Forks in the Road: A podcast exploring dilemmas in everyday leadership

Today, we’re joined by Dr Noel Yeo, a physician turned healthcare CEO with more than two decades of experience building and transforming healthcare platforms across Southeast Asia.

Dr Yeo earned his MBBS and Executive MBA from the National University of Singapore. His career has spanned Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia, including leadership roles across hospitals, specialist services and integrated healthcare networks. At Mount Elizabeth Hospital and IHH Healthcare Singapore, he helped lead operations across four hospitals, a network of clinics and more than 5,000 staff. He also guided frontline operations through COVID-19 and led major redevelopment and digital transformation initiatives.

Today, as President Director and CEO of Bali International Hospital, he’s building a new greenfield hospital into a regional healthcare destination. We’ll explore the pivotal choices behind his journey, and what it takes to build, transform and grow healthcare platforms across the region

Key moments in the podcast:

00:00 Introduction & Podcast Overview

1:21 Guest Introduction: Dr. Noel Yeo

2:18 Rapid fire Questions & Personal Life

5:25 Book Recommendation: *Winning with People

7:05 Choosing Medicine: Motives and Honesty

10:07 Medical School Realities & Continuous Learning

13:38 The First Night Call: Overcoming Failure

19:26 Transition from Clinical Practice to Management

27:00 The Financial & Professional Leap into Hospital Management

33:10 Driving EMR Adoption Across 500+ Doctors

35:40 Stepping Up During Crisis: Becoming Acting CEO

45:34 Advisory Work with Bain & Strategic Investments

48:15 Building Bali International Hospital (SEZ)

54:02 Three Golden Nuggets for Leaders

59:10 Episode Wrap-Up & Next Episode Preview

Here is what stays with us from this conversation:

Key Themes & Sub-Themes

True Strength Lies in the Courage to Admit What You Don’t Know

* Learning never actually stops: Realizing early on that no one knows everything, and that real personal growth begins when you stay open to being a student for life.

* Raising your hand early: Letting go of pride and having the humility to say “I don’t know” before a minor struggle turns into a major setback.

* Surrounding yourself with wise voices: Intentionally choosing teammates who bring different strengths so you can lean on each other’s expertise.

Growth Requires Taking Big Leaps and Embracing Temporary Sacrifice

* Knowing when to change direction: Having the heart to step away from a familiar, expected path when a new, meaningful door opens up.

* Investing in your future self: Being willing to take a pay cut or put in long, grueling hours when you know you’re building foundational skills.

* Leaning on the people who believe in you: Staying deeply grounded and grateful for the family and mentors who step up to back your dreams.

Real Influence Comes from Genuine Human Connection, Not Authority

* Growing from capable to connected: Moving beyond just being good at your job to truly listening, building warmth, and bringing people along with you.

* Speaking to the heart, not just the head: Helping people navigate big changes by using simple, relatable stories rather than overwhelming them with technical facts.

* Building bridges between divided worlds: Serving as a calm mediator between disconnected groups to find common ground around a shared legacy.

Unexpected Crises Can Become Our Greatest Opportunities to Grow

* Stepping up when life gets messy: Finding your footing and leading with heart when sudden heartbreak or unexpected shifts leave a massive void.

* Reframing the hardest moments: Learning to see career disruptions not as threats, but as powerful training grounds for resilience and character.

* Finding balance in the unknown: Learning how to keep steady and take the next right step, even when you feel completely out of your depth.

Our Deepest Roots Help Us Connect with People Anywhere

* Carrying your roots with you: How growing up in a rich, multicultural community softens your perspective and helps you appreciate different cultures.

* Navigating new waters with respect: Stepping into unfamiliar countries and spaces by listening first and honoring local ways of doing things.

* Finding peace in everyday trade-offs: Realizing that leadership isn’t about chasing perfection, but gracefully balancing competing needs in the real world.

Connect with Noel Yeo

Book Reference: Winning with People, John Maxwell

This is an original podcast by Flyntrok. We help organisations, communities and individuals change and adapt to a new world. You will find Flyntrok on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

Listen to this podcast on Substack, Spotify or Apple. We would love it if you would leave us a comment, screenshot the episode and tag us on social, and share this episode with your community so that they can better navigate their forks in the road.

Hosted by Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland

Produced by Rajeev Nedumaran of Studior.

Music by Damian Smith of Bespoke Music.

Art work by Ben Tibbin of Mozmo Creative and

Social Media Creations by Alana Rauert of Muse Communications.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode were those of the hosts and the guest, not of any entity they work for or with.

Today we’re joined by Dr Alex Markwell, an emergency physician, health leader, educator and advocate whose career has been shaped by expertise, service and the courage to change direction.

Alex completed her Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Queensland before undertaking specialist training at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. She became a Fellow of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine in 2011.

Alex is a Past President of the Australian Medical Association Queensland, former Chair of the Queensland Clinical Senate, and was deeply involved in Queensland’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alex shares candid insights on standing up against systemic injustices, navigating unexpected health challenges, leveraging peer mentorship, and redefining professional identity when life forces a change in direction. While Alex is passionate about emergency medicine, today we hear the personal health reasons that led her to reconsider her career path.

Let’s dive into our conversation with Dr Alex Markwell.

