The Thoughtful Leader Podcast
Hi, I’m Ben Brearley and I’m the host of the Thoughtful Leader Podcast. The Thoughtful Leader Podcast provides short, sharp leadership advice for leaders like you, who care about their teams and want to improve performance and job satisfaction.
Leadership can be challenging, frustrating and daunting, so hopefully listening to these episodes helps you lead your team with confidence.
Join me as I cover a diverse range of leadership topics. You can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or your other favourite podcast app of choice!
Of course, you can also listen to them right here by playing them in the web player or by clicking on the individual episodes below.
Or, Listen to the Episodes Right Here
Podcast Episode List
Team Member Made a Mistake? Try This.
Even the best of us make mistakes, and our team members will too! In this episode, I answer a reader question about what to do when your team member messes [...]

Leading Former Colleagues? It’s Tricky… Try These Ideas
Leading former colleagues can be tricky, because you used to be one of the gang and now you're the boss! This can be awkward for some people and can put [...]

So You Have an Open Door Policy… But Is It Working?
The "Open Door Policy" came about from the days where we actually had offices and doors. However, it's still a valuable concept today, to promote free-flowing communication between a leader [...]
Breathwork For Leaders With Richard Gibson
In this episode, I interview Richard Gibson, a breathwork and meditation coach based in Perth, Western Australia. Originally from the UK, Richard has been a student of breathwork since 1998, [...]
Common Phrases to Avoid When Leading People
Like it or not, leaders are role-models in the workplace. What we say and do matters, so it's important to try to set the right example. In this episode, I [...]
Avoiding Conflict? Here’s What’s Really Happening
Avoiding conflict often feels good in the short-term. But over time, avoiding conflict can cause bigger issues, that may have been more easily tackled earlier on! In this episode, I [...]
Procrastinating at Work? Try These Tips
Ever had tasks on your list that continue to stare at you week after week, while you keep putting them off? Procrastination is a common problem, even for leaders. But [...]
Is “All or Nothing” Thinking Holding You Back?
Ever found yourself stuck in an "all or nothing" mindset? Where everything is black or white, always or never? We can get stuck in this type of thinking in tough [...]

Team Member Lacking Confidence? Here’s How to Lead Them
Ever had to lead a team member who is lacking in confidence? It can be a daunting experience for some leaders, and for others it may seem like a burden [...]
3 Ways to Show People You’re a Good Leader
Leaders who inspire confidence in others have it easier. People tend to listen to what they say and leave them to do their work. Want to be one of those [...]