Stuart Common, Managing Director at ice cream brand (and JC client) Mackie’s of Scotland, joins this episode of Who’s Steering This Thing? to discuss how he’s leading a family business through growth and change – without losing its heart.

Stuart offers candid insights into the realities of steering a challenger brand in the Food & Drink sector. He talks about why it’s important to recognise when you’re not the expert, how resilience is built through setbacks, and why leadership isn’t always a popularity contest.

He also shares the life experiences that have shaped his leadership philosophy, from supporting employees through illness to prioritising mental health and wellbeing – and how those lessons have influenced how Mackie’s approaches caring for its people.

The conversation also covers the role of AI in Food & Drink, managing change, and Stuart’s challenge for all leaders: take a good look at how you’re spending your time and whether it’s really going on the right things.

Visit our website at www.johnstoncarmichael.com for more insights from our sharp minds and to find out more about what we do as a UK firm of chartered accountants and business advisers.

Kath Tetley is the Head Coach of the Scottish Thistles and Performance Director at Netball Scotland - leading Scotland’s top netball athletes on and off the court. Having worked across elite sport in Australia, including with Netball New South Wales and the Netball World Cup in Sydney, Kath knows how to build high-performing teams and the cultures that help them excel.

In this episode of Who’s Steering This Thing?, Kath talks to our hosts Martin and Jude about how an understanding of people is the foundation of every successful team; whether you’re part of it or leading it. You need to know who the lions, otters, beavers and golden retrievers are, and what they need from one another. If that doesn’t make sense now, it will once you listen!

Kath discusses the importance of creating environments where individuals can “find their vibe tribe” - the places where they feel connected, so they can thrive. The conversation also turns to how to balance kindness with competitiveness, what it takes to build trust in high-pressure settings, and how to reframe even negative feedback as a positive.

So, if you want to understand what it means to lead with empathy, energy and a clear sense of team purpose - don’t miss this episode.

Anton Colella is the CEO of Moore Global, leading a vast network of over 37,000 people across more than 228 independent accounting and advisory firms. It’s a big remit. So what does Anton believe makes a great leader? Not titles, or responsibilities, or achievements on a CV - but your character, and the way you bring out the best in others.

In this episode of Who’s Steering This Thing?, Anton and our hosts Martin and Jude discuss what’s at the heart of good leadership: self-awareness, the ability to reflect, and helping people to fulfil their potential. From Anton’s personal experience on how to lead through a crisis, to balancing introversion and extroversion, to the impact of language and tone, this conversation runs the gamut on how to be a leader people want to follow.

Anton also discusses the brand new article series he has recently launched called ‘Leading Life’, to help leaders align all the parts of their lives – work, hobbies, family, friendships – in order to make the most of every opportunity.

So if you want to learn how to lead with true impact, at whatever stage you are in your career – don’t miss this episode.

Find out more about Leading Life here: https://www.moore-global.com/news/anton-colella-launches-new-leadership-series-on-linkedin/

James Kerr quite literally wrote the book on leadership. An expert on leadership and cultural strategy, his best-selling book 'Legacy' delves into the world's most successful sports team, the New Zealand All Blacks, and what's at the root of their success. One of the most influential books of the last decade, Legacy explores 15 lessons on leadership and business that anyone can apply. In this bonus episode of 'Who's Steering This Thing?', James talks all things leadership, culture, and high performance, drawing on his work with organisations like Google and Formula One, sharing stories from his time with the All Blacks and what he learned from the team there, and discussing the time he spent at Everest Base Camp with the Gurkhas in 2017. James discusses the importance of focusing on the person and not just the player, how to create a culture in which people can flourish with ‘the four Rs’, and the role of connection and cohesion in teams. He also shares his expertise on a myriad of other leadership challenges - the balance between frameworks and autonomy, why being uncomfortable is necessary, the process of reflection for personal and team growth, and how you bounce back when things don’t go to plan. It's a fascinating conversation with our hosts Martin and Jude, and we can promise there’ll be a new lesson or mantra you can take away from it. Visit our website at www.johnstoncarmichael.com for more insights from our sharp minds and to find out more about what we do as a UK firm of chartered accountants and business advisers.

