Everyday Leadership

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Parenting in a different culture is like being in a training ground, shaping us to become better versions of ourselves. It challenges us to let go of what we thought was acceptable and embrace new perspectives. It's a lesson we may sometimes wish to skip, but it's one that ultimately leads to growth and transformation. - Alice Evans

Sope is joined by his good friend, Alice Evans, a Brit living in Amsterdam, a parent of two teenagers, and an upcoming host of the podcast Pleasuring Myself. Alice has a rich and unique background, having worked as a team coach and a visiting fellow at Oxford University's Skoll Center for Social Innovation. But most importantly, she is someone who is trying to enjoy life. In this conversation, we dive deep into her past, exploring what made her who she is today. Alice shares her childhood experiences, including the loss of her mother at nine years old, and how they shaped her perception of uncertainty and complexity. We also learn about her teenage years, including her first clubbing experience at 13 and the moment when she could have gone down the wrong path but made a conscious decision not to. Throughout it all, Alice demonstrates her wit and humor, making this conversation both informative and entertaining. So sit back, relax, and join us as we delve into the life of Alice.

Who is Alice Evans?

Alice is a passionate and experienced systems coach with a deep commitment to social justice and climate change. With her extensive background in leading efforts to bring about systems change and equity, Alice is a skilled facilitator and coach to top teams. Her focus is on creating spaces for individuals, teams, and organisations to explore the visible and invisible forces that shape their behavior and impact. With her systems thinking, design thinking, and power and equity-informed processes, Alice can gently and compassionately guide individuals and teams toward the change they need. Whether working with executives or frontline staff, Alice's approach is non-judgmental and inclusive. When she's not working, you can find Alice swimming or paddleboarding with her children in the beautiful lakes and canals near her home in Amsterdam.

Alice Evans correlation of joy and pleasure

Alice believes that sometimes we overlook the small things that bring us joy and pleasure, and instead focus on big extraordinary events. On her upcoming podcast, Alice asks her guests to list 50 things that they enjoy doing every day, as a way of reframing how we view everyday things. She also shares a personal moment with her spouse where they simply looked out at the snow together and enjoyed each other's company, without doing anything else. She emphasizes the power of reflection and being present in the moment, and how it can bring a sense of calm and gratitude. Alice mentions the importance of connecting with our bodies and slowing down, as it can have transformative effects on our well-being.

Key Leadership learning moments (timestamps)

00:03:42:07 Going Back to a Younger Alice

00:08:17:02 Alices Dream as a Kid

00:10:02:11 Dealing with Arrogance

00:11:45:12 What Shaped Alices Way of Thinking

00:14:02:17 Alices Take on Equity and Equality

00:14:47:16 Lessons and Learnings

00:16:39:00 Everyone Has a Voice!

00:18:39:08 Helping Shape Other People

00:24:12:12 Living with Risk of Cancer

00:26:28:13 Alices Upcoming Podcast

00:30:22:18 The Smallest Things Matter!

00:36:32:15 Turning Point in Alices Career

00:38:55:04 Her Joy Barometer

00:41:03:06 Why Improv?

00:46:26:00 Improve Techniques Used in Leading Teams

00:48:44:21 Correlation of Joy and Pleasure

00:50:28:15 Alices Parenting Approach

00:53:25:16 Moving to the Netherlands!

00:55:58:04Definition of Leadership

00:58:08:09 Alices Ultimate Joy

Alices links:

LinkedIn

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Leadership is not about managing others, its about leading, guiding and mentoring wholeheartedly. - Alex Holmes

Who is Alex Holmes?

Alex is an award-winning podcaster and journalist, a millennial man of Caribbean descent, born and raised in London. He spent most of his early twenties traveling, which helped him to approach life with curiosity and taught him valuable lessons. However, upon returning to the UK, Alex found himself lacking friends, having to move back in with his parents and starting a new career as a journalist. He experienced covert racism in his job and felt alienated, which affected his confidence and self-esteem. Feeling lonely and depressed, Alex went to therapy and learned to rewrite his narrative and become his own friend.

Alex worked as a journalist for five years before training as a health coach and then as a therapist to help others with their emotional well-being. He is an avid Harry Potter fan and uses its themes in his therapeutic work. His interest in psychology comes from his experience as a Black man in the UK navigating complex relationships. Alex started the Mindful Man Podcast and founded The Mindful Man to communicate his ideas about mental and physical health and emotional well-being. He invites others to join him on this journey and to meet him where they are.

