Explore every episode of DECODING AQ - Adaptability For The Future Of Work With Ross Thornley
Dive into the complete episode list for DECODING AQ - Adaptability For The Future Of Work With Ross Thornley. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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Pub. Date
Title
Duration
07 Feb 2022
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Julie Hutchinson - Managing Stress and Overwhelm
00:50:26
Julie Hutchinson uses science-backed Resilient Transformation for leaders and executives to decrease stress, increase energy, productivity and profits. She is Founder & CEO of Core Performance, a 'Vistage' speaker and certified Heartmath Trainer, providing resilience and sales training.
Ross and Julie talk about entrepreneurship, building a company, burning out, self discovery, managing stress, resilience, anxiety, shifting direction, bio hacking, self discovery, thoughts, beliefs, overwhelm and frustration. The pair also discuss choice, enjoyment, I can't to I can attitudes, negatives to positives, emotions, the heart, benefits of coaching, work environment, toxic work culture and energy flow.
Timestamps:
01:34 Julie's background
05:13 Being told to medicate or quit
06:43 Motivations for changing career direction
10:47 Early indicators of burnout
13:15 Roots of anxiety
17:06 Shifts - awareness and upgrading
22:44 Cultivating identity
23:40 Coherence (is a secret weapon)
30:25 Coaching
36:45 Emotional Health and resilience
43:48 Energy when remote working
46:48 The last time Julie did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Kian Gohar - Innovation and Transformation
00:47:57
Kian Gohar is a strategist & co-author of “Competing in the New World of Work.” He coaches executives on team leadership, innovation and transformation. Kian is Founder and CEO of Geolab.
A sought-after strategist and advisor, Kian inspires the world's leading organizations to harness innovation and moonshots to solve complex problems. He coaches entrepreneurs, executives and leaders to make their impossible, impossible.
Ross and Kian talk about innovation, creating jobs, venture capital, entrepreneurship, startups, knocking on doors, coaching, lockdowns, adapting work, transforming, companies and not doing enough. The pair also discuss the Burning Man Festival, survival, thriving, re-energising, overcoming obstacles, going back to the office, change, transformation, pushing boundaries, surviving, growth and adapting your kids.
Timestamps:
01:16 Kian's background
06:13 Kian's book “Competing in the New World of Work”
09:33 Radical Adaptability
09:33 Mitigating the chances of messing up
19:04 Gauging team members
23:02 Four key attributes of leaders to help thrive - Foresight, Collaboration, Agility and Resilience,
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Gordon Tredgold - Helping good Managers develop into great Leaders
00:51:37
If there is a top person list in leadership, hr or business, chances are you will find Gordon on it! An international speaker, with a LinkedIn experience list, as full as anyone I have ever seen! A regular contributor to Inc magazine, forbes and entrepreneur magazine.
From a degree in mathematics in the ’80’s, Gordon has spent time in Banking, Communications, logistics, all entered around organisational transformation.
Ross and Gordon talk about driving change, leadership, organisational change, crafting a high performing team, confidence, problem solving, belief, winning minds, Gordon's book, simplicity, focus and efficiency. The pair also discuss avoiding failure, patterns in solutions, engagement, empowering people, great leaders adapting, becoming an expert in what's important, empowering and enabling experts.
Timestamps: 01:35 Gordon's most impactful roll in his career 06:58 Changing Career rolls 09:37 Gordon's rugby coach 16:30 Practical strategies to help with adaption 30:26 Leadership techniques evolving and where is it going 39:27 Self help adapting leadership
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. John Baldoni - Speaker, Executive Coach & Best-Selling Author
00:45:42
John Baldoni - is a globally recognized leadership educator, certified Master Corporate Executive Coach, LinkedIn Live hosts, and author of more than 800 leadership columns, and 15 books that have been translated into ten languages. John is the host of LinkedIn Live’s GRACE under pressure.
In 2021, the International Federation of Learning and Development named John a World-Class Mentor and named him to its Hall of Fame. In 2022, Global Gurus ranked John a Top 20 global leadership expert, a list he has been on since 2007. In 2018 Inc.com named John a Top 100 speaker and Trust Across America honoured John with its Lifetime Achievement Award for Trust. In 2014 Inc.com listed John as a Top 50 leadership expert.
Ross and John talk about leadership, studying leadership, coaching, writing, the workplace, exploring new ideas, purpose, grace, community in the workplace, mindset, vision, resilience and crisis, taking care of yourself, work and life balance and overworking. The pair also discuss self awareness, self care, patience, remaining calm, mindfulness, humility, empowering others, strategy, curiosity sparking creativity and debating ideas.
Timestamps: 02:06 The start to John's journey 06:38 Shifts and stability in leadership in the current environment 12:27 Grace under pressure 18:45 Reacting and dealing with hard realities 24:48 Early signs to spot perpetual pressure 29:47 Unlearning and challenging the playbook 33:42 Dealing with a process or response we don't recognise 36:48 Balance between finding new and keeping with trends to enable growth 39:27 The last time John did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Mark S. Babbitt - Culture architect, Executive and career coach.
00:54:23
Mark S. Babbitt is Co-author of 'Good Comes First'.
Inc. Magazine included him in their “Top 100 Leadership Speakers” list and “Top 50 Leadership Innovators.” In addition, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Inc., The Economist, HBR, and many other major publications have featured Msrk's work and voice.
An employee mass exodus is taking place – right in front of our eyes. And it isn’t because of a so-called labor shortage. Instead, we have a RESPECT shortage – and we have far too many workplace cultures that suck.
Mark guides leaders to create a purposeful, positive, and productive work culture He also helps leaders understand (and then improve) their current level of Workplace Intelligence (WQ) – a metric that helps leaders understand how their teams work best together. - Through coaching and mentoring, Mark empowers professionals, from college graduates to CEOs, to realize their career – and their voice – matters, and I help them get their voice heard.
Ross and Mark talk about leaders, soul, workplace, comparing values, foundational principles, purpose, productivity, results, company culture, mindset, entrepreneurship and sub cultures. The pair also discuss large scale layoffs, behaviour, teams, getting referrals, adaptability, epiphanies, vulnerability, guilt stifling creativity, destructive behaviours, tolerating, company values and productivity.
Timecodes:
02:03 The title of Mark's book 'Good Comes First'
05:40 Defining the word 'Good'
09:32 Adapting bad work cultures we are unaware of
15:42 Working in a bad environment
22:33 Challenges and dealing with forced unemployment
26:01 The (WQ) metric - Workplace Intelligence
32:14 Guiding people through feeling vulnerable
40:03 Tips for leaders to understand cultural architecture
47:31 Hybrid opportunities for our company cultures
51:51 The last time Mark did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Alexia Michiels - The Resilience Institute Europe
00:41:47
Alexia is Founder & Managing Partner of The Resilience Institute - Grounded in New Zealand in the late 90s, The Resilience Institute operates today across Asia-Pacific and Europe with offices in New Zealand, Australia, China, Singapore, France and Switzerland.
The Resilience Quotient - leadership with heart and purpose.
Alexia was Media Manager at P&G for 6 years, then 3 years at World Federation of Advertisers and spent 1 year at the International coach academy.
Ross and Alexia talk about Resilience, mobilising resources, modern medicine, research, science, being super practical, development, business environments, different cultures, China, agility with resources and interpersonal skills. The pair also discuss facing adversity, adaptability, challenges, mobilising resources, adversity, pressure, sleep, focus, relaxation, Matthew Walker - Why We Sleep, breathing, Resilient organisations, performing with care, being humble, leadership, momentum, managing relationships and curiosity.
Timecodes:
01:02 Alexia's background
02:14 Starting The Resilience Institute
05:56 Key highlights along Alexia's journey
09:28 Shifting from 'holding on' to 'letting go' practically
11:45 Early signs of burnout and dealing with it
14:14 Practical shifts to Resilience Foundation
20:22 Integrating sleep and relaxation for busy people
23:09 Investing in high Resilience and outcomes
26:36 The most important areas to focus on
29:12 Can Resilience or too much be negative?
30:55 The difference between Grit and Resilience
32:58 Collective Resilience with other people
35:09 Alexia's book (Resilience Quotient) key takeaways
38:01 The last time Alexia did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Mike Wittenstein - Managing partner at STORYMINERS
00:55:04
Mark has been Manging partner at STORYMINERS for 20 years, his primary roles include Advisor, Strategist and Creative. He has been a Speaker, Coach and Facilitator for 12 years
What is strategy, if not the story of who you are and where you want to go next?
When it comes to adaptive, what's the difference between modeling and modeling? Spoiler: modeling can mean 'showing others how it's done' or 'shaping what's to come with them'. I practice the latter way ;-)
Ross and Mark talk about storytelling, delivering on promises, learning about people, presentation, engagement, environment, story first, purpose, consistency and customers needs. The pair also discuss innovation, learning, leading by example, replacing resistance, reacting, honesty, learning, consistency, checklists, behaviour, killing projects, focus, rules and co-elevation.
Timecodes:
00:52 Mikes first story
03:21 Background and Key moments in Mike's career
07:44 Shaping Mike's career until now
15:16 Helping leaders when Storytelling isn't comfortable for them
20:23 Setting out storyline guidelines and arcs for the future
24:21 Being uncomfortable - Showing vulnerability or masking it?
29:07 Focus and uncertainness playing out
35:41 Innovation and working outside of core environments
44:56 Stephen Heckle's book Adaptive Enterprise
49:05 The last time Mike did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Dr. Maja Zelihic - Interim Dean, Forbes School of Business and Technology at University of Arizona Global Campus
00:47:41
Dr. Maja (Maya) Zelihic is in the global 100 inspirational leaders, with the likes of Richard Branson, opera winery, Elon musk and Jeff Bezos. Published in over 20+ peer-reviewed journals.
Her book The Power of Perception, co-authored with Dr. Diane Hamilton, was released in December 2020 and in June 2020 Dr Diane was our first podcast guest here on decoding AQ.
Ross and Maja talk about immigration, refuging, environment, survival, studying, open mindedness, childhood, education, learning, shaping ourselves, the developing world, accelerating progression during the pandemic, utilising technology and creation through destruction. The pair also discuss curiosity, culture, communication, familiarity, emotional intelligence, processing, conversations, mindfulness, mindset, hardwiring, hierarchy, stability, calm, chaos, fishing to be right, humility, being wrong, coexistence, judging people and fear of judgment.
Timecodes:
02:00 Maja's background
04:14 Moving to Florida as a refugee
07:01 Evolving to where Maja is now
08:49 Maja's Grandfather
11:14 Adapting with Education Technology and industry shift
13:54 Performing and learning in leadership development
17:03 Perception and how it relates to change
20:00 Being fearful of bad perception
23:39 Advantages and disadvantages of perception
30:31 Structuring to thrive
34:28 Shifting perception when it's difficult and against validation
39:17 Student mindset
41:37 The last time Maja did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Jennifer McClure - CEO of Unbridled Talent & DisruptHR | Keynote Speaker
00:57:05
Jennifer McClure is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and high-performance coach who works with leaders to leverage their influence, increase their impact, and accelerate results.
Frequently recognized as a global influencer and expert on the future of work, strategic leadership and innovative people strategies, Jennifer has decades of in-the-trenches leadership and executive experience working in and with startups, privately held companies, and Fortune 500 organizations in a variety of industries.
Provides education, coaching and strategy consulting services for businesses and business Leaders looking for guidance in the areas of leadership, executive communication skills and talent strategy. ♦ Keynote Speaking ♦ Workshops & Training ♦ Executive Coaching ♦ Strategic Consulting
Ross and Jennifer talk about leadership, succession planning, Keynote speaking, building careers, teaching, training, challenging assignments, trying new things to evolve, innovation, working with the best, big commitments, value, growth, preparing for the future. The pair also discuss development, career paths, learning, adaptability, understanding resistance, encouraging and learning from failure, rewarding effort, imposter syndrome, self reflection, bad habits and engaging people.
Timecodes:
01:01 Jennifer's last keynote
02:26 What Jennifer loves and hates about speaking
07:19 The most impactful growth during Jennifer's career
09:22 The 'Defence Business Board'
16:57 Fundamentals of what's going to be essential for the next decade
22:41 Increasing employment ability and proactive tips for leaders
29:01 Upskilling, reskilling and navigating what's coming
33:19 Feeling lost and becoming dislodged to transcending
36:48 Companies transitioning towards performance over learning
42:13 If Jennifer was to hire herself
47:28 The last time Jennifer did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. William Tincup - President & Editor-at-Large of RecruitingDaily
00:58:14
"Real G's move in silence like lasagne"
William is the President & Editor-at-Large of RecruitingDaily. At the intersection of HR and technology - a writer, speaker, advisor, consultant, investor, storyteller & teacher. He sits on the board of over 28 HR Tech companies around the world, written over 250 HR articles, spoken at over 375 HR & recruiting conferences and conducted over 1650 HR podcasts & webinars.
Ross and William talk about, art imitating life, gangsters, pretenders, discovering people, painting, being an artist, structure, chaos, failure, being yourself, pushing yourself, flexibility and collaboration. The pair also discuss analysing the competition, hiding failure, NASA, unlearning, adapting, vulnerability, Will Smith, diversity, competition from yourself, validation and preparation.
Timecodes:
01:03 William's background
02:10 Lasagne and Real G
04:50 Art History
07:55 Serendipity or setting goals
09:36 Filtering opportunities
14:08 Vulnerability
15:45 Coexisting
18:43 People solving problems through Technology
24:39 Experimentation and celebrating failure
27:44 William's worries
31:12 Skills
34:01 Avoiding leaving people behind
36:41 Ambiguity
39:39 Mistakes and comedians
43:25 Friction
46:10 Opinions and taking feedback
50:24 Unsolicited feedback
53:16 The last time William did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Brian Kropp - Group Vice President at Gartner
00:55:27
Brain is Group Vice President at Gartner providing Cutting Edge Insights to the Most Progressive HR Executives. Launching a mix of new products and services to enable senior executives to take decisive actions. * Leading content experiences for ReImagineHR, the largest and most important event for senior HR executives. * Overseas global research strategy and deliverables for HR Leaders and their teams across the globe.
15 years, as Practice manager, MD of the HR Practice,.
Ross and Brian discuss not giving up, persistence, behaviour, working from different places, returning to work, employee frustration, rules, productive environments, politics at work, shared objectives and bringing people together. The pair also discuss decision making, remote working, rewriting old playbooks, history, finding the right people for organisations, being around smart people, curiosity, wonder, questioning, different viewpoints, automation, staying healthy, efficiency and fragility.
Timecodes:
00:41 Brian's dog Nutella
03:17 Moments of tenacity during Brian's career
06:18 Frustrating and exciting HR
11:03 Hybrid and remote work, working well
21:56 Re-imagining work
26:16 Going from Brian Kroppcycnzski to Brian Kropp
31:07 Defining smart people
33:59 Dealing with frustrating questions
38:53 Pressure and dealing with it
43:01 Understanding and leveraging wellness
51:00 The last time Brian did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Ankita Poddar Sr. HR Business Partner at Amazon Web Services (AWS)
00:49:32
Ankita Poddar is a blogger, writer, and host of the podcast - HR Bandit, passionate about all things HR & Behavioural Economics.
People Matters India identified her as one of 15 'Emerging HR Leaders' in the country in 2016. Top 50 HR Influencers in the country by SHRM India in 2019 and top 20 HR influencers in the country by ETHRWorld, from The Economic Times India.
She has been with Amazon for over 6 years, in L&D and HR Business partner roles.
Ross and Ankita talk about HR, maths, physics, business school, playing games, discovery, experimenting, context, computer games, too much of something, virtual worlds, choice and modes of operation. The pair also discuss environmental queues, diversity, adapting, taking things too seriously, curiosity, being uncomfortable, decisions for the future and what are we missing out on.
Timecodes:
01:07 A bit of Ankita's background
02:02 Ankita's favourite subject at school
03:40 Her career journey after school
05:34 Combining work with games
08:37 Changing old methods
10:34 The metaverse in learning mode
15:05 Leaders dealing with so much choice and balancing it
19:55 Opposing thoughts
22:28 Diverse inputs being disregarded
24:27 Starting experimental mindsets
29:05 Predictions around work in 5-10 years
35:52 What should children be focusing on
41:52 Thoughts on being open
47:10 The last time Ankita did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Dr. Oleg Konovalov - Coach, Speaker, Author - Vision and Visionary Leadership
00:50:09
Dr Oleg Konovalov is a thought leader, author, speaker, business educator and consultant with over 25 years of experience operating businesses. And consulting for many Fortune 500 companies both in the UK and internationally.
Having been named as “the da Vinci of Visionary Leadership” by many leading authorities of our time
Oleg is helping companies to create and execute their vision, diagnose and treat organizational diseases, maintain a strong productive corporate culture, and achieve superior business performance.
He is the author of The Vision Code, LEADEROLOGY, CORPORATE SUPERPOWER, ORGANISATIONAL ANATOMY, and HIDDEN RUSSIA.
Oleg sees every organization as unique and strongly believes that most of his clients’ problems can be solved by shifting patterned paradigms and applying tailor-made solutions.
Ross and Oleg talk about consultancy, visualising, what we want to change, projection, great leaders, tough experiences, goals, solutions, focus, thinking about the future, steps, stimulating vision. The pair also discuss creating value, legacy, massive transformative purpose, generational challenges, engagement, passion and sharing visions.
Timecodes:
01:27 Oleg's background and becoming the Di Vinci of visionary leadership
05:15 Changes in direction
10:46 Getting out of a dip
16:06 The power of vision and harnessing it
19:31 The AQai mission statement and legacy
23:00 Critical elements shifting the industry
28:11 Powerful visions and how they effect people
32:13 Commonality in visions
34:29 selling value in visions
38:05 Oleg's personal vision
40:18 Multiple visions an ultimate vision
43:33 Setting a vision but evolving
46:17 The last time Oleg did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Debra Ruh - Ruh Global IMPACT
00:43:15
Debra is CEO of Ruh Global IMPACT and Executive Chair at Billion Strong - an identity and empowerment organization designed to bring the billions of voices of persons with disabilities together. She is founder of 4 social enterprises, author of 3 books, works with inclusion branding, helps find your voice by using Social Media.
Debra also helps uncovering Hidden Human Capital: How leading corporations leverage multiple abilities in their workforce.
Expertise includes: • Global Disability Inclusion Strategist • WomenInTech Taskforce - USA lead • ICT Accessibility Consultant • US Partner for Valuable500 • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) • Gender Equity • Digital Inclusion • Impact Investing • Keynote Speaker w/ Sara Ruh (Down syndrome)
Ross and Debra talk about Down syndrome, disabilities, perspectives, being on the spectrum, lived experiences, dealing with loss, invisible disabilities, sustainable development, problem solving and being vulnerable. The pair also discuss keeping talent, humanising work, effective working, unlearning, youth going into work, training differently, failure, joy in uncertainty, challenges, changing the world, innovation, death and philosophy.
Timecodes:
00:25 Intro to Debra
01:06 Debra's first social enterprise
03:20 Changing peoples thoughts
07:23 Disabilities becoming super abilities
13:52 Including everyone in everything
19:24 Human potential
25:06 Supporting an inclusive planet in a grander scale
31:21 What else would Debra share
38:46 The last time Debra did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Pranav Bhanage - CEO Petronas
00:46:25
Pranav is a speaker, mentor, coach and CEO of PETRONAS' a global energy company with over 30k employees and a presence in 50 countries. He is a recognized Global-Top 200 Thought-Leader
We are living in a world of accelerating change, increasing uncertainty, where the ones who are good with chaos, with flux, with adaptability are able to navigate the journey with a smile, but many the reality is many are struggling.
