The Future of Leadership – Details, episodes & analysis

I'm back! After a crazy half year of transition, adventure, and being in the murky mess of a 'chrysalis' experience, I've surfaced for some insights for you to wrap up 2025. 

Here's what's up for you:

A process for reflection that uses visual representation of your last twelve months

A reflective practice that will surface insights for next year

How to make use of these insights in a practical way.

My own updates:

Travel, adventure, heartbreak, moving house: it's the bitter sweetnes of not yet and not anymore.

Enjoy!

Zoë 

We explore the future of inclusive leadership with Kelli Lester, co-founder of Onyx Rising. Zoë opens with reflections on ageing, robotics in aged care, and the value of connection. And introduces Kelli, who shares insight on navigating today's polarised workplace and equipping leaders for diverse, resilient teams.

Kelli unpacks the backlash against DEI programs, reframing them as essential business strategies rather than politically charged mandates. She explores how organisations can move beyond performative initiatives by anchoring their diversity efforts in clear objectives—be it talent, innovation, or community alignment.

This conversation covers emotional and cultural intelligence, generational divides, psychological safety, and the systemic barriers to inclusion. Practical frameworks like Kelli's seven inclusive leadership traits provide a tangible pathway to fostering a thriving, human-centred workplace.

SHOWNOTES are here:
https://www.zoerouth.com/podcast/leading-through-difference

Planet Human:
Robots in aged care boost retention by reducing carer injuries and burnout.
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1069918

Kickstarter link:
Support Power Games: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zoerouth/power-games-stop-toxic-power-in-the-workplace

Key Quotes:
"Maps are helpful, but they are not the territory." – Zoë Routh
"Inclusive leadership is not just nice to have. It's the future of leadership." – Kelli Lester
"Any time you don't share your thoughts, you're hurting the company." – Kelli Lester
"Just because someone's pro-Black doesn't mean they're anti-white." – Kelli Lester

Questions Asked:

1. Why is there so much resistance to DEI in today's climate?

2. How can leaders reframe diversity as a business enabler?

3. What are the seven traits of inclusive leadership?

4. How do we build psychological safety and trust across generations?

5. What does it take to dismantle systemic bias in hiring and promotion?

Take Action:

• Self-Audit: Reflect on your own lens—what influences how you see the world, and how does that shape your leadership?

• Amplify Voices: In your next meeting, actively include perspectives from quieter or less-represented team members.

• Define It Clearly: Have a leadership-level conversation about what diversity, equity, and inclusion means in your context and why it matters.

Tip of the Week
Facilitate a "Bias Interrupt" session: Identify where decisions are being made based on assumptions—hiring, promotions, even meeting invitations—and ask, "Who's missing and why?"

Key Moments

00:00 Introduction and Weekly Question

00:15 Robots in Nursing Care Homes

02:07 Kickstarter Campaign for Power Games

03:48 Understanding Human Behavior and Categorization

07:27 Inclusive Leadership with Kelly Lester

08:26 Challenges and Misconceptions of DEI

28:48 America's Mythmaking and Cultural Conflicts

30:23 Polarization and Political Correctness

34:27 The Importance of Self-Awareness and Valuing Differences

37:49 Promoting Psychological Safety and Amplifying Voices

40:25 Emotional and Cultural Intelligence in Leadership

41:49 Managing Inclusively and Effective Mentoring

45:49 Fast Three Questions with Kelly

50:01 Book Recommendation: Why Are We Yelling?

51:05 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Changes

We explore the power of challenging assumptions and building regenerative societies with innovative software called Regen. I also share updates on my upcoming Australian Alpine walking track adventure and my latest novels. Then, I welcome Scott Marshall, President and CEO of the Semester at Sea.

Scott shares insights into the program's impact on students' understanding of global cultures and how it fosters curiosity and personal growth. He also provides practical advice for fostering intercultural sensitivity in the workplace. This episode dives deep into experiential education, leadership, and creating inclusive environments

SHOWNOTES are here:
https://www.zoerouth.com/podcast/legal-challenges-workplace-dynamics

Key Quotes:
"When we expose ourselves to diverse perspectives, we expand our understanding of the world and ourselves." – Zoë Routh
"Curiosity pushes us into spaces of discomfort, and that's where we grow." – Scott Marshall
"We can't just assume that a one-day workshop on diversity will transform a workplace. It's about a long-term commitment to embracing different perspectives." – Scott Marshall

Questions Asked:
1. How does Semester at Sea create a transformative learning experience?
2. What are the key leadership lessons from immersing in global cultures?
3. How can organisations foster curiosity and intercultural awareness in the workplace?
4. What are practical ways to develop a culture of inclusivity beyond traditional DEI programs?

Take Action:
Reflect on your own leadership assumptions and challenge them with new perspectives.
Explore ways to bring diverse perspectives into your workplace—whether through book clubs, travel experiences, or deeper engagement with different cultural narratives.
Start small: Have your team research governance models in different countries or visit a restaurant from a culture they're unfamiliar with and engage in meaningful conversations.

