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Boundaries, Boldness & Becoming: Leading from Limits
🎙️ Unmuddying the Waters – Episode 8 Title: Boundaries, Boldness & Becoming: Leading from Limits Guest: Cece Bosah (Early Years Leader, Singer-Songwriter) Host: Joshua Okunlola Duration: 20 mins 🔍 Episode Summary In this heartfelt and powerful episode, Joshua sits down with early years educator and touring artist Cece Bosah to explore what it truly means to honour your boundaries in leadership, faith, and life. Together, they unpack the internal conflict so many of us carry: the desire to be kind, the fear of causing offence, and the growing fatigue of being boundaryless. Cece shares her journey of navigating professional leadership, personal loss, therapy, and spiritual maturity—and how each has shaped her evolving understanding of healthy boundaries as an act of courage. 🧭 Key Themes Why unspoken boundaries still hurt when crossed The discomfort of saying no (and why it’s worth it) Making peace with people being offended Carrying others’ discomfort vs. honouring your limits How therapy, faith, and loss shaped a boundary-led life Leading with presence, not pressure 💬 Quotes to Remember “Sometimes we carry the discomfort of being boundaryless—just to avoid the discomfort of someone else’s offence.” — Joshua Okunlola “I was tired of carrying the discomfort.” — Cece Bosah “Children and old people don’t filter what they need. Why must we wait until we’re old to speak up?” — Cece Bosah “Maintaining your boundaries is a muscle—the more you use it, the more natural it becomes.” — Joshua Okunlola 🔁 Reflection Prompt What boundaries do you know you need, but struggle to express? Where are you still prioritising others’ comfort over your own peace? What would shift if you treated your personal boundaries like your job description? 🎧 Listen + Share If this episode resonated with you, please: Share it with a leader or friend who needs this reminder Leave a review and tag us @joshua_okunlola_ & @cecebosah on Instagram Use the hashtag #UnmuddyingTheWaters to join the conversation 🎤 Connect with Cece Bosah Cece is currently performing with Michelle John and Jake Isaac at upcoming UK events and focusing on further study in early years education. Follow her on Instagram: @ceceboasah (Check for updates, music, and parenting insights!) 🧠 Closing Words Finding your own limits isn’t weakness—it’s leadership. When you lead from boundaries, you model respect for time, energy, and purpose. And you create space for others to do the same.
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20:20
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20:20
Humility, Hiding & Honesty: Reclaiming What It Means to Lead with Truth
🎙️ Unmuddying the Waters – Episode 7 Title: Humility, Hiding & Honesty: Reclaiming What It Means to Lead with Truth Guest: Tonye Mack (Director, Producer, Editor) Host: Joshua Okunlola Duration: ~24 mins 🔍 Episode Summary In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Joshua is joined by longtime friend and creative powerhouse Tonye Mak to explore the evolving meaning of humility in leadership and life. Together, they unpack how humility has been misinterpreted as hiding, downplaying, or dimming one's light and reframe it as an act of truth-telling. From the dual identity of “Tony vs. Sonya” to cultural and faith-based expectations around confidence, they explore how systems of upbringing, race, faith, and professional norms shape how we show up in rooms and what we silence in ourselves to be accepted. 🧭 Key Themes The myth of humility as invisibility Confidence vs. arrogance: walking the line Faith, culture, and the pressure to shrink Reclaiming voice in professional spaces Why honesty not hiding is true humility 💬 Quotes to Remember “Humility is not about being unseen—it’s about telling the truth.” — Joshua Okunlola “In dimming your light, you’re not being humble. You’re actually lying.” — Tonye Mak “Jesus was humble—but he was also confident. He knew who he was.” — Tonye Mak “There’s a cultural system in me that tells me not to shine… and then pats me on the back for staying small.” — Joshua Okunlola ✨ Reflection Prompt Ask yourself: Where have I been hiding under the name of humility? What truths about my gifts and limitations am I afraid to name? What would it look like to lead with honest presence instead of performative smallness? 🎬 Guest Links IG: @tonyemak Latest work: Dating Black Season 3 on BET International Upcoming: Debut short film in production (stay tuned!) 🎧 Listen + Share If this episode resonated with you, please: Share it with a friend who needs this conversation Tag @joshua_okunlola_ and @tonyemak on Instagram with your takeaways Rate and review the show—it helps amplify these necessary dialogues 🔁 Closing Words Lead with clarity. Lead with courage. Start telling the truth.
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24:38
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24:38
EP6 - The courage to take a different vantage point
In this episode, Joshua and Angela explore the metaphor of the spiral staircase to rethink how we experience learning and leadership growth. Angela shares insights from her 15-year journey in primary education and leadership—culminating in her role as deputy head during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic—and recounts a powerful mentoring anecdote that illustrates how reflection, perspective and implementation drive deeper progress each time we revisit familiar challenges. ⏱️ Timestamps & Highlights 00:00 – 02:00 | Welcome & Introductions Joshua welcomes Angela, who outlines her 15-year teaching career, leadership roles (phase leader → assistant head → deputy head in 2019–20) and current work mentoring early-career teachers in Lambeth. 02:00 – 05:00 | The Spiral Staircase Metaphor Linear vs circular views of learning Spiral staircase: circling back at a higher vantage point Relevance to life and leadership 05:00 – 14:00 | Core Components of Spiralling Learning Reflection – Pausing to analyse experiences Perspective – Adopting a growth-orientated, humble mindset Implementation – Applying new insights to measure real progress 14:00 – 20:00 | Mentoring Anecdote: A Lesson in Humility Angela recounts a meeting where she inadvertently spoke over an early-career teacher. Initial shock, shame and self-doubt Reflections on intentions versus impact Perspective shift: modelling humility rather than stepping aside Implementing new behaviours to rebuild trust Outcome: a stronger mentorship relationship and broader leadership growth 20:00 – 24:00 | Fixed vs Growth Mindset & the Role of Humility Joshua highlights how Angela’s story demonstrates: Moving beyond “I’m just not cut out for this” to “How can I grow?” Embracing mistakes as invitations to go deeper rather than failures to avoid 24:00 – 28:00 | Practical “Why” Questions for Leaders Angela suggests reflective prompts to climb the spiral more intentionally: “Why did this happen?” “Why was I triggered?” Exploring underlying beliefs and emotions for richer context Measuring growth by comparing “what I know now” with “what I knew before” 28:00 – 30:00 | Closing Thoughts & Call to Action “Learning isn’t about ticking boxes; it’s layering wisdom on wisdom.” Lean into the spiral when you feel stuck. Invite listeners to suggest future prompts via LinkedIn. 🎙️ Key Take-Aways Spiral Staircase Metaphor: Revisiting challenges isn’t regression—it’s elevation. Each return offers a new vantage for deeper learning. Three Pillars of Spiralling Learning: Reflection: Pause and analyse what happened and why. Perspective: Adopt a growth mindset and humility. Implementation: Apply new insights to gauge tangible progress. Humility in Leadership: True growth often involves confronting shame, reframing mistakes and modelling vulnerability. Actionable Questions: Use “why” prompts to uncover root causes and chart next steps: Why did this happen? Why did I respond this way? What can I do differently next time? Measure Your Growth: Compare current capabilities with past ones: “What do I know or do now that I couldn’t before?” 🔗 Resources & Connect Joshua Okunlola (Host): LinkedIn Angela Gaisie (Guest): LinkedIn Podcast Contact & Feedback: Share episode prompts or reflections via LinkedIn message to Joshua or Angela. Lead with curiosity. Embrace the spiral. Take it easy!
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28:46
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28:46
EP5 - The power of no
In episode five of the Un Muddy in the Waters podcast, host Joshua Okunlola dives into the crucial topic of setting boundaries as a leader. Joshua shares his personal struggles with being a people pleaser and the impact it had on his professional and personal life. He discusses the consequences of living by others' expectations and how it led to depletion, anxiety, and disconnection. By recounting his experiences, Joshua illustrates the importance of defining one’s own limits and the positive changes that come from saying no when necessary. He offers practical advice and reflective questions for listeners to evaluate their own boundaries, emphasising that true leadership is about carrying what aligns with one’s values and capacities rather than trying to fulfil external expectations. This episode serves as a guide to help leaders lead with courage, clarity, and intention. 00:00 Introduction and Today's Topic 00:55 The Struggles of Being a People Pleaser 02:57 The Consequences of Saying Yes to Everything 05:13 Realising the Need for Boundaries 07:26 Implementing and Benefiting from Boundaries 08:45 Reflective Questions on Boundaries 09:52 Conclusion and Call to Action
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10:37
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10:37
EP4 - Journey from Control to Connection in Leadership
In this episode of the 'Un Muddying the Waters' podcast, host Joshua Okunlola discusses the pressure leaders often face to appear more confident and knowledgeable than they are. He shares personal experiences from his early days as a facilitator and trainer, highlighting the costs of prioritising appearance and control over genuine connection and presence. Joshua explains how he learned the importance of authenticity in leadership, trusting the process, and valuing the wisdom of the group. He urges listeners to reflect on areas where they may be seeking control, and to consider the benefits of leading with genuine presence and integrity. 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 00:36 The Pressure to Appear Confident 00:56 Early Experiences as a Facilitator 03:28 The Cost of Pretending 06:51 Realisations and Unlearning 07:39 Key Lessons in Leadership 09:22 Reflective Questions for Leaders 09:51 Closing Remarks and Invitation to Connect
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10:48
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10:48