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

__________________________________________

In this episode of The Power Between by Ideas for Leaders, host Roddy Millar speaks with Dr Jacqueline Conway, Founder & Principal Director of Waldencroft. Jacqueline shares insights from her research on executive readiness and the challenges leaders face in a fast-changing world. She explains how senior leaders can work better together, develop the right skills, and prepare their teams for future disruption through smart leadership and teamwork.

Dr Jacqueline Conway, a leadership coach and founder of Waldencroft, shares her journey of helping senior leaders deal with constant change. She talks about her research on executive readiness and how leaders can grow by working together. Jacqueline explains how teamwork, real-time learning, and new thinking can help leaders stay calm, plan ahead, and guide their teams through complex times.

Key Topics:

• Executive Readiness: Why senior leaders need new skills to face constant change and disruption in today’s world.
• Leading as a Team: How leadership at the top works best when done together, not alone.
• Real-Time Development: Why learning while working on real problems helps leaders grow faster.
• Middle Manager Role: The important part mid-level leaders play in spotting change early and keeping teams on track.
• Shifting Leadership Focus: How leaders must change their thinking as they move higher in an organization.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Teaser

[01:12] Jacqueline shares her background and interest in senior leadership challenges

[02:52] How non-stop disruption is overwhelming today’s executive leaders

[05:48] The three executive readiness gaps: cognitive, relational, and developmental

[07:52] Why traditional leadership training no longer fits today’s fast-changing world

[09:52] The need for collective leadership at the C-suite level

[14:07] Coaching vs. in-context learning: two paths to leadership growth

[19:03] Using futures thinking, moral awareness, and context-based learning

[22:50] Four key leadership shifts: time, task, complexity, and ethics

[25:19] Why clear roles matter at each level of leadership in an organization

[32:52] Ethical risks and lessons from the 2008 financial crisis

[38:32] Balancing control with agency: the need to trust capable mid-level teams

[41:11] Helping C-suite leaders shift focus from doing to leading

[43:01] Coaching leaders through uncertainty and collective work

📚 Resources:

👉...

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

__________________________________________

In this episode of The Power Between by Ideas for Leaders, host Roddy Millar chats with Phoebe Garfinkel, Head of HR at AstraZeneca. With a diverse background, Phoebe talks about her journey from poetry to business, and her experience leading HR teams in a large global company. She shares insights on developing middle managers, the importance of coaching, and how strong leadership skills can shape company culture, drive performance, and enhance employee satisfaction.

Phoebe Garfinkel, Head of HR at AstraZeneca, shares her unique journey from studying poetry to leading HR in a global company. She talks about her passion for developing middle managers, emphasising the importance of coaching, clear communication, and creating an environment where managers can grow. Phoebe explains how strong leadership and emotional intelligence can drive team performance and culture.

Key Topics:

• The Power of Coaching: How building a coaching mindset in managers helps improve team performance and growth.
• Supporting Managers: The importance of developing middle managers to lead effectively and understand their team’s needs.
• Leadership and Emotional Intelligence: Why emotionally aware leaders create a positive environment that drives success.
• Clear Communication: How setting clear expectations and giving regular feedback helps teams stay on track.
• Building Strong Team Culture: How leaders shape a team’s culture by focusing on relationships, trust, and open communication.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Teaser

[02:24] Phoebe shares her background and how her career journey led her to HR and leadership development.

[08:35] The transition from technical roles to management and the challenges of middle managers.

[11:05] Creating a shared vision for managers and aligning them with company values

[20:49] The role of emotional intelligence in leadership and how it influences team culture.

[23:16] The importance of managing difficult conversations and providing constructive feedback.

[24:25] Building a strong team culture through trust, communication, and coaching.

[30:06] The importance of coaching for managers and how it drives performance and growth.

[31:32] Key takeaways on how to develop effective middle managers for long-term success

[34:12] How leaders can support their teams’ well-being while balancing performance expectations.

📚 Resources:

👉 Subscribe to DLQ just for $3 for 3 months: https://developingleadersquarterly.com/

👉 Read this article from DLQ46 for free on ‘From Compete and Compare to Collaborate and Care’:

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/

__________________________________________

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 -