Business Leader Breakthroughs
Ryan Castle, Dr Mike Ashby
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Top 10 Business Leader Breakthroughs Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Business Leader Breakthroughs episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Business Leader Breakthroughs for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Business Leader Breakthroughs episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Ep 100 - Effective manager training: 7 best leadership strategies
Business Leader Breakthroughs
01/23/25 • 21 min
What makes manager training truly effective, and why should you prioritize it? In this episode of Business Breakthroughs, Ryan and Mike explore how equipping managers with essential people leadership skills can transform their performance and the productivity of their teams. They discuss the challenges of promoting technically skilled individuals to managerial roles without proper training and why this often leads to inefficiency and frustration for both managers and their teams.
You’ll also hear practical insights on creating a robust leadership development strategy, including the importance of coaching, peer learning, and hands-on practice. Ryan and Mike reveal how structured programs not only build confidence but also free up managers’ time, enabling them to focus on strategic initiatives that drive business success.
Download the guide: 7 Best Ways to Train Your Leaders
Where else you can find us
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
Ep 93 - Understanding different working styles: How team diversity enhances productivity
Business Leader Breakthroughs
11/14/24 • 17 min
Ever wondered why others don’t think or work like you? In this episode, we dive into the impact of diverse working styles on team productivity. From Drivers to Pioneers, we explore how understanding each style—whether detail-oriented or big-picture—can enhance collaboration and improve outcomes. Join us as we unpack how these differences make teams stronger and offer tips for communicating across styles. Perfect for leaders, managers, and anyone curious about what makes a successful team dynamic.
Where else you can find us
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebreakthroughco/
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
EP 39 - Gihan Perera on Futurism, Artificial Intelligence, and Diversity
Business Leader Breakthroughs
03/24/20 • 37 min
In this podcast episode, Ryan has the pleasure of talking with Gihan Perera, who is an author, conference speaker and consultant. As a futurist, Gihan researches trends that will impact the future of work and brings these insights to audiences in a relevant way.
Gihan talks about one of the biggest trends at the moment, artificial intelligence, and explains how it is already everywhere in our lives, how it helps us do our jobs better, and how it will continue to evolve. He also discusses digital disruption and the challenges around it, skills leaders of today need to have, and innovation. He shares his insights on creating a high performance culture characterised by diversity and inclusion, as well as the importance of learning from the younger generations like Gen Z. Lastly, he talks about his book “The Future of Leadership” and some of the insights that can be learned from it.
Links
- Read more about or get in touch with Gihan Perera here
Where else you can find us
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebreakthroughco/
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
Blogs: https://thebreakthrough.co/blog/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thebreakthroughco
EP 63 - Coaching - What Is It and How to Do It Right
Business Leader Breakthroughs
11/17/20 • 20 min
Coaching is at the heart of gaining leverage as an organisation, yet a lot of business leaders feel as though they could do more of it.
In this week’s podcast, Mike and Ryan share exactly what coaching is and help solve common obstacles holding leaders back from beginning their coaching journey (hint: is not as time consuming as you’d thing and you don’t have to know all the answers!).
They get specific on HOW to be a coach and share some great tips on how to have a coaching mindset. Mike and Ryan share 4 phrases that can help you catch and take advantage of valuable coaching opportunities:
1. “This is a coaching moment”
2. "Because"
3. "How would you do it?"
4. "How do you think that went?"
Where else you can find us
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebreakthroughco/
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
Blogs: https://thebreakthrough.co/blog/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thebreakthroughco
EP 61 - How to Build Your "Unicorn" Factory
Business Leader Breakthroughs
11/02/20 • 12 min
Every business leader wants a unicorn in their team. Someone with lots of skill, experience and training in a functional role who, once promoted, becomes a great people leader. However, people don’t turn into unicorns by magic. Many leaders take one of two approaches to developing their best employees: they promote them and do nothing expecting they’ll know what to do, or they send them on some short courses expecting they’ll come back transformed.
Mike and Ryan share insights on how to notice challenges within your business that suggest that your approach isn't working, such as low culture engagement, high turnover or projects being delayed. They talk about what works, the three C’s of learning and development: Continued, Consistent and Connected. They have seen businesses become unicorn factories when their business leaders commit to teaching leadership skills through an agreed curriculum that is applied in every day work on a regular cadence supported by peer learning, coaching and feedback.
Links
- Check out our resources page here
Where else you can find us
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebreakthroughco/
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
Blogs: https://thebreakthrough.co/blog/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thebreakthroughco
EP 47 - The future of working from home now that lockdown’s over
Business Leader Breakthroughs
06/09/20 • 21 min
Mike and Ryan discuss the question so many of us are asking "What is the ideal working model going forward in Level 1?" For many businesses and their people what was once the norm is now a choice; to work from home, to return to the office or something in between.
It can be challenging to sift out the pull of the familiar versus the opportunity to reimagine and reengineer a new way of working, along with what will be practical in the longer term. There's tension between a number of different factors:
- Where do we add the most value - personal, team and organisational?
- What is the most convenient for me and is that aligned with the best outcomes for the business?
- What types of work needs to get done?
In this podcast, Mike and Ryan share many stories of how people working from home during lockdown experienced different gains, losses and challenges, and the learnings we can take from their situations. And as the requirements have eased, companies have been adopting a variety of new models of working, some of which may not last long term.
The important thing to realise is that there isn't a one size fits all solution, not only for the organisation but for individuals. We need to be continually adjusting and asking questions like "is this still working for us?" and "what do we need to change?"
