The Leadership Enigma

Sapna Gopalakrishnan is Legal Counsel for one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. She got her dream job in early March 2019 and then everything changed as she almost lost her life and doctors gave her a 0-5% chance of survival. Through a freak incident in 2019 in Mumbai, Sapna contracted Sepsis which is the body’s extreme response to an infection. It is a life-threatening medical emergency and happens when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. In a short space of time she was in full septic shock. a coma for three weeks, 7-8 transfusions, suspected brain damage, gangrene, organ failure which all resulted in her having to have multiple amputations from both feet and both hands. What is extraordinary are the recollections Sapna has of out of body experiences with recollections of activities in other rooms that have been corroborated by her friends and family and also her incredible spiritual resilience with a hint of comedy, sci-fi and music! What is clear from this extraordinary account is the power of people and community. Friends, family and a global organisation that lived up to it's purpose of impact and being a force for good, all combining to help Sapna through the experience and back to living her life to the full.  As we have  this conversation in the foyer of the Intercontinental Hotel in Singapore, Sapna continues to be grateful every single day as she accepts that something happened to her but it will never define her.  An inspirational episode and another sample of the power of Human Centred Leadership. Insta: amputee_curlyWatch & 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.

Lady Indiraa has had three Top 10 singles in the UK Dance Charts. She is an amazingly compassionate Indian born, London bred electro pop sensation who broke into music in her 50's and is now proudly approaching her 65th birthday. Indiraa is all about 'Breaking the Mould' in an industry who uses Avatars for her music videos to mask the fact that she is of an age demographic that most listeners would not believe or even associate with. Her songs are played by some of the biggest 'A list' DJ's all over the world and her lyrics are a deeply personal expression of experiences such as the loss of her parents, mental health and addiction and a realisation that the her human being was driving her music output when both happy and sad. Lady Indiraa started to explore street talk, youth culture and used crime podcasts to learn about the language she might use in her lyrics to connect with her growing audience. She has performed in some of London's biggest clubs and also in front of the Mayor of London. Her performances allow her to tap into her alter ego and put on a show that in many ways is a life of escapism. This episode is a beautifully honest and vulnerable story of someone who many will see as a successful singer songwriter without really knowing the trauma, lessons and life experiences that fuel her creativity. The success of her songs is undoubtedly linked to the connection young people feel with the edgy and honest lyrics that speak of the trials and tribulations experienced by many.Her song 'Shrink' was dedicated to the death of her therapist after many years of personal development at a time when she was struggling with depression and anxiety. The re-release of the single was predicated on the struggles Lady Indiraa was seeing in the younger generation post pandemic. When you can accept who you are, you find the strength to open yourself up to others and start to ask for the help you might need. This is all about the power of vulnerability and the need for all of us to care. Enjoy every second of this very special 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.

Jason Nash is a Chief Product Marketing Officer and former Product Manager for Microsoft CRM who presented on stage with Bill Gates in a world of digital transformation. One of the critical questions for leaders is how to proactively seek diversity of thought and ensure that our technology systems do not fall foul to the human tendencies for bias and fixed thinking?Jason explains that he has become comfortable with being a proud neurodiverse (dyslexic) who was diagnosed at school and as result was exposed to the world of computers early.  Jason also tells me that he is a gay man whose partner is also heavily neurodiverse (Aspergers Syndrome) and a highly accomplished musician so Jason remains acutely aware of the benefits of diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. The critical feature for leaders promoting diversity is to ensure that the outcome is greater than the output. The increasing use of Generative AI can lead to cognitive overload especially in product development where customers can become overwhelmed by the scope of functionality but the AI revolution will also be an enabling technology for the neurodiverse and beyond.  The challenge is for leaders and organisations to ensure that bias does not enter the digital systems in order to offer bias based solutions at the other end.  Over the last few decades we have moved from being content consumers to content creators which again focuses the mind on output vs outcome especially in a world of deep fakes and misinformation. Jason explains that 'his dyslexic gay mind' is an incredible superpower in a world of intense change.  Be inspired by this episode. jason.nash@curiouscognition.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.