Alex Holmes Journey to Self-Discovery

Alexs work aims to help men overcome the societal expectations and myths surrounding masculinity, which can hinder emotional connection. He is the author of "Time To Talk: How Men Think About Love, Belonging, and Connection" and hosts the You Should Probably Read This podcast which suggests books to improve mental health.

His approach involves existential philosophy, which emphasizes personal agency, freedom, and authenticity. Bibliotherapy and mindfulness techniques are also used to help clients reconnect with their true selves, improve emotional intelligence, and achieve a sense of purpose.

Alexs work has been featured in various media outlets, including British GQ, The Metro, Happiful, The Guardian, and The Good Men Project.

Key Leadership learning moments (timestamps)

00:02:53:17 - Alex's Childhood

00:08:32:11 - Alex's Aha Moment

00:11:46:10- Alex Breaking the Status Quo!

00:14:55:15 - Definition of Masculinity

00:20:26:03 - Andrew Tate/Jordan Peterson

00:22:20:09 - Pain Points of Men

00:27:26:09- Men and relationship with Shame

00:32:02:08 - Expectations vs Realities of Men

00:39:16:23 - Navigating Being Black in Journalism

00:45:16:03 - Self-Doubt Brewed by Toxic Environment

00:49:54:16 - Pivotal Moment in Alex's Career

00:55:15:11 - Imperfection & Worthiness of Men

01:03:55:16 - Understanding Men's Internal Struggles

01:13:21:10 - Definition of Leadership

Alexs links:

LinkedIn

Instagram

Time to Talk book

Website

Podcast

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If you want to learn more about this podcast, and myself, Sope Agbelusi, you can do so using any of the links below.

Connect with Me

I am always keen to hear your thoughts and connect with the community of listeners. If you have any comments, feedback or thoughts, please drop me an email at https://mindsetshift.co.uk/#ask-me-anything

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Did you find this helpful? If you like this episode, please leave a review or share it with someone who could benefit from listening. 

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Typically, boredom does not lead to highly rewarding moments, and we tend to invest a lot of effort in avoiding fear. However, it is often when we face our fears that we experience significant turning points in our lives. - Stacey Philpot

Who is Stacey Philpot?

Dr Stacey Philpot has built an impressive career as a leadership development advisor, helping some of the world's most successful companies navigate through disruptive times and inspire culture change. Her extensive experience has brought her to advise top-notch companies such as Apple, Nike, and Johnson & Johnson on matters of talent assessment, leadership development, succession planning, and inclusion.

Stacey's success as a coach comes from her background as a licensed psychologist and executive, which has allowed her to guide CEOs of Fortune 500 companies in developing their executive committees and managing complex board dynamics. In addition to her coaching, Stacey is a renowned speaker at conferences and executive retreats and has authored several articles on topics related to leadership development.

Stacey graduated with honours from Dickinson College and holds a doctorate in Organizational Psychology from Rutgers University. She has lived and studied in London, England and Osaka, Japan.

Stacey Philpots shift from Corporate to Consulting

Stacey was the head of Deloittes Leadership Consulting practice where she guided the firms work with clients on matters of succession, talent assessment, leadership development, and inclusion. While there she increased revenue for her practice by over 250% and tripled the size of her organisation in under three years. Prior to Deloitte, Stacey worked as Managing Partner for a high-growth boutique consultancy where she was responsible for setting the firms strategy and market positioning.

Stacey seamlessly integrates her skills as a licensed psychologist and executive in her work and places great importance on using a deliberate and data-driven approach to the hiring process.

Key Leadership learning moments (timestamps)

00:03:19:08 Young Girl with Big Dreams

00:05:14:18- Stacey's Inquisitive Mind

00:08:34:14 - Stacey's Pushy Attitude

00:10:30:09- Working with Different Cultures

00:13:57:06 - Leadership Questions Unanswered

00:15:46:23 - 3 Problems CEOs Have

00:16:58:10 - Credibility does Matter!

00:18:34:19 - The Shift from Corporate to Consulting

00:23:13:21 - Fear = Life Turning Point - Scene #2

00:25:08:03 - Eradicating Fear in Workplaces

00:29:36:15- Leadership in the Modern Era

00:35:03:01- Creating a Competency Model

00:37:23:04- Leadership Questions - For the Future!

