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Starts at the Top is about how leaders from all sectors are using digital to navigate uncertainty and forge a path to the future. It’s hosted by Zoe Amar and Paul Thomas.
Episodes
Thursday May 09, 2024
Thursday May 09, 2024
Beats and the boardroom: what leaders can learn from hip hop
We chat to Nels Abbey, broadcaster, satirist and author of ‘The Hip Hop MBA’
What can organisations learn about leadership from the unlikeliest of teachers - hip hop's biggest moguls? On this thought-provoking episode, we're joined by writer, broadcaster, media executive and satirist Nels Abbey to break down the invaluable leadership insights found in his new book The Hip Hop MBA.
From the book's origins after a chance London street encounter to unpacking why hip hop icons like Jay-Z, Missy Elliott and 50 Cent deserve to be studied alongside traditional business legends, Nels compellingly redefines the way we think about leadership success.
We explore the resilience, decision-making skills, and sheer grit required for rap artists to beat the odds and build enduring empires. Nels shares priceless lessons from the paths of visionaries like Ice Cube walking away from a record deal and Suge Knight's tragic downfall after his ambition went unchecked.
How have hip hop's greatest overcome adversity to display a leadership mastery that leaders should study? Nels argues that nurturing this same authentic, passionate, innovative mindset is exactly what we all need to escape the traditional, myopic view of what a leader should be.
Get ready to have your preconceptions shattered as Nels uses hip hop's most controversial and unlikely success stories to teach an urgent masterclass in courageous, forward-thinking leadership. You'll never see the boardroom the same way again.
In tech news, Paul and Zoe chat through what’s new in the world of AI.
Notes
Nels Abbey’s new book https://canongate.co.uk/books/3972-the-hip-hop-mba-lessons-in-cut-throat-capitalism-from-raps-moguls/
Follow Nels on social media:
https://twitter.com/nelsabbey?lang=en
https://www.instagram.com/nelsabbey/
Tech news
AI and the Met Gala https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68968708
Open AI releases Deep Fake detector https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/07/technology/openai-deepfake-detector.html
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
Thursday Apr 25, 2024
Sustainability: From Buzzword to Business Imperative
We speak to Mark Shayler, Author of ‘You Can’t Make Money From A Dead Planet’
Can profit and planet truly go hand-in-hand? How can leaders get sustainability on the boardroom agenda and baked into the DNA of their organisation? In this candid chat, Mark Shayler - bestselling author, sustainability guru and founder of Ape, a sustainability and innovation studio - pulls no punches on what it takes to make environmental responsibility a revenue-protecting business imperative, not just a box-ticking exercise. Mark joins us to discuss his recent book ‘You Can’t Make Money From a Dead Planet.’
Having advised big hitters like Nike, Bacardi and WPP, saving them over $200 million a year through greener practices, Mark offers real-world insights for leaders wanting to shift sustainability from greenwashing to genuine competitive advantage. This is an honest discussion about squaring profit with planet, getting buy-in from leaders, and Mark shares simple steps that will help even small organisations begin their journey towards sustainability. This is essential listening for any organisation that is serious about doing good business, and business for good, in the 21st century.
In tech news, Paul and Zoe discuss the latest AI developments.
Notes
Mark Shayler’s new book https://www.koganpage.com/responsible-business/you-can-t-make-money-from-a-dead-planet-9781398612020
Ape Studios https://www.thisisape.co.uk/
Tech news
Share your views in The Charity Digital Skills Report survey
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.
Thursday Apr 11, 2024
Thursday Apr 11, 2024
Why we need to talk about grief in the workplace
We chat with Nikki Bell, Co-Founder of Fundraising Everywhere
Bereavement will affect all of us in our lifetime. So why aren’t we talking about it more in the workplace?
We explore this topic with Nikki Bell, co-founder of Fundraising Everywhere, in this episode of Starts At The Top. Last year she and the Fundraising Everywhere team lost a close friend and colleague, Mandi Hine-Conway.
This is a brave and honest conversation about why we need to talk about grief more at work, and how to support colleagues who have lost someone. We’re very grateful to Nikki for being so candid and for her warm and open-hearted discussion of why and how we need to look after the people we work with better.
