Episodes
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In this episode of Business Leader Breakthroughs, Ryan Castle and Dr. Mike Ashby tackle a critical issue: how to transform meetings from time-wasters into powerful tools that drive culture and boost team energy. They share strategies to ensure meetings create purpose, accountability, and energy, rather than draining team morale.
Join Ryan and Mike as they discuss:
Why meetings are essential but often go wrongHow meetings can either boost or kill culturePractical steps to energize your team meetings and increase focusManaging meeting challenges like topic drift, late arrivals, and the "Dominator" effectWhether youâre a CEO, manager, or team leader, learn how to make your meetings work for you, not against you. Tune in to discover ways to create meetings that inspire, align, and drive results.
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/
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In this episode of Business Leader Breakthroughs, Ryan Castle and Dr. Mike Ashby tackle the âbusyness trap.â We all know the feeling: a week packed with tasks, yet by Friday, weâre not sure what weâve achieved. Sound familiar? Mike and Ryan dive deep into the Active vs. Reactive mindset, helping leaders refocus on genuine contributions instead of endless to-dos.
They discuss:
The Pitfalls of "Busy": Why busyness can feel like progress, but often isnât.Active Mode: A tool for leaders to hit pause, evaluate priorities, and stay present.The Eisenhower Matrix: A simple framework for deciding whatâs truly urgent and important.Development Days: Setting aside time for strategic, uninterrupted work that drives real progress.Whether youâre managing a team or a company, this episode helps you break free from the noise and move towards impactful, focused work.
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/
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Episodes manquant?
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In this episode, Ryan Castle and Dr. Mike Ashby explore the concept of mindfulness in the workplace. They discuss how many people operate on autopilot, going through the motions without being fully present. Mike explains that mindfulness isn't just about meditation â it's about being engaged in the moment, especially at work. They share practical ways to build mindfulness into daily tasks and how breaking away from habitual, reactive behavior can unlock true greatness.
Key Topics:
Understanding mindfulness beyond meditationHow autopilot thinking hinders successPractical tips to bring mindfulness into your workdayHow to identify and overcome reactive habitsThe value of focusing on important, not urgent, tasksTakeaways: Learn how to implement mindfulness at work, improve decision-making, and boost productivity by being fully present and engaged.
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/
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Today, we have Micah Lorenc, the owner and head executive coach of Taylor Consulting. With a wealth of experience spanning the spectrum from startups to Fortune 500, Micah is a Gallup-certified StrengthsFinder Coach, guiding individuals and teams towards unlocking their full potential.
Micah brings a dynamic perspective to leadership. He's here to share three profound insights that understanding why self-awareness is often underrated, the transformative impact of leaders who know how to coach, and the critical distinction between average leaders focusing on work and great leaders shaping the environment.
So, strap in for another insightful journey as we explore the realms of leadership and personal development with Micah Lorenc. Without further ado, let's dive into this enriching conversation!
Links:Connect with Micah Lorenc
Tailored ConsultingWhere 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/
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Our guest is Chris Morsley, an accomplished entrepreneur and business consultant based in Australia. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Chris is the founder and CEO of CMC Global, a leading consulting firm that provides innovative solutions in strategic planning, marketing, and business development. Throughout his career, Chris has helped numerous clients to achieve their goals and reach new heights of success.
Today Chris is sharing his insights and knowledge on charismatic leadership. We discuss that charisma is a trait that can be learned, that storytelling is a number one weapon in successful communication and how Chris fell in love with bungy jumping while filming an Anchor Butter ad in Christchurch. So without further ado, let's dive into our conversation!
Links:
Connect with Chris via LinkedIn
CMC Global
InstagramWhere 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/
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AA is one of the most trusted and recognised brands in New Zealand, and with over 1300 employees spread across Aotearoa, the leadership responsibility is a big one. Nadine shares that in the first few weeks in her role with the AA, she deliberately spent time on the road with her staff, even learning how to tap starter motor.
Nadine shares her top three leadership insights; a great combination of her hard-earned lessons, observations as a leader, and how these helped her to learn how to be her authentic self, and that failure is inevitable in leadership. But it's how you recover from those failures that are important.
Links:Connect with Nadine via LinkedIn
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/
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Ryan is joined by Mark McConnell, the Global Lead of Learning and Development at Argenta, the world's only CRO/CDMO for animal health. Mark shares his 6 C's of leadership that he sees as the foundational pillars of any great leader. He helps us explore those pillars and shares insights on how they've been observed and applied during his 20-year career.
Mark is also a speaker and an author. Mark opens up about some difficult times in his life that inspired his book, The Prime of My Days.
Links:Official website of author: https://www.primedays.org/
Buy the books: https://www.amazon.com/Prime-My-Days-Mark-McConnell/dp/1725259540
Connect with Mark through his LinkedInWhere 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/
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Talent is becoming more demanded. Employees have a wealth of opportunities today and the market is very much in their favour. So join Ryan and Mike to see how to keep people at work and how to develop your managers to increase productivity with the people you have. We'll also discuss how to succeed in the labour market through competitive advantage.
To attract, keep and get the best from good people, companies have to improve the quality of their operational managers, so building your employer's brand is very important.
Links:
Research: McKinsey Quarterly âGreat Attritionâ or âGreat Attractionâ? The choice is yours
Gallup: Itâs the Manager, Moving From Boss to Coach, by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter 2019
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/
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Difficult conversations are part of life. We might want to avoid them, but it is about three things: what happened, feelings and how to keep your balance. Sometimes all you need to do is acknowledge other feelings.
Each party will have their version of reality. Thereâs no such thing as âfactsâ in a difficult conversation, there is only our interpretation, which is coloured by things like the Truth Assumption, the Intention Invention and the Blame Frame. In this podcast, Mike and Ryan are looking at a real-life examples and the best way to resolve them.
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/
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Alicia Purtell is a Chief People Officer at Lion with 20 years of experience in People and Culture, strategy, change and organisation development. Alicia has a passion for Coaching and Positive Psychology, bringing this passion to life as a Senior Associate with the Positivity Institute working with not for profits and the education sector.
In this episode, Alicia shares her top three leadership insights into being a leader, including what she wished she knew earlier in his career about thinking flexibly and her take on being an authentic leader, including how to stay true to yourself even when your values are being tested. Alicia and Ryan also discuss the loneliness that comes with being at the top and the importance of building a support network
We also learn about swimming with sharks. Why Viktor Frankl would be someone to channel, and why creativity is Alicia's superpower.
Links
Connect with Alicia through her LinkedIn here
You can find us here
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebreakthroughco/
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
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There can be many sources of stress in the workplace, this for the most part is unavoidable. These sources lead to a sense of overload â too much, too hard and/or too soon. What you can control is how you deal with those situations. In this podcast, Mike and Ryan discuss the power of gaining control over the situation and your decisions. If you want to reduce your sense of overwhelm, it's time to get comfortable:
Getting helpLetting goDelegating PrioritisingListen to the podcast to get in-depth detail on how you can implement any (or all!) of these options at your workplace.
Links:
Blog: Sources of Stress at Work and How to Combat Them by Mike Ashby, October 2022
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/
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David Mair is the CEO of iconic South Island brand Skellerup and Deloitte Top 200 âCEO of the Year 2021â. As a part of the team at Panasonic in Japan, he developed a deep understanding of Kaizen / Kaikaku and Product Development that has helped him develop rapid ways of improving businesses regardless of size.
We all know of the famous Red Band gumboots. But how does one take rubber products and turn them into a symbol? David shares how 10 years in Japan and a lifelong commitment to judo have introduced him to a revolutionary way of doing business and helped shape his leadership style to what it is today. He also talks about three essential learnings in his career. The first one is learning by doing, then focusing on structure, then people, then process. And finally the ability to deal when things go wrong, as David says: âIt's not people that fail. It's the processâ
He told Ryan about the kaikaku and kaizen concepts in Japanese production philosophy, which focuses on continuous self-improvement. Kaikaku means a radical change, during a limited time. Kaizen, on the other hand, is a system of incremental system changes.
LinksCheck out Who Stole My Customer?: Winning Strategies for Creating and Sustaining Customer Loyalty
Connect with David through his LinkedIn here
You can find us here
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebreakthroughco/
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
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The Great Resignation is the idea that after the Covid pandemic, people re-evaluated their lives and left their jobs en masse. It sounds like a cultural movement where people donât want to work anymore, but really, that's just an excuse used by employers.
In this weekâs podcast, Mike and Ryan discuss the myth and the copout that helps us avoid evaluating our performance as leaders and managers. The conversation also turns to the latest McKinsey research that confirms the old saying that people donât leave jobs; they leave managers. They share exactly what employees value in their careers and how you can provide this as an employer - and no, it isn't all about money!
Links:
Blog The Myth of the Great Resignation, by Mike Ashby, June 2022Research: McKinsey Quarterly âGreat Attritionâ or âGreat Attractionâ? The choice is yours
Where else you can find usWebsite: 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/
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In this podcast, Ryan interviews Jen Scoular, Chief Executive of New Zealand Avocado, where she shares her three leadership insights: Everyone is different, competency is important and leadership is not the same thing as being at the top.
Jen's journey from trade diplomat heading the New Zealand Consulate in Hamburg, Germany to going up against some of the biggest markets in the world to lead (and win!) the campaign for NZ to host the next World Avocado Congress in New Zealand in 2023 has gifted her a unique perspective on being a woman in leadership on the world stage.
Ryan and Jen also discuss women in leadership. While the latest Australian statistics are showing that the progress is slow, Jen strongly believes that we have to look at the good things as well. There are some amazing woman leaders doing great things. Itâs all about progress and perfection.
Links
Check out World Avocado Congress 2023
Check out New Zealand Avocado website here
Connect with Jen through her LinkedIn here
You can find us here
Website: https://thebreakthrough.co
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breakthrough-company
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebreakthroughco/
Podcast: https://thebreakthrough.co/podcast/
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Welcome to Business Leader Breakthroughs Minisode Series. Every Friday, we will post a shorter version of a popular previous episode so you get all the best bits in half the time. In this episode, Mike and Ryan give an example about a big failure we at The Breakthrough went through, but why it was the best thing to happen to us.
Going off a popular belief from a member of The Breakthrough's Board, "What are you going to delete, what are you going to develop, what are you going to grow, and what are you going to milk" and carrying on the discussion around failure, Mike and Ryan share a true story from when we lost a huge prospect and how it shaped the business (for the good).
Listen to the full episode 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
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Welcome to Business Leader Breakthroughs Minisode Series. Every Friday, we will post a shorter version of a popular previous episode so you get all the best bits in half the time. In this episode, you'll hear Mike and Ryan's different point of views on the topic of engagement.
Mike and Ryan discuss how we can accurately measure engagement and direct it in a way that provides value to both your business and your employees. Although engagement in the workplace has been a focus in the leadership space for the last 10-15 years, it's still a measurement that is very hard to pin down. Engagement will have a leading influence on your business performance measures, such as contribution and productivity, but it doesnât provide value in of itself, so looking at your employees engagement as a whole and then actively working on changing those measurements will show growth in the areas of the organisation that engagement touches.
Listen to the full episode 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
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Rebecca earned her stripes leading large teams in complex organisations and built quite a reputation for doing business differently. Today, she is among Australiaâs leading Talent and Leadership coaches and facilitators â helping leaders and their teams work. She is particularly passionate about helping mid-level leaders, the B-suite, to step up in the face of complexity. She is sometimes called the "fairy godmother" of middle management.
In this podcast, Ryan interviews Rebecca on how to be a bold leader. She shares just how important it is as a leader to be creating fun in the workplace and how doing so can leader to higher performance and creativity, but also how it's equally important to remember that fun looks different to everyone. Together they look into the challenges specific to middle management and share solutions around those, including how to create space when overwhelm starts to build.
Rebecca shares some great tips on how to build and prioritise your tasks in a way that you can actually feel the impact you're creating in your business, along with allowing you to work with upper management in a way that doesn't see you working above capacity.Links
Check out Rebecca's website hereConnect with Rebecca through her LinkedIn hereWhere 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/
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Welcome to Business Leader Breakthroughs Minisode Series. Every second Tuesday, we will post a shorter version of a popular previous episode so you get all the best bits in half the time. This weeks episode covers the question so many of us are asking "What is the ideal working model going forward in levels 1 and 2?" 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.
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 ease, 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 the full episode 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
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Welcome to Business Leader Breakthroughs Minisode Series. Every second Tuesday, we will post a shorter version of a popular previous episode so you get all the best bits in half the time. This weeks episode was recorded right after our first 8 week lockdown in 2020, so with that in mind, Mike and Ryan discuss the tension for business leaders between stabilising the business after a lockdown, while also adapting our business models to make sure we stayed afloat during the 'new normal' of business after COVID.
Managing the tension between stabilising and adapting is difficult, even without the added pressure of a pandemic. In the process of stabilising our business, we must look at our business model and operations for what and how we can recover, rebuild, reinstate and reassure. So we must engage in the process of adapting, think about how to stay relevant, reimagine, reengineer, and disrupt so we exceed. The good news, you don't have to know all the answers right away, your role as a business leader is to help navigate the space and come up with solutions as the problems come, which is where we can help.
Links- Click here to listen to the full episode
- Read more https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/coronavirus-leading-through-the-crisisWhere 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
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This week, Ryan got a fresh perspective on leadership from Jack Keeys, a Research and Insights analyst at KPMG. Jack has led the market entrance of an agricultural computer software company into the UK and Ireland, while also conducting business development and training around New Zealand. Jack has been involved in several industry initiatives including co-developing the Rabobank Agri-Leadership programme and being selected for the first AGMARDT international placement award in 2019.
Drawing upon his experience working for one of the "Big Four" accounting organisations, Jack shares his top three insights on what can create really impactful leadership. He discusses 'dynamic leadership' and how to create space for different people and skills to take their turn leading as well as how to allow inspiring leaders to contribute at their highest value, rather than boxing them into results-driven work and projects.
We also get some really interesting insight into the future of the food production sector and where New Zealand stands within that. He shared some innovative technology such as the 3D printed steak and a (very) smart fridge that can even help you with your shopping!Links
Check out 's KPMG's website hereConnect with Jack through his LinkedIn hereWhere 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/
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