We Not Me

A successful transition to leadership calls for a significant shift in mindset. Not only do you need to enhance your existing skills, but also adopt new ones and let go of habits that may have earned you you success in the past.

A transitioning leader understands the importance of team dynamics, makes space for collaboration, evolves their leadership style, and embraces continuous learning.

This week, Dan and Pia are joined by Iain Gauld, the Chief Information Officer at Contact Energy in New Zealand. With a background in computer science, Iain started his career in tech with the intention of effecting change. Over time, he transitioned into team leadership and management roles, continuously learning and growing as he did so.

Three reasons to listen

• To learn about the transformation process from a technical role to a leadership role in a team
• To understand the dynamics of team building beyond technical skills
• To discover how to apply principles of Agile approach to enhance leadership skills

Episode highlights

• [00:12:22] Moving into leadership
• [00:17:31] T-shaped leadership
• [00:20:56] Skills emerging leaders need
• [00:23:49] The role of psychological safety
• [00:28:12] Adapting and evolving as a leader
• [00:31:33] Leadership in the next decade
• [00:33:20] Iain's media recommendation
• [00:34:17] Takeaways from Pia and Dan

Links

• Connect with Iain via LinkedIn
• The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership Powered Company, by Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter, and James Noel
• Same as Ever: Timeless Lessons on Risk, Opportunity and Living a Good Life, by Morgan Housel
• Team #1 by Patrick Lencioni
• Leave us a voice note

Salience (or what we choose to focus our attention on) has a big impact on our perceptions and actions within a group. Understanding this can help us reconsider what we’re ignoring or overlooking, which can lead to more innovative and inclusive team dynamics.

This week, Dan and Pia are joined by Greg Radick and Tom McClelland, a professor and lecturer respectively, who study the history and philosophy of science. They discuss the concept of salience, which points to the ideas that grab our attention, and how salience impacts scientific enquiry and teams.

In their professional work, they examine how different elements become more salient or important within a community of inquirers, such as a scientific community or a team, shaping what problems are considered relevant and which ones are ignored. They also explore how these patterns of salience influence the directions of research and collaboration.

Three reasons to listen

• To learn about the concept of salience and its impact on team performance and problem-solving
• To understand how ignoring and attention shapes our professional and personal identities
• To discover how the history and philosophy of science can influence our understanding of team dynamics

Episode highlights

• [00:05:33] The history and philosophy of science
• [00:07:13] What is salience
• [00:14:16] Choosing what we ignore
• [00:15:42] The importance of pointing in a different direction
• [00:19:35] Identifying mavericks and outliers
• [00:24:53] Greg's experiment to alter salience patterns
• [00:31:09] Creating a more open mindset
• [00:34:55] Social media, misinformation, and salience
• [00:37:31] Media recommendations
• [00:39:54] Takeaways from Dan and Pia

Links

• Connect with Greg via LinkedIn
• Connect with Tom via LinkedIn
• Tom’s website
• Disputed Inheritance: The Battle over Mendel and the Future of Biology – Greg’s book
• Woman First and a Philosopher Second: Relative Attentional Surplus on the Wrong Property, by Ella Whiteley
• The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, by Thomas Kuhn
• Leave us a voice note

Kitchens – like any professional environment – need effective leadership. This means staying calm, promoting clear communication, and creating a learning environment where team members feel valued and motivated. Professional kitchens run well are the epitome of the We Not Me philosophy.

This week, Dan and Pia are joined by Simon Zatyrka, a former executive chef who’s spent most of his career in professional kitchens around the US. He’s the founder of the Culinary Mechanic, where he coaches chefs on leadership and building a positive culture in the kitchen, offering a mix of on-site and virtual consulting.

Three reasons to listen

• To understand the importance of team building and development in high-pressure environments
• To learn about the dynamics and leadership strategies used in professional kitchens
• To discover how to create a productive and positive culture within a team

Episode highlights

• [00:13:55] Inside a professional kitchen
• [00:23:56] Having key conversations
• [00:25:47] When communication breaks down
• [00:28:11] Just so you are aware
• [00:29:49] Simon's leadership tip
• [00:31:41] Takeaways from Pia and Dan

Links

• Connect with Simon via LinkedIn
• Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, by Will Guidara
• Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, by Stanley McChrystal, David Silverman, Tantum Collins and Chris Fussell
• Chef Journeys – Simon’s podcast
• Leave us a voice note

If you’re taking over as team leader, you need to have open and honest conversations about the change in dynamics. If you’ve previously enjoyed a friendly relationship and you’re transitioning from buddy to boss, or you’re filling someone else’s shoes, it’s time to show humility, honour the past, embrace an uncertain future, and accept feedback from your team.

This week, adaptive organisations consultant Jon Barnes rejoins the podcast. Jon helps organisations shift from rigid hierarchies or bureaucracies towards teams that manage themselves, promoting more autonomy. He’s a fan of working styles where individuals have more freedom but are also more accountable, and he focuses on helping groups collectively nurture the culture they want, together.

Three reasons to listen

• Understand how to handle the "buddy to boss" transition by establishing a new social contract with your team
• Explore ways to maintain mutual respect and equality in relationships, even when hierarchical structures are in place
• Learn specific techniques for scheduling, giving and receiving feedback, in order to shape a constructive leadership style

Episode highlights

• [00:07:42] The budy-to-boss problem
• [00:18:38] The perils of bringing in an outside team whisperer
• [00:30:29] Big shoes to fill
• [00:37:43] Jon's recommendation
• [00:39:42] Takeaways from Pia and Dan

Links

• Leave us a voice note
• Connect with Jon via LinkedIn
• The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World, by Mpho Tutu and Desmond Tutu

Workplace conflicts can arise from the most unexpected things, and can have severe consequences. When conflicts arise, they need to be addressed quickly, with opportunities created for open communication and understanding.

Through effective mediation and a curiosity-driven approach, conflicts between team members can be resolved, ruptures can be repaired, and positive outcomes can be achieved.

This week, Dan and Pia are joined by workplace mediation and conflict resolution consultant, Tania Waters. Tania has extensive experience in helping organisations address workplace conflicts and facilitating mediations between parties.

She provides conflict management coaching, and specialises in creating safe spaces for open dialogue, understanding the perspectives and impacts of each party involved, and guiding them towards finding common ground.

Three reasons to listen

• Understand the impact of workplace conflict on teams and their members, from passive-aggressive behaviour to the threat of physical violence
• Learn about the importance of timely conflict resolution and the negative consequences of letting things simmer for too long
• Discover the role of curiosity in the mediation process and how it can help to break down walls and challenge simplified narratives

Episode highlights

• [00:11:51] Where conflict begins
• [00:13:25] What conflict looks like
• [00:15:37] The cost of conflict
• [00:17:37] The conflict resolution process
• [00:25:01] Pre-mediation
• [00:33:03] Group conflict
• [00:36:11] Tania's book recommendation
• [00:37:45] Tania's top tip
• [00:39:34] Takeaways from Pia and Dan

Links

• Connect with Tania via LinkedIn
• High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out, by Amanda Ripley
• Leave us a voice note

Teams need to have a deep understanding of how to work together effectively. This means recognising the interdependencies among team members and working towards a common goal rather than operating individually.

Teams also need to actively seek opportunities to collaborate and share knowledge with others. This helps them tap into collective expertise, avoiding duplication of effort, and lets them leverage resources more efficiently.

Teams must also prioritise accountability and ensure they follow through on their promises. This builds trust and credibility, both internally and externally, and fosters a culture of excellence and drives sustained performance.

This week, Dan and Pia are joined by Juliet Hammond to comb through the latest Squadify data, to tease out how teams can perform better.

Three reasons to listen

• Discover the key drivers of team performance based on Squadify's extensive data analysis.
• Gain valuable insights into the importance of interdependency, proactive collaboration, and delivering against commitments for high-performing teams.
• Explore how teams can take control of their performance by understanding how to work together effectively and fostering a psychologically safe environment.

Episode highlights

• [00:06:40] What do we mean by "performance"?
• [00:11:17] Overview of the latest Squadify findings
• [00:19:41] Conditions for success in teams
• [00:25:12] Implementing these conditions for success
• [00:28:36] Juliet's book recommendation
• [00:31:37] Takeaways from Dan and Pia

Links

• Leave us a voice note
• Get a copy of the latest Squadify report
• Connect with Julia via LinkedIn
• The Age of AI, by Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, and Daniel Huttenlocher
• Impromptu: Amplifying Our Humanity Through AI, by Reid Hoffman

Team conversations are more effective when there’s a safe space for open and honest communication. By creating an environment of trust, where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas, teams can have more productive and meaningful discussions. Building trust and promoting vulnerability are key factors in improving the quality of team conversations, but we have to go beyond lip service and recognise when people are holding back and keeping their true thoughts hidden.

This week, Dan and Pia are joined by Chris Ertel, a strategic conversation designer and a thought leader in how teams work. He has over 27 years of experience as a strategy and innovation consultant. He specialises in facilitating creative problem-solving sessions for teams, and is part of Deloitte Greenhouse, a specialised unit that focuses on designing and delivering strategic conversations.

Three reasons to listen

• Learn how to create an environment that encourages team members to share their true thoughts and feelings during conversations
• Understand the importance of building trust within teams to facilitate open and honest communication
• Hear about the challenges teams face, along with strategies to overcome them in order to have more effective conversations

Episode highlights

• [00:07:26] Observing team dynamics
• [00:09:34] The importance of humour
• [00:11:56] Holding a space for vulnerability
• [00:14:43] The fundamentals of trust
• [00:21:27] What else is there but teams?
• [00:26:43] The four elements of teams
• [00:28:02] Team Alchemy
• [00:33:49] We all need coaching
• [00:36:46] Improving team clarity
• [00:41:52] Getting clarity on how a decision is made
• [00:44:50] Takeaways from Dan and Pia

Links

• Connect with Chris via LinkedIn
• Patrick Lencioni
• The Coach in the Operating Room – Article by Atul Gawande
• Leave us a voice note

Silence can have a profound impact on our relationships and productivity. By incorporating moments of silence into our interactions and meetings, we can create a sense of focus, concentration, and psychological safety.

Silence allows us to truly listen to each-other, deepen our understanding, and foster meaningful connections. It’s a powerful tool that can enhance team dynamics and promote effective communication.

This week's guest is Bastian Overgaard, author of the book Noise Free, consultant and teacher with a passion for promoting and facilitating silence in social interactions. Bastian believes that silence can enhance relationships, promote mindfulness, and create psychological safety. He conducts workshops and team-building exercises to help individuals and teams harness the power of silence for improved communication and collaboration.

Three reasons to listen

• Discover the surprising benefits of incorporating silence into team dynamics and communication.
• Learn how intentional moments of silence can enhance relationships, foster creativity, and improve decision-making.
• Explore different types of silence, including restorative, relational, and reflective, and how to apply them in various settings.

Episode highlights

• [00:09:07] Discovering the power of silence
• [00:19:48] The danger of meetings without silence
• [00:23:55] Equal speaking time
• [00:29:14] Where and when to add silence to your meetings
• [00:33:29] Where silence is being deployed right now
• [00:38:10] Takeaways from Pia and Dan

Links

• Connect with Bastian via LinkedIn
• Noise Free: Rethinking How We Talk – Bastian’s book
• Leave us a voice note

The world needs healthier models of masculinity. By incorporating diverse perspectives and acknowledging the impact of sociological, biological, and personal factors, we can work towards creating a more inclusive and compassionate understanding of masculinity. This can have a profound impact on the way teams work together.

Richie Hardcore is well known for his contributions to promoting healthier models of masculinity. Richie has a personal journey of healing and unpacking childhood trauma, which has shaped his work in understanding and addressing issues related to masculinity. He works as a speaker, mentor, and advocate, focusing on topics like consent, sexual and domestic violence, and mental health. Richie incorporates his background in combat sports to engage hard-to-reach audiences and facilitate conversations on healthy masculinity. He aims to challenge societal norms and encourage inclusive and compassionate understandings of masculinity.

Three reasons to listen

• To understand the sociological, biological, and personal factors that shape our understanding of gender roles
• To work towards a more inclusive and compassionate understanding of masculinity for healthier relationships
• To learn about the challenges and work being done to address issues like violence against women and girls, mental health, and social dynamics related to masculinity

Episode highlights

• [00:10:08] Why are men more prone to violence?
• [00:15:57] Male aggression in team settings
• [00:20:53] A new model of masculinity
• [00:24:56] Multicultural attitudes towards masculinity
• [00:28:18] The online push towards toxic masculinity
• [00:32:39] Social media's role in division
• [00:37:14] Richie's recommendations for change
• [00:39:16] Takeaways from Pia and Dan

Links

• Connect with Richie via LinkedIn
• White Ribbon Australia
• White Ribbon UK
• Testosterone: The story of the hormone that dominates and divides us, by Carole Hooven
• Of Boys and Men: Why the modern male is struggling, why it matters, and what to do about it, by Richard Reeves
• What About Men?, by Caitlin Moran
• Asking for it – Richie’s TV documentary
• Leave us a voice note

Teams that embrace challenges and are open to new ideas can develop better solutions and achieve greater success. Innovation is an iterative process that needs resilience and the ability to adapt to change, and students are learning the role of teamwork within innovation today.

Tony Morgan is a professor at Leeds University Business School, within the engineering and physical sciences faculty. He leads a cluster of innovation practice modules where teams of students from different areas across the university work on real-world innovation challenges.

In his conversation with Dan and Pia, he sets out the importance of embracing change and turning problems into opportunities.

Three reasons to listen

• To discover the importance of resilience and adaptability in the innovation process through real-world examples and practical techniques
• To understand the role of teamwork and effective communication in driving successful innovation projects
• To learn how to navigate and embrace change, turning obstacles into opportunities for growth and creativity

Episode highlights

• [00:17:25] Dynamics within student innovation teams
• [00:19:30] Bringing the introverts into the conversation
• [00:26:30] Putting diverging and converging into practice
• [00:27:23] The importance of empathy in teamwork
• [00:33:52] Takeaways from Pia and Dan

Links

• Connect with Tony via LinkedIn
• Critical teams – Episode 20, with Martin Bromiley
• Leave us a voice note