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This is Leadership

Hera Media

Ten Leaders. One Question.

A brand new series hosted by Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd.

Each episode spotlights a leader has moved the needle in their field, transformed the world around them, and left a lasting mark.

Guests include the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, filmmaker Ava DuVernay, London Stock Exchange CEO Julia Hoggett, England rugby captain Maro Itoje, Big Issue co-founder John Bird, and more.

New episodes every Tuesday.

Bonus conversations every Thursday.

This is Leadership.

This is for Everyone.

This is a Hera Production.

Proudly supported by British Airways.

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  • 7 episodes
  • a few times a week
  • Avg 19 min
  • English

Episodes 7

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  • #3
    Thursday · 13 min

    How to Practice Radical Transparency: Andrew Roe (Bonus)

    Baron Andrew Roe, former London Fire Brigade Commissioner thinks building trust in a team takes patience, honesty, and consistent evidence. Andy Roe discusses with hosts Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd what it truly takes to earn and maintain trust within an organisation. From briefing firefighters in extreme danger at Grenfell to introducing mental health support through the London Fire Brigade Boxing Club, Andy illustrates how vulnerability, transparency, and two-way trust create resilient and high-performing teams. Key Takeaways include: Building Trust Through Evidence: Why trust cannot be built quickly or through promises alone, but requires consistent delivery and touchable progress over time. Trust as a Two-Way Street: How senior leaders must rely on and trust the expertise of their teams, while creating a culture where alternate voices can safely challenge ideas. Embracing Early Accountability & Transparency: The liberating power of owning up to mistakes early, setting public benchmarks, and accepting personal accountability when things go wrong. Fostering Mental Health & Vulnerability: Normalising mental health conversations and connection in traditionally male-dominated environments through shared experiences, such as the LFB Boxing Club. Listen and watch the full interview with Andrew Roe on the This is Leadership feed. This is Leadership. This is for Everyone. New episodes every Tuesday. Bonus conversations every Thursday. Credits: Hosts: Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd Guest: Baron Andrew Roe Production: Hera Sponsor: British Airways --------------------------------------------------------- Follow the conversation Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/thisisleadership.podcast⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/company/thisisleadership⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@thisisleadership⁠⁠⁠ Substack: ⁠⁠⁠thisisleadership.substack.com

  • #3
    Tuesday · 37 min

    Leading in a Crisis: Andrew Roe

    Baron Andrew Roe, former London Fire Brigade Commissioner, current member of the British House of Lords and Chair of the Building Safety Regulator sits down with hosts Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd. Andy reflects on a career spent stepping into crisis environments, from his early military tours in Northern Ireland to serving as Incident Commander during the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in London. He challenges traditional notions of the "heroic leader," advocating instead for an "inverted pyramid" model where leaders exist to serve, protect, and empower their teams. Key takeaways include: Leading by Serving: Why true leadership stems from serving others and taking care of a team's foundational welfare (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs) before expecting high performance during crises. Lessons from Grenfell: The personal and professional reality of commanding during the Grenfell disaster, honoring the frontline firefighters and campaigning families, and making critical decisions in high-stress environments. Cultural Transformation & Systemic Accountability: How Andy confronted uncomfortable institutional realities-including sexism, racism, and lack of basic resources-to drive authentic, measurable culture change rather than relying on superficial fixes. Credits: Guest: Andrew Roe Hosts and Executive Producers: Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd Production: Hera Sponsor: British Airways This is Leadership. This is for Everyone. New episodes every Tuesday. Bonus conversations every Thursday. ----------------------- Follow the conversation Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/thisisleadership.podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/company/thisisleadership⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@thisisleadership⁠⁠⁠⁠ Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠thisisleadership.substack.com⁠

  • #2
    October 1 · 12 min

    How to Curate a Team Like a Dinner Party: Ava DuVernay (Bonus)

    We hear more from Hollywood trailblazer Ava DuVernay who shares the art of collaborative leadership. Focusing on how to build powerful, diverse teams that thrive, Ava outlines her precise methodology for assembling project crews and running inclusive spaces with hosts Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd. She argues that hiring isn't just about filling a function, it’s like "curating a table for a family dinner" where every dynamic matters. From uncovering a candidate's true reputation to structuring communication with clarity, Ava provides actionable management insights for leaders across all industries in this conversation. Key Takeaways include: Deep Vetting & Curation: Why standard recommendation letters are curated "dates," and how digging into unlisted industry contacts reveals a person's real track record. Fostering Connection Before Tasking: Why setting ground rules for human connection outside of work builds the trust needed for seamless execution. The Power of the Big Picture: How constantly refreshing and communicating the overarching vision turns basic job descriptions into meaningful contributions. Methodical Storytelling: Applying narrative principles (beginning, middle, and end) to everyday presentations and hard conversations to achieve maximum clarity. Thoughtful Inclusivity: Why forcing quiet team members to speak on the spot can backfire, and how post-meeting, curiosity-led check-ins reveal overlooked genius. Listen and watch the full interview with Ava DuVernay on the This is Leadership feed. This is Leadership. This is for Everyone. New episodes every Tuesday. Bonus conversations every Thursday. Credits: Guest: Ava DuVernay Hosts: Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd Production: Hera Sponsor: British Airways --------------------------------------------------------- Follow the conversation Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/thisisleadership.podcast⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠linkedin.com/company/thisisleadership⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠youtube.com/@thisisleadership⁠⁠ Substack: ⁠⁠thisisleadership.substack.com

  • #2
    September 29 · 33 min

    Leadership Outside the Hollywood Playbook: Ava DuVernay

    What does it take to change an industry from the inside out? Hollywood trailblazer Ava DuVernay joins hosts Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd in Paris. Known for ground-breaking projects like Selma, 13th, When They See Us, and Origin, Ava has spent her career bypassing traditional Hollywood gatekeepers. In this conversation, she breaks down how a decade spent as a film publicist provided her with the insider blueprint to create her own multi-faceted organisation, Array, transforming how inclusive stories are financed, produced, and distributed. Ava challenges conventional corporate ideas of authority, describing leadership as a collective practice rather than a solo performance. From growing up in a strong matriarchal family to directing $100M+ feature films, she reveals how constructive honesty, curiosity, and empathy form the foundation of her creative ecosystem. The conversation dives deep into: Redefining Authority & Control: Why leadership is about holding hands and creating space for ideas, rather than dictating every detail with an iron fist. Systemic Innovation with Array: How Ava built an independent ecosystem for overlooked filmmakers, including grassroots distribution models and inclusive crew databases. Strategic Career Pivots: A step-by-step blueprint for moving into a passion-led career progressively while maintaining financial stability. Cultural Responsibility & Mental Health: Balancing the heavy emotional weight of telling historical truths with a commitment to nurturing employee well-being on set. Mentorship and Legacy: The impact of her top mentors; from Oprah Winfrey’s intentional business approach to her father’s quiet, service-driven leadership in his local community. Credits: Guest: Ava DuVernay Hosts and Executive Producers: Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd Production: Hera Sponsor: British Airways This is Leadership. This is for Everyone. New episodes every Tuesday. Bonus conversations every Thursday. ----------------------- Follow the conversation Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/thisisleadership.podcast⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/company/thisisleadership⁠ YouTube: ⁠youtube.com/@thisisleadership⁠ Substack: ⁠thisisleadership.substack.com

  • #1
    September 24 · 6 min

    How to Build a Foundation of Trust: Prime Minister Mia Mottley (Bonus)

    Trust is easy to lose and hard to build, especially when you are challenging long-standing global systems. In this additional episode, The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley S.C., M.P., Prime Minister of Barbados shares more with hosts Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd to break down the personal and political mechanics of trust. Prime Minister Mottley reveals how she builds trust while simultaneously challenging the status quo. Key Takeaways include: Consistency over Perfection: Trust is built by what you do and say every day; when you vary from your word, you have a responsibility to explain why. Solution-Focused Leadership: How coming to the table with a plan or commitment to resolve—rather than just criticism—builds credibility. The Two Ears, One Mouth Rule: The vital role of listening and reading body language to understand the perspectives of others. Finding the Bridge: Strategies for finding common ground with leaders who hold opposing views. The "Chipping" Method: Why moving forward often involves taking three steps forward and two steps back, yet still achieving ultimate progress. Listen to the full interview with Prime Minister Mottley on the This is Leadership feed. This is Leadership. This is for Everyone. New episodes every Tuesday. Bonus conversations every Thursday. Credits: Guest: The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley S.C., M.P., Prime Minister of Barbados Hosts: Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd Production: Hera Sponsor: British Airways --------------------------------------------------------- Follow the conversation Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/thisisleadership.podcast⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/company/thisisleadership⁠ YouTube: ⁠youtube.com/@thisisleadership⁠ Substack: ⁠thisisleadership.substack.com

  • #1
    September 22 · 28 min

    Leading on a Global Stage: Prime Minister Mia Mottley

    What does it mean to lead when the only certainty is uncertainty? In the series premiere of This is Leadership, Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd are in Barbados to interview The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley S.C., M.P. A political force of nature, Prime Minister Mottley discusses her journey from being the youngest QC in Barbados to becoming one of the world's longest-serving female heads of government. The conversation dives deep into: The Mission: Why leadership must be rooted in fighting injustice and creating opportunity. Resilience and Uncertainty: How to stop wasting emotion on the "uncertain moment" and go straight to solving the problem. The Pursuit of Perfection: Why perfection is the obstacle to progress and why we must reframe failure as experience. Global Impact: The origins of the Bridgetown Initiative - a proposal to reform international development finance - and the duty to challenge the post-1945 imperial order for global fairness. Leadership at Every Level: Why leadership is a daily practice in homes, communities, and workplaces. Credits: Guest: The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley S.C., M.P., Prime Minister of Barbados Hosts & Executive Producers: Karen Blackett CBE and Katie Lloyd Production: Hera Sponsor: British Airways This is Leadership. This is for Everyone. New episodes every Tuesday. Bonus conversations every Thursday. ----------------------- Follow the conversation Instagram: instagram.com/thisisleadership.podcast LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thisisleadership YouTube: youtube.com/@thisisleadership Substack: thisisleadership.substack.com

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