Stimulating Brilliance through the power of conversation -  a conversation with Akin Thomas, CEO and Founder of AKD Solutions - an international learning and development consultancy
Anni Townend Anni Townend

Stimulating Brilliance through the power of conversation -  a conversation with Akin Thomas, CEO and Founder of AKD Solutions - an international learning and development consultancy

In this episode I am delighted to be in conversation with Akin Thomas, CEO and Founder of AKD Solutions - an international learning and development consultancy - built upon an ethos of stimulating brilliance through providing the space for people to engage in transformative and disruptive, and impactful fun learning experiences. Together we delve into:

  • How do we create a learning environment that stimulates brilliance and the right to be your very best person, the very best version of yourself.

  • How the quality of conversations that we have today has a direct correlation to who you will be in the next 5 - 10 years and beyond.

  • The importance of disruption, and asking What happens if we do something differently, what is possible?

  • Being intentional about our impact, and conscious of how the decisions we make now have a massive impact beyond what we are conscious of now.

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Be Brave, Focus & Fly – a conversation with Karen Wilkinson, award winning and inspiring Marketing Director
Anni Townend Anni Townend

Be Brave, Focus & Fly – a conversation with Karen Wilkinson, award winning and inspiring Marketing Director

In this episode I am delighted to be in conversation with Karen Wilkinson, inspiring and award winning Marketing Director, we delve together into:

  • The power of connecting with your Values & Purpose

  • How knowing your Strengths and not sweating your weaknesses is the best way to Focus and Fly

  • Why Courage & Belief and Stepping out of your comfort zone is all part of being Brave

  • Adventure Seeking - On seizing the day and going for it!

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On Knowing Yourself and Building Relationships – a conversation with Helen Stephenson, CEO of the Charity Commission for England and Wales
Anni Townend Anni Townend

On Knowing Yourself and Building Relationships – a conversation with Helen Stephenson, CEO of the Charity Commission for England and Wales

In this episode I am delighted to be in conversation with Helen Stephenson, CEO of the Charity Commission for England and Wales. We delve together into:

  • How as a leader the main tool in your leadership is yourself, which means you need to understand how you work - your strengths and weaknesses

  • Why getting the right team is crucial and making sure you recruit people who are different from you, and who have the right skills and personality to fit with the organisation and its needs.

  • Why leadership is All about relationships

  • And how there is no perfect leader, and the importance of knowing when good is good enough rather than aspiring to be everything all at once!

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The Secrets Behind Building Resilience in Leadership – a conversation with Julian Roberts, Executive Business Coach, Podcast Host of Helping Organisations Thrive
Anni Townend Anni Townend

The Secrets Behind Building Resilience in Leadership – a conversation with Julian Roberts, Executive Business Coach, Podcast Host of Helping Organisations Thrive

In this episode I am delighted to be in conversation with Julian Roberts, Executive Business Coach, Podcast Host of Helping Organisations Thrive. Together We delve together into:

  • Why the need for resilience in leadership in today’s workplace is greater than ever.

  • How to create a resilient mindset to lead your team and organisation.

  • And how to create resilient teams that are better equipped to navigate challenges and thrive in an ever-changing environment.

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Understanding Ourselves and Understanding Others: A Leadership Perspective – a conversation with John Edwards, Director General, Regions Group at the Department for Education
Anni Townend Anni Townend

Understanding Ourselves and Understanding Others: A Leadership Perspective – a conversation with John Edwards, Director General, Regions Group at the Department for Education

In this episode I am delighted to be in conversation with John Edwards, Director General, Regions Group, at the Department for Education, UK.

John and I were invited to be in conversation by and for the annual Transform Applied Leadership Summit, held virtually this year on 8th March 2024. The title of our conversation Understanding Ourselves and Understanding Others - a leadership perspective is the title of the summit.

(For listeners who don’t know about Transform Applied Leadership I share their details at the end of the podcast, along with ways in which you can connect with John.)

John and I delve together into:

  • How becoming a leader is all about finding your own leadership

  • The alignment between who we are, how we lead and why we lead, and what it means to be an authentic leader

  • The importance of being aware of individual and collective leadership behaviour and the impact that it has on others

  • 360 degree leadership and measuring our leadership achievements through the successes of others

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It’s Not Much But Neither Is It Nothing – a conversation with author Tanya Shadrick, founder of the Selkie Press and editor of the Wainwright Prize-listed Wild Woman Swimming
Anni Townend Anni Townend

It’s Not Much But Neither Is It Nothing – a conversation with author Tanya Shadrick, founder of the Selkie Press and editor of the Wainwright Prize-listed Wild Woman Swimming

In this episode I am delighted to be in conversation with Tanya Shadrick - author of The Cure for Sleep: her memoir of a late waking life, a story of breaking free, and making a more creative life; Tanya is founder of the Selkie Press; editor of the Wainwright Prize-listed Wild Woman Swimming. She is a community builder of writers and storytellers through Substack where she writes, and invites you to share your stories. Together we delve together into:

What it takes - and costs - to build an authentic life of one’s own, while continuing to honour our roles within families, workplaces, and communities.

And explore four key themes:

  • The voices around us - and the beliefs that we form about ourselves and our abilities because of what is praised or punished.

  • Our Size and Shape - and how related to beliefs about ourselves, and our abilities, we (perhaps) make ourselves smaller

  • Work - and how writing about work is central to Tanya’s storytelling

  • The importance of service, of finding the best in ourselves, and each other, for the good of others, and to deliver use and meaning to others

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Slaying the Monster of Poverty in Africa – a conversation with Moses Tai Founder and CEO of African Development Choices (ADC), Author of ‘There Is Shade’ and Speaker
Anni Townend Anni Townend

Slaying the Monster of Poverty in Africa – a conversation with Moses Tai Founder and CEO of African Development Choices (ADC), Author of ‘There Is Shade’ and Speaker

In this episode I am delighted to be in conversation with Moses Tai Founder and CEO African Development Choices (ADC), Author of ‘There Is Shade’ and Speaker.

We delve together into the working culture of African Development Choices, in particular how they encourage community and reflect who they are in what they do:

  • Seeking and giving input, raising awareness of choice

  • Showing and taking initiative as part of sustainable change

  • Commitment to the organisation and its purpose through building belief and hope, and working together

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Feedback: Give it Kindly, Receive it with Grace – a conversation with Febronia Ruocco, Strategic Insights Professional, Executive Coach and Mentor
Anni Townend Anni Townend

Feedback: Give it Kindly, Receive it with Grace – a conversation with Febronia Ruocco, Strategic Insights Professional, Executive Coach and Mentor

In this episode I am delighted to be in conversation with Febronia Ruocco, Strategic Insights Professional, Executive Coach and Mentor.

We delve and explore together leadership values and skills, and the importance of these in Febronia’s life, leadership, insights and mentoring work. In particular the values of:

  • Integrity

  • Collaboration

  • Honesty

  • Empathy

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Share your Story.

If you would like to share your leadership story please do get in touch.