Dig Deeper

How do you know if the way you're showing up as a leader is actually landing the way you mean it to? Francois Barton has spent years learning to host, not control. As chief executive of New Zealand's largest CEO group, his job isn't to have the answers, it's to set the table and get out of the way. In this conversation he talks candidly about the moment a partner pointed out the gap between his intention and his impact, why tenure can sharpen a leader or dull them, and the shift he's now navigating: from curating conversations to challenging what's actually being said in them. Francois Barton is chief executive of the Business Leaders' Health and Safety Forum, New Zealand's largest CEO membership group. More than 440 chief executives, representing over a quarter of the country's workforce, are part of it. Francois helped found the Forum back in 2009 and has led it since 2015. Twenty years working across business and government in policy, strategy and regulation shaped a belief that sits at the centre of his work: progress only comes when leaders confront difficult realities together. You'll hear: Why Francois thinks of himself as a curator, not an expert How a spare afternoon with one visiting CEO turned into a Forum-wide way of connecting leaders What "the sweat's on the right back" taught him about caring less what people think Why tenure can be a strength or a trap, and what decides which How his partner's honest feedback exposed his own intention-impact gap Why he doesn't trust "skinny cooks" in leadership What's pulling him from hosting conversations toward challenging what's said in them Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (02:05) - Catching up, turning 53 (04:18) - What Francois is still holding onto (06:44) - Curating vs controlling (08:09) - The intention-impact gap (10:35) - Inside the Business Leaders' Health and Safety Forum (15:12) - Does tenure sharpen or dull a leader? (21:41) - What's missing in leaders who've gone stale (24:15) - Why Francois doesn't trust "skinny cooks" (27:37) - How the CEO connection lunches started (30:30) - What Francois deliberately doesn't do as host (33:58) - Where the real value actually lives (38:15) - Risk, relationships, and resourcing (41:21) - From curator to challenger (44:46) - What surfaced in this conversation (47:57) - Where to find Francois (48:34) - Digby's reflection and sign-off You can find Francois at: Website: https://www.forum.org.nz/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francois-barton-6a040b11/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

You walk into a room where nobody knows you. No shared history, nobody to vouch for you, and whatever you've built is sitting in a file the person across from you will never open. So what actually earns you credibility in the next ten minutes? I've been living this question. Over the past few months I've been building a practice in Perth, and almost twenty years of trust earned in New Zealand counts for nothing in a room where I've just met someone. So I've been carrying a mantra with me: credibility is in the eye of the beholder. It's granted, not claimed. Which shifts the question from what you've built to what you're doing to earn it right now. In this solocast I share what 25 senior leaders came up with when I asked them what makes someone credible, why our brains judge warmth before they judge anything else, and the three things that have to show up together. You'll get: Why the person across from you is the one deciding whether you're credible What 25 senior leaders put on the flip chart, and the one word that only turned up once Why a primal part of your brain asks "friend or foe" before it asks anything else The Amy Cuddy and Susan Fiske research on warmth and competence How competence, care and character add up to credibility What you look like to others when one of the three is missing Why leading with care first is what opens the door to a second conversation Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (00:40) - The mantra: credibility is in the eye of the beholder (01:21) - Credibility is granted, not claimed (01:44) - What 25 senior leaders said makes someone credible (02:30) - Care: friend or foe, and why warmth comes first (03:09) - Character: showing who you are (03:30) - Competence, care and character together (03:56) - Leading with care first in a new city (04:19) - Three questions to leave you with Referenced in this episode: Susan Fiske, Amy Cuddy and Peter Glick, "Universal Dimensions of Social Cognition: Warmth and Competence", Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 2007 Amy Cuddy, Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

How do you know when your team needs a rebel and when they need a prefect? And what happens when you've only ever learned to lead one of them? In this episode, I sit down with Cat Hall to explore an idea we built together years ago: rebels and prefects, and why both are essential when you're driving change. Cat brings six research-backed traits from her master's in Change and Organisational Resilience that shape how well people adapt, and partway through the conversation, she turns that research back on herself. We land on something worth sitting with: adaptability starts with psychological safety, and with giving people permission to play. Cat Hall is a workforce strategist and change leader who helps people thrive in a rapidly changing world of work. With a background in organisational development and change, she now works at the intersection of future-of-work strategy and practical change, designing future skills frameworks and adaptive ways of working, from her early years pushing against the status quo inside a large government department, through to building a practical adaptability playbook now used by leaders and HR professionals. Her recent master's research went beyond the adaptability buzzword, focusing on what actually enables people to adapt to change and what organisations and leaders can practically do to foster it. We get into: Why rebels and prefects both matter, and how to know which one your team needs right now How psychological safety is the real starting point for building adaptability Why self-efficacy and resilience show up differently when change is happening to you rather than being led by you How small pockets of autonomy give people permission to experiment with change Why a simple mantra helped Cat get through one of the hardest years of her life Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (01:44) - Rebels vs prefects: what do the words actually mean? (05:38) - From "good girl" to rebel: Cat's story (09:22) - Finding organisational development and a career-defining moment (14:09) - Full rebel mode at Inland Revenue, and learning to bring people with you (20:11) - Back to study: a master's in Change and Organisational Resilience (25:13) - The six traits of adaptability, and turning the research on herself (29:51) - Doing a master's through the hardest year of her life (34:37) - Bringing the playbook to life (37:06) - Where adaptability starts: psychological safety and permission to play (39:48) - Reflections, and where to find Cat Hall You can find Cat Hall at: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-hall-834220199/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

When everything around your team feels uncertain, what are you actually meant to give them? Not answers you don't have. Not confidence you can't hold onto forever. A few weeks back, working with a group of senior leaders from a New Zealand local government agency, I asked what they found hardest about leading through uncertainty. Almost every answer came back the same: it's hard to give people certainty. This episode is about why I don't think that's actually the job. I reckon most leaders default into one of two modes when things get shaky: heroing, where you perform having the answers and end up carrying it all yourself, or hoping, where there's no answer and nothing gets handed over either. There's a third mode: hosting, where you create real room for people to find their own answers, whether or not you know the way yourself. Certainty is a promise you often can't keep. Agency is a gift you can always give, and there's real research behind why that matters, including a decades-old study where small everyday choices measurably changed how long people lived. In this solocast, you'll get: Why performing certainty under pressure quietly turns you into the bottleneck The difference between heroing, hoping, and hosting, and why hosting is the one that lasts beyond you What a nursing home study from the seventies reveals about the measurable power of small choices Why giving away agency is still hard, even after fifteen-plus years of coaching leaders through it The cultural pressures, boards, media, performance systems, that quietly punish anyone who says "I don't know" Three practical tools you can use this week: a certainty and agency check-in, an agency audit, and a language shift A simple sailing metaphor for what it looks like to lead without controlling everything Timestamps (00:00) The question that started this: what leaders find hardest about uncertainty (02:29) Heroing, hoping, and hosting: a sailing metaphor for leading without controlling everything (04:35) Why giving away agency is still hard, even after fifteen-plus years of coaching (06:47) Three practical tools: a certainty and agency check-in, an agency audit, and a language shift (09:11) A close: the one decision you could hand over this week I've put together a free model and a downloadable toolkit with the practical questions and language shifts from this episode. Grab it here: https://digbyscott.squarespace.com/agencytoolkit Check out my services and offerings: https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.digbyscott.com/thoughts#subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

You've probably heard the advice: back yourself, have confidence, don't let self-doubt hold you back. But what happens when confidence tips into needing to prove something? And what happens when you're the one everyone comes to for the answer, every single time? In this conversation, Monique Davidson traces her own shift from proving herself to improving herself, and what that's changed about how she leads. She talks about building a culture of curiosity, asking better questions instead of jumping in with answers, and about a metaphor she keeps returning to: the cape that leaders wear without realising it, and the weight of carrying it for too long. Monique Davidson became one of New Zealand's youngest local government chief executives at 29. Nearly a decade on, she's leading Horowhenua District Council and serving as Vice President of Taituarā, Local Government Professionals Aotearoa. She's known for a candid, reflective style of leadership grounded in service rather than ego. We get into: The shift from proving yourself to improving yourself, and why it changes everything How to build a culture of curiosity instead of always being the one with the answers Why leaders wear a cape without realising it, and the weight of carrying it for too long The cost of holding on to a hero identity, even when things are going well How to build a healthier relationship with your own ego The distinction between an ally and a confidant, and why every leader needs both Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:29) What got you to the top (03:34) From proving to improving (05:42) Your relationship with your ego (10:46) Taking the cape off (14:31) The cost of wearing the cape too long (21:35) Imagine your actions written in the sky (28:59) Balancing delivery and discovery (30:08) Creating a culture of curiosity (38:03) What she'd tell a 29-year-old (41:19) Ally versus confidant (43:59) The kitchen floor (46:49) What she's learned from this conversation You can find Monique on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquedavidson/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/thoughts#subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

Do you ever act fast and call it decisive, only to find out later you were missing half the picture? Or maybe you can see exactly what's going wrong, but you're not the one who gets to change it? This episode explores why "focus on what you can control" is only half the story. Acting with agency but no awareness can set you up for exactly the mess you were trying to avoid. This episode walks through a simple two-by-two model, scrambling, sideline, stuck and solid, so you can spot which one you're operating from right now, and what it takes to move towards solid, where agency and awareness work together. You'll walk away with: Why "focus on what you can control" only tells half the story A simple model for spotting whether you're scrambling, sidelined, stuck or solid Three practical shifts for each state, to help you move towards solid Why guarding your energy matters as much as guarding your judgement The ski-field story about the time Digby got tracked down on a chairlift, and what it taught him about hoarding agency Timestamps: (00:00) Why focus on control is only half the story (02:26) What agency without awareness costs you (04:34) What awareness without agency costs you (06:56) Introducing the agency and awareness model (09:16) Three shifts to move out of scrambling (11:18) Three shifts to move out of sideline and stuck (13:35) Staying solid, and where Digby gets caught out (15:32) An invitation to explore this with other leaders Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/thoughts#subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

