Episodes

  • Building Resilient Leaders for Today's Challenges with Jodie Rogers

    Building Resilient Leaders for Today's Challenges with Jodie Rogers
    Apr 28 2025
    In this episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata talks to Jodie Rogers, founder of Symbia and author of The Hidden Edge. With two decades of expertise in human behaviour, Jodie shares how leaders can navigate uncertainty and build emotionally intelligent, agile teams. She emphasises the value of emotional and social intelligence, strong professional relationships and mental fitness in driving performance and resilience. “The Edge” is Symbia’s practical, low-cost program designed to help teams develop key skills like focus, prioritisation and stress management. Jodie explains how their benchmarking tool measures progress and impact across organisations like Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, and L'Oréal. The episode highlights the growing importance of mental well-being and proactive development in today’s fast-changing work environment. Jodie’s insights offer leaders a practical path to foster empowerment, engagement, and adaptability in their teams while preparing for the challenges of tomorrow. Key Takeaways: 1. The Importance of Soft Skills in Leadership: What are often called "soft skills" – such as emotional intelligence, communication, and influence – are actually critical life skills necessary for effective leadership. 2. Navigating Uncertainty and Change: Jodie Rogers highlights that helping people understand how their brains respond to uncertainty can empower them to better navigate it by experimenting, exploring, and creating their own paths forward. 3. The Edge Programme’s Approach to Professional Development: The Edge programme was discussed as a comprehensive professional development initiative designed to create lasting behavioural change. It focuses on four key phases: enhancing mindsets (self-leadership), driving performance (skills application), growing influence (relationships) and expanding impact (leadership and mentorship). The programme combines diverse expert trainers and practical, interactive sessions to ensure participants can apply what they learn. 4. Wellbeing and Mental Fitness: Jodie stressed the importance of focusing not just on addressing mental ill health but also on building mental fitness—developing tools and skills when people are in a stable state so they are better equipped to handle stress and challenges later 5. Leadership Accountability and Autonomy: Both Andy and Jodie touched on the necessity for leaders to foster accountability and autonomy within their teams. To find out more about The EDGE programme, please visit https://symbiapartners.com/edge Connect with Andy Lopata Website Connect with Jodie Rogers Website LinkedIn
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    29 mins
  • Embracing AI, Hybrid Work, and Skills Development With Peter Brown

    Embracing AI, Hybrid Work, and Skills Development With Peter Brown
    Apr 21 2025
    Welcome to another exciting episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, where we are exploring the future of work, the role of leadership in navigating these changes, and how to seize future opportunities instead of fearing them. Our guest this week is PwC's Global Workforce Leader, Peter Brown. Pete leads a team of over 10,000 professionals supporting businesses with their workforce challenges. He has over 25 years of global experience advising clients around a number of workforce disciplines. He also sponsors PwC’s Global Centre for Transformative Leadership. Andy revisits his podcast episode with Peter, and they consider how the pace of change in our workplace is accelerating, shaped by phenomena such as social media and AI’s rapid evolution. Peter shares how platforms like TikTok and Gen AI amassed an unprecedented number of users within months of launching, pointing to a speedier, high-tech future. Andy also explores with Peter the impact of global macro trends like climate change and disruptive technologies as well as the importance of human capacity to adapt and learn. Pete stresses the need for urgency to deal with pressing issues such as the climate crisis. He suggests that technology is not an enemy but a powerful tool that can be harnessed for efficiency and productivity and highlights the necessity to protect people, not jobs, since the workforce must adapt and evolve as technology does. This episode provides foresight into the acceleration of existing work trends and emerging ones to anticipate in the global workplace environment. Key Takeaways: Embrace Technology but Focus on Human Skills : While AI and technology are advancing rapidly, they cannot replace innate human skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, empathy, and collaboration. Hybrid Work is Here to Stay: Organisations need to find the right balance between in-office and remote work that suits their business needs and employee preferences. Skills Development is Critical: There is a growing emphasis on reskilling and upskilling to meet the demands of an ever-changing work environment. Trust and Flexibility Drive Productivity: Instead of focusing on presenteeism or rigid schedules, leaders should prioritise results-based performance and empower employees to work in ways that suit them best. Alignment of Values Matters: Creating an environment that respects individual needs and fosters meaningful engagement is crucial for retaining talent in today's competitive market. Connect with Andy Lopata Website Connect with Peter Brown LinkedIn Twitter
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    25 mins
  • Build a Business That is Smarter Than You with Jennifer Sundberg

