What does leadership look like when pressure is high and certainty is low? 

Professor Sir Steve West opens with a disarmingly personal story - a vice-chancellor in tears while mowing the lawn, unable to fix what's happening. It's the starting point for an honest conversation about the real demands of leading in higher education.

We cover authentic communication, why a leadership team that challenges you matters, and how to make hard decisions without losing people. 

Steve also shares practical thinking on crisis preparedness - and why recovery, not just the initial incident, is where most organisations fall short. We finish on student mental health and what young people are saying about sustainability, AI and the future.

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