The Leadership Project Podcast

Mick Spiers
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The Leadership Project with Mick Spiers is a podcast dedicated to advancing thought on inspirational leadership in the modern world. We cover key issues and controversial topics that are needed to redefine inspirational leadership. How do young and aspiring leaders transition from individual contributors to inspirational leaders or from manager to leader to make a positive impact on the world? How do experienced leaders adapt their leadership styles and practices in a modern and digital world? How do address the lack of diversity in leadership in many organisations today? Guest speakers will be invited for confronting conversations in their areas of expertise with the view to provide leaders with all of the skills and tools they need to become inspirational leaders. The vision of The Leadership Project is to inspire all leaders to challenge the status quo. We empower modern leaders through knowledge and emotional intelligence to create meaningful impact Join us each week as we dive deep into key issues and controversial topics for inspirational leaders.

  1. 308. From Good Intentions to Real Impact in Leadership with Mick Spiers

    4D AGO

    308. From Good Intentions to Real Impact in Leadership with Mick Spiers

    Think you had a busy month but didn’t move the needle? We unpack why progress often feels invisible and how to make it tangible by changing small behaviors that create big ripples. This solo cast stitches together January’s standout insights on culture, pressure, change, influence, and feedback—then turns them into simple moves you can apply within 24 hours. We start with a hard truth from Bill Benjamin: your culture is revealed under pressure. When stress spikes, untrained emotional intelligence drops, shortcuts sneak in, and safety evaporates. We walk through practical ways to slow your cadence, protect standards, and keep access to reality. From there, Hugh Thomas reframes change as identity work, not a project plan. People grieve loss—of familiarity, status, and confidence—so leaders must acknowledge loss before asking for alignment. Expect clear prompts you can use to surface the real obstacles and rebuild commitment through honesty rather than false certainty. Next, Salvatore Manzi brings a candid reminder: good intent does not equal good impact. Influence lives in how you’re received. We break down presence, pacing, and listening as the levers that lower threat and help your message land. Then we move into the Lead Better series on YouTube, where we de-risk feedback with brain-based insights and practical tools. You’ll learn the micro yes to gain permission, the calibrate reality step to align perceptions, the SPI model to deliver clarity without judgment, and the close-the-loop move to lock agreements. Structure beats good intentions when trust is on the line. We close by turning reflection into action: give one real piece of feedback you’ve been avoiding, run one alignment conversation about “what good looks like,” or remove one piece of interference holding your team back. Leaders who win the year don’t do more; they do what matters, more consistently. If these ideas hit home, subscribe, share with a leader who’s ready to level up, and leave a quick review telling us which action you’ll take today. Send us a text Support the show ✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week! 📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below. 🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: https://linktr.ee/mickspiers 📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade: 👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1701891 Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: https://www.jotform.com/?referral=AkWimLxOBz Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link Wise Referral link: https://wise.com/invite/dic/michaels11434 ...

    17 min
  2. 307. Finding Your Voice: Overcoming Communication Fears with Salvatore Manzi

    JAN 27

    307. Finding Your Voice: Overcoming Communication Fears with Salvatore Manzi

    What we often call “communication problems” are really clarity problems. Leadership communication coach Salvatore Manzi breaks down why smart ideas stall, why meetings favor fast talkers, and how leaders can make messages land, be remembered, and drive action. From start to finish, this episode focuses on practical moves you can try today. We explore hidden biases that shape conversations: delay bias that sidelines reflective thinkers, the spotlight effect that inflates self-judgment, and the curse of knowledge that turns expertise into confusion. Salvatore reframes Q&A as a relationship check, showing how to buy thinking time, reflect questions back, and structure discussions so both quick responders and slower processors contribute. Feeling nervous before speaking is normal. The episode covers reframing fear as excitement, using posture, breath, and focus to project confidence, and leveraging afformations to prime performance. You’ll also learn to craft an emotional journey with cadence, pause, and tone, turn complex data into memorable metaphors, give specific feedback, and use context checks to keep your audience engaged. 🌐 Connect with Salvatore: • Website: https://www.salvatoremanzi.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salvatorejmanzi/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salvatoremanzi 📚 You can purchase Salvatore's book on Amazon: • Clear and Compelling: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQJ6M6B7 Send us a text Support the show ✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week! 📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below. 🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: https://linktr.ee/mickspiers 📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade: 👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1701891 Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: https://www.jotform.com/?referral=AkWimLxOBz Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link Wise Referral link: https://wise.com/invite/dic/michaels11434 ...