Neil Mullarkey is a comedian, author, co-founder of The Comedy Store Players with Mike Myers (Wayne's World, Austin Powers & Shrek) a regular on Whose Line Is It Anyway and member of the iconic Cambridge Footlights. This episode will make you smile and laugh out loud, something we could all do with more of.  Neil shares some incredible stories with me from the days of the Cambridge Footlights, home to so many famous comedians such as Monty Python, The Goodies, John Cleese, Fry & Laurie and many more. He explains how he met Mike Myers by accident and asked him to paint the set and sell tickets for him which led to them becoming a double act which in turn become a way of life full of laughter, improvisation and stand up comedy. The power and applicability of improvisation in a business context is clear and Neil now helps leaders focus on their ability to listen, co-create, build psychological safety and teamwork and step into uncertainty with a feeling of hope. You become a good improvisor when you let go of the fear of being seen as mad, bad or wrong. Don't try to do things by yourself 'bring a brick and build a cathedral.'Warwick University did a study that happy workers are 12% more productive, humour will help any leader and humour utterances tend to see people succeed more than those who don't.Neil outlines his acronym L.A.G.E.R. as a simple process that any of us can follow. Neil also explains how he met and worked with Eddie Izzard and outlines how different styles and rhythms of delivery connect with audiences. The pandemic also forced Neil to focus on his skills in a virtual and remote format. His advice for leaders is to keep communicating with people using all the various mediums but ensuring you are 'checking in' not 'checking up'. and use the 20:20:20 rule. The office remains a place to focus people on 'connection, celebration and education.' Kentucky Fried Duck will help you remember to focus on your what you want your audience to KNOW, FEEL and DO to avoid the spiral of disaster and enter the bubble of opportunity. This episode is packed full of fun, laughter and wisdom from years of entertaining people all over the world as some of the greatest comedians of our time. We also touch on storytelling for leaders. Keep it simple as Neil outlines three simple categories of. how we got here, where we are now and where are we going next. Neil has also promised me that his alter ego L Vaughan Spencer will come onto the show in the New Year.......what could possibly go wrong!www.neilmullarkey.comNeil's new book 'In The Moment' is available on Amazon.   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.

Dr Verran Rose is a qualified psychiatrist, therapist and specialist in conscious breath work which allows her to help people identify and alleviate trauma in the body. Verran is neurodiverse and grew up in a painful set of family circumstances that led to alcohol and drug addiction. Her passion for helping others and her ability of insight are extraordinary. If leadership is your promise of a lived experience for those around you, what are the consequences if you take no time to understand what your needs are?This episode was recorded on location in Herceg Novi in Montenegro and if you can hear cars and leaf blowers, I hope it adds to the enjoyment of listening to someone who can help all of us understand the importance of stopping to really know ourselves and embrace vulnerability as a core part of the Human Centred Leader. Ask yourself one question: Do you actually matter to yourself right now? Verran explains that vulnerability is the ability to identify our own needs and to have the confidence to ask people for what we need. The challenge for many is that we don’t see or even know our own needs, or we see needs as a mental health issue or even a weakness. With a relentless focus on doing and being busy whilst searching for external validation we may feel good about ourselves but what are we ignoring?Vulnerability is a powerful ally which allows us to identify our needs that will allow us to perform at our best, yet disassociation get in the way. Disassociation is when we only see how we are doing by how people validate us externally as opposed to an ability to sit with ourselves and really know what we need. Many of us are frightened of being vulnerable and exposing our authentic self and masking who we really are to avoid rejection and disappointment emotionally and professionally. Did you know that by the age of 7 our personal identify is already fully formed from the narrative of our parents or those important and significant people in our lives. If you are also neurodiverse you simply accept this identity without challenge until crisis hits and you either rebel or just suffer. Quietness and stillness are difficult concepts for a high achiever, and many use being busy as an antidote to truly understanding what personal needs are. In fact, many of us will avoid the stillness because to be with ourselves is not enough.  Some of the simplest things such a breathing, joy, happiness, and gratitude are being overlooked but so many each and every day, but to what cost?  The issue of vulnerability is a global, human and connected issue for all of us. Pt 2 coming soon 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.