Every conversation we’ve had with Nikki has been inspiring and life-affirming and this is no exception.
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode is an open and honest conversation about grief and how leaders can best respond to death and grief in the workplace. If these are topics you would like to avoid at this time, please be kind to yourself and come back to this episode at a later date.
In tech news, Paul and Zoe discuss the latest AI developments.
Notes
Fundraising Everywhere https://www.fundraisingeverywhere.com/
Tech news
Microsoft’s new London AI Hub
https://www.itpro.com/business/microsofts-new-london-ai-hub-is-another-huge-vote-of-confidence-in-the-uks-tech-sector
Music artists take on AI
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-68717863
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.
Thursday Mar 28, 2024
Thursday Mar 28, 2024
Women in leadership special part 4: Dr Lucy Ryan, author of ‘Revolting Women’ on why midlife women are leaving the workplace
We speak to Dr Lucy Ryan, author of ‘Revolting Women: Why Midlife Women Are Walking Out’
Did you know that by January 2023 the number of women not in work had risen by 151,000 compared to 2020? More than twice as many women as men were not working because of family responsibilities.
So when we saw that Dr Lucy Ryan had written a new book about why midlife women are leaving the workplace in their droves we knew we had to talk to her. Managing Director of Mindspring International for the last 20 years, Lucy has trained, consulted with, and coached over 10,000 leaders in global, blue-chip companies across 29 countries. She is also the author of ‘Revolting Women: Why Midlife Women Are Walking Out’ , a book about one group that is often ignored in EDI strategies: midlife women.
We asked Lucy about what leaders need to do to turn back the tide of talented midlife women who are leaving the workforce. By the time women reach middle age they have accumulated a huge amount of knowledge and experience, and organisations cannot afford to lose them. We discuss how leaders can prevent this from happening. Lucy takes us through her agenda for change - and tells us why we all need to get behind it.
Thank you to Lucy for a wonderful conversation. It left us feeling inspired and energised, and we hope it does the same for you.
In tech news, Paul and Zoe discuss social media addiction and how they’re trying to break bad habits with their phones.
Notes
‘Revolting Women:Why Midlife Women Are Walking Out’ https://practicalinspiration.com/book/revolting-women
Mimdspring https://mindspring.uk.com/pages/lucy-ryan
Tech news
The Honest Broker blog on dopamine culture https://www.honest-broker.com/p/the-state-of-the-culture-2024
The Guardian’s course on screentime reduction
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/mar/19/reclaim-your-brain-readers-screen-time-reduced
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.
Thursday Mar 14, 2024
Thursday Mar 14, 2024
Women in leadership special part 3: Aggie Mutuma on why leaders need to do more on inclusion
We speak to to Aggie Mutuma, CEO of Mahogany Inclusion Partners
It’s the third part of our new season special on women in leadership and we’re talking about a topic that’s on a lot of people’s minds this week: inclusion.
In 2020, Black Lives Matter became a huge movement for change. Yet despite inclusion being on the news agenda regularly ever since, the stats around representation tell a different story. Has the momentum behind the drive for inclusion slowed? What’s really happening with EDI programmes? And, are leaders doing enough?
We were delighted to have the opportunity to discuss all this and more with Aggie Mutuma, CEO of Mahogany Inclusion Partners.
Aggie is a leading expert in Inclusion and Anti-Racism, as well as a passionate advocate, executive leadership coach, and engaging speaker, dedicated to fostering thriving cultures within organisations. Her achievements have earned her recognition as a top 20 Most Influential HR Thinker in 2022, as voted by her peers.
Aggie joins us to discuss the state of play with inclusion and EDI programmes across different sectors and how, and why, leaders need to renew their commitment to this work. She tells us what really drives change in EDI, along with the practical steps leaders can take to help their organisations be more inclusive.
Thank you to Aggie for sharing her invaluable advice. We loved talking to her.
On a related note, Paul and Zoe also discuss the latest news on inclusion in the Parker Review in their round up of leadership news.
