Shows
Leading PeopleHappy 100th Birthday, Leading PeopleSend us a textEpisode 100 felt like a moment worth marking.Not with a summary.Not with highlights.And not with a look back.Just a conversation — allowed to unfold.This episode exists thanks to the generosity, creativity, and support of Kate Walker Miles and Valeriia Diakiv, whose contributions helped bring it into being.As always, thank you for listening — and for being part of the Leading People journey since January 2021.Here's to the next 100 episodes...Follow Leading Peop...
2025-12-2651 minLeading PeopleHow Leaders Can Create a Culture of SignificanceSend us a textWhat does it really mean to create a culture where people perform at their best?In this episode of Leading People, I’m joined by Zach Mercurio, researcher, speaker, and author of The Power of Mattering, to explore how leaders can create a culture of significance — one where people feel seen, valued, and needed.Drawing on decades of research into motivation and human performance, Zach explains why performance, resilience, and engagement suffer when people feel invisible or replaceable — and why leaders play a pivota...
2025-12-181h 06Leading PeopleWho Really Pays Your Salary?Send us a textMost people think they know where their paycheck comes from — but the real answer might surprise you.In this short episode, Gerry Murray shares a surprising pattern he’s seen in leadership workshops across sectors and industries. It’s a simple mindset shift that separates teams who truly add value… from those who don’t.This episode just might change the way you think about your work — and the people who depend on it.Curious?🎧 Listen now and discover One Simple Thing every leader...
2025-12-1205 minLeading PeopleHow to turn Learning into PerformanceSend us a textWhat really drives performance at work?It’s a question many leaders and learning professionals wrestle with — and one that my guest, Paul Matthews, has spent decades exploring.In this wide-ranging conversation, Paul challenges some of the most common assumptions about training and learning. Drawing on insights from his three books — on informal learning, capability building, and learning transfer — he explains why so many well-intentioned programmes fail to create real behaviour change, and what organisations must do differently.We cover a wide ran...
2025-12-0756 minLeading PeopleAre You The Sunshine Or The Storm?Send us a textEvery team has a weather system — and often, as a Leader, you’re the one creating it.In this short Leading People episode of One Simple Thing, we explore how your presence as a leader can lift people up… or wear them down.If your team’s energy and well-being aren’t where they should be, the solution might not be more perks, more processes, or more pressure.It might be you.Curious?🎧 Listen in to discover one simple leadership mo...
2025-11-2804 minLeading PeopleHow AI Can Help You Resolve Your ConflictsSend us a textCould AI help us end conflict — at work, at home, or even at a global level?In this episode, Gerry Murray talks with negotiation expert and author Simon Horton about his provocative new book, The End of Conflict.We explore how AI is already influencing negotiation and collaboration, what it gets right (and wrong), and how a more symbiotic Human–AI relationship could change the way we resolve disagreements of every kind.If you’re curious about the future of negotiation, the role of AI in reducing confli...
2025-11-211h 01Leading PeopleHow to turn your boss into a Genuine Career AllySend us a textMost people have a manager. Some even have great ones. But what if you could take more ownership of the relationship — and turn your boss into a genuine career ally?This short One Simple Thing episode explores one powerful mindset shift that could change everything. Part of a series on how to be brilliant at the basics of leadership.Curious?🎧 Hit play and find out.Check out the Team Leader Essentials programmeFollow
2025-11-1404 minLeading PeopleHow to Train Your Brain for the AI EraSend us a textWhat if the key to thriving in the age of AI isn’t smarter technology — but a smarter relationship with your own brain?In this episode of Leading People, Gerry Murray talks with Dr Jon Finn, founder of Tougher Minds and author of Train Your Brain for the AI Revolution.Jon has spent more than two decades studying how the brain drives performance and wellbeing — and how we can train it to stay focused, energised, and adaptable in an AI-saturated world.Together, Gerry and Jon explor...
2025-11-091h 03Leading PeopleWhat Got You Here Probably Won’t Get You ThereSend us a textYou just got promoted. Now what?In this short, punchy episode, Gerry poses one essential question that every new (and not-so-new) leader needs to answer.Because leadership isn’t just a new job……it’s a whole new identity.Curious? Tap play to find out more.Check out Team Leader Essentials and The Performance Accelerator hereFollow Leading People on LinkedIn Leading People on FaceBo...
2025-10-3104 minLeading PeopleDiscover Your Pivot: How Strong Leaders Adapt to Any SituationSend us a textWhat happens when your entire world changes overnight?In this profound and moving episode, Julie Brown shares how she found the strength to rebuild her life and leadership practice after the tragic loss of her husband and business partner, polar explorer Dixie Dansercoer.Drawing on her new book, Discover Your Pivot: How Strong Leaders Can Adapt to Any Situation, Julie reveals how leaders can find stability in uncertainty — not by resisting change, but by learning how to pivot with purpose.Together, we...
