215: To Infinity & Beyond | Kelly Latimer

02/23/25 • 47 min

Kelly Latimer is no ordinary pilot. A former NASA, Virgin Galactic, and Boeing test pilot—and a combat veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan—Kelly has spent her career navigating high-stakes environments, from military command to the outer edges of space. As Virgin Galactic’s first female test pilot, she stepped into the role after the tragic VSS Enterprise crash in 2014, helping push the boundaries of space travel and human potential. In this episode, Kelly takes us inside the world of test piloting—where every flight is an experiment, every decision carries immense weight, and leadership is as much about precision as it is about people. From flying massive military jets to hand-flying a spaceplane at 55 miles above Earth, Kelly shares what it takes to lead under extreme pressure. Key Leadership Lessons: 🚀 Leading vs. Being in Charge – A powerful lesson from candid feedback mid-mission reshaped Kelly’s approach to leadership. 💡 Human-Centered Leadership – How she balanced authority with empathy, leading a 700+ person squadron with a focus on deep understanding and communication. 🔥 Navigating High-Stakes Performance – In a world where failure is not an option, Kelly learned that addressing poor performance isn’t just about accountability—it’s about protecting the team. 🌍 Being a Role Model – As a trailblazing female pilot in a male-dominated field, Kelly embraced the responsibility of inspiring the next generation—while staying true to herself. Kelly’s story is one of courage, adaptability, and relentless pursuit of excellence. In her final reflections, she reveals the one leadership principle that shaped her extraordinary career: the power of care. This is leadership—tested at Mach speeds. Don’t miss it.

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214: Ai -vs- Humanity | Greg Orme

Greg Orme is a global educator and author of Business Book of the Year, "The Human Edge." 'The Human Edge' focused on the fearful narrative that was and is growing around the use and development of AI. If we challenge AI on it's own ground we will certainly lose, Greg explains. Greg's book researched how leaders can differentiate themselves in this world of AI and digitisation. He constructed the 4C's Consciousness - which is finding meaning and vision and a sense of purpose in your work Curiosity - to ask better questions and change faster than the world is changing around you Creativity - the process of having good ideas that work in the world and Collaboration - how can you form collaborations with fellow human beings and AI too, to get your ideas into the world. The rate of change and development in this arena continues to increase. We only experienced the release of Chat GPT just over 800 days ago and now we have the announcement of 'Stargate' and the release of 'Deepseek'. Do leaders still think that AI is a fad and will dwindle over time? The strange answer is yes. The reality is very different and leaders have to grasp the importance of human centred leadership as a superpower. Greg explains we are at the bottom of the 'S' curve in the development of AI and what got us here is becoming exponential in growth especially with the introduction of quantum computing. Ai used properly can increase productivity by 40% giving us all more time. The question is what do we focus on in that time? This is where the human centric leadership skills play their part. Think of AI not as your auto-pilot but as your co-pilot. We must thrive in the knowledge that we can't stop AI. It will be more intelligent than humans possibly by 2027 and we will make mistakes along the way. No one can forecast where the destination is. Is super intelligence capable of consciousness? Will humans become the weakest link? Will AI consider the eradication of humans as the simplest answer to stop war, violence, global warming, exploitation and other human based issues? Connect on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorme/ Greg’s website: https://gregorme.org/ To buy The Human Edge: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Greg-Orme/author/B00JH11WQ4?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true To read Greg’s latest thinking on Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregorme/

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216: Branding the Iconic - Charl Bassil

Charl Bassil is the BBC’s first-ever Chief Brand Officer, tasked with developing a unified brand strategy to engage global audiences, strengthen loyalty, and drive digital growth. With a background in marketing and leadership, Charl, originally from South Africa, brings a fresh, external perspective to one of the world’s most iconic institutions. The BBC, founded in 1922, has been at the heart of historic moments—from the first high-definition broadcast in 1936 to the moon landing in 1969. It has shaped global culture with programming like Match of the Day, Peaky Blinders, and MasterChef. However, the organisation faces constant scrutiny—license fee debates, leadership controversies, and the challenge of maintaining trust in an era of misinformation. Charl acknowledges the weight of his role and the need for continuous innovation. He discusses how the BBC’s leadership is focused on transformation, ensuring the organisation remains relevant, resilient, and committed to its public service values. Balancing objectivity with the demand for instant news is a critical challenge, but Charl emphasises that the BBC prioritises accuracy and integrity over speed. During the interview, Charl reflects on his personal purpose aligning with the BBC’s mission. Asked if he wanted to join to help protect democracy and free speech, he found the challenge irresistible. His goal is to empower the team, simplify complexity, and sustain the BBC’s brand in a fragmented media landscape. With technology and audience engagement at the forefront, his vision is clear—build for the future while staying true to the BBC’s legacy.