From Purpose to Impact: The Leadership of Giving Back, with Dr Michael Josephson MBE | Leaders in Conversation with Anni Townend

In this episode of Leaders in Conversation, I talk with Dr Michael Josephson MBE, charity campaigner, successful businessman and mental health awareness advocate, about turning lived experience into purpose, the power of community and generosity, and inspiring others to act.Michael has raised over £13.5 million for children's charities. In his early twenties he chaired the Childline Ball Committee, growing it from £250,000 a year to over £1 million annually for the NSPCC. In 2015 he founded the Michael Josephson Ball, which now raises over £1.1 million net each year. In our conversation he shares the story behind that work: surviving a suicide attempt in 1998, the care that changed the course of his life, and his commitment to making a difference for children and young people.Please note: this episode includes Michael's account of a suicide attempt and childhood abuse. Do listen with care. If you are struggling, please talk to someone. In the UK, Samaritans are available on 116 123.Michael's three encouragements to leaders:Use your platform with purposeStart with what you can do nowMake generosity practicalConnect with MichaelLinkedIn: Dr Michael Josephson MBEInstagram: www.instagram.com/michaeljosephson1Website: www.michaeljosephsonmbe.comIf this conversation has resonated with you, I would love to tell you more about Collaboration Equation, the leadership framework Lucy Kidd and I created together. Built on Curiosity, Care and Courage, it gives leaders and their teams going through change a practical, relational way forward. Get in touch directly at [email protected] or visit annitownend.com to find out more.I also bring leaders together on Walking Partnerships days, time outside to think, reflect and talk honestly with people who understand what it means to lead through change. The next date is 8th October 2026 in East Sussex, you can find the details on my website.About Leaders in Conversation Leaders in Conversation is the podcast in which leaders weave together the threads of their life and leadership stories, the people, experiences and places that have shaped them, to encourage and inspire you to be even more confident and courageous in your leadership. I'm Anni Townend, podcast host, partner to leaders, executive coach to leaders and their teams, and co-founder of Collaboration Equation with Lucy Kidd.Find out more at annitownend.com.

ABOUT THIS EPISODEIn our conversation Jiten offers valuable insights into:Why comfort often hides behind good intentions, while culture is shaped by behaviourWhy culture changes quietly, and how leaders often miss the warning signsWhat leaders do when inclusion challenges comfort and demands courageJiten’s Three Key Encouragements to Leaders:Notice where you stay silent. Silence is data.Hold yourself accountable before holding others accountable.Act with Integrity, ask whether your decisions reflect those you expect others to live byAbout Jiten PatelJiten Patel is an inclusive leadership coach, DEI strategist and author of Demystifying Diversity. He works with leaders and organisations across global and local organisations, sport, healthcare, education and the third sector to help them understand how culture is shaped through everyday behaviour. His work is informed by lived experience, research and years of working inside organisations where good intentions often fall short. Jiten’s focus is on leadership responsibility, psychological safety and the choices leaders make when inclusion becomes uncomfortable.To connect, follow and find out more about Jiten:Website www.diversync.co.ukPhone: 07875 310824LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiten-patel-diversync/Books: Demystifying DiversityThank YouTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.com; to find out more about Collaboration Equation and finding your Collaborative Edge co-founded by Lucy Kidd and I do go to our website www.collaborationequation.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the marketing of the podcast with Louisa Penny, from Penny Writing and to George at Podcast Room Brighton for the production of the podcast.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn. I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for listening.

About this episode:My guest today is Neil McLoughlin, Director at Buckswood Overseas Summer School (BOSS) and ADHD Coach.In our conversation Neil offers valuable insights into:Putting people before process: Neil’s leadership style is people first, leading through relationships, not rules.Bringing energy and honesty together: Neil brings huge enthusiasm, openness and honestyUnderstanding difference: Neil has dyslexia and ADHD which allows him to see the people who learn and work differently. He builds environments in which people can thrive.Neil’s Three Key Encouragements to Leaders:Mind the many, not just the few. Do not let the small number of difficult people drain the energy that belongs to your whole team. The motivated ones notice where your attention goes.You cannot pour from an empty cup. Look after your own energy and enthusiasm first, because it is contagious either way. Flat leaders make flat teams.Lead with curiosity, not judgement. Find out what actually matters to each person before you try to motivate them. You will be wrong less often.About Neil:Neil McLoughlin leads with energy, creativity, and a deep belief in what education can unlock in young people. As Director of Buckswood Overseas Summer School, he runs global education programmes, and while he cares about standards, he cares more about people. He takes people as he finds them and builds trust quickly, creating environments where students feel safe enough to grow and staff feel trusted enough to lead. His background is in drama, and he has ADHD, both of which shape how he leads. Neil is also a qualified ADHD-informed coach, with the aim he brings to everything, helping people thrive as they are, not as they think they should be.To connect, follow and find out more about Neil:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-mcloughlin-77890442/Website: www.buckswoodsummerschool.com.(Don’t have a personal one yet but will build one for my ADHD Coaching later this year.)Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neiladhdcoach/YouTube: www.youtube.com/buckswoodsummerschoolThank youTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.com; to listen to Finding Your Collaborative Edge™ with Lucy Kidd and I, to do go our website www.collaborationequation.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media and Louisa Penny, from Penny Writing for the wonderful marketing of the podcast.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn.I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for listening.

