In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Jarrod Lopiccolo on nurturing talent and developing a culture of innovation. Jarrod explains Noble's approach to nurturing talent and fostering a culture of innovation. This includes creating a safe environment for employees to bring their whole selves to work, be curious, and try new things. He discusses the company's Innovation Council that provides a structured process for exploring new ideas and solutions. Key Takeaways Authentic connections and genui...
Mar 10, 2025•34 min•Ep. 475
In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Andrew McNeill about responding vs. reacting in leadership. Andrew shares his background in major projects and programmes, both in the public and private sectors. He discusses his work over the past 8 years in leadership consulting, focusing on helping leaders develop self-awareness and the ability to respond rather than react. Key Takeaways Kindness and psychological safety are crucial for high-performing teams, backed by research (e.g., Google's Project...
Mar 07, 2025•29 min•Ep. 474
In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Dane Deutsch about character-driven leadership and ethics. Dane shares how his experiences growing up in different cultures, including Venezuela and Türkiye, taught him the importance of building meaningful connections and leading with character. This episode was originally recorded on 28 November 24. Key Takeaways Character is the foundation of effective leadership, but is often overlooked in business Character skills can be developed through practice, u...
Mar 03, 2025•49 min•Ep. 473
In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Elizabeth Bieniek discussing corporate innovation, collective leadership, and talent management. Elizabeth discusses her approach to collaborative leadership, where she gathers diverse input and feedback, but then makes decisive calls when needed to move a project forward. She highlights the importance of creating an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their perspectives. Key Takeaways Innovation should be viewed as a mindset rather than ...
Feb 28, 2025•30 min•Ep. 472
In today's episode Judith Germain speaks to Joris Merks-Benjaminsen about leadership consistency and ethical actions. They discuss the challenge of ensuring leadership consistency across an organisation, not just at the top. They note how organisational culture and values can drift over time if not actively maintained. Joris explains how leaders can inadvertently create inconsistencies through their behaviours and decision-making processes. Key Takeaways Leadership consistency requires balancing...
Feb 24, 2025•41 min•Ep. 471
In this Short Talk episode Judith Germain speaks to Mónica Esgueva, about her life experiences and insights on mindfulness, wisdom, and finding meaning in life. They discuss Monica's diverse career path, including working as an economist for Prada in London, then moving to Paris to work for INSEAD, and her earlier experience as a semi-professional tennis player. Monica shared how she had to quit tennis due to back issues, and how that led her on a journey of self-discovery, including trips to In...
Feb 21, 2025•20 min•Ep. 470
In today's episode Judith Germain speaks to Lori Turner-Wilson on B2B marketing strategies and her new book. They discuss their views on the current state of dance and marketing, noting a perceived lack of individuality and an overreliance on cookie-cutter approaches. They agree that companies need to be more divergent and maverick in their marketing strategies. Key Takeaways Lori advocates for data-driven, outcomes-focused B2B marketing with guaranteed ROI Market research is key to predictable ...
Feb 17, 2025•24 min•Ep. 469
In today's conversation Judith Germain speaks to Neil Jurd OBE who contrasts overly complicated leadership frameworks and emphasises the importance of simplicity. Judith notes the value of leaders being able to create space for their teams to contribute. Key Takeaways Neil emphasises simplifying leadership into two key concepts: connection (building relationships) and direction (clear, compelling purpose) Both agree leaders must genuinely care about followers and enable everyone to contribute, n...
Feb 14, 2025•34 min•Ep. 468
In today's conversation Judith Germain speaks to Dr Joel Davis Brown about LGBTQ+ leadership and his book "The Souls of Queer Folk". They discuss the challenges around intersectionality and how different identity groups are often viewed and treated in the UK versus the US. They explore how the LGBTQ+ community has navigated these issues and the importance of honouring diverse perspectives. Key Takeaways LGBTQ+ wisdom and experiences offer valuable leadership lessons applicable to all Transformat...
Feb 10, 2025•54 min•Ep. 467
In today's episode Judith Germain speaks to Jeffrey Sanow on critical thinking and leadership lessons from his CIA career. They discuss the importance of critical thinking, especially in high-stakes situations. They emphasise the need to make decisions with incomplete information, be open to failure, and empower teams to take risks and learn. Key Takeaways Critical thinking is crucial for leaders, especially when making decisions with incomplete information Empowering team members to take risks ...
