leadership Archives - Page 2 of 12

AI for Human Flourishing – Nathalie Nahai

January 5, 2025January 6, 2025
by Claire

Our guest this week is an expert in psychology, persuasive technology, and human behaviour. Nathalie Nahai is also an author, international keynote speaker and artist.

Nathalie has thought deeply about the impact of AI on humans and what she has to share with us in this episode is really thought provoking.

In this episode we cover what it will mean to be human in the coming years as AI evolves around us. We talk about what happens if businesses just default to using AI to cut costs and roles, and explore how to create AI that has values truly ‘baked in’ to support humanity.

Nathalie also shares an inspiring call to pursue the answer to perhaps the most important question for today: how do we create businesses that harness technology and support the flourishing of life? And she shares a diverse range of AI resources to listen to or read (see links below).

This is Nathalie’s second appearance on the show and an obvious choice for us given her global perspectives on humans and their relationship with tech. (It’s been six years since we last spoke to her on the podcast after meeting at SXSW in Austin. You can find that episode here.)

Nathalie’s humane perspective and questions are so important in the world right now.

Enjoy this new episode with the deep thinking and inspiring Nathalie Nahai.

Useful links

Nathalie’s AI resources page

Nathalie Nahai Art

Nathalie’s podcast

Joanna Kavanna (author she mentions)

Sanger Institute (for Genomics)

MIT AI Basics

Harvard free machine learning course

Your Undivided Attention (podcast)

Gary Marcus

Timnit Gebru

Interview

Building an Autonomous Business – Alexa Stathakis

December 1, 2024December 1, 2024
by Claire

Welcome to our very first episode of Don’t Stop Us Now AI Edition!

Have you heard about the possibility of building a one person billion dollar company? Many experts believe it’s only a matter of time for a founder to harness AI and automation to be able to scale their business to unicorn status.

Our guest today is well on her way to building an automated company. 29 year old Alexa Stathakis is co-founder of iced tea drinks business, Tea Industries, and we’re blown away by her focus and savviness at using AI to deliver massive impact.

As you’ll hear in this fascinating episode, after trying numerous other ways to scale her sales calls, Alexa decided to invest in building an AI sales consultant. And in just a month she and her software engineer had nailed the training with incredible results.

And what’s more, you’ll also get to listen in to one of these AI sales calls.

This technology is here today and while Alexa may be a savvy early adopter, we agree with her view that it’s going to be used in many more businesses very soon.

Enjoy this episode with the entrepreneurial and focused Alexa Stathakis.

Useful Links:

Alexa on LinkedIn

Tea Industries website

Interview

Pursuing the Unknown – Jill Heinerth

September 19, 2024September 19, 2024
by Claire

Our guest this week is the most pioneering woman we’ve ever had on the show.

Canadian Jill Heinerth is arguably the world’s greatest cave diver and underwater explorer. She’s also a writer, photographer and filmmaker.

Jill literally goes places no human has ever gone before. She’s swum past the graves of more than 100 of her friends, as well as having some pretty close calls herself.

Jill is the first Explorer in Residence for the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, she’s also a recipient of Canada’s prestigious Polar Medal, and a Fellow of the International Scuba Divers Hall of Fame.

To put it simply, Jill’s life story is extraordinary.

In this episode you’ll hear:

Why Jill chooses to chase fear not run from it
How Jill has learnt to develop and combine different skills in order to make her cave diving and exploring career sustainable
What happened after she dived in the crevices of an iceberg in Antarctica
How Jill thinks about putting a team for a new expedition together, and
How she feels being the star of a new, award-winning documentary about her career, called Diving Into The Darkness.*

Jill Heinerth is an amazing storyteller so enjoy this fascinating conversation with the intrepid and eloquent Jill Heinerth.

* P.S. If you’re in Sydney don’t miss the chance to see screenings of the documentary during the first week of October with Jill attending in person along with Director Nays Baghai.

