Peace is a Choice

<p>What does conscious leadership look like when it is grounded in love, service and truth, and still delivers extraordinary results? </p><p>In this episode of the Peace is a Choice podcast, Natasha Wallace is joined by two remarkable guests, Alan Mulally, legendary former CEO of Ford Motor Company and former Boeing leader, and Sarah MacArthur, Editor-in-Chief of the Leader to Leader Journal. </p><p>Together, they explore what conscious leadership really means in practice, leading with intention, emotional intelligence and a deep commitment to working together. Alan shares the BE and DO of leadership, who we are and how we behave, and introduces his Working Together Leadership and Management System, built around inclusion, psychological safety and long term value for all stakeholders.</p><p>They discuss why conscious leadership is not soft, but a real performance advantage. Alan explains how Ford’s weekly business plan reviews and the green, yellow, red status system helped teams tell the truth, ask for help and move faster together. Sarah reflects on what she learned from working with Alan and with Francis Hesselbein, and why the best leaders create cultures where people feel safe, valued and aligned.</p><p>The conversation also goes personal. Alan shares the lessons from his parents, to love and be loved and to serve is to live, and how he applied the same principles at home with his family. </p><p> </p><p>Connect with Sarah: </p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmcarthur/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmcarthur/</a> </p><p>Book: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Work-Love-Made-Visible-Collection/dp/1119513588">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Work-Love-Made-Visible-Collection/dp/1119513588</a> </p><p> </p><p>Connect with Alan: </p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmulally/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmulally/</a> </p><p> </p><p>Connect with me: </p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/</a> </p><p>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.natashawallace.com/">https://www.natashawallace.com/</a> </p><p> </p><p> </p>

<p>What does leadership look like when we slow down, step outside, and focus on learning over blame? </p><p>In this episode of the Peace is a Choice podcast, Natasha Wallace is joined by Tom Vaughton, founder and CEO of Varn, a search marketing agency built on curiosity, creativity and connection with nature.</p><p>Tom shares how SEO is evolving into search everywhere, as people aren’t just searching on Google anymore; they’re asking questions in AI tools and across social platforms, too. Natasha and Tom explore what it means to test marketing properly, link it back to real business metrics, and keep evolving as the landscape changes.</p><p>Tom also tells the story behind Varn’s woodland office, from a lockdown experiment under a tarpaulin to a purpose-built outdoor workspace with reliable internet. They reflect on how the environment shapes thinking, collaboration and culture, why a learning mindset matters and how VarnFest and VarnFest Future Leaders create space for honest leadership conversations in the great outdoors. </p><p></p><p><strong>Connect with Tom: </strong></p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomvaughton/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomvaughton/</a> </p><p>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://varn.co.uk/">https://varn.co.uk/</a> </p><p>Visit VarnFest: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://varnfest.co.uk/">https://varnfest.co.uk/</a> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Connect with me: </strong></p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/</a> </p><p>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.natashawallace.com/">https://www.natashawallace.com/</a> </p><p> </p>

<p>How do we lead with love, courage, and compassion at work?</p><p>In this episode of the Peace is a Choice podcast, Natasha Wallace is joined by Dr Fiona Beddoes-Jones, a leadership researcher and expert in compassion and authentic leadership. </p><p>Fiona shares how her leadership research unexpectedly became a study of love in the workplace and why the most effective leaders aren’t those who control or command, but those who lead with heart, courage, and emotional bravery.</p><p>Together, Natasha and Fiona explore what it really means to be an authentic leader through Fiona’s ABC framework: Authenticity, Bravery, and Compassion. They discuss why being true to yourself takes courage, why standing up for your beliefs is an act of leadership, and how compassion creates safer, more human workplaces.</p><p>Fiona also reflects on the deeper meaning of courage, from the Old French Coeur, meaning heart, and how real leadership is rooted in the willingness to care, to be vulnerable, and to love in environments that don’t always reward it. </p><p> </p><p><strong>Connect with Fiona: </strong></p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/drfionabeddoesjones/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/drfionabeddoesjones/</a> </p><p>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.fionabeddoesjones.com/">http://www.fionabeddoesjones.com/</a> </p><p></p><p><strong>Connect with me: </strong></p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/</a> </p><p>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.natashawallace.com/">https://www.natashawallace.com/</a> </p>

<p>How do we turn pain into purpose and help young people find their voice?</p><p>In this episode of the Peace is a Choice podcast, Natasha Wallace is joined by Calvin Eden, co-founder of Loud Speaker and a youth empowerment speaker working with young people across the UK.</p><p>Calvin shares his journey growing up in North London and the loss of his best friend to a tragic murder at just 15 years old. Faced with this moment, he reflects on how grief and trauma could have taken him down a very different path and how choosing purpose shaped his life’s work.</p><p>Together, Natasha and Calvin explore the meaning of purpose, gratitude, and resilience, and why purpose beats money every time. They discuss confidence in the younger generation, the impact of social media, and why many young people struggle to find their voice in traditional education systems.</p><p>Calvin also shares why he co-founded Loud Speaker, how its high-energy workshops help young people build confidence and communication skills, and why creating spaces where young people feel seen and heard can be life changing.</p><p></p><p><strong>Connect with Calvin:</strong></p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/calvin-eden-433b9999/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/calvin-eden-433b9999/</a></p><p>Loud Speaker Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://loudspeaker.org.uk">loudspeaker.org.uk</a></p><p>Loud Speaker Instagram: <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" class="Hyperlink SCXW261452557 BCX0" href="https://www.instagram.com/loudspeakerlive/">@loudspeakerlive</a></p><p></p><p><strong>Connect with me:</strong></p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/</a></p><p>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.natashawallace.com/">https://www.natashawallace.com/</a></p>

<p>How can work support recovery, wellbeing, and being human?</p><p>This week, Natasha Wallace is joined by Charlotte Neal, Head of Community Connections at Reward Gateway. Charlotte shares her powerful journey from journalism into community and employee wellbeing, and how work played a pivotal role in her recovery and growth.</p><p>In this honest and moving conversation, Charlotte opens up about her experiences with mental health, including her bipolar disorder diagnosis, and living with fibromyalgia. She reflects on the impact of having a genuinely supportive employer and manager, and why workplace culture can be life-changing when wellbeing is taken seriously.</p><p>Natasha and Charlotte also explore what employee wellbeing really means in practice, the challenges of communicating its value to senior leaders, and the importance of authentic leadership and storytelling. From navigating burnout and invisible illness to the power of community and asking for help, Charlotte’s story is a reminder that health is part of being human at work and that no one should struggle alone.</p><p></p><p>Connect with Charlotte:</p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-neal-01452083/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-neal-01452083/</a></p><p></p><p>Connect with me:</p><p>LinkedIn: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-wallace-cs/</a></p><p>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.natashawallace.com/">https://www.natashawallace.com/</a></p>