Neil Mullarkey: Communicating with improv

What can leadership learn from nature? And from fishing in particular?From operating in demanding, choppy waters with lives on the line to the individualised attention each catch needs, there are a great many similarities according to my guest in this episode, Oleg Konovalov.As you’ll hear it’s not just fishing but nature itself that can teach us about leadership. Oleg shares the lessons he has learned from his time as a fisherman that he now brings into his coaching practices.We talk about the mindset leaders need to have as they seek to create better futures and make important decisions day in, day out. He also discusses how he avoids taking on passengers and what he learned from falling in icy waters.“Leadership is about an ability to think and act for a better future” – Oleg Konovalov. You'll hear about:Words related to leadershipMyths about leadershipNature as a leadership coachHow do you keep a clear head?How being a master fisherman helps with mindsetHow to avoid hiring passengersRevealing Strengths: The Role of a LeaderDeveloping a servant based approach to leadershipOleg's experience falling into icy watersThe impact Oleg wants to have in the worldWhat helps Oleg do his best work?About Oleg Konovalov:Oleg is a global thought leader, author, business educator, consultant, and C-suite coach. He is named among the top eight global experts in leadership and shortlisted for the Distinguished Award in Leadership by Thinkers50. He is on Global Gurus Top 30 in Leadership, is the #1 Global Leading Coach (Marshall Goldsmith Thinkers50 Award), and has been named one of the Global 100 Inspirational Leaders 2022, along with Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Oprah Winfrey.Having been named ‘the da Vinci of Visionary Leadership’ by many leading authorities of our time, Oleg is considered #1 in the world in the field of vision and visionary leadership.He is the author of The Fisherman’s Path to Leadership, The Vision Code, Leaderology, and other books.Resources:• Profile: https://www.olegkonovalov.com/• Leadership coaching: https://www.olegkonovalov.com/visionary-leadership-coaching-certification/• Books: https://www.olegkonovalov.com/author/My resources:Sign up to one of my courses (https://bit.ly/3QHvlYm).Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.If you’re looking to work with me, check out my:Services (https://bit.ly/3QFOn1A) to C-Suite execs, entrepreneurs and professionals.Profile (https://bit.ly/3JUzrZk).Writing (https://bit.ly/3JTYnAi).Posts on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).

How do you respond when you’re caught off guard?Imagine holding a meeting but you don’t know how to respond to a situation. The way you react to your anxieties can negatively impact the outcome you want to achieve. It doesn’t have to be this way; you can be prepared.In this episode I am joined by Matt Abrahams, an expert in communication. He says there are ways of preparing yourself and then responding, which is achieved through changing your mindset and having structures to follow.He discusses the common moments we get caught off guard at work and how we can prepare for them. He also shares ways that you can become a better listener, and his methods to talk smarter in the moment.It's about getting out of your head and finding ways to connect with the other person.“You actually have to prepare to be spontaneous” – Matt AbrahamsYou'll hear about:Moments we get caught off guard at workHow to be able to apply Matt’s methodsHow do you listen properly and attentivelyDealing with difficult situationsThe power of storytelling in these momentsMatt’s recommendations to perfectionistsMatt’s top tip for dealing with difficult situationsWhat Matt’s best day looks likeThe impact Matt wants to have on the worldAbout Matt AbrahamsMatt is a leading expert in communication with decades of experience as an educator, author, podcast host, and coach. As a Lecturer in Organisational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, he teaches popular classes in strategic communication and effective virtual presenting. Outside of the classroom, Matt is a sought-after keynote speaker and communication consultant. He has helped countless presenters improve and hone their communication, including some who have delivered IPO road shows as well as Nobel Prize, TED, and World Economic Forum presentations. His online talks garner millions of views and he hosts the popular, award-winning podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart The Podcast. Resources:• Profile: https://mattabrahams.com/about/• Book: ‘Think faster, talk faster’ - https://mattabrahams.com/books/• Podcast: https://mattabrahams.com/podcast/My resources:Sign up to one of my courses (https://bit.ly/3QHvlYm).Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively. Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.If you’re looking to work with me, check out my:Services (https://bit.ly/3QFOn1A) to C-Suite execs, entrepreneurs and professionals.Profile (https://bit.ly/3JUzrZk).Writing (https://bit.ly/3JTYnAi).Posts on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).

