Episode 05: Applying Power: Leading From Within

A conversation with Radha Ruparell

On the fifth episode of the On the Balcony podcast, Michael welcomes Radha Ruparell, author and Head of Global Leadership Accelerator at  Teach For All, into the conversation to talk about the main ideas in Chapter 5 of Ron Heifetz legendary book, Leadership Without Easy Answers (1998), namely informal and formal authority, holding environments, and nurturing our inner capacity.  When talking about what it means to practice leadership, we often think about what we can do for others, how we can increase learning and stimulate growth, but more often than not we forget about what we need to do for ourselves.

As the Head of Global Leadership Accelerator at Teach for All, an organization that develops collective leadership to change the future of education, Ruparell has found herself in scenarios, both with informal and formal authority, where she’s needed to take a breath for the sake of herself and her team. Too often does leadership’s glitz and glam overshadow the pressure, stress, and discipline that come with the role. That’s why it’s all the more important to grow your inner capacity, ground yourself, and find solace in the hearts of those around you. Being in charge and practicing leadership is tough work that requires a lot of self discipline and poise. So if you listen to today’s episode, our two seasoned experts can help you learn how to achieve just that.