episode 86 - the word is overnight

In this week’s episode of The Word is Leadership, given our random word ‘overnight’ I explore the concept of "overnight success", a term often misunderstood as instant achievement which, in reality, represents years of unseen effort. I break down the myth of sudden success and reveals six essential pillars that underpin true leadership and sustainable achievement.

Discover why relentless consistency, quiet resilience, and compound learning are the foundation of every successful leader’s journey. Learn how inner clarity and courageous patience can help you stay grounded and focused despite external pressures. Finally, uncover the power of authentic relationships and their role in amplifying your impact.

This episode isn’t just about chasing success; it’s about building it—brick by brick, moment by moment. Whether you’re leading a team or navigating personal growth, these insights will inspire you to redefine your approach to leadership and success.

Tune in to reflect on your own journey and answer the question: Are you chasing success or quietly building it?

episode 85 - the word is interim

In this episode of The Word is Leadership, we look into the concept of "interim" and its implications for leadership in uncertain times.

I unpack the critical differences between temporary, permanent, and interim decisions and why understanding these distinctions is essential for effective leadership.

I explore:

• Temporary vs. Interim: Why temporary fixes are about testing and tweaking, while interim measures are bridges to undefined outcomes.

• Decisive Patience: How leaders can navigate high uncertainty with structured experiments rather than rushing to conclusions.

• Key Decision-Making Framework: A four-part guide (Intent, Impact, Insights, Integration) to help leaders choose the right path for their organization.

Whether you're leading through crisis or planning for long-term success, this episode offers practical strategies and reflective questions to elevate your decision-making. Tune in to discover how embracing "interim" thinking can transform challenges into opportunities for growth.

Are you leading through uncertainty—or just reacting? Listen now to find out!

episode 84 - the word is mechatronics

Join me on "The Word is Leadership" as I explore the fascinating world of mechatronics - the fusion of mechanical engineering, computing, and electronics. This episode isn't just about technology; it's about how different fields come together to create something innovative and impactful.

Drawing inspiration from mechatronics, I look into the challenges and opportunities of interdisciplinary teams. How do you maximize their potential?

I share with you four key tactics:

1. Define Roles and Focus on Value

2. Develop Communication Strategies

3. Erect Scaffolding for Collaboration

4. Shape Team Behaviours

Tune in to discover how these tactics can transform your team's effectiveness and unlock new possibilities and help our community by sharing your own strategies at thewordisleadership.com. Don't miss this latest episode!

episode 83 - the word is boo

Another week and another thought-provoking random word on "The Word is Leadership." For this episode the focus is on the word "boo." Beyond its common use to startle or express dissatisfaction, "boo" offers valuable lessons for leaders.

When you stand for something, you'll inevitably face both cheers and boos. The question is, how do you respond?

The episode explores four strategies: Ignore, Confront, Explain, and Change. However, it challenges these approaches by suggesting that leaders should not be surprised by boos but instead welcome them as opportunities for growth. By reframing boos as "sense checks," leaders can turn criticism into a catalyst for improvement.

Tune in to discover how embracing boos can transform your leadership approach.

episode 82 - the word is lightsome

Join me for episode 82 of "The Word is Leadership" as I explore the concept of "lightsome," a term that embodies producing and reflecting light and is our random word of the week. This poetic idea reveals the essence of effective leadership, emphasising the importance of relationships and social interaction.

Leadership isn't just about personal traits; it's about how those traits impact others and create a mutual exchange of energy.

I use the ideas of charisma to illustrate this concept and show you three key strategies to become "lightsome": identify your unique strengths, understand how they are perceived by others, and ensure your impact aligns with your intentions.

Remember, leadership is not about shining brightly alone but about reflecting the light of those around you. Tune in to find out how to balance producing and reflecting light and unlock the true potential of your leadership.

episode 81 - the word is futile

Join me in episode 81 of "The Word Is Leadership" as I explore the concept of "futile" and how it can transform your approach to decision making.

