So, picture this. You've just landed a new role at work, and you might have some transition time beforehand.

How do you best prepare to start?

In this episode, I am joined by Michael Watkins, author of The First 90 days and The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking. He provides insights into the intricacies of leadership transitions, emphasising the importance of understanding organisational culture, how to use strategic thinking, and look after yourself as you do.

We also explore the demands of operating in a world of ecosystems and AI. I bet you'll find a treasure trove of stimulus right here, including practical tips, frameworks and real-life examples to help you in your first 90 days and beyond.

“The best predictor of what people do in organisations is incentives” - Michael Watkins

You'll hear about:

· Transition periods being a crucial time to prepare and plan your approach.

· Why understanding the organisational culture is essential for effective leadership.

· How culture transformation can be initiated quickly, but reshaping values takes time.

· Strategic thinking being vital, especially in challenging situations.

· The fact leaders must balance tactical and strategic thinking during transitions.

· How creating early wins can help establish momentum in a new role.

· Why organisations must adapt to operate effectively within ecosystems.

About Michael Watkins:

Michael D Watkins is Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change at IMD. He is a globally recognized leadership transitions expert and author of the best-selling book The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter. A Thinkers50-ranked management influencer, Watkins has developed proven frameworks and tools to help professionals navigate personal and organizational change challenges.

He has spent the past two decades working with leaders as they transition to new roles, build their teams, and transform their organizations. In 2023, Watkins was inducted into the Thinkers50 Management Hall of Fame, which recognizes remarkable contributions to the realm of management concepts and ideas spanning many years.

• Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldwatkins/

• Publications: https://www.imd.org/faculty/professors/michael-watkins/

• Services: https://www.genesisadvisers.com/

My resources:

Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)

Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)

Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.

For more details about me:

● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.

● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.

● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)

● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)

● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavN

What if the person who raised you was also the one who stole your sense of self?

Parents should nurture, protect and believe in you, not distort your reality, drain your self-esteem and leave wounds no one else can see.

In this episode I sit down with Kathleen Saxton, psychotherapist, entrepreneur and author of My Parent the Peacock. We go beyond the surface-level label of narcissism to uncover the full spectrum of behaviours, from the overtly grandiose to the quietly manipulative.

This is not a conversation about blame, but about liberation. It’s about recognising what’s been taken from you, understanding why trying to change the narcissist will never work, and learning how to reclaim your voice, your boundaries and your future.

If you’ve ever been made to doubt your own reality, whether by a parent, a partner or a leader, this episode could be the turning point.

“You absolutely can recover.” – Kathleen Saxton

You'll hear about:

• How narcissistic parenting shapes identity and self-worth.
• The long-term impact of emotional neglect and control.
• Why recovery starts with recognising patterns of manipulation.
• How to rebuild boundaries and personal agency.
• The role of therapy in healing from family trauma.
• Why self-compassion is critical in breaking the cycle.
• How to navigate relationships after narcissistic abuse.
• Practical steps to reclaim your voice and autonomy.

About Kathleen Saxton:

Kathleen is a fully qualified and accredited psychotherapist, executive coach, author and advisor and a registered member of both the UKCP & BACP. Kathleen trained in Psychotherapy and Counselling at Regents University and continued a further 5 years of study in Integrative and Humanistic psychotherapy and supervision at the renowned CCPE in London.

Kathleen has practised at The Grove, The Priory, and for the British Performing Arts in Medicine organisations. In 2016, she co-founded her clinical practice called Psyched Ventures in London and NYC. Kathleen has written and published research and spoken on her unique blend of business, performance and mental health across the last 10 years. She is also a regular columnist for Stylist Magazine on the topic of leadership and psychology.

Profile: https://tinyurl.com/42aah3fy

Psychoeducation channel: https://tinyurl.com/bd8vxfzv

Services: https://psychedventures.com/

Book: https://tinyurl.com/ykzwsjah

My resources:

Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)

Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)

Sign up for my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.

For more details about me:

● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.

● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.

● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)

● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)

● Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavN

When the world is breaking apart what kind of leader do you need to be?

With the environmental, technological and societal challenges we face our systems and playbooks can no longer be fit for purpose. So, who must we become to tackle the most pressing problems we are facing?

My guest in this episode, Caroline Stokes, author of AfterShock to 2030 is trying to answer these questions. Her book is a wakeup call for leaders, arguing that if we want to thrive in the next five years, we must rewrite, not just tinker with the operating system of leadership.

We explore how CEOs can use AI as an enhancement, as a multiplier, rather than a mask, and why neuroplasticity might just be able to help us with the meaning of life.

There couldn’t be a more prescient, deeply personal conversation that is essential for leaders of today and tomorrow.

So, what kind of leader are you going to be?

“Hope is the first step.” – Caroline Stokes

You'll hear about:

• Why leading in systemic shocks requires a new operating system.
• How hope becomes an antidote to global complexity and despair.
• Why radical listening can transform organisational awareness and action.
• The role of AI as a leadership multiplier, not a mask.
• How to regulate your nervous system to lead under pressure.
• Why pattern recognition is essential for navigating uncertainty.
• The importance of extreme accountability in leadership teams.
• How to leave behind outdated mindsets and legacy systems.

About Caroline Stokes:

A global leadership strategist for the 5th Industrial Revolution, Caroline Stokes is the author of AfterShock to 2030: A CEO’s Guide to Reinvention in the Age of AI, Climate, and Societal Collapse, a radical roadmap for leaders navigating our disruptive new reality.

A Sony alum who contributed to the launch of PlayStation, and a PCC-level, EQ 2.0–certified coach, Caroline has evolved from executive headhunter to one of the few global authorities on psychological and strategic leadership reinvention. She works with founders, boards, and executive teams to build intelligent, sovereign, and trust-based systems aligned with the complexity of our time.

She is also the author of Elephants Before Unicorns: Emotionally Intelligent HR Strategies to Save Your Company (Entrepreneur Press, 2019), a co-author in the HBR Guide to Navigating the Toxic Workplace (2024), and contributor to Coach Me! (Wiley, 2022). Her insights have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and The Globe and Mail.

Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ocarolinestokes/

Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FB5BKFGL

My resources:

Try my High-stakes meetings toolkit (https://bit.ly/43cnhnQ)

Take my Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj)

Sign up to my Every Day is a Strategy Day newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for modern mindsets and practices to help you get ahead.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.

For more details about me:

● Services (https://rb.gy/ahlcuy) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals.

● About me (https://rb.gy/dvmg9n) - my background, experience and philosophy.

● Examples of my writing https://rb.gy/jlbdds)

● Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/