"He knows how to motivate teams and carry them all along to achieve the goals. He is a great down-to-earth communicator, a person with meticulous analytical skill, open mindedness, and healthy dose sense of humour"
"Pranav is famous for being extremely reliable, effective and results orientated"
Ross and Pranav talk about sustained environments, learning, strong individuals, flux, evolution, sustained stress, rest, purpose, who we surround ourselves with, early warning signs, wrong decisions, data, AI, flexibility in decisions, profit and fundamentals. The pair also discuss sustained business models, improvement, innovation, processing information, listening to people, conflicting ideas, culture, failure, decision making, experimenting, learning curves, curiosity and not taking things too seriously.
Timecodes:
00:42 Introduction to Pranav
01:59 What Pranav is most excited about
08:24 learning and reflecting when constantly performing under pressure
14:31 Decision making in high stress environments
20:08 Rewarding progress and measuring outcome
26:18 What Pranav is listening to right now to shape his mindset
32:21 Dealing with unexpected data and early warning signals
39:34 The last time Pranav did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Jeff Smith, MCEC - Founder & CEO of SupportingLines Institute
00:55:04
Jeff is a Certified Executive Coach, Chartered Professional Accountant and Certified Dharma Yoga Instructor.
His mission is to inspire leaders and help teams perform - so that millions of people become engaged in their work. He believes that great leaders see supporting lines, not reporting linesTM
SupportingLines™ offers a simple, yet powerful framework to improve performance and increase engagement.
Framework offerings: - Help People Grow™ - individual performance management - Achieve More Goals™ - organizational goal-setting - SupportingLines Insights™ - data driven insights to improve performance & increase engagement - Leading with SupportingLines™ - leadership development that builds from strengths - SupportingLines Yoga for Leaders™: powerful practices to support leadership development
Ross and Jeff talk about contradictions, adaptability, fast pace change, learning from bad leaders, culture, insights, planning compared to outcomes, the parts people don't do, supporting the most important goals and creating meaning. The pair also discuss objectives, key results, supporting lines, yoga in work, breathing, composure, vulnerability, high performers, employee feedback, development, trying things, decision trees, holding clients accountable.
Timecodes:
01:03 Jeff's journey to adapting to excutive coaching
08:20 Goal setting in coaching
13:47 Practical planning
20:43 Yoga in leadership
26:39 Composure in leadership
35:24 Feedback you don't want to act on
44:00 Resiliance research
46:17 The last time Jeff did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Jonathan Passmore - The Leader's Psychologist
00:35:56
Jonathan Passmore is rated as one of the top 10 professional coaches in the world.
His work over the past three decades, including 30 books, and over 100 scientific articles have contributed to his position as a global thought leader.
Professor of Coaching & Behavioural Change
He is the 2020-21 British Psychology Society Chair of the Coaching Psychology group and Chair of the European University Coaching Network.
Senior Vice President at CoachHub: CoachHub is the leading global talent development platform that enables organisations to create a personalised, measurable and scalable coaching program for the entire workforce, regardless of department and seniority level. CoachHub’s global pool of coaches is comprised of over 3,500 certified business coaches in 60 countries across six continents with coaching sessions available in over 50 languages.
Ross and Jonathan talk about Travel, psychology, learning, mentoring, curiosity, psychometrics, being your best self, coaching people, deeper understanding, variety, individual needs, global provision and growth. The pair also discuss real-time solutions, the benefits of CoachHub, reaching small organisations, employee benefits, app based solutions, technology vs humanity, AI, relationships, the future, fear and courage.
Timecodes:
01:06 Jonathan's world map
03:29 Getting into coaching
10:28 Thoughts on curosity around coaching and decision making
17:07 Experience at CoachHub
24:49 The future of coaching - consumers and companies technology
27:35 Digital coaches
30:36 Choice and embracing technology
33:27 The last time Jonathan did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Nikki J Owen Founder at The Healing Hub Limited
00:42:55
Nikki is passionate about creating change in habits, behaviours, mindset, performance and well-being. Most well-being interventions don't work, particularly over the long term. Niki has created a powerful methodology for individuals and organisations that delivers results at speed. There is a gap between 'knowing' and 'doing'. An immediate and sustainable change in behaviour can only be achieved when working with both unconscious and conscious minds.
"My fascination into transforming lives began in 1978, aged 18 when I experienced a traumatic event. At that time I was emotionally and physically unwell. Conventional support tools, coaching and therapeutic practices did little to help. I studied a number of 'unconventional' techniques that when blended together, evolved into a methodology that changed my life. I have transformed the lives of thousands of individuals over 3 decades. "
Ross and Nikki talk about mental health, reducing stress, anxiety, coaching, making a difference, releasing stress, expressing ourselves, supressing negative emotions, pent up emotions, unawareness of stress and losing perspective. The pair also discuss immune systems, growing up highly suggestable, negative behaviours, coping mechanisms, overstimulation, prompts, small changes, triggers, stress relief exercises, working on ourselves, plant medicine, healing and consciousness.
Timecodes:
01:15 Knowing and doing in relation to behaviour change
04:46 Observations around trauma
09:01 Early indicators before reaching a breaking point
14:11 Not following the basics
16:35 Relieving stress
19:29 Shifting behaviour and rapid stress relief
29:50 Advice for leaders and useful techniques
34:08 Leaders involved with trauma
39:18 The last time Nikki did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Alex Pascal Founder & CEO at Coaching.com
00:56:31
Alex is an entrepreneur and Executive Coach - based in Los Angeles
As an executive coach, Alex has worked with over 300 executives from leading organizations and government agencies including: Samsung, Mercedes-Benz, Activision Blizzard, Google, Roche, Methanex, CEMEX, Newfield Exploration, the Federal Reserve Bank, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Coaching.com - empowering human potential, raising the global standard of coaching (Which started life as CoachLogix a decade ago).
Ross and Alex talk about creative leadership, organisational psychology, entrepreneurs, management, education platforms, simple solutions, development, connections, digital coaching, technology, self coaching, decision making and resilience. The pair also discuss learning, trusting systems, Seth Godin - The Dip, mindset, balance, meditation, becoming more effective, coaching eco systems, aggregators, values, scaling, visions, partnerships, knowing when to quit, diversity coaching and acquiring a company.
Timecodes:
01:01 Origins of Coaching.com
07:29 Pivots in the coaching industry
10:48 Assessments helping coaching and analytics
16:21 Scalability of organisations and coaching every individual
23:32 Coaching culture applying to military strategy
27:39 Mental flexibility and learning under pressure
30:18 Being present
34:03 The WBECS story
41:55 Mergers
47:22 Community and collaborations evolving and scaling
52:02 The last time Alex did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Whitney Johnson - The founder and CEO of Disruption Advisors
00:49:51
One of the ten leading business thinkers in the world as named by Thinkers50 – an expert at helping leaders grow their people to grow their organization.
Whitney is an award-winning author, world-class keynote speaker, frequent lecturer for Harvard Business School's Corporate Learning, and an executive coach and advisors to CEOs. Host of "Disrupt Yourself" podcast at whitneyjohnson.com
Co-founded the Disruptive Innovation Fund with Harvard Business School’s late Clayton Christensen and a LinkedIn Top Voice (2020) with 1.8 million followers.
Author of 4 books: Smart Growth How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company.
Disrupt Yourself:™ Master Relentless Change and Speed Up Your Learning Curve
Build an A-Team: Play to Their Strengths and Lead Them Up the Learning Curve
Dare, Dream, Do: Remarkable Things Happen When You Dare to Dream
Ross and Whitney discuss expediency, Wall Street, investment banking, excitement, motivation, achievement, reframing fears, helping others grow, smart growth, people, personal disruption and leaving work. The pair also discuss loss of identity, Ben Hardy, measuring growth, connections to work, advancing ourselves, slowing down, resting, unplugging from technology, creative expression, theory, spirituality and being unapologetic.
Timecodes:
01:15 Whitney's background in music
02:49 Whitney's career path after music
05:06 Drivers for studying
07:09 Growth and a thirst for learning
11:23 Disruptive Innovation
13:22 Disrupting individuals
16:26 Letting things go and identity shifts
21:34 Road to growth
25:18 Exploring and transforming individuals
28:49 Overwhelm and comfort
33:17 Rest and relaxation
34:24 HRV - Heart Rate Variable
39:36 Book writing and development
43:47 Whitney's Most impactful time at Clayton
46:41 The last time Whitney did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. David Ogilvie - CEO The Resilience Development Company
00:53:01
David Ogilvie is a NED, Executive Coach and Resilience Coach. He is also Chief Executive Officer at The Resilience Development Company with a mission to help people, work better, feel better, live better. We create resilience training programmes for teams that deliver performance, growth and wellbeing in one solution.
People are amazing and Resilience Development Co. is on a mission to unlock potential, performance, growth and wellbeing. As the creator and leader of a skills-based approach to building resilience, Resilience Development Co has delivered coaching and training programmes across big and small organisations, resulting in improved performance and transformation at all levels.
People, teams and companies are more resilient, more productive, and less stressed with Resilience Development Co. (even in times like these). And we're just getting started.
Ross and David talk about homelessness, life experience, change, transition, leadership, moving, journeys, life chapters, people, curiosity, managing stress, skills, consequences, catastrophic thinking and managing emotions. The pair also discuss teaching schools, stress, good coaching, mental strength, growth, environment, interventions, exploring, clarity, Future Shock by Alvin Toffler, decline, measuring stress, wealth, upgrading our brains, podcasting and financial crisis.
Timecodes :
01:14 David's background
07:26 Being thankful
11:20 The Resilience Development Co.'s message to the world
16:06 Managing transitions in life
17:21 Three types of resilience
24:30 Challenges and concerns in organisations
32:16 Netflix series - How to change your mind
34:25 Mindset and setting
39:32 The opposite of resilience
41:08 The Resilience Development Co.'s website
45:15 The last time David did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Claudia Noriega-Bernstein - Abundance Coach, Published Author, Creative and Art Director
00:50:44
Claudia (Claudia Noriega) has dedicated the last twelve years of her life to empower people, especially children, and women.
Her book - Brighter Days has the 88 Most Important Lessons Learned in Life for Women that Want to Increase their Confidence, Resilience and Courage:
She started her career on television at 17 years old as a actor, appearing in one the most popular Telenovela series airing in over 37 counties but soon after she moved to behind the camera at 21 becoming one of the youngest producers in her country where she wrote a manual that was later used to train other young producers.
"Born in Peru; I come from a culture of taboos and beliefs that had not always empowered me to become what I believed was my calling. In the process of self-discovery, I fell in love with myself again and found my passion for helping others."
Ross and Claudia talk about having a good day, NLP, gratitude, limiting beliefs, helping others, being happy, mindfulness, perceptions, prompts, self-confidence, loving yourself, validation, fame, goals, growing and being vulnerable. The pair also discuss emotional intelligence, coaching, discovery, telling the truth, limiting beliefs, breakthroughs, difficult times, writing a journal, and saying no to gifts.
Timecodes:
02:06 Waking up and beginning the day
05:00 Helping with negativity in the morning
09:52 Abundance and enjoying it
17:43 Being a producer and how it shaped Claudia
29:37 Key insights around confidence and resilience
35:23 Claudia's' book and affirmations
39:47 Transitioning to the true person Claudia is today
46:17 The last time Claudia did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Anuj Kathuria - Chief People and Strategy Officer at Waaree Group
00:56:52
Anuj Kathuria is a Certified Coach, well known speaker at various global forums and a true consultant at heart. He is currently the Chief People and Strategy Officer at Waaree Group, India's Largest Solar Module Manufacturer & fastest growing EPC company with Presence across 68 countries and over 2500 employees globally.
He possesses a wide range of skills and talents that have enabled him to successfully implement Talent, Learning, OD, Digitalization, and Transformation initiatives with focus on business value.
As an accomplished Business Operator, Value Creator and a People Developer with 20+ years of global and diverse experience across IT, FMCD, BFSI, Telecom, Consulting, Oil and Gas and Energy, I possess a wide range of skills and talents that have enabled me to successfully implement Talent, Learning, OD, Digitalization, and Transformation initiatives with focus on business value. A techno-functional leader and affianced to my passion, I have donned various hats of being a Consultant, Talent Strategist, Culture Catalyst, Learning Architect, Employee Experience Lead, OD Lead, HR Digitization Lead, etc.
Ross and Anuj talk about learning, education, curveballs in life, making the most of things, trying new things, life experiences, battling, preparation, hyper-personalization, breaking paradigms and defining work. The pair also discuss relevant skills, AI, disruptions, being innovative, unlearning, redesigning, personalized learning, human-centric work, evaluating success, assessing skills, safer environments, competition, curiosity, tenacity, and rewards.
Timecodes:
01:15 Things that have shaped Anuj's career
11:48 Falling down
15:49 Key skills dealing with organisations
31:54 People losing passion for organisations
40:03 Re-defining work and learning
43:12 Tips on practical implementations
51:21 The last time Anuj did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Todd Cherches - CEO and cofounder of Big Blue Gumball
00:50:09
Todd Cherches is the CEO and cofounder of Big Blue Gumball, a NYC-based management consulting firm specializing in leadership development and executive coaching.
A member of Marshall Goldsmith’s “MG 100 Coaches,” a three-time award-winning adjunct professor of leadership at NYU, a lecturer on leadership at Columbia University, a TEDx speaker, and the author of the groundbreaking book, "VisuaLeadership: Leveraging the Power of Visual Thinking in Leadership and in Life"
Todd was nominated as one of eight global finalists for the 2021 Thinkers50 "Distinguished Achievement Award" in Leadership, and is currently ranked #35 on the Thinkers360 list of the Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers in the field of Management, and #17 in "Design Thinking."
Ross and Todd talk about Visual thinking, visual leadership, Hollywood, TV studios, toxic cultures, horrible bosses, innovation, Heraclitus, sketching, communication, teaching and VUCHA - (Volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity). The pair also discuss structure to see clearly, clarification, organisations meeting needs, Socrates, doing anything from anywhere, seeing things differently, visual clues of connection, experiential learning, passion in teaching, creating, playfulness, team building and finally interacting with people.
Timecodes:
01:26 From Todd working in TV to thought leadership
05:07 Working in a theme park and it impacting Visual Leadership
08:15 Todd's passion for Coaching and Leadership
11:13 Care during inconvenient times
15:24 Old playbooks and organisations shifting
19:04 Leaders expressing doubt
25:09 Unlocking creativity
30:05 Universities preparing for the next wave in shift
34:15 Moments of play in the worst situation
38:35 Practical things leaders and organisations could do
42:28 The last time Todd did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Alicia Hullinger - Executive Director/VP of ICF Thought Leadership Institute
00:52:13
Alicia brings a unique perspective as a Cultural Sociologist and Executive Director/VP of ICF Thought Leadership Institute. She is passionate about making the world a better place. So we have that in common already - Her purpose is to live 'compassionately bold' by partnering with individuals and organizations to be the change they want to see in the world.
With a holistic, integrated approach to the problem-solving process, her work is grounded in the ethical principles for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. And I serve with a smile 🙂
She collaborates with change agents who are committed to human development and want to enhance overall well-being for people and planet.
Ross and Alicia talk about mantras, purpose, living life, compassion, making things happen, risk taking, what's important to you, passion, discovery, learning, sociology, interactivity, pursuit and creativity. The pair also discuss unchartered territory, enlightenment, coaching accessibility, purpose, development, the planet, Ben & Jerry’s, change, reflecting, holistic views, knowledge, critical thinking, diverse perspectives, problem solving, meaning and curiosity.
Timecodes:
01:36 Living compassionately bold
04:49 Looking back on pivotal moments
11:57 What's currently most exciting in the ICF - Thought Leadership Institute
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Olga Spivak - Vice President of People at YCharts
00:48:35
Olga is currently the Vice President of People at YCharts. A series C funding company with an investment research platform that enables smarter investments and better client communications, for more than 5,000 clients
With over a decade and a half in all areas of HR, working in insurance, technology and investment sectors, she loves to create and implement strategy at the intersection of business and people. Developing a values-led culture, and leading high performing teams.
Alongside this, she is currently studying for her doctorate degree in Psychology. Olga also has over 5 years experience as a certified ICF's Coach and Founding Board Member of BuildingUp.Club.
Ross and Olga talk about bringing people together, safe spaces, supporting each other, workforce challenges, co-elevation, momentum, making a difference, adapting, development, structure with flexibility, togetherness, connections, work culture, comfort and removing uncertainty. The pair also discuss clarity, communication, career paths, being ourselves, fulfilling potential, caring for people, mentoring, smart goals, balance, fulfilment, empowerment, community, diversity, inclusion, empowering people, addressing views, success, CHIEF (woman leaders) and vulnerability.
Timecodes:
01:44 BuildingUp.Club and how it started
03:14 The best and toughest parts of BuildingUp.Club
06:28 Clean slates in HR
10:33 Dealing with challenges
17:46 Helping people develop when changing circumstances
23:47 Special types of training
27:26 Future plans and focus
32:21 Adapting systems
37:11 Diverse views
41:09 Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) councils
43:28 The last time Olga did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Chris Deaver - Co-Founder of BraveCore, Coach, Speaker, Cultural Supercharger
01:00:47
Chris Deaver is Co-Founder of BraveCore - A consultancy that partners with leaders and teams on culture transformation. BraveCore helps traditional leaders be more co-creative and creative people lean into leadership of the future.
Over 15 years in Sr HR roles in some of the biggest brands on the planet, inc Apple, Disney, Dell and VMWare.
Chris builds the best leaders and cultures. Collaborative. Co-Creative. Inspiring. Future-leading. Influencing through: Coaching. Speaking. Supercharging Culture.
At Apple, he amplified collaboration on iPhone, AirPods Pro, coaching leaders and building a next-level culture of "Different Together"—influencing Billions in growth. At Disney, I advised new leadership of Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar.
An Agenda Contributor to the World Economic Forum, I’ve consulted CEOs and NBA players, had work featured in the Wall Street Journal and Fast Company, and co-founded a mentoring network with Stephen R. Covey.
Ross and Chris talk about Mentoring, development, Book - The 7 habits of highly effective people, life experiences, fundamental principles, Sean Covey, changing paths, misfits, learning business cultures, launching networks, innovation, empowerment, living principles, company future, taking opportunities and change management. The pair also discuss Disney, Pixar, transparency, building ideas, creating, surprises, direction, leading with questions, imagination, Einstein, Steve Jobs, co-creating, serve don't sell, obsession with time, rafting and it's metaphors and shared flow.
Timecodes:
01:22 Being mentored by Ghost Writer Ken Shelton and Stephen Covey
04:45 Operating as a Cultural Supervisor and it's role
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Phil Johnson - Master of Business Leadership Program
00:56:36
Phil is an executive coach who has been assisting executives and organizations to bet on themselves by developing their emotional intelligence.
Helping Executives Achieve Career, Personal & Corporate Success, Master of Business Leadership Program and Emotional Intelligence Pattern "Spotter" with a Career Revenue of $1.5 Billion.
MBL program alumni are in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, Japan, Germany, Bosnia, Africa, Australia, the Middle East and Saudi Arabia.
Ross and Phil talk about meaningful life, change, coaching, passion, disconnecting, starting from zero, working with purpose, providing value, emotional intelligence, fight or flight, anxiety, old battling new habits, emotional labour, conflict, energy, IQ, emotional connections and adaptability. The pair also discuss primal resistance, Martin Goldsmith, leavening comfort zones, fear, motivation, the Stanford marshmallow experiment, resistance to change, unconscious energy, social media, giving away energy, breathing, the present moment, ego and wisdom.
Timecodes:
01:29 Phil's promise to himself back in 1968
03:55 Getting into coaching
06:12 Phil's first client
07:52 Changing trajectories
11:36 Timeless elements to deal with future problems
17:12 Apple Inc
21:45 Insuring longevity
28:21 Connecting on an emotional level
30:43 Identifying what we want
32:46 Getting what we want and refining it
37:44 The challenges of short and long termism
44:42 Emotional physics
49:58 Practical elements we can do
53:51 The last time Phil did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Tomeka Hill-Thomas - PhD - Senior Principal at Mercer
00:45:54
Tomeka - is a Senior Principal, of Workforce Strategy and Analytics at Mercer - A People Analytics Expert | Data Scientist Lead | PhD Economist | Speaker | and Author.
