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In this episode, we speak with Charles Lee about his own career journey and what he has learned about designing a good life. We explore how he came to distinguish competence from vocation, why ambitious people can drift toward externally defined success, and what makes a life meaningful. Charles shares how design thinking and experimentation can help us find direction, turn ideas into action, and learn by doing, while reflection helps us tell genuine exploration from simply hiding in busywork. Charles Lee is the Founder and CEO of Ideation, where he helps individuals and organizations turn ideas into meaningful action. His work explores how design thinking, experimentation and reflection can help people make more intentional career and life choices. He has advised leaders across a range of sectors and is the author of Design Your Good Life andGood Idea. Now What?, on purpose, creativity and turning ideas into action. Links from the episode:  Charles’ personal homepage Charles’ book Design Your Good Life The Ideation homepage  Charles’ LinkedIn profile Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

What separates extraordinary teams from ordinary ones? In his latest book, Collective Confidence, organizational psychologist André Martin explores a powerful but often overlooked factor: the shared belief that a team is capable of achieving something great. Drawing on decades of research, as well as stories from underdog sports teams, submarine crews, creative organizations, and other unlikely high-performing groups, André argues that the collective has become the smallest unit of potential success in a world where increasingly complex challenges cannot be solved alone. In this edition of Disrupt Your Career Author Chat, we speak with André about what collective confidence really means, why it is different from optimism or positive thinking, and how leaders can build it within their teams. We explore some of the principles that help teams believe in their collective capability and turn that belief into action.  Order André’s book Collective Confidence André’s Team & Co website André’s  LinkedIn profile Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we speak with David Timis, exploring how AI will transform work, with job disruption potentially outpacing job creation. We discuss the skills that will matter most—from communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity to AI literacy, adaptability and resilience—and how to build career optionality through networking, investing in yourself and continuous learning. David also shares his advice on exploring early in your career, learning from failure, and focusing on what you can control. David Timis is a keynote speaker focused on the impact of AI on the future of work. He holds Master’s Degrees in Business Administration and Management and Public Policy, with experience across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. He has guest lectured at renowned universities, including Cambridge University and the College of Europe, and presented for clients such as Google, the European Commission, and TEDx. He was recognized as an Influential Leader and included on the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in Romania. Links from the episode:  David’s personal homepage David’s LinkedIn profile David’s talk on TEDxBaiaMare “What Is the Missing Link in the Future of Work?” David’s article on LinkedIn How to Find Fulfilling Work The Economist article by Gita Gopinath recommended by David  Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Julian Lighton, who reflects on a career driven by curiosity, from law and consulting to leadership, entrepreneurship and executive coaching. Drawing on his book Navigating Your Next, he shares how major career transitions shaped his perspective on decision-making, identity and success, why clarity starts with knowing what you truly want, and how leaders can cut through complexity. Julian discusses the importance of developing people-centric leadership through learning and failure, before sharing the advice he would give his younger self. Julian Lighton is a Silicon Valley-based executive coach, strategist and author. Over a career spanning law, consulting and senior leadership, he held strategy and executive roles at McKinsey, Cisco and Hitachi before becoming an executive coach. He is the author of Navigating Your Next, a practical guide to helping professionals navigate career transitions, define success on their own terms, make better career decisions and approach what’s next with greater clarity. Links from the episode:  Julian’s website Julian’s book on Amazon.uk Julian’s book Navigating Your Next on Waterstones Julian’s LinkedIn Profile Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we speak with John Tarnoff, who reflects on how repeated career disruptions—from Hollywood to a failed startup—led him to reinvent his own career and develop the Boomer Reinvention framework. He explains why mid-career professionals struggle with transitions, introduces the concept of identifying your “superpower,” and shares practical advice on networking, visibility, and navigating the hidden job market. He also explores ageism, identity, resilience, and the inner work needed to turn career disruption into purposeful reinvention. John Tarnoff is a career transition coach, author, and former Hollywood executive who helps mid- and late-career professionals navigate career change with greater clarity and resilience. After working for decades in entertainment and tech, including at DreamWorks Animation, he shifted into coaching and career strategy. Drawing on his own experiences of reinvention and disruption, he focuses on networking, personal branding, and helping people identify the work they are best suited to do. Links from the episode:  John’s book Boomer Reinvention Mid-Career Lab website John’s LinkedIn