World Podcast Day…
How the world has changed! I remember being told back in 2000 that data would grow at an exponential rate and wondering ‘how so?’. Who would want all this information, and would it even be possible to sift through it? No one knew what a podcast was until fairly recently. They’ve only really grown in popularity of late, and I am a relative late-comer to them, only starting to listen in earnest over the last 3 years or so on my morning walks. And now, I wouldn’t be without them. So, given 30th September is International Podcast Day, to promote the growing media of podcasts and the technologies surrounding it, I was motivated to share my thoughts around them, those I’ve been a part of and those I love to listen to.
From a leadership development perspective, podcasts are invaluable CPD. On demand, where and when you want to listen, feeding your brain with new ideas and thoughts, positivity and creativity, the podcast can be the ultimate in personalised learning. But where to start? There are so many excellent podcasts out there, and it’s difficult to keep up with the huge volume of content being generated. I’m only scratching the surface of the excellent content out there with those I mention here.
My current favourite is the ‘High Performance’ podcast with Jake Humphrey and Professor Damian Hughes, although it has hot competition, as I’ll explain. With many inspiring guests from the sporting arena and more widely, I’ve been introduced to some great ideas, and had good habits reinforced, by the insights their many guests have given through their great conversations together. I find it motivating and encouraging. Although their first question is always ‘what does high performance mean to you?’ and the quick-fire round of questions at the end are always the same, the outcomes from the conversations are subtly, and not so subtly, different and thought-provoking. Weirdly the episodes always seem to meet an immediate need I have as well! Greg Hoffman, the former CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) of Nike’s insights into the need for leaders to develop compelling story-telling skills to bring people on board came at just the right time for one of my clients who was frustrated by her colleagues not doing as she wanted with a new project. On breaking it down it became clear that she hadn’t sold the idea to them and told a story about what the future looked like for those who would be impacted by the positive changes they were putting in place. This links clearly with Simon Sinek’s ‘start with why’ ideas, of course.
Brené Brown runs two podcasts I enjoy, ‘Unlocking Us’ and ‘Dare to Lead’, exploring ideas from her books and research, often with her sisters, are moving as well as inspiring. I am always left with a sense of empowerment, in a ‘you are enough and you can do this your own way’ kind of way. More recently I’ve become a ‘Working Genius’ facilitator and consultant and the reflections from Patrick Lencioni and his team on the ‘Working Genius’ podcast really resonate with the Bright Lead mission ‘to serve others, and myself, with optimism, courage and compassion, to make the most of ourselves and every opportunity for growth and lead lives of joy and fulfilment’. There are many more I could mention which help to set my mindset in a constructive way – enriching the brain first thing in the morning so the synapses have positivity to draw on more immediately than my doubts and uncertainties.
I’ve more recently had the experience of being on the other side of the microphone. My first foray was for the ‘We Lead Well’ podcast with host, Vicki Maguire, a fellow Resilient Leaders Elements and leadership development coach, and more recently I was a guest on Hannah Wilson’s ‘REAL Women Leaders’ podcast, talking all things leadership with her – my leadership journey and what (and who) has influenced me along the way. I talked ‘Menopause awareness raising’ on Susan Pallister’s ‘The Independent Teacher’ podcast, and Jo Weatherall’s ‘Menopause Mayhem and Teens’ Insta-live, while not strictly a podcast, of that genre and saved on my Instagram stories. I’m also about to feature in the first series of the Diverse Educators Podcast as a result of the section I wrote in the Age chapter of ‘Diverse Educators: A Manifesto’ on menopause awareness raising in schools.
Around the world, people listen to their favourite podcasts to keep up with the latest news, technology, entertainment, or information. I wouldn’t be without them.
Reflections:
What material do you consume to ensure you have a positive leadership presence?
What would you recommend to others as ‘must listen to’?
What key leadership lessons have you gleaned as a result?