What impact do the biases you hold have on your work?Living and working in a more critical manner allows you to be more informed and less impacted by bias. This can have positive impacts on your work and those around you, just by challenging yourself to think differently.In this episode I am joined by Alex Edmans, author of May Contain Lies. He shares his deep knowledge of bias and how to think smarter and more critically. He discusses how he uses this within personal aspects of his life too.Are you confusing correlation with causation? A statement with a fact? Evidence with proof?This episode is full of practical advice you can use in your projects or meetings. Or even when listening to the news, to become more aware of what could be misinformation.“Misinformation affects our professional and personal lives” – Alex EdmansYou'll hear about:Which are the most harmful biases?How pervasive are biases?Does Alex make gut decisions still?Business and the ladder of inferenceUsing these ideas in practiceIs doing less better?Looking at specifics vs broad dataHow to challenge people with ill-informed viewsHow to inspire more debate and dissentManaging himself with other’s critical thinkingWhat Alex's best days look likeAbout Alex EdmansAlex is Professor of Finance at London Business School. He has a PhD from MIT as a Fulbright Scholar, and was previously a tenured professor at Wharton and an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. He has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, testified in the UK Parliament, and given the TED talk “What to Trust in a Post-Truth World” and the TEDx talks “The Pie-Growing Mindset” and “The Social Responsibility of Business” with a combined 2.8 million views. He is a non-executive director of the Investor Forum, on the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Responsible Investing, and on Royal London Asset Management’s Responsible Investment Advisory Committee. He has won 25 teaching awards at Wharton and LBS and was named Professor of the Year by Poets & Quants in 2021. His resources:•Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aedmans/ •Book: www.maycontainlies.com  •Resources and research: www.alexedmans.com My resources:Sign up to one of my courses (https://bit.ly/3QHvlYm).Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.If you’re looking to work with me, check out my:Services (https://bit.ly/3QFOn1A) to C-Suite execs, entrepreneurs and professionals.Profile (https://bit.ly/3JUzrZk).Writing (https://bit.ly/3JTYnAi).Posts on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).

How well do you ask questions?Asking questions can be more than a way to elicit an answer. They allow us to form connections. Used in the right way they are a powerful tool for us to learn from each other.In this episode I am joined by philosopher, Dr Pia Lauritzen, who spends her life researching the art and science of question-making. This is becoming even more important as more organisations are opening up their approach to innovation, strategy and transformation, inviting people to share their perspectives.We discuss ways of asking better questions, and getting the balance right between asking questions and sharing knowledge. We also delve into why you need to find out what people care about to be able to connect through questions.“Questions are probably the most powerful way of being in the world” – Pia LauritzenYou'll hear about:What is the power of questions?What does it take to break down barriers?How do you connect around questions?The balance between questions and knowledgeFinding out what people care aboutTools to help with questioningAI and questioningCoaching people to ask better questionsHow Pia has improved her questioningThe impact Pia wants to have on the worldAbout Pia Lauritzen:Pia Lauritzen is a Danish philosopher and tech entrepreneur. She holds a PhD in philosophy and is the inventor and founder of Qvest and Question Jam. She has published five books (Questions is upcoming on Johns Hopkins University Press in November 2023), and her regular column for strategy+business is read by more than 20,000 decision makers worldwide.Her resources:•Profile: https://www.pialauritzen.dk/ •Questions: Brief Books About Big Ideas, by Pia Lauritzen - https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/23069/questions •What You Don’t Know About Questions (TEDx Talk) - https://www.ted.com/talks/pia_lauritzen_what_you_don_t_know_about_questions •Six Reasons Successful Business Leaders Love questions, by Pia Lauritzen•Question Jam - https://www.questionjam.com/ •Qvest platform - https://www.qvest.io/ My resources:Sign up to one of my courses (https://bit.ly/3QHvlYm).Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.If you’re looking to work with me, check out my:Services (https://bit.ly/3QFOn1A) to C-Suite execs, entrepreneurs and professionals.Profile (https://bit.ly/3JUzrZk).Writing (https://bit.ly/3JTYnAi).Posts on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).

Fixing problems is often seen as a slow, complex process but it doesn’t need to be this way. You can solve the hardest problems your organisation faces at speed; you just need to know how.In this episode I am joined by Harvard Business School professor Francis Frei. She talks about what it takes to build trust fast, and how to focus on the hard problems. She also shares how to scale an idea to create real change and how to build a more inclusive environment that enables it.Frances counters many management practices and mindsets we've heard of so get ready to be challenged and indeed surprised.“Leaders need to decide, which is the big problem we should work on now” – Frances FreiYou'll hear about: ●      How to combine the long and short term●      Identifying the big problems●      Tackling a deficit of trust●      Making the right new friends●      Moving from prototype to scaling●      The power of storytelling●      Judgement and curiosity don't sit well together●      What makes a more inclusive environment?●      What is Frances most proud of?●      The impact Frances wants to have on the world●      Finding inspiration      About Frances Frei:Frances is a professor of Technology and Operations Management at Harvard Business School. A global thought leader on organizational change, Frances is widely recognized for her dynamic teaching style and breakthrough insight into how to move fast and fix things. Her research investigates how leaders create the context for organizations and individuals to thrive by designing for excellence in strategy, operations, and culture. In 2017, she took a leave from HBS to serve as Uber’s first senior vice president of leadership and strategy to help the company navigate its very public crisis in leadership and culture.Her resources:•Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesfrei/  and https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6587 •Services: https://anneandfrances.com/work-with-us •Book: Move Fast and Fix Things https://anneandfrances.com/books •Podcast: Fixable. https://anneandfrances.com/fixable My resources:Sign up to one of my courses (https://bit.ly/3QHvlYm).Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.If you’re looking to work with me, check out my:Services (https://bit.ly/3QFOn1A) to C-Suite execs, entrepreneurs and professionals.Profile (https://bit.ly/3JUzrZk).Writing (https://bit.ly/3JTYnAi).Posts on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).

What is the culture in your organisation like?Culture is more popular and necessary for management to consider than ever. Talking about culture is one thing, improving it, evolving it into something better, more inclusive, and higher performing is quite another.In this episode my guest is Aga Bajer, a leading authority on culture. We talk about what it takes to develop a greater sense of belonging, and what that means and involves. She shares how organisations can develop and evolve a culture as well as the important role fun plays in the process.Aga also discusses the impacts deep belonging has on culture as well as the misconceptions commonly held around it. So, if you're looking to supercharge the performance of your team, this episode is certainly for you.“Culture is a movement rather than a mandate” – Aga BajerYou'll hear about:·      Aga’s definition of culture·      Why codifying culture is important·      How do you evolve culture?·      How do you bring culture to life in organisations?·      How do you scale culture pilots?·      How important is fun to culture?·      The impact of deep belonging on culture·      Misconceptions about culture·      The impact Aga wants to have on the world About Aga Bajer:Aga is the Founder and CEO of CultureBrained, the first-of-its-kind virtual community for Culture Leaders. She’s spent more than 20 years helping leaders build cultures that foster belonging, innovation, and high performance. She’s the host of the CultureLab podcast and co-author of the book ‘Build a coaching culture.’Her resources:• Profile: https://www.agabajer.com/about-aga-bajer/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/agabajer/• Community: CultureBrained Community https://www.agabajer.com/culturebrained-community/• Podcast: Culture Lab Podcast - https://www.agabajer.com/podcast/• Book: Build a coaching culture. https://www.agabajer.com/book/ My resources:Sign up to one of my courses (https://bit.ly/3QHvlYm).Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisaion or self more effectively.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.If you’re looking to work with me, check out my:Services (https://bit.ly/3QFOn1A) to C-Suite execs, entrepreneurs and professionals.Profile (https://bit.ly/3JUzrZk).Writing (https://bit.ly/3JTYnAi).Posts on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).

What type of stimuli helps you to think?Leaders often shy away from using visual stimuli as it can be seen as gimmicky. But knowing where, when, and how to use it can transform how problems are solved.My guest in his episode is Holger Nils Pohl, one of the best at using visual thinking to tackle complex problems. He discusses how to apply it, and the tools you can use to help you and your team use it in a meaningful way. He also shares how to avoid doing it badly, something many leaders can struggle with.He gives insight into how he uses his background in teaching within his work, how he deals with perfectionism and why autism is his superpower.“A lot of the struggles we have are actually caused by missing clarity” – Holger Nils PohlYou'll hear about:●      The importance of clarity in business●      Why multi-sensory stimuli amplify conversations●      The scientific nature of visual senses●      The three elements of Holger’s framework●      The role teaching plays in Holger’s work●      How to tame perfectionism●      How Holger prepares to work at his best●      Why autism is a superpower●      What impact does Holger want to have?                    About Holger Nils Pohl:Holger is a multi-passionate creative, visual strategist, author of Non-Fiction, Kids' and Fantasy books, trainer, and autistic.He believes in the transformational power of visual tools and creates clarity for his clients, workshop delegates, readers, and viewers. He does this by reducing complexity to simple, actionable steps.His resources:•          Profile: https://clarity.holgernilspohl.com/pages/about-holger •          Books: Creating Clarity – www.holgernilspohl.com/claritybook  and The Wrong Planet – www.holgernilspohl.com/autism    •          Courses: https://clarity.holgernilspohl.com/pages/courses My resources:Sign up to one of my courses (https://bit.ly/3QHvlYm).Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.If you’re looking to work with me, check out my:Services (https://bit.ly/3QFOn1A) to C-Suite execs, entrepreneurs and professionals.Profile (https://bit.ly/3JUzrZk).Writing (https://bit.ly/3JTYnAi).Posts on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).

How do you create purposeful success?As a leader it can be challenging to define what success means to you. To achieve this, you need master your inner journey by reflecting, collaborating, and reinventing yourself.My guest in this episode, Paolo Gallo, is an expert in developing leaders who do just this. We talk about the importance of foundational beliefs that guide how leaders think and behave. As well as how we should think about what success means, and what it implies for who you spend your time with, and what you spend your time on. We reflect on what it takes to refresh and reinvent your identity as you look to amplify and enhance your leadership impact. Paulo also discusses why leaders can have such narrow definitions of success.“What unites people with organisations is not what you do, but how you are doing it” – Paolo GalloYou'll hear about:·      Why personal beliefs are important to Paolo·      Paolo's most important belief·      How do so many people lose their identity?·      What leads to narrow definitions of success?·      What does it take to find peace with oneself?·      Knowing yourself vs playing the outer game·      Achieving spiritual levels of leadership·      Myths about leadershipAbout Paolo Gallo:Paolo is an executive coach, bestselling author and keynote speaker. He collaborates with Bocconi and Ashridge Business Schools. He was the chief human resources officer at World Economic Forum in Geneva, chief learning officer at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. and director human resources at European Bank for Reconstruction & Development in London, with previous experiences at International Finance Corporation in Washington, D.C. and Citigroup in London, New York and Milan, his hometown.His resources:•          Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paologallo-coaching-keynotes-/ •          Book ‘The Seven Games of Leadership’: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/seven-games-of-leadership-9781399405478/ My resources:Sign up to one of my courses (https://bit.ly/3QHvlYm).Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.If you’re looking to work with me, check out my:Services (https://bit.ly/3QFOn1A) to C-Suite execs, entrepreneurs and professionals.Profile (https://bit.ly/3JUzrZk).Writing (https://bit.ly/3JTYnAi).Posts on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).

