Leading People – Details, episodes & analysis

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Episode 100 felt like a moment worth marking.

Not with a summary.
Not with highlights.
And not with a look back.

Just a conversation — allowed to unfold.

This episode exists thanks to the generosity, creativity, and support of Kate Walker Miles and Valeriia Diakiv, whose contributions helped bring it into being.

As always, thank you for listening — and for being part of the Leading People journey since January 2021.

Here's to the next 100 episodes...

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What does it really mean to create a culture where people perform at their best?

In this episode of Leading People, I’m joined by Zach Mercurio, researcher, speaker, and author of The Power of Mattering, to explore how leaders can create a culture of significance — one where people feel seen, valued, and needed.

Drawing on decades of research into motivation and human performance, Zach explains why performance, resilience, and engagement suffer when people feel invisible or replaceable — and why leaders play a pivotal role in shaping the everyday signals that tell people whether they matter.

In our conversation, we explore:

• What a culture of significance really looks like in practice
• Why people perform better when they feel valued and needed
• How leaders often unintentionally signal that people don’t matter
• Small, everyday leadership behaviours that have an outsized impact
• Why significance isn’t a “soft” idea — but a serious performance driver

Zach brings these principles to life through compelling stories from an array of organisations. 

Whether you lead a team, work in HR or L&D, or care about creating environments where people thrive and perform, this episode offers practical insights you can apply immediately.

Curious?

🎧 Let’s have a listen

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Check out the Power of Mattering on Zach's website

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It’s one thing to have a leadership title. It’s another thing to have people truly want to follow you. 

In this Leading People episode of One Simple Thing, Gerry Murray explores the difference and what you can do to close the gap. 

If you’re new to leadership or simply want to reconnect with the fundamentals, this 5-minute listen could be your reset moment.

Check out the Team Leader Essentials and Performance Accelerator programmes here

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What does your body say about you when you walk into a room?

And how much of your leadership impact depends on something you can’t see — but everyone else can feel?

In this episode, Kate Walker Miles of RADA Business — a trusted advisor to senior executives and leadership teams — reveals how posture, breath, and voice shape credibility, confidence, and influence.

Drawing on her background in experimental psychology, acting, and behavioural coaching, Kate explains how to use your body as an ally in communication, especially when the stakes are high.

And in a unique five-minute guided exercise, she helps you experience what authentic presence feels like in real time — offering practical tools to:

• Ground yourself and manage nerves before high-stakes moments
• Use breath and alignment to project calm authority
• Speak with clarity and conviction 
• Reconnect with your physical presence to lead with impact

If you’ve ever wondered why some leaders hold the room while others disappear into it, this episode will help you understand — and change — what’s really going on.

A practical, engaging conversation that proves leadership isn’t just what you say — it’s how you show up.

Curious?

🎧 Listen now

🎥 Watch Kate’s humorous, yet provocative, talk The Secrets of Food Marketing — viewed over 9.2 million times on YouTube. 

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What does good leadership really look like in the day-to-day?

This short Leading People episode kicks off a brand-new One Simple Thing series on how to be brilliant at the basics of leadership. Because let’s face it — it’s the basics that often go missing.

Click play to hear the one question that every leader should be asking themselves.

Check out Team Leader Essentials here

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What if bringing in the dough doesn’t always mean having the power?

In this episode, BBC journalist Melissa Hogenboom explores how breadwinning roles — in families and at work — are shaped by power dynamics, gender norms, and invisible expectations.

Whether you’re a leader, a parent, or both, this conversation will challenge how you think about success, status, and sharing the load.

Together, we discuss:

• Why power at home and power at work are more connected than we think
• How gender roles are evolving — and where they’re stuck
• Why some people feel pressure to perform, even when they don’t hold power
• What leaders and organisations can do to create more balanced dynamics
• How to open up space for empathy, equity, and trust

You'll also discover the Parenting Amplification Effect.

This episode provides a fresh take on power, ambition, and what it means to thrive — at work and at home.

Curious?

🎧 Join the conversation.

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Ever typed a question into ChatGPT and gotten a weird or underwhelming response?

You’re not alone.

In this One Simple Thing episode, we explore why so many AI queries fall flat — and what leaders can do differently. There’s one small shift that makes all the difference… and no, it’s not about being a tech expert.

This is the final part of our short series on how to use AI to enhance your leadership — without losing your human touch.

🎧 Curious? 

Hit play and find out what makes AI really work for you.

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What if the biggest barrier to change isn’t strategy or communication — but biology?

In this episode, organisational change expert Hilary Scarlett shares powerful insights from the 3rd edition of her book, Neuroscience for Organizational Change.  She explains how understanding the brain can help leaders navigate resistance, foster trust, and lead transformation that sticks.

Drawing on neuroscience and real-world examples, Hilary shows why getting brains onboard — not just people — is the secret to lasting change.

Together, Hilary and Gerry discuss a wide range of topics, including:

• What neuroscience reveals about why people resist change
• Why uncertainty and ambiguity overwhelm the brain
• How to reduce threat responses and build trust during change
• What leaders can do to communicate more effectively
• How to create clarity, reward prediction, and support resilience

Whether you’re leading a restructure, launching a new initiative, or helping teams through transition — this episode offers practical guidance rooted in science and empathy.

Curious to learn more?

🎧 Listen now to this episode

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What would you do with an extra 30–60 minutes in your day?

In this One Simple Thing episode, Leading People host, Gerry Murray, explores how AI can give leaders back precious time - not by taking over, but by taking the heavy lifting out of your writing tasks. 

You'll be able to free up time for more important leadership tasks. 

Whether it’s an email, a proposal, or a tricky LinkedIn post, learn how to use AI to create smart starting points, enhance your clarity, and even communicate across multiple languages.

If you're someone who doesn't enjoy writing, then this episode may even be a life saver! 

Find out how Gerry lost a job to AI and didn't mind! 

Curious to learn more?

🎧 Listen now to this Leadership time-saving tip

This is part of our mini-series on how to use AI to support your leadership, without losing your human touch.

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What separates exceptional leaders from mediocre managers? 

This week's guest, Andrew Palmer, Senior Editor at The Economist and host of the Boss Class podcast, has spent years interviewing some of the world's most influential executives to answer this question.

Drawing from his extensive experience writing the witty and insightful Bartleby column and developing the Boss Class podcast series, Andrew reveals that great leadership isn't only about charisma or authority - it's about mastering the art of balance.

During our conversation, Andrew unpacks four critical leadership dimensions that emerged from his research. 

First, effective leaders act as amplifiers of culture and strategy, using systematic approaches to project their vision throughout an organisation. Companies like Stryker implement this through deliberate hiring practices, organisational structures, and shared language, while Levi's CEO Michelle Gass creates tangible symbols to reinforce strategic priorities.

Second, self-management distinguishes exceptional leaders. Andrew shares a valuable insight from his presentation training with RADA: "turn selfie view off"— focus on your audience rather than yourself. GSK's Emma Walmsley consciously manages her emotions, knowing they impact everyone around her, while other executives create explicit "user manuals" detailing their working preferences.

Third, Andrew demystifies negotiation and decision-making. From the diamond district in New York to diplomatic negotiations with Iran, successful negotiators focus heavily on preparation and relationship-building before formal discussions begin. For decision-making, distinguishing between "one-way doors" (irreversible choices) and "two-way doors" (easily changed decisions) helps calibrate appropriate decision speeds.

Finally, Andrew draws fascinating parallels between jazz improvisation and crisis management, showing how thorough preparation enables creative responses to unexpected challenges. When facing novel situations, leaders succeed by empowering frontline employees to respond based on shared principles rather than rigid protocols.

Whether you're a seasoned executive or newly promoted manager, this conversation offers invaluable insights into practical leadership challenges. 

Andrew's thoughtful analysis, delivered with characteristic wit, illuminates why management remains difficult even for those at the top—and he provides concrete strategies for improvement.

Curious to learn more? 

🎧 Listen now to this episode

Subscribe to Boss Class and listen to Andrew Palmer's conversations with the world's most insightful leaders and management thinkers.

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