Leadership In Chaos

Ian McClean
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Concise lessons in leadership in a world of chaos. Hosted by Ian McClean, leadership expert and founder of Flow Group and GreenLine Conversations. 

  1. 06/06/2025

    Ep 75: The Declining Art of Conversation: Part 3

    I am interrupting the “Confessions of a Guru” series to share a special edition (to coincide with our refresh of the Podcast tile, which I hope you like). 😉 This special three-part edition is about Conversations and why, at this critical time, when we need to have conversations most, we are shunning the opportunity and losing the art.  We started a project 15 years ago called @GreenLine Conversations™️ , and I consider it now high time to share some observations at a moment when it’s apparent we all most acutely need it. During the series, I explore : -Why Conversations Matter -Why business avoids (tough) Conversations: Mechanics Vs Humanics -The three possible outcomes of a Conversation -The Cost of Poor Conversations -No one intends a bad Conversation  Enjoy the trilogy. For more on the method described, visit greenlineconversations.com  Support the show

    8 min

  2. 06/06/2025

    Ep 74: The Declining Art of Conversation: Part 2

    I am interrupting the “Confessions of a Guru” series to share a special edition (to coincide with our refresh of the Podcast tile, which I hope you like). 😉 This special three-part edition is about Conversations and why, at this critical time, when we need to have conversations most, we are shunning the opportunity and losing the art.  We started a project 15 years ago called @GreenLine Conversations™️ , and I consider it now high time to share some observations at a moment when it’s apparent we all most acutely need it. During the series, I explore : -Why Conversations Matter -Why business avoids (tough) Conversations: Mechanics Vs Humanics -The three possible outcomes of a Conversation -The Cost of Poor Conversations -No one intends a bad Conversation  Enjoy the trilogy. For more on the method described, visit greenlineconversations.com  Support the show

    9 min

  3. 06/06/2025

    Ep 73: The Declining Art of Conversation: Part 1

    I am interrupting the “Confessions of a Guru” series to share a special edition (to coincide with our refresh of the Podcast tile, which I hope you like). 😉 This special three-part edition is about Conversations and why, at this critical time, when we need to have conversations most, we are shunning the opportunity and losing the art.  We started a project 15 years ago called @GreenLine Conversations™️ , and I consider it now high time to share some observations at a moment when it’s apparent we all most acutely need it. During the series, I explore : -Why Conversations Matter -Why business avoids (tough) Conversations: Mechanics Vs Humanics -The three possible outcomes of a Conversation -The Cost of Poor Conversations -No one intends a bad Conversation  Enjoy the trilogy. For more on the method described, visit greenlineconversations.com  Support the show

    6 min

  4. 03/18/2025

    Ep 72: Confessions of a Guru - Part 5: The Marvels and the Spoon

    I hope you’re enjoying the new series of Confessions of a Guru. Here is our latest episode, Part 5: The Marvels and the Spoon. The “Guru” label is deliberately ironic as, in the age of the un-curated digital platform, everyone - it seems - is suddenly a Guru. Self-proclaimed anyway. 😉 The format is to choose a story from my 30+ years of working with leaders globally, which illustrates the best or the worst of some aspect of leadership.  After telling the story, I then extrapolate the message application for you to consider in your life and work.  I know you’re busy, so it will always be brief!  Part 5: The Marvels and the Spoon One of the FAQs aimed in my direction is the basic question, “What actually is Leadership?” (and how does it differ from Management)   One of my favourite ways to explore this is to tell a little-referenced vignette from “The Alchemist” (by Paulo Coelho), which puts both into neat context. It’s the short tale of a boy sent out to discover the secret of happiness from the wisest man in the world. In this episode, I share the vignette and then deconstruct it through the following themes:  -Visionary Vs Doer: what’s the difference? -Visionary Vs Doer: which one are you? -Managing the Tension vs. solving the Problem -How to guarantee failure  -What to do to avoid it And as always, there are some key reflection questions to mull over at the end as you navigate your own path.   Support the show

    12 min

  5. 01/21/2025

    Ep 71: Confessions of a Guru - Part 4: Calmest Person in the Boat

    The New Series Yes, indeed, Leadership in Chaos is truly back with an exciting new series – Confessions of a Guru.  The “Guru” label is deliberately ironic as, in the age of the un-curated digital platform, everyone - it seems - is suddenly a Guru. Self-proclaimed anyway. 😉 The format is to choose a story from my 30+ years of working with leaders globally, which illustrates the best or the worst of some aspect of leadership.  After telling the story, I then extrapolate the message application for you to consider in your life and work.  I know you’re busy, so it will always be brief!  Part 4: Calmest Person in the Boat We start 2025 with a new episode of the latest series, “Confessions of a Guru”.  The theme is appropriate to the foggy uncertainty we find ourselves in on the eve of the Trump inauguration and the essential need for leaders to keep calm in pressure, tension, complexity and uncertainty. This episode explores the following:  -What’s the connection between the 1970’s Vietnamese refugee crisis and leadership? -Limbic Leadership = The Dominant Emotion wins -Leadership reputation is won or lost in the high-stakes Moments that Matter -It’s about Impact, stupid The featured story is about a Function Head who spread dis-ease amongst her team, wholly unconsciously and sabotaged beyond repair the good engagement before it had barely taken off the ground. And, as always, there are some key Reflection questions to mull over as you sail into 2025. Support the show

    11 min
  6. Ep 70: Confessions of a Guru - Part 3: Can you handle the Truth?

    11/28/2024

    Ep 70: Confessions of a Guru - Part 3: Can you handle the Truth?

    The New Series Yes, indeed, Leadership in Chaos is truly back with an exciting new series – Confessions of a Guru.  The “Guru” label is deliberately ironic as, in the age of the un-curated digital platform, everyone - it seems - is suddenly a Guru. Self-proclaimed anyway. 😉 The format is to choose a story from my 30+ years of working with leaders globally which illustrates the best or the worst of some aspect of leadership.  After telling the story, I then extrapolate the message application for you to consider in your life and work.  I know you’re busy, so it will always be brief!  Part 3: “Can you handle the Truth?” This is the story of a Boomerang client who revealed to me why, at her previous company, the executive had decided not to go any further with the Change project we were working on with them. “I absolutely loved what you were doing. It was having a great impact. But you were getting too close to the Truth…and Leadership didn’t like it”.  Honestly. Support the show

    7 min
  7. Ep 69: Confessions of a Guru - Part 2: The "Non-Negotiables"

    11/19/2024

    Ep 69: Confessions of a Guru - Part 2: The "Non-Negotiables"

    The New Series If you haven’t already noticed, Leadership in Chaos is back with an exciting new series – Confessions of a Guru.  The “Guru” label is deliberately ironic as, in the age of the un-curated digital platform, everyone - it seems - is suddenly a Guru. Self-proclaimed anyway. 😉 The format is to choose a story from my 30+ years of working with leaders globally which illustrates the best or the worst of some aspect of leadership.  After telling the story I then extrapolate the message application for you to consider in your life and work.  I know you’re busy so it will be always brief!  Part 2 : The “Non-Negotiables” This story is very recent and, as we’re in Strategy season, stems from an Executive off-site to accomplish just that. The Episode title comes from a scene from Season 3 of The Bear (Disney+) where Carmy is relating his view of what’s required for a restaurant to be “excellent every day” – his "Non-Negotiables". Bon Appetit! Support the show

    8 min
  8. Ep 68: Confessions of a Guru - Part 1: The Say-Do Gap

    10/29/2024

    Ep 68: Confessions of a Guru - Part 1: The Say-Do Gap

    Leadership in Chaos is back with an exciting new series – Confessions of a Guru.  The “Guru” label is deliberately ironic as, in the age of the infinite digital platform, everyone, it seems, is a guru. By self-appointment. 😉 The format is to choose a story from my 30+ years of working with leaders globally, which, illustrates the best or the worst of some aspects of leadership. After telling the story, I then extrapolate the message application for you to consider in your life and work. I know you’re busy, so it will be always brief!  This Episode – Part One The first story is one that goes back to the very start of my career more than 30 years ago and tells about why I decided against undertaking a lucrative Change project with a client because they fell down on the Say-Do gap. I hope you enjoy…. Support the show

    8 min
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About

Concise lessons in leadership in a world of chaos. Hosted by Ian McClean, leadership expert and founder of Flow Group and GreenLine Conversations. 

Information

  • Creator
    Ian McClean
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    76
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Leadership In Chaos
  • Show Website
    Leadership In Chaos