Chandran Nair is the founder of The Global Institute for Tomorrow (GIFT), a leading Pan Asia Think Tank that explores and confronts 'The Inconvenient Truth' surrounding leadership and global existential issues facing us all.  Before the start of GIFT, Chandran led and grew Asia's largest environmental consultancy having lived and worked in a number of regions across the world.  Whilst you may or may not agree with some of the issues Chandran explores, this episode will certainly get you to think and confront the narratives that we have all been immersed in for decades. Chandran's curiosity comes from an increasing sense of injustice for many issues facing the world and the dishonest narratives that he perceives have been distributed across regions. Chandran is a firm believer of scientific research and analysis and a fact driven debate to try and fix these challenges that impact the billions of people on the planet. Sustainability is an abused term according to Chandran with most people not allowing the science to direct their focus and attention. With 8 billion people on the planet, we can't have it all and most people in the developing world can't live the lives taken for granted in the Western world.  Chandran suggests that the term 'net zero' and 'carbon neutral' are myths.  The current economic model of 'trickle down economics' will never allow most humans to access or own basic needs that are taken for granted by the West. The pandemic was an example of how the world suffered a 'storm' but depending on where you lived, people had to navigate that storm in a very different boat. Chandran is still hopeful that 'deliberate denial is not the mainstream reaction to some of these inconvenient truths but he also accepts that good faith is hindered by the harsh realities of things such as the distribution of power and wealth across the world. Leadership requires all of us to focus on the existential threats and be intellectually honest, regardless of how inconvenient certain truths are for consumption.  Chandran states that the science can't be ignored surrounding the world's relentless consumption and the simplicity of approach suggested by many global leaders requires a far more constructive curiosity from us all. Chandran challenges our thinking throughout this episode and asks many questions including asking if we all 'buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like.' Perhaps we are all sleep walking towards the need for draconian measures to slow and reconfigure our current approach to life whereby the collective welfare becomes paramount to individual rights. The greatest challenge for the modern day leader is the requirement to unlearn what may have been taken for granted or even proved to be correct in days gone by. https://global-inst.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.

Caroline Pill is a Partner at Heidrick & Struggles with a squiggly career from Law to Luxury. She was born in Antwerp and has lived and worked in London, New York, Shanghai, Amsterdam and Brussels.  At 18 years old Caroline felt overwhelmingly curious about life so decided to move to Brussels to begin her law studies which in turn took her to Yale Law School and then to working as a lawyer in one of New York's most prestigious law firms.  The initial path made sense to her as she had grown up in a loving and high achieving environment.  Her family were immigrants and her father a holocaust survivor which meant that there was a strong sense of survival and resilience in all. Whilst Caroline appreciated the intellectual challenge of law, she deeply missed the people element and in her 20's she found that the driving force was love which in turn took her to China following her heart❤️.  With every decision, Caroline had to adapt to the consequences which included changing careers, locations and influences in her life. Her superpower was her ability to be a chameleon however unsettling her life became including dealing with a divorce and a pandemic at the same time.  When the going gets touch, Caroline studies! It is her route out of chaos and uncertainty hence her side careers of personal training and executive coaching. Today, Caroline leads the global practice for fashion, luxury and beauty at Heidrick & Struggles based in London. The role lets Caroline play her strengths, leverage her analytical focus and help people connect to people. We are all work in progress and a squiggly career is a career of leaning, failure and never settling. https://www.heidrick.com/en/people/p/caroline_pillWatch & 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.

