Sunday Reset with Steven | 28 Sept 2025
The Corners You Cut Today Become the Cracks You Live With Tomorrow

🎥 Sunday Reset With Steven | 21 Sep 2025
🌻 Comparing Yourself Kills Progress - Because Ordinary Is What Builds Extraordinary

The other week, I caught myself slipping into comparison.
Scrolling. Seeing promotions, milestones, “big wins.”
And for a moment, I thought:
“I’m behind.”

But then I remembered:
In nature, no two flowers bloom at the same time.
Even in the same garden - roses open one by one, while sunflowers stand tall weeks later.
Each follows its own rhythm.
And none is late.

Theodore Roosevelt said it best:
“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

Their season has nothing to do with mine.
And yours has nothing to do with anyone else’s.

A reminder on the Sunday Reset.
During the week, I work with boards and leaders at the intersection of AI, governance, and transformation.
But these Sunday resets? They’re about stripping back the noise and focusing on what’s real.

Here is why I’m fired up about this:

In a meeting last week, a team’s progress was brushed aside because it “wasn’t extraordinary enough.”
Late nights. Solid results. Real effort.
Dismissed because it didn’t look like a unicorn headline. Imagine that!

I’ll be honest- it hit me. Because this is the trap we all fall into:
We discount the ordinary.
We trample steady effort.
We forget that without the ordinary, the extraordinary never comes.

Serena Williams didn’t become the GOAT by hitting extraordinary shots every day.
She hit thousands of ordinary forehands in practice.

In business: Great boards don’t transform because of one flashy decision.
They become extraordinary through the ordinary rhythm of governance done well.

Your reset this week:

1️⃣ Celebrate ordinary progress that compounds.
2️⃣ Resist comparing your chapter to someone else’s.
3️⃣ Remember: today’s ordinary is tomorrow’s extraordinary.

📚 If you want to dive deeper:
▫️Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader - Herminia Ibarra. About stepping in before you feel ready.
▫️Advocates & Enemies - Colin Gautrey. A practical guide to navigating influence and stakeholders.

Both tie back to this:
Being yourself in your lane.
Ordinary choices. Ordinary actions. Extraordinary results.

Make the ordinary come alive -
and the extraordinary will take care of itself.

Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday.
Let’s get it!

Steven PAUL, CDir FIoD 
Reshaping boards and CEOs to lead decisively - your boardroom compass for bold, trusted decisions at the intersection of AI, governance, and transformation.

📳 Let’s start the conversation - I invite you to connect.
♻️ Share this forward, and follow for more insights.
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“If you calm your own mind and discern the inner minds of others, that may be called the foremost art of war.” — Shiba Yoshimasa

Elon Musk launches rockets.
Taylor Swift reinvents herself every album.
Neither clings to “what used to work.”

But most of us? We stay stuck—
Not because we don’t learn new things…
But because we struggle to unlearn the old.

As mental fitness expert Maya Raichoora puts it:
“Resilience isn’t rigidity. It’s Mind Flex—the ability to switch gears with intention, awareness, and range.”
Think of it like a gearbox for the mind.
You don’t drive the same way uphill, downhill, or through rain.
Why would you lead the same way in every situation?

That hit me this week.

I’m Steven.
During the week, I work with boards and executive teams around the world—helping them lead and transform in the age of AI.
These #SundayReset sessions? They’re where we cut through noise and sharpen what’s human.

Let me share a story:
🧩 The Parable of the Blind Men and the Elephant — a Buddhist lesson from 500 B.C.

Each blind man touches a different part of the elephant and forms a “truth”:
→ A trunk? Must be a snake.
→ A tusk? A spear.
→ A leg? A tree.
→ An ear? A fan.
→ The side? A wall.
→ The tail? A rope.

They’re all partially right. But none have the full picture.

Sound familiar?
We all act from fragments.
Opinions disguised as facts.

But what if they’re not wrong… just holding a different part of the elephant?

You’ve got two choices:
🅐 Cling to certainty.
🅑 Or have the courage to evolve your view.

As David Foster Wallace said:
“A huge percentage of the stuff I tend to be automatically certain of is, it turns out, totally wrong and deluded.”
Truth isn’t in the shouting.
It’s in the shifting.

💡 The strongest leaders I know?
They move like warriors—but think like learners.
They ask:
🛡️ What if I didn’t see this clearly before?
🧭 What do they know that I don’t?

Mark Twain nailed it:
“It ain't what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”
So here’s your challenge this week:
📌 What have you changed your mind on recently?
📌 And what belief are you still clinging to that might need retiring?

Because growth isn’t polishing old beliefs.
It’s having the courage to replace the ones that no longer serve you.

🌱 Change your lens. Change your life.

I’m Steven.
Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday.
Let’s get it.

🎥 Sunday Reset with Steven – 13 July 2025
“It’s better to be a tiger for one day than a sheep for a thousand years.” -Tibetan Maxim

Here’s a vision for you:
Elon Musk doesn’t wait for perfect conditions to launch rockets.
Beyoncé doesn’t ask permission before dropping an album.
Richard Branson doesn’t wait for certainty before starting a new business.

They move.

Meanwhile, many of us stay stuck- thinking. Re-thinking. Waiting for the perfect moment.

And to remind: These Sunday resets? They’re a space to breathe, reflect, and sharpen your human edge.

This week, I found myself wrestling with my own tendency to overthink.

Iam naturally spontaneous and decisive. But even I slip into “analysis mode”- trying to map every risk, every scenario, before taking the first step.

And you know what I’ve learned the hard way?

While you’re mapping… life is moving.

So here’s a 3 part formula, honed in from my own mentors and my journeys, and I share with leaders I work with:

1️⃣ The decision matters less than the actions that follow.

A decision is just a single spark. The fire comes from the actions you stack on top of it.

The best leaders don’t wait for perfect choices. They choose -and then keep choosing, refining through action, and maintaining a high inner energy.

2️⃣ Trust your adaptability -not just your plans.

Mike Tyson once said:

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

Planning is good. But your real superpower is your ability to pivot when the unexpected hits.

This week, I was in the thick of a fast-moving project. We launched quickly, hit unforeseen barriers -but adapted because the team stayed connected, creative, and calm. (Yes there were conflicts too, and we returned to the goal!) 

And as Les Brown reminds us:

“If you don’t program yourself, life will program you. Draw your own map.”
Overthinking waits for someone else’s map. Leadership is grabbing your own pen.

3️⃣ Most decisions are reversible.

Jeff Bezos breaks decisions into two types:

Type 1 → One-way doors. Big, high-stakes, hard to reverse.
Type 2 → Two-way doors. Lower stakes. Easy to reverse.