Listen to this week's podcast for tips on how to be more deliberate and aware in trialling different models for working for your organisation and your people.
Breakpoints book by Dr Mike Ashby https://thebreakthrough.co/shop/breakpoints/
Where else you can find us
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebreakthroughco/
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
Blogs: https://thebreakthrough.co/blog/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thebreakthroughco
EP 45 - Managing the tension between stabilising and adapting
Business Leader Breakthroughs
05/25/20 • 18 min
Welcome to our first podcast "back" with Mike and Ryan recording in our office together instead of through Zoom (which has been the mainstay for so many of us during these past 8 weeks of our nationwide lockdown). We are all adjusting from what was our old normal to the new normal or, as Mike says, our different normal.
Being a business leader during this time comes with a lot of tension. Most of us experienced an emotional roller coaster as we adjusted to working from home and all the other changes that lockdown brought to bear. While businesses and people were not equally affected, we all are dealing with the uncertainty and anxiety caused by pandemic in different ways, and much of the pressure and stress will sit below the surface. It will take some time before the full scope of the impact and (possible) damage is known, yet we must begin now to deal with these tensions.
In this podcast, Mike and Ryan discuss the tension for business leaders between stabilising and adapting. In the process of stabilising, we must look at our business model and operations for what and how we can recover, rebuild, reinstate and reassure. We need to manage the tension between stabilising and adapting without trying to lock in what's gone, reinstating things that are not longer relevant. So we must engage in the process of adapting, thinking about how to stay relevant, reimagine, reengineer, and disrupt. The good news is that as a business leader it's your role to help navigate but you don't have to have all the answers. Mike and Ryan talk about the kinds of questions you should ask yourself, your team and your customers.
Links
· Read more https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/coronavirus-leading-through-the-crisis
Where else you can find us
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebreakthroughco/
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
Blogs: https://thebreakthrough.co/blog/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thebreakthroughco
EP 35 - How to Stop THAT Person From Taking Your Meetings off Track
Business Leader Breakthroughs
02/24/20 • 15 min
In this podcast, Mike and Ryan discuss how to effectively run a meeting, and how to deal with people and situations that get your meeting off track. They talk about why face to face meetings are so fundamental and beneficial, given they are run well. They go over 6 situations that can derail meetings and how a good meeting runner can resolve them and “rerail” the meeting.
Do you have any insights into what makes a great meeting? Share your experiences with us in the comments!
Links
- Watch it on YouTube
Where else you can find us
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebreakthroughco/
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
Blogs: https://thebreakthrough.co/blog/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thebreakthroughco
EP 31 - Mindfulness at Work: It's Not Yoga
Business Leader Breakthroughs
01/27/20 • 13 min
In this podcast episode, Mike and Ryan talk about mindfulness at work. Mindfulness at work is about being open and present in the moment and actively thinking about how to add the most value for your organization, rather than practices like meditation and yoga that are characteristic of personal mindfulness.
Mike and Ryan explain what mindfulness at work entails and why it is so important, and share some of their own mindfulness practices as well as tips on how to get started on being more mindful at work.
Links
- Listen to it on YouTube
- Find out more about asana here
- Find out more about the book The Tao of Leadership here
Where else you can find us
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebreakthroughco/
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
Blogs: https://thebreakthrough.co/blog/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thebreakthroughco
EP 104 – Katie O'Malley, Founder and Leadership Coach at Encourage Coaching, on self-awareness and why great leaders master listening
Business Leader Breakthroughs
03/13/25 • 45 min
In this episode of Business Leader Breakthroughs, Ryan Castle sit down with leadership coach Katie O'Malley to explore the essential qualities of great leadership—self-awareness, psychological safety, and listening skills. Katie shares her personal career journey, from pursuing political science and nonprofit work to discovering her true passion for coaching. She reveals how a misalignment between values and career choices can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction, and why developing self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership.
Ryan and Katie also discuss how leaders can create psychologically safe workplaces where employees feel heard and empowered. Katie explains why listening is the most underrated leadership skill, how different communication styles impact team trust, and practical strategies leaders can use to foster open, productive conversations. Whether you’re looking to enhance your leadership skills or rethink how you engage with your team, this episode is packed with actionable insights.
Useful links:
Katie O'Malley’s Coaching Practice – Encourage CoachingDr. Amy Edmondson on Psychological Safety – Harvard Business Review article
The Five-Factor Model of Personality – The psychological framework behind Hogan Assessments
Armchair Expert Podcast – One of Katie’s favorite podcasts on psychology and leadership
Where else you can find us
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
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FAQ
How many episodes does Business Leader Breakthroughs have?
Business Leader Breakthroughs currently has 140 episodes available.
What topics does Business Leader Breakthroughs cover?
The podcast is about Management, Leadership, Entrepreneur, Business Management, Self-Help, Podcasts, Self-Improvement, Education, Leader, Business, Manager and Strategy.
What is the most popular episode on Business Leader Breakthroughs?
The episode title 'S3 E3 - Chris Morsley, the CEO of CMC Global, on charismatic leadership' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Business Leader Breakthroughs?
The average episode length on Business Leader Breakthroughs is 24 minutes.
How often are episodes of Business Leader Breakthroughs released?
Episodes of Business Leader Breakthroughs are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Business Leader Breakthroughs?
The first episode of Business Leader Breakthroughs was released on Jun 24, 2019.
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