Utopia isn't the end... it's the beginning

from Ordinary Extraordinary Leaders · host Community First Yorkshire

In this inspiring episode, Sue Vasey, CEO of Chain Lane Community Hub, chats to Mike Hickman, Leadership Development and Training Manager at Community First Yorkshire, about how starting with a bold, barrier-free “utopia” vision can transform strategic planning for charities. Drawing from her decades in the voluntary sector - and the journey to save and revitalise Chain Lane Community Centre - Sue explains why leaders should define their ideal destination first, then work back to navigate the practical realities.She and Mike explore resilience, self-leadership, and the discipline to stay true to core values, even when funding pressures tempt organisations off course. Sue recounts tough decisions, including walking away from a £1m contract that conflicted with partners’ missions, and emphasises integrity, generous leadership, and wisdom as essential leadership qualities.A candid and hopeful conversation for anyone steering a community organisation through uncertainty, this episode reminds us: utopia isn’t a naïve dream - it’s the compass that keeps us moving in the right direction.

What this episode covers

NOW PLAYING

0:00 11:11

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Jedd Johnson Diesel Crew Grip Strength Richard Sorin Captain of Crush Inch Dumbell Blob Pinch Grip

May 18, 2017

Doug Eidd Doug's Gym Dallas Jackson Barbell JFK Jack Ruby Chuck Norris Bob Hoffman John Grimek

Mar 12, 2017 ·0m

Dick Conner Arthur Jones Deland Kim Wood Hammer Strength Bob Hoffman John Grimek Vince Gironda

Feb 25, 2017 ·0m

Dan Cenidoza Captain Of Crush Grip Strength Bending Red Nail Strongman Farmers Walk Kettlebells

Feb 1, 2017

Chuck Miller Stuart McRobert Hardgainer Brawn Natural Bodybuilding Powerlifting

Jan 9, 2017 ·0m

David Sedunary Australian Rules Football American Combato Bradley J Steiner Peary Rader Hardgainer

Dec 20, 2016 ·0m

Similar Podcasts

Solving for Change MOBIA Technology Innovations Solving for Change welcomes business and technology leaders to share stories of bold business transformation within complex organizations. In an era when technology and markets are changing around businesses, the key to staying competitive is to evolve in response to those changes. MOBIA’s Mike Reeves and Marc LeBlanc investigate business transformation, deconstructing the challenges, ambitions, and market disruptions that drive companies to embark on transformation journeys, and exploring their unique approaches to achieving meaningful outcomes. What sparks leaders to pursue business transformation? How do they overcome the challenges along the way? What are the keys to creating enduring change? Through in-depth conversations with business and technology leaders, Mike and Marc answer these questions and explore how businesses evolve by pulling four key transformation levers: people, process, technology, and culture. NEWMORROW SESSIONS - A PodCast Series on the Future of Hospitality Mario C. Bauer, Florian Schneider, Axel Weber & Dr. Tillman Bardt The Newmorrow PodCast is more than a podcast — it's a platform for open dialog on the future of our business, a platform for those building what doesn’t exist yet. Here, we share and embrace our passion for the hospitality industry, but we won’t romanticize the journey. We ask the tough questions, confront uncomfortable truths, and prepare for a future that resists easy answers. We believe that the tougher and wilder times become, the more openly, honestly and humanely people need to talk to each other and act together. We believe, openness, togetherness, and truthfulness should also be cornerstones of a professional community to develop our utopian idea of „open source“. This is a space where visionaries don’t just imagine the future — they wrestle with the paradoxes that shape it: success vs. happiness, data vs. instinct, stability vs. reinvention. Join leaders, entrepreneurs, and thinkers as they share not what made them — but what’s actively shaping them, now and next. So tune in Leading From All Sides Abbie Mirata Discover the various styles of leadership, from leading at the forefront to steering from behind, rising to the top or empowering from the bottom. We'll explore horizontal and vertical leadership, leading through your brand, and even leading in your most intimate relationships. Join me in engaging conversations with special guests who are leaders in their careers, communities, and families. Gain insights, perspectives, and invaluable lessons that challenge traditional notions of what it means to lead. Take the Leap Colleen Biggs When was the last time you took a leap of faith trusting that everything is going to work out? Do you crave growth, or are you merely content with the status quo? If you want more out of your life, out of your career, and out of your relationships, you are in the right place. It's time for you to step into the Spotlight to expand your influence and attract the right clients. Your Host, Colleen Biggs, will expose the actions you need to take, through the experiences and interviews of our guests, so you no longer are sitting on the sidelines, but that you are finally taking an active role in defining the design of your life rather than living it by default. We will be interviewing elite leaders that will share their greatest regrets, successes, and how they did it! Week after week you will learn all about how you too can take the leap of faith, trust in yourself and stop living a life only by default.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Ordinary Extraordinary Leaders?

This episode is 11 minutes long.

When was this Ordinary Extraordinary Leaders episode published?

This episode was published on August 12, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Is there a transcript available for this episode?

Yes, a full transcript is available for this episode. You can read the complete transcript on the episode page.

Can I download this Ordinary Extraordinary Leaders episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!