PODCAST · education
Leadership Decanted
by Paul Garcia & KG Butler
Curious about leaders, leading teams, or leadership? So are Paul Garcia and Kerry "KG" Butler. In fact, they turned their periodic happy hour chats about life and leadership into the Leadership Decanted Podcast. Join Paul and KG as they discuss all things leadership. Each episode of Leadership Decanted asks fascinating questions about leadership and keeps the conversation flowing over a nice bottle of wine.
Episodes
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Cheeky Half Episode (44): Some surprising stats: What leaders should note about resilience.
Message us! Paul & KG get into the stats from Zurich’s Australian Resilience Index, a few numbers that seem to contradict each other, and what a leader might do with all of it (we also recall Episode 4.07 and how social cohesion might be related). Cheeky Half episodes are short. So rather than...
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(6.08) The Mule and the Tightrope Walker: Lessons in 'Both/And' Leadership
Message us! What if the tension we keep trying to fix is not meant to be fixed? It takes a mule, a tightrope walker, a bottle of Shiraz and a mild disagreement over whether paradox is an 'invitation' or a 'demand' to get anywhere near an answer. (Paul votes 'demand'.) KG and Paul spent time in…
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Cheeky Half Episode (43): Values don't 'trickle down' so easily.
Message us! Does a founder's carefully curated set of values survive a growing business, especially as the distance from founder to frontline staff increases? Paul's barely digested thought for this 'cheeky half' is that it doesn't always, and he's calling it 'trickle-down values'. KG has seen it...
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(6.07) Leadership and Technology, for the Wider Human Experience
Message us! Every keyboard you've ever typed on started life as an assistive device. That's not just a factoid, it's the whole thrust of this episode. If you design for the people the market usually treats as 'niche,' you tend to build something better for everyone else too. This goes from...
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Cheeky Half Episode (42): Can you be a good leader AND a bad person, at the same time?
Message us! KG recently noticed some conflicting attitudes toward a leader: some people seem to be willing to defend them to the death, and others wouldn't follow them into a fire drill. Same person, same behaviour and two completely different verdicts, which suggests the disagreement may not...
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(6.06) 97 Ways to Get What You Want.
Message us! There's a fairly persuasive myth about power: that once you have enough of it, everything else follows. This episode makes a decent case against that, using nothing more dramatic than a chief executive who can restructure an entire division and still can't get their own kid to tidy...
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Cheeky Half Episode (41): Human dignity in the age of AI.
Message us! Paul's been reading something unexpected: Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, arguing that AI should be judged against human dignity, not efficiency. It's a genuinely different take on a topic that mostly produces unreflective panic or unquestioned evangelism. Join...
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(6.05) Leading with an Open Heart
Message us! Most leadership conversations happen above the neck. Steve Ray, a groupwork facilitator and open-heart practitioner, thinks that's only half the picture, and arguably the less interesting half. This is an episode about the inner critic, the community of selves, and what happens when a...
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Cheeky Half Episode (40): AI is not just a tool. It's a reflection of who we are.
Message us! KG has spent considerable time carefully avoiding the AI conversation on Social Media. His reward for finally joining that conversation is also our reward - a 'hot take' that turns out to be much more interesting than either the unreflective panic or unquestioned evangelism the hosts...
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(6.04) A Kaleidoscope, Not a Recipe: Systemic Leadership in Polycrisis
Message us! Something has seemed fairly obvious in the field of leadership development for a while now: the gap between what people learn and what they're able to apply when they return to their organisations. It shows up as disillusionment, stalled change efforts, and the recurring question of…
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Cheeky Half Episode (39): Did you experience A LOT OF stress yesterday? You aren't alone.
Message us! Gallup publishes its State of the Global Workplace report once a year. This year it's 251 pages of data on engagement, emotions, wellbeing and the general mood of the global workforce. One of its headlines on the 2026 edition? "Global employee wellbeing improved for the first time in...
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(6.03) Leading through Consciousness: Seeing Things 'As They Are'.
Message us! If you are a 'dyed-in-the-wool' rationalist, you may not enjoy this episode. However, if every now and again you find yourself asking, "I wonder if there is truth and knowledge beyond what I see and hear - maybe even outside the 'accepted' boundaries I was taught?" then continue! KG…
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Cheeky Half Episode (38): "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."
Message us! Robert Burns' poem, To a Mouse, provides the line (translated into more modern English) to this episode's title. Paul went on that potentially fraught trip (see Cheeky Half 37 for that story!), and he thought he had everything under control - until he didn't. Cheeky Half episodes are...
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(6.02) Is AI coming for our brains?!?!
Message us! Artificial Intelligence is all over our feeds. It is both, promising and threatening, in equal measure. As we drink from the fire hose of hallucinatory AI 'information', what are we to make of its reach and its use? We know that many AI tools can parrot back meeting conversations and...
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Cheeky Half Episode (37): From a Mexican Holiday to the 'Sunk Cost' Fallacy.
Message us! How does the capture and death of a drug cartel kingpin, Paul's planned vacation and the phenomenon of the sunk cost fallacy end up as part of the same 'Cheeky Half' conversation? Good question. Cheeky Half episodes are short. So rather than spending your precious minutes on a written...
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(6.01) Leadership. For Humans. By Humans.
Message us! Fifty! Yes, that's 50. Episodes, that is. As we begin our sixth year of Leadership Decanted, we kick it off with our 50th main episode. And what a rewarding conversation this was. In this episode the conversation turns to questions like, "What if leadership is simply a response to…
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Cheeky Half Episode (36): 2026 is looking good!
Message us! Welcome back! And thank you for joining us on the first Cheeky Half of Season 6. Join Paul & KG as they talk about what the sixth year may hold for the show, as well as shaking the dust from their microphones by talking about a whole lot of nuthin'! And we also welcome back our...
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(5.11) Endings and Beginnings: We look back on our year
Message us! Five years. Five seasons. 2025 was a milestone year for us in the podcave. And we have you and our wonderful guests to thank for that. In this final episode of 2025, KG and Paul reflect on the year that was - the many insightful, if not inspirational, conversations. The impact our...
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(5.10) Leadership: A Profound Expression of Empathy & Compassion
Message us! It's easy to dismiss social barriers as inevitable - the natural friction that comes with 'being different'. But it's much harder to look directly at the systems that keep people unseen, unheard, and separate from opportunity. But what if the work of genuine leadership offered…
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Cheeky Half Episode (35): This should go without a hitch...
Message us! We rarely publish 'sequels' for our Cheeky Half episodes, but this one was too good to miss. The saga continues with Paul's plumbing. A complicated, but relatively routine, project has become altogether something else. Join Paul & KG as they discuss the next chapter of a little story...
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(5.09) Leadership and Global Peacemaking
Message us! Calls for peace have become louder and more urgent across the globe over the last few years. So much so that it's difficult to know how to respond in ways that feel meaningful and relevant. After all, how can a drop in the ocean move an unrelenting tide? Mandar Apte is proof that an...
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Cheeky Half Episode (34): When things start to get a little 'smelly'...
Message us! Something went wrong with Paul's plumbing. Those in his house, that is. Needless to say, it was a little unpleasant. However, not being one to let a learning opportunity pass him by, there were a couple of things that left him thinking. Join Paul & KG as they discuss a little story…
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(5.08) Leadership Through Systemic Intelligence
Message us! What makes this conversation so inspiring is the notion that, when we are working with individual leaders to strengthen their leadership practice, we are also supporting their teams, their families and their communities. We are not just supporting the individual but the entire system…
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Cheeky Half Episode (33): There's never a 'Silver Bullet'. Or is there...?
Message us! Our very first live podcast recording with Steve Hearsum (Episode 5.07) is the gift that keeps giving! Join Paul & KG as they open the space to questions from our audience for our highly engaging guest. The questions are considered, and the ongoing conversation is insightful, offering...
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(5.07) Leadership & the Myth of the Silver Bullet (LIVE!)
Message us! Join KG and Paul in Leadership Decanted's FIRST podcast recorded in front of a live audience. Exciting times indeed! It seems that if we're doing leadership well, then chances are we will regularly experience uncertainty, ambiguity, doubt, and maybe even shame at our inability to find…
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Cheeky Half Episode (32): You're Not the Boss of Me!
