Imi Podcast Talking Business

How does the combination of collaboration, connection and culture factor in to optimising hybrid work for your team and your organisation?  While circumstances over the past couple of years have taught us a lot of valuable lessons about the inner workings of hybrid, there is still much to figure out.  To dig deeper on this topic, this week I am joined by Ciara D’Arcy. An experienced Human Resources Director, Ciara is formerly HR Director of Accenture Ireland, Head of HR with Google and Technical Director with IBEC. In 2021, she held a People Strategy Network event at IMI on Leading the Hybrid Organisation. This conversation was recorded on November 2nd, 2021.

When we think about the future of work, often we are left with more questions than answers as leaders.  But if the future of work truly is ours to shape, what does the model look like and what trends are emerging?  This week we are joined by Peter Cosgrove, the Managing Director of Futurewise Ltd, a future of work research company that supports organisations in navigating the rapidly changing world of work.   Peter joined an IMI Council meeting late last year to contextualise the challenges and opportunities that the future of work could present. This conversation was recorded on October 13th, 2021.

This year, leaders have been asked time and again to rise to the challenge of change. Amid the uncertainty, the IMI Talking Leadership podcast has welcomed a host of world-class global thought leaders, empowering leaders with valuable and actionable insights along the way.   In this edition of the podcast, we will look back at the main themes we covered in 2021, from inclusion to digital transformation to sustainability and much more, and ask ourselves the question: What were the main leadership lessons to come out of this year?

Of the 100 largest economies in the world by GDP, 69 are companies. As such, the business world has a massive influence on turning the tide in terms of our global goals on sustainability. This week, to contextualise the challenges ahead and analyse where leaders fit into this ‘big picture’ issue, we are joined by an authority in this space, Marga Hoek. Why is sustainability not necessarily just a top-down initiative in businesses? What part does trust play in planting the seeds for a sustainable future? How can CEOs communicate and execute on ambitious sustainability-led visions? Marga is a member of the prestigious Thinkers50 and an expert on sustainable business and capital. She recently held a Masterclass for IMI on A New Vision for Sustainability. This conversation was recorded on November 24th, 2021.

How can leaders harness the vast return that inclusion brings to teams and organisations and foster an mindset of shared responsibility to ensure the barriers to inclusive practices are overcome? To go deeper on this fascinating subject, I am delighted to be joined by Sile Walsh, an expert in inclusion and leadership. Sile specialises in strategic leadership and organisational development. She is experienced coaching senior leaders and middle managers across sectors including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, education, technology, and commerce within Ireland and internationally. This conversation was recorded on October 1st, 2021.

How can leaders create a roadmap for leading teams and building trust in the complex world of hybrid working? To answer this question and to discuss practical takeaways for leaders to navigate the current landscape, I am joined this week on the podcast by Paula Milligan. Paula is the Managing Director of the LALLO Consultancy business and has successfully worked with clients across the UK, Europe, US and Middle Eastern markets. This conversation was recorded on October 1st, 2021.

Why is digital transformation taking business leaders out of their comfort zone - and what can they do to reframe their mindset on this crucial area? To dispel some of the myths around digital transformation, I am joined this week on the podcast by Tony Moroney. Tony is a digital transformation consult, a member of the IMI Associate faculty and the Programme Director for the Professional Diploma in Digital Leadership. This conversation was recorded on July 6th, 2021.

Resilience has been a watch word for leaders and their teams during the disruption caused by the pandemic. With our IMI-CUBS Organisational Resilience Survey revealing that 86% of leaders felt their organisation responded ‘well’ or ‘very well’ to the pandemic, this week on the podcast we will go deeper on that topic with National Management Conference keynote speaker, Whitney Johnson.  According to Whitney, building resilient teams and organisations starts with the individual. Through her Personal Disruption Framework and S-Curve of Learning, in this episode Whitney explains how leaders can become more comfortable taking the right risks, boost their ‘return on achievement’ and deal with ambiguity.   Whitney Johnson is the CEO of human capital consultancy WLJ Advisors and is one of the 50 leading business thinkers in the world as named by Thinkers50. An innovation and disruption theorist, she is the best-selling author of Build an A-Team and Disrupt Yourself.  This conversation was recorded on 7th October

The leadership landscape over the past 12 to 18 months has been unpredictable, to say the least, bringing with it a myriad of challenges and change. Throughout the year, IMI has continued to deliver timely, informative and insightful content from the crème de la crème of thought leaders around the world.   In this special episode of Talking Leadership, we have collated 10 of the top leadership insights from the year so far, covering topics from digital transformation to collaboration to resilience and more.

The idea of psychological safety has come to the fore over the past 18 months. With teams separated, leaders have a renewed focus on being inclusive and fostering a culture of respect and openness to break down the digital barriers that exist.   With the return to the office looming, however, we must check in on key questions about psychological safety in the hybrid model - how can leaders create it; what are its benefits and are there any misconceptions about it? To go deeper on the subject, this week Laura Delizonna joins the podcast.   Laura is an executive coach, instructor at Stanford University, an international speaker and a thought leader in the space of psychological safety. She wrote a popular Harvard Business Review article on the link between psychological safety and high-performing teams.  This conversation was recorded on July 7th, 2021.