ABOUT THIS EPISODEMy guest today on Leaders in Conversation is Omar Abouseif, a former professional basketball player and now Global Associate Sector Manager at Shell.In our conversation Omar offers valuable insights into:Leading with purpose in business and in lifeKnowing and being yourselfEngaging with and in others to deliver great performanceThe importance of paying attention to the soft skillsOmar’s three Key Encouragements to Leaders:1. Invest in people before outcomes, results will follow.Be in the moment, be intentional in every interaction. Small moments build big trust.Lead with genuine care, people will remember how you made them feel.About OmarOmar Abouseif is a seasoned marketer with fourteen years of experience in the biggest multinational in the world (Unilever, Nestle & Shell). Currently, Omar is a Global Associate Sector Manager at Shell, working in global marketing for the commercial road transport sector. He is passionate about building meaningful relationships and turning everyday interactions into impact. Before entering the business world Omar spent 16 years as a professional basketball player, an experience that shaped how he leads, adapt, and perform. Shaped by his experience and basketball and diverse global exposure, Omar focuses on helping people feel better, perform better, and connect more deeply—both in business and in life.To connect, follow and find out more about Omar:LinkedIn: ‏Omar Abouseif‏ - ‏Global Associate Marketing Manager @Shell | xNestlé | xUnilever | xProBasketballPlayer‏ | LinkedInThank youTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.com; to find out more about the work I do with Lucy Kidd go to our website www.collaborationequation.comTo find out more about the Future-Engage-Deliver approach to leadership, visit www.futureengagedeliver.com and the book ‘Leadership Plain and Simple’ by Steve Radcliffe.To find out more about the Marketing Leaders Programme, and The Marketing Society do go to their website wwww.themarketingsociety.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast with Louisa Penny, from Penny Writing.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] . Please share and subscribe to the podcast, and to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn.I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for listening.

ABOUT THIS EPISODEVictoria Rennoldson, is a coach, speaker and author specialising in global leadership, communication and cultural intelligence She is host of the podcast: The Culture Cuppa: Cultural Communication Confidence, and author of ‘Become a Global Leader: Amplify Your Impact, Lead Confidently Communicate Clearly and Connect Across Culture’. She dedicates the book to her father, who died in Spring 2025 and had a huge influence on her, and her values, beliefs, passion and purpose.In our conversation Victoria offers valuable insights into:How we need our human capabilities more than ever in an AI world.How the ability to connect and to have good conversations, and to build trust and relationships is ultimately our human differentiator.That so-called ‘soft skills' is a total misnomer and that there is nothing soft about people skills that impact individuals, teams and organisations.How in a time of divides in and out of work we need Cultural Intelligence more than ever.Victoria’s Three Key Encouragements to LeadersKeep making space for curiosity about people - have conversations, make connections;Cultural intelligence is an action, not what we know. We need to show, act and lead by example - even with people who have very different values, perspectives or behaviours from our own.Yes, AI skills matter and our human skills matter just as much. Adaptability is key.About Victoria:Victoria Rennoldson is a multi-award-winning coach, international speaker and best-selling author helping people lead across borders in a rapidly changing world.As technology accelerates and AI reshapes how we work, Victoria focuses on what makes leaders distinctly human- clarity of communication, confidence, cultural intelligence and the ability to build meaningful connection.She supports ambitious professionals and teams to increase their visibility and impact globally, helping them speak up with confidence and collaborate across cultures.Victoria is the CEO and Founder of Culture Cuppa and host of a top-ranked global leadership podcast with over 170 episodes. Her book, Become a Global Leader, became an Amazon bestseller in Career Advancement and Professional Development on launch.To connect, follow and find out more about Victoria:LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldsonWebsite: https://culturecuppa.com/bookInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/culture_cuppa/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@culture-cuppaPodcast: https://culturecuppa.com/podcast/Book: https://culturecuppa.com/bookThank youTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.com; to listen to Finding Your Collaborative Edge™ with Lucy Kidd and I, to do go our website www.collaborationequation.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast with Louisa Penny, from Penny Writing.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn.I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for listening.

ABOUT THIS EPISODEMy guest today on Leaders in Conversation is Yasmin O’Neal, Senior Director for Global Brand at DECIEM. DECIEM is best known for its leading brand The Ordinary.In our conversation Yasmin offers valuable insights into:How you can love your team, and you can winKindness versus NicenessBeing CuriousHow we all have an impactYasmin’s Three Key Encouragements to Leaders:Our sphere of influence matters. Leaders have, by nature, a bigger sphere of influence - how can we use it for good?Belief should be a given. Expect little from people and they will give you little. Expect a lot and you’ll be rewarded tenfold.Loving honesty. Tell it straight, but tell it straight from the heart. You’ll be helping if you do it.Connect with Yasmin:LinkedIn: Yasmin O'NealThank you:To listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.com; to listen to Finding Your Collaborative Edge™ with Lucy Kidd and I, to do go our website www.collaborationequation.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast with Louisa Penny, from Penny Writing.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn.I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for listening.

About this episode:Today's guest is Erin Rogers, Founder of ERA Collective, Executive Coach, and Leadership Development Partner.In our conversation Erin offers valuable insights into:Motherhood - How becoming a mother made her a better leader, grounded in what matters, more emotionally intelligent, and ultimately led to her pivot into coaching.The mentor who saw her before she saw herself - she shares the Pink Hair story and the lesson of not waiting for permission.Leading through crisis - what her daughter's cancer journey taught her about presence, priorities, and refusing to wait for 'someday.'The power of being seen, and of not hiding.Erin's leadership lessons:Make sure that you really see the people around you. Keep noticing. Name what you see in them. You might be the one who shifts everything. And don't wait - the window isn't guaranteed.Crisis Clarifies. You learn what actually matters - and you stop performing leadership and start living it.One moment of being seen can change everything. That's what psychological safety actually looks like. It's not a policy. It's a moment.Erin's three key encouragements to leaders:Stop waiting for permission. The mentor who asked about my pink hair wasn't giving me permission - she was showing me I didn't need it. And I almost waited too long.See the people around you - even when they're hiding. Ask how they are doing. One question gave me permission to stop shrinking and start helping others.Your next era can be your greatest era - if you're present, listening to the signals, and learning through your experiences. The things I've struggled with most - motherhood, menopause, my daughter's illness - are now the things I use to support other leaders. Nothing is wasted if you're paying attention.About Erin:Erin Rogers is the Founder of ERA Collective, an executive coaching and leadership development consultancy helping leaders show up with intention, build visibility, and navigate the messy middle of professional growth. With 25+ years in senior marketing and communications roles - including 12 years as Director of Brand, Marketing and Communications at EY Canada and 5 years as Country Head of Marketing at HSBC Canada - Erin brings a rare combination of strategic rigour and genuine warmth to her coaching. She is ICF ACC-certified and works with individuals, teams, and organizations ready to step into their next chapter. Erin lives in Toronto with her husband and three daughters.Connect with Erin:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/erin-j-rogersWebsite: eracollective.caInsights: eracollective.ca/insightsThank youTo listen to more episodes of Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend do go to my website, www.annitownend.com; and to Finding Your Collaborative Edge™ with Lucy Kidd and I, www.collaborationequation.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast with Louisa Penny, from Penny Writing.If you would like a conversation with me do email me on [email protected] visit my website, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn.And please do subscribe, and share the podcast. Thank you for listening.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE:My guest today is Susie Partridge, round the world sailor and founder of the strategic marketing agency Blue Feathers.I had the pleasure of being in conversation with Susie for an earlier episode of Leaders in Conversation in which she spoke about the people, places and experiences that had shaped her life and leadership; how following her passion for sailing helped her find her purpose and to set up Blue Feathers eight years ago.In this episode we pick up on these last 8 years of running Blue Feathers and Susie offers valuable insights into:What the fast-changing marketing landscape means for capability in the industryThe responsibility leaders have for developing marketers of the futureHow to drive capability as part of a marketing cultureSusie’s Three Key Encouragements to Leaders:Decide the role you want to take as a guardian of marketing – what matters to you to protect and pass on to the next generation.Whatever that is, be the champion of it – share the passion, spend time thinking about how it applies as marketing evolves, and share that on.Role model growth - normalise the cycle of learning and make it part of the everyday in our teams.About Susie:After a successful career in marketing at Unilever and British Gas, and then fulfilling her ambition of sailing a yacht around the world, Susie started her next adventure when she founded the strategic marketing agency Blue Feathers.Susie’s aim was to help marketers to be their best and drive their brands to succeed. She now leads a team of marketing experts who work with major brands including Tesco, Primark, Michelin, Simplyhealth and Cambridge University Press & Assessment.Susie believes that people do their best work when life is balanced – and that belief is reflected in how she leads the Blue Feathers team: a highly skilled, fully remote group, motivated through shared purpose and a deliverables-based approach.Susie remains passionate about sailing and loves spending time on the water. She is also now a keen beekeeper and gardener, and enjoys spending time hiking.To connect, follow and find out more about Susie:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/susiepartridge/Website: www.bluefeathers.co.ukInstagram: @susiepartridge00Thank youTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.com; to listen to Finding Your Collaborative Edge™ with Lucy Kidd and I, to do go our website www.collaborationequation.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast with Louisa Penny, from Penny Writing.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE:My guest today on Leaders in Conversation is Sally-Anne Airey, leadership coach, founder of Skilful Leaders and author of Mindful Command - the way of the evolving leader, and podcast host of Fearless Forward.In our conversation Sally-Anne offers valuable insights into:What good leadership looks, sounds, and feels like.How becoming a better leader is less about what you do, and more about how you are.Why she created the concept of Mindful Command and what it is - Balanced Awareness (seeing things as they are), Clear Purpose (being clear what matters) and Fearless Compassion (cultivating the courage to do the right thing).Sally-Anne’s Key Encouragements to Leaders:PauseLook at the whole pictureListen for what’s needed.Be PresentAbout Sally-Anne: SALLY-ANNE AIREY is a leadership coach who has devoted over 40 years to the art and skill of leadership. A Royal Navy officer for 23 years, she rose to the rank of Commander and was the first woman to continue in service as a mother. Later she worked for 8 years in Ukraine and Russia, where she discovered her coaching vocation on a consultancy project in Kyiv in 2007. She has been coaching leaders ever since. Inspired by the mountains surrounding her home in the French Alps, she developed the concept of Mindful Command – now the foundation for all her work with people who care about their impact on the world.To connect, follow and find out more about Sally-Anne:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallyanneairey/Website: https://skilfulleaders.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sallyanne_airey/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SkilfulLeadersPodcast: https://skilfulleaders.com/podcasts-blog/Resources/Books/Free download: (If applicable) Mindful Command - The way of the evolving leaderThank youTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation and to find out more about Walking Partnerships do go to my website, www.annitownend.com; to listen to Finding Your Collaborative Edge™ with Lucy Kidd and I, to do go our website www.collaborationequation.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast with Louisa Penny, from Penny Writing.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn.I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for listening.

ABOUT THIS EPISODEMy guest today is Jenny Latham, Executive Coach and passionate advocate for staying human in a digital world.In our conversation Jenny offers valuable insights into:How our modern world is leaving us hyper connected but under bonded, creeping up so slowly that many of us haven’t realised what we’re missing;Why the quality of connection matters more than the quantity; the importance of shared experiences and getting beyond small talk into more meaningful conversation;How the Smartphone Free Childhood Movement is instrumental in protecting our children’s social health, and mental health more broadly;The importance of identifying your own social needs and being intentional about wiring your world to meet them.Jenny’s three Key Encouragements to Leaders:Reflect on your own social needs and be intentional in steering your life to meet themHave the courage to get beyond small talk into more meaningful conversations and make time together countIf you have children, help them meet their social needs by setting healthy screen boundariesAbout Jenny:Jenny Latham works as an independent Executive Coach, helping senior leaders (particularly across Government), to navigate their careers with a specialism in ‘what next’?She made the move to freelance coaching in July 2023 following 16 years at EY, firstly client facing as a Management Consultant and then as a People, Market and Operations Director, working with the Consulting Leadership team to run the business. She was also part of the EY Professional Coaches network, supporting senior talent to develop.She discovered coaching in 2020 and was increasingly drawn to a career which has helping people at the forefront and with a focus on solving more human societal challenges.She has a deep passion for all things social health & connection. One of the reasons she loves coaching is the opportunity to help people put their masks down, to have a meaningful conversation and to connect with who they are and what they want.She’s an active volunteer in her local community with the Smartphone Free Childhood Movement. She wants to see a society where real human to human friendship, belonging and tribe can flourish and this means using technology very intentionally.To get in touch with Jenny, to find out more about her, and about the Smart Phone Free Childhood movement:LinkedIn: Jenny LathamWebsites: www.jennylatham.com and www.smartphonefreechildhood.orgSome of Jenny’s favourite books on connection:Lost Connections: Johann HariThe Art of Gathering: Priya ParkerLet’s Talk (How to have better conversations): Nihal ArthanayakeTogether: Vivek MurthyTalk To Your Boys: Joanna Schroeder, Christopher PepperThank youTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.com; to listen to Finding Your Collaborative Edge™ with Lucy Kidd and I, to do go our website www.collaborationequation.comAnd if you would like to join us on one of our Walking Partnerships days, please do get in touch with me.A big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast with Louisa Penny, from Penny Writing.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn.