Show Notes
What if your greatest adversity became your greatest advantage? Diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma as a baby and given almost no chance of survival, Michael Crossland has spent his life defying the odds. Today, he's one of the world's most sought-after motivational speakers, a bestselling author, and has inspired millions through his message of resilience, gratitude and perspective. In this episode of the Fireside Leadership Podcast, Chris Turkington sits down with Michael to explore the mindset behind overcoming adversity, building resilience, and living with purpose. From surviving cancer and repeated life-threatening health battles to becoming a globally recognised keynote speaker, Michael shares the principles that have shaped both his life and his leadership. This conversation is filled with practical lessons on resilience, gratitude, self-talk, leadership and personal growth that anyone can apply—whether you're leading a team, building a business or navigating challenges in your own life. • Why adversity can become your greatest competitive advantage • The mindset that separates people who grow through hardship from those who stay stuck • How gratitude changes your perspective during life's toughest moments • Why seeking discomfort is essential for personal and professional growth • The surprising power of language and self-talk in shaping your mindset • Daily habits that build resilience before life becomes difficult • Why the people you surround yourself with determine your future • Practical leadership lessons on purpose, courage and continuous improvement Michael Crossland is an internationally renowned keynote speaker, bestselling author and resilience coach. After surviving stage four neuroblastoma as a child against overwhelming odds, he has dedicated his life to helping individuals and organisations build resilience, develop stronger mindsets and lead with purpose. Today, Michael speaks to audiences around the world, sharing practical strategies for overcoming adversity and living a meaningful life. Website: https://michaelcrossland.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcrossland/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelcrossland/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelCrosslandOfficial/ The Fireside Leadership Podcast brings you conversations with exceptional leaders from business, sport, the military and public service, uncovering the experiences, decisions and lessons that shape outstanding leadership. Hosted by Chris Turkington. Produced by Aegis Leadership.
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Reuben Araroa joined the military at 16. His career later took him through corporate operations and into iwi leadership, where he had to reconsider some deeply established ways of working. In this episode, Reuben joins Chris Turkington to discuss the discipline he carried forward and the assumptions he had to question. He reflects on learning to sit, listen and be present, and explains what te ao Māori has taught him about leadership and connection. They also discuss responding to pressure, bringing in outside expertise, and trusting people without leaving expectations unclear. Reuben shares three principles he uses with teams: embrace reality, decide what matters most, and acknowledge when you need help. He closes with the challenge of recognising you may have climbed the wrong mountain, even after working hard to reach the top. Connect with Reuben: Whakaaro: https://www.whakaaro.co.nz/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reuben-araroa-54b30382/ Aegis Leadership: https://www.aegisleadership.co.nz/ Thanks to Dark Horse Coffee for powering the show. https://darkhorsecoffee.co.nz/ Follow Fireside Leadership for more conversations about leadership, decisions and the lessons people learn through experience.
If pushing harder has always helped you succeed, slowing down can feel like letting your standards slip. Health and performance coach Aaron Callaghan joins Chris Turkington to explore what happens when drive and discipline start costing you more than they deliver. Aaron discusses why recovery needs a place in your diary, how to adjust exercise around your wider stress load, and why a strength such as coachability can sometimes limit your judgement. The conversation also turns to home: achieving professionally while becoming disconnected from your family, and the small boundaries that help you give them your full attention. Aaron finishes with a practical evening reflection for recognising progress and choosing one achievable improvement for tomorrow. Find Aaron: https://www.aaroncallaghan.com/ Explore leadership development with Aegis Leadership: https://www.aegisleadership.co.nz/ Thanks to Dark Horse Coffee for powering the show: https://darkhorsecoffee.co.nz/ Follow Fireside Leadership Podcast for more conversations about leadership, performance and life beyond work.
You’ve done the preparation. The pressure rises, and you start thinking harder and pushing harder. Then your performance gets worse. Racing driver and 2024 New Zealand Grand Prix winner Liam Sceats recognises that pattern in himself. He can prepare until he makes the task too complex, or force the pace behind the wheel and lose time. In this episode of Fireside Leadership, Liam joins Chris Turkington to explain how he recognises when effort is working against him and returns his attention to the basics. They discuss: • When preparation becomes overthinking • Using breathing and task-focused self-talk under pressure • Resetting after a mistake before it causes another • Preserving tyres for the teammate taking over the car • Processing a career setback without deciding you’re not good enough For anyone who responds to pressure by doing more, Liam’s experience offers a useful way to examine whether that extra effort is improving the result. CONNECT WITH LIAM Website: https://liamsceats.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liamsceats/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liamsceatsmotorsport/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-sceats-86276021a/ AEGIS LEADERSHIP Find out more about our leadership development work: https://www.aegisleadership.co.nz/ Thanks to Dark Horse Coffee for powering the show. https://darkhorsecoffee.co.nz/ Follow Fireside Leadership for more conversations with leaders, athletes and people with experience worth learning from.
A joke in a meeting can lighten the mood. It can also say something people are hesitant to raise directly. Dr Allanah Johnston joins Chris to talk about her research into workplace humour and what it can reveal about trust, tension and team culture. They discuss the line between banter and a pointed remark, why leaders should not try to force humour, and how clips from The Office helped one organisation discuss workplace behaviour. The conversation also turns to change. Allanah explains why leaders should listen to people who push back: they may see consequences the change team has missed. Allanah is the founder of Future Calibrate, a consultancy focused on organisational change. Connect with Dr Allanah Johnston Future Calibrate: https://www.futurecalibrate.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-allanah-johnston-9973a812/ Connect with Aegis Leadership https://www.aegisleadership.co.nz/ Thanks to Dark Horse Coffee for powering the show https://darkhorsecoffee.co.nz/
Capable leaders can stay composed at work and still lose control at home. Jacqlin Richards says that is not a knowledge problem. It is a capacity problem. When pressure rises, the space between being triggered and reacting begins to disappear. We may know exactly how we want to respond but still find ourselves yelling, avoiding, shutting down or trying to keep everyone happy. Jacqlin is an international bestselling author and founder of the Resourced Parenting Method™. She joins Chris Turkington to discuss parenting as our first experience of leadership, the five survival states and the danger of needing your children or your team to like you. She also shares why she called the police on her seven-year-old son, what that moment taught her about firm boundaries and how her rewind tool helps repair the relationship after a reaction. This conversation is for parents and leaders who know how they want to behave but cannot always access that response when the pressure is on. Find Jacqlin, her book and the Resourced Parenting Method: https://jacqlinrichards.com/ Explore Aegis Leadership and the Fireside Leadership Podcast: https://www.aegisleadership.co.nz/fireside-leadership-podcast Thanks to Dark Horse Coffee for powering the Fireside Leadership Podcast. You can check out their latest roasts at: https://darkhorsecoffee.co.nz/