How much of your energy goes into making sure everything looks perfect? Into being the leader who's got it handled, even on the days you really haven't? This episode pulls together five conversations from the Dig Deeper archive, each one built around the same discovery: the leaders who earn real trust aren't the ones with all the answers. They're the ones who let people see what they're still working out. You'll hear what it costs to admit that, and what changes once you do. Five guests, five very different stories. Jodi Willocks left a senior role with no plan and learned to trust her gut instead. Sarah Manley led an organisation through her own rock bottom and found the words to ask for help. Nicola Nation stepped out from under the leader she thought she was supposed to be. Rita Cincotta got called out by a friend for looking “too together” to need anyone. And Erin Judge worked out what leadership looks like once you stop making it about yourself. Here's what we get into: Why trusting her gut mattered more to Jodi than having a plan What it took for Sarah to tell her team the truth about a really hard year The moment Nicola realised she'd been performing someone else's leadership The friend's comment that showed Rita what she'd been putting out into the world Why Erin reckons real impact has got nothing to do with you Timestamps: (00:45) Introduction (01:54) Jodi Willocks: trusting her gut through a career break (07:57) Sarah Manley: leading through rock bottom (15:07) Nicola Nation: stepping into her own version of leadership (20:59) Rita Cincotta: the friend who called out her L plates (28:20) Erin Judge: leadership that isn't about you (33:47) Closing thoughts You can hear the full conversations with each of these guests in the Dig Deeper archive: Jodi Willocks Sarah Manley Nicola Nation Rita Cincotta Erin Judge Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/thoughts#subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

Do you know that feeling when you're the one everyone comes to, the one with the answers, the one holding it all together? It can feel like competence. It might actually be a bottleneck with your name on the label. In this solocast I share a moment from a coaching conversation with a leader who runs a big, messy part of the health system. She described her role as owning the circus, then caught herself and landed on something better: it's everybody's circus, and she's just the ringleader. I unpack why that distinction matters, why leaders who hold onto everything end up exhausted, and why what they build tends to wobble the moment they step back. You'll get: Why "I own that circus" and "it's everybody's circus" are two completely different ways to lead The difference between the ringleader and someone carrying every act themselves Why being across everything feels like competence, but works against you over time What tends to happen to a team the moment a leader who's been holding everything steps back A question worth sitting with: which parts of your circus were never yours to own in the first place Where to find my free five-minute Collective Brilliance self-assessment Other references Are You the Circus Owner or the Ringleader? Blog Post Free five-minute leadership self-assessment: Your Lasting Impact Stage Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the thing you're calling stuck is actually the moment your character is being revealed, not tested? Most of us treat the messy middle, that stretch between where we are and where we'd rather be, as something to survive rather than something to learn from. We chase the next skill, the next framework, the next fix, when the real block might be a story we've been telling ourselves for years without ever checking if it's still true. This episode is an invitation to slow down and look at that gap differently. My guest Andrew Horsfield has spent his career helping leaders navigate exactly this territory, and he brings a host mindset and a systems-aware lens to it: rather than pushing for outcomes, he asks what a person, a team, or a relationship actually needs to move well. Andrew is a performance consultant and the author of Better. He's also just come through eighteen months in which he and his wife counted twelve or thirteen major life events hitting at once, including his mother's cancer diagnosis and a son struggling at school. What he shares isn't theory. It's lived. In this conversation, we explore: Why the messy middle reveals who we are rather than building it from scratch How to tell the difference between productive struggle and simply spinning your wheels Why reflection is a practice almost nobody actually does, and what gets in the way How a mentor's question, "why do you always have to be approved of?", can expose a story problem hiding behind what looks like a skill problem Why courage in leadership often looks quiet rather than dramatic How the tool Bigger Me and Smaller Me can help you notice which version of yourself is driving Why understanding someone's perspective matters more than winning the argument How three simple end of day questions can turn effort into genuine growth I wonder what might shift if you started treating your own messy middle as information rather than a problem to fix. What's possible here isn't a tidier life. It's a truer one. Timestamps: (00:00) - Navigating the Messy Middle (12:12) - Choosing Between Bigger Me and Smaller Me (20:57) - Turning Struggles into Strengths (31:08) - The Courage to Lead: Insights from Mentorship (38:55) - Productive vs. Unproductive Struggle: Finding the Right Path (46:52) - The Power of Story: Shaping Our Leadership Journey References: Robin Sharma The Messy Middle | Scott Belsky Bigger Me Tool You can find Andrew at: Website: andrewhorsfield.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewhorsfield/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

You've probably noticed that the way you lead in one room doesn't quite land in the next. The approach that makes you sharp in a crisis can fall flat in a quiet one-on-one. And most of the time you're not choosing your style at all. You're running the one that comes naturally. This solocast looks at two things that separate leaders who operate well at senior levels: fluency and fluidity. Fluency is your range across the organisation. The ability to move between functions, contexts and conversations without losing your footing. Fluidity is quieter. It's noticing your default mode and choosing, in the moment, to step out of it when the situation in front of you asks for something else. You'll come away with a clearer read on your own defaults, and a simple way to choose who you need to be before you walk into the room. Here's some of what we get into: Why fluency is built over time, through the range of experiences you collect along the way What organisational literacy actually looks like, and why fluent leaders lean on it The difference between knowing your natural style and being run by it A door-framing question to ask before any meeting: who do I need to be here? Why self-awareness, not just behaviour, is the real marker of fluidity Have a think about your own default mode as you listen. I reckon you'll spot it quickly. The more interesting question is what it might be costing you on the days you don't step out of it. Fluency & Fluidity Blog Post Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

Have you ever caught yourself fighting a habit, a reaction, a way of showing up that you've been trying to fix for years? There's something worth sitting with in that. What if the behaviour you want to change isn't actually broken? What if it's doing exactly what it was designed to do, but it’s now just well past the point where it's still useful? In this episode, Dr. Amy Silver and I explore the idea that the patterns we run, like people-pleasing, over-controlling, avoiding the hard conversation, aren't character flaws but protective strategies. They made sense at some point. The work isn't to fight them. It's to see them clearly, meet them with self-compassion, and then get deliberate about what happens next. I wonder what becomes possible for you and the people you lead when that reframe lands. Dr. Amy Silver is a clinical psychologist with over three decades of experience studying how fear and habit shape human behaviour. She began her career at Oxford University, where she worked as a tutor and researcher before making a bold leap to drama school and then into the corporate world. She is the author of the award-winning book The Loudest Guest: How to Change and Control Your Relationship with Fear, and works with organisations, leadership teams, and executives across Australia to build cultures of courageous collaboration. Amy brings rare depth to this space: the rigour of clinical psychology combined with the humanity of someone who lives what she teaches. You'll learn: How to recognise a protective pattern for what it is, without making it mean something about who you are Why self-compassion isn't a nice-to-have idea but the prerequisite for any real behaviour change How fear operates in teams and why so much of what looks like dysfunction is actually people trying to stay safe Why the question isn't "what's wrong with this pattern?" but "how flexible can I be with it?" How to identify your personal choice points and build experiments for what to do differently Why changing your environment, even in small ways, can shift the pattern before you've said a word How the difference between self-awareness and deliberate action is where real leadership lives Why the most useful thing you can do with your fear is stop fighting it and start using it as a guide Other References The Loudest Guest | Dr. Amy Silver Conversations Create Growth | Dr. Amy Silver Oxford Guide to Behavioural Experiments in Cognitive Therapy | Bennett-Levy, Westbrook Exposure Therapy: Flooded vs Graded Approach The Amygdala and Threat Detection Timestamps: (00:00) - Mastering Fear: A Personal Journey (05:51) - The Role of Self-Compassion (17:49) - Deliberate Action and Choice Points (21:10) - Changing the Environment for Better Outcomes (29:37) - Understanding Team Dynamics and Patterns (42:34) - The Power of Choice in Everyday Life You can find Dr. Amy Silver at: Website: https://www.dramysilver.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amysilverbrave Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

Right now, public sector organisations across New Zealand are losing people in numbers we haven't seen before. The redundancy figures get reported. The org chart gets updated. But what happens to the knowledge that walks out the door with them, the way someone could read a tricky stakeholder in three seconds, the history of why a system was built the way it was, the relationships that kept the wheels turning? In this solocast, Digby argues most leaders are treating workforce reduction as a numbers exercise when it's actually a capability exercise. Systems and technology can pick up some of the slack. They cannot replace the relational, tacit knowledge that lives in people's heads and in how a team works together. Digby sets out a practical way to prepare for these transitions: map where critical capability actually sits before it leaves, invest deliberately in the people who stay, and build systems strong enough to survive the next departure. As he puts it, you can be the fire or the fire tender. You'll learn: How to identify the institutional knowledge that exists only in people's heads, before it walks out the door Why systems and technology can't replace the relational work that holds a team together The difference between leading as the fire and leading as the fire tender A practical way to map critical capability before a restructure hits How to invest in the people who stay so they can carry things forward What it actually takes to build a team that survives transition without falling apart Other References What Survives When People Leave Blog Post Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