2025-10-2644 minLeading PeopleHow to Be the Kind of Leader People Want to FollowSend us a textIt’s one thing to have a leadership title. It’s another thing to have people truly want to follow you. In this Leading People episode of One Simple Thing, Gerry Murray explores the difference and what you can do to close the gap. If you’re new to leadership or simply want to reconnect with the fundamentals, this 5-minute listen could be your reset moment.Check out the Team Leader Essentials and Performance Accelerator programmes hereFollow Leading People on Linked...
2025-10-1805 minLeading PeopleIs Your Presence Helping or Hurting You?Send us a textWhat does your body say about you when you walk into a room?And how much of your leadership impact depends on something you can’t see — but everyone else can feel?In this episode, Kate Walker Miles of RADA Business — a trusted advisor to senior executives and leadership teams — reveals how posture, breath, and voice shape credibility, confidence, and influence.Drawing on her background in experimental psychology, acting, and behavioural coaching, Kate explains how to use y...
2025-10-101h 03Leading PeopleAre you Brilliant at the Basics?Send us a textWhat does good leadership really look like in the day-to-day?This short Leading People episode kicks off a brand-new One Simple Thing series on how to be brilliant at the basics of leadership. Because let’s face it — it’s the basics that often go missing.Click play to hear the one question that every leader should be asking themselves.Check out Team Leader Essentials hereFollow Leading People on LinkedIn Lead...
2025-09-3004 minLeading PeopleHow Breadwinners Don’t Always WinSend us a textWhat if bringing in the dough doesn’t always mean having the power?In this episode, BBC journalist Melissa Hogenboom explores how breadwinning roles — in families and at work — are shaped by power dynamics, gender norms, and invisible expectations.Whether you’re a leader, a parent, or both, this conversation will challenge how you think about success, status, and sharing the load.Together, we discuss:Why power at home and power at work are more connected than we thinkHow...
2025-09-1450 minLeading PeopleDiscover how Context Makes Magic HappenSend us a textEver typed a question into ChatGPT and gotten a weird or underwhelming response?You’re not alone.In this One Simple Thing episode, we explore why so many AI queries fall flat — and what leaders can do differently. There’s one small shift that makes all the difference… and no, it’s not about being a tech expert.This is the final part of our short series on how to use AI to enhance your leadership — without losing your human touch.🎧 Curious? Hit play and f...
2025-09-0605 minLeading PeopleHow to Lead Change by Getting Brains OnboardSend us a textWhat if the biggest barrier to change isn’t strategy or communication — but biology?In this episode, organisational change expert Hilary Scarlett shares powerful insights from the 3rd edition of her book, Neuroscience for Organizational Change. She explains how understanding the brain can help leaders navigate resistance, foster trust, and lead transformation that sticks.Drawing on neuroscience and real-world examples, Hilary shows why getting brains onboard — not just people — is the secret to lasting change.Together, Hilary and Gerry discuss a wide range of topics, including...
2025-08-3048 minLeading PeopleDiscover this One Leadership Hack That Saves You HoursSend us a textWhat would you do with an extra 30–60 minutes in your day?In this One Simple Thing episode, Leading People host, Gerry Murray, explores how AI can give leaders back precious time - not by taking over, but by taking the heavy lifting out of your writing tasks. You'll be able to free up time for more important leadership tasks. Whether it’s an email, a proposal, or a tricky LinkedIn post, learn how to use AI to create...
2025-08-2405 minLeading PeopleDiscover the Leadership Secrets of World-Class BossesSend us a textWhat separates exceptional leaders from mediocre managers? This week's guest, Andrew Palmer, Senior Editor at The Economist and host of the Boss Class podcast, has spent years interviewing some of the world's most influential executives to answer this question.Drawing from his extensive experience writing the witty and insightful Bartleby column and developing the Boss Class podcast series, Andrew reveals that great leadership isn't only about charisma or authority - it's about mastering the art of balance. D...
2025-07-2848 minLeading PeopleHow to Brief AI So It Actually Helps YouSend us a textEver asked ChatGPT a question, looked at its response and thought… “This isn’t what I wanted”?In this episode of One Simple Thing…Gerry Murray reveals why so many AI prompts fail - and what to do instead. Discover how to brief AI tools like ChatGPT as you would a colleague, so they become your assistant, not your replacement.You’ll learn:The six essentials of a good AI briefWhy vague prompts produce vague outputsHow to turn AI into a pr...
