People First! with Morag Barrett

Hosted by Morag Barrett

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161

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Jun 2026

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About the show

People First! with Morag Barrett explores the human side of leadership: workplace relationships, leadership trust, Meaning-FULL Connectivity™, and the Ally Mindset™ practices that drive real results in business and life. In each episode, keynote speaker, executive coach, USA Today bestselling author, and Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches member Morag Barrett sits down with authors, business leaders, and everyday humans to uncover practical ways to strengthen connection, collaboration, and culture in an increasingly disconnected world. Because success in business is powered by relationships. And success in life is fueled by connection. Learn more at skyeteam.com/speaking

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60 recent

June 8, 2026Episode 16529 min

CARE: The Leadership Multiplier with Kristin Stapleton

Care has a reputation problem.Too soft. Too sentimental. Not “serious leadership.”In this episode of People First!, Morag Barrett and Kristin Stapleton explore leadership development, workplace relationships, and why care may be one of the most misunderstood drivers of high performance. Together, they discuss how connection, accountability, respect, and empowerment create stronger teams and more sustainable results.Kristin shares the CARE framework, a practical approach to leadership built on four principles:ConnectionAccountabilityRespect for alternative perspectivesEmpowermentThrough personal stories, leadership lessons, and practical examples, Kristin explains why care is not the opposite of accountability. Instead, it creates the trust, ownership, and collaboration that allow teams to achieve more together than they can alone.Key TakeawaysLeadership multiplication begins when leaders move beyond ego and embrace collaboration.Connection creates the foundation for trust, teamwork, and performance.Accountability starts with personal ownership rather than pointing fingers.Respecting different perspectives leads to stronger decisions and innovation.Empowering others creates momentum that spreads across teams and organizations.In This Episode• Why relationships accelerate leadership success• The leadership failure that changed Kristin's career• The airport experience that inspired the CARE framework• How leaders create accountability without blame• Why diverse perspectives improve team performance• The role empowerment plays in multiplying results• Three questions to help identify your unique strengths• Why self-care remains foundational to effective leadershipFrequently Asked QuestionsWhat does CARE stand for? Connection, Accountability, Respect for alternative perspectives, and Empowerment.Can leaders care about people and still maintain high standards? Yes. Care strengthens accountability, trust, and ownership while maintaining expectations for performance.Why is care important in leadership? Care creates the conditions for stronger workplace relationships, greater collaboration, and sustainable high performance.Related Episodes• Recognition Done Wrong with Chester Elton• Psychological Safety Isn't a Slogan with Bryan Powell• When Inclusion Isn't Easy with Vered KoganConnect with Kristin Stapleton:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kstapleton-growth-catalyst/YouTube: https://youtu.be/plSFC2bJJVsConnect with Morag Barrett:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moragbarrett/Website: https://www.skyeteam.comSubscribe to People First! for conversations on leadership development, workplace relationships, team culture, and human connection at work.

May 25, 2026Episode 16442 min

High-Performance is Designed, Not Hoped For with Christian "Boo" Boucousis

We love to attribute high performance to talent. Charisma. Intelligence. Experience.But in this week’s People First! conversation with Christian “Boo” Boucousis, we explore a harder truth:High-performing teams aren’t built on talent.They’re built on design.Under pressure, three things matter:A clear missionA disciplined methodThe right mindsetWithout clarity, teams drift.Without method, they scramble.Without mindset, they fracture.The teams that consistently perform don’t rely on brilliance.They rely on alignment.If you’re leading a team in uncertain conditions, this episode will sharpen how you think about performance — not as inspiration, but as architecture.Listen in.

May 11, 2026Episode 16334 min

Being A Hero is Holding You Back with Bill Flynn

What if the leadership model we’ve been celebrating for decades is the very thing holding teams back?In this episode of People First!, Morag Barrett sits down with Bill Flynn — leadership thinker, author of Further, Faster, and longtime student of the science of success — to challenge the myth of the heroic leader.Drawing on 30 years of research and lived experience, Bill shares:Why having one real relationship at work matters more than talent aloneWhy the future of leadership belongs to architects, not heroesThis is a candid, grounded conversation about relationships, opportunity, and what actually creates impact over time.If you care about leadership that scales, cultures that last, and careers built on connection — this episode is for you.

April 27, 2026Episode 16228 min

When Pushing Harder Keeps You Stuck with Vered Kogan

In this episode of People First!, Morag Barrett explores workplace relationships, leadership trust, and human connection with Vered Kogan, discussing how leaders build Meaning-FULL Connectivity™ in increasingly disconnected workplaces.Vered Kogan is an author, speaker, and transformational coach, and joins Morag to explore why so many high-performing leaders feel stuck—despite doing everything “right.”Vered is the co-author of Unstuck, written with Marshall Goldsmith, and her work focuses on helping individuals and organisations overcome the inner barriers that block sustainable growth and change.Together, Morag and Vered unpack the hidden dynamics that keep capable, driven people trapped in cycles of overdrive, self-doubt, and exhaustion—and what it actually takes to break free.In this conversation, you’ll hear:Why pushing harder often increases anxiety, burnout, and resistanceThe difference between knowing what to do and being able to do it consistentlyHow unconscious “protective parts” shape our behaviour without us realising itWhy what got you here may now be keeping you stuckHow perfectionism, overachievement, and control can quietly work against usThe SHIFT framework for creating internal alignment and lasting changeWhy sustainable growth requires inner harmony—not just better habits or disciplineThis episode is for leaders, entrepreneurs, and high achievers who feel pressure to keep performing—but sense that something deeper needs to shift.If you’ve ever thought, “I’m doing all the right things—so why does this still feel so hard?” This conversation will resonate.Learn More...Website: www.MomentumInstitute.comLinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veredkogan/YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@VeredKogan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veredkogan/

April 6, 2026Episode 16126 min

When Inclusion Isn't Easy with Dr. Riza Kadilar

In this episode of People First!, Morag Barrett explores workplace relationships, leadership trust, and human connection with Dr. Riza Kadilar, discussing how leaders build Meaning-FULL Connectivity™ in increasingly disconnected workplaces.Dr Riza Kadilar is a global executive, leadership thinker, and author of The Contemporary Leader.They first met at Thinkers50 in London — a moment that became a living example of inclusion in action — and that spirit carries through this wide-ranging, honest conversation about what inclusive leadership really requires when things get uncomfortable.This is not a conversation about slogans, policies, or box-ticking. It’s about power, privilege, maturity, and the inner work leaders must do if inclusion is going to move from intention to impact.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why diversity is inevitable — but inclusion is notHow well-meaning leaders unintentionally undermine inclusion through everyday behaviourThe difference between being invited to the party and actually feeling able to danceWhy inclusion is as much an inner journey as a societal oneHow privilege shifts with context — and why awareness matters more than guiltThe paradox of inclusive leadership and the loneliness many leaders experienceWhy exclusion is easier to spot than inclusion — and how that awareness becomes a choiceHow curiosity, discomfort, and humility shape the contemporary leaderThis episode is for leaders who genuinely want to build cultures where people feel seen, heard, and valued — not because it’s fashionable, but because it’s essential for performance, resilience, and humanity.If inclusion feels complicated, uncomfortable, or even threatening at times — you’re not alone. This conversation helps name why.📘 Learn moreThe Contemporary Leader (Wiley)Connect with Dr. Riza Kadilar on LinkedIn

March 23, 2026Episode 16029 min

Trust at a Distance: How Leaders Build Connection in Remote & Hybrid Teams with Peggy Kendall

Remote and hybrid work aren’t going away — but trust doesn’t magically survive the shift.In this People First! episode, I’m joined by Peggy Kendall, researcher, professor of communication studies, and co-author of Trust at a Distance: Six Strategies for Managing Remote Workplaces. Peggy has been studying the impact of technology on communication since the days of MySpace, and her insights couldn’t be more relevant for today’s leaders.Together, we unpack what actually builds trust when teams are dispersed — and what quietly erodes it.In this conversation, we explore:Why trust takes longer to build online — but can be stronger when done wellThe hidden cost of leaders saying “let me know if you have questions”How assumptions, silence, and multitasking quietly damage psychological safetyThe six strategies leaders must use to build trust at a distance: Amplify communication; Clarify direction; Build predictability; Redefine accountability; Create connection; Leverage in-person experiences.Why predictable check-ins matter more than long meetingsHow proximity bias hurts remote employees — often without leaders realizing itWhy hybrid work can increase inclusion, confidence, and access when led intentionallyIf you’re leading a remote or hybrid team — or working in one — this episode will challenge some assumptions and give you practical, research-backed ways to strengthen trust, connection, and performance.📘 Learn more about Peggy Kendall & the book:Trust at a Distance — available on AmazonWebsite: PeggyKendall.comTrust Edge Leadership Institute (David Horsager)

March 9, 2026Episode 15922 min

From Bronze to Gold Leadership: Why Leaders Fail Alone and Win Together with Laura Armstrong

In this People First! episode, I sit down with Laura Armstrong — 3x world champion martial artist, international speaker, bestselling author, and creator of The Empowered Protocol — for a conversation about what actually builds resilient, connected, high-performing leaders.Laura spent nearly a decade earning silver and bronze medals before finally breaking through to gold. The difference wasn’t talent, discipline, or sheer force of will — it was support. And that insight now shapes everything she teaches leaders about emotional regulation, safety, team connection, and why going it alone is the fastest way to underperform.This episode challenges the myth of the heroic, solo leader and instead focuses on how grounded, emotionally aware leaders create trust, stability, and results.What we explore:Why leaders sabotage themselves by trying to do everything aloneHow fear shuts down creativity, collaboration, and innovation — often silentlyThe real meaning of resilience (hint: it’s not about powering through)Somatic tools leaders can use to regulate emotion in real timeThe “pause point” that separates reaction from responseWhy calm leadership spreads calm — and panic spreads chaosHow to build the support networks leaders actually needWhy labels and old identities (the “brilliant jerk,” the “tough one,” the “world champion”) eventually stop serving usHow to step into authentic power without posturing or perfectionIf you’re navigating tough conversations, overloaded teams, persistent stress, or a culture where fear is doing more damage than anyone admits, this one offers a practical path forward.📌 Connect with Laura: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurayarmstrong/TalkWithLaura.com

February 16, 2026Episode 15828 min

Calm, Courage, and Command: The Human Side of High-Stakes Leadership with Lt. General Karen Gibson (Ret.)

What does leadership look like when the situation is unclear, emotions are high, and everyone is waiting for you to make the next move?In this episode of People First!, I’m joined by Lt. General (Ret.) Karen Gibson, a leader who has guided teams through war zones, national emergencies, hurricanes, cybersecurity crises, and the aftermath of January 6 - experiences most of us hope will never appear on our calendars.Karen is living proof that no amount of technology or process ever replaces the fundamentals: clarity, steadiness, humanity, and the courage to act before you have the full picture.We explore: • The moment she realized leadership is always a human endeavor • Why timing and triage matter more than certainty • What most leaders get wrong about communication in crisis • The emotional toll teams experience after a major event • The practical skills leaders can build before the next “front-page moment” hitsHer stories are gripping. Her lessons are generous. And her message is one every leader in today’s unpredictable world needs to hear.

February 2, 2026Episode 15728 min

Start With Who, Not Why: Why Knowing Yourself First is The Secret to Integrity and Authentic Leadership with Preston Poore

In this episode of People First!, Morag Barrett talks with Preston Poore—executive coach, author, and former Coca-Cola leader—about his new book, How Is Greater Than What: The Simple Formula for Success in Leadership.They discuss why how you lead matters more than what you accomplish, the role of identity and integrity in effective leadership, and how to stay grounded in a world shaped by technology and AI.In this episode, you'll learn:Why “start with who” might matter more than “start with why”The link between integrity, trust, and authentic leadershipLessons from Preston’s 30-year corporate careerHow faith, values, and self-awareness shape long-term successPerfect for leaders, managers, and professionals seeking practical insights on character, connection, and culture in the modern workplace.Learn More:https://prestonpoore.com/

January 21, 2026Episode 15631 min

The Seismic Shift in You: Why Connection Matters More Than Ever with Dr. Michelle K. Johnston

In this People First! episode, I sit down with my dear friend and fellow connection-evangelist Dr. Michelle K. Johnston — top executive coach, business professor, bestselling author, and now the voice behind The Seismic Shift in You. We dig into the uncomfortable truth:We’re more digitally connected than at any time in human history… …and yet more lonely, isolated, anxious, and burnt out than ever before.Michelle calls it a “crisis of disconnection” — one backed by global research, neuroscience, and the devastating health data shared by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.In this episode we explore:Why connection is a biological need — as essential as food and waterHow hybrid work, AI, and phone addiction are accelerating a global loneliness epidemicThe seven seismic shifts leaders must make — starting with shifting from what to whoWhy productivity without connection creates emptiness (Michelle’s newest mic-drop quote)How the calendar has become the biggest predictor of well-beingThe difference between communication and true connectionWhy leaders must intentionally design moments — not just meetingsThe wake-up call Michelle experienced when her daughter came home and said, “Mom, I haven’t seen you.”If you’re feeling stretched thin, disconnected, or suspicious that the “new normal” doesn’t feel normal at all… this episode will give you grounding and a path forward.Learn more: michellekjohnston.com The Seismic Shift in You now available everywhere books are sold.