Leading 4 Life "Stories"

My guest this week is Onyinye Udokporo, a 26 year old entrepreneur who has already achieved more than many do across their lifetime.  A genuine force of nature, Onyinye started her first business, Enrich Learning, when she was just 12 years old, and has continued to build that company into a highly successful and still growing entity that is making a real difference to young people who need additional educational support.

Onyinye is the author of "Dyslexia & Me", an excellent handbook that not only provides great tips to those affected by dyslexia, but which also tackles head on the issues of cultural and racial stigma that many with the condition face on a daily basis.  

We had a great discussion about not only what she has achieved but also her views on the challenges facing the younger generation in today's world of work.  As with all things in her life, Onyinye does not shy away from expressing some strong views, and this episode should be very helpful to all those who are either working with Generation Z / Generation A young people or who are from those generations themself.  

I really hope you enjoy what I thought was a fascinating conversation with someone who really is on an upward trajectory towards phenomenal career success.

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What stood out for you in this episode? I would genuinely welcome your thoughts, experiences and suggestions for future programmes. Use the “Send me a Text Message” link above or leave a comment on YouTube.

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow Leading 4 Life “Stories” on your podcast platform so that you receive future episodes automatically. Sharing it with someone who might find it valuable is also one of the best ways to support the show.

SUPPORT LEADING 4 LIFE “STORIES”

If you value the content and would like to help me continue producing the podcast, you can become a Supporter, Champion or Patron by clicking the "Support the show" link above or by going to:
https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ 

Any contribution is greatly appreciated, but listening, following, sharing and providing feedback are equally valuable.

CONNECT WITH BOB JUDSON

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/

Website:
https://leading4life.co.uk/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

X:
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One of the dominant features of my time in Afghanistan was the volume of senior visits to Kandahar Airfield.  

This was mostly positive aspect in that in provided a great opportunity for senior visitors to see at first hand the outstanding work that the thousands of personnel on the base were doing on a daily basis.  

However, it did throw up some challenges and, in this short episode, I try to highlight some of those as well as emphasising the positive elements.  

I also offer a few tips for anyone to think about when either visiting or being visited!  I hope you enjoy it.

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What stood out for you in this episode? I would genuinely welcome your thoughts, experiences and suggestions for future programmes. Use the “Send me a Text Message” link above or leave a comment on YouTube.

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow Leading 4 Life “Stories” on your podcast platform so that you receive future episodes automatically. Sharing it with someone who might find it valuable is also one of the best ways to support the show.

SUPPORT LEADING 4 LIFE “STORIES”

If you value the content and would like to help me continue producing the podcast, you can become a Supporter, Champion or Patron by clicking the "Support the show" link above or by going to:
https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ 

Any contribution is greatly appreciated, but listening, following, sharing and providing feedback are equally valuable.

CONNECT WITH BOB JUDSON

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/

Website:
https://leading4life.co.uk/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

X:
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My guest this week is the incredibly charismatic and engaging Russell Wardrop.  Russell is the Co-Founder and CEO of the training and development company KWC Global, formally known as Kissing with Confidence, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

I am privileged to work with KWC Global as an associate and first met Russell when I was a participant in one of his courses whilst I was working at Deloitte.  Without doubt, the company has a very special and highly memorable training style, which has the bonus of being extremely effective as well!

Our conversation is long and wide ranging, not least because we both have very similar views on many of the challenges facing society both in UK and globally today.  We certainly don't shy away from controversy, and you might not agree with everything we say, but I certainly hope you enjoy the conversation, and that it stimulates your own thinking on some very topical and important subjects.

If you are in need of developing your team's professional business skills, I can heartily recommend KWC Global - their training is outstanding and, as Russell highlights, the focus is very much on ensuring good ROI for their clients.  

You can find Russell here:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-wardrop-60503211/
• Website: https://www.kwcglobal.com/

As ever, I look forward to hearing your thoughts - feedback always appreciated.

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What stood out for you in this episode? I would genuinely welcome your thoughts, experiences and suggestions for future programmes. Use the “Send me a Text Message” link above or leave a comment on YouTube.

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow Leading 4 Life “Stories” on your podcast platform so that you receive future episodes automatically. Sharing it with someone who might find it valuable is also one of the best ways to support the show.

SUPPORT LEADING 4 LIFE “STORIES”

If you value the content and would like to help me continue producing the podcast, you can become a Supporter, Champion or Patron by clicking the "Support the show" link above or by going to:
https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ 

Any contribution is greatly appreciated, but listening, following, sharing and providing feedback are equally valuable.

CONNECT WITH BOB JUDSON

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/

Website:
https://leading4life.co.uk/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

X:
https://x.com/JudsonBob

Some events in my life this week caused me to have to be pretty flexible as I prepared to get this week's episode released, and so I thought that a thematic episode, focused on "flexibility" would be a logical output from those events.

Flexibility is, without doubt in my view, one of the key traits of a good leader.  There are many reasons you will need it, and many ways you can demonstrate it. My aim this week is to provide a range of thoughts on the topic to prompt your own reflection and introspection as you listen.  

It's a shorter episode than normal but, as always, I hope you find it useful and interesting.  Please let me have your feedback; it really helps me to improve the show and provide you with content that makes the best use of your valuable time.

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JOIN THE CONVERSATION

What stood out for you in this episode? I would genuinely welcome your thoughts, experiences and suggestions for future programmes. Use the “Send me a Text Message” link above or leave a comment on YouTube.

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow Leading 4 Life “Stories” on your podcast platform so that you receive future episodes automatically. Sharing it with someone who might find it valuable is also one of the best ways to support the show.

SUPPORT LEADING 4 LIFE “STORIES”

If you value the content and would like to help me continue producing the podcast, you can become a Supporter, Champion or Patron by clicking the "Support the show" link above or by going to:
https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ 

Any contribution is greatly appreciated, but listening, following, sharing and providing feedback are equally valuable.

CONNECT WITH BOB JUDSON

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/

Website:
https://leading4life.co.uk/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

X:
https://x.com/JudsonBob

One of the most interesting aspects of my tour in Afghanistan was the opportunity to get outside the base perimeter and patrol with the Royal Air Force Regiment.  

This wasn't just gratuitous on my part.  I believe passionately that leading by example is crucial as a commander and I needed to put some "skin in the game" alongside those that I was asking to take very significant risks.  I also needed to conduct key leader engagement with local tribal elders and so roughly every 2 weeks I would go out on a patrol, mostly by day but occasionally by night as well.

In this episode, I seek to give you a flavour of what those patrols were like by describing the process that we went through to get ready, the equipment we carried and some of the missions we would conduct.  I could discuss this topic for many hours but I hope this short session gives you at least a feel for what it was like to be out amongst the population in the surrounds of Kandahar Airfield.

Do please let me have your feedback; I would be fascinated to know if you want more detail on this type of topic or whether I have already said too much!

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JOIN THE CONVERSATION

What stood out for you in this episode? I would genuinely welcome your thoughts, experiences and suggestions for future programmes. Use the “Send me a Text Message” link above or leave a comment on YouTube.

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow Leading 4 Life “Stories” on your podcast platform so that you receive future episodes automatically. Sharing it with someone who might find it valuable is also one of the best ways to support the show.

SUPPORT LEADING 4 LIFE “STORIES”

If you value the content and would like to help me continue producing the podcast, you can become a Supporter, Champion or Patron by clicking the "Support the show" link above or by going to:
https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ 

Any contribution is greatly appreciated, but listening, following, sharing and providing feedback are equally valuable.

CONNECT WITH BOB JUDSON

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/

Website:
https://leading4life.co.uk/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

X:
https://x.com/JudsonBob

My guest this week is my friend and former RAF colleague, Howard Burton.  Howard and I served together on the Jaguar Force way back in the 1980s and then our paths diverged significantly.  

After a very successful career as an operational front-line pilot, Qualified Weapons Instructor, and instructor pilot on the Jaguar Conversion Unit, Howard left the RAF to join British Airways where he subsequently spent some 37 years before retiring late in 2024.  Within BA, Howard flew a multitude of different aircraft types on both short and long haul, and as his experience grew, he rose to be a senior training captain with the airline.  

Alongside the flying, Howard has done a lot of fascinating aviation consultancy work, specifically as an expert witness in a range of major airline accidents and incidents.  We talk extensively about this aspect of his career, and I guarantee you will learn things that you didn't previously know when you listen to some of Howard's stories. 

This was another great conversation and, as well as talking all things aviation, we cover a wide range of leadership topics that are applicable across all sectors in this episode.  I really hope you find the discussion both interesting and enjoyable, and I look forward to your feedback as always.

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JOIN THE CONVERSATION

What stood out for you in this episode? I would genuinely welcome your thoughts, experiences and suggestions for future programmes. Use the “Send me a Text Message” link above or leave a comment on YouTube.

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow Leading 4 Life “Stories” on your podcast platform so that you receive future episodes automatically. Sharing it with someone who might find it valuable is also one of the best ways to support the show.

SUPPORT LEADING 4 LIFE “STORIES”

If you value the content and would like to help me continue producing the podcast, you can become a Supporter, Champion or Patron by clicking the "Support the show" link above or by going to:
https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ 

Any contribution is greatly appreciated, but listening, following, sharing and providing feedback are equally valuable.

CONNECT WITH BOB JUDSON

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/

Website:
https://leading4life.co.uk/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

X:
https://x.com/JudsonBob

I continue the account of my time as Commander Kandahar Airfield in this week's episode, and I focus on the challenge that I faced with cohering a wide range of national contingents of vastly different sizes and with often very different agendas and priorities.  

Given my responsibility for all the life support aspects of the base, principally logistics, force protection and any infrastructure that was not single-nation specific, this was a crucial role to ensure the safety and security of all on the base.

The development of the Afghan National Army and the weekly local merchant trade bazaar were other dimensions to this already complex picture and, taken together, this really made for a very significant "cat herding" exercise throughout my tour.

I really hope you enjoy the episode!

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JOIN THE CONVERSATION

What stood out for you in this episode? I would genuinely welcome your thoughts, experiences and suggestions for future programmes. Use the “Send me a Text Message” link above or leave a comment on YouTube.

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow Leading 4 Life “Stories” on your podcast platform so that you receive future episodes automatically. Sharing it with someone who might find it valuable is also one of the best ways to support the show.

SUPPORT LEADING 4 LIFE “STORIES”

If you value the content and would like to help me continue producing the podcast, you can become a Supporter, Champion or Patron by clicking the "Support the show" link above or by going to:
https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ 

Any contribution is greatly appreciated, but listening, following, sharing and providing feedback are equally valuable.

CONNECT WITH BOB JUDSON

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/

Website:
https://leading4life.co.uk/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

X:
https://x.com/JudsonBob

As you will hear when you listen to this episode, a couple of recent events have led me to dive into the topic of optimism versus pessimism this week.  My intent is to get you to do a bit of self-reflection and consider whether you are a glass half full or a glass half empty type of person.

Neither is right or wrong, but it is important to understand where you are on the optimism / pessimism scale both for you own well being and for those around you personally and professionally.  The intent of the episode is very much to make you think about your own personality and what your coping strategies might need to be to cater for wherever you are on the scale.  Have a listen and please let me know what you think - I would love your feedback on this hugely important topic.

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Support the show

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

What stood out for you in this episode? I would genuinely welcome your thoughts, experiences and suggestions for future programmes. Use the “Send me a Text Message” link above or leave a comment on YouTube.

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow Leading 4 Life “Stories” on your podcast platform so that you receive future episodes automatically. Sharing it with someone who might find it valuable is also one of the best ways to support the show.

SUPPORT LEADING 4 LIFE “STORIES”

If you value the content and would like to help me continue producing the podcast, you can become a Supporter, Champion or Patron by clicking the "Support the show" link above or by going to:
https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ 

Any contribution is greatly appreciated, but listening, following, sharing and providing feedback are equally valuable.

CONNECT WITH BOB JUDSON

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/

Website:
https://leading4life.co.uk/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

X:
https://x.com/JudsonBob

Having thought I was leaving the operational world behind me when I handed over my command of RAF Coningsby, only a little more than a year later, in January 2008 I found myself getting on an aircraft to head to Afghanistan as the incoming Commander of Kandahar Airfield, one of  (at that stage) only two strategic airfields in the country.

There are a huge number of great leadership points and operational experiences that I want to cover in this chapter of my career and so this relatively short 9 month tour will result in several episodes of the podcast and I hope you enjoy them all.

In this episode, I set out some of the context and the preparation for my departure.  I conclude with my arrival in country and hopefully set the scene for what is to follow over the next few episodes!

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Support the show

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

What stood out for you in this episode? I would genuinely welcome your thoughts, experiences and suggestions for future programmes. Use the “Send me a Text Message” link above or leave a comment on YouTube.

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow Leading 4 Life “Stories” on your podcast platform so that you receive future episodes automatically. Sharing it with someone who might find it valuable is also one of the best ways to support the show.

SUPPORT LEADING 4 LIFE “STORIES”

If you value the content and would like to help me continue producing the podcast, you can become a Supporter, Champion or Patron by clicking the "Support the show" link above or by going to:
https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ 

Any contribution is greatly appreciated, but listening, following, sharing and providing feedback are equally valuable.

CONNECT WITH BOB JUDSON

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/

Website:
https://leading4life.co.uk/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

X:
https://x.com/JudsonBob

Another week and another great guest on the show.  Rory Underwood is probably best known for his amazing skill on the rugby pitch.  He represented England for 12 years, and still holds the try scoring record for an England player with 49 tries from 85 international appearances for his country.  

Rory was also a highly successful Royal Air Force pilot and, having followed that path myself, I marvel at his ability to deal with the challenge of flying training at the same time as playing rugby at the international level - that was an amazing balancing act and Rory talks about it a lot on the podcast.

For just over 25 years now, Rory has been in the corporate world.   He is the founder and CEO of Wingman, a highly successful consultancy and leverages all that he learned from the rugby pitch and the RAF to help companies improve their teams, their individuals, and their corporate strategy.  

We cover a tremendous amount of ground in this episode and I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it.

NOTE: Rory makes substantial reference to his flying career and there are a number of expressions and acronyms that might not be clear to the average listener.  I hope the following notes help to demystify some of the terms used:

• Alpha refers to angle of attack, which in simple terms is the angle between the wing and the airflow.  It is critical to aircraft performance and frequently used as a key element of an approach to land or in high performance manoeuvring.
• Instrument flying is the term used when flying the aircraft purely by reference to instruments rather than using any external visual cues.  It is critical when flying in cloud or poor weather and is a key skill for all military and commercial pilots.
• SCT refers to Staff Continuation Training.  Typically a training organisation will have a certain amount of flying hours allocated to enable the staff and instructors to keep up their personal flying skills.

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JOIN THE CONVERSATION

What stood out for you in this episode? I would genuinely welcome your thoughts, experiences and suggestions for future programmes. Use the “Send me a Text Message” link above or leave a comment on YouTube.

If you enjoyed the episode, please follow Leading 4 Life “Stories” on your podcast platform so that you receive future episodes automatically. Sharing it with someone who might find it valuable is also one of the best ways to support the show.

SUPPORT LEADING 4 LIFE “STORIES”

If you value the content and would like to help me continue producing the podcast, you can become a Supporter, Champion or Patron by clicking the "Support the show" link above or by going to:
https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ 

Any contribution is greatly appreciated, but listening, following, sharing and providing feedback are equally valuable.

CONNECT WITH BOB JUDSON

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/

Website:
https://leading4life.co.uk/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

X:
https://x.com/JudsonBob