The Courageous Leaders Podcast

The Courageous Leaders Podcast aims to inspire leaders to step into their courageous zone, be the leader they know they can be and discover the mindset skills and behaviours to take their leadership to the next level. So listen in, get inspired on how you can grow your leadership impact. Leave a legacy you can be proud of, and build an environment for future leaders to thrive. Who is Joanna Howes? Joanna Howes is an award-winning international coach, behavioural expert, specialising in leadership and performance coaching and No 1 best selling international co-author. Her focus is to help individuals and teams activate their full potential, so they can step into their courageous zone to maximise their influence, build their resilience and take the action needed to become high performers and future-ready leaders. Joanna is a unique phenomenon within her industry, with over 20 years’ experience working internationally with some of the world's

The Courageous Leaders Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Joanna Howes, with 228 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.

Joanna Howes hosts The Courageous Leaders Podcast, a business show with 228 episodes published.

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  The Courageous Leaders Podcast

  Ogilvy CEO: Why Creative Leaders Need A Culture Of Disrespect

  Aug 19, 20261h 6m

  James Murphy , CEO of Ogilvy Group UK and co-founder of New Commercial Arts , joins me on The Courageous Leaders Podcast for an honest conversation about building creative cultures that don’t rely on hierarchy. James co-founded adam&eve, which became one of the most awarded agencies in history, and he has spent decades proving that great leadership starts with bold ideas and the right environment to grow them. We talk about why he encourages a “culture of disrespect” where the best idea wins no matter who it comes from, why hierarchy and process quietly kill creative energy, why leaders aren’t there just to make people happy, and why momentum beats the paralysis of perfection. If you want to build a culture where great work actually happens, this conversation is full of hard-won lessons. What We Cover: 00:00 Trailer 00:57 What courageous leadership means to James 04:26 His relationship with fear and decision-making 05:47 Why a strong culture needs both trust and high standards 06:37 Why hierarchy and process kill creativity 09:57 The “culture of disrespect”: letting the best idea win, whoever it comes from 16:53 How to change a hierarchical agency, starting with your next brief 24:29 The pressure clients are under, and why problems are inevitable 25:54 Why problems should be surfaced, not hidden 27:17 What an F1 team taught him about blame and accountability 30:30 Why the best creatives don’t always make the best leaders 37:50 Is the advertising industry ageist? James’s honest answer 40:50 Why fewer people want to be leaders now 46:06 The job rejection that told him he “wasn’t ruthless enough” 49:50 What a leader needs before they can be courageous 53:17 Why stepping back from work felt dangerous to him 57:07 James’s three pieces of advice for leaders 60:21 From wine-delivery van driver to a job at Ogilvy Key Leadership Insights: • Why momentum and course-correction beat waiting for the perfect answer • Why a strong culture needs both openness and clear standards • How a “culture of disrespect” frees the best ideas from hierarchy • Why surfacing problems openly is a strength, not a weakness • Why you should measure and reward the team, not the individual • The difference between a brilliant practitioner and a brilliant leader • Why perseverance, not ruthlessness, is what success actually requires Stay inspired by joining our YouTube community! Click the link, hit the subscribe button, leave a comment, and never miss an episode. Your support helps us empower courageous leaders like you! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2kZ-x8fDHKEVb222qpQ_NQ Elevate Your Leadership: Book a call for transformative leadership and team coaching: Website: https://thechangecreators.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannahowes/ → Join our newsletter for courageous leadership insights and advice. Subscribe here: https://the-change-creators.kit.com/1a5f3c9e54

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  The Courageous Leaders Podcast

