In this episode of Unleash Your Inner Leader, host Randip Singh sits down with health and safety leader David Selsky. David shares his story of surviving a near-fatal industrial accident by trusting his gut, learning from midnight mentorship sessions, overcoming imposter syndrome through radical honesty, unlearning "bossy" leadership, and driving organizational change by inspiring people rather than relying on spreadsheets.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Trusting Your Gut: Listening to subtle warning signs inside a dangerous pressure vessel saved David's life and sparked a career-long focus on safety culture and human behavior.

Radical Honesty Beats Imposter Syndrome: Admitting what you don't know relieves career pressure and invites your team to rally together, creating true interdependence.

The Leader as an Orchestra Conductor: True leadership shifts away from demanding obedience toward bringing out the unique strengths of each team member in harmony.

Value Lies in Inspiring Change: Having data and spreadsheets is meaningless if you cannot get people excited enough to actually execute and adopt change.

Setting Non-Negotiable Boundaries: Career commitment should never mean missing irreplaceable personal and family milestones.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Introduction to David Selsky

02:28 - The Click That Saved My Life & Safety Culture

04:36 - Mentorship & The Midnight Call

07:39 - Redefining Success & Driving Self-Esteem

11:04 - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome Through Candor

13:19 - Unlearning "Bossy" Leadership & Conducting the Orchestra

17:14 - Navigating Setbacks & Nonlinear Career Paths

20:16 - Well-Being, Family Milestones & Setting Boundaries

23:03 - Calendar Blocking & Daily Movement for Mental Clarity

25:40 - The True Value of Leadership: Inspiring Change

28:19 - Influencing Culture Through Emotion & Storytelling

32:25 - How to Connect with David Selsky

Connect with David

• LinkedIn: David Selsky 

Connect with Randip

• LinkedIn: Randip

Subscribe: Follow Unleash Your Inner Leader on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

In this episode of Unleash Your Inner Leader, Randip speaks with Hannah Wilson: an expert in belonging, executive coach, author, and founder of The Belonging Effect. Hannah shares her personal experiences with high-profile public scrutiny, navigating career setbacks, reframing criticism, breaking inclusive recruitment molds, and intentionally protecting well-being through energy and time management.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Reframing Criticism into Validation: Instead of absorbing harsh feedback at face value, reframe negative comments to uncover the underlying compliment—often a sign that your disruptive leadership is creating meaningful impact.

Shift from Likeability to Respect: Female leaders frequently encounter the "likeability trap." Re-centering workplace expectations around earning respect rather than universal approval builds resilience and boundary control.

Inclusive Recruitment Over 'Culture Fit': Avoid forcing candidates into rigid molds or prioritizing ambiguous "culture fit." Focus on core values alignment while removing systemic barriers during the recruitment process.

Managing High Visibility & Well-being: Increased leadership visibility brings heightened scrutiny. Protecting personal time through intentional calendar blocking ("Hannah time") and color-coding energy output helps prevent burnout.

Cultivating True Belonging: Belonging is a deeply personal, felt experience rather than a procedural checklist. Leaders foster genuine inclusion by actively listening, exercising curiosity, and viewing environments through diverse lenses.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00:00 - Introduction & Guest Welcome

00:01:50 - The Daily Mail Incident: Navigating Scrutiny & Inclusive Leadership

00:06:20 - Breaking the Recruitment Mold: Moving Beyond 'Culture Fit'

00:08:35 - Unseen Challenges: Gender Expectations, Height, and Leadership Perceptions

00:11:50 - Reframing Criticism & Shifting from Likability to Respect

00:16:50 - Overcoming Career Setbacks: Gardening Leave & Reclaiming Your Narrative

00:22:30 - Prioritizing Well-being: Color-Coded Calendars and Protected Time

00:25:40 - Continuous Learning, Efficiency, and AI for Content Refinement

00:28:40 - Proactive Leadership: Spotting Gaps and Taking Initiative

00:31:05 - Cultivating Belonging in Schools: Practical Insights for Any Organization

00:35:00 - Where to Find Hannah Wilson & Closing Remarks

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Book: Cultivating Belonging in Schools by Hannah Wilson.
• Book: Diverse Educators: A Manifesto (Co-edited by Hannah Wilson).
• Concept: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

CONNECT WITH HANNAH:

• LinkedIn: Hannah Wilson
• Website: thebelongingeffect.com

CONNECT WITH RANDIP:

• LinkedIn: Randip
• Subscribe for free: Follow Unleash Your Inner Leader on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

How do you transition from being a technical expert to an effective leader when the "unwritten" parts of the role feel the most daunting? In this episode, I sit down with Sandeep Das, a Chartered Accountant, Internal Audit Leader, an international speaker and author of Audit Alchemy. 

Sandeep shares his personal journey of navigating the "Pandemic Pivot," overcoming introversion, and finding the courage to lead with integrity. Whether you are a middle manager struggling with public speaking or an aspiring leader looking to make a bigger impact with your team, this conversation offers practical tips you’ve been looking for. 

• The Pandemic Pivot: How a 2020 career break led to a more fulfilling role in the charity sector and a direct connection to helping people. 

• The Unwritten Leadership Requirement: Why the most important part of your job is having the courage to stand by your ethics and the willingness to walk away. 

• Flipping the Skill Set: Why traditional "soft skills" like communication and listening are actually the "core skills" needed to survive and thrive in the age of AI. 

• The Introvert’s Strategy for Confidence: Practical hacks for public speaking and networking. 

• Audit Alchemy: How small teams can deliver a massive organizational impact by systemizing processes and focusing on value-add insights. 

• AI as a Human Catalyst: A look at how technology can automate the mundane to create more space for human-to-human connection.

For 20% off Sandeep's book Audit Alchemy, use Promo Code: "26AEV1" before 30 June 2026. Order here:

https://www.routledge.com/Audit-Alchemy-Small-Teams-BIG-Impact---A-Guide-to-Internal-Audit-Excellence/Das/p/book/9781032856520

• Book: Audit Alchemy: Small Teams, Big Impact by Sandeep Das 

• Book: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain and see Susan's Ted talk: The power of introverts

• Book: 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari 

• Topic: The Olympus Scandal and whistleblower Michael Woodford, see more in his book: Exposure from President to Whistleblower

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandeep-das-fca/

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randip/

For more episodes of Unleash Your Inner Leader, subscribe/follow on YouTube, Apple Podcasts or Spotify

In this episode of Unleash Your Inner Leader, host Randip Singh sits down with Georgina Worrall OBE, Head of POWERful Women—an initiative dedicated to driving gender balance, diversity, and inclusion across the UK energy sector. Georgina shares candid lessons from her personal journey, including overcoming a breast cancer diagnosis, navigating career pivots during the pandemic, trusting gut intuition over pure analytics, and why creating a psychologically safe workplace is a core business imperative.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff: Overcoming a breast cancer diagnosis in 2024 reframed Georgina's leadership perspective, emphasizing the importance of values, positivity, and controlling the environment so teams can thrive.

The Rose Bush Analogy for Setbacks: Career growth is rarely linear. Just as different buds on a rose bush bloom at different times, setbacks are learning opportunities, and everyone's moment to succeed will come.

Trusting Your Gut Instinct: While analytical thinking is essential, listening to your gut intuition provides invaluable guidance when making high-stakes career choices.

AI and Future Gender Data: As AI automates administrative and support roles traditionally female-led companies must proactively build female representation across P&L business units.

Inclusion Benefits Everyone: Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not "nice-to-haves" or minority-only initiatives; establishing psychological safety and belonging raises performance, innovation, and retention across the entire organization.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro & AI's Potential Impact on Female Support Roles

02:11 - Introduction to Georgina Worrall OBE & POWERful Women

02:51 - Lived Experience: Overcoming Cancer & Redefining Priorities

04:49 - Grounding Leadership in Purpose, Values, and Impact

06:31 - Navigating Early Career Shifts & Avoiding Peer Comparison

09:54 - The Rose Bush Analogy: Bouncing Back From Setbacks

11:48 - Head vs. Gut: Learning to Trust Intuition

13:21 - Well-Being & Disconnecting: The Power of Family Dogs

15:54 - Diversity Insights: FTSE Women Leaders Review & Industry Trends

18:41 - Making Inclusion a Business Imperative & Psychological Safety

21:03 - The OBE Ceremony at Windsor Castle & Meeting Prince William

23:21 - Advice to Young Leaders: Follow Your Instincts & Trust Your Timing

24:24 - How to Connect with Georgina & POWERful Women

Further reading:

FTSE Women Leaders Report 2026

POWERful Women State of the Nation Report 2024

Links

https://powerfulwomen.org.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/powerful-women/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgina-worrall-obe-8b25772/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/randip/

In this episode of Unleash Your Inner Leader, host Randip Singh sits down with trusted leadership advisor, author, and podcast host Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE. Jonathan shares powerful lessons from his time as a military instructor at Sandhurst, uncovering the inspirational story of his late father, mastering delegation with the T-GROW coaching model, managing anxiety through Stoic principles, and exploring the eight quotients of leadership outlined in The CEO's Compass.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

From Average to Extraordinary: Receiving an "average" assessment at Sandhurst forced Jonathan to re-evaluate his leadership style, learn from elite peers, and study the selfless legacy of his late father.

Lead Like Bamboo, Not Oak: True resilience is about flexibility and adapting under pressure, combined with disciplined rest and recovery to prevent burnout.

Control the Controllables: Combat anxiety by focusing solely on what you can control, maintaining physical fitness, eating clean, and adopting Stoic and Buddhist principles.

The T-GROW Model for Delegation: Managers can empower teams and solve high-stakes problems using Topic, Goal, Reality, Options, and Will/Way forward.

Presence is Everything: True leadership presence involves giving people your undivided attention and curiosity, as demonstrated by Queen Elizabeth II when presenting Jonathan with his MBE.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro & Father's High-Stakes Legacy

02:23 - Introduction to Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE

03:01 - Overcoming "Average": The Sandhurst Wake-Up Call

04:47 - Discovering His Father’s Story & Selfless Leadership

10:02 - Overcoming Fear, Mask-Wearing & Living in the Moment

13:34 - Managing Anxiety: Control, Clean Living & Stoic Wisdom

18:27 - Resilience & Burnout: Be Bamboo, Not an Oak Tree

23:03 - Staying Curious: AI, Grok & Evolving Leadership Courses

25:04 - Authentic Leadership & Randip’s Board Service

29:28 - The MBE Story & The T-GROW Delegation Model

34:00 - Leadership Presence: Lessons from Queen Elizabeth II

37:34 - The 8 Leadership Quotients & The CEO's Compass

42:16 - Advice to Young Leaders: "It's Not About You"

44:08 - How to Connect with Jonathan Bowman-Perks

Resources mentioned:

The CEO's Compass by Jonathan Bowman-Perks

Inspiring Leadership by Jonathan Bowman-Perks

Inspiring Women Leaders by Leigh Bowman-Perks

Connect:

• With Randip
• With Jonathan
• Jonathan's Website

In this episode of Unleash Your Inner Leader, host Randip Singh sits down with author, keynote speaker, and psychologist Petra Velzeboer. Petra shares her story of growing up in a religious cult, becoming a parent at age twenty three, overcoming alcohol addiction, building a personal boardroom of support, and managing digital well being in modern leadership.

Key Takeaways

Parenting as a Turning Point: Becoming a young parent forced Petra to stop running away from problems, stay in one place, and take radical responsibility for her life and legacy.

Overcoming Addiction and Finding Purpose: Reaching rock bottom led to sobriety through recovery groups, learning honesty, and shifting away from a victim mindset.

Building a Boardroom of Support: Leaders need two to five trusted people outside work who provide space to be fully authentic and recharge.

Managing Digital Well Being: Technology should support your goals rather than distract from them, so leaders must model healthy screen habits.

Navigating Difficult Work Cultures: Managing a challenging environment requires strong personal boundaries, resourcing yourself outside work, and adopting an experimental mindset.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Introduction to Petra Velzeboer

01:02 - Life in a Religious Cult & Becoming a Parent

04:32 - Overcoming Addiction & Building Personal Accountability

08:03 - Finding Help & Embracing Vulnerability

12:16 - Creating Your Personal Boardroom of Support

15:39 - Digital Well-Being & Managing Screen Habits

19:49 - Stress, Burnout & Regulating Your Nervous System

25:46 - Prioritizing Personal Health & Daily Movement

30:30 - Systems, Automation & Meaningful Connection

35:01 - Practical Strategies for Difficult Workplaces

39:31 - The Power of an Experimental Mindset

41:41 - How to Connect with Petra Velzeboer

Resources mentioned:

Digital Wellbeing by Petra Velzeboer

Links:

https://www.petravelzeboer.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-velzeboer
https://www.instagram.com/petra.velzeboer/

In this inspiring episode of Unleash Your Inner Leader, host Randip Singh sits down with adventurer, keynote speaker, performance coach, and author Alex Staniforth. Alex shares his story of surviving the 2015 Mount Everest earthquake, overcoming unseen personal challenges such as living with a stammer and managing mental health, founding the mental health charity Mind Over Mountains, and learning to redefine resilience in leadership and life.

Key Takeaways:

• The Comfort Zone Myth: Staying in your comfort zone is not always safe. Stepping forward into a challenge can ultimately place you in a safer and more empowered position.
• Finding Meaning in Tragedy: Turning adversity into an opportunity to give back can provide direction and help overcome survivor guilt.
• Mentorship vs Coaching: Mentoring provides advice based on personal experience, whereas coaching is non directive support that helps individuals unlock their own answers.
• Managing Unseen Challenges: High performers and leaders often navigate hidden obstacles every day, from speech impediments like stammering to mental health struggles.
• Empowerment Through Delegation: Founders and leaders must empower others and delegate to allow a vision to grow larger than themselves and avoid burnout.
• Redefining Resilience: True resilience is not about invincibility or pushing through fatigue. It is about having the capacity to pause, recharge, and sustain ongoing performance.
• Legacy and Turning the Arrows Outward: Real fulfillment comes from shifting focus away from personal accolades and asking what you can do for the world.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction to Alex Staniforth

[01:03] The 2015 Everest Earthquake and Reevaluating Life

[03:56] Processing Trauma, Grief, and Finding Purpose

[07:48] Career Journey and The Impact of Mentors

[11:02] Understanding the Difference Between Coaching and Mentoring

[13:52] Overcoming Unseen Challenges: Living with a Stammer and Mental Health

[17:17] The Healing Power of Nature and Founding Mind Over Mountains

[20:58] Royal Recognition: Meeting the Princess of Wales

[22:57] Redefining Resilience: Recharging vs Toxic Masculinity

[26:04] Continuous Learning and Becoming a Certified Running Coach [28:50] Advice for Future Leaders: Turning the Arrows Outward

[32:39] How to Connect with Alex Staniforth

• 🌐 Alex Staniforth’s Official Website: alexstaniforth.com
• 🏔️ Mind Over Mountains Charity: mindovermountains.org.uk
• Resource mentioned: Joe Wright book on coaching culture