Becoming the Leader in You

Prof. Jay Acharya

Becoming the Leader in You is a straight-talking podcast exploring what leadership really looks like. Each episode brings honest conversations with people who lead, have been led, or are stepping into leadership. We unpack real challenges, decisions, and moments that shape how people think, act, and influence others. I promise - No theory overload! Just practical insight, personal stories, corporate experiences and lessons you can apply immediately to lead yourself and others more effectively.

  1. 2d ago

    E15 - Becoming the Leader in You - Alistair Stevenson - Leadership Coaching is Imperative for Success

    What does effective leadership look like when you are working across different cultures, countries and ways of thinking? In this episode of Becoming the Leader in You, I sit down with Alistair Stevenson, Executive Strategy and Leadership Facilitator, to explore the realities of leading in diverse environments. Our conversation moves beyond leadership theory and into the practical challenges leaders face when working with people from different cultural backgrounds. We discuss how values, communication styles and expectations can vary significantly across teams and organisations, and why understanding these differences is essential for building trust and achieving results. During this episode, we explore: ✅ Leading effectively across different cultures ✅ The challenges and opportunities of multicultural teams ✅ Why empowerment is critical for individual and organisational success ✅ Creating environments where people feel trusted and valued ✅ Common leadership mistakes when working internationally ✅ Adapting your leadership style without compromising authenticity ✅ Lessons learned from real-world experiences and global leadership conversations ✅ The importance of curiosity, humility and listening as a leader Alistair shares practical insights, personal experiences and thought-provoking reflections gained through years of facilitating strategy and leadership discussions with leaders from a variety of backgrounds. Whether you lead a global team, manage people from different cultures, or simply want to become a more inclusive and effective leader, this episode offers valuable perspectives to help you develop your leadership approach. You can contact Alistair at: alistairjamesstevenson@gmail.com You can contact us for all your development needs at: info@aspire.me.uk www.aspire.me.uk If you enjoy conversations about leadership development, cross-cultural leadership, empowering teams, emotional intelligence, organisational culture, people management and executive leadership, make sure you subscribe for more episodes of Becoming the Leader in You. #Leadership #CrossCulturalLeadership #ExecutiveLeadership #Empowerment #LeadershipDevelopment #OrganisationalCulture #ManagementSkills #GlobalLeadership #PeopleLeadership #BecomingTheLeaderInYou

    26 min
  2. E14 - Becoming the Leader in You - Ladies in Leadership

    6d ago

    E14 - Becoming the Leader in You - Ladies in Leadership

    What happens when an engineering professional swaps technical drawings and project plans for people, culture and organisational change?In this episode of *Becoming the Leader in You*, I speak with Barbara Carlisle from Glee Coaching about her journey from the world of engineering into Human Resources and organisational development. We explore the challenges of working in traditionally male-dominated industries, the skills that transfer from engineering into people management, and why Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) has become such an important part of modern organisations. Barbara shares her experiences of delivering EDI initiatives across different countries and cultures, discussing the opportunities, challenges and lessons learned when helping organisations create more inclusive workplaces on a global scale. A fascinating conversation about career transitions, leadership, people development and creating workplaces where everyone can thrive. You can contact Barbra at: barbra@gleecoaching.co.uk www.gleecoaching.co.uk You can contact us for all your development needs at: info@aspire.me.uk www.aspire.me.uk #Leadership #HumanResources #Engineering #EDI #DiversityAndInclusion #Inclusion #LeadershipDevelopment #PeopleDevelopment #OrganisationalCulture #Coaching #GleeCoaching #BecomingTheLeaderInYou #CareerDevelopment #HRLeadership #WorkplaceCulture

    32 min

  3. Jun 7

    E13 - Becoming the Leader in You - Leadership, Coaching and Resilience with Angie Knowles

