How They Lead

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Summary

In this episode of How They Lead, Fran, West Peak’s in-house EQ expert, dives deep into the nuances of emotional intelligence and generational leadership. 

From understanding the core components of EQ, addressing the challenges of hybrid work, psychological safety and motivating Gen Z and Gen Alpha, this conversation explores how leaders can adapt their approach to create stronger, more connected teams. 

Packed with real-world insights and actionable tips, this episode is essential listening for any modern leader navigating a rapidly changing workplace.

Key Takeaways

EQ starts with self-awareness and understanding your own triggers, values and emotional reactions before managing others’.

Generational differences matter. Newer generations prioritise empathy, honesty, and psychological safety over traditional motivators like money.

Hybrid Work requires intentionality as leaders must be more deliberate about connection and team culture.

Clear expectations foster trust, not control. Especially when onboarding or managing younger employees.

Psychological safety fuels performance. People perform better and innovate more when they feel safe to speak up, fail and be honest.

Quiet coasting does not equal laziness. What appears to be disengagement may simply be boundary-setting or a lack of meaningful connection to purpose.

Trust must be built early and prevents the need for micromanagement.

Pausing is powerful! Taking a moment to reflect before reacting emotionally can lead to better decision-making and stronger leadership.

Soundbites

"Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence."

"You can’t help others unless you understand yourself first."

"Clarity isn't micromanagement. It's kindness."

"It’s not about how safe you think they should feel, but how safe they actually feel."

"Every generation thinks the next is lazy, but they just work differently."

"Psychological safety is knowing your ideas won’t be punished, even if they fail."

"Belonging isn’t a buzzword. It’s the core of engagement."

"Pause, reflect and ask: Is this who I want to be in this moment?"

"Leaders who are disengaged create disengaged teams."

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Emotional Intelligence

02:57 The Importance of Self-Awareness

05:58 Hybrid Work Environments

08:56 Generational Differences in Work Ethic

11:59 Building Psychological Safety in Teams

14:57 Motivation and Engagement in the Workplace

17:44 Practical Tips for Enhancing Emotional Intelligence

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How They Lead – S02 Ep 02 | Matt Bennett sits w/ Jenna Eichberg, CPO at AlertMedia

In this energizing and insightful episode, Matt Bennett sits down with Jenna Eichberg to explore what it really means to lead with heart, strategy, and adaptability in today’s world of work.

3 Key Themes:

1.       Leadership Without the Title – Jenna shares how early initiative and curiosity shaped her ability to lead long before the job title said so.

2.       Culture as a Strategic Advantage – From winning Best Place to Work in Austin to navigating crisis with care, Jenna unpacks how culture, trust, and mission alignment fuel AlertMedia’s success.

3.       The Human Side of AI – With AI transforming the workplace, Jenna talks about building psychological safety, learning pathways, and anthropomorphizing tools (hello, Charlie the chatbot) to make tech adoption human-first.

3 Powerful Takeaways from Jenna:

·       “Any idea not put on the table is an idea lost.” Create environments where everyone’s voice contributes.

·       “You don’t need a title to lead, just the willingness to solve real problems.” Leadership starts with curiosity and initiative.

·       “The softer skills are what will define great leaders in an AI-driven world.” Trust, authenticity, and vulnerability aren’t nice-to-haves, they’re the differentiators.

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In the season two opener of How They Lead, West Peak's co-founders return to unpack the biggest shifts in leadership, people performance, and business since their last series. 

From launching West Peak US, the epidemic of disengaged employees, geopolitical turmoil, AI disruption, and generational divides, this candid episode sets the tone for the future of high-performance leadership.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership must evolve to address rising attrition, disengagement, and post-pandemic workforce expectations.
• Quiet coasting has overtaken quiet quitting as a major issue. Underperformers doing just enough without being held accountable.
• Toxic top performers can be as damaging as disengaged team members if not managed.
• AI integration is here, from AI board seats to team structures involving digital agents.
• Cultural clarity is critical. Values and behavioral expectations must be explicit and consistently upheld.
• Leadership training is no longer optional. The cost of inaction is steep, with replacement costs reaching 2.5–3x base salary.
• West Peak US is live, with events now happening in Austin, New York, and LA.
• Employee-Owned Trusts and scaling startups are actively investing in leadership development.
• Success requires performance AND psychological safety, not one or the other.

Soundbites

• "Your mood equals their mood."
• "Quiet quitting is now quiet coasting."
• "No one joins a company wanting to be an asshole. We create them when we don't hold people to account."
• "You have to put your own oxygen mask on first. Leaders need development too."
• "The cost of replacing someone is now 2.5 to 3x base salary."
• "Culture eats strategy for breakfast, but most businesses still aren't serving culture at all."
• "You can’t challenge performance if you haven’t made your values explicit."
• "Mark Zuckerberg is offering OpenAI engineers $100 million salaries. Good luck competing without culture."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:03 Leadership Landscape Update

02:04 Expansion into the US Market

06:13 Business Growth Breakfasts

09:22 Shifts in Business Performance

12:39 The Impact of Attrition Rates

16:09 Navigating Toxicity and Performance

20:50 Establishing Values for Accountability

22:12 Psychological Safety in Leadership

27:04 Generational Workforce Dynamics

30:38 The Role of AI in Leadership

31:47 Cost of Developing Leaders vs. Attrition Costs

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How to Stay Ahead in Business with Lawrence Clinton, COO of Castor Vali

In this episode of How They Lead, we sit down with Lawrence Clinton, COO at Castor Vali, to uncover the mindset and strategies behind leading in a fast-paced, ever-changing business landscape.

With years of experience in operational excellence and risk management, Lawrence shares his insights on how leaders can navigate uncertainty, adapt to change, and stay ahead of the competition.

Understanding comes first: Gain a clear grasp of challenges and opportunities to make informed decisions.

Adaptation is key: Embrace change and pivot with agility to maintain resilience.

Speed matters: Quick responses can define whether you lead the market or lag behind.

Overcoming challenges: Master the art of staying calm under pressure and overcoming obstacles with confidence.

Join us as Lawrence shares how Castor Vali leads at the forefront of risk and security management—and how you can apply these lessons to your own leadership journey.

🎧 Tune in now to level up your leadership:

What’s your strategy for staying ahead in business?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to Stay Ahead in Business with Lawrence Clinton, COO of Castor Vali

In this episode of How They Lead, we sit down with Lawrence Clinton, COO at Castor Vali, to uncover the mindset and strategies behind leading in a fast-paced, ever-changing business landscape.

With years of experience in operational excellence and risk management, Lawrence shares his insights on how leaders can navigate uncertainty, adapt to change, and stay ahead of the competition.

Understanding comes first: Gain a clear grasp of challenges and opportunities to make informed decisions.

Adaptation is key: Embrace change and pivot with agility to maintain resilience.

Speed matters: Quick responses can define whether you lead the market or lag behind.

Overcoming challenges: Master the art of staying calm under pressure and overcoming obstacles with confidence.

Join us as Lawrence shares how Castor Vali leads at the forefront of risk and security management—and how you can apply these lessons to your own leadership journey.

🎧 Tune in now to level up your leadership:

What’s your strategy for staying ahead in business?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who is Your Audience and What Do They Need to Hear, featuring Camilla Boyer

We enjoyed speaking with Camilla Boyer, Head of Internal Communications and Culture at Hopin in our latest episode of How They Lead. Camilla's journey through the world of internal communications is as inspiring as it is insightful. From her early days at Twitter, one of the first internal comms hires during a pre-IPO frenzy, to her trailblazing work at Hopin, Camilla has consistently prioritised impactful storytelling and authentic company culture.

Key Takeaways from Our Conversation:

• The Role of Empathy in Internal Comms: Camilla emphasizes empathy, effective communication, and adaptability. Understanding and addressing diverse perspectives is crucial to fostering a vibrant, cohesive culture.
• Redefining Core Values: Camilla reimagined company values to be 80% authentic to the present and 20% aspirational for the future, ensuring they truly resonate across organisations.
• Building a Global Network: Early in her career, she innovatively created a network of cultural ambassadors at Twitter to unify international offices and strengthen the company’s global culture.

From sharing strategies to maintain unity in a remote and hyper-growth environment to the importance of learning from industry peers, Camilla’s story is a masterclass in thoughtful leadership and communication.

Want to hear more about Camilla’s journey and her innovative approach to internal communications? Tune in now to discover how the right communication strategies can transform company culture and foster connection, even in a fully remote world.

#InternalComms #Leadership #CompanyCulture #HowTheyLeadPodcast

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We hope you enjoy this episode and gain valuable insights from our conversation. Join us next time as we explore the stories and experiences of more inspiring leaders.

In our latest episode, we had a captivating conversation with Jonathan Reid, the inspiring founder of Reidentify and a true thought leader on redefining how we see identity and human potential.

Jonathan shared incredible insights about leading through authenticity and connection. One of the key takeaways?

The idea that great leadership isn’t just about managing teams or achieving KPIs; it’s about understanding and elevating the people you work with, seeing them not just as employees but as individuals with unique stories and capabilities.

If you enjoyed our podcast today, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and leave a review on your favourite podcast platform. Don't forget to visit our website, thewestpeak.com, for more exclusive content. You can also reach us at [email protected] to connect with us more personally.

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In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome Emma Horsley, a dynamic leader with over two decades of experience in culture, people management, and operations.

Emma excels as the Head of Culture with Hawksmoor Restaurant Group. Her rich background spans various industries, including hospitality, education, and coaching. Her roles range from People Manager at Polpo Ltd to Co-Owner of The Stag, Hampstead, and her career is a testament to her expertise in creating thriving workplace cultures.

Emma’s academic foundation includes a BA in French Language and Literature from the University of Manchester and a Level 7 Diploma in Executive Coaching and Mentoring from ILM. She has also worked as an Associate Coach and trainer at Watershed School, where she focused on leadership development.

Join us as Emma shares her insights into fostering positive work cultures, her journey through leadership, and the impact of mentoring and coaching on personal and organisational growth. She'll also touch on her philosophy of empowering teams, navigating challenges, and the role of culture in driving business success.

Whether you're an aspiring leader or a seasoned professional, this episode offers valuable takeaways on how to lead with intention and inspire others.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome Emma Horsley, a dynamic leader with over two decades of experience in culture, people management, and operations.

Emma excels as the Head of Culture with Hawksmoor Restaurant Group. Her rich background spans various industries, including hospitality, education, and coaching. Her roles range from People Manager at Polpo Ltd to Co-Owner of The Stag, Hampstead, and her career is a testament to her expertise in creating thriving workplace cultures.

Emma’s academic foundation includes a BA in French Language and Literature from the University of Manchester and a Level 7 Diploma in Executive Coaching and Mentoring from ILM. She has also worked as an Associate Coach and trainer at Watershed School, where she focused on leadership development.

Join us as Emma shares her insights into fostering positive work cultures, her journey through leadership, and the impact of mentoring and coaching on personal and organisational growth. She'll also touch on her philosophy of empowering teams, navigating challenges, and the role of culture in driving business success.

Whether you're an aspiring leader or a seasoned professional, this episode offers valuable takeaways on how to lead with intention and inspire others.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.