by Lukas on 22 Jan 2025

Podcast Episode 51 is out: Pradeep Jeyaratnam-Joyner from Aspire Leadership

Radical Leadership, Inclusion, and Storytelling

In this episode of A Little Bit Radical, host Rob Fawkes speaks with Pradeep Jeyaratnam-Joyner, Head of Company Development at Aspire Leadership, a B Corp consultancy focused on leadership, communication, and workplace culture. Pradeep shares his journey from growing up in Stoke to training as an actor, and how those experiences shaped his views on leadership, inclusion, and the power of storytelling. This insightful conversation explores what it means to be a leader today, the challenges leaders face in a changing world, and how storytelling and inclusion can transform workplace cultures.

In this episode, we discuss:

Pradeep’s Unconventional Path: From a South Asian upbringing in Stoke to acting school and eventually a career in leadership development.
Lessons from Acting: How acting taught Pradeep about resilience, self-awareness, and the dynamics of human interaction, and how these lessons translate to leadership.
The Leadership Landscape: How the role of leaders has evolved in recent years, including the challenges of enabling teams, creating psychological safety, and navigating external pressures like climate change and societal expectations.
The Power of Storytelling: Why stories are fundamental to human connection and how leaders can use storytelling to foster understanding, build trust, and create a shared vision.
Inclusion and Cultural Change: Pradeep’s thoughts on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and the importance of creating space for differing perspectives.
Radical Ideas for the World: Encouraging people to volunteer as trustees for small charities and why good governance is vital for local organisations.

Use code RADICAL10 for 10% off a standard ticket for Aspire Leadership’s public courses.

Memorable Quotes:

“Leadership doesn’t always come from the top—it can come from anywhere in an organisation.”
“Great storytelling isn’t just about the end of the story; it’s about showing how you got there.”
“If we can learn to work with differing perspectives, we can work with any kind of diversity.”