The Black Belt in Leadership

Aslak de Silva · podesis.com

Welcome to The Black Belt in Leadership Podcast, hosted by Aslak de Silva. Tune in to discover how martial arts principles like discipline, resilience, and continuous learning can transform your leadership skills. Each episode will delve into real-life examples, practical advice, and inspirational stories to help you become a black belt in leadership. Join Aslak as he explores the path to peak performance and success in both personal and professional arenas.

37 episodes

12d ago latest

monthly cadence

English language

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Episodes 37

Are You Resilient or Just Staying Operational? With Eric “LG” Longoria
12d ago
What does it really mean to build resilience before life puts you under pressure? In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva speaks with Eric “LG” Longoria, a United States Army veteran, two-time international bestselling author, public speaker, and Breakthrough Strategist. Eric shares how his transition from military service forced him to rethink what it means to stay “mission-ready.” They discuss the difference between surviving pressure and truly adapting to it, recognizing the signals your mind and body are sending you, and strengthening your internal operating system
AI, Cognitive Overload and the Future of Work with Shashidhar Sharma
26d ago
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva speaks with Shashidhar Sharma, Country Head of AWA India, workplace strategist, change management expert, and author of Work and Workplace at the Edge of Intelligence. Shashidhar brings more than three decades of experience in helping organizations rethink how people work, how workplaces support performance, and how leaders should respond when technology, human behavior, and organizational change are moving at the same time. This conversation explores the future of work from a different angle. Instead of focusing only on AI tools,
Leading Through Adversity Without Spreading Anxiety with Denley McIntosh
1mo ago
How can leaders guide people through uncertainty without transferring their own anxiety to the team? Aslak de Silva speaks with executive coach Denley McIntosh, host of The Coach’s Corner, about leadership under pressure, emotional intelligence, servant leadership, workplace culture, and supporting employees through stress without becoming their therapist. They explore how to balance empathy with accountability, protect people without sacrificing performance, and build a culture where high standards and humanity can coexist. About the Guest: Denley McIntosh is an executive coach, leadership ed
The Future Has No Patience: Melissa Rosenthal on AI, Hiring, and High-Performance Teams
2mo ago
Melissa Rosenthal has helped build some of the most recognizable growth stories in modern business, from BuzzFeed and Cheddar to ClickUp and now Outlever. In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, we explore what leadership looks like when technology, expectations, and competition are changing faster than ever before. Melissa shares her perspective on building high-performing teams, why creativity often disappears under pressure, how she identifies exceptional talent, and why she believes many traditional organizational structures are becoming obsolete. We also discuss the rise of AI-na
How Leaders Build Learning Organizations with Ilkka Mäkitalo
3mo ago
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Ilkka Mäkitalo, co-founder and Chief Evangelist of Howspace, joins the conversation to explore how people really learn, how organizations make sense of change, and why leaders need to rethink the way they communicate strategy, transformation and AI adoption. Ilkka brings a unique perspective from his background as a teacher, facilitator, consultant, entrepreneur and conductor. The discussion explores why meaningful learning often happens through dialogue, reflection and peer-to-peer conversations, not only through formal training sessions, prese
How to Create Luck in Business: Resilience, Opportunity & Leadership with Stephanie Melodia
4mo ago
Some people seem to get lucky. The right timing, the right connections, the right opportunities appearing at the right moment. But when you look closer, it rarely is just luck. There is usually something underneath it. A way of operating, a way of thinking, and a willingness to stay in the game long enough for those moments to happen. In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie Melodia to explore what luck really means in business, and how leaders can actively create the conditions for opportunity. Stephanie shares her thinking around “hacking luck,” combining mindset and action, and we go deep
Leading Under Pressure: Calm, Chaos, and Leadership Presence with M.K. Palmore
5mo ago
What happens to leadership when pressure rises and situations start to feel chaotic? In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva speaks with M.K. Palmore, former U.S. Marine Corps officer, former FBI leader, and founder of Apogee Global. The discussion focuses on how experienced leaders stay calm, make decisions, and guide teams when uncertainty is high. Drawing from more than 30 years in high stakes environments, M.K. shares how preparation, experience, and discipline shape the way leaders respond when the pressure is real. The conversation explores the difference between
From Doubt to Clarity: The Real Leadership Journey with Marc A. Pitman
5mo ago · 50:51
Leadership is rarely something people are formally trained for. Most leaders grow into the role through performance, promotion, and responsibility only to discover that leadership becomes more complex over time, not easier. In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, host Aslak de Silva speaks with leadership coach, executive advisor, and author Marc A. Pitman about the hidden challenges leaders face as they progress in their careers. Drawing from more than two decades of coaching founders, executives, and mission-driven organizations, Marc shares why many high-performing leaders experien
Business as Unusual: Leading When Predictability Disappears with Dennis Akkerman
6mo ago · 38:58
What happens to leadership when business is no longer predictable? In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva sits down with transformational leadership expert, keynote speaker, and author Dennis Akkerman to explore what leadership looks like in a world where change is constant and traditional success models are quickly becoming outdated. Drawing from his book Business as UNusual, Dennis shares why many organizations still operate with leadership habits designed for a more stable past and why leaders today must shift from control toward resilience, awareness, and behaviora
Leading After Failure with Michal Bardavid: Self-Worth, Humility, and Rising Stronger as a Leader
8mo ago · 28:38
Michal Bardavid is a psychological counselor and dance movement therapist with a master’s degree in industrial psychology. For more than fifteen years, she has taught the principles of movement, self-expression, and emotional resilience at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, helping students reconnect with their bodies and their sense of worth. She is also the founder of the #IamChild Project, which brought creative workshops to Syrian refugee children in Turkey and earned international recognition for its impact. Beyond her work in psychology, Michal spent over a decade as a journalist reporting
Why Most Leaders Get Strategy Wrong: Charlie Curson on Strategic Thinking, Self-Awareness and Better Decisions
8mo ago · 50:22
What makes a leader truly strategic? And why do so many organisations confuse strategy with planning, tactics or endless PowerPoint decks? In this episode of the Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak sits down with strategist, coach and facilitator Charlie Curson, whose new book Be More Strategic breaks down strategic thinking into practical, human skills. Charlie has worked with leaders across more than thirty industries, including Microsoft, Unilever, Volkswagen Group, Experian and Barclays. Together we explore what great strategists actually do differently and how leaders at any level can build s
The Power of the Pause: Leadership, Resilience, and the Kairos Mindset with Josh Kosnick
9mo ago · 45:47
Josh Kosnick, entrepreneur, executive coach, and author of The Kairos Code What does a true leader do when everything falls apart? In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, host Aslak de Silva talks with Josh Kosnick, entrepreneur, executive coach, and author of The Kairos Code, about transforming adversity into purpose-driven leadership. Josh shares how losing his company became the foundation for a more meaningful life. He explains how to lead with humility, build resilient cultures, and live in Kairos time—a state of presence where purpose and clarity replace stress and constant urge
The Courage to Be Seen with Shermain Melton: Authentic Leadership and the Power of Truth
9mo ago · 36:37
What does it take to live your truth and lead with authenticity? In this inspiring episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva speaks with Shermain Melton, executive coach, international speaker, and host of Courage to Impact. Born with only a 10 percent chance to live, Shermain rose from poverty to become a self-made millionaire before 30. Later, he walked away from a successful technology career to help others lead with courage and confidence. Together they explore:- How to stop hiding and show up as your full self The truth about authentic leadership and emotional courage Why lo
How microbreaks boost Leadership and team performance with Amel Gaily
10mo ago · 40:58
Can short breaks really make you a better leader? In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva talks with Amel Gaily, CEO and Partner of Cuckoo, about how microbreaks, recovery, and well-being culture can boost leadership performance and team focus. Amel shares lessons from her journey from high-pressure finance and reality TV (The Apprentice Finland) to leading a well-being tech company that helps thousands of professionals perform better through smarter breaks. You’ll learn:- How microbreaks improve focus, creativity, and energy. Why culture often blocks recovery and what
Life Skills You Didn’t Know You Needed with Tim Staton
10mo ago · 49:45
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership podcast, host Aslak de Silva interviews U.S. Army Officer, leadership expert, and author Tim Staton, who wrote the book Life Skills You Didn’t Know You Needed. Tim shares leadership lessons from his military career and global experience, focusing on five essential life skills for leaders:- Building a positive and growth mindset to overcome setbacks Using critical thinking and higher-order skills for better decisions Strengthening emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills Developing a community-focused mindset that drives service and impact
Resilience Beyond Bouncing Back – Lama Tantrapa on Leadership, Presence, and Spiritual Growth
11mo ago · 45:46
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva sits down with Lama Somananda Tantrapa — Tibetan lama, 27th-generation lineage holder of Qi Dao (Tibetan Shamanic Qigong), founder of the Academy of Qi Dao, and visionary behind the World Resilience Summit. Lama Tantrapa shares how resilience is not about merely “bouncing back,” but about bouncing forward—growing stronger through setbacks, just like advancing through the tougher levels of martial arts training. Together, we explore:- What embodied resilience really means for leaders How to train resilience the same way we train bo
The PERFORM Framework: How Stoyan Yankov Helps Leaders Build High-Performing Teams
1y ago · 1:02:21