Message us! Paul & KG revisit the most recent Cheeky Half conversation to return to a most vexed question: What happens when I express a personal opinion in public that is at odds with my organisation's position? What right does my organisation have to curb my expression if I am in no way seeking...
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(5.06) When too much conflict is never enough - Leadership & Negotiation.
Message us! How many of us feel the urge to run away, hide or simply observe the foetal position when faced with the prospect of conflict? What if we were able to reframe that experience and begin to believe - really believe - that too much conflict is never enough? That conflict is the very fuel...
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Cheeky Half Episode (31): Leadership - You Can Leave Your Hats On.
Message us! Paul & KG are back with their Cheeky Halves after a brief and unplanned hiatus. They have not, however, been idle during this time. In fact, KG in particular has been deep in reflection, wondering about all the leadership hats that might be available to us all, but also having a bit…
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(5.05) Leadership and Serious Social Play
Message us! Serious. Social. Play. WTF?!? On this episode, KG and Paul welcomed Chris Maxwell and Marcus Crow, the duo behind the consulting firm 10,000 Hours and the digital product company Pod & Hive to discuss their unique approach to leadership development, built on a conversation that began…
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(5.04) Leadership and the Art of Deep Transformation
Message us! The word 'transformation' is thrown around in all sorts of contexts and in all manner of attempts to sell change. The outcomes are never given, despite best laid plans, and it often falls down not because of process nor technology. The stumbling block is usually us. And it's not about...
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(5.03) Artist, Academic, Activist: Leadership's Many Hats
Message us! After a welcome break over Easter (sorry we forgot to mention it!), KG and Paul get back to the podcave for an amazing conversation with Dr. Rachael Jacobs - artist, academic, activist. You may have heard the oft repeated phrase, "Bring your whole self to work." What does that even...
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(5.02) Leadership: It's all Bollocks!
Message us! When many of us consider leadership and leadership practice, we may assume specific contexts (corporate, politics, the public domain), and specific ways to 'do' leadership. In fact, from accepted governance processes to the way organisations are structured and even how they might…
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Cheeky Half Episode (30): Is Leadership in Crisis?
Message us! According to DDI's Global Leadership Forecast 2025 Report, the state of global organisational leadership is nothing short of dire. But how bad is it? Paul & KG kick around a some of the stats, and reflect on a few infographics to try and get a handle on what might be going on. But…
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(5.01) From Diapers to Dirt: A Leadership Journey through the Circular Economy.
Message us! [Episode contains explicit language - but not too much!] In this episode, KG and Paul kick off the year with an inspiring conversation featuring Dr. Jason Graham-Nye, an entrepreneur tackling global environmental challenges through the circular economy. Jason shares how his team is...
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Cheeky Half Episode (29): Leadership and the Need for Endurance
Message us! We're back for Season 5! How amazing is that??!! We kick things off with Paul & KG catching up, chatting about the year ahead and then quickly digress into a conversation on endurance. This Cheeky Half episode is definitely 'on brand', as it introduces a half-baked idea, and leaves it...
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Cheeky Half Episode (28): Looking forward.
Message us! This is it folks! Well, for this year, anyway. Paul & KG look forward to what may be in store for 2025, and throw around some ambitious ideas in the process. Have a listen (it's very brief), and let us know what you think! We'd love to hear what you thought of this conversation. See…
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(4.10) Our journey in 2024.
Message us! In our final main episode for this season, Paul & KG reminisce over a cracker of a wine! As they sip on a 2022 Toolangi Chardonnay they highlight moments in Leadership Decanted's many conversations over this last year that resonated with them most. For those of you who might be…
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Cheeky Half Episode (27): When you feel the world is burning, what then?
Message us! KG has referred to this conversation topic as a little 'spicy'. Though we suspect many of our listeners will feel the heat in different ways, if at all. Before you listen, be aware this conversation is politics 'adjacent'. However, we do not delve into any political detail, and it is...
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(4.09) Leadership and The Wisdom of the Horse.
Message us! Being aware of how we 'show up' in our workplaces, how we interact with our colleagues and what our bodies are telling us in even the most seemingly trivial interactions (am I anxious, tense, relaxed, energised?) is, at least in our experience, a critical set of skills for anyone...
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Cheeky Half Episode (26): Disengaging from it all.
