The Unlock Moment: find your purpose for leadership and life

What happens when the energy that’s always defined you simply vanishes? For decades, Sue Holly-Rodway was a powerhouse … a dynamic senior leader in the tech world, an executive coach, and a woman known for her drive, passion and light. Then long COVID struck, and that light dimmed overnight. The fatigue was relentless. The smallest tasks became impossible. Life as she knew it collapsed into stillness. In this deeply moving conversation, Sue opens up about the physical and emotional unravelling that followed, and the long process of rediscovery that came next. We talk about the loss of identity that comes when your strength - your energy - is gone, and what it takes to rebuild not from momentum, but from meaning. Sue’s story is one of resilience and grace. It’s about finding clarity when everything goes dark … and learning that even when the light goes out, it can come back in a softer, wiser form. --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

Stepping into leadership can feel overwhelming ... especially when you’re looking around at how everyone else does it. But here’s the truth: no-one else leads like you, because no-one else is you. In this Box of Keys episode, I discuss why the best leaders don’t copy someone else’s style - they lean into their own strengths and lead in a way that feels authentic. Drawing on Gallup research and years of coaching experience, I share why self-awareness is the key to confident, effective leadership, and how to let go of comparison so you can inspire others in a way that only you can. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “doing leadership right”, this conversation will remind you that your unique approach is exactly what your team needs. --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

How do you stay human in a world that’s being redefined by technology? How do you keep your work creative, meaningful and alive ... when sameness and automation are all around us? In this episode, we explore how curiosity, creativity and agency can transform the way you show up - at work and in life. Greg Orme and I talk about the moments that light you up, why it’s so easy to get stuck on the “rails” of your career, and how to rediscover your human edge in the age of AI. Greg is the award-winning author of The Human Edge, named Business Book of the Year, and a global executive educator. He helps leaders and organisations unlock innovation and create space for people to do the best work of their lives. --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

What if disagreement is exactly what your team needs? In this Box of Keys episode, I explore why pushing too hard for total agreement can actually hold your team back. When everyone feels pressured to nod along with the strategy, what you often get is hidden tension, quiet resentment, and a lack of true engagement. But disagreement isn’t a problem to eliminate ... it’s an opportunity to explore. When we create space for dissent and ask questions like “tell me more about why you disagree,” we uncover blind spots, surface fresh ideas, and build strategies that people truly believe in. This episode is a reflection on how leaders can turn moments of tension into moments of clarity. By leaning into disagreement with curiosity, we transform conflict into creativity, invite real collaboration, and ultimately move the team forward together with greater energy and commitment. --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

In August 2025, I travelled to Kyiv, Ukraine, during a week that marked both the country’s Independence Day and one of the largest aerial attacks on the capital since the war began. I wanted to understand, firsthand, what life is really like in a city at war. To walk its streets. To listen to its people. To witness what the headlines can’t capture. What I found was a city of striking contrasts. Playgrounds beside burned-out tanks. Gold-domed cathedrals standing silent under the threat of missile strikes. A grand hotel ballroom turned emergency bunker. Every conversation just one step away from someone who has lost someone. And always, an inescapable tension beneath the resilience. This is not analysis from afar. It is a personal reflection on resilience, survival, and the quiet courage of people living through extraordinary circumstances. From Kyiv, Ukraine … this is a special edition of my Box of Keys. --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

You can’t fix what no one feels safe to say out loud. In this episode, I sit down with astronaut Dr Charles Camarda to explore the cultural roots of catastrophic failure ... and how even the most advanced organisations can lose their way. We talk about the moments that led to the Columbia tragedy, the silence that surrounded it, and what Charlie learned when he was removed from his role after speaking out. This is a conversation about what real leadership looks like in high-pressure environments. Not just launching missions - but creating space for truth, dissent, and critical thinking at every level of a team. Charlie Camarda is a former NASA astronaut, research engineer, and Director of Engineering. He’s spent nearly five decades working at the intersection of innovation and risk ... and he’s on a mission to help leaders learn from the failures we don’t talk about enough. --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

