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The Leadership Reality Check
Are you actually a good leader - or just good at telling yourself you are?
In this first episode of Series 2, Dan is joined by Rebecca Sangster-Kelly, of Studium Consulting, for a direct and, at times, challenging conversation about what leadership actually looks like in practice, not just in theory.
Together, they strip back the language we often hide behind: purpose, culture, psychological safety, and ask what happens when those ideals meet real-world pressure, ego and decision-making.
From hiring “your people” to balancing being a doer versus a leader, this episode challenges some of the most widely accepted leadership behaviours.
Dan and Rebecca look at honesty, accountability and the moments where leadership either builds trust or quietly erodes it.
Key questions
- [01:30] What really makes someone a good leader
- [03:25] Why is the shift from doer to leader so difficult
- [05:11] Is office politics just part of leadership or a sign something is broken?
- [11:30] What happens when leaders think they know their people without actually asking them?
- [12:35] Why do some leaders build a trusted “posse” and is that always a bad thing?
- [16:40] Does leadership create culture, or does culture shape leadership?
- [18:55] Why do values and psychological safety so often become lip service?
- [34:48] Is honest indifference better than pretending to care about employees?
- [35:19] What changes when leaders consistently show people they matter?
More about Rebecca Sangster-Kelly
Rebecca, from Studium Consulting, is a Communications and Stakeholder Management Coach.
She works with leaders and organisations to strengthen how they engage, communicate and build meaningful relationships with their audiences.
Her work focuses on helping individuals move beyond assumptions, improving clarity, and delivering communication that genuinely lands.
- Website
Further reading
- ‘What got you here won’t get you there’ book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Got-Here-Wont-There/dp/1401301304
- Regulatory focus theory article explaining three studies: https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/how-much-evidence-do-you-need-to-make-a-decision#
- Near misses in hospitals from the good catch awards:
- https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/14/Suppl_2/A59
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3888507/#:~:text=Anesthesiology%20residents%20use%20the%20process,in%20the%20Weinberg%20Surgical%20Suite.
More about dmb films
dmb films is a video production agency specialising in creating content that helps organisations communicate with clarity and impact. From branded content to podcast production, they work with businesses to tell stories that connect with the audiences that matter.
- Website
Want to work with dmb films?
If you want content that doesn’t just look good but actually lands with your audience, visit https://www.dmbfilms.co.uk/contact/ and start a conversation.
View all episodes
By dmb filmsAre you actually a good leader - or just good at telling yourself you are?
In this first episode of Series 2, Dan is joined by Rebecca Sangster-Kelly, of Studium Consulting, for a direct and, at times, challenging conversation about what leadership actually looks like in practice, not just in theory.
Together, they strip back the language we often hide behind: purpose, culture, psychological safety, and ask what happens when those ideals meet real-world pressure, ego and decision-making.
From hiring “your people” to balancing being a doer versus a leader, this episode challenges some of the most widely accepted leadership behaviours.
Dan and Rebecca look at honesty, accountability and the moments where leadership either builds trust or quietly erodes it.
Key questions
- [01:30] What really makes someone a good leader
- [03:25] Why is the shift from doer to leader so difficult
- [05:11] Is office politics just part of leadership or a sign something is broken?
- [11:30] What happens when leaders think they know their people without actually asking them?
- [12:35] Why do some leaders build a trusted “posse” and is that always a bad thing?
- [16:40] Does leadership create culture, or does culture shape leadership?
- [18:55] Why do values and psychological safety so often become lip service?
- [34:48] Is honest indifference better than pretending to care about employees?
- [35:19] What changes when leaders consistently show people they matter?
More about Rebecca Sangster-Kelly
Rebecca, from Studium Consulting, is a Communications and Stakeholder Management Coach.
She works with leaders and organisations to strengthen how they engage, communicate and build meaningful relationships with their audiences.
Her work focuses on helping individuals move beyond assumptions, improving clarity, and delivering communication that genuinely lands.
- Website
Further reading
- ‘What got you here won’t get you there’ book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Got-Here-Wont-There/dp/1401301304
- Regulatory focus theory article explaining three studies: https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/how-much-evidence-do-you-need-to-make-a-decision#
- Near misses in hospitals from the good catch awards:
- https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/14/Suppl_2/A59
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3888507/#:~:text=Anesthesiology%20residents%20use%20the%20process,in%20the%20Weinberg%20Surgical%20Suite.
More about dmb films
dmb films is a video production agency specialising in creating content that helps organisations communicate with clarity and impact. From branded content to podcast production, they work with businesses to tell stories that connect with the audiences that matter.
- Website
Want to work with dmb films?
If you want content that doesn’t just look good but actually lands with your audience, visit https://www.dmbfilms.co.uk/contact/ and start a conversation.