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The Inner Chief

Greg Layton

The Inner Chief is a leadership podcast for managers and leaders who want to accelerate their career and build high performing teams. Every episode is dedicated to helping leaders rise above the pressure of work to establish a more meaningful career and life. Through a series of CEO interviews and minisodes, listeners are guided through practical leadership strategies, executive performance habits, career tips and business advice.

https://www.chiefmaker.com/connect

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  • 21 episodes
  • Avg 28 min
  • English

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  • S1 · E395
    Tuesday · 1 hr

    395. The 4 Rs of M&A transactions, guiding high-stakes negotiations, and post-deal integration success, with Natasha Mandie, Founder & CEO of EM Advisory

    "Understand there's no zero-risk option in a transaction, but there is a lot of upside, particularly if you can get everyone aligned." In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Natasha Mandie, Founder & CEO of EM Advisory, on the 4 Rs of M&A transactions, guiding high-stakes negotiations, and post-deal integration success. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/395 👂 INFLUENCE DIFFICULT STAKEHOLDERS USING THIS STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: chiefmaker.com/stakeholders Natasha is the CEO of EM Advisory, an independent corporate advisory firm working with Founders, CEOs and Boards at critical moments of capital, succession, growth and transaction decision-making. With almost 30 years' experience across capital markets, governance, M&A and strategic growth, she has advised on more than 250 transactions spanning growth capital, strategic partnerships and founder exits across Australia and New Zealand. Her work typically sits in the $20 million to $200 million transaction range, where leaders need more than a process; they need judgement, structure, narrative, negotiation support and the confidence to make hard calls. Natasha is known for her clear, evidence-based advice and for telling clients when to raise, sell, hold, restructure, walk away or change the story before value is lost. In this M&A Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ How the Four Rs can guide better M&A deal making and reduce transaction risk. ✅ Why guardrails, rapport and the power of saying no matter in high-stakes negotiations. ✅ How people, culture and incentives can determine whether post-deal integration succeeds or fails, and ✅ Why founders and corporate executives experience M&A differently, and how that shapes negotiation behaviour. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Natasha Mandie You can connect with Natasha via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Getting Naked - by Patrick Lencioni Similar Episodes on Mergers & Acquisitions James Schofield, Founder of Insight Investor Relations, on Pitching your business, raising capital and winning investor trust Ant Moorhouse, Co-Founder and CEO of EarthTech, on Purpose-driven leadership, and changing the planet by harnessing technology and capitalism Ben Simon, Partner at Rose Partners, on Diffusing heated negotiations, identifying red flags during a deal, and managing founders Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • S1 · E394
    September 15 · 17 min

    394. GTFG (Get the F*n Gold): Five Principles for focus, alignment and nailing goals [Minisode]

    " Simplicity scales, complexity fails." Chief, in today's Minisode I walk you through strategic focus for maximum performance impact, and why you should align your team to go in search of your 'gold'. There are times in business when the sheer number of things you could do becomes the biggest barrier to doing what actually matters. Projects multiply. Priorities compete. Every department has initiatives that seem important. Before long, an organisation can be incredibly busy while making very little progress on the outcome that matters most. That is where GTFG comes in. It is a mindset I first developed while working on a turnaround at an African gold mine in 2013. But the lesson applies to almost any executive team, business or organisation. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/394 👂 ARE YOU PRIORITISING CORE BUSINESS? Or are you wasting time and effort on non-core activities? Identify where your team should be spending all their time. chiefmaker.com/focus In this Minisode, I'll break down for you: ✅ How to define your gold and align the team around one shared outcome ✅ Why simplicity, ruthless prioritisation and removing distraction improve execution, and ✅ How ownership, collaboration and the right people create high-performance teams. Stay epic, Greg Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • S1 · E393
    August 25 · 20 min

    393. Leading at the right level (and why it's actually three levels) [Minisode]

    "To be highly effective and be a true Chief, you actually have to work at three levels: your level, the level below you and the level above you." Chief, in today's Minisode I walk you through the concept of leading at the right level, and why it's so crucial to building a track record that will supercharge your career progression. One of the conversations I have regularly with Heads of Talent, Heads of HR and CEOs is whether someone is really operating at the level their role requires. Understanding these levels will also help you build high-performance teams because you can become much clearer about what level of leader a particular role - and therefore the business - actually needs. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/393 👂 JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR THE MOST PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP & EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ON THE MARKET (NPS: 91): chiefmaker.com/minimba In this Minisode, I'll break down for you: ✅ How the 6 Levels of Leadership change your work, accountability and time horizon ✅ Why high-value leaders operate at their level, plus the levels above and below, and ✅ How to stop working in the weeds and build evidence of your leadership track record. Stay epic, Greg Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • August 17 · 8 min

