The Brave Next Step

Real leadership doesn’t come with a manual. It comes from bold decisions, uncomfortable truths, and the courage to lead when the path ahead isn’t clear. Join Emma Canter - leadership development expert and curious human - as she hosts honest conversations with business leaders, innovators, and experts who are navigating ambiguity and pushing past comfort zones to create meaningful change. Each episode delivers real stories, practical insights, and expert advice to help you grow personally and professionally, no matter where you lead—from the boardroom to the frontlines of innovation. This isn’t about quick fixes or one-size-fits-all answers. It’s about doing what’s right, not what’s easy. Because leadership is nuanced, messy, and deeply human. If you're ready to stretch, grow, and take your brave next step, this podcast is for you.

The Brave Next Step is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 0 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Brave Next Step, a business show with 0 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #72

  The Pressure You Create vs. the Pressure That Helps You Grow

  Sep 6, 202612 min

  In this episode, I’m exploring the difference between pressure that drains us and pressure that actually helps us perform better. It started with something as simple as swimming, where I noticed that the targets I was setting for myself were creating more stress and fatigue without improving my performance. I’ll share what happened when I removed those targets completely, and what changed again when I allowed a different kind of pressure in. We’ll look at the self-authored deadlines, expectations and internal countdowns we create at work, and why real accountability, visibility and challenge can sometimes sharpen us far more effectively than the pressure we invent for ourselves. Highlights: (01:37) - The swimming experiment that made me question how much pressure I create for myself (03:00) - Same pace, same ability, completely different stress levels (04:40) - What happened when I stopped counting and just kept swimming (06:25) - The surprising kind of pressure that actually improved my performance (08:28) - How private deadlines and invented KPIs can create stress without creating better work (10:20) - Three questions to help you work out which pressure to drop and which pressure to let in Connect with Emma: LinkedIn Website This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

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  Episode #71

  What Kind of Dependence Are You Willing to Hold?

  Aug 30, 202612 min

  In this episode, I’m exploring the psychology underneath delegation and why it is about far more than giving someone a clear brief and trusting them to get on with it. I’m looking at dependence, independence and interdependence, and what each one asks of us as leaders. I’ll also share why some leaders accidentally create the very dependence they complain about, why other people struggle to receive responsibility, and what genuine interdependence can look like in practice. This is really a conversation about trust, responsibility and being honest about what you are willing and able to hold in your working relationships. Highlights: (01:30) - Why the real question is not employee or associate, but what kind of dependence you can hold (03:34) - The maturity continuum from dependence to independence to interdependence (05:53) - How leaders can accidentally create the dependence they later resent (07:14) - Why some people struggle to receive delegation even when they are completely capable (08:18) - What genuine interdependence actually looks like in a working relationship (10:12) - The leadership question worth asking: is this stance serving both of us, or just protecting me? Connect with Emma: LinkedIn Website This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

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  Episode #70

  How to Influence Up Without Losing Your Credibility

  Aug 23, 20269 min

  In this episode, I’m getting practical about upward influence and what actually helps an idea land with senior decision-makers. Building on the last episode, I’m looking at Yukl and Tracey’s influence tactics and the difference between simply having a strong argument and creating the conditions for someone to support it. I’ll talk through the tactics that tend to work best when influencing upwards, including rational persuasion, inspirational appeals, consultation and coalition building. I also share the mistakes I used to make, why consultation became one of the biggest shifts in my own approach, and how thinking carefully about timing, sequencing and what really matters to the other person can completely change the outcome of a high-stakes conversation. Highlights: (01:30) - Why being right is only half the job when you need someone senior to say yes (02:32) - The tactic I used to skip because it felt slower, and why it now changes everything (03:18) - Why building allies before the meeting is not manipulation, it is groundwork (05:49) - The three influence tactics that work best upwards, and why the magic is in combining them (06:41) - The three questions I now ask before any high-stakes conversation (08:03) - Stop walking into the room with a good idea and hoping it lands, build the tactical plan first Connect with Emma: LinkedIn Website This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

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  Episode #69

  Being Right Isn’t Enough: How Influence Really Works

  Aug 16, 20269 min

  I’ve had to learn this one the hard way: having a good idea does not automatically mean people will get behind it. For years, I often went straight to the decision maker, trusted the quality of my thinking to do the work, and skipped the slower job of bringing people with me. Sometimes that was impatience. Sometimes it was confidence. And sometimes, if I’m honest, it was arrogance. In this episode, I’m looking at the five bases of power and what they teach us about influencing upwards. We’ll explore where your influence actually comes from, why expert knowledge alone is rarely enough, and how mapping the power dynamic can completely change the way you approach a high-stakes conversation. Highlights: (01:30) - Why a strong idea can still fail if you haven’t brought people with you (02:26) - The five different types of power shaping influence at work (03:21) - Why titles, rewards and consequences matter more than we like to admit (04:10) - The two forms of power you can rely on when influencing someone more senior (05:20) - The mistake of trying to win the argument instead of building the relationship (06:14) - The questions to ask before your next high-stakes conversation Connect with Emma: LinkedIn Website This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

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  Episode #68

  The Leadership Style Your Team Needs Today

  Aug 9, 202613 min

  In this episode, I’m exploring why effective leadership is not about finding one perfect style and sticking to it. The people we lead are constantly changing, so the way we show up needs to change too. Someone who needed direction last month might need space today, while someone who seemed confident may suddenly need more support. I bring together situational leadership and co-active leadership to explain four practical ways of leading: from the front, beside, behind, and within the wider field. This is really about attentiveness, self-awareness, and asking one honest question: am I giving this person what they need, or simply giving them the version of me that feels most comfortable? Highlights: (01:49) - Why one default leadership style will eventually hold people back (03:24) - Matching your approach to someone’s confidence and competence (04:33) - When clear direction is generous, not controlling (06:20) - Supporting someone who already has the answer (08:14) - Why delegation without autonomy is not really delegation (10:02) - Spotting the difference between a conscious choice and an old habit Connect with Emma: LinkedIn Website This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

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