Leadership Luminaries

🎙️ New Podcast Episode: Join our host, Michal Banks, for a profound exploration with Anthony Willoughby, a life adventurer and global traveler, as he delves into the transformative power of ancient indigenous wisdom. Discover how his experiences with the Masai tribes illuminated the essence of leadership: 'substance without arrogance' versus the prevalent 'arrogance with no substance' in modern times.

🌍 Cultural Wisdom Unveiled: From his encounters in Papua New Guinea, Anthony unveils the profound understanding of indigenous communities, where the hunt for love and respect serves as a guiding compass. Learn how Anthony empowers individuals to chart their paths by creating personal maps, offering clarity amidst life's 'mountains, valleys, and marshes'.

🌟 Foundations of True Leadership: Delve into Anthony's insights on the pillars of a sustainable culture: 'power, wealth, and status' redefined as life experience, wisdom, and meaningful contributions.

Bio

Anthony Willoughby describes himself as a life enthusiast and has spent the best part of his life in search of inspiration. He has been described as an eccentric explorer, adventurer and entrepreneur.

He was brought up in Africa and lived in Japan for 30 years and has lived his life on some of the roads less traveled in many of the remotest and hostile parts of the world. Based on these experiences Anthony developed an inspirational methodology which helps individuals and organizations achieve greater fulfillment and productivity through the use of metaphors which bring everyone around the same fire and onto the same map.

Anthony has developed a powerful instinctive methodology that uses natural metaphors and ancient wisdom to build trust, clarity and understanding across all cultures, hierarchies and language barriers.

This conversation with Pete Stone is the most comprehensive, provocative and stimulating exposition of this topic you’re likely to hear. Pete has the passion of a true expert and this half hour interview with Michael Banks of PeopleSmart SAS is jam packed with wise and progressive ideas! 

Pete’s passion is fuelled by his conviction that D&I has the potential to help humanity be more open and less judgmental. This includes being able to resolve conflicts more easily.

Along the way he touches on why diversity policies in corporations are built on ‘discrimination’ and too reliant on ‘countable diversity’, the role of women in business, innovation, and the need to define what is Inclusion before deciding policy.

He explains his 5 Pillars model which includes ensuring a balance between being unique and oneself and  being inclusive.

Pete Stone is crystal clear that D&I is not just the concern of HR but everyone in the organization. It is a business imperative that should be everyone’s business. When a CEO has this realization it can change everything!

Curious? Please enjoy and we’d love for you to respond back to us even if you disagree with some of the content.

Bio

Pete has French and British nationalities. He worked in education and training for 15 years, and in particular at Neoma.

Business School in Rouen. He continued his career in HR and Recruitment Consulting where he was Marketing & Operations Director for Hudson France, whose diversity policy he designed and implemented.

He then founded Just Different, a company specialised in Diversity & Inclusion. Pete is co-author of several books and guides on diversity and inclusion and is / has been a board member of four NGOs, ESTIMnumérique, Jolokia, Konstelacio and Pro Intercultura.

What a goldmine of information Pa Sinyan was able to convey in this conversation with Michael Banks.

Pa gives us an exciting look at how the Gallup organization

1. Fixes Broken Workplaces

2. Uses the Clifton Strengths Finder to help people discover what makes them unique (there is only a 1/30 million chance of finding another ‘you’)

3. Uses ‘soft metrics’ to get to reality.

Did you know that Gallup tracks ‘wellbeing’ and surprisingly shows that the world’s population has seen an alarming increase in anger and unhappiness over the past twenty years - a trend that was showing well before the advent of Covid? Pa tells the intriguing story of Tunisia and Egypt by way of demonstrating this downhill slide and goes into the reasons for why this has been happening.

By focusing on existing strengths Gallup provides data that indicate what can be done to solve these negative feelings and behaviors. It provides business leaders with the data backed business case for positive culture change and workforce engagement.

Pa describes the pillars of positive culture change. These include leadership endorsement, effective internal communication and accountability. He also talks about what does not work about culture change. For example, did you know that emails do NOT work in this context.

Pa ends this rich conversation with a final and wise message of positivity and hope for the future.

Bio

Pa Sinyan is Managing Partner with Gallup and leads Gallup’s

teams across EMEA. In his role, he supports leading companies to

drive organizational and cultural change. He has 13 years

experience working with leadership teams on organizational and

C-Suite challenges.

Pa leverages Gallup’s cutting-edge data insights in the science of leadership, behavioural economics, and decision-making to support leaders. As a trusted advisor, he partners with leaders to help the unearth organic growth – more engaged employees, customers and suppliers.

Pa has an MSc and a BSc in International Economics and Finance

from Universiteit van Tilburg in The Netherlands. Born and raised

in The Gambia, Pa has lived in Germany, The Netherlands and

Tunisia. Pa speaks English, German and Wolof.

Gerardo Segat’s mission is to “humanize leadership” and help leaders become their authentic selves. He creates safe spaces and then invites them to ‘drop their masks’.

Gerardo has worn many hats over his long career and qualifies now as a wise gentleman who, through his innovative thinking and deep experience provides us with rich ‘food for thought and reflection’.

During this interview we cover many progressive ideas and insights such as the one AI intelligence that ChatGPT itself concludes will never surpass humans - self-awareness. The four most common fears of a leader. These include ‘no meaning’ and ‘being alone’.

According to Gerardo there are typically two approaches to deal with problems - ‘the bullet train’ and the ‘regional train’. This leads to a conversation about stopping and reflecting which is a practice that’s in very short supply in the modern world.

If you want to find out more about these fascinating topics, and others such as the ‘Four Treasures of a Leader’, please do join us as we explore the creative world of Gerardo Segat.

Bio

Gerardo Segat is an international leadership coach whose purpose and legacy is to humanize leadership.

Following a wealth of experiences as entrepreneur, chairman and CEO, Gerardo has used his leadership background to create Preludes: a coaching program created to humanize leaders, organizations, and their stakeholders through creative and powerful original experiences (such as decision-making debates, client interaction models, and emotions-focused team meetings).

Gerardo is also the creator of Vebate, a format of decision-making debate, Leader in the Mirror, a format of interview, and Leaderness, a post-graduate training program.

For the past decade, he has been a member of YPO Young Presidents’ Organization (the world’s largest community of leaders and CEOs) of which he has been the founder and chair of three chapters in Italy, Switzerland, and globally.

Currently, Gerardo is working on Out As Humans, a performing arts show designed to humanize authentic leaders.

Out as Humans is an individual and group immersive performance that creates a space for leaders to be open, trusting, empathetic, and feel a sense of belonging.

🎙 Join us in the latest episode of 'Leadership Luminaries' as we dive deep into the art of embracing transitions with the incredible Sofia Liasi.

Discover how Sofia, a Whole Person Certified Coach, creates spaces for corporate leaders to be vulnerable, curious, and authentic in their journey through transitions. Her passion for leadership and understanding how individuals show up in the workplace is truly inspiring.

Sofia's global journey from Greece to The Netherlands and now Switzerland adds a unique perspective to our conversation. Don't miss out on the wisdom she shares from her diverse experiences in Hospitality, Oil and Gas, Healthcare, and Pharma.

Uncover the power of bringing your whole self to work and leading from a space of humanity. Tune in now for an insightful discussion on navigating transitions and embracing authenticity.

Bio

Sofia holds spaces where corporate leaders are encouraged to be vulnerable, and curious and bring their whole self to work so that they can lead from a space of humanity and authenticity.

As a Whole Person Certified Coach (WPCC), she gets her energy from supporting people often navigating transitions to uncover and bring forward their uniqueness. She considers her own personal growth practice work in progress that is characterised by ups and downs and her motto is ‘’there is no coincidence, coincidence enough’’.

Her passion for leadership and how people show up in the workplace led her to University of London for her MSc in Organisational Behaviour.

A curious human and a natural connector made in Greece, she loves traveling and experiencing different cultures. She has worked in Hospitality, Oil and Gas, Healthcare and Pharma in Greece, The Netherlands and now Switzerland where she calls Basel home.

Nowadays, more than ever, there is a need for people to be resilient. Dr Marie-Helene Pelletier is a highly regarded expert in leadership resilience and workplace mental health and well-being. In this conversation, M-H (as she’s called by her friends) shares actionable and practical advice that you can use to build your own resilience.

M-H warns us to be vigilant for the early signs of burnout and not try to tough it out! She advises us to make a Resilience plan that is both personal and achievable. Knowing how to be proactive with this plan is crucial to avoid the disasters that can result from leaving it too late!

For leaders looking to create the best environment for their people M-H advises they ask questions and listen. Her suggestions include,

These are just some of the topics we covered in our conversation. 

M-H is a vibrant, passionate guest who is a pleasure to listen to. Her new book, The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health will be available in early 2024.

Bio

Dr Marie-Helene Pelletier is a psychologist with a systems mind – and has both a PhD and an MBA. She has over 20 years of experience as a practicing psychologist and as a senior leader in the corporate, insurance, governance and health care sectors. 

MH’s unique talent is bringing together workplace and psychology – translating concepts into “take- aways” that listeners can put into action the minute they finish the episode. 

Marie-Helene is a Member of the Global Clinical Practice Network of the World Health Organization, and past Director on the boards of the Canadian Psychological Association and the International Association of Applied Psychology. She has presented, authored and co-authored a number of industry and academic publications and has won numerous academic and industry awards.

In 2024, Dr. Pelletier will release her new book, The Resilience Plan: A Strategic Approach to Optimizing Your Work Performance and Mental Health. 

Elena Marsh is one of the exciting ‘new’ pioneers in teaching that leadership development is essentially spiritual development. 

In this conversation with Michael Banks Elena begins by describing the 7 levels of Leadership and how when you enter the 4th level you are likely to enter what Dante calls “the dark forest”. This is where there is an opportunity for transformation according to the soul’s needs. An example of this could be a middle aged executive who realizes thay are no longer satisfied with their job and decides to pursue something they are truly passionate about.

Elena shares how the leadership journey is about going beyond the need to be ‘liked and right’ and the dangers of being inauthentically ‘nice’. The option at this point is safety or growth and having the courage to move through the fear of rejection into a genuinely independent state.

Elena finished our discussion with a message for all on the path of leadership growth: Be courageous and lead with integrity.

Bio

Elena Marsh is a co-founder of BeCoach Academy and an accredited International Coaching Federation professional coach (PCC) with twenty years of international experience in leadership development.

Her mission is to support, empower and inspire individuals, organizations and their leaders to live and work with meaning and purpose, revealing their full potential in alignment with their core values.

Her professional background is in HR, working as an HR Director in Central Asia and HR Support Manager in Eastern Europe in an international corporation with a focus on leadership development, talent management and implementation of an integrated performance management system in the region. 

For the last ten years, Elena has been working as a coach, consultant and facilitator with leaders from around the world alongside with successfully developing BeCoach Academy which provides ICF accredited coach training.

Originally from Kazakhstan, Elena journeyed through Siberia, Moscow and London to reach Munich where she lives today with her British husband and their Polish dog.

Special thanks to Tom Morley (https://morley.com/) for providing the fantastic intro and outro music that sets the perfect tone for our podcast! - his musical and creative talent truly enhances the listening experience!

When Victoria Feldman speaks about multiculturalism she speaks with the authority of someone who has lived and worked in five different continents. And by her own admission she is an “evangelist” for Emotional Intelligence (EI) and how it is a practice that can help resolve differences and build positive relations between different cultures and types of individuals.

In this podcast interview Victoria introduces the practice of ‘empathy mapping’ - an exercise that significantly increases team members' understanding of each other. It can also be used for improving communication between cross-functional teams.

At one point she hilariously mimics the way the Americans give feedback, sugaring the message, compared to the Israelis who tend to be very direct and blunt.

Victoria uses Dan Goleman’s material, self-awareness, social awareness and so on to give her students a framework within which to build their EI skills. She talks about making emotions work for us versus against us.

Victoria Feldman is clearly an inspiring and distinguished teacher and a highly sought-after speaker and leader in the field of leadership development and organizational transformation. Please listen in to see why.

Bio

Victoria Feldman is a distinguished multicultural speaker with a wealth of expertise in leadership development, employee development, and organisational transformation. Throughout her career, she has created top-notch talent and leadership development programs, leading to improved performance, engagement, and motivation in organisations. Her record of accomplishment includes working with leading technology and Fortune 500 firms, such as Meta, Paypal, Visa, and Amazon, as well as early-stage startups.

Currently, Victoria is serving as the Head of Learning and Development at Amazon, where she is entrusted with the task of establishing and overseeing a strategic framework for training, talent, and leadership development. She is responsible for designing and implementing cutting-edge programmes that cater to the development needs of employees across the organisation. Victoria's vast experience, skills, and accomplishments make her a highly sought-after speaker and leader in the field of leadership development and organisational transformation.

Tom Morley is called the 'Rockstar Activator'. He was himself a rock star when playing in Scritti Politti, the band he co-founded in the punk era.

Now he helps teams and groups of all sizes get in touch with their own inner rock star. He does this by using drums and singing as a vehicle to release their authentic and creative selves.

Tom is on a mission to create "a revolution of imagination, activity, and coming together". In this interview, he talks about his work with corporations right up to and including board level. He tells great, real life stories including how his drumming work with groups began when the lights went out at a gig Scritti were playing in Berlin back in the day.

Tom has a lot to say about modern business life. He has a wicked sense of humor and his stories are often downright hilarious!  

His work is about 'getting in the groove'. it's a bit like a 'flow' state but with an added ingredient - mischief! This groove's main ingredients are "discipline, surrender, and mischief".

Please enjoy being entertained and inspired by Tom Morley in this PeopleSmart SAS production of 'Leadership Luminaries'.

Bio

Following his time in the music business with the 80s band Scritti Politti Tom has developed a truly artistic way of living where every experience leads him to the humorous uncovering of some universal truths.

He turns his disasters and successes into stand-up comedy for conference audiences. 40 years onstage, first behind a drum kit then being the multi-talented frontman for whole troupes of performers earned him the name ‘The Rockstar Activator’.

Instant Teamwork is both Tom’s speciality and the name of his company. Team building, be it drumming or harmony singing is all very energizing on the day but how do you make that bonded feeling sustainable? Tom has devoted the last 20 years to answering that question and he turns up with a customized set of tools he is passionate about sharing.

Fascinated by the creative process Tom is passionate about sharing what he’s learned about art, rhythm, and harmony over the past 65 years. From playing kit drums with the Art School band Scritti Politti in his 20s, through songwriting in his 30s, to studying psychology and facilitation in his 40s, Tom eventually set up Instant Teamwork International in his 50s.

Hands up who has some degree of difficulty with time! Almost everyone. If that time management workshop and/or coaching hasn’t worked maybe there is something else going on?

I was genuinely riveted by the perspective that Abigail Barne shared in this conversation with me! 

Her understanding of time was profoundly altered when she suffered a near-death experience at a relatively young age.

In helping people with their time ‘issues’ she spans the spectrum from ‘on the money’ practical advice to a spiritual perspective on the nature of time. Abigail’s unique and inspiring approach to time management will help your business and increase your sense of well-being.

Abigail says “You can’t manage time but you can manage your tasks with the time you’ve got.” She shares her simple yet revelatory 8/8/8 model which is a brilliant way of auditing how you use your time. Abigail also tells us how to find an extra hour in every day.

I never thought I would be so fascinated by the topic of time management. But here is a rich and fresh perspective that will help your well being and be more productive.

Bio

Abigail Barnes is the founder and CEO of Success by Design Training, an award-winning entrepreneur, author, speaker, and corporate trainer on time management and productive wellbeing. She is a qualified coach and creator of the renowned 888 Formula. Success by Design Training is on a mission to teach 1 million entrepreneurs & professionals how to reclaim an hour a day by 2025 using The 888 Formula. 

Abigail has over 10 years’ experience in Financial Services Marketing (Investment Management, Asset Management and Hedge Funds). She holds a BA Hons Degree in Business & Marketing Management, a Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing, DipM ACIM, and is a qualified coach.

Abigail lives in London close to the famous Wembley stadium.

Notes:

Website: www.successbydesigntraining.com

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/abigailrbarnes

Email: [email protected]

Buy Abigail's Book, Time Management for Entrepreneurs & Professionals: https://bit.ly/TMFEAPAMAZON

Download a free chapter: https://bit.ly/DOWNLOADFREECHAPTER