Key moments in the podcast:

00:00 Mentor Nudge Moment

00:38 Podcast Welcome Setup

01:14 Meet Dr Alex Markwell

02:43 Queensland Roots

04:19 Books That Shaped Her

05:59 Self Care Reality Check

07:45 Choosing Medicine Path

11:56 Mentors And Peer Support

14:32 Advocacy Nudge To AMA

18:59 New Career Direction

21:35 Speaking Up For Justice

24:01 Leadership In Emergency

27:21 Gender Bias And Harassment

31:43 Calling Out Bad Behavior

34:09 Health Crisis After COVID

39:59 Clinician And Patient Lens

44:34 Three Golden Nuggets

47:39 Closing Credits Farewell

Here is what stays with us from this conversation:

Leadership is born from showing up and calling out injustice.

* Grassroots Advocacy: Stepping into advocacy roles begins simply by identifying an issue and daring to use your voice, even as a junior professional.

* Challenging Normalised Behaviours: True cultural change requires calling out inappropriate behavior in real-time, preventing toxic habits from becoming acceptable norms.

* Crisis vs. Collaborative Leadership: High-stakes environments like the emergency room hone rapid crisis leadership, but long-term impact requires shifting to reflective, collaborative governance.

Growth thrives in two-way support and peer-to-peer connection.

* The Power of Lateral Mentorship: Career development relies heavily on peer support networks and mutual learning rather than traditional top-down hierarchies.

* Strategic Encouragement: A gentle nudge from a trusted peer or mentor can provide the exact confidence boost needed to step into unexpected opportunities.

* Shared Resilience: Surrounding yourself with trusted colleagues creates a safety net for navigating high-pressure careers.

Career detours often reveal new avenues for purpose and impact.

* Adapting to Unexpected Pivots: Facing severe health challenges requires stepping back, reassessing capabilities, and embracing alternative career paths like virtual care and board leadership.

* Separating Identity from Profession: True resilience comes from uncoupling your personal worth from a single professional title or rigid career trajectory.

* Leveraging Lived Experience: Transitioning from clinician to patient offers invaluable perspective for improving patient dignity, safety, and healthcare governance.

* Be open to pivots: Don’t be afraid to say yes to new paths; even if your original plan changes, meaningful opportunities will follow.

Intuition and clarity guide us through life’s biggest forks in the road.

* Trusting Your Instincts: Taking time to listen to your gut helps prevent missteps and provides clarity during difficult choices.

* Saying Yes to the Unknown: Remaining open to unexpected opportunities often leads to fulfilling destinations you never originally planned for.

Connect with Alex Markwell

This is an original podcast by Flyntrok. We help organisations, communities and individuals change and adapt to a new world. You will find Flyntrok on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

Listen to this podcast on Substack, Spotify or Apple. We would love it if you would leave us a comment, screenshot the episode and tag us on social, and share this episode with your community so that they can better navigate their forks in the road.

Hosted by Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland

Produced by Rajeev Nedumaran of Studior.

Music by Damian Smith of Bespoke Music.

Art work by Ben Tibbin of Mozmo Creative and

Social Media Creations by Alana Rauert of Muse Communications.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode were those of the hosts and the guest, not of any entity they work for or with.

Today, we’re joined by Mark Middleton, Global CEO of Icon Group, based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He is a radiation therapist whose clinical expertise and strategic vision have shaped one of the world’s leading integrated cancer-care providers.

Mark began his clincial training in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and early in his career took an opportunity to work in North America and Europe.

When he returned to Australia, he became a co-founder of Radiation Oncology Queensland, now part of Icon Group. Since becoming CEO in 2015, he has led Icon’s growth within Australia and expansion internationally.

Mark was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2022 for his significant contribution to Australian cancer care.

At the heart of his leadership is a simple belief: where people live should not determine whether they live, or the quality of care they receive.

Let’s dive in …

Key moments in the podcast:

00:00 Patient First Mindset

00:33 Podcast Welcome

01:03 Meet Mark Middleton

02:32 Rapid Fire Origins

02:57 Farm Work Lessons

04:18 First Solo Leap

05:49 Choosing A Career

08:46 Sport To Radiations

12:16 Why Radiation Therapy

13:52 Mentors And Nurture

18:08 Growing As A Leader

22:38 Overseas Career Pivot

26:08 Starting The Business

29:20 MBA And Learning

33:52 Clinical Credibility

38:04 Hardest Fork In Life

42:05 Golden Nuggets

44:18 Closing And Credits

Here is what stays with us from this conversation:

* Frontline Experience Fuels Meaningful Leadership

* Grounding Strategy in Practical Reality: True credibility comes from understanding the core experience of your workforce and customers firsthand.

* Combining Empathy with Execution: Deep clinical or technical domain knowledge, paired with business acumen, creates an unstoppable blueprint for decision-making.

* Leading from the Coalface: Staying connected to daily operations ensures long-term strategy never loses touch with human-centered service.

2. Ambition Hardens When Urgency Takes Hold

* Reframing Pivotal Moments: Personal hardships and unexpected life turns often serve as the ultimate catalyst for clarity and drive.

* The Imperative of Relentless Execution: Recognizing that time is finite pushes leaders to step up, make bold moves, and make every opportunity count.

* Turning Adversity into Purpose: Transforming major life disruptions into enduring motivation to build something bigger than yourself.

3. Don’t Be a Bystander in Your Own Journey

* Embracing Boldness Early: Hesitation and overly conservative thinking hold potential back; real growth happens beyond the comfort zone.

* Active Ownership: Taking full accountability for career pivots, international leaps, and entrepreneurial risks rather than passively waiting for permission.

