Episode 185: Laura Best on ‘Born to Buzz’ and Passion-Driven Leadership

Send us Fan MailA people performance partner who is passionate about effective HR teams – that’s our guest today, the best-selling author, Tom Emery in his own words. Founder and CEO of HEX, and a strategic partner to CEOs, CPOs, and other c-suite leaders, Tom is the Amazon bestselling author of ‘People People: Reach Your Full Potential as a CHRO’, which has been shortlisted for the 2026 Business Book Awards. Having spent several years on the C-suite as a Chief People Officer in both UK PLC and a PE backed businesses, Tom brings in a detailed knowledge of what it looks like when executive teams are firing on all cylinders, and when they’re not. He brings these insights to his work today, partnering with CEOs to build, align, and strengthen the leadership teams and wider organisations around them. He helps CEOs make sense of their roles, have the conversations that others avoid, and close the gap between how they behave and what their businesses actually need from them. Hit play for the lowdown on his journey.  [4:38s] Tom’s origin story – journey into HR [08:28s] Top evolutionary shifts in HR [16:51s] On his book ‘People People’, the ‘four-leaf clover’ framework for CHROs and more[26:41s] Content versus context, AI versus NI (natural intelligence) [34:44s] Top challenges HR leaders facing today [46:35s] RWL READ: ‘Atomic Habits’by James Clear; books by Adam Grant; ‘Dare to Lead’ by Brené Brown; ‘Luck Factor’ by Dr. Richard Wiseman    More on Tom’s work at www.hex-development.com Connect with Tom on LinkedInConnect with Vinay on LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected] to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

Send us Fan MailHow do you keep performing and succeed in an increasingly chaos-filled world today? That’s the question our guest today, Avy Leghziel has been helping leaders answer. Drawing from psychology, business, and complex systems, then translating it into practical ways executives can think, decide, and lead under pressure, Avy helps leaders, executives and founders around the globe navigate chaotic transitions. After 15 years serving as a senior manager in global organizations, he launched his Executive Coaching and Consulting practice, and since then, he has worked with more than 120 executives and trained thousands of professionals. Avy’s newsletter, Masters of Babel, has 7,700+ subscribers.Vinay digs deeper into Avy’s study of chaos and how it affects how we work.  [4:17s] Avy’s ‘journey into chaos’[13:01s] Genesis of his consulting practice [18:59s] Top themes among leaders navigating chaos [31:45s] Preserving mental wellbeing amidst chaos [38:46s] His PhD research on micro behaviors in executive performance in chaotic environments [44:50s] Avy’s prediction of chaos navigation in near future[48:59s] RWL READ:  The Explorer's Gene by Alex Hutchinson; ‘There Is No Antimemetics Division’ by qntm; LISTEN: ‘Time Sensitive’ by Spencer Bailey; WATCH: ‘Ted Lasso’, ‘Shrinking’ on Apple TVMore on Avy’s work at avyleg.com Connect with Vinay on LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected] to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

Send us Fan MailIt’s back to the GCC conversation – this time on the bourgeoning world of GCCs in India! And we could not have had a better guest for this than the man who is in the thick of things. Meet the one and only Saurabh Mehta, a business leader with over 20 years who has been helping global enterprises establish, scale, and transform Global Capability Centers (GCCs), with a strong focus on workplace strategy, infrastructure, operations, governance, and business transformation, in his current role as Head of Corporate Services – GCC at Zinnov. His expertise spans GCC strategy, operational excellence, workplace transformation, corporate services, and the intersection of technology, talent, and real estate in enabling enterprise growth. With experience spanning global consulting, entrepreneurship, venture capital, and corporate leadership, and known for his execution-oriented leadership style, Saurabh believes that sustainable competitive advantage comes from disciplined execution, strong operating models, and building organizations that create long-term value. He is a regular speaker at industry forums, where he shares perspectives on the evolution of GCCs, the future of work, AI-driven enterprise transformation, and India’s role in the global business landscape. [3:27s] Saurabh’s origin story[06:18s] Culture differences across sectors of tech, banking, private equity, venture fund  [9:13s] From venture capitalist to entrepreneur[14:55s] Growth of GCCs in India: The tipping point [26:12s] Potential risks to the growth of GCCs in India[33:22s] Innovation as the next wave of GCCs in India and impact of AI[40:05s] Predictions for future trends for the GCC landscape    [47:50s] RWL READ: ‘Good to Great’ by James Collins; ‘The Psychology of Money’ by Morgan Housel; LISTEN: Acquired Podcast   Connect with Saurabh on LinkedIn Connect with Vinay on LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected] to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