    Mini Chief: Running a powerful 360 feedback process, with Tracey Burton, Executive Director of Uniting [Best of Series]

    "The important thing about 360 feedback is to sit down with the people who gave you the feedback and be brave and transparent about what you learnt and what you'll do with it." This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Tracey Burton, Executive Director of Uniting. Her full episode is titled Experiential learning, 360 degree feedback and the future of the health industry. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/391 👂 DISCOVER HOW THE CHIEF MAKER MINI MBA WILL DRIVE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT IN REAL-TIME. JOIN THE WAITLIST: chiefmaker.com/minimba Tracey has been the Executive Director of Uniting NSW/ACT since April 2018. She has more than 35 years' experience in the Australian health and community services sector including leadership roles at St John of God Health Care, Ramsay Healthcare and St Vincent's Health Australia. In addition to her executive management roles, she has also served as a Board Director for aged care services, disability services in New Zealand and for a medical research foundation. Tracey holds a Bachelor of Health Administration, an MBA, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has done an Executive program in Negotiation at Columbia University in New York. In the full Best of Series Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ Why being the smartest person in the room won't help you lead ✅ How to supplement formal education with experiential continuous learning ✅ The do's and don'ts of 360 feedback and why it is so powerful; and ✅ The future of the healthcare industry and how these now measure up 7 years after our initial interview. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Tracey Burton You can connect with Tracey via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Your Leadership Diamond - by Paul Mitchell The Untethered Soul - by Michael Singer Similar Episodes on feedback Paula Martin, Executive Director, Regional NSW and Visitor Economy at Business NSW, on Learning from everyone, adapting to shorter strategy cycles, and genuinely receiving feedback Neil Craig, Former AFL Head Coach on High performance environments, your North Star and decision-making under pressure Chief Maker Minisode Series on How to Give Feedback Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • S1 · E392
    August 12 · 23 min

    392. The Executive's Guide to Organisational Value Creation and Protection [Minisode]

    " Value is not always profit; it's the outcome the organisation is designed, funded, trusted or judged to produce. And if your track record aligns to that, the more valuable you become." Chief, in today's Minisode I run you through the various ways organisations create value for their various stakeholders. In today's world, I believe that many have become distracted from the actual core role of being a Chief, which is to create value and to protect value, depending on the kind of organisation you work for. Today, I walk you through the above and why understanding it is so important for your career momentum - whether as an owner, founder, leader, board member or shareholder. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/392 👂 EQUIP YOUR MIDDLE MANAGERS AND SENIOR LEADERS WITH THE TOOLS TO DRIVE CHANGE AND RESULTS. JOIN THE WAITLIST: chiefmaker.com/minimba In this Minisode, I'll break down for you: ✅ The key differences between Value Creation and Value Protection. ✅ The various types of value that a company creates and protects. ✅ Value drivers and measures in each organisation type, and how you can build your personal track record. Stay epic, Greg Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • S1 · E391
    July 30 · 47 min

    391. Experiential learning, 360 degree feedback and the future of the health industry, with Tracey Burton, Executive Director of Uniting [Best of Series]

    "I was attempting to be the smartest person in the room, trying to add value to somebody else's work. It was not facilitating others' greatest contributions. In fact, it shuts people down." In this Best of Series episode, we replay a chat I had in 2019 with Tracey Burton, Executive Director of Uniting, on experiential learning, 360 degree feedback and the future of the health industry. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/391 👂 DISCOVER HOW THE CHIEF MAKER MINI MBA WILL DRIVE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT IN REAL-TIME. JOIN THE WAITLIST: chiefmaker.com/minimba Tracey has been the Executive Director of Uniting NSW/ACT since April 2018. She has more than 35 years' experience in the Australian health and community services sector including leadership roles at St John of God Health Care, Ramsay Healthcare and St Vincent's Health Australia. In addition to her executive management roles, she has also served as a Board Director for aged care services, disability services in New Zealand and for a medical research foundation. Tracey holds a Bachelor of Health Administration, an MBA, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has done an Executive program in Negotiation at Columbia University in New York. In this Best of Series Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ Why being the smartest person in the room won't help you lead ✅ How to supplement formal education with experiential continuous learning ✅ The do's and don'ts of 360 feedback and why it is so powerful; and ✅ The future of the healthcare industry and how these now measure up 7 years after our initial interview. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Tracey Burton You can connect with Tracey via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Your Leadership Diamond - by Paul Mitchell The Untethered Soul - by Michael Singer Similar Episodes on feedback Paula Martin, Executive Director, Regional NSW and Visitor Economy at Business NSW, on Learning from everyone, adapting to shorter strategy cycles, and genuinely receiving feedback Neil Craig, Former AFL Head Coach on High performance environments, your North Star and decision-making under pressure Chief Maker Minisode Series on How to Give Feedback Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • June 24 · 9 min

    Mini Chief: The keys to a perfect night's sleep with sleep guru Dr Carmel Harrington [Best of Series]

    "When we sleep, a spinal fluid washes over our brain and gets rid of a peptide called beta-amyloid which is implicated in the Alzheimer dementia process. So if we're not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, we really do suffer the consequences later on." This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Dr Carmel Harrington, an Executive Sleep Guru and Managing Director of Sleep for Health. Her full episode is titled The myths and factors of sleep that drive optimal health, joy and performance. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/389 👂 PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK. Make sure you assess all your leaders using the same systemised approach with this performance assessment tool: chiefmaker.com/performance Carmel is an internationally recognised sleep expert, having worked in the world of sleep for more than 20 years. She is the Managing Director of Sleep for Health and an Honorary Research Fellow at the Children's Hospital Westmead. Following a career as a lawyer and educator, she obtained a PHD in Sleep Medicine from Sydney University and consults with companies and educational institutions both here and overseas on sleep health. Amazed at the seemingly little importance given to sleep, she dove head-first into the emerging research that clearly demonstrated that sleeping well was a key component of optimal performance and health. Carmel has also written two books, "The Sleep Diet" and "The complete guide to a good night's sleep". In the full Sleep Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ The crazy myths we carry about sleep and how short-circuiting this vital human function does far more than just make us tired. ✅ The different kinds of sleep and the optimal number of hours we need each night. ✅ Polyphasic sleep, caffeine, alcohol, diet, and ✅ What to do when you can't sleep! Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Dr Carmel Harrington You can connect with Carmel via her website, sleepforhealth.com.au Books and Resources The Sleep Diet - by Dr Carmel Harrington The complete guide to a good night's sleep - by Dr Carmel Harrington The 4-Hour Body - by Tim Ferriss Similar Episodes on Sleep and Recovery The Sleep Doctor, Dr Michael Breus, on How to fix your sleep, achieving maximum performance outcomes, and the four chronotypes Chief Maker Minisode on How elite Chiefs do recovery properly Chief Maker Minisode on Top 3 tips for beating overwhelm and burnout Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • S1 · E390
    June 16 · 23 min

    390. The Ultimate Guide to conducting Annual Performance Reviews like a true Chief [Minisode]

    "The best annual performance reviews are built all year long." Chief, in today's Minisode I run you through how to run Annual Performance Reviews really well, so much so that they are enjoyable, collaborative and result in your people giving sustained extra effort and kicking goals for the company. I know for many of you, these meetings and processes can be stressful and you might not like delivering them. And if that's the case, you might find that the person you're reviewing will definitely not like experiencing them! Today, I walk you through the exact frameworks I use for his process and how you can lead with distinction and be the leader to your people that you always wanted to be. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/390 👂 HAVING SOMEONE'S CAREER PROGRESSION IN YOUR HANDS IS A PRIVILEGE. Are you taking this responsibility seriously? Find out how with our Performance Review guide: chiefmaker.com/performancereviews In this Minisode, I'll break down for you: ✅ Your mindset and role as a leader and coach in annual performance reviews. ✅ Preparation and context to ensure you're ready for the meeting. ✅ The CLEAR framework that provides a strong meeting agenda for maximum impact. Stay epic, Greg Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • June 8 · 6 min

    Mini Chief: Building human bridges in an AI world, with Nick Lissette, Founder & CEO of Blackpearl Group

    "Sales and marketing just seems to be like a lost skill so you have to learn to be the differentiator as the human bridge." This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Nick Lissette, Founder & CEO of Blackpearl Group. His full episode is titled Driving data into dollars, building human bridges in an AI world, and his "win or die" attitude. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/388 👂 JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR THE MOST PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP & EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ON THE MARKET (NPS: 91): chiefmaker.com/minimba Nick is the Founder and CEO of Blackpearl Group, a global data and AI technology company based in Wellington, New Zealand. With over 20 years in software, data and AI, he has built a career developing intelligent technology that drives measurable business growth. Under Nick's leadership, Blackpearl has grown from a founder-funded startup to a publicly listed global company providing purpose-built AI-powered tools to small to medium enterprises, helping them find and convert customers without expensive ad dependence. Nick is something of a serial entrepreneur, having founded an anti-spam SaaS service called Silver Cloud Mail in 2006, which he sold in 2012. In the full AI Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ Why AI speed only matters when it drives customer revenue outcomes. ✅ How to defend your business when code is no longer an obstacle. ✅ Why sales, marketing and human bridges still remain critical competitive advantages, and ✅ How executives can become AI-ready before AI takes their job. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Nick Lissette You can connect with Nick via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Creating Sustainable Advantage - by Jaynie Smith Pitch Anything - by Oren Klaff Similar Episodes on Artificial Intelligence Joel Pearson, Director of the Future Minds Lab, on Leading in uncertainty, Future-proofing for the AI revolution, and De-risking innovation Angus Stevens, Co-Founder & CEO of Start Beyond, on Putting guardrails on innovation and creating useful technology for tangible real-world problems Kath Blackham, CEO of The VERSA Group, on Extracting huge value from diversity and inclusion, the 4-day work week, and using tech for good Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • S1 · E389
    June 2 · 49 min

    389. Reducing dementia risk, optimising sleep and unlocking health, joy and performance with Dr Carmel Harrington [Best of Series]

    "When we sleep, a spinal fluid washes over our brain and gets rid of a peptide called beta-amyloid which is implicated in the Alzheimer dementia process. So if we're not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, we really do suffer the consequences later on." In this Best of Series episode, we replay a chat I had in 2019 with Executive Sleep Guru, Dr Carmel Harrington, on the myths and factors of sleep that drive optimal health, joy and performance. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/389 👂 PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK. Make sure you assess all your leaders using the same systemised approach with this performance assessment tool: chiefmaker.com/performance Carmel is an internationally recognised sleep expert, having worked in the world of sleep for more than 20 years. She is the Managing Director of Sleep for Health and an Honorary Research Fellow at the Children's Hospital Westmead. Following a career as a lawyer and educator, she obtained a PHD in Sleep Medicine from Sydney University and consults with companies and educational institutions both here and overseas on sleep health. Amazed at the seemingly little importance given to sleep, she dove head-first into the emerging research that clearly demonstrated that sleeping well was a key component of optimal performance and health. Carmel has also written two books, "The Sleep Diet" and "The complete guide to a good night's sleep". In this Sleep Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ The crazy myths we carry about sleep and how short-circuiting this vital human function does far more than just make us tired. ✅ The different kinds of sleep and the optimal number of hours we need each night. ✅ Polyphasic sleep, caffeine, alcohol, diet, and ✅ What to do when you can't sleep! Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Dr Carmel Harrington You can connect with Carmel via her website, sleepforhealth.com.au Books and Resources The Sleep Diet - by Dr Carmel Harrington The complete guide to a good night's sleep - by Dr Carmel Harrington The 4-Hour Body - by Tim Ferriss Similar Episodes on Sleep and Recovery The Sleep Doctor, Dr Michael Breus, on How to fix your sleep, achieving maximum performance outcomes, and the four chronotypes Chief Maker Minisode on How elite Chiefs do recovery properly Chief Maker Minisode on Top 3 tips for beating overwhelm and burnout Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • S1 · E388
    May 19 · 56 min

    388. Driving data into dollars, building human bridges in an AI world, and his "win or die" attitude, with Nick Lissette, Founder & CEO of Blackpearl Group

