Unleash Your Impact, Unlock Others

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Welcome to Unleash Your Impact: Unlock Others, the podcast where leadership gets real. Hosted by Dave Morris and Rich Horton from Zentano, this series is all about helping leaders like you create thriving teams, shape positive workplace cultures, and make a genuine difference in the world. We believe that better leadership creates better organisations—and ultimately, a better world. Each episode brings you grounded wisdom, practical tips, and inspiring stories from real leaders. Expect a mix of unscripted chats, actionable insights, and fascinating guest interviews. Whether you’re navigating the challenges of modern leadership, exploring emotional intelligence, or looking to unlock your own potential, we’ve got you covered. Connect with us: 📍 Website: www.zentanogroup.com 📍 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/zentano/ 📍 Instagram: @zentanogroup So, grab a cuppa, hit play, and join us every week as we explore what it takes to lead with impact.

  1. Why Leaders Need Space to Think, Especially When Everything Feels Chaotic | #60

    5H AGO

    Why Leaders Need Space to Think, Especially When Everything Feels Chaotic | #60

    In this Voices of Leadership episode of Unleash Your Impact, Unlock Others, Dave speaks with Suzanne Hall-Gibbons, Co-Founder of C2S The Growth Consultancy, about what leadership really demands in uncertain times. Suzanne’s journey spans international roots, leading major regeneration programmes, managing redundancy conversations at age 28, transforming organisations without formal authority, and ultimately building a peer-driven growth consultancy. Her central message is simple and powerful: When the world speeds up, leaders must slow down. Together, they explore what leadership requires now and into 2026 and beyond: Agility without reactivityConfidence without egoGrowth without losing people If everything feels urgent, this episode is a reminder: better leadership doesn’t come from louder voices or faster decisions, it comes from better thinking. Key Talking PointsAgility vs. knee-jerk reactionWhy “it’s not personal, it’s business” is a leadership mythLeading change without authorityResilience as clarity, not toughnessCommunicating the “why” through storyAuthenticity over charismaSurrounding yourself with challenge, not comfortCreating strategic thinking spaceThe power of peer learningDeveloping future leaders through outreach

    1h 7m
  2. How to achieve high performance leadership: What is the one focus you cannot ignore (Part 2 with Seb Sheppard) | #5959

    FEB 20

    How to achieve high performance leadership: What is the one focus you cannot ignore (Part 2 with Seb Sheppard) | #5959

    In Part 2 of our conversation with Seb Sheppard, we move from helicopters on the high seas and adventures in Patagonia, into the high-pressure world of Formula 1. Seb shares how he transitioned from Royal Navy pilot to Engineering Manager at the Alpine F1 Team, tasked with building a high-performance culture among a group of circa 120 talented, and potentially world-class, engineers. What follows is a masterclass in leadership fundamentals: empathy that isn’t soft, structure that creates freedom, development that builds loyalty, and agility that cuts through bureaucracy. We explore how Seb transformed a chaotic engineering function into a structured, developmental environment where interns stayed, young engineers flourished, and psychological safety became a competitive advantage. We also discuss: Why mergers fail when leaders ignore the people.What military aviation teaches us about briefing, debriefing and radical candour.How the “F1 mindset” applies to any business navigating a world dominated by AI and rapid change.And why investing in people should be seen as an investment, not a cost. If you care about high performance, healthy workplace culture, or how to do great leadership in fast-moving environments, this episode will both challenge and inspire you. Key Talking Points The power of radical candour and structured debriefingFixing chaos: Less is more, cutting through complexityHow to stop talent leaving the organisationCareer development as a loyalty engineEmpowering teams to design their own wellbeingThe F1 approach to decision-making and agilityUnderstanding others is vital. Why empathy drives performance

    43 min
  3. How to achieve high performance leadership: What is the one focus you cannot ignore | #58

    FEB 13

    How to achieve high performance leadership: What is the one focus you cannot ignore | #58

    In this first episode of a two-part Voices of Leadership conversation, Dave sits down with Sebastian Shepherd to explore the formative experiences that shaped his leadership philosophy long before he worked in Formula One. Growing up in Chile between two cultures and two languages, Seb learned early that leadership begins with understanding people, not just their words, but their intent, context and mindset. From there, his path took him to Patagonia on expedition at age 17, where he discovered collective resilience, shared purpose, and the power of surrounding yourself with positive, high-calibre people. The journey continues into the Royal Navy, where Seb trained as a helicopter pilot. In some of the most demanding environments imaginable, flying at night in storm conditions, operating in high-risk scenarios, he experienced first-hand what trust, clarity of communication, and resource management truly mean. This episode is not about tactics or technology. It is about people. It’s about resilience. It’s about empowerment. And it’s about how for Seb his early life experiences quietly lay the foundations for elite performance later in his career. Part Two will explore how these lessons translated into Seb’s leadership at the Alpine F1 Team. Key Talking Points Growing up between cultures and learning to “translate” meaning, not just languageWhy bridging differences builds leadership awareness and communication skillsLessons from expeditions in Patagonia: collective resilience and the power of believing in othersThe role of positive people in shaping performanceSurviving a near-fatal accident and the power of perspectiveLessons from Royal Navy helicopter training and crew resource managementTrust under pressure: flying off ships at night in storm conditionsWhy high performance is fundamentally about peopleWhy culture is about the behaviours that leaders tolerate

    35 min

  4. FEB 6

    Confidence in Leadership (Part 2): The Silent Confidence Killers | #57

    In this second episode of Zentano’s Confidence in Leadership series, Rich and Dave go beneath the surface to explore the forces that quietly drain confidence in capable leaders. Rather than dramatic failures, confidence is often eroded through constant micro pressures, organisational politics, and the need for perfectionism, all of which trigger unconscious “masks” designed to protect self-worth. Rich introduces the idea of psychological masks, such as the Pretender, Overachiever, Striver, and Self-Doubter, and explains how these coping strategies can become unhealthy when they operate unconsciously. Drawing on his research into confidence and self-esteem, he unpacks the delicate balance between self-worth and competence, and why leaders often lean too hard on control and performance when their sense of self is under threat. The episode closes with practical micro-habits leaders can use in real time to stabilise confidence, reconnect with their “connected centre,” and move away from performative confidence towards something more grounded, human, and sustainable. Key Talking PointsWhy leadership confidence rarely collapses in a single moment and instead erodes through micro-pressures over timeThe concept of psychological masks and why leaders often wear them unconsciouslyHow pressure, organisational politics, and perfectionism act as “silent confidence killers”The relationship between self-worth and competence, and how imbalance drives over-control and over-performanceWhy performative confidence is not the same as grounded confidenceFour common masks leaders adopt: Pretender, Overachiever, Striver, and Self-DoubterHow political environments amplify insecurity through unhelpful internal narrativesWhy perfectionism is often the fear of being truly seenPractical micro-habits to stabilise confidence:

    39 min

  5. JAN 30

    Why Experience Alone Doesn’t Create Leadership Confidence | #56

    Many leaders have done everything right. They have built experience, delivered results, and earned their place. Yet despite this, they often feel unsettled, exposed, or quietly unsure of themselves. In the first episode of their Confidence in Leadership series, Rich and Dave explore why experience alone is not enough to create real leadership confidence. Drawing on personal stories and insights from coaching leaders with confidence issues, they unpack the difference between competence and confidence, how pretend confidence erodes trust, the hidden impact of the “promotion shock”, and why so many senior leaders feel less secure as responsibility and visibility increase. This episode reframes confidence not as performance or a personality trait, but as an inner practice. It explains why confidence is something that can be developed deliberately, through emotional regulation, grounded self-awareness and finding a healthy balance of competence and self-worth, rather than through qualifications, status, or bravado. Key Talking Points · Why highly experienced leaders can still feel unconfident · The difference between competence and confidence, and why confusing the two causes problems · Under-utilising competence vs over-relying on it as a form of armour · Why confidence often dips after promotion and at senior levels · The difference between looking confident and being confident · How performative confidence undermines trust and psychological safety · Confidence as an internal practice rather than a fixed trait · Introducing the idea of the “confidence bucket” and micro-habits for rebuilding confidence · Why healthy confidence creates collaboration, trust, and calm leadership under pressure

    38 min
  6. How to create positive leadership ripples and enhance performance in the whole team | #55

    JAN 23

    How to create positive leadership ripples and enhance performance in the whole team | #55

    In episode 55 of Unleash Your Impact, Unlock Others, Dave is joined by experienced Executive Coach Nick Marlow to explore how leaders can create positive leadership ripples and enhance the performance of both their own teams and the wider organisation they represent. Drawing on his own development challengers and over 25 years of coaching leaders and senior professionals, Nick shares a compelling perspective on why real performance starts with self-awareness. Together, they unpack an evolved version of the classic performance equation first mooted by Tim Gallwey, and explore why high performance, full engagement and wellbeing must be developed together, not treated as separate agendas. This is a thoughtful and purposefully thought-provoking conversation for leaders who want to create sustainable performance, healthier cultures and meaningful impact, by starting with themselves. Key Talking Points: Why most people operate far below their true potentialThe role of self-awareness in unlocking purpose and performanceEmbracing the ABC of life, Awareness + Balance + ChoiceThe dangers of promoting people away from their natural strengthsHow leaders create positive ripples by doing their own inner work firstPractical reflections leaders can use to reconnect with what energises them

    59 min

  7. JAN 16

    Why Good Leaders Still Create Unhappy Teams (and What to Do About It) | #54

    As 2026 begins, Rich and Dave tackle a question many leaders avoid but feel deeply: How happy is my team really… and what role am I playing in that? A recent 2025 report states that just over half (51%) of UK workers are frequently happy in their jobs, a quarter (25%) often don't feel appreciated, and 22% feel undervalued at work. Moving beyond perks, incentives and short-term fixes, this conversation breaks workplace happiness down into five core leadership conditions that consistently drive engagement, wellbeing and performance: meaning, autonomy, progress, connection and fairness. Drawing on research, real leadership experience and everyday situations, Rich and Dave explore the two forces every leader can shape; the eco-systems people work in and the mindsets they bring to work, and why small leadership shifts often produce the biggest results. This is a grounded, honest and practical discussion about what it truly takes to build teams that are not only happier, but stronger, more resilient and more effective in the year ahead. Key Talking Points Why perks, benefits and wellbeing initiatives rarely fix disengagement, and what moves the needleThe two forces every leader can shape (whether they realise it or not): systems and mindsetMeaning and purpose: how leaders create the “golden thread” between daily work and real-world impactAutonomy without abdication: building trust, confidence and ownership without micromanagementWhy progress and mastery mean people feel they’re getting better, not just getting through.Connection and belonging, and why psychological safety is the number one predictor of team performance Fairness and recognition, people don’t need constant praise, but they do need to believe effort is noticed and they are treated fairlyPractical leadership shifts that improve happiness, engagement and performance without adding pressure in 2026

    40 min

  8. JAN 9

    The Leadership Bottleneck No One Trains You to Remove | #53

    In this episode of Unleash Your Impact, Unlock Others, Rich and Dave explore one of the most common leadership bottlenecks in senior roles: when everything still comes back to the leader. They discuss why shared leadership, emotional intelligence, and team coaching will define high-performance teams in 2026 and beyond Drawing on research, real-world experience, and Zentano’s Connected Leadership approach, they unpack why traditional, hero-centric leadership models are no longer fit for purpose, and what replaces them. The conversation explores shared leadership as the emerging gold standard, where decision-making, ownership, and influence are distributed across the team rather than concentrated at the top. Rich and Dave discuss the role of power, emotional intelligence, and team coaching in unlocking collective intelligence, reducing blind spots, and creating teams that adapt, innovate, and perform under pressure. Practical examples and clear takeaways help leaders reflect on where they may be unintentionally acting as a bottleneck, and how to shift toward a more connected, sustainable leadership model. Key Talking Points Why capable leaders often become unintentional bottlenecksThe shift from heroic leadership to shared leadershipPower, hierarchy, and mindset: what really needs to changeHow shared leadership improves decision-making, agility, and ownershipThe four Connected Leadership personas and their relationship with powerWhy emotional intelligence is the “glue” that makes shared leadership workThe role of team coaching in building accountability, resilience, and performancePractical ways to start embedding shared leadership without a culture overhaul

    32 min
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About

Welcome to Unleash Your Impact: Unlock Others, the podcast where leadership gets real. Hosted by Dave Morris and Rich Horton from Zentano, this series is all about helping leaders like you create thriving teams, shape positive workplace cultures, and make a genuine difference in the world. We believe that better leadership creates better organisations—and ultimately, a better world. Each episode brings you grounded wisdom, practical tips, and inspiring stories from real leaders. Expect a mix of unscripted chats, actionable insights, and fascinating guest interviews. Whether you’re navigating the challenges of modern leadership, exploring emotional intelligence, or looking to unlock your own potential, we’ve got you covered. Connect with us: 📍 Website: www.zentanogroup.com 📍 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/zentano/ 📍 Instagram: @zentanogroup So, grab a cuppa, hit play, and join us every week as we explore what it takes to lead with impact.

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