Episode Summary

In this episode, Nicola Hunt speaks with Vish Alluri, co-author of The Enlightened Manager, about an approach to management rooted in the teachings of the philosopher, Jiddu Krishnamurti. They discuss self-understanding and deep questioning as the foundation for effective management. Vish argues that true leadership requires personal clarity of mind and an awareness of life as a whole.

The conversation concludes with an exchange on the role of artificial intelligence in management, with Vish emphasizing that AI cannot read between the lines or replace human intelligence and that leaders must have clarity within themselves to guide others effectively.

Key Topics Discussed

• The art of questioning and why discovering your own questions is more important than the answers themselves.
• The life and philosophy of Jiddu Krishnamurti, including his rejection of organized belief systems
• Why understanding your own mind is a prerequisite for understanding and managing others
• Key management tools: The "tool of negation" and the "mirror of relationship"
• Focusing on the process ("eye on the ball") rather than being consumed by outcomes
• 'Coffee darshan' and the importance of a daily refreshment to pause for reflection and connection
• A critique of business schools for providing "symptomatic solutions"
• The role of spontaneity and why acting without expectation prevents disappointment
• The limitations of Artificial Intelligence, including the concern that our brains could decay if we don’t use them enough.

Featured Guest

Vish Alluri – Co-author with Harry Eyres of The Enlightened Mananager. As a tech entrepreneur in 1988 Vish founded IMISoft. In 1999 he went on to found communication platform IMImobile which was acquired by CISCO in 2021.

Vish is currently the Secretary of the Krishnamurti Foundation India where his role is to assist the foundation’s work to preserve and disseminate the teachings of J. Krishnamurti, responsibility of Schools in India for education of children, rural outreach work.

Resources Mentioned

• The Enlightened Manager co-authored by Vish Alluri (available on Amazon)
• A Meeting by the River by Christopher Isherwood
• The Future of Humanity in the Era of AI (booklet)
• "The Good, The Bad, Ugly and the Danger of AI" (article by Vish Alluri)

In this episode, Nicola Hunt speaks with Steve Cockram, co-founder of Giants Worldwide, about his latest book The Voice-Driven Leader. Together, they explore why leadership must evolve for the digital age, how diverse voices unlock team performance, and why self-awareness is the foundation of relationally intelligent leadership. Steve introduces the Five Voices framework and explains how leaders can create environments where every voice is heard, valued, and effectively deployed.

Key Topics Discussed

• Why leadership skills must change in the digital, complex world of work
• The shift from individual performance to agile, collaborative teams
• The Five Voices framework and how each voice contributes to team success
• How leaders unintentionally silence voices—and how to prevent it
• The role of self-awareness in becoming a voice-driven leader
• Generational differences, resilience, and their impact on workplace dynamics
• Balancing high support and high challenge to develop people effectively

Featured Guest

Steve Cockram – Co-founder of Giants Worldwide, leadership coach, speaker, and co-author of The Voice-Driven Leader

Resources Mentioned

• The Voice-Driven Leader: How to Hear, Value and Maximise Every Voice on Your Team, by Steve Cockram and Jeremy Kubitschek
• Five Voices website and resources
• The Five Voices app and AI coaching tools

We talk to communication expert, international keynote speaker and transformational coach, Ravi Rajani, about his new book, “Relationship currency: five communication habits for limitless influence and business success”.

In Relationship Currency, Ravi uncovers the five communication habits you can embody to influence, inspire, and ignite change in your prospects, partners, customers, and team through building meaningful business relationships that matter.

We explore:

• How to ask conscious questions and why they are important.
• Why Ravi believes that we all have the innate superpower of charisma.
• True authenticity vs faking it.
• How to create story-worthy questions.
• Why imperfection equals connection.
• Why the suits Ravi wears have a far deeper significance!
• Key take-aways from the book that listeners can implement right away.

Relationship Currency is available from all major book sellers and from: www.theravirajani.com/book