Useful Links

Jill’s website – https://www.intotheplanet.com/

The Documentary – Diving into the Darkness

Official Website: https://divingintothedarkness.com/

Australian Screening Dates with Jill Heinerth & Director Nays Baghai: https://divingintothedarkness.com/ditd-week/

Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/divingintothedarkness/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/divingintothedarkness/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divingintothedarkness

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivingIntoTheDarkness

Watch the Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIjdVAdpTnQ&t=139s

Interview

Menopause Trailblazer – Dr Louise Newson

August 21, 2024
by Claire

Our guest this week is known globally for kickstarting a menopause revolution.

UK-based Dr Louise Newson is a physician, menopause specialist, businesswoman, educator and author. Not only that, she’s the founder of the award-winning Balance menopause app which has had more than one million downloads, and she hosts a weekly podcast as well!

As you’ll hear, Dr Newson is also making big inroads into educating the medical profession about menopause and perimenopause, with more than 30,000 clinicians globally downloading her online program. And believe us it’s needed!

In this fascinating episode that every woman should listen to you’ll hear:

How Louise missed identifying her own menopause symptoms for months
What keeps her keep going despite attacks and criticism from some in the medical world
How even today, many Doctors are never taught anything about women’s hormone health, and
How hard this passionate campaigner has found running her medical clinics business.

We were so impressed speaking with Louise, and it really is incredible that today, in 2024, there is still so much misinformation about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) out there.

As you’ll hear, her work has also had a direct and positive impact on our own lives and health.

Enjoy this episode with the determined and passionate Dr Louise Newson …

Useful Links:

Dr Louise Newson’s website

Louise’s UK theatre tour dates (Sept to Nov 2024)

Balance app info

Interview

Recipe for Resilience and Growth – Dr Jacinta Jiménez

July 22, 2024July 22, 2024
by Claire

Here we are halfway through the year and if you’re anything like the amazing people we work with in our programs and coaching, many of you are feeling like it’s been a real slog.

Combine that with what’s going on in the world, and with the fact that hybrid working can make you feel more isolated and alone, we thought it timely to invite back on the show a very popular guest who happens to be a Stanford-trained psychologist, burnout expert, award winning author, and an amazing executive leadership coach, Dr Jacinta Jiménez.

We last featured Dr Jacinta on the show shortly after her award winning book, The Burnout Fix was published. Because we’re now seeing more, not less, burnout these days we’re so happy we were able to secure a window in Jacinta’s diary to hear the latest on wellbeing and taking care of ourselves and our teams at work.

You’ll hear:

How Dr Jacinta herself has had to come back from multiple operations including neurosurgery just last December which led to her having an unplanned stint in ICU
Her take on the importance of giving ourselves time to reflect, integrate and recuperate, whether we’ve been sick or not
How you’re not alone in feeling isolated as Dr Jacinta calls out a ‘Connection Crisis’ happening to us all,
And the practical things you can do if you’re feeling stretched too thin or burnt out

Enjoy this enriching conversation with the wise and compassionate Dr Jacinta Jiminez.

Useful Links

Our first interview with Jacinta – Fixing Burnout

Jacinta’s website

Jacinta on Linkedin

Bonus Episode

Celebrating 6 Years: Epic Global Birthday Special

June 6, 2024June 6, 2024
by Claire

Holy Dooley – we are now 6 years old!!!

To celebrate this epic milestone for the show, we are taking the equivalent of a First Class Round the World ticket to hear from the most amazing, impactful and wise guests – all in this one episode!

From the UK’s House of Lords, to the woman who has been declared as being responsible for creating the most exciting constitutional democracy in the world.

From a global design icon and author to an internationally recognised and lauded Social Entrepreneur from Ethiopia. We hear from our very oldest (and wisest) guest at 92 and also our very youngest guest (mid 20’s) both on starting a business. And what different experiences they had some 70 years apart!