Most decisions? They’re two-way doors. 
Try it! 

If it doesn’t work out, you can pivot, adjust, and move forward stronger.

This connects with a principle I love from Daniel Priestley Oversubscribed:

“People want to join movements, not just buy products.”
Momentum is magnetic.

Waiting for perfect clarity? That’s how businesses-and people -get left behind - in life and business.

“The world rewards those who ship. Not those who endlessly overthink”

So here’s my prompt for you this week:
🔷 What’s one decision you’ve been overthinking… that you could simply act on today?

Because hey .. Tigers change their world -even for a day. 

And overthinking? It won’t build your future. Only action will. 
Yes, with inspired action combined with higher inner vibration. 

This is your hashtag#SundayReset.
I’m Steven.
Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday.
Let’s get it!

Sunday Reset July 6 2025

🎥 Sunday Reset with Steven – 5 July 2025

Soil, Circles or Spirals? Think of Oprah. Cristiano Ronaldo. Lady Gaga.

Ever wonder why some people shine for decades - while others burn bright, then fade?

It’s not just talent.
It’s the soil they’re planted in.

→ The people around them.
→ The habits they nurture.
→ The spaces they create for their own growth.

Because greatness isn’t just what’s in you.
It’s also where you’re planted.

This week, a story kept echoing in my mind- the Parable of the Sower from the Gospel of Matthew:

A farmer plants seeds.
Some fall on rocky ground - no roots.
Some fall among thorns - choked out.
But some fall on good soil - and produce an abundant harvest.

Even the best seeds can’t thrive in the wrong ground.

I felt it myself this week - pushing hard on certain goals, yet spinning my wheels.

A friend shared a new perspective on Thursday when I met them for lunch:

Picture a spiral staircase.

Sometimes, it feels like you’re just going in circles.
Same steps. Same views.

But zoom out - and you’ll see:
Every turn lifts you higher.

→ Even if it doesn’t feel like progress right now.

🎬 Denzel Washington once said:

“Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship.”

And here’s my take:
A certain kind of ease matters -the kind that keeps you in a higher energetic state. Calm. Focused. Clear.

→ When you’re in that vibration, you make better decisions.
→ You avoid chaos and climb your spiral instead of running in circles.

Your environment - the soil you’re planted in- either lifts you up the spiral… or keeps you circling at the same level.

Here’s my prompt for your week:

Are you stuck in circles - or slowly rising on your spiral?

Because progress often hides where you least expect it.
And your roots - and your mission -deserve good soil.

This is your #SundayReset.
I’m Steven.
Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday.
Let’s get it! 

♻️ Share forward, follow for more and let's connect.

🎥 Sunday Reset with Steven - 22 June 2025
Even Sheryl Sandberg.
Even Jonny Wilkinson.
Even Rick Rubin.

They’ve all said the same thing:
Sometimes… they crack.
Not because they’re weak - 
But because they care. Deeply.

And this week? I cracked too.
Not dramatically.
Just enough to remind me: Leadership isn’t a performance. It’s pressure.

🎥 This Sunday Reset is personal.

Yesterday 21 June was the Summer Solstice - the longest day of the year.
It also marked a quiet, meaningful milestone in my life.
And it made me reflect on something I turn to often:
The Stockdale Paradox.

“Never lose faith in the end of the story...
But confront the most brutal facts of your current reality.” - Admiral James Stockdale

“I had to face facts, not just dreams. But never let go of hope.” - Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom

Both men lived the same truth:
Real leadership lives in the tension between brutal reality and unwavering belief.

That’s it.
The core of real leadership.
Hope and truth. Together.

Jim Collins found it in every company that made the leap from Good to Great.
And I see it in every transformation I help lead eg with boards, with AI, with people.

Here’s what happened this week.

I lost composure in a discussion with someone - let’s say : robotically wired.
All logic. No empathy. No awareness of tone.

But after reflecting, I realised:
They weren’t being difficult.
They were being them. Through their lens.

That’s when Erin Meyer’s The Culture Map came to mind.

“What sounds rude in one culture sounds clear in another.”
This doesn’t just apply to nations.
It applies to teams. To boards. To every room you walk into.

ReLearn with me:

So here are 3 shifts I use when conversations feel like collisions:
1️⃣ Pre-frame curiosity.
Say: “Help me understand how you’re seeing this.”

2️⃣ Default to context.
Ask: “Is this delivery… or design?”
Culture isn’t personal - it’s patterned.

3️⃣ Don’t take a scalpel to a screwdriver job.
Where logic fails, use story.
Where bluntness cuts, translate, don’t retreat.

📌 Quote I’m sitting with this week:

“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail…
with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality.” By Stockdale

My prompt for your week:

🧭 Where are you leading with only one lens- is it logic or emotion, performance or presence?
And what would happen if you held both?

This is your Sunday Reset.
I’m Steven.
Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday.
Let’s get it! 

Steven PAUL, CDir FIoD – Reshaping boards and CEOs to lead decisively – with AI transformation and strategic corporate governance at the core.
♻️ Share forward, follow for more and let's connect.

🎥 Sunday Reset with Steven – 15 Jun 25
Ryan Reynolds runs multiple businesses. Keanu Reeves is known not for speed, but for stillness.

Neither are rushing.
They’re moving deliberately. And that’s why they win.

This week, after two high-intensity events, deep conversations, and a coaching session that hit hard. I was reminded of a Navy SEAL principle:
🟡 “Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.”

Let that land.
Because sometimes, the next level in your leadership isn’t about more intensity.
It’s about more clarity.

This week’s reset includes:
▫️A martial arts parable on why trying to master faster only slows you down
▫️A lesson from Josh Waitzkin on training stillness under pressure
▫️Boardroom insights from governance and trust events
▫️Personal moments that mattered more than any strategy slide
▫️5 micro-actions to build a sustainable rhythm in your leadership week

“Board Governance isn’t red tape; it’s the red thread that holds everything together”

That was my share during a panel this week.

In your meetings, ask: “What are we here to protect, enable, and model?”
That ONE question resets everything.

At another event on Trust and Leadership in a Changing World, I heard great insights from trusted partners via panel session. 

I stood beside friends who’ve seen me through it all- good and hard.
And that reminded me of this:
Proximity is power. Presence is everything. My friends, family (and my little boy Rocky) are everything to me. Happy Father’s Day to people like us ;) 

Ok let’s talk about Gen AI for a second.
Its biggest risk?
It’s not just what it automates- it’s what it erodes. Think about it and reposition yourself!: 

- It teaches us to second-guess ourselves.
- To ask the model before we trust the mirror.
- To chase output and skip intuition.

Leadership begins where automation ends.
With judgement. Courage. Presence.
Let’s not forget that. 

My coach said to me:
“Steven: life isn’t short. It’s very, very long. But we make it short by sprinting through it.”

So this week, I’m building this rhythm:
1️⃣ Unitask on purpose - One thing at a time
2️⃣ Take micro-breaks - Have 25-min /45-min meetings
3️⃣ Walk + reflect - Motion clears mental noise
4️⃣ Say no to noise - Protect your best time
5️⃣ Find your ocean - A space to renew, daily

This isn’t soft.
It’s strategic. 

I challenge you to learn with me, this week! 

📌 “He who hurries has delayed the things that are urgent.” - Seneca

My prompt for your week:
What decision, conversation, or habit are you rushing - when what it really needs… is your presence?

This is your Sunday Reset.
Watch the video. Breathe. Reflect.
Then slow it down - and make it count.

Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday.
Let’s get it.

Steven PAUL, CDir FIoD – reshaping Boards and CEO Exec teams in the era of AI for successful transformation and board governance. 
♻️ Share forward, follow for more and let's connect.

🎥 Sunday Reset with Steven – 8 June 2025
“You’re Not Afraid of Failing. You’re Afraid of What Happens If It Works.”

Most people think fear holds them back.
Fear of failing. Fear of judgment. Fear of getting it wrong. Happens to me too. 

But this week, I had a different realisation:

What if we’re not afraid to fail… we’re afraid to succeed?
To grow beyond what’s familiar.
To actually get the outcome we say we want.

📚 Abraham Maslow once said:

“We fear our highest possibilities… We thrill to godlike potential …and yet we shiver before it.”

I felt that this week - not in crisis, but in a decision moment.
The initiative I am on was ready to scale. The pushback?

"Let’s not overreach."
But was that risk management… or fear of thriving?

In those moments, I ask teams:
“What would we do if we weren’t afraid of succeeding too fast?”
It changes the room.

Then came a reminder I carry with me every week:
👉🏽 The Starfish Story (it’s an adaptation of Loren Eisley).
One boy. One small act.
Too many challenges to solve - but he still threw one starfish back into the ocean.

"I made a difference to that one."

That’s the real leadership shift.
Tiny actions. Big momentum.
Because you don’t change your life in a day—but you do change your days.
And eventually, that changes everything.

Here’s what moved me most this week:

A board committee member who finally spoke up after staying silent for weeks.
A quiet nudge that helped someone back their own voice.
No slides. No strategy.
Just human courage in real time.
That’s what leadership looks like.

📌 “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”
- Marianne Williamson

Prompt for your week:
What’s your starfish?
What’s one small, human action you can take—today—that might not change the world, but could change someone’s day?

More in the video - check it out. 

This is your hashtag#SundayReset.
I’m Steven.
Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday.
Let’s get it!

Steven PAUL, CDir FIoD – shaping boards and CxO Exec teams in the era of AI for successful transformation. Sharing a decade of strategic global boardroom actionable insights on effectiveness, Gen AI, leadership, innovation and growth. 
♻️ Share forward, follow for more and let's connect

🎥 Sunday Reset with Steven – 1 June 2025 
“What Tom Cruise, Serena Williams, and AI Can Teach You About Grit”

What do they have in common?

They don’t stop at 40%.

Tom does his own stunts—at 62.
Serena plays through pain and pressure—year after year.
And Former Navy SEAL, Goggins? He calls it the 40/60 Rule:

“When you think you’re done, you’re only 40% tapped out.”

That hit me—not in a gym, but in the middle of late-night strategy, high-stakes M&A meetings, and planning for a transformation that’s about to go live.

FYI I lead three portfolio roles. So it’s intense. 

This week in one of the intense emotionally charged go live prep meetings, I paused and asked our task force:

What behaviours will keep us grounded when the next 8 hours go off-script?

Because when things get operationally complex, leadership needs to get emotionally simple.

And that’s the power of grit.

I am reminding myself. And I am reminding you. 

Here’s what I’ve observed in the tower and engine room:
The top performers I work with—CEOs, boards, founders—aren’t necessarily the most brilliant.

They’re the most disciplined.

They train themselves to push past the first wave of surrender.

→ When the room gets tense, they breathe slower.
→ When the data overwhelms, they ask better questions.
→ When AI surfaces 100 insights, they choose 1 wisely.

And that’s the paradox of modern leadership:

We're surrounded by AI and automation, yet the edge lies in stoic focus, rhythm, and composure.

This week, Paris Saint Germain made UEFA Champions League history.
A 5–0 masterclass.
Not just flair—but fierce, grounded teamwork.
That’s not motivation. That’s systemised grit.

So here’s my Sunday prompt to you:

What’s one mental habit you can strengthen this week—so when pressure rises, you don’t break… you lead?

Maybe it’s:

Starting your day without your phone.
Saying no faster.
Speaking less in a meeting, but listening more.

Whatever it is—

Let this new month be your moment to reset.

📌 “You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength.” — Marcus Aurelius

I’m Steven. This is your hashtag#SundayReset.
Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday.
Let’s get it! 

Steven PAUL, CDir FIoD – shaping boards and CxO Exec teams in the era of AI for successful transformation. Sharing a decade of strategic global boardroom actionable insights on effectiveness, Gen AI, leadership, innovation and growth. 
♻️ Share forward, follow for more and let's connect.

2 min video

🎥 Sunday Reset with Steven | 14 Sept 2025
Excellence Isn’t Always the Goal…
We are taught from childhood to chase excellence.

Top marks. Perfect scores. 100%. Get everything right. Be perfect. 

(Exhausting!)

And in some places, that is indeed non-negotiable.
Of course, I want my pilot, surgeon, scientist or bridge engineer aiming for 100%! 

But here is the uncomfortable truth:
In life, entrepreneurship. In leadership. In transformation.
Excellence can kill momentum.

In case you are new to these Sunday resets… They are about stripping back to what matters- growth, reflection, and action.

At a private session a couple of weeks ago, an entrepreneur put it bluntly:

“Education teaches excellence. Entrepreneurship thrives on speed.”

Startups or even companies with that mindset, don’t wait for flawless.
They hit 65–70%, but three times faster than everyone else.

Because speed lets you test, adjust, and learn.
Perfection waits. Hesitates. And misses the window.

Think of a musician rehearsing.
They don’t lock themselves away until every note is flawless.
They step into the rhythm, play with others, and refine in motion.
The music comes alive not because it’s perfect, 
but because they dared to play before they were ready.

I have had to unlearn this myself.

In boardrooms and programmes, I was wired to chase flawless execution. 
(And those documents and PowerPoints - trying to make it perfect!)

But the biggest wins came when I moved fast with “good enough”…
and refined later.

Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn’s founder, said it best:

“If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.”

Here’s your reset this week:

Pick one task, decision, or project you’ve been stalling on,
because you’re waiting for “perfect.”

Commit to moving forward at 70%.
Ship it. Share it. Start it.

Because progress will beat perfection -every time.

Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday
Let’s get it! 

Steven PAUL, CDir FIoD - Reshaping boards and CEOs to lead decisively: Your boardroom compass for bold, trusted AI decisions and governance. 
📳 Let me show you how. I invite you to connect with me
♻️ Share forward, follow for more 

Powered by Freshriver and GovernanceAI.

Narrated by James Sterling and Sophia Blake c/o notebooklm

This 30-minute session, led by AI transformation expert Steven Paul, provides CEOs and executives and Boards with concise insights on avoiding AI implementation failures. 

Sponsored by Freshriver.ai, this sharp, focused, and interactive live discussion earlier today, was a 30-minute, rapid-fire, no-fluff conversation series to discover how to navigate the challenges of AI transformations and maximise ROI. Thanks to the 19 leaders who graciously attended the session their busy schedules, and provided some thought provoking insights (some of which I had not considered!). 

The session highlights real-world examples of AI project failures—including those from Microsoft, McDonald's, and Uber—to illustrate common challenges. 

These challenges include a lack of clear strategy, poor data readiness, workforce resistance, unrealistic expectations, and ethical concerns. The session offers practical solutions and tools for success, such as implementing ethical AI frameworks and investing in employee training. Finally, it promotes continued engagement through future sessions on related AI topics. 

In this episode, we welcome Stephania Di Bartolomeo, CEO and Founder of Physis Investment based in Boston, USA. Stephania leads Physis, an investment business platform that provides investors with innovative investment solutions, sustainable investing opportunities and having a portfolio that can have more than just a financial impact. Imagine that! 

We will hear about Stephania and her journey and learn about 

✅ Her vision to bring greater transparency to the financial industry, and other sectors.
✅ How she helps investors understand, track, and measure the impact of their portfolios
✅ How she transforms her quant-humanist dedication to female empowerment and sustainable investing

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this edition, we welcome Shiv Paul, CEO of Caprihan Consulting, based in the UK. Shiv has lived in several countries, and previously partnered with top tier management consulting firms and businesses. He brings mastery in the areas of diversity, inclusion and change. Shiv is a speaker, and also holds various board roles. 

We will hear about Shiv – his journey, pivotal moments of where aligned with his authentic self, and learn
✅ Insights on the diverse components of inclusion, change and transformation
✅ How businesses can implement, adopt and embed this in a positive way
✅ How he shifts the changes in behaviours, processes, culture and structure for businesses to be successful 

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, we welcome Bryan Ritchie, CEO of Simple Blockchain Applications (SIMBA). He brings 35 years in tech company development. Incubated over 400 companies. Bryan has consulted for many Fortune 500 companies. Professor of Economics, and he holds several other board roles!

We will learn about Bryan, including

✅ His views on how he helps companies achieve milestones on their path to success.
✅ His journey of entrepreneurship and leadership, how he turns failure to success
✅ Remote work and the change the way work force is transitioning
✅ How he describes accountability with aligned engagement, and even doing that remotely
✅ How he promotes and embeds a culture of learning from failures and successes

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this edition, Steven welcomes Ivan Tejeda. Ivan is a Co-Owner - Chief Financial and Operating Officer, based in France. He has had several international long-term experiences, leadership roles globally working for various companies where he has provided leadership, management, and vision. 

We will learn about Ivan, How he became the person he is today, and his journey of reinventing and finally reaching where he is now, including how he

✅ Has led different teams such as Finance, HR, IT/IS, and Legal teams 
✅ Led to purchase the business from US corporation
✅ Brings entrepreneurial leadership
✅ Drives agility into the way he operates

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this edition, Steven welcomes Ülane Vilumets based in Tallinn, Estonia and is a Senior Leader at Estonia's e-Residency program. A former startup founder herself, Ülane spent the last decade building a digital travel platform called Like A Local and a tour operator focused on small-group tours called Traveller Tours. She is well travelled (over 50 countries). Currently a leader at Estonia's e-Residency, she and team continue to lead and expand the digitalisation efforts. 

“Estonia is the first country to offer e-Residency, a government-issued digital identity and status that provides access to Estonia’s transparent business environment: a new digital nation for the world. E-resident entrepreneurs from all over the world can start an EU-based company and manage business from anywhere, entirely online. In 2022, an Estonian e-resident broke the world record for fastest company incorporation ever in a time of 15 minutes and 33 seconds!”

We will learn about: 

✅ Ülane and her unique personal and entrepreneurial experience across the globe

✅ How she leverages her international background and entrepreneurial leadership for Estonia’s e-Residency

✅ How Estonia’s e-Residency enables cross-sector businesses globally to access benefits into EU

✅ The expansion and partnership efforts of Estonia’s e-Residency to top target markets

✅ Ülane secrets to success and her unwritten lessons on leadership and digital strategy execution 

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this edition, Steven welcomes Elodie O'Rourke. Elodie is the Customer Success Director and Leader at the Financial Times and Co-Chair of FT Families in the Netherlands. Elodie has had a unique career history and journey elevating how she embodies flexibility, reinvention, refocus. She is passionate about making businesses successful by capitalising on customer centricity and more widely about diversity and inclusion leading to social change.

We will learn about: 

✅ Elodie and her journey through diverse roles and geographies

✅ Her passion about customer centricity and Diversity and Inclusion 

✅ Setting up offices and building relationships, teams

✅ Her lessons on leadership and how she is championing this from within

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven Paul is delighted to meet with Tracy Monday, a global solutions executive at a global firm. Tracy holds multiple roles, and is in the forefront of enabling entrepreneurs and tech innovators through the diverse work she does formally and informally, whilst bringing the topic of Diversity front and centre as the industry evolves. Tracy enables the continuation of work towards driving total equality and inclusion. 

We will hear about 

✅ Tracy and her journey as an entrepreneur 

✅ Her passion about Women in Tech, and mentorship

✅ Setting up sales and business functions, whilst uplifting relationships

✅ Business and life lessons  

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven Paul is delighted to have David Agar, CEO and Founder of Digital Ability Ltd, based in the UK. The company offers the world's most accessible and inclusive open banking technology to help society's most vulnerable people to manage their day to day finances. David is a highly experienced leader, specialising in creating value and scaling within disruptive tech sector businesses. He has led successful start-ups / early stage businesses, incl. two acquisitions. Raised VC investment to support a global roll-out of sales, operations and distribution within Europe, North America and Asia.

