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    <title>What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem</title>
    <link>https://boxlight.io</link>
    <language>en</language>
    <copyright></copyright>
    <description>In a crazy world, how do we get better leaders? 

This is the boardroom, unplugged.

—

Whether starting out, or a seasoned leader, you face a world we’ve never seen before - the future of work, politics, technology and society is harder to predict than ever. So how do we survive the uncertainty and thrive in complexity?

The successful leaders of the future will need a different set of skills and come from a broader range of backgrounds. This is for you. 

We’re by leaders, for leaders - human stories, messy realities, tips and tricks to use today… not corporate talking points or retrospective perfection. How it really felt, the stuff we don’t see, the advice and events that shaped you and the hard-won wisdom you’d pass on to future leaders.  —

What We Don’t Know is a collaboration between:

Matt Brittin CBE, Hayaatun Sillem CBE &amp; Boxlight Creative Studio - the award winning production powerhouse behind UK’s biggest business shows.</description>
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      <title>What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem</title>
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    <itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
    <itunes:author>Boxlight Creative Studio</itunes:author>
    <itunes:summary>In a crazy world, how do we get better leaders? 

This is the boardroom, unplugged.

—

Whether starting out, or a seasoned leader, you face a world we’ve never seen before - the future of work, politics, technology and society is harder to predict than ever. So how do we survive the uncertainty and thrive in complexity?

The successful leaders of the future will need a different set of skills and come from a broader range of backgrounds. This is for you. 

We’re by leaders, for leaders - human stories, messy realities, tips and tricks to use today… not corporate talking points or retrospective perfection. How it really felt, the stuff we don’t see, the advice and events that shaped you and the hard-won wisdom you’d pass on to future leaders.  —

What We Don’t Know is a collaboration between:

Matt Brittin CBE, Hayaatun Sillem CBE &amp; Boxlight Creative Studio - the award winning production powerhouse behind UK’s biggest business shows.</itunes:summary>
    <content:encoded>
      <![CDATA[<p>In a crazy world, how do we get better leaders? </p>
<p>This is the boardroom, <strong>unplugged</strong>.</p>
<p><strong>—</strong></p>
<p>Whether starting out, or a seasoned leader, you face a world we’ve never seen before - the future of work, politics, technology and society is harder to predict than ever. So <strong>how do we survive the uncertainty and thrive in complexity?</strong></p>
<p>The successful leaders of the future will need a different set of skills and come from a broader range of backgrounds. This is for you. </p>
<p>We’re by leaders, for leaders - <strong>human stories, messy realities, tips and tricks</strong> to use today… not corporate talking points or retrospective perfection. <strong>How it really felt</strong>, the stuff we don’t see, the advice and events that shaped you and the hard-won wisdom you’d pass on to future leaders.  <br>—</p>
<p>What We Don’t Know<strong> </strong>is a collaboration between:</p>
<p><strong>Matt Brittin CBE, Hayaatun Sillem CBE</strong> &amp; <strong>Boxlight Creative Studio</strong> -<em> the award winning production powerhouse behind UK’s biggest business shows.</em></p>
<p><br></p>]]>
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    <itunes:owner>
      <itunes:name>Boxlight Creative Studio</itunes:name>
      <itunes:email>sunny@jobsofthefuture.co</itunes:email>
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    <itunes:category text="Business">
      <itunes:category text="Management"/>
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    <itunes:category text="Education">
      <itunes:category text="Self-Improvement"/>
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      <title>Andy Haldane: The Jobs Crisis &amp; How to Rebuild UK Skills | What We Don't Know</title>
      <description>Andy Haldane: Crisis, Opportunity &amp; Rebuilding UK Skills | What We Don’t Know

Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

This is the show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are joined a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io
https://www.boxlight.io/

-----------
In this episode, Matt Brittin and Hayaatun Sillem sit down with Andy Haldane to discuss his leadership roles as Chancellor of the University of Sheffield and President of the British Chambers of Commerce, motivated by working at the intersection of public sector, business, civil society and academia. 

Andy describes how repeated shocks from the global financial crisis through Brexit, COVID, the cost-of-living shock and geopolitical uncertainty, that have “scarred” institutions and fueled caution that weakens growth, echoing Keynes’s paradox of thrift. 

Reflecting on decades at the Bank of England, Haldane frames crises as moments when the Overton window opens for lasting reform, shaped by early experience of the 1992 ERM exit and teenage exposure to 1980s recession. 

He argues robust solutions to complex problems are often simple, emphasizes active listening as a core leadership skill, and highlights influences from small-business owners. He calls the UK’s central challenge a major reimagining of schools and skills to tackle economic inactivity, guarantee pathways to apprenticeships or degrees, and share leadership across sectors.

