How to Take the Lead

You know we can’t resist a cheeky bonus episode. As we end the series we take the opportunity to reflect on which episodes really resonated with us and with listeners. And we use this episode as an opportunity to cover things that cropped up between our conversations that we didn’t get the chance to discuss.

We share our own views, thoughts and experiences:

• 04:22 – finding your fire again – the “so what?”
• 07:24 – getting comfortable with being uncomfortable
• 12:40 – honesty and vulnerability
• 19:18 – shifting perceptions of power   
• 31:00 -  making your voice count
• 33:21 – perception – it’s all personal

As it’s a bonus we’ve not stuck to our usual format with top takeaways. However we have delved into all sorts of examples of good, bad and ugly leadership including mentions for Edward Enninful, Plaid Cymru, Dominic Raab, CBI and even the TV show Rise and Fall.

Get in touch to let us know what you want us to cover in Series 4, back after the summer holidays.

If you enjoyed this episode why not subscribe to the podcast: www.howtotakethelead.com/listen

We would love it if you left us a rating or review and feel free to share the link to this episode with anyone else you think would find it interesting.

And if you're looking to lead differently in 2023, we've launched our new Substack community, where you can get extra bonus goodies, network with a community of leaders and get direct access to us both. Subscribe at How to Take the Lead | Substack

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It’s the last episode of this series and we are all about staying curious. We discuss how we define curiosity in leadership and whether it is a core leadership skill. We are not just talking about being curious about others, but being curious about your own approach to leadership and how a culture of curiosity can impact your teams and organisation.

We share our own views, thoughts and experiences:

• 03:08 – the art of asking questions
• 07:24 – benefits of being curious
• 13:56 – can you learn to be a curious leader?
• 22:24 – losing your curiosity   
• 28:21 -  How to… demonstrate curiosity

As always, we share our top takeaways to help you demonstrate curiosity as a leader. Questions are key, the types of questions you ask and how you ask them. Surrounding yourself with a diverse group of people and diverse thinking will support your curiosity.  

In this episode we reference Matthew Syed’s Rebel Ideas

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If you enjoyed this episode why not subscribe to the podcast: www.howtotakethelead.com/listen

New episodes will be released every Thursday and you can listen / download on your favourite platform.

Episodes will also appear on YouTube channel every Thursday, so hit subscribe to make sure you don't miss out.

We would love it if you left us a rating or review and feel free to share the link to this episode with anyone else you think would find it interesting.

And if you're looking to lead differently in 2023, we've launched our new Substack community, where you can get extra bonus goodies, network with a community of leaders and get direct access to us both. Subscribe at How to Take the Lead | Substack

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/How2TakeTheLead

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@howtotakethelead/

Can you believe it’s the penultimate episode in this series already?

In this episode we tackle the topic of power in leadership and how power dynamics show up. We talk about some of the misconceptions in relation to power, challenge some of the stereotypes of how power can play out for leaders and how we can better understand how we can use our power for good as leaders. We share our own thoughts and experiences about how the concept of power has impacted our own leadership journeys.

• 03:08 – different types of power
• 09:21 – behaviours and signals from others
• 16:18 – can you lead successfully without power?
• 21:32 – feeling powerless   
• 31:18 – abuse of power
• 43:18 - How to… leverage your power

As always, we share our top takeaways to help you leverage your power as a leader. If you are uncomfortable with the concept of power consider reframing this to think about impact and influence. Identify where you do and don’t have the power to help you deliver your purpose. Focus on relationships you are building, grow your awareness and work on your communication and connection skills.

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If you enjoyed this episode why not subscribe to the podcast: www.howtotakethelead.com/listen

New episodes will be released every Thursday and you can listen / download on your favourite platform.

Episodes will also appear on YouTube every Thursday, so hit subscribe to make sure you don't miss out.

We would love it if you left us a rating or review and feel free to share the link to this episode with anyone else you think would find it interesting.

And if you're looking to lead differently in 2023, we've launched our new Substack community, where you can get extra bonus goodies, network with a community of leaders and get direct access to us both. Subscribe at How to Take the Lead | Substack

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/How2TakeTheLead

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@howtotakethelead/

Leaders or not, we are all human, so mistakes are inevitable right? Whether it is making a bad decision, moving in the wrong direction strategically or not listening to stakeholder feedback, it’s the way we deal with our mistakes that can make all the difference.

We share our own views, thoughts and experiences:

• 06:01 – the BBC v. Gary Lineker
• 08:36 – warning signs you’re getting it wrong
• 14:50 – blaming and scapegoating
• 22:27 – sorry seems to be the hardest word  
• 28:10 – trust is at the heart of it
• 31:35 -  How to… own your sh*t

As always, we share our top takeaways to help you to own your sh*t as a leader. Get the balance right, you need to move quickly but don’t create a knee jerk reaction. Situational awareness and understanding what actions you might need to take is crucial. Assess, acknowledge and act are three useful ‘As’ to support your thinking when you get things wrong.