We will hear about 

✅ David and his journey as an entrepreneur 

✅ How he is making change through disruptive, yet innovative technologies.

✅ Digital accessibility and disrupting the status quo for positive social impact

✅ Creating an accessible and inclusive open banking technology 

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven Paul is delighted to have James Harrison, a senior executive at Business Value Engineering based in UK. He is a former Army officer, with global experience of building, and leading, dispersed, multicultural, multi-skilled teams. James has worked globally, in leadership roles within B2B and B2C environments. Having graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as an Officer in the Royal Logistic Corps, James undertook leadership roles in the UK, Germany, and on operations in Iraq. Since leaving the British Army his path has led him to undertake leadership roles across Logistics, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Construction, Transport, Financial Services, Media & Telecommunications, Utilities and Defence.

Now leading IFS Software’s Business Value Engineering capability across South & West Europe and Latin America, James works with senior executives to determine, and realise, the value from IT investments. James holds various other roles too.

We will hear about
✅ James and his journey of in the military and commercial world
✅ The areas companies need to focus on
✅ The importance of identifying, and recognising value

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

🎥 Sunday Reset with Steven – 7 Sept 2025
Why Borrowed Conviction Is the Most Dangerous Leadership Habit
In the rain at Monza - or in the boardroom - your own grip is what carries you through.

Ever noticed how one strong voice can swing an entire room?

A boardroom, an exec meeting, even a friendship group.

When that person speaks with absolute certainty, everyone nods along.
But the moment they waver, the whole group shifts like sand.

That’s borrowed conviction.

And it’s fragile.

As you know, during the week, I work with boards and leaders on the toughest challenges at the intersection of AI, governance, and transformation.
But every Sunday, I strip it back to something human, growth oriented, to apply in life and work. 

This week, it’s about where we stand when the noise gets loud.

The Stoics had a word for it: autarkeia or self-sufficiency.

Marcus Aurelius wrote:
“You have power over your mind, not outside events.”

Conviction isn’t something you rent from others.
It has to be owned.

And if you’re watching the Italian Grand Prix today, here’s your metaphor:
When the rain hits Monza, the pack usually dives into the pits for new tyres.

But sometimes, one driver stays out.
They trust their grip, their feel of the track, their judgment, not the herd.

Sometimes it costs them.
But sometimes, that single act of conviction wins the race.

Because in Formula 1- like in leadership- the slipstream might keep you safe, but it will never make you a champion.

So How Do You Build Your Own Conviction (not borrow it)?:3 steps.  

1️⃣ Define your WHY. Ask why it matters to you, not just to the group or the trend.
2️⃣ Borrow maps, not conviction. Take in perspectives- but redraw your own route. Les Brown says it well.
3️⃣ Practice ownership in small things. This week, make one decision without polling five people first.

📚 Want to go deeper? Here’s your 7-day challenge:
Pick up 2 books:
1. The Effective Board Member -Dr. Karl George, MBE book on anchoring decisions in governance, not groupthink.

2. It Worked for Me - in life and leadership, by General Colin Powell - a masterclass in turning principles into conviction, even under fire.

Read one, skim the other. By next Sunday, share one takeaway with your team.

Because here’s the truth:
Borrowed conviction might carry you into the room.
But only your own will keep you standing when the room goes quiet.

Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday. 
Let’s get it! 

Steven PAUL, CDir FIoD – Reshaping boards and CEOs to lead decisively: Your boardroom compass for bold, trusted AI decisions and governance. 
📳 Let me show you how. I invite you to connect with me. 
♻️ Share forward, follow for moreBorrowed Conviction Is the Most Dangerous Leadership Habit
In the rain at Monza - or in the boardroom - your own grip is what carries you through.

Ever noticed how one strong voice can swing an entire room?

A boardroom, an exec meeting, even a friendship group.

When that person speaks with absolute certainty, everyone nods along.
But the moment they waver, the whole group shifts like sand.

That’s borrowed conviction.

And it’s fragile.

As you know, during the week, I work with boards and leaders on the toughest challenges at the intersection of AI, governance, and transformation.
But every Sunday, I strip it back to something human, growth oriented, to apply in life and work. 

This week, it’s about where we stand when the noise gets loud.

The Stoics had a word for it: autarkeia or self-sufficiency.

Marcus Aurelius wrote:
“You have power over your mind, not outside events.”

Conviction isn’t something you rent from others.
It has to be owned.

And if you’re watching the Italian Grand Prix today, here’s your metaphor:
When the rain hits Monza, the pack usually dives into the pits for new tyres.

But sometimes, one driver stays out.
They trust their grip, their feel of the track, their judgment, not the herd.

Sometimes it costs them.
But sometimes, that single act of conviction wins the race.

Because in Formula 1- like in leadership- the slipstream might keep you safe, but it will never make you a champion.

So How Do You Build Your Own Conviction (not borrow it)?:3 steps.  

1️⃣ Define your WHY. Ask why it matters to you, not just to the group or the trend.
2️⃣ Borrow maps, not conviction. Take in perspectives- but redraw your own route. Les Brown says it well.
3️⃣ Practice ownership in small things. This week, make one decision without polling five people first.

📚 Want to go deeper? Here’s your 7-day challenge:
Pick up 2 books:
1. The Effective Board Member -Dr. Karl George, MBE book on anchoring decisions in governance, not groupthink.

2. It Worked for Me - in life and leadership, by General Colin Powell - a masterclass in turning principles into conviction, even under fire.

Read one, skim the other. By next Sunday, share one takeaway with your team.

Because here’s the truth:
Borrowed conviction might carry you into the room.
But only your own will keep you standing when the room goes quiet.

Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday. 
Let’s get it! 

Steven PAUL, CDir FIoD – Reshaping boards and CEOs to lead decisively: Your boardroom compass for bold, trusted AI decisions and governance. 
📳 Let me show you how. I invite you to connect with me. 
♻️ Share forward, follow for more

In this episode, Steven Paul is delighted to host Dr Jane Thomason, Chair of Kasei Holdings, a London listed blockchain and Web 3.0 investment firm. Dr Jane has been named by Thinkers 360 as a Top 10 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on HealthTech, Sustainability and Crypto. She is author of Blockchain for Global Social Change ; “Blockchaining the World” and “Applied Ethics in a Digital World”, and has been featured in multiple awards including:Top 100 Women in Crypto, and Top 100 Fintech Influencers for SDGs. She is a successful CEO and Founder of multiple firms. 

We will hear about 
✅ Jane and her journey of being an entrepreneur  
✅ Leadership in the digital age and lessons (un) learned.

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven Paul is delighted to have Paulina Chotrova, Founder of PSK Group located in Bulgaria. Paulina is a serial entrepreneur, leader and connector. She is a social changemaker, deep tech and robotics explorer and networking powerhouse whose focus is enabling the adoption of tomorrow’s technology today and providing a foundation for innovation and development Globally, in the Balkans Region and beyond. 

Paulina is also country leader of the European Women's Association and holds other positions of chairperson and co-founder across other firms.  

Today we will learn about how 

✅Paulina is bridging leadership and creating ecosystems of the future through super connections

✅The Balkans is such an important growth region for technology and business for start-ups, scale ups and established firms. 

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven Paul hosts Sophia Ukor, the Founder and CEO of Violet Simon, a media company based in the UK that amplifies the voices of women from diverse backgrounds using authentic storytelling to explore women's lives, experiences, challenges, accomplishments, and milestones towards leadership & success. The firm strives to push representation and equality, inspire others and generate calls to action on key women’s issues in all aspects of life. Sophia was also the delegate for the UN Women UK Commission on the Status of Women 2022 

We will learn more about Sophia 
✅ the work she is doing to enable women's lives, experiences, challenges, accomplishments, and milestones towards leadership & success
✅ and her challenge to entrepreneurs and leaders of companies

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven Paul hosts Maggie Calle. Maggie currently serves as the chief information security officer at Varicent, based in Canada. For over two decades, she has held several leadership roles in the financial, insurance, and retail and technology sectors. She has successfully embedded “tone at the top” in the management and oversight of cybersecurity and risk management programs supporting business objectives, innovation and digital transformation. 

She has been recognized as Women to Watch by the Risky Women organization, Canada's Top 20 Women in Cybersecurity by ITWC, Top Influencer in Cybersecurity by IFSEC Global, and Cybersecurity Woman of the Year by SiberX. Regularly speaking at cybersecurity conferences, she also mentors and promotes STEM education in her community and as a guest-speaker at many educational institutions. 

We will hear of Maggie’s journey and discuss with her the important topic of 
✅ Information Security and Risk Management, 
✅ The evolution of cyber security teams and the relationships of this within executives and board. 
✅ Major issues facing the cybersecurity community, the skills sets needed at Executive and Board level to proactively manage

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven is honoured to host Robert Jordan, CEO InterimExecs, based in Chicago, USA. InterimExecs matches top executives with companies around the world and has helped fix global giants like Pepsi, Microsoft, UPS, and more by identifying the right leaders to step in during times of trouble or stagnation.

Robert is the co-author of unique leadership book -  Right Leader Right Time which was published, 2022

Company Websites :
https://interimexecs.com/
https://www.rightleader.com/

We will hear from Robert about his 
✅ Entrepreneurial journey
✅ Pivotal moments in his personal journey, with references to negotiation, being coached during uncertain times
✅ The genesis of how he co-authored Right Leader, Right Time
✅ The 4 distinct leadership styles and when and where those styles are the most useful

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven has the pleasure of speaking with Jeff Howard, Co-founder & Chief Sales Officer of Vika Living, based in the USA. Vika Living makes rapidly deployable, thoughtfully designed, and feature-packed housing units, and is the best micro-housing on the market that solves for a $30b/year industry gap. Aside from being the Sales Leader and Entrepreneur, loves advising founders and impactful nonprofits and enabling the best of company culture and humanitarian needs through several other roles he holds. 

We will learn about Jeff, his entrepreneurial journey

✅ His unique journey and the initiatives he is leading

✅ How companies can address their growth and culture. 

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven PAUL speaks with James Adekele, the CEO of Generation Success, a non-profit organisation located in the UK and Ireland that helps companies Move to Equality.

James is making change for the good of society by enabling building of bridges and creating a healthy respectful culture of working together, whilst also helping embrace the values of equality and diversity.

We will hear about these big changes James is leading and enabling in the areas of Equality, and what that means to organisations, individuals in the areas of: 

✅Build reputation as an inclusive employer
✅Attract a more diverse talent pool
✅Create a workforce that reflects your clients
✅Engage internal staff networks and build on your positive work culture
✅Become more visible as a values driven organisation

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven speaks to Dr Swaroop Savanoor, Performance Coach based in India. He is a coach to elite international athletes as part of preparation for major international events for diverse sports which include teams like Punjab Kings IPL team, Indian Football Team,  amongst many others. 
Dr Swaroop is also the Founder and CEO of MyMentalCoach, a Sport and Allied Peak Performance organisation for businesses and individuals, to assist in Peak Performance and maximise potential of success, happiness and inner satisfaction. 

We will hear about Dr Swaroop’s journey, the methods he embeds around training vs therapy, and the exponential outcomes individuals, businesses and teams achieve. 

Dr Swaroop brings unique methods which includes 
✅Managing and Maintaining Flow, Mental and Performance Skills Training for maximising Team efficiency 
✅Leadership and Team Management Counselling for Senior Management. 

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode Steven hosts Ricardo Reis, CEO of Reis Real Estate, based in Brazil. Ricardo speaks of his journey in diverse areas of Law, Engineering, Architecture and Property, and how is influencing change in the sector through insights and areas of opportunities targeted at residential and commercial property owners. Ricardo is an Independent Board Member, Professor, Author and Communicator. Ricardo speaks to the current economic climate and the impacts, whilst also outlining his areas of building the business and teams. 

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven is delighted to host Rose Dyer, Global Head of Projects Portfolio and ESG at Beauty Pie Ltd in the UK. Rose has a career spanning several industries, including telecommunications, aeronautics, investment banking, and now beauty E-Commerce. She is an ESG advocate, and helps strategise and champion the ESG goals across the business and within the beauty industry. 

We will hear about Rose’s journey and 
✅How she is developing her business unit through Portfolio practices, her views on ingraining ESG values into the organisation 
✅Her experience and lessons of prioritisation, navigating uncertainty and demonstrating resilience

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

🎥 Sunday Reset With Steven | August 31

The hidden tax you wish you dealt with.

It’s not financial.

It’s not legal.

It’s decision debt.

Every choice you delay, every option you leave hanging, accrues interest.

And you pay it in momentum.

Last week, I was invited to a private roundtable with board leaders shaping how governance must evolve in the age of AI.

Behind closed doors, one truth became clear:

Decisions don’t stall for lack of data. They stall because of fear.

Fear of being wrong.

Fear of losing face.

Fear of moving without certainty.

But here’s the paradox:

Waiting doesn’t protect you; it costs you.

Ray Dalio says:

“He who lives by the crystal ball will eat shattered glass.”

Clarity isn’t found in predicting every outcome. It’s built through principled decisions, tested and adapted in motion.

And Mel Robbins puts it even sharper:

“Hesitation kills momentum. The gap between thought and action is where fear lives.”

I Learnt This: 

3 Ways to Cut Decision Debt:

1️⃣ Time-box your choices. Five seconds, five minutes, five days. Just decide!

2️⃣ Default to principles, not perfection. Dalio reminds us: principles > predictions.

3️⃣ Take the first reversible step. Jeff Bezos calls them “two-way doors.” If it’s not permanent, move! 

Here’s the truth:

The longer you wait, the heavier the debt.

But the moment you act, you reclaim momentum.

📚 Two books that shaped how I decide:

1. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie  - gifted to me by my brother Joe on my 18th birthday (a few decades ago!) 

2. Managing Up and Across, by HBR. It’s a practical guide to influence when decisions stall.

Clarity doesn’t come from waiting.

It comes from movement.

So this week, make the call.

Clear the debt.

Step lighter.

Keep growing. Keep leading.

Until next Sunday.

Let’s get it! 

Steven 

In this episode, Steven speaks with Manoj Agrawal, Group Editor at Banking Frontiers; Founder Director at Glocal Infomart Pvt. Ltd. With over 30 years of work experience spanning Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) as well as Business and Technology Journalism, Conference Production, Roundtable moderation and publications, Manoj has successfully conceptualised and produced over 600 events. Aside from this, Manoj is now also focusing on BMW - (not the car!) - but the Brain.Mind.Wisdom framework for clarity in new thinking and decision making, which can be applied across top teams, organisations, boards.  We will hear about how he brings the business aspects of technology and journalism via innovation of leaders, and how he intersects this new framework. Manoj’s professional mission is to spread far and wide the new insights that are continually emerging in the BFSI sector. 

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode Steven hosts Wendy Broersen, CEO and Founder of the Superpeople Company in Amsterdam which helps companies to attract, retain and develop their diverse workforce, worldwide. Wendy has been a serial entrepreneur for over 15 years, won several awards and nominations, had her own Dutch TV-Show, is a guest lecturer at the University of Amsterdam, author and international speaker. 

Wendy is also the inventor of Equalitypoly; the first management game to help companies not just talk about diversity but also get into action. She is currently developing an unconscious bias training in AR (Augmented Reality) and developed a revolutionary model to create an inclusive culture and is currently writing a book about that.

We will hear about Wendy’s journey and 
✅How businesses and leaders need to keep up with their talents and in the process attract more.
✅Business and Technological Innovations in developing People and how Diversity plays an important role  

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode Steven speaks with Bart Schillebeeks the Owner, Chief Enterprise Architect and Director of Belgian consulting Company AD Internet Consulting. 

As the Chief Architect and a visionary for new technologies, specialised in transforming Global or multinational companies using new technology, Bart shares his journey and 

✅His vision on the next technological exponential age
✅The disruptions it will bring to people and business ecosystem including changes to cloud, blockchain, nano tech, AI, 3d manufacturing, quantum computing, drones, robotics, social media
✅ The role of Architecture in introducing concepts to business leaders for an integrated approach towards embracing innovation

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode Steven speaks with Maria Scarangella, President of Scarangella Consulting LLC USA, a leadership development, and HR services consulting firm. She has previously held executive roles for a global firm in the areas of Enterprise Talent and Learning, and has managed large sales, service, HR and operations units in multiple states. 

We will learn about how Maria brings to life especially during these unprecedented economic times the: 
✅ Leadership development and uplift across diverse leaders
✅ Emotional agility across the workforce
✅ Talent investments that boards and executive teams to focus on
✅ Art of work-life balance

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode Steven meets Jan Vekemans Country Sales Leader- InterSystems Benelux. He brings over 3 decades of experience in Technology and Business Infrastructure and successfully marketing complex solutions and data platforms. As of late his non-profit initiative #1patient1record4Belgium has taken a lot of his effort to make sure that the patient is aided by digitally enabling access to all a patient’s data.

Jan brings a new perspective “While all companies are gathering data like crazy, they often fail at processing and applying and using it, never reaching its fullest potential.”. 

✅We will hear about Jan’s journey
✅How he brings to life for companies unparalleled capability to interact, connect and execute data transformations that creates added value for all and more specific those in healthcare.  

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven speaks with Anthony P. Howard, an HR Strategic Leader based in Atlanta, USA. Anthony brings over 2 decades of progressive success piloting large-scale, global initiatives driving organisational change and goals in diverse environments, from highly regulated FDA medical devices & biotech industries to unionised manufacturing environments. 

Anthony has incorporated a passion for the learning and development of others into his entire career. He is the founder of HR Certified, LLC and we will hear about his journey and  how he is enabling great leaders to ensure success in their areas of expertise and become even stronger leaders, in turn driving the business forward economically and personally. 

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode Steven Paul is delighted and honoured to speak with Peter Serenita, a Senior Data Management Executive and Board Chairperson with extensive experience leading global organisations in the financial services industry. Peter has held senior group-level executive leadership roles, and as the Group Chief Data Officer (CDO) of several global banks including JP Morgan, HSBC, Scotia Bank. Peter pioneered, trail-blazed and established the CDO leadership and operational capability and architected a global enterprise data management ecosystem in each of these global firms. As a progressive-minded and transformational leader Peter has partnered with other leaders to create success for organisations,  and with his leadership has influenced successful and positive shifts in the industry on the future of Data.

Peter is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Enterprise Data Management Council. He is a thought leader in the industry, a keynote speaker at several data management conferences, and has been featured in several articles - Peter was voted 2009 Reference Data Executive of the Year by “Inside Reference Data” magazine, and voted 2021 OnCon Data and Analytics Executive of Year. 

Peter and Steven worked together in one of the global organisations (HSBC) in the UK, which makes this an even more special episode. 

We hear about Peter’s journey where he outlines business challenges and opportunities in organisations to establish a future proofed data centric organisation and ecosystem. Peter shares: 

✅ A preview of the white papers he is co-authoring

✅ Leadership secrets on influencing company wide buy-in; integrating next-gen tech; and creating an internal network of network to embed data into the fabric of the organisation 

✅ The art of creating a forward-looking data strategy aligned with business strategy to support macro business and economic goals including ESG

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode, Steven Paul welcomes Karan Rhodes, based in Georgia, USA. She is the Founder and CEO of Shockingly Different Leadership (SDL), a leading professional services firm who is changing the way HR-Functions scale up during peak periods of work! She has worked with global companies, and is an author of the book – lead at the top of your game. 

We hear from Karan on: 

✅ Her research and leadership, and how she has pinpointed the Top 7 leadership tactics executed by successful individuals

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode Steven Paul meets  Dr. Makida Bey, based in Columbia, USA. She is a Global Award-Winning Anxiety Coach and has worked with Fortune 100 companies whilst helping thousands of people to maximise their authentic selves, balance their priorities, and overcome their anxiety with outstanding results.