Mercer is a firm with over 25,000 employees in over 130 counties who are helping redefine the future of work, reshape retirement and investment outcomes, and unlock real health and well-being.
I am a Senior Principal at Mercer who works directly with client stakeholders in identifying and understanding what drives employee outcomes such as those related to pay equity, strategic workforce planning, turnover, performance reviews and promotions.
I am passionate about data! I love to explore the use of new scientific and evidence-based practices and data visualization tools to provide insights on employees and how they drive success in a company. I talk to stakeholders about research in a way that demystifies the numbers and provides actionable solutions. I am a distinguished speaker and author with an extensive list of publications and presentations that address current issues in people analytics and labor economics. I have also been interviewed for several podcasts and HR publications.
Ross and Tomeka talk about predictions, data science, passion, making an impact, savings, the culture of work, technology, skills focus, workforce transformation, hiring, training, aligning people, mapping skills, shifting teams, improving soft skills and unlearning. The pair also discuss data management, analytics, innovation, succession plans, breakdowns, holistic views, work relationships, champions support, dips, resilience, the Chicago Marathon, new experiences, incremental steps, accomplishing goals, purpose and reaching out.
Timecodes:
00:32 Introduction to Tomeka
01:39 Galaxies in the universe
02:41 Balancing data and human behaviour
05:51 Retirement
09:20 Forming different ways of thinking and a new age of workers
12:38 Scaling up and reskilling
16:23 Predicting the future and environment
20:16 Key skills for future leadership
26:20 Imagination playing it part
30:50 Challenges with data and overcoming them
37:07 The last time Tomeka did something for the first time
39:17 Tips to help people through initial uncertainty
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Richard Hinton - Director of People Strategies at Shawmut Design and Construction
00:47:38
Richard started as in intern in Gillette, followed by a couple of years in HR at a media and marketing company, before joining Shawmut almost 16 years ago, Shawmut is a $1.3B Design and Construction firm, which is 100% employee owned - by over 1000 employees.
Richard has a unique ability to streamline training strategies and enhancing work performance, employee morale, and HR best practices. "I pride myself in my expertise developing innovative HR initiatives to restructure processes/programs and capitalize on organization growth opportunities."
He sees investment in talent enablement and growth as critical to the companies market advantage and overall company growth.
Ross and Richard talk about being ready for the unexpected, uncertainty, growth, experiences, travel, failure, culture, new roles, hiring, HR, developing, hybrid workspaces, managing people, supporting people, re-evaluating, burnout, quick fixes and thriving. The pair also discuss connections, understanding, Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI), families, carer development, choosing a direction, trusting technology, adapting, innovation, virtual reality, investment, work life balance, empathy, compassion, hope, care and saying no.
Timecodes:
00:28 Introduction to Richard
02:34 Richard's move from Boston to New York
03:55 Change and challenging himself
05:31 Challenges setting up a new office
07:56 Transitioning roles at work
10:22 Navigating change in a large company
16:37 Dealing with exhaustion
20:06 Developing teams and thriving
23:06 Personalised development plans
26:18 Dealing with resistance to technology
31:29 The dangers of not overcoming change
35:16 Leadership predictions for the next 3-5 years
38:38 Intent rings
42:19 The last time Richard did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Navid Nazemian, PCC - Founder & CEO Navid Nazemian Executive Coaching FZCO
00:55:30
Navid helps executives de-risk & accelerate their career transition. Author of the international bestseller Mastering Executive Transitions, a global keynote speaker, and HR‘s Most Influential Practitioner in 2022.
He has spent time as a University Lecturer, and has held multiple senior HR roles in FTSE 500 companies like adidas, GE, BAT and most recently as Group Head of HR at vodafone - London
So, having spent 26 years in blue chip multi national companies, Navid considers himself to be incredibly lucky.
He has now embarked on perhaps one of the biggest executive transitions in his life - as he begins a new journey to dedicate himself full time to #Coaching and the body of work that is in #MasteringExecutiveTransitions
Ross and Navid talk about HR, multinational companies, change, the global economy, coaching, working with leaders, seeing projects through, major transformation, book - The best 90 days, plans, different phases, discovery, flexibility, human nature, transition of employee life cycle and shifting employees. The pair also discuss new environments, augmented reality, goals, leadership, objectives, high value activities ,aligning expectations, meaningful meetings, culture of familiarisation, development, coaching, discovery, human nature, success and new things.
Timecodes:
00:37 Navid's bio intro
01:45 Transitioning to Mastering Executive Transitions
04:43 Navid's books and their journeys
09:41 Executive transitions and the challenges they are facing
13:50 Double diamond framework and unboarding
20:08 Dealing with Hybrid transitions and companies onboarding with VR
30:12 Ways executive transitions can apply across the business
37:02 Diversity bias at leadership level
43:34 Dealing with crisis early in a new role
50:48 The last time Navid did something for the first time
Michael Easley is an Author, Executive Coach, former CEO and soon to be Therapist
He spent almost 22 years as CEO at Powder River Energy Corporation. Prior to joining PRECorp, Mike had worked for various other electric cooperatives in the USA.
Mike’s most recent book is The No-Øs of Leadership. The No-Øs introduces a new model of leadership built around empathy and self-awareness and inspires the reader to begin a journey towards being a Leader Worth Following.
Ross and Michael talk about his book, leadership, safety of people, advising, letting things subside, innovation, building power lines, wildlife, co-ops, anticipating directions, preparation, improving, thinking decades ahead, creating incentives, finding solutions, solving big problems and the energy crisis. The pair also discuss knock on effects, friction, transformation over time, self awareness, empathy, leadership failures, Ken Blanchard, developing leaders, motivation, mindset, trust, letting go, helping people do their jobs, harmony, balance, the flow of leadership and positivity in darkness.
Timecodes:
00:35 Mike's intro and bio
02:19 Life past being CEO at PRECorp
06:31 Highlights of shifting innovation the industry
14:20 XPRIZE explained
19:36 Michael's motivations with transition, shifting to coaching and what he anticiptes
23:55 Successes becoming friction over time
31:57 Impacts when coaching people
38:42 Where leadership is going next and organisations being ready
45:35 The last time Michael did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Alan Susi - S&P Global
00:51:20
Alan is Global Head of Organizational Effectiveness at S&P Global, a public company employing over 35,000 people - Who Accelerate Progress in the world by delivering Essential Intelligence that's critical for decision-making.
Alan is an experienced talent and organization strategist who is focused on building collaborative #peoplefirst strategies
Prior to S&P Alan built his career in various HR leadership roles, inc almost 10 years at Fannie Mae.
With a degree in communications and sociology, and a masters in strategic management, he is truly passionate about innovative business model design and the optimization of an organization and its talent, for sustained high performance and growth.
Ross and Alan talk about the largest merger in history, people first strategies, HR leadership, innovation, optimisation, height performance, workplace change, collaboration, culture, autonomy, learning, flexibility, trust, evolution, organisational design, learning and critical decision making. The pair also discuss guidance, insights, shifting frameworks, adaption, sales, continuous engagement, purpose, employee engagement, skills based workforce, value to business, global employees, moving roles, listening, practice what you preach, Jeff Bezos letters, success, general preparedness, handling weaknesses, learning, pushing through, understanding cultures, using data to make decisions and ice baths.
Timecodes:
00:25 Alan's intro
02:06 The most unexpected aspect of the merger
05:02 Things that could have been done differently with the merger
08:07 Humancentric manifestations
10:35 Balancing data and not knowing the information
12:58 Systems that help with decisions that don't have the correct outcome
16:07 Driving value
18:23 Thriving in the S&P world
21:27 Mass hysteria in a positive way
24:30 Mapping the benefits of employee mobility
27:43 The benefits of open sourcing
30:29 Alan's people first programme
33:04 Adapting things no longer fit for purpose
36:19 Sustainable skills for organisations
41:23 Supporting roles
43:34 The last time Alan did something for the first time
46:00 Alan's final thoughts
48:44 The last time Alan did something for the first time version two
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Anita Lettink - HR & Payroll Tech Advisor
00:54:09
As keynote speaker, Anita shares insights and perspectives about the future of work and pay, including the changes that web3 and the metaverse will bring.
"I am the founder of HRTechRadar, where I support HR Leaders and investors in evaluating the latest solutions. And I help emerging HR Tech companies reach their full potential".
Ross and Anita talk about innovation, influencing, HR, leadership, insights, emerging trends, publishing a book, payrolls, asking the right questions, advice, bridging information gaps, managing incomes, financial problems. consequences, engagement, crypto, future learning, the metaverse, understanding how things work and forming opinions. The pair also discuss blockchain in HR, experimenting, immersive experiences, applying technology appropriate technology, understanding your audience, mitigating risks, digital simulations, peaking interest, experimenting, different experiences, driving change and writing a book.
Timecodes:
00:28 Intro to Anita
01:52 What has Anita been grateful for over the last 30 days
03:15 Creating Anita's book
06:40 New ways people are getting value for their contributions
08:43 Focusing on payroll
11:42 Value exchange between employers and employees
16:54 Anita's vision for working in future environments
21:16 Choices effecting organisations and how to behave
25:14 Leadership teams embracing new things positively
31:56 Experimenting with VR and AR
39:30 Further preparation for HR leadership
42:52 The power of asking
45:54 Development and good will
50:42 The last time Anita did something for the first time
Stacey Richey - Vice President, People at Corvus Insurance
00:50:03
Stacey is a highly experienced leader who has helped build high-growth tech companies by converging a data-driven and heart-led approach to people operations.
Working in talent for some of the biggest and fastest growing tech companies on the planet, like google, logicmonitor and Toast.
At Toast - Stacey Led the Go-to-Market hiring function for this global software company in hyper-growth; responsible for hiring over 3,000 people per year. Built out several new people analytics dashboards in order to measure progress against the annual operating plan.
Stacey is now the VP of People at Corvus, an insurance company who leverage the power of AI and collaboration to not only make the world a safe place, but amassing multiple 'best places to work awards along the way.
Ross and Stacey talk about finding talent, hiring, business outcomes, strategic questions, developing talent, company growth, success, psychological safety, comfort, belonging, willingness to adapt, connections, hardship, humanity, communication channels, improv, workcations, mistakes, learning, sharing with others and different cultures. The pair also discuss development, hyper-personalised experiences, sharing experiences, learning from others, reaching out, translations, flexibility, thinking globally, PTO, hybrid organisations, clear intentions, empowerment, managing to results and threats versus social rewards.
Timecodes:
00:25 Stacey's background
01:42 Choosing to work with people
03:10 Biggest shifts when changing roles
06:00 Broader skill sets over focusing on one area
09:33 Secrets for going through change successfully
11:59 Fostering Connections
18:07 Peoples disconnections and shifting
23:28 Activities to prepare for new thigs
27:32 Surprises from opening up new geographical regions
31:17 Occasions and challenges with too much flexibility
33:34 Duvet days
36:49 Balancing coming into the office with remote working
42:47 Dealing with shifts
45:02 The last time Stacey did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Suzie Lewis - Managing Director at Transform for Value
00:53:21
Suzie is Managing Director at Transform for Value, Podcast host of "Let's talk Transformation" podcasts and an Executive coach.
Susie spent almost two decades at Airbus - holding various senior roles, from digital transformation, Head of leadership learning, and head of diversity & inclusion.
Suzie describes her quest is to constantly bridge the gap between digital and human and create more inclusive and collaborative cultures in organisations.
Suzie and Ross talk about coaching, transformation, bridging gaps, imbedding inclusion, inclusivity, impact, people, perfect imperfections, reacting to change, curiosity, perfectionism, letting go of control, strong leaders, nothings impossible, empathy, human reactions, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, compromising, decision making, stress, fear and shame. The pair also discuss controlling reactions, observations, relationships, practice, listening, struggles, lived experience, creativity, culture, friction, Marshall Goldsmith, fitting in, communities, access to skills, mantras, reaching out for help, building for the future, empowerment and setting up a new business.
Timecodes:
00:25 Suzie's intro and what she's grateful for
03:33 Transformation' and how it started
05:41 Dealing with challenges
10:06 Helping facilitate Transitions
15:41 Dealing with aversions to experiments
20:08 Insights from - Dare to lead
24:42 Emotional Literacy and book 'your body is your brain'
28:37 Recrafting systems
35:58 Behind the scenes of being more inclusive
43:58 Practical ways to helping with discomfort
49:56 The last time Suzie did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Vaclav Koranda - Vice President Human Resources at T-Systems Malaysia
00:44:23
Vaclav has been with T-Systems for over 8 years. T-Systems has around 28,000 employees worldwide and is one of the leading providers of digital services. It is a Deutsche Telekom subsidiary is headquartered in Germany.
Vaclav holds a Masters in Psychology, is HR Enthusiast and Innovator; a Keynote Speaker; Author, and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional
Over the last 2 decades Vaclav has held positions at Skoda, Interoute, and served as a university lecturer Teaching "Personnel Management" and "Creativity & Teamwork" and weeks away from being appointed as an adjunct professor at a university in Malaysia.
In 2019, he was named included on the "101 Global HR Heroes" and received the HR Leader award from Malaysian Institute of Human Resource Management. In 2020, he was named one of the most influential HR leaders in Malaysia.
Ross and Vaclav talk about publishing his book, digital transformation, HR, big transformations, working with start-ups, research, self control, road blocks, development, fast moving technology, roadmaps, flexibility, learning out loud. The pair also discuss traditional thinking, environments changing, pioneering, decline, Kodak, inability to change, life cycles, reskilling, rewarding careers, profound changes, adaptability, contributing, trying new things, emotional intelligence, grit, Jeff Bezos - It's always day 1 and seeing people as people.
Timecodes:
00:22 Intro to Vaclav
02:06 Recent winning achievements and gratitude
05:01 Curating Vaclav's books content
12:10 The eco system of digital transformation
14:17 Innovation at speed
15:30 Challenges operating fast and agile
19:27 Innovation thriving and not being killed in HR transformation
25:13 Navigating disruptions impact on humans
34:14 The ability to let go
37:06 The last time Vaclav did something for the first time
39:16 Tips other HR leaders can be thinking about to help them
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Catherine Ward - Blending Non Executive Director roles, consultancy and coaching
00:47:05
Catherine is a Non Executive Director (NED), Board Advisor, Executive Coach, Global CHRO and currently the MD People Perception Ltd (for the last 5 years)
Catherine describes herself as in the portfolio stage of her career blending Non Executive Director roles, consultancy and coaching. As a Chief People Officer worked at board level on organisation transformation and people strategy. With board level experience within Plc, Private Equity, Public Sector and Charity sectors. Catherine also has a wide International experience including Far East, Middle East, India, Africa, South America and Europe.
Ross and Catherine talk about studying, science, HR, people, consultancy, careers, disentangling chaos, helping organisations, strategy, hyper personalisation, engaging people, leadership, mindset, work flexibility and the future of work. The pair also discuss managing change, support, hybrid working, sparking creativity, dialogue, reimagining, experimenting, technology, imagination, capabilities, biases and perceptions. With their final thoughts on retirement, getting old, job roles, awareness, parallax, prioritising, looking after yourself, dancing and breakthroughs.
Timecodes:
00:43 Catherine's background
01:31 Choosing a masters in psychology
04:39 Things that have impacted Catherine's choices
06:27 Catherine's methodology in transformation and change
08:07 Challenges of leaving people behind with big change
11:07 Possibilities and risks when redefining work
14:49 Coaching through levels of uncertainty
18:27 Advice on flexibility
23:25 Organisations becoming porous and their future
28:39 Opportunities for societal shifts
36:07 Essential skills for the future
39:59 Practical tips to deal with the current world.
43:34 The last time Catherine did something for the first time
Connect with Catherine: LinkedIn Emil: Catherine.ward.ppl@gamil.com
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Chris Croft - Management and Happiness
01:01:24
Chris is a Writer and Keynote Speaker, in Project Management, Time Management, and Negotiation Skills
Chris thinks and writes about management - he makes on-line videos, speaks at conferences, and runs management training courses in Project Management, Time Management, sorting out problem teams, being a good boss, Negotiating, Happiness, and Presentation skills
He has over thirty-five courses on LinkedIn Learning (his Negotiating course has had over half a million learners)
Ross and Chris talk about survival, balance, focus, managing time, fun management, humour, acronyms, levels of seriousness, smiling, earning, The big book of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky, working for something, neglecting happiness, dabbling when learning, excuses, gratitude, the hedonic treadmill and chasing happiness. The pair also discuss Ikigai, engineering, making a difference, redundancy, video courses, trying different things, optimists, pessimists, welcoming new ideas, creativity, experimenting, sales, working from home, interruptions, teamwork, blending learning, playing, sleep, goals, travel, marginal gains and new eyes.
Timecodes:
00:17 Chris' bio
02:44 Project management
04:08 Chris's book - 'Management Vegetables'
09:07 Happiness
15:46 Helping other people
16:43 Laziness
20:11 The pursuit of hippieness
23:43 Chris' decision making
34:57 Coping with the rate of change
38:03 What organisations are doing well
43:34 Employee mobility
48:33 Other important skills
53:45 The last time Chris did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Pratik Thakker - Founder & CEO at INSIDEA - Testlify
00:55:14
Pratik is founder of several tech companies inc Webzoly a customer support, sales and marketing agency, & Testlify, a talent assessment platform.
Pratik received the Indian Achievers' Award in 2021, now living in Israel, he is Israel’s #1 LinkedIn Influencer, a TEDx Speaker, and was featured in the Times 40 Under 40 and has 193,725+ Followers on LinkedIn.
"Now I help Israeli tech companies grow in India and Asia-Pacific (APAC) by providing the local team, capital and drive the marketing, sales and growth."
Ross and Pratik talk about success, failure, family business, entrepreneurship, life lessons, Bill Gates, selling yourself, sales, speaking, being successful ,relationships, support, depression, anxiety, fighting, outsourcing, the metaverse, the future of work, working anywhere, adaption, balance, sleep. The pair also discuss interviewing people, expectations, cost of living, Ikigai, people skills, connections, being consistent, 1000 days on something, optimising, learning from mistakes, trust, going viral, LinkedIn, rewards, commitments, taking action, accountability, App - Timehop, reflecting, progress, gratitude and getting over phobias.
Timecodes:
00:32 Pratik's bio
01:21 Business journeys
02:45 Pratik's background up and downs
10:06 Role models
13:13 Career decisions - Personal life with business life
18:57 Remote working
29:00 Core skills for the next 3-5 years
36:17 Networking
33:02 Improving connections
42:48 Discipline
49:06 The last time Pratik did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Professor M.S. Rao - Leadership and Entrepreneurship
00:39:40
Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D. is ranked the #1 Top Global Thought Leader and Influencer on Entrepreneurship.
He is the Father of “Soft Leadership” and the Founder of MSR Leadership Consultants, in India
He is an International Leadership Guru with forty years experience as an exec coach. A prolific author, amassing fifty books including the award-winning ‘See the Light in You’ An inspiring book in which the Holiness Dalai Lama wrote the foreword
This book, Enlightens readers to lead every moment of their lives with purpose and meaning, and implores you to follow the philosophy of ‘health first, education second, and wealth third’ to lead a happy and meaningful life.
A true inspiration of resilience, determination and grit, he is recovering after having caught COVID, and suffered a brain haemorrhage. Where he was in bed for five months and his right hand was paralysed.
Professor Rao has a lifetime goal to build one million students as global leaders by 2030. To bag a Nobel Prize, and to become the President of India.
Ross and Professor Rao talk about leadership, coaching, his books, resilience, creating global leaders, recovery, sharing knowledge, the air force, getting over health issues, toxic families, entrepreneurship, acquiring knowledge, health, education and wealth. The pair also discuss philosophy, gender equality, holistic approaches, the Dalai Lama, student suicide, mental health, writing, adding value, AI, technology, being passionate, patience, persistence, unlearning, relearning and interactions.