Jack Sullivan is a Director of West Ham United, son of David Sullivan (owner of West Ham), former Managing Director of West Ham Ladies and current entrepreneur including co-owner of  Supply Life. Jack has always lived in a family of high achievement. His father is a well known business entrepreneur and owner of one of the most iconic London Premier League football clubs. At the age of 17 Jack was made the managing Director of West Ham Ladies and the focus of a TV documentary series. Jack has had to live his life in the spotlight and mitigate what people know about him from the news or social media, including being labelled as one of the youngest billionaires in the UK. Jack outlines the weight of expectation on him from a young age to embrace a hard working ethic, to try his best and respect people. Jack has always been curious and hungry to learn and experience as much as possible as early on in his life. By 16 he had experienced most of the various departments of West Ham United. The Women's Team was semi pro and Jack saw the opportunity to learn more if he focused his attention on the momentum in Women's football. At 17 Jack faced a wave of criticism when he was appointed the Managing Director of West Ham Ladies yet he persevered and quietly learned his trade, In only his second year as MD he had a TV documentary team following his every move! Jack leveraged the experience of those around him by listening, watching and mirroring those people already working at West Ham. Jack managed to help the Ladies Team become a truly professional and internationally representative team that played in the FA Cup Final. Now as a Director of the main club, involved with the Men's first team, the stakes are even higher. This episode is a wonderfully honest insight into life of a young entrepreneur in the spotlight of the beautiful game. www.supplylife.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.

We all need a coach, even the best in the world! Nick Goldberg is the Founder and proud CEO of Ezra Coaching and Sinead Keenan is a psychologist, behavioural scientist and the Chief Innovation Officer and Head of Ezra Labs. One of the questions Nick and Sinead are working on is how they can democratise coaching for all, not just the elite and successful?  Nick suffered imposter syndrome when he found himself as a CEO in his late 20's which is when he first had use of a coach, a coach he still has today. Coaching can be transformative for us both in relation to how we feel as we regulate our beliefs and emotions and how we become more aware of our behaviours and impact to those around us. The pandemic was a catalyst for coaching to move wholly online and suddenly access, cost and methodologies were all challenged to the point that coaching moved from exclusive to  accessible. Leaders now want to be able to consider both adaptive and technical challenges that they face.  The reality is, the more senior you become the mote unlikely you will have all the answers of even ability to solve it all. Coaching can help as it is personalised and focused to your own working ecosystem, nuances and internal belief systems.  The key component is the personal accountability that a coach can create. Research has revealed that people learn best when they feel successful which underpins the coaching methodology at Ezra. In this episode Sinead also asks me some questions which allowed me to reflect on some recent feedback received from a client and the positive impact it had on my own performance. We also explore the issue of 'chemistry' and recent analysis suggests that this does not make much difference on the impact of coaching. More important is the ability to build trust, challenge, mutual respect and a working alliance. A good coach will also challenge some of the 'old school' thinking such as leadership is about strength and problem solving as opposed to vulnerability and psychological safety. 75% of a senior leaders conversations revolve around the personal and human element of their business as opposed to the technical challenges. The rise of the Human Centred Leader continues and coaching can unlock your superpowers. www.helloezra.comhttps://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.

Stuart Pearce MBE (aka Psycho) is a former England football player, captain, manager, coach and current pundit for Talk Sport. For many Stuart is fondly remembered for his role at clubs such as Manchester City, West Ham United, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest under the leadership of the iconic Brian Clough. Stuart was also an integral part of the England Team during the 1990 World Cup and 1996 European Championships. This episode is a fascinating journey of reflection into events such as missing the penalty in the 1990 World Cup, Stuart's experience of the incredible level of humility from the German players after the semi final and of the difficult decision to leave West Ham United as the manager.Stuart is someone who has reflected deeply on his experiences, both triumph and challenge as we explore his own personal lessons and how this can apply to leaders in any sector and at any level. This episode provides insight behind the human being who has at times had to carry the weight of the nation on his shoulders yet still remain grounded and humble from his early beginnings and setbacks by leveraging an incredibly resilient work ethic.Also, see what Stuart and the England Team initially thought of the Three Lions anthem. Understand who Stuart thinks is a real leader and why. We even explore the prospect of a non football player successfully leading and managing a Premiership Club and discuss how Stuart was forced to consider leadership as he took the FA Cup to Afghanistan for a troop visit. Don't miss 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.