We learn about Makida and 
✅ Signature integrative approach with a limited number of clients in order to focus on what’s most important to them
✅ Approaches to increasing business performance through the lens of human performance 

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode Steven Paul meets with Rob Woollen, the COO of DSG finance. Rob is based in the UK, and he has worked with organisations of all sizes from small IT training and design companies to universities and government departments employing thousands of staff. Health and Wellbeing is a key area of focus for Rob. He was a Topic Expert Member for the recently published NICE Guidelines on Mental Wellbeing at Work. Rob’s mission is to make wellness a norm in the workplace. 

We hear about Rob and how he

✅ He has elevated the topic of wellbeing, whilst bring a new perspective 

✅ Shares secrets of embedding and integrating this into business strategy and vision of companies

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

🎥 Sunday Reset | 24 Aug 2025
What Serena Williams and Lewis Hamilton Know That Most Leaders Forget
It’s not their skill. It’s not their resources.
It’s this: They sharpen before they swing.

Simon Sinek tells a story I can’t get out of my head.
Two lumberjacks.
One swings his axe non-stop, all day.
The other? He takes breaks. Pauses. Sharpens his axe.

Guess who cuts more wood?
The one who stepped back.

That’s today’s reset.
Because in leadership, and in life, the pause isn’t wasted time.
It’s an investment.

And if you don’t know by know, during the week, I work with boards and leaders on some of the toughest challenges around AI, governance, and transformation.
But right now? I’m by the coast with my boy Rocky - we just spent 8am to 11am walking and running by the coast. Now we have brunch and write this as wait for our delicious meal. 

See, all of this isn’t theory for me. This reset matters.
It clears my head. Resets my energy. And reminds me of a truth most leaders forget:

When you step back, you come back sharper.

And while we’re here, let’s talk about the ONE principle every champion say from Serena Williams to Lewis Hamilton -shares:

Self-belief.

Not hype. Not blind optimism.
The quiet conviction that:
✅ I can figure this out.
✅ I deserve this win.
✅ I am the kind of person who makes it happen.

“Victory begins in the mind long before the battle is seen.” -Stoic Principle

As Maya Raichoora puts it, self-belief rests on three traits:
1. Self-efficacy: Believing you can do it. Or you’ll figure it out.
2. Self-worth: Knowing you deserve the good stuff: success, joy, big wins.
3. Self-identity: Not hoping, but knowing you’re built for this.

Without it? You stall. You sabotage.
With it? You lead with calm confidence, even when the stakes are high.

So here’s your challenge this week:
Take 10 minutes. Or two hours.
Pause. Breathe.
Sharpen your axe.
Then ask yourself:
“What would it look like if I believed I was built for this?”

Because chances are, you are! 

Ease isn’t weakness.
It’s power.
And it might just be the edge that gets you 10x results in the boardroom, the exec session, or that tense project meeting.

So this week: sharpen your axe, trust your alignment, and move forward with clarity.

🎥 I break it all down in this week’s Sunday Reset video. Watch it. Take it in. Share it with someone who needs the reminder (because I was reminded..) 

I’m Steven.
Keep growing. Keep leading.
Until next Sunday
Let’s get it!! 

In this episode Steven Paul speaks with Mark Costello Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Hubb, located in the UK. Mark has held senior roles in some of the UK’s largest insurance broking house as well as at some regional brokers. He has navigated through sales and marketing leadership roles and in product and distribution design roles, whilst also addressing and adopting some of the trends

We will hear about Mark’s journey and

✅ How he is effecting change, strategy and innovation (AI, Metaverse), whilst creating conducive culture
✅ How his executive leadership team is making the world’s first metaverse-ready insurance broker a reality
✅ His views on the macro economic trends and impacts in the industry 
✅ His lessons to other leaders on start-up and what to focus/avoid 

Hubb is a commercial insurance broker using AI, automation and data science to offer businesses the right cover, with the least effort and at the best possible price.

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

in this episode Steven Paul speaks with Cory Lee Cannon, (Major Retired US Army Reserve), working as the Command Knowledge Leader at United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea (UNC/CFC/USFK) in South Korea. Cory brings diverse leadership experience, and accomplishments within and outside the military. 

We will hear about Cory and learn

✅ How he is leading Knowledge and Innovation Management 
✅ How he unlocks and embeds  the pillars of People, Processes, Organisational Culture, and Tools
✅ Leadership intersections and lessons learned and applied in the military and commercial worlds

Cory has served over 20 years in the United States military between his enlisted time 1998- 2002 in the United States Marine Corps as a field radio operation, where he rose to the rank of Lance Corporal then transferred to the United States Army Reserves where from 2005 to 2015 he deployed 3 times where he was a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer for a Transportation Company. His second deployment was as the Deputy Knowledge Management Officer. In his most recent deployment he was assigned to the Combined/Joint Task Force Operation. 

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode Steven Paul speaks with Abdulaziz Al-Roomi, based in Kuwait. Aziz is the Founder and CEO of Global Legacy Consultancy and Training, is  a visionary HR Leader and Executive Coach with professional cross-industry experience. Aziz previously worked as the CHRO for a leading company, and continues to hold multiple roles. He is featured in national TV and radio shows, and is also an author of a best seller – Prevail. 

We will hear about Aziz’s journey and

✅ How creating approaches to embedding behaviours and best practices in HR
✅ How his executive coaching supports leadership in the region 

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/

In this episode Steven Paul speaks with Adrienne Lloyd based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Adrienne is the Founder of Optimize Healthcare, LLC and Optimize Flow, LLC. She worked as a healthcare executive for over 20 years, including substantial time at Mayo Clinic and Duke Health, serving as the Chief Administrative Officer for Duke Eye Center from 2013-2020. She spent most of her career helping turnaround organizations, while driving integrations and building teams that worked together to improve the experience for the patient and the entire organization.

We will hear about Adrienne and 

✅  How she helps healthcare leaders and practice owners build top-tier organizations, processes and teams
✅ How she is deploying innovative approaches to improve the experience for the patient and the entire organization decrease burnout and scale to serve more patients

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Key Links:
1) Book a Podcast with Steven Paul: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/apply-to-be-guest/
2) Leadership Exposé Academy: https://www.leadershipexpose.com/programs/
3) Unshakeable Resilience (Thrive in Crisis. Lead Through Challenge and Opportunities): https://leadershipexpose-academy.thinkific.com/courses/Unshakeable-Resilience
4) Download a FREE guide on Strategy and Leadership: https://stevenpaul.info/coaching-optin/