In this follow-up to last week’s deep dive on Anakin Skywalker, Andrew and Ellen step into the shadow of the Empire to explore leadership lessons from Darth Vader. Ruthless yet composed, feared yet strangely effective, Vader represents the ultimate case study in control, delegation, and emotional suppression.

They debate whether Vader was, in fact, a better manager than Anakin, how his place within a structured hierarchy brought out his strengths, and why emotional detachment can look like power, but lead to failure. Along the way, they draw parallels with modern leadership pitfalls: micromanagement, authority without empathy, and the illusion of control.

Expect some surprising praise for the Empire’s organisational design, and a few crossovers into Star Trek and The Boys. Leadership may not always be a force for good—but it’s certainly strong with this one.

In this first of a two-part exploration, Andrew and Ellen delve into the rise, and rapid unraveling of Anakin Skywalker. Once the galaxy’s most promising Jedi, Anakin’s story is a masterclass in unfulfilled potential and emotional volatility. From his precocious brilliance and battlefield instincts to his catastrophic lack of emotional regulation, we unpack how the Jedi Order’s rigid system, flawed mentorship, and poor support structure created a perfect storm for his downfall.

Was Anakin doomed from the start, or simply failed by those around him? And could the right mentor (or executive coach) have saved him from turning to the dark side?

Ellen and Andrew step into the shadows with Natasha Romanoff, aka. Black Widow, the spy, the assassin, the Avenger, and, perhaps, the most emotionally intelligent leader in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

From her Red Room origins to her quiet command of the post-snap Avengers, we unpack how Black Widow’s empathy, adaptability, and moral complexity make her the unsung heart of Earth’s mightiest heroes. We explore her evolution from lone wolf to team glue, her mentor-like influence on Captain America and Hulk, and why emotional intelligence beats bravado every time.

Plus: what would happen if Black Widow swapped universes? Could she outsmart Homelander, survive on the Wall, or outrank Riker on the Enterprise?

In this special one-off episode of The Leadership Multiverse, Ellen is joined by Major Sam McEvoy, Royal Corps of Signals, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the idea of leadership, in science fiction and in real life.

From Star Trek’s M-5 and Data to The Avengers’ Ultron and Interstellar’s TARS, Ellen and Sam unpack what these fictional AIs reveal about intuition, ethics, and decision-making. They discuss the line between automation and authority, why humans remain essential in moments of moral choice, and how AI might one day become not just a tool but a teammate.

It’s a fascinating conversation about logic, leadership, and the limits of programming, from warp speed to real-world command.

This Halloween we dive into the supernatural world of leadership with everyone’s favourite team of chaotic academics turned entrepreneurs, the Ghostbusters! 👻 🚫 Ellen and Andrew explore how Ray, Egon, Peter, and Winston built a spin-out startup that somehow saved New York (twice), and what their ghost-catching antics reveal about team dynamics, charisma, ethics, and emotional intelligence.

Who really leads when egos, ethics, and ectoplasm collide? And could the Ghostbusters teach today’s exec teams a thing or two about situational leadership and psychological safety?

Tune in for spirited debate, sharp insight, and a few spectral laughs.
👻 Happy Halloween from the Leadership Multiverse.

This week we dive headfirst into the chaotic world of The Boys, the anti-Avengers of the superhero genre. Far from shiny suits and noble ideals, this guerrilla crew of misfits are bonded by trauma, revenge, and a shared hatred of the “Supes.”

From Billy Butcher’s toxic charisma to Hughie’s reluctant morality, M.M.’s operational steadiness, Frenchie’s chaotic creativity, Kimiko’s fierce loyalty, and Starlight’s principled courage, Andrew and Ellen unpack how this unlikely team somehow makes dysfunction work.

They explore what The Boys teach us about:

• Adaptive and distributed leadership in high-pressure teams
• The power of psychological safety and authentic individuality
• Why conflict can fuel performance (if you survive it)
• And whether charismatic but toxic leaders like Butcher can ever evolve

It’s a surprisingly heartfelt take on trauma-bonded teamwork, with plenty of laughs, leadership lessons, and the occasional explosion.

In this episode, we leave the stars behind and travel north to Winterfell to explore the leadership of Eddard Stark, the man who tried to do the right thing in a world that punished him for it. Was Ned’s unbending honour a virtue or a fatal flaw? Andrew and Ellen unpack what makes the Lord of Winterfell such a compelling, and cautionary, study in leadership.

From servant leadership and moral courage to political naivety and strategic rigidity, they debate whether Ned was a great leader in the wrong world, or simply a good man out of his depth. Drawing parallels between Westeros and the workplace, they ask: can values-based leadership survive in a complex, shifting environment?

Expect spirited analysis, a few direwolf-sized laughs, and the occasional existential shudder as the duo decide where Ned Stark ranks on the Multiverse Leadership Matrix (spoiler: winter isn’t the only thing that’s coming).

This week Andrew and Ellen boldly go where no podcast has gone before, deep into the command style of Captain James T. Kirk. Maverick? Visionary? HR’s worst nightmare? We chart the life and leadership of Starfleet’s most decorated captain, exploring his blend of charm, courage, and chaos.

We debate whether Kirk’s flair for risk is a strength or a flaw, unpack his servant-leadership instincts, and question if his “strategic rule-bending” would fly in the 21st-century workplace. Along the way, we draw parallels with modern leadership theory, test Kirk’s credentials in other universes (Avengers HQ or Jedi Council?), and ask the ultimate question: would you want to serve under him?

Packed with humour, insight, and just the right dose of Starfleet nostalgia, this episode reminds us that imperfect leaders can still inspire perfect loyalty, and that sometimes, to go boldly, you’ve got to rewrite the Prime Directive.

We turn our attention to Gotham’s brooding vigilante: Batman. From his trauma-fuelled drive to his obsessive need for control, Ellen and Andrew explore whether Bruce Wayne is a leader, or simply a micromanager in a cape. Is Batman’s servant-leadership really self-sacrifice, or just vengeance disguised as virtue? Does he inspire teams like the Justice League, or fracture them through mistrust and emotional repression?

Along the way, we debate Batman’s role as a situational leader, question if Bruce Wayne is really the mask, and ask the ultimate question: would you want to work for him? Spoiler - probably not.

Scathing, insightful, and occasionally sympathetic, this episode unpacks what leaders can learn from the Dark Knight—mostly by showing us what not to do.

This week we turn our attention from individual heroes to one of the most iconic teams of all time: The Avengers. But are Earth’s Mightiest Heroes actually a great team, or just a collection of super-powered egos bound together by circumstance?

From Nick Fury’s manipulative recruitment tactics to the constant clashes between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, Andrew and Ellen unpack the Avengers’ dysfunction through the lens of Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team and Tuckman’s team development model. They explore how trust, conflict, accountability, and ego play out in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and why psychological safety is just as vital for superheroes as it is in any boardroom.

Along the way, they spotlight Black Widow’s role as the team’s emotional glue, debate whether the Avengers could survive in other universes, and even imagine what Nick Fury’s performance reviews might look like.

Join us for a witty, insightful, and sometimes scathing look at what the Avengers can teach us about teamwork, leadership, and why not every group of “the best” automatically makes the best team.