The Power of Communication: How Leaders Build High-Performing Team In this episode of the Sound Leadership podcast, hosts Dan Boniface and Darren Draper explore how to improve your communication skills to create high-performing teams and how to enable missing high performance through communication. Together they unpack: The different types of team communication leaders must master (Howard Schultz & Starbucks example)Practical strategies for improving clarity, trust, and collaboratio...

Why Every Leader Needs Soft Skills In this episode of the Sound Leadership podcast, leadership experts Dan Boniface and Darren Draper unpack one of the most misunderstood areas of modern leadership — soft skills. Drawing on decades of experience coaching senior leaders across industries, they reveal why soft skills aren’t “nice to have,” but the superpower behind high-performing teams and cultures. Together, they explore: The surprising origins of soft skills — from the U.S. Army to tod...

At her breaking point, Georgina Shute realised success had come at the cost of her wellbeing. This is the story of how she rebuilt her career — and her confidence — through self-awareness, compassion, and courage. In this bold and deeply personal episode of The Sound Leadership Podcast, Dan Boniface and Darren Draper are joined by Georgina Shute—founder of KindTwo, ADHD leadership coach, and creator of the Procrastination Breaker Framework™—to unpack the myths we’ve bought into about pe...

In this thought-provoking episode of the Sound Leadership podcast, hosts Dan Boniface and Darren Draper unpack the power of curiosity in leadership — and why the old saying “curiosity killed the cat” couldn’t be further from the truth. When curiosity is missing, assumptions take over — and that’s when relationships, trust, and opportunity break down. This episode explores how true curiosity helps leaders move beyond judgement, strengthen empathy, and create psychological safety that drives in...

Kat Thorne is known as The Morning Game Changer. In this episode of Sound Leadership Kat shares her remarkable journey from burnout to rebuilding her life, one small habit at a time. She reveals the single, powerful habit that can change everything — helping you achieve sustainable high performance, improved wellbeing, and long-term success. Kat Thorne is international keynote speaker, consultant, and host of the acclaimed Positive Habits Podcast. Together with Dan Boniface a...

Manchester United face Sunderland this weekend — and all eyes are on Ruben Amorim. In this 15-minute bonus episode of the Sound Leadership Podcast, hosts Dan Boniface and Darren Draper analyse Amorim’s recent behaviours at Manchester United and explore what they reveal about leadership under pressure. From sticking rigidly to a failing system, to showing disengagement in high-pressure moments, and even openly criticising his own players, Amorim’s start at Old Trafford raises big questio...

Chris Roebuck (HR Hall of Fame) on Leadership, Culture, and Unlocking 10% Growth for Free 80% of organisations are sitting on at least 10% of hidden, untapped performance. In this episode of The Sound Leadership Podcast, global leadership expert Chris Roebuck shares how leaders can unlock this potential — and why most aren’t even aware it’s there. Chris is a BBC’s go-to business leadership commentator, a 10x “HR Most Influential Thinker,” and a member of the HR Hall of Fame. With over 4...

Bonus Episode - Sound Answers: Your questions answered on Leadership, Management and Motivation Leadership Q&A: Dan Boniface and Darren Draper shares practical tips on managing managers, motivating teams, and leading through change using the Awareness → Responsibility model. In this special Q&A bonus episode of the Sound Leadership podcast, host Dan Boniface and Darren Draper give their Sound Answers to your LinkedIn questions on real leadership challenges. Lea...

How to Build Winning Teams with England Women’s U18 Rugby Coach Tom Mowbray England Women are in the World Cup Final this week — but what does it take to coach players who reach the very top of the game? In this episode of the Sound Leadership podcast, we’re joined by Tom Mowbray, England Women’s U18s Assistant Coach, Director of Rugby at Huel Tring, and coach developer with the RFU. Tom has worked with players who are now on the world stage, and he shares the lessons from rugby t...

“How do I get people to actually understand what I’m saying?” check out this insightful episode now to find out how to be a great communicator. Hit follow and leave a comment about what your biggest takeaway is from listening to Elisa and Dan. Clear, effective communication is the foundation of great leadership. But how often do we assume our message has landed, only to find out it hasn’t? As an L&D or HR professional, your ability to communicate well, directly impacts ...

“The average manager is interrupted every 8 minutes, leading to a loss of 2.1 hours of productive time per day.” – Harvard Business Review Time is every leader’s most valuable resource—but poor time management leads to stress, burnout, and inefficiency. As an L&D or HR professional, how can you help managers regain control of their workload and create sustainable habits? In this episode of Sound Leadership, host Dan Boniface is joined by leadership and management experts Laura...

What does it take to be a truly transformational coach, and how do we use coaching to drive change across people, teams, and organisations? In this episode of the Sound Leadership podcast, host Dan Boniface and resident expert Darren Draper sit down with Professor Jonathan Passmore, ranked among the top 10 professional coaches worldwide for coaching, behavioural change, ethical coaching, AI and the future of coaching. Jonathan shares powerful insights on how coaching shifts ...

Are leaders born or developed? In this episode of the Sound Leadership podcast, hosts Dan Boniface and Darren Draper explore the key qualities that make an effective leader and how to develop leadership skills in yourself and others. Together, they discuss: Why leadership is about influence, not just a title (with a quote from John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States) Building self-awareness as the foundation of great leadership The three key leadersh...

What happens when someone is promoted into management without the training, support, or confidence they need to lead? In this insightful episode of the Sound Leadership podcast, host Dan Boniface and leadership expert Darren Draper explore the rise of the accidental manager, those promoted for technical expertise or performance but left to figure out leadership on their own. Darren shares his own experience of being thrust into a senior management role without guidance, and togeth...

Does speaking in front of an audience make you nervous? You’re not alone! Over 70% of people in the UK experience anxiety about public speaking. But how do you overcome it? In this episode of the Sound Leadership podcast, host Dan Boniface is joined by Victoria Smith, a media expert and journalist who has worked for ITV London, Euronews, Channel 5 News, The Associated Press, British Forces News, TV News London. Victoria breaks down practical strategies for speaking with confiden...

Struggle to stick to your goals? Start strong but lose momentum after a few days? In this episode of the Sound Leadership podcast, host Dan Boniface and co-host Darren Draper explore the science of habit building for leaders, L&D professionals, and HR experts. Together, they unpack: · Why habits matter in leadership, L&D, and HR · The four laws of behaviour change (James Clear’s method) · How to overco...

Companies with a strong coaching culture report 46% higher revenue per employee and 61% higher employee engagement.” – International Coaching Federation A coaching culture isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a proven strategy for building resilient, high-performing teams. But how do HR and L&D professionals create an environment where coaching thrives? In this episode of Sound Leadership, host Dan Boniface is joined by leadership and management experts Laura Bridgeman and Darren Draper...

What does true allyship look like, and how can leaders effectively manage change? In this episode of the Sound Leadership podcast, host Dan Boniface and co-host Darren Draper welcome Lucy Grimwade—Change Strategist, Coach, Storyteller, and co-author of the influential book Allyship Actually: Why It’s We, Not Me. In this open, vulnerable and honest conversation Lucy provides valuable insights into navigating personal and organisational change, and shares practical steps to foster ...

What if feedback didn’t create fear—but inspired real growth? In this episode of Sound Leadership, host Dan Boniface and co-host Darren Draper unpack the psychology, method, and mindset behind effective feedback. Discover how to shift feedback from awkward, defensive and judgemental to empowering and performance-driving. You’ll walk away with practical tools you can use immediately to build a culture of honest conversations. 💭 You’ll learn: · The real purpose of feed...

What if conflict didn’t have to feel scary, confrontational, or overwhelming? What if it could actually build stronger teams and better leaders? In this empowering episode of the Sound Leadership podcast, host Dan Boniface and leadership expert Darren Draper unpack the real reasons why conflict triggers fear—and what you can do about it. From cortisol spikes that date back to prehistoric sabre-tooth tiger threats, to modern workplace disagreements, they explore how conflict affect...