The Human CEO Podcast

”Who you are is more important than what you do.” Grant Baldwin, Founder and CEO at The Speaker Lab shares his insights on leadership.

“Culture is one of the biggest assets that we have as a company.”

 

Founder and CEO of the Speaker Lab, an organisation that help people launch, grow, and scale successful speaking businesses.

He joined me recently to talk about leadership, sharing your message and how he’s built a company culture of flexibility and accountability by being intentional about connection. 

Grant shared his insight on his journey and the challenges that he has overcome as a Human CEO. 

 

”We’ve got to run 21st century software on 40,000 year old hardware.” Join Amy for a great conversation with Steve Farmer about his book, ’Soft Skills, Delivering Hard Numbers’.

Welcome to the second episode of The Human CEO Book Club, where we dive deep into the pages of remarkable books that empower and shape leaders around the world. 

In this episode, we are pleased to feature an interesting and timely book that has been on my re-read list for some time now. We're talking about Soft Skills Delivering Hard Numbers by Steve Farmer.

Success isn't just about crunching numbers and analyzing data. It's about mastering the art of connecting with people, building relationships, and honing those invaluable soft skills that make all the difference in the fast-paced world of business.

In his  book, Soft Skills Delivering Hard Numbers managing director and  leadership expert Steve Farmer, explores how the most effective leaders combine their technical expertise with emotional intelligence, communication prowess, and empathy to drive tangible results.

Together, we uncover the secrets of Steve Farmer's approach, learning how to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics, inspire teams, negotiate win-win solutions, and create a workplace culture that thrives on collaboration and innovation. We'll discuss case studies, practical tips, and share personal stories that illuminate the power of soft skills in transforming businesses and lives.

Click the link in the comments to listen to our conversation of Soft Skills Delivering Hard Numbers.

What I learned about Leadership as a trusted assistant to Oscar-winning actress Olympia Dukakis. Bonnie Low-Kramen shares insights from her book, ”Staff Matters”.

Welcome to the Human CEO Book Club, where we dive deep into the pages of remarkable books that empower and shape leaders around the world.

 

In this episode, we are thrilled to feature a captivating and insightful book that has been making waves in the hiring and culture realm.  We're talking about "Staff Matters" by Bonnie Low-Kramen.

 

As leaders, we understand the immense impact our team members have on the success of our organizations. Yet, creating a supportive, inclusive, and high-performing work environment can be a complex and ever-evolving challenge. Thankfully, Bonnie Low-Kramen's book, "Staff Matters," provides invaluable guidance and strategies for navigating the intricate world of staffing with expertise and compassion.

 

Bonnie Low-Kramen, a renowned leader, author, and advocate for workplace excellence, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. She has spent decades as a trusted assistant to Oscar-winning actress Olympia Dukakis, honing her expertise in creating exceptional teams and fostering professional growth.

 

Throughout the pages of this book, Bonnie Low-Kramen shares her own experiences, anecdotes, and practical advice, ensuring that leaders at all levels can benefit from her wisdom. From hiring and training to addressing conflicts and fostering a sense of belonging, "Staff Matters" offers a comprehensive roadmap for transforming your team into a powerful force that drives your organization forward.

 

In this episode, Bonnie Low-Kramen will share her inspirations behind "Staff Matters" and delve into the critical topics covered within its pages. We will uncover the secrets to creating an environment where staff members not only excel but also find fulfillment and purpose in their work.

 

Join us for a great conversation with Bonnie Low-Kramen about her remarkable book, "Staff Matters."

”In leadership, if you can get people behind your purpose anything is possible” Bob Andrews, CEO of Benenden Health joins Amy to talk about leadership, culture and purpose.

Welcome to the Human CEO today I’m joined by Bob Andrews.

 

Bob is the CEO of Benenden Health.  Benenden Health is a not-for-profit mutual society in the UK providing private medical cover. Its membership consists of over 800,000 individuals and employees of corporate schemes provided by them.

 

Bob began his career in the financial sector before moving into insurance and more recently finding his passion for healthcare through his work with Benenden. Bob has been CEO at Benenden for almost 6 years and is responsible for the development of strategic objectives which includes the recent partnerships with Channel 4’s Time for a Check in to get the nation checking in on their health.

 

Bob  joins us to share his insight on his journey and the challenges that he has overcome as a Human CEO. 

 

Thanks for listening.

Amy

”I’m always thinking: so if this happens, what am I going to do?” Graham Hasting-Evans joins us to discuss Leadership, the skills strategy for the 2012 Olympics and more.

Welcome to the Human CEO. In this episode, we're joined by Graham Hasting- Evans

 

Graham is the CEO of NOCN. NOCN  is an educational charity that has been creating opportunities through learning and skills development for over 30 years.

 

The group includes business units specialising in regulated UK and international qualifications, End Point Assessment, assured short courses, SMART job cards, assessment services, consultancy, and research.

Graham started his career in building and construction before moving on to develop the skills strategy for the London 2012 Olympics. He was programme director at the UK Commission for Employment and Skills before joining NOCN, in 2011.

Graham has worked closely with the government on apprenticeship reforms, including the Apprenticeship Levy. Graham regularly speaks at events in the UK and internationally and is often called upon for comment in further education sector media.

Graham joins us to share his insight on his journey and the challenges that he has overcome as a Human CEO.

”You want to get into a state which is calm and focused...” Reiner Kraft is an expert in biohacking, epigenetics and mindful leadership.

Welcome to the Human CEO in this episode I’m joined by Reiner Kraft.

Reiner is an expert in biohacking, epigenetics and mindful leadership. Reiner is a Silicon Valley tech veteran who has pioneered measurable mindfulness, a data-driven approach to systematically increasing your level of present awareness (LPA),  as well as mindful leadership methodologies in the past 10 years and helped many people working in the tech industry to reach new levels of awareness, performance, energy, and resilience. 

Reiner joins us to share his insight on his methodologies and how to be a more mindful, more Human CEO.

”No matter how bleak the situation is it just takes a kind word...” Ram is the Chief Exec and Co-Founder at Innervated Vehicle Engineering.

In this episode we're joined by Ram Gokal.

 

Ram is the Chief Exec and Co-Founder at Innervated Vehicle Engineering. An organisation set up to design, develop and deliver a zero operational emissions LGV with the same payload and range as a Diesel vehicle. 

 

An engineer by trade, Ram has developed a career within automotive working for some of the most well know names in the industry before launching Innervated over 3 years ago. They now have operational vehicles and are also helping other manufacturers understand how their fleet can be fulled for the future with hydrogen.

 

Ram joins us to share his insight as a leader and Human CEO.

 

”How do I release the genius of the person I’m working with?” Leadership Coach, Myles Downey joins Amy to discuss how leaders can and should move towards an empowering leadership model.

Welcome to the Human CEO, in this episode we're joined by Myles Downey.

 

Myles is a leader's performance coach, writer and consultant. As the author of The Enabling Manager Myles discusses the concept of the move away from command and control and towards the empowering approach of the enabling manager.

 

Myles has been teaching coaching for 30 years across the business and sports world. He believes that coaching is imperative to being an effective manager. 

 

Myles joins us to share his insight as a leader and a coach and to discuss how to be a more effective, more Human CEO

“When you feel uncomfortable is when you learn the most lessons…” Hayley Roberts the CEO of Distology, a cyber security distributor based in the North West of the UK.

“When you feel uncomfortable is when you learn the most lessons…” 

 

Today we're joined by Hayley Roberts.

 

Hayley is the CEO of Distology, a cyber security distributor based in the North West of the UK. 

 

Hayley began her career in Sales & Marketing before moving into the tech sector. Now 8 years into her journey as a founder and CEO, with 3 offices across Europe and a team of 60 Distology is growing quickly. 

 

Hayley joins us to share her insight as a CEO and to share the challenges that she is facing and overcoming on a daily basis.

”Treat people like people and not as moving parts.” Mike Stephens shares his insight and approach to leadership.

Welcome to the Human CEO. In this episode we're joined by Mike Stephens.

 

Mike is the CEO of Entrepreneurial Spark, a purpose-led accelerator for entrepreneurs. Mike has been leading E-Spark since 2018. Mike describes himself as a restless idea-hunter, with a deeply held belief in the power of creativity and curiosity to change the world, hence his passion of working with entrepreneurs. 

 

Mike joins us to share his insight as a leader and Human CEO.