  How to build one culture across 100 companies and 40 countries

  Aug 6, 20261 hour

  Sergio Lopez Ferrero, Global CEO of Omnicom Production, joins me on The Courageous Leaders Podcast for an honest conversation about leading global transformation and what it really costs the person at the top. Sergio leads the global production portfolio for Omnicom Group, with over 20 years in the industry and more than 400 awards to his name, including 73 Cannes Lions. We talk about what it takes to transform businesses spanning 100 companies and 40 countries, why leaders are humans, not superheroes, the moment he realised he'd stopped doing the work he loved, and how he separates smart failure from negligence. If you lead through change, pressure, or uncertainty, this conversation is full of hard-won lessons from someone doing it at a global scale. What We Cover: 00:00 Trailer 00:54 Leading global transformation in a changing industry 03:19 The pressure of being a CEO: leaders are human, not superheroes 05:54 The leadership skills Sergio had to learn the hard way 08:15 Why every leader must understand the financials first 11:29 How to build one culture across 100 companies and 40 countries 13:03 Making tough decisions when people resist change 16:07 Separating who you are from the role you have to play 21:40 Moving from hands-on creative work to leading the businesS 29:14 Smart failure vs negligence: when it’s okay to fail 32:30 How to navigate uncertainty as a leader 35:13 Systems thinking and giving teams freedom within a framework 45:16 Where courage has carried Sergio through his career 48:05 Sergio’s three pieces of advice for future leaders 50:22 The eight things every CEO must be willing to do 52:03 Why you never fully switch off at the top 53:43 Ego, money, and the career trap nobody talks about 55:44 Building the team that covers your weaknesses 58:02 The real rewards of being a CEO Key Leadership Insights: • Why transformation today means rebuilding the plane while flying i • Why understanding the money is the first job of any leader • How to set a vision simple enough to align 40 countries • Why separating smart failure from negligence changes how teams take risks • How “freedom within the framework” keeps creative people creative • Why the leader’s mood sets the temperature for the whole company • Why knowing yourself matters more than knowing the playbook Listen to the full episode for the best practical leadership coaching: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1B0U13S37tjpy9ZYZJcZb4 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-courageous-leaders-podcast/id1594924295 All episodes: https://thecourageousleaderspodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Connect with Sergio: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergiolopezferrero/ Ready to elevate your team and leadership? Book time for transformative coaching and training: Website: https://www.thechangecreators.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannahowes/ Stay inspired – subscribe, leave a comment, and help us build a community of courageous leaders. → Want honest leadership insights in your inbox? Sign up to the newsletter: https://the-change-creators.kit.com/1a5f3c9e54 #Leadership #BusinessTransformation #CEO #CreativeIndustry #CourageousLeaders Stay inspired by joining our YouTube community! Click the link, hit the subscribe button, leave a comment, and never miss an episode. Your support helps us empower courageous leaders like you! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2kZ-x8fDHKEVb222qpQ_NQ Elevate Your Leadership: Book a call for transformative leadership and team coaching: Website: https://thechangecreators.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannahowes/ → Join our newsletter for courageous leadership insights and advice. Subscribe here: https://the-change-creators.kit.com/1a5f3c9e54

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  The Courageous Leaders Podcast

  5 Bad Leadership Behaviours Every Leader Should Avoid

  Jul 23, 20265 min

  What are the bad leadership habits that quietly hold a team back? In this solo episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I share the five leadership behaviours driving me crazy right now, and what to do instead if you want to lead well over the next few years. Consider it a rant with a purpose. From leaders who struggle to manage stress to the ones avoiding hard conversations, burning out and calling it “high performance,” or making everything about themselves, I break down why each habit damages a team and the honest shift each one needs. If you lead people, this is a wake-up call worth five minutes. What We Cover: 00:00 The five leadership behaviours driving me crazy 00:06 No self-management: reacting and offloading stress onto your team 01:01 Avoiding difficult conversations (and the time it wastes) 01:33 Not looking after yourself, and what “high performance” really means 02:42 Getting a coach but doing none of the work 03:32 Being too self-focused, and why that isn’t leadership 04:08 Why leadership needs empathy and compassion 04:20 Leadership takes daily effort, not just a title Stay inspired by joining our YouTube community! Click the link, hit the subscribe button, leave a comment, and never miss an episode. Your support helps us empower courageous leaders like you! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2kZ-x8fDHKEVb222qpQ_NQ Elevate Your Leadership: Book a call for transformative leadership and team coaching: Website: https://thechangecreators.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannahowes/ → Join our newsletter for courageous leadership insights and advice. Subscribe here: https://the-change-creators.kit.com/1a5f3c9e54

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  Episode #200

  Is Ruthlessness the Price of Reaching the Top? | A Leaders' Panel Discussion

  Jul 9, 202651 min

  What’s the one toxic leadership behaviour you’d banish forever? In this special Leadership Room 101 episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, three industry leaders each argue to banish one leadership behaviour for good: busyness, fear-based leadership, or pay-to-play culture. I’m joined by Katy Wright (Chief Client & Business Officer, AMV BBDO), Sergio Lopez Ferrero (Global CEO, Omnicom Production), and Sachini Imbuldeniya (Co-Founder & CEO, House of Oddities). Each leader gets around ten minutes to make their case, and at the end I pick just one to send into Room 101. The debate is honest, funny, and at times a little controversial, and each argument says something real about how leadership and the creative industry work today. What We Cover: 00:00 Trailer 00:50 The Leadership Room 101 concept, and meet the three leaders 01:50 Katy's nomination: Busyness as a badge of honour 06:20 Is being "busy" really pride, or is it fear? 10:20 The fear of not looking busy enough 12:50 The link between rest, sleep, and real creativity 19:50 Sergio's nomination: Fear-based leadership 21:50 Why blaming an unnamed "head office" erodes trust 24:50 Can a little fear actually be healthy in leadership? 27:20 Why "alpha" leadership is over, and vulnerability is rising 27:50 The uncomfortable debate: do CEOs have psychopathic tendencies? 40:50 Sachini's nomination: Why pay-to-play is rigging the industry 45:50 Awards and access: is success bought or earned? 47:50 How pay-to-play shuts out great creative work 48:50 My verdict: which behaviour goes into Leadership Room 101 Key Leadership Insights: Why “busy” has become a status symbol, and what it often hides How to hear what your team are really telling you when they say they’re busy Why a small amount of healthy fear can sharpen accountability Why vulnerability now makes leaders more followable, not less How pay-to-play systems in awards and pitching hold the industry back Why fixing fairness at the top can change a whole company culture Part debate, part masterclass, and a lot of fun. By the end you’ll be deciding which leadership behaviour you’d banish too. 👍 Stay inspired by joining our YouTube community! Click the link, hit the subscribe button, leave a comment, and never miss an episode. Your support helps us empower courageous leaders like you! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2kZ-x8fDHKEVb222qpQ_NQ 🚀 Elevate Your Leadership: Book a call for transformative leadership and team coaching: Website: https://thechangecreators.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannahowes/ → Join our newsletter for courageous leadership insights and advice. 👉 Subscribe here: https://the-change-creators.kit.com/1a5f3c9e54

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  Episode #199

  Why It's Okay to Upset People When You Lead | Joanna Howes

  Jun 25, 20265 minS1

  Why is avoidance the biggest killer of performance in teams? In this solo episode of The Courageous Leaders Podcast, I explain why it’s okay to upset people, and why giving honest feedback without fear is a skill every leader needs. Most leaders tiptoe around their teams, scared of upsetting someone. But avoiding hard conversations doesn’t protect people, it holds them back. I share why we waste so much energy “mind reading” how others will react, how that robs them of the chance to grow, and how to deliver tough feedback while staying calm, present, and human, even when someone gets upset. What We Cover: 00:00 Why it’s okay to upset people 00:40 Why avoidance is the biggest killer of performance 01:20 The “mind reading” trap, and why we underestimate people 02:10 Why people need the chance to feel upset and grow 02:50 My Personal Story: The Feedback That Changed Everything 03:40 How to phrase feedback so it opens a conversation, not an attack 04:20 How to stay present when someone cries or gets angry 05:00 Why backtracking is the worst thing you can do 👍 Stay inspired by joining our YouTube community! Click the link, hit the subscribe button, leave a comment, and never miss an episode. Your support helps us empower courageous leaders like you! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2kZ-x8fDHKEVb222qpQ_NQ 🚀 Elevate Your Leadership: Book a call for transformative leadership and team coaching: Website: https://thechangecreators.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannahowes/ → Join our newsletter for courageous leadership insights and advice. 👉 Subscribe here: https://the-change-creators.kit.com/1a5f3c9e54

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