Leadership expert and Sionic Chief Strategy Officer Peter Stone features in the latest in a series of podcasts from The Leaders Council of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The Leaders Council is currently in the process of talking to leadership figures from across the nation in an attempt to understand this universal trait and what it means in Britain and Northern Ireland today.
Peter Stone was invited to discuss banking leadership, role models and what leadership looks like in a post-Brexit Britain. The podcast also includes an interview with Lord [David] Blunkett, former Home Secretary, former Education Secretary and current chairman of The Leaders Council of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Host Jonathan White asked both guests a series of questions about leadership and the role it has played in their careers to date.
Peter Stone spoke about banking, boxing and post-Brexit Britain:
People often see leadership as a role – typically a senior role, one with overt authority. But in my work, coaching leaders and creating talent development programmes with some of the world’s biggest banks, I increasingly see that leadership does not only come from those at the top of the hierarchy. It can also come from patterns of behaviour and mindset, at any point in an organisation. Leadership is about engaging effectively with people.
Peter chose champion professional boxer Tyson Fury as one example of leadership in action:
From his heritage, Tyson could easily isolate the majority of the population. But actually, he has unified the sporting community because of his ability to reach out to all parts of society in a very humble manner. He’s done so with great courage, opening up about his own life and challenges around mental health. He’s a world champion but his behavioural style means you want him to be even more of a champion. That’s leadership. In terms of leadership of the country, politics is irrelevant. This country will fly economically, as a society because new and different people will now start to see opportunities, leadership will come from within society and different behaviours and leadership styles will be allowed to emerge.
Lord Blunkett adds:
The most informative element of each episode is the first part, where Jonathan White is able to sit down with someone who really gets how their industry works and knows how to make their organisation tick. Someone who’s there day in day out working hard and inspiring others. That’s what leadership is all about.
