Success can be exhilarating, exhausting, even emotional.But even if you have it, you get a niggling feeling you could achieve more.In this episode I am joined by Laura Gassner Otting, author of Wonderhell. We talk about the complexities of success, fulfilment, and personal growth.Laura shares the importance of recognising the emotional challenges that accompany success, and how to navigate them effectively. She discusses the significance of aligning personal goals with values, and the importance of recognising this as a practice for all areas of life not just your work.Whether you’re riding high, full of self-doubt or wanting to get back to your A-game, there is a lot to learn from Laura.“Fix the goal, don’t fix you” - LauraYou'll hear about:How to use your emotions as catalysts for growthWhy you need to align goals with personal valuesFulfilment and the roles balance and success play to achieve itReinvention as a lifelong process not just in your workAbout Laura Gassner:Laura’s secret superpower is seeing your greatness and reflecting it back on you, so that you can get “unstuck” — and achieve extraordinary results. A regular contributor to Good Morning America, the TODAY Show, Harvard Business Review, and Oprah Daily, Laura is the Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of three books, Wonderhell, Limitless, and Mission-Driven. Laura’s 30-year resume is defined by her entrepreneurial edge. She served as a Presidential Appointee in Bill Clinton’s White House, helping shape AmeriCorps; left a leadership role at respected national search firm to expand a tech start-up; and founded, ran, and sold her own global search firm, partnering with the full gamut of mission driven corporate and nonprofit executives.Laura is turned on by the audacity of The Big Idea and that larger-than-life goal you just can’t seem to shake. She’s an instigator, motivator, and provocateur, and she’s never met a revolution she didn’t like. Just ask her enduringly patient husband, two almost-grown sons, and two troublesome pups with whom she lives outside of Boston, MA.Resources:• Profile: https://lauragassnerotting.com/meet-laura/• 'Limitless Leader' report: https://lauragassnerotting.com/resources/#report• ‘Hello Tuesday’ Newsletter: https://lauragassnerotting.com/resources/#newsletter• ‘Wonderhell’ and ‘Limitless’ Books: https://lauragassnerotting.com/resources/#booksMy resources:Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.For more details about me:●      Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.●      About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.●      Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)●      Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)●      Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

Strategy is a word that invokes many emotions.There are those that fear it, those excited by it, and those apathetic to it.To help me on my quest to develop millions of strategic people I am joined by Alex MH Smith, author of No Bullsh*t Strategy.Alex talks with clarity on what strategy should mean to companies and how to approach it. He shares the ways in which people get strategy wrong, and the emotional weight the term has.Alex believes humility is the key to strategic thinking and growth. He also gives insights into what your strategy should include and the significance of good faith disagreement in strategic discussions.Alex’s brutally honest, refreshingly clear insights will change the way you think about strategy forever. “The higher your level of gaze, the more strategic you are” – AlexYou'll hear about:Why most businesses don’t actually have a strategyThe two fundamental problems every company faces—and how to fix themWhy extreme humility is the secret weapon of great strategistsThe biggest mistake leaders make when trying to "be strategic"How to communicate strategy so that everyone in your company actually gets itAbout Alex Smith:Alex is an author and speaker who believes that strategy is the most important skill in business. Unfortunately, it’s also the most misunderstood skill in business - meaning the vast majority of leaders don’t have this power at their fingertips. His work is focused on changing that - by making strategy simple, digestible, and fun so everyone can use it. Whether it’s through his social media following, his best selling book No Bullshit Strategy, or his DIY strategy program The Strategy Shortcut System, everything Alex does is about helping you make the key choices that are going to 50x your results - with no additional effort.Resources:• Hidden Path newsletter: www.basicarts.org/newsletter• Strategy Shortcut System: www.strategyshortcutsystem.com• No Bullsh*t Strategy: www.basicarts.org/bookMy resources:Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.For more details about me:●      Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.●      About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.●      Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)●      Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)●      Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

Be honest, how much time do you spend looking at screens?It’s probably more than you’d care to admit. The bigger question is, what is all that screen time doing to your brain?In this episode I am joined by Richard Cytowic, author of Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age. We discuss the impact of screen addiction on the brain and body.Astonishingly, Richard explains that our brains have not evolved since the Stone Age. They also have fixed energy bandwidths that make multitasking inefficient, which leads to overwhelm and a dulled ability to communicate.Richard emphasises the importance of self-awareness for overcoming our addiction to screens, and the power of silence to help our brains to regulate themselves.If you are looking to boost productivity in your workplace this discussion is not to be missed.“Self-awareness is key to managing screen time” – RichardYou'll hear about:·      What's going on in our brains?·      How does energy relate to neuroplasticity?·      What does the screen do to the brain?·      The lack of screen regulations·      How to start a healthier relationship with screens·      The power of silence·      Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable·      The role and power of dream diaries·      Richard's advice for CEOs·      What does Richard's best day look like?·      The impact Richard wants to have on the world About Richard Cytowic:Richard E. Cytowic, a pioneering researcher in synesthesia, is Professor of Neurology at George Washington University. He is the author of Synesthesia, The Man Who Tasted Shapes, The Neurological Side of Neuropsychology, and, with David M. Eagleman, the Montaigne Medal–winner Wednesday Is Indigo Blue: Discovering the Brain of Synesthesia, all published by the MIT Press. Resources:• Profile: https://cytowic.net/• Book ‘Your stone age brain in the screen age’ https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262049009/your-stone-age-brain-in-the-screen-age/• TED talk: What percentage of your brain do you use? https://www.ted.com/talks/richard_e_cytowic_what_percentage_of_your_brain_do_you_use My resources:Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.For more details about me: ●      Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.●      About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.●      Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)●      Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)●      Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

I am a carer to my son who's disabled.Which makes this episode discussing the often unrecognised role of carers in society and the workplace a very personal one.I am joined by Charlie Beswick, the author of Our Altered Life. Charlie is a mother and carer to her beautiful son, Charlie, and we discuss her hard-earned wisdom on the topic of carers in the workplace.We share our personal experiences as carers, and talk about the superpowers carers bring to businesses, through their resilience, problem solving, pragmatism, empathy, negotiation skills, and plenty more.As the hidden army of the workforce there is plenty to uncover here on how organisations can better support carers and how being curious and supportive to all will enable carers to thrive in the workplace.“My values are forged through the fires of the caring journey” - CharlieYou'll hear about:·      What does it mean to be a carer?·      How many people are carers?·      The challenges for carers at work·      Companies giving proper support to carers·      Carer's transferable skills to the workplace·      How to channel all your strengths as a carer·      How Charlie rises above other's preconceptions·      Having to let people go as a carer·      What can organisations do to support carers?·      What is Charlie's biggest superpower?·      The impact Charlie wants to have on the world About Charlie Beswick:Charlie Beswick is mum to 19-year-old twins, Oliver and Harry who was born with a rare craniofacial syndrome and is autistic.She is the author of the best-selling book Our Altered Life, a brutally honest account of how she came to terms with a life she never expected. She is also an award-winning blogger and her family's story has been featured internationally on Sky TV and national press.As part of Our Altered Life, Charlie has, to date, educated over 8000 children and young people on visible differences and behaviours typically associated with autism. She has also founded S.E.N.D Gin and Cheese CIC to provide parental mental health support before, during and long after their children's diagnosis of disability or additional needs. She is a passionate advocate for employed parent carers and supports organisations to care for the carers in their workplace and improve employee experience, performance and retention as a result. She has been a teacher for 20 years in both primary and secondary settings and is a keen lover of gin and cheese! My resources:Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.For more details about me:●      Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals●      About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.●      Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)●      Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)●      Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

Are you finding out how the people around you really think and feel?Being able to do so will enable deeper relationships both at work and home.In this episode I am joined by Topaz Adizis, the creator of The Skin Deep, a powerful platform of curated conversations between partners, friends, relatives and strangers.We explore what it takes to create space for vulnerability in relationships. Topaz explains that to achieve this you need to express your intention clearly and ask questions that stimulate reactions. He also shares how to sit with the discomfort of your feelings when you're in these vulnerable moments.This is a masterclass in connecting with the humanity between us and I do hope you enjoy it.“If we’re all going to stick in the mind we’re going to lose” - Topaz AdizesYou'll hear about:·      Creating conditions for deeper conversations·      Setting the scene for conversation·      The barriers to better conversations·      What do fantastic questions look like?·      How to follow through to deep listening·      Moving on from great discomfort·      The biggest shift Topaz has made·      The impact Topaz wants to have on the world·      What does Topaz's best day look like?About Topaz Adizes:Topaz Adizes is an Emmy Award-winning writer, director, and experience design architect. He is an Edmund Hillary fellow and Sundance/Skoll stories of change fellow. His works have been selected to Cannes, Sundance, IDFA, and SXSW; featured in New Yorker magazine, Vanity Fair, and the New York Times; and have garnered an Emmy for new approaches to documentary and Two World Press photo awards for immersive storytelling and interactive documentary. He is currently the founder and executive director of the experience design studio The Skin Deep. Topaz studied philosophy at UC Berkeley and Oxford University. He speaks four languages, and currently lives in Uruguay with his wife and two children.Resources: Profile: https://www.topazadizes.com/Book ‘12 Questions for Love: A Guide to Intimate Conversations and Deeper Relationships’: https://www.amazon.com/12-Questions-Love-Conversations-Relationships/dp/1632174901The Skin Deep: https://www.theand.us/My resources:Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.For more details about me:●      Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.●      About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.●      Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)●      Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)●      Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

Are emotions at work a sign of weakness?This is the view of many, but understanding and harnessing our emotions, and the emotions of others around us can be incredibly powerful.In this episode I am joined by Dina Denham Smith, to argue the case for a skilful use of emotions at work. Dina is the co-author of Emotionally Charged, where she explores how to lead with the strategic use of emotions.We address common myths about emotions in the workplace and how you can prepare for and recover from emotionally charged events. Dina also discusses the importance of a nuanced approach to using your emotions as a leader, and how self-compassion towards yourself can lead to unlocking self-compassion in others.Dina provides lots of nuggets of wisdom in this masterclass on emotions.“Emotions are data, and to ignore this information is to your peril and performance detriment.” – Dina SmithYou'll hear about:Understanding the application of emotions in businessDina's thoughts on not showing emotionsHow to use emotions skilfullyPreparing for emotionally charged eventsRecovering from emotionally charged eventsDealing with over-emotional situationsHaving a nuanced approach to emotionsHow to be strategic with your emotionsThe biggest change Dina has made to her practiceWhat does Dina's best day look like?The impact Dina wants to have on the world About Dina Denham:Dina is a seasoned leader and executive coach with a 25-year proven track record in helping people and teams excel. Dina’s clients include senior leaders and teams at premier brands such as Adobe, PwC, Gilead, Gap, Sephora, Goldman Sachs, Google, and Netflix; high-growth companies like Dropbox, DocuSign, and Stripe; and PE-backed start-ups shaping the world. Dina has written over 60 articles on leadership and career success for the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Forbes and is frequently featured in international media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Business Insider, and the BBC. She is the lead author of Emotionally Charged: How to Lead in the New World of Work (Oxford Press).An East Coast transplant, Dina now lives in the SF Bay Area with her husband, kids, and two spoiled pups. Outside of work, she is a competitive equestrian, avid skier and reader, foodie, and travel enthusiast.Resources:• Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dina-denham-smith/• Book: ‘Emotionally charged: how to lead in the new world of work’, https://www.dinadsmith.com/book• Coaching services: https://www.dinadsmith.com/coachingMy resources:Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.For more details about me:● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

How healthy is your organisation's culture?As a leader you play a crucial role in creating and sustaining a healthy culture.My guest in this episode, Tobias Sturesson, is the author of "You Can Culture" and co-founder of Heart Management. He outlines four critical habits leaders need to build a thriving culture: get humble, get clear, get listening, and get integrity.He stresses the importance of aligning culture with the organisations mission and having a responsible impact by instilling integrity. He also explores the key things leaders can do to make or break workplace cultures.Finally, Tobias bravely shares what it took to break free from life in a cult, and the personal journey of overcoming complicity in it.“What are you not willing to compromise in your pursuit of success?” – Tobias SturessonYou'll hear about:·      What are the signs of a healthy culture?·      Knowing when things become unhealthy·      How to define your values·      Delivering in commercial pressure environments·      Develop better habits that improve culture·      Creating culture change in 12 months·      Balancing humble and looking underconfident·      Instilling integrity with the best of you·      Making or breaking an organisation·      Tobias on recovering from living in a cult·      The impact Tobias wants to have on the worldAbout Tobias Sturesson:Having grown up in a religious cult and later confronted its toxic culture, Tobias Sturesson became a leading advocate for the critical role of cultural health in both business success and human flourishing, striving for a world free from destructive cultures. He is the author of the international bestseller You Can Culture, co-founder of the culture change agency Heart Management, and host of the highly ranked Leading Transformational Change podcast. Resources:·      Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiassturesson/·      Book ‘You can culture’ - youcanculture.com·      Podcast ‘Leading Transformational Change’ -https://heartmanagement.org/en/podcast/·      Services - heartmanagement.org. My resources:Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.For more details about me:●      Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.●      About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.●      Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)●      Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)●      Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

What makes you feel a sense of outrage?It’s everywhere we look. Be it directed at institutions, especially those in politics, geopolitical conflicts, business opposing communities, or different aspects of society.That’s why in this episode I am joined by Professor Karthik Ramanna, an expert and author on the age of outrage. We explore the impacts outrage has on organisations and the individual, as well as how leaders can respond to it in their context.Karthik shares his experience of working with business and political leaders from across very significant divides, such as Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, India and Pakistan and many more. He gives insight into how to approach challenging situations to turn down the temperature and make sense of the moment.Karthik imparts a lot of wisdom on the art of de-escalation that you can use in your organisation too.“You’re going to be part of the problem, whether you like it or not” – Karthik RamannaYou'll hear about:How Karthik gets a handle on outrageWho CEOs need to be in the outrage contextWho to reach out to during big shiftsHow to focus on the catalytic actorsBalancing different versions of yourselfCreating thoughtful considered dialogueWhat do you do in heated moments?What does Karthik do when outraged?The impact Karthik wants to have on the worldAbout Karthik Ramanna:Karthik Ramanna is Professor of Business and Public Policy at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government and a fellow at St. John’s College. He teaches a popular course at Oxford on managing organisations in polarised times, which led to his 2024 book The Age of Outrage.An expert on business-government relations, sustainable capitalism, and corporate reporting and auditing, Professor Ramanna studies how organisations and leaders build trust with stakeholders. His scholarship has won numerous awards, including the Journal of Accounting and Economics Best Paper Prize, the Harvard Business Review McKinsey Award for “groundbreaking management thinking,” and three times the international Case Centre’s prizes for “outstanding case-writing,” dubbed by the Financial Times as “the business school Oscars.”Resources:Profile: https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/people/karthik-ramannaCase Centre on Public Leadership: https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/case-centre-public-leadershipBook ‘The Age of Outrage: How to Lead in a Polarised World’: https://karthikramanna.com/the-age-of-outrageMy resources:Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.For more details about me:●      Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.●      About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.●      Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)●      Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)●      Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

Luis Velasquez, a Silicon Valley executive coach and author of 'Ordinary Resilience', shares insights on nurturing resilience as a daily practice rather than a reaction to crises. He discusses reframing fear into growth opportunities and emphasizes the importance of intentional relationships. You'll learn how clarity of thought can help make better decisions, the role of external motivations, and practical strategies like radical acceptance that facilitate personal development. Velasquez's journey illustrates resilience's transformative power.

Do you use AI to its full potential?Knowing how AI can supercharge your work, and your business must be a priority for any C-suite executive. But there are also risks leaders must consider to be able to make informed decisions.So where do you start?My guest in this episode, Professor David De Cremer, is an author and business school Dean. He believes leaders need AI savviness and shares his thoughts on the mindsets needed to use AI in the board room and wider organisation.He also discusses problems leaders can face around knowing when not to use AI, and the fact you don’t need to know everything about it for it to succeed.To get the best out of AI humans need to collaborate with it rather than use it simply as a cost cutting tool. This episode is a must listen for anyone looking to do just that and enhance their leadership in a world powered by AI.“The biggest risk today in business is not using AI” – David De CremerYou'll hear about:·      Why is David interested in AI specifically?·      How revolutionary is AI?·      How leaders can overcome the fear of AI·      Humans and AI will have to collaborate·      Countering the risks of AI·      Knowing when not to use AI·      The role of AI in board meetings·      How far could AI go being a board member? ·      David's biggest shift since using AI·      The impact David wants to have on the world·      What does David's best day look like?About David De Cremer:David De Cremer is the Dunton Family Dean of the D’Amore-McKim School of Business and a professor of management and technology at Northeastern University. He is the founder of the Centre on AI Technology for Humankind (AiTH) in Singapore, a member of EY’s advisory board for global AI and an honorary fellow at Cambridge University and St. Edmunds College. He is the author of the best-sellers “Leadership by Algorithm: who leads and who follows in the AI era”, and “The AI-savvy leader: 9 ways to take back control and make AI work.”His scholarly work has been written about in the Financial Times, the Economist, Wall Street Journal, Forbes and many other outlets, earning him accolades as a Thinkers50 thought leader, a World Top 30 management guru and speaker, and inclusion in the World top 2% scientist.Resources:• Profile: https://bit.ly/4cLRJIC• Book ‘AI Savvy Leader’: https://bit.ly/3W7T5Z2My resources:Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.For more details about me:●      Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.●      About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.●      Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)●      Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)●      Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)