    Build a Business That is Smarter Than You with Jennifer Sundberg
    Apr 14 2025
    In this episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata revisits his interviews with Jennifer Sundberg, Co-CEO of Board Intelligence and author of Collective Intelligence: Build a Business That's Smarter Than You. Jennifer advocates for leveraging the collective brainpower of teams rather than relying solely on superstar leaders. She sites examples from Apple and Amazon, where groundbreaking ideas like the iPhone and Amazon Prime emerged from teams, not just their iconic founders. Andy and Jennifer discuss cultures of humility, curiosity and open questioning to foster innovation. Leaders must recognise they don’t have all the answers and encourage contributions without fear of criticism. Over-reliance on top-down decision-making can slow progress and waste intellectual potential. Jennifer also explores reverse mentoring, learning from failure, and the power of asking “how” and “why” questions to drive deeper understanding. The episode underscores the importance of clear communication, shared critical thinking, and inclusivity in decision-making. Jennifer’s insights provide actionable strategies for leaders to harness collective intelligence and build smarter, more resilient businesses. Key Takeaways: 1. Collective intelligence is crucial for business success – Great businesses aren't built by superstar leaders alone but by tapping into the collective brainpower of teams. 2. Top-down leadership has downsides 3.Questioning culture is essential – Simple "how" and "why" questions can drive deeper understanding. 4. Clear communication matters – Complex information needs to be communicated clearly and concisely. 5. Focus is vital alongside openness – While encouraging new ideas, asking "Is our focus still the right focus?" periodically helps balance openness with strategic direction. 6. Even great thinking and critical analysis can fail if the organisational culture isn't ready to accept challenging ideas. A widespread appetite for questioning and critical thinking is necessary across the whole organisation. Connect with Andy Lopata Website Connect with Jennifer Sundberg LinkedIn Board Intelligence Collective Intelligence: How to build a business that’s smarter than you
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    21 mins
  • Into the Blue: Building Meaningful Workplaces With Ikigai featuring Sri Chellappa

    Into the Blue: Building Meaningful Workplaces With Ikigai featuring Sri Chellappa
    Apr 7 2025
    In this episode of the Connected Leadership Podcast, Andy Lopata welcomes Sri Chellappa, President and Co-Founder of Engagedly, a performance management software company, and also a passionate entrepreneur, filmmaker, musician, and people leader. He is the host of "The People Strategy Leaders" podcast, discussing the concept of ikigai and its application in creating meaningful workplaces. Ikigai, a Japanese philosophy is centred on finding purpose and can be adapted for organisational use. Sri outlines the interaction of skills, desires, and organisational goals, forming what he calls the "blue zone" where individuals find fulfillment and contribute effectively. Andy and Sri look at the importance of workplace culture, emphasising that even if an individual aligns with the first three circles (skills, desires, and goals), a toxic culture can hinder success. Sri introduces the idea of a fourth circle—engagement and culture—that encompasses all the others, ensuring alignment between personal and organisational values. Sri draws from his experience as a tech entrepreneur and filmmaker to illustrate how leaders can foster environments where employees feel empowered and trusted. The episode explores challenges like red zones, where individuals may possess only one or none of the desired traits, leading to dissatisfaction and inefficiency. Sri discusses how rapid advancements, such as AI, push employees into these zones, necessitating continuous learning and adaptation. Sri’s book, "Into the Blue: Implementing Ikigai Philosophy to Create a Meaningful Workplace", serves as both a theoretical framework and a practical tool, featuring a workbook to assess team alignment with Ikigai principles. What We Discussed: Ikigai Framework : Finding purpose through the combination of skills, desires, and organisational goals, creating a "blue zone" where individuals feel fulfilled and contribute effectively to their organisations. Blue Zones & Community: Workplace culture should foster connections to combat isolation and enhance engagement. Leadership Responsibility : Leaders play a critical role in shaping organisational culture. Their behaviours set the tone for how employees interact, empowering teams or perpetuating toxic environments. Decentralised Decision-Making: Sri advocates for decentralised decision-making to promote ownership and collaboration across departments. Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube Connect with Sri Chellappa: Website |LinkedIn | The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring Into the Blue: Implementing Ikigai Philosophy to Create a Meaningful Workplace
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    42 mins
  • Rethinking Meetings: Why Smaller is Better with Lawrence Krubner

    Rethinking Meetings: Why Smaller is Better with Lawrence Krubner
    Mar 31 2025
    In this episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata revisits his conversation with Lawrence Krubner, author of One to One Meetings are Underrated, Group Meetings are a Waste of Time. Lawrence, a seasoned CTO and fractional CTO for startups, shares his expertise on the inefficiencies of large meetings and advocates for more focused, smaller interactions. Excessive meetings cost the U.S. economy $3 trillion annually, and Lawrence emphasises that large gatherings often lead to wasted time and disengaged participants. Lawrence also argues that one-on-one meetings are the most effective for communication, problem-solving, and building relationships, contrasting them with larger meetings which can become inefficient unless strategically managed. Andy and Lawrence discuss where there are advantages to larger meetings in terms of developing professional relationships. Lawrence provides practical advice on declining unnecessary meetings and adapting communication styles to different personality types, particularly balancing introverts and extroverts. He also touches on the importance of direct yet respectful communication in leadership. Key Takeaways: Large meetings often lead to significant time wastage and disengagement among participants. One-on-one meetings are the most effective for deep communication and relationship-building. Leaders should adapt their communication styles to suit different personality types within their teams. Direct and honest communication should be practiced without resorting to anger or disrespect. Strategic use of technology can replace some meetings, but brainstorming sessions still benefit from in-person interactions. SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Andy Lopata: Website |Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube Connect with Lawrence Krubner: Website |LinkedIn | The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring Episode 180 Featuring Lawrence Krubner
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    20 mins
  • Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Building a Culture of Innovation with Daniela Landher

    Fail Fast, Learn Faster: Building a Culture of Innovation with Daniela Landher
    Mar 24 2025
    In this episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata revisits his conversation with Daniela Landher, a former head of talent engagement at Google and now an executive coach specialising in psychological safety at work. They discuss the importance of embracing failure as a means to foster innovation and growth within organisations. Daniela shares insights on creating psychologically safe environments where employees feel comfortable discussing mistakes without fear of repercussions. The conversation touches on concepts like "fail fests," where teams openly discuss project failures to learn from them, and the idea of "failing fast" to encourage rapid learning and adaptation. Daniela also highlights the role of leadership in showing personal vulnerability and openness about their mistakes, thereby setting the tone for the entire organisation. Andy and Daniela explore how traditional educational systems and corporate cultures often inhibit this mindset, emphasising the need for a cultural shift towards acceptance of failure as a learning opportunity. Key Takeaways: 1. Embracing failure fosters innovation and growth in organisations. 2. Psychological safety is crucial for open discussions about mistakes. 3. "Fail fests" help teams learn collectively from past errors. 4. Leaders should model vulnerability by owning up to their own mistakes. 5. Traditional systems often discourage a healthy approach to failure. 6. A culture that accepts failure as a learning opportunity leads to better organisational outcomes. SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube Connect with Daniela Landher: Website |LinkedIn | The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring Episode 179 Featuring Daniela Landher
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    25 mins
  • Lights, Camera, Impact: The Anna Fiorentini Story of Arts and Empowerment

    Lights, Camera, Impact: The Anna Fiorentini Story of Arts and Empowerment
    Mar 17 2025
    Welcome back to another episode of the Connected Leadership Podcast. Today’s episode is a little special. We’re part of Podcaston, an awesome initiative where over 1,600 podcasters come together to support incredible causes. For me, this hits close to home because I’ve had the privilege of working with one of those causes—The Fiorentini Foundation—as both a trustee and currently as an ambassador. Joining me is Anna Fiorentini, the founder of the Anna Fiorentini Film and Theatre School and its charitable arm, The Fiorentini Foundation. Anna started her school 24 years ago in inner-city London to give kids aged 4–18 access to drama, singing, dance, and film training. And here’s the kicker—no child gets turned away because of money issues. They make it work through profits from adult classes (Stage in the City) and corporate team-building events like creating a musical in an afternoon (how cool is that?). Anna’s mission goes beyond just teaching performing arts. It’s about building confidence, creativity, and lifelong skills for young people who might not otherwise have these opportunities. Whether they grow up to perform on the West End or use their newfound leadership skills elsewhere, every student benefits. You’ll hear some amazing success stories, too—kids landing roles in The Bodyguard or TV shows like EastEnders, and others excelling in careers far removed from the stage. So how can YOU get involved? Well, whether it’s donating, brainstorming fundraising ideas, volunteering, or even organising workplace events, there are plenty of ways to help. Check out afperformingarts.com or thefiorentinifoundation.org for more info. Thanks so much for tuning in! Don’t forget to share this episode if you found it inspiring—and join us again next week for another great conversation on the Connected Leadership Podcast. SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube Connect with Anna Fiorentini: LinkedIn | Website | YouTube The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring
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    28 mins
  • Connected Leadership Bytes: Connecting With Impact with Frank Agin

    Connected Leadership Bytes: Connecting With Impact with Frank Agin
    Mar 10 2025
    In this episode of Connected Leadership Bytes host Andy Lopata talks to Frank Agin, a connector and founder of AM Business Connections, about building meaningful relationships and networking with impact. They explore the dual meaning of "connection"—both as human bonding and strategic engagement. Frank emphasises shifting from a transactional mindset ("What can I get?") to a relational one ("What can I give?"), stressing that trust and empathy are foundational. He shares the three reasons people fail to secure referrals: lack of relationship depth, inability to recognise opportunities, and hesitation to engage in meaningful dialogue. Andy and Frank highlight storytelling as a tool to foster connection, using relatable anecdotes to bridge gaps and build rapport. Frank concludes with a powerful metaphor from anthropologist Margaret Mead: a healed femur symbolises humanity’s innate instinct to care for one another, reinforcing that survival and success depend on mutual support. Key Takeaways: 1. Relationships First: Build genuine connections by focusing on giving, not extracting value. 2. Storytelling Matters: Use stories to engage, humanise interactions, and make ideas memorable. 3. Referral Barriers: Lack of trust, opportunity recognition, and conversational confidence hinder referrals. 4. Social Media Nuance: Platforms educate and nurture networks but aren’t substitutes for real relationships. 5. Cognitive Diversity: Balance professional and personal networks for broader perspectives and support. 6. Human Instinct to Care: Empathy and collaboration are key to thriving. SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube Connect with Frank Agin: LinkedIn | Website The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring Episode Featuring Frank Agin
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    24 mins
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