Notes on Leadership podcast | Inspire yourself to lead through personal stories of those already there

NOTES ON LEADERSHIP. When anyone asks record-breaking motivational author and speaker Jack Canfield for the fastest route to success, he only has one answer.

“You have to start hanging out with successful people.”

People who work hard to achieve the goals you crave for; people who challenge you to be the best you can be.

Sure, get-rich-quick schemes and cryptocurrency spikes might make a few millionaires but the best investment – according to Canfield – is always in people.

It’s one of Canfield’s best known phrases from his New York Times bestseller The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.

And if holding the Guinness World Record for having the most books on the New York Times bestseller list at the same time (seven simultaneous books!) spells out success, then we can take his word for it.

If you’re counting out your successful friends on zero fingers – and you still have both arms – don’t worry.

MumAbroad’s very own co-founder Carrie Frais has launched an exciting new podcast Notes on Leadership that digs into leaders’ personal stories.

Alongside Carrie is US leadership coach Kristin Berry, as they both draw out the life-changing moments that transformed someone into the success they are today.

Each leader also explores their most powerful musical memories to create a ‘immersive experience’ for leaders to open up and share the gems so often forged under the pressure of failure and disappointment.

Notes on Leadership – a ‘snapshot’ of a leaders’ lives

 “It’s a privilege to get to dig into leaders’ life stories with genuine admiration and curiosity,” says Carrie, who, as well as being the founder of MumAbroad, has has her own creative agency and is an experienced British journalist and radio presenter based in Barcelona.

“Leaders are people first…they bring the formative experiences and important people from their lives to their role,” said Kristin.

“Their beliefs and life values are the scaffolding of their leadership style.”

Kristin added that awareness of how these values formed is what transforms a leader to become ‘more inspiring to others’.

Sometimes these moments in a leaders’ life come from family and upbringing.

Take London financial publication Citywire’s Richard Lander, who talked to Carrie and Kristin about his grandfathers’ knack for giving anyone knocking on his office door any bit of work he had available and empowering them to grow.

Sometimes a leaders’ moment came in fighting off schoolyard bullies and discovering self-confidence, as in the case of Barcelona-based ‘serial entrepreneur’ Cecilia Tham. 

HP 3D Printing Director Rachel Campbell also shared her battle for ‘authenticity’ in the workplace in her rise to success.

You can listen to Notes on Leadership by Carrie Frais and Kristin Berry on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Anchor, Mixcloud and on Carrie Frais’ personal website.

Conversations with some of today’s most exciting leaders have never been so few clicks away.

Want to be featured on the Notes on Leadership podcast?

The Notes on Leadership podcast is not just an enriching experience for listeners – leaders also benefit from unearthing their core values through music and interview.

In the words of American psychologist Howard Gardner: “Storytelling is the single most powerful tool in a leader’s toolkit.”

Why?

Because it’s only when a leader is aware of what transformed their own success can they bring it out in others.

Connecting the dots in your life story also helps to reframe failures or setbacks as opportunities for learning, which helps to empathise with anyone under your wing or clients coming to you for help.

“Carrie and Kristin are an amazing tandem. Kristin delved deep into how my life evolved into my leadership role and how my personal life and values shows through in my leadership,” said Colin Finlayson, a project leader at Castiel Consultants in Barcelona. 

“Through her thoughtful questions Carrie really got a heartfelt, honest account of my life story.

“Bringing the music that influenced me was also a really powerful way for me to connect and recall the biggest moments of my life.”

Other leaders, like HP’s Rebecca Campbell, called her appearance on the Notes on Leadership podcast ‘a gift’.

“The preparation and discussion with Carrie and Kristin was an enjoyable therapy session full of understanding and reflection,” she said.

Furthermore, so many leaders have depended on others in times of need to lift them to where they are today.

Appearing on Notes on Leadership can be a great way to give back and inspire the next leaders of tomorrow.

Find out more about Notes on Leadership here.

The Soundtrack to My Life – tell your life story

A podcast that lets you tell your life story – The Soundtrack to My Life

Aside from Notes on Leadership, Carries Frais also hosts another podcast The Soundtrack to My Life. 

This moving show – part biography, part music – allows anyone with a story to tell it in full accompanied by the powerful questions from Carrie Frais and the most important music in your life.

Thankfully, it’s also turned into a regular podcast for you to get inspired by ordinary people with extraordinary experiences.

The Soundtrack to My Life is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Mixcloud and Carrie Frais’ personal website.

“It’s a pure joy to take a trip down memory lane, with songs that resonate and capture someone’s untold history,” Carrie said.

“Many of our life experiences have a strong musical link – the amazing feeling of traveling alone for the first time, strong friendships, your first concert, falling in love, a wedding, a funeral.

“What I have discovered in my interviews is that no one is ordinary.

“It is often modesty that hides how fascinating people really are.”

Former guests have included Reuters’ International Affairs Correspondent Luke Baker, musical theatre director Adam Jacques and award-winning writer Clare Pooley.

Best of all is that you too can get a chance to tell your life story, whether for yourself, for other listeners or for friends and family as a keepsake.

Find out more about The Soundtrack to My Life podcast here.

To be featured on the Notes on Leadership or The Soundtrack to My Life podcasts – or for any questions – contact Carrie on carrie@carriefrais.com