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Ula Ojiaku: From Ditch to Triumph: Harness Your Inner Strength show art Ula Ojiaku: From Ditch to Triumph: Harness Your Inner Strength

Agile Innovation Leaders

Bio Uloaku (Ula) Ojiaku is the Founder/ CEO of Mezahab Group Ltd (a UK-based consultancy focused on helping leaders in large organisations improve how they work to deliver value to their customers).      With over 20 years of professional experience, Ula has board-level experience and has worked in multiple countries, in a variety of technical, business and leadership roles across industries including Retail, Oil & Gas, Telecommunications, Financial Services, Government, Higher Education and Consulting.   Ula hosts the Agile Innovation Leaders podcast,...

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E048 Bala Madhusoodhanan on Critical Considerations for Leaders when Adopting AI Solutions show art E048 Bala Madhusoodhanan on Critical Considerations for Leaders when Adopting AI Solutions

Agile Innovation Leaders

Bio   Bala has rich experience in retail technology and process transformation. Most recently, he worked as a Principal Architect for Intelligent Automation, Innovation & Supply Chain in a global Fortune 100 retail corporation. Currently he works for a luxury brand as Principal Architect for Intelligent Automation providing technology advice for the responsible use of technology (Low Code, RPA, Chatbots, and AI). He is passionate about technology and spends his free time reading, writing technical blogs and co-chairing a special interest group with The OR Society.   ...

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E047 Brian McDonald on the Art & Craft of Storytelling (Part 2) show art E047 Brian McDonald on the Art & Craft of Storytelling (Part 2)

Agile Innovation Leaders

Bio  Brian McDonald, an award-winning author, filmmaker, graphic novelist, and podcaster, is a sought-after instructor and consultant. He has taught his story seminar and consulted for various companies, including Pixar, Microsoft, and Cirque du Soleil.  Interview Highlights 01:30 The Story Spine 04:00 Proposal, argument, conclusion 07:40 Video games – noodles are not cake 11:30 Armature 16:25 Stories in speeches 21:25 Finding your armature 23:00 Tools and weapons go together 25:30 The first act 27:00 Angels 28:00 Brian’s memoir 28:45 Paying attention   ...

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E046 Brian McDonald on the Art & Craft of Storytelling (Part 1) show art E046 Brian McDonald on the Art & Craft of Storytelling (Part 1)

Agile Innovation Leaders

Bio   Brian McDonald, an award-winning author, filmmaker, graphic novelist, and podcaster, is a sought-after instructor and consultant. He has taught his story seminar and consulted for various companies, including Pixar, Microsoft, and Cirque du Soleil.   Interview Highlights   02:45 The gift of writing 04:00 Rejected by Disney 05:35 Defining a story 07:25 Conclusions 10:30 Why do we tell stories? 13:40 Survival stories 17:00 Finding the common thread 19:00 The Golden Theme  20:45 Neuroscience   Connect    Books and references ...

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(S4) E045 Kerrie Dorman on Entrepreneurship and Supporting Businesses through Mentoring show art (S4) E045 Kerrie Dorman on Entrepreneurship and Supporting Businesses through Mentoring

Agile Innovation Leaders

Bio    Kerrie, a serial entrepreneur, was introduced to mentoring after her last successful business sale. Realising she had no support or guidance in what she was doing, Kerrie founded the Association of Business Mentors in 2011 to provide mentoring skills and training for those seeking to mentor business owners professionally. Kerrie’s vision for the ABM was to provide reassurance to business owners that they are in the safe hands of a trusted and experienced ABM professional business mentor. Kerrie mentors businesses of all shapes and sizes. She also mentors within the...

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Ula Ojiaku: The 5 Crucial Questions Every Leader Should Ask Before Launching Any New Project show art Ula Ojiaku: The 5 Crucial Questions Every Leader Should Ask Before Launching Any New Project

Agile Innovation Leaders

Bio Uloaku (Ula) Ojiaku is the Founder/ CEO of Mezahab Group Ltd (a UK-based consultancy focused on helping leaders in large organisations improve how they work to deliver value to their customers).      With over 20 years of professional experience, Ula has board-level experience and has worked in multiple countries, in a variety of technical, business and leadership roles across industries including Retail, Oil & Gas, Telecommunications, Financial Services, Government, Higher Education and Consulting.   Ula hosts the Agile Innovation Leaders podcast,...