 Discover how to avoid actions that yield no results and learn from the insights of Rita Gunther McGrath on the importance of learning faster than the rate of change.

 I introduce you to the "Luck Maximiser Framework," a practical tool to ensure your decisions aren't futile.

 This framework focuses on four dimensions: Alignment, Accountability, Alternatives, and Achievement. By integrating these elements, you'll be able to make more informed choices and maximize your chances of success.

 Tune in to find out how these simple yet powerful strategies can elevate your leadership skills and help you achieve your goals. Share your thoughts and join the conversation on how to minimise futile actions in your own journey. Listen now and take the first step towards more effective decision making!

episode 80 - the word is train

All Aboard: How Identity and Community Can Transform Your Job into a Vocation

Join me this week for a heartfelt episode of "The Word is Leadership" as I explore what insights we might get from our random word "train."

I take you on a personal journey through my childhood, growing up in a train community where my father was a proud train driver. From the nostalgia of toy trains to the high-speed TGV, I look into how identity and community can transform a job into a vocation.

Discover how training and identity intertwine to create peak performance and learn how even the most unexpected roles can become a source of purpose and passion.

Whether you're a leader or just starting out, this episode will challenge you to rethink your relationship with your work and ask: "How would you make a young you fall in love with your job?"

Tune in for a what I hope is a thought-provoking episode that blends personal stories with leadership insights, all set to the rhythm of life's journey!

Episode 79 - the word is muddle

Muddling through -  the secret leadership skill

In this episode I reframe "muddle" as a leadership strength rather than weakness.

I challenge the myth of perfectly coordinated organisations and reveal why most grand conspiracies fail the organisational behaviour test, while trying to make a compelling case for embracing muddle as the foundation of agility in our VUCA world.

I outline how "sense and respond" trumps "plan and control" in volatile environments and offer the two critical conditions that elevate muddling from chaos to advantage: maintaining a "bias for action" that prioritises progress over perfection and cultivating a "learning mindset" that transforms every action into data for improvement.

Using Jeff Bezos's elegant "two-way doors" concept that distinguishes between truly consequential decisions and those easily reversed, I argue that leaders consistently overestimate how many decisions are truly irreversible, creating unnecessary organisational paralysis.

As usual, I conclude with a question based on this week’s insight that leadership isn't about pretending certainty exists in an uncertain world but rather True leadership embraces muddle while maintaining clarity of intent: "Do you feel strong enough to muddle?"

Episode 78 - the word is monument

Would They Build a Monument to You?

In this episode of "The Word is Leadership," I explore the connection between monument (our random word) and leadership.

I am in a thoughtful mood today as I ask myself, and you, the question: who would you immortalise as a leader worthy of a monument? I challenge you to consider not just famous figures, but the everyday leaders who've shaped your own leadership approaches.

The episode unveils what I hope is a powerful insight – we don't build monuments to commemorate people, but rather to honour the feelings these individuals stirred within us.

Great leaders aren't remembered for what they said or did, but for how they made others feel. The most impactful leaders make people feel stronger and more capable, nudging them toward growth they didn't believe possible.

Through a guided thought experiment involving Trafalgar Square's empty fourth plinth, I encourage listeners to reflect on their leadership heroes and why these figures resonate so deeply. The episode concludes, as usual, with a question. This week I ask "Would they build a monument to you?"

This introspective journey reminds us that leadership isn't about grandeur – it's about the lasting impression we leave on others' hearts and minds. 

episode 77 - the word is hooligan

Debunking the Generational Myth

For this episode, our randomly selected word is "hooligan" (a rough lawless young person") which gives me the opportunity to challenge everything we think we know about generational differences in the workplace.

I dismantle three pervasive myths about workplace generations.

First, the "foundational myth" suggesting each generation possesses unique values and motivations, when research shows humans across generations share similar core desires.

Second, the "labelling myth" that assigns broad characteristics to arbitrary age brackets spanning 15+ years.

