Inspiring Leadership with Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE

Rob Metcalfe’s guiding principle is that leadership is not just an individual pastime; rather it needs to be embedded at all levels within and across organisations so those closest to the need can meet it in an aligned and autonomous way. This belief stems from his career in the military where alignment between Headquarters, Operations Rooms and the person on the ground is so vital, whether on conventional or alternate activities. The strength of this belief was forged in both peacetime activities and operational theatres that included the Falklands War and various roles in Northern Ireland.Since then, he has dedicated his career to enabling leadership at every level through consulting, facilitation, training and coaching. He encourages people to think and respond through the lens of self, others and the system, proactively and consciously choosing where their focus should be. This is achieved by creating clear goals alongside simple habits and routines that enable consistency between a person, team or organisation’s inner and outer games.This experience includes 14 years as CEO of LIW, expanding the organisation from start up to global leadership consultancy, preceded by 14 years as an officer in the Royal Marines Commandos. More recently he spent 3 years as a Partner with Denali Venture Partners and he now operates as an associate and investor to his previous organisations, as well as an independent consultant to a small number of other purposeful organisations across sectors and throughout the world. He is motivated by organisations that have a positive impact and has recently concentrated on working with the UN World Food Program across Africa and the Middle East including working with leadership teams and operational leaders in Yemen, Iraq, Sudan, Syria and Somalia. He also works with the Kids Cancer Project in Australia who are dedicated to saving childrens’ lives though investment in cancer research.Rob and his team held the world building abseil record in 1992 for scaling to, and abseiling from, the upper deck of the CN Tower in Toronto, alongside a team from the Canadian School of Rescue Training. He was also “Mentioned in Dispatches” during his service, acknowledging that this was due to the efforts of the leaders and the people he had the good fortune to command.Rob sees how neuroscience is proving what was previously only a belief about good leadership practice. Many of his top tips are based on this truth. His top tip for your reflection is to “do whatever you want but know what you are doing”. He picked this quote up from someone else and has since observed that it is often not the case! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stuart Tootal spent twenty years in the British Army, serving in Northern Ireland, the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also held strategic planning appointments in the MOD, where he was awarded an OBE for leading a major structural change programme in 2005. In 2006, Stuart was the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment and led the first UK combat unit into Afghanistan, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). He resigned from the Army in 2008 having been promoted to full colonel. A major reason for leaving the Army was the poor treatment of his wounded soldiers.Stuart joined Barclays later that year, where he spent a decade holding MD global leadership positions, which included heading the bank’s security and global travel departments, as well as running a retail banking customer initiative. During this period, he specialised in building a global team and delivering strategic change programmes across six different business units spanning fifty-five countries. He also played a key role in numerous crisis management situations, including leading the bank’s response to the Arab Spring in Egypt in 2011. While at Barclays, he founded and ran the AFTER ex-military employment programme, which hired 650 former service personnel into Barclays. Stuart also founded the Parachute Regiment Afghanistan Trust charity, as CEO and chairman, which raised £3.7M for wounded soldiers. In 2019, Stuart set up Matero Consulting as a founding partner. Establishing a new approach to change management, based on providing clients with disciplined critical thinking decision-making, agile planning, and empowerment execution tools and skills. Matero’s clients have included HSBC, LSEG, Centrica, One Technology, and Metro Bank, as well as a number of startup companies. Typical projects have centred on supporting the design, build, and delivery of major change initiatives where servant leadership development, creating a team culture of accountability, and harnessing diversity to resolve complex issues has been key.Over a fifteen-year period, Stuart has been engaged by over fifty FTSE and Fortune companies on the subject of speaking about empowered leadership and creating a mission purposed culture. Clients have included RBS, Kraft, the Daily Mail group, Babcock, Invesco, Virgin Atlantic, Accenture, Fidelity, and Grant Thornton. Stuart is a history graduate of London and Cambridge universities and part-time author. His