E131 - Personal Stories: Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Operations) - Part 5 - "Reflections"

I'd love to hear from you; feel free to send me a Text MessageBefore you do anything else, please hit the subscribe / follow button in your podcast platform to ensure you get immediate notification of future episodes, and to help boost this show within the algorithms.This episode is also available as a video podcast on my YouTube channel here:https://youtu.be/z2DNiMM2pvsMy time at Deloitte was an extremely interesting and rewarding chapter in my overall career journey.  I learned a huge amount and the experience I gained was invaluable in preparing me for what I do now with my own independent company.  In this episode, I attempt to shed some light on my time within Deloitte.  Inevitably, the need for client confidentiality limits what I can say to an extent but, nonetheless, I hope it give you some perspective and insight into the world of professional services.  There is doubtless much more that I can say about the nature of the business itself and I may well return to that in future episodes but, for now at least, I hope you enjoy this one and, as ever, please do let me have some feedback.Support the showThank you for listening!  If you value the content I produce, please consider supporting the show financially by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ or clicking the "Support the Show" link above.You will have the choice of becoming a Supporter, a Champion or a Patron of the show and any contribution you feel able to make will be hugely appreciated.You can find more about me here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/X: https://x.com/JudsonBobWebsite: https://leading4life.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

I'd love to hear from you; feel free to send me a Text MessageBefore you do anything else, please hit the subscribe / follow button in your podcast platform to ensure you get immediate notification of future episodes, and to help boost this show within the algorithms.This episode is also available as a video podcast on my YouTube channel here:https://youtu.be/p--mFXo65nAHow often do you really think about the longer term implications of your actions?  The reality for many of us is that we don't always think through the potential outcomes of our behaviour, our language, our reactions to events, or what we say or do as much as we might.  We frequently react in the moment and, whilst that can be extremely positive in the longer term, if those reactions are perceived as negative, even if that wasn't the intention, then the impact can be very damaging and potentially long lasting.In this episode, I try to lay out a few areas which I think merit careful thought to avoid such pitfalls.  I certainly don't profess to have all the answers, but if I stimulate your thinking even a small amount then I will feel that I have met at least my own expectations, and I hope I will have helped you a little as well!  I really hope that you find this useful and, as ever, if you do, then please share the episode more widely so that others get to benefit from it.  Happy listening!Support the showThank you for listening!  If you value the content I produce, please consider supporting the show financially by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ or clicking the "Support the Show" link above.You will have the choice of becoming a Supporter, a Champion or a Patron of the show and any contribution you feel able to make will be hugely appreciated.You can find more about me here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/X: https://x.com/JudsonBobWebsite: https://leading4life.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

I'd love to hear from you; feel free to send me a Text MessageBefore you do anything else, please hit the subscribe / follow button in your podcast platform to ensure you get immediate notification of future episodes, and to help boost this show within the algorithms.This episode is also available as a video podcast on my YouTube channel here:https://youtu.be/IfqOCGHyltAThis is my 40th personal story episode since starting the podcast and it sees the completion of my Royal Air Force journey, and the start of my second career with Deloitte LLP in the UK.  I've covered some specific themes around transition between careers in a previous episode (Ep95 if you are interested), but this change was self-evidently a critical part of my overall story and so I wanted to share some of the more memorable elements in this episode.One of the things that really stood out for me during the transition journey was the value and strength of my network.  Although I eventually landed a fantastic role in Deloitte, the conversations that went into informing my choices and approach to the career transition were simply invaluable, and I remain immensely grateful to all those that helped me on the journey.I really hope you enjoy the episode; I suspect there will be at least some nuggets in the story that might help others making big career changes in any environment.  As ever, please let me have your feedback and share the episode widely if you enjoy it.Support the showThank you for listening!  If you value the content I produce, please consider supporting the show financially by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ or clicking the "Support the Show" link above.You will have the choice of becoming a Supporter, a Champion or a Patron of the show and any contribution you feel able to make will be hugely appreciated.You can find more about me here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/X: https://x.com/JudsonBobWebsite: https://leading4life.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

I'd love to hear from you; feel free to send me a Text MessageBefore you do anything else, please hit the subscribe / follow button in your podcast platform to ensure you get immediate notification of future episodes, and to help boost this show within the algorithms.This episode is also available as a video podcast on my YouTube channel here:https://youtu.be/f_CXtHLKPIQWhen I deliver training, two topics come up more frequently than any other - hybrid working and the impact of AI.  This thematic episode was prompted by a very recent conversation I had with a former senior banker and a group of training participants on a course.  We were exploring the challenge of how to grow the experience of the future workforce. given the impact that remote working has on team dynamics, and the consequent follow on loss of experience historically gained through observing others and informal conversations etc.  This whole issue is potentially significantly impacted by the growth in AI capabilities, especially if those capabilities allow organisations to start reducing junior staff headcount so that their jobs can be automated.  Regardless of some of the current rhetoric suggesting that AI will augment rather than replace workers, it seems inevitable that, from a commercial standpoint, if companies can enhance their bottom line and remove HR related challenges by automating some functions in their business, then they will do exactly that.In many ways, this short episode poses more questions than answers, but I really hope it gets you thinking, regardless of where you currently sit in the seniority chain.  Do please let me have your comments and thoughts, and don't forget to subscribe and follow on your preferred platform.Support the showThank you for listening!  If you value the content I produce, please consider supporting the show financially by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ or clicking the "Support the Show" link above.You will have the choice of becoming a Supporter, a Champion or a Patron of the show and any contribution you feel able to make will be hugely appreciated.You can find more about me here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/X: https://x.com/JudsonBobWebsite: https://leading4life.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

