John Blakey on Trust, Leadership, and the “Thrival Kit” for CEOs

🎙️ We’re Baaaack! The Business of Joy Podcast

🔥 What if the biggest myth in leadership is the idea of the superhero CEO?

My guest, John Blakey, is one of the UK’s leading CEO executive coaches and the author of four books. He’s worked with FTSE 100 CEOs, entrepreneurs, and even coached gold-medal Team GB rowing squads. But what struck me most in our talk wasn’t his client list, it was his humanity.

John shared how a paper round at 12 taught him reliability and appreciation, how moving and changing schools often built his “resilience superpower,” and why mentors matter more than we think.

We dug into how even CEO’s have imposter syndrome and his Up, In & Out model, a practical way to align purpose, inner resilience, and follower engagement.

And then came his newest idea: the Thrival Kit. Not just a survival kit for leaders, but 19 real-world tools to help you thrive - a first-aid kit for purpose-driven leadership.

Leadership isn’t about being flawless. It’s about being human and equipping yourself to shine and help others shine.