    "Is your customer winning from using your product? Are they making or saving money from you? If so, how much and how is that measurable to your product?" In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Nick Lissette, Founder & CEO of Blackpearl Group, on Driving data into dollars, building human bridges in an AI world, and his "win or die" attitude. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/388 👂 JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR THE MOST PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP & EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ON THE MARKET (NPS: 91): chiefmaker.com/minimba Nick is the Founder and CEO of Blackpearl Group, a global data and AI technology company based in Wellington, New Zealand. With over 20 years in software, data and AI, he has built a career developing intelligent technology that drives measurable business growth. Under Nick's leadership, Blackpearl has grown from a founder-funded startup to a publicly listed global company providing purpose-built AI-powered tools to small to medium enterprises, helping them find and convert customers without expensive ad dependence. Nick is something of a serial entrepreneur, having founded an anti-spam SaaS service called Silver Cloud Mail in 2006, which he sold in 2012. In this AI Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ Why AI speed only matters when it drives customer revenue outcomes. ✅ How to defend your business when code is no longer an obstacle. ✅ Why sales, marketing and human bridges still remain critical competitive advantages, and ✅ How executives can become AI-ready before AI takes their job Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Nick Lissette You can connect with Nick via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Creating Sustainable Advantage - by Jaynie Smith Pitch Anything - by Oren Klaff Similar Episodes on Artificial Intelligence Joel Pearson, Director of the Future Minds Lab, on Leading in uncertainty, Future-proofing for the AI revolution, and De-risking innovation Angus Stevens, Co-Founder & CEO of Start Beyond, on Putting guardrails on innovation and creating useful technology for tangible real-world problems Kath Blackham, CEO of The VERSA Group, on Extracting huge value from diversity and inclusion, the 4-day work week, and using tech for good Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • May 17 · 6 min

    Mini Chief: Building alliances with your enemies to get things done, with David Borger, Executive Director for Business Western Sydney and former NSW Politician

    "If you've got good relationships and you're building alliances around ideas and issues, you can get things done." This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features David Borger, Executive Director for Business Western Sydney and former NSW Politician. His full episode is titled Building alliances with your enemies, finding your executive courage, and championing legacy projects. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/386 👂 DISCOVER HOW THE CHIEF MAKER MINI MBA WILL DRIVE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT IN REAL-TIME. JOIN THE WAITLIST: chiefmaker.com/minimba David is the Executive Director of Business Western Sydney, where he champions the growth, infrastructure and innovation precincts shaping one of Australia's most important regions. A former Lord Mayor of Parramatta (the youngest ever at just 30), David has also been the State Member for Granville and Minister for Roads and Housing, and has has spent his career bringing people together around big ideas and getting things done. He has served on a range of Boards across government, business, transport, culture and urban development, including NRMA and the Powerhouse Museum. David is still as passionate as ever about ensuring that all communities are great places to live, regardless of where they are located. In the full Relationship-building Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ Building alliances around ideas, by communicating even with your enemies. ✅ Finding the courage to speak up when you first get elevated to a senior position. ✅ Advocating for large projects in small decision time windows, and ✅ Championing Western Sydney's infrastructure, innovation precincts and legacy projects. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with David Borger You can connect with David via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Freedom's Forge - by Arthur Herman The New Geography of Jobs - by Enrico Moretti Similar Episodes from Business NSW Paula Martin, Executive Director, Regional NSW and Visitor Economy, on Learning from everyone, adapting to shorter strategy cycles, and genuinely receiving feedback Paul Nicolaou, the Executive Director of Business Sydney, on The 3Ps of building an insanely valuable network, daring to be different, and making people happy Zaklina Craig, Executive Director – People, Culture & Workplace, on Optimising role design for peak performance, managing differences in confidence between men and women, and navigating the decision to fire someone Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • S1 · E387
    May 13 · 13 min

    387. The 5 pillars of building a High Performance Team [Minisode]

    "This framework is the core of what we do at Chief Maker. We join leaders' intuitive abilities with a framework and a process they can follow and repeat and really make it their own." Chief, in today's Minisode I run you through the High Performance Teams framework that is behind the Chief Maker MiniMBA Program we run every quarter for executives and other aspiring senior leaders. Recently, in Episode 385, I spoke about the I AM GREAT method, which I believe is crucial to implement if you desire to lead a high-performing team. Today, I walk you through the 5 pillars of the HPT framework so that you get a clear understanding of what separates good teams from great ones. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/387 👂 EQUIP YOUR MIDDLE MANAGERS AND SENIOR LEADERS WITH THE TOOLS TO DRIVE CHANGE AND RESULTS. JOIN THE WAITLIST: chiefmaker.com/minimba In this Minisode, I'll break down for you: ✅ How and why I developed the High Performance Teams framework ✅ The 5 pillars: Mission, People, Culture, Tools, Execution, and ✅ How leaders can unite their intuition with a framework for repeatable implementation. Stay epic, Greg Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • S1 · E386
    April 29 · 37 min

    386. Building alliances with your enemies, finding your executive courage, and championing legacy projects with David Borger, Executive Director for Business Western Sydney and former NSW Politician

