 - 2010A leader who can harness diversity of thought and multi generational working across their workforce will see an enhanced competitive advantage. Rachele describes Purpose as something that is inherently owned by the younger generations who strive for change and want to experience the workplace as an enabler for positive change. We saw Millennials rise up especially after incidents such as 9/11 and the financial crisis and they drove the debate for change as they had seen their parents struggle with work being a pay check as opposed to a meaningful individual and collective sport. They also took a huge amount of criticism for this rising up and Rachele saw an opportunity to start to study these dynamics.  Resilience is a big cause of generational conflict, the reason being a lack of understanding of the others experiences and the difference in parenting styles we were exposed to.  Cultural differences have  exacerbated these feelings and Rachele describes the differences between hardship and psychological safety. Rachele carried out the post pandemic workplace study and discovered that the four main ingredients for people feeling purposeful at work were1. Helping others 2. Making impact 3. Growing and feeling fulfilled 4. Being recognised and appreciated by your colleagues. 42% of employees feel that the only way for them to feel enabled to experience purpose in their job is to change employers. To view a copy of the results and its impact on purpose visit: www.xyzatwork.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rfocardi/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.

Chris Caldwell is the CEO of United Renewables, having previously been an investment banker and corporate lawyer. Chris vividly remembers an incident which forced him to reconsider a life that required huge family sacrifices and so he left finance, stepped off the hamster wheel and decided to create a new company as an entrepreneur seeking finance for his idea to make a difference in the world in sustainability. Chris saw a niche in Northern Ireland linked to small wind turbines and a favourable regulatory policy which resulted in him raising £6 million having only expected to raise half a million. Chris built 34 separate wind farm locations and then broke out into different forms of energy too. Chris explains the climate issue facing the world as 'we are the first generation that is feeling the pain and the last generation that can do anything about it.' Recent world weather phenomena are examples of climate issues that are escalating for us all. Just a small difference in global temperatures (.1%) can create increased frequency of dramatic global events that lead to loss of life. The planet will survive, it's the humans that will struggle. Chris clearly explains some concrete examples in this episode that will cause you to stop and think! All is not lost, but we are at a point where positive action is non-negotiable. Chris also explains the concept of 'leap frogging' and how he has experienced this in African nations for huge benefits to the local populations. Sustainability is important to all leaders especially in relation to the purpose of the organisation and Chris outlines a simple step by step plan for leaders to engage with. 42% of Millennials and Generation Z are prepared to sacrifice pay for purpose and also 20% of the same demographic think it is equal, which highlights the important focus point for your workforce and your consumers. This is a powerful and sobering episode which still focuses on hope and progress, however each and every leader must play a part. Use Linkedin to connect with Chris Caldwell.Conversation on Climate is Chris's podcast. Find it on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@conversationsonclimateWatch & 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.

Stuart Cash is the CEO and co-founder of Y TREE. This episode explores the meaning, value, purpose and myths surrounding money. Stuart grew up in London and studied law at Cambridge University spending a short period as a lawyer to then moved into investment banking as this fuelled his insatiable curiosity to know why businesses did things in certain ways.  During his early years with financial services, Stuart had the chance to speak to senior executives and understand their motivations. He was actually working  in New York very close to the Twin Towers when the two planes struck during 9/11. He vividly recalls the events after the collapse and the human impact it had on the entire city.Stuart is one of three people who co-founded Y TREE and his previous experiences within asset liability management focused his attention on how people could use their money to live their best life for the duration of their lives. Together with his co-founders, Arik Peretz and Johnnie Hampel, Y TREE was created which is a business that sits on top of the wealth management industry able to provide transparency over all financial services providers to give individuals a more complete view across all their financial services providers whilst creating efficiency and insight. Data is collected using a whole range of technologies integrated with over 40 of the largest wealth manager firms which as a non product provider is all about customer centric insight and understanding. Stuart explains that 1% of the global population is over 50% of the wealth, probably greater today after inflation. Most people are considering how they exist from day to day which is expense management and debt consolidation. Y TREE is operating for approximately 600,000 people in the UK with over £1 million to invest and turn their investment into an enabler for positive life experiences. Y TREE is focused on helping individuals and their families plan and have the confidence to meet their life  and legacy aspirations. One of Stuart's reflections is that people's psychology surrounding money is fascinating and highly individual but nearly always rooted in personal values. This in turn has led Stuart and his co-founders to consider the Y TREE values in depth. Today, those values are Time, Togetherness and Responsibility. As Y TREE grows, Stuart is morphing as a CEO. He believes candour is important and feels comfortable to have very open conversations with people which includes feedback for himself to learn and grow each day. When we experience change we also experience growth and Stuart and his co-founders hope that they continue to experience both for some time to come as they help more people become fully conscious of what their wealth can do to create a world better for all. www.y-tree.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.

