Fear, Organisational Silence and Leadership in Uncertain Times - with Margaret Heffernan

How does fear quietly shape our workplace culture – and our careers? In this episode I chat with Dr. Margaret Heffernan about the cost of silence, the roots of organisational fear, and what it really takes to lead – and learn – in times of complexity, uncertainty and change. Most of us think of fear as something loud – panic, paralysis, confrontation. But Margaret invites us to notice the subtler ways it shows up: in hesitation, conformity, and doing what’s expected instead of what’s needed. Drawing on her experience as a five-time CEO and mentor of global leaders – and as someone who consistently questions business orthodoxy from angles that never fail to surprise – she shares insights into how fear shapes not only our organisations, but the way we’re taught to think, lead, and succeed. We explore: Why employees stay silent – and what that costs organisations How fear stifles creativity, innovation, and initiative The hidden cost of over-efficiency and performance culture How uncertainty and fear affect decision-making – and our ability to adapt What leaders can do to cultivate courage, curiosity, and insight If you’ve ever wondered why meaningful change is so hard to lead – and what gets in the way of speaking up, stepping up, or thinking differently – this one’s for you. Continue the conversation with Grace here: gracemarshall.com  LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/gracemarshall/ Instagram: instagram.com/gracemarshallninja/ About Guest Dr. Margaret Heffernan is an award-winning author, broadcaster, and former CEO of five companies. She produced BBC programmes for 13 years before moving to the US, where she led multimedia projects for companies including Intuit and Standard & Poor’s. She was named one of the Top 100 Media Executives by The Hollywood Reporter. She’s the author of seven books, including Wilful Blindness (a Financial Times Book of the Decade), Uncharted (a Bloomberg Best Book of 2021), and Embracing Uncertainty: How writers, musicians & artists thrive in an unpredictable world. Her TED talks have over 15 million views, and she was inducted into the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame for her lasting contribution to management thinking. Margaret is Professor of Practice at the University of Bath, mentors senior leaders through Merryck & Co., chairs the board of DACS, and contributes to BBC Radio 4 and the Financial Times. Find out more at www.mheffernan.com  The podcast was produced by pronkproductions.com