Josh Komen built his identity around being able to outwork almost anything. Then leukaemia took away his health, athletic future and the identity he had built around them.

Josh is a former competitive New Zealand 800-metre runner, two-time acute myeloid leukaemia survivor, author, speaker, breathwork coach and father.

In this conversation, Josh and Chris explore what happens when relentless effort becomes the only response you have. Josh discusses losing an identity built around performance, learning to ask for help and discovering that real strength sometimes means adapting rather than pushing harder.

They also examine pressure, breathwork, resilience, fortitude, fatherhood and why our greatest strengths can become liabilities when they are used without flexibility.

Connect with Josh: https://www.joshkomen.com/

Learn more about Aegis Leadership: https://www.aegisleadership.co.nz/

Thanks to Dark Horse Coffee for powering the Fireside Leadership Podcast, you can check out their latest roasts here:

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This episode includes discussion of cancer, depression and suicidal thoughts. In New Zealand, call or text 1737 at any time for free support. If there is an immediate risk to someone’s safety, call 111.

CHAPTERS

00:00 When hard work becomes a trap

00:30 Meet Josh Komen

01:19 What running taught Josh

02:27 Discipline when motivation disappears

03:43 Visualisation and mental repetitions

07:41 Learning to tolerate pain

09:02 When discipline becomes a trap

11:14 Cancer and the loss of identity

12:48 The strength required to ask for help

17:11 Finding meaning after survival

18:18 Pressure, breathing and better decisions

23:08 Resilience versus fortitude

28:27 Why discomfort matters

33:42 Controlling attitude and attention

37:40 Redefining success

40:58 Fatherhood and protecting attention

43:35 Slow is fast

45:46 Connecting with Josh

Four junior trials. Four rejections. Then Joe Sullivan went on to win five consecutive World Rowing titles, Olympic gold and the America’s Cup twice with Emirates Team New Zealand.

But the real story is not simply that Joe proved people wrong. It is what repeated doubt did to his self-belief, how easily systems can suppress exceptional talent and the difference made by people willing to fight for someone who has been overlooked.

Joe takes Chris inside the London 2012 Olympic final, where he and Nathan Cohen came from the back of the field to win gold. He explains why Nathan told him they were “in the mix” when they weren’t, how rehearsing failure kept them calm and why complete trust mattered more than knowing their true position.

He also speaks candidly about returning to rowing after the Olympics, losing the career and identity around which he had built his life, and the unexpected opportunity that eventually led him to Emirates Team New Zealand.

For leaders, this episode offers a clear warning: when we confuse compliance with capability, we risk losing the people with the most to contribute.

It is also a reminder of what becomes possible when someone is given belief, trust and a fair opportunity.

Who are you missing?

Learn more about Aegis Leadership:https://www.aegisleadership.co.nz

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Follow Joe Sullivan:https://www.instagram.com/sullivannz/

Thanks to Dark Horse Coffee for powering the showhttps://darkhorsecoffee.co.nz/

Pressure rarely arrives when life is orderly. When it hits, the quality of your preparation matters more than how confident or motivated you feel.

Dougal Allan is a two-time Coast to Coast champion, endurance coach and America’s Cup winner. Across more than 20 years of elite competition, he learned how to remain present through pain, recover from failure and perform when the stakes were at their highest.

In this conversation, Dougal explains why the process matters more than the finish line, what a failed Team New Zealand power test taught him about comparison, and how trust and role clarity operate inside a world-class team.

He also shares how years of preparation allowed him to perform during the America’s Cup while facing significant upheaval in his personal life.

This episode explores how to build preparation that survives pressure, uncertainty and self-doubt, so you can continue delivering when others depend on you.

ABOUT DOUGAL ALLAN

Website: https://dougalallan.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougal_allan/

Lake Hāwea Epic: https://www.lakehaweaepic.co.nz/

ABOUT FIRESIDE LEADERSHIP

Fireside Leadership shares honest conversations and practical ideas to help you become a better leader tomorrow.

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Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, high-performing teams and decision-making under pressure.

Marius van der Pol has operated inside two environments where weak leadership is quickly exposed: the NZSAS and Emirates Team New Zealand.

In this conversation, Marius explains why effective leadership is not about having every answer. It is about setting clear standards, remaining calm under pressure and trusting capable people with genuine ownership.

He shares what happened when he encountered a problem effort alone could not solve, why micromanagement removes accountability and how calm communication helped Team New Zealand respond to setbacks and dangerous moments.

Marius also discusses discipline, fear of judgement and why taking a chance on someone’s potential can create extraordinary commitment.

This is a practical conversation for leaders learning to relinquish control without lowering their standards.

CONNECT WITH AEGIS LEADERSHIPLeadership coaching, team development and decision-making under pressure:https://www.aegisleadership.co.nzSubscribe to Fireside Leadership Podcast for genuine conversations and practical ideas that will help you become a better leader tomorrow.With thanks to Dark Horse Coffee for supporting Fireside LeadershipCheck out their new blends at https://darkhorsecoffee.co.nz/

You do not need to feel confident before starting again. Sometimes action is what rebuilds belief.

