Introduction to the Guest

Clients that Mike works with are senior leaders in their company and often the CEO, but include executives heading to the top and high potentials. Mike focuses on one-to-one engagements with his clients to help them identify their personal growth needs so that they can achieve more and excel. He facilitates team workshops to enable business leaders to clarify goals, their personal contribution, and determine the level of personal commitment necessary to achieve them. Mike established himself as an HR leader and executive working at FTSE 100/250 companies prior to moving across to the rapidly evolving Fintech sector. For the past 10 years Mike has focussed on Executive Coaching and building high performance teams. He is skilled in stimulating personal growth and holds a Diploma in Executive Coaching from the AoEC, and the prestigious ICF and EMCC accreditations. He is also licensed to use psychometric, organimetric, and EQ profiling tools.

Summary

In this conversation, Mike shares his insights on building a thriving team culture, the evolution of leadership styles, and the importance of emotional intelligence in organizations. He discusses the disconnect often found in leadership, the role of individual psychology versus collective traits, and the significance of diversity in team dynamics. Mike also emphasizes the need for self-awareness and adaptability in leaders, while sharing tools for diagnosing team health and the potential pitfalls of leadership failures. He concludes with his coaching philosophy and future endeavors.

Takeaways

• A thriving team knows its purpose and individual contributions.

• Leadership should involve everyone in the decision-making process.

• Volunteerism in leadership can lead to powerful outcomes.

• Clarity in leadership is essential for team success.

• Short-term success can be achieved through coercion, but it's not sustainable.

• Self-awareness is crucial for effective leadership.

• Diversity in teams enhances problem-solving and creativity.

• Emotional intelligence is key to understanding team dynamics.

• Leaders should not believe their own hype and remain humble.

• Coaching can significantly enhance individual and team performance.

Introduction to the Guest

Les Murray is a scaleup consultant, executive coach, and leadership team facilitator with over 30 years of experience partnering with CEOs, MDs, and business owners. He helps them achieve clarity on vision and strategy, sharpen organizational structure and operating culture, and develop senior teams. Murray's work focuses on designing strategy and execution, building senior teams, and inspiring leaders. He has worked with over 30 clients at FTSE 250 Board level, including Boots, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, AstraZeneca, Caterpillar, and Rolls-Royce. Murray is also the author of "Lighting the Blue Touch Paper," a book scheduled for release on November 25, 2025, which focuses on how business leaders of scaleups can ignite the energy, clarity, and performance of their senior leadership team.

Summary

In this conversation, Les Murray discusses the importance of team culture, leadership, and organizational health. He emphasizes the need for clarity of purpose, trust, and effective communication within teams. Murray introduces the concepts of 'sowers', 'growers', and 'mowers' to describe different team roles and their fit within various growth stages. He also highlights the significance of radical candor in fostering honest feedback and the dangers of self-sabotage in leadership. The discussion concludes with insights into personal and professional growth, including the importance of building relationships and understanding team dynamics.

Takeaways

• Team culture is defined by shared behaviors and communication patterns.

• High-pressure situations reveal the true dynamics of team culture.

• Clarity of purpose and defined roles are essential for team success.

• Different team roles (sowers, growers, mowers) are needed at various growth stages.

• Trust and communication are foundational for effective teamwork.

• Investing time in team relationships leads to better outcomes.

• Radical candor fosters an environment of honest feedback.

• Self-sabotage often stems from short-term thinking and ego.

• Curiosity and inquiry can help leaders avoid self-sabotage.

• Building a strong team culture requires proactive investment in human connections.

Introduction to the Guest

David J Foster, an experienced change manager, facilitator, and board-level advisor with an Executive MBA from London Business School. He specializes in diagnosing and solving complex organizational problems through a holistic approach called organizational therapy, which focuses on empowering teams to resolve challenges sustainably. David uses tailored workshops extensively as part of his change management toolkit and has significant teaching and facilitation experience. He currently leads Change Practice within Sussex Projects at the University of Sussex, is a Trustee of Signal Film & Media, and runs select projects under Rally Strategic.

Summary

In this conversation, David discusses the concept of organizational therapy, its relevance in today's complex business environment, and how it differs from traditional consulting. He emphasizes the importance of understanding messy problems, diagnosing team dynamics, and the interplay between cultural and structural issues within organizations. David also shares insights on the common failures in transformation efforts, the dynamics of organizational culture, and the challenges modern teams face, particularly in the context of AI and virtual work. He reflects on his experiences, the importance of maintaining objectivity, and the future of his work in organizational therapy.

Takeaways

• Organizational therapy focuses on helping organizations understand themselves.

• The approach is more relevant today due to constant changes in the business environment.

• Messy problems require a holistic view rather than a linear solution.

• Diagnosing team dynamics involves building trust and understanding different perspectives.

• Cultural issues and structural problems are intertwined and must be addressed together.

• Failure is a natural part of complex systems and should be embraced as a learning opportunity.

• Organizational culture can vary between teams, promoting diversity of thought.

• Senior leadership buy-in is crucial for cultural change.

• Maintaining objectivity is challenging but essential for effective therapy.

• AI will highlight the value of human contributions in organizations.