If the themes in these podcasts resonate, and you sense your mid-level managers could benefit from deeper reflection and peer exchange, consider joining our monthly online community. Hosted by Roddy Millar, it’s a relaxed yet purposeful space where leadership challenges are unpacked with insight and camaraderie. Each session offers structure without rigidity, and conversation without jargon. To learn more or explore joining, drop us a line at: admin@ideasforleaders.com

👉Read the full Zombie Leadership article on Ideas for Leaders here: https://ideasforleaders.com/Ideas/zombie-leadership-outdated-theory-still-creates-hero-leaders/

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In this episode of The Power Between by Ideas for Leaders, host Roddy Millar speaks with Judy Flaschmann, with years of experience in both charity and public sectors. Judy shares the challenges mid-level managers face and why peer support, self-reflection, and emotional intelligence are key to strong leadership today.

Judy Flaschmann, a leadership and development expert, talks about her path from HR studies to leading manager training in a large UK government office. She explains how early experiences in drama and teaching shaped her passion for helping managers grow, and why support, reflection, and mindset shifts matter most in middle leadership roles.

Key Topics:

• The Bridge Role: How middle managers sit between teams and senior leaders, often feeling stuck in between.
• Letting Go: Why stepping up means giving up control and trusting others to do things differently.
• Peer Power: How peer support groups can help managers feel less alone and grow together.
• Mindset Shifts: Why comfort with change, tension, and unclear answers is key to leading well.
• Real Growth: The need for leaders to reflect, connect, and protect time for their own learning.

Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Teaser

[00:02:00] Judy shares her early path into HR and how a volunteer workshop shifted her focus to learning and development

[00:04:24] Moving from small charities to national roles and how remote work helped shape her hybrid training experience

[00:06:38] Judy explores the real challenges of stepping into middle management and the shift in needed skills

[00:13:55] The "bridge" analogy: Judy explains how middle managers live between senior leaders and teams

[00:17:55] Why relationships and influence, not control are key for middle leaders to succeed and grow

[00:19:35] Judy unpacks the value of peer groups and shared identity in managing emotional work and pressure

[00:26:53] Supporting middle managers: balancing operations with strategy and building system awareness

[00:33:35] The human side of leadership, emotions, mindset shifts, and building habits for long-term growth

[00:34:58] Why reflection never ends and how every transition is a new leadership test

📚 Resources:

👉 Subscribe to DLQ just for $3 for 3 months -

If the themes in these podcasts resonate, and you sense your mid-level managers could benefit from deeper reflection and peer exchange, consider joining our monthly online community. Hosted by Roddy Millar, it’s a relaxed yet purposeful space where leadership challenges are unpacked with insight and camaraderie. Each session offers structure without rigidity, and conversation without jargon. To learn more or explore joining, drop us a line at admin@ideasforleaders.com

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In this episode of The Power Between by Ideas for Leaders, host Roddy Millar goes deep into the world of leadership development with Paul Williamson, Group Head of Talent Development at ATG Entertainment UK. With two decades in theater and live entertainment, Paul brings a unique perspective to coaching, culture, and lifelong learning, emphasizing the importance of human-centered leadership.

Paul Williamson, a chartered CIPD leader, and executive coach, discusses his career journey from a box office assistant to leading talent development for a global theater company. He shares how his background in theater and an early interest in coaching have shaped his innovative leadership programs, which focus on authenticity, influence, and personal growth.

Key Topics:

• The Power of Influence: Leaders at any level can influence others without authority or command.
• Creating Connection: How live theater and coaching both create a powerful connection and a shared experience between people.
• The Authentic Leader: The importance of leaders doing "deep work on self" and speaking from the heart to create a sense of reality and trust with their teams.
• The Coaching Ripple Effect: How coaching is not just for remedial cases but for high-performing individuals and how it creates a positive ripple effect throughout an organization.
• The Leader as Coach: A leadership choice to take a coaching approach in an organization.

Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Trailer: The host, Roddy, discusses how middle management is often overlooked in leadership development.

[00:02:09] A quick overview of Paul Williamson's career and expertise, Paul recounts his 28-year career at ATG, starting in a box office and moving into leadership.

[00:06:16] Paul discusses the growth of ATG to 71 venues worldwide with over 11,000 employees.

[00:13:05] Paul discusses how coaching changed his approach to management, shifting from giving answers to empowering people.

[00:23:34] Paul shares an anecdote about the first Rising Stars presentation and its powerful impact on senior management.

[00:31:37] Paul explains how he applies coaching principles, like contracting, to create a psychologically safe space in his development programs.

[00:44:26] A discussion about the necessity of taking breaks and prioritizing self-care for leaders.

📚 Resources:

👉 Subscribe to DLQ just for $3 for 3 months - https://developingleadersquarterly.com/long-story-short/

👉 Read...

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