Timecodes:
00:37 Professor M.S. Rao's background
02:24 Goals
04:14 Overcoming challenges
05:52 Being disciplined
10:50 Soft leadership
15:31 The inspiration behind the book 'Soft Leadership'
20:59 Sharing a message through books
23:27 Adapting after having a stroke
27:58 Essential skills to focus on for future success
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Joel Monk - Leadership Coach, Entrepreneur
00:51:38
Joel Monk is a leadership coach, educator, facilitator and entrepreneur.
Back in 2009, He co-founded Coaches Rising, a company on the cutting edge of online coach training with a community of nearly 50,000 coaches. Coaches Rising programs regularly include participants from every continent on the planet and they have collaborated with some of the leading minds in the field of human development and coaching.
I personally loved the 'Neuro Science of Change' a 14 week program I took part in, alongside over 500 other coaches last year - and it truly was excellent.
Joel is dedicated to the development of conscious, creative, entrepreneurial leaders.
Ross and Joel talk about breakdowns, change, quests, pilgrimages, the meaning of life, powerful experiences, deconstruction, Buddhism, coaching, art, guidance, transformations, connecting with people, DJing, creating spaces, treating trauma, starting a business, passion, sense of meaning, deepening intelligence and being mistuned. The pair also discuss impact by society, including the body, awareness, emotions, adapting, psychedelic experiences, situational awareness, developing competency, transformation, curiosity, ego, leadership, measuring performance, philosophy, bridging gaps, modernity and Shaktipa.
Timecodes:
00:32 Joel's background
01:40 Joel's journey into coaching
07:40 Building a community in coaches rising
11:53 Full embodiment coaching
19:55 Psychedelics
26:18 Competency and polarity
29:22 Expanding our bandwidth
32:01 Shifting from individuals to systems when coaching
38:00 Coaches Rising's focuses on influencing & evolving coaching
45:17 The last time Joel did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Zachary Ames - Founder of XYZ Leadership
00:54:00
Zach is a coach, facilitator, and a sort after Keynote Speaker.
He is an award-winning leadership and talent development expert. With 15 years of experience in start-ups, Fortune 500, and global private companies there are few leadership challenges he hasn’t faced.
Holding senior roles across well known brands like; Bloomberg, and Bloomingdales.
Having lived in Singapore, spent a decade in New York, and from his humble roots of Salt Lake City, Zach brings a global approach with a localized sensibility. He’s helped re-org entire business units, developed enterprise-wide leadership curriculum, rolled out global diversity initiatives, coached executives, and built multiple development programs.
Ross and Zach talk about Asia, experiences, support, diversity, biases, commonalities, relationships, facilitating conversation, communicating effectively, environments, appreciating different behaviours, society, pulling things out of people, speaking up, asking questions with confidence and curiosity. The pair also discuss figuring things out, confidence, discovery, therapy, AI, beliefs, paradox's, levelling up, results, portfolio coaches, choosing information, good news letters, innovation, reverting back, learning, comfort zones, curiosity, adaptability, mentoring, control, starting, reaching out and perseverance.
Timecodes:
00:37 Zachary's background
01:42 Moving to Singapore
03:57 Surprises from a new post in a new environment
07:20 Balancing sensibilities
09:54 Adapting viewpoints
14:19 Being outspoken shaping Zach's career
17:46 Helping leaders
21:34 A future where everyone has a coach
27:23 Blended learning
31:50 Things we can do today
42:18 Shifting roles
48:59 The last time Zach did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Donna Karlin - Shadow Coaching methodology
00:53:56
Donna is CEO, Founder at "No Ceiling, Just Sky™ Institute. She is a Global Speaker, TED Fellows Coach, Author & Organizational Accelerator.
Starting her career as a Coach to Long Term Care Patients & Families of Terminally Ill Cancer Kids in the 80's and 90's.
Donna is the creator of the Shadow Coaching methodology and has taught it around the world.
Ross and Donna talk about rare conditions, experimental surgery, dealing with patients, paralysis, coaching, studying, fear, hidden potential, what is possible - not impossible, sacrifice, medical science, adaptability, tough moments, hidden potential, hidden talents, emotions, games, support, imagination, reframing and improv. The pair also discuss psychology, reflection, different perspectives, future selves, reacting to responding, the exchange, society, change, profound ideas, changing the world, how people think, helping people shine, connecting with audiences, laughter, visualising, be yourself, unique contributions and AI.
Timecodes:
00:31 Donna's introduction
01:09 Donna's son's surgeon impacting her career
07:11 Donna's early mindset towards experimental surgery
11:41 The timescale of the surgery
16:16 Shadow Coaching methodology
27:28 Self observation
34:20 How the TED environment shaped Donna
39:14 How Donna has evolved
46:11 Advice for approaching things that haven't worked and preparation
50:18 The last time Donna did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Emily Harman - Positive Intelligence
00:52:25
Emily is the Founder & CEO of Emily Harman Coaching and Consulting. Podcast host, and the U.S. Government Account Director for Positive Intelligence.
Her career started with 34 years in the Navy, including 10 years in Naval Air Systems command, as Director at the office of small business programs.
She helps employees build mental fitness so they can fulfil their true potential for happiness and contribution to mission success.
Ross and Emily talk about The Navy, service, putting yourself first, responsibility, coaching, saboteurs, living life, regrets, reflection, mentoring, positive intelligence, podcasting, helping people, mental health, sales, influencing, self confidence, money, feelings, energy flow, playing to strengths and stress. The pair also discuss survival, peak performance, wellbeing, thriving, creativity, loving life, feeling heavy, quitting, imagination, having fun, hyper achievement, perfectionism, connections, energy leadership, energy levels, human nature, motivation, self love and compassion for yourself.
Timecodes:
00:31 Emily's background
01:28 Emily's transformation from the Navy to what she wanted to do
08:38 Becoming a coach and mentor
15:26 Changing perspective and enjoying things
24:13 Dealing with change and self awareness
30:26 Emily's future self
39:30 Thoughts on negativity
43:50 Organisations facing realities and looking at feelings
49:02 The last time Emily did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Tugba Yanaz - Leadership Coach
00:55:27
Tugba Yanaz is the founder of LEAD + VISION, a vision-based Leadership Coaching and Consulting firm. Tugba is a PCC-certified Leadership Development Coach by the International Coaching Federation and a former Fortune500-Executive.
Her vision-based coaching approach helps executives and emerging leaders overcome limiting beliefs and build inner confidence and a future vision that fuels leaders every day with passion and purpose.
Building from almost 2 decades at Flex, a manufacturing and supply chain business, where she was a VP, responsible for building two business units, one in the automotive and consumer electronics industries with over a $1B rev each (40K employees)
Detox your Calendar, Regain your Energy and Transform your Life!
Ross and Tugba discuss moving, resistance, changing industry, leading strong characters, coaching, accelerating growth, limitations, transformational leadership, jobs to be done, overcoming limiting beliefs, serving, adapting, parallel communities, stability, challenges, growth, principles, curiosity, learning, vision, intentional paths, experience, leadership adaptability, obsolete playbooks being rewritten and employees being comfortable with change. The pair also discuss human potential, interaction, not being afraid of change, coaches needing coaches, being aware of blind spots, employee engagement, structure, goals, focusing attention, delivering content, development, giving yourself options, what's working, ROI, frameworks, exhaustion, healthy routines, morning routines, exercise, cleaning up calendars, optimising communication, reports replacing calls, vacations, fighting against the waves, mental shifts and loom video.
Timecodes:
00:35 Tugba's background
01:36 Shifting from account management to coaching and leadership
07:56 Steps during Tugba's executive coaching transformation
13:46 Origins and adaptions of 'Lead and vision'
23:02 Organisations dealing with unforeseen big shifts
32:35 Evolving and designing life
41:54 Dealing with point of burnout
48:21 The last time Tugba did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Steve Cadigan - The Future of Work
00:43:20
Steve is a best selling author and one of the foremost thought leaders in the world of people and talent. Retained by leaders, investors, organisations and governments around the world who seek to create a better future of work.
Steve is author of 'Workquake' - Embracing the aftershocks of covid 19 to create a better model of working.
Steve sits on the board of many fast growth HRtech and talent companies.
And back in 2009 he was Linkedin's first CHRO, where he led the company's hyper growth from 400 to 4000 employees in 3.5 years!
"My passion and expertise are in these core areas: the future of work, turning culture into a competitive advantage, attracting world-class talent, and the future of leadership."
Ross and Steve talk about doing things better together, challenges, asking questions, learning, building things, managing clashes, working from scratch, low budgets, failures, competitors, recognising new landscapes, outdated methods and expecting change. The pair also discuss fast learning, truths, big leaps, reimagination, adapting, Tesla, the future of work, innovation, problem solving, diversity, knowing your staff, optimising talent, fear of the unknown, rewards, bravery, hybrids, new experiences and seeing things with new eyes.
Timecodes:
00:48 Steve's bio
01:37 Staying motivated
04:40 Joining LinkedIn during it's infancy
09:39 Principles to help evaluate making decisions
17:13 Approaches to initial engagement
23:55 Overcoming dysfunctional pushback
30:07 New challenges with unpredictability and change
33:32 Why leaders are struggling to adapt
38:41 The last time Steve did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Patricia Bender - Overcoming obstacles
01:01:16
Patricia Bender is President of Bayley & Bender.
Starting her career in fashion and marketing, Pat then spent a decade at IBM as a high performing sales and regional manage.
In her first year with IBM, she achieved Rookie of the Year by selling 140% of quota and went on to claim top performance awards for the next ten years - a rare accomplishment.
For four consecutive years, Pat was in the top 2% in performance at IBM and was honored with four Golden Circle Awards. Her final year at IBM, Pat earned the distinguished award as the Top Sales Representative in the country.
Over the last 30 years Pat has crafted and honed her unique ability in helping organizations around the world increase their growth, profitability and productivity by helping them hire, develop and retain top performing sales and leadership talent.
Like many of us, we are shaped by our parents, and Pat is no different with the hard work ethic and some core family values instilled from an early age.
Ross and Patricia talk about IBM, parents influence, timekeeping, music, sales, packed agendas, goals, travel, being driven, becoming number 1, loving what you do, sales, re-engineering, drive, seminars, surgery, partners, support, re-developing work, priorities, sacrifice, new approaches, critical moments, new capabilities, asking for help, frustrations, awareness is power and blinds spots. The pair also discuss behavioural styles, power to win, adaptability, motivations, values, trust, change, attitude, leadership excellence, mental toughness, achieving goals, fear, adaptability, strengths, weaknesses, overcoming obstacles, continually learning, giving back and resilience. Then finish on persistence, motivations, mental toughness, resilience, Miro, new technology, reflections, grief and collaborating.
Timecodes:
00:35 Patricia's background
01:57 Typing and speed writing
02:48 Values from childhood
08:00 Patricia's Shift to running her own business
12:30 Best aspects of motivational speaking
14:15 What Patricia learnt from starting her own business
27:40 Organisations dealing with Accelerated change
30:15 Help Seeing different perspectives
39:11 Steps to training others and what they should be learning
47:32 The last time Patricia did something for the first time
51:49 Final thoughts and Patricia's late husband Bob
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Peter Sursi, MBA, SPHR - Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
00:54:21
Peter is an experienced HR executive. Defining the Future of Organizations. As a People Operations and change management Expert, Peter is a sought after international keynote speaker. He has spent 25 years at the FBI. 4 years as Head of Talent Acquisition - Managing the national recruitment and hiring strategy for the FBI's special agent, intelligence analyst and professional staff employees.
Created new comms/leadership strategies facilitating high performance and accountability in a remote and dispersed workforce.
Peter also was awarded the Human Capital Outstanding Leader of the Year 2021 Issued by Office of the Director of National Intelligence in recognition of leadership that transformed the FBI's hiring strategy, increased diversity, and brought more talented employees into the FBI.
Ross and Peter talk about FBI recruitment, challenges, diversity, driving change, linguistics, FBI vetting, transforming the Bureau, field work, HR, hiring, change, helping people, amazing work, purpose driven organisations, investing in people, adapting, evolving, structural barriers, making mistakes and improving organisations. The pair also discuss rewards, work changes, retaining employees, human interaction, emotional intelligence, experimentation, learning, growing, discomfort, expectations, imagination, help, role models, coaching, evolving, anxiety, shifting stress, no judgment, embracing learning and emotions.
Timecodes:
00:24 Peter's bio
01:51 The process behind winning the 'Outstanding Leader Award'
05:53 Peter's journey through the FBI
12:03 Diversity drivers transitioning to a national approach
19:57 Brand new hiring compared vs mobility within the organisation
25:33 Embracing learning and change during high stakes
30:17 How far can we take risks
35:21 Modernising and new AI technology merging with talent
42:25 Things people can do to find new skills inside them
47:40 Tips for leading teams through change
50:44 The last time Peter did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. John Sanei - Specialising in the intersection of Neuroscience & Futurism
00:52:25
John Sanei is not only revolutionising the way we approach the future, but he is also equipping us with the courage and determination needed to bring about lasting change.
Globally renowned keynote speaker, futures strategist, 5-time bestselling author, Singularity University and Duke CE faculty member, Associate Partner at the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies, Chief of Tomorrow Board Member, and podcaster at The Expansive –
Book - Who do we become - self evolution
With a unique blend of neuroscience, psychology, quantum science, business strategy, and futurism, John delivers talks, writes books, conducts masterclasses, and serves on boards to guide future-minded leaders who are willing to embrace uncertainty, overcome doubt, and rise to the challenge with courage, clarity, and determination.
Ross and John talk about priorities, change, seeing things differently, teaching, self reflection, meditation retreats, emotional blockages, accessing your genius, achievements, curiosity, dealing with trauma, Elizabeth Gilbert, stress, holding light inside yourself, scaring audiences, the psychology of change, evolving, following systems, uniqueness, making our brains mailable, Einstein, significant jumps in human intelligence, brain states, psychedelics, imagination, education, catastrophising, deadlines, alpha and beta brainwaves, addictions to panic, adaptability, arrogance, bad states, mindset, hyper awareness, energy, mental flexibility, mood, our bodies, deep futures, neuroscience, the future, biases, technology scams, physical 100, responsibility, curiosity, excitement, leaving nobody behind, valuing questions, imagination, slums, education and profound happiness.
Timecodes:
00:35 John's bio
02:08 John's spark from transition and mindset to making a greater impact
05:01 Practical changes during the transition
09:07 Hardware and software upgrades we need as humanity
17:04 Following systems
22:01 Embracing AI while under pressure from it
28:08 Research John is doing right now
33:53 Explosions of creativity and living books
36:52 Digital dictatorships and blockchain democracies
42:14 Hope
44:06 The last time John did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Van Ton-Quinlivan - Futuro Health CEO - Workforce Development
00:49:59
Currently, Ton-Quinlivan is the CEO of Futuro Health, whose nonprofit mission is to improve the health and wealth of communities by growing the largest network of credentialed allied healthcare workers in the nation.
In 2013, she was named a White House Champion of Change under the Obama administration in recognition of her notable career in industry, education, and service as a community leader.
Ross and Van talk about government, workforce, money challenges, data, management, creativity, strategies, leadership, dealing with criticism, communities, staying the course, intentionality, staying grounded, unlocking opportunities, unique abilities, caring, goals, perseverance, grit, diversity, pitching, community colleges. The pair also discuss thinking outside the box, flow, productivity, reimagining, adaptability, workforce development, teams, developing talent, competition, commitment, breaking cycles, growing the workforce, changing traditional pipelines, companies coming together, Start-up Health, combining music with exercise, fear of failure, commitment and expectations.
Timecodes:
00:19 Welcome and Van's background
02:15 Challenges managing money in the largest education system in the nation
05:54 Workforce development and priorities
12:01 Knowing and deciding when to stay or shift
16:28 Focusing on care and Futuro
25:56 Steps to a functioning diverse pipeline and keeping it relevant
34:24 Mind shifts and paradigm shifts with education
38:28 The team at 'Start-up Health'
42:14 Taking risks
43:16The last time Van did something for the fist time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Sarah Ratekin - Chief Happiness Officer
00:50:47
Sarah Ratekin is Business owner and Chief Happiness Officer at Happiness Is Courage Inc. An Employee Experience Champion. She is in her happy place when making the complex simple. Especially in Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity - driving Workplace Transformation and a sort after Keynote Speaker and Author.
Sarah is truly passionate about employee experience across all levels of an organization. She loves building sustainably nurturing environments where people feel valued, respected, and trusted to do and be their best.
The author of "Silver Threads: Living a Life of Gratitude" and the companion Silver Threads positivity and gratitude journal.
As a researcher, she loves data and as a realist, Sarah knows that data almost never tells the complete story - we need the fuller context to make truly good decisions.
We also cannot make our best decisions when we are steeped in stress. We owe it to our colleagues, our customers, and our communities to navigate these challenges in meaningful ways. If we start with the employee experience, we create a strong foundation for well-being and growth.
Ross and Sarah talk about functioning, the economy, common themes at work, being miserable in the workplace, stress, positive impact on organisations, mental health, exploration, the science of happiness, meaningful change, stigmas, ingrained beliefs, employee satisfaction, meaningful impact, positive relationships, emotional investment, shared misery and trauma bonding. The pair also discuss resilience, good intentions, depending on others, burnout, survival, losing clients, leading by example, buying in, wellbeing, decision making, frank conversations, intentional disruption, organisational inflammation, de-stress, short term goals, holidays, optimising without burnout, changing company culture, employee engagement, trust and curiosity.
Timecodes:
00:21 Sarah's bio
02:06 Going from the navy to helping people find organisational happiness
05:56 Having a chief happiness officer
10:12 Friction points and shifting perceptions
15:20 People getting too comfortable being unhappy
19:28 Gratitude in stressful situations
27:01 Crisis and steps to bring awareness to happiness in organisations
32:15 Approaches to re-engineering the perception of work
36:55 Moments of pause and reflection
40:10 The ideal person in an organisation to integrate a Chief Happiness Officer
48:11 The last time Sarah did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Jason Feifer - Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine
00:34:16
Jason spent 20 years as a reporter and editor, with stints at Men's health, Fast Company, Maxim and for the last 7 and a half years Jason has held the role of Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine.
Author of "Build for Tomorrow". An Action Plan for Embracing Change, Adapting Fast, and Future-Proofing Your Career. It is an action plan detailing how to navigate the four phases of change: Panic, Adaptation, New Normal, and Wouldn't Go Back
Jason wants to help us reach our "Wouldn't Go Back" moment.
I’ve seen this happen over and over again — with the small entrepreneurs I meet, and the most successful people in the world — and I’ve studied the patterns. My goal is to help you get there faster.
Here's how I'm doing it:
📖 Entrepreneur magazine, where I’m editor in chief, and share stories of adaptability
🎤 Keynote speaking, which I’d be happy to discuss for your next event
🎧 Build For Tomorrow podcast, a show that debunks the stories we tell ourselves about why change is bad
🎧 Problem Solvers podcast, a show about entrepreneurs who adapt and solve problems in their business
"People don’t need advice. They need *perspective* — and that requires a human touch. Lean into your voice and build their trust."
Ross and Jason talk about The four phases of change, being misunderstood, imposter syndrome, being helpful, new perspectives, having something to say, connecting with people, being an authority, pursuits, entrepreneurship, vulnerability, experimentation, learning out loud, being afraid, knowing what your good at, catering to people, sharing stories, memorable ways of thinking and talking to audiences. The pair also discuss walking people through experiences, resonating with people, understanding how people think, speaking, navigating moments of disruption, not overloading people with information, helping with understanding, human potential, the industrial revolution, humanness, technology, finding value, navigating change, Scary situations and getting courage.
Timecodes:
00:17 Jason's bio
00:44 Jason's book - Build for tomorrow
01:28 Wouldn't go back moments
05:23 Transforming and adapting
12:00 Shifting from journalism to putting it in a book
20:01 Jason's favourite way to express himself
25:20 AI and revolutions
29:23 The last time Jason did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Laura Lohk - Unbeatable Fast Growth Programmes For Company Leaders
00:48:06
Laura went from being a lawyer to Head of Operations and Consultancy at GS Fast Growth who provide Unbeatable Fast Growth Programmes For Company Leaders Who Mean Business📈 No BS, No Gimmicks, No False Promises, Just Great Results!
If The Business Leader Is Wonky, So Will Be Their Business!
Business leaders who successfully achieve growth in their businesses don’t just work harder – they achieve this because the way they think, act, and operate is fundamentally different from an average business.
If you are struggling to grow your business, struggling to see the wood for the trees, if you are burned out because you are still working in your business, instead of ON your business, it may be time to get some outside help.
Ross and Laura talk about ice breakers, mental illness, depression, homelessness, mind shifts, doing what it takes, self development, book - '7 Habits of Highly effective Teenagers', self development, volunteering, showing people who doubt you, studying law, working hard, realising your capabilities, courage, building confidence, wouldn't go back moments, therapy, hypnotherapy, changing careers and the documentary - Stutz. The pair also discuss evidence based strategies, growing businesses, consulting, poor company foundations, entrepreneurs, support, accountability, guidance, belief, doing what it takes, ambition, resisting change, open mindedness, human connections, socialising, the company of one, giving up, going all in, being committed, film - Air, shifts, dreaming, skydiving and finally the 'because I said I would' movement.
Timecodes:
00:29 Laura's background
00:57 Why people call Laura 'Bob'
02:06 The journey from Estonia to the UK
05:19 From struggling to a turning point
09:53 Phases after moving to the UK
16:12 Moving into coaching
21:04 What Laura is currently doing
22:57 Results that have been generated
26:36 Perfect engagements Laura could help
29:43 Evolving in these current times
35:58 Core essential skills valuable for success
41:59 The last time Laura did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Alisa Cohn - No1. Startup Coach in the World
00:50:44
Alisa Cohn is an Executive Coach; Angel investor, author and podcast host who has worked with C-suite executives at prominent startups (such as Venmo, Etsy, Draft Kings, The Wirecutter, Mack Weldon, and Tory Burch) and Fortune 500 companies (including Dell, IBM, Microsoft, Google, Pfizer, Calvin Klein and Hitachi.) She is the author of the 2022 Independent Press Award-winning book From Start-up to Grown-up and podcast host of the same name, which provides insights and tools for the journey founders (and all leaders) must go through as they scale their leadership.
She was named the Top Startup Coach in the World at the Thinkers50/Marshall Goldsmith Global Coaches Awards and the #1 Global Guru for Startups in 2021 and 2022, A sought-after speaker, Inc. named Alisa one of the top 100 leadership speakers, and she has keynoted events for IBM, PwC, Dell, and Citi. She is the executive coach for Runway, the incubator at Cornell’s New York City campus. She is a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Inc, and she's been featured as an expert on BBC World News and in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. She is an angel investor and a Broadway investor.
Ross and Alisa talk about making a difference, direct impact, rapid skill acceleration & development, managing yourself, being successful, the speed of learning, retiring skills, leaders, asking specific questions, internal mobility, coaching, creating a new future, scanning the environment, updating your sense of reality, practice not being annoyed, acceptance, turning bad into good and re-framing before responding. The pair also discuss mentors, Martial Goldsmith, role models, being pushed, getting business, getting paid, following up, persistence, being distinctive, thought leadership, being overwhelmed, outrageous openness, go with the flow, bravery, getting excited, podcasts, compounding effects, exercise, building muscle, arthritis, momentum and TedX.
Timecodes:
00:15 Alisa's intro
01:19 Why Alisa is fascinated by startups
02:38 Key things learned from leadership and coaching
05:59 Hiring tips
08:25 Challenges around role shifts
10:34 Overcoming realities we don't like
15:39 Key people who have influenced Alisa
19:08 Getting on the Tim Ferris show
22:46 Key things to help guide new coaches
26:38 Thoughts of aggregators in the marketplace
27:28 Alisa's final article
29:09 Believing in yourself
31:53 Nourishing your own identity
35:38 Role shifts
37:31 What excites Alisa the most
40:26 Getting into weightlifting
46:19 The last time Alisa did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Christopher Voss World's #1 Negotiation Coach
00:54:39
The World's #1 Negotiation Coach, Keynote Speaker, Bestselling Author "Never Split The Difference" - which has sold over 1 million copies.
Chris spent over 24 years in the FBI with 4 years as the chief international hostage and kidnapping negotiator. After working on more than 150 international hostage cases, he retired from the FBI and founded The Black Swan Group.
A consultancy and trainer for businesses and individuals on negotiation skills
He created and narrated a MasterClass, The Art of Negotiation - One of Masterclass's top performing courses.
A documentary film - 'Tactical Empathy' - by our mutual good friend - Nick Nanton was released sharing his story.
Ross and Chris talk about teaching negotiations, coaching, book - The culture code, making a difference, being driven, workplace awakenings, positive and negative mindsets, vulnerability, naivety, applying new ideas, what we are driven by, how humans are wired, neuroscience, emotional intelligence, labelling dynamics, impact on the brain, bringing things out and reading people. The pair also discuss testing, collaboration, trust, leaving people better, having a more prosperous life, obituaries, help, service, what are we afraid of, overreactions, caveman, extremes, breaking points, playful negotiations, state of playfulness, calming yourself down, turning negative into positive, coaching real estate agents, knowing your value, insight, discovery, 'what and how questions, exploitation and driving dune buggies.
Timecodes:
00:47 Chris's bio
02:31 Black Swan's background
04:34 training entrepreneurs vs corporate
06:21 Humans operating differently in different environments,
10:04 Mindsets of entrepreneurs
13:46 Tactical empathy
18:07 Labelling techniques
22:09 Low risk practice
25:20 Treating life like a negotiation
28:14 Understanding life
29:42 Transition and negotiation of self
33:06 Rules stifling creativity
36:47 Playfulness at high stakes
40:37 Chris's book - The Full Fee Agent
43:36 Perspective shifts in relation to negotiation
47:26 Overcoming jitters with large scale serious projects and opportunities
50:00 The last time Chris did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Colin Iles - Curator of thought-leadership
00:41:03
Colin is a curator of thought-leadership events that help you develop teams, leads, relationships and ideas.
With a background in the finance industry, having started his career at Deutsche Bank, then Barclays, Standard Bank, and 5 years as the MD at ABSA Group. And for the last 6 years the founder of his own business. Innovation Catalysts.
Colin values education and meaningful conversations, a past deputy chair at university of cape town, he enjoys sharing ideas on leadership, innovation and strategy with the hope that now and then it catalyses positive change.
Ross and Colin talk about Middle East investment, transformation, the AI revolution, US elections, AI disruption, misinformation, humanity, stories, amplifying, markets changing, technology, Start-up opportunities, regulations, hierarchy, division, dilemmas, exponential change, Thomas Cook and loss making organisations. The pair also discuss share price, purposeful organisations, investing, low risk investments, helping outside the traditional, high belief, passion, risk, sales, telling an awesome story, shareholders support, pushing things through, wanting good service, cheaper investments, Forbs Africa, taking risks and speed of learning.
Timecodes:
00:31 Colin's background
01:50 What is Colin most excited about
06:11 Dangers for leaders in organisations and dealing with challenges
11:29 Examples of Colin driving innovation
17:58 The optimal level of companies
23:59 Organisations building, borrowing and buying
29:50 Bringing in new ideas when they aren't in your job description
35:01 Best places for innovation opportunities
37:23 The last time Colin did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Mita Mallick - Inclusion Champion | Podcaster | Storytelling
00:48:32
Mita is a prolific writer for HBR, Ad week, and Entrepreneur media. And now Wiley published author of "Reimagine Inclusion: Debunking 13 Myths to Transform Your Workplace.” Mita describes herself as an Inclusion Champion a Podcaster citing Storytelling as her Superpower.
Mita's LinkedIn newsletter "Brown Table Talk" is published weekly, where she unpacks insights from her podcast by the same name, which is part of the exclusive LinkedIn podcast network.
Mita has spent over 15 years as a storyteller, leading iconic brands like AVEENO, AVON Color Cosmetics, Chapstick, Vaseline, Suave and Dove. Throughout her career, she has fought hard to ensure people like herself are included.
As a fierce advocate of including and representing Black and Brown communities, her work made sure Black and Brown people were represented in campaigns together with championing products to be created for all skin tones.
Ross and Mita talk about advertisements, Dove adverts, inclusive environments, representation, different times, demographic change, diversity, consumers, experimenting, pulling data together, youth obsessed culture, serving people better, cross cultural differences, shattering stereotypes, myth busting, book deals, following your passion and having an opinion. The pair also discuss being relatable, knowing your audience, evolving society, creativity, discipline, meetings, presenting work, hearing things you don't want to hear, coaching, company potential, being valued, the voice of the employee, companies matching internal with external optics, non bucket lists and seeing things with new eyes.
Timecodes:
00:51 Mita's background
02:11 Mita's favourite advert growing up
05:55 The speed of progress
08:34 How Mita has transformed the workplace
12:04 Influencing and biases
15:39 Reimagining inclusion
17:57 Mita's book -"Reimagine Inclusion"
20:54 Book - "The Hidden Edge" by Jody Rodgers
21:49 Seeing people's thoughts
23:11 Mita's journey with writing and Wiley publishers
27:54 Surprises learned when writing a book
30:29 Mita's next novel
31:12 Ross's book - Decoding AQ
33:51 Leadership tips
40:11 Retaining people in the right way
41:37 What is Mita proud of and her impacts
43:22 The last time Mita did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Rachel Treece - Leadership & Executive Coach
00:56:40
Rachel Treece is the CEO of fts global and The Henka Institute. Leadership & Executive Coach | Bestselling Author | Keynote Speaker| M&A Expert | Financial Services Podcaster
She previously worked as an executive within the global financial services sector and has a vast experience of managing multi-cultural teams for FTSE and Fortune 100 companies.
Rachel wishes her legacy to be "making financial services a better place " and to help the industry attract the talent it deserves to this ecosystem.
Rachel was awarded Most Inspiring Women in Entrepreneurship in 2012 and is a founding member of the Charity Dress for Success (Luxembourg).
Rachel is a thought leader, speaker, writer and executive coach and is a leading expert in organizational health, employee engagement, communication and inclusion. She helps business leaders innovate, adapt and communicate in the age of disruption.
Hold on tight as we will be diving into 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘃𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 a concept Rachel will be unpacking to help us all truly level up our 'listening' and enter the world to really 'see clearly'
Timecodes:
00:45 Rachel's bio
02:29 Henka explained
04:46 The concept of Corporate Clairvoyance
07:56 What led Rachel into coaching
11:16 Rachel's stories of big change and burnout
14:44 Evolutions of coaching over the last decade
18:49 Key components that shaped Rachel's career
23:24 Examples of change and inclusivity working well
27:52 Making diversity valuable
31:25 Creating space for diversity when the stakes are high
34:30 Letting go to grow and Failure
38:36 Making a start and not being perfect
39:34 Body burnout
43:43 Awakening to the old and the new
44:57 Making financial services a better place
47:41 Panorama - Documentary on downfall of the Crypto King
51:41 The last time Rachel did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Sangeeta Bhatnagar - Top-tiered Talent Acquisition
00:52:37
Sangeeta has been Principal at SB Global Human Capital Solutions for the last 15 years.
Top-tiered Talent Acquisition | Talent Developer:: DISC, EI, Human-centred Skills Training, AQai Facilitation | 4X Best Selling Author | GTACC Chair | ICMI Top 25
Sangeeta's passion is education, whether it be through school, a book, self-discovery or through mentorship! She believes that we can serve and impact others in all that we do. and loves working with people to help them identify their strengths and bring out their best!
Her specialties include Search & Placement of RIGHT fit candidates, Staff Retention & Development, Human Behaviour Workshops, Emotional Intelligence and Soft Skills Training.
Ross and Sangeeta talk about words carrying power, being influenced by people, human experiences, elevating people, human behaviour, co-elevation, not leaving people behind, life, mindset, how we see the world, resilience, diverse thought, balancing negativity, coaching, learning, stress, being your best self, adaptability, meaningful experiences, insecurities, being cared for and giving up hope. The pair also discuss experiential learning, communication, adapting yourself for others, empathy, data, human potential, positivity, stress, playfulness, team leaders showing vulnerability, success, getting what out you put in, serving others, self improvement, credible tools, recruitment, transforming careers, changing organisations environments, becoming comfortable with technology and unlearning.
Timecodes:
01:45 Sangeeta's background
04:41 Sangeeta's journey into AQ and it's impact on her
09:55 Impacts on clients
15:22 Long term relationships and surviving over time
21:19 EQ areas of human behaviour intertwined with Sangeeta's work
27:44 Helping companies becoming more authentic
30:19 Results from businesses and ROI's
38:16 Challenges bringing awareness to new techniques
44:41 Employee Engagement
47:31 The last time Sangeeta did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. George Paxinos - Neuroscience
00:55:12
Welcome back to DECODING AQ, where we delve into the minds of the most groundbreaking thinkers of our time! Today, I'm incredibly excited to introduce a guest whose contributions to neuroscience have shaped our understanding of the brain like no other. He has identified and named more brain areas than anyone in history. Hold onto your seats as we welcome the phenomenal George Paxinos (Paxsinos)- Professor of Medical Sciences, Neuroscience Research Australia and The University of New South Wales!
George, alongside Charles Watson, authored 'The Rat Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates.' With a staggering 73,000 citations across its 7 editions, this masterpiece stands as the most cited work in neuroscience. For three decades, it ranked as the third most cited book in all of science, a testament to its monumental impact.
He's also the author of an astonishing 59 books delving into the intricacies of the human brain and that of experimental animals. In 2021, he ventured into a new realm with his first novel, 'A River Divided,' a captivating eco-fiction story exploring the classic nature versus nurture debate.
So, get ready for an enlightening conversation as we explore the remarkable mind and journey of George Paxinos!
Ross and George talk about his book, the Goldie Locks zone, brain size, JFK's brain, animal brains, reorientation of religion, science and culture. Illusions, the soul, brain differences, Greek Mythology - Sisyphus, stories to help understanding, facing dilemmas, emotion over facts, climate change and misinformation. The pair also discuss how art is never finished, challenges, the environment, nature, frontal lobe damage, human impact, sustainable society, destroying the planet, AI, human endeavour, growth, evolution, religion, eliminating life on earth, polarisation, humanity, tribalism, education, gene therapy, undiscovered talents, human happiness and loving thy neighbour.
Timecodes:
01:03 George's background
03:20 The human brain solving it's own problems
06:31 Brain limitations and evolution
10:26 Switching our brains in the future
15:58 Travels which have shaped George and practical steps to help humanity
24:36 Neuroscience transforming behaviour
29:14 Creating things to understanding ourselves better
32:36 Understanding of the brain and free will
38:51 Identifying key parts of the brain
41:30 Fostering adaptable behaviour and break cycles that no longer work
46:26 The last time George did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Sebastian Terry - Bucket Lists
00:32:05
Get ready to be inspired, amused, and maybe even a little bit envious, as we dive into the world of a man who's turned bucket listing into an art form and helping others into his mission. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm thrilled to introduce the one and only Seb Terry!
He's got a best-selling book, an ESPN documentary and a US-based reality TV show, where he's not just the star, but the fairy godfather helping others live their dreams.
So, folks, fasten your seatbelts, and maybe ask yourself, '100 Things... What's on my list?' But first, let's dive into Seb's world.
Ross and Seb talk about growing up, rugby, not having a calling, death, having no regrets, changing your life, values, what is important to you, willing to do anything, purpose driven goals, applying yourself and leading by example. The pair also discuss giving people a framework, people helping each other, sharing goals, being super driven, loving yourself, choosing to be happy, mindset, being present, improv comedy, facing your fear, acceptance, life lessons, worrying, boundaries and Preply (https://preply.com/).
Timecodes:
00:45 Seb's background
02:20 Seb as a ten year old
04:28 Inspiration to Seb's bucket list
06:45 How the bucket list evolved
09:24 Overcoming mindset and difficult challenges
14:25 Helping others define and achieve their goals
19:09 Effective environments to achieve great goals
23:18 "These are the good old days"
25:17 The last time Seb did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Rod Roddenberry - Producer of Star Trek - Roddenberry Entertainment
00:56:59
Welcome to another episode of Decoding AQ, where we unravel the fabric of adaptability in our ever-evolving world. Today, I'm thrilled to have a truly special guest - Rod Roddenberry, a visionary in the realm of science fiction and beyond.
As the son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, Rod has not only upheld the legacy of this iconic series but has expanded its horizons as the CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment. From 'Star Trek: Discovery' to 'Star Trek: Picard', Rod continues to explore new frontiers in storytelling.
But Rod's adventures aren't confined to the cosmos. He's an avid scuba diver, leading the Roddenberry Dive Team in a quest to uncover the mysteries of our oceans, inspiring environmental stewardship.
And when it comes to making a difference, the Roddenberry Foundation is at the forefront, investing in groundbreaking medical research to fight diseases like Alzheimer's.
Join us as we dive into a conversation with Rod, and how his own life has been a journey of discovery, adaptability, and creativity.
Ross and Rod talk about Star Trek, exploration, emotions, places of refuge, new environments, challenges, learning by mistakes, panicking, composure, being humbled, calibration, pushing extremes, fans, inspiring a better future, making lives better, science fiction, creation, looking at the universe in a different way, adaptability and acting differently. The pair also discuss understanding ourselves, humanity, prospering, ethics, empathy, tribes, culture, core values, movies, giving yourself permission, embracing AI, AI ethics, working together, making the world a better place, human DNA, creating value, service to others, uniting humanity, judgement, over thinking, doing things with new eyes, repetition and thinking differently.
Timecodes:
00:42 Intro to Rod
01:41 Scuba diving
05:14 Correlations between diving and daily life
10:35 Freediving
12:03 What drives Rod
17:05 Star Trek's impact on humanity
20:16 Shifting change between entertainment and the current environment
23:50 Accepting difference
28:43 Rod's current projects & his father - Gene Roddenberry
34:21 Experimenting with AI and technology in new projects
42:07 Inspiring hope
48:53 The last time Rod did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Andy Kriebel - Unlocking the power of data
00:52:20
Welcome back to Decoding AQ. Today, I'm joined by Andy Kriebel, a Mathematician, trainer and an incredibly distinguished figure in the realm of data visualization and a truly influential leader in the world of data analytics.
Andy's journey, spanning over two decades, has seen him evolve into a master trainer and a revered member of the Tableau Visionary Hall of Fame. He's not just an expert; he's a mentor who has shaped the careers of countless data professionals through his innovative training courses and community leadership initiatives. He has led and implemented data visualization programs at Facebook and Coca-Cola, and co-authored the book "Makeover Monday" with Eva Murray.
What drew me to Andy was his passion about helping individuals and organizations unlock the power of data to drive their business decisions. And I wanted to find out more, about how we can really leverage data to manifest the change in the world I and many of our community at AQai would love to see.
When he's not transforming the data landscape, Andy embraces the vigor of the outdoors, be it hiking, running marathons, or conquering triathlons. His dynamic life is a testament to adaptability in action.
Join us as we delve into the multifaceted world of Andy Kriebel, where data meets determination, innovation, and adaptability.
Ross and Andy talk about, data, moving abroad, The Data School, family, adaptability, new cultures, change, doing what you love to do, data predictions, data complications, gut decisions and aggregation of data. The pair also discuss struggles, steps to prevent failure, asking for help, making time for people, adjusting attitudes, what is best for your company, AI giving the wrong answers, trusting in computers, data interpretation, cold calling, getting over nerves, sales and comedy.