Are you considering a career transition?More people are. But it’s not an easy endeavour. It comes with a sense of excitement and fear.In this episode Herminia Ibarra gives insights into what it takes to transition careers. She discusses why having a grand plan is the wrong move, the importance of developing your own story and why practice makes perfect. She also explores the signals we can look for to know when we are making the right decisions, as well as what she has learned from her own career changes.“It’s not just an issue of time, it’s also extricating yourself from a context that defines you” – Herminia IbarraYou'll hear about:·      Why having a grand plan is wrong·      How to find the people you want to become·      How to balance doing and exploring·      Tips to develop your own story·      Signals to look out for when making decisions·      What helps people make wise decisions?·      Radical vs incremental ambitions·      Herminia's learnings from her career transitions·      What impact does Herminia want to have? About Herminia Ibarra:Herminia is the Charles Handy Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School. Prior to joining LBS, she served on the INSEAD and Harvard Business School faculties.An authority on leadership and career development, Thinkers 50 ranks Herminia among the top management thinkers in the world. She is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Expert Network, a judge for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award, a Fellow of the British Academy, and the 2018 recipient of the Academy of Management’s Scholar-Practitioner Award for her research’s contribution to management practice.Her resources:• Profile: https://herminiaibarra.com/about/• Books: ‘Act like a leader, think like a leader’ and ‘Working Identity: unconventional strategies for reinventing your career’ https://herminiaibarra.com/act-like-a-leader-think-like-a-leader-book/My resources:My resources:Sign up to one of my courses (https://bit.ly/3QHvlYm).Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.If you’re looking to work with me, check out my:Services (https://bit.ly/3QFOn1A) to C-Suite execs, entrepreneurs and professionals.Profile (https://bit.ly/3JUzrZk).Writing (https://bit.ly/3JTYnAi).Posts on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).

Is your company a responsible business?Taking the higher ground in business is integral to doing work ethically and with integrity.This is a necessity if you look at the systemic challenges we're facing, whether it's climate change, social inequality, or fragile geopolitics.My guest in this episode, Alison Taylor, shares her wisdom and recommendations on how to tackle this. We talk about how to take a longer view even when faced with urgent, difficult, and immediate pressures. She outlines what she would look for in the mindset and practices of a CEO and Boards looking to take the higher ground, and she calls out some of the biggest myths and misconceptions in the world of business that often create unrealistic expectations for leaders. “We need CEOs to step up and solve societal problems, because no one else is going to solve them” – Alison TaylorYou'll hear about:Alison’s view on ethics and integrityBlending systemic and short term pressuresLooking at your personal behavioursRegulators creating better business plansChanging board behaviourOvercoming an organisation’s inertia to changeThe biggest myths Alison hearsWhat does Alison’s best day look like?About Alison Taylor:Alison is a Clinical Professor at NYU Stern School of Business, where she teaches professional responsibility, sustainability, and leadership classes. She is also an Executive Director of Ethical Systems, a collaboration between leading academics working on behavioural science, systems thinking and organisational psychology. She’s also a senior advisor at BSR, Zai Lab, KKR, and Pictet Group, a board director at Preventable Surprises, and a member of the advisory board of Venture ESG.Her resources:•Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/followalisont/ •Book ‘Higher Ground’: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Higher-Ground-Business-Right-Turbulent/dp/1647823439 My resources:Sign up to one of my courses (https://bit.ly/3QHvlYm).Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively.Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.If you’re looking to work with me, check out my:Services (https://bit.ly/3QFOn1A) to C-Suite execs, entrepreneurs and professionals.Profile (https://bit.ly/3JUzrZk).Writing (https://bit.ly/3JTYnAi).Posts on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP).