The Connected Leadership Podcast

Episódios Disponíveis

5 de 218

How to Become the Go-To Person in Your Industry with Jane Bayler
Are you the best-kept secret in your organisation? You work hard, you deliver results, but when it comes to promotions and opportunities, you're consistently overlooked. The hard truth is: in today's crowded world, just doing a good job is no longer enough to get ahead. In this episode from the archive, Andy Lopata revisits a powerful conversation with brand identity expert Jane Bayler, a veteran of the high-stakes world of advertising. Jane reveals why being "nice" might be the very thing holding you back and how the most successful leaders learn to stand out for their difference—not just their performance. This isn't about being the loudest person in the room. It’s a masterclass in strategic communication, personal branding, and building a reputation that makes you indispensable. Discover how to command attention, earn recognition, and finally become the go-to authority that others seek out. Stop being a follower and start leading the pack. Key Takeaways From This Episode What is the "PIE" formula, and why does it prove that your actual job performance only accounts for 10% of your career progression? Why is being a "people pleaser" the fastest way to become vanilla, bland, and ultimately invisible in your career? How can you take credit for your ideas when someone else tries to claim them in a meeting, without being seen as arrogant or confrontational? Is it possible to build powerful relationships if you skip the after-work drinks? (And what can a bonsai tree teach you about networking?) Actionable Insights Stop Being a Generalist: Get known for being exceptional at one specific thing. Instead of presenting a confusing "basket" of all your skills, focus on a niche. This makes you the undeniable expert and the first person people think of for that specific challenge, opening the door for you to reveal your other talents later. Dare to Polarise (Respectfully): Stop telling people what you think they want to hear. Form a strong, well-reasoned opinion on a topic relevant to your field and be prepared to stand by it. People trust and remember those who stand for something, even if they don't always agree. Replace the Pint with a Personal Touch: Instead of relying on generic after-work drinks to build relationships, find a thoughtful, personalised way to show value. Share a book you know they'd love, send a relevant article, or give a small, meaningful gift. These gestures create a far more memorable and lasting connection than a hangover. SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter YouTube Connect with Jane Bayler: Website |YouTube | The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring Episode 147 Featuring Andy Woodfield and Jane Bayler
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Mastering Crisis Management with Alan Stevens
What happens when a leader's reputation crumbles in the public eye? Can trust ever be rebuilt? In this episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata returns to the archive to for a timely and critical conversation with reputation expert and media coach, Alan Stevens. Using the political firestorm of "Partygate" when Boris Johnson was Prime Minister as a case study, they dissect the catastrophic communication missteps that can shatter a leader's credibility and bring an entire organisation into disrepute. Alan reveals the golden rules of crisis management that were ignored, from the failure to communicate early and honestly to the disastrous "dead cat" strategy of creating distractions. This isn't just about politics; it’s a masterclass for any leader in any industry. Discover how to avoid the trap of surrounding yourself with "yes-people," why vulnerability is a superpower, and how to manage your reputation in a world where one wrong move can go viral. Are you prepared for your own ‘Partygate’ moment? Key Takeaways What is the very first thing you must do when a crisis hits (that most leaders get disastrously wrong)? Why does the ‘dead cat’ strategy of creating a distraction often make a reputational crisis even worse? What is the simple ‘three strikes’ rule that can save your reputation from a career-ending social media meltdown? How can welcoming dissenting voices and critics actually become a leader's greatest superpower? Actionable Insights Follow the 'Speed, Honesty, Internal Comms' Rule: In a crisis, get the truth out quickly, starting with your own team, before speculation takes over. Everything you say must be true. Don't cover up the mistake; people forgive errors, but they never forgive a cover-up. Build a 'Challenge Culture': Actively seek out and reward those who challenge your ideas. A leader who surrounds themselves with "yes-people" is building a culture that is blind to risk and destined for a crisis. Schedule time to listen to people on the frontline. Implement a '30-Minute Rule' for Emotional Posts: If you're angry or frustrated online, draft your post or reply but wait 30 minutes before hitting send. This cooling-off period allows you to regain perspective and will almost always prevent you from posting something you'll regret. SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube Connect with Alan Stevens: Website |LinkedIn | The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring Episode 146 Featuring Alan Stevens
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The Hard Work of Inclusion with Andy Woodfield & Dr. Heather Melville OBE
Welcome to Connected Leadership Bytes. This week Andy Lopata looks back into the archive for a conversation from October 2020. This episode features Andy Woodfield and Dr. Heather Melville OBE and explores the practical, unfiltered realities of building truly diverse and inclusive teams. Andy Woodfield shares the story behind his mission to build one of PwC's most diverse leadership teams in just six months. He reveals it wasn't just for optics; it was driven by the core belief that you need diverse voices to spot both risks and hidden opportunities. The discussion moves past the buzzwords to confront the hard part: inclusion. Andy Woodfield shares his stark learning that "diversity leads to chaos" unless leaders actively work to harness it—it’s not a natural evolution. Dr. Melville provides powerful insights from her stellar career, explaining how she successfully overcame pushback by tying Diversity & Inclusion directly to the business case and client acquisition. Why you should listen 1. Why does Andy Woodfield warn that diversity, on its own, naturally leads to chaos, not inclusion? 2. What are the "micro-frictions" that systemically resist change, even when a leader has a clear vision? 