Leadership Unlocked
Claim This Podcastby Henley Business School
Podcast Overview
<p>There is no blueprint for becoming a successful senior leader today. But there is lots we can learn from other senior figures and their outstanding leadership journeys to enhance and advance our own career paths. Learnings which help us to reflect on our own practices, and create positive, meaningful impact as senior custodians of organisations.</p> <p>‘Leadership Unlocked’ is a podcast from the Henley Centre for Leadership at Henley Business School. Hosted by Bernd Vogel, Professor in Leadership and Founding Director of the Henley Centre for Leadership, the series explores what it means to become and be a senior leader today.</p> <p>Throughout the series Bernd is joined by guests in senior leadership roles from all walks of life – including the media, retail, transport and governmental organisations – to share their leadership journeys, experiences, setbacks, learnings, and motivations, to inspire our audience.</p> <p>Topics tackled throughout the series include: self-leadership and leadership as a platform; the importance of making tough choices; accepting and jumping on serendipity; the art of influencing; knowing when to get out of the way; the reality of self-doubt and setbacks; and questions around age and ego. Guests also share which leadership myths they would like to eradicate if they could, which produces some passionate responses.</p> <p>Subscribe now for insights and inspiration to enhance your leadership journey.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
9/14/2025
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Recent Episodes
June 7, 2026
Episode 13 – ‘Balancing risk and institutional courage for endurance’
<p>Leadership success is shaped by what you leave behind for others, not about you as an individual. For Henley alumna Nomsa Chabeli, Group CEO at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), the role of stewardship is key, passing success from one leader to the next by building trust, resilience and endurance in an organisation.</p> <p>“I carry institutional responsibility on behalf of others. And it's something that I found at the SABC, that being a public institution, it really sits at the intersection of society, of democracy, of culture.”</p> <p>In the final episode of the second series of our Leadership Unlocked podcast, Nomsa speaks to Professor Bernd Vogel, Director of the Henley Centre for Leadership, about the experiences that shaped her leadership journey, her drive to create lasting impact, and navigating tensions in leading a commercially-funded public organisation.</p> <p>Nomsa talks about her role in ensuring representation and diversity in the workplace and that it has to be deliberate, intentional and inclusive. She also speaks candidly about the importance of having institutional courage when making decisions versus the impact of getting it wrong.</p> <p>“Sometimes you might be more worried about the noise outside and start not making the right decisions because you wonder what people are going to say … That's something that I've really had to navigate.”</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>
June 7, 2026
Episode 12 – ‘Creating impact when it seems impossible’
<p>How can you create impact even if you can’t influence things directly? For Simon Koerner, Global Lead of Organisational Effectiveness at DSV, understanding the relationship between indirect influence and outcome is a key part of being impactful and scaling success across continents, locations and teams.</p> <p>“It's all about the way you define yourself and define your influence circle. What am I able to influence? What am I not able to influence?”</p> <p>In episode 12 of our Leadership Unlocked podcast series, Simon speaks to Professor Bernd Vogel, Director of the Henley Centre for Leadership, about the complexities of scaling impact from a country to a global level, ‘topic’ versus ‘people’ leadership, and the importance of dealing with discomfort the higher you climb up the career ladder.</p> <p>Simon talks about the role that his LinkedIn following has played in shaping conversations and building capacity inside the organisation. He also shares the importance of being honest with yourself and changing behaviours if things aren’t working anymore.</p> <p>“You can be the best expert that you want to be with the highest skill set, but if you're not able to adapt to different situations, to different people, to how you communicate, to how you influence, then it's difficult.”</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>
June 7, 2026
Episode 11 – ‘If you’re too comfortable, you’re not learning’
<p>Remaining curious and making constant adjustments is a core leadership skill at every level. But for Kim Sides, Executive Director, UK & Ireland at Royal BAM Group, senior leaders also need to embrace discomfort.</p> <p>“I've actively avoided what feels comfortable. Because if you're too comfortable, you're not learning. But if you're really uncomfortable, you're probably in the wrong spot and not making the contribution you meant to.”</p> <p>In episode 11 of our Leadership Unlocked podcast series, Kim speaks to Professor Bernd Vogel, Director of the Henley Centre for Leadership, about balancing gut feel with data insights and making decisions based on limited information. She also discusses the importance of compromise and not shutting down options until you have to.</p> <p>In a male dominated industry, Kim talks candidly about organisational systems and environments being paramount for inclusion and asks why we cannot have pregnant women on a construction site. She also admits to needing to adapt her naturally direct and challenging New South Wales style when working with colleagues in different regions, and is a firm believer that understanding your audience is the key to success.</p> <p>“We sometimes think we're communicating to a whole lot of people the same information, but everybody's in a different state, in a different context. How you address those nuances of everybody's different journey, capability and interest level is something I challenge myself on every day.”</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>
13 total episodes available
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- What is Leadership Unlocked?
<p>There is no blueprint for becoming a successful senior leader today. But there is lots we can learn from other senior figures and their outstanding leadership journeys to enhance and advance our own career paths. Learnings which help us to reflect on our own practices, and create positive, meaningful impact as senior custodians of organisations.</p> <p>‘Leadership Unlocked’ is a podcast from the Henley Centre for Leadership at Henley Business School. Hosted by Bernd Vogel, Professor in Leadership and Founding Director of the Henley Centre for Leadership, the series explores what it means to become and be a senior leader today.</p> <p>Throughout the series Bernd is joined by guests in senior leadership roles from all walks of life – including the media, retail, transport and governmental organisations – to share their leadership journeys, experiences, setbacks, learnings, and motivations, to inspire our audience.</p> <p>Topics tackled throughout the series include: self-leadership and leadership as a platform; the importance of making tough choices; accepting and jumping on serendipity; the art of influencing; knowing when to get out of the way; the reality of self-doubt and setbacks; and questions around age and ego. Guests also share which leadership myths they would like to eradicate if they could, which produces some passionate responses.</p> <p>Subscribe now for insights and inspiration to enhance your leadership journey.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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