00:41:04:00- The Most Successful CEOs

00:42:32:17- 3 Questions to Ask People Around CEOs

00:43:28:06- Stacey's Biggest Lessons

00:46:12:17- Perfection is Boring!

00:48:33:20- Stacey's Pivotal Moments

00:51:03:10- Relationships are Real Foundations

00:52:48:15- Psychological Safety

00:53:15:17- Meaning of Leadership

Staceys links:

LinkedIn

Website

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If you want to learn more about this podcast, and myself, Sope Agbelusi, you can do so using any of the links below.

Connect with Me

I am always keen to hear your thoughts and connect with the community of listeners. If you have any comments, feedback or thoughts, please drop me an email at https://mindsetshift.co.uk/#ask-me-anything

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Attempting to fit myself into a mold that did not suit me was my greatest mistake. I failed to recognize my strengths and where I found the most joy, which delayed my realization of how to optimize my success and happiness. Gaining a better understanding of myself was necessary. - Matt Hoffman

Who is Matt Hoffman?

Matt Hoffman, the Head of Talent and a Partner at M13, shares his experience in building startups and emphasized the role of high-performing teams in elevating individuals.

Matt brings a wealth of experience and expertise to high-growth start-up organizations, with a passion for building innovative and authentic cultures that can scale with the business. By empowering and inspiring employees to do their best work through the best People Ops strategies, Matt can help your business create an environment where talent thrives and innovation flourishes.

He is a certified Hudson executive coach, which further enhances his ability to develop talent and build amazing companies by focusing on the talented humans who make them great. With his skills and dedication, Matt is poised to make a significant impact in any startup organization he works with.

Matt previously built and led the People functions at DigitalOcean and Return Path (#1 Best Place to Work in NYC and #2 in the US, respectively).

Key Leadership learning moments (timestamps)

00:03:11:14 - Keys to a Great Place to Work!

00:04:19:16 - Leadership in Fast-Paced Environments

00:05:59:19 - Going Back to a Teenage Matt

00:08:06:04 - Creating His Own Firm

00:08:59:18 - Changes in Matt's Perspective

00:10:08:00 - A Father of 3 Daughters

00:12:01:01 - Work-Life Balance - A Myth?

00:13:56:21 - Tensions - Remote Work vs. In-Person

00:16:07:09 - Challenges in Remote Work

00:18:20:16 - College Degree - Not a Good Financial Investment?

00:20:45:07 - Hiring People Without College Degrees

00:23:57:22 - Coping With Mistakes

00:27:00:13 - Trying Out New Things!

00:28:18:02 - AI vs People

00:30:40:03 - The Shift to Remote Work

00:32:56:17 - Companies Should Invest in Development!

00:35:39:19 - Understanding Development for Executives

00:37:58:23 - Establishing Company DNA!

00:40:11:15 - Setbacks in Leadership Conversations

00:42:12:14 - Matt's Super Team

00:44:34:07 - Matt's Biggest Mistake

00:45:56:17 - Matt's Proudest Career Moments

00:48:18:00 - Definition of Leadership

00:49:31:04 - Thanks For Listening to Everyday Leadership Podcast!

Matts links:

LinkedIn

Website

Follow the podcast

If youve just stumbled across this podcast episode by chance, please click here to follow it so you never miss a future episode.

If you want to learn more about this podcast, and myself, Sope Agbelusi, you can do so using any of the links below.

Connect with Me

I am always keen to hear your thoughts and connect with the community of listeners. If you have any comments, feedback or thoughts, please drop me an email at https://mindsetshift.co.uk/#ask-me-anything

Connect with Sope

Website | Youtube | Instagram | LinkedIn

Did you find this helpful? If you like this episode, please leave a review or share it with someone who could benefit from listening. 

We’re always keen to get feedback so if you have any thoughts, send us an email at [email protected]

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“Don’t waste your valuable energy on things you can’t control!”- Vanessa Belleau

Who is Vanessa Belleau?

Vanessa Belleau is a slasher Millennial, she is proud to be contributing positively to the world through her work as an EMCC Accredited Executive Coach, Diversity + Inclusion & Belonging Consultant, future-focussed Researcher, Brand Consultant, Facilitator, Keynote Speaker, and Marketing & Branding Consultant. Vanessa’s purpose is crystal clear: She wants to help people and brands focus on what really matters. To do this, she draws on both her maths and magic approaches to insights, strategy, and storytelling to provide clients with powerful, validated insights and spark them with passion and humour. 

