The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley
Short, sharp and practical leadership support for thoughtful, reflective, people-focused leaders who want to lead with confidence, without pretending to be someone they’re not. Hosted by leadership coach Ben Brearley, each episode helps you build confidence, set boundaries, and stay true to your values in the workplace. No jargon, no hype. Just real strategies for thoughtful leadership.
Episodes
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about helping your team find them.
In this episode, I talk about why shifting towards a coaching approach - asking more and telling less - can improve your leadership. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.
You’ll discover:
- What a coaching approach looks like in everyday leadership
- The benefits for your team: ownership, confidence, and better ideas; an...
Many thoughtful leaders are introverted, and that’s not a weakness. It’s a strength.
In this episode, I share my top five pieces of advice for introverted leaders.
You don’t need to act like an extrovert to lead effectively. You just need to play to your strengths and manage your energy well.
You’ll hear:
- How to protect your downtime so you don’t burn out
- Why being quieter doesn’t mean you can’t have pres...
Ever reacted emotionally and regretted it? You’re not the only one!
In this episode, I talk about the powerful concept of “the gap” – the space between your emotions and the response you choose to take. It’s a concept that helps you lead more calmly and effectively, even under pressure.
You’ll learn:
- How Viktor Frankl’s experience inspired this simple but powerful leadership skill
- Practical ways to pause ...
Kind leadership isn’t about being nice all the time. It’s about leading with respect and care, without falling into the trap of people-pleasing.
In this episode, I unpack some of the common misconceptions about kind leadership. Thoughtful leaders often gravitate towards kindness, but it can backfire if we confuse kindness with always saying yes or avoiding difficult conversations.
You’ll hear:
- Why kindnes...
Ambitious team members can be exciting to lead, but they can also be tricky to manage. So how do you support them without burning out yourself?
In this episode, I explore what to do when you’re leading someone with big goals, a strong drive, and a desire to move quickly.
These employees often have great potential but without the right leadership, they can become fru...
Are you staying in a job that no longer supports you, just because you feel loyal to your team or unsure of your next step?
It’s a common challenge for thoughtful leaders. In this episode, I explore why we sometimes stay too long in roles that aren’t working, and how to start thinking clearly about whether it’s time to move on.
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Can you be a confident leader without being the loudest in the room? Absolutely.
This is a common challenge for thoughtful, introspective leaders.
We often feel pressure to be more outgoing or “on show” to be seen as confident. In this episode, I explore how to build genuine leadership confidence without changing who you are.
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Feeling stuck in silence during meetings, even when you have something valuable to say?
You’re not alone.
In this episode, I respond to a listener question about how to speak up more in meetings – a common challenge for many thoughtful, quieter leaders.
If you're someone who finds it hard to contribute when others are dominating the conversation, or you feel like ev...
Episode Summary
Collaboration is often seen as the default approach in leadership, but it's not always the most effective choice.
In this episode, Ben Brearley explores a practical model to help leaders decide when to collaborate and when another strategy might be more appropriate.
Episode Summary
In this episode, Ben Brearley shares three straightforward strategies to help leaders feel more in control, reduce stress, and make better use of their time each week.
These practical steps are designed to enhance your effectiveness without adding complexity to your schedule.
Episode Summary
Feeling overwhelmed is a common challenge in today's workplaces.
In this episode, Ben Brearley delves into practical strategies to support team members grappling with stress and burnout.
Ben offers actionable advice to help leaders navig...
Episode Summary
Sometimes, despite our best intentions, we can accidentally enable bad behaviour within our teams.
In this episode, Ben explores three subtle but powerful ways leaders might unintentionally allow bad behaviour to grow and how to address it before it causes bigger issues.
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Welcome to Episode 276 of the Thoughtful Leader Podcast!
In this episode, we explore why thoughtful leaders tend to take things personally and how to break free from this habit.
If you find yourself internalising feedback, criticism, or workplace challenges, this episode is for you.
Welcome to Episode 275 of the Thoughtful Leader Podcast!
In this episode, we explore why an employee might appear “bad” and uncover some hidden reasons behind poor performance and behaviour.
Before jumping to conclusions, it’s essential to dig deeper and find out what’s really going on.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
...Welcome to Episode 274 of the Thoughtful Leader Podcast!
In this episode, we explore the balance between authenticity and adaptability in leadership.
Should you stay true to your natural style, or adjust to meet the preferences of those around you? Let’s dive in.
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In this Q&A episode, we dive into an important topic: How to Keep Supervisors Motivated in Leadership Roles.
Supervisors are the middle layer between senior management and the front line. In many ways, they set the scene and role model the behaviours that you want the front line employees to be following.
So what happens when your supervisors aren’t moti...
Micromanagement is not a good thing, but I think it’s natural to feel like doing it sometimes.
But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to reduce the habit!
In this episode I take a look at the problems with micromanagement, and how you can reduce the feeling that you need to do it with your team.
Interested in working with me?
Book...
If you have a favourite employee at work, you aren’t the only one!
Good employees are like gold – they help you out, make your job less stressful and lighten the load.
But… there’s always a but… what is happening in the team when you have a favourite employee?
Let’s find out in this episode.
Interested in working with me?
Book yo...
Blaming others is a common past time in many workplaces.
And it’s so easy to slip into the habit of blaming, because we want to protect ourselves and let everyone know it wasn’t our fault!
In this episode I look at some of the reasons why we blame, and what to try doing instead.
After all, it’s not helping you or your team!
Interested i...
The phrase “feedback is a gift” is pretty common in many workplaces.
While feedback can be a great way to know how you’re doing and to improve, it can also be a bad thing.
Many people are terrible at giving feedback, so accepting it all would be a mistake.
In this episode I take a look at how to decide whether to accept or reject feedback, and how to use feedback to keep improving.
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