Episode #1 - Leading with Heart and Mind: Human-Centered Tech Leadership with Andrew Ogbourne

--------- EPISODE SUMMARY ---------

What if the key to successful tech leadership lies not in your technical skills but in your ability to understand and motivate people? This episode of the Mindful CIO Podcast features Andrew Ogbourne, an IT veteran whose career spans across publishing, insurance, and community services. Andrew takes us on a journey from his academic roots in physics and maths to his present role where he emphasizes the human elements of technology leadership. Discover how technology serves as an enabler rather than the star of the show and gain insights into creating sustainable, inspiring work environments.

Andrew shares the principles of the Mindful CIO Manifesto, advocating for the power of emotional intelligence and the importance of recognizing neurodiversity within teams. By understanding personal motivations and valuing different strengths, leaders can cultivate a high-performing and enjoyable workplace culture. We explore how caring about employees can lead to greater commitment and discretionary effort, and why human skills often trump technical proficiency in effective leadership.

Finally, the conversation shifts to the complexities of leading organizational change and the importance of prioritization and adaptability. Andrew underscores the necessity of self-acceptance, self-compassion, and empathy, drawing inspiration from Kristen Neff’s work. Learn how to embrace uncertainty, plan flexibly, and lead with vulnerability to foster trust and open problem-solving within your team. This episode offers a comprehensive guide to human-centered tech leadership, blending personal anecdotes with practical advice to ensure productivity and well-being.

--------- REFERENCES ---------

• Andrew Ogbourne LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aogbourne/

• Kristen Neff research on self-compassion - https://self-compassion.org/the-research/

• Martin Seligman – Achievement, one of the 5 pillars of holistic wellbeing - PERMA Model - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/perma-wellbeing-model-nathalie-heynderickx/

--------- ENTITIES ---------

• Make a Wish Foundation – https://www.makeawish.org.au/

Murdoch Children's Research Institute - https://www.mcri.edu.au/

• Deloitte Australia - https://www.deloitte.com/au/en.html

--------- EPISODE CHAPTERS ---------

(0:00:03) - Leadership in Tech

(0:10:10) - The Mindful CIO Manifesto - Human Skills over Technical Prowess

(0:24:10) - Building Empathy and Positive Relationships

(0:32:50) - Leading Change

(0:41:03) - Leading With Focus and Adaptability

(0:48:37) - Embracing Uncertainty in Leadership

--------- EPISODE KEYWORDS ---------

Tech Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Human Skills, Positive Workplace, Neurodiversity, Organizational Change, Purposeful Organizations, Sustainable Work Environments, Mindful CIO Manifesto, Empathy, Positive Relationships, Self-Acceptance, Self-Compassion, Kristen Neff, Empowering Work Environment, Leading Change, IT Departments, Prioritization, Adaptability, Vulnerability, High-Performance Teams, Eisenhower, Humility, Problem-Solving, Leading by Example, Mindfulness Meditation