So you want to be a leader... Really? By Defy Expectations

In this episode, we’re joined by Kurt Uhlir, an executive leader who’s helped organisations scale from millions to billions, but not without learning some hard truths along the way.

Kurt shares his journey from being a high-performing but toxic, task-driven leader to building a powerful case for servant leadership, where outcomes matter more than control, and people outperform when they feel safe to think, challenge and contribute.

In this episode we speak to Gary Montalvo, who explains how self-awareness, ownership, and genuine authenticity shape effective leadership, especially in moments of uncertainty, vulnerability, and growth.

Today's guest, David Cunningham, discusses conscious leadership and the role of spirituality, centered on the idea that 'love matters' in every interaction. David the shares formative experiences that led him to dedicate his life and work to making love the preeminent way of being, including writing a book and founding a nonprofit.

Today we speak to Beth Mielbrecht on why leaders must treat health as foundational to performance, quality, client satisfaction, and team sustainability. An engineer and former business leader, Beth describes seeing employees struggle silently as revenue and deliverables slipped, and highlights two commonly ignored early warning signs.

In this episode, Helen speaks to Daria Rudnik, discussing resilience strategy and 'hybrid intelligence', drawing on Daria’s HR and organisational development experience across crises, transformations, and team dysfunction. 

In this episode, Helen speaks to Garrett Wood about sustainable success in leadership, burnout, and why many people avoid promotions due to added responsibility without support.

In this episode, Helen is joined by Pradeepa Narayanaswamy to discuss unlocking authentic leadership by 'mining for diamonds'; focusing on strengths and brilliance rather than obsessing over flaws and endless improvement.

What if the real skill of leadership isn’t having the answers, but asking better questions?

In this episode, Bill Shander explores the art of “stakeholder whispering” and how to uncover what people truly need, not just what they ask for.

In this episode, Helen speaks to Jim Bouchard, to discuss the importance of human-centric leadership. Jim shares his journey from addiction recovery through martial arts to becoming a leadership expert, emphasising the need for leaders to inspire, empower, and guide by connecting with people and prioritising meaningful habits.

Helen explores the intricacies of leadership with Dave Schoof, who focuses on blending business results with consciousness expansion. They discuss the importance of unlocking innate genius, the balance between execution and influence, and the transition required to navigate today's complex leadership landscape.