I'd love to hear from you; feel free to send me a Text MessageBefore you do anything else, please hit the subscribe / follow button in your podcast platform to ensure you get immediate notification of future episodes, and to help boost this show within the algorithms.This episode is also available as a video podcast on my YouTube channel here:https://youtu.be/0MpurnmgSXQTRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses Jacqui's personal experience of child abuse (physical and sexual) and the impact that experience has had on her life.  Whilst the overall story is an extremely positive one, listeners are likely to find Jacqui's description of what happened to her as a child upsetting.Jacqui Wilkinson is a remarkable lady, not only because of all that she has achieved already as an RAF officer, a keynote speaker, a published author, and a champion of victims of abuse, but also because of the way she handled the journey she had to make to get there!  Growing up with two deeply dysfunctional parents and being the subject of serious abuse at the hands of her father, it is amazing how Jacqui has transformed the horror of her early life into the amazing success she enjoys today.  Normally my guest episodes focus mostly on the core career journey of the interviewee; however, this episode is different.  Much of the conversation is about Jacqui's early life and then the transformation journey she has undertaken since her late teenage years.  It is an emotional but very powerful story and I am sure you will be as impressed with Jacqui's candour, honesty and amazingly positive outlook as I was.  I really hope you enjoy this incredible conversation; please do let me know what you think and make sure you share it with others that you think might benefit from listening to Jacqui's experiences and outlook.You can find Jacqui here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquijwilkinson/and details of her excellent book here:https://mybook.to/turningthetablesSupport the showThank you for listening!  If you value the content I produce, please consider supporting the show financially by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ or clicking the "Support the Show" link above.You will have the choice of becoming a Supporter, a Champion or a Patron of the show and any contribution you feel able to make will be hugely appreciated.You can find more about me here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/X: https://x.com/JudsonBobWebsite: https://leading4life.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

I'd love to hear from you; feel free to send me a Text MessageBefore you do anything else, please hit the subscribe / follow button in your podcast platform to ensure you get immediate notification of future episodes, and to help boost this show within the algorithms.This episode is also available as a video podcast on my YouTube channel here:https://youtu.be/0jzHPwb7JaUMatthew Scullion is a remarkable man.  He co-founded his first company at the age of just 17, and is now the co-founder and CEO of Matillion, a technology company that has achieved the coveted unicorn status in terms of valuation, and which is continuing to grow year on year.In this episode, Matthew talks about his career journey but, much more than that, he provides great insights into his leadership style and what he feels is important to be be successful.  Matthew is also steeped in the world of AI, a subject that is increasingly impacting all of our lives, and his insights into what AI means for all of us are fascinating and extremely informative.This was a great discussion, full of candour, reflection and humour.  I really hope you enjoy the episode.  Please let me have your feedback once you have had a listen.If you want to know more about Matthew, Matillion or Maia, you can find them here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewscullion/Matillion Website: https://www.matillion.com/More about Maia: https://www.maia.aiSupport the showThank you for listening!  If you value the content I produce, please consider supporting the show financially by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ or clicking the "Support the Show" link above.You will have the choice of becoming a Supporter, a Champion or a Patron of the show and any contribution you feel able to make will be hugely appreciated.You can find more about me here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/X: https://x.com/JudsonBobWebsite: https://leading4life.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

I'd love to hear from you; feel free to send me a Text MessageBefore you do anything else, please hit the subscribe / follow button in your podcast platform to ensure you get immediate notification of future episodes, and to help boost this show within the algorithms.This episode is also available as a video podcast on my YouTube channel here:https://youtu.be/7Tm54RUWkMQAlthough I didn't know it at the start of the tour, my time as Director Joint Warfare, based as the Joint Forces Command Headquarters in Northwood, North London would prove to be my final role in the Royal Air Force.  In many ways it was a fascinating and fulfilling role, although it certainly lacked the intensity and profile of my previous role; both aspects would prove useful as I quickly came to the realisation that I would soon be exiting the RAF and leaving the job I loved for more than 34 years behind me.In this episode I cover the key aspects of my time as Director Joint Warfare but I also spend time discussing my thoughts and options that ultimately led to my preparation to leave the military.  I am sure I will return to some of the specific aspects of this role downstream in other personal stories episodes but I very much hope this one is of interest to you as it was very much a pivotal point in my life.Please do let me know what you think!Support the showThank you for listening!  If you value the content I produce, please consider supporting the show financially by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ or clicking the "Support the Show" link above.You will have the choice of becoming a Supporter, a Champion or a Patron of the show and any contribution you feel able to make will be hugely appreciated.You can find more about me here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/X: https://x.com/JudsonBobWebsite: https://leading4life.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

