The Leadership Project Podcast

Mick Spiers

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

    1 DAY AGO

    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
  2. 302. Reframing Failure and Success with Anne Marie Anderson

    15 DEC

    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
  3. 301. The Why Whisperer: Aligning Teams with Hans Lagerweij

    8 DEC

    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
  4. 300. 300 Conversations That Changed How We Lead: Lessons from The Leadership Project Podcast with Mick Spiers

    1 DEC

    300. 300 Conversations That Changed How We Lead: Lessons from The Leadership Project Podcast with Mick Spiers

    Leadership lives in the moments people spend with you—every check-in, every decision explained, every hard conversation you choose to have. To celebrate 300 episodes, we pull together the clearest patterns from hundreds of leaders, psychologists, authors, and operators and turn them into practical moves you can use tomorrow. We start with meaning. People don’t just want a job; they want to know why their work matters and who benefits. You’ll hear how to connect the macro why of your team’s purpose with the micro why behind tasks and decisions, so your people shift from compliance to care. From there, we go deep on emotional intelligence as modern table stakes: noticing and naming emotions, creating space to respond rather than react, and using empathy to choose actions that steady a room and strengthen trust. Culture comes into focus through our relationship with failure and feedback. High-performing teams don’t dodge mistakes—they learn from them. We share a five-question daily reflection and the SBIA feedback framework to move from blame to systems and from avoidance to growth. We then explore diversity of thought and psychological safety as real performance levers: who gets heard, who gets interrupted, and how to reward healthy debate so inclusion becomes muscle, not motto. Finally, we highlight listening as a leadership superpower—reflecting back meaning, asking better questions, and helping people walk away clearer than they arrived. You’ll also hear gratitude for the listeners, guests, and the team who make this community possible, plus a look at what’s next: deeper psychology in leadership, real-world Q&A, and more ways to connect. If this conversation sparks something, share it with a leader ready to grow, hit subscribe, and leave a quick review to help others find us. What small action will you take this week to make someone feel seen, heard, and valued? 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 ...

    35 min
  5. 299. Be the Leader: Lessons in Humanity and Connection with Mick Spiers

    27 NOV

    299. Be the Leader: Lessons in Humanity and Connection with Mick Spiers

    What kind of leader are you becoming: one who earns trust or one who enforces compliance? We take a clear-eyed look at leadership through four lenses—service, courage, resilience, and inclusion—drawing on highlights from Steve Fortunato, Jim Fielding, Kijuan Amey, and Stephanie Chung to turn big ideas into practical actions you can use this week. Steve’s insights on service and storytelling show why facts inform but stories transform, helping teams reconnect to purpose and feel seen. Jim’s journey across Disney and The Gap reveals how authenticity and empathy create safe speed during change, where people move faster because fear drops and clarity rises. Kijuan’s post‑traumatic growth reframes adversity with a powerful line—losing sight without losing vision—reminding us to ask “What now?” and bounce forward with intent. Stephanie’s ally leadership invites us to pay attention to our attention—what we reward and ignore—so we amplify quiet voices, embrace healthy conflict, and unlock the innovation that diverse teams naturally generate. Across these themes, the message is simple: leadership is human. Presence beats perfection when you show up to serve, listen, and adapt. You’ll leave with four practical moves: share one authentic story that reconnects your team to purpose; lead with empathy by checking how people are doing, not just what they’re doing; after setbacks, identify the next small step within your control; and intentionally invite a voice that hasn’t been heard. We close with reflective prompts to help you align your actions with your values and build a culture where people don’t just follow—you earn their belief. If this conversation sparked an insight, share it with a colleague, subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast app, and leave a quick review so others can find the show. Your support helps more leaders trade ego for empathy and certainty for curiosity. 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 ...

    11 min
  6. 298. Leading with Empathy and Inclusion with Stephanie Chung

    24 NOV

    298. Leading with Empathy and Inclusion with Stephanie Chung

    What if the most powerful thing you did as a leader was to stop talking? Stephanie Chung—trailblazing aviation executive and author of Ally Leadership—joins us to show how silence, better questions, and intentional design turn diversity into decisions people own. We start with the hard truth: diverse teams win, but only when every voice is heard. Stephanie shares how she navigated a male-dominated industry and distilled what works into the EARN system: establish psychological safety, assure alignment, rally the troops with a compelling vision, and navigate the narrows when turbulence hits. We get specific about meeting design—who speaks, who gets cut off, and what to do in the micro-moments when someone says, “I see it differently.” You’ll learn how to prep quiet voices before they walk into the room, use silence as a thinking tool, and move from leader-led solutions to team-generated plans that build real ownership. We also tackle the generational shift reshaping work. Younger teammates aren’t anti-work; they’re anti-waste. Stephanie challenges us to prioritize outcomes over optics, encourage healthy debate, and treat “Why do we do it this way?” as a design question, not a threat. The conversation stretches into sales leadership and customer value: teach your team how the business makes money, understand your customer’s economics, and stop discounting—start unlocking value. Along the way, practical tactics like cross-department “walk a mile,” Amazon-style six-page memos, and three alignment questions make inclusion tangible and repeatable. 🌐 Connect with Stephanie: • Website: https://stephaniechung.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thestephaniechung/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestephaniechung/ 📚 You can purchase Stephanie's book on Amazon: • Ally Leadership: How to Lead People Who Are Not Like You: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1961801442 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 ...

    1h 9m
  7. 297. From Sight Lost to Vision Found with Kijuan Amey

    17 NOV

    297. From Sight Lost to Vision Found with Kijuan Amey

    What would you do if you woke up and the world was dark? Kijuan Amey, an Air Force in‑flight refueling specialist with a promising path to the cockpit, opened his eyes after a crash to find he’d lost his sight. The story that follows isn’t about platitudes—it’s about rebuilding a life through faith, gratitude, and the unglamorous work of learning every step again. We dig into the pivotal shift from “why me” to “why not me,” and how that mindset turned blame into agency. Kijuan walks us through the hard basics—orientation with a white cane, mastering daily tasks, and honoring the process without skipping steps. Along the way, he shares how reflection at the gym, adaptive sports, and expert coaching revived confidence and expanded what seemed possible. The refrain “give it time” becomes a practical strategy: patience paired with action compounds into progress. Leaders will recognize themselves in the aviation checklist analogy: miss one step and outcomes can be catastrophic. We explore the power of reframing “have to” as “get to,” the role of community in sustaining momentum, and why vision is mental even when sight is gone. Expect insights on resilience, habits, mindset, and purpose that apply whether you’re navigating trauma, leading a team, or training for your next milestone. If the idea of starting small and staying consistent resonates, this conversation will meet you where you are and challenge you to take the next step. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs a push, and leave a review with the one step you’ll take this week. Your vision gets clearer with practice. 🌐 Connect with Kijuan: • Website: https://ameymotivation.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kijuan-amey-783889121/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kijuanamey/ 📚 You can purchase Kijuan's book on Amazon: • Don’t Focus on Why Me: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737036614/ 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 ...

    52 min
  8. 296. Building Psychological Safety and Inclusivity in Leadership with Jim Fielding

    10 NOV

    296. Building Psychological Safety and Inclusivity in Leadership with Jim Fielding

    Feeling the pressure to have all the answers? You’re not alone. Mick Spiers sits down with Jim Fielding—former senior executive at Disney, Fox, and DreamWorks, and author of All Pride No Ego—to explore why modern leadership rewards curiosity over certainty. Together, they unpack how to build teams that think bravely, speak freely, and perform under pressure. Jim takes us inside his pandemic pivot from corporate operator to coach and storyteller, revealing the ten leadership lessons he wishes he knew at 25. The conversation dives into the politicization of DEI and the real challenge leaders face today: teams are already diverse in background and thought. The true edge lies in creating workplaces where people feel safe, respected, and heard. Jim shares how leaders can adapt their language—focusing on community, collaboration, and belonging—while still holding managers accountable for the behaviors that drive inclusion. The episode also tackles the chill around free speech, the mechanics of psychological safety, and how leaders can navigate political diversity at work. Jim outlines a calmer, more thoughtful approach: slow down for facts, invite dissent on purpose, and turn meetings into engines of learning. From supporting employees through sudden policy shifts to encouraging civic participation without partisanship, this episode offers practical tools and a steady compass for leading with empathy, courage, and curiosity. 🌐 Connect with Jim: • Website: https://www.hijimfielding.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimfielding/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hijimfielding/ 📚 You can purchase Jim's book on Amazon: • All Pride No Ego: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394165285/ 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 ...

    59 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 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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