Figure out your escape from a prison island. Shop for raw rabbit meat in the local supermarket. Find job security by choosing the right pen to lend to your boss on a plane. Get travel advice from a sociopath! It’s all covered in the latest Sini...

Episode 3 of the Sini-Mini “snack-sized” podcast is all about one journaling prompt: exploration. This can be used as a writing prompt, a meditation, or good practice to enhance your travel writing. We’ll go into the minute detail of a piece of...

So you want to try journaling. But where to start? I use my decades of journaling practice to get you going, whether you’re writing with your first cup of tea in the morning or trying out Oprah’s favourite practice of a gratitude journal at the...

If you have journaling as one of your New Year’s Resolutions (or have had your interest piqued by the new app included in the latest iPhone update), this is the podcast for you! I’ve taken a little detour from The Lead Story to delve into a top...

Paul Downing, my dad, is back! With 40 years of experience working in hotels internationally, Paul once again brings us lots of colourful stories about how he’s successfully handled cultural differences around the globe. There’s ice cream serve...

I had so much fun talking about positivity with Tiffany Bradbury and had to find out a little more. This bonus segment gets a few more insights into how she keeps positivity in her life:  with coffee, gratitude, 90’s grunge music and a who...

TRAILER: I'm exploring positivity in Episode 4 with one of the most positive people I know: Tiffany Bradbury. She was one of my very first managers and lead with a big smile and an even bigger heart. But that didn’t mean she was a pushover. So ...

Who’s the most positive member of your leadership team? Ever think about the steel that’s supporting all that sunshine and smiles? We’re exploring *positive* leadership so it’s time to get down to the details and look at positivity. It’s a cons...

Pop quiz, hot shot! You didn't think I was going to speak to a teacher and not spring a pop quiz on him, do you? I put Mr Gartman into the hot seat to ask about first day superstitions, hidden talents, and the truth about the teachers' lounge. ...

It’s back to school time! We’re sneaking into the teacher’s lounge to speak to Jeff Gartman who’s been teaching for 20 years, after leaving television news production behind (just as I did!). I’ve grilled my fellow Virginia Tech grad about work...

We're going back to school for episode three of the Lead story, exploring positive leadership in the classroom and beyond. Available from 9th September. 

In the middle of a crisis, meeting people's basic needs can not only calm a situation, it can give you a chance to figure out what the next move is. Episode 2 of The Lead Story explores preparing for disaster. And how you may already be doing i...

Only celebrities need media training, right? Wrong. If you are in an upper management role, have a brand to protect, and your company provides a product or service to the public, you'll likely deal with the media at some point. It's one thing t...

Did you know President Ronald Reagan had his post-presidency office in Fox Plaza, aka Nakatomi Tower, aka the Die Hard building? Here's a little bonus story from Paul about paying President Reagan a visit, with a nice takeaway we can all put to...

Episode 2 of The Lead Story explores how to prepare for disaster with some pretty colourful stories from around the world.

Die Hard is one of the most famous action films of all time, but what happens when you're working in Nakatomi Tower and a real hostage situation is taking place? Do you leave the building or work through lunch? Check out episode 2 of The Lead S...

August 2023 - The Lead Story - Episode 3: “Crisis”How good are you at an emergency? Good leadership can really be put to the test when a crisis invades the workplace. How does a good leader prepare for the unknown? How you h...

Have you ever wondered how your manager got to where they are? Ever considered that they may have taken a demotion to move up? Sounds counter-intuitive, but sometimes it's what's needed, especially when making the move from a small company to a...

Introducing The Lead Story, exploring the qualities of positive leadership with people who’ve worked their way up, find ways to inspire, and continue to mentor new leaders. My first guest is Paul Downing ...