Peter Docker is a leadership teacher, author, and former Royal Air Force senior officer. After 25 years in the RAF (including flying world leaders at age 24 and leading air-to-air refuelling operations in the Gulf War), he moved into high‑hazard industry consulting before spending eight years working with Simon Sinek, co‑authoring the global bestseller Find Your Why. Peter’s own book, Leading from the Jumpseat, explores how leaders can create extraordinary opportunities by handing over control, building trust, and leading through love instead of fear. Today, Peter works with organisations across industries worldwide, helping leaders foster commitment, humble confidence, and belonging.
This Episode Covers
• Love vs. Fear: Why everything that truly matters is driven by one of these two forces—and how to spot fear’s four triggers (life, livelihood, status, reputation).
• Commitment over Purpose: The power of turning values into a personal promise that inspires others, and why commitment drives culture more effectively than purpose statements alone.
• Leading with Humble Confidence: How to be resolute on direction while admitting you don’t have all the answers, and how to tap into your team’s “collective genius.”
• Belonging Unlocks Discretionary Effort: Why people go above and beyond when they feel safe, cared for, and part of something bigger.
• Lessons from the Gulf War: How Peter united 200 people under one clear commitment, resulting in 479 successful missions—and what business leaders can learn from it.
• From Noise to Signal: How to cut through distractions and make every role clearly connected to the bigger mission.
• Checking Ego and Preventing Burnout: Why trusted advisors and rest are essential to sustaining good leadership.
• Shifting Perceptions in Uncertain Times: How to reframe VUCA and AI from scarcity to possibility, unlocking creativity and innovation.
• Creating Better Conditions, Even with a Bad Boss: What you can and can’t control, and how changing perceptions changes outcomes.
• Practical Steps to Move from Fear to Love: Naming the trigger, reconnecting to what (and who) you serve, and embedding daily habits to reinforce commitment.