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If you enjoyed this episode why not subscribe to the podcast: www.howtotakethelead.com/listen

New episodes will be released every Thursday and you can listen / download on your favourite platform.

Episodes will also appear on YouTube every Thursday, so hit subscribe to make sure you don't miss out.

We would love it if you left us a rating or review and feel free to share the link to this episode with anyone else you think would find it interesting.

And if you're looking to lead differently in 2023, we've launched our new Substack community, where you can get extra bonus goodies, network with a community of leaders and get direct access to us both. Subscribe at 

How to Take the Lead | Substack

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Twitter https://twitter.com/How2TakeTheLead

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@howtotakethelead/

While we might have 40 years of professional communications experience between us, we are super clear that leaders have to take the lead in communicating and engaging for their organisations, not leave it to their corporate communications team. Organisational performance and communications go hand in had for us and we explore this further in this episode.

We share our own views, thoughts and experiences:

• 04:07 – whose responsibility is it to communicate?
• 06:59 – communications and organisational performance
• 15:03 – understanding communication preferences
• 24:47 – where’s your evidence?  
• 28:53 – consistency is key
• 40:30 - How to…communicate and engage

As always, we share our top takeaways to help you to communicate and engage as a leader. We are all about clarity and consistency this week as well as understanding the notion of know, like and trust.

In this episode we reference Surrounded By Idiots by Thomas Erikson.

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If you enjoyed this episode why not subscribe to the podcast: www.howtotakethelead.com/listen

New episodes will be released every Thursday and you can listen / download on your favourite platform.

Episodes will also appear on YouTube every Thursday, so hit subscribe to make sure you don't miss out.

We would love it if you left us a rating or review and feel free to share the link to this episode with anyone else you think would find it interesting.

And if you're looking to lead differently in 2023, we've launched our new Substack community, where you can get extra bonus goodies, network with a community of leaders and get direct access to us both. Subscribe at How to Take the Lead | Substack

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/How2TakeTheLead

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@howtotakethelead/

We’ve already discussed the leadership landscape and how challenging it is for leaders at present. In this episode we talk about how, as a leader, you can avoid overwhelm, recognising when you might be heading towards burnout and how to support your wellbeing. We also share our own personal experiences of dealing with overwhelm.

We share our own views, thoughts and experiences:

• 03:38 – the stats – setting the scene
• 11:11 – recognition of signs and privilege
• 16:59 – the impact of who you work with
• 23:37 – boundary setting  
• 31:30 – where are you getting your support?
• 41:00 -  How to…avoid overwhelm

As always, we share our top takeaways to help you avoid overwhelm. Start with one small thing that could make a difference, make time to reflect and work out what some of your signs of overwhelm are and reach out to your support network.

In this episode we reference data from Deloitte Insights and the Development Dimensions International Global Leadership Forecast 2021. We also reference Dare to Lead by Brene Brown.

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If you enjoyed this episode why not subscribe to the podcast: www.howtotakethelead.com/listen

New episodes will be released every Thursday and you can listen / download on your favourite platform.

Episodes will also appear on YouTube every Thursday, so hit subscribe to make sure you don't miss out.

We would love it if you left us a rating or review and feel free to share the link to this episode with anyone else you think would find it interesting.

And if you're looking to lead differently in 2023, we've launched our new Substack community, where you can get extra bonus goodies, network with a community of leaders and get direct access to us both. Subscribe at How to Take the Lead | Substack

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/How2TakeTheLead

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@howtotakethelead/

As leaders we have a platform and opportunity to use our voice and our influence, whether we like it or not. In this episode we explore how and when you might choose to use your voice.

We share our own views, thoughts and experiences:

• 5:37 – representing what matters
• 8:23 – what does it mean to have a voice?
• 13:53 – individual v. organisational views
• 28:14 – testing alignment
• 36:56 – persistent and consistent
• 39:01 How to…make your voice count

As always, we share our top takeaways to help you make your voice count. This week it’s about understanding what matters most to you and your people so you can determine how and where you can use your voice as a leader. Don’t try to be perfect and lean into the discomfort that might come with some of this.

In this episode we reference the Edelman Trust Barometer 2023.

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If you enjoyed this episode why not subscribe to the podcast: www.howtotakethelead.com/listen

New episodes will be released every Thursday and you can listen / download on your favourite platform.

Episodes will also appear on YouTube every Thursday, so hit subscribe to make sure you don't miss out.

We would love it if you left us a rating or review and feel free to share the link to this episode with anyone else you think would find it interesting.