After losing her income, property portfolio and family home during the Global Financial Crisis, Nichole Lewis had to decide whether to retreat into safety or rebuild from the ground up. Her starting point included selling horse manure for $2 a bag while working out how to return to property with no money.

In this conversation, Nichole explains how the right coach helped restore her sense of possibility, why values should guide major decisions and how she turns fear into a practical process of examining emotions, facts, choices and risk.

Nichole and Chris also explore why doing nothing still carries risk, how small wins create momentum, the importance of measuring progress backwards and why worthwhile opportunities must be followed through to a definitive outcome.

This is a practical conversation about starting again, acting before you feel ready and rebuilding self-belief one decision at a time.

Connect with Nichole: https://www.thepropertylifestyle.com

Q4 Property: https://www.q4property.co.nz/

Explore Aegis Leadership: https://www.aegisleadership.co.nz

With thanks to Dark Horse Coffee for supporting Fireside Leadership. Check out their new blends at https://darkhorsecoffee.co.nz This conversation shares personal experiences and general information. It should not be treated as personalised financial advice.

The best leaders don't react faster. They think better.

After more than 30 years in the New Zealand Defence Force—and now serving as the Warrant Officer of the Defence Force, New Zealand's senior enlisted leader—Wiremu Moffitt has learned that leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about creating the time and space to think clearly, empower others and make better decisions under pressure.

In this episode of the Fireside Leadership Podcast, Chris Turkington sits down with Wiremu to explore the 3-8-2 Thinking Rule, a practical framework he uses to deliberately protect time for strategic thinking. Along the way they discuss humility, influence, trust, high-performing teams, adaptability, communication and the responsibility that comes with leadership.

This isn't a conversation about military tactics. It's a conversation about becoming a better leader.

• The 3-8-2 Thinking Rule for protecting your thinking time
• Why humility creates stronger teams than ego
• How trust is built through consistent behaviour
• Why the best leaders ask more questions than they answer
• How to simplify complex decisions under pressure
• The role of curiosity in leadership growth
• Why adaptability is a modern leadership superpower
• How to create cultures where people willingly give discretionary effort

Warrant Officer Wiremu Moffitt is the Warrant Officer of the New Zealand Defence Force (WODF), the senior enlisted leader in the NZDF. A former member of the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS), he has spent more than three decades developing leaders, advising senior commanders and strengthening organisational culture across the Defence Force.

NZ Defence Force: https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/

The Fireside Leadership Podcast brings you conversations with exceptional leaders from business, sport, the military and public service, uncovering the experiences, decisions and lessons that shape outstanding leadership.

Hosted by Chris Turkington. Produced by Aegis Leadership. Fuelled by Dark Horse Coffee

https://www.aegisleadership.co.nz/https://darkhorsecoffee.co.nz

Strategy matters. But culture determines whether it succeeds.

Leadership consultant and culture strategist Jerry Beale believes the biggest mistake leaders make is focusing on performance before people. Organisations don't thrive because of better strategies alone—they thrive when trust, belonging and genuine human connection create the conditions for people to do their best work.

In this episode of the Fireside Leadership Podcast, Chris Turkington sits down with Jerry to explore what great workplace cultures actually look like. They discuss trust, psychological safety, communication, leadership presence, belonging, rhythm and why the most effective leaders spend more time listening than talking.

Whether you're leading a team of five or an organisation of five thousand, this conversation offers a different perspective on building cultures where people genuinely want to contribute.

• Why culture is every leader's greatest competitive advantage
• How trust is built—and quietly lost—inside organisations
• The four pillars of high-performing workplace cultures
• Why belonging drives better performance than engagement alone
• How great leaders read the "signals" in every room
• The role rhythm plays in creating psychological safety
• Why listening is one of leadership's most underrated skills
• How to challenge people without damaging trust

Jerry Beale is a brand strategist, culture consultant and founder of Cultureate and Wolf Strategy. He works with organisations to strengthen leadership, organisational culture and trust, helping businesses build workplaces where people feel connected, valued and able to perform at their best through practical, human-centred leadership.

Website: https://cultureate.nz

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-beale/

The Fireside Leadership Podcast brings you conversations with exceptional leaders from business, sport, the military and public service, uncovering the experiences, decisions and lessons that shape outstanding leadership.

Hosted by Chris Turkington. Produced by Aegis Leadership: www.aegisleadership.co.nz

Your work doesn't always speak for itself. Sometimes, you have to.

Many talented leaders stay invisible because they believe good work alone will be recognised. Leadership strategist Rochelle Moffat argues that influence isn't about self-promotion—it's about making your ideas visible, building genuine relationships and creating opportunities before you need them. In today's world, if people don't know what you stand for, they can't recommend you, trust you or follow your leadership.