Stoyan Yankov is a productivity and performance coach, bestselling author, podcast host, and keynote speaker who helps organizations build high-performance cultures and boost productivity. With experience working with over 550 companies worldwide, including Coca-Cola and HP, he delivers practical strategies and engaging presentations. As the host of the Productivity Mastery podcast, Stoyan shares insights from top global leaders, combining strategic storytelling with actionable tools to inspire success. In this energizing episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva sits down with S
From Olympic Dreams to AI Leadership: Stefan Gogoll on Discipline, Identity, and Building Teams That Last
1y ago · 43:53
Stefan Gogoll is a German tech entrepreneur, visionary leader, and former professional athlete with over 25 years of experience driving software innovation and AI adoption. As the founder of andagon Holding and the creator of aqua cloud, his companies has played a role in modernizing QA, compliance, and test management strategies for global clients such as Google, IBM, and Deutsche Telekom. In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, host and leadership strategist Aslak de Silva talks with Stefan Gogoll, a former professional cyclist who transformed his career to become a leading tech ent
From Busy Bee to Focused Leader with Katie Stoddart
1y ago · 43:07
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership podcast, leadership coach and focus expert Katie Stoddart shares practical strategies for improving focus, boosting productivity, and leading with clarity. As the founder of The Focus Bee and author of The Magic of Focus, Katie outlines her three pillars of focus: short-term, long-term, and selective. She explains how they help leaders perform at their best. We explore the connection between focus and flow, why energy management beats time management, and how resilient leadership builds high-performing teams. Katie also shares real-world coaching
The Art of Focus and Leading Through Setbacks with Glenn Mathijssen
1y ago · 31:54
In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak sits down with Glenn Mathijssen, CEO and co-founder of Alberts, the world’s first smoothie-making food robotics company. From building a wooden prototype to scaling operations across six countries, Glenn shares how he’s blended vision, discipline, and patience to lead through the toughest rounds of entrepreneurship. This conversation explores how martial arts principles, like focus, resilience, and adaptability, can guide leaders through setbacks, pivots, and high-pressure moments. Whether you're building hardware, leading a team, or facin
Mastering Self-Leadership: From Martial Arts to the Boardroom with Lars Sudmann
1y ago · 49:48
Lars Sundmann is an advisor, keynote speaker and executive trainer on leadership, strategy, innovation and communication for global corporations and their leaders. He is the owner of Sudmann & Company, a consulting and management training network. Lars is drawing on his business experience (e.g. as CFO Belgium of Procter & Gamble) as well as consulting expertise with Fortune500 companies to help companies achieve better business and organizational results. Before you lead others, you must first lead yourself. In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, host Aslak de Silva is joined by exe
From Problem to Purpose: The Real Secret to Building Great Companies with Mikael da Costa
1y ago · 37:38
What if the secret to building great companies wasn’t about chasing unicorns, but solving your own problems first? Mikael da Costa, a serial entrepreneur, CEO of WPSEOAI, with a passion for building and scaling businesses that solve real problems. Over the years, he founded and grown multiple companies across different industries, focusing on creating impact and driving sustainable growth. In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, I sit down with serial entrepreneur and Startup Warrior author Mikael da Costa. From recruitment tech to SEO tools, Mikael has built companies not by followin
The Science of Sustainable High Performance with Dr. James Hewitt
1y ago · 44:16
Dr. James Hewitt, Human Performance Scientist, speaker, and author.James combines first-hand experience as a full-time racing cyclist with ground-breaking work and research, proven on Formula 1 tracks and with Fortune 500 companies, to provide actionable, inspiring, science-backed insights at the intersection of leadership, wellbeing, peak performance, and the future of work. In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, Aslak de Silva is joined by Dr. James Hewitt - a renowned human performance scientist who has coached Fortune 500 leaders, F1 drivers, and elite athletes. Together, they ex
Scaling at the Speed of Stillness with Lars Johan Bjørkevoll
1y ago · 33:06
What if scaling a business at lightning speed didn’t require burnout, but balance? Lars Johan Bjørkevoll is a Nordic business leader who effectively balances scaling of businesses and organizational leadership with inner development and growth. With extensive experience scaling three global organizations and helping nearly 300 companies accelerate their growth through ScaleupXQ, Lars Johan brings practical insights on leadership, building high-performing teams, and creating resilient organizational cultures that thrive when "sprinting marathons". Over the past 25 years, Lars Johan has dedicate
The Visionary Leader: Leading Beyond the Finish Line with Dr. Oleg Konovalov
1y ago · 38:47
Dr. Oleg Konovalov is a global thought leader, bestselling author, business educator, C-suite whisperer, and the world’s top expert on visionary leadership. Named one of the Top 8 Global Leadership Experts by Thinkers50 and Global Gurus, and one of the 100 most inspirational leaders on the planet In this episode of The Black Belt in Leadership, we step into the future of leadership with one of the world’s foremost experts on visionary thinking - Dr. Oleg Konovalov. Often called the “Da Vinci of Visionary Leadership,” Dr. Oleg shares how true leaders don’t just manage the present—they build the