How do you tell the difference between someone who’s a solid performer and someone who’s driven by something deeper ... by purpose, mission, and impact? In this Box of Keys episode, I reflect on a conversation with a senior leader who believed everyone in his organisation was motivated by money and promotion. But when you look more closely, the exceptional ones often signal something else entirely. This is a conversation about learning to read those signals. Because when someone asks for more money, they’re telling you something. And when someone asks how they can help create more impact, they’re telling you something too. The question is ... are you listening?  If you want to understand how to identify and support your purpose-driven people, this one’s for you. --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

This is a conversation about what happens when the data you’ve trusted your whole career turns out to be pointing you in the wrong direction. It’s about the moment when logic starts to unravel, and real clarity begins ... not in more numbers, but in understanding what the customer truly sees. Michael Ross brings a deep humility to his insight: that the story behind the numbers can be more powerful than the numbers themselves. Michael is one of the most respected thinkers in retail and customer data today. A Cambridge mathematician and entrepreneur, he co-founded one of the UK’s earliest online retailers, now advises global brands, and teaches at London Business School. But in this episode, it’s not what he knows - it’s what he rethought - that will stay with you. --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

Leadership isn’t about being liked, though most great leaders are likeable. The difference is that their likeability comes from credibility and respect, not from chasing approval. In this Box of Keys episode, I explore why trying to lead by being liked almost always backfires, and why boundaries are essential for both children and teams. Leaders need to separate tough decisions from personal feelings, resisting the pull to be manipulated by emotions or the desire to be popular. Because when you build authority first, genuine likeability tends to follow. So where are the moments you’re most tempted to prioritise being liked over doing the right thing ... and how do you handle them? --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

One of the world’s leading executive coaches and an accredited business psychologist, Alex Lazarus has worked with CEOs and leaders around the world to navigate change and build high-performance cultures. And as the founder of Lazarus & Maverick, she and her team help leaders navigate complexity and deal with that unique sense of isolation that you get when you’re sitting in the big chair at the head of the boardroom table. Her own background in leadership roles in global businesses like Virgin, Fox and Disney means she has that vital lived experience to connect with the leader that she’s working with.I’m curious to understand more about the journey Alex has been on to build this perspective on leadership and life, and of course to explore the Unlock Moments that defined the choices she’s made. This is going to be a masterclass in leadership – let’s dive in! --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

You tell your team your door is always open, but still … nobody walks through. I’ve been thinking about why that is. Why people don’t always feel comfortable stepping forward, even when you genuinely want to hear from them. It reminded me of a conversation I had with the brilliant leadership coach Dr Francoise Orlov. She talked about what it means to really create psychological safety. Not just saying the right words, but stepping out to meet your people where they are. Listening, asking thoughtful questions, showing you care. It made me reflect on how we show up as leaders - not just inviting people in, but creating the kind of environment where they want to speak up. Sometimes the most powerful step is not waiting … it’s reaching out first. Have a good week! --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

So many people I’m speaking to at the moment are describing themselves as stuck in their careers – often they’ve built a very successful career in one area of specialism and now face into a very big question – “now I have different choices, is this what I really want to do?”You might know today’s guest Tanya Arnold from her TV career – a BBC sports journalist covering two Olympics, the Commonwealth Games and the Rugby League World Cup. She was one of the first female sports reporters in broadcasting, starting at a time when women covering sport was virtually unheard of. In 2019 she hosted the first interview with the late rugby star Rob Burrow about his Motor Neurone Disease diagnosis – she calls it the hardest but also the most important interview she’s ever done. Today she’s a patron of the West Yorkshire MND Association.Two years ago Tanya started a new path in her career and just recently she posted on Instagram “I’m going it alone – here’s to the variety and freewheeling!”Exploring your Unlock Moments can be a powerful way to figure out the path ahead. I can’t wait to hear more about how Tanya is navigating this latest career transition and I’m curious about the parallels you might draw as you listen. --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

In this powerful episode, legendary BBC journalist Rory Cellan-Jones tells the story of the day he discovered a box of letters from his mother that changed everything he knew about his upbringing. Recorded live in London, this powerful and moving testimony from a master storyteller will stay with you for a long time.Today he is as famous for his rescue dog 'Sophie from Romania' as he is for his 40 year BBC career. He is also an advocate for better awareness of Parkinson's Disease, having himself been diagnosed in 2019. He now co-hosts the Movers and Shakers podcast with Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.His memoir about his childhood, "Ruskin Park: Sylvia, Me and the BBC," was published in 2023 and he also wrote about his journey with Sophie in "Sophie from Romania: A Year of Love and Hope with a Rescue Dog," published in 2024.--Rory Cellan-Jones: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_Cellan-JonesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rorycellanYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RoryCellan-Jones --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

When I first met Rajeev I was struck his clarity, his humility. A perspective on leadership that is seductive and compelling. To find something bigger than yourself. To find meaning. To find purpose. As he says, leadership is about creating a better future. A hugely successful leader himself, now he's helping others to discover their own Steward Leadership.Rajeev Peshawaria is the CEO of the Stewardship Asia Centre, a prolific speaker and the author of Wall Street Journal bestseller Open Source Leadership and Too Many Bosses, Too Few Leaders. Now he’s focusing his attention on how leadership can unlock the challenges of building a sustainable future, in his latest book Sustainable Sustainability.Rajeev has had a storied leadership career himself, operating as Chief Learning Officer of both Coca Cola and Morgan Stanley, as well as holding senior positions at American Express, HSBC and Goldman Sachs.I’m fascinated to understand more about Rajeev’s perspective on leadership and of course to hear about the Unlock Moments of remarkable clarity that helped him to figure out the path ahead.--Rajeev Peshawaria: https://rajeevpeshawaria.com/Rajeev Peshawaria on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajeevpeshawaria/Sustainable Sustainability: https://www.amazon.com/Sustainable-Sustainability-Why-ESG-Enough/dp/981514457X --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

A memorable encounter aged just 13 with the CEO of British Steel was Chris Cooper's Unlock Moment. The moment when he knew there was more for him in life than to follow his father into the steelworks. Often those formative moments that shape our sense of purpose happen early in our lives. Many years later Chris is a leadership strategist, a speaker, a broadcaster and an author, helping others to elevate themselves in a culture where people love the work they do.Host of The Business Elevation Show on Voice America, Chris's show was the most accessed business programme in the world and he has recorded over 500 hours of interviews. He's the author of "The Power To Get Things Done (Whether You Feel Like It Or Not)" published by Penguin Random House. He's also the founder of The Elevation Collective, an international community bringing together extraordinary individuals for the greater good.Listen in for the inspiration to find freedom in your own journey, to break away from the path others have set out for you and to choose your own future.--Chris Cooper: https://chriscooper.co.uk/Chris Cooper on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisdcooper/ --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

We think of leadership development and coaching as something for the workplace, right? But what if you could use those same approaches in young people to help them develop their capabilities as a leader right from the time when they're in school?Well that's what former Pentagon and UN advisor Julie Carrier has been doing for years. She's been featured on NBC, Discovery Channel and MTV, and she's been named Woman of the Decade for girl empowerment by the Women Economic Forum.And here on The Unlock Moment we dig into the stories from her own life that inspired her to break out from being a shy girl to a girl who walked tall, who speaks in front of audiences of up to 70,000 people and who now serves as an inspiration to millions of young girls across the world.If you have children who you think could really go somewhere in life, or if you work with young people in school or university, then this is a must-listen episode - as the incredible Julie Carrier lights up The Unlock Moment.--Julie Carrier: https://girlslead.com/Leadership Development Institute for Young Women: https://www.leadershipdevelopmentinstituteforyoungwomen.com/ --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

Storytelling at its best, the gentle Irish lilt of senior tech leader Feargal Moorhead is compelling as he tells his story from growing up in Ireland to leading roles at Intel and Amazon. He draws connections between the unique culture of County Clare and how it influenced his most recent career pivot from autonomous vehicles to his new venture supporting other leaders to be at their best.Questions you might ask yourself as you listen:1. What is it about the environment of the place I grew up in that influences my choices today?2. Who was the first person other than a family member who inspired me?3. How do I know when it's time to make a change in my life?Feargal Moorhead is a seasoned senior leader from world-leading tech firms like Intel and Zoox, the autonomous vehicle division of Amazon. After over thirty years of professional experience space, today Feargal has decided to make a career pivot.I’m finding it’s becoming much more common for senior executives to reevaluate their priorities and make radical career changes. We’re going to hear about Feargal’s journey, why he’s making the change and of course we’ll hear about the Unlock Moments of remarkable clarity that have shaped his path.--Feargal Moorhead: https://www.linkedin.com/in/feargal-moorhead-70895643/Buckley Moorhead: https://buckleymoorhead.com/ --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

A remarkable conversation with a remarkable coach, who pulled himself up from his darkest moment to find new stability and to help others discover their Ordinary Resilience.Luis Velasquez grew up in poverty in Guatemala, became a Professor of Genetics, overcame a brain tumour and is today one of the world’s leading coaches working with executives from Google, Salesforce, Twitter and IBM. His mantra is “you can’t control the rain but you can control whether you get wet.”Luis is a facilitator at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and, prior to entering the coaching world, Luis served as a professor of Fungal Genetics and Plant Biology at Michigan State University. Alongside his academic background, Luis has a passion for endurance running and human resilience.As a successful executive coach, Luis has worked with individuals and teams in both global technology companies and successful startups. His book, “Ordinary Resilience: Reframing How Effective Leaders Adapt and Thrive,” combines his personal experience with professional insights working with individuals and teams. Luis’s story was featured in the book “The Long Game” by bestselling author Dorie Clark (also see Episode 139).--Luis Velasquez: https://www.velascoaching.com/luis-velasquez/Ordinary Resilience: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ordinary-Resilience-Rethinking-Effective-Leaders/dp/1544545630 --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

I haven’t got time. I’ve been in too many meetings. I just don’t know where to start. We’ve all been there – overwhelmed with volume and complexity, unable to find a simple path through.Making life and business simple is one of the hardest things you can do, and also the most freeing. Today’s guest is a world-leading expert on how to make things simple. Lisa Bodell is a global leader and a world-leading speaker on simplification, collaboration and innovation, how to eliminate complexity and unlock the power of simplicity to unleash creativity and spark energy in people and organisations.She founded FutureThink which for over 20 years has worked with some of the biggest brands in the world and pioneered research, tools and training. She’s author of two groundbreaking books – "Why Simple Wins – Escape the Complexity Trap and Get to Work That Matters," and "Kill The Company – End the Status Quo, Start an Innovation Revolution." She’s also a celebrated speaker and Real Leaders ranked her in the top 50 keynote speakers in the world.Given how much I cram into my week, I definitely want to know more about how to keep things simpler, and of course I’m curious to understand about the Unlock Moments that inspired this powerful purpose in Lisa. --Lisa Bodell: https://www.futurethink.com/Why Simple Wins: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Simple-Wins-Complexity-Matters/dp/1629561290Kill The Company: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kill-Company-Status-Innovation-Revolution/dp/1937134024/ --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com

A remarkable story with a remarkable artist. The kind of illustrator who walks into danger to tell people's stories through the power of his art.George Butler is an award-winning illustrator but has reinvented the role of the Artist Reporter drawing conflict zones, climate issues, humanitarian crisis and social issues for the news. His drawings are done in situ - in pen, ink and watercolour.In August 2012 George walked from Turkey across the border into Syria, where as a guest of the rebel Free Syrian Army, he drew the Civil War-damaged, small and empty town of Azaz.  A decade later he spent several days in the Metro in Kharkiv, Ukraine recording the lives of those that lived underground to avoid the Russian bombardment. These drawings can be seen in the National Archive at the V&A Museum.Over the last 15 years George has been commissioned to offer a deliberately slow alternative to the headlines. He attaches his drawings to the personal testimonies of those that he meets and records their resolve and resilience alongside the vulnerability of their situations. This has included in a Leprosy Clinic in Nepal, a militia in Yemen, the Mass Graves in Bucha, a caesarean-section in Afghanistan, the artisanal oil fields of Myanmar and most recently for the Guardian documenting the aftermath of the Earthquake in Turkey and Syria."We seem to have lost the art of the observational reporter with a sketchbook to photography, Butler's memorable images show that a closely observed drawing is not just worth a thousand words but hundreds of photographs." A A Gill--George Butler: https://www.georgebutler.org/Remember Also Me - Testimonies From The War: https://www.amazon.com/Ukraine-Remember-Also-Testimonies-War/dp/1536240435 --The Unlock Moment podcast is brought to you by Dr Gary Crotaz, PhD. Downloaded in over 120 countries. Sign up to The Unlock Moment newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/ywhdaazp Find out more at https://garycrotaz.com and https://theunlockmoment.com