In this episode, our hosts Martin Osler and Jude Lean are joined by a guest who not only leads, but teaches leaders – Mary Galbraith. Currently the Programme Director at the University of Strathclyde Business School, Mary designs and facilitates executive education programmes.

From her roots on a farm in the west coast of Scotland to the boardrooms of international consulting firms, Mary has worn many hats – consultant, changemaker, strategist, adviser. She was also the inaugural Chair of the new Scottish Women’s Premier League – a role she still held at the time of filming this episode, with her three-year term completing in June 2025.

Mary discusses her role as Chair, and the importance of sport and the lessons it teaches about leadership and teamwork. She also shares what she’s learned about how to make real change and why asking better questions might be the most underused superpower in the workplace.

And as a bonus? As well as Mary’s sharp insights on leadership, you might just pick up some gardening tips too…!

Visit our website at www.johnstoncarmichael.com for more insights from our sharp minds and to find out more about what we do as a UK firm of chartered accountants and business advisers.

One of the UK’s most sought-after leadership coaches; a best-selling author; an organisational psychologist; a business founder; a former accountant; a former restaurateur – Anurag Rai’s career experience is remarkable. What’s even more remarkable, is the story of how he achieved all of this after losing everything.

In this inspiring episode, Anurag explains how he started out with £100 and a dream of owning a restaurant business – a dream he accomplished, until bad luck struck. Finding himself at rock bottom and asking, “Why me?”, Anurag faced a choice: give up, or shift perspective. So he decided to change his question to, “Why not me?” – and rebuild.

Driven by his mission to positively impact one billion lives, Anurag has spent years developing his expertise in psychology, leadership, and high performance. His conversation with our hosts explores the mindset behind resilience, the power of reframing failure, the importance of human connection in leadership, and what it really takes to lead well.

Whether you're leading a team or leading yourself through change, this is a story – and a conversation – you won't want to miss.

Find out more about Anurag’s businesses, Superhuman In You and AMHWAL Academy, and his books, on his websites below:

Superhuman In You - www.superhumaninyou.com – executive coaching for leaders.

AMHWAL Academy - AMHWAL Academy - one of the leading training providers in Scotland for Mental Health, Wellbeing and Leadership Development.

Books by Anurag Rai:

‘The Power Within’

‘Leading with Human Quotient’

‘Mind 2.0’

‘How To Become The Best Version of You’

‘Organisational Compass’ (coming soon)

Visit our website at www.johnstoncarmichael.com for more insights from our sharp minds and to find out more about what we do as a UK firm of chartered accountants and business advisers.

In this first episode of ‘Who’s Steering This Thing?’, our hosts Martin Osler and Jude Lean talk to our very own Chief Executive, Lynne Walker, about how she has built the resilience to lead through life’s most challenging moments.

In 2018, Lynne’s plans and priorities were turned on their head when her husband was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Spinning the plates of family, work, and emotional support, she learned lessons about herself and about leadership that she still carries with her. A few short years later, Lynne was thrown in at the deep end once again when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and she – as a department head and a newly-promoted Partner of the firm – was faced with teams of people looking to her for direction.

Lynne shares how she came out of the other side of these challenges with different mindsets and new habits. This candid conversation touches on everything from what ‘leadership’ really means to Lynne, to the importance of coaching and surrounding yourself with the right people, tackling imposter syndrome, how to keep juggling life when you’re not sure if you can - and the power of a good tune!

Visit our website at www.johnstoncarmichael.com for more insights from our sharp minds and to find out more about what we do as a UK firm of chartered accountants and business advisers.

Book mentioned: ‘Ego is the Enemy’ by Ryan Holiday.