Today I’m talking to Professor John Amaechi CBE, an organisational psychologist and founder of APS Intelligence, where he is the Leadership Transformation expert.

His book, The Promises of Giants, was a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller, in which he draws on his early life in Stockport, his rise to becoming the one of the first Britons to play professional basketball in the NBA and his career since – working with organisations to build authentic and ethical cultures.

John is Professor of Leadership at the University of Exeter Business School, a non-exec director of a FTSE 250 company, and in 2023, received the Sport Industry’s Integrity & Impact Award. Oh, and he’s also passionate about Star Wars.

He was hugely influenced by his mother, and he lives his life inspired by her words, that “the most unlikely of people, in the most improbable of circumstances, can become extraordinary.”

In our conversation, John shares…

- What he means by sustainable high-performance…

- Why he is deliberately hard to get hold of and what, as a former elite sportsman,

- And he hates about going to the gym.

Today I’m speaking with Rupal Patel, a woman who has had an unconventional career, as suggested by the title of her best-selling book, From CIA to CEO. As a CIA analyst and field agent, she advised four-star generals, earned War Zone Service Medals, and was recognised by the CIA Director for “superior support to the President.” She then transitioned into the business world. Rupal’s trailblazing business work has been featured in USA Today and Business Insider, and in 2023, she was named one of the “Most Influential Women of the Year.” She is committed to developing the next generation of leaders and change-makers through her pro bono work for Virgin Startup, and through her roles as Entrepreneur in Residence at London Business School and Alumni in Residence at the University of Chicago. In our conversation, Rupal shares… - What can be gained from riddles over dinner, - The creative benefits of leaving things to the last minute, - And what she discovered by ‘leaning into the laziness.’

Today I’m talking to Alina Addison, ex-accountant, ex-investment banker, executive coach, and now author.

Alina left Romania as a young adult. Soon afterwards, she went into accountancy with PwC before joining Rothschild & Co. There, she became the first woman to be promoted to Managing Director and Head of Trading—all while working four days a week.

In her book, The Audacity Spectrum, Alina combines personal experience with extensive research to share her mission. She wants to ignite audacious leadership in people through a bold mix of courage, care, and nonconformity.

In our conversation, Alina shares…

- What she learnt from being that boarding school toddler,

- Why her life changed thanks to a friend’s audacious question, and

- How she ended up completing two degrees in two countries—at the same time!