3. How did Dr. Melville successfully reframe D&I work at RBS from an internal "nice-to-have" into a powerful client acquisition strategy? 4. Why does true diversity require leaders to be "prepared to be fired" for doing the right thing? Actionable Insights Stop Delegating Discovery: Dr. Melville points out that leaders who just delegate D&I to HR or use the same headhunters will get the same results. To find diverse talent, leaders must do the research and networking themselves and look in different places. Protect the Uniqueness: When onboarding a new senior hire (especially one from a diverse background), actively and repeatedly remind them why they were hired. As Andy Woodfield notes, their desire to "fit in" is high. Your job is to reinforce that their unique perspective is the value, not something to be minimised. Find the Business Case: To overcome pushback, tie D&I directly to business outcomes. Dr. Melville successfully argued that unsupported female employees were leaving to become entrepreneurs—and then taking their business to competitor banks. D&I wasn't just an internal metric; it was a client retention and acquisition strategy. SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Andy Lopata:⁠ Website⁠ |⁠ Instagram⁠ |⁠ LinkedIn⁠ |⁠ X/Twitter⁠ |⁠ YouTube⁠ Connect with Heather Melville:⁠ Website⁠ |⁠LinkedIn⁠ | Connect with Andy Woodfield:⁠ Website⁠ ⁠The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring⁠ ⁠Episode 142 Featuring Andy Woodfield and Heather Melville⁠
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The Subtle Art of Upgrading Your Relationships with Jake Thompson
Are the people you spend time with making you better or holding you back? This episode examines Jim Rohn's famous idea that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Jake Thompson, a leadership performance coach and the Chief Encouragement Officer at Compete Every Day, joins the show to unpack this powerful concept. He has spent over a decade working with leaders at organisations like Deloitte and the Dallas Cowboys, helping them achieve better results. Jake started his brand, Compete Every Day, in 2011 by selling t-shirts from his car and has since impacted over 80,000 leaders and hosts a top 1% global podcast. In this conversation, Jake and Andy Lopata explore how to intentionally build a professional "starting lineup" while allowing personal relationships to grow organically. They discuss the critical difference between evaluating professional peers based on success and personal friends based on shared values and energy. Learn how to identify "drains" versus "radiators" in your life and the subtle art of the "slow fade"—distancing yourself from relationships that no longer serve your growth without confrontation. This episode is a masterclass in auditing your inner circle to ensure it aligns with the person you aspire to become. What we discussed: Your "Starting Five" Are the people you spend the most time with secretly holding you back, or are they the key to unlocking your future success? Values vs. Success: Should you judge your friends by their achievements or by something deeper? Discover the one quality that truly defines a valuable relationship. Drains vs. Radiators: Do you leave conversations feeling energised or exhausted? Learn the simple way to identify the "energy vampires" in your life. The "Slow Fade" Technique: Is it possible to end a draining friendship without a dramatic confrontation? Uncover the subtle art of "consciously uncoupling" from people who no longer fit in your life. The Power of Disagreement: Why surrounding yourself with people who only agree with you could be the biggest mistake you're making for your personal growth. SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube Connect with Jake Thompson: Website |LinkedIn | The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring
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The Alpha Male's Paradox with Luke Ambler and Dion Jensen
What happens when two traditional "alpha males"—a former rugby league champion and an ex-infantryman—sit down for a raw, unfiltered conversation about modern masculinity? Prepare to be challenged. In this powerful episode from the archives, host Andy Lopata brings together Luke Ambler, founder of the transformative men’s support network Andy’s Man Club, and Dion Jensen, a New Zealand special forces veteran and mental health advocate. Born from environments where showing weakness was a liability, both men now champion vulnerability as the ultimate strength. This is not a comfortable, politically correct chat. It’s a no-holds-barred exploration of the "toxic masculinity" debate, the role of men in a post-#MeToo world, and the crucial impact of leadership in shaping culture. From the changing rooms of professional sports to the front lines of conflict, Luke and Dion dissect why men struggle to open up and how leaders can create the psychological safety needed for genuine connection and high performance. This is the conversation every leader needs to hear about the unspoken dynamics in their teams. Key Takeaways Is the ultimate display of a leader's strength actually their willingness to be vulnerable first? What if "toxic masculinity" isn't a personality trait, but a product of the environments we fail to control? Why might the most effective champions for mental health be the very "alpha males" society often misunderstands? How can you create a culture of absolute safety where your team feels empowered to take off their "masks" and connect? Actionable Insights Lead with Vulnerability: In your next team meeting, be the first to share a professional challenge you're facing or a recent mistake you learned from. By modeling vulnerability, you grant permission for others to be open and build a foundation of trust. Define Your Environment’s Rules: As a leader, you are the chief of your tribe. Explicitly define and communicate the non-negotiable cultural rules for your team (e.g., "We address conflict directly," "We celebrate each other's wins"). An undefined environment breeds toxicity. Engineer Hope into Your Check-ins: Borrowing from Andy’s Man Club, don’t just ask your team what’s wrong. Make it a mandatory part of every one-on-one or team meeting to ask, “Tell me one positive from your week.” This actively builds a culture of hope and resilience. SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube Connect with Luke Ambler: Website Connect with Dion Jensen: Website The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring Episode 144 Toxic Masculinity' with Luke Ambler and Dion Jensen
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