00:00 Meet Andy Haldane
00:29 Cross Sector Leadership
02:25 Scarred By Crises
04:55 Crisis As Opportunity
08:44 Early Leadership Spark
12:28 Climbing Big Mountains
14:55 Introvert Strengths
20:09 Metaphors And Listening
27:52 Governors And Advice
31:41 Carney and Brexit
34:03 Career Growth Beyond Banking
35:57 Outrider Thinking and Cross Discipline
38:20 Pro Bono Economics and Leaving
39:50 Sustainable Work and Creativity
44:14 Skills Gap and Opportunity
47:12 Reimagining Schools and Training
50:49 Leadership as Team Sport
52:41 Speed Round and Wrap Up
Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2026 06:37:00 -0000</pubDate>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <itunes:author>Boxlight Creative Studio</itunes:author>
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      <itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
      <itunes:summary>Andy Haldane: Crisis, Opportunity &amp; Rebuilding UK Skills | What We Don’t Know

Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

This is the show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are joined a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io
https://www.boxlight.io/

-----------
In this episode, Matt Brittin and Hayaatun Sillem sit down with Andy Haldane to discuss his leadership roles as Chancellor of the University of Sheffield and President of the British Chambers of Commerce, motivated by working at the intersection of public sector, business, civil society and academia. 

Andy describes how repeated shocks from the global financial crisis through Brexit, COVID, the cost-of-living shock and geopolitical uncertainty, that have “scarred” institutions and fueled caution that weakens growth, echoing Keynes’s paradox of thrift. 

Reflecting on decades at the Bank of England, Haldane frames crises as moments when the Overton window opens for lasting reform, shaped by early experience of the 1992 ERM exit and teenage exposure to 1980s recession. 

He argues robust solutions to complex problems are often simple, emphasizes active listening as a core leadership skill, and highlights influences from small-business owners. He calls the UK’s central challenge a major reimagining of schools and skills to tackle economic inactivity, guarantee pathways to apprenticeships or degrees, and share leadership across sectors.

00:00 Meet Andy Haldane
00:29 Cross Sector Leadership
02:25 Scarred By Crises
04:55 Crisis As Opportunity
08:44 Early Leadership Spark
12:28 Climbing Big Mountains
14:55 Introvert Strengths
20:09 Metaphors And Listening
27:52 Governors And Advice
31:41 Carney and Brexit
34:03 Career Growth Beyond Banking
35:57 Outrider Thinking and Cross Discipline
38:20 Pro Bono Economics and Leaving
39:50 Sustainable Work and Creativity
44:14 Skills Gap and Opportunity
47:12 Reimagining Schools and Training
50:49 Leadership as Team Sport
52:41 Speed Round and Wrap Up
Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</itunes:summary>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Andy Haldane: Crisis, Opportunity &amp; Rebuilding UK Skills | What We Don’t Know

Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

This is the show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are joined a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io
https://www.boxlight.io/

-----------
In this episode, Matt Brittin and Hayaatun Sillem sit down with Andy Haldane to discuss his leadership roles as Chancellor of the University of Sheffield and President of the British Chambers of Commerce, motivated by working at the intersection of public sector, business, civil society and academia. 

Andy describes how repeated shocks from the global financial crisis through Brexit, COVID, the cost-of-living shock and geopolitical uncertainty, that have “scarred” institutions and fueled caution that weakens growth, echoing Keynes’s paradox of thrift. 

Reflecting on decades at the Bank of England, Haldane frames crises as moments when the Overton window opens for lasting reform, shaped by early experience of the 1992 ERM exit and teenage exposure to 1980s recession. 

He argues robust solutions to complex problems are often simple, emphasizes active listening as a core leadership skill, and highlights influences from small-business owners. He calls the UK’s central challenge a major reimagining of schools and skills to tackle economic inactivity, guarantee pathways to apprenticeships or degrees, and share leadership across sectors.

00:00 Meet Andy Haldane
00:29 Cross Sector Leadership
02:25 Scarred By Crises
04:55 Crisis As Opportunity
08:44 Early Leadership Spark
12:28 Climbing Big Mountains
14:55 Introvert Strengths
20:09 Metaphors And Listening
27:52 Governors And Advice
31:41 Carney and Brexit
34:03 Career Growth Beyond Banking
35:57 Outrider Thinking and Cross Discipline
38:20 Pro Bono Economics and Leaving
39:50 Sustainable Work and Creativity
44:14 Skills Gap and Opportunity
47:12 Reimagining Schools and Training
50:49 Leadership as Team Sport
52:41 Speed Round and Wrap Up
Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE</p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p>]]>
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    <item>
      <title>What Negotiating With Putin &amp; Gaddafi Taught Me About Leadership | Lord John Browne</title>
      <description>Lord John Browne on Engineering Thinking, Leading BP, Climate Risk, Negotiating Putin &amp; Coming Out in Business | What We Don’t Know



Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 



Matt Brittin is the former President at Google EMEA. After 18 years at one of the world's biggest companies, he stepped down, took a gap year, and recently became the Director General of the BBC.



Dr. Hayaatun Sillem spent a few years leading the Royal Academy of Engineering and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. 



This is the show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 



Across the series, episodes are joined a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.



Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io

https://www.boxlight.io/



------

In this episode of What We Don’t Know, Hayaatun and Matt sit down with Lord John Browne.



He discusses how he describes himself as a businessman, author, and above all an engineer, explaining how engineering training shaped his systematic approach from writing to boardrooms and science. 



He reflects on childhood habits of dismantling clocks, the importance of proper tools, and his early life at King’s School Ely and Cambridge, influenced by a soldier father and a Holocaust-survivor mother who stressed self-sufficiency and looking forward. 



Browne recounts joining BP in 1966, learning about unions and refinery work, and formative engineering experience on Alaska’s North Slope, including early computer optimization work. He describes leadership lessons from Stanford Business School—purpose, inclusion, listening, and negotiation—and his path to becoming BP CEO in 1994, reorganizing BP around customer-oriented business units, and addressing climate risk through internal analysis, methane reduction, carbon pricing, and renewables.



He shares negotiation insights from dealings with leaders including Putin, Gaddafi, and others, then explains writing The Glass Closet after being outed in 2007 and arguing for workplace environments where people can be themselves, with safety and pragmatism. 





00:00 Intro

01:38 Taking Things Apart

02:50 Joining BP in 1966

03:15 School and Rowing Days

05:06 Parents and Upbringing

07:41 Lessons From His Mother

09:22 Early BP Apprenticeship

11:41 Alaska and First Big Break

15:10 Stanford and Learning Leadership

19:50 Becoming BP CEO

24:18 Rebuilding BP and Climate Wakeup

28:51 Oil And Climate Reality

29:44 Speaking Up On Climate

31:10 Negotiating With Putin

35:39 Hard Lessons In Dealmaking

37:19 Writing The Glass Closet

39:09 Being Outed As CEO

44:05 Inclusion With Pragmatism

45:48 Resilience And Reinvention

50:25 Optimism And Future Tech

52:44 Speed Round And Farewell



Credits:

Producer: Sunny Winter

Producer: Thuy Dong

Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 12:15:00 -0000</pubDate>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <itunes:author>Boxlight Creative Studio</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/eed33fb2-59c7-11f1-a080-338149925a1a/image/4e3643d53f43077f886860cc978155b5.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&amp;max-w=3000&amp;max-h=3000&amp;fit=crop&amp;auto=format,compress"/>
      <itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
      <itunes:summary>Lord John Browne on Engineering Thinking, Leading BP, Climate Risk, Negotiating Putin &amp; Coming Out in Business | What We Don’t Know



Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 



Matt Brittin is the former President at Google EMEA. After 18 years at one of the world's biggest companies, he stepped down, took a gap year, and recently became the Director General of the BBC.



Dr. Hayaatun Sillem spent a few years leading the Royal Academy of Engineering and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. 



This is the show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 



Across the series, episodes are joined a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.



Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io

https://www.boxlight.io/



------

In this episode of What We Don’t Know, Hayaatun and Matt sit down with Lord John Browne.



He discusses how he describes himself as a businessman, author, and above all an engineer, explaining how engineering training shaped his systematic approach from writing to boardrooms and science. 



He reflects on childhood habits of dismantling clocks, the importance of proper tools, and his early life at King’s School Ely and Cambridge, influenced by a soldier father and a Holocaust-survivor mother who stressed self-sufficiency and looking forward. 



Browne recounts joining BP in 1966, learning about unions and refinery work, and formative engineering experience on Alaska’s North Slope, including early computer optimization work. He describes leadership lessons from Stanford Business School—purpose, inclusion, listening, and negotiation—and his path to becoming BP CEO in 1994, reorganizing BP around customer-oriented business units, and addressing climate risk through internal analysis, methane reduction, carbon pricing, and renewables.



He shares negotiation insights from dealings with leaders including Putin, Gaddafi, and others, then explains writing The Glass Closet after being outed in 2007 and arguing for workplace environments where people can be themselves, with safety and pragmatism. 