There’s so much in here it’s hard to summarise so just a few of the things you will hear include:

Advice from a non techy tech veteran on how all of us can, and need to, become meaningfully involved in tech
How the world’s first non binary Government Minister and the world’s most recognised leader of enhancing democracy against authoritarianism, Audrey Tang, thinks about her role
How a seasoned entrepreneur and philanthropist in the Americas believes women need to advocate much more strongly for themselves when it comes to negotiating;
What to think about before you start your side hustle or startup; and
We hear from Stanford Graduate School of Business Professor Jennifer Aaker and her co-author colleague, Naomi Bagdonas, on how important it is for us all to lighten up a little.

Our aim is that this celebration episode will brighten and lighten your day.

So without further ado wish us Happy Birthday and enjoy this blockbuster episode!

Useful Links

Trailer for feature documentary ‘Good Enough Ancestor’ about Audrey Tang

Curious to learn more? Check out our full interviews with our featured guests:

Full episode with Martha Lane Fox

Full episode with Audrey Tang

Full episode with June Dally Watkins

Full episode with Brukty Tigabu

Full episode with Margarita Herdocia

Full episode with Sophia Athas

Full episode with Debbie Millman

Full episode with Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas

Interview

Creative Journeyer – Elizabeth Eastland

May 2, 2024May 2, 2024
by Claire

Our episode this week features a woman who has one of the most unique backgrounds and skill sets we’ve come across. Elizabeth Eastland is a full time artist these days, however her career prior to the last few years centred around leadership roles in global corporates and academia focussed on technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Liz is a Canadian Australian now based in Sydney, however her career has taken her from North America to Australia and Paris and back to Sydney. She’s been a CEO of a telco startup, held a global role at telco giant Alcatel, and she’s headed up innovation and entrepreneurship programs for two universities, the University of Wollongong and the University of NSW.

What’s so fascinating about Liz is that right from the start she embraced and studied two disciplines: art (initially creative writing) and science, and she’s continued this duality right throughout her executive career. It’s not surprising to learn her father was a rocket scientist and her mother an artist and designer. Plus Liz herself has at least 3 degrees.

In this intriguing conversation you’ll hear:

Liz’s reaction when she was transferred to Australia at age 28
How Liz’s multi disciplinary background has given her unique perspectives on what it takes to be truly innovative
How a planned nine month, mid career break turned into a four year voyage sailing around the Mediterranean
How Liz was effectively responsible for the innovation strategy of a whole nation in one of her roles; and
Liz’s surprising, yet super refreshing, definition of success for herself.

Enjoy this fascinating conversation with the creative and uber-disciplined Elizabeth Eastland.

Useful Links:

Elizabeth Eastland website (including details of her May 2024 art exhibition)

Interview

Stewarding the Man United Brand – Ellie Norman

February 14, 2024February 14, 2024
by Claire

We are back!! Yes, we know, we’ve had a long and awesome holiday :-)! We hope your year has got off to a great start too.

We have a blockbuster episode to leap into 2024 and it’s all about someone who stewards equally blockbusting brands.

Ellie Norman runs marketing, communications and fan engagement at one of the world’s biggest sporting brands, the famed football club, Manchester United. Our minds were officially blown when Ellie told us she has to market to 1.1 billion fans around the world. That’s an incredible audience for any marketer.

It’s not just the iconic Man United sporting brand that Ellie has experience with; she’s also been Global Director for Marketing and Communications at Formula One where she helped popularise the franchise.

In fact, Ellie’s career has featured a lot of male-dominated industries and sectors as she also spent six years in marketing roles with Honda Motors in Europe. Her take on how to thrive and succeed in these environments is uplifting.

We were struck by Ellie’s refreshing and inspiring way of thinking about her work on the global stage and, as you’ll hear, she shares: . . .