    What does it really take to build a successful business without sacrificing your wellbeing?In this episode of Becoming the Leader in You, I sit down with Angie Knowles from AngieKnows.co.uk for a practical and honest conversation about leadership, resilience, coaching, personal growth and sustainable business success.We explore the challenges many leaders, managers and business owners face when balancing performance, pressure and wellbeing. Angie shares her experiences of supporting individuals and organisations through periods of change, helping them develop confidence, clarity and the ability to lead effectively in demanding environments.During this episode we discuss:✅ Leadership in today's changing workplace✅ Recognising and preventing burnout✅ Building resilience during challenging times✅ Coaching and personal development✅ Managing stress and maintaining performance✅ Business growth without losing sight of what matters✅ Developing confidence as a leader✅ Creating sustainable success for yourself and your teamWhether you are a business owner, manager, aspiring leader or someone looking to improve your personal effectiveness, this conversation provides practical insights and thought-provoking ideas that you can apply immediately.If you enjoy discussions on leadership development, coaching skills, emotional intelligence, business growth, employee engagement, resilience and transformational leadership, this episode is for you.🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with business leaders, coaches, consultants and industry experts from around the world.Contact Angie at:angie@aknowles.co.ukwww.aknowles.co.uk🎓 Aspire Consulting and Training Ltd.🌍 Leadership Development | Coaching | Artificial Intelligence | Management Training | Strategic Thinking📧 info@aspire.me.uk🌐 Aspire Consulting and Training Ltd.#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipPodcast #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveCoaching #BusinessCoaching #Resilience #BurnoutPrevention #PersonalDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #ManagementTraining #TransformationalLeadership #CoachingSkills #TeamLeadership #BusinessSuccess #WorkplaceWellbeing #Entrepreneurship #AspireConsultingandTrainingLtd #BecomingTheLeaderInYou #PodcastInterview

    34 min

  4. Jun 1

    E12 - Becoming the Leader in You - Samantha Lancashire - Putting the HER in Leadership

    In this episode of the Becoming the Leader in You Podcast, I’m joined by Samantha Lancashire from Creating Lightbulb Moments for a refreshingly honest conversation about leadership, business ownership, and the realities behind professional success.We explore a question that many organisations still struggle with:What is the difference between a manager and a leader?While management often focuses on process, control, and delivery, leadership is about people, influence, vision, and creating an environment where others can thrive. Samantha shares her perspective on why organisations need both, but why leadership is often the missing ingredient.We also discuss the popular reality TV show *The Apprentice* and whether the behaviours often displayed on screen truly reflect effective leadership in the real world. Are we rewarding confidence over competence? Ego over empathy? Results over relationships?One of the highlights of the conversation is Samantha's unique approach to the word LEADHERSHIP, intentionally adding the "H" to create space for conversations about women in leadership, representation, visibility, and the challenges many women still face in business and senior leadership positions.As business owners ourselves, we also step behind the polished LinkedIn posts and success stories to talk openly about the realities of running a business. The uncertainty. The difficult decisions. The moments when an unexpected event forces you to stop, reflect, and rethink your services, your clients, your priorities, and sometimes even your entire business model.How do you adapt when circumstances change?How do you decide which clients are right for your business?What happens when you genuinely don't know where the next invoice is coming from?This episode is an honest, practical, and thought-provoking discussion about leadership, resilience, self-awareness, and the courage required to keep moving forward when certainty is in short supply.Whether you're a manager, leader, business owner, entrepreneur, or aspiring leader, there's plenty in this conversation that will make you stop and think.Contact Sarah:saml@creatinglightbulbmoments.comwww.creatinglightbulbmoments @CreatingLightbulbMoments  You can also contact us for all your People Development needs:info@aspire.me.ukwww.aspire.me.uk @aspireconsultingandtrainingltd  #Leadership #Management #WomenInLeadership #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #LeadershipDevelopment #SmallBusiness #TheApprentice #BusinessLeadership #CreatingLightbulbMoments #LeadershipSkills #PersonalDevelopment #Resilience #ProfessionalDevelopment #BecomingTheLeaderInYou

    35 min

  5. May 28

    E11 - Becoming the Leader in You - Matt Brown - Leadership and Failure to Help Others Succeed

    In this slightly extended episode of the Becoming the Leader in You podcast, I’m joined by Matt Brown from www.DevelopYourPeople.co.uk for a very honest conversation about leadership, management, workplace behaviour, and the reality many employees experience under poor leadership.This was one of those conversations that could easily have gone on for hours.We explored the behaviours that quietly destroy trust within teams. The managers who stop people progressing because they feel threatened. Leaders who avoid developing others because they worry someone might eventually outperform them. And the long-term damage poor leadership creates across businesses, culture, morale, confidence, retention, and performance.How many people leave companies because of poor leadership rather than the actual job?We also discussed the strange reality that many managers are promoted into leadership roles with little or no actual leadership training. People are expected to manage performance, difficult conversations, conflict, wellbeing, motivation, accountability and culture… often without ever being shown how.Matt shared practical insights from his experience designing and delivering leadership programmes, helping organisations move away from reactive management and towards stronger, healthier leadership cultures.We discussed:• The behaviours of poor leadership and toxic management• Why some leaders stop others from succeeding• Fear, insecurity and ego within management roles• The long-term impact of poor leadership on teams• Why technical ability does not automatically create good leaders• The lack of leadership training in many organisations• Building confidence in first line and middle managers• Leadership accountability and self-awareness• The importance of developing people properly• Why leadership is a responsibility, not a titleIf you are a manager, aspiring leader, business owner or someone who has experienced poor leadership first hand, this conversation will probably resonate with you.If you would like to contact Matt for support and help with your organisation, his details are:matt@developyourpeoplewww.developyourpeopleIf you would like to contact us for any training, facilitation or consultative support, contact us at:info@aspire.me.ukwww.aspire.me.uk#Leadership #Management #LeadershipDevelopment #PeopleManagement #LearningAndDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #LeadershipTraining #ManagementSkills #BusinessLeadership #Coaching #EmployeeEngagement #LeadershipPodcast

    39 min

  6. May 25

    E10 - Becoming the Leader in You - Kim Taylor - Helping Leadders Not to Drown

    In this episode of the Becoming the Leader in You podcast, I’m joined by Kim Taylor of www.withkim.co.uk, for a thoughtful and honest conversation about leadership, wellbeing, confidence, and what really happens when high-performing professionals keep pushing without stopping to check in on themselves. Kim brings decades of experience working with leaders, executives, and organisations, helping people develop professionally without losing themselves personally. We explored the growing pressure many leaders face to constantly deliver, stay visible, remain resilient, and somehow still maintain balance outside of work. At what point does being “driven” quietly become exhaustion? We spoke about: • Why many successful leaders still struggle with confidence and self-worth • The pressure of constantly performing at a high level • Creating healthier leadership habits without losing ambition • Emotional wellbeing in leadership roles • Why self-awareness matters more than most leadership models • Supporting teams while managing your own pressure • The importance of authenticity and human connection in leadership This wasn’t a conversation filled with corporate jargon or textbook leadership theory. It was real, reflective, practical, and human. Using swimming analogies throughout as Kim is also a long distance swimmer! This was a conversation about leadership that starts with the person behind the title. If you’re a leader, manager, business owner, or someone trying to balance performance with wellbeing, this episode will give you plenty to think about. You can contact Kim at: connect@withkim.co.uk www.withkim.co.uk You can also contact us at: info@aspire.me.uk www.aspire.me.uk Don't forget to listen on Apple, Amazon and Spotify too. #Leadership #Wellbeing #ExecutiveCoaching #Burnout #LeadershipDevelopment #MentalWellbeing #PeopleLeadership #EmotionalIntelligence #SelfAwareness #Coaching #PersonalGrowth #Management #WorkplaceCulture #BusinessLeadership #BecomingTheLeaderInYou

    35 min

  7. May 22

    Becoming the Leader in You - Dee Walsh - Leadership and Managing Redundancy

    In this episode of the Becoming the Leader in You podcast, I’m joined by Dee Walsh from Dewa Consulting for an honest and practical conversation about redundancy, restructuring, organisational change, and the human impact many businesses are facing right now.Across many sectors, organisations are dealing with uncertainty, rising costs, changing priorities, and pressure to restructure. Behind every organisational chart, cost-saving exercise, or redundancy process are real people trying to navigate difficult conversations, fear, stress, and uncertainty about their future.How do leaders manage these situations professionally while still treating people with dignity and respect?And how do organisations avoid creating long-term damage to morale, trust, and culture during periods of change?Dee shared her experience firstly talking about being made redundant 6 times which led to supporting organisations and individuals through redundancy consultations, restructuring programmes, workforce transitions, and employee support. We discussed the emotional and operational realities businesses are currently facing, and why communication, empathy, and leadership visibility matter more than ever during periods of uncertainty.We explored:• Why many organisations are facing restructuring and workforce reductions• The leadership challenges behind redundancy conversations• How poor communication increases anxiety and disengagement• Supporting employees through uncertainty and change• The impact redundancies can have on remaining teams and organisational culture• Why empathy and accountability still matter during difficult business decisions• Helping individuals rebuild confidence after job loss• The importance of outplacement support, coaching, and career guidance• How leaders can maintain trust during turbulent periods• The balance between commercial pressure and people-first leadershipThis was a very real conversation about leadership under pressure, organisational responsibility, and the importance of supporting people properly when businesses are going through change.If you are a leader, manager, HR professional, business owner, or someone currently navigating uncertainty within your organisation, this episode will give you practical insight and a different perspective on managing change with humanity.You can contact Dee at:info@dewaconsulting.co.ukwww.dewaconsulting.co.ukYou can also contact us for all your needs for people development and growth at:info@aspire.me.ukwww.aspire.me.ukPlease like, subscribe, and share the podcast.You can also listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms.#Leadership #Redundancy #Restructuring #OrganisationalChange #HR #PeopleManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #EmployeeWellbeing #BusinessChange #Outplacement #CareerSupport #Management #WorkplaceCulture #ChangeManagement #BusinessLeadership

    29 min

  8. May 21

    E8 - Becoming the Leader in You - Andy Neilson - Managing Mental Health as a Leader

    In this longer than normal episode of the Becoming the Leader in You podcast, I’m joined by Andy Neilson from Twisted Orange for an honest and important conversation about leadership, pressure, and mental wellbeing. Andy speaks openly about his own mental health journey, the challenges he has faced over the years, and the reality of managing wellbeing while continuing to work as a consultant, trainer, and business professional. Too often, leadership conversations focus only on performance, success, and resilience from the outside. But what happens when the person leading others is quietly struggling themselves? We explored: • The pressures many leaders and consultants carry behind the scenes • The impact mental wellbeing can have on confidence, relationships, and decision-making • Why many professionals become skilled at masking stress and anxiety • The importance of recognising early warning signs • Practical methods Andy uses to manage his mental wellbeing day-to-day • Creating healthier conversations around mental health in the workplace • Why vulnerability and honesty matter in leadership This was a very real conversation, no corporate jargon, no pretending to have all the answers. Just an honest discussion about leadership, life, and learning how to keep moving forward whilst looking after yourself at the same time. If you are a leader, manager, consultant, trainer, or someone carrying pressure quietly in the background, this episode will likely resonate with you. Please remember - looking after your mental wellbeing is not separate from leadership. It is part of it - and the following organisations may be able to help: - mind.org.uk - mhfaengland.org - healthminduk.co.uk - place2be.org.uk - or search for your local organisation You can also contact Andy Neilson: andy@twisted-orange.co.uk www.twisted-orange.co.uk If you enjoy the episode, please like, subscribe, and share the podcast. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms. You can also contact us to know more about everything we offer: info@aspire.me.uk www.aspire.me.uk

    53 min
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Becoming the Leader in You is a straight-talking podcast exploring what leadership really looks like. Each episode brings honest conversations with people who lead, have been led, or are stepping into leadership. We unpack real challenges, decisions, and moments that shape how people think, act, and influence others. I promise - No theory overload! Just practical insight, personal stories, corporate experiences and lessons you can apply immediately to lead yourself and others more effectively.

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