The Leadership Enigma
All Episodes
206. 206: Combat Pilot (aka 'Rowdy') with Loree Draude
44:12||Season 1, Ep. 206Loree Draude (call sign 'Rowdy') was one of the first female combat pilots in the US Navy with over 300 aircraft carrier landings and two deployments to the Persian Gulf. Loree who is based in Boston is currently an author, executive coach and keynote speaker with a passion for focusing on the human being and not just the human doing. Leadership and service are part of Loree's personal values and she leverages her military experiences to help teams across the world. Loree grew up in a Marine Corps family and after college she went on a field trip that changed her life after visiting a number of naval stations and seeing a variety of aviation options. At that time women were not allowed to fly most aircraft, they were either trainers or crew. She went for her first flight with a friend and suddenly she knew the way forward, especially when the first Top Gun movie came out! As part of her flight training she was in awe of all the people who made military flying possible and then about one and half years after she earned her wings, the ban on women flying combat aircraft was lifted. in 1991 military officers were alleged to have sexually assaulted or engaged in improper and indecent behaviour with up to 83 women and 7 men at the Las vegas Hilton at the 35th annual Tailhook Association which became known as the Tailhook Scandal of 91. This was a major catalyst for the evolution of change and Loree had her opportunity. She became part of the first wave of female combat pilots for the US Navy and was flying the F18 Hornet and S3B Viking anti submarine warfare jet. Loree vividly remembers her first landing on an aircraft carrier and the feelings of terror and thrill combining. Once she deployed to her fleet squadron she then flew night time carrier landings which was a very different challenge.As a combat pilot, I ask Loree about her role and mindset required to potentially have to take the life of another. Loree explains that this is a very real part of her role, fortunate to never have to, but the expectation was constant and heavy. She also recognises the distance between her and the enemy as compared to the infantry, was also a factor in how she processed her role. As she tested her own limits she speaks of the need and requirement for high levels of trust with her leaders to determine life and death decisions. Finally Loree chats about her one woman show that was delivered just off Broadway which was part of her inner journey that also became part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Check out: www.loreedraude.com205. 205: The King's Counsel | Sir Max Hill KC and Tom Sprange KC
46:05||Season 1, Ep. 205This episode features Sir Max Hill KC who was the former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Tom Sprange KC who is the Managing Partner of the London office of King & Spalding, the international law firm. Both are highly experienced trial lawyers who have made the transition from individual contributors to leaders and experts in their respective fields. The path into the legal profession was not easy for either Max or Tom yet both have risen to highest levels with humility and gratitude. King & Spalding provided both of them a vibrant and inclusive working environment with the ability to harness deep expertise and capability across the world in helping their clients deal with the trickiest of legal issues. King & Spalding has a rich history dating back to 1885 so Tom as a senior leader is a gatekeeper for that legacy with the role to continue building a sustainable professional services supplier for the next generation of lawyers. Tom explains the need for professional excellence, business acumen in a competitive market whist also ensuring that the generation behind them is well equipped to be better than the existing leadership. Organisations have to remain relevant with a strong purpose in order to be attractive to the talent market. Tom explains this is always a challenge but he ensures the firm offers high quality work, good remuneration combined with a working environment that is supportive, inclusive, professionally robust and purpose driven. Max has been with the firm for only 4 months after completing his 5 year term as DPP and Tom explains the way the leadership has deliberately crafted the culture of the firm to be inquisitive, best in class and competitive with and effective global listening system to ensure they are capable of advising clients in the most serious and high profile legal matters. The law is more of a people business than outsiders might think with a higher level of innovation required than in previous years especially in a digitally changing landscape.Max outlines his strong belief as a leader to always see value in others and realise how any individual will always be bolstered by the talents and hard work of others.Enjoy this great panel discussion with The King's Counselwww.kslaw.com204. 204: Flying High: Edwin Brenninkmeyer
44:50||Season 1, Ep. 204Edwin Brenninkmeyer is the CEO of Oriens Aviation and this episode was filmed on a Pilatus PC24 jet at Biggin Hill. The Pilatus PC24 can carry 8 passengers and 2 pilots although it can be flown by a single pilot. Edwin started the company back in 2015 as he is passionate about aviation having qualified as a pilot at 17 years old. Edwin comes from a family of 6 generations celebrated within the fashion and retail industry as the original founders of C&A and now their business interests reach across multiple horizons.His upbringing provided him a strong belief in doing business ethically and this is at the foundation of his leadership. He studied an executive MBA at Oxford where he describes the benefits of studying with such a diverse group of people from all over the world.Oriens Aviation started working with a Swiss manufacturer Pilatus and is now a one stop shop for those flying privately creating a high customer service and cost effective model. Edwin's philosophy is entrepreneurial in spirit as he is always looking to scale and be intentional about standards and customer centricity. He is passionate about doing business with a strong purpose, sharing what he has learned in the aviation industry with a wider community. The private aviation industry can be an easy target for those who believe the industry as elitist and unsustainable in a world full of excess. Edwin explains that pre pandemic, 90% of people who could afford to fly privately chose not to, yet the pandemic pushed many of those people into using private services which increased usage and commitment. The vast majority of those flying privately (especially in the US) are middle management and not top executives as businesses understand the importance of time saving and increased productivity.Private aviation is heavily regulated and Edwin is passionate in trying to help the world understand the realities of the industry and myth bust. For example, emissions are minuscule. Aviation is 2% of global emissions and private aviation is 2% of that. The industry continues to strive to become even more sustainable. Electric aviation is underway and predictions are that by 2035 we will start to see the technology make a real impact on the industry.Customer centricity is a particular focus for Edwin, especially within the high net worth community. His belief is that the purpose of business is to create a community of value and good rooted in 'unreasonable hospitality' whilst also providing a positive experience for the body mind and spirit of those working within the business. Edwin as CEO is focused on creating a culture where 'to work is to create and to create is being human.' A key focus in on being the favourite supplier as opposed to just being the best supplier.Safety is paramount for Edwin and the industry so trust is at the heart of all his customer relationships. 'It's a people business' as Edwin explains and congruence between what is said and done is critical.As CEO Edwin is learning everyday and explains his role as culture creator and visionary to explore where the business can go next. His management team are all entrepreneurs and value creators in their own right.Edwin is a humble and value driven leader who hopes he can help shape and define the aviation industry for a better future.203. 203: A Life of Crime: Sir Max Hill KC
01:09:27||Season 1, Ep. 203Sir Max Hill KC is the former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the Crown Prosecution Service in the United Kingdom. Max was called to the Bar in 1987, appointed a Recorder 2004, Queen's Counsel 2008 and knighted by The King in the 2024 New Years Honours list.The role of DPP is the highest non political appointment as the most senior prosecutor in the country, acknowledged by the Prime Minister but politically independent. As Head of the Crown Prosecution Service, Max was responsible for the the most high profile criminal cases, leader of over 8,000 staff nationally and ensuring consistency of approach in the courts across the country.This episode is a fascinating and rare 'peek behind the curtain' of the criminal justice system.Max studied law as a student, attending Oxford University before arriving at The Inns of Court School of Law to qualify as a barrister and specialise in court advocacy and criminal law. Max has both prosecuted and defended during his career which he explains assisted his ability to empathise and understand the independence and importance of both roles.Max explains to younger lawyers, 'be careful not to take too much credit for the cases you win unless you are ready to take full responsibility for the cases you may lose.' Max had to transition for independent practitioner to leading almost 8,000 people nationally. He used his experiences of running large and complex cases with multiple stakeholders as a basis for his personal approach to leadership.Max was part of the prosecution team (with Victor Temple QC) for the trial into the Preddie brothers aged 12 and 13 years old accused of the murder of 10 year old Damilola Taylor, tragically killed in November 2000, stabbed with a broken bottle and died on his own in a stairwell in Peckham. This was a tragic and horrific case that caught the attention of the national press and conscience.One of the greatest challenges for an advocate is an ability to communicate with an eclectic audience, from High Court judge, to victim and from witness to jury members. His advice is having a core understanding that your way of doing things is better than trying to inauthentically replicate someone else.Max was first introduced into the world of terrorism during the Real IRA activity in London and Birmingham in 2001. This led to him being involved with the trials post the events of 7/7 where 52 Londoners lost their lives during a series of 4 explosions, followed by 21/7 where London was again the target of four suicide bombers all of which failed as only the primary fired within the devices without the main charge detonating.Max was instructed as part of a three strong barrister team tasked to prosecute all the suspects from 21/7 and also prosecute those who assisted them. Max was also asked to represent the Metropolitan Police at the Inquest into the deaths of the 52 Londoners from the 7/7 bombings.Many of Max's roles have required significant senior stakeholder engagement with multiple agencies, navigating politics, bureaucracy and intense media and public scrutiny.The leader is always a role model for the organisation and Max tells the compelling story of how he decided to connect with thousands of people within the Crown Prosecution Service which turned into the ultimate listening exercise.Enjoy this incredible episode.202. 202: A Culture of Simplicity: Lisa Bodell
44:33||Season 1, Ep. 202Lisa Bodell is the CEO of Future Think, award wining author and one of the world's Top 50 Keynote speakers on issues such as creating simplicity and killing complexity. This episode was filmed in New York City during the 'Future of Everything' Festival. Lisa always thought of herself as a helper and was naturally creative from an early age. She grew up in Michigan, studied business and wanted to go into marketing and advertising. However, she wanted to find a path where her ideas would be heard and mattered. At this point, the entrepreneur emerged and Lisa decided to do her own thing, start her own business and create a platform for ideas and collaboration. Lisa's books became a global calling card for her thought leadership and ability to help others learn and master new skills and capabilities. Time is a non renewable resource that we never get back and this became the catalyst for Lisa's focus on simplification. In a society fixated with more, Lisa is intent we also see the value in less. This requires focus and an ability to get rid of things. What will you stop doing is a wonderfully powerful question for all leaders although fear is something that holds all of us back. Stopping and saying 'no' is a critical ingredient for innovation. Simplicity is not about being more productive, its the front end of innovation and gives people the space to do what matters. It's also not about getting rid of everything, it's about getting rid of unnecessary complexity, the invisible waste, the work without the benefits. This is all about getting to the work that matters and not being more productive. As a leader, are you defining what meaningful work is? Grooves and ruts look and feel the same. Grooves are productive, ruts are a waste of time. Lisa speaks all over the world and I asked her in this episode what she wanted to talk about that she doesn't usually talk about in order to make this episode truly memorable. She decided to connect simplicity to wellbeing so we can feel that we are doing what we were born to do.Lisa explains that much of our daily workload is based around meetings and emails, therefore within our control to change, yet most will not. As Lisa says during her keynotes, many of us 'survive another meeting that should have been an email.'Technology has amplified the issue of complexity and the ease to create meeting after meeting. If you could kill off any 2 rules at work, what would they be? Many of the answers she hears are not even rules, they are just historical methods of working.Lisa's top tips include (1) for leaders to mandate the right for people to get rid of things that they feel are unnecessary, and (2) model the behaviour.All businesses fear becoming irrelevant, especially during great technological change. To be relevant we must change, we must innovate and people need time to think. People want to leave a legacy, not shareholder value. Simplicity is not a productivity exercise it's a about helping people to get to the work that they were hired to do in the first place and be their best self. Simplicity is also a foundation for a high performing culture. In an age of Generative AI, time is something to harness and allow people to think more. As Lisa explains. 'thinking is a daring act'. Perhaps now, we have more time to be human which is actually the basis of our leadership capability. www.futurethink.com201. 201: A lIfe of 'Figital': Giuseppe Stigliano
40:00||Season 1, Ep. 201Giuseppe Stigliano is the global CEO of Spring Studios in New York which was the venue for the Wall Street Journal 'Future of Everything' Festival. We filmed this episode on the rooftop of the studio overlooking The Hudson river and surrounding area.Giuseppe is Italian and moved to Milan to study marketing working in multiple businesses with early experiences of leadership.He now travels between London and New York in his role as CEO for Spring Studios. He has an entrepreneurial spirit so the NYC location is a multiple use site including an event space, studio business, private members club and more making it a unique agency with a core business focused on luxury, fashion and lifestyle.Giuseppe is an entrepreneur by background, an author with Philip Kotler (the grandfather of marketing) adjunct professor and keynote speaker who also holds a Phd in marketing and economics. Giuseppe believes that the more you curiously explore opportunities and relationships the more life has to offer.He is currently redefining retail in a landscape of significant digital transformation and specialises in helping people navigate the 4P's of marketing (product , price, place & promotion) with a mindset shifting from making people want things to making things people want.Is the High Street dead? Giuseppe says no, if you can make it absolutely compelling for people to leave their sofas and online lives. Some of the biggest shifts for a retail business is the role of 'Figital', a three dimensional world of the physical, digital and the virtual. The plethora of data allows business to target the right message to the right person at the right time. Gen AI is changing the landscape again as it can create new ways of using what we already have available to us. However, Giuseppe also reminds us that AI will give us back time and can never compete with the truly human centred capabilities such as curiosity, empathy and creativity, simply more time for us to be human.Marketing is key for every business. This is also changing. Supply exceeds demand so the competition is high. Marketing has historically been focused on making people want things but now the sheer amount of data available allows people to consider what do we need to create for the people based on the insights we have. Gen AI can now help the smallest of businesses to master the data analytics.Giuseppe is always learning as a leader. He is a believer that the next generation of employees require servant leaders but also recognises that no one size fits all. Leadership has to flex to the context of the businesses growth and maturity. Giuseppe understands the importance of allowing smart people who are more expert that the CEO to be allowed and fully empowered to operate as they see fit. A leader must know when to get out of the way.www.linkedin.com/in/giuseppestigliano/200. 200: A football icon | Viv Anderson MBE
45:59||Season 1, Ep. 200Viv Anderson MBE is our special guest for Episode 200 filmed in front of a live audience at Capco in central London in support of the amazing charity Leadership Through Sport & Business, which Viv is a patron. Viv has played for a number of teams including Manchester United, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. He was the very first player signed by Sir Alex Ferguson and played for Brian Clough winning the Football League, European Cup, League Cup, FA Cup and made British sporting history by becoming the first black player to play a full international for England.This is an amazing insight into Viv, his family, the Windrush generation and how he went on to become a trailblazer for diversity in the beautiful game. His big break came via a scout from Sheffield United which in turn led to a scout from Manchester United asking him to trial as a young schoolboy. Manchester United rejected Viv which he explains was devastating however that prompted him to try for his home team, Nottingham Forest which in turn led to his debut at 17 yers old.The Nottingham Forest years meant that Viv played for the iconic Brian Clough. Viv shares some incredible stories about life under Clough as a young black player in the 70's and 80's and how Clough helped him to build the personal resilience to cope and still play whilst dealing with overt racism. We discuss the state of diversity in football and football leadership in the modern game and concede that there is still much to do.When Viv found out that he had been selected for England, Brian Clough was again a supporting influence in his life whilst also keeping him grounded and humble.Viv also remembers being signed and playing for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Alex Ferguson was a passionate but hard task master. Alex Ferguson's early years were not easy but he knew how to man manage each and every player which led to him becoming the serial winner that we know today. Both Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson had clear non-negotiables with their superstar players.Viv outlines how senior players had a positive impact on his career including Brian RobsonWe also have a few surprises for Viv, with messages from Stuart Pearce and Marlon Harewood.For more information on Leadership Through Sport & Business (LTSB) www.ltsb.charity199. 199: It (was) a man's world | Sarah MacDonald
45:16||Ep. 199Sarah MacDonald operates in a world that has been dominated by men since 1209. She is a Canadian-born conductor, organist, pianist, and composer, living in the UK, and she holds the positions of Fellow and Director of Music at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and Director of the Girl Choristers at Ely Cathedral. This episode is a glimpse into a world few know about but many have experienced including during the Queen's funeral and the King's Coronation. Sarah has recently been appointed to the role of President of the Royal College of Organists, where she is the third woman to hold this role which is the highest position offered within this niche world. The world of cathedral music is steeped in history and tradition and is celebrated globally especially during Christmas. As a young girl growing up, Sarah was not allowed to sing in the choirs so she discovered that being female would not preclude her from conducing so she decided to become an organ scholar at Cambridge University and essentially never left. In the cathedral tradition, all roles were male for hundreds of years. In fact it was only in the late 19th century that female students were allowed to study at Cambridge University. In this incredible episode Sarah explains the history and nuance to working, studying and leading at Cambridge University where she became the University Organist, a role founded in 1670 and Sarah is the first female in that role. The role of religion is an obvious element to the world of cathedral music and Sarah explains that it is a community of all faiths and none as they promote inclusivity for all. We discover how Sarah balances her intense search for perfection with teaching her students to experiment, make mistakes yet strive to be the very best they can be in high stakes performances. www.sarahmacdonald.live198. 198: The Strengths Explorer | Mark Edwards
47:28||Ep. 198Mark Julian Edwards is the strengths explorer! As leaders always learning, should we focus on our strengths or our development areas? Mark suggests it should be our strengths. All the research shows if we fully develop our strengths, we are going to be 3 time happier and more productive. This episode is all about how we identify our latent talents and complimentary strengths and partnerships. The context and success of our work is about how we combine abilities to leverage the sum of the parts. Micro organisations and start-ups tend to play to peoples’ strengths more readily than large scale organisations This suggests that competency frameworks are problematic as we are not always great at everything. It is the leader’s role to set the tone as how an organisation will identify people’s strengths and combine them. Mark explains that our strengths are fairly set by our mid 20’s, it can still morph but it is more about how we increase our awareness of how we partner, collaborate and add value with others. Mark explains that some of the happiest leaders he meets and works with are those who truly understand who they are, what they are good at and are content to identify and work with people who are better than them. A leader’s happiness is directly linked to their ability to be genuinely happy for others to thrive and succeed. Mark took a turn in his career when he finished a project in Majorca and then reflected on what next? He identified his own core strengths as connection, creativity, humour and play. Based on these he decided to embark on a photo portrait book titled ‘Faces of Majorca’ interviewing and photographing 59 locals. This project led to a series of accolades including writing for Lonely Planet, exhibiting at various photographic festivals, travel show presenting and more. It’s about our ability to be vigilant and see the strengths in others and tell people about them. In this episode Mark also helps me understand my results from The Clifton Strengths Finder diagnostic tool that he asked me to complete prior to recording this episode. Mark also outlines that a strengths based culture is where everyone is aware of their own strengths but also aware of how best to apply them for the work and how best to combine talents to drive results. www.thestrengthsexplorer.com Ted X Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig9uXAhXm2I
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