#155 The no bullsh*t approach to life, career and leadership with Chris Hirst

"You can have a bad day, some days, that's fine. But then at some point, you've got to go, all right, I've got to take a little bit of responsibility now and get on with this."   In this ‘epic’ (long!) episode, I sit down with Chris Hirst, author known for his “no bullsh*t” approach to leadership and work. We go deep, wide and around the block talking about the realities and myths of career progression, change, redundancy, and what it really means to be a leader.  Chris shares transformative moments in his career, including going to Harvard and facing redundancy, and how these experiences shaped his perspective on success, self-identity, and responsibility. If you’re questioning your next step, looking for the truth about modern leadership, or searching for practical wisdom on navigating the world of work, this will give you plenty to reflect on (and maybe even prompt some action).   The highlights: 05:04 Chris’s “door closing” moments: Harvard revelations and sudden redundancy   08:24 Why losing your job is so disorientating and what nobody tells you about structure   13:25 The underrated power of curiosity (and why not having answers is okay)   20:12 Doing “everything right”…and still struggling (it’s not just you)   25:58 Why the biggest barrier to your own success is (usually) you   28:26 The pivotal experience that changed Chris’s self-narrative forever   33:11 Why moments of struggle aren’t wrong, they’re just life   38:06 The real reason vulnerability is hard at work (and that awkward HR conversation)   01:01:06 Finding comfort in what you’re good at, not just escaping to something new   The things that help Chris navigate change: Activities: Playing tennis and writing Books: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré; Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel, and Citizens by Simon Schama.   One piece of advice:   “Nobody’s coming to save you. Ultimately, the thing that’s either going to move you forward or get in your way, is you. Take ownership, even just 1% more.”   About Chris Hirst: With more than a decade of experience in Global and UK CEO positions, Chris is widely recognised as an innovative and inspirational leader with a proven track record of successful business transformation guiding businesses to record growth and lasting repetitional change. He is the author of the best-selling and award winning book No Bullsh*t Leadership and No Bullsh*t Change.    His new book, Indispensable:The No Bullsh*t Guide to Career Success is for anyone who wants to build a better career, on their own terms.   Connect with Chris: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hirst-4b77882/ Website: chrishirst.com   About your host Eleanor Tweddell:   Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”    Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and author of Another Door Opens - 5 steps for navigating change in life and at work.   Connect with Eleanor: Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/  Website: www.another-door-opens.com     Produced by winteraudio.co.uk