The Courageous Leaders Podcast

Is your leadership team quietly falling apart?
Lack of trust is the silent killer of leadership teams that can contribute to eroding alignment, sparking burnout, and fuelling poor decisions.
In this episode, I reveal why even the best leaders lose trust over time and share some practical, proven strategies to rebuild it. We cover the hidden traps weakening your team and the exact steps you can take today to restore clarity, vulnerability, and alignment at the top.
We Cover:

00:46 – How trust breaks down over time
01:27 – Trust Killer #1: Silos and lack of collective alignment

02:23 – Trust Killer #2: Fear of vulnerability and hiding weakness

03:34 – Trust Killer #3: Inconsistent communication and clarity gaps
04:25 – How to Rebuild Trust
05:10 – Setting up quarterly leadership alignment sessions
05:55 – Modelling vulnerability as a leader
06:42 – Building a communication cadence across teams
07:27 – The hidden power of informal leadership connections
08:10 – Final Takeaways: Small steps to a stronger leadership foundation
Don’t miss out on this powerful episode.

💬 Join the Conversation:
Register for our exclusive Leaders Connect Roundtables:
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👍 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/

This isn’t your typical leadership Q&A.

It’s fast. It’s curious.

And Scott Morrison brings the boom, with energy, honesty, and a few unexpected curveballs.

(Yes, including Will Smith... and toes-for-fingers.)

Yes, it gets funnier.

But in between the laughs, Scott dropped some real wisdom:

⚡The #1 skill every leader should master (it’s not what you think)

⚡ The mindset trap too many leaders fall into

⚡ Why he’d trade lives with Martin Luther King for a day

⚡ His 3-word leadership philosophy: Unblock. Unlock. Unleash.

From Will Smith walk-in songs to a character who steals phones with their feet (yep, really)...

This episode brings bold takes, sharp insights, and Scott’s signature boom-energy.

💬 Join the Conversation:
Register for our exclusive Leaders Connect Roundtables:
https://thechangecreators.com/leaders-connect/
👍 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/

In episode 92 of the podcast, I speak with Flavilla Fongang, the Founder and CEO of Black Rise.
Join us as we discuss why as leaders, we need to stop focusing only on financial outcomes and also look at the greater impact we are making on the community and even the planet. In the era of cancel culture, we have to be more socially responsible if we want our organisation to succeed.
We also discussed why it is so important to invest in protecting your peace. There is power in getting comfortable saying no without explanation, and it is something that we all need to embrace more, particularly as leaders.
Key takeaways include:
● The importance of empowering black women in technology
● Why it’s not okay to be the only woman in the room
● What an entrepreneurial mindset really is
● The balance of business impact and leaving a legacy
● Knowing how much money you need to be happy
● Developing a solution mindset so that you can solve any problem
● Why you can’t let the naysayers stop you, and you should always trust your gut
● How the first step to climbing the pyramid is just taking the first step
Flavilla Fongang is a multi-award-winning serial entrepreneur and an international keynote speaker. She is the author of “99 Strategies to Get Customers”. She is also the founder of Global Tech Advocates – Black Women in Tech, the largest organisation of black professional women in tech.
Follow Joanna Howes and The Change Creators:
website: https://www.thechangecreators.com
linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannahowes/

💬 Join the Conversation:
Register for our exclusive Leaders Connect Roundtables:
https://thechangecreators.com/leaders-connect/
👍 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/

Kerry Collinge, Managing Director of The Uncensored CMO, shares her bold journey from big brands to brave moves, and what it really means to lead without conforming.

From being told she was “too much” to redefining success on her own terms, Kerry’s story is a masterclass in courage, reinvention, and staying true to who you are.
We Cover:
02:22 – Kerry’s most courageous move (and why she never looked back)

04:50 – What your gut knows before your head catches up

10:46 – When conformity kills creativity: The cost of safe leadership

14:08 – Why we need to embrace the whole person at work

19:13 – Has hard work become a dirty word?

22:56 – Redefining performance

29:13 – “I knew it wasn’t right, but I said yes anyway”
30:47 – What she learned from taking 3 jobs for the money (and getting fired 3 times)
34:37 – Glitter ball mindset: Why broken doesn’t mean less

38:19 – The advice she’d give to her younger self
Don’t miss out on this powerful episode.

💬 Join the Conversation:
Register for our exclusive Leaders Connect Roundtables:
https://thechangecreators.com/leaders-connect/
👍 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/

In this episode, Shira Jeczmien, Founder & CEO of SCREENSHOT Media, shares her journey of starting the company at just 27. With “naive optimism” and family support, Shira turned a university project into a thriving media business. We talk about staying adaptable, meeting Gen Z’s expectations in the workplace, and creating a collaborative, inclusive culture.
We Cover:
04:50 – Smart growth through monetising digital content
07:18 – How to connect with the right people when you want to grow a business
12:00 – How being authentic helps you overcome challenges
15:30 – The role trust plays in building a team
17:06 – How to bring collaboration into your culture for growth
19:29 – How to motivate and get the best from a Gen Z team
20:59 – Adapting to hybrid work with a focus on retention
23:41 – Expanding to 45 employees and hiring 11 new roles
27:32 – The unique challenges of being a young, female founder
35:51 – First-time challenges feel overwhelming but become easier with experience
40:32 – Building a network of peers and advisors who share your values
Don’t miss out on this powerful episode.
How The Change Creators Can Help
Looking to back yourself more, bring Courageous Leadership into your team, or explore transformational strategies? The Change Creators offers support to help you take action and drive meaningful change in your leadership and workplace culture.
Reach out to us today to learn how we can assist in your leadership journey and help your team thrive!

💬 Join the Conversation:
Register for our exclusive Leaders Connect Roundtables:
https://thechangecreators.com/leaders-connect/
👍 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/