Host Nicola Hunt interviews Marie-Claire Dwek, CEO of Newmark Security, about how her personal journey forged an authentic leadership style built on vulnerability and resilience.
2 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
Vish Alluri: the Enlightened Manager
Episode Summary
In this episode, Nicola Hunt speaks with Vish Alluri, co-author of The Enlightened Manager, about an approach to management rooted in the teachings of the philosopher, Jiddu Krishnamurti. They discuss self-understanding and deep questioning as the foundation for effective management. Vish argues that true leadership requires personal clarity of mind and an awareness of life as a whole.
The conversation concludes with an exchange on the role of artificial intelligence in management, with Vish emphasizing that AI cannot read between the lines or replace human intelligence and that leaders must have clarity within themselves to guide others effectively.
Key Topics Discussed
The art of questioning and why discovering your own questions is more important than the answers themselves.
The life and philosophy of Jiddu Krishnamurti, including his rejection of organized belief systems
Why understanding your own mind is a prerequisite for understanding and managing others
Key management tools: The "tool of negation" and the "mirror of relationship"
Focusing on the process ("eye on the ball") rather than being consumed by outcomes
'Coffee darshan' and the importance of a daily refreshment to pause for reflection and connection
A critique of business schools for providing "symptomatic solutions"
The role of spontaneity and why acting without expectation prevents disappointment
The limitations of Artificial Intelligence, including the concern that our brains could decay if we don’t use them enough.
Featured Guest
Vish Alluri – Co-author with Harry Eyres (https://www.amazon.in/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_2?ie=UTF8&field-author=Harry+Eyres&search-alias=stripbooks) of The Enlightened Mananager. As a tech entrepreneur in 1988 Vish founded IMISoft. In 1999 he went on to found communication platform IMImobile which was acquired by CISCO in 2021.
Vish is currently the Secretary of the Krishnamurti Foundation India where his role is to assist the foundation’s work to preserve and disseminate the teachings of J. Krishnamurti, responsibility of Schools in India for education of children, rural outreach work.
Resources Mentioned
The Enlightened Manager (https://www.amazon.in/Enlightened-Manager-Transformative-Approach-Work/dp/9369891447) co-authored by Vish Alluri (available on Amazon)
A Meeting by the River by Christopher Isherwood
The Future of Humanity in the Era of AI (booklet)
"The Good, The Bad, Ugly and the Danger of AI" (article by Vish Alluri)
23 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT
Steve Cockram: the Voice-Driven Leader
In this episode, Nicola Hunt speaks with Steve Cockram, co-founder of Giants Worldwide, about his latest book The Voice-Driven Leader. Together, they explore why leadership must evolve for the digital age, how diverse voices unlock team performance, and why self-awareness is the foundation of relationally intelligent leadership. Steve introduces the Five Voices framework and explains how leaders can create environments where every voice is heard, valued, and effectively deployed.
Key Topics Discussed
Why leadership skills must change in the digital, complex world of work
The shift from individual performance to agile, collaborative teams
The Five Voices framework and how each voice contributes to team success
How leaders unintentionally silence voices—and how to prevent it
The role of self-awareness in becoming a voice-driven leader
Generational differences, resilience, and their impact on workplace dynamics
Balancing high support and high challenge to develop people effectively
Featured Guest
Steve Cockram – Co-founder of Giants Worldwide, leadership coach, speaker, and co-author of The Voice-Driven Leader
Resources Mentioned
The Voice-Driven Leader: How to Hear, Value and Maximise Every Voice on Your Team, by Steve Cockram and Jeremy Kubitschek
Five Voices website (https://www.fivevoices.com)and resources
The Five Voices app and AI coaching tools
Inside a recent episode
Marie-Claire Dwek discusses authentic leadership
Published 17 Jul 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And so it's remaining authentic throughout. So people know who you are and you sort of remain that grounded force when things get particularly challenging. So being open and honest with people and not using management language or jargon, but just being one's true self and showing vulnerability and working together as a team. And so allowing people to be their true selves as well. Have you ever had a situation where afterwards you thought, ah, well I was my authentic and unmasked self but I'm not sure that in that particular scenario that played out as I would have hoped. Actually, I haven't really, Nicola, because I think I am who I am and I'm not going to change that person. […]
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