To date, she has worked with over 60 different brands, including Gymshark, the LVMH Fashion Group, smaller businesses, charities, and individuals. Additionally, she set up her own company, @Highfifteen ltd, in order to collaborate with more brands on exciting projects, specifically helping create more diverse workplaces and inclusive business strategies that ensure all employees and consumers feel they belong.

She was born in Paris as a Black French Caribbean woman and has been living in London for over 15 years. Through her work, she’s been able to use both of the languages she speaks fluently - French and English - on projects in over 20 countries.

Vanessa Belleau’s High Fifteen journey 

Before launching Highfifteen, Vanessa had the privilege of working at the Walt Disney Company for EMEA as the Head of Fashion + Home Shopper Trade Marketing. During this time, she created and managed marketing programs with some incredible partners such as Adidas, Primark, C&A, H&M, Loewe, Pandora, and more. Additionally, during her 18 months there, she co-founded and co-chaired the first Black, Asian and Ethnic Minorities affinity group in the UK & IRL. 

Vanessa created High Fifteen to address a key business need: combining strategy, insights, enthusiasm, and practicality while keeping people as the central focus. By developing meaningful and genuine relationships based on trust, curiosity, excellent communication, and empathy, She is able to effectively use her resourcefulness, knowledge, energy, and positive outlook to inspire others to recognise their own strengths and find new strategic opportunities. 

Key Leadership learning moments (timestamps)

00:00:00 - Intro

04:58:00 - Born With 12 Fingers? No Problem! 

07:55:21 - Showing True Self = Showing Power! 

09:45:00 - The Middle Child Syndrome 

18:34:00 - Why Vanessa Left for the UK

26:00:14 - Self-Discovery of Identity! 

27:43:21 - Rise in The Corporate World 

33:44:23 - Measurement of Success

37:50:11 - Joy vs. Happiness 

43:11:00 - Joy Brings Clarity! 

47:49:16 - Leaders in Adversity

52:01:00 - Vanessa's Definition of Leadership

53:35:00 - Proudest Moments of Her LIFE! 

59:25:00 - My I Really Does Matter

01:00:06:04 - Thanks For Listening to the Everyday Leadership Podcast

01:00:06:30 - Next Episode Preview

Vanessa’s links:

LinkedIn

Instagram

High-Fifteen

Follow the podcast

If you’ve just stumbled across this podcast episode by chance, please click here to follow it so you never miss a future episode.

If you want to learn more about this podcast, and myself, Sope Agbelusi, you can do so using any of the links below.

Connect with Me

I am always keen to hear your thoughts and connect with the community of listeners. If you have any comments, feedback or thoughts, please drop me an email at https://mindsetshift.co.uk/#ask-me-anything

Send us Fan Mail

Quote

Dont waste your valuable energy on things you cant control!- Vanessa Belleau

Who is Vanessa Belleau?

Vanessa Belleau is a slasher Millennial, she is proud to be contributing positively to the world through her work as an EMCC Accredited Executive Coach, Diversity + Inclusion & Belonging Consultant, future-focussed Researcher, Brand Consultant, Facilitator, Keynote Speaker, and Marketing & Branding Consultant. Vanessas purpose is crystal clear: She wants to help people and brands focus on what really matters. To do this, she draws on both her maths and magic approaches to insights, strategy, and storytelling to provide clients with powerful, validated insights and spark them with passion and humour.

To date, she has worked with over 60 different brands, including Gymshark, the LVMH Fashion Group, smaller businesses, charities, and individuals. Additionally, she set up her own company, @Highfifteen ltd, in order to collaborate with more brands on exciting projects, specifically helping create more diverse workplaces and inclusive business strategies that ensure all employees and consumers feel they belong.

She was born in Paris as a Black French Caribbean woman and has been living in London for over 15 years. Through her work, shes been able to use both of the languages she speaks fluently - French and English - on projects in over 20 countries.

Vanessa Belleaus High Fifteen journey

Before launching Highfifteen, Vanessa had the privilege of working at the Walt Disney Company for EMEA as the Head of Fashion + Home Shopper Trade Marketing. During this time, she created and managed marketing programs with some incredible partners such as Adidas, Primark, C&A, H&M, Loewe, Pandora, and more. Additionally, during her 18 months there, she co-founded and co-chaired the first Black, Asian and Ethnic Minorities affinity group in the UK & IRL.