How much of your energy goes into being the version of yourself you think the room expects? For many senior leaders, that performance runs quietly in the background all day, and it is exhausting. You spend years climbing toward the room where the big decisions get made, only to arrive and quietly wonder whether the person doing the job is actually you. This episode explores what changes when you stop managing a persona and start leading from who you already are. My guest Erin Judge calls the hierarchy we all defer to the "fictional ladder," and once you see it that way, the distance between the newest person in the room and the most senior starts to look a lot smaller. What becomes possible when you trust that the thoughts in your own head are as worth saying as anyone else's? We also explore a deceptively simple idea for handling feedback: rather than rebuilding yourself every time someone pushes back, you keep your essence and adjust the dial. Erin Judge (Ngāti Tūwharetoa) has built her career inside some of New Zealand's most complex systems: child welfare, criminal justice, and sector-wide public reform. She came from a low socio-economic background, was the first in her family to go to university, and was admitted to the bar at 21. She went on to become Chief Legal Officer at Oranga Tamariki and helped establish the Government Legal Network. These days she works for herself, moving between Iwi, NGOs and the public sector, and the value she brings is holding several of those worlds at once and helping each one see where the other is coming from. You'll learn: How to tell the difference between leading and managing, and why chasing the title is the wrong prize Why the newest person in the room might be the most valuable, and how to give them permission to speak How dialling your strengths up or down beats trying to become someone you're not Why every strength carries a shadow, and what it costs to hide behind the thing you're good at How understanding someone's motivation changes the way you influence them Why seeking out hard things, and views that rile you, builds the kind of resilience that lasts How to lead for impact that outlives your tenure, without needing the credit Why a breadth of experiences often matters more than deep technical expertise Timestamps: (05:03) - Journey to Authentic Leadership (10:00) - Resilience Through Adversity (25:41) - Understanding Perspectives and Influencing Change (28:05) - The Duality of Superpowers (35:18) - Leading vs Managing (39:39) - Creating Lasting Impact Beyond Tenure Other References Supernormal, by Meg Jay Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein Proverb: planting trees whose shade you'll never sit in You can find Erin at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-j-16001153 Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

How much of your day do you actually choose to give your attention to? Not just your time but your attention. Because there's a difference. And most leaders are managing the wrong thing. This episode cuts through the noise around productivity to explore what's really going on when leaders feel stretched thin and constantly reactive. The answer isn't a better calendar or a tighter to-do list. It's getting deliberate about where your focus actually lands and protecting it like it matters. Because it does. In this solocast, Digby explores the distinction between time, attention, and intention management, and why most productivity advice stops one layer too shallow. You'll hear about: Why time management alone won't fix a scattered leadership practice The difference between attention and intention, and why intention is where the real leverage lives How notifications and constant availability are quietly eroding your capacity to lead well Why sanctuary time, protected space to think without interruption isn't a luxury, it's a leadership discipline What wisdom has to do with AI, and why it's the distinctly human edge that no tool can replicate The one question worth sitting with at the end of each day Other references Leadership as an Act of Attention Blog Post Check out my services and offerings: https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

How much of what you measure actually tells you whether you're making a difference? Most senior leaders can point to a dashboard full of healthy-looking numbers. Attendance is up, participation is steady, the reports come back green. And underneath it all sits a question that's easy to avoid: is any of this the thing that actually matters? Grant Yonge took a job with that exact question built into the title. When Grant said yes to becoming Executive Director, Organisational Impact at the Y, his honest answer was that he didn't yet know what impact meant. What he knew was what it wasn't. This conversation follows what happened next: the shift away from counting participation towards real evidence about whether young people are flourishing, and the discovery that a 180-year-old story could anchor purpose better than any strategy document. What if the most useful thing you measured was also the hardest thing to count? Let's explore what changes when a leader stops settling for the easy version. Grant Yonge is Executive Director, Organisational Impact at the Y in Western Australia. He arrived there by an unusual route, starting out in hotel and resort management before spending the past fifteen years in the not-for-profit sector. He brings corporate rigour and a genuine sense of purpose to the work, and he thinks about leadership the way he thinks about playing in a band. In this episode, you'll hear: How to move an organisation from counting participation to evidencing real impact Why "getting to what's real" matters as much in corporate and government as it does in the social sector How a story from 1844 becomes a living tool for shaping culture today Why knowing your part, and resisting the urge to play every part, makes the whole team stronger How stepping back can create more impact than stepping in Why naming each person's "spikiness" leads to better decisions How to help people find their place in the work, even on their hardest day Why deep conviction and real vulnerability can live in the same leader Timestamps: (08:27) - The Journey to Defining Impact (19:09) - Gathering and Sharing Stories of Impact (26:31) - The Metaphor of Music in Leadership (30:34) - Understanding Your Unique Contribution (35:36) - Navigating Leadership Challenges (39:13) - Connecting to Purpose and Legacy Other References Y.M.C.A Song Y.M.C.A Boy George re-recording How Great Leaders Inspire Action | Simon Sinek TED Talk How to Make of a Life | Jim Collins The Gifts of Imperfection | Brené Brown The Art of Possibility | Ben Zander Keith Richards You can find Grant at: Website: https://theywa.org.au/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grant-yonge-b6a30924/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

You know how most days go. There's the list to clear, the email that just landed, the conversation that has to happen by Friday. You sort it, and tomorrow you do it all again. Those things matter, and I'm not going to pretend they don't. But if a good day's work is only ever solving the problems of that day, I reckon you're missing a trick. Because your days become your weeks, become your years. When you look back over those years, what will you be able to say you contributed? And what do you want to be able to say? This solocast came out of a briefing call with a school principal. She told me she'd been sitting in her own leadership team meeting, listening to everyone work through what needed doing, and quietly realised she didn't need to be there. She wasn't threatened by that. She felt good, like something had finally worked. We get into what makes that moment possible: the difference between a problem focus and a possibility focus, what shifts when you stop patching symptoms and start improving the system, and the language change that marks leaders who've started thinking beyond their own time in the chair, from "this is what I'm doing" to "how am I setting this place up to outlast me?" Here's some of what I cover: Why a possibility focus lifts your energy, while a problem focus has you tired and playing defence by Tuesday afternoon The shift from delegating tasks to genuinely growing the people around you Three questions we worked through at the conference, worth sitting with on a quiet morning How to find the intersection of where you're energised and where you're uniquely positioned to serve Why lasting impact asks you to choose one thing, not everything at once If relentless busyness is the pattern you keep running into, drop me a line at https://www.digbyscott.com/contact and we'll have a chat. Blog post https://www.digbyscott.com/thoughts/what-will-outlast-you/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe/ Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

There's something seductive about being the leader who walks into the room with the answers. Leadership culture has spent decades rewarding exactly that: the person who steps up, takes charge, and makes things happen. What if that pattern, the very thing that got you here, is also quietly limiting how far your people can go? And what if the most significant move available to you right now isn't to lead more, but to lead differently? This episode explores the shift from hero to host. It's one of those ideas that sounds deceptively simple and turns out to be one of the hardest things a senior leader can actually do. To mark a milestone in the Dig Deeper archive, five extraordinary guests are brought together, each of whom has found their own way into this idea. Through event design, pandemic leadership, organisational transformation, the craft of facilitation, and the quiet philosophy of letting go, they're all pointing at the same thing. I wonder what it would mean for your leadership if you took it seriously. These five voices shape the conversation. DK is a creative producer, speaker coach, and curiosity lightning rod who spent nearly a decade designing celebrated TEDx events in Wellington, known for an approach that starts with the people in the room, not the content on the stage. Sir Ashley Bloomfield served as Director General of Health for New Zealand through COVID-19, and discovered, sometimes painfully, that what people needed from their leader wasn't certainty. James McCulloch is CEO of Victim Support New Zealand, a leader who has quietly and deliberately refused to be the superhero the role invites him to become. Simon Dowling is a facilitator and author who has spent years helping leaders understand the spaces they create and why those spaces shape everything that becomes possible within them. Callum McKirdy is a coach and facilitator who makes a distinction between being, doing, and trying that might just change how you show up in your next meeting. From these five conversations, here's some of what you'll discover: How the shift from hero to host creates the conditions for lasting organisational change Why designing with your people in mind, rather than your agenda, changes everything How the distinction between legacy and impact reveals a fundamentally different kind of leadership Why kindness and niceness are not the same thing, and why that difference matters profoundly for teams How self-awareness is the foundation that everything effective leadership rests on Why the spaces a leader creates, intentionally or not, determine what becomes possible in those spaces How admitting what you don't know builds, rather than erodes, your credibility as a leader Why the word between "doing" and "being" is "trying," and what that costs us Timestamps: (00:00) From Hero to Host: A Leadership Paradigm Shift (06:55) The Power of Team Dynamics in Leadership (12:46) Legacy vs. Impact: Redefining Leadership Goals (19:00) Creating Intentional Spaces for Leadership (25:08) The Permission to Be: Authentic Leadership Practices Other references Ted Lasso Flawsome by Georgia Murch Jim Collins | Level 5 Leadership The Castle (1997) Tony Blair coming to power Connect with the guests: DK: Website Sir Ashley Bloomfield: LinkedIn James McCulloch: Website | LinkedIn Simon Dowling: Website | LinkedIn Callum McKirdy: Website | LinkedIn Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

Have you ever stood in front of a room with your heart thumping in your ears? Or walked away from a moment knowing you should have spoken up, and didn't? Fear runs more of our leadership than we like to admit. Powering through it works for a while, until it doesn't. Getting specific about what's actually going on underneath is where the real shift starts. In this solocast I share a three-part framework I've used for years to work with my own fear, especially before walking onto a stage: name it, frame it, tame it. It's simple, and it applies to all the everyday moments where the stakes feel higher than they probably are. Here's what I get into: The moment before I addressed a large audience for the first time, and what was actually running through my head Why putting words to a feeling changes what your brain does next The difference between fears that are about survival and fears that are about social standing Why the worst case version we play in our heads rarely shows up in real life A small action that builds more real confidence than another round of rehearsal Why naming your fears out loud builds trust with the people you lead References Fear - Name It Frame It Tame It worksheet Start Close In | David Whyte Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the leadership model you've inherited is the very thing standing between your team and its potential? Most of us have experienced at least once what it feels like when a team is genuinely alive. When trust is in the room. When leadership moves around naturally, and people show up as their whole selves. And yet for most leaders, most of the time, the unspoken hope remains that the right person will arrive with the right answers and fix things. We race straight to task. We skip the human stuff. We declare a safe space and wonder why trust is still so hard to build, and so easy to lose. What if there's a fundamentally different way of meeting each other? One that's not just a nice idea, but a proven strategy for performance under the kind of pressure that matters most? In this conversation, Christian Penny brings a frame that has been tested across thousands of years on the marae and refined through decades of applying it in drama schools, Olympic programmes, and elite Super Rugby environments. It's a frame where presence and people come before task, not as an indulgence, but as the very investment that pays off when the pressure is on. Where leadership isn't a position but a question: what does this moment require, and who in the room can answer it? And where your distinct strengths, the things that only you bring, aren't optional extras but the contribution your team is quietly waiting for you to own. Christian Penny is one of New Zealand's most quietly radical leadership thinkers. A former Director of Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School, co-architect of the Ruku Ao leadership programme for senior public sector leaders, and a current adviser to the Hurricanes Super Rugby team and the Black Ferns Sevens, Christian has spent his career asking a single question across wildly different performance contexts: what really creates the conditions where people and performance can thrive? Drawing on Māori frameworks, the craft of theatre, and years at the edge of elite sport, he brings a practice that bridges indigenous wisdom and contemporary leadership with uncommon depth and warmth. In this episode, you will discover: How the myth of the hero leader persists even when we know it doesn't work, and what the marae offers as a practical, tested alternative Why putting people before task isn't soft leadership, it's the investment that pays off under the most intense pressure How "go slow to go fast" transforms team performance precisely when it counts most Why alignment is often a fantasy, and how learning to use each other's difference is the real leadership skill How to ask the question that changes the room: "What does this moment require, and who can lead us here?" Why trust is emergent, not declared, and what that means for how you build it deliberately How knowing and naming your strengths doesn't just make you more potent, it makes life easier for everyone around you Why courage, not confidence, is the real prerequisite for stepping up, and how that reframe changes everything Timestamps: (00:00) - The Myth of the Hero Leader (10:25) - Presence Over Task in Leadership (17:26) - The Shift from Hero to Host Leadership (23:31) - Emergent Leadership and Dynamic Teams (30:01) - Overcoming Resistance to New Leadership Models (36:37) - The Importance of Small Victories in Leadership Other references: Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School Ruku Ao leadership programme Manutūkē Marae, Rongowhakaata High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) The Hurricanes Black Ferns Sevens Digby Scott's Superpowers exercise You can find Christian at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-penny-54016515/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

You're across everything. The problems, the people, the pressure. And somehow, no matter how much you get through, there's always another thing popping up that needs your attention. Sound familiar? In this episode, Digby explores what it actually means to have a leadership identity and why most leaders are defining theirs by accident, one reactive moment at a time. Drawing on William James's observation that the ability to bring back a wandering attention is the very root of judgement and character, he makes the case that where you direct your focus is not a time management question. It's an identity question. In this episode, we cover: Why reactive leadership is like playing whack-a-mole and what it costs you over time The difference between solving problems and building the systems that make fewer problems inevitable How to define a leadership identity that guides your decisions before the pressure hits A practical exercise to help you name your purpose and start leading from it The one question that cuts through the noise: what do you need to build so your team can thrive without you? Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

You've built the career. You've hit the milestones, earned the respect, ticked the boxes that once seemed so far away. And yet there's a quiet discomfort underneath it all. Something that's hard to name but hard to ignore. A sense that the achievements are real, and yet something at the heart of it is still missing. I wonder if that feeling is more common among successful leaders than any of us let on. What if the thing that's missing isn't another goal, a bigger title, or a smarter strategy, but a deeper sense of what your leadership is actually for? In this conversation, Prina Shah and I explore the idea that legacy isn't something you earn at the end of a long career and hand it over at your farewell function. It's something you can build right now, today, with this team, on this project. We also get into what it really means to manage your energy rather than just your time, and what it looks like to step back from heroic leadership and build something that genuinely doesn't depend entirely on you. Prina Shah is a coach, consultant, trainer, speaker, and the author of Make Work Meaningful: How to Create a Culture That Leaves a Legacy. She's spent years working alongside executives who have achieved extraordinary things, and she asks the question most leaders are too busy to sit with: what's missing from a heart perspective? In this conversation, we explore: How to reframe legacy as something you leave every single day, not a footnote reserved for the end of a career Why leaders who carry that nagging sense of something missing often haven't yet defined what will actually fulfil them How shifting from ambition to meaning changes the quality of decisions you make Why managing your energy rather than your time is the more honest path to sustained performance How a simple "door framing" practice can keep you genuinely present across a day of back-to-back meetings Why becoming the indispensable go-to in your organisation might be the thing quietly holding your team back How building a learning culture inside your team creates resilience that doesn't depend on you to sustain it Why the question "what important things have no action steps attached to them?" might be the most useful one you haven't been asking Timestamps: (00:00) - Reframing Legacy: A Daily Consideration (05:00) - The Missing Piece: Fulfilment Beyond Achievements (12:06) - Energy Management: The Key to Effective Leadership (18:06) - Creating a Learning Culture: Empowering Teams (25:00) - Breaking the Bottleneck: Trusting Your Team (32:12) - Redefining Work: Balancing Leadership and Reflection Other references: Make Work Meaningful: How to Create a Culture That Leaves a Legacy — Prina Shah Ways to Change Your Workplace Podcast — Prina Shah (host) Simon Sinek Seth Godin — "work is not working" "Becoming the Boss" — Linda A. Hill, Harvard Business Review (January 2007) Prina's self-coaching journal You can find Prina at: Website: https://www.prinashah.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prinashah/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

Have you ever missed the moment? Something shifted in a conversation or a meeting, and by the time you noticed, you were already playing catch up. In a world that's systematically eroding our capacity for sustained attention, how do we stay genuinely tuned in when it matters most? This episode introduces a practical framework for sharpening your attention in the room. Drawing on the work of philosopher Simone Weil, who called attention the rarest form of generosity, Digby explores why treating attention as a deliberate leadership practice is one of the most powerful things you can do right now. In this episode, we cover: Why our capacity for sustained attention is under serious pressure and what that means for leaders The four lenses of attention: personal, relational, directional, and contextual How to read what's happening in a room and respond well when it counts Practical ways to apply each lens in your next conversation or meeting Three reflection questions to help you identify which lens you lean on and which you tend to neglect Other references Stolen Focus | Johan Hari Four Lenses Download How to Read the Room Blog version Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the friction in your team isn't a strategy problem? What if it isn't a structure problem either? What if it's a conversation you've been avoiding, a truth no one has been willing to name, or simply the widening gap between what gets said in the meeting room and what gets said in the corridor afterwards? Most leaders invest enormous energy into policy, process, and planning, trusting that the culture will follow. But culture isn't built in documents. It's built in the thousands of conversations happening, or not happening, every single day. Emma Gibbens is a strategic communications expert, author of Anatomy of Conversation, and someone who has spent her career helping leaders and organisations have the honest, courageous conversations that actually shift things. With a background in international political campaigning across multiple countries and cultures, Emma brings a rare combination of directness and warmth. She understands, from the inside, how conversations can build bridges or quietly erode them and she's passionate about what becomes possible when we stop avoiding what most needs to be said. In this episode, you'll explore: How conversations function as the invisible infrastructure of culture, shaping what's possible long before strategy is ever implemented Why the cost of silence can be just as damaging as the cost of brutal honesty, and what leaders consistently underestimate about both How to distinguish constructive honesty from brutal honesty, and why the difference lives in intention rather than content Why creating a deliberate, structured container for difficult conversations is far more effective than letting them seep into gossip and corridor chatter How awareness of power dynamics transforms the conversations you lead, and what stepping out of the content and into the role of host actually looks like Why knowing what you want, and preparing your energy, matters as much as anything you say in a difficult conversation How fitting in and belonging are not the same thing, and what it takes to build cultures where people bring their full selves References: Brené Brown: Belonging vs Fitting In Adam Grant: The "Mount Stupid" Model Murmurations (Starlings) Georgia Murch Episode Oscar Trimboli Episode Anatomy of a Conversation | Emma Gibbens White Paper | Emma Gibbens Timestamps: (00:00) - Conversations as Cultural Infrastructure (21:24) - Conversations as Core Business Process (28:45) - Creating a Feedback-Rich Culture (29:59) - The Role of Conversation Containers (32:10) - Power Dynamics in Conversations (40:11) - Resolving Friction Through Conversation You can find Emma at: Website: www.emmagibbens.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-gibbens/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

How many leadership books have you read this year? Now here's the harder question: how many hours have you spent genuinely studying the people you lead? For most leaders, there's a significant gap between those two answers. And that gap, more than almost anything else, explains leadership failure. The best leaders don't just consume content about leadership. They become students of humanity, curious, patient, and unrelenting in their effort to understand what makes people tick. In this episode, you'll discover why reading the room matters more than reading the latest leadership title, how Harvard researcher Amy Edmondson's work on psychological safety points back to how well leaders understand fear in human beings, and why calibrating yourself is every bit as important as reading others. You'll walk away with: Why the gap between leadership learning and people-studying is costing you and your team The two directions of study that every effective leader needs to develop: outward and inward What Peter Drucker's landmark Harvard Business Review essay "Managing Oneself" tells us about the rigour of self-knowledge A surfing metaphor that reframes what it means to lead with fluency rather than force Four practical ideas you can start using today to become a more astute student of the people around you The distinction between caring about your people and actually studying them Whether you're leading a large organisation or a small team, this episode is an invitation to treat the people around you as your greatest source of learning. Because you can't read the room if you don't know how you distort it. Check out my services and offerings at https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter at https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

