Leadership can be a lonely affair. Values held by an individual might not align exactly with the needs of an organisation, and no matter the determination, implementing meaningful changes can feel like swimming against the tide. But the process can be easier when we have a third party, or a mentor, from whom we can seek support and advice, and who can offer guidance on our decision making. 

In this episode of Forward Vision we speak to Liam Black, the ‘gloves off mentor’, author of ‘How to Lead with Purpose’. This is a wide ranging conversation that offers bitesize tips on how to become more effective as a leader, what ‘purpose’ really means, and why a good mentor provides clarity and supports the courage to execute ambitious goals.

For a copy of Liam's book: https://practicalinspiration.com/book/how-to-lead-with-purpose

For updates from Matthew, visit: https://twitter.com/ConfedMatthew

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What are the secrets to making our organisations’ inclusivity programmes work? And how do we ensure we don’t end up in the trap of creating negative feelings towards the diversity agenda? 

Joining Matthew today is Suzy Levy, social change specialist and author of ‘Mind the Inclusion Gap: How Allies can Bridge the Divide Between Talking Diversity and Taking Action’. We discover why just ‘being nice’ doesn’t work, how we can move on from the poorly designed EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) programmes of the past, and why it’s important that when we are creating safer spaces for one group of people we don’t preclude the needs of another. 

For a copy of 'Mind the Inclusion Gap': https://unbound.com/books/inclusion

For updates from Matthew, visit: https://twitter.com/ConfedMatthew

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Have identity politics become problematic? Do they help or hinder the progressive project? Over the past decade, we’ve seen an explosion of radical identity politics that have often created stark polarisation, with excesses that have been seized upon by its biggest critics. So how do we move the conversation forward so that societies can create further equality? Joining Matthew on this week’s Forward Vision is academic and political scientist, Yascha Mounk. Discussing his new book, ’The Identity Trap’, Yascha traces the history of how radical identity politics have taken hold, the risks that occur when ideas behind our identities become too simplified, and what alternative liberal perspectives can help us live up to our universal values.

'The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time' is available now: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/456408/the-identity-trap-by-mounk-yascha/9780241638293

For updates from Matthew, visit: https://twitter.com/ConfedMatthew

For more information on The Forward Institute, visit: https://www.forward.institute/podcast

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Renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Henry Marsh joins us to discuss the profound journey of reflection triggered by his own battle with cancer and how his understanding of the institution he worked within shaped his experience as a patient.

How does the knowledge of our mortality influence the way we lead, the choices we make, and the legacy we leave behind? Death is often treated as a taboo subject, but should we instead feel empowered by having discussions about it for the good of ourselves, patients and society as a whole? Join us as Matthew and Henry navigate this essential conversation, uncovering the transformative power of facing mortality head-on, and how acknowledging the inevitability of death can shape our priorities, ambitions, and the impact we have on the world.

Dr. Henry Marsh's book 'And Finally... A Neurosurgeon's Reflections on Life' is available on Vintage Books:

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/438603/and-finally-by-marsh-henry/9781784709365

For updates from Matthew, visit: https://twitter.com/ConfedMatthew

For more information on The Forward Institute, visit: https://www.forward.institute/podcast

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We live in a world shaped by the work of Thomas J. Watson Jr. During his tenure as CEO of IBM he set the foundations for personal computing and paved the way for the digital age. He was pioneering, principled and ethical. Yet his personal story reveals a man who was also volatile and prone to bouts of depression. In today's episode, Watson's biographer Marc Wortman guides us through his fascinating life, the painful personal decisions he had to take and the huge risks he took to turn IBM into one of the world's most successful businesses. We discover what enduring qualities make an innovative leader and ask whether, in today's world of short-termism, could a figure like Watson exist today?

Marc Wortman is an historian and journalist and co-author, alongside Ralph Watson McElvenny, of 'The Greatest Capitalist Who Ever Lived: Tom Watson Jr. and the Epic Story of How IBM Created the Digital Age'

For updates from Matthew, visit: https://twitter.com/ConfedMatthew

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In today's world of short terms and shareholder power, could a figure like Thomas J. Watson Jr. exist today?

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Author and historian Johan Norberg joins Matthew for a debate on whether capitalism holds the answers to society's problems.