Message us! Do you ever feel like things are getting just a little too 'noisy' for you? Maybe you're juggling too many things at work, or change is coming at you at increasing speeds and frequency, or maybe 'doom scrolling' is taking its toll? Experiences of cognitive load are being increasingly...
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(4.08) Leadership and Organisational Culture.
Message us! In some ways, the word 'Culture' is as difficult to define as one of our other favourite words, 'Leadership'. A number of competing definitions abound, but what seems common to many of our experiences is that, whilst a clear and concise definition may not always roll off the tongue…
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Cheeky Half Episode (25): Leading without a 'playbook'.
Message us! When leading teams or organisations, there is often an unspoken expectation that, no matter how dark the challenge, those leading us will know a way through to the light. After all, surely they have done this before. They simply open their leadership playbooks to the relevant page…
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(4.07) How might our Leadership contribute to a more cohesive society?
Message us! Back in Cheeky Half 17, Paul & KG considered the Social Cohesion Report, researched and published by the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute. It is a veritable goldmine of insight and possibility, pointing out the many ways our society connects, grows and flourishes - and the...
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Cheeky Half Episode (24): Leadership and the Resilience 'Myth'
Message us! The concept of Resilience is one whose purchase has increased exponentially in Leadership circles over the past few decades. We preach its virtues and benefits with increasing zeal and seek out practices that will instil in us the necessary skills to overcome and bounce back from...
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(4.06) Leadership and the 'Common Good'.
Message us! We often talk about leadership as if we all shared a common understanding of its purpose. But what is leadership for, really? Is it to ensure things get done? Is it to inspire others to a shared goal or purpose? What if its purpose were both grander and more noble than that? What if...
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Cheeky Half Episode (23): Listener feedback: What makes a great leader?
Message us! Cheeky Half episodes are Paul and KG's attempts at articulating ideas on leadership they've been tossing around but not fully comprehended. It's a way of starting a conversation and seeing whether anything 'sticks'. It is also a great vehicle for engaging with a growing, and...
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(4.05) Leadership and Human Rights: Making good on a promise.
Message us! The Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." It is an affirmation as well as a promise made by many countries via the ratification of a number of Human Rights treaties. Australia is one of the countries that...
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Cheeky Half Episode (22): Isn't branding just for livestock?!?
Message us! The need to present a professional persona to the world is now pretty much assumed. In fact, in some circles it is expected. Social media platforms have paved approaches and practices that allow us to reach thousands, if not millions, of eye balls. The process and outcomes of shaping...
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(4.04) What makes a great leader?!?
Message us! What makes a great leader?!? It wasn't until a listener emailed Paul & KG this question that it dawned on them they had never actually discussed this topic. After some time together at the podcast desk, and a gorgeous bottle of wine, they realised why this had been the case. It's a...
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Cheeky Half Episode (21): Calling it as I see it: Leadership and 'Naïve Realism'.
Message us! We do love a 'straight talker'. Someone who is courageous enough to call out the BS. Someone who feels comfortable to speak their mind, and call it 'as they see it'. But sometimes it doesn't take much for a virtue to transform into a form of 'violence'; all of a sudden, we feel...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Curious about leaders, leading teams, or leadership? So are Paul Garcia and Kerry "KG" Butler. In fact, they turned their periodic happy hour chats about life and leadership into the Leadership Decanted Podcast. Join Paul and KG as they discuss all things leadership. Each episode of Leadership Decanted asks fascinating questions about leadership and keeps the conversation flowing over a nice bottle of wine.
HOSTED BY
Paul Garcia & KG Butler
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Leadership Decanted have?
Leadership Decanted currently has 104 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Leadership Decanted about?
Curious about leaders, leading teams, or leadership? So are Paul Garcia and Kerry "KG" Butler. In fact, they turned their periodic happy hour chats about life and leadership into the Leadership Decanted Podcast. Join Paul and KG as they discuss all things leadership. Each episode of Leadership...
How often does Leadership Decanted release new episodes?
Leadership Decanted publishes regularly with 104 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Leadership Decanted?
You can listen to Leadership Decanted on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Leadership Decanted?
Leadership Decanted is created and hosted by Paul Garcia & KG Butler.
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