E051: Be Yourself, Lead Better with Mark McBride-Wright and Greg Turner-Smart

In this episode, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Greg Turner-Smart, a mechanical engineer turned inclusion and culture leader, to explore how authenticity can transform not only personal confidence, but professional success. Greg shares what it was like growing up in Ashington, a former mining town in Northumberland, where community, hardship, and identity shaped the values he still carries today. From navigating a tough environment as a young gay man to finding his place in engineering, Greg reflects on the experiences that built his resilience and ultimately influenced the direction of his career. He speaks about the fear that can come with hiding who you are, and the moment he realised that being himself was not a risk, but a turning point. Greg also unpacks what changed when he came out at work, describing how his career started to take off and why his performance genuinely improved once he was able to show up as his authentic self. Together, Mark and Greg discuss the realities of workplace culture, the power of allyship, and why small moments of support can have a lasting impact on someone’s life.