00:00 Intro

01:38 Taking Things Apart

02:50 Joining BP in 1966

03:15 School and Rowing Days

05:06 Parents and Upbringing

07:41 Lessons From His Mother

09:22 Early BP Apprenticeship

11:41 Alaska and First Big Break

15:10 Stanford and Learning Leadership

19:50 Becoming BP CEO

24:18 Rebuilding BP and Climate Wakeup

28:51 Oil And Climate Reality

29:44 Speaking Up On Climate

31:10 Negotiating With Putin

35:39 Hard Lessons In Dealmaking

37:19 Writing The Glass Closet

39:09 Being Outed As CEO

44:05 Inclusion With Pragmatism

45:48 Resilience And Reinvention

50:25 Optimism And Future Tech

52:44 Speed Round And Farewell



Credits:

Producer: Sunny Winter

Producer: Thuy Dong

Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</itunes:summary>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Lord John Browne on Engineering Thinking, Leading BP, Climate Risk, Negotiating Putin &amp; Coming Out in Business | What We Don’t Know</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. </p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Matt Brittin is the former President at Google EMEA. After 18 years at one of the world's biggest companies, he stepped down, took a gap year, and recently became the Director General of the BBC.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Dr. Hayaatun Sillem spent a few years leading the Royal Academy of Engineering and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. </p>
<p><br></p>
<p>This is the show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. </p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Across the series, episodes are joined a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️</p>
<p>⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io</p>
<p>https://www.boxlight.io/</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>------</p>
<p>In this episode of What We Don’t Know, Hayaatun and Matt sit down with Lord John Browne.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>He discusses how he describes himself as a businessman, author, and above all an engineer, explaining how engineering training shaped his systematic approach from writing to boardrooms and science. </p>
<p><br></p>
<p>He reflects on childhood habits of dismantling clocks, the importance of proper tools, and his early life at King’s School Ely and Cambridge, influenced by a soldier father and a Holocaust-survivor mother who stressed self-sufficiency and looking forward. </p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Browne recounts joining BP in 1966, learning about unions and refinery work, and formative engineering experience on Alaska’s North Slope, including early computer optimization work. He describes leadership lessons from Stanford Business School—purpose, inclusion, listening, and negotiation—and his path to becoming BP CEO in 1994, reorganizing BP around customer-oriented business units, and addressing climate risk through internal analysis, methane reduction, carbon pricing, and renewables.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>He shares negotiation insights from dealings with leaders including Putin, Gaddafi, and others, then explains writing The Glass Closet after being outed in 2007 and arguing for workplace environments where people can be themselves, with safety and pragmatism. </p>
<p><br></p>
<p><br></p>
<p>00:00 Intro</p>
<p>01:38 Taking Things Apart</p>
<p>02:50 Joining BP in 1966</p>
<p>03:15 School and Rowing Days</p>
<p>05:06 Parents and Upbringing</p>
<p>07:41 Lessons From His Mother</p>
<p>09:22 Early BP Apprenticeship</p>
<p>11:41 Alaska and First Big Break</p>
<p>15:10 Stanford and Learning Leadership</p>
<p>19:50 Becoming BP CEO</p>
<p>24:18 Rebuilding BP and Climate Wakeup</p>
<p>28:51 Oil And Climate Reality</p>
<p>29:44 Speaking Up On Climate</p>
<p>31:10 Negotiating With Putin</p>
<p>35:39 Hard Lessons In Dealmaking</p>
<p>37:19 Writing The Glass Closet</p>
<p>39:09 Being Outed As CEO</p>
<p>44:05 Inclusion With Pragmatism</p>
<p>45:48 Resilience And Reinvention</p>
<p>50:25 Optimism And Future Tech</p>
<p>52:44 Speed Round And Farewell</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Credits:</p>
<p>Producer: Sunny Winter</p>
<p>Producer: Thuy Dong</p>
<p>Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE</p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <itunes:duration>4020</itunes:duration>
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      <enclosure url="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR4551206453.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Why The Best Leaders Make Wrong Decisions | What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem</title>
      <description>Leading Through Uncertainty: Clarity, Vulnerability &amp; Decision-Making in a Chaotic World | What We Don’t Know

Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are joined a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️
⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io
https://www.boxlight.io/

------
In this episode of What We Don’t Know, Hayaatun and Matt explore how leadership must evolve to meet chronic uncertainty, shifting from alpha certainty to humility, adaptability, and earned trust. 

They discuss why clarity of purpose matters more than false certainty, how strategy can provide agency while leaving room for flexibility, and why leaders need faster shared learning cycles and better “intel” from across their networks. 

Hayaatun shares how the pandemic forced her to blend personal and professional life, show vulnerability, and finally ask for help when she felt close to unraveling, reframing self-monitoring as being “safe to drive the bus.” 

Matt Brittin reflects on learning decisiveness in ambiguous choices and describes leading Google’s response in Russia after the Ukraine invasion, prioritizing people’s safety and values. 

Matt and Hayaatun also answer audience questions on fear, decisiveness, resilience, and admitting “I don’t know.”

00:00 Welcome and theme
01:21 Leadership playbook shifts
02:35 Pandemic as pivot
05:02 Strategy under pressure
06:56 Clarity and agency
09:50 Collaboration and intel
12:59 Sandstorm metaphor
13:57 Vulnerability in public
16:09 Asking for help
19:19 Decisiveness lesson
23:35 Russia Ukraine crisis
27:44 Chronic uncertainty stamina
29:41 Personal boardroom
30:31 Cognitive diversity
31:28 Facing Worst Cases
32:59 Welcoming Dissent
34:06 Admitting Not Okay
35:26 Peer Support Breakthrough
39:18 Safe to Drive Bus
40:18 Asking for Help
41:21 Leadership Inspiration
42:23 Learning Model Mentors
44:03 Books Beyond Leadership
45:07 Zak Brown Authenticity
47:51 Dystopian Leadership Lessons
50:25 Sleep as Leadership Fuel
51:57 Audience Questions Rapidfire
53:21 Decisive Versus Right
54:33 Resilience Not Denial
55:17 Leading Without Answers
56:43 Beyond Crisis Identity

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 04:00:00 -0000</pubDate>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <itunes:author>Boxlight Creative Studio</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/c4e34e80-53ba-11f1-92bf-df1b598c4ca7/image/5a70e0ded15e3bd6c5a537968cb659a8.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&amp;max-w=3000&amp;max-h=3000&amp;fit=crop&amp;auto=format,compress"/>
      <itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
      <itunes:summary>Leading Through Uncertainty: Clarity, Vulnerability &amp; Decision-Making in a Chaotic World | What We Don’t Know

Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are joined a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️
⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io
https://www.boxlight.io/

------
In this episode of What We Don’t Know, Hayaatun and Matt explore how leadership must evolve to meet chronic uncertainty, shifting from alpha certainty to humility, adaptability, and earned trust. 

They discuss why clarity of purpose matters more than false certainty, how strategy can provide agency while leaving room for flexibility, and why leaders need faster shared learning cycles and better “intel” from across their networks. 

Hayaatun shares how the pandemic forced her to blend personal and professional life, show vulnerability, and finally ask for help when she felt close to unraveling, reframing self-monitoring as being “safe to drive the bus.” 

Matt Brittin reflects on learning decisiveness in ambiguous choices and describes leading Google’s response in Russia after the Ukraine invasion, prioritizing people’s safety and values. 

Matt and Hayaatun also answer audience questions on fear, decisiveness, resilience, and admitting “I don’t know.”

00:00 Welcome and theme
01:21 Leadership playbook shifts
02:35 Pandemic as pivot
05:02 Strategy under pressure
06:56 Clarity and agency
09:50 Collaboration and intel
12:59 Sandstorm metaphor
13:57 Vulnerability in public
16:09 Asking for help
19:19 Decisiveness lesson
23:35 Russia Ukraine crisis
27:44 Chronic uncertainty stamina
29:41 Personal boardroom
30:31 Cognitive diversity
31:28 Facing Worst Cases
32:59 Welcoming Dissent
34:06 Admitting Not Okay
35:26 Peer Support Breakthrough
39:18 Safe to Drive Bus
40:18 Asking for Help
41:21 Leadership Inspiration
42:23 Learning Model Mentors
44:03 Books Beyond Leadership
45:07 Zak Brown Authenticity
47:51 Dystopian Leadership Lessons
50:25 Sleep as Leadership Fuel
51:57 Audience Questions Rapidfire
53:21 Decisive Versus Right
54:33 Resilience Not Denial
55:17 Leading Without Answers
56:43 Beyond Crisis Identity

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</itunes:summary>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Leading Through Uncertainty: Clarity, Vulnerability &amp; Decision-Making in a Chaotic World | What We Don’t Know

Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are joined a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️
⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io
https://www.boxlight.io/

------
In this episode of What We Don’t Know, Hayaatun and Matt explore how leadership must evolve to meet chronic uncertainty, shifting from alpha certainty to humility, adaptability, and earned trust. 

They discuss why clarity of purpose matters more than false certainty, how strategy can provide agency while leaving room for flexibility, and why leaders need faster shared learning cycles and better “intel” from across their networks. 

Hayaatun shares how the pandemic forced her to blend personal and professional life, show vulnerability, and finally ask for help when she felt close to unraveling, reframing self-monitoring as being “safe to drive the bus.” 

Matt Brittin reflects on learning decisiveness in ambiguous choices and describes leading Google’s response in Russia after the Ukraine invasion, prioritizing people’s safety and values. 

Matt and Hayaatun also answer audience questions on fear, decisiveness, resilience, and admitting “I don’t know.”