* Continuous Curiosity: Approaching leadership as a lifetime of learning, reading, seeking out diverse perspectives, and questioning the status quo every day.

4. Build an Organisation of Leaders, Not Just a Company

* Investing in the Next Generation: True success lies in identifying high-potential talent, nurturing their capabilities, and empowering them to scale new markets.

* Relationships over Transactions: Cultivating decades-long professional trust forms the backbone of sustained organizational growth.

* Creating Enduring Legacy: Ensuring those around you have access to greater opportunities than the generation before them.

Connect with Mark Middleton

This is an original podcast by Flyntrok. We help organisations, communities and individuals change and adapt to a new world. You will find Flyntrok on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

Listen to this podcast on Substack, Spotify or Apple. We would love it if you would leave us a comment, screenshot the episode and tag us on social, and share this episode with your community so that they can better navigate their forks in the road.

Hosted by Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland

Produced by Rajeev Nedumaran of Studior.

Music by Damian Smith of Bespoke Music.

Art work by Ben Tibbin of Mozmo Creative and

Social Media Creations by Alana Rauert of Muse Communications.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode were those of the hosts and the guest, not of any entity they work for or with.

In this summary episode, hosts Anne Boland and Stephen Berkeley reflect on their recent conversations across Episodes 50 through 54. Bringing together stories from Australia, New Zealand, and Nepal, they extract powerful lessons on vulnerability, purpose-driven leadership, career pivots, and community co-creation .

Featured Guests (Episodes 50–54)

* Eps 50 Jude Pemel (Australia) – “Spotting the Clues: When Passion Meets Opportunity”

* Eps 51 Surya Bhatta (Nepal) – “Humility-Driven Growth: Scaling with Purpose and Humility”

* Eps 52 Lisa Scharoun (Australia / International) – “Design as an Agent of Social Change”

* Eps 53 Taimi Allan (Australia/New Zealand) – “Trust the Trajectory of Your Unconventional Career Path”

* Eps 54 Andrew Old (New Zealand) – “Stepping Up Long Before You Feel Ready”

Key moments in the podcast:

00:00 Welcome and Setup

01:08 Community and Curiosity

03:23 Theme Strong Foundations

04:30 Lisa Finding Home

06:24 Guiding Others Abroad

07:27 Surya Village Roots

09:47 Andrew Bold Career Leap

13:00 Purpose Led Paths

13:43 Jude Following Heart

19:33 Taimi Letting Go Regret

23:15 Humility Driven Growth

28:51 Open Mind Conversations

29:40 Diversify Your Network

32:00 Wrap Up and Credits

Here is what stays with us from this conversation:

1. Solid Foundations Power Bold Risk-Taking

“A stable foundation isn’t an anchor that holds you back—it is the safety net that empowers you to take bold leaps into the unknown.”

* Rooted Resilience: Having a strong origin—such as a tight-knit hometown community—provides a safe harbor to return to, allowing leaders to take risks globally.

* Struggle as a Building Block: Overcoming everyday hardship in youth builds the endurance needed to handle complex professional environments.

* Leaping Before You Feel 100% Ready: Saying “yes” to major roles outside your comfort zone and relying on just-in-time learning to bridge knowledge gaps.

2. Purpose-Driven & Heart-Led Leadership

“When you navigate by your inner compass and passion, every unexpected shift leads to authentic contribution.”

* Following the Inner Compass: Prioritizing heart-centered choices over material wealth or rigid career milestones.

* Roots of Passion: Allowing early life experiences and family role models to serve as the fuel for your life’s mission.

* Human-Centered Service: Approaching complex work with deep empathy, recognizing that those we serve often teach us how to be more human.

3. Humility-Driven Growth & Co-Creation

“True transformation happens when leaders step off the pedestal of ‘hero’ and walk alongside communities as humble enablers.”

* Ordinary People, Collective Impact: Moving away from the hero complex to recognize that effective leaders are ordinary people bringing community wisdom together.

* Respecting Pacing Over Forced Scaling: Resisting the urge to rush growth and instead co-creating tailored solutions at a pace the community can sustain .

* Open-Minded Connection: Entering every encounter without assumptions, knowing that true collaboration begins with genuine curiosity.

4. Portfolio Trajectories & Releasing Regret

“Your unique path is your greatest asset—letting go of past regret unlocks the power of your lived experience.”

* Shedding Educational or Career Shame: Releasing regret over unfinished traditional paths (such as uncompleted degrees) to appreciate the rich real-world experience gained.

* Focusing on ‘Doing’ Over ‘Being’: Concentrating on the tangible work you want to execute rather than fixating on executive titles.

* Paying Generosity Forward: Honoring mentors who gave you a chance by backing and mentoring the next generation.

5. Intentional Connection & Network Diversity

“Actively seeking out diverse worldviews expands our horizons and challenges how we see the world.”

* Auditing Your Circle: Conducting an honest inventory of your network to identify gaps in perspectives, cultures, and experiences .

* Initiating Open Conversations: Reaching out to people outside your usual bubble simply to listen, learn, and understand their world .

Memorable Quotes

“I grew up with a really stable foundation, and that changes everything. What helped me take these, what people would consider big risks... was that I always felt like, ‘Okay, if it doesn’t work out, I can go back. I’ll be okay.’” Lisa Scharoun

“I’ve always done what my heart wanted to do. To chase the material life has never entered my consciousness. Every major shift came from listening to that inner compass.” Jude Pemel

“Leaders are not heroes. I think they are just ordinary people showing up, doing things constantly, improving every day, doing things together, bringing everybody’s ideas together, and driving real change through community.” Surya Bhatta

“I’ve learnt very, very slowly and painfully to stop regretting stuff... because the life experience that has given me has probably given me way more than a degree would have at the time.” Taimi Allan

Weekly Listener Challenge

Take an inventory of your current personal and professional network. Where are the gaps in terms of diversity, background, or life experience? Challenge yourself to reach out to someone new this week simply to listen and learn about their world .

This is an original podcast by Flyntrok. We help organisations, communities and individuals change and adapt to a new world. You will find Flyntrok on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

Listen to this podcast on Substack, Spotify or Apple. We would love it if you would leave us a comment, screenshot the episode and tag us on social, and share this episode with your community so that they can better navigate their forks in the road.

Hosted by Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland

Produced by Rajeev Nedumaran of Studior.

Music by Damian Smith of Bespoke Music.

Art work by Ben Tibbin of Mozmo Creative and

Social Media Creations by Alana Rauert of Muse Communications.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode were those of the hosts and the guest, not of any entity they work for or with.

Today, we are joined by Andrew Old, the Deputy Director-General, Public Health Agency and Mental Health Group with the Ministry of Health, New Zealand.

Andrew is a public health physician and has held a number of clinical leadership roles, as well as executive leadership and governance positions in strategy, community participation, patient experience, and quality improvement.

Andrew was the 2018/19 Commonwealth Fund Harkness Fellow for New Zealand, and was based between the Clinical Excellence Research Center at Stanford University, and the Social Interventions Research Evaluation Network at UC San Francisco.

Upon returning to NZ he was almost immediately seconded to support the COVID-19 response, latterly as Chief Clinical Officer, before becoming the inaugural Deputy Director-General for the Public Health Agency on its formation in July 2022.

Andrew received his medical and public health degrees from the University of Auckland, and is a Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine. He was awarded Fellowship of the New Zealand Medical Association in 2011 for services to the profession and the public.

Let’s dive in to our conversation with Andrew Old.

Key moments in the podcast:

00:00 Podcast Intro

01:16 Meet Andrew Old

02:53 Growing Up With Music

04:48 Awe At World Health

06:49 Staying Grounded

09:45 Choosing Medicine

15:30 Finding Public Health

18:47 Becoming Systems Minded

21:08 Study That Shapes You

26:48 First Leadership Leap

29:59 Learning On The Job

34:14 When Leadership Gets Hard

40:29 Hope And Purpose Ahead

43:47 Three Career Nuggets

47:48 A Quote To Remember

Here is what stays with us from this conversation:

Growth Happens When You Step Up Long Before You Feel Ready

* Embracing Uncertainty: Backing yourself and taking leaps when opportunities arise, rather than waiting for a “perfect” moment that never comes.

* Navigating the Unknown: Stepping into executive and managerial roles—even before having formal experience in managing people or corporate budgets—by trusting your potential.

* Just-in-Time Learning: Prioritizing targeted, practical skill development when new challenges present themselves over relying solely on traditional degrees.

True Fulfillment Comes From What You Do, Not What You Want to Be

* Shifting Career Focus: Moving away from chasing titles or rigid career milestones to focus on what a “good day” of meaningful work actually looks like.

* Systems Thinking Over Quick Fixes: Looking “upstream” to understand the broader context, social determinants, and systemic dynamics behind front-line issues.

* Leading with Curiosity: Asking better questions and remaining continuously curious to appraise complex situations critically.

The People and Culture Around the Work Matter Most

* Environment Over Job Description: Recognizing that even the perfect job on paper will not bring fulfillment if the team dynamic and work environment do not fit.

* Grounding in Community and Family: Maintaining perspective in high-demand leadership roles by prioritizing family, daily routines, and personal connections.

* Perspective and Empathy: Remembering that success in human-centered fields relies on honoring others and harmonizing efforts toward a shared goal.

Authentic Leadership Bridges Divides Through Vulnerability and Hope

* Disarming Cynicism: Facing skepticism—including your own—by openly calling out doubts and re-anchoring efforts in the fundamental “why”.

* Honoring Professional Identity: Maintaining core personal values and professional ethics while transitioning into broad governance and civil leadership roles.

* Amplifying Symbols of Hope: Actively seeking out, celebrating, and sharing moments of progress to sustain a sense of purpose within large, complex systems.

Connect with Dr Andrew Old

This is an original podcast by Flyntrok. We help organisations, communities and individuals change and adapt to a new world. You will find Flyntrok on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

Listen to this podcast on Substack, Spotify or Apple. We would love it if you would leave us a comment, screenshot the episode and tag us on social media, and share this episode with your community so that they can better navigate their forks in the road.

Hosted by Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland

Produced by Rajeev Nedumaran of Studior.

Music by Damian Smith of Bespoke Music.

Art work by Ben Tibbin of Mozmo Creative and

Social Media Creations by Alana Rauert of Muse Communications.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode were those of the hosts and the guest, not of any entity they work for or with.

Today we are joined by Taimi Allan, the Mental Health Commissioner for South Australia, and she describes herself as a Wellbeing Warrior, Strategist, Tech-Geek, Do-er, Compassionate Leader, and Creative—and Enabled, not disabled by lived experience.

Taimi’s early career steps were through studying drama and theatre arts, jobs in hospitality and the airline industry. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in her own recovery journey through complex mental health challenges. We also love her summary of her career path so far, from consumer to CEO to Commissioner. Her work includes leading national anti-discrimination initiatives and directing a Mental Health Innovations company. Uniquely, Taimi served on mental health commissions in both New Zealand and South Australia. Taimi is Deputy Chair of the eMental Health International Collaborative, a member of UNICEF’s global Digital Youth Mental Health Expert Network, and a member of South Australia’s Suicide Prevention Council, among other governance roles.

Let’s dive in…

Key moments in the podcast:

00:00 Letting Go of Regret

00:53 Podcast Welcome and Guest Intro

03:17 Quickfire Qantas Stories

05:16 Crochet and Creative Recharge

07:51 Teen Music and Love Story

10:10 Early Forks in Career

15:02 Degree Doubts and Validation

17:57 From Arts to Mental Health Messaging

20:22 Leadership Rise and Lived Experience

24:50 Mentors and Enabled by Experience

28:03 Mind and Body and Anti-Stigma Work

31:53 Commissioner Role and Team Culture

38:14 Global Partnerships and Cultural Authority

43:38 Weaving Culture in Australia

47:08 Saying Yes to Commissioner Role

51:39 Three Golden Nuggets and Farewell

54:36 Outro and Next Episode Teaser

Notable Quotes

* “You are not disabled by your experiences. You are enabled by them.”

* “Don’t be embarrassed about any part of your life. It’s all learning and teaching.”

* “When things go right, it’s because we are moving at the speed of trust.”

Here is what stays with us from this conversation:

Your Lived Experience Is Your Ultimate Leadership Asset

* Reframing Vulnerability into Power: Turning recovery journeys through complex mental health challenges into strengths rather than deficits.

* The Power of Edutainment: Using creative mediums like theater, film, and comedy to communicate mental health messages without making people feel railroaded.

* Collective Peer Support: Leveraging shared lived experience to break down stigma, build empathy, and foster authentic human connection.

Releasing Regret Unlocks Your True Purpose

* Overcoming Academic Stigma: Letting go of the shame of an unfinished degree to recognize that raw life experience offers irreplaceable wisdom.

* Walking Through Open Doors: Embracing unexpected career detours and trusting that non-linear paths lead exactly where you need to be.

* Self-Validation over External Approval: Moving beyond the need to prove worth through perfectionism or traditional credentials.

Real Systems Change Moves at the Speed of Trust

* Weaving Cultural Authority: Learning from collectivist Indigenous wisdom to embed cultural authority across systems rather than treating it as an afterthought.

* Flattening Workplace Hierarchies: Dismantling rigid structures so individuals feel empowered to take charge of their own wellbeing and growth.

* Navigating the “Mirror Moment”: Supporting staff who bring lived experience to work as they navigate personal reflections and maintain performance standards.

Authentic Leaders Welcome Challenge and Lead with Kindness

* Grounding in Core Values: Living and leading by two foundational rules: work hard and be kind.

* Inviting constructive critique: Embracing challenges from colleagues and community as essential fuel for personal and system improvement.

* Moving with Curiosity: Remaining comfortable with not knowing everything and viewing mistakes as vital opportunities to learn and rebuild trust.

Connect with Taimi Allan

This is an original podcast by Flyntrok. We help organisations, communities and individuals change and adapt to a new world. You will find Flyntrok on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

Listen to this podcast on Substack, Spotify or Apple. We would love it if you would leave us a comment, screenshot the episode and tag us on social, and share this episode with your community so that they can better navigate their forks in the road.

Hosted by Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland

Produced by Rajeev Nedumaran of Studior.

Music by Damian Smith of Bespoke Music.

Art work by Ben Tibbin of Mozmo Creative and

Social Media Creations by Alana Rauert of Muse Communications.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode were those of the hosts and the guest, not of any entity they work for or with.

Professor Lisa Scharoun is Head of School—School of Design at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. An award-winning teacher, researcher, and designer, Lisa specialises in Visual Communications, with a focus on design for health and wellbeing and cross-cultural design. She holds a Master of Arts in Design Studies from Central Saint Martins in London, and after working as a graphic and interior designer, she moved into academia.

She earned her PhD from Griffith University, Queensland, Australia, spent eight years at the University of Canberra, where she led design programs and co-founded the Cross-cultural Design Lab, and she has also served as a visiting professor in Singapore and Norway.

In her current work, Lisa has partnered with Queensland Health helping secure more than $3 million to support healthcare innovation. Today, her leadership is grounded in empowering teams, nurturing emerging talent, and advancing socially responsive, culturally informed design.

This conversation dives deeply into the non-linear personal and professional path that shaped Lisa’s worldview—from creative boredom in upstate New York to navigating corporate culture clashes in London and massive educational pivots in Shanghai.

Let’s dive in.

Key moments in the podcast:

00:00 Curiosity and Connection

00:23 Podcast Welcome and Guest Intro

02:22 Rapid Fire Origins

02:49 Sleepy Hollow Hometown

04:35 Finding Home Worldwide

07:30 Creative Life Off Work

08:11 Stable Roots Big Leaps

11:59 Mentors Shape a Designer

17:21 London Culture Shock

21:45 From London to Shanghai

26:26 Choosing Shanghai Over Peace Corps

28:52 Landing In Shanghai Shock

32:09 Baby Steps And Finding Support

33:48 Teaching Art History Reality Check

35:24 Design For Social Impact

37:57 PhD Plans And Meeting Husband

42:19 Healthcare Design Study Tours

48:16 Scaling Global Sustainability Tours

50:57 Student Impact And Career Paths

54:41 Top Three Career Lessons

56:03 Closing Thanks And Wrap Up

Here is what stays with us from this conversation:

True insight is forged through the navigation of the unknown.

* The Safety to Explore: Having a stable, grounded childhood and family foundation provides a psychological safety net needed to take massive risks, embrace ambiguity, and step completely out of your comfort zones.

* Bridging the Cultural Divide: True leadership requires the capacity to observe, translate, and bridge the subtle, hidden nuances and “culture clashes” built into global environments, such as balancing contrasting American and British corporate workplace norms.

* The Life-Changing Impact of Cross-Disciplinary Mentorship: Unlocking your potential often relies on mentors who look past their own immediate domains, highlighted by Lisa’s story of a mathematics professor who genuinely cared enough to guide her toward her true creative calling.

Purpose over profit: Real systemic impact begins when we pivot away from commercial constraints toward altruistic social change.

* The Idealistic Tension: Navigating the internal disconnect that happens when you reach conventional commercial success but lack a deeper sense of societal alignment.

* Embracing the Unexpected Leap: Choosing the road less traveled at monumental career forks, exemplified by navigating the sudden choice between a volunteer path in the US Peace Corps in Africa or a rapid leap to teach design in Shanghai, China.

* Reframing the Role of the Creative Mindset: Moving past the outdated paradigm of design as a superficial aesthetic execution tool used to “make things look pretty,” into a strategic leadership tool for social impact.

When leaders bring a design mindset into complex environments, they hand frontline teams the ultimate permission and agency to innovate.

* Cultivating Frontline Agency: Give everyday workers (such as healthcare and hospital staff) the design thinking tools and freedom to contribute to making improvements in the workplace.

* The Creative Capital of Boredom and Storytelling: Drawing from personal roots (such as growing up in Kinderhook, New York, the historical inspiration for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow) to realize that constraints, imagination, and narrative are primary drivers of innovative problem-solving.

Connect with Lisa Scharoun

This is an original podcast by Flyntrok. We help organisations, communities and individuals change and adapt to a new world. You will find Flyntrok on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

Listen to this podcast on Substack, Spotify or Apple. We would love it if you would leave us a comment, screenshot the episode and tag us on social, and share this episode with your community so that they can better navigate their forks in the road.

Hosted by Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland

Produced by Rajeev Nedumaran of Studior.

Music by Damian Smith of Bespoke Music.

Art work by Ben Tibbin of Mozmo Creative and

Social Media Creations by Alana Rauert of Muse Communications.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode were those of the hosts and the guest, not of any entity they work for or with.

Today’s guest is Surya Bhatta, a global health leader and social entrepreneur based in Nepal. He is Co-CEO of One Heart Worldwide, a U.S.-based nonprofit, improving maternal and newborn health in remote, underserved communities.

Surya holds a Public Health degree from Nepal, a Masters in Health Care Delivery and Science from Dartmouth College, and advanced training in Global Health Delivery from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

He has partnered with international agencies and funders, including USAID, Grand Challenges Canada, the German Government, the European Union, and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

Surya has also led major health responses to Nepal’s crises, including the 2015 and 2023 earthquakes and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Raised in a rural Nepali village, Surya witnessed the realities of limited maternal care firsthand: he brings deep local knowledge, humility and a focused commitment to improving health outcomes for all.

Let’s dive in …

Key moments in the podcast:

00:00 Why Share Globally

00:36 Podcast Welcome

01:12 Meet Surya Bhatta

02:24 Kathmandu Check In

03:23 Family Life

05:25 Village Food Memories

07:03 How He Unwinds

08:45 One Heart Worldwide Mission

11:13 Growing Up Rural Nepal

15:53 Leaving Home For School

20:57 Finding Purpose In Public Health

23:04 Mothers Story Sparks Mission

26:12 Joining One Heart Worldwide

27:40 Systems Thinking Influences

28:22 From Challenge to Action

30:08 Building a Care System

32:06 Network of Safety Model

34:05 Studying Abroad for Leadership

38:57 Scholarship and Culture Shock

41:05 Skills Network and Confidence

43:34 Executive Director and Scaling

45:16 COVID Response and Co-CEO

48:26 Humility Driven Growth

53:41 Leadership Lessons and Farewell

Here is what stays with us from this conversation:

Leaders are not heroes. They are just ordinary people.

True leadership shifts the focus away from the ego of the individual and redirects it toward the consistency of daily, collective impact.

* Redefining the “Hero” Leader — Moving past the myth of the all-knowing, solitary leader. Authentic leadership values the power of a shared vision over individual accolade.

* Impact Over Ego — Internalizing the reality that leadership isn’t about self-preservation or daily self-proof, but about the steady progress made on the ground.

* Consistency Over Magic — Embracing a grounded, practical approach to solving leadership dilemmas through realistic, everyday actions rather than waiting for sweeping, magical fixes.

We act as a catalyst—the community already holds the real power and resources.

Humility in scaling means realizing your organization is not the entire ecosystem, but a supportive catalyst designed to strengthen it.

* The Catalytic Leader — Positioning an organization to support, enhance, and empower existing local framework and government structures instead of attempting to build parallel, competitive empires.

* Resisting the “Superficial Scale” Trap — Navigating the external pressures from funders and stakeholders pushing for rapid, exponential growth. Leading with humility means prioritizing depth and long-term sustainability over quick numbers that dilute quality.

* Sustainable & Joint Work — Viewing scaling as a partnership of joint work, recognizing local leaders and systems as the primary drivers of permanent change.

The community knows their problem best, better than anybody.

Sustainable growth can only be achieved when solutions are driven entirely by the needs and expertise of the people on the ground.

* Systems Thinking via Listening First — Approaching complex organizational or social problems by stepping back, checking assumptions at the door, and listening to the baseline environment before trying to intervene.

* Co-Creation Over Implementation — Actively involving local stakeholders in programmatic solutions from day one, ensuring that the architecture of growth belongs to the community.

* Navigating Identity Shifts — Embracing the discomfort of transitions and adapting organizational models dynamically as real-world feedback reveals what truly works versus what doesn’t.

Key Takeaway Quote

“I think life teaches you a lesson. You don’t have to prove yourself every day, but you can make an impact every day.” — Surya Bhatta

About the Show

Forks in the Road explores the everyday dilemmas in leadership, leaning into the idea that forks make you fitter. Through raw and candid conversations with global leaders, hosts Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland dissect the high-stakes decisions and identity shifts that define the modern leadership journey.

Connect with Surya Bhatta

This is an original podcast by Flyntrok. We help organisations, communities and individuals change and adapt to a new world. You will find Flyntrok on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

Listen to this podcast on Substack, Spotify or Apple. We would love it if you would leave us a comment, screenshot the episode and tag us on social, and share this episode with your community so that they can better navigate their forks in the road.

Hosted by Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland

Produced by Rajeev Nedumaran of Studior.

Music by Damian Smith of Bespoke Music.

Art work by Ben Tibbin of Mozmo Creative and

Social Media Creations by Alana Rauert of Muse Communications.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode were those of the hosts and the guest, not of any entity they work for or with.

Jude Pemell is a Psychotherapist based in Sydney, Australia. She trained in journalism and began her career in theatre and film across the UK, USA and Australia. She is an alumni of NIDA, the National Institute of Dramatic Arts, Sydney, Australia, an author of non fiction and poetry and a playwright of two stage productions. Her love, training and experience in theatre and film, paved the way for a remarkable second act: a 30-year career in forensic psychotherapy and public service, working in criminal justice, substance-abuse treatment and immigration detention, and contributing to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

A natural storyteller, Jude takes us on a journey through her life from the 1950s and the influence of her mother, who owned and ran a small hospital in New South Wales and modelled progressive feminism, through to her current psychotherapy work with people who have experienced complex trauma, including refugees. This conversation offers wisdom, joy and an honest exploration of what it means to be human. Let’s dive in.

Key moments in the podcast:

00:00 Hollywood Awakening

00:45 Podcast Welcome

01:26 Meet Jude Pemell

03:08 Childhood Reading Roots

05:13 First Overseas Adventure

09:45 Self Care Basics

13:21 Mother Hospital Influence

18:30 Showbiz To Spiritual Shift

20:12 Surry Hills Doorbell Moment

27:37 Step 11 Breakthrough

35:54 Refugee Work Turning Point

42:25 Forks Wisdom And Farewell

45:53 Next Episode Preview

47:39 Credits And Where To Listen

Here is what stays with us from this conversation:

The Logic of the Gut: True Strategy Requires the Courage to Trust Your Instincts

Great leaders don’t just rely on data; they cultivate a refined internal compass that allows them to make decisive moves when windows of opportunity open.

* Considered Risk-Taking: Moving past paralyzing over-analysis to take calculated, deliberate actions based on deep inner clarity.

* Acting on Inspiration: Recognizing the precise moment a spark of professional passion or inspiration strikes and following it unhesitatingly.

* The Wisdom of the Subconscious: Acknowledging that our instinct is often a rapid processing of a lifetime of unwritten lessons.

Leading from the Center: Personal Sustainability is the Prerequisite for Impact

You cannot successfully navigate external chaos or guide a team through high-stress crisis environments if you have not first anchored your own foundation.

* The Power of a Strong Center: Cultivating daily mindfulness and groundedness to eliminate the volatile emotional highs and lows of leadership stress.

* Self-Care as a Leadership Strategy: Shifting the narrative around well-being—protecting your mind and body is a baseline requirement to be effective, not a luxury.

* Foundational Resilience: Ensuring the “basics” of life are sound so that you possess the long-term energy required to handle executive pressure.

Radical Empathy: True Influence is Born from Human Connection, Not Hierarchy

The most progressive and resilient organizational cultures are built when leaders step out from behind the noise of corporate titles to fiercely see and value the individual.

* The “Matron Culture” Reframed: Learning from progressive management styles that prioritize knowing the human stories, families, and lives behind the staff members.

* Quiet Feminism in Leadership: Championing forward-thinking, supportive workplace environments through steady action and deep listening rather than top-down control.

* Becoming Fully Human: Embracing the professional reality that vulnerable, complex, and high-stakes environments are ultimate spaces for deep empathy and mutual growth.

Accidental Alignment: Your Present Journey is Secretly Preparing You for Your Next Pivot

Career transitions are rarely random; they are the organic culmination of transferable emotional intelligence, everyday observations, and subtle clues.

* Decoding the Transition Clues: Developing the awareness to spot the quiet indicators that signify you are outgrowing a role and are ready for a new horizon.

* The Informal Apprenticeship: Recognizing how non-traditional backgrounds, past industries, and childhood curiosities act as an informal training ground for future leadership.

* Everyday Preparation: Trusting that how you handle the minor forks in the road today is the precise groundwork shaping your strategic decisions for tomorrow.