Send us Fan MailBringing us incisive insights from inside the world of CEOs is international CEO mentor and author of the book, ‘Discipline Beats Vision: How to be the leader your company needs - starting Monday’, Dane Hudson. A seasoned international leader, Dane provides coaching, mentoring and advisory services to CEOs, Founders and C-level leaders through his company, Impactful Leadership. Dane is APAC’s most respected CEO mentor and has over 25 years of experience as a CEO of companies including the world’s largest restaurant company Yum! Brands, managing over 63,000 restaurants in more than 155 countries including KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and The Habit Burger & Grill.[2:54s] Dane’s origin story[10:34s] From running companies to starting his own[14:08s] 3 things that CEOs struggle with that people often don’t talk about[22:48s] Why Discipline Beats Vision and being ‘Monday-ready’  [29:19s] Evolution of leadership in the age of AI [43:48s] Future for Dane Hudson [46:53s] RWL Read: Jim Collins books; Listen Bloomberg Technology PodcastRWL Read: Dane’s book ‘Discipline Beats Vision’ Find out more about Dane’s work at https://impactfulleadership.com/  Connect with Dane on LinkedIn Connect with Vinay on LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected] to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

Send us Fan MailOur guest today is Winnie da Silva, a leadership strategist who has enabled senior leaders and leadership teams to achieve results at a high-level during moments of growth, transition, and increased complexity over the last two decades. Winnie partners with leaders to drive meaningful shifts in leadership behavior, team dynamics, and organizational performance. Her work integrates executive coaching, leadership development, and team effectiveness to achieve measurable business impact. She began her career at Arthur Andersen Business Consulting and later served as National Director of Learning and Development at Bovis Lend Lease.Winnie is also the host of Transformative Leadership Conversations, a podcast for leaders who want to elevate their own leadership thinking and skills. Through in-depth conversations with executives and subject-matter experts, the show explores the shifts required to drive sustained performance.[5:29s] ‘An accidental consultant’: Her genesis story [12:44s] On her work in leadership coaching  [23:09s] Most gratifying and most challenging moments from her work[34:27s] A common theme across leaders she’s worked with [40:05s] AI in leadership [47:32s] RWL Read: ‘Tiny Experiments’ by Anne-Laure Le Cunff; RWL LISTEN: Winnie’s podcast ‘Transformative Leadership Conversations’Explore her work at https://www.winniedasilva.com/  Connect with Winnie on LinkedIn Connect with Vinay on LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected] to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

Send us Fan MailGrounded in change psychology, resilience and neuroscience, her work in Change Management and leadership spans over 20 years partnering with leaders to enable high performance sustainability, the kind that strengthens people and mindsets, adaptability, culture and results. Meet our guest today, Mona Momtazian the Change Management and Leadership Consultant who has worked with leaders in Australian and global organisations through some of the hardest moments at work. Restructures. Redundancies. Teams falling apart and shifting to completely different ways of working. Mona is the founder of Change Capability and the creator of the ReFocus Method™ and the Change Support Stack™ framework. Drawing on behavioural neuroscience, she has developed an online learning store designed to make the language of self-care and emotional intelligence a norm in the workplace. [3:30s] Her journey into Change Management Leadership [14:12s] Evolution of leaders’ understanding of change and its complexities[27:06s] Doing change right versus doing it quick[33:12s] On change projects she’s led - digital transformation, AI [39:00s] Top learnings and insights on Change Management [45:21s] RWL Read: Mona’s book ‘The Many Hats of Resistance’; ‘Appreciative Inquiry’by David Cooperrider and Diana Whitney;  ACMP resourcesfor Change Management; Human Centered Design Thinking; SCARF® NeuroLeadership; Listen to Brené Brown’s podcastConnect with Mona on LinkedIn Connect with Vinay on LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected] to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