Have you ever stopped to consider that the image you project as a capable, in-control leader might actually be the very thing keeping your people from truly connecting with you? There's a particular kind of isolation that comes with always having it together. And if you're honest with yourself, I wonder how much energy it costs you to maintain that facade and what it might be costing the people around you too. What if the shift that changes everything in your leadership isn't about acquiring more knowledge or developing another competency, but about letting go of the performance? This episode is an exploration of what becomes possible when leaders trade the polished, textbook version of themselves for something more real. We dig into the relationship between authenticity and energy, vulnerability and performance, and why learning together with your team might be the most underrated leadership practice available to you right now. What's possible here when you stop trying to be the one with all the answers? Rita Cincotta is a leadership expert, coach, and consultant with 25 years of experience supporting leaders across Australia. She's the founder of The Deliberate Leader, author of two books on leadership, and is currently pursuing a PhD to rigorously test whether deliberate leadership is genuinely distinct from other leadership approaches. Rita brings rare intellectual depth and disarming human warmth to this conversation and she models everything she talks about, right from the first moment. In this episode, you'll explore: How the image of having it all together can quietly push your people further away Why reconnecting with your purpose as a leader is the source of the energy your team needs from you How a single piece of feedback, being called a "textbook reader" and became a turning point in how Rita led Why psychological safety isn't just a culture initiative, but a daily practice that starts with you How leading with an L plate changes the dynamic between you and your team in profound ways Why balancing empathy with performance becomes easier, not harder, when you lead human first How vulnerability at a senior level creates a ripple effect that lifts the energy of an entire team Why contributing to the learning of others not having the answers is where lasting leadership impact lives Timestamps: (00:00) - The Burden of Perception (10:10) - The Shift to Authenticity (20:47) - Embracing Vulnerability in Leadership (26:47) - Human First: Balancing Performance and Empathy (30:06) - The Messiness of Life and Leadership (36:39) - Learning Together: The Power of Contribution Other References You are how you lead | Rita Cincotta Swinburne University of Technology Manaaki Tāngata | Victim Support NZ Home and Away TV Show Mike House Podcast Episode James McCulloch Podcast Episode Deal In Energy Blog Upgrade your Identity Blog Forget Time Management, Master These Disciplines Instead Blog Leading Lasting Impact You can find Rita at: Website: https://thedeliberateleader.com.au/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rita-cincotta-80a1263/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

Have you ever left an interaction at work feeling genuinely seen? And when did you last create that feeling for someone else? Most leaders focus on strategy, capability, and performance. But the ones who build real loyalty, the ones whose people genuinely want to show up for, tend to share something far simpler: they pay attention to the human stuff. The greeting. The name. That moment of genuine connection in an otherwise ordinary day. This episode starts with a story from an ordinary morning in a coffee shop that stopped me in my tracks. It's a story about two places, two very different choices, and what it reveals about the kind of leader you're choosing to be every single day. You'll discover why attention, not talent or strategy, is the real currency of trust, how the smallest interactions shape loyalty more than most leaders realise, and why making people feel seen doesn't require anything extraordinary. It just requires intention. I'll walk you through: Why the difference between a leader people want to follow and one they don't often has nothing to do with skill or resources How a headmaster in a school of 900 kids used one simple practice to shape the people around him The distinction between doing excellent work and giving people your attention — and why both matter Two honest questions to sit with about how seen you make your people feel Why this doesn't need to be big stuff — it just needs to be human stuff Whether you're leading a large organisation or a small team, this episode is a gentle reminder that the most impactful thing you can do today might take less than thirty seconds. Check out my services and offerings at https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter at https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the strategies gathering dust in your organisation aren't the problem, but rather the shadow strategies everyone's actually following? You know the ones. The unspoken "work harder, work longer, make more money" approach that contradicts your official commitment to innovation and people-centred leadership. That tension between what you say you're doing and what's actually happening costs more than productivity. It costs truth. And when organisations can't tell themselves the truth about what's really going on, they plateau in ways that feel both frustrating and invisible. This conversation explores a different way forward, one that honours healthy friction over comfort, embodied wisdom over abstract strategy, and possibility over certainty. Melissa Clark-Reynolds brings a rare combination of street-smart entrepreneurship and rigorous futures thinking to help leaders navigate complexity with both imagination and pragmatism. Melissa is a street smart futurist who started university at 15, built and sold multiple tech companies, and was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the tech sector. She's trained at Stanford's Institute for the Future and the UK's School for International Futures, bringing both rigorous methodology and practical wisdom to her work with organisations navigating uncertain futures. In this conversation, you'll discover: How to identify the "shadow strategy" your organisation is actually following beneath the official one, and why naming this incongruence is the first step toward real transformation Why living in possibility rather than certainty opens more pathways forward than any five-year plan, and what questions like "I wonder" and "how might we" make possible How embodied strategy reveals truths that spreadsheets and presentations hide, and what happens when teams physically experience the difference between growth, transformation, and collapse Why curiosity combined with commitment to excellence creates the conditions for continuous improvement, rather than the confident mediocrity that keeps organisations stuck How to reframe the past as an empowering platform rather than a weight to escape from, particularly through bicultural and indigenous perspectives on whakapapa and time What it means to find your tribe, the people who challenge you with love and compassion, see something more in you, and give you invitations to greatness rather than comfortable reinforcement Why effective leadership means knowing whether you want to be right or you want to be effective, and how bringing the full triangle of inspirers, doers, planners, and storytellers creates sustainable impact How to embrace your outlierness as a superpower rather than moderating yourself into mediocrity, and why the world needs the juiciness of your weirdness Other References: Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Sohail Inayatullah Jennifer Garvey Berger David Snowden - Cynefin framework Institute for the Future Stanford University School for International Futures Cultivating Leadership Casual Layered Analysis Framework Episode 22 with Jennifer Garvey Berger Episode 26 with Kirsten Patterson Episode 17 with Derek Sivers Timestamps: (00:00) - The Power of Healthy Friction (13:32) - Finding Your Tribe (20:39) - Embodying Strategy in Organisations (25:12) - Incongruence in Organisational Strategies (30:23) - Living in Possibility: Leadership Mindset (32:27) - Reframing Time: Past, Present, and Future You can find Melissa at: Website: https://www.melissaclarkreynolds.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissaclarkr/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

Do you have a network? Of course you do. But is it the one you actually need? For most leaders, the honest answer is probably not — and it's not because you don't care about relationships. It's because you've never thought about them quite this way. In this episode, I explore why the word "networking" can feel a bit icky, and why that reaction might be costing you the impact you're trying to create. I share a simple but powerful framework for thinking about the nine distinct roles people can play in your network, and why having a balanced set of those relationships, deliberately cultivated, can accelerate your progress and keep you grounded while you do it. In this episode, you'll discover: Why leaders often resist building networks and what's really behind that resistance The nine distinct roles people can play in your network (and why balance matters) What a "door opener" and a "critical friend" actually look like in practice Why the quality of your relationships, not the size of your network, determines your impact How to start assessing the strength of your own network using a free diagnostic tool References: Network Diagnostic Mike House Podcast Episode Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the moment you're told you've lost your job isn't the time to narrow your focus, but to widen it? When everything in you is screaming to grab control, shore up certainty, and solve the problem immediately, what would it take to do the opposite? To put down your phone, pick up your camera, and walk into the unfamiliar streets of a city that feels both beautiful and unsafe? This conversation with Dr. Chris McKeown invites us into a different way of understanding leadership under pressure. Chris is both a photographer and an energy consultant—a combination that might seem random until you realise that both practices are about the same thing: knowing where to put your attention, understanding depth of field, and recognising that widening the aperture lets in more light. When Chris lost his employment contract while sitting in Havana, he didn't rush to fix it. He grabbed his camera and walked. What he discovered wasn't distraction—it was something far more powerful. The neuroscience of awe. The practice of presence. And the recognition that our nervous systems are so jacked up by algorithms, back-to-back Zoom meetings, and the relentless pressure to perform, that we've forgotten how to stop. Here's what you'll discover: How widening the aperture—literally and metaphorically—helps you lead through uncertainty more effectively than controlling every detail Why forcing yourself to stop isn't a luxury but essential infrastructure for doing hard things as leaders How the anterior cingulate cortex connects awe experiences to empathy, compassion, and the ability to make difficult decisions Why successful CEOs all have "opposite worlds"—creative practices outside work that aren't optional How back-to-back meetings compound stress in your autonomic nervous system in ways your conscious mind doesn't register Why "holding space" for others might be more powerful than solving their problems How Chris's photography creates lasting impact in hospital rooms—and what that teaches us about legacy beyond our presence Why the simple practice of looking up activates the default mode network and changes how you think Other References The Creative Act: A Way of Being | Rick Rubin The Mindful Body: Thinking Our Way to Chronic Health | Ellen Langer Atomic Habits | James Clear Religion for Atheists: A Non-believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion | Alain de Botton Stolen Focus | Johann Hari Peak Experiences & Hierarchy of Needs | Abraham Maslow Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) Katie Hair Career Coaching Katie Hair Podcast Episode Te Papa Museum Chris’s substack Timestamps: (00:00) - Creative Clarity in Old Havana (08:52) - Widening the Aperture: Leadership Lessons (14:24) - The Challenge of Attention in Modern Life (19:45) - The Neuroscience of Awe and Leadership (23:11) - The Importance of Creative Outlets for Leaders (36:14) - The Impact of Art and Photography in Healing Spaces You can find Chris at: Website: nzenergyconsultants.com Photography: chrismckeown.photography LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismckeown/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