And if you're looking to lead differently in 2023, we've launched our new Substack community, where you can get extra bonus goodies, network with a community of leaders and get direct access to us both. Subscribe at How to Take the Lead | Substack

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/How2TakeTheLead

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@howtotakethelead/

Having difficult conversations is part and parcel of being a leader, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In this episode we talk about how to have a difficult conversation with individuals, teams and in public. We share our advice and tips for how you can prepare for a challenging conversations and what you might want to consider from the point of view of the person/ people you are talking with.

In this episode we share our own views, thoughts and experiences:

• 5:10 – conflict and tension
• 10:10 – difficult team conversations
• 17:29 – communicating challenges outside of your organisation
• 24:10 – preparation is key
• 25:56 – seeking support
• 32:53 – How to… have a difficult conversation as a leader

As always, we share our top takeaways to help you consider how to have a difficult conversation. This week is all about preparation, evidence, relationship building and mindset. And we want to remind you not to take it personally.

In this episode we reference Connect by Carole Robin and David Bradford

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If you enjoyed this episode why not subscribe to the podcast: www.howtotakethelead.com/listen

New episodes will be released every Thursday and you can listen / download on your favourite platform.

Episodes will also appear on YouTube, so hit subscribe to make sure you don't miss out.

We would love it if you left us a rating or review and feel free to share the link to this episode with anyone else you think would find it interesting.

And if you're looking to lead differently in 2023, we've launched our new Substack community, where you can get extra bonus goodies, network with a community of leaders and get direct access to us both. Subscribe at How to Take the Lead | Substack

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/How2TakeTheLead

Mentioned in this episode:

Join the How to Take the Lead community

We're now on substack. Join a community of people who want to lead their own way. Get extra content and behind the episode discussions, take part in 'ask us anything' bonus episodes and a new leadership book club, plus much more. Visit www.howtotakethelead.com to sign up.

Confidence is something that comes up in so many of our conversations with leaders and aspiring leaders. In this episode we explore what confidence means in relation to leadership – both in terms of your own leadership and how you create confidence for others.

In this episode we share our own views, thoughts and experiences:

• 05:18 – confidence is subjective
• 10:30 – loud doesn’t equal confident
• 13:28 – don’t assume confidence means you don’t need support
• 15:15 – who is creating the confidence gap?
• 21:12 – developing your confidence
• 28:36 – practical things to support you
• 29:09 – How to – lead with confidence

As always, we share our top takeaways. We want you to be curious and explore that feedback in relation to your confidence, seek out the evidence and reflect on what the issues might be in terms of your confidence. Don’t take feedback, yours or anyone else’s at face value – put the work in to develop your confidence.

In this episode we reference The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman.

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If you enjoyed this episode why not subscribe to the podcast: www.howtotakethelead.com/listen

New episodes will be released every Thursday and you can listen / download on your favourite platform.

Episodes will also appear on YouTube, so hit subscribe to make sure you don't miss out.

We would love it if you left us a rating or review and feel free to share the link to this episode with anyone else you think would find it interesting.

And if you're looking to lead differently in 2023, we've launched our new Substack community, where you can get extra bonus goodies, network with a community of leaders and get direct access to us both. Subscribe at: 

How to Take the Lead | Substack

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/How2TakeTheLead

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@howtotakethelead/

Mentioned in this episode:

Join the How to Take the Lead community

We're now on substack. Join a community of people who want to lead their own way. Get extra content and behind the episode discussions, take part in 'ask us anything' bonus episodes and a new leadership book club, plus much more. Visit www.howtotakethelead.com to sign up.

Organisations have a huge role to play in developing leaders but not all organisations do this well. In this episode we discuss what support leaders need, how organisations identify future leaders and what leadership development programmes need to consider:

• 05:22  – talk about leadership early
• 10:28 – organisational mindset shift
• 14:30 – floundering out of the funnel
• 17:31 – closing the development gap
• 23:54 – creating a coaching culture
• 29:09 – How to... influence leadership development

As always, we share our top takeaways including the benefits of a coaching approach to leadership development, personalising development for individuals and challenging your own expectations of new leaders.

If you enjoyed this episode why not subscribe to the podcast: www.howtotakethelead.com/listen

New episodes will be released every Thursday and you can listen / download on your favourite platform.

Episodes will also appear on YouTube every Thursday, so hit subscribe to make sure you don't miss out.

We would love it if you left us a rating or review and feel free to share the link to this episode with anyone else you think would find it interesting.

And if you're looking to lead differently in 2023, we've launched our new Substack community, where you can get extra bonus goodies, network with a community of leaders and get direct access to us both. Subscribe at How to Take the Lead | Substack

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/How2TakeTheLead

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@howtotakethelead/

Mentioned in this episode:

Join the How to Take the Lead community

We're now on substack. Join a community of people who want to lead their own way. Get extra content and behind the episode discussions, take part in 'ask us anything' bonus episodes and a new leadership book club, plus much more. Visit www.howtotakethelead.com to sign up.