    "I remember being a young bloke as Lord Mayor and I was almost reticent to ask my small team to do the job. I felt guilty. Over time I realised that delegating is actually giving people opportunities." In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to David Borger, Executive Director for Business Western Sydney and former NSW Politician, on Building alliances with your enemies, finding your executive courage, and championing legacy projects. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/386 👂 DISCOVER HOW THE CHIEF MAKER MINI MBA WILL DRIVE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT IN REAL-TIME. JOIN THE WAITLIST: chiefmaker.com/minimba David is the Executive Director of Business Western Sydney, where he champions the growth, infrastructure and innovation precincts shaping one of Australia's most important regions. A former Lord Mayor of Parramatta (the youngest ever at just 30), David has also been the State Member for Granville and Minister for Roads and Housing, and has has spent his career bringing people together around big ideas and getting things done. He has served on a range of Boards across government, business, transport, culture and urban development, including NRMA and the Powerhouse Museum. David is still as passionate as ever about ensuring that all communities are great places to live, regardless of where they are located. In this Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ Building alliances around ideas, by communicating even with your enemies. ✅ Finding the courage to speak up when you first get elevated to a senior position. ✅ Advocating for large projects in small decision time windows, and ✅ Championing Western Sydney's infrastructure, innovation precincts and legacy projects. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with David Borger You can connect with David via LinkedIn. Books and Resources Freedom's Forge - by Arthur Herman The New Geography of Jobs - by Enrico Moretti Similar Episodes from Business NSW Paula Martin, Executive Director, Regional NSW and Visitor Economy, on Learning from everyone, adapting to shorter strategy cycles, and genuinely receiving feedback Paul Nicolaou, the Executive Director of Business Sydney, on The 3Ps of building an insanely valuable network, daring to be different, and making people happy Zaklina Craig, Executive Director – People, Culture & Workplace, on Optimising role design for peak performance, managing differences in confidence between men and women, and navigating the decision to fire someone Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • S1 · E385
    April 15 · 33 min

    385. I AM GREAT: The exact framework you need for executive mastery [Minisode]

    "What I noticed was that a lot of the self-help material out there really just didn't give you a sense of how to build the high performance system in order to achieve excellence and flow." Chief, in today's Minisode I am going to give you the background on how I developed the I AM GREAT framework for executive mastery, and how I've evolved it over time. As a leadership and executive coach for nearly 20 years, I have witnessed the extremes of performance: what makes teams succeed beyond their capacity, and what causes them to fail spectacularly. Over time, I've developed and iterated a framework which I believe is crucial to implement if you desire to lead a high-performing team. Today, I give you the step-by-step actions you need to take in order to rise above the pack, inspire your people, and leave a legacy. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/385 👂 WANT TO BE A SOUGHT AFTER, IN-DEMAND EXECUTIVE? DISCOVER THE NEXT STEPS YOU SHOULD TAKE TO BUILD TRUST, GAIN RESPECT AND ACCELERATE YOUR CAREER: chiefmaker.com/IAMGREAT In this episode, I'll break down for you: ✅ Why I developed the GREAT Method for achieving excellence in your career ✅ The evolution to I AM GREAT and why this difference matters, and ✅ How this framework fits into building a High Performance Team. Stay epic, Greg Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • April 13 · 5 min

    Mini Chief: Using AI to price your products competitively, with Jamie Kristow, CEO of Cotswold Outdoor Group

    "Consumers are rightly demanding more transparency from retailers on price, so we're using AI pricing tools and the results have been pretty instant in terms of uptick on where we're competitive ." This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Jamie Kristow, CEO of Cotswold Outdoor Group. His full episode is titled Optimising the retail value chain, adapting your pace of leadership, and championing AI innovation. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/384 👂 DOWNLOAD THE CHIEF MAKER GUIDE FOR SENIOR LEADERS ON HOW TO HAVE DIFFICULT PERFORMANCE CONVERSATIONS: chiefmaker.com/difficult Jamie is the CEO of Cotswold Outdoor Group, a leading outdoor clothing and equipment retail group based in the UK. His career has spanned more than 25 years globally and includes direct-to-consumer retail experience across Australia, UK, Canada and South Africa. Jamie has led incredible merchandising transformations for big brands like Target, Myer, Woolworths, Hudson's Bay and Sussan Group, while championing innovation such as a retail media network. He is just a wonderful operator with a brilliant track record of delivering results through data-driven decision-making, empowered teams and customer-first thinking. In the full Retail Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ A wonderful explanation of the busy and complex retail value chain, and how to optimise for each component. ✅ Following the "rivers of money" and building product range through evolution not revolution. ✅ Why time in store and walking in a customer's shoes are vital to turnarounds, and ✅ How shifting search behaviour, retail media and AI pricing are reshaping retail growth. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Jamie Kristow You can connect with Jamie via LinkedIn. Similar Episodes on retail Julie Mathers, Founder of Flora and Fauna and CEO of Snuggle Hunny, on Being adventurous, bootstrapping a business, and first mover advantage Angus McPherson, MD Australia of Diageo, on Creating momentum, difficult conversations, and simplifying your message Cliff Gale, former Managing Director of Lite n' Easy for over 20 years, on Leading with passion, respect for your people and keeping the soul alive in your business Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📃 Grab one of the many FREE Leadership Resources 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • S1 · E384
    March 23 · 55 min

    384. Optimising the retail value chain, adapting your pace of leadership, and championing AI innovation, with Jamie Kristow, CEO of Cotswold Outdoor Group

    "Understanding how the customer journey is changing and how you adapt is going to radically change retail in the coming years." In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Jamie Kristow, CEO of Cotswold Outdoor Group, on optimising the retail value chain, adapting your pace of leadership, and championing AI innovation. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/384 👂 DOWNLOAD THE CHIEF MAKER GUIDE FOR SENIOR LEADERS ON HOW TO HAVE DIFFICULT PERFORMANCE CONVERSATIONS: chiefmaker.com/difficult Jamie is the CEO of Cotswold Outdoor Group, a leading outdoor clothing and equipment retail group based in the UK. His career has spanned more than 25 years globally and includes direct-to-consumer retail experience across Australia, UK, Canada and South Africa. Jamie has led incredible merchandising transformations for big brands like Target, Myer, Woolworths, Hudson's Bay and Sussan Group, while championing innovation such as a retail media network. He is just a wonderful operator with a brilliant track record of delivering results through data-driven decision-making, empowered teams and customer-first thinking. In this Retail Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ A wonderful explanation of the busy and complex retail value chain, and how to optimise for each component. ✅ Following the "rivers of money" and building product range through evolution not revolution. ✅ Why time in store and walking in a customer's shoes are vital to turnarounds, and ✅ How shifting search behaviour, retail media and AI pricing are reshaping retail growth. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Jamie Kristow You can connect with Jamie via LinkedIn. Similar Episodes on retail Julie Mathers, Founder of Flora and Fauna and CEO of Snuggle Hunny, on Being adventurous, bootstrapping a business, and first mover advantage Angus McPherson, MD Australia of Diageo, on Creating momentum, difficult conversations, and simplifying your message Cliff Gale, former Managing Director of Lite n' Easy for over 20 years, on Leading with passion, respect for your people and keeping the soul alive in your business Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • March 16 · 9 min

    Mini Chief: Adapting to shorter strategy cycles, with Paula Martin, Executive Director, Regional NSW and Visitor Economy at Business NSW

    " When we talk strategy, we mean let's get through the next 12 months. Have a three year outlook, but be prepared to change it in six months' time if we have to." This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Paula Martin, the Executive Director, Regional NSW and Visitor Economy at Business NSW. Her full episode is titled Learning from everyone, adapting to shorter strategy cycles, and genuinely receiving feedback. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/383 👂 ARE YOU GIVING THE RIGHT FEEDBACK? LEARN HOW TO EMBED EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK IN YOUR CULTURE: chiefmaker.com/feedback Paula is the Executive Director, Regional NSW and Visitor Economy at Business NSW, where her focus is to champion growth through collaboration with government, industry and business. She leads Business NSW's regional office network, shaping policy that reduces red tape and creates employment opportunities. Paula also founded the award-winning Australian Business Consulting & Solutions, delivering innovation, commercialisation and programs for SMEs. Under her leadership, Paula achieved many firsts including the set-up of an operation in Shanghai to help Australian SMEs find genuine, authentic buyers in China, as well as the design of leading HR Management System, HR Advance. In the full Business Growth Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ Why "stable ground" matters to achieving operational excellence and sustainable business scaling. ✅ The one thing a mentor said to her that changed how she embraced continuous learning. ✅ How shorter strategy cycles are key to navigating an era of uncertainty and volatility, and ✅ Being truly present and vulnerable when absorbing feedback so as to unlock better decision-making. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Paula Martin You can connect with Paula via LinkedIn. Similar Episodes on strategic planning Minisode: The AAR Method of Strategic Planning Angela Tsoukatos, CEO and 20 years executive team member, on How to manage key priorities to ensure focus on core business David Knoff, Antarctic Expedition Leader, on Being adaptable around your mission Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • March 2 · 10 min

    Mini Chief: The 3Ps of building an insanely valuable network, with Paul Nicolaou, Executive Director of Business Sydney

    " I want people to walk away from any engagement they have with me saying that I'm not a bad bloke, that I was keen to listen, and that I wanted to help." This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Paul Nicolaou, the Executive Director of Business Sydney. His full episode is titled The 3Ps of building an insanely valuable network, daring to be different, and making people happy. You can find the full audio and show notes here: 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/382 👂 JOIN THE COUNCIL OF CHIEFS. Break the isolation and stretch your thinking with a network of like minded C-Suite executives and business owners: chiefmaker.com/councilofchiefs Paul is a highly experienced executive leader and board member, having been Executive Director for Business Sydney since September 2021. Prior to this, he was Director for the Business Leaders Council, Membership and Events for the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) for seven years. He is a Board Member of the Estia Foundation, and Ambassador for both Vinnies CEO Sleepout and Start Up Australia. Paul has held several senior roles in his distinguished career, such as at UNSW and UNSW Foundation, the CEO of the Australian Hotels Association of NSW, the NSW President of the Marketing Institute of Australia, and he served as Executive Chairman of the fundraising and business engagement arm of the Liberal Party in NSW. In the full Networking Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ How he has built incredibly reliable and insanely valuable networks using the "3 Ps" model. ✅ Leading with energy and daring to be different. ✅ Why his daily KPI is making people happy, and ✅ Cutting through red tape to run a business without being superhuman. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Paul Nicolaou You can connect with Paul via LinkedIn. Similar Episodes on networking Minisode: How to Think Like a CEO: Leveraging your network Ted Prodromou, America's #1 LinkedIn Coach, on Perception, connecting properly with purpose, and standing out online Steve Sims, the Concierge to Billionaires, on How to gamify life and work, going for stupid and building priceless relationships Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

  • S1 · E383
    February 24 · 52 min

    383. Learning from everyone, adapting to shorter strategy cycles, and genuinely receiving feedback with Paula Martin, Executive Director, Regional NSW and Visitor Economy at Business NSW

    "Imagine if you could. You need to imagine a future. You need to imagine growth. You need to imagine what success looks like." In this episode of The Inner Chief podcast, I speak to Paula Martin, Executive Director, Regional NSW and Visitor Economy at Business NSW, on learning from everyone, adapting to shorter strategy cycles, and genuinely receiving feedback. 🎧👉 chiefmaker.com/383 👂 ARE YOU GIVING THE RIGHT FEEDBACK? LEARN HOW TO EMBED EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK IN YOUR CULTURE: chiefmaker.com/feedback Paula is the Executive Director, Regional NSW and Visitor Economy at Business NSW, where her focus is to champion growth through collaboration with government, industry and business. She leads Business NSW's regional office network, shaping policy that reduces red tape and creates employment opportunities. Paula also founded the award-winning Australian Business Consulting & Solutions, delivering innovation, commercialisation and programs for SMEs. Under her leadership, Paula achieved many firsts including the set-up of an operation in Shanghai to help Australian SMEs find genuine, authentic buyers in China, as well as the design of leading HR Management System, HR Advance. In this Business Growth Masterclass, we talk about: ✅ Why "stable ground" matters to achieving operational excellence and sustainable business scaling. ✅ The one thing a mentor said to her that changed how she embraced continuous learning. ✅ How shorter strategy cycles are key to navigating an era of uncertainty and volatility, and ✅ Being truly present and vulnerable when absorbing feedback so as to unlock better decision-making. Stay epic, Greg Connecting with Paula Martin You can connect with Paula via LinkedIn. Similar Episodes on strategic planning Minisode: The AAR Method of Strategic Planning Angela Tsoukatos, CEO and 20 years executive team member, on How to manage key priorities to ensure focus on core business David Knoff, Antarctic Expedition Leader, on Being adaptable around your mission Follow Chief Maker 📝 Get my Finish Strong monthly newsletter with insanely valuable career tips 👍 Follow Chief Maker on LinkedIn or Instagram 📈 Join the waitlist for the Chief Maker MiniMBA 🎓 Take one of the Chief Maker Academy courses 🍏 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Apple Podcasts 🎵 Subscribe for free to The Inner Chief podcast on Spotify 🎬 Subscribe for free to the Chief Maker YouTube channel 🤝 Connect with the Chief Maker

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