The Leadership Enigma

Tom Monahan took on the role of CEO of Heidrick & Struggles in 2024. He came to Heidrick & Struggles with a decades-long career of building and leading innovative technology, data, and services companies and as a long-time Heidrick & Struggles client.Most recently, Tom was president and CEO of DeVry University, where he led the university to digital innovation, sustained growth, outstanding student success metrics, and financial strength as a newly independent institution.Tom is passionate about people and the role that leadership has to create a world better led. Tom explains to me that the right people, in the right role leading in the right way is the single most important driver for high performing organisations. Tom's decision to take up the CEO role of Heidrick & Struggles was based on the ability of H&S to really make a difference for organisations in finding the right leaders and to co-create great performance on an individual and collective basis. Tom describes leaders are Magpies, building their nests out of anything they can find within themselves and in their surroundings based on insatiable curiosity and a beginners mindset.I ask Tom about his parents and family background as I search for clues into his focus and success. His answer will surprise you.Tom tells me that in his role as CEO he is the steward of the business and the people are the only thing that won't be worth less from the day they begin working in the organisation. Each and every day a person grows, learns and experiences in a way that builds the sum of the parts. It is the human capital that is the most precious resource of any business.One of Tom's primary strengths is his ability to frame a problem or issue in order to create focus as opposed to always having an answer. 'Fast Starts matter' Tom explains, so getting quick insight is paramount for any leader and organisation in gathering the collective intelligence to focus on the issue or problem and resolve it.Leading experts has always been a leadership challenge and Tom tells me that he is expert in the way we used to do things and not how we should do things so he has to get out of the way of his people and allow them to operate in a way that they know is best.As CEO Tom is focused on creating an environment where the best people come to do their best work. Tom also understands that any new CEO must be 'courageously humble' as he tries to understand the business that he is taking over, the people that he leads and the culture that he initially inherits. The most dangerous thing a CEO can do, is be a focus group of one.Tom is an introvert by nature so the very social and public facing element of the role is a constant challenge for him and he fondly remembers the advice from an inebriated aunt that if something is worth doing, it is worth overdoing.www,hedrick.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stevie Ward is the former captain of the Leeds Rhinos Super League Rugby team, winner of the Super League and Challenge Cup and he was also one of the youngest captains aged only 26. Stevie had 10 operations during his playing career and had to retire early due to a brain injury. This is a powerful episode of humility, vulnerability and resilience. Stevie was lucky enough to play for Leeds during the 'Golden Generation' playing with a number of England Internationals including the late Rob Burrows. He made his debut at 18 years old sharing his formative years doing battle on the professional rugby field. I explore Stevie's background to try and understand what allowed him to find the the strength to enter professional rugby at such a young age with maximum intensity and dedication to being the best he could be. Stevie was named captain at just 26 years old and this official leadership role meant he felt the enormous pressure to perform and succeed which initially led to a feel of overwhelm and essentially sub optimal performance. Stevie remembers the toughest times when the team lost their unique identify and didn't know who they were which translated into poor performances on the pitch. The team needed to overcome fear and reflect on how they could leverage their unique differences and personalities to create something special, authentic and compelling as a team. How could they create their own high performing culture? There is so much uncertainty in a Rugby League team amongst a group of warriors who needed to create a high level of psychological safety for all the players to all feel able to bring their best without fear of failure and or criticism.A brain injury (multiple concussions) forced Stevie to step away from professional rugby whilst he was in his prime. To this day he still feels the effects of the injuries he suffered on the pitch and he has had to completely reassess who he is and what he is passionate about.Stevie filmed a Sky Sports documentary 6-8 months after stepping away from the game and he initially hoped that he would actually be able to return to the game but even attending the stadium as a spectator for the documentary, Stevie found was a sensory overload and he had to leave at half time. Stevie also emotionally remembers his friendship and playing time with Rob Burrows who fought very publicly against motor neurone disease but unfortunately passed away in June 2024. Stevie hosts 'Mantality' and works with individuals and organisations focused on the importance of mental health, psychological safety, courage, humility and masculine vulnerability, all potentially a paradox with the brutal and competitive world of professional rugby. Don't miss this episode. www.stevieward.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Loree Draude (call sign 'Rowdy') was one of the first female combat pilots in the US Navy with over 300 aircraft carrier landings and two deployments to the Persian Gulf. Loree who is based in Boston is currently an author, executive coach and keynote speaker with a passion for focusing on the human being and not just the human doing. Leadership and service are part of Loree's personal values and she leverages her military experiences to help teams across the world. Loree grew up in a Marine Corps family and after college she went on a field trip that changed her life after visiting a number of naval stations and seeing a variety of aviation options. At that time women were not allowed to fly most aircraft, they were either trainers or crew. She went for her first flight with a friend and suddenly she knew the way forward, especially when the first Top Gun movie came out! As part of her flight training she was in awe of all the people who made military flying possible and then about one and half years after she earned her wings, the ban on women flying combat aircraft was lifted. in 1991 military officers were alleged to have sexually assaulted or engaged in improper and indecent behaviour with up to 83 women and 7 men at the Las vegas Hilton at the 35th annual Tailhook Association which became known as the Tailhook Scandal of 91. This was a major catalyst for the evolution of change and Loree had her opportunity. She became part of the first wave of female combat pilots for the US Navy and was flying the F18 Hornet and S3B Viking anti submarine warfare jet. Loree vividly remembers her first landing on an aircraft carrier and the feelings of terror and thrill combining. Once she deployed to her fleet squadron she then flew night time carrier landings which was a very different challenge.As a combat pilot, I ask Loree about her role and mindset required to potentially have to take the life of another. Loree explains that this is a very real part of her role, fortunate to never have to, but the expectation was constant and heavy. She also recognises the distance between her and the enemy as compared to the infantry, was also a factor in how she processed her role. As she tested her own limits she speaks of the need and requirement for high levels of trust with her leaders to determine life and death decisions. Finally Loree chats about her one woman show that was delivered just off Broadway which was part of her inner journey that also became part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Check out: www.loreedraude.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode features Sir Max Hill KC who was the former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Tom Sprange KC who is the Managing Partner of the London office of King & Spalding, the international law firm. Both are highly experienced trial lawyers who have made the transition from individual contributors to leaders and experts in their respective fields. The path into the legal profession was not easy for either Max or Tom yet both have risen to highest levels with humility and gratitude. King & Spalding provided both of them a vibrant and inclusive working environment with the ability to harness deep expertise and capability across the world in helping their clients deal with the trickiest of legal issues. King & Spalding has a rich history dating back to 1885 so Tom as a senior leader is a gatekeeper for that legacy with the role to continue building a sustainable professional services supplier for the next generation of lawyers. Tom explains the need for professional excellence, business acumen in a competitive market whist also ensuring that the generation behind them is well equipped to be better than the existing leadership. Organisations have to remain relevant with a strong purpose in order to be attractive to the talent market. Tom explains this is always a challenge but he ensures the firm offers high quality work, good remuneration combined with a working environment that is supportive, inclusive, professionally robust and purpose driven. Max has been with the firm for only 4 months after completing his 5 year term as DPP and Tom explains the way the leadership has deliberately crafted the culture of the firm to be inquisitive, best in class and competitive with and effective global listening system to ensure they are capable of advising clients in the most serious and high profile legal matters. The law is more of a people business than outsiders might think with a higher level of innovation required than in previous years especially in a digitally changing landscape.Max outlines his strong belief as a leader to always see value in others and realise how any individual will always be bolstered by the talents and hard work of others.Enjoy this great panel discussion with The King's Counselwww.kslaw.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edwin Brenninkmeyer is the CEO of Oriens Aviation and this episode was filmed on a Pilatus PC24 jet at Biggin Hill. The Pilatus PC24 can carry 8 passengers and 2 pilots although it can be flown by a single pilot. Edwin started the company back in 2015 as he is passionate about aviation having qualified as a pilot at 17 years old. Edwin comes from a family of 6 generations celebrated within the fashion and retail industry as the original founders of C&A and now their business interests reach across multiple horizons.His upbringing provided him a strong belief in doing business ethically and this is at the foundation of his leadership. He studied an executive MBA at Oxford where he describes the benefits of studying with such a diverse group of people from all over the world.Oriens Aviation started working with a Swiss manufacturer Pilatus and is now a one stop shop for those flying privately creating a high customer service and cost effective model. Edwin's philosophy is entrepreneurial in spirit as he is always looking to scale and be intentional about standards and customer centricity. He is passionate about doing business with a strong purpose, sharing what he has learned in the aviation industry with a wider community. The private aviation industry can be an easy target for those who believe the industry as elitist and unsustainable in a world full of excess. Edwin explains that pre pandemic, 90% of people who could afford to fly privately chose not to, yet the pandemic pushed many of those people into using private services which increased usage and commitment. The vast majority of those flying privately (especially in the US) are middle management and not top executives as businesses understand the importance of time saving and increased productivity.Private aviation is heavily regulated and Edwin is passionate in trying to help the world understand the realities of the industry and myth bust. For example, emissions are minuscule. Aviation is 2% of global emissions and private aviation is 2% of that. The industry continues to strive to become even more sustainable. Electric aviation is underway and predictions are that by 2035 we will start to see the technology make a real impact on the industry.Customer centricity is a particular focus for Edwin, especially within the high net worth community. His belief is that the purpose of business is to create a community of value and good rooted in 'unreasonable hospitality' whilst also providing a positive experience for the body mind and spirit of those working within the business. Edwin as CEO is focused on creating a culture where 'to work is to create and to create is being human.' A key focus in on being the favourite supplier as opposed to just being the best supplier.Safety is paramount for Edwin and the industry so trust is at the heart of all his customer relationships. 'It's a people business' as Edwin explains and congruence between what is said and done is critical.As CEO Edwin is learning everyday and explains his role as culture creator and visionary to explore where the business can go next. His management team are all entrepreneurs and value creators in their own right.Edwin is a humble and value driven leader who hopes he can help shape and define the aviation industry for a better future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Max Hill KC is the former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the Crown Prosecution Service in the United Kingdom. Max was called to the Bar in 1987, appointed a Recorder 2004, Queen's Counsel 2008 and knighted by The King in the 2024 New Years Honours list.The role of DPP is the highest non political appointment as the most senior prosecutor in the country, acknowledged by the Prime Minister but politically independent. As Head of the Crown Prosecution Service, Max was responsible for the the most high profile criminal cases, leader of over 8,000 staff nationally and ensuring consistency of approach in the courts across the country.This episode is a fascinating and rare 'peek behind the curtain' of the criminal justice system.Max studied law as a student, attending Oxford University before arriving at The Inns of Court School of Law to qualify as a barrister and specialise in court advocacy and criminal law. Max has both prosecuted and defended during his career which he explains assisted his ability to empathise and understand the independence and importance of both roles.Max explains to younger lawyers, 'be careful not to take too much credit for the cases you win unless you are ready to take full responsibility for the cases you may lose.' Max had to transition for independent practitioner to leading almost 8,000 people nationally. He used his experiences of running large and complex cases with multiple stakeholders as a basis for his personal approach to leadership.Max was part of the prosecution team (with Victor Temple QC) for the trial into the Preddie brothers aged 12 and 13 years old accused of the murder of 10 year old Damilola Taylor, tragically killed in November 2000, stabbed with a broken bottle and died on his own in a stairwell in Peckham. This was a tragic and horrific case that caught the attention of the national press and conscience.One of the greatest challenges for an advocate is an ability to communicate with an eclectic audience, from High Court judge, to victim and from witness to jury members. His advice is having a core understanding that your way of doing things is better than trying to inauthentically replicate someone else.Max was first introduced into the world of terrorism during the Real IRA activity in London and Birmingham in 2001. This led to him being involved with the trials post the events of 7/7 where 52 Londoners lost their lives during a series of 4 explosions, followed by 21/7 where London was again the target of four suicide bombers all of which failed as only the primary fired within the devices without the main charge detonating.Max was instructed as part of a three strong barrister team tasked to prosecute all the suspects from 21/7 and also prosecute those who assisted them. Max was also asked to represent the Metropolitan Police at the Inquest into the deaths of the 52 Londoners from the 7/7 bombings.Many of Max's roles have required significant senior stakeholder engagement with multiple agencies, navigating politics, bureaucracy and intense media and public scrutiny.The leader is always a role model for the organisation and Max tells the compelling story of how he decided to connect with thousands of people within the Crown Prosecution Service which turned into the ultimate listening exercise.Enjoy this incredible episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lisa Bodell is the CEO of Future Think, award wining author and one of the world's Top 50 Keynote speakers on issues such as creating simplicity and killing complexity. This episode was filmed in New York City during the 'Future of Everything' Festival. Lisa always thought of herself as a helper and was naturally creative from an early age. She grew up in Michigan, studied business and wanted to go into marketing and advertising. However, she wanted to find a path where her ideas would be heard and mattered. At this point, the entrepreneur emerged and Lisa decided to do her own thing, start her own business and create a platform for ideas and collaboration. Lisa's books became a global calling card for her thought leadership and ability to help others learn and master new skills and capabilities. Time is a non renewable resource that we never get back and this became the catalyst for Lisa's focus on simplification. In a society fixated with more, Lisa is intent we also see the value in less. This requires focus and an ability to get rid of things. What will you stop doing is a wonderfully powerful question for all leaders although fear is something that holds all of us back. Stopping and saying 'no' is a critical ingredient for innovation. Simplicity is not about being more productive, its the front end of innovation and gives people the space to do what matters. It's also not about getting rid of everything, it's about getting rid of unnecessary complexity, the invisible waste, the work without the benefits. This is all about getting to the work that matters and not being more productive. As a leader, are you defining what meaningful work is? Grooves and ruts look and feel the same. Grooves are productive, ruts are a waste of time. Lisa speaks all over the world and I asked her in this episode what she wanted to talk about that she doesn't usually talk about in order to make this episode truly memorable. She decided to connect simplicity to wellbeing so we can feel that we are doing what we were born to do.Lisa explains that much of our daily workload is based around meetings and emails, therefore within our control to change, yet most will not. As Lisa says during her keynotes, many of us 'survive another meeting that should have been an email.'Technology has amplified the issue of complexity and the ease to create meeting after meeting. If you could kill off any 2 rules at work, what would they be? Many of the answers she hears are not even rules, they are just historical methods of working.Lisa's top tips include (1) for leaders to mandate the right for people to get rid of things that they feel are unnecessary, and (2) model the behaviour.All businesses fear becoming irrelevant, especially during great technological change. To be relevant we must change, we must innovate and people need time to think. People want to leave a legacy, not shareholder value. Simplicity is not a productivity exercise it's a about helping people to get to the work that they were hired to do in the first place and be their best self. Simplicity is also a foundation for a high performing culture. In an age of Generative AI, time is something to harness and allow people to think more. As Lisa explains. 'thinking is a daring act'. Perhaps now, we have more time to be human which is actually the basis of our leadership capability. www.futurethink.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Giuseppe Stigliano is the global CEO of Spring Studios in New York which was the venue for the Wall Street Journal 'Future of Everything' Festival. We filmed this episode on the rooftop of the studio overlooking The Hudson river and surrounding area.Giuseppe is Italian and moved to Milan to study marketing working in multiple businesses with early experiences of leadership.He now travels between London and New York in his role as CEO for Spring Studios. He has an entrepreneurial spirit so the NYC location is a multiple use site including an event space, studio business, private members club and more making it a unique agency with a core business focused on luxury, fashion and lifestyle.Giuseppe is an entrepreneur by background, an author with Philip Kotler (the grandfather of marketing) adjunct professor and keynote speaker who also holds a Phd in marketing and economics. Giuseppe believes that the more you curiously explore opportunities and relationships the more life has to offer.He is currently redefining retail in a landscape of significant digital transformation and specialises in helping people navigate the 4P's of marketing (product , price, place & promotion) with a mindset shifting from making people want things to making things people want.Is the High Street dead? Giuseppe says no, if you can make it absolutely compelling for people to leave their sofas and online lives. Some of the biggest shifts for a retail business is the role of 'Figital', a three dimensional world of the physical, digital and the virtual. The plethora of data allows business to target the right message to the right person at the right time. Gen AI is changing the landscape again as it can create new ways of using what we already have available to us. However, Giuseppe also reminds us that AI will give us back time and can never compete with the truly human centred capabilities such as curiosity, empathy and creativity, simply more time for us to be human.Marketing is key for every business. This is also changing. Supply exceeds demand so the competition is high. Marketing has historically been focused on making people want things but now the sheer amount of data available allows people to consider what do we need to create for the people based on the insights we have. Gen AI can now help the smallest of businesses to master the data analytics.Giuseppe is always learning as a leader. He is a believer that the next generation of employees require servant leaders but also recognises that no one size fits all. Leadership has to flex to the context of the businesses growth and maturity. Giuseppe understands the importance of allowing smart people who are more expert that the CEO to be allowed and fully empowered to operate as they see fit. A leader must know when to get out of the way.www.linkedin.com/in/giuseppestigliano/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Viv Anderson MBE is our special guest for Episode 200 filmed in front of a live audience at Capco in central London in support of the amazing charity Leadership Through Sport & Business, which Viv is a patron. Viv has played for a number of teams including Manchester United, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. He was the very first player signed by Sir Alex Ferguson and played for Brian Clough winning the Football League, European Cup, League Cup, FA Cup and made British sporting history by becoming the first black player to play a full international for England.This is an amazing insight into Viv, his family, the Windrush generation and how he went on to become a trailblazer for diversity in the beautiful game. His big break came via a scout from Sheffield United which in turn led to a scout from Manchester United asking him to trial as a young schoolboy. Manchester United rejected Viv which he explains was devastating however that prompted him to try for his home team, Nottingham Forest which in turn led to his debut at 17 yers old.The Nottingham Forest years meant that Viv played for the iconic Brian Clough. Viv shares some incredible stories about life under Clough as a young black player in the 70's and 80's and how Clough helped him to build the personal resilience to cope and still play whilst dealing with overt racism. We discuss the state of diversity in football and football leadership in the modern game and concede that there is still much to do.When Viv found out that he had been selected for England, Brian Clough was again a supporting influence in his life whilst also keeping him grounded and humble.Viv also remembers being signed and playing for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Alex Ferguson was a passionate but hard task master. Alex Ferguson's early years were not easy but he knew how to man manage each and every player which led to him becoming the serial winner that we know today. Both Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson had clear non-negotiables with their superstar players.Viv outlines how senior players had a positive impact on his career including Brian RobsonWe also have a few surprises for Viv, with messages from Stuart Pearce and Marlon Harewood.For more information on Leadership Through Sport & Business (LTSB) www.ltsb.charity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah MacDonald operates in a world that has been dominated by men since 1209. She is a Canadian-born conductor, organist, pianist, and composer, living in the UK, and she holds the positions of Fellow and Director of Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and Director of the Girl Choristers at Ely Cathedral. This episode is a glimpse into a world few know about but many have experienced including during the Queen's funeral and the King's Coronation. Sarah has recently been appointed to the role of President of the Royal College of Organists, where she is the third woman to hold this role which is the highest position offered within this niche world. The world of cathedral music is steeped in history and tradition and is celebrated globally especially during Christmas. As a young girl growing up, Sarah was not allowed to sing in the choirs so she discovered that being female would not preclude her from conducing so she decided to become an organ scholar at Cambridge University and essentially never left. In the cathedral tradition, all roles were male for hundreds of years. In fact it was only in the late 19th century that female students were allowed to study at Cambridge University. In this incredible episode Sarah explains the history and nuance to working, studying and leading at Cambridge University where she became the University Organist, a role founded in 1670 and Sarah is the first female in that role. The role of religion is an obvious element to the world of cathedral music and Sarah explains that it is a community of all faiths and none as they promote inclusivity for all. We discover how Sarah balances her intense search for perfection with teaching her students to experiment, make mistakes yet strive to be the very best they can be in high stakes performances. www.sarahmacdonald.live Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Julian Edwards is the strengths explorer! As leaders always learning, should we focus on our strengths or our development areas? Mark suggests it should be our strengths. All the research shows if we fully develop our strengths, we are going to be 3 time happier and more productive. This episode is all about how we identify our latent talents and complimentary strengths and partnerships. The context and success of our work is about how we combine abilities to leverage the sum of the parts. Micro organisations and start-ups tend to play to peoples’ strengths more readily than large scale organisations This suggests that competency frameworks are problematic as we are not always great at everything. It is the leader’s role to set the tone as how an organisation will identify people’s strengths and combine them. Mark explains that our strengths are fairly set by our mid 20’s, it can still morph but it is more about how we increase our awareness of how we partner, collaborate and add value with others. Mark explains that some of the happiest leaders he meets and works with are those who truly understand who they are, what they are good at and are content to identify and work with people who are better than them. A leader’s happiness is directly linked to their ability to be genuinely happy for others to thrive and succeed. Mark took a turn in his career when he finished a project in Majorca and then reflected on what next? He identified his own core strengths as connection, creativity, humour and play. Based on these he decided to embark on a photo portrait book titled ‘Faces of Majorca’ interviewing and photographing 59 locals. This project led to a series of accolades including writing for Lonely Planet, exhibiting at various photographic festivals, travel show presenting and more. It’s about our ability to be vigilant and see the strengths in others and tell people about them. In this episode Mark also helps me understand my results from The Clifton Strengths Finder diagnostic tool that he asked me to complete prior to recording this episode. Mark also outlines that a strengths based culture is where everyone is aware of their own strengths but also aware of how best to apply them for the work and how best to combine talents to drive results. www.thestrengthsexplorer.com Ted X Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig9uXAhXm2I Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Sundberg is the co-Chief Executive of Board Intelligence a technology company helping thousands of businesses make better decisions. Jennifer was originally a strategy consultant, and her light bulb moment came when she was asked to be a ‘fly on the wall’ during a client’s board meeting. The client was riding high, but the storm clouds were gathering as regards future challenges. During the three hours she observed the board, they never got to the heart of the matter. It wasn’t based on the wrong people being on the board, she realised it was because they simply didn’t have the right information in front of them within the reams of paperwork. All the information they had was backward looking. Jennifer realised that all boards are drowning in information partially based on habit and convention, much of which doesn’t matter, so they struggle to find the signal through the noise. Together with her business partner, Pippa, she started Board Intelligence to try and help boards leverage better and more appropriate information on which to base their strategic and critical decision making. Jennifer is genuinely bemused as to how she became a successful entrepreneur as she in her own words ‘doesn’t fit the stereotype’. However, she also realises that her intellect and insatiable curiosity drove her to choose this path. Jennifer is motivated to promote and empower women on boards. She outlines that we have seen great changes. From 5% of women on boards to 40% and from half the FTSE 100 boards being male only to none today. Jennifer’s first client was EasyJet which propelled her business into numerous discussions with boards. At this point they had no idea of the technology angle that they were set to embark on. Board Intelligence moved from a very analogue and paper driven approach to a business that today is a fully developed technology business. This change in business model was based on the realisation that very similar questions were being asked by CEO’s and Boards. They started to build up a question bank and then using technology packaged them up into a technology platform called ‘Lucia’. This created the ‘Question Driven Insight Model’ Today, Board Intelligence is helping executive teams and boards focus on the conversations that matter, avoid wasted time and effort and do less harm with the right data and information. Badly informed boards make bad decisions. Board Intelligence will help people manage the big audacious and knotty problems all businesses now face. Jennifer’s new book ‘Collective Intelligence’ is based on her desire to help more and more people leverage the collective in making better decisions and cascade it through entire organisations by building three critical capabilities. In this episode, Jennifer explains those capabilities/habits that are necessary. They are. 1. Critical thinking: 2. Clear communication: 3. Focus: It is every leader’s responsibility to empower the level below them. As one CEO told Jennifer, ‘The important decisions are not made in my boardroom’ as he was aware that it was his people working day to day who were making the most critical decisions. Too much power concentrated in one person makes us stupid. www.boardintelligence.com Collective Intelligence is available on Amazon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ralph de la Vega is the former Vice Chairman of AT&T Inc. and CEO of AT&T Business Solutions and AT&T International. Ralph had a 42 year career at AT&T and is now living in Florida.  His father was in the food distribution business and he came from a strong and religious tight knit family in Cuba. Once the Castro Regime took over they nationalised all food production and distribution and his fathers business was taken over by the regime, food was rationed and small kids were being indoctrinated in schools to turn on their parents if they held views that were against the revolution. Ralph's parents decided to leave Cuba for the USA when he was 10 years old and in doing so they had to turn over all of their possessions to the Government. Once they arrived at the airport as a family of four (both parents and his younger sister) they were met by the militia who said to them five words that Ralph will never forget, "only the boy can go."Ralph's parents made the heart wrenching decision to send Ralph by himself to the USA which is where he stayed alone without his family for four years. When he arrived he spoke no English and had not a dollar to his name. From this incredibly humble start Ralph became the Vice Chairman of a Fortune 10 company, AT&T. Ralph credits his Grandmother for helping him reach his potential as when she arrived in the USA she told him "don't let anybody put limitations on what you want to achieve." His mantra to young adults is to dream big. Ralph tells me that his early years of adversity meant that when it came to his oversight of the merger with AT&T Wireless for $41bn, that was easy!Ralph has learned his leadership skills over four decades with over 200,000 employees and operations in 200 countries. The best leader is one who can take a group of talented individuals and get them to do things that they thought were impossible to do. Inspiring people is always more powerful than coercing and pushing. Followership is  important especially in a large organisation. Ralph hopes that as an immigrant to the USA he can inspire others to achieve their dreams and potential. Ralph is very proud that in his career he worked with Steve Jobs in launching the iPhone, connectedTesla cars for Elon Musk and launched the Kindle with Jeff Bezos worldwide, yet his favourite memory is that 24 of his previous employees that he directly led have gone on to become CEO's of their own companies. This is an episode packed full of anecdotes and stories from a senior leader who believes in helping talented people fulfil their dreams as he is now the sponsor of the De la Vega Entrepreneurship Award which is in its 4th year. This episode also includes Ralph's fond memories of working and sharing the stage with Steve Jobs who was a great practitioner for promoting simplicity. Ralph is the author of "Obstacles Welcome: How to Turn Adversity to Advantage in Business and Life." available from Amazon. Ralphdelavega.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.

Donna Easton is a Joyologist. What's a Joyologist I hear you shout? It's somebody who is obsessed with the things that make us feel happy and the things we can do to help ourselves to feel more joy in life. In a world of constant change and chaos we could all do with a little more fun and joy in life, so enjoy this episode. Donna outlines the importance of each of us building a baseline in happiness not based on toxic positivity but by creating enough joy in our day to day activities in order to mitigate the challenges and tough times when they inevitably come. Donna has not always been the happiest person in the room. Childhood trauma, rejection within the performing arts,  alopecia and other life challenges all pushed Donna into making the decision to dedicate her time and effort to identify what humans can do to create more joy and happiness in a crazy world. All of us have to deal with the inner critic and Donna has called hers 'Crow.' 'Crow' is always reminding Donna that good things should not happen to her and that she is not worthy or competent enough to deal with life's opportunities. Thankfully, Donna has learned how to address what 'Crow' says and still be able to push through and not feel paralysed by the negative thinking. Our inner voice is actually just trying to keep us safe. Donna has created 6 steps of the ELATED System.  Everything starts with the practice of Gratitude followed by Energy (how we are showing up for ourself and others) Laughter (find your Wally brian), Access the Creative (connect your body & mind), Try new things, Exist in the Now (with a sense of wonderment) and Do You (in a way that is beautiful and kick arse). Happier people are 17% more productive, but you know that don't you!!!www.mylifeshines.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.

Sane Ngidi is a young female black leader in Africa working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This is an episode of two halves, the first focuses on some of the learning Sane has gained in her early corporate life and the second is a story of vulnerability, self reflection and resilience. Sane started corporate life as an industrial psychologist with her initial roles in Durban until she moved to Johannesburg. Sane is thankful for the strong role model of her mother when growing up and being told that you can always pave the way for others and lift those around you. During Sane's Phd she carried out research into perceptions of black African leaders in financial services. A common theme was of leaders not feeling ready or worthy of the role. However they also reported the power of male ally ship which helped them through their careers. Sane describes Africa as a place that lacks diversity but craves diversity in the workplace. Organisations are trying to ensure that they 'see' everyone as they build diversity of thought in their leadership teams. The Employment Equity Act is also a powerful guide for African businesses for the quotas they must fulfil. When Sane initially moved to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2021, life changed. In December 2021 Sane's father died suddenly and unexpectedly. She later discovered he knew he was dying but didn't share the news with his family. Whilst still grieving, in February 2022 Sane's aunt fell ill and died, followed in April 2022 her uncle was tragically stabbed and died. Sane realised that the cumulative impact of these losses meant she was not coping and she openly asked for help. She was not able to be her best self and she took a break from work for about 6 weeks. Then in September 2022, Sane's mother passed away. Of all the deaths, her mother's was emotionally peaceful due to a long illness. 2022 fundamentally changed Sane's view of mental health. She told this story in 2023 at the 'Ignite' staff event so people could understand her personal story. She was overwhelmed by the care, love and compassion from others and for their understanding that is OK not to be OK at times in our life. Trauma, grief and mental health can't be seen and Sane realised the need to speak up and be vulnerable in order to get the help she needed. Big thank you to Mark Watt, Partner at Heidrick & Struggles for being my super connector for great guests especially in Africa. 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.

Paul Russo is the CEO of Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB). This episode was recorded in Nairobi on the site of KCB's Leadership Centre. KCB is part of the critical financial infrastructure for 33 million people. They are present in 7 East African countries running over 300 branch networks, over 4000 agency outlets with 12,000 staff and a strong legacy as KCB is over 120 years old. Paul is a deeply committed CEO who believes passionately that 'people are everything' Paul is a also a  very humble leader from humble beginnings which has crafted the human leader he has become. He is from a family of 6 siblings, his parents were nomads from the north and he was the only one to go to school due to the efforts of the Catholic Church and local community and the NGO Indigenous Information Network. Paul is incredibly grateful to the community who ensured he was able to get an education, he therefore uses his role as CEO to lift as many people as possible.Paul has committed time to continually engage staff across the business as he understands that his leadership must be 'energy expensive.' As the CEO Paul understands that he must absorb the difficulties of the business in order to allow his people the space and time to create the value necessary for success. He is the role model to thousands inside the business and is well known across the country so his actions matter to millions. The new purpose of KCB if 'For People, For Better' and Paul is committed this will be  the North Star for the financial success that the bank must also attain and sustain. People technology and partnerships are Paul's primary focus yet people remain the paramount consideration. Paul's background is human capital and he leverages that experience to focus and understand his own human centred leadership style. Paul remembers his late parents and the resilience instilled in him as a child dealing with drought, bandits, disease and disadvantage. He leverages these experiences to harness his own ability to overcome challenge combined with his burning desire to never go back to his old way of life. Paul is an outstanding example of a Human Centred Leader driving his business as a Force for Good. Paul explains he is paid to care and the results will come and he works tirelessly to provide all of his people the reason to believe. Additional Heidrick & Struggles article with Paul Russo https://www.heidrick.com/en/insights/leadership-assessment/people-dont-just-matter-they-are-everything_an-interview-with-paul-russo-group-ceo-of-kcb-groupWatch & 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.

Jane Van Zyl is the CEO of Working Families, a UK based charity focused on helping working parents and carers. Their mission is to remove the barriers that people with caring responsibilities face in the workplace. They do this in three ways, a free legal advice line to help people with their issues and concerns, working with employers to help create and sustain flexible working and thirdly by pushing for practical and positive change at a policy level. Working Families has contributed to the Government's Flexible Working Task Force since 2018. As part of this close consultation and a recent private members bill, employees in 2024 will be able to request flexible working from day one of their employment and be able to make that request three times in one year whereby employers must respond to the request. The ability of an employer to understand and consider flexible working is an attractive proposition for a modern, diverse and talented workforce. What does flexibility actually mean? It's not a new concept. It refers to all of the ways you can work flexibly, such as term-time working, part time, hybrid, job share etc. The pandemic shone a light on people working from home for increased periods of time.  Jane explains to me that working from home during the pandemic was desperately difficult for so many in shared, cramped and isolated accommodation. However the pandemic also allowed us to understand what roles could be delivered successfully form home or other virtual locations. Many countries experienced the rise of the digital nomad! Working Families have also carried out in depth research which highlighted that lower income families were not able to access flexible working options that were available for different demographics of the workforce. Jane outlines that the role of the office has changed forever. Why do we even need offices? Perhaps it is to enhance the ability for people to collaborate, educate and celebrate as opposed to endless meetings and zoom calls. Jane explains that one of the primary keys to success for any organisation is the ability to truly understand the each job design and define the job description with clarity so that the flexible options can be identified early on for all parties with the intent to ensure that the role can ensure the role is 'human sized.'  Leaders must role model or in Jane's words 'real model' how their businesses can adapt and adopt more modern processes and practices to enhance flexible working. Jane is passionate about her work as she shares a deeply personal story of how flexible working transformed her relationship with her father. Working Families as an organisation that itself is now wholly remote and their work is helping families all across the country.  This episode is a fascinating and essential insight for any leader of any sized business into the changing world of work. You can access research and other important information by visiting www.workingfamilies.org.ukWatch & 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.

Rob Moore was riddled with debt before reinventing himself to become a multi millionaire property investor, world champion, author of 19 books including his latest, 'Money Matrix' and the host of Disruptors with over 1000 episodes serving over 3 million subscribers across platforms. This episode turns the tables on Rob from interviewer to interviewee as we peek behind the curtain of Rob Moore. This is a deeply personal episode with Rob who has a very public face for millions as regards his mission and passion to create global impact and educate as many people as possible to manage and enhance their personal finances. Rob shares his early memories of watching his father (his role model) deal with mental health issues and the impact it had on him to push himself through intense feelings of shame in order to strive and make personal changes in his life. Rob understands that he has become a successful financial provider for his loved ones and his expanding team across fourteen businesses. With this responsibility comes an increased sense of accountability and personal purpose. Rob and I candidly discuss a number of his proudest moments in life and also his thoughts on the difference between being liked and respected. Rob never refers to himself as a leader and this episode requires Rob to think about his own style of leadership across 14 businesses with an extreme focus on leading self, first and foremost which Rob explains is all about managing emotions with extreme self awareness. For Rob, leadership is about how many people you nurture and lift up not how many direct reports you may have. Rob understands the difference between being liked and respected. He used to do all he could to be liked as it is much easier to be liked. To be respected requires a level of challenge with care. He now focuses on being respected based on the clear and non negotiable standards he holds for himself and those who are part of his businesses.  Rob's best advice for entrepreneurs in a world that is constantly changing features in his new book 'Money Matrix' where he outlines the 4 stages of wealth. Make it, Manage it, Multiply it and  Maintain it. Start Ups need to 'start now and get perfect later.' More mature businesses need to rekindle their start up spirit and avoid slowness. If the pace of change external to your business is faster than the pace of change within your business, it's all over! Money loves speed and hates friction and therefore will inevitable become more digitised centrally which Rob explains carries certain dangers where we become the product and susceptible to unwanted levels of control. Rob tells me that the biggest misconception about money is that money is not one of the biggest issues in our lives. This fuels Rob's passion to help educate as many people as possible to learn how to build and manage their wealth. Always pay yourself first Rob explains, never spend more than you earn. He outlines a simple procedure where each of us must save a third, invest a third and spend a third.  As part of Rob's role as the host of Disruptors, he has interviewed numerous guests including the eclectic and controversial. Guests include the Tate Brothers, David Icke, Chris Eubank, Will.I.Am, Jordon Peterson, Dan Wootton, Grant Cardone, Katie Hopkins and many more. I ask him what he has learned from recently spending 7 hours interviewing the Tate brothers post their recent arrest. You may be surprised at this answer.  www.rob.teamMoney Matrix is available from 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.

Dominic George is from California but is now based in New York City and has a passion for helping black men working in middle manager positions. This episode is all about how to leverage the Messy Middle. George's passion for education and continuous learning was sparked by his 5th grade teacher and he learned the value of relying on other people when he was competing as a professional athlete in the swimming pool. Middle managers in George's view are the group who have a direct tie to the leaders who are creating company strategy, policy and vision and a direct tie to the individual contributors within an organisation. The middle manager population can sometimes be missed due to their size and scale with competing interests and priorities. This can be the issue for many who decide to transition from a business as they get fed up of waiting for some form of focus and effort on their needs. The reality is that the messy middle is full of diverse thought and skills and is actually the dynamo of the business which can either drive and enable change or even block change. One of the biggest challenges is communication or the lack of communication with the messy middle, partly associated with the different demographics that now exist within our organisations. George also tells me that new first line managers also make up the messy middle. They are full of enthusiasm and zest as they start to get traction in their careers and then suddenly they find themselves lost in the sheer size and inaction of the centre of the organisation and their momentum stalls. Limiting beliefs also exist within the middle manager group, for example visionaries don't think they can have the impact they should have and as such some lose self confidence and even start to abdicate their personal power to the more senior levels.George's top tips for any senior leader to get the most from the messy middle include: 1. Really see and connect with your people in this space to really understand the value, need, challenges and successes of this group. 2. Tailor professional development opportunities for this group, their sheer size and influence can drastically shift the momentum of an organisation. 3. Pull people forward. Senior leaders must create space and opportunity for the middle managers to step into new growth experiences. George also focuses on helping black men within the middle of a business. He sees that they are under leveraged in most instances and are waiting for permission to step up or they lack the opportunity to show what they can do. George coaches black men to define those spaces for themselves and identify sponsors within a business to be ambassadors for the change needed. Thankfully George is seeing positive change within organisations. www.linkedin.com/in/dominiccgeorge dominic@visionleadershipforlife.com Watch & Subscribe: 👀 https://www.youtube.com/@theleadersenigma/videos Listen & Subscribe: 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/5NSnRyHzPmyY5OWhGzKU5P www.leadersenigma.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.

Alice Breeden is Regional Managing Partner CEO & Board practice for Heidrick & Struggles based in London. This episode is based on the recent research completed by Heidrick focused on CEO and Board confidence. Alice highlights that there is so much happening in the world over shorter time periods that no leader has all the answers and every leader must be ever ready for the challenges. CEO and Board positions are a world that only few will occupy. Those who do, will need to operate in an environment of constant change, pressure and expectation. The Confidence research is being tracked quarterly by Heidrick throughout the year  in order to help advise leaders and also stay up to date and relevant as possible. The research findings represents data from almost 3,500 respondents from major organisations and key findings included low confidence in an organisations ability to reach their 2024 goals and low confidence in the longer term succession and leadership planning. The low confidence around reaching goals was predicated on leaders dealing with themes beyond their control combined with strategy being difficult to execute without  constant amendments, This compares with the fact that confidence is high in executive teams so organisations feel they have the right people but the landscape is problematic. The role of the Board has also changed over time, they too have shifted in their capabilities coupled with a deep sense of curiosity to deal with complex topics such as AI, climate and sustainability to name just a few. I also ask Alice about her thoughts on the role of Human Centred Leadership in CEO and Board roles . She explains that those in role understand success will be determined not just by their technical competence but very much by their ability to lead as a human with a deep sense of propose, curiosity, humility. constant learning, adaptability and agility. The Top 4 concerns for CEO's according to the Heidrick research included 1. Economic uncertainty2. Geopolitical volatility 3. Workforce attraction and retention and 4. Shifts in market dynamics. We also talk about culture in this episode as 83% of the companies surveyed are actively working on their culture as it is a key differentiator in the quest for success. To access the research: https://www.heidrick.com/en/insights/board-of-directors/ceo-and-board-confidence-monitor-a-worried-start-to-2024www.heidrick.com/en/people/b/alice_breedenWatch & 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.