Notes
Aggie Mutuma https://www.linkedin.com/in/aggie-mutuma/
Mahogany Inclusion Partners https://mahoganyinclusionpartners.com/
Leadership news:
The Parker Review https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68530034
ACEVO’s data on diversity in leadership https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/number-of-black-charity-ceos-declines-to-under-1-acevo-research-finds.html#sthash.x7RGYaPh.dpuf
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/encouraging-diversity-in-public-appointments
Our sponsors
We are delighted that this episode of Starts At The Top is sponsored by ArvatoConnect.
Arvato Connect is a socially conscious customer experience and business optimisation partner, for organisations who are ready to reshape and reinvent how they work and connect with those who matter most.
They develop and deliver innovative, technology-led solutions to enable their clients to form stronger connections, increase loyalty, create efficiencies – and ultimately, grow and confidently embrace the future.
To find out more about how ArvatoConnect could help an organisation like yours and to receive a free no-obligation chat visit their website.
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
Women in leadership special part 2: Cathy Newman on life lessons from female leaders
We chat to Cathy Newman, award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author
In the second part of our new season special on women in leadership we chat to Cathy Newman. You’ll know Cathy as one of Channel 4 News' main studio presenters. She’s also an award winning journalist and an author, joining us to talk about her new book The Ladder: Life Lessons from Women Who Scaled The Heights and Dodged The Snakes.
The Ladder draws together the stories Cathy has heard from the extraordinary women she has spoken to on her Times Radio segment of the same name, from Angela Raynor to Davina McCall to Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah. Diverse as these women are, there are many common themes in their stories, which we explore with Cathy. From dealing with imposter syndrome, facing success and failure and embracing change, this episode is packed full of invaluable advice on how to navigate careers and life.
We also discuss how leaders can take on board the experiences of women to create inclusive workplaces.
Thank you to Cathy for a hugely energising and inspiring discussion. Please do share this episode with anyone who you think could benefit from Cathy’s insights.
Notes
Order The Ladder: Life Lessons from Women Who Scaled The Heights and Dodged The Snakes by Cathy Newman
We are delighted that this episode of Starts At The Top is sponsored by ArvatoConnect.
Arvato Connect is a socially conscious customer experience and business optimisation partner, for organisations who are ready to reshape and reinvent how they work and connect with those who matter most.
They develop and deliver innovative, technology-led solutions to enable their clients to form stronger connections, increase loyalty, create efficiencies – and ultimately, grow and confidently embrace the future.
To find out more about how ArvatoConnect could help an organisation like yours and to receive a free no-obligation chat visit their website.
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Women in leadership special part 1: Lorraine Candy on midlife liberation
In this episode, we chat with Lorraine Candy, journalist and author of ‘What’s Wrong with Me? 101 Things Midlife Women Need to Know’.
Hello, did you miss us? We’re beginning Season 8 with a series of special episodes devoted to women in leadership. And we’re kicking off this season with one hell of a guest.
We’re joined by the one and only Lorraine Candy, award-winning journalist, co-host of the phenomenally successful podcast Postcards from Midlife, and author. Her new book, ‘What’s Wrong With Me?: 101 Things Midlife Women Need to Know’ is out now in paperback. We wanted to find out what lessons Lorraine’s book has for the workplace, and what leaders need to do differently.
This was an eye-opening conversation for us. We discuss the transformation - and liberation- that women experience in midlife, and how this chapter is a time of change that forces many of us to sit with loss and painful feelings. We talk about menopause and perimenopause, and we discuss the strength and freedom that lies on the other side of midlife turbulence. Lorraine shares invaluable advice on how leaders and employers can better support women through it all.
Thank you to Lorraine for kicking off our new season with an inspiring, uplifting conversation.
Photo of Lorraine Candy is credited to Neil Cooper
Notes
Order What’s Wrong with Me? : 101 Things Midlife Women Need to Know by Lorraine Candy
Listen to Postcards from Midlife
We are delighted that this episode of Starts At The Top is sponsored by Arvato CRM Solutions. Arvato CRM Solutions designs and delivers award-winning customer service, business process outsourcing (BPO), and digital and intelligent automation solutions for some of the world’s most respected brands, as well as innovative charity and public sector clients. They partner with clients to help them define their customer experience and transformation strategies by implementing the right technology, people, and processes to improve their customer journey, while driving new efficiencies and helping them prepare for the future. To find out more about how Arvato CRM Solutions could help an organisation like yours and to receive a free no-obligation chat visit their website.