Timecodes:
00:34 Andy's intro
01:58 Moving from the US to the UK
04:11 Going against data
06:14 What lead Andy to moving
09:40 Big family decisions
11:55 Can too much data be cluttering
15:24 If we have the right question, the best data points
18:46 Indicators of when data is a barrier
24:28 Coaching people and teaching lessons through failure
28:10 Getting the best outcomes while adapting
33:12 Data analytics in virtual simulations and places to make mistakes
37:51 The future of the data industry and AI
42:15 The last time Andy did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Monica Pool Knox - How HR is evolving
00:47:25
Today, I'm honored to have Monica Pool Knox with us, a trailblazer in the world of HR and organizational innovation. Monica has been at the helm of HR in leading tech giants like Microsoft, Sony, and Twitter
Her expertise spans from Fortune 50 companies in sectors as diverse as CPG, entertainment, media, and tech, to dynamic roles in up-and-coming computer software firms.
Monica's passion lies in revolutionizing HR through genAI, data analytics, and talent development, making her a force multiplier in transforming the strategic impact of HR.
Join us as we delve into Monica's rich experience to uncover insights on adapting and thriving in our world of constant change.
Ross and Monica talk about force change multipliers, HR leaders, HR professionals, strategic people leadership, people dynamics, the future of HR, skills, roles going forward, creating technology to identify talent, people leaders, crisis solving problems, extrapolating what people are capable of, assessing talent, giving, solving problems, thriving in crisis and finding natural leaders. The pair also discuss College American Football, changing market conditions, Microsoft recruitment, managing change, change being healthy, asking questions, personalisation, paying attention to people, AI capability, creative thinking, learning agility, resilience, skiing, learning all over again, getting over initial fear, staying curious and not getting complacent.
Timecodes:
00:15 Intro to Monica
01:54 Opportunities going forward for Gen AI this year
05:26 Challenges for multipliers
09:20 Key skills to migrate people through technology
13:58 Leaders overcoming fear of trying new things and the right people
18:48 Making room for surprises and seeing things differently
24:08 Restructuring insights
31:53 Working through disruptive change
32:56 Early indicators of things shifting
37:52 AI skills recruitment and leaders investing
41:47 The last time Monica did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Kathryn Goetzke - Advancing the science of hope
00:49:17
Get ready to redefine your operating system for change!
Please join me in welcoming Kathryn Goetzke, an innovator in the field of mental health and a global depression advocate. Kathryn's journey intertwines resilience, motivation, and the transformative power of mindset in navigating the complexities of mental health and business.
I really want you to know a little more about Kathryn before we get stuck in. She has been instrumental in advancing the science of hope, creating 'Hopeful Mindsets' for college campuses and spearheading Hopeful Minds and Hopeful Cities through her nonprofit Ifred. She's also the author of 'The Biggest Little Book About Hope' and the voice behind The Hope Matrix podcast.
Kathryn's innovative journey includes launching Mood-lites™, a brand that significantly contributed to mental health awareness and has achieved over $35M dollars retail success. Her role at the United Nations as a representative for the World Federation for Mental Health underscores her global influence.
Overcoming personal challenges with depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, and the loss of her father to suicide, Kathryn's story is one of resilience and transformation. Her diverse career spans from 3M Corporation to leading marketing roles and her own entrepreneurial ventures, impacting many through her work and advocacy.
Lean in as we unravel the science and the stories behind adaptation, and explore with Kathryn the power of hope in navigating an ever-changing world
Ross and Kathryn talk about advancing the science of hope, taking action, the need for hope, getting hope, hopelessness, measuring hope, elevating hope, unattainable goals, hopelessness, despair, motivational hopelessness, teaching, normalising helplessness, managing hopelessness, aspirational hope and the science of hope. The pair also discuss Schneider's Hope Theory, hope in the workplace, leadership, hopeful mindset, managing stress, solution focused approach, stretch goals, smart goals, balancing goals, Astro Teller Managing director of X, measuring progress to build confidence, courage, embracing fear, harnessing emotional energy, negative news stories, nutrition, educating, obstacles, writing down goals, achieving goals, timescale, creating and HRV.
Timecodes:
00:16:17 Intro to Kathryn
00:58:07 Kathryn's background
02:45:01 What Kathryn is hopeful for
03:17:18 International Day of Hope
05:50:12 Mental Heath and suicide provention
09:52:18 The use of the word 'hope'
11:48:00 Hope being contagious
14:27:14 The negatives and then positives of big or unachievable goals
18:07:23 Goal hierarchy and measuring progress
24:58:13 Despair and hopelessness
27:34:18 Diet related to hopelessness and sleep
29:50:11 Maintaining hope during change
34:56:04 Goal setting
38:16:17 Kathryn's Goals for 2024
43:58:21 The last time Kathryn did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Keith Day - 'The Neuropathy Warrior'
00:50:04
Today, I'm stepping outside our normal guest profile. Of coaches, L&D professionals, CHRO's and business leaders.
I am thrilled to share my guest for today's show is Keith Day, known as 'The Neuropathy Warrior'.
Keith's remarkable journey through battling and triumphing over neuropathy has not only reshaped his life but has also inspired countless others facing similar challenges. His story is a testament to the incredible power of human spirit and resilience, making him a beacon of hope for healthcare providers, patients, and all striving to turn adversity into strength.
Join us as Keith illuminates the path to resilience, health, and hope, offering insights that promise to empower and uplift
Ross and Keith talk about the human spirit, the path to resistance, hope, the nervous system, quality of life, depression, losing independence, fear, personal experiences, cancer, radical improvement, chemotherapy inducing neuropathy, treating the cause of problems, taking action for yourself, managing inflammation, toxins getting into the skin, needing assistance and being believed. The pair also discuss exercise, hitting rock bottom, finding help, empathy, helping your blood flow, standing while working, stages of neuropathy, getting into a routine, employee mobility, diabetics, processed food, glutton, sugar, health screenings, vegan food, lab grown food and open mindedness.
Timecodes:
00:16 Intro to Keith
01:45 Neuropathy explained
09:54 Dealing with and defeating the unexpected effects of neuropathy
21:09 Mental effects transitioning through big challenges
28:00 Leaders in work environments responding better
32:31 Movement is medicine
36:05 Being proactive to help detect neuropathy and nutrition
40:35 Encouraging human improvement
44:34 The last time Keith did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Dr. Keith Keating - The Trusted Learning Advisor
00:53:12
Dr. Keith Keating is BDO Canada's first Chief Learning and Development Officer
Today, I'm honored to host Dr. Keith Keating, a visionary in the realm of learning and development, who has invested over two decades to shaping the future of education. From his humble beginnings as a high school dropout to becoming an influential doctorate holder from the University of Pennsylvania, His journey is a compelling narrative of resilience and transformation. As a lecturer, the author of the award-winning 'The Trusted Learning Advisor', and BDO Canada's first Chief Learning and Development Officer.
He Partners with Fortune 500 giants, steering corporate learning towards unprecedented horizons.
Listen in as Keith's story is not just one of personal triumph but a beacon for anyone aspiring to turn potential into achievement. His expertise in crafting global, innovative learning strategies and his commitment to talent development make him a pivotal figure in driving workforce transformations.
Ross and Keith talk about BDO Canada, navigating change, being overwhelmed, what can be accomplished, tapping into your passion, the power of learning, mindset, guidance, evolution, knowledge philanthropy, controlling your own narrative, being supportive, giving self permission and the science behind learning. The pair also discuss getting credibility, book - Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, building experience, understanding tools, getting comfortable with AI, growth, adaptability, workforce futurists, anticipating the future, what's holding people back, changing perspectives, dreaming big, bravery, innovation, AI taking jobs, human relationships and cohorts.
Timecodes:
00:23 Intro to Dr Keith
01:00 Keith's bio
02:17 What excites Keith these days
04:29 Enjoying work
06:56 Writing a book and sharing service
09:25 Experience as an order taker
17:25 How organisations can shift mindsets
24:48 Navigating AI and using tools properly
30:41 Unlearning things which are holding us back
35:14 Current projects
41:21 Evolution outside the box
42:11 Worst case scenarios
48:28 AI vs interacting with people
49:39 The last time Dr Keith did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Will Guillaume Foussier - Co-Founder & CEO at AceUp - The future of Leadership
00:51:42
Will Guillaume Foussier is Co-Founder & CEO at AceUp, part of MG 100, Forbes 30U30, Harvard Alumni and TechStars Alumni. TechStars have successfully raised $2.2m throughout the accelerator.
Will founded AceUp back in 2016, a human transformation platform that provides highly personalized leadership coaching at scale for individuals and teams.
Will's journey from social-impact investment to pioneering in the coaching industry shows a commitment to doing well by doing good. With AceUp, he's not just reshaping how organizations align on purpose, values, and goals but also how individuals and teams can realize their utmost capabilities. Get ready to dive into the future of leadership, adaptability, and the power of positive impact.
Will is also the founding member of the Human-Centered Leadership Research Consortium with the Institute of Coaching.
Ross and Will talk about changing careers, meaning, coaching, getting out of comfort zones, public speaking, changing lives, empowerment, transformation, limiting beliefs, education, Harvard University, mentorship, impact, innovation, continuous disruption, adapting, crisis, evolution, showing the importance of mission, supporting team leaders. The pair also discuss common purpose, leadership upscaling, the new generation of leaders, leadership excellence, driving sustainable change, common language, dynamic leadership, scaling, alignment, coaching without frame work, culture, growing together, 'me to we', improving teams, clear contracts, finding time to grow, helping team leaders and learning new skills.
Timecodes:
00:16 Intro to Will
01:56 Starting AceUp
08:39 Turning Will's realisation into a business
15:18 Challenges and overcoming them
22:29 Key challenges people go to Will for
30:37 Core curriculum or bespoke principles when coaching at scale
39:17 Team coaching
49:11 The last time Will did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva - Reinvention
00:54:24
Nadya is Chief Reinvention Officer at the Reinvention Academy. She helps corporations thrive in perpetual turbulence and capitalize on disruption, teaching her science-based methods to help 1B people reinvent continuously.
Nadya helps people & organizations turn change & disruptions into an opportunity - and a source of real competitive advantage - again and again.
Called ‘The Reinvention Guru’ (In Ventures magazine) & ‘The Queen of Reinvention’ (TEDx Navasink), Dr. Nadya Zhexembayeva is a business owner, educator, speaker & author -- specializing in reinvention.
As a consultant, Nadya has helped such organizations as The Coca-Cola Company, ERG, Kohler, L'Oreal, IBM, CISCO, Erste Bank, Henkel, Knauf Insulation & many others to reinvent their products, processes, & leadership practices.
As an author, Nadya has written three books (“Embedded Sustainability: The Next Big Competitive Advantage” in 2011, “Overfished Ocean Strategy: Powering Up Innovation for a Resource-Deprived World” in 2014, and "Titanic Syndrome: Why Companies Fail and How to Reinvent Your Way Out of Any Business Disaster" in 2018) and contributed to six others.
Nadya’s fourth and latest book, “The Chief Reinvention Officer Handbook: How to Thrive in Chaos” is the a finalist in the American Book Fest Awards, the winner of the 2021 Axiom Business Books Awards, and the winner of the Kirkus Star, "one of the most coveted designations in the book industry, which marks books of exceptional merit."
Ross and Nadya talk about reinvention, startups, humans speed of change, systems surviving change, adaptability, tragedy, the USSR, mergers and acquisitions, Planet Earth with Julia Roberts, war, sustainability, big systems, critical mass, helping the world, compound stress, companies lifespan, anticipating change, design change, implementing change bridging operating systems and unlearning. The pair also discuss continuous reinvention, big transitions, technology accelerators, strategic planning, flexibility contracts, small changes, sabotage, dynamic budgeting, mindset, playful in chaos, cycles of regular reinvention, refreshing regularly, implementing change, values changing, Titanic Syndrome Test, Stella Adjust strategy canvas, asking good questions, learning new tools, founding a startup, entrepreneurship, the reinvention summit and elevating awareness.
Timecodes:
00:19 Intro to Nadya
00:45 Nadya's background
02:32 Gratitude
06:39 Studying reinvention
15:53 The meaning of reinvention
26:05 Ground level reinvention for organisations
37:51 Recent impacts of reinvention
45:24 Nadya's Favourite tool
48:26 The last time Nadya did something for the first time
50:29 Nadya's vision for the future for the Reinvention Academy
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Martyn Redstone - AI Recruitment
00:56:20
Martyn helps Recruitment and People Leaders navigate the world of Conversational and Generative AI.
I think of myself as a ‘recruitment engineer’ – able to help solve blockers in the recruitment process using technology.
I am fascinated with the world of chatbots and voicebots and how this is a game-changer for recruiters that implement conversational automation.
I work with agency, in-house and RPO teams to discover conversations that are ripe for automation, measure the value impact and design and implement the solution.
Ross and Martyn talk about generative AI, holistic technological environments, recruiting with AI, HR, enjoying discovering how things work, telecoms, engineering, computer science, fixing things with technology, entrepreneurship and recruitment. The pair also discuss AI elevating peoples capacity, chatbots, job hopping, AI replacing people, gig employment, the world of work, augmentation of the workforce, being a sponge, mountain rescue, not quitting, pushing back on the status quo, politics, accepting change, co-piloting technology, using AI to become more efficient, job applications, assessing skills, having children and immersive technology.
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Dr. Nuri Jeong - Neuroscience-based Peak Performance
00:59:22
Today we're diving into the fascinating intersection of neuroscience and peak performance with Dr. Nuri Jeong, a neuroscientist and founder of Goals Unhindered, hailing from Atlanta, Georgia.
With a rich background in goal-directed learning and motivated decision-making, Dr. Jeong leverages over a decade of neuroscience research to empower entrepreneurs and leaders to achieve holistic success.
Her approach uniquely blends rigorous scientific insight with compassionate, human-centric coaching, making complex neuroscience accessible and actionable.
From pioneering virtual reality tasks for memory formation studies to her transformative work as a goal coach, Dr. Jeong is here to share how understanding your brain can unlock unparalleled productivity and fulfilment.
Let's explore the neuroscience behind peak performance and how to integrate these insights into our daily lives for transformative results.
Ross and Nuri talk about neuroscience, peak performance, gratefulness, peoples energy, personal relationships, connecting with people, different cultures, relating to people, friendships, America, Walmart, standing out, perceptions, different perspectives, biology, learning, dopamine, goal direct learning, being in a tragic accident, impatience, having control and impacting people. The pair also discuss fast learning, daily goals, goal focus, seeing something in a different way, survival, stress, constructive feedback, science with mice, interacting with technology, peek performance, visualisation, courage, serving your future self, dealing with problems, the best thing that can happen, perception change, feeling productive doing less, behavioural change and sleeping without a phone.
Timecodes:
00:17 Intro to Nuri
00:49 Nuri's background
01:54 Gratitude
03:05 Nuri moving and to many different places when growing up
04:26 Expectations of different places when moving
06:03 Dealing with the sense of overwhelm
09:16 Choosing academia in the brain
13:20 Links between goals, dopamine and learning
15:15 Transitioning from academics to focusing on humans and coaching
19:52 Techniques to achieve goals
25:56 Fear learning and our brains working for us
31:36 Virtual Reality
36:18 Distinction between virtual and physical learning
39:14 Mary Lou Jepsen - open water
42:03 Crating new good memories from bad experiences and unlearning
45:58 Re-association and confirmation biases
51:03 Performing while being overwhelmed
54:27 The last time Niri did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Khoa Le Nguyen - Human Flourishing
01:10:50
Khoa is a distinguished behavioral scientist with an amazing background. Including seven years of leading and collaborating on transformative projects across academia and industry,
Khoa brings to the table an impressive blend of psychological theory and empirical research to drive sustainable solutions. From his work at BetterUp focusing on organizational performance and human flourishing to his rich educational journey that spans across continents, Khoa embodies the essence of adaptability and innovation. His unique approach to understanding user behavior and leveraging research methodologies sets a precedent for how we can harness psychological insights to enhance our interaction with technology.
(Today we have an extra long episode with bonus material.)
Ross and Khoa talk about human transformation, events, data connecting with daily life, transforming the US Airforce, being change ready, good wellbeing, book - Predictably Irrational by Dan Areola, human psychology positive emotions, spiritual experiences, mystical experiences, awe, connecting with community and peak experiences. The pair also discuss reaching full potential, positive psychology, meaningful life, social norms, social contagion, people we spend time with, positive forces, helping people thrive, AI, mindset, driving team performance, the monkey king, being optimistic, hope, learning a language and being a clown. (Bonus) We finish off with our thoughts on social experiments, prison, human connections, hume.ai, Vapi AI, AI therapy, AI coaching, AI doctors and our AQai summit.
Timecodes:
00:22 Intro to Khoa
00:40 Khoa's background
01:30 Khoa's wins this week
03:17 Takeaways from a recent event
06:53 The start of Khaos love of research
09:35 Analysing data and endeavouring to uncover it
13:20 Happiness, mind, body and connecting society
17:58 Absence of Connection
20:59 Advice for leaders dealing with change
24:33 Flourishing
27:28 Wellbeing effecting work
30:57 Technological disruption and not leaving people behind
42:15 Pilots and passengers in business. The consequences of not coming aboard
45:28 Human Behaviour and adapting to AI
49:00 The last time Khoa did something for the first time
52:37(Bonus)
52:41 Netflix Series - Unlocked: A Jail Experiment and AI with human connections
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Evan Ryan - AI Enhancing Human Potential
00:54:29
Evan is at the forefront of AI innovation. As the Founder and CEO of Teammate AI and Co-Founder of Lede AI, Evan is transforming how businesses and news platforms leverage AI to enhance productivity and content generation. His belief that every individual can engage in more fascinating and motivating work with the aid of AI is not just a vision but a reality he's creating for hundreds of businesses.
From optimizing operations without ballooning payrolls to generating unique news briefs in seconds, Evan’s work embodies the massive power of AI. Join us as we dive into how you can leverage technology to enhance human potential, making every day work not just efficient but truly engaging.
Ross and Evan talk about AI innovation, leveraging AI, understanding software, freeing up human's time, saving space, optimizing, new AI demos, success with AI, experimenting, avoiding boring tasks, being creative, customising code, team mates, visions, future goals, best tools for the job, understanding your tasks and data entry doing well. The pair also discuss key performance indicators, saving time, perplexity.ai, keeping up to date, trust by verifying, Microsoft co-pilot, conflict with AI, chat GPT, great people, making the workforce more creative, people losing jobs, embracing technology, being a digital nomad and learning a language.
Timecodes:
00:17 Intro to Evan
00:43 Evan's background
02:09 People optimizing AI
05:47 Keeping up with AI
07:36 Evan's Journey and early learnings
10:50 Solving boring and repetitive tasks
14:12 Optimizing as a team or individually
16:05 Tools to help with early optimization and avoiding standard operating procedure (SOP)
17:32 Optimization after we have an SOP
21:56 Examples of increasing the value of clients
27:22 Recommendations for computer scraping and websites
31:21 Ways to help dayley organisations
36:05 The creative aspects of AI
41:19 AI creating more original ideas
45:14 Helping organisations make tough decisions
49:51 The last time Evan did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Paul Cameron Findlay - Leadership training and Development
00:53:14
Paul is a true innovator in learning and leadership development, changing how these disciplines are perceived and enacted globally.
Paul has dedicated his career to dismantling the status quo, constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible in leadership training and development.
Before his current role at REACH Ecosystem, As CEO of Professional Development Training (PDT) for over a decade, he led its expansion across Australia and internationally, focusing on delivering impactful on-site training and psychometric tools. He also served as Project Manager at the University of Queensland, where he implemented a sophisticated travel management system. Additionally, Paul contributed as a Board Member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization, enhancing learning experiences for members, and chaired the OrgDev Institute, promoting research and development in organizational growth.
His mission is bold and impactful: to revolutionize the leader experience for over a million leaders and positively affect the lives of ten million team members they lead.
This goal reflects not only ambition but a deep commitment to enhancing organizational cultures and personal effectiveness across the globe.
Ross and Paul talk about AI, software, leadership, employee engagement, attracting talent, correct tools for the job, collaborating, heroes to zeros, technology demising, getting attention, entrepreneurship, the importance of feedback, improving performance, AI helping us remember, being more productive, enjoying work, leaders being fatigued and active disengagement. The pair also discuss Marcus Buckingham, working to strengths, Samsung six day weeks, solving problems, reaching new levels of organisations, self discovery, learning, personal curation, democratising access, demonetisation, adaptability, curiosity, training AI and knowing what to ask AI.
Timecodes:
00:16 Intro to Paul
00:56 Paul's background
02:32 Complicated things becoming more simple
06:30 Leadership software
11:03 BlackBerry Film
12:19 Challenges presenting to leaders
16:09 Getting the right people at scale and AI Co-pilots
20:37 Ken Blanchard - The One Minute Manager
23:43 AI helping us doing things in the right moment
26:03 The evolution of leadership and future of work
38:26 Spotify's growth
42:27 What Paul is excited by
47:21 The last time Paul did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Georg Schütz - Leadership Coaching
00:25:00
We recorded this special episode live whilst in Heidelberg with our remarkable guest, Georg Schütz, one of our AQai Certified Partners.
Georg is a visionary in the field of leadership coaching and systemic team development. With a rich academic background from LMU Munich in human medicine to specialized training in systemic business coaching and hypnosystemic concepts, Georg brings a unique interdisciplinary approach to every engagement.
For over a decade, Georg has been at the forefront of transforming how leadership and communication are perceived and implemented across various industries. As a seasoned trainer and coach, he has influenced numerous organizations, including Allianz Deutschland and Bosch GmbH, by fostering environments that champion emotional management, resilience, and innovative leadership practices.
His work extends beyond traditional boundaries, integrating creativity and strategic thinking to develop leaders who thrive in today's dynamic environments.
Join us as Georg outlines his vision for bringing innovative adaptability training to the German market, aiming to transform the traditional view of change and encourage a more dynamic, enjoyable approach to personal and professional growth.
Ross and Georg talk about Learning, leadership development, meaningful change, transformations, adaptability, guidance, training, adapting from lockdowns, Ross's book, change, adapting being fun, training thousands, Adaptico, new approaches to existing models and finding new solutions. The pair also discuss HR professionals, expanding globally, building relationships, human connections, building good long term relationships, asking good questions, taking an interest, deep understanding, communicating well, curiosity and being playful in work.
Timecodes:
00:23 Intro to Georg and his bio
04:57 Clients Georg works with
06:24 Evolving during covid
07:41 How Georg met Ross
09:29 Ambitions for the future impacting the German market
11:13 Forming something completely new
13:02 Things which lead to keynotes
14:41 The German market getting involved
17:47 Ideal clients who excite Georg
19:05 Advice for earlier stage business
21:34 The last time Georg did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Lee Scott - Inspiring leaders
00:58:00
Lee is Founder and Chief Change Agent at Unleashing Leaders.
I've been looking forward to hosting Lee on the show, ever since we met 6 months ago at XPrize visioneering. We connected instantly and I'm excited to learn more about his journey, the genesis of Unleashing Leaders and share his wisdom with you all.
Lee Scott is a prolific practitioner and educator of leadership. And has significantly impacted both the public and private sectors. As the Founder and Chief Change Agent of Unleashing Leaders, Lee has dedicated over 27 years to inspiring leaders to more powerfully connect and contribute to their organizations and communities, coaching and training more than 26,000 professionals to date.
Lee's unique approach integrates practical essentials from multiple disciplines and industries, helping cross-functional teams tackle daunting challenges, streamline processes, and achieve remarkable results. His extensive experience ranges from leading startups to managing large international corporations, providing him with a wealth of knowledge on overcoming organizational dysfunction and maximizing limited resources.
I love his core values, with an acronym FIERCE: freedom, integrity, excellence, resilience, curiosity, and engagement.
Get ready to be inspired by Lee's practical insights and transformative strategies for unleashing leadership potential and fostering a culture of excellence and adaptability.
Ross and Lee talk about life being precious, biology in leadership, evolutionary biology, luck, natural selection, trial & error, environment, selective convergence, geographical advantages, divergence, diverse thinking, shortcuts becoming traps, supporting people, blending support, channelling the wrong energy, multi generational collaboration and harnessing energy. The pair also discuss leaders serving, duality, data driven tools, solving problems for leaders, being vulnerable, discipline, trying new things, accelerating change, imagining different futures, predicting the future, looking fear in the eye, having the right skills, feedback, protecting your confidence, shifting perspective, asking great questions, curiosity, embracing being uncomfortable, hobby farming and loving mistakes.
Timecodes:
00:16 Intro to Lee
02:20 Saving lives as a lifeguard
03:50 The genesis of unleashing leaders
13:12 Challenges leaders are going through
16:13 Helping leaders achieve and resetting expectations
21:13 Moments of change at the lifecycle of leadership
28:16 The concept behind the Unleashing Leaders logo
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Co-Founder & CEO at The Hudson House & Distillery
01:01:27
'Succeeding by never giving up.'
Charles was a Manhattan Banker, not happy with his life, after nearly 10 years he made the choice to get out. Setting up several nightclubs and lounges, his own vodka brand, and now turned destination distillery experience owner.
Creator of Star Vodka, a long journey of research which took him to Moscow to learn how they do it - and a desire to 'do it better'.
The Hudson House New York is the first of its kind in the region. Hosting a craft distillery, event venue and boutique hotel and restaurant. From zoning challenges this is a story of grit, perseverance and relentless passion to not 'do things just to do them', but to do them in the best possible way. A story of right place, right time, the tenacity in building a community and finding the right people to believe in your vision.
Ross and Charles talk about grit, perseverance, passion, belief, pressure on children, sport, finance, making money, Wall Street, money not making you happy, taking big risks, curiosity, giving up on wealth, stress, selfish people, learning from failure, being scared, quitting without a plan, being stuck in a job, regaining confidence, being in the moment, working with celebrities, wanting to be different and standing out. The pair also discuss blind faith, the vodka industry, finding the truth, Russian vodka distilleries, craft distilling, marketing spirits, creating, crazy ideas, opening your mind, great stories, giving up, society pressures, reinventing business, growing young people, cherishing good people, feeling of belonging, proof of concept, investing in people and keeping work interesting.
Timecodes:
00:41 Charles' Background
02:11 Charles's childhood and pressures growing up
05:22 Moving from a sports career to banking
16:32 Getting out of banking
18:18 Founding Star Vodka and its story
36:30 Uncovering the Hudson Valley
38:31 People being too honest and being ridiculed
42:54 Rallying a great team
48:22 Charles' advice for finding great people
55:23 The last time Charles did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Emily James - Head of Talent Procurement at BP
00:56:39
Today, we have the pleasure of hosting Emily James, the Head of Talent Procurement at British Petroleum (BP.) Emily is an accomplished HR leader, with an impressive track record in leadership and category management across the spectrum of HR. With Over 10 years at BP, time at Citi and also JP Morgan.
I met Emily at the World Commerce and Contracting Conference in Malaga earlier this year, where I led a keynote on adaptability intelligence and several VIP workshops on building workforce adaptability. And Emily was part of a breakfast panel with inspiring women to discuss inclusivity and diversity that sparked a deep conversation between us, and to today's interview!
Emily has a wealth of experience influencing at all levels within multinational organizations, effectively managing complex situations with diverse stakeholders. Her leadership skills, developed early in her career, have been honed through extensive experience in coaching and mentoring.
Ross and Emily talk about technology revolutions, AI transition, society, bots, jobs, doom, worrying, parenting, deliverable based work, new generation of work, new markets, scaling solutions, BP, energy, mindset shift, reskill, upskill, adaptability, getting teams to engage, success, what success looks like, speed of learning and work fulfilment. The pair also discuss being inclusive, women in work, giving voices to people, social demographics, diversity, learning to say no, people pleasers, taking control, producing energy, being uncomfortable, uncertainly, facing challenges, psychological safety, long term value, results, strong feedback, support, agile working, job security, peer role modelling, building trust recognition, reward, giving people identity, comfort, validation, life skills and resilience.
Timecodes:
00:16 Intro to Emily
02:10 Getting energised and AI
07:53 The structure of job roles transitioning
14:11 Social mobility
17:52 Value and role modelling
23:33 Failures and challenges that helped learning
33:17 Pressure of change and navigating it
38:45 Unlearning challenges
43:03 New initiatives ensuring the right development
47:49 Highlight tips for leading HR for the future
50:40 Coaching tips
53:11 The last time Emily did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Dr. James Christopher Edge - Chief at U.S. Marshals Service - Leadership
00:49:38
With over 20 years in the US Marshal Service, and 6 years in the military police, Chris is a self described student of leadership. He has been known to lead DISC and Adaptive Leadership training and special shout out to the fact he has also gone through our level 1 AQai certification program.
Ross and Chris talk about growing up in the military, film, temperance, self awareness, taking care of employees, passion, Chris Voss, controlling emotions, role playing, practicing control in the workplace, having a plan B, bringing in other people, giving people value, understanding environments, pleasant conversations, empathy, peoples wellbeing, teamwork, influencing people and, asking good questions. The pair also discuss adaptive leadership, self awareness, valuing everyone, being vocal, community, being respectful, hard conversations, trusting relationships, intent, addressing problems, compassion, feeling uncomfortable, getting motivated, evolving, AI, technology, value, people buying in, unlearning, psychological wellbeing, treating people well, the death of employees, loss and law enforcement.
Timecodes:
00:14 Intro to Chris
01:23 Chris' childhood vision for himself
03:26 Self control & adaptability
05:55 Chris' training to deal with control
08:15 Leading under pressure and sudden change
11:02 Creating environments to share vulnerability
14:14 Dealing with exhaustion and burn out
17:03 Chris' evolution and what he's excited about
22:40 Nice guys not finishing last
26:19 Tips for managing your state
31:49 Reverse mentorship and learning things we don't see
37:01 The future of work
40:09 Challenges which motivated James
42:56 The last time James did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Nichol Bradford - Human Potential & AI
00:43:43
Nichol Bradford stands at the forefront of human potential and AI, accelerating human transformation through technology investments, research, and global thought leadership.
As the Executive-in-Residence for AI + HI at The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), she shapes global thinking on Human-AI collaboration, driving human readiness for an AI-empowered world.
Nichol is also the Co-Founder and Partner of Niremia Collective, an early-stage venture fund focused on human potential technologies. Additionally, she co-founded TransformativeTech.org, the largest global ecosystem dedicated to building tech for human flourishing, supporting over 2,000 founders through their programs, and connecting a passionate community of innovators worldwide.
With a rich background in interactive entertainment, Nichol has held senior roles at major brands like Epic Games, Activision-Blizzard, Vivendi Games, and Disney. She has led many groundbreaking projects, including managing operations for World of Warcraft China and contributing to the landmark $18 billion Vivendi - Activision-Blizzard merger.
Her current focus is on advancing human potential through ethical AI, fostering a global ecosystem that champions human thriving.
Join us as we delve into Nichol's journey, exploring how technology can unlock human potential and create a future where AI and humanity thrive together.
Ross and Nichol talk about technology complimenting humans, talking things through with AI, AI solving emotional problems, start-ups, levels of consciousness, start-up failure, relationships, desire to serve, performance, understanding ourselves, gut to brain connection, being happy, teams being in sync and data privacy. The pair also discuss aura rings, neuro data, seeing what's coming, holobiome, microbiome, teams in flow, bio-synchrony, feedback, e.l.f. cosmetics, speed of change, mistakes being costly, AI implementation, UPS success, reinventing business, meaning to customers, transparency, enhancing our collective intelligence, needing things from other people, weight lifting and collective intelligence swarming.
Timecodes: 00:17 Intro to Nichol 01:11 Nichol's background 02:50 Chatting with Pi (emotionally intelligent AI) 07:47 Individual consciousness 12:49 Technology helping consciousness 18:05 Naveen Jain - Viome 18:46 Brains being incoherent 20:49 Filtering overwhelming data and noise 25:33 Blink by Malcolm Gladwell 27:40 Change and challenges breaking tradition 32:01 Buy in 33:55 Where things are going 39:00 Video - Louis Rosenberg - Unanimous AI 39:27 The last time Nichol did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Ronen Olshansky - Building Relationships
00:55:25
Today, I'm thrilled to welcome Ronen Olshansky, one of life's great humans. With a rich and diverse career that spans Wall Street, management consulting, executive coaching and entrepreneurship. As the founder of Cross Campus a Los Angeles based provider of on-demand workspace and business event space. And a partner at Ferrazzi Greenlight since 2020. Ronen has been helping growth companies and their leaders elevate their performance.
I got to know Ronen through another business he has co-founded, Beyond Connections program, and most recently I had the pleasure of joining him and Keith Ferrazzi at the graduation dinner for the first cohort in LA. Welcome to the show, Ronen!
Ross and Ronen talk about opening up teams, building trust, positives & negatives, family, start-ups, making commitments, sharing, broken relationships, personal journeys, courage, how we are being perceived, ego, taking risks and changing peoples lives. The pair also discuss taking challenges, going beyond connections, maintaining cohort collectives, building communities, inclusive ownership of a company, organisations, connections, interacting, mindsets, strategies, individuals less successful than teams, relationships with clients, hybrid working, compassion and the power of a naïve mind.
Timecodes:
00:15 Intro to Ronen
01:37 Ronen's 'sweet and sour'
04:59 Ross' 'sweet and sour'
08:28 Ronen's origins to building trust
13:02 Ronen's story
15:45 Choosing to work with start-ups
19:25 Getting to know people well
23:19 Next steps for Ronen
27:59 Funding business growth and co-elevation
30:50 The four most important outcomes for businesses
34:56 What leaders are struggling most with
39:25 Strategies and AI technology to build relationships
44:50 Highlighting Ronen's enhanced curiosity
49:21 Ronen's Programme
51:21 The last time Ronen did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Dr. Johanna Dahm - Decision Making & Leadership
00:50:43
A warm welcome to our listeners, today I'm proud to welcome Dr. Johanna Dahm, CEO of Dahm International Consulting. Johanna is a leading expert in decision-making and leadership, with over two decades of experience researching, advising, and publishing on effective decision-making strategies. She is renowned for helping leaders navigate complexity and uncertainty.
Johanna was recommended for the show by our mutual friend, Olga Troeger. Olga is a Founding member of our Decision Making Institute based in Germany. We developed an VUCA readiness assessment focusing decision-making competencies.
Ross and Johanna talk about decision making over planning, decision delivery, committing, getting things done, adapting to environments, responsibilities, expectations, listening, pioneering, being responsible, finding solutions, customer orientation, knowing your customers, empathising with customers and understanding how people live. The pair also discuss adapting, learning, growing, fear, merging HR, company development, transparency, measuring return of investment, transformation, everybody in it together, reacting to change, constantly adapting, demarcation, knowing our boundaries, leading teams, pets, having enough and trying new things.
Timecodes:
00:15 Intro to Johanna
02:31 Communicating decisions effectively in business
04:51 Decision making during Johanna's early career
10:31 Decision making evolving
14:30 Organisations keeping pace and nurturing talent
20:25 Customers changing and adapting to it
24:37 Dealing with difficult shifts and bravery
29:41 Insights to help large scale change in companies and HR
35:54 Redesigning of roles and flexibility
38:45 Evolving in the future of work
42:27 Staying mentally healthy at work
47:35 The last time Johanna did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Francis Cholle - Master Trainer & WSJ Best Selling author
00:50:27
Francis is a Master Trainer, WSJ Best Selling author and is driven to help executive coaches take their business & clients’ businesses to the next level.
He is the Founder & CEO of SQUIRCLE ACADEMY where he helps executive coaches and leaders rapidly elevate their businesses by leveraging the innovative SQUIRCLE framework. Francis also founded 'The Human Company' over 26 years ago.
With such a treasure trove of experience advising Fortune 100 executives, he is known for his ability to shatter the linear mould, driving transformation and accelerating growth in just a few months. I’m thrilled to share these insights and strategies with you all on the show today.
Ross and Francis talk about dream analysis, dreams driving life choices, connecting peoples thoughts, creativity combining with management, visualisation, logic, perception, improvisation, imagination, knowledge, development, dynamic imbalances, illusions of balance, expectations, reaching a process, decision making, controlling your mind, knowledge and deep intelligence. The pair also discuss duality, experience in the workplace, environments, nature, new principles in action, leadership, assessing, awareness of what's not working, limitless capacity of human beings, humans ability to solve things, universal principles, willingness to be curious, managing problems, faith, life, dealing with intensity, facing reality, desire, our value, relaxing over tensing up, endless possibilities, abundance, swimming with wild sharks and extraordinary experiences.
Timecodes:
00:16 Intro to Francis
01:53 Francis' dreams as a young boy
04:34 Technology replicating dreams
05:24 Subconscious training
06:20 Scientific models of training
10:28 SQUIRCLE's framework
15:10 Models taking people through experiences
21:39 Francis' coaching
27:51 Unlocking better performance
31:56 Looking forward to 12 months ahead
35:31 Blockers to full potential
42:05 Authority being transferred to value
45:57 The last time Francis did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Andrew Tallents - Self-coaching & Conscious Leadership
00:56:11
Andrew Tallents, has built an impressive career, starting with his early roles at prestigious firms like Spencer Stuart and Warren Partners, where he honed his expertise in executive search and leadership development. His journey has led him to founding The Tallents Partnership, where he now empowers leaders globally to excel and achieve transformative results.
As a trusted advisor, conscious leadership coach, and best-selling author, Andrew is dedicated to helping leaders achieve triple bottom line success while living their personal and professional dreams. It's an honour to have him on the show today!
Ross and Andrew talk about thinking as a leader, getting triggered, being in the present, intentional leadership, situational leadership, Shirzad Chamine - Positive Intelligence, saboteurs, facing emotion, controlling things, pleasing people, self coaching, self discipline, self accountability, the power of questions, reconnecting with who we are and refocusing. The pair also discuss positive mindset, reflecting, daily meditation, slowing down to speed up, being efficient, keeping people calm, accountability, blaming people, disconnections, safe environments to speak, peoples energy, judging people, out of comfort zones, role playing, MyIntent bracelets, communicating principles, taking responsibility, reflecting, why do we do things, desire, motivation, ultimate goals, laziness, naivety, skydiving and joy.
Timecodes:
00:15 Intro to Andrew
01:26 Conscious Leadership explained
03:13 Conscious Leadership in moments of pressure
08:33 Techniques to help self coach
12:26 Getting the work done
15:06 Examples of leaders doing it well
16:37 Examples of leaders getting it wrong
19:00 Vulnerability and coaching people's struggles
22:27 Self coaching against pushback and relationships
25:16 Modelling behaviour
29:52 Loving in relationships
31:28 Valuing family
36:17 AI coaching making leadership decisions
41:41 Limits to self-coaching
44:49 Following through
51:02 The last time Andrew did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Charles M Jones - The Emotion Decoder & Emotion Scientist
01:05:00
Charles is a Leadership Coach and Trainer on his own specific frameworks.
I'd like you all to join me in welcoming Charles M. Jones, a pioneering emotion scientist with over 40 years of groundbreaking research on flow, empathy, negativity, trauma and stress.
His journey began with a life-changing experience that set him on a path to understanding how we can transform fear and trauma into powerful tools for leadership and personal growth.
Charles has developed innovative frameworks like Emotional Response-Ability™ that are revolutionizing how organizations cultivate empathetic leaders and improve workplace dynamics.
Ross and Charles talk about near death experiences, protecting people, subconscious mind, state of flow, peek experiences, cultivating flow, intuition, natural states, negative emotions, causes of stress, interpreting emotions, needs driving behaviour, subconscious needs, fear, anxiety, valuing assets, optimising emotions, uniting with subconscious, Joe Dispenza, cohesion, creativity producing new options and emotional victimhood. The pair also discuss awareness of subconscious, evaluating disruptive emotions, unlearning, supressing awareness, consciousness, Amanda Blake - Your Body is Your Brain, theory of emotion, trauma, inheriting trauma, asserting your rights, fulfilling needs, team conversations, meeting needs, leaders resolving conflict, feedback, empowerment, anger, Gandhi, peoples rights, courtesy, achieving goals, resolving conflict, tactical empathy, Chris Voss, effective strategies, reflection, film - 'The Source' and their pets.