How not going to University has driven her career choices in a good way
How Ellie makes big decisions about her career
Why sports marketing flips the traditional marketing model on its head
How she helped popularise the Formula 1 brand and make it less elitist
And how she handles the Man United brand and its legion of distraught fans when the team isn’t performing on the field.

We think you’ll love this inspiring conversation with the positive and gutsy Ellie Norman.

Useful Links

Ellie on LinkedIn

Manchester United website

Manchester United on Youtube

Manchester United on Instagram

Manchester United on Facebook

Manchester United on Tiktok

Manchester United on X

And if you loved this podcast, you might like our interview with Lucinda Barlow, Head of International Marketing at Uber

Interview

Not Your Everyday Lawyer – Sarah Davis

December 6, 2023December 6, 2023
by Claire

Our guest this week is someone who’s never been one to sit around and rest on her laurels. What’s more, Sarah Davis is not what you’d describe as your everyday lawyer.

Sarah’s high profile career in the UK has seen her garner much recognition for her legal career including being shortlisted for the Black British Business Awards and the UK’s Hot 100 Lawyers to name a few.

London-based Sarah, has a broad non executive board career these days and also advises other organisations as a General Counsel. During her executive career she spent more than 15 years as General Counsel at The Guardian Media Group. That meant she was there in the thick of it when The Guardian was publishing the first Wikileaks stories, the Edward Snowdon stories, and of course so much more, which we’ll hear about.

We think you can tell from Sarah’s Board career which includes Unicef UK and the Women’s Prize Trust (which awards the highly regarded Women’s Prize for Fiction) that Sarah has a huge heart and clearly a love of the written word.

In this episode you’ll hear more about Sarah’s love of books as well as:

How she came to be a lawyer and what drew her to the Media
How Sarah made a transition after nearly 17 years at one company
The challenges she faced (& lessons learnt) when things just didn’t feel right whilst navigating her new role during lockdown
How Sarah’s coped with the micro aggressions and slights she’s received during her career as a woman of colour; and
Her advice to others who are at the receiving end of similar behaviour.

There’s lots of great insights in this conversation so enjoy this episode with the warm and impact-focused Sarah Davis.

Useful Links

Unicef UK

Women’s Prize for Fiction

RGSI – global think-tank for the legal industry

International Catalogue Raisonné Association

Interview

Compassion + Contribution – Dr Lineo Thahane

November 17, 2023November 17, 2023
by Claire

If you’re anything like us and fed up with all the bleak news, then this week’s episode may be just what you need; a guaranteed dose of positivity, progress and inspiration!

We’re joined by the humble and impressive Dr Lineo Thahane. Lineo is a paediatrician and is Executive Director of a major medical clinic in the Kingdom of Lesotho called the Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation Lesotho.

Lesotho, a tiny country in southern Africa, is ranked number two in terms of the countries with the highest proportion of its adult population living with HIV in the world. Nearly one in 4 adults is HIV positive and many children are too.

Lineo was born and raised in the US but her parents were both from Lesotho and so Lineo spent summer holidays back in Lesotho with her extended family. There, she was able to experience what it was like to live in her parents’ country of birth and, as she grew older, she felt a deep sense of unfairness at the differences in the standard of living in the US versus that of Lesotho.

As you will hear, this convinced Lineo to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a doctor so that she could return to Lesotho and help make a difference to the quality of healthcare the average person could receive there.

In this episode you’ll learn:

How nearly 10% of Lesotho’s children are orphans
How Lineo stays positive despite the sometimes confronting experiences and challenges she has faced treating sick babies and children
Why she continues to work in Lesotho when she could be living comfortably in the US,
And what Lineo has learnt about the challenges of transitioning from being a specialist doctor to becoming a leader of a large organisation with nearly 800 employees.

This is a fascinating, moving and uplifting conversation. Don’t miss this episode with the compassionate and dedicated Dr Lineo Thahane.

Useful Links:

Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation website

Texas Children’s Global Health – Lesotho

World AIDS Day 2023