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(S4) E044 Darren Wilmshurst on Solving Organisational Challenges and Demonstrating Value show art (S4) E044 Darren Wilmshurst on Solving Organisational Challenges and Demonstrating Value

Agile Innovation Leaders

Bio Darren, as the European Managing Director of Cprime, spearheads transformation initiatives in EMEA, leveraging over two decades of experience in banking and IT leadership. As a SAFe Fellow and renowned author, he drives strategic growth by defining innovative go-to-market strategies and deepening client relationships. Darren is responsible for overseeing Cprime’s consultancy services, implementing complex programs, and negotiating multi-million pound contracts, positioning the company as a leader in organisational efficiency and performance optimisation.    He co-authored...

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(S4) E043 Denise Tilles on the Three Pillars of Product Operations show art (S4) E043 Denise Tilles on the Three Pillars of Product Operations

Agile Innovation Leaders

Bio wrote the recently published book . Co-authored with ’s Melissa Perri, the book is the must-read guide technology leaders have been missing.  With over a decade of product leadership experience, Denise supports companies like Bloomberg, Sam’s Club, and athenahealth by strengthening capabilities around: Product Operations, Product Strategy, and establishing a Product Operating Model.     Interview Highlights 01:00 Background and beginnings 04:00 Product Operations: The book 06:30 Product Operations vs Product Management 07:30 The Three Pillars of Product...

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(S4) E042 Peter Newell & Dr Alison Hawks on Enabling Innovation and Agility in Defence show art (S4) E042 Peter Newell & Dr Alison Hawks on Enabling Innovation and Agility in Defence

Agile Innovation Leaders

 Bio: Pete Newell Pete Newell is a nationally recognized innovation expert whose work is transforming how the  government and other large organizations compete and drive growth.  He is the CEO of BMNT, an internationally recognized innovation consultancy and early-stage tech accelerator that helps solve some of the hardest real-world problems in national security, state and local governments, and beyond. Founded in Silicon Valley, BMNT has offices in Palo Alto, Washington DC, Austin, London, and Canberra. BMNT uses a framework, called H4X®, to drive innovation at speed....

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(S4) E041 David Bland on Testing Ideas & Assumptions (and How Leaders Can Help) show art (S4) E041 David Bland on Testing Ideas & Assumptions (and How Leaders Can Help)

Agile Innovation Leaders

Bio   David is known for his ability to deliver inspiring and thought-provoking presentations that challenge audiences to think differently about innovation and product development. His keynotes and workshops are engaging and interactive, with a focus on real-world examples and case studies. David’s message is relevant for entrepreneurs, executives, and organizations of all sizes and industries, and he illustrates concepts live on stage to leave attendees with concrete tools and techniques they can use to drive innovation and growth in their own business.   Interview...

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Bio

Uloaku (Ula) Ojiaku is the Founder/ CEO of Mezahab Group Ltd (a UK-based consultancy focused on helping leaders in large organisations improve how they work to deliver value to their customers).     

With over 20 years of professional experience, Ula has board-level experience and has worked in multiple countries, in a variety of technical, business and leadership roles across industries including Retail, Oil & Gas, Telecommunications, Financial Services, Government, Higher Education and Consulting.  

Ula hosts the Agile Innovation Leaders podcast, which features conversations with thought-leaders and world-class practitioners on topics covering leadership, innovation, business, agility, and much more.  

She also currently serves a multinational retail organisation as an Enterprise Agility Strategist/ Coach.  

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Uloaku (Ula) Ojiaku | LinkedIn

Happy International Women's Day to all the wonderful, brilliant, strong and multi -talented women out here!

There's this story about a donkey that fell into a ditch. The owners decided that it was more convenient to bury it than to try and rescue it.

So out with their shovels they came. Each would dig up a shovel full of dirt and pour this into the ditch where the donkey lay.

Unbeknownst to them, the donkey at the bottom of the ditch was shaking off the dirt being piled on it and stepping on this.

On went this activity until the donkey got to the surface and simply walked away, free from what was once a ditch that trapped it.

What's my point? Sometimes you may feel like you're in a ditch and the people you expected to help get you out are instead pouring on dirt to bury you. You're not alone (I feel that way sometimes too).

You always have a choice, even in the gravest situations. It's not about what happens to you, it's what afterwards you choose to do.

So, just shake off the dirt, the limitations, the ...(fill in the blank gaps), step on it and rise higher.

You've got this!