Feb 07, 2025•50 min•Ep. 466
In today's episode Judith Germain speaks to Carter Fox about the importance of branding and building a consistent identity/community for artists to succeed in the music industry today. Carter describes how he has cultivated a distinct personal brand as the "soulful traveling spaceman bass man", which was inspired by a friend's observation about his persona. He explains how developing a strong brand identity is crucial for building a dedicated fanbase in the music industry. Key Takeaways Branding...
Feb 03, 2025•24 min•Ep. 465
In today's conversation Judith Germain speaks to Gary Coulton about harnessing adaptive intelligence. Gary has recently realised that he is neurodivergent, with a "maverick mind" and he explains how this knowledge has helped him understand why he thinks in a certain way. Key Takeaways Adaptive intelligence integrates heart, head, and gut "minds" to make wiser decisions Core human values (e.g. love, trust, honesty) are consistent across cultures when accessed through compassion Self-awareness and...
Jan 31, 2025•43 min•Ep. 464
In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Professor Adam Boddison, the CEO of the Association for Project Management (APM), and they discuss his role and the nature of the organisation as a membership-based professional body. Key Takeaways APM has grown from 115 to 160 staff and £10M to £18M turnover in 3 years by simplifying processes, removing barriers, and focusing on scalable initiatives The "110 100 squared" strategy aims to grow APM to 1000 corporate partners, 10,000 chartered professionals...
Jan 10, 2025•40 min•Ep. 463
In today's episode Judith Germain speaks to Dr John Demartini about how to master perception and embrace paradox. Judith and Dr. Demartini explore the importance of aligning organisational values with individual employee values to drive engagement and productivity. He emphasises the need to identify people's true, demonstrated values rather than just their stated values or ideals. Key Takeaways Living according to your highest values is key to success, fulfillment and wealth building Manifestati...
Jan 06, 2025•50 min•Ep. 462
In this conversation Judith Germain speaks to Peter Murphy Lewis about leadership, innovation, and thought leadership. Peter shares his background, including that he is a documentarian, TV host, and fractional CMO who helps CEOs with their marketing. Peter lives with his family inside a zoo in Wichita, Kansas. Key Takeaways Peter emphasises trust, autonomy, and transparency as key pillars for fostering innovation in leadership Podcasting is highlighted as an effective tool for building thought l...
Nov 15, 2024•35 min•Ep. 461
In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Russell Harvey discussing resilience and leadership. He explains how he came to specialise in resilience over the past 14 years. He emphasises the importance of authenticity and living one's purpose. Key Takeaways Russell Harvey, "the resilience coach," defines resilience as "springing forward with learning" Resilience is key to extraordinary leadership, involving adaptability and continuous learning Building resilient teams requires focusing on 7 aspects...
Nov 11, 2024•29 min•Ep. 460
In this Short Talk episode Judith Germain speaks to Julianna Newland on gender dynamics in workplace performance management. Julianna advises that women need to be proactive in promoting and marketing themselves, finding opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities, and ensuring their managers are aware of their skills and accomplishments. She also suggests that women seek out mentors, especially at higher levels, who can help advocate for them. Key Takeaways Women face unique challenges in p...
Nov 08, 2024•13 min•Ep. 459
In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Bill Lennan about leadership, team performance, and personal growth strategies. Bill shared his interest in and involvement with a regenerative farming project, explaining the historical shift towards industrial farming and the resulting depletion of soil quality and nutritional value in food. He discussed his motivations for pursuing this project to have more control over his food supply and improve the taste and quality. Key Takeaways Bill's company, 40...
Nov 04, 2024•32 min•Ep. 458
In this Short Talk episode Judith Germain speaks to David Sinkinson about startup myths and his book "Startup Different". David Sinkinson and his brother founded a SaaS company in the public safety space, building a mobile app that helped improve campus safety. They bootstrapped the business and grew it to over 350 organisations and millions of users. After 8 years, they sold the company for $40 million, which left David and his brother feeling a sense of loss and uncertainty about their identit...
Nov 01, 2024•23 min•Ep. 457
In today's episode Judith Germain speaks to Shailendra (Shelly) & Shalini Jain about Restoring Brand Trust After Missteps and their book on managing brand transgressions. Shelly is a professor of marketing and international business, while Shalini is an associate professor researching social issues in management. They have co-authored a book on brand transgressions and crisis management. Key Takeaways The authors introduce 8 principles for transforming brands after transgressions, emphasising ra...
Oct 28, 2024•50 min•Ep. 456
In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Wendy Davis , author of "The Fight You Don't See", discussing her book and political experiences. Wendy shares that she lives in the Salt Lake City, Utah area but is originally from the Midwest. She has a day job as a chief experience officer for a technology company, but also has a PhD in political science and previously ran for political office in 2020. Wendy is a stepmom to four adult children and a grandma to 10 grandchildren. Key Takeaways Wendy's bo...
Oct 25, 2024•59 min•Ep. 455
In this Short Talk episode Judith Germain discusses with Karen Liebenguth what constitutes good leadership. Judith introduces Karen Liebenguth, a leadership coach, executive coach, mindfulness teacher, and mediator. Karen shares her background, including living in London for 23 years and her focus on working with clients in nature to help them feel more grounded, connected, and open to new perspectives. Key Takeaways Good leadership starts with self-awareness, self-reflection, and personal growt...
Oct 21, 2024•24 min•Ep. 454
In today's conversation Judith Germain speaks to Steve Cadigan about workforce psychology, talent acquisition, and the future of work. He discusses his career journey, starting as a history teacher and then finding his passion in human resources. He shares how he worked in various industries, including fashion, insurance, high-tech, and video games, before becoming the first Chief HR Officer at LinkedIn. Key Takeaways Understanding workforce psychology is crucial for leaders to create value thro...
Oct 18, 2024•47 min•Ep. 453
In todays Short Talk episode Judith Germain speaks to Benjamin Morone about global recruitment trends and tech use in hiring. Benjamin provides advice on how companies can research and evaluate different countries/regions for remote hiring, including using employer-of-record services. He also recommends conducting a time audit to determine which tasks to keep in-house versus delegate. Key Takeaways Remote work surge post-COVID has significantly impacted global recruitment, especially for smaller...
Oct 14, 2024•19 min•Ep. 452
In this Short Talk Judith Germain speaks to Nancy Ho about driving success without sacrifice. Nancy explains that she works as a life strategies coach, helping high-performing professionals who have achieved external success but feel a sense of emptiness or lack of fulfilment. She discusses how many people focus solely on external achievements without considering their deeper values and well-being. Key Takeaways Nancy Ho emphasises the importance of intrinsic fulfilment over external achievement...
Oct 11, 2024•23 min•Ep. 451
In this Short Talk episode Nathan Ott, CEO of the GC Index speaks to Judith Germain , GC Partner at Maverick Paradox, leveraging the GC Index ® - driving organisational Impact. Judith explains how the GC index framework depersonalises discussions, allowing teams to focus on work outcomes rather than just individual personalities. This helps avoid unproductive conflicts and enables more constructive dialogue. Key Takeaways The GC Index provides a framework for having depersonalised, business-focu...
Oct 07, 2024•24 min•Ep. 450
In today's episode Judith Germain speaks to Deevo Tindall about how businesses can stand up digitally with an unapologetic branding approach. Deevo shares that he is a serial entrepreneur and runs a business called The Brand Storyteller, helping entrepreneurs and small businesses develop their brand, messaging, and connect with their audience. Key Takeaways Unapologetic branding means authentically sharing your unique value proposition and expertise without making excuses Building strong relatio...
Aug 23, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 449
In this episode Judith Germain and Bodhi Aldridge discuss the concept of true freedom. He shares how many business leaders are searching for freedom in the wrong place, and how true freedom is about freedom from suffering, not just external freedom. Bodhi and Judith have an in-depth discussion about the role of emotions in leadership and organisational culture. They emphasise the need for emotional awareness, the ability to feel and process emotions, and creating psychologically safe environment...
Aug 19, 2024•56 min•Ep. 448
In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Tim Spiker about his "Who Not What" principle and leadership development. Tim shares how a chance encounter with a multi-level marketing organisation sparked his lifelong passion for studying and teaching leadership. He was struck by the negative views on being led by others, which motivated him to learn more about effective leadership. Key Takeaways 77% of leadership effectiveness comes from who you are as a person, not what you do as a leader (the "Who ...
Aug 16, 2024•34 min•Ep. 447
In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Sarah Dale about leadership lessons from unexpected places. Key Takeaways Archery teaches the importance of finding consistent mistakes before correcting them Observing chickens provides insights on motivation, timing, letting go, and recognising others' perspectives Building confidence in women by getting them out of comfort zones, learning new skills, surrounding them with other confident women, and helping others Topics Archery Lessons Aim for a tight ...
Aug 12, 2024•37 min•Ep. 446
