Today I’m talking to Professor John Amaechi CBE, an organisational psychologist and founder of APS Intelligence, where he is the Leadership Transformation expert.

His book, The Promises of Giants, was a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller, in which he draws on his early life in Stockport, his rise to becoming the one of the first Britons to play professional basketball in the NBA and his career since – working with organisations to build authentic and ethical cultures.

John is Professor of Leadership at the University of Exeter Business School, a non-exec director of a FTSE 250 company, and in 2023, received the Sport Industry’s Integrity & Impact Award. Oh, and he’s also passionate about Star Wars.

He was hugely influenced by his mother, and he lives his life inspired by her words, that “the most unlikely of people, in the most improbable of circumstances, can become extraordinary.”

In our conversation, John shares…

- What he means by sustainable high-performance…

- Why he is deliberately hard to get hold of and what, as a former elite sportsman,

- And he hates about going to the gym.

Today I’m speaking with Rupal Patel, a woman who has had an unconventional career, as suggested by the title of her best-selling book, From CIA to CEO. As a CIA analyst and field agent, she advised four-star generals, earned War Zone Service Medals, and was recognised by the CIA Director for “superior support to the President.” She then transitioned into the business world. Rupal’s trailblazing business work has been featured in USA Today and Business Insider, and in 2023, she was named one of the “Most Influential Women of the Year.” She is committed to developing the next generation of leaders and change-makers through her pro bono work for Virgin Startup, and through her roles as Entrepreneur in Residence at London Business School and Alumni in Residence at the University of Chicago. In our conversation, Rupal shares… - What can be gained from riddles over dinner, - The creative benefits of leaving things to the last minute, - And what she discovered by ‘leaning into the laziness.’

Today I’m talking to Alina Addison, ex-accountant, ex-investment banker, executive coach, and now author.

Alina left Romania as a young adult. Soon afterwards, she went into accountancy with PwC before joining Rothschild & Co. There, she became the first woman to be promoted to Managing Director and Head of Trading—all while working four days a week.

In her book, The Audacity Spectrum, Alina combines personal experience with extensive research to share her mission. She wants to ignite audacious leadership in people through a bold mix of courage, care, and nonconformity.

In our conversation, Alina shares…

- What she learnt from being that boarding school toddler,

- Why her life changed thanks to a friend’s audacious question, and

- How she ended up completing two degrees in two countries—at the same time!

Welcome to season 2 of Better Under Pressure!

I’m very excited to be kicking it off today in the company of none other than my business partner, Simon Scott.

Formerly a Royal Marine Commando Officer and diver, who was awarded the Sword of Honour, Simon found that his time in the Marines satisfied both his desire for challenge and his fascination with explorers like Ernest Shackleton. After 11 years, he left and has since been coaching leaders in various industries, and increasingly in sport. He has supported people like Alex Danson, who captained GB Hockey to Olympic gold, worked with Dave Brailsford at INEOS Cycling, and is currently on the training ground with Steve Borthwick and his coaches at England Rugby. He is also an active trustee of the Adaptive Grand Slam charity, which trains and enables disabled adventurers in extreme expeditions.

In our conversation, Simon shares what he learned when given a can of beans without an opener, how his father, a rowing coach, helped him become a runner, and what he believes makes up an explorer’s mindset.

Today I’m talking to award-winning actor, comedian, and writer, Hugh Dennis. Best known for BBC1’s critically acclaimed sitcom OUTNUMBERED, he has also played an emotionally tortured Bank Manager in the BAFTA-winning show FLEABAG, Toby in the sitcom, NOT GOING OUT, and was an ever-present panellist on BBC 2’s long-running weekly satirical show MOCK THE WEEK.

Hugh has also been a regular for over 25 years on BBC Radio 4, both writing and presenting their Friday night comedy THE NOW SHOW.

In our conversation, Hugh (whose real name is Pete, by the way) shares… - Why he thinks allowing a bit of self doubt is a good thing. - How his job at Unilever helped keep him grounded - And what having a bishop for a father taught him about performance.

Today I’m talking to Genevieve Shore, a serial non-executive Director who has held Board level positions within organisations across several industries, territories and cultures. Her credit roll of organisations includes Santander, Arup, Moneysupermarket, Lego Education, STV and the RFU.

With her sporting background - having played international Rugby for England and winning the World Cup in 1994 - it’s no surprise that Genevieve is currently Chair of the Women’s Premier 15 Ltd. At the same time, she also chairs the North Highland Initiative - a non-profit organisation established because of King Charles III's commitment to support the people and businesses of the North Highlands.

In our conversation, Genevieve shares

- What she means by positive pressure

- Her experience of toxic workplace bullies

- And how teamwork in the changing room trained her for the boardroom.

Today I’m talking to Calum Clark, ex-international Rugby Union player turned high-performance psychologist.

Having started on the rugby trail aged just 15, Calum turned professional three years later and spent fourteen years playing at the highest level He turned out for three different Premiership clubs as well as England. In that time he experienced the highs of winning 3 Premiership titles and 2 European Cups and the lows of career-threatening injuries, disciplinary setbacks, and various off-field issues. Realising there was a lack of professional support, guidance and expertise to help navigate such things, he completed the first of two Psychology MScs alongside the final years of his playing career. He then became Head of Player Development and Wellbeing at Saracens, before going on to become their Head of Psychological Performance, with a number of his clients, including Ben Earl, going on to excel at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

In our conversation, Calum shares… - The importance of drilling - as an individual and as a team. - How we all need a north star… - And which pressure was worse - playing for England or finishing his Psychology thesis.

Today I'm thrilled to welcome back Mollie Pearse, Meta’s Head of Marketing for EMEA, for round two of our insightful conversation on "Better Under Pressure."

Mollie's journey from entrepreneurial beginnings to leading teams at top organizations like IMG, Octagon, HSBC, and LinkedIn before landing at Meta showcases her remarkable leadership and dedication to 'audience-first' marketing principles.

Outside of work, Mollie's passion for pushing boundaries shines through her pursuits in ultra-distance sports, where she explores the depths of human potential while raising funds for charity.

As our discussion unfolded, it was clear that there were too many valuable insights to fit into one episode, so we're back for more!

In this episode, Mollie delves into:

- The challenging decision to step back from a 24-hour endurance race and the importance of listening to one's body and mind. - Her approach to fostering a sense of belonging within teams, grounded in shared human experiences and authentic connections. - A pivotal interview experience where she embraced her unique strengths and dared to 'play her game.'

If you missed our initial conversation, be sure to catch up before diving into this one! Connect with Mollie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollie-pearse-09842b28/?originalSubdomain=uk