When Mike House said "mentoring is any interaction that has the possibility of a disproportionate long lasting impact," something shifted for me. Not a formal programme. Not a monthly calendar booking. Just any moment where you notice something worth naming and find the courage to say it. Yet we've made mentoring too formal, too time-intensive, and frankly, too heavy. We think it requires being the guru with all the answers, which means we miss the moments that actually matter. This episode introduces five practical roles that any leader at any level can play to create those moments of disproportionate impact. Not theory. Not the corporate version of mentoring that looks good in annual reports but doesn't change much. Just ways of showing up that help others grow their capability. I'll walk you through: Why mentoring isn't about knowledge transfer but about creating conditions where growth becomes almost inevitable The People Developer role: how to listen deeply, ask powerful questions, and challenge respectfully without diminishing confidence The Cheerleader role: reflecting back people's brilliance when the daily grind makes them lose sight of their own capability The Path Clearer role: removing unnecessary friction and helping people navigate organizational politics more easily The Door Opener role: using your network and position to create opportunities that would otherwise remain invisible or out of reach The Context Provider role: showing the bigger picture so people can transform isolated decisions into strategic moves Which role to focus on first and how to practice it without adding hours to your calendar This isn't about adding another development programme to your already long list of initiatives. It's about recognizing that if you're serious about leading lasting impact—about creating organizations that don't depend on you being the hero—then mentoring is how you build systems that think without you, adapt without you, and continue creating value long after you've moved on. Whether you're formally mentoring one person or trying to build a culture where everyone develops everyone else, this framework will help you notice what's happening around you and choose to engage with it in ways that grow others' capability. References: Download the Five Ways to Mentor One-Pager: https://digbyscott.com/mentorroles Episode referenced: 55. Chasing Certainty, Guerrilla Mindfulness, and Teachable Moments | Mike House - https://dig-deeper.captivate.fm/episode/interview-chasing-certainty-guerrilla-mindfulness-and-teachable-moments-mike-house Episode referenced: 50. Listening beyond words and choosing what to say no to | Oscar Trimboli - https://dig-deeper.captivate.fm/episode/50-listening-beyond-words-and-choosing-what-to-say-no-to-oscar-trimboli Solocast referenced: Four Questions That Change Everything - https://dig-deeper.captivate.fm/episode/43-the-four-questions-that-transform-leadership-conversations-what-what-is-what-if-and-what-now Check out my services and offerings at https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter at https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if chasing certainty is actually making you less certain? Most leaders look outward for stability when everything's shifting, but that external focus keeps them perpetually off-balance. When the environment refuses to cooperate with our need for predictability, where do we turn? This conversation explores a different kind of certainty: the kind that lives inside your team's clarity about who they are, not just what they do. Mike House brings an unexpected lens to leadership development, drawing from 20 years as a survival instructor watching people navigate genuine uncertainty in the outback. He's discovered that the same principles that help someone thrive when stranded with a soapbox-sized survival kit apply when we're leading through complexity. What's possible when we shift from seeking certainty in circumstances to building it through identity and practice? Mike spent two decades running what National Geographic called "the toughest thing outside the military anywhere in the world," dropping people into the Australian outback with minimal resources. Now he helps leaders and organisations navigate uncertainty by developing what matters most: the ability to respond rather than react, to spot moments of disproportionate impact, and to create systems that don't need them. He challenges conventional thinking about development, and shows that the most powerful growth often happens in 30-second exchanges we're walking right past. In this conversation, you'll discover: • How guerrilla mindfulness, a three-breath practice, can shift your leadership in moments of pressure • Why looking for certainty in the environment will always leave you more uncertain • What makes brief mentoring moments more powerful than formal development programmes • How the gap between circumstance and response is trainable, not fixed • Why the best mentors might be those creating systems that don't need them • What survival priorities can teach us about leading through uncertainty • How to develop the courage to act on teachable moments when you spot them • Why purpose and identity create more certainty than any strategic plan Timestamps: (00:00) - Navigating Uncertainty in Leadership (17:44) - The Power of Mentoring Moments (32:12) - Adaptability in Uncertainty (35:24) - Survival Skills for Business (39:42) - Creating Conditions for Growth (43:27) - Identifying Teachable Moments Other References: Pilbara Region Box Breathing Emotions wheel fMRI (Functional Resonance Imaging) The Five B’s for Thriving at Work You can find Mike at: Website: mikehouse.com.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themikehouse/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

When Mark Carney stood up at Davos in January 2026, he didn't just make a speech. He named what everyone was thinking but too afraid to say out loud. And the way he structured his message holds a powerful lesson for any of us leading people through uncertain times. This episode unpacks a deceptively simple framework that cuts through all the noise about what leadership actually requires: See, Imagine, Do. Three practices that effective leaders cycle through again and again, whether they're giving a speech to world leaders or having a coaching conversation with a team member. You'll discover why naming reality with unflinching honesty matters more than diplomatic softening, how to paint compelling visions that aren't just nostalgic wishful thinking, and what it means to take deliberate action rather than just staying busy for busy's sake. I'll walk you through: How Carney embodied all three practices in sequence and why that matters The difference between seeking to be accurate versus seeking to be right Why plenty of leaders see problems clearly but fail to offer compelling alternatives How to move from inspiration to implementation without getting caught in frantic activity Practical ways to integrate See, Imagine, Do into your daily conversations and decisions The critical question every leader needs to ask: which of these three practices have you got nailed, and which needs more attention? This isn't about adding more competencies to your already long list. It's about simplifying what leadership actually requires so you can be more effective in the conversations and decisions that matter most. Whether you're navigating major organisational change or just trying to lead your team through everyday challenges, this framework will help you show up with more clarity and impact. References: See. Imagine. Do. Three Practices for Effective Leadership: https://digbyscott.com/thoughts/see-imagine-do-three-practices-for-effective-leadership Mark Carney's speech at Davos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btqHDhO4h10 Transcript of Mark Carvey’s Davos speech: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/01/davos-2026-special-address-by-mark-carney-prime-minister-of-canada/ Václav Havel's greengrocer metaphor: https://pathtothepossible.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/havels-greengrocer/ Check out my services and offerings at https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter at https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

Have you ever sat in a meeting where everyone nods in agreement, yet you leave sensing something wasn't said? That silence might be your team's biggest liability. The teams that feel most harmonious, most polite, most nice are often the ones moving slowest, innovating least, and leaving the most impact on the table. In this conversation, we're exploring a counterintuitive truth about high-performing teams: psychological safety isn't about everyone being nice to each other. It's about creating the conditions where people feel brave enough to disagree, curious enough to question, and safe enough to say "I made a mistake." What if the path to faster impact runs directly through healthy debate rather than around it? What becomes possible when leaders shift from performing in their teams to orchestrating them? Claire Gray is the author of Thriving Teams, an executive coach, and someone who spent years helping leadership teams move from polite agreement to genuine impact. She works with teams across Australia and beyond, bringing this rare ability to surface what's really happening beneath the team dynamics most of us are too nice to name. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why nice teams go slow, and what psychological safety actually requires of us • How the four Ds of healthy debate (diagnose, dialogue, decide, dedicate) create alignment without consensus • Why making people feel they matter goes far beyond the work they do • How leaders can operate as both contributors and orchestrators, not just participants • Why shared accountability ripples across organisations when teams co-create their goals • How to navigate the post-COVID reality of reinforced silos and fractured stakeholder connection • Why silent agreement probably means you don't have alignment at all • How to create joint ownership rather than defaulting to the leader for every decision Timestamps: (00:00) - Understanding Psychological Safety (20:20) - Healthy Debate vs. Argument (23:51) - The Four Ds of Healthy Debate (26:52) - The Role of the Orchestrator in Teams (31:20) - Creating Joint Ownership and Accountability (32:08) - Building a Culture of Accountability Other References: Thriving Teams Book | Claire Gray Thriving Leaders Book | Claire Gray Thriving Leaders Podcast Google’s Project Aristotle McKinsey Post-COVID Study The Power of Mattering | Zach Mercurio You can find Claire at: Website: thrivingculture.com.au Podcast: Thriving Leaders LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leadership-coach-facilitator/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the most lasting leadership isn't about the monuments you build but about the quiet spaces you create for others to thrive? Many senior leaders wrestle with this tension: how do we create impact that endures beyond our tenure without becoming the very "founder effect" that stifles the organisation's future? We know intellectually that leadership is about developing others, yet our systems still reward personal visibility over collective growth, heroic intervention over sustainable culture. This conversation with Professor David Murdoch offers a different lens. We explore what happens when leadership becomes less about being essential and more about making yourself unnecessary. Through his experience moving from technical expert to Vice Chancellor, from academic to industry leader, and through his two years running a remote hospital in Nepal, David reveals how unconventional detours often become our most formative experiences. His practice of building guitars (30 of them, all given away to friends around the world) isn't a hobby separate from his leadership, it's the creative renewal that sustains it. What's possible when we stop treating our "opposite world" as optional? Professor David Murdoch is an infectious disease expert, former Vice Chancellor of Otago University, and currently works with PHF Science leading organisational transformation. His father's quiet championing of women in education shaped David's approach to what I'm calling "covert mentoring," lifting others into opportunities without fanfare or expectation of recognition. In this conversation, you'll discover: How creative practice serves as a barometer for your work-life integration (when your mind wanders to the workshop during boring meetings, you're in a good spot) Why taking opportunities that "wreck your career" often become the best decisions you'll make How to build high trust, high accountability cultures through deliberate delegation and learning to let go Why working with young people isn't just about developing them, it's about their fresh questions keeping your thinking alive How succession planning is the ultimate success metric (things continuing well when you're not there) Why you can't assume you have a legacy, and how that humility actually creates enduring impact How experiences in radically different environments (like running a remote hospital in Nepal for two years) shape your leadership in ways conventional career paths never could Why the "founder effect" happens and what warning signs to watch for in your own leadership Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (03:02) - The Creative Outlet: Guitar Building and Leadership (09:13) - The Journey from Expert to Leader (23:59) - Trusting Young Talent in Leadership Roles (32:54) - Creating Lasting Impact in Leadership (38:20) - Building a Culture of Trust (42:02) - Lessons from Nepal: A Unique Leadership Experience Other References Nick Petrie Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation Himalayan Trust Ashley Bloomfield Podcast Episode Values Party You can find David at: Website: https://www.phfscience.nz/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-murdoch-61a436318/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the most important measure of your leadership isn't what you achieve while you're in the role, but what continues after you've moved on? It's a question most senior leaders avoid because the answer is often uncomfortable. You've built the strategy, delivered the results, transformed the culture. But if you left tomorrow, how much of it would actually last? In this special Year in Review episode, Digby reflects on five interconnected themes that emerged from a year of deep conversations with remarkable leaders, change-makers, and systems thinkers. These aren't isolated insights, they're facets of the same question: how do we create change that endures? From understanding complex systems and shifting from hero to host leadership, to embracing unhurried productivity and living with deliberate authenticity, each theme builds toward a powerful framework for leading lasting impact. This episode is Digby's invitation to step back and see the bigger picture. Drawing on insights from over 50 conversations, personal experiences of burnout and breakthrough, and years of working with leaders across sectors, he maps a journey from crisis-driven leadership through to creating change so embedded that people don't want to go back. You'll discover: How to assess where you sit on the spectrum from crisis-driven to lasting impact leadership (and why most leaders get stuck at stage two) Why systems thinking is essential for addressing root causes rather than just treating symptoms, and how the dragonfly metaphor reframes our understanding of generational impact How shifting from hero to host leadership transforms dependency into capability, and why your job isn't to be the answer but to create conditions where answers emerge Why unhurried productivity isn't about slowing down but about creating spaciousness within the work itself, and how this becomes the foundation for everything else How living deliberately means making daily choices that align with who you truly are, not who you think you should be Why these five themes aren't separate ideas but interconnected pieces that, when working together, create leaders whose impact outlasts their tenure How to measure leadership success differently, focusing on what continues after you're gone rather than what you achieve while you're there Leading Lasting Impact self-assessment Other References: James McCulloch Podcast Episode Dr. Richard Hodge Podcast Episode Adam Cooper Podcast Episode Jennifer Garvey Berger Podcast Episode DK Podcast Episode Kate Christiansen Podcast Episode KP (Kirsten Patterson) Podcast Episode Derek Sivers Podcast Episode Antonia Milkop Podcast Episode Simon Dowling Podcast Episode Rachel Paris Podcast Episode Jordan Harcourt Hughes Podcast Episode Cynefin Framework Leading Lasting Impact | Digby Scott Unhurried Productivity Diagnostic Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction & Leading Lasting Impact (10:25) - Systems Thinking and Complexity (15:54) - Hero to Host Leadership (22:39) - Unhurried Productivity (25:53) - Authenticity & Living Deliberately (32:28) - Leading Lasting Impact Synthesis (41:27) - Closing Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

