Fearless Forward

In today's corporate world, fear-driven leadership has created environments where bullying and vaguely psychopathic behaviours are normalised. Leaders often believe success requires ruthlessness, breeding cultures where employees feel unsafe to be themselves.John Blakey offers a transformative alternative: trust-based leadership. His approach demonstrates that leaders who prioritise trustworthiness can deliver outstanding results without resorting to intimidation. By balancing results with responsibility and adopting a triple bottom line approach of profit, people, and planet, leaders can become a genuine force for good.Organisations led through fear create self-fulfilling prophecies of decline. When we collectively "feed the bad wolf", we perpetuate cycles of distrust, stifle innovation, and crush employee morale. This leads to the concerning statistic that only 17% of UK adults believe the next generation will have better lives than theirs.This conversation will help youDiscover how trust-based leadership can yield exceptional results without resorting to fear or intimidation in corporate environmentsLearn practical strategies for "feeding the good wolf" through compassion, cultivating hope, and showing courage in your authentic selfUnderstand how to overcome the fear of your own power and light, which may be more limiting than the fear of inadequacyHighlights[00:07:33] The "psychopathic" world of corporate life[00:09:47] "But what about Donald Trump?"[00:14:28] The wolf that wins is the wolf you feed[00:16:34] Force for Good[00:20:00] Pace, then lead[00:21:48] Compassion, empathy, and sympathy[00:23:52] When you fear your light more than your darkness[00:30:42] John's latest calling to lead[00:36:19] What Fearless Forward means to John[00:36:59] Takeaways from Sally-AnneResourcesConnect with john via LinkedInConnect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn

The fashion industry is facing a critical environmental crisis with fast fashion and disposable clothing contributing significantly to global waste.The continued production and disposal of fashion items at current rates will accelerate climate change, deplete natural resources, and harm communities in manufacturing regions. Livelihoods will be threatened as resources become scarcer, affecting the 650,000+ people supported through Primark's supply chain alone.Lynne Walker is leading a transformation of Primark’s business model through its Primark Cares initiative, to make sustainable fashion accessible to everyone.This conversation will help youDiscover how a traditional retailer transforms its business model to balance profit with environmental responsibilityLearn practical strategies for driving large-scale organisational change in the face of skepticismUnderstand how personal resilience, authentic leadership, and collaborative approaches can help tackle seemingly insurmountable environmental challenges in any industryHighlights[00:07:38] Why is sustainability a big and bold task for the fashion industry?[00:14:48] The biggest challenges Lynne has faced[00:18:52] Leading from your personal values[00:21:58] Putting those values into practice[00:28:15] Taking it all less personally[00:34:06] Conflicts and challenges[00:42:33] Are you in your comfort zone or the next circle?[00:44:39] What Fearless Forward means to Lynne[00:46:14] Takeaways from Sally-AnneResourcesConnect with Lynne via LinkedInConnect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn

Women are often socialised to believe that confidence will make them unlikeable or threatening. Lauren Currie OBE, founder of Upfront, shares her experience of receiving messages from childhood that "the world prefers me when I am quiet and small". This pressure leads many women to hide their accomplishments and dim their light.But confidence is not something we're born with, but something we can learn and cultivate. Lauren has built an organisation that has upskilled over 11,000 women globally in confidence, leadership, and speaking up in situations where they might otherwise have stayed silent.Women who continue to hide their talents miss opportunities to fulfil their potential and impact the world. This perpetuates systems that depend on women remaining "silent and unquestioning". Meanwhile, younger generations continue inheriting these limiting beliefs about what it means to be a woman.This conversation will help youLearn how to build authentic confidence by making your curiosity "one millimetre bigger than the fear"Discover how to recognise and challenge internalised misogyny that makes us see other confident women as threats rather than inspirationsUnderstand how to align your actions with your values and set boundaries that protect your energy to prevent isolationHighlights[00:05:40] What success means for Lauren[00:08:28] 27 fears[00:10:53] "The world isn't kind to confident women"[00:16:35] How to show up if your presence triggers others[00:20:45] The scarcety narrative of the patriarchy[00:27:25] Lauren's biggest fear[00:30:58] A story of love and potential[00:33:18] What is Lauren's end goal?[00:36:25] What Fearless Forward means to Lauren[00:37:08] Takeaways from Sally-AnneResourcesConnect with Lauren via LinkedInUpfrontConnect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn

By challenging herself to run 330km across mountain terrain – facing extreme physical discomfort, sleep deprivation, and mental exhaustion – Linda Hubbard discovered that pushing boundaries leads to profound personal growth and unexpected calm.To break free from comfort zone paralysis, we must first identify what truly matters to us beyond our immediate comfort, then build a support system of people who believe in our vision.Staying too comfortable for too long means sacrificing our potential and missing the deep satisfaction that comes from conquering difficult challenges. Our leadership abilities stagnate, and we model complacency rather than courage for those around us.But as Linda discovered, our fears become manageable when shared with others.This episode will help youDiscover how pushing your boundaries leads to unexpected mental clarity,Learn practical strategies for managing pain and fatigueUnderstand how to balance personal goals with family responsibilitiesHighlights[00:15:44] The first night of the race[00:20:17] What Linda was not prepared for[00:25:06] Linda's next challenge[00:30:04] The incredible power of the mind[00:34:09] What is Linda afraid of?[00:39:00] What Fearless Forward mans to Linda[00:41:08] Takeaways from Sally-AnneResourcesConnect with Linda via LinkedInConnect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn

Many organisations struggle to build structures that balance leadership and equality. Traditional hierarchies often lead to inefficiency, lack of clarity, and a stifling of innovation. Employees can feel disconnected or undervalued, and companies can lose sight of their mission in pursuit of profits.Mark Vletter’s approach offers a different way forwards. By embracing self-management and holacracy, organisations can create a culture where decisions are made collectively, accountability is clear, and everyone has a voice. Steward ownership ensures the company’s mission is safeguarded for the long-term, free from the pressures of maximizing shareholder profit.This conversation will help youCreate clarity on accountability without traditional hierarchiesHire people who are strong where you're weak and who can constructively disagree with youTransition to steward ownership, where a company's mission is safeguarded beyond individual interestsHighlights[00:07:11] Mark is given an ultimatum[00:09:48] Mark's first hire[00:14:01] Transitioning to holacracy[00:18:23] On the desire for constant improvement[00:21:35] Moving Voys to a steward ownership model[00:26:12] Does everyone want to be a leader?[00:27:28] Communicating vertically vs listening with curiosity[00:32:40] Fear is a bad advisor[00:37:01] Your organisation is part of a bigger ecosystem[00:41:09] What Fearless Forward means for Mark[00:42:23] Takeaways from Sally-AnneResourcesConnect with Mark via LinkedInHolacracy: dive into the world of self-management – from the Voys blogConnect with Sally-Anne via LinkedIn