Third, the "static myth" ignoring how life stages, rather than generational identity, shape workplace attitudes.

I argue that generational stereotyping represents "the management consultant's equivalent of clickbait" - simplistic theories based on questionable research leading to ineffective leadership approaches. Instead of obsessing over generational differences, effective leaders should focus on universal human needs while respecting individual differences. 

My aim with this episode is to challenge you to reconsider your assumptions about workplace dynamics. By shifting focus from generational stereotypes to individual understanding, leaders can create more inclusive environments. I invite you to identify additional myths in how we approach generations at work, encouraging a more nuanced understanding of workplace relationships.

episode 76 - the word is raclette

In Episode 76 of "The Word is Leadership," a delicious Swiss dish becomes the gateway to profound leadership wisdom. The podcast explores raclette- that communal experience where everyone gathers to melt cheese onto their plates - as more than just a meal, but a powerful metaphor for workplace connection.

I contrast the formal Christmas dinner (meticulously planned, hierarchical, with designated roles) with my family’s more casual, egalitarian boxing day experience of raclette. This comparison illuminates the difference between structured business meetings and informal gatherings where genuine human connection flourishes.

When times get tough, social gatherings are often first to be eliminated, yet, these are precisely the environments where community and discretionary effort thrive. Communities rather than rules and procedures is where you will find the social and moral obligation needed to allow discretionary effort to flourish.

Our humanity becomes our leadership strength.

Think about how the coffee machine or water cooler conversations during workshops often yield more progress than structured sessions because workshops are "Christmas dinners" while coffee breaks are "raclette meals" (spaces where hierarchy dissolves).

True leadership requires both structured and informal interactions in the same way that Christmas Day needs Boxing Day.

The episode concludes with a challenge to every leader: "When did you have your last raclette at work?"

episode 75 - the word is macrophysics

In this milestone 75th episode I explain how the concept of "macrophysics" can transform your leadership approach.

Too many high achievers struggle in leadership positions because they focus too much on doing rather than enabling others. The solution? Adopt a physicist's mindset to see the forest, not just the trees.

Discover the Three Habits of Extraordinary Leaders

I introduce three powerful habits derived from the physicist's perspective that can dramatically elevate your leadership effectiveness.

"Think 10x" challenges you to consider the implications of every decision across three timeframes: 10 days, 10 months, and 10 years.

"Ask Beyond" encourages mapping the ripple effects of your actions throughout the organisation, expanding your perspective beyond immediate outcomes.

"Act Further" emphasises building capability in others while accomplishing tasks, ensuring sustainable results.

Special Announcement for Devoted Listeners

I can announce the release of the first Season 2 eBook on Amazon, featuring edited transcripts from the first 25 episodes of the new season (available free for a limited time only) you can get it here  https://amzn.to/44eFcMr or in your local amazon store.

episode 74 - the word is goblin

In this episode I offer you a framework for managing difficult relationships at work.

On my birthday week the dictionary gave me by a gift – the random word goblin – and I know a thing or two about Goblins, given some of my clients call me "Gobi the goblin" (affectionately I a told).

In this episode I tackle a universal workplace challenge - dealing with those difficult personalities who seem supernaturally skilled at making our professional lives complicated.

Rather than simply complaining about these "workplace goblins," I offer a new perspective by challenging us to examine whether these difficulties are real or constructs of our emotional responses.

At the heart of this episode is the practical BEAR framework - Behaviour, Effect, Alternative, Results - a step-by-step approach to having productive conversations with difficult colleagues.

I help you distinguish between actual bullies (who require formal intervention) and "goblins" (challenging personalities we can learn to better interact with through skilful communication).

I hope this episode helps you transform a potentially intimidating subject into an actionable strategy that any professional can implement immediately.

episode 73 - the word is charter

What if the secret to transformative leadership lied in a single concept?