Tip of the Week
Engage in a "curiosity challenge"—for one week, actively seek to learn something new about a culture, history, or perspective that is outside your usual sphere.

Join the community here:
https://www.zoerouth.com/podcast-news

You'll get 40 book summaries and recommendations on Leading Strategy and Performance, along with a special secret audio from my award-winning book, People Stuff.

Key Moments
00:00 Introduction and Challenging Assumptions
00:15 Exploring Regenerative Societies with Regen Software
00:50 Personal Connection to Regenerative Ecosystems and Mars
01:35 Upcoming Adventure on the Australian Alpine Walking Track
02:12 Power Games and Olympus Dawn Writing Updates
03:17 Bringing the World to the Workplace
05:17 Introducing Scott Marshall and Semester at Sea
06:25 Semester at Sea: Program Overview and Logistics
13:19 Impact and Benefits of Semester at Sea
22:54 Developing Intercultural Competence in the Workplace
26:41 Workplace Sensitivity and Global Awareness
28:30 The Importance of Experiential Education
28:57 Critique of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs
29:20 Leadership and Mental Models
30:24 Commitment to DEI Work
32:26 Personal Leadership Journey
33:58 Navigating Cultural Biases
42:19 Leadership Tips and Insights
48:47 Opportunities with Semester at Sea
50:48 Book Recommendation and Conclusion

#leadership #experientiallearning #curiosity #inclusivity #semesteratsea #futureofleadership

We are a third of the way through the year! How does that make you feel? In this solsode I'm confronting the lingering sense of malaise that I'm noticing this year. It's being sustained by ongoing uncertainty and as leaders we need to have strategies to navigate through difficult times by assessing both the known and the unknown. In this episode I explore three leadership truisms that will help you balance risk and opportunity with a sense of possibility - because even when times are tough, it's important to expand our leadership perspective and remember we are all part of the bigger, beautiful picture!

Shownotes

See more at http://www.zoerouth.com/podcast/leadership-perspective-truisms 

Key moments

1:00 Personal update: connection, comedy and writing progress

3:30 The leadership pendulum swings with uncertainty

4:20 Self-aware leadership principles

5:00 AI reality check

5:50 Establishing values to protect humanity and the planet

6:55 Looking for opportunities - previous guests help show the way

8:55 Three things to remember as a leader

10:40 How we got through uncertainty - and will do again

13:30 Three leadership truisms that come into play

14:00 Map your systems

16:40 Worldview shapes our responses

18:50 Pause to appreciate the wonder of life

20:45 Coming up on the Zoe Routh Leadership Podcast - what does no hierarchy look like?

21:15 Last call for May's Fit For The Future events

22:00 Rate, review and thank you for listening!

Former Navy SEAL and a previous guest on the podcast, Marty Strong, is back with more insightful leadership thinking and a new book: Be Visionary: Strategic Leadership in the Age of Optimization. Marty continues to challenge received wisdom and shines a light on what he describes as the forgotten leadership skill of creativity. With habits that will open our minds and broaden our horizons, Marty's approach envisages a leadership future full of humility, creative exploration, collaboration and innovation that solidifies into successful strategy and execution. It is a delight to have Marty's unique perspective back on the podcast!

Shownotes

See more at http://www.zoerouth.com/podcast/visionary-leadership-marty-strong

Key moments

3:00 The forgotten creative brain

8:20 Flicking the creative switch

12:00 The difference between visionary and strategic leadership

16:16 Qualities, values and mindset

18:45 Join us in Amplifiers Academy

19:20 Spotting trends as a leader

25:15 Sourcing diverse inputs - stay curious!

28:00 Habits for developing strategic thinking

32:50 Strategic thinking in the age of optimisation

36:50 Exciting trends - divergent thinking

42:00 The brain beyond 'flow'

46:00 Zoe's takeaways

Josh Tyson works at the intersection of AI and UX (user design), specialising in high-level content design and storytelling. He's also an author and podcaster (broadcasting 'from the future'!) with extensive experience in the practical application of artificial intelligence, in particular chat-based interfaces. Josh sees possibilities everywhere he looks, but is highly pragmatic about the capacity of organisations and leaders to break through the fear of the unknown and embrace emerging technologies to improve their businesses. Passionate about liberating creativity through technology, he holds the hands of those willing to experiment and, in Josh's words, first fall on their faces. It's both a lightning fast and long leadership journey and in this episode Josh shares how we can navigate it with optimism.

Shownotes

See more at http://www.zoerouth.com/podcast/leadership-skills-josh-tyson

Key moments

3:00  The biggest leadership insight: being open and flexible

4:50  First, fall on your face

6:00  The investment (and trauma) of AI

8:15  Any industry can use AI to its advantage

12:00  What AI is - and isn't

16:20  The broader tech ecosystem 

18:30  Be fit for the future with Amplifiers Academy

19:00 Getting started with AI

25:00 DAOs explained

30:00 AI as an ally

34:00 Rethinking everything about work

37:00 Increasing accessibility and future potential

40:10 The leadership implications of AI 

If you're ready for a refreshing burst of optimism and excitement amid all the doom scrolling, look no further than Justin Bean. Justin is the author of a call to arms for possibilities over problems. His book What Could Go Right? is the culmination of his research and work at the intersection of sustainability, tech, and innovation for impact. Justin believes we can envision our ideal world and empower ourselves with practical approaches to build it. In this episode Justin shares the six key trends for the future that will impact how we work, what we value and why we do what we do. He reminds us that change is incremental, we're capable of more than we realise and that there is a way for the future to meet all of our needs - from profit to purpose and everything in between.

Shownotes

See more at http://www.zoerouth.com/podcast/leadership-thinking-justin-bean

Key moments

Reframing fear of the future  [4:00]

Developing a values mindset  [8:10]

A perspective on the past  [10:15]

Disrupting cultural norms  [12:10]

Bonding over solving problems  [15:00]

Join us in the Amplifers Academy  [15:45]

Six trends for the future  [16:10]

Seeing through social media  [18:50]

Sustainability ethics  [21:05]

Reclaiming woke!  [23:00]

The distributed economy  [26:20]

Leadership of the future  [30:00]

The future of democracy  [35:30]

Strategies for disinformation  [39:50]

Envision the future  [44:00] 

In this week's solosode I'm reflecting on how lovely it is when loose or lost connections come back into our lives - so let's put ourselves out there! Then it's a deep dive into meta modern leadership, the three hallmarks of a meta modern leader and three practical exercises that will help develop these characteristics. Plus two book recommendations and a reminder of balance in all things - we can be both sensible and sensitive, wise and compassionate. There's always more than one pathway to choose.  

Shownotes

See more at http://www.zoerouth.com/podcast/meta-modern-leadership

Key moments

The three characteristics of meta modern leadership  [4:00]

Three practical exercises to develop them  [8:40]

Book recommendation: Derek Sivers -  How To Live [14:20]

Book recommendation: Tim Urban - What's Our Problem?  [18:00]

A leadership blind spot  [20:00]

Register for the Fit for the Future webinar  [25:10]

Join us in the Amplifiers Academy  [26:00]

We need to move beyond our binary thinking of purpose or profit because together they are so much more powerful. That's the message 'Chief Purpose Activist' Carolyn Butler-Madden is on a mission to spread with her work in supporting social impact and purpose-led businesses. With a background in marketing, Carolyn is perfectly positioned to move past the fluff and focus on meaningful actions that drive profit with purpose. In this episode she shares inspiring examples of businesses who walk the talk and reap the benefits while reminding us that change starts with one small step - and if it's taken with others that's even better! 

Shownotes

Read more at: 

http://www.zoerouth.com/podcast/corporate-culture-carolyn-butler-madden

Key moments

What is a purpose consultant?  [2:30]

An accidental marketing career  [3:20]

The social conscience disconnect  [5:20]

Cause marketing  [7:10]

We don't have to choose between purpose and profit  [9:00]

Discovering purpose  [10:00]

Don't stop with 'why'  [12:00]

Join us in the Amplifiers Academy  [15:00]

The Unilever example  [16:00]

SMEs with social impact  [22:00]

The 6 pillars of purpose  [24:00]

Purpose starts at home  [29:00]

How can businesses afford it?  [32:23]

Building a movement for change  [33:15]

Start with what matters to you  [37:10]

What's easy and what are you already doing?  [40:00]

US Fighter Pilot Dominic 'Slice' Teich knows a thing or two about peak performance and, as a recovering workaholic, has had to intentionally reframe what success means in order to step off the 'hamster wheel of achievement'. As well as being a full-time fighter pilot, Dom is an entrepreneur and publisher of the Single Seat Mindset series of books that shares leadership stories from the cockpits of 40 fellow pilots. These are combat proven strategies that can be leveraged by any peak performer and in this conversation, Dom shares his journey to Single Seat Wisdom and leadership lessons from the third dimension! 

Shownotes

See more at http://www.zoerouth.com/podcast/leadership-perspective-dom-teich

Key Moments

Fighter pilot origin story  [2:00]

Flying an F16  [6:30]

On learned behaviours  [8:20]

Deployment experiences  [10:50]

The (mental) crash  [13:20]

Developing empathy  [16:00]

Defining success  [18:30]

Join us in Amplifiers Academy  [21:30]

The 'Slice' story [22:00]

Single Seat Mindset  [25:10]

How a fight pilot debriefs  [29:00]

Meaningful goals  [35:00]

Advice for leaders  [41:50]