I'd love to hear from you; feel free to send me a Text MessageBefore you do anything else, please hit the subscribe / follow button in your podcast platform to ensure you get immediate notification of future episodes, and to help boost this show within the algorithms.This episode is also available as a video podcast on my YouTube channel here:https://youtu.be/ORoyjo9XvhYJust occasionally something happens that provides an immediate opportunity for a podcast theme, and this week was one of those occasions.  I very nearly lost my life to a crazy driver fleeing a robbery in a van and, although the car I was driving was written off in the collision, miraculously I walked away totally uninjured!The consequent theme for this episode is "luck"!  We all need it, more often than we realise and, in my experience, it plays a role in almost everything that happens in life.  In this episode I not only talk about my experience this week, but also consider the different reactions people have to difficult situations and near disasters.  I hope that by sharing my own experience in some detail, I provide some useful thoughts for everyone as, either directly or indirectly, we all inevitably encounter these challenges during our lives.  I consequently believe that having some level of preparatory thinking as to how to deal with them can only be helpful.WARNING: The video version of this episode includes showing some shocking in-car camera footage of the collision that occurred, which reveals very starkly how lucky I was to come out unscathed. It is, however, very dramatic and hence my caution note here!Support the showThank you for listening!  If you value the content I produce, please consider supporting the show financially by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ or clicking the "Support the Show" link above.You will have the choice of becoming a Supporter, a Champion or a Patron of the show and any contribution you feel able to make will be hugely appreciated.You can find more about me here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/X: https://x.com/JudsonBobWebsite: https://leading4life.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

I'd love to hear from you; feel free to send me a Text MessageBefore you do anything else, please hit the subscribe / follow button in your podcast platform to ensure you get immediate notification of future episodes, and to help boost this show within the algorithms.This episode is also available as a video podcast on my YouTube channel here:https://youtu.be/-oGctPL_m8wMy time in the Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Operations) role in the UK Ministry of Defence was one of the most challenging and satisfying of my career.  However, it also forced me to face the realisation that the end of my time in the Royal Air Force was becoming much closer and there were plenty of challenges in this role that certainly made me look hard in the mirror!In this episode I reflect on this whole situation and attempt to provide some thoughts that I hope will be useful to everyone, regardless of the role they are in.  As ever, I would love your feedback so please do let me know what you think.Support the showThank you for listening!  If you value the content I produce, please consider supporting the show financially by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ or clicking the "Support the Show" link above.You will have the choice of becoming a Supporter, a Champion or a Patron of the show and any contribution you feel able to make will be hugely appreciated.You can find more about me here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/X: https://x.com/JudsonBobWebsite: https://leading4life.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life

I'd love to hear from you; feel free to send me a Text MessageBefore you do anything else, please hit the subscribe / follow button in your podcast platform to ensure you get immediate notification of future episodes, and to help boost this show within the algorithms.This episode is also available as a video podcast on my YouTube channel here:https://youtu.be/IBF7bw_uTb0If you are a leader with Millennials or Gen Zs working for you, or if you are yourself Millennial or Gen Z then this podcast episode is absolutely perfect for you!  Dr Liz Feigin is a specialist in optimising Millennial and Gen Z performance and retention and in this episode she provides some outstanding advice on that subject.  I first saw Dr Liz when she was part of an intergenerational working panel discussion being run by The Leaders' Club in Deloitte's London offices.  I was extremely impressed with everything she had to say and immediately thought that she would make a great guest for Leading 4 Life "Stories".  This fantastic interview just proves how right I was, because it is one of the most valuable and insightful discussions on the topic of intergenerational working that I have ever had.  It is a topic that constantly crops up when I deliver training and is raised by both the younger generations themselves and by those that lead them.  Consequently, I am certain you will find this both interesting and useful; I really hope you enjoy the episode; please let me have some feedback with your thoughts if you can.If you want to know more about Dr Liz, or contact her directly, you can find our further information here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-elizabeth-feigin-6b2368163/Website: http://www.doctorelizabeth.co.uk/Support the showThank you for listening!  If you value the content I produce, please consider supporting the show financially by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/leading4life/ or clicking the "Support the Show" link above.You will have the choice of becoming a Supporter, a Champion or a Patron of the show and any contribution you feel able to make will be hugely appreciated.You can find more about me here:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judsonbob/X: https://x.com/JudsonBobWebsite: https://leading4life.co.uk/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Leading4Life