The Sticky From The Inside Podcast

Most of us don’t set out to become leaders.

We get good at something. We get recognised. Then one day, we’re handed a team and expected to just… figure it out. That’s the reality behind the term accidental manager, and according to today’s guest, it’s where the vast majority of leadership journeys begin.

In this episode, Andy sits down with Dawn Stallwood, corporate lawyer, advisor, and author of Beautiful Leadership, to explore what really happens when capable people are promoted into leadership roles without the preparation or support they need.

This isn’t about blaming leaders. It’s about understanding the system that creates them.

Dawn shares her own experience of stepping into leadership feeling ill-equipped, the pressure and self-doubt that follows, and why so many well-meaning leaders end up struggling in silence.

But more importantly, she offers a way forward. Together, they explore how leadership can shift from something we fall into… to something we intentionally choose to take on. From firefighting and self-doubt to clarity, capability, and impact.

And at the heart of that shift is Dawn’s Beautiful Leadership framework, a practical, human approach to leading with intention, courage, and purpose.

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Key Takeaways

Most leaders are accidental, not intentional. Leadership is rarely planned. It’s something people fall into without the training or support they need.

The cost of poor leadership is human. Pressure, self-doubt, and lack of capability don’t just impact performance, they affect health, confidence, and retention.

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. The best leaders don’t do everything, they create the conditions for others to succeed.

Intentional leadership is a choice. You may not choose to become a leader, but you can choose how you show up once you are.

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Key Moments
The key moments in this episode are:

00:01:11 – Why most of us become accidental managers
00:03:00 – Introducing Dawn Stallwood and the idea of Beautiful Leadership
00:07:33 – The realisation moment: feeling ill-equipped to lead
00:09:22 – The hidden pressure and personal cost of leadership
00:11:50 – Why struggling leaders don’t ask for help (and choose to leave)
00:14:17 – Why organisations keep creating accidental managers
00:17:49 – The cycle of accidental leaders creating more accidental leaders
00:18:55 – Rethinking leadership: it’s not about having all the answers
00:22:14 – Letting go of past success to step into leadership
00:24:42 – Moving from accidental manager to intentional leader
00:27:24 – The Beautiful Leadership framework: qualities and practices explained
00:47:51 – Sticky Notes: courage, growth, and getting your brave on

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Join The Conversation

Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here
Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here
Follow the Podcast on Instagram here
Follow the Podcast on Twitter here
Follow the Podcast on Facebook here
Check out the Bizjuicer website here
Get a free consultation with Andy here
Check out the Bizjuicer blog here
Download the podcast here
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Useful Links
Follow Dawn Stallwood on LinkedIn here
Find the Beautiful Leadership website here
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Full Episode Transcript

Get the full transcript of the episode here

What if the biggest thing standing between you and success… is you?

In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram is joined by performance psychology student and author Adrian Kelly to explore The Success Complex. The hidden biases, blind spots, and behaviours that shape how we define, pursue, and sometimes even avoid success.

From the illusion of external achievement to the quiet dissatisfaction many high performers feel, Adrian challenges the idea that success is something we can measure from the outside. Instead, he reveals how deeply personal it really is and how often we get in our own way without even realising it.

Together, Andy and Adrian unpack the psychological traps that hold us back, including anchoring bias, the myth of IQ as potential, and our reluctance to reflect on past performance. They also explore why motivation is so often misunderstood and what actually helps people move forward.

Through powerful stories including a remarkable lesson from the origins of Top Gun this episode brings performance psychology to life in a practical, relatable way.

If you’ve ever chased success but still felt something was missing… this conversation might just change how you think about it.

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Key Takeaways

Success is personal, but we measure it socially. We often define success using external benchmarks, not what actually matters to us.

We are often our own biggest barrier. Blind spots, biases, and ingrained thinking patterns quietly hold us back.

Reflection is the missing link in performance. Most people avoid analysing failure, but that’s where growth happens.

Motivation isn’t the problem; direction and confidence are. People aren’t unmotivated; they often just lack clarity, belief, or momentum.

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Key Moments
The key moments in this episode are:

0:01:10 – Rethinking success: pressure, comparison, and hidden cost
0:03:58 – Adrian Kelly’s journey: from law to performance psychology
0:08:15 – Why success fascinates us (and why we rarely question it)
0:09:11 – The illusion of success and the “I’ll be happy tomorrow” trap
0:10:45 – The Success Complex: blind spots and self-sabotage
0:13:07 – Anchor bias: how our environment limits our thinking
0:15:30 – Reflection as the missing link in performance improvement
0:16:24 – The Top Gun story: deliberate practice in action
0:22:42 – When success becomes a limiter: confirmation bias and stagnation
0:27:17 – The myth of unmotivated people and the law of small wins
0:29:35 – Motivation, alignment, and the role of leaders
0:37:30 – Building systems for success: making good habits easier
0:39:19 – Redefining happiness: hedonic vs eudaimonic success
0:41:44 – Sticky Notes: progress, consistency, and long-term thinking

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Join The Conversation

Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here
Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here
Follow the Podcast on Instagram here
Follow the Podcast on Twitter here
Follow the Podcast on Facebook here
Check out the Bizjuicer website here
Get a free consultation with Andy here
Check out the Bizjuicer blog here
Download the podcast here
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Useful Links
Follow Adrian Kelly on LinkedIn here
Find the Ask More website here
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Full Episode Transcript

Get the full transcript of the episode here

Why does employee engagement still feel so hard?

Despite decades of focus, surveys, and initiatives, the data tells us something uncomfortable: engagement isn’t improving. In fact, in many places, it’s getting worse. So what are we missing?

In this episode, Andy Goram is joined by Tom Krieglstein, creator of Dance Floor Theory. A brilliantly simple, yet deeply insightful way of understanding how people actually engage at work.

Tom’s model reframes engagement as something fundamentally human. Not a metric to track, or a programme to roll out, but a dynamic social experience. One where people exist at different levels of engagement, just like a dance floor. And where leaders need to meet them where they are, not where they wish they were.

From tackling disengaged “Negative Nellies” to creating momentum through connection, Tom shares practical, actionable ways to build workplaces people actually want to be part of.

If you’ve ever wondered why engagement feels so complex and how to make it simpler, more human, and more effective, this conversation is for you.

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Key Takeaways

Engagement isn’t broken. Our approach to it is. Too many organisations treat engagement as a system or survey, rather than a human experience.

Connection is the real driver of engagement. We are biologically wired for connection and workplaces often ignore that fundamental truth.

People engage at different levels. Like a dance floor, some are in the middle, some on the edge — and each requires a different approach.

Great leaders meet people where they are. You can’t force engagement. You build it step-by-step, understanding what each person needs next.

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Key Moments
The key moments in this episode are:

0:01:11 – Why employee engagement still isn’t improving
0:03:00 – Meet Tom Krieglstein and the power of connection
0:08:44 – More friends equals more fun: the social truth of engagement
0:11:00 – The uncomfortable data behind disengagement
0:14:50 – The decline of community and its impact on work
0:16:52 – What great workplace cultures actually feel like
0:25:31 – Introducing Dance Floor Theory
0:27:27 – The six levels of engagement explained
0:28:24 – Dealing with disengagement: Negative Nellies
0:31:16 – Hiring for contribution vs competency
0:35:57 – The role of energy, momentum and leadership influence
0:37:34 – What each engagement level is really thinking
0:39:08 – How to engage each level effectively
0:44:46 – Tom’s three Sticky Notes for better engagement

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Join The Conversation

Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here
Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here
Follow the Podcast on Instagram here
Follow the Podcast on Twitter here
Follow the Podcast on Facebook here
Check out the Bizjuicer website here
Get a free consultation with Andy here
Check out the Bizjuicer blog here
Download the podcast here
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Useful Links
Follow Tom Krieglstein on LinkedIn here
Follow Tom on YouTube here
Follow Tom on Instagram here
Find the SwiftKick website here
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Full Episode Transcript

Get the full transcript of the episode here

What does global leadership really mean?

Is it simply about managing teams in different countries? Or is it something deeper; the ability to understand cultural nuance, adapt communication, and create an environment where people from very different contexts can contribute their best work?

In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram speaks with global leadership coach Crispin Thompson, founder of The Leadership Studio. With more than 25 years of experience working in multinational organisations, Crispin shares what it really takes to lead effectively across cultures, time zones, and languages.

From avoiding the tokenism trap in global teams to understanding why communication can easily be misinterpreted across cultures, this conversation explores the hidden complexities of leading internationally.

Crispin explains why global leadership always starts with listening, how cultural intelligence helps leaders navigate nuance, and why the best leaders focus on creating environments where every voice genuinely matters.

If your teams span borders, languages, and cultures, this episode offers practical insights into how leadership can truly travel.

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Key Takeaways

Global leadership starts with listening. Leading across cultures requires curiosity and humility. Listening helps leaders understand what’s really happening inside teams and uncover barriers to honest feedback.

Tokenism damages trust and contribution. When people feel they’re included only for representation rather than merit, confidence and engagement disappear. Global leaders must ensure every voice genuinely matters.

Communication across cultures needs intention. Even when teams share the same language, tone, nuance, and phrasing can create misunderstanding. Leaders must clarify intent and encourage dialogue.

Cultural intelligence unlocks performance. Understanding local context, culture, history, and working norms helps leaders build stronger relationships and align global teams effectively.

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Key Moments
The key moments in this episode are:

0:01:10 – What does global leadership really mean?
0:03:46 – Crispin Thompson’s multinational leadership journey
0:08:14 – Why listening is the starting point for global leadership
0:09:52 – A leadership lesson from managing teams across Mexico and India
0:11:54 – Understanding the tokenism trap in global teams
0:16:00 – Bringing distributed teams together around decisions
0:23:06 – Why global leadership amplifies normal leadership challenges
0:24:35 – Emotional intelligence when delivering tough messages
0:30:26 – The unseen effort behind leading global teams
0:31:35 – Cultural intelligence and understanding local context
0:43:04 – A leadership rule: praise goes down, blame goes up
0:45:22 – Crispin’s three Sticky Notes for global leaders

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Join The Conversation

Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here
Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here
Follow the Podcast on Instagram here
Follow the Podcast on Twitter here
Follow the Podcast on Facebook here
Check out the Bizjuicer website here
Get a free consultation with Andy here
Check out the Bizjuicer blog here
Download the podcast here
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Useful Links
Follow Crispin Thompson on LinkedIn here
Find The Leadership Studio website here

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Full Episode Transcript

Get the full transcript of the episode here

We all get stuck. Even smart, capable, high-performing people.

Not because we lack ideas or intelligence, but because pressure narrows our thinking. When stress kicks in, our survival brain takes over. And while that part of the brain is brilliant at keeping us alive, it’s not always great at helping us succeed.

In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Andy Goram sits down with Mitch Weisburgh, creator of the Mind Shifting method, to explore what really happens when we slip into reactive, limbic-mode thinking and how to deliberately move back into a calmer, more resourceful state.

Mitch breaks down the difference between the survival brain and the higher-order, prefrontal cortex. He explains why certainty can be a warning sign, how stress hormones shut down curiosity and empathy, and what we can do in the moment to shift from reaction to response.

This isn’t about mindset hacks. It’s about understanding your own operating system and learning how to stop your brain sabotaging your success.

If you care about personal growth, fulfilling work, and staying resourceful under pressure, this one’s for you.

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Key Takeaways

Your brain defaults to survival. The limbic system reacts in milliseconds, often before logic gets a say.

Certainty can be a warning sign. When you’re absolutely sure of something, you may already be in survival mode.

The pause is powerful. Self-awareness, internal dialogue, and changing focus can help flush stress hormones and restore clarity.

Success requires shifting, not striving harder. Resourcefulness comes from accessing curiosity, empathy, and long-term alignment, not gripping tighter.

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Key Moments
The key moments in this episode are:

0:01:16 – Why smart people still get stuck
0:03:14 – Meet Mitch Weisburgh and the Mind Shifting mission
0:10:06 – Why resourcefulness, resilience and collaboration matter
0:15:59 – The survival brain vs the prefrontal cortex
0:19:35 – The decision is made before the logic arrives
0:20:24 – The crux of mind shifting explained
0:21:18 – From reaction to calmer, reasoned response
0:23:23 – The pause: breath, focus and resetting
0:26:54 – Using visualisation to get unstuck
0:38:09 – Working with triggering people
0:42:29 – Three Sticky Notes for staying resourceful

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Join The Conversation

Find Andy Goram on LinkedIn here
Listen to the Podcast on YouTube here
Follow the Podcast on Instagram here
Follow the Podcast on Twitter here
Follow the Podcast on Facebook here
Check out the Bizjuicer website here
Get a free consultation with Andy here
Check out the Bizjuicer blog here
Download the podcast here
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Useful Links
Follow Mitch Weisburgh on LinkedIn here
Find Mitch's Mind Shifting Blog here
Find Mitch's website here
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Full Episode Transcript

Get the full transcript of the episode here