Send us Fan MailFor too long, work and leadership advice has focused on beginnings – how to make a great first impression, nail a new job, or start projects on the right foot. But what about endings – how can we successfully lead through messy transitions like redundancies, retirement or mergers? In the current global environment of mass layoffs, ‘Good Bye: Leading Change Better by Attending to Endings’ is brilliantly timely, revealing how leaders can manage endings with care, respect and emotional agility. Our guests today is the dynamic author duo behind this book – top leadership coaches, Lizzie Bentley Bowers and Alison Lucas. Distilled from two decades of working with leaders in transition, and born out of practice, this highly practical book guides readers in navigating the four steps of endings – Reality, Emotion, Accomplishment and Ritual – offering a powerful framework for working through past, present, and future endings.Vinay traces Alison and Lizzie’s incredible journey to ‘Good Bye’. Hit play for the low down!   [4:30s] Their journey into coaching [10:31s] Genesis of their book ‘Good Bye’[17:29s] The need to attend to endings during transitions [24:06s] Slowing down, breaking the ‘cycle’ [40:01s] Managing ‘goodbyes’ in the age of AI[47:46s] RWL Read: Alison and Lizzie’s book, ‘Good Bye: Leading Change Better by Attending to Endings’  Alison and Lizzie’s recommendation to READ: ‘Transitions’ by William Bridges, ‘Daring Greatly’ by Brené Brown; ‘Emotional Agility’ by Susan David;   Connect with Alison on LinkedIn Connect with Lizzie on LinkedIn Connect with Vinay on LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected] to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

Send us Fan MailMeet Ash Seddeek, a globally recognized executive coach and change leadership advisor with over 15 years of experience helping leaders drive transformation through compelling communication and strategic influence. Ash has coached senior teams at Cisco, Uber, Google, Boston Scientific, San Francisco International Airport and Doosan Bobcat. A former leader at Deloitte, Oracle, and Cisco, Ash blends deep expertise in executive presence, strategic facilitation, and change sponsorship. Ash is also an Amazon bestselling author and creator of leadership frameworks such as Chief Excitement Officers (CExOs) and Exponential Value Moments (EVMs) through which he equips leaders to lead with clarity, align stakeholders, and inspire action. Ash is a two-time Fulbright Scholar, linguist, AI fintech inventor, and entrepreneur. Ash is currently also working on a passionate AI startup Intelligent Context AI. Hit play for the lowdown! [4:26s] Fulbright Scholar to Leadership Communication Coach[6:48s] The Top 1 % for Sales Leadership [9:36s] Strategic Communication in Leadership [16:10s] On his book ‘Meaning: How Leaders Create Meaning and Clarity During Times of Crisis and Opportunity’ [19:33s] What makes a great coachee[31:48s] On AI in the world of coaching[41:46s] On his Intelligence Context AI launch plansRWL Read: ‘Meaning: How Leaders Create Meaning and Clarity During Times of Crisis and Opportunity’ by Ash Sedeek and Leslie Rubin; ’The Path of Least Resistance’ by Robert FritzRWL Listen: Jim Rohn Motivation Connect with Ash on LinkedIn or email him at [email protected] Connect with Vinay on LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected] to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

Send us Fan MailMeet Laura Best, keynote speaker who helps global brands like US Bank activate passion as a science-back method to drive energy, motivation, engagement and performance in their people. She is the bestselling author of Born to Buzz and the founder of Passion Collective- a group of thousands seeking to embed more passion into their daily working lives. Today, Laura advises some of the world’s biggest passion-driven brands across sectors. Hit play for the lowdown! [2:54s] History to PR: Laura’s genesis story[5:25s] What first sparked ‘Born to Buzz’ [12:09s] Passion-led jobs versus passion-less ones[19:47s] Purpose versus Passion[32:55s] The generational aspect of purpose-at-work[36:21s] Laura’s top tips for organizations to cultivate passion [45:45s] Laura’s top tips for you to avoid burnout RWL: Read: Laura’s book Born to Buzz: How to Spark Your Passions (Without Quitting It All)  Laura’s recommendation to read: ‘Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics’ by Dan HarrisConnect with Laura on LinkedIn Connect with Vinay on X and LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected] to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

Send us Fan MailWe are thrilled to bring you this special collaboration with the chart-topping podcast that unravels the impact of organization culture on the workplace, 'Culture Matters with Subbu Kalpathi' - where it's Vinay on the hot seat for a change!   On this Culture Matters episode 'The Leader as a Facilitator', Vinay and Subbu explore facilitation not just as a skill, but as a fundamental shift in how leadership shows up today. In a world where knowledge is abundant and easily accessible, the role of the leader is evolving, from being the one with answers to the one who creates the conditions for better answers to emerge.Hit play to get the full lowdown.RWL: Vinay's recommendation for you to LISTEN to Culture Matters where Learning Leadership and OD expert Subbu talks to leading academics, researchers, authors, corporate leaders, consultants and SMEs on organizational culture. From harnessing the science of happiness at work to innovations such as the 4-day workweek, Culture Matters will challenge the way you think about your people strategy for the new world of work. Connect with Subbu on LinkedIn Connect with Vinay on X and LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected] to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.