It is a sure sign of capitalism's unpopularity that it is treated with suspicion by both the left and the nationalist right. The modern view of capitalism skewers it as being unbridled, only benefiting a fortunate few while many in society are left behind. But should we see capitalism as the means to creating a more open, collaborative and innovative society instead? Today's episode takes a different form, as Matthew debates with Johan Norberg on the detriments and benefits of capitalism. This is a far ranging conversation that examines the way that capitalism has shaped our world, and asks whether or not we should embrace it.

Johan Norberg's book 'The Capitalist Manifesto: Why the Global Free Market Will Save The World' is available from Atlantic Books

https://atlantic-books.co.uk/book/the-capitalist-manifesto/

For updates from Matthew, visit: https://twitter.com/ConfedMatthew

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It is estimated that at least 1,820 people in the UK died as a result of the infected blood scandal. A further 26,800 people were made severely ill after receiving blood transfusions contaminated with hepatitis C or HIV. Considered to be the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS, the scandal can be traced back to the 1970s. However it is only in the last three years that there has been a full scale public inquiry. How was it that negligence ran so rife as to affect so many people, and why were the facts so routinely ignored and covered up? Joining Matthew to discuss this is investigative journalist, Cara McGoogan, author of ‘The Poison Line: The shocking true story of how a miracle cure became a deadly poison’. In this episode they trace the history of the infected blood scandal, how leaders failed to take stock of evidence presented to them, and the devastating impact this lack of action had on patients. 

https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/296504/cara-mcgoogan

For updates from Matthew, visit: https://twitter.com/ConfedMatthew

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There is no such thing as 100% certainty. So in today’s heavily quantified world, where much of the information we receive is communicated in metrics and where we translate our ambitions into targets, how do we make sure we can trust the numbers we’ve come to rely on so heavily in every day life? Should we be taken in by an argument that relies solely cold hard numbers or be ready to explore the debates behind the statistics? Joining Matthew to help make the figures add up is Mathematical Biologist, Kit Yates, Senior Lecturer at the University of Bath and author of 'How to Expect the Unexpected: The Science of Making Predictions and the Art of Knowing When Not To'. Recorded in the week where the UK Government rowed back on its Net Zero targets, we learn the difference between self-fulfilling and self-defeating prophesies and why, when convincing others of your point of view, it might be useful to introduce a little bit of uncertainty into your convictions. 

For a copy of Kit's book, please visit: https://geni.us/KitYatesBooks

For updates from Matthew, visit: https://twitter.com/ConfedMatthew

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We live in societies saturated with rules. Some unpopular, some resisted, but also some that are so unspoken and engrained that we would never dare break them. So should leaders be tempted by their instinct to make more of them? Perhaps by understanding their complexities and contradictions, we might become better decision makers. In today’s episode, Lorraine Daston sweeps us through history to learn about the different types of rules that govern our lives. We learn about the concept of ’thick’ and ’thin’ rules, why rules that restrict individual expression are often doomed to fail, and how in some cases it might take generations, centuries even, for a rule to take hold.

Lorraine Daston is Director emerita of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science. Her book ‘Rules: A Short History of What We Live By’ is available on Princeton University Press. https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691156989/rules

For updates from Matthew, visit: https://twitter.com/ConfedMatthew

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Is it possible to make a real difference to the world when we are trapped in our roles as consumers? Should we be building a new system of government that allows individuals to be more active in shaping policy? These are ideas put forward by today’s guest, Jon Alexander, co-founder of the New Citizenship Project and co-author of ‘Citizens’. In this conversation we trace human history through three stories: the Subject Story, the Consumer Story, and the Citizen Story. It is only in this final role that Jon argues we can tackle some of the biggest problems facing the world today. We hear from Taiwan and the ‘g0v’ movement that changed the relationship between citizen and state, and why in the UK, with a General Election looming, it’s more important than ever to create a moment where the story can shift. 

For more information on Jon, his book, and the New Citizenship Project please visit:

www.jonalexander.net

www.newcitizenship.org.uk

For updates from Matthew, visit: https://twitter.com/ConfedMatthew

For more information on The Forward Institute, visit: https://www.forward.institute/podcast

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