21st Century Leadership

UK Leadership Academy
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If you're fed up of hearing all the b******t, jargon and cliches around leadership, this podcast series is about getting real. I talk with top leaders and leadership thinkers as they share their ideas and insights on leading in a world that's radically different from the one still being taught in business schools. The world needs different thinking and acting right now and leaders, believe it or not, must lead the way. Out with the top-down command-and-control models of the 20th Century, and in with getting out of the way and trusting your people (who know best) to make the decisions. This series will take you 'on a journey' (OK, so not completely cliche-free!) by looking at the big picture and gradually delving deeper into some of the changes we need to make to be effective and inspiring in this incredible new world that's emerging. For example, Kevin Ellis, UK Chair of the world's biggest consultancy firm PwC, explains some radical changes he's making to adapt their organisation for an average employee age of just 28. And I'll be bringing you conversations with a White House advisor, the Chair of the Government's 'Taylor Review' into the Future of Work, and several authors of seminal leadership books and models. And it'll be fun. How can we make work better if we don't all just lighten up a little?! (Or a lot in some cases!) Enjoy :-)

Season 1

  1. Episode 1 - The Big Picture

    EPISODE 1

    Episode 1 - The Big Picture

    Former White House advisor Dr Pippa Malmgren and international creative agency head Chris Lewis reveal their top leadership trends for the 21st Century.  Pippa and Chris's book is The Leadership Lab: Understanding Leadership in the 21st Century. Pippa's book is Signals: How Everyday Signs Can Help Us Navigate the World's Turbulent Economy. Chris's book is Too Fast to Think: How to Reclaim Your Creativity in a Hyper-connected Work Culture. They also have a new book coming out later this year The Infinite Leader: Balancing the Demands of Modern Leadership.

    1h 14m
  2. Episode 2 - PwC Changing With the Times

    EPISODE 2

    Episode 2 - PwC Changing With the Times

    Kevin Ellis, PwC's Chair of UK and Middle East operations, outlines some of the many initiatives they have taken to actively engage with their young workforce of 22,000 employees. Our conversation ranges from technology and the 4th Industrial Revolution to diversity and mental well-being at work, as well as looking at how leadership needs to adapt its engagement style to keep with the times. With an average employee age of just 28, PwC are firmly committed to being at the forefront of new ways of working. Kevin's relaxed personal style shines through in this in-depth yet fun discussion on what it takes to create a successful work culture in the 21st Century.

    52 min
  3. Episode 3 - Leading Beyond the Ego

    EPISODE 3

    Episode 3 - Leading Beyond the Ego

    In the 21st century we are entering a new stage of human development that needs us to adapt and move on from some of our traditional leadership behaviours. In a hyper-connected world where our actions can have far-reaching and unintended consequences, we have to be able to set aside our egos and make decisions based on big picture thinking. John Knights and Danielle Grant are co-authors (along with Greg Young) of the book Leading Beyond the Ego and are both Directors of LeaderShape Global. They have been working to develop transpersonal leadership skills with their clients for more than a decade. In this podcast I discuss some of these issues with them and get their thoughts on how we can integrate an 'eco-centric' approach into our leadership practice. You can find out more about their Transpersonal Leadership programmes here: https://www.leadershapeglobal.com/tlc-programme

    1h 3m
  4. Episode 4 - The Future of Work

    EPISODE 4

    Episode 4 - The Future of Work

    Matthew Taylor chaired the Government's review into the Future of Work, so he has a deep understanding of the significance of work in our lives and what it will mean to do 'good work' in the future. Here he discusses the ideas behind the concept of 'good work'; summarises some of the Report's key recommendations to the Government; and tells what it was like working on the review. Matthew is CEO of the RSA - short for the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Commerce and Manufactures. It was founded in 1754 by business philanthropists who recognised the importance of enabling people to live a rich and fulfilled life. Their current strap-line is "21st Century Enlightenment."

    34 min
  5. Episode 5 - How to Lead in Ambiguity

    EPISODE 5

    Episode 5 - How to Lead in Ambiguity

    David Rooke has been at the forefront of leadership development for over 30 years, and co-wrote (with Bill Torbert) the highly influential Harvard Business Review paper The Seven Transformations of Leadership which outlined the concept of the Leadership Development Framework. Jennifer's business is called Cultivating Leadership, which 'does what it says on on the tin'. She has authored and co-authored several books, most recently Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps - How to Thrive in Complexity. In this episode we look at some of the factors that can inhibit us from 'thriving in complexity', and also delve into the idea that Leadership is a journey, not a destination. Seven Transformations of Leadership by David Rooke and Bill Torbert is available on the Harvard Business Review website. And you can find out more about David and his work at Harthill.co.uk.  And here are the links to Jennifer's books: Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps - How to Thrive in Complexity Changing on the Job: Developing Leaders for a Complex World

    51 min
  6. Episode 6 - What the World Needs Now...

    EPISODE 6

    Episode 6 - What the World Needs Now...

    During this incredibly wide-ranging conversation Paul gives us his perspectives on trust, technology and transforming society. He outlines how he believes leadership in the 21st Century will become more diverse and inclusive, leading to better outcomes for all stakeholders. And it all starts with purpose. Paul founded Ella's Kitchen in 2006 and in just six years built it to a £100m brand. Since selling the business he has been directing his passion into social change, chairing Robert F Kennedy Human Rights UK and the Mayor of London's Obesity Taskforce. He is also author of the book Little Wins: The Huge Power of Thinking Like a Toddler.

    1h 2m
  7. Episode 7 - Values-Driven Leadership

    EPISODE 7

    Episode 7 - Values-Driven Leadership

    Richard has an unrivalled pedigree, having spent a significant chunk of his early career with the World Bank which included investigating the Bank's values as part of his work in their Environmentally Sustainable Development programme. He left the World Bank in 1997 to set up his own consultancy - which subsequently evolved into the Barrett Values Centre - and the following year he published Liberating the Corporate Soul - Building a Visionary Organisation in which he predicted, "In the 21st Century the soft stuff is destined to become the hard stuff." He also outlined his Seven Levels of Consiousness model and how it applies to individuals and organisations. Richard's many subsequent books have included Building a Values-driven Organisation: A Whole System Approach to Cultural Transformation in 2006 and The New Leadership Paradigm in 2011. To find out more about the work of Richard and the Barrett Values Centre, vist their website here. And here are links to a selection of Richard's books: Liberating the Corporate Soul - Building a Visionary Organisation - Routledge, 1998 The New Leadership Paradigm - Lulu Publishing, 2011 What My Soul Told Me - Lulu Publishing, 2012 Evolutionary Coaching: A Values-Based Approach to Unleashing Human Potential - Lulu Publishing, 2014 Building a Values-driven Organisation: A Whole System Approach to Cultural Transformation - Routledge, 2016 Worldview Dynamics and the Well-Being of Nations - Lulu Publishing, 2020

    59 min
  8. Episode 8 - Weaving Leadership

    EPISODE 8

    Episode 8 - Weaving Leadership

    Ross has over 20 years experieince of building organisations across the globe. He has a passion for educaction and learning: creating education environments to nurture the skills our society needs for the future, and building learning organisations that are capable of "Turning the camera back on themsleves" to gain new perspectives and insights. All of this work led Ross to set up The Weaving Lab focussing on how we can weave all the different strands together to create wellness, to encourage collaboration and to bring about better systems. For more information on The Weaving Lab, visit their website here.

    37 min
  9. Special Episode - It's About Loyalty, Stupid

    07/01/2020

    Special Episode - It's About Loyalty, Stupid

    Tom van der Lubbe is a co-founder of Dutch financial services firm Viisi, which was set up using self-organising principles. I read his Corporate Rebels blog It's About Solidarity, Stupid (Why Avoiding Layoffs Makes Sense) and was delighted to be able to record this conversation for the 21st Century Leadership podcast. Tom shares his ideas and thinking, and explains why he doesn't consider it to be a provocative approach. You can read Tom's Corporate Rebels post here. And here's a link to the Viisi organisation chart we refer to in the discussion.

    1 hr
  • 9 Episodes

About

If you're fed up of hearing all the b******t, jargon and cliches around leadership, this podcast series is about getting real. I talk with top leaders and leadership thinkers as they share their ideas and insights on leading in a world that's radically different from the one still being taught in business schools. The world needs different thinking and acting right now and leaders, believe it or not, must lead the way. Out with the top-down command-and-control models of the 20th Century, and in with getting out of the way and trusting your people (who know best) to make the decisions. This series will take you 'on a journey' (OK, so not completely cliche-free!) by looking at the big picture and gradually delving deeper into some of the changes we need to make to be effective and inspiring in this incredible new world that's emerging. For example, Kevin Ellis, UK Chair of the world's biggest consultancy firm PwC, explains some radical changes he's making to adapt their organisation for an average employee age of just 28. And I'll be bringing you conversations with a White House advisor, the Chair of the Government's 'Taylor Review' into the Future of Work, and several authors of seminal leadership books and models. And it'll be fun. How can we make work better if we don't all just lighten up a little?! (Or a lot in some cases!) Enjoy :-)

Information

  • Creator
    UK Leadership Academy
  • Episodes
    9
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 UK Leadership Academy
  • Show Website
    21st Century Leadership