One Question

Using artistic license to tweak this week's questions, Sarah is joined by Sarada Peri and Lindsay Holst, part of the recent Democratic Conventions Writing Room, to explore how we tell the story of leadership when leadership is uncertain.

Before founding her own communications practice, Sarada was a former senior speechwriter for President Obama, working closely with Lindsay Holst, who, before co-founding Group Project, was director of digital strategy for President Obama.

Sarada, Lindsay and Sarah explore how you turn an experience into words, from the perfect speech to the digital content that captures the hearts and votes of the American people.  They discuss 'those' speeches at the recent convention, from Democratic Candidate Kamala Harris to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, President Obama, or Carlos Eduardo Espina, the importance of vulnerability in politics and business, from speechwriting to storytelling, and how, in a post-truth binary world, we can cut through the noise. Plus, the need to belong, to be part of something bigger than ourselves and what might be,  instead of 'scrolling alone.'

This is a must-listen, fast-paced, provocative conversation blending practical insights with big thinking.

To find out more about Sarada Peri > https://www.pericommunications.com/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarada-peri-3310945/

To find out more about Lindsay Holst > https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-holst-294aa112/

This series is in partnership with Headland, a leading communications and reputation consultancy. Find out more > https://www.headlandconsultancy.com/about/

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Sarah is joined by Richard Meddings CBE, Chairman of NHS England, and George Gordon, Communications and Corporate Affairs Director of TSB, to answer this One Question through the lens of society. Are we increasingly being asked to lead in service of something greater than ourselves, or has that always been the case? It is just that the context of leadership has changed.

Before joining the NHS, Richard Meddings was CFO of Standard Chartered Bank. He was integral to one of the most critical financial institutions and part of the UK recapitalisation plan, which remains a blueprint for global financial rescue policies.

In 2018, Richard joined TSB as Chair and, following the unfolding technology crisis, worked with George to establish what is now known as the TSB Fraud Refund Guarantee. This guarantee, a pledge to refund every single TSB customer who was an innocent victim of fraud, will be passed into law on Monday, October 7th, marking a significant step in leadership in service to society.

Sarah, George, and Richard discuss what being in service to society means, the importance of empowering others to lead and doing so courageously, the dotted line between humility and profitability, institutional leadership through the lens of the NHS following the recent Darzy report, and their advice for the next generation.

This is a timely, thoughtful, and honest conversation about what it means to lead in 2024 and whether what it means to lead today differs from yesterday.

This series is in partnership with Headland, a leading UK communication and reputation consultancy. Find out more

To find out more about Richard Meddings CBE

To find out more about George Gordon

Read Lord Darzi report on NHS England. 

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Dan Smith, managing director of communication and reputation consultancy, Headland, and Dr Ben Shenoy, psychologist, author, and professor at the London School of Economics, join Sarah in answering this series question, "How do we lead today?"

Ben and Dan are authors of the Collaborative Report, research unveiling how a business that partners with peers and third parties can unlock financial, social and environmental value and how by tackling systemic challenges like the climate crisis, the rise of AI and social polarisation in partnership with others can lead to improved relationships, reputations and, ultimately, revenue. (You can download a copy of the report here)

Sarah invites Ben and Dan to discuss what it really means to lead today, especially at times of uncertainty, the tension of new models of leadership, the push and pull of short-term and long-term decisions, and finding meaning in our businesses and in our leadership. 

An insightful and hopeful conversation for every kind of leader.

Series five of the One Question podcast is in partnership with Headland Consultancy.

To find out more about Dan Smith
To find out more about Ben Shenoy

To find out more about how Headland Consultancy can support your business

Host: Sarah Parsonage, founder of One Question

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"Hope is a renewable source. Fear is not. At a certain point, you run out of fear because it stops being real. Hope is a renewable resource. It is intended to be self-sustaining."

In episode one of series five, in partnership with Headland Communications Consultancy, Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run for Something, joins Sarah to explore this series' One Question: How do we lead today? What does leadership mean in the US right now, and is a new model of leadership enough for a democratic win on November 5th? 

Run for Something recruits and supports young, diverse progressives to run for down-ballot races to build sustainable power for Democrats across all fifty states.

• This conversation covers everything from the whiplash of American Politics the impact of Kamala Harris's campaign on the ground. 
• Intergenerational leadership and the tension between new models of leadership that come with a new generation of leaders.and Amanda's new book coming Spring 2025. 
• Sustaining democracy and funding value over volume. 
• And hope as a renewable source. 

Plus, so much more.

To find out more about Amanda and support Run for Something > https://runforsomething.net/

Host: Sarah Parsonage, founder of One Question

Instagram: @1.question
email: [email protected] 
Website: www.onequestion.live 

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Nick Hounsfield is an inspiration. Founder of The Wave, the first inland surfing destination in Bristol, and devout surfer, Nick is building a blueprint for business that prioritises people and the planet. 

In episode 14, Nick joins Sarah to chat about his vision for The Wave and the impact of the surfing community as activists for the future, the undeniable link between purpose and profit, passion, determination, and so much more. 

This conversation is truly one of hope for the future. 

Find out more about Nick and The Wave below. 

https://www.thewave.com/

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This week, Naseem and his colleague and co-author, Rob Wilkinson, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Leadership at Harvard University, join Sarah in a conversation answering our One Question, can we rewrite the rules of leadership? If we better understand what it means to negotiate? 

As well as a member of the faculty at Harvard University, Rob, like Naseem, helps organisations, non for profits and government institutions, deal with complex negotiation, leadership and management challenges. In this conversation, Rob, Sarah and Naseem explore whether a new form of leadership is dependent on our ability to communicate and negotiate. 

This is a provocative conversation that will give us all a glimmer of hope. 

To find out more about Naseem Khuri and Rob Wilkinson, to find out more about One Question.

How to support Israel at this time.

The International Red Cross provides assistance during times of crisis and has pleaded for an end to the violence between Israel and Palestine.

Save The Children Donate to an emergency fund.  

Donate to Israel's hospital, troops, survivors and more.

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Sometimes, when something doesn't exist, you have to create it. Nick Stoop spent ten years at the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock before setting up Pangea in 2022. Having spent most of his career in Asia, when he returned to the UK and sought to reallocate his UK personal pension into positively impactful funds, there were few options, so he built one.

Founder of Pangea, a positive impact wealth management provider to individual clients in the UK, Nick joins Sarah to answer our One Question through the lens of asset management. A conversation that encompasses, profitability, policy and an emphasis on shifting society's mindset on how we save for our future and the future of the planet.

To find out more about Pangea

To find out more about One Question

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In this episode, Sarah is joined by Dr. Sarah Hughes, CEO of Mind, to answer this series question from the perspective of leadership in the non-profit and charitable sector.

Spanning a 34-year career in mental health and criminal justice, Dr Hughes is a powerful voice on the importance of rewriting the rules of leadership and the economic model of charities and foundations in the UK.

At a time of turbulence and an opportunity for change and during an increasing mental health crisis, how can innovation in the industry force policy and better serve the needs of the country?

Sarah and Dr Hughes discuss the need for a different type of leadership, the role of females in senior roles, whether charities are fit for purpose and the need for a shift in policy and perception of the sector.

A conversation not to be missed.

To find out more about Dr Sarah Hughes and Mind.

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As the title states, the Activist Leader is a new mindset for doing business. Co-author Lucy Parker has worked with companies all over the world and in all sectors to help them shape and deliver their social value strategies. Before setting up Brunswicks Business & Society practice, Lucy chaired the UK Prime Minister’s Taskforce for Talent and Enterprise for Gordon Brown, focused on high-value skills for a competitive edge in the global economy.

As well as co-authoring The Activist Leader and running Brunswicks practice alongside Lucy, Jon Miller is the founder of Open For Business, a coalition of 40 global companies campaigning for LGBTQ+ rights in countries hostile to LGBTQ+ people.

Jon and Lucy join Sarah in a lively conversation exploring how businesses are rewriting the rules of leadership - through a new methodology and numerous case studies, Jon and Lucy talk through what it means to be an activist leader today. 

You can purchase your copy of The Activist Leader here

Find out more about Brunswick Group

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Before joining TBWA, Larissa Vince was CEO of the independent agency NOW, a former Managing Director at Saatchi & Saatchi and a passionate advocate of the commercial value that difference can bring to teams and creativity.

Larissa joins Sarah to explore what leadership means in the advertising industry, from a lack of diversity to old economic models, do the rules of leadership need to be rewritten to reflect an ever-evolving society, and if so how?

An honest conversation on the highs and lows of an industry and what the future might look like, for better or worse.

Find out more about TBWA advertising agency.
Find out more about Larissa Vince.



A hard business’: UK’s illustrious ad industry tainted by burnout and inequality.

Find out more about WACL 

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