Connect & Subscribe

* Forks make you fitter. Explore more everyday leadership dilemmas and subscribe to the Forks in the Road newsletter: FLYNTROK Substack

* Listen & Review: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app and leave a review if Judith’s insights helped you navigate your own fork in the road.

Connect with Judith Pemell

This is an original podcast by Flyntrok. We help organisations, communities and individuals change and adapt to a new world. You will find Flyntrok on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

Listen to this podcast on Substack, Spotify or Apple. We would love it if you would leave us a comment, screenshot the episode and tag us on social, and share this episode with your community so that they can better navigate their forks in the road.

Hosted by Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland

Produced by Rajeev Nedumaran of Studior.

Music by Damian Smith of Bespoke Music.

Art work by Ben Tibbin of Mozmo Creative and

Social Media Creations by Alana Rauert of Muse Communications.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode were those of the hosts and the guest, not of any entity they work for or with.

In this eighth review milestone, hosts Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland look back at the collective wisdom of Episodes 44–48. Moving past isolated, individual reflection, this conversation weaves together the “red threads” connecting systems, leadership, and personal growth. Together, they look at how digging into the crossroads of others can bring clarity to our own professional paths.

Key moments in the podcast:

00:00 Welcome and Recap

01:33 Why Stories Matter

05:05 Values Deep Dive

12:26 Origin Story

18:11 Systems Thinking Curiosity

27:09 Creating Headspace

34:09 Camping vs Climbing

36:50 Permission to Pause

38:47 Closing and Episode 50

Here is what stays with us from this conversation:

Clarity of Core Values Serves as Our Inner Compass

“Our values are our guiding lights; understanding them deeply allows us to navigate complex professional crossroads with integrity and authenticity.”

* Distinguishing Traits from Values: Realizing that surface-level behavioral traits differ from deeply held core values (such as substituting the concept of surface trust with radical authenticity).

* The Value of Reflective Deconstructive Practice: Moving past merely naming values to performing a “double-click” investigation to unpack what they look like in everyday professional actions.

* Unmasking Value Discomfort and Trade-offs: Embracing the psychological discomfort when two competing values clash, and developing the skill to hold space for both instead of choosing paralysis.

* Holding Values Sacred Under Pressure: Acknowledging that our truest values often shine brightest when we are “pinned against the wall” by professional transitions, role shifts, or environmental stress.

Origin Stories Form the Foundation of Connection and Culture

“To build highly collaborative, caring, and psychologically safe teams, we must take the time to deeply listen to where people come from.”

* The Power of Backstories: Embracing childhood backgrounds and diverse upbringings to help clarify why colleagues operate with specific instincts in the modern workplace.

* Living the Values of Inclusion and Diversity: Learning to navigate complex professional networks without immediate labels, cultivating an environment that naturally embraces both our human commonalities and distinct differences.

* Leading with Radical Empathy: Introducing broader principles of care and love into systemic practices, building deep professional networks that enrich the broader workplace tenfold.

Systems Change Demands Active Curiosity and Deep Listening

“True transformation within complex systems cannot occur in isolation; it requires a persistent curiosity to draw out signals from every layer of the network.”

* Developing a Systems-Level Focus: Leveraging professional backgrounds (such as engineering or clinical training) to observe structural flow, patient patterns, and analytical connections inside complex environments.

* Sourcing Innovation from Within: Actively tapping into the insights and immediate daily observations of frontline staff rather than relying solely on external consultants.

* Listening to System Users: Engaging directly with stakeholders, users, and patients to gather operational data on what is genuinely functioning or failing.

* The Portfolio Mindset and Experimental Research: Navigating corporate hierarchies by actively testing hypotheses, running small-scale workplace experiments, and building a multi-disciplined portfolio career.

Cultivating a Deliberate “Permission to Pause” Sustains Longevity

“Stepping off the fast-paced conveyor belt of business isn’t a luxury; it is a critical practice of professional self-preservation and systemic safety.”

* Creating Necessary Headspace: Purposely breaking away from high-stress routines or relentless treadmills to give your mind room to evaluate life-altering decisions.

* Listening to Internal Doubts: Slowing down to address quiet feelings of hesitation or value misalignment before they manifest as chronic professional burnout or illness.

* The Balance of Climbing and Camping: Recognizing that professional life requires balancing growth goals (climbing) with vital periods of recovery (camping) to assess the view and chart the next peak.

* Designing Personalized Rituals for Inner Peace: Actively designing morning habits, reflective practices, and customized routines that center your professional focus.

Next Time on Forks in the Road: This milestone marks our 49th episode! Be sure to join us for Episode 50, where Stephen and Anne will deliberately hit pause to celebrate, reflect on their podcasting journey, and thank the listeners and guests who make these shared explorations possible.

This is an original podcast by Flyntrok. We help organisations, communities and individuals change and adapt to a new world. You will find Flyntrok on LinkedIn, Instagram and X.

Listen to this podcast on Substack, Spotify or Apple. We would love it if you would leave us a comment, screenshot the episode and tag us on social, and share this episode with your community so that they can better navigate their forks in the road.

Hosted by Stephen Berkeley and Anne Boland

Produced by Rajeev Nedumaran of Studior.

Music by Damian Smith of Bespoke Music.

Art work by Ben Tibbin of Mozmo Creative and

Social Media Creations by Alana Rauert of Muse Communications.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode were those of the hosts and the guest, not of any entity they work for or with.