profile Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Tendayi about the importance of flexibility in career planning. He shares his journey from academia to innovation consulting, emphasizing the value of seizing opportunities and staying open to new directions. Tendayi differentiates between incremental, adjacent, and transformative career innovation, highlighting the risks of rigid planning and the need to adapt to changing environments. He also stresses the importance of reputation and storytelling, and introduces the concepts of “career theater” and “innovation theater.” Tendayi Viki is an author and advisor to corporate leaders. He specializes in creating buy-in for innovation, transformation and breakthrough ideas. He holds a PhD in Psychology and an MBA. As Partner at Strategyzer, he has worked with leaders and teams to navigate the human elements of innovation, ensuring their initiatives gain the trust, support, and active participation from stakeholders. He has delivered keynotes, led workshops, and advised global organizations including Novartis, Standard Bank, Unilever, Airbus, Pearson, Pfizer, Lufthansa-Airplus and The British Museum. Links from the episode:  Tendayi's books Tendayi’s personal website Tendayi’s LinkedIn profile Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Cor Dubois, who explores how leaders can make more intentional career decisions through a “Personal Board of Directors.” He shares insights on the risks of unstructured career choices, the importance of purpose, network, and strategy, and how diverse external perspectives help uncover blind spots and hidden strengths. The conversation highlights accountability, long-term thinking, and the need for reflection, agility, and human connection in navigating career transitions and the evolving future of work. Cor Dubois is an executive leader and board advisor with experience across telecommunications, entertainment, consumer goods, and consulting, including roles at Nokia-Alcatel-Lucent, BMG, Rothschild Inc, and Market Bridge. He is Founder and Chairman of Stichting Board Companions in the Netherlands, supporting governance in social organizations. Cor also lectures at HEC Paris and INSEAD and contributes to publications such as California Management Review and Harvard Business Review France. Links from the episode:  Article ‘Building a Personal Board of Directors in an Era of Nomadic Careers’ by Noah Askin and Cor Dubois in California Management Review Cor’s LinkedIn profile Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Selina Millstam, who reflects on her career journey from social work to senior HR leadership, driven by a deep curiosity about human behavior. She explores leadership as a “human relating” challenge, the importance of transparency, inclusion, and managing biases, and shares practical insights on well-being, career transitions, and legacy. The conversation also looks ahead to generative AI, emphasizing the need to balance technological progress with a deeply human approach to leadership and organizations. Selina Millstam is an experienced Human Resources and Talent Management executive with a strong track record across the information technology, science and technology, and consulting industries. She specializes in executive and career development, HR consulting, and coaching, helping leaders and organizations navigate growth and transformation. With a Master’s degree in Organizational Change from Ashridge Business School, she brings a practical, business-driven approach to developing talent and building effective, future-ready organizations. She is also co-host of the podcast Plain Speaking, alongside Burak Bakkaloglu. Links from the episode:  Selina’s LinkedIn profile Selina’s podcast ‘Plain Speaking by Selina and Burak’ Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Pauline Kiraithe, who reflects on curiosity, lifelong learning, and a passion for helping people live intentionally. She shares her journey from corporate HR to entrepreneurship, the personal crisis that sparked her search for purpose, and the realization that “the gift is in you.” Pauline discusses leadership role models, advice for early-career professionals, the importance of nurturing women leaders, and her legacy of being a catalyst for mindset shifts. Dr. Pauline Kiraithe is a Career Transformation Strategist, Executive Leadership Coach, and Founder of Talentgurus@254, one of Kenya’s most recognized career coaching institutions. With 30+ years across banking, NGOs, telecom, retail, media, and consulting, she helps professionals and leaders re-engineer their careers for intentional impact and alignment. She is the author of Owning Your Career and has shaped thousands of careers, becoming a trusted voice on career ownership, leadership identity, and purposeful growth. Links from the episode:  Talent Gurus 254 homepage Pauline’s book Owning Your Career  Pauline’s LinkedIn profile Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Neri Karra Sillaman about her journey from childhood refugee to entrepreneur and academic, and how education became her North Star. She shares how experiences of inequality shaped her values, her approach to risk and failure as redirection, and why being an outsider can be a strategic advantage. The conversation explores building businesses with limited resources, “frying in your own oil,” and redefining legacy as long-term impact on people, organizations, and society. Neri Karra Sillaman is an immigrant entrepreneur, academic, and author. Born into a persecuted Turkish minority in communist Bulgaria, she moved to Istanbul as a child refugee, where her family later co-founded a company that has grown internationally. She holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and is an entrepreneurship expert at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. Her work focuses on building sustainable businesses that combine purpose and long-term performance. Links from the episode:  Neri’s book Pioneers Neri’s personal website Neri’s LinkedIn profile Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