2025-07-0404 minLeading PeopleHow you can prove Your Work Makes a DifferenceSend us a textIn this episode…How do you prove the value of your people programs when budgets are tight and leaders demand evidence? This week's guest is Dr. Alaina Szlachta, author of the book Measurement and Evaluation on a Shoestring.In this illuminating conversation, Alaina shares practical approaches to measurement and evaluation that don't require a PhD in statistics or massive resources.Drawing from her experience across corporate, non-profit and academic sectors, Alaina reveals why data literacy is the fou...
2025-06-2744 minLeading PeopleHow to Use AI to Strengthen Your Written CommunicationSend us a textEver wonder if your message is landing the way you intend? In this episode of One Simple Thing… You'll discover how to use AI tools like ChatGPT to refine your writing, without losing your human voice. This isn’t about outsourcing your message. It’s about coaching yourself to be clearer, more intentional, and more confident in what you write and send to others.You'll learn:How AI can act as your writing mirrorThe power of...
2025-06-0905 minLeading PeopleWhat if the way we build organisations is no longer fit for purpose?Send us a textIn this episode…Gerry Murray speaks with organisational psychologist and Chief Scientist at AIHR, Dieter Veldsman, about how to redesign work for a more human future. Drawing on his new book Work for Humans, Dieter shares why employee experience (EX) is much more than a buzzword, and how to make it a philosophy, a process, and a practice.Together, they discuss:• Why EX is now a core leadership issue, not just an HR function• How to measure EX meaningfully — without making it overly...
2025-05-2651 minLeading PeopleDiscover the Secrets of the World’s Top EmployersSend us a textWhat does it really take to become a top employer in today’s world of work? In this episode, Gerry Murray talks to Ammara Naeem, Client Experience Director at the Top Employers Institute, about what smart HR leaders are doing differently to stay ahead, from systems thinking to AI-powered leadership.In this fascinating conversation, you'll learn:What top employers are doing that others aren’tWhy HR needs to speak the language of the businessGen Z, talent fluidity, and the rise of the “new collar” workforceThe link between e...
2025-04-2759 minLeading PeopleHow to Write Emails That Build Trust and Get ResultsSend us a textIn this episode…How often do you hit send on an email without considering how your words might land with the recipient? Leadership communication carries emotional weight, and without the benefit of facial expressions or body language, your carefully crafted emails can easily be misinterpreted.This episode tackles a deceptively simple yet powerful leadership practice.When you're in a position of leadership, your words carry extra weight and get amplified throughout your team. That quick message about a missed deadline or that...
2025-04-1906 minLeading PeopleDiscover the Universal Factors Behind Inspiring LeadershipSend us a textIn this episode…What makes some leaders genuinely inspiring while others leave us frustrated and disengaged? In this transformative conversation with Columbia Business School's Professor Adam Galinsky, we discuss his latest book: Inspire – The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and OthersAlong the way, we uncover the hidden psychology that determines whether you'll inspire or infuriate the people around you.Adam reveals the "Inspire-Infuriate Continuum"—a powerful framework showing how every interaction we have falls somewhere on this spectrum. Through...
2025-04-1459 minLeading PeopleHow to Take Back Control of Your InboxSend us a textIn this episode…Taking back control of your inbox might be the most important productivity shift you make as a leader. Have you noticed how email has transformed from a helpful tool into the central focus of your workday? That subtle shift has massive consequences for your effectiveness, focus, and the example you set for your team.In this actionable One Simple Thing episode, I tackle the modern challenge of email addiction that's plaguing knowledge workers everywhere. We've normalized checking messages before breakfast, dur...
2025-04-0506 minLeading PeopleEmbracing Uncertainty: How to Lead and Thrive in an Unpredictable WorldSend us a textIn this episode…Margaret Heffernan joins the Leading People podcast to challenge our dangerous addiction to certainty and predictability. Drawing from her latest book "Embracing Uncertainty," she reveals why the traditional management approach - forecast, plan, execute - is fundamentally broken in today's volatile world. When the first leg of this three-legged stool collapses, everything else follows.What makes this conversation so compelling is Margaret's unique perspective, bridging her experience as a CEO with deep research into how creative professionals - writers, musicians, filmmakers, artists - naturally th...
2025-03-2359 minLeading PeopleWhat if everything you believe about leadership potential is neurologically wrong?Send us a textStep into the revolutionary intersection of neuroscience and leadership with Professor Patricia Riddell and Ian McDermott as they shatter outdated brain myths and reveal how understanding neuroscience transforms leadership effectiveness.Most leaders operate on brain models that are 60-65 years out of date. This knowledge gap isn't just academic – it directly impacts how we develop talent, make decisions, and build organizational capacity. Patricia and Ian introduce "neuro-effective leadership," a groundbreaking approach that applies cutting-edge neuroscience to practical leadership challenges.Neuroplasticity emerges as the game-changing concept every leader nee...
2025-03-1556 min