Timecodes:
01:33 Charles' life changing experience
07:08 Charles' first journey into understanding emotions
11:03 Discoveries of outcomes from stimulus in the brain
18:33 Emotional Intelligence related to people at work adapting to change
27:35 Positive signals blinding us from unexpected change
34:04 Dealing with tension and not realising we are stressed
42:37 Emotional responsibility for self, management and organisations
50:34 Seven key emotions at work
56:45 Adaptive mastery
01:53 The last time Charles did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Wayne Turmel - Remote Leadership
01:03:22
Leading and working in a virtual world requires new skills and mindsets.
I'd like to welcome Wayne Turmel, the authority in remote leadership. With over 25 years helping organizations thrive in virtual environments. He is the co-founder of The Remote Leadership Institute and author of 12, or in fact I think now 16 influential books, including the acclaimed 'The Long-Distance Leader - revised rules for remarkable remote and hybrid leadership' - now in its second edition.
Wayne has empowered countless leaders and teams to communicate effectively and stay connected no matter where they are. His insights are invaluable and with Wayne's help I hope we can expand our understanding of the skills leaders and workers need to thrive in the remote workplace.
Ross and Wayne talk about communications skills, early internet discoveries, connecting with technology, collaboration tools, cycles of problem solving, principles, challenges with technology, the right communication through the right medium, good leaders, dealing with human beings, pilot before policy, feeling connected, following a basic structure, employer relationships with employees, hybrid work and getting things done. The pair also discuss collaborations, team schedules, focus, caring, maintaining relationships, getting the best out of people, trust, better performance, choosing the right tools, driving emotion, calls over messages, AI companions, the industrial revolution, seismic change, unawareness, foresight, vision, the bigger picture, Wayne's novels, expanding horizons, leaders at every level of an organisation and leading without authority.
Timecodes:
00:14 Intro to Wayne
02:36 The early realisation of helping leaders virtually
05:50 Skype Launching in 2002
07:52 Remote work shifting to hybrid work
13:50 Challenges for leaders making controversial decisions
19:33 The 'Three-O Leadership Model' - Outcomes, Others & Ourselves
22:01 Efficiently building remote teams
26:50 Challenges returning to the office after lockdowns and hybrid work
32:54 In person against remote working
36:21 Good leaders working remotely
40:16 Play in the workplace
41:49 Professionalism in the workplace
45:30 Leaders improving their own communication
48:54 The next five years and technological advancements
58:20 The last time Wayne did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Rob Lion - Expert in Human Behaviour
00:55:07
Joining us today is Dr. Rob Lion, a dynamic leader and expert in human behavior with over 20 years of experience in organizational development, leadership, and performance improvement. Known for his people-first approach, Rob specializes in building sustainable, human-centric systems that drive growth and impact. As the founder of Black River Performance Management, he's passionate about helping leaders and teams unlock their potential through real-world strategies grounded in science.
Ross and Rob talk about context being everything, success, self help, workshops, micromanagement, leadership, interactions, intimacy in organisations, building awareness, helping teams, learning, development, getting started, shared leadership, knowing people better, people taking care of themselves, leading more effectively, building flexibility, personality, motivation, consistent language, development in organisations, needs based approach to motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The pair also discuss psychological needs, self actualisation, alignment, home-life, subconscious needs, activating humanity, being vulnerable, values, people's needs, seeking council, giving people a voice, listening, nurturing relationships, humanity, family and joy.
Timecodes:
00:14 Intro to Rob
01:42 The significance of context before content
06:54 Connections before content on The AQai training programme
07:53 Challenges with treating everybody in an organisation differently
12:44 Thinking different in HR due to technological advances
16:48 Ross's recent trip to - The Career Development Roundtable (CDR)
18:31 Motivation related to development & (CAR) Competence, Autonomy, Relativeness
34:28 Strategies for leaders dealing with peoples out of work problems
39:38 Overcoming challenges which are hard to act against
46:11 Techniques for leaders facing difficult decisions
49:36 The last time Rob did something for the first time
51:14 Teachers being students and self development
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Lisa Hammond - Chief Human Resources Officer at Veradigm
00:52:00
For my first guest of 2025, I'm delighted to welcome Lisa Hammond, Chief Human Resources Officer at Veradigm. Lisa is a visionary leader with over two decades of experience in HR and organizational strategy. With key roles at Blockbusters, Samsung and many hospitality giants.
She has a rich history of driving transformative change in dynamic environments, from leading M&A initiatives to fostering leadership development and optimizing talent acquisition strategies.
Her passion for creating people-centered organizations anchors her work as a coach, advisor, and executive leader.
Ross and Lisa talk about finding a path in life, changing jobs, taking risks, building relationships, people wanting to invest, tolerance, handling human nature, coping with crisis, real issues, changing perspective, compassion and grounding yourself. The pair also discuss the new President bringing change to organisations, internal transformations, transforming healthcare, humans guiding AI, staying healthy, upskilling, reskilling, falling behind, development, giving people value, being humane, being the person you want to be and traveling to Nepal.
Timecodes:
00:19 - Intro to Lisa
02:30 Journey from a criminal justice and political science degree to the HR world
06:32 A grounding in hospitality shaping thinking
09:48 Personal elements dealing with conflict
12:22 Balancing SOP or letting things go
14:11 Process DOS - Dangers, Opportunities, Strengths
18:18 Challenges for teams being responsible and digital transformations
22:33 AI transforming entire models
26:03 Lisa's key milestones for this year
30:54 Giving space for wellness and driving upskilling
32:57 Goals in the next year
36:34 Bringing new energy and our whole self
38:10 People looking at HR as a career
40:13 Outside triggers and allowing them to manifest
47:16 The last time Lisa did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Tim Bowie - Professional business coach.
01:04:29
Tim is the Owner of Bowie & Associates, and a remarkable professional business coach.
As one of AQai's certified level 2 professional adaptability partners Tim is an expert in empowering leaders to embrace change with optimism and strategy. With over three decades of experience - from sales roles at tech beasts like, Lenovo, IBM and Dell, his career transitioned into sales strategy, leadership development, and business coaching. Tim has dedicated his career to helping organizations and individuals unlock their potential.
Ross and Tim talk about transitioning, adaptability, embracing change, thriving, positive outlook, accepting different outcomes, starting a new business, improvement, helping people see things differently, analysing skills, open mindedness and agile development. The pair also discuss AI in education, losing jobs, Pivot Point documentary, hiring for jobs which don't exist, helping individuals, relationships, investing in people, being easy to understand, impact, Co-Elevation, addressing challenges early, the power of saying "no", family, charity, unlearning and clarity of vision.
Timecodes:
00:40 Intro to Tim
01:32 Tim's take away from 2024
02:59 Things to take forward before change
04:29 Career reinvention highlights
06:42 Stories of people reaching their potential
09:24 Time scales to thrive
11:01 Education as a leaver of growth
14:44 Tim's involvement with Universities and education
23:12 Mergers and Acquisitions
31:29 Shifts in job roles
36:22 Thriving after shifting roles
39:55 How Tim's data helps people and Ross's company acquisition
52:09 Tim's perfect pilot to get started
54:05 The value of hope and optimism
55:51 Gratitude focus
57:00 The last time Tim did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Henrik Jarleskog - Executive Leadership
00:59:21
Henrik Jarleskog is Head Future Work at Sodexo, as he puts it "A Journey of Leadership and Innovation".
This is a big role for the 19th largest employer worldwide, Sodexo, a leader in sustainable food and facilities management, with over 423,000 employees world wide, and they serve 80 million consumers every single day.
Henrik, was hired to transform Sodexo, to make it grow faster, to improve its margins & to innovate at speed. Four years ago, the European CEO entrusted him with a critical mission: to deepen our understanding of their clients. The quote that inspired Henrik - "Nothing can be more important than understanding our market; let's shape the future of work."
In 2020, Sodexo launched a Future of Work platform, responding to the changes and expectations in the wake of the pandemic. A huge imperative to innovate & develop new services with flexible business models, embracing emerging technologies.
Ross and Henrik talk about remote work, the future of work, staying relevant, dynamic discussions, revenue drops, future offices, being around people, duality, time spent in the office, serving clients, open strategies, managing large amounts of people and flexible companies. The pair also discuss AI colleagues, saving time, resilience, companies being left behind, problem solving, hybrid companies, workplace experiences, generational shifts, supporting people, the Hyrox workout competition, personal health, the mindfulness city and profound energy.
Timecodes:
00:14 Intro to Henrik
01:46 Henrik's role
04:58 Industry shifts
09:06 Working from home
13:59 Challenges recognising a trend and having to react to it
20:04 Henrik's platform launch and adaptability
25:52 Humanoid robots and AI
34:10 The importance of people's wellbeing
39:38 "Half the space, twice the experience"
43:31 Exciting prospects in the year ahead
49:01 The last time Henrik did something for the first time
50:43 Bringing in energy
54:22 Life changing experiences and the Bhutan Innovation Forum
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Kevin Eikenberry - The Chief Potential Officer
00:49:17
Joining us today is Kevin Eikenberry, the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. Kevin is a globally recognized expert on leadership, remote and hybrid work, and team development. A best-selling author, a few of his many notable books include, (around 10 so far) 'The long-distance leader', 'The long-distance team-mate' 'from BUD to BOSS', and Flexible leadership'. He is a renowned keynote speaker, and LinkedIn Learning instructor, with 3 decades of consulting with and coaching leaders around the world.
Selfishly I want to learn how we can improve our results as a remote team. And what the future of adaptable and flexible leadership looks like.
Ross and Kevin talk about phases of writing books, helping leaders, navigate uncertainty and leading with confidence, being effective leaders, organisations creating effective leaders, making leaders better, leadership styles, context, tools to build confidence and capability. The pair also discuss competence growing confidence, prioritising, principles, values, polarisation, tensions, flexors, hard decisions, informed decisions, decisions effecting people, remote & hybrid work, plausible reasons, humanoids doing work, mindset, skillset, habit-set, adaptive practices, piloting things over policy, policies having expiration dates and recognising change.
Timecodes:
00:17 Intro to Kevin
01:39 Projects currently exciting Kevin
03:08 Reasons to continue writing new books
05:11 Ideal person to read and use Kevin's new book 'Flexible Leadership'
11:49 The value of confidence in the realm of uncertainty
14:48 Decision making and saying "no"
16:53:23 Mark Zuckerberg's new Facebook shift video and leaders shifting
26:43 Things that haven't been done before
27:23 Flexible Leadership on where to work
33:03 Organisations going through lots of shift and restructuring
38:51 People struggling and tired with shift
43:35 The perfect achievements for Kevin the next year
46:38 The last time Kevin did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Russell Harvey - The Resilience Coach
00:47:39
What does Russell do? Well the opening line on his website says it all "he Supports Leaders Who are Wading Through Treacle to Rediscover their Mojo and make great decisions"
With over 2 decades years of experience in learning, leadership, and organizational development, Russell has dedicated the past 18 years to resilience and navigating the complexities of a VUCA world.
He’s an engaging leadership coach, speaker, and facilitator with a mission to positively impact 100,000 lives by the end of this year. Passionate, pragmatic, and playful, Russell is here to share his insights on resilience, leadership, and helping people rediscover their mojo.
Ross and Russell talk about leadership at The Co-operative Group, restructure, change, defining resilience, bouncing back without learning, surviving, thriving, overwhelm, never add to the 'to do list', reducing stress, purpose & energy, positive effects, playing to strengths, reducing responsibilities, delegating, removing blockage to people performing and feeling lighter. The pair also discuss common understanding, fostering energy, wellbeing, lack of confidence, caring for people, optimism, grounding guiding hope, tough times forcing resilience, adaptability, agility, simplifying new things, permanent openness, burnout, adopting AI, what is working well, emotional intelligence, finding purpose, reflect back on your life and remember being proud, finding ways to be proud, natural energisers, enjoying work, fear, your network, intentional choice and asking for help.
Timecodes:
00:16 Intro to Russell
00:54 Russell's background
01:48 Becoming ‘The Resilience Coach’
04:40 Clients journeys with Russell
13:06 Giving teams and organisations resilience
16:41 Russell's current activities and impacting 100,000 lives
19:54 Darker times in the past and accepting reality
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Sandra Loughlin - Chief Learning Scientist at EPAM Systems
00:48:32
With me today is Sandra Loughlin, Chief Learning Scientist at EPAM Systems, an organizational psychologist and a self-proclaimed 'skills nerd.' Sandra has dedicated her career to transforming the way businesses approach learning, employee enablement, and technology-driven transformation. She’s at the forefront of helping organizations cultivate business agility and engineering excellence through AI-enabled, skills-based strategies. With her work featured in Forbes and CEO Magazine and recognition as a Global Leader in Consulting, Sandra is here to share her expertise on building cultures of continuous learning and innovation.
I'd like to give our listeners some context about EPAM - has been on this journey for 3 decades - the art of the possible - built in-house, home grown - how it is configured, is to server the business - and is like a foreign country. EPAM and SKILLS have been married from day one.
Ross and Sandra talk about software engineering, data, AI, building sophisticated digital platforms, skills, finding the right people, skills-based organisations, systems of work, understanding your people, compelling change, being certain about change, digital transformation, human capital and framing to the right people. The pair also discuss set expectations, knowing where you are going, chief administration officers, AI in the workforce, transforming businesses, understanding AI, disruptive AI, autonomous robots, pushing your capabilities, understanding tasks, building teams, learning capabilities, dynamic learning, being outside our comfort zone and pickleball.
Timecodes:
00:16 Intro to Sandra
01:01 Sandra's background
01:51 EPAM
03:34 Tasks related to skills
05:06 What Sandra is currently working on
08:51 Leaving a set system that time and money have gone into
14:01 Making big changes while avoiding too much stress
21:09 EPAM approaching structuring business roles differently
25:34 Slowing down before speeding up
26:54 Being leaner and AI colleagues
34:04 Evolving communication skills in teams and collectives
37:47 Shifting away from limitations
40:18 Learning through incentivising
41:52 The difference between learning and training
44:39 The last time Sandra did something for the first time
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Dr. Diane Hamilton - What is holding you back?
00:46:06
With an intense curiosity on perception, Dr. Diane Hamilton touches on the four main things that hold people back, why empathy springs from asking questions, and how she’s helping organizations achieve more success through the Curiosity Code Index.
Timestamps:
1:15: Who is Dr. Hamilton, in her own words
3:34: Interesting people Dr. Hamilton has interviewed
5:07: Naveen Jain
7:21: What shaped the progression of Dr. Hamilton
8:49: Answers aren’t important — it’s the question
11:15: Opportunities to ask questions due to COVID-19
15:46: Is curiosity addictive?
19:15: Companies that are leveraging curiosity
25:03: Overcoming challenges to curiosity in the corporate world
31:09: Resiliency and unlearning
36:13: Dr. Hamilton’s vision for curiosity being embedded in businesses
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Heather McGowan - The Adaptation Advantage
00:43:46
Host Ross Thornley talks about adaptability requiring vulnerability — as does learning. Being deeply optimistic about humans, Heather McGowan reflects upon getting in touch with your identity — and leadership within this new normal. She also discusses how humans are transitioning away from universal income without any obligations and why learning is the new pension.
Timestamps:
1:12: Who is Heather McGowan — in her own words
2:48: The transition from corporate work to writing and speaking
5:55: Identity — and challenges of adapting that for the future
11:00: Different aspects of leadership
14:58: Exploration and exploitation in value creation
21:08: Successfully pivoting in dire times
24:07: Lighting a fire of ambition versus a burning platform
28:45: Tips for adapting a life-long learning culture
32:32: Heather’s motivation for writing her new book on adaptability
36:09: The skills we need to thrive in this pace of change
40:46: Looking forward to a productive year — and what it looks like
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Michael Keane - Lessons from the former CHRO of P.F. Chang's
00:43:36
Michael Keane is a Strategic Innovative Change Director and managing partner of the Sierra Institute. Host Ross Thornley speaks with Michael about the capability of repackaging a product, mitigating the risks of getting caught not looking ahead, and how capability can grow naturally over time. The pair also discuss creating plausible scenarios instead of strategic planning and how AQ will expose a great many people that don’t have opposable thumbs.
Timestamps:
:51: Who is Michael Keane — in his own words
4:14: Looking back on past accomplishments and learning experiences
10:09: How to use the strategy of being humane even when it’s not well thought-out
11:55: The balance of leaders struggling to communicate with their teams
16:04: Organizations that have transformed their skills well
20:35: The type of talent and skills needed in the workforce in order to thrive
24:43: Strategic learning isn’t about predicting the future
27:34: Tips to implement and improve plausible scenarios
30:43: Things that have inspired Michael — and the way he thinks
32:16: Why talent is innate and not only developed
37:08: How organizations can do better in the face of challenges
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Dr. Benjamin Hardy - Personality isn't Permanent
00:40:46
Dr. Benjamin Hardy is an organizational psychologist, an esteemed author, and a renowned speaker. Host Ross Thornley talks with Dr. Hardy talks about his new book, "Personality Isn’t Permanent", why it’s important to spend time thinking about thinking, and some of the keys of adaptability. The pair also discuss psychological flexibility being essential in order to jump from environment to environment — and not being held to the ideas of the former context.
Timestamps:
2:09: What drove Dr. Hardy towards writing
4:26: The various ways writers write
7:28: The personality test that could have changed everything
13:52: Poking the bear on profiling
17:40: Disruption — and knowing when it’s coming
19:20: Looking at you former self
23:30: A conversation with your future self
29:42: All progress starts by telling the truth
32:34: What would your future self say to your former self?
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Amanda Solosky - AI Digital Twins
00:46:40
Amanda Solosky is the co-founder and co-CEO of LA-based Lifekind.ai (formerly Rival Theory). She has successfully delivered AI-based products across interactive entertainment, VR, and Hollywood, used by over 100,000 studios in 26 countries. Host Ross Thornley and Amanda discuss the future of using artificial intelligence to create both fictional and real characters for different worlds, building and collaborating more by creating virtual personas, and solving problems through a game while also learning things along the way. Timestamps:
:57: Why Lifekind.ai was created
2:16: Creating remarkable work
4:40: New focus — and what is next
6:59: The beginnings of adaptive storytelling in games
9:27: Benefits to the public of future projects
12:07: Historical and living individuals such as Tony Robbins, currently being worked on
16:58: The vision for the level of creating emotional relationships — and the difference to chatbots
21:30: How might a persona help someone going through an unexpected change
26:08: The pivot from storyline, entertainment, and gaming to quality of life, wellness, and education of real people
30:57: Honing in on something only you can do
34:55: Overcoming challenges and pushback in these unique concepts
40:26: The future of AI
42:45: Who would Amanda like to bring to AI life to
Decoding AQ with Ross Thornley Feat. Richard Wilson - Founder of The Family Office Club
00:31:46
Recorded at the quarterly meetup for Strategic Coach, host Ross Thornley sits down with Richard Wilson from the Family Office Club. The pair discuss how adaptability is perceived no matter the industry, experimentation to find new revenue stream versus being laser focus, and the level of resilience over the measurement of emotional overwhelm.
Timestamps:
:38: What led Richard to becoming part of Strategic Coach
1:08: What is Family Office Club?
2:25: Transitions in how Family Offices are managed
4:14: What drives investing
5:55: How can a Family Office diversify?
7:48: Phrasing adaptability
11:47: How to help people navigate change and disruption
14:27: An analogy for a multifold business
17:25: The importance of understanding the types of people businesses need
22:48: "Sometimes the tide matters more than the swimmer"
24:13: Using adaptability to solve real problems
26:27: Advice for startups navigating investments
29:12: Is it smart to keep a wall between who clients are and who investors are?
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