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodesstartsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.
Thursday Dec 14, 2023
Thursday Dec 14, 2023
Why CEOs need to think like producers, not directors
We speak to Kate Lee, CEO of the Alzheimer’s Society
It's our final episode of 2023 and we are going out with a bang thanks to a festive cracker of an episode with the one and only Kate Lee, CEO of Alzheimer’s Society.
Kate took over as CEO of the Alzheimer’s Society in March 2020. As if starting one of the charity’s sector’s biggest roles on the brink of the pandemic wasn’t enough, she was also determined to implement an ambitious programme of reform at the charity, improving culture, leadership and growth.
Three years on, we sit down with Kate to reflect on what she has achieved, and her learnings. We discuss what’s changed, and what other leaders can learn from this.
We loved Kate’s ideas on why CEOs need to reframe their roles, so that they act like producers, not directors. Kate also tells us how leaders need to take a new approach to leadership and power post lockdown, and why, and how, charities need to innovate and think differently about what their organisations, and their ambitions, should look like now. As Kate says, the world has changed since 2020, and we should be reinventing ourselves, not trying to build back to how things were before.
We’re grateful to Kate for an energising and inspiring conversation. If you need the equivalent of a double Americano to make it through the last few days before the Christmas break you have come to the right place!
We’ll be taking a break in January and will be back soon after with more episodes. See you in 2024!
Notes
The Alzheimer’s Society
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
We chat with Eloise Skinner, author of ‘But Are You Alive?’, founder and psychotherapist.
It’s almost become a cliche to talk about finding meaning and purpose at work, especially with regard to the expectations of millennials and Generation Z, and what they want from employers. So what do leaders need to know about this? What does purpose and meaning really mean to young employees? And how should leaders facilitate this quest for meaning?
Eloise Skinner is well placed to answer these questions, through her work as an author and psychotherapist. Having started her career in corporate law, Eloise’s work now focuses on existential topics like meaning, purpose and identity. Eloise’s newest book, ‘But Are You Alive?’, focuses on finding meaning and purpose in everyday life. We discuss the difference between meaning and purpose, practical tips to help people find their purpose, whether they are established or aspiring leaders, and what young people really want from the world of work.
Zoe and Paul also discuss recent news stories about Nihal Arthanayake and inclusion at the BBC, as well as the government’s new AI skills framework for organisations.
Notes
Eloise’s website: www.eloiseskinner.com
Book link: https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/eloise-skinner/but-are-you-alive/9781529398885/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/eloiseallexia
News stories:
Nihal Arthanayake and inclusion at the BBC
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/other/bbc-presenter-says-overwhelmingly-white-workplace-affects-his-mental-health/ar-AA1kJ00y
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/nihal-arthanayake-bbc-white-journalism-b2455646.html
UK government guidance on upskilling employees
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-business-guidance-to-boost-skills-and-unlock-benefits-of-ai
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.
Thursday Nov 16, 2023
Thursday Nov 16, 2023
Can being an outsider be an advantage?
We speak with Samuel Kasumu, author of The Power of the Outsider
Samuel Kasumu is an award-winning social entrepreneur, commentator, and strategist. He was also the most senior black advisor in Boris Johnson’s government until he left his role in April 2021. During his time in Downing Street, he became aware that he was an outsider. And this became the inspiration for his new book, The Power of the Outsider.
Feeling like an outsider is an aspect of inclusion that hasn’t been talked about often enough, and Kasumu wants to change that through his book. We chat to him about the experience of being an outsider and how it can be a source of strength. We also talk about what leaders can do to make everyone feel accepted.
This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, and leaders who want to create a sense of belonging in their organisations.
Show Notes
The Power of The Outsider book https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/samuel-kasumu/the-power-of-the-outsider/9781529396911/
Zoe’s blog about book recommendations https://zoeamar.com/2023/11/15/books-recommendations/
Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com
And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!
Editing and production - Syren Studios with Paul Thomas
Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music
Full transcript of this episode (srt file)
Full transcript of this episode (.txt file)
Transcripts are also available through your podcast app.