In this episode of The Word is Leadership, I dissect the multifaceted idea of “charter” – far beyond its dry legal definitions – to reveal three frameworks every leader needs.

Ditching generic mission statements, the episode redefines organisational success through external, internal, and personal charters.

The external charter challenges leaders to move beyond competitive slogans to forge an authentic pact with their audience: What unique truth do you offer that aligns with your customers’ unmet needs? 

Meanwhile, the internal charter demands radical congruence – if your company claims fairness to clients but exploits employees, the dissonance will corrode trust. I advocate for rebuilding workplace social contracts around shared duties and rights.

Lastly, your personal charter – the often-unexamined “constitution” guiding your leadership. I urge you to articulate your non-negotiable values, not just skills.

While purpose gets you started, it is moral obligations that fuel the marathon.

Whether you lead a team, a startup, or a legacy institution, these charters could be your blueprint to avoid hypocrisy and build enduring trust.

Ready to rewrite the rules? Press play – before your competitors do.

episode 72 - the word is ferment

What if the key to transformative leadership lies in a barrel of fermenting wine?

In this week’s episode of The Word Is Leadership, I uncork a surprising metaphor for organisational innovation: the science and art of fermentation.

Drawing on Burgundian winemaking traditions and a revealing conversation with a South African master maker, the episode dissects how leaders can cultivate environments where creativity thrives based on the random word “ferment”.

Like winemakers adding cultured yeast to grape must, businesses often rely on external consultants or hires to spark change. But I argue that this “inoculation” risks homogenising strategies into bland corporate copycats.

I suggest that the real magic emerges from nurturing “wild yeast” - the latent potential within teams. Leaders, like wine makers, must curate conditions where organic ideas bubble up, blending terroir (a company’s unique culture) with trust in their people’s innate ingenuity.

Weaving wine trivia with hard-won leadership truths (from the pitfalls of commoditised innovation to the quiet power of minimal intervention) I challenge you to rethink how you foster transformation.

A must-listen for leaders thirsty for originality - and anyone who’s ever wondered what vineyards know about building resilient, adaptive teams. Press play, and let this episode ferment your approach to change.

episode 71 - the word is espresso

In Episode 71 of The Word is Leadership, I serve up a steaming blend of wisdom and practical strategies to energise your team inspired by this week’s random word: espresso.

Drawing on my nostalgic mornings in French cafés, I show you how intentional rituals can ignite focus, connection, and innovation in your daily routine.

This isn’t just about caffeine; it’s about crafting moments that sharpen your mindset and amplify your impact.

Discover the 5 Espresso Shots every leader needs: 

·      Game Face On: Transform your mindset before stepping into the fray

·      Meet & Greet: Move beyond polite "hellos" and create space for authentic connections.

·      Wander & Wonder: Channel Tom Peters’ "Managing by Wandering Around" to spark curiosity and uncover hidden insights.

·      Ask & Receive: Invite ideas from your team to fuel collaboration and growth.

·      Power of a Smile: A simple grin can defuse tension, uplift morale, and ripple positivity through your team.

Whether you’re savouring an actual espresso or your morning tea, today’s insights will leave you energised to lead with intention—no "weird" gimmicks, just strategies that stick.

Ready to brew your best leadership day? Press play and transform your routine into a catalyst for impact.

episode 70 - the word is simple

In this milestone 70th episode of The Word is Leadership I am faced with the random word simple - a concept every leader champions but rarely masters.

I argue that far from superficial; simplicity emerges as a strategic balancing act between subtraction and coherence, dissected through analogies that reframe how we tackle complexity.

The episode begins by untangling “complicated” from “complex”: a watch, with its myriad parts, exemplifies complication, while a murmuration of starlings - a self-organising system where the whole transcends its parts - embodies complexity. This distinction matters because leaders often misdiagnose challenges, applying subtraction (removing parts) to problems requiring coherence (reimagining relationships).

Take the modern washing machine: its labyrinth of settings isn’t inherently flawed - it’s the incoherent user experience that frustrates.

Drawing from Apple’s iconic one-button remote, I illustrate how brilliance lies in marrying minimalism with intuitive design. Apple’s engineers didn’t just strip buttons; they reorganised functionality into a seamless menu, proving that simplicity isn’t about less but about clarity. 

For leaders, this means resisting the allure of endless cost-cutting and instead fostering alignment through purpose - a lesson echoed in last week’s discussion on preserving institutional memory.

Packed with actionable insights, this episode challenges leaders to rethink simplification as a dual discipline. Whether streamlining workflows or reigniting team purpose, the path to simplicity demands both the scalpel and the blueprint.

Ready to transform complexity into clarity? Tune in and discover why “simple” might just be the most sophisticated leadership tool you’ll wield.

epsiode 69 - the word is immemorial

In what I hope is another thought-provoking episode of The Word is Leadership, I challenge leaders to combat institutional amnesia by rediscovering their organisation’s founding purpose.

The discussion centres on the organisational flip law – the tendency for companies to transition from being “a purpose in search of assets” to “assets in search of purpose” as they grow.

This shift creates bureaucratic processes that bury the original mission that once fuelled innovation.

The solution lies in in memoriam  im memoria– a Latin-inspired principle meaning “no memory in memory of.” Leaders must become organisational archaeologists, reviving core values through founder story rituals.

I argue that true leadership requires temporal stewardship – using historical purpose as an “acid test” for modern decisions. Rather than chasing futuristic visions, sustainable success comes from answering: What has been true in your organization since time immemorial?1.

In an age of AI disruption, this episode offers a contrarian anchor: the past holds keys to undying relevance. For CEOs, HR directors, and scaling startups, it’s a clarion call to transform dusty archives into living legacies. I hope that this episode will show you how excavating yesterday’s dreams can fuel tomorrow’s breakthroughs – because purpose remembered is future reimagined.

episode 68 - the word is empty

In this episode of "The Word is Leadership," I explore the implications of our random word "empty" for leaders.

I share three key insights to challenge conventional leadership wisdom:

The Empty Generalist

Do leaders need to be experts in everything? I argue that credibility stems not from encyclopaedic knowledge, but from your ability to:

• Codify your experience

• Articulate expertise in broader contexts

• Demonstrate how diverse experiences apply to current challenges 

The Empty Raincoat
Inspired by Charles Handy's work, I examine the human element in leadership:

• The risks of treating employees as "empty vessels"

• The importance of preserving humanity in an AI-driven world

• Why leaders must grapple with philosophical questions about their impact

The Empty Cup
Finally I emphasise the critical role of energy management in leadership:

• Leadership as an exchange of energy

• The dangers of becoming "drained" and how to refill your cup

• Why focusing on organisational energy flows is key to long-term success

I hope this episode serves as a powerful reminder that effective leadership requires a delicate balance of expertise, humanity, and personal energy management. I conclude by challenging you to reflect on your own leadership journey, asking: "What comes to mind for you, as a leader, when you hear the word empty?"

episode 67 - the word is jam

Discover the secret to breaking free from your career jam in this week's episode of "The Word is Leadership"! Are you feeling stuck in your professional life? Do you wonder why you're not getting that promotion you deserve? In this week’s episode I discuss the concept of being "jammed" in your career and offer insights on how to escape this all-too-common predicament.

Highlights of this episode:

• Uncover the paradox of why your greatest strength might become your biggest weakness

• Learn about the intriguing "hired, mired, fired" cycle that affects leaders

• Explore the Japanese concept of "ikigai" and how it relates to career fulfilment

• Discover the JAM principle: Joy, Ability, and Money - your key to professional satisfaction

Don't miss this opportunity to reassess your career path and find your true calling. Whether you're a seasoned executive or an aspiring leader, this episode will challenge your perspective and inspire you to take control of your professional destiny.

Tune in now and ask yourself: "Have you found your jam?"