Welcome to the second edition of IMI’s Leaders Series podcast, where we will go deeper with leaders on what makes them tick, how they developed their distinct leadership style and what leading means to them. This week, I am delighted to be joined by Bernard Gloster, CEO of Tusla. Bernard is an alumnus of IMI’s Masters in Management Practice, from which he graduated in 2019. I am also delighted to be joined by Kerrie Fleming, Associate Dean at Ashridge Executive Education and an Associate Faculty member at IMI. In this episode, Bernard shares his thoughts on the power of mentors, sticking to your core values and the importance of culture.

This week on the podcast, our focus turns to resilience and specifically how to embed it within your organisation’s day to day to reduce stress and forge a clear road map to productivity.  I’m joined by Eibhlin Johnston, Managing Director of the Resiliency Hub. She is an author, speaker, coach, trainer and consultant. She works as a consultant in financial services and has 30 years’ experience working in blue-chip organisations across of range of business areas.  Eibhlin was welcomed by the IMI community earlier this year for a webinar where she spoke about A Roadmap for Resilient Leaders.  This conversation was recorded on April 7th, 2021.

How can we channel the power of inquiry to make better decisions and move forward in an era of constant change and transition?   This week I am delighted to be joined by Hal Gregersen to go deeper on that very subject.   Hal is a senior lecturer in leadership and innovation at the MIT Sloan School of Management, a recipient of the Thinkers50 #1 leadership award and author of ten books.  This conversation was recorded on May 17th, 2021.

How realistic is a four-day working week in our lifetime? Working from home has recalibrated our expectations, but it has also surfaced new challenges for all of us.    To go deeper, this week I am joined by Bruce Daisley, a best-selling author and one of the most respected thought leaders on the subject of workplace culture and the future of work.  Bruce was welcomed recently by the IMI with his Future of Work Series session on Workplace Culture.  This conversation was recorded on April 26th, 2021.

The numbers on AI don’t lie: two-thirds of executives think AI is crucial for their business’ success. By 2025, it is predicted that AI will grow up to $118 billion.   To dig in on the potential and pitfalls, this week I am joined by David Kerrigan, a specialist in artificial intelligence. David is an author, speaker, and founder of London-based software firm, Quikkly, which provides computer vision solutions to over 500 million users.  David was welcomed recently by the IMI with his webinar on A Pragmatic Introduction to AI.  This conversation was recorded on March 11th, 2021.

Welcome to the first edition of IMI’s Leaders Series podcast, where we will go deeper with leaders on what makes them tick, how they developed their distinct leadership style and what leading means to them.   This week, I am privileged to be joined by Donal O’Donoghue, Managing Director at Sanderson and President of the National Recruitment Federation. Donal is an alumnus of IMI’s Masters in Management Practice, from which he graduated with a First Class Honours with Distinction.   I am also delighted to be joined by Kerrie Fleming, Associate Dean at Ashridge Executive Education, an Associate Faculty member at IMI and the Programme Director for the Masters in Management Practice.  This conversation was recorded on March 25th, 2021.

Purpose in organisations is often talked about, but the gap between the perception and the reality on the ground can be eye-opening. To separate the fact from the fiction about purpose-led leadership, and to dive into how leaders can embed purpose as a key pillar of their businesses, I am joined this week by Kerrie Fleming. Kerrie is a Managing Partner of ELEOS, an Associate Dean at Ashridge Executive Education and an IMI Associate faculty member. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies, international governments, indigenous and international organisations. She was welcomed recently by the IMI with her Mini-Masterclass on Empowering your People Through Purpose-Driven Leadership.  This conversation was recorded on March 22nd, 2021.

This week our focus turns to the future, as we dive into the key qualities and competencies to be an effective leader in a business landscape that has undergone its fair share of changes in the last 12 months.   I’m joined by Jacob Morgan, a four-time best-selling author, speaker and futurist and the founder of the Future of Work University. We discuss the end of work-life balance as we know it, the 'wiggling the mouse' phenomenon, employee engagement and how the typical working day should look.  Jacob was welcomed recently by the IMI community with his Masterclass on the Future Leader: 9 Leadership Skills and Mindsets for the Future of Work.  This conversation was recorded on February 24th, 2021.

Today we will turn our focus to the people who make businesses go. HR is being tested like never before in our current landscape, with a fine balance between focusing on business growth and developing performance capabilities for the now – and for the future.  I am joined by Jon Ingham, a people and organisation development strategist. Jon is a HR Executive ‘Top HR Tech Influencer’, an independent consultant, trainer, keynote speaker and analyst. His work helps companies apply academic research, new technology and innovation to the way they generate competitive advantages through their people.   Jon was recently welcomed by IMI as part of our People Strategy Network with his session on 'HR as a Leading Growth Strategist'. This conversation was recorded on February 22nd, 2021.

Today we will take a closer look at leading a remote workforce, the challenges therein and the solutions that companies have moved towards during this time of change.  I am joined by Jennifer Dowling, a work and organisational psychologist and the director of Train Remote, which offers comprehensive capabilities and knowledge for your organisation to harness the potential of remote work and remote-first training. Jennifer is an Executive Coach with the IMI working on the Professional Diplomas in Leadership, Management and Coaching. She is also the Programme Director for IMI's custom and open enrolment Virtual Leadership programmes.  This conversation was recorded on February 18th, 2021.