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Most leaders believe they’re self-aware.

Research suggests otherwise.

Studies indicate that while the majority of us think we understand how we show up, only a small percentage are accurately perceived that way by others. And under pressure — in uncertainty — those blind spots don’t stay hidden.

• They shape our decisions.
• Our relationships.
• Our leadership.

In this episode of Leading People, Gerry Murray speaks with researcher and author Dr Julia Carden about why self-awareness is far rarer than we assume — and why it matters most in uncertain environments.

We explore:

• Why other people’s perceptions of us don’t update as quickly as we think
• What makes feedback useful rather than threatening
• The role of identity and ego in leadership blind spots
• Why self-acceptance is a quiet but powerful leadership strength
• And how self-awareness builds adaptive capacity in unstable times

If you’ve ever wondered why capable, intelligent leaders can still get in their own way — this conversation will give you language, research, and practical insight to reflect on your own leadership.

Curious?

Listen in — and notice what you'll discover about yourself

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What do you say when your team pushes back on a policy you didn’t create?
This episode explores a common moment where many team leaders lose credibility — and how you can handle it differently.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between your team and “head office,” this one’s for you.

Want to go further?
Our Team Leader Essentials and Performance Accelerator programmes are designed to help you navigate tough leadership moments like this — and bring out the best in yourself and your team.

Here's the Link

https://www.widecircle.eu/better-leadership

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What if engagement wasn’t the finish line — but the starting point?

In this episode of Leading People, Gerry Murray is joined by Alli Gibbons, author of The Power of Ownership Culture, to explore how employee ownership can fundamentally reset leadership and culture — when it’s treated as more than just a new structure.

Rather than focusing on legal models or financial mechanisms, the conversation centres on what really shifts when people are invited to take genuine responsibility — and why leadership matters even more, not less, in ownership environments.

Alli shares insights from her journey across engineering, large-scale projects, and organisational culture, and explains why ownership doesn’t automatically change behaviour. Structure alone isn’t enough.

What makes the difference is how leaders

• build ownership literacy
• tell a clear strategic story
• create decision rights that invite voice without losing momentum
• and shape environments where accountability feels meaningful rather than imposed

Together, we explore the practical leadership tensions this creates — psychological safety versus pace, participation versus clarity, and the pivotal role middle managers play as translators between strategy and day-to-day work.

At its heart, this is a conversation about shifting from company-as-machine to company-as-community — where performance still matters, profit remains essential, but purpose becomes the anchor that sustains commitment over time.

This episode is for leaders who are curious about ownership — or who simply want people to think and act like owners — and are willing to reflect on what that requires of leadership itself.

Curious?

Have a listen...

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If you had to explain leadership in one simple sentence, what would you say?

After 100 episodes of talking to extraordinary people about what it means to lead, one answer keeps rising to the top. And it’s not what you might expect.

This short episode marks the beginning of a new chapter — and a return to something essential.

Tune in to discover the one thing that most great leaders have in common.

(And if you’re serious about growing as a leader, check out our Team Leader Essentials and Accelerating Performance programmes — link below)

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Episode 100 felt like a moment worth marking.

Not with a summary.
Not with highlights.
And not with a look back.

Just a conversation — allowed to unfold.

This episode exists thanks to the generosity, creativity, and support of Kate Walker Miles and Valeriia Diakiv, whose contributions helped bring it into being.

As always, thank you for listening — and for being part of the Leading People journey since January 2021.

Here's to the next 100 episodes...

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What does it really mean to create a culture where people perform at their best?

In this episode of Leading People, I’m joined by Zach Mercurio, researcher, speaker, and author of The Power of Mattering, to explore how leaders can create a culture of significance — one where people feel seen, valued, and needed.

Drawing on decades of research into motivation and human performance, Zach explains why performance, resilience, and engagement suffer when people feel invisible or replaceable — and why leaders play a pivotal role in shaping the everyday signals that tell people whether they matter.

In our conversation, we explore:

• What a culture of significance really looks like in practice
• Why people perform better when they feel valued and needed
• How leaders often unintentionally signal that people don’t matter
• Small, everyday leadership behaviours that have an outsized impact
• Why significance isn’t a “soft” idea — but a serious performance driver

Zach brings these principles to life through compelling stories from an array of organisations.

Whether you lead a team, work in HR or L&D, or care about creating environments where people thrive and perform, this episode offers practical insights you can apply immediately.

Curious?

🎧 Let’s have a listen

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Most people think they know where their paycheck comes from — but the real answer might surprise you.

In this short episode, Gerry Murray shares a surprising pattern he’s seen in leadership workshops across sectors and industries. It’s a simple mindset shift that separates teams who truly add value… from those who don’t.

This episode just might change the way you think about your work — and the people who depend on it.

Curious?

🎧 Listen now and discover One Simple Thing every leader needs to remember.

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What really drives performance at work?

It’s a question many leaders and learning professionals wrestle with — and one that my guest, Paul Matthews, has spent decades exploring.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Paul challenges some of the most common assumptions about training and learning. Drawing on insights from his three books — on informal learning, capability building, and learning transfer — he explains why so many well-intentioned programmes fail to create real behaviour change, and what organisations must do differently.

We cover a wide range of topics, including:

• Why people learn best through activities, not content
• How capability depends on both the individual and the environment
• What your SatNav can teach you about turning learning into performance
• The link between diagnostics, performance consulting, and business outcomes
• How culture can “eat training for breakfast”, and often does
• Designing learning like an engineer: with purpose, precision, and clear success criteria
• Why AI is fast becoming “the world’s tutor” — and what that means for L&D and leaders
• Practical examples of organisations turning learning into sustained performance

Whether you’re a leader, an L&D professional, or simply someone curious about how people grow, this episode offers powerful insights into what actually helps people change behaviour — and what gets in the way.

🎧 Let’s have a listen

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