Vanessa created High Fifteen to address a key business need: combining strategy, insights, enthusiasm, and practicality while keeping people as the central focus. By developing meaningful and genuine relationships based on trust, curiosity, excellent communication, and empathy, She is able to effectively use her resourcefulness, knowledge, energy, and positive outlook to inspire others to recognise their own strengths and find new strategic opportunities.

Key Leadership learning moments (timestamps)

00:00:00 - Intro

04:58:00 - Born With 12 Fingers? No Problem!

07:55:21 - Showing True Self = Showing Power!

09:45:00 - The Middle Child Syndrome

18:34:00 - Why Vanessa Left for the UK

26:00:14 - Self-Discovery of Identity!

27:43:21 - Rise in The Corporate World

33:44:23 - Measurement of Success

37:50:11 - Joy vs. Happiness

43:11:00 - Joy Brings Clarity!

47:49:16 - Leaders in Adversity

52:01:00 - Vanessa's Definition of Leadership

53:35:00 - Proudest Moments of Her LIFE!

59:25:00 - My I Really Does Matter

01:00:06:04 - Thanks For Listening to the Everyday Leadership Podcast

01:00:06:30 - Next Episode Preview

Vanessas links:

LinkedIn

Instagram

High-Fifteen

Follow the podcast

If youve just stumbled across this podcast episode by chance, please click here to follow it so you never miss a future episode.

If you want to learn more about this podcast, and myself, Sope Agbelusi, you can do so using any of the links below.

Connect with Me

I am always keen to hear your thoughts and connect with the community of listeners. If you have any comments, feedback or thoughts, please drop me an email at https://mindsetshift.co.uk/#ask-me-anything

Connect with Sope

Website | Youtube | Instagram | LinkedIn

Did you find this helpful? If you like this episode, please leave a review or share it with someone who could benefit from listening. 

We’re always keen to get feedback so if you have any thoughts, send us an email at [email protected]

“Leadership is about setting an example and leading people to a goal without making excuses. As an assistant head teacher, I have to be one of the best teachers in the school and set a great example for others. But it is also about being unapologetic in following your vision, even if not everyone believes in or understands it. It's important to convince people that what you're trying to achieve is worth pursuing, and not to expect everyone to be your friend in the process. I believe leadership is so much more than just how you speak to people; it's about taking action and leading people to the greater good.”- Emmanuel Awoyelu

Who is Emmanuel Awoyelu?

Emmanuel is a Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and an assistant headteacher at Eastbury Community School. He has worked in education for 9 years, whilst developing youth programmes across London. Emmanuel is a frequent speaker, trainer and writer on educational topics particularly around the topics of inclusive practice, pastoral care and behavior.

He is passionate about changing the narrative for disadvantaged young people and he's a big part of helping The Reach Out Project achieve its objective. The Reach Out Project is a mentoring programme for inner-city London boys. Their vision is to open up London as a city of opportunity for our youth and help each young person we support to realise their potential regardless of their background/circumstance.

Emmanuel Awoyelu’s Journey as a Teacher

Having suffered negative experiences early on in his education journey, including two school exclusions, the first in year 5 and another in year 10, Emmanuel felt that teaching would be the last thing he would ever do. 

However, many years later an opportunity came up at a school where he used to deliver sessions as a football coach, and what started out as filling in for someone for two weeks ended up being five months and at the end of it, he realised that the education space is where he was meant to be. 

He initially trained as a teaching assistant and later as a SENCO and then grew into the position he is in now. Today, as a black leader in the profession, Emmanuel is acutely aware of the responsibility that comes with his role. He understands that his presence and influence could potentially have an effect on children, staff and community members who were previously excluded. It is an honour for him to be able to represent his community and to be part of such a small yet powerful group of black senior educators. People are often surprised to hear about his role, and feel  like he is a rarity or 'unicorn' - something that you wouldn't easily find anywhere else. Representation matters deeply, and he takes on the role with pride.

Emmanuel’s Experience with Grief

At the age of 17, Emmanuel lost three of his closest friends in a tragic accident. This would later lead him into depression, but also marked a turning point in his life as he came to the realisation that he had to live his life differently in order to build a legacy. 

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