In this episode of the Fireside Leadership Podcast, Chris Turkington sits down with Rochelle to explore personal branding, networking, influence and why relationships remain one of the greatest competitive advantages in leadership. They discuss LinkedIn, building authentic networks, creating momentum, developing executive presence and the practical habits that help leaders become known for the value they create.

Whether you're looking to grow your career, attract opportunities or expand your influence, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for standing out without losing authenticity.

• Why your work alone isn't enough to build influence
• How personal branding creates opportunities before you need them
• The difference between having a network and having influence
• Why giving value first builds stronger professional relationships
• How to overcome imposter syndrome and start showing up
• Practical ways to build momentum on LinkedIn and beyond
• The SHINE framework for growing your career and influence
• Why opportunity finds people who are already taking action

Rochelle Moffat is a personal branding strategist, entrepreneur and founder specialising in executive visibility, influence, relationships and community building. She works with leaders, founders and executives to help them build authentic personal brands, expand their professional networks and create opportunities through strategic communication and relationship building.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rochellemoffat/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rochellemoffat/

The Fireside Leadership Podcast brings you conversations with exceptional leaders from business, sport, the military and public service, uncovering the experiences, decisions and lessons that shape outstanding leadership.

Hosted by Chris Turkington. Produced by Aegis Leadership: www.aegisleadership.co.nz

Confidence isn't something you find. It's something you build.

Professional cricketer Dane Cleaver knows that confidence comes and goes. In elite sport, performance is your currency, and there are days when self-belief is low but the expectation to deliver never changes. The difference isn't feeling confident—it's trusting your preparation, controlling what you can and continuing to perform anyway.

In this episode of the Fireside Leadership Podcast, Chris Turkington sits down with Dane to explore the mental side of high performance. They discuss resilience, preparation, process over outcomes, learning from failure, managing pressure, staying present and why consistency beats motivation every time.

Whether you're leading a team, building a business or simply trying to perform better under pressure, this conversation is packed with practical lessons that extend far beyond the cricket field.

• Why confidence isn't required to perform at a high level
• How elite performers separate process from outcomes
• The role preparation plays in handling pressure
• Why failure is essential for long-term success
• Practical techniques to stay calm under pressure
• How reflection accelerates improvement
• Why consistency beats motivation over time
• What it takes to keep showing up when things aren't going your way

Dane Cleaver is a New Zealand international cricketer, Central Districts Stags wicketkeeper-batsman and high-performance athlete. Across a long professional career, he has developed a reputation for resilience, professionalism and leadership, sharing practical lessons on preparation, mental performance and building confidence through consistent daily habits.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danecleaver/

Central Districts Cricket: https://www.cdcricket.co.nz/

The Fireside Leadership Podcast brings you conversations with exceptional leaders from business, sport, the military and public service, uncovering the experiences, decisions and lessons that shape outstanding leadership.

Hosted by Chris Turkington. Produced by Aegis Leadership. Fuelled by Dark Horse Coffee.

https://www.aegisleadership.co.nz

https://darkhorsecoffee.co.nz

Championships aren't won on game day. They're built in the daily grind.

Four-time NBL champion and New Zealand Breakers President of Basketball Operations Dillon Boucher has spent decades inside elite teams—as a player, captain and executive. His biggest lesson? High-performing teams aren't defined by talent. They're defined by discipline, culture and the willingness to do the hard, often unseen work that success demands.

In this episode of the Fireside Leadership Podcast, Chris Turkington sits down with Dillon to unpack what separates winning teams from everyone else. They explore culture, resilience, preparation, leadership, handling setbacks, maintaining high standards and why the best performers embrace the daily process instead of chasing the spotlight.

Whether you're leading a business, managing a team or striving to perform at a higher level, this conversation offers practical lessons from one of New Zealand's most respected sporting leaders.

• Why championship teams are built through daily habits, not big moments
• The role discipline and work ethic play in sustained success
• How strong cultures outperform talented teams
• Why setbacks and rejection can become your greatest advantage
• The importance of preparation, routines and visualisation under pressure
• How great leaders maintain high standards without losing their people
• Why purpose creates stronger teams than performance alone
• The sacrifices required to achieve long-term success

Dillon Boucher is the President of Basketball Operations for the New Zealand Breakers and one of New Zealand's most accomplished basketball figures. A former Tall Black and four-time Australian NBL champion, Dillon transitioned from an elite playing career into executive leadership, where he continues to build high-performing teams and develop winning cultures at the highest level of professional sport.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dillonboucher24/

New Zealand Breakers: https://www.nzbreakers.basketball/

The Fireside Leadership Podcast brings you conversations with exceptional leaders from business, sport, the military and public service, uncovering the experiences, decisions and lessons that shape outstanding leadership.

Hosted by Chris Turkington. Produced by Aegis Leadership: www.aegisleadership.co.nz