Former barrister and Confidence Coach Hattie Voelcker explains why confidence is learnable, not innate. Drawing on her work with singers and leaders, she redefines confidence as being comfortable in your own humanity and shares a practical path: notice your inner critic, offer it compassion, fact-check your fears and become your own wise, kind friend. We also delve into the realms of inner self - what that means for our relationship with ourselves and others and what, as leaders, we have control over when wanting to create impact. A conversation for anyone ready to trust themselves and connect with their audience.

Emily Walker & Johnny Hammond own the copyright in and to all content in and transcripts of the Awakening Conscious Leadership podcasts, with all rights reserved, as well as their right of publicity.

All opinions expressed by the Podcast Guests & Participants are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Emily & Johnny. The Podcast Guest and Participant opinions are based upon information they consider reliable, but neither Emily, Johnny nor the companies with which such guests & participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such.

No one is authorized to copy any portion of the podcast content or use Emily’s or Johnny’s name, image or likeness for any commercial purpose or use, including without limitation inclusion in any books, e-books, book summaries or synopses, or on a commercial website or social media site (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) that offers or promotes your or another’s products or services.

What if being "stuck" isn't broken, but your nervous system doing its job? Joa explains why the best leaders slow down rather than push harder, treating rest and nature as strategy, not indulgence, and what it means to lead as a living thing rather than a machine, especially as a conscious leader.

We cover the window of tolerance, right-brain vs left-brain attention, and why a walk with one question in mind beats another hour at your desk. Jo also shares how walking home from her mother's funeral, and trekking to COP26, reshaped how she leads.

A hopeful, practical listen for anyone wanting to work differently without losing their edge.

Emily & Johnny own the copyright in and to all content in and transcripts of the Awakening Conscious Leadership podcasts, with all rights reserved, as well as their right of publicity.

All opinions expressed by the Podcast Guests & Participants are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Emily & Johnny. The Podcast Guest and Participant opinions are based upon information they consider reliable, but neither Emily, Johnny nor the companies with which such guests & participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such.

No one is authorized to copy any portion of the podcast content or use Emily’s or Johnny’s name, image or likeness for any commercial purpose or use, including without limitation inclusion in any books, e-books, book summaries or synopses, or on a commercial website or social media site (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) that offers or promotes your or another’s products or services.

What does neuroscience actually tell us about what makes a great leader? And what is your brain quietly doing to undermine you when you least expect it?

In this episode of Awakening Conscious Leadership, Emily and Johnny sit down with Bret Freeman, organisational psychologist, neuroscientist, and executive coach, to explore the brain science sitting underneath every leadership moment.

Brett brings three core beliefs: leadership is a behaviour not a title, clarity changes everything, and communication is the most underrated competitive advantage in any organisation. What follows is one of the most practically useful conversations we have had on this podcast.

From why predictability builds deeper trust than charisma ever can, to how ambiguity triggers a threat response that shuts down rational thinking, Brett translates complex neuroscience into tools leaders can pick up and use immediately. Honest, grounded, and packed with insight, this episode will change the way you see yourself as a leader and the people you lead.

KEY PRACTICAL TAKEAWAYS

1. Be predictable - consistency creates the psychological safety people rely on to bring you problems early
2. Shift focus from yourself to others - redirecting attention outward changes your brain state and your impact instantly
3. Move towards, not away - visualise success rather than avoiding failure; your brain follows what you move towards
4. Use if-then planning - decide your response to a trigger before it happens, when you are calm
5. Own your impact - intentions matter far less than the effect your behaviour has on others
6. Use SCARF to self-regulate - naming which element is triggered (Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, Fairness) creates a cognitive shift and brings rational thinking back online
7. Protect your best brain time - match high-value decisions to your cognitive peak and save routine tasks for natural dips
8. Reduce ambiguity for others - simple signposting before meetings and difficult conversations lowers threat and raises engagement
9. Give people time to process - sharing context before a hard conversation makes it collaborative rather than defensive
10. Check bias with someone else - invite a different perspective before making decisions where bias is likely
11. Reframe overwhelm - it is biology, not failure; treat it as a signal to manage cognitive load more intentionally

Emily & Johnny own the copyright in and to all content in and transcripts of the Awakening Conscious Leadership podcasts, with all rights reserved, as well as their right of publicity.

All opinions expressed by the Podcast Guests & Participants are solely their current opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Emily & Johnny. The Podcast Guest and Participant opinions are based upon information they consider reliable, but neither Emily, Johnny nor the companies with which such guests & participants are affiliated, warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such.

No one is authorized to copy any portion of the podcast content or use Emily’s or Johnny’s name, image or likeness for any commercial purpose or use, including without limitation inclusion in any books, e-books, book summaries or synopses, or on a commercial website or social media site (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) that offers or promotes your or another’s products or services.