first book, Danger Close – Leading 3 PARA in Afghanistan became a Sunday Times best seller and his fourth book, about the SAS in the Falklands War, entered the Sunday Times best seller list in 2022. He is currently writing his fifth book for Penguin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim is CEO of Vorboss Limited, a technically led internet service provider with one of the UK’s largest networks. Experienced Chief Executive Officer with deep understanding of technology and processes, creating value with a clear strategic vision. Background in engineering, numerous skills within technical software and IT, extensive knowledge across fibre, infrastructure, telecoms, cloud and connectivity verticals. Demonstrated history of building an organisation from the ground up, leading and growing a high performing team to deliver best-in-class connectivity services to businesses across the UK and Europe. Vorboss is currently deploying London’s newest business-only fibre network, providing the first real alternative to BT Openreach that networks and businesses can rely on. Our network is built to meet the future demands of 5G networks and 100Gbps connectivity. Vorboss is the first provider in London to connect enterprise buildings at 100Gbps, with end-to-end ownership of the fibre path. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oscar Trimboli is an award-winning author, host of the Apple award-winning podcast Deep Listening and a sought-after keynote speaker.Along with the Deep Listening Ambassador Community, he is on a quest to create 100 million deep listeners in the workplace.Through his work with chairs, boards of directors, and executive teams, Oscar has experienced first-hand the transformational impact leaders can have when they listen beyond words. He believes that when leadership teams focus their attention and listening, they will build organizations that create powerful legacies for the people they serve – today and more importantly, for future generations.Oscar is a marketing and technology industry veteran working for Microsoft, PeopleSoft, Polycom, and Vodafone. He consults with organizations including American Express, AstraZeneca, Cisco, Google, HSBC, IAG, Montblanc, PwC, Salesforce, Sanofi, SAP, and Siemens.He is the author of how to listen – discover the hidden key to better communication – the most comprehensive book about listening in the workplace, Deep Listening – Impact beyond words and Breakthroughs: How to Confront Assumptions. Oscar loves his afternoon walks with his wife, Jennie, and their dog Kilimanjaro. On the weekends, you will find him playing Lego with one or all his four grandchildren. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jon Macaskill (pronounced Muh-KAS-kill) is a retired Navy SEAL Commander turned mindfulness teacher and leadership coach. During his 24-year Navy career, he served in multiple highly dynamic leadership positions, from the battlefield to the operations center and the board room. Jon's unconventional yet highly effective style of teaching leadership is fueled by his passion for helping people and organizations become the best versions of themselves. He takes what helped him excel in his professional life and heal in his personal life and now shares this through mindfulness coaching, grit and resilience training, and keynote speaking, all in the pursuit of helping others achieve their full potential.Top tip: Masters are never done learning - learning something new every single day! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Aston joined the army in 1964 as a boy entrant with no formal qualifications. On entering adult service in 1966 he was posted to the Gloucestershire Regiment. Here he served in Berlin, Minden, Belize, Canada and Northern Ireland. He was a Corporal, section commander at age 20 and within 5 years was a platoon sergeant and went on to command a platoon on operations in Northern Ireland.In 1978 he passed SAS Selection and was employed in Mountain Troop in D Sqn. He served all over the world and took part in the Falklands War where he took part in the liberation of South Geor gia, the raid on the airfield on Pebble Island and the taking of Mount Kent.Later he was employed as the senior instructor at the International Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol School in Germany. Following this he was instrumental in the formation of the Light Recce Commanders Course at the School of Infantry. A tour as the RSM of the British Military Parachute School followed. His final job in the army was as the Divisional Sergeant Major assisting in running Company Commanders Courses at the Land Warfare School.On retiring from uniformed service he was employed as a civil servant working with the Infantry Trials and Development Unit delivering Urgent Operational Requirements for ongoing operations.Since retiring in 2013 he spends his time walking ‘Wilf’, his Border Terrier, cycling, training for and running ultra marathons. He has co-written a book with Col Stuart Tootal about his experiences during the Falklands War –‘ SAS – SEA KING DOWN’Top Leadership TipKnow your team and always be approachable, Always set an example and be decisive in all you do. Above all, know that Loyalty goes down as well as up. If the guys know you’ve got their back, they will protect yours. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Barron, General Manager Personal Care UK&I / VP Deodorants Europe at Unilever With nearly 25 years’ experience in the industry, Chris is the General Manager for Unilever’s Personal Care business in the UK&I, and VP for Deodorants Europe. He was also recently appointed as Deputy chair for the industry body the Cosmetics, Toiletries and Perfumeries Association. Chris started his career with L’Oréal on their management trainee scheme, before working both in their marketing team in London, and the International Development team based in the company's global headquarters in Paris. He first joined Unilever in 2006 and has since then worked in London, Chicago, and New Jersey on many of Unilever’s biggest brands. Since 2017 he has been on the UK&I leadership team and is currently General Manager of the Personal Care business unit. He is also charged with running the program for the Deodorants business across Europe, Australia & NZ, leading the cross functional team for this €1bn business. Chris has significant experience in working on purposeful brands. He has worked hard to pioneer a number of initiatives on Hygiene Poverty, to address the fact that almost half of low-income households have had to go without hygiene products because they can no longer afford them. This has seen more than one million products donated to charity partner In Kind Direct over the last year, and he is now working on scaling the initiative across the industry. Most recently, on Unilever’s Dove brand, he has been involved in launching Cost of beauty: A Dove film which invites people to join us on our mission to make social media a more positive place for young people. Chris is married to Lizzie and has two daughters, Alice and Lottie. He is a big rugby and cricket fan, but the Chicago Cubs will always have a place in his heart. Chris’s top leadership tips are firstly, to ‘make it personal’ with people by connecting with his team and broader stakeholders in a personable, authentic way. Secondly, his work during the pandemic as one of the leading manufacturers of soap and hygiene products in the UK&I informs his tip to wash your hands - more often than you think you need to and for longer. This is a habit from the pandemic we must keep, which would help to reduce the burden on the NHS by keeping us healthier and avoiding respiratory diseases. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi I'm Doug Field, the CEO of the vibrant and dynamic East of England Co-op, a co-operative society that has thrived for over 150 years and continues to grow with passion and purpose. What sets our Society apart is our unwavering commitment to our members—over 280,000 strong—who are the lifeblood of our co-operative. We take immense pride in being the largest independent retail business in East Anglia, with a remarkable presence spanning more than 200 trading outlets across 70 diverse towns and villages in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. As the CEO, I am entrusted with safeguarding and nurturing the legacy of our members, ensuring their interests are protected for generations to come. It is a responsibility I wholeheartedly embrace, driven by a deep-seated passion for the East of England and the remarkable communities we serve. Beyond the East of England Co-op, I am actively involved in initiatives that make a positive difference in our region. Previously I was Chair of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership and am a Trustee of the esteemed Green Light Trust. I work to support and uplift local businesses and charitable causes. Before moving to East Anglia my career included four years at Christie Group plc as Group Financial Controller and six years at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Bristol. Away from the professional realm, I find great joy and inspiration in the adventures that parenthood brings. My three school-age children keep me on my toes and fuel my imagination. Sports also hold a special place in my heart—I relish witnessing the successes (and failures) of my hometown sports teams, from Hull City's promotion to the Premier League to Hull FC's victorious rugby league Challenge Cup win in Cardiff.His Top TipAsk questions - Asking questions is a great way to get the most out of our lives and businesses. It encourages us to learn and share our thoughts, which helps build trust, encourages new ideas, and improves performance. From a leadership perspective asking questions also encourages others to participate in problem-solving and to take ownership of their own ideas. As a leader, it is important to be curious and open to new ideas. It is through asking questions that leaders can gain insight into what is important to their employees and gain a better understanding of what’s happening on the ground. Finally a good question can begin to shift the way we perceive of think about something that might serve as a catalyst for change Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This was very special for me to have a US Naval Aviator who was trained at the same bases as my father had trained at, and who had flown F14 Tomcats at the Top Gun school, while Tom Cruise was filming, and then going on to come on the USS Nimitz before his current career in Boeing.Mike Manazir served 36 years in the U.S. Navy and retired in 2017 as a Rear Admiral (Upper Half). As a naval aviator, Mike was qualified in the F-14 and the F-18 aircraft, flying 3750 fighter hours and conducting 1240 arrested landings during fifteen overseas deployments aboard aircraft carriers. A graduate of TOPGUN, Mike commanded a fighter squadron, two ships including the aircraft carrier USS NIMITZ, and a carrier strike group. Mike also completed five tours in the Pentagon. Following retirement from the Navy, Mike accepted a position with The Boeing Company where he conducts liaison between the U.S. Navy and Boeing.Mike has been married to Kelly for 41 years. They have two grown children.Mike has published Learn How to Lead to Win; 33 Powerful Stories and Leadership Lessons in which he describes his own leadership journey through his Navy experience. His stories are applicable in civilian organizations and pursuits as much as in the military. Mike’s book is available on Amazon in all versions as well as an audio version, which Mike narrates himself. Further leadership content can be found on Mike’s website, www.mikemanazir.com.Mike’s “Two-Minute Top Tip” can be encapsulated in one phrase: “Lead from your heart, not with your title”. If you have to revert to using your official title to lead your team, you will not get the best results. To truly build a high performing team, you must create a connection – from your heart – with each member of your team. You must lead with empathy and care. You must let them know that you allow failure as long as we all learn from the failure. You must let them know that the team thrives through the contributions of each team member as a whole. You want them to know it is okay to assume risk and to always strive to gain better results. If you lead with your title, your team will not take risk, they will not attempt to fail and learn. In short, they will not be invested in constant improvement and greater success. Your heart to heart connection with each member will accelerate results. Nirvana for top team performance is when you don’t want to disappoint them…and they don’t want to disappoint you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Craig Valentine, MBA, an award-winning speaker and trainer, has traveled the world helping people get remarkable results through leadership, communications, and change. Known as the Champion of Change, he is a professional speaker and has spoken in the United States, Taiwan, Canada, Jamaica, Qatar (Doha), England, Bahamas, Hong Kong, China, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, South Africa, Japan, and Ireland giving as many as 160 presentations per year.Craig is the author of the Amazon.com #1 Bestseller, World Class Speaking In Action.He is also the 1999 World Champion of Public Speaking for Toastmasters International, winning out ofmore than 25,000 contestants in 14 countries. He has used his success formulas to:• win Salesperson of the Year (3 times) for Glencoe/McGraw-Hill’s Mid-Atlantic Division• become an award-winning management trainer for one of the most prestigious and largestseminar companies in the United States (averaging an industry-leading 5.85 on a 6.0 ratingscale)• produce sales years of 233%, 157%, and 152% of goal for Glencoe/McGraw-Hill• sell more than $8 million in educational resources in a single year• win the Rising Star salesperson award as a rookie with Glencoe/McGraw-Hill• Direct a highly-successful employment academy for homeless men in Baltimore City andachieved a 100% job placement rate for the program’s graduates• win Events Manager of the Year for the National Small Business Council• win a Congressional Achievement Award from the United States Congress for excellence incommunications• earn the Distinguished Alumni Award from Johns Hopkins University• receive hundreds of speaking awards from Toronto to Taipei• help the United Way of Central Maryland exceed its $45 million fundraising goal in the year2000 by training their Loaned Executives to present with influence• Run an employment academy for homeless men in Baltimore City. During his tenure, Craigand his team had a 100% job-placement rate.Craig is the President of The Communication Factory, LLC, which is an award-winning company that helps people present with impact. Craig Valentine is the author of the groundbreaking book, The Nuts and Bolts of Public Speaking, Co- Author of the book, World Class Speaking, and contributing author for the books Guerrilla Marketing on the Front Lines, Success Secrets of the Social Media Marketing Superstars, The Speaker’s Edge, and Guerrilla Marketing Remix. He has an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and he is certified as a Co- Active Coach and a Guerrilla Marketing Coach.Craig is also the Founder and Co-Founder of two successful small businesses that are each highly profitable even in this economy.Most recently, Craig became the co-author of the Amazon.com #1 bestseller, World Class Speaking In Action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.