How much of what matters most are you missing while you're listening? Not the words themselves (you're good at capturing those) but what's underneath them, between them, beyond them. Here's the uncomfortable truth: most of us believe we're better listeners than we actually are. We're busy preparing our response, managing the future, or distracted by the ping of the next urgent thing. Meanwhile, the people in front of us (the ones we're meant to be leading) are telling us everything we need to know. If only we knew how to truly hear it. In this conversation with Oscar Trimboli, we explore something deeper than communication skills. We venture into the territory of how we show up, what we say no to, and why the foundations we've already built might matter more than the future we're chasing. This is about the shift from hero to host, from infinite ambition to the surprising lightness of a ‘tour of duty’, and from listing ingredients to sharing the story of the meal. Oscar Trimboli is on a quest to create 100 million deep listeners in the workplace. He's spent decades discovering that the gap between speaking and listening isn't just about paying attention. It's about understanding that how we frame something can change what happens next. His work helps leaders see what they're missing when they focus only on the words. In this conversation, you'll discover: • Why the legacy you're creating might already exist in ways you can't yet see, and how acknowledging your past builds the foundation for what's next • How setting boundaries isn't about limitation but about the strategic clarity of knowing what you choose not to do • Why corporate funerals (literally burning what no longer serves) can create the trust that moves organisations forward when change initiatives get stuck • How the "tour of duty" mindset releases the weight of infinite responsibility and brings unexpected lightness to leadership • Why effective leaders operate as hosts rather than heroes, facilitating learning instead of performing expertise • How metaphors become mental shortcuts that help people understand the unfamiliar through the familiar, and why food and music work better than sport • Why distraction isn't just about devices but about the stories we tell ourselves when our attention wanders, and what choices we have in those moment • How "getting over yourself" enables you to serve the work rather than protect your ego, and why this shift makes everything else easier Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (06:39) - The Importance of Boundaries (10:32) - Navigating Change and Acknowledging the Past (19:11) - Corporate Funerals: Letting Go to Move Forward (24:41) - The Power of Rituals in Leadership (32:46) - Navigating Distractions in Conversations (42:59) - The Impact of Metaphors in Communication Other references: Animal Liberation Orchestra Deep Listening: Impact Beyond Words by Oscar Trimboli Deep Listening Quiz You can find Oscar at: Website: oscartrimboli.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/oscartrimboli Take the Deep Listening Quiz: listeningquiz.com Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

Are you the bottleneck in your organisation? What if your greatest leadership contribution isn't solving every problem, but creating the conditions where others can thrive without you? I've been reflecting on a pattern I keep seeing in leaders—this constant pressure to prove our worth by being indispensable. Yet the organisations that truly transform are the ones where leadership doesn't depend on any single person staying in the room. This episode explores a fundamental shift: moving from proving yourself to backing yourself, and what that means for creating lasting impact. Drawing on insights from my conversation with James McCulloch, CEO of Victim Support New Zealand, I unpack what it takes to build systems that outlive your tenure, why organisations often reward heroics over sustainability, and how small, consistent choices can shift you from being the solution to creating the space where solutions emerge. You'll explore: The hidden cost of trying to prove your worth through constant intervention Why backing yourself changes everything about how you show up What sustainable leadership actually looks like in practice How to create conditions for others to succeed rather than being the sole hero The shift from individual heroics to building systems that thrive Why true leadership effectiveness is measured by the capability you build in others Check out my services and offerings: https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the stories we're not telling are the very ones that could shape our organisations long after we're gone? In a world flooded with AI-generated content that sounds increasingly the same, I wonder what happens to the distinctly human act of storytelling. And here's the deeper question: are we waiting too long to make the changes that matter most? This conversation explores the enduring power of authentic human stories in an age of artificial intelligence, the gift of presence in our distracted leadership, and what becomes possible when we stop gradually planning and simply flip the switch. We're examining how stories don't just communicate culture—they are the culture, coursing through organisations like lifeblood, carrying meaning long beyond our tenure. What's emerging here is an invitation to reconsider where real impact lives and how it spreads. Gabrielle Dolan is one of the world's leading experts on storytelling in business, having spent over two decades helping leaders find their authentic voice and communicate with depth through story. She's the author of eight books, including her latest Story Intelligence, which she describes as the first she's felt truly compelled to write. After a health scare prompted her to abandon gradual retirement in favour of immediate life redesign, Gabrielle now spends her time between storytelling work she carefully selects, travelling, and watching kangaroos at her holiday property in Bermagui. In this episode, you'll discover: How authentic human stories serve as the antidote to AI-generated content that lacks heart and feeling Why the most powerful cultural change happens when leaders let stories do the heavy lifting, rather than always being the storyteller themselves How the practice of presence—whether watching wildlife or protecting creative time—becomes a discipline that sustains meaningful work Why success might be better defined as freedom of choice rather than conventional measures of achievement How stories create lasting impact by living in organizational culture long after the storyteller moves on Why flipping the switch immediately can be more liberating than gradually planning for change How leaders can spot when they're needed versus when they need to focus on what only they can do Why knowing what a value means to you personally is essential before you can authentically communicate it to others Timestamps: (00:00) - The Role of Storytelling in an AI World (01:33) - Finding Presence in Nature (10:07) - Navigating Leadership Challenges (29:24) - The Art of Storytelling in Leadership (36:01) - The Enduring Nature of Stories (41:01) - Health Scares and Life Choices Other References: Story Intelligence by Gabrielle Dolan Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari "Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule" by Paul Graham National Australia Bank (NAB) Bermagui, New South Wales, Australia Dig Deeper Episode 20 with Sarah Manley Dig Deeper Episode 32 with Kate Christiansen The Answer Trap by Kate Christiansen You can find Gabrielle at: Website: https://gabrielledolan.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielledolan/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the most dynamic leadership doesn't happen in the stable center or the chaotic unknown, but right at the edge between them? And what if trying to control everything is actually keeping you from discovering what's possible? In this solo episode, I explore leadership through the lens of the coast — that fascinating space where land meets sea. The intertidal zone, where stability and change collide, offers a powerful metaphor for the kind of leadership our complex world demands. I'll share why embracing the tension between control and adaptability isn't just necessary — it's where the most vital leadership occurs. You'll discover why the patterns you notice matter more than the predictions you make, how to navigate the loneliness that comes with leading at the edge, and what it means to be a lighthouse keeper who provides orientation rather than control. Whether you're feeling the pull between certainty and possibility, wrestling with forces you can't fully control, or simply curious about how to create the conditions for something new to emerge, this conversation will shift how you think about leading from the edge of things. In this episode, we explore: Why leadership exists in the dynamic space between stability and change How the ocean's unpredictability mirrors the challenges leaders face What the intertidal zone teaches us about thriving in uncertainty The challenges that come with leading from the edge (and why they're worth it) Why awareness of patterns matters more than trying to control outcomes How creating conditions for new ideas is more powerful than forcing solutions Reflective questions to guide your own leadership development What it means to be a lighthouse keeper in your leadership Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the very language you use—from "my target" to "our target," from "my client" to "our client"—is either building or breaking the culture you're trying to create? And what if being constantly busy is actually preventing the very work that matters most? In this conversation, I'm catching up with my mate Colin Ellis in a traditional English pub in Winchester. Colin's a five-time best-selling author and a super practical culture consultant who's spent decades helping organisations around the world rid themselves of what he calls toxic cultures. We're exploring the tension between delivering results and creating space for what actually sustains us—both as individuals and as teams and organisations. What emerges is a powerful reminder that building great culture isn't complicated. It's about creating the conditions where people can be good humans and do good work together. Colin Ellis grew up in Liverpool in a working-class family where security was paramount. After flunking school, he found his calling in project management—not for the technical side, but for the team-building aspect. His career took him from window cleaning family business roots to leading major project departments, from Melbourne to New Zealand and back to the UK. What's shaped his work most is his observation that the best teams valued both hard work and play, both productivity and camaraderie. He's built his reputation on making the complex simple, using language that connects with people who do the work day in, day out. His mission? To rid the world of toxic cultures by teaching leaders how to build great teams. You'll discover: How a simple shift in language from "my" to "our" transforms everything about how teams show up and support each other Why creating permission for your team to not be busy all the time might be the most productive thing you do as a leader How investing in relationships and camaraderie is as important as delivering on your targets—and why Friday drinks became sacred time for Colin's highest-performing team Why determination matters more than having a clever strategy when you're trying to create momentum How reading Harvard Business Review in the office was "frowned upon" but essential for Colin's growth as a leader Why the most productive teams are often the least hurried—and what Colin did in 2008 to create that culture How burnout at 31 became the catalyst for building an integrated life where work is part of the whole, not the whole itself Why demystifying culture change is about using language people understand, not complicated frameworks Timestamps: (00:00) - Introduction (10.39) - Individualism vs. Teamwork (27:09) - Burnout and the Path to Change (35:27) - Creating Productive Work Environments (38:34) - Redefining Productivity (41:41) - Cultural Shifts in Work Dynamics Other References On the Road Jack Kerouac - https://www.penguin.co.nz/books/on-the-road-9780241951538 Harvard Business Review - https://hbr.org/ Michael Page - https://www.michaelpage.co.uk/ Liverpool Echo - https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/ Camp America - https://www.campamerica.co.uk/ Abel Tasman Coast Track - https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/nelson-tasman/places/abel-tasman-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/abel-tasman-coast-track/ Ronnie Scott’s Jazz club - https://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/ Everton Football Club - https://www.evertonfc.com/ You can find Colin at: Website:https://www.colinellis.com LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/colindellis Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the gap between being curious and creating real change is just one small action? And what if the leadership move you've relied on your whole career is actually limiting your impact? This short episode cuts through the noise to explore three powerful distinctions that can transform how you lead. These aren't abstract theories. They're practical frameworks that help you navigate the messy, complex situations leaders face every day. You'll discover: Why curiosity by itself isn't enough, and the one action that turns wondering into wisdom The crucial difference between knowing what to do and understanding when to do it (and when not to) How shifting from hero to host leadership creates sustainable impact and brings out the best in your team Why heroing might feel productive while hosting builds resilience, innovation, and genuine engagement This is a bite-sized episode designed for leaders who want practical insights they can apply immediately. Pick one distinction, experiment with it, and notice what shifts. Whether you're leading a team meeting, navigating uncertainty, or simply wanting to deepen your leadership practice, these three distinctions offer a fresh lens on what makes leadership truly impactful. Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the pinnacle of success you've been climbing towards is actually a trap? When you finally make partner, win the promotion, or achieve the milestone you've been chasing for years, what happens when you discover it's not the answer? When the very achievement that was supposed to bring freedom instead leaves you feeling like a rat in a mill, just surviving from one deadline to the next? This conversation explores what happens when we pause long enough to ask whether the life we're living is actually the life we want. Rachel Paris shares her journey from corporate law partnership to becoming a novelist, revealing how crisis can become catalyst, how the skills that made us successful in one domain become secret weapons in another, and why freeing up your future might mean letting go of the one you thought was already set. We get into the tension between security and creativity, physical presence and emotional presence, and what it truly means to redefine success on your own terms. Rachel Paris is a former partner at Bell Gully, one of New Zealand's most prestigious law firms, where she specialised in banking and finance for over a decade. After walking away from partnership, she became a bestselling novelist with her debut crime thriller "See How They Fall." Her sister's cancer diagnosis became the catalyst for change, prompting her to question whether surviving each day was any way to live a life. Rachel's journey from Harvard Law graduate to creative writer offers a fascinating lens on how professional skills translate across domains and what becomes possible when we give ourselves permission to begin again. You'll discover: Why the partnership track in professional services can become a trap rather than a destination, and how to recognise when you're caught in it How to shift from physical presence to emotional presence in both work and family life Why redefining success requires asking what truly sustains you rather than what society says you should achieve How professional training in law, accounting, or other demanding fields creates unexpected advantages in creative pursuits Why being your own agent of change means not waiting for crisis to force your hand How to navigate the guilt and fear of letting people down when walking away from senior positions Why creating space for others to step up can reframe career transitions from selfish to generous acts How the wrestle of expressing something in your own words makes us human in an age of AI Other References The Answer Trap Kate Christiansen Humankind by Rutger Bregman OpenAI Bell Gully Law Firm See How They Fall by Rachel Paris Timestamps: (00:00) - From Corporate Law to Creative Freedom (23:12) - Redefining Success and Embracing Change (27:07) - The Journey of Self-Discovery (29:24) - Navigating Career Transitions (32:11) - The Impact of Legal Training on Creativity (34:33) - Creativity in the Age of AI You can find Rachel at: Website: https://rachelparisauthor.com LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-paris-author Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the quality of your leadership came down to the quality of your questions? And what if shifting just one word in how you frame a question could completely change the direction of a conversation? Most leaders ask questions to get answers. But the real power lies in asking questions that unlock thinking, creativity, and action in others. This episode introduces a practical framework for asking better questions – four simple categories that can transform how you lead meetings, drive strategy, and navigate complexity. Whether you're facilitating a team discussion, making a tough decision, or trying to move beyond surface-level conversations, these questioning techniques will shift what's possible. You'll discover: The four types of questions every leader needs to master: "what", "what is", "what if", and "what now" Why "what" questions clarify focus and set the stage for meaningful dialogue How "what is" questions help you uncover the real issues beneath the surface Why "what if" questions ignite creativity and open up new possibilities How "what now" questions drive action and accountability A practical quadrant model you can use to structure any conversation Simple techniques for naming shifts in your questioning to enhance clarity Why progression matters more than perfection when developing your questioning practice This is a short, practical episode designed to give you an immediately useful tool. The goal isn't perfection – it's progression. Pick one type of question, experiment with it in your next conversation, and notice what shifts. Whether you're preparing for a strategic discussion, wanting to deepen team engagement, or simply curious about how to facilitate better conversations, this framework offers a clear path forward. Related Episodes KP on Breaking Out of 'Answer Mode': https://dig-deeper.captivate.fm/episode/26-breaking-out-of-answer-mode-building-collective-wisdom-and-the-village-that-raises-leaders-kirsten-patterson/ Kate Christiansen on Escaping the 'Answer Trap': https://dig-deeper.captivate.fm/episode/32-escaping-the-answer-trap-and-why-slowing-down-speeds-you-up/ Simon Dowling on Why Creating Space Matters More Than Efficiency: https://dig-deeper.captivate.fm/episode/18-why-creating-space-matters-more-than-efficiency-simon-dowling-on-intentional-leadership/ The Questions Toolkit: digbyscott.com/questionstoolkit Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the secret to lasting leadership impact isn't about building your legacy, but about accepting that you're just passing through? And what if the shift from trying to prove yourself to truly backing yourself changes everything about how you show up as a leader? This episode explores how moving from a hero mindset to a host mindset creates lasting change, and why focusing on embedded impact rather than personal legacy might be the most powerful leadership practice of all. We dive into the confidence that comes with experience, the urgency that emerges from accepting impermanence, and the art of creating solutions that endure long after you've moved on. James McCulloch is the CEO of Victim Support New Zealand, where he's led one of the country's most remarkable organisational transformations. His perspective has been shaped by managing high-profile parks in the heart of London, navigating complex turnarounds, and now wrestling with the tension between ambition and balance as a seasoned leader. James brings a systems-aware approach to leadership that embraces both vulnerability and fierce determination. You'll discover: How to shift from needing external validation to backing yourself with genuine confidence Why thinking of leadership roles as fixed-term rather than permanent creates productive urgency How to build embedded solutions that create lasting impact beyond your tenure Why moving from "my legacy" language to "our impact" transforms team dynamics How vulnerability among leadership teams forges stronger bonds through adversity Why the travelling CEO who over-promises creates more damage than help How to balance the drive for meaningful impact with sustainable work-life integration Why learning from your predecessors while avoiding the trap of constant comparison matters Timestamps: (00:00) - The Impact Over Legacy Mindset (12:15) - Shifting from Proving to Backing Yourself (21:11) - The Concept of Passing Through (32:18) - Building Lasting Change: Strategies for Sustainable Impact (37:58) - Balancing Ambition and Life: The Tension of Leadership (43:11) - The Handover: Learning from Predecessors Other References We are all Fixed Term Sir Ashley Bloomfield on When Leaders Are Human: Navigating Complexity With Integrity Inspire Group Jim Collins and Level 5 Leadership International Coach Federation International Parks Federation Intercontinental Hotel Wellington Guild Hall, London You can find James at: Website: https://victimsupport.org.nz/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mcculloch-65a2931b/ Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/

What if the Christmas break you're desperately counting down to won't actually fix what's broken? And what if the way we're running our years (like we run our cars, pushing hard until we desperately need a service) is the very thing keeping us stuck in this exhausting cycle? In this solocast episode, I explore why most of us are caught in an infinite loop: work hard, get exhausted, take a break, repeat. We've all navigated some gnarly challenges this year, and it's tempting to think a few weeks off will sort everything out. But here's the truth: Christmas won't fix the underlying problems. You'll learn: Why the car metaphor for productivity is sabotaging your wellbeing How tending a plant offers a better framework for sustainable work The distinction between downtime and due time (and why both matter) Why discovery is just as essential as delivery for doing your best work How to reclaim more agency over your time than you might think What it means to design your life with genuine intention How leaders can create conditions where people actually thrive Whether you're heading into the break feeling depleted, or you're curious about creating a more sustainable rhythm for 2026, this conversation will challenge how you think about rest, renewal, and what's actually possible when you shift from running your life to designing it. This isn't about working less. It's about working differently. And it starts with questioning the beliefs we hold about productivity, downtime, and what it means to craft a life that's genuinely worth living. Check out my services and offerings https://www.digbyscott.com/ Subscribe to my newsletter https://www.digbyscott.com/subscribe Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/digbyscott/ Life By Design Webinar: https://digbyscott.com/lifebydesign How to Create Your Life By Design: https://digbyscott.com/thoughts/how-to-create-your-life-by-design Unhurried Productivity: https://digbyscott.com/thoughts/fresh-insights-on-unhurried-productivity