S4 01: Leadership Is a Doing Word: Chris Hirst on Culture, Authority and Action

Kicking off Series 4, I’m joined by the brilliant Chris Hirst – former Global CEO, speaker, and author of the bestselling No Bullsh*t series, including his latest release, Indispensable. This is a practical, powerful conversation about real leadership – not just the talking and thinking, but the doing.

We explore what it means to take your space and authority as a leader, how to build indivisibly tight teams, and why culture is not a soft word – it’s your strategy.

Chris shares openly about the inflexion point in his own career, how he turned around a business once called "unfixable," and the questions every leader needs to ask if they want their teams – and careers – to thrive.

This one’s meaty. Bring a pencil (a sharpened one) and get stuck in.

Inside This Episode

• Why leadership starts with doing – not just talking and thinking
• The sharpened pencil metaphor for action and momentum
• How Chris turned around a failing company (that had been written off)
• The equation: Leadership Impact = Clarity × Action
• What leaders often misunderstand about culture
• How to build indivisibly tight teams
• Why teamship – not just individual talent – drives performance
• The Schwerpunkt principle: where to focus your energy for maximum impact
• The three layers of belief every high-performing team needs
• The vital (and often missing) conversations in hybrid teams

Want to work with me to build extra-Ordinary cultures in your business? Get in touch: https://www.dollywaddell.com

Chris Hirst’s Website: https://chris-hirst.com/

No Bullsh*t Leadership: Amazon UK

No Bullsh*t Change: Amazon UK

Indispensable – A No Bullsh*t Guide to Career Success: Amazon UK

Don’t forget to grab a copy of my book extra-Ordinary Leaders, for more practical insight into becoming the kind of leader people want to follow.