Diana Markaki is the founder of The Boardroom, the first private members club for women executives who aspire to become board members. Diana is originally from Greece (Athens) and began her professional life as a corporate lawyer working in New York and London. After a number of years she decided to transition into business and secured her first board appointment at the age of 34. Diana actually came up with the idea for The Boardroom during her executive MBA studies at Harvard University which was the catalyst for Diana wanting to know more about how she and other women could become successful board members. Even with all of Diana's success, sacrifice and professional credentials she appreciated the need for more effort to assist women internationally to make sure they had access and opportunity to senior level appointments. Diana acknowledges the privileges that she has personally experienced but this has only strengthened her desire to create a social mobility pathway for others to accelerate their professional careers and influence. The Boardroom is only 2 years old and was born from a LinkedIn post in January 2021 after Diana had lost her father during the Pandemic.  After a few days Diana started to receive hundreds of messages from other women supporting her idea and passion.  She created a team of founding members who focused on working with large corporations (with the power, influence and finances) to create change, from her base in Zurich Switzerland. She describes The Boardroom as a boot strapped mission driven start up. She invested her own family money into the creation of The Boardroom which now works with over 100 large organisations across Europe from bases in 6 countries expanding to 12 countries in the new year, each with it's own private Club House. Diana explains about the European Directives in place that focus on assisting the number of women being represented on Boards of listed companies, however she also explains how regulation can actually be counter productive and so her focus remains on the social perspective as opposed to the simple legal requirement for gender equality. Merit is non-negotiable and The Boardroom gathers momentum in re-writing the rules one woman at a time www.the-boardroom.chHeidrick and Struggles is proudly supporting The Boardroom in London and Europe as we are passionate about building bridges and true collaboration for the benefit of all.  www.heidrick.com 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.

Mohammed Qahtani is a World Champion in public speaking having won the Toastmaster's event competing against 30,000 people from 100 countries.  Mohammed was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and didn't speak until he was 5 years old. He used to stutter when talking and reading and he remembers a teacher smacking him across the face and asking him if he was stupid due to his inability to read out loud.  Appalling as this recollection is, Mohammed actually found solace in another student who pushed him to fight against the fear of public speaking and stuttering by reading out the school bulletins each and every day to overcome his fear. Day after day, disaster after disaster, Mohammed started to enjoy speaking and started to find that he would stutter less and less. By a strange twist of fate, Mohammed met the teacher and student in later life and both did not remember what they had said and the impact (both negative and positive) that they had on Mohammed. Instantly he realised the Power of Words in our lives which in turn would become the basis for his World Champion winning speech. Mohammed joined Toastmasters when he found himself stuttering again in later life and competed for a few years before reaching the final in 2015 in Las Vegas in front of a live audience of over 4,000 people. Mohammed also experimented with comedy, a skillset which featured in his winning speech. During our conversation Mohammed talks about how he structured the speech and how and why he incorporated certain elements from his life lessons and how they continue to guide his understanding of the power of what we say in any given moment. All leaders cast a shadow of their leadership. Words matter, people matter. Be a force for good. www.qahtanispeaks.comWatch the World Champion winning speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwbI8VOsDToWatch & 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 Jonsson is the founder of the Executive Global Network (EGN) in South East Asia and author of 'Executive Loneliness.' Three CEO's during conversations for this podcast have used the phrase 'It's time to take the mask off', the issue of extreme vulnerability is very real. Nick began his career in advertising and has always had challenging and demanding jobs. His own personal struggles led him to start the Executive Global Network as a confidential peer group for executives and business owners across South East Asia. Nick's motivation for starting (EGN) was based on struggles he had during a 'burn out' period as an executive. He was anxious, stressed and became addicted to alcohol between 2015-2018 he was losing his physical health. He describes the 'smiling depression' as a period of time when he pretended everything was ok to the outside world but internally everything was falling apart and he was spiralling. During Nick's research for his book he discovered that about 10% of senior executives are living as functional alcoholics. Nick uncovered that 33% of executives in SE Asia were suffering from loneliness and isolation. During the pandemic the numbers doubled!  Nick himself, hit rockbottom in 2018 and wrote his last will and testament as he could not see how he could recover. He met a woman who later became his wife who was the catalyst for him seeking help as she was responsible for helping Nick break the cycle of shame and hiding and him slowly realising that he was not alone.   The strategy to combat Executive Loneliness is based on vulnerability and sharing on a deeply human level.  Dr Verran Rose (episide. ) describes vulnerability brilliantly. Society has always handed trophies and glorified winners and many of us have grown up with a selfish dedication to our own success and believing that when the going gets tough the tough gets going.  Today, successful companies are making every effort to support their people with mental health initiatives with a culture of openness and understanding. The perception of success is very different to the reality of success which is why we have seen so many high profile individuals struggle publicly. The sheer size of SE Asia has also contributed to the challenges for many executives working in the area. It's time to humanise our leadership. Nick also outlines his 5 Step plan to mitigate executive loneliness during this episode. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-jonsson/Buy the book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Executive-Loneliness-Overcoming-Isolation-Depression-ebook/dp/B091B1Y3WZWatch & 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.

Tim Creswick is the founder and CEO of Vorboss, a telecommunications company which he set up 17 years ago and now employs over 400 people. He is also the newly appointed Chair of the Board of Directors at the Institute of Telecommunications Professionals.This is a courageous, vulnerable and inspiring episode of success,  challenge , divorce, therapy, mental health and never stopping in the pursuit of personal growth. All leaders must understand that  success comes at a price and self awareness and self care are non-negotiable.  Tim completed  his high school education but decided to drop out of Oxford University before completing his degree in order to pursue his entrepreneurial spirit. Tim describes himself as an outsider, and only felt a sense of home when in his 30's. He appreciates the contrasting experience he has of anonymity in his commute and everyday life and the weight of responsibility and accountability of being the CEO to over 400 people. Tim truly believes that good leadership means not being invincible. He tells me about his experience of going through a divorce when Vorboss was only about 15 people and the process could have seen the closure of the business. He felt he could not talk about this at work as he didn't want to worry anyone. This is now in stark contrast to running a thriving business that has received over £250-300 million in investment. Tim has made a deliberate decision as an introvert to be authentic, open and deeply human as a leader in order to experience personal growth. He has a tattoo 'Never Stop' when at end of 2019 he was at very low point and his mental health declined significantly following his prolonged divorce proceedings. Tim got to the point that his depression was leaving him feeling hollow and numb. Just getting out of bed and functioning would be an effort each day. This difficult period was also one of the most empowering times for Tim in the business as people knew something was wrong but they also saw an incredible drive to push the business even harder. For Tim, overcoming the challenge of getting out of bed in the morning left him feeling invincible for the rest of the day.  Being a leader is a deeply personal journey but you have a choice of the experience (shadow) that you provide to those you lead and interact with each and every day. They say 'it's lonely at the top', so check out next week's episode focused on 'Executive Loneliness' with Nick Jonsson.  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.

Carol Day is the Business Operations Manager for Stuart Pearce (former England Captain) and also spent over 14 years with the Football Association working with the England Men's Teams throughout a number of European and World Cup Competitions including Team GB during the London Olympics.  Mitchell Feldman is the co-founder and CMO of the award winning technology company Xrai Glass who are continuing to improve the lives of those with impaired hearing by subtitling life! This episode is a wonderful example of how The Leadership Enigma can combine guests and contributors to enhance and pressure test the leadership lessons we experience throughout life. Carol outlines how she has been involved in elite football for years, including personally communicating with the England players when they were selected for international duties. Carol is married to Stuart Pearce and works with him on a daily basis combining his experiences on the pitch with her own personal business experiences to create a compelling perspective on the leadership challenges of those working within a corporate environment. Mitchell continues to strive to be a force for good for the hearing impaired community by leveraging a technology enabled product to subtitle life. He has also been working with England's deaf football team to try and improve their ability to prepare and train for competition as they are not allowed any use of technology on the field of play. The connection between my guests is based not only on sport but on the fact that Carol has suffered hearing difficulties including tinnitus since birth and volunteers within the deaf community herself.  This is a wonderful episode of two leaders from two very different sectors reflecting on what leadership means to them, their teams and the very personal lessons they have benefited from. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: 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.