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The Black Belt in Leadership

Episodes 37

Are You Resilient or Just Staying Operational? With Eric “LG” Longoria

AI, Cognitive Overload and the Future of Work with Shashidhar Sharma

Leading Through Adversity Without Spreading Anxiety with Denley McIntosh

The Future Has No Patience: Melissa Rosenthal on AI, Hiring, and High-Performance Teams

How Leaders Build Learning Organizations with Ilkka Mäkitalo

How to Create Luck in Business: Resilience, Opportunity & Leadership with Stephanie Melodia

Leading Under Pressure: Calm, Chaos, and Leadership Presence with M.K. Palmore

From Doubt to Clarity: The Real Leadership Journey with Marc A. Pitman

Business as Unusual: Leading When Predictability Disappears with Dennis Akkerman

Leading After Failure with Michal Bardavid: Self-Worth, Humility, and Rising Stronger as a Leader

Why Most Leaders Get Strategy Wrong: Charlie Curson on Strategic Thinking, Self-Awareness and Better Decisions

The Power of the Pause: Leadership, Resilience, and the Kairos Mindset with Josh Kosnick

The Courage to Be Seen with Shermain Melton: Authentic Leadership and the Power of Truth

How microbreaks boost Leadership and team performance with Amel Gaily

Life Skills You Didn’t Know You Needed with Tim Staton

Resilience Beyond Bouncing Back – Lama Tantrapa on Leadership, Presence, and Spiritual Growth

The PERFORM Framework: How Stoyan Yankov Helps Leaders Build High-Performing Teams

From Olympic Dreams to AI Leadership: Stefan Gogoll on Discipline, Identity, and Building Teams That Last

From Busy Bee to Focused Leader with Katie Stoddart

The Art of Focus and Leading Through Setbacks with Glenn Mathijssen

Mastering Self-Leadership: From Martial Arts to the Boardroom with Lars Sudmann

From Problem to Purpose: The Real Secret to Building Great Companies with Mikael da Costa

The Science of Sustainable High Performance with Dr. James Hewitt

Scaling at the Speed of Stillness with Lars Johan Bjørkevoll

The Visionary Leader: Leading Beyond the Finish Line with Dr. Oleg Konovalov

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Episodes 37

Are You Resilient or Just Staying Operational? With Eric “LG” Longoria

AI, Cognitive Overload and the Future of Work with Shashidhar Sharma

Leading Through Adversity Without Spreading Anxiety with Denley McIntosh

The Future Has No Patience: Melissa Rosenthal on AI, Hiring, and High-Performance Teams

How Leaders Build Learning Organizations with Ilkka Mäkitalo

How to Create Luck in Business: Resilience, Opportunity & Leadership with Stephanie Melodia

Leading Under Pressure: Calm, Chaos, and Leadership Presence with M.K. Palmore

From Doubt to Clarity: The Real Leadership Journey with Marc A. Pitman

Business as Unusual: Leading When Predictability Disappears with Dennis Akkerman

Leading After Failure with Michal Bardavid: Self-Worth, Humility, and Rising Stronger as a Leader

Why Most Leaders Get Strategy Wrong: Charlie Curson on Strategic Thinking, Self-Awareness and Better Decisions

The Power of the Pause: Leadership, Resilience, and the Kairos Mindset with Josh Kosnick

The Courage to Be Seen with Shermain Melton: Authentic Leadership and the Power of Truth

How microbreaks boost Leadership and team performance with Amel Gaily

Life Skills You Didn’t Know You Needed with Tim Staton

Resilience Beyond Bouncing Back – Lama Tantrapa on Leadership, Presence, and Spiritual Growth

The PERFORM Framework: How Stoyan Yankov Helps Leaders Build High-Performing Teams

From Olympic Dreams to AI Leadership: Stefan Gogoll on Discipline, Identity, and Building Teams That Last

From Busy Bee to Focused Leader with Katie Stoddart

The Art of Focus and Leading Through Setbacks with Glenn Mathijssen

Mastering Self-Leadership: From Martial Arts to the Boardroom with Lars Sudmann

From Problem to Purpose: The Real Secret to Building Great Companies with Mikael da Costa

The Science of Sustainable High Performance with Dr. James Hewitt

Scaling at the Speed of Stillness with Lars Johan Bjørkevoll

The Visionary Leader: Leading Beyond the Finish Line with Dr. Oleg Konovalov

Podcast 森辺一樹のグローバル・マーケティング〜すべてはアジアで売るために〜