The Roots of Leadership Podcast

Today we’re joined by Precious Mshengu, a woman with a story that everyone should hear.

Aged just 35, Precious has already achieved so much to be proud of, including being a part of the Enterprise Innovation Academy in Portugal, gaining a Master’s degree in Corporate Governance and Law, and she’s only getting started.

Growing up in South Africa, Precious moved to the UK aged  15, during what would be her final year of high school. The transition into a new academic structure and confronting a new culture was one of vast change, but Precious faced this adversity head on and continued to thrive. She recalls the steps she had to take to ensure that the difficulties of this time didn’t define her or the path she would take.

Throughout, Precious touches on sense of purpose and the importance of this when navigating through life. She talks about always wanting to be the best version of herself, and how she juggled the desire to perform at the highest level, while being a single parent.

This episode is proof that with discipline, determination and grit, we can overcome the challenges that we face and become the best possible version of ourselves. While it may not be easy, it is possible, and Precious is proof of this sentiment.

Today we’re joined by Andrea Kind, heralded communicator, strategist, advisor and yoga teacher who is passionate about helping others, using her personable leadership and coaching skills.

Opening the show with some comments made by those Andrea has mentored, her natural ability to listen, understand and help others shines through. Described as ‘compassionate and tough’ – she believes this is an accurate description of her, but also encompasses what she hopes to teach those around her.

When discussing what it means to be empathetic, Andrea talks about the importance of this to all aspects of leadership, whether with employees, family, or those that you mentor. Balancing empathy with learning to ‘get on with it’ is something that Andrea has mastered through personal encounters with hardship, meaning she speaks from a place of genuine experience.

Yoga means a lot to Andrea, and as well as being a student, she is also a teacher. She attributes the techniques she’s learned to move forward and be resilient, to yoga. Yoga has enabled her to learn, master and practice looking through a different lens and having different perspectives.

In the face of both personal and professional adversity, Andrea has continued to power through, crediting her optimistic ‘set point’ as something she can always find her way back to when needed. This episode is empowering, refreshing and uplifting, giving us all a different outlook and a revitalising take on how to view our own lives.

Today we’re joined by Richard Medcalf, leader, coach and Founder of Xquadrant; helping elite CEOs and their teams multiply their impact and take their influence to a new level.

When touching on his experiences as a coach to CEOs and high level leaders, Richard shares his belief that we can all think like a CEO and take ownership and control of our destiny, regardless of our job title. He uncovers that one of the most common themes he addresses among those he coaches, is the need to perfect the art of letting go of the nitty gritty, and expresses the strategic benefits that can be achieved by doing this.

One key message he shares with those he works with is the importance of fully formed requests. A simple yet important element of leadership, encouraging clear boundaries and freeing headspace for the things we should be focussing on – something everyone can take away and begin implementing immediately.

This episode provides invaluable insight into the skills and traits you need to be a successful leader, regardless of job title or position. Discussing the importance of culture (and what it actually means), accountability, forming agreements and so much more, this is a leadership masterclass that everyone should hear.

On today’s episode we’re joined by 16 year old Zak O’Sullivan, racing driver and British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) superstar, who was recently crowned the youngest ever GB3/British F3 champion.

By the age of eight, Zak was already karting. His dad’s interest in cars sparked his own passion which quickly grew; it wasn’t long before Zak himself was in the driving seat. Aged just 14, Zak raced some of the UK’s most renowned racetracks as part of the Ginetta Junior Championship. This year he has celebrated winning the most races, having the most podiums, the most pole positions, and leading the most laps – it’s incredible to see what Zac has achieved in such a short space of time.

When discussing ‘Man vs Machine’, Zak explains that he believes adaptability is what separates the good from the great. In a sport where no two laps are the same, he emphasises the need to adapt quickly and seamlessly, as well as using his senses to make decisions. Weather is something that Zak is more than used to adapting to. He was once dubbed ‘Rain Man’ due to the speed he managed to reach when racing in wet weather - he attributes this to living in the UK, believing the UK weather has helped him perfect this talent!

This episode is a leadership seminar covering trust, adaptability, reactions, relationships and more. With an already accomplished career at such a young age (all while juggling school, exams and day-to-day life) and a promising future, Zak serves as an example to us all that hard work and dedication really does pay off.

On today’s episode we’re joined by Jackie Wendleken, a leader and networker, unafraid of breaking down barriers.

Jackie begins by taking us back to when she moved to London as she recalls being a ‘green behind the ears’ 18 year old. She credits her time working in customer service and retail as the core foundation for enabling her to excel within future positons, including the all-important people skills she mastered at this time and continues to utilise today.

Now working as a Senior Vice President within the UK Risk Management team at Marsh, Jackie’s passion for working with clients shines through as she continues to speak to us. Working as a team leader and supporting new colleagues joining the business, Jackie’s past experiences have enabled her to now meaningfully mentor those around her.

Jackie tells us that she was once incredibly shy and found networking challenging. A far cry from now as she highlights her passion to embrace opportunities to be put out of her comfort zone. She explains that it was through experiences like these, that she was able to find inner confidence and become a true people person.

Jackie describes herself as someone who always wants a ‘bigger table’. Speaking about the importance of proving to her daughter that she can break down barriers, Jackie explains the importance of hard work, ‘showing up’, and the belief that you really can achieve anything you put your mind to. This episode is inspiring, powerful and motivational – pushing us all to find and fulfil our true potential.

On today’s episode we’re joined by Paula Lopes, insurance expert, lifelong leader and professional, built for challenge and adventure.

Starting from the beginning, Paula takes us back to growing up in Brazil and the inspiring work ethic she saw in her father. Working multiple jobs was a way of life where she lived, and it wasn’t out of the ordinary for Paula to watch her dad work five jobs at a time.

This work ethic more than rubbed off on Paula, and her impressive career is testament to this. Her passion for making people happier is something that sits at the core of all she does, and during 22 years in the insurance industry, this unwavering passion has remained solid throughout.

Paula sees change as opportunity, and when touching on this, she explains the importance of observation and learning from others, and how invaluable this can be during these times. Her willingness to learn, and take on feedback and critique, has enabled her to build a successful career, as well as an open and honest family environment.

Discussing reflection, Paula shares the exercises she uses to practise this. Whether it be turning off the radio while driving home, or other ways of factoring in the time, she explains how important it is to her to reflect on the day’s conversations and think of what she may have done differently in hindsight.

Covering topics including fixed mindset, diversity of thought and so much more, this episode explores avenues familiar to all of us. Listen today.

On today’s episode we’re joined by, author, activist, television presenter and personality, Katie Piper, who encompasses the true essence of being a leader.

Delving straight in to discuss the driving force behind the charity she founded, The Katie Piper Foundation, Katie explains that establishing a charity was never a route she expected to go down. A life-changing experience gave her clear insight of the support those dealing with burn injuries need. When her life changed overnight, she quickly became aware of treatments she needed that weren’t available to her in the UK. So the idea behind her foundation was born – to help make what she had to travel for, more easily accessible for others.

After a documentary about her story aired, Katie found that people wanted to help. She and her family paid any donations they received into a bank account with charitable status, with the view to donate this to other survivors of burns and enable them to receive the treatment she had in France. The generosity of these people was a healing experience for Katie and her gratitude to those who helped her was palpable.

As time went on, Katie’s platform expanded and support never stopped. Eventually, The Katie Piper Foundation became a formalised charity, and she and her team worked on setting up mentoring and workshops, eventually leading to opening their very own centre, enabling treatment to happen in the UK instead of abroad.

From being in a coma and having to rebuild her life, to becoming a best-selling author among so many other achievements, Katie’s excitement for life and love for connecting with people is infectious. When discussing the importance of consistency and showing up for ourselves, her words are incredibly powerful – “trauma is a part of life, but it doesn’t have to be a life sentence”.

As Katie shares her closing messages with us, she encourages listeners not to fear the dark times and instead to embrace them. Some of the best times of your life will be the hardest ones, but they can be a catalyst for change – something Katie proves in her own experiences. “Don’t just dream and wish, make it happen”.

Today we’re joined by Roianne Nedd, Global Inclusion and Diversity Leader, motivational speaker, and author of ‘The Trusted Black Girl’.

Taking us right back to the beginning, Roianne tells us about her childhood within a patriarchal society in Guyana, born to a family with incredible work ethic. Her father part of the second generation free of slavery, her grandmother a descendant of Indian indentured workers - Roianne explains that her multicultural background provided her with a mindset that you can achieve anything if you work hard… and that’s exactly what she did.

As the conversation progresses, Roianne delves into the elements of her leadership style and how she developed this, including the part active listening plays. Discussing the actions we need to take with regards to diversity and inclusion, Roianne touches on the importance of seeing talent in a different way, and ensuring organisations take time to step back and look at the people they need to bring in for the next generation.

Moving on to talk about her book, ‘The Trusted Black Girl’, Roianne tells us the concept, including the twists and turns she took while writing, and the philosophical shift that occurred when she realised the audience for the book should not be black women as she’d originally thought. As she recalls being told by colleagues that they would ‘forget she was black’, Roianne discusses the realisation that she had transcended race for people, the internal battle this created, and the meaning behind the name of her book.

Speaking about the work she does with women in Guyana, the importance of expecting more, the collective courage that drives change and so much more, this show is as powerful as it is inspiring. Listen now.

On today’s show we’re joined by Kevin Dedner, founder and CEO of Hurdle, award-winning public speaker and true leader in all he does.

As he discusses the evolution of his business, Kevin takes us back to his own experience with depression, and not only what this taught him, but the gaps in mental healthcare this period highlighted. Following this journey, he set about creating culturally intentional mental healthcare, and Hurdle was born.

As Kevin touches on the increase in company commitments to diversity and inclusion, especially during the last year or so following the death of George Floyd, he explains the importance of making these promises tangible. He tells us that while a diverse team will not be without its challenges, it will be a team that does not burn out easily and that provides beautiful outcomes.

Discussing mental health, diversity, outcomes and so much more, this episode brings important topics to the forefront, breaking down barriers and highlighting the importance of culture within therapy, among other key messages. Sharing statistics, facts and findings, Kevin provides us with takeaways and talking points that we all have a responsibility to listen to, and act on.

Today we’re joined by Dan Stanley, expert in human development and performance, retired senior Army Commando, and coach – just to name a few!

Owner of ‘Better Men’, a business focused on enabling men to live a happier and healthier life, Dan’s journey has been anything but smooth sailing. During the darkest time in his life, Dan found himself in a suicidal state. Speaking candidly with us, he explains the depths of this time, and the collateral damage this created.

Following a conversation by chance on holiday, Dan made the decision to shut down the business he owned at the time, and within four weeks of landing back in the UK, began an eight month period of ‘time out’. Reflecting on the opinions he received following this decision, Dan highlights the importance and power of this period in his life.

Discussing fear, blueprint for success, and so much more, Dan’s message is as important as it is clear. Dial down the volume of your inner critic. Take off the masks. Create space and capacity for thought. Alone you’ll go faster, together you’ll go further.