    58 min
  3. 306. The Change Playbook: Adapting and Thriving with Huw Thomas

    JAN 20

    306. The Change Playbook: Adapting and Thriving with Huw Thomas

    Change rarely fails because people don’t care; it fails because we misunderstand what drives behavior. With author and change leadership expert Huw Thomas, we dig into the real forces underneath stalled transformations: loss aversion, identity threats, and the quiet stories we tell ourselves that keep us clinging to the status quo. From childhood curiosity to adult routines, we unpack how our wiring prioritizes safety, why we catastrophize the unlikely, and how a few practical shifts can restore agency and momentum. Huw shares a candid look at navigating personal and professional change—moving countries, facing a health crisis, and reframing setbacks as stepping stones. We explore the messy middle of change and the identity tension it creates, including the classic “expert with the legendary spreadsheet” who resists a new system because it threatens who they are at work. Instead of erasing the old self, we talk about upgrading to version 2.0: preserving dignity, building new capability, and making the future identity feel real through micro-wins, visibility, and support. You’ll learn concrete tools: pattern interrupts to test assumptions, emotional labeling to reduce intensity, future-self framing to re-anchor perspective, and success mapping that pairs a vivid destination with the true cost of inaction. We also preview why organizational change is so hard—scale, diversity, influence networks—and why technology and processes don’t create value until humans believe they can, want to, and know how to use them. If you’re ready to stop focusing on barriers and start steering toward the gaps, this conversation offers a clear, humane roadmap. If this sparked an insight, share it with one person who needs it, hit subscribe on your favorite podcast app or YouTube, and leave a review to help more leaders find the show. What’s one small behavior you’ll change this week, and what support will make it stick? 🌐 Connect with Huw: • Website: https://huwthomas.com.au/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomashuw/ Send us a text Support the show ✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week! 📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below. 🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: https://linktr.ee/mickspiers 📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade: 👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1701891 Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: https://www.jotform.com/?referral=AkWimLxOBz Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link Wise Referral link: https://wise.com/invite/dic/michaels11434 ...

    50 min
  4. 305. Mastering the Tough Conversations: The Last 8% Rule with Bill Benjamin

    JAN 13

    305. Mastering the Tough Conversations: The Last 8% Rule with Bill Benjamin

    When tension spikes, leaders don’t rise to the occasion; they fall to their default. Today we dig into those defaults with Bill Benjamin, co-author of The Last 8%, and unpack why smart, well-intentioned people either blow up or go quiet when it matters most—and how to do better without losing your edge. We start by naming the two patterns that quietly define culture under pressure: the messmaker who reacts with heat and the avoider who retreats to keep the peace. Bill explains the brain science behind both, from cortisol searing memories to the fear of social judgment that feels like physical pain. That lens changes everything: people remember you in the hard moments, not the easy ones. So we get practical. Bill shares SOS—Stop, Oxygenate, Seek information—as a simple, reliable way to step out of fight-or-flight, regain working memory, and turn certainty into curiosity. Small moves like a sip of water, open palms, or one deep breath can buy the six seconds you need to choose a better response. We then move into preparation for planned hard conversations. Clarify the exact last 8 percent you must say, set a positive intention that signals safety, and ask open questions so the other person talks first. You’ll hear why many people self-diagnose if given space, how to draw out their last 8 percent, and how to model being coachable without giving up standards. We close with tactics to reset a reputation: share your growth edge with genuine vulnerability, invite real-time cues from your team, and follow up to measure progress. The result is a culture where people trade ego for empathy, certainty for curiosity, and silence for shared truth. If this sparked an insight, share it with one person who needs it. Subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast app, and leave a quick review to help more leaders find the show. Which are you under pressure—messmaker or avoider—and what last 8 percent will you tackle this week? 🌐 Connect with Bill: • Website: https://ihhp.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-benjamin-12b671/ • Instagram: https Send us a text Support the show ✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week! 📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below. 🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: https://linktr.ee/mickspiers 📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade: 👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1701891 Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: https://www.jotform.com/?referral=AkWimLxOBz Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link Wise Referral link: https://wise.com/invite/dic/michaels11434 ...

    55 min
  5. 304. Designing 2026 with Intention: Leadership, Life, and Alignment with Mick Spiers

    JAN 6

    304. Designing 2026 with Intention: Leadership, Life, and Alignment with Mick Spiers

    A new year doesn’t need a louder pep talk; it needs a clearer compass. We start 2026 by trading resolutions for direction and building a plan around identity, not intensity. Through honest reflection on 2025—what made us proud and what quietly drained us—we sketch a practical framework to design a year you’ll be proud to live, not just survive. We walk through four anchors that hold everything in place: health and energy, leadership and impact, craft and learning, and family and life. For health, we focus on consistency and recovery so progress compounds without burnout. For leadership, we commit to showing up authentically—coaching more than controlling, preparing for meetings with intention, and closing each day with a five-question reflection that checks whether we acted in line with our values. For craft, we go for depth over volume: fewer projects, fully finished, and psychology learning translated into actionable tools. For family, we protect presence with simple rituals and honest capacity, so the people closest to us experience our attention, not our leftovers. Two levers make the whole system work: time and autonomy. Guard them and your habits stick; lose them and everything drifts. We close with a challenge: define your anchors, choose habits that survive low‑motivation days, and decide what you’ll say no to so your yes actually counts. Along the way, we preview upcoming conversations on emotional leadership, behavior change, and clear communication, plus a new Lead Better video series turning practical psychology into tools you can use. If this resonated, subscribe, share it with someone who needs a reset, and tell us your 2026 anchors. What will you build by design this year? Send us a text Support the show ✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week! 📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below. 🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: https://linktr.ee/mickspiers 📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade: 👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1701891 Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: https://www.jotform.com/?referral=AkWimLxOBz Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link Wise Referral link: https://wise.com/invite/dic/michaels11434 ...

    17 min
  6. 303. Look How Far You’ve Come: A Leader’s Year-End Reset for 2026 with Mick Spiers

    12/22/2025

    303. Look How Far You’ve Come: A Leader’s Year-End Reset for 2026 with Mick Spiers

    Forget the “new year, new you” slogans. We trade hype for honesty and design a year that actually fits your values and energy. We start by reframing 2025 with a pride audit: the tough moments you handled with more grace, the people you helped, and the places you chose integrity over convenience. That grounding matters because leaders often spot gaps faster than growth, and without pride, we keep chasing the next milestone without ever arriving. From there, we run a clean truth audit—no shame, just ownership. What did you call important but never scheduled? Which habits drained your best energy? We unpack the long game and why consistency beats intensity. Drawing on Atomic Habits, we shift from outcome obsession to identity and systems: the real flex is the small habit you don’t break. We explore the math of compounding and the mindset that keeps you steady when motivation fades. We also bring in a powerful lens on courage from Emmy-winning broadcaster and author Anne-Marie Anderson. Audacity isn’t recklessness; it’s aligned, season-aware boldness. You’ll define one brave Q1 swing, then make it practical with the Three Wins Weekly framework—one win for work, one for health, one for relationships—and protect them with time blocks that match your natural rhythms. Add Michael Bungay Stanier’s minimum viable start to break inertia, and layer Brendan Burchard’s daily intentionality so you show up how your team needs: curious, inspiring, or decisive. We close with a tight 2026 plan: choose a compass word, pick three outcomes, build weekly systems and accountability, and lock in that audacious move. Ready to stop living by default and start living by design? Subscribe, share this with a colleague who needs a reset, and tell us your 2026 theme and your one bold swing. Let’s build a year you’re proud to live—one block, one habit, one courageous step at a time. Send us a text Support the show ✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week! 📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below. 🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: https://linktr.ee/mickspiers 📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade: 👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1701891 Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: https://www.jotform.com/?referral=AkWimLxOBz Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link Wise Referral link: https://wise.com/invite/dic/michaels11434 ...

    19 min
  7. 302. Reframing Failure and Success with Anne Marie Anderson

    12/15/2025

    302. Reframing Failure and Success with Anne Marie Anderson

    Audacity isn’t about being wild; it’s about taking bold risks that are worth it for the season you’re in. We sit down with three‑time Emmy Award‑winning sports broadcaster and author Anne‑Marie Anderson to unpack how leaders can move from second‑guessing to decisive action without ignoring reality. Anne‑Marie shares the simple test she uses to separate worth‑it risks from reckless moves, and why the outcomes you fear are almost never at the extremes your brain imagines. We get practical about failure, too. Anne‑Marie reframes rejection as data and shows how celebrating “misses” publicly builds trust and performance on teams. You’ll learn how to name and disarm your inner critic, why small experiments beat grand plans, and how to choose challenges that stretch rather than shatter confidence. For anyone wrestling with imposter syndrome or highlight‑reel comparison, this is a grounded path back to action. Then we tackle the quiet twins that stall growth: time and money. Anne‑Marie breaks down the urgency fallacy and gives a repeatable approach to reclaiming your day with four focused 15‑minute blocks. We cover honest audits of calendars and bank balances, plus a re‑evaluation loop across career, health, and relationships so your progress matches what you actually value. The conversation closes with a powerful tool—the “front row.” Learn how to curate people who know your goals, push with care, and hold you to your commitments, and how a single clear ask can unlock surprising opportunities. If this resonated, tap follow, share this with a leader who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review to help more people find the show. Your next audacious move starts now—what’s the one small swing you’ll take in the next 24 hours? 🌐 Connect with Anne Marie: • Website: https://annemarieanderson.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-marie-anderson-3557ab39/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annemarieandersontv/ 📚 You can purchase Anne Marie's book on Amazon: • Cutivating Audacity: Send us a text Support the show ✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week! 📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below. 🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: https://linktr.ee/mickspiers 📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade: 👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1701891 Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: https://www.jotform.com/?referral=AkWimLxOBz Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link Wise Referral link: https://wise.com/invite/dic/michaels11434 ...

    56 min
  8. 301. The Why Whisperer: Aligning Teams with Hans Lagerweij

    12/08/2025

    301. The Why Whisperer: Aligning Teams with Hans Lagerweij

    Strategy isn’t supposed to live in a slide deck. It should breathe in daily choices, team rituals, and the way people talk about their work. We sit down with Hans Lagerweij, author of The Why Whisperer, to unpack why 95 percent of employees can’t state their company’s strategy—and what leaders can do to fix it without adding more meetings or more slides. Hans introduces the Six C’s of execution—clear communication, consistent reinforcement, cultural alignment, continuous improvement, collaborative engagement, and celebrating success—and shows how they turn plans into momentum. We dig into the reverse elevator pitch, a simple test that forces clarity: if you can’t explain your strategy in 30 seconds, you aren’t ready to roll it out. From there, we explore how to link the macro why (direction and purpose) to the micro why (the meaning behind each task and decision) so everyone can see their part in the bigger picture. We also tackle silos and misaligned incentives, revealing why functions often work at cross purposes and how shared objectives and cross-functional teams restore speed and trust. Hans shares practical ways to invite frontline ideas—idea boxes, listening forums, lightweight feedback loops—and how small, timely celebrations create pride and keep energy high. Instead of chasing buy-in, we make the case for shared ownership, where people help shape the how and feel responsible for results. If you’re ready to turn strategy from an annual event into a daily habit, this conversation will give you the tools and language to start today. Subscribe, share this with a colleague who needs it, and leave a review to tell us which “C” you’ll implement first. 🌐 Connect with Hans: • Website: http://www.hanslagerweij.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanslagerweij/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hansblagerweij/ 📚 You can purchase Hans' book on Amazon: • The Why Whisperer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4PSP7R3/ Send us a text Support the show ✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week! 📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below. 🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: https://linktr.ee/mickspiers 📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to sei@mickspiers.com and we can arrange it for you too. If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade: 👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1701891 Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: https://www.jotform.com/?referral=AkWimLxOBz Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link Wise Referral link: https://wise.com/invite/dic/michaels11434 ...

    49 min
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5
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

The Leadership Project with Mick Spiers is a podcast dedicated to advancing thought on inspirational leadership in the modern world. We cover key issues and controversial topics that are needed to redefine inspirational leadership. How do young and aspiring leaders transition from individual contributors to inspirational leaders or from manager to leader to make a positive impact on the world? How do experienced leaders adapt their leadership styles and practices in a modern and digital world? How do address the lack of diversity in leadership in many organisations today? Guest speakers will be invited for confronting conversations in their areas of expertise with the view to provide leaders with all of the skills and tools they need to become inspirational leaders. The vision of The Leadership Project is to inspire all leaders to challenge the status quo. We empower modern leaders through knowledge and emotional intelligence to create meaningful impact Join us each week as we dive deep into key issues and controversial topics for inspirational leaders.

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