You’ve built a life that looks successful, but inside, something’s stirring. You’ve done everything “right,” yet you find yourself wondering: Is this it? What now? In Live Your Opus: Reclaim Your Energy, Redefine Success, and Create a Life That Truly Matters, Janine Mathó writes for ambitious, high-achieving people who feel depleted, disconnected, or misaligned, and who sense that the version of success they followed no longer fits. In this edition of Author Chat, Disrupt Your Career speaks with Janine about her book, reclaiming energy, redefining success, and choosing a life that truly fits. She shares the core ideas behind Live Your Opus, that your life is your opus and that you are your greatest work, and offers a practical path for creating sustainable, meaningful success.  Order Janine’s book Live Your Opus Janine’s website Janine’s LinkedIn profile Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

How often have we been told that success, especially in leadership, starts with “just being yourself”? In his latest book, Don’t Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead), renowned psychologist Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic challenges this deeply rooted belief. Drawing on decades of research, he argues that our cultural obsession with authenticity is often misguided and can actually limit individual and organizational effectiveness. The science, he suggests, points to a more nuanced truth: progress comes from adaptability, self-awareness, and attention to how others experience us. In this edition of Disrupt Your Career Author Chat, we speak with Tomas about his book, exploring why authenticity is misunderstood, how leaders really develop, and what it takes to evolve beyond our current selves in today’s complex workplaces. Order Tomas‘ book Don't Be Yourself: Why Authenticity Is Overrated (and What to Do Instead) Tomas' personal website Tomas’ LinkedIn profile Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Michael Stanford about his journey from business schools to global leadership consulting, reflecting on the pivotal transitions that shaped his professional identity. Drawing on his doctoral research and his book Leadership Transition: How Leaders Turn Chaos into Growth, he explains why leadership transitions often feel like a “torture of the soul” and why tactical checklists fall short. Michael introduces a compass-based framework grounded in post-traumatic growth, helping leaders navigate chaos, reframe assumptions, and create conditions for sustainable leadership and personal growth. Michael Stanford is a facilitator, researcher, author, and leadership coach specializing in leadership transitions. He has over thirty years of experience in leadership development, including nearly two decades at IMD and five years at Korn Ferry. He works with leaders, teams, and organizations to help them navigate the personal and professional challenges of transition. His work draws on doctoral research into post-traumatic growth and narrative psychology, supporting leaders in turning periods of disruption into meaningful development and sustainable growth. Links from the episode:  Michael’s book ‘Leadership Transition: How leaders turn chaos into growth’ Michael’s LinkedIn profile Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

As we wrap up 2025, it’s the perfect moment to pause, reflect, and draw insights from some of the most inspiring conversations we’ve had this year on the Disrupt Your Career podcast. Throughout the year, we had the privilege of speaking with executives, thought leaders, authors, and coaches who generously shared their experiences of experimentation, resilience, reinvention, and purpose driven career choices: Celeste Warren, Stéphanie Daudier, Navid Nazemian, Bridget Farrands & Ian Hardie, Naeema Pasha, Elizabeth Lotardo, Julia Milner, Neil Courtis, Irina Cozma, Peter Attfield, Sheila Buswell, and Michelle Prince. In this special “Best Of” year end episode, we revisit a powerful quote from each guest, highlighting their most insightful ideas on building careers that are not only successful but also sustainable, meaningful, and aligned with one’s values. These curated moments offer key takeaways and practical advice to help you reflect on your own career journey and consider your next steps with greater clarity. Tune in to hear expert wisdom and discover fresh inspiration to design the career you truly want in 2026 and beyond. Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Navid Nazemian, executive coach and author of Mastering Executive Transitions. Navid shares insights from his career across seven industries and hundreds of C-suite clients, revealing why nearly 40% of executives fail in their first 18 months. He explains his Double Diamond framework for successful transitions, highlights the critical role of culture, politics, and soft skills, and explores gender gaps in executive support. Navid also discusses emerging trends and his new coaching and eLearning initiatives. Navid Nazemian, PCC, speaks on executive transitions with authority grounded in research and complemented by demonstrated real-world experience. Working with C-level coaching clients worldwide, Navid distills key insights, guidance, and strategies for maximizing leadership impact in his book Mastering Executive Transitions. He has been recognized as HR’s Most Influential Practitioner by HR Magazine, Coach of the Year by CEO Today, and received the Outstanding Leadership Award from Education 2.0 in 2022. Links from the episode:  Navid’s executive coaching homepage Navid’s book ‘Mastering Executive Transitions’  Navid’s LinkedIn profile Thanks for listening! Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.com If you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast