This is a conversation that's close to my heart as I first met Benny Callaghan way back in 1999 when he joined Outward Bound as a trainee and I was his first trainer. His potential was obvious from day one and I couldn’t be more thrilled at his trajectory since then and to have him on the podcast! 

Benny is a leadership coach and facilitator extraordinaire who excels at seeing complexity and the dynamics at play between human relationships. We discuss the challenges of leadership and organisational dynamics, the difficulty of breaking down silos within organisations and how high workloads can prevent leaders from engaging in crucial relationship-building. 

It’s a time travelling episode where we reflect on our shared past and ponder the future of leadership and what that means today. We tackle some tough questions about power dynamics, the challenges of organisational systems, and how to maintain trust and collaboration in complex environments. Benny shares a powerful story about overcoming competing priorities within an organisation, and it's a tale that's sure to resonate with many of you.

Shownotes

See more at: http://www.zoerouth.com/podcast/leadership-change-benny-callaghan

Key Moments 

Benny Callaghan’s Leadership Journey (00:03:22)

Benny discusses his career journey, including his experience at Outward Bound and founding the School for Social Entrepreneurs.

Interest in Social Entrepreneurship (00:05:14)

Benny explains his interest in social entrepreneurship and the challenges of blending purpose with a commercial mindset.

Leadership and Systems in Disaster Recovery (00:10:16)

The Regenerate programme, focusing on leadership and system dynamics in disaster recovery, particularly in the context of bushfires.

Power Dynamics in Organisational Systems (00:13:47)

Delving into power dynamics within organisations, particularly in emergency services, and the challenges of integrating diverse voices.

Maintaining Relationships and Agency in Organisations (00:18:48)

Exploring the difficulty of maintaining relationships and a sense of agency in organisations, especially when dispersed, and the need for discipline and deliberate attention.

Fostering Individual Agency (00:16:25)

The importance of recognising and addressing inherent blind spots and power privilege, particularly in empowering younger individuals within organisations.

Designing Organisational Systems (00:21:12)

Challenges in breaking down silos, leadership maturity, and workload impact on cross-functional collaboration.

Confronting Reality and Collaboration (00:23:50)

Addressing competing priorities, implementing incentive systems, and fostering collaboration through frank conversations.

Systems Thinking and Organisational Design (00:30:05)

Leaders' lack of systems thinking, understanding organisations as systems, and mapping relationships and interconnectivity.

Facilitating Conversations and Relationship Clarity (00:36:48)

Importance of external facilitation, role clarity, and relationship clarity in building a powerful system.

Feedback Loops and Co-location (00:40:17)

Informal communication, feedback loops, and the value of spending time in co-location for understanding challenges.