00:00 Welcome and theme
01:21 Leadership playbook shifts
02:35 Pandemic as pivot
05:02 Strategy under pressure
06:56 Clarity and agency
09:50 Collaboration and intel
12:59 Sandstorm metaphor
13:57 Vulnerability in public
16:09 Asking for help
19:19 Decisiveness lesson
23:35 Russia Ukraine crisis
27:44 Chronic uncertainty stamina
29:41 Personal boardroom
30:31 Cognitive diversity
31:28 Facing Worst Cases
32:59 Welcoming Dissent
34:06 Admitting Not Okay
35:26 Peer Support Breakthrough
39:18 Safe to Drive Bus
40:18 Asking for Help
41:21 Leadership Inspiration
42:23 Learning Model Mentors
44:03 Books Beyond Leadership
45:07 Zak Brown Authenticity
47:51 Dystopian Leadership Lessons
50:25 Sleep as Leadership Fuel
51:57 Audience Questions Rapidfire
53:21 Decisive Versus Right
54:33 Resilience Not Denial
55:17 Leading Without Answers
56:43 Beyond Crisis Identity

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE</p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <itunes:duration>3498</itunes:duration>
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    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Co-CEOs, Devil Wears Prada 2, AI Creativity, Brian Chesky's Hiring | What We Don't Know: Watercooler</title>
      <description>Awards, AI, Co-CEOs &amp; Loyalty | What We Don't Know Watercooler

Hayaatun and Jimmy pull up a chair at the coffee machine to catch up on what's been catching their eye - the City AM Awards, The Devil Wears Prada 2, a controversial Airbnb CEO interview, and your questions on noise, loyalty, and whether AI will swamp the best human ideas.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome to the coffee machine
00:45 Are awards overrated, or do we actually need them?
02:00 The UK startups that got away: why the post-pandemic story isn't as bleak as you think
04:00 The Devil Wears Prada 2 and what pop culture gets right about loving hard work
05:30 Brian Chesky personally hires Airbnb's top 200 — genius or quietly disempowering?
08:30 Co-CEOs: bold leadership model or recipe for confusion?
12:00 Q from Flora: how do you find the signal in the noise?
16:30 Q from the comments: how long should you stay loyal to an organisation?
19:30 Q from Ken: will a billion AI ideas drown out the one great human one?
22:30 See you next time

Resource:

🎙️ Brian Chesky: AI Founder Mode — Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy — https://colossus.com/episode/ai-founder-mode/
📰 Pilita Clark: Why co-CEOs might suit our tumultuous times (FT / Irish Times) — https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/05/04/why-co-ceos-might-suit-our-tumultuous-times/
📖 Reid Hoffman: Tours of Duty — The New Employer-Employee Compact (HBR) — https://hbr.org/2013/06/tours-of-duty-the-new-employer-employee-compact

Episodes mentioned:
▶️ Mark Read — Leading 22,000 Employees Who Bet Against You: https://youtu.be/O6oWoVf5X3I
▶️ Natasha Frangos — The Imposter Feeling Every Leader Faces: https://youtu.be/a9AHf_pMHgg
▶️ Sharon White — Why The Best Leaders Are Impossible to Read: https://youtu.be/JluTfnfJYD4

📧 Send us thoughts and questions at whatwedontknow@boxlight.io

💼  Follow us on socials!:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatwedontknow.pod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/what-we-dont-know-podcast/
Jimmy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/
Hayaatun's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayaatun/

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 04:00:00 -0000</pubDate>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <itunes:author>Boxlight Creative Studio</itunes:author>
      <itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
      <itunes:summary>Awards, AI, Co-CEOs &amp; Loyalty | What We Don't Know Watercooler

Hayaatun and Jimmy pull up a chair at the coffee machine to catch up on what's been catching their eye - the City AM Awards, The Devil Wears Prada 2, a controversial Airbnb CEO interview, and your questions on noise, loyalty, and whether AI will swamp the best human ideas.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome to the coffee machine
00:45 Are awards overrated, or do we actually need them?
02:00 The UK startups that got away: why the post-pandemic story isn't as bleak as you think
04:00 The Devil Wears Prada 2 and what pop culture gets right about loving hard work
05:30 Brian Chesky personally hires Airbnb's top 200 — genius or quietly disempowering?
08:30 Co-CEOs: bold leadership model or recipe for confusion?
12:00 Q from Flora: how do you find the signal in the noise?
16:30 Q from the comments: how long should you stay loyal to an organisation?
19:30 Q from Ken: will a billion AI ideas drown out the one great human one?
22:30 See you next time

Resource:

🎙️ Brian Chesky: AI Founder Mode — Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy — https://colossus.com/episode/ai-founder-mode/
📰 Pilita Clark: Why co-CEOs might suit our tumultuous times (FT / Irish Times) — https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/05/04/why-co-ceos-might-suit-our-tumultuous-times/
📖 Reid Hoffman: Tours of Duty — The New Employer-Employee Compact (HBR) — https://hbr.org/2013/06/tours-of-duty-the-new-employer-employee-compact

Episodes mentioned:
▶️ Mark Read — Leading 22,000 Employees Who Bet Against You: https://youtu.be/O6oWoVf5X3I
▶️ Natasha Frangos — The Imposter Feeling Every Leader Faces: https://youtu.be/a9AHf_pMHgg
▶️ Sharon White — Why The Best Leaders Are Impossible to Read: https://youtu.be/JluTfnfJYD4

📧 Send us thoughts and questions at whatwedontknow@boxlight.io

💼  Follow us on socials!:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatwedontknow.pod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/what-we-dont-know-podcast/
Jimmy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/
Hayaatun's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayaatun/

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</itunes:summary>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Awards, AI, Co-CEOs &amp; Loyalty | What We Don't Know Watercooler

Hayaatun and Jimmy pull up a chair at the coffee machine to catch up on what's been catching their eye - the City AM Awards, The Devil Wears Prada 2, a controversial Airbnb CEO interview, and your questions on noise, loyalty, and whether AI will swamp the best human ideas.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome to the coffee machine
00:45 Are awards overrated, or do we actually need them?
02:00 The UK startups that got away: why the post-pandemic story isn't as bleak as you think
04:00 The Devil Wears Prada 2 and what pop culture gets right about loving hard work
05:30 Brian Chesky personally hires Airbnb's top 200 — genius or quietly disempowering?
08:30 Co-CEOs: bold leadership model or recipe for confusion?
12:00 Q from Flora: how do you find the signal in the noise?
16:30 Q from the comments: how long should you stay loyal to an organisation?
19:30 Q from Ken: will a billion AI ideas drown out the one great human one?
22:30 See you next time

Resource:

🎙️ Brian Chesky: AI Founder Mode — Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy — https://colossus.com/episode/ai-founder-mode/
📰 Pilita Clark: Why co-CEOs might suit our tumultuous times (FT / Irish Times) — https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/05/04/why-co-ceos-might-suit-our-tumultuous-times/
📖 Reid Hoffman: Tours of Duty — The New Employer-Employee Compact (HBR) — https://hbr.org/2013/06/tours-of-duty-the-new-employer-employee-compact

Episodes mentioned:
▶️ Mark Read — Leading 22,000 Employees Who Bet Against You: https://youtu.be/O6oWoVf5X3I
▶️ Natasha Frangos — The Imposter Feeling Every Leader Faces: https://youtu.be/a9AHf_pMHgg
▶️ Sharon White — Why The Best Leaders Are Impossible to Read: https://youtu.be/JluTfnfJYD4

📧 Send us thoughts and questions at whatwedontknow@boxlight.io

💼  Follow us on socials!:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatwedontknow.pod/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/what-we-dont-know-podcast/
Jimmy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-mcloughlin-obe/
Hayaatun's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayaatun/

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE</p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <itunes:duration>1430</itunes:duration>
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      <enclosure url="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR8317650259.mp3" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Ex John Lewis Boss: Why The Best Leaders Are Impossible to Read | Sharon White</title>
      <description>Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 



The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 



Across the series, episodes are joined a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.



Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io

https://www.boxlight.io/



------

This week, Hayaatun is joined by Jimmy McLoughlin OBE, host of  ⁨@jimmysjobs⁩ , to welcome Baroness Sharon White.



Sharon White traces her journey from a working-class East London childhood — daughter of Windrush generation parents who left school at 11 and 14 — through 26 years as one of Whitehall's most senior but deliberately invisible civil servants, to leading OFCOM and later the John Lewis Partnership through COVID and financial turbulence.



She shares why being impossible to read became a strategic asset, how the insider/outsider experience of growing up as a minority shaped her willingness to hold unpopular positions, and why she believes the problems facing political leaders today are categorically harder than a generation ago.



She reflects on what it takes to lead 80,000 partners through a democratic business structure unlike anything in the private sector, why a reluctant regulator is a better regulator, and how to tell the difference between noise and what's actually real when everything feels urgent.



She also discusses building crisis-ready teams before the crisis hits, the leadership skill she thinks nobody talks about enough — and what her teenage son taught her about inclusion.



Timestamps:



00:00 Intro

01:38 Introducing Sharon White

03:56 What To Expect Today

04:30 Backstage At Number 10

06:53 Politics In The Social Media Age

08:36 Childhood And Immigrant Roots

13:43 Finding Her Voice

20:02 Purpose Across Career Switches

29:03 Earning Trust In New Worlds

32:50 Becoming Public Facing

36:40 Reluctant Regulator Mindset

40:28 Partnership Democracy Model

41:12 Customer Love and Stakeholders

43:20 Employee Ownership Pride

45:25 Resilience and Gratitude Mindset

47:30 Growth Needs Brave Leadership

51:12 Leading Through Constant Crises

53:07 Parenthood and Inclusion Lessons

56:18 Bravery and De Klerk Story

59:05 Quickfire Leadership Questions

01:01:33 Hosts Reflect on Key Takeaways

01:07:33 Duolingo Taxi Hiring Test

01:11:54 Meta AI Leader Avatars Debate

01:14:12 Wrap Up and Stay Connected



Credits:

Producer: Sunny Winter

Producer: Thuy Dong

Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 04:00:00 -0000</pubDate>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <itunes:author>Boxlight Creative Studio</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/2fc5e628-4898-11f1-9577-97001b888255/image/7e94a6add4c5671291c7f403a3a5782d.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&amp;max-w=3000&amp;max-h=3000&amp;fit=crop&amp;auto=format,compress"/>
      <itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
      <itunes:summary>Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 



The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 



Across the series, episodes are joined a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.



Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io

https://www.boxlight.io/



------

This week, Hayaatun is joined by Jimmy McLoughlin OBE, host of  ⁨@jimmysjobs⁩ , to welcome Baroness Sharon White.



Sharon White traces her journey from a working-class East London childhood — daughter of Windrush generation parents who left school at 11 and 14 — through 26 years as one of Whitehall's most senior but deliberately invisible civil servants, to leading OFCOM and later the John Lewis Partnership through COVID and financial turbulence.



She shares why being impossible to read became a strategic asset, how the insider/outsider experience of growing up as a minority shaped her willingness to hold unpopular positions, and why she believes the problems facing political leaders today are categorically harder than a generation ago.



She reflects on what it takes to lead 80,000 partners through a democratic business structure unlike anything in the private sector, why a reluctant regulator is a better regulator, and how to tell the difference between noise and what's actually real when everything feels urgent.



She also discusses building crisis-ready teams before the crisis hits, the leadership skill she thinks nobody talks about enough — and what her teenage son taught her about inclusion.



Timestamps:



00:00 Intro

01:38 Introducing Sharon White

03:56 What To Expect Today

04:30 Backstage At Number 10

06:53 Politics In The Social Media Age

08:36 Childhood And Immigrant Roots

13:43 Finding Her Voice

20:02 Purpose Across Career Switches

29:03 Earning Trust In New Worlds

32:50 Becoming Public Facing

36:40 Reluctant Regulator Mindset

40:28 Partnership Democracy Model

41:12 Customer Love and Stakeholders

43:20 Employee Ownership Pride

45:25 Resilience and Gratitude Mindset

47:30 Growth Needs Brave Leadership

51:12 Leading Through Constant Crises

53:07 Parenthood and Inclusion Lessons

56:18 Bravery and De Klerk Story

59:05 Quickfire Leadership Questions

01:01:33 Hosts Reflect on Key Takeaways

01:07:33 Duolingo Taxi Hiring Test

01:11:54 Meta AI Leader Avatars Debate

01:14:12 Wrap Up and Stay Connected



Credits:

Producer: Sunny Winter

Producer: Thuy Dong

Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</itunes:summary>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. </p>
<p><br></p>
<p>The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. </p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Across the series, episodes are joined a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️</p>
<p>⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io</p>
<p>https://www.boxlight.io/</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>------</p>
<p>This week, Hayaatun is joined by Jimmy McLoughlin OBE, host of  ⁨@jimmysjobs⁩ , to welcome Baroness Sharon White.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Sharon White traces her journey from a working-class East London childhood — daughter of Windrush generation parents who left school at 11 and 14 — through 26 years as one of Whitehall's most senior but deliberately invisible civil servants, to leading OFCOM and later the John Lewis Partnership through COVID and financial turbulence.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>She shares why being impossible to read became a strategic asset, how the insider/outsider experience of growing up as a minority shaped her willingness to hold unpopular positions, and why she believes the problems facing political leaders today are categorically harder than a generation ago.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>She reflects on what it takes to lead 80,000 partners through a democratic business structure unlike anything in the private sector, why a reluctant regulator is a better regulator, and how to tell the difference between noise and what's actually real when everything feels urgent.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>She also discusses building crisis-ready teams before the crisis hits, the leadership skill she thinks nobody talks about enough — and what her teenage son taught her about inclusion.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Timestamps:</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>00:00 Intro</p>
<p>01:38 Introducing Sharon White</p>
<p>03:56 What To Expect Today</p>
<p>04:30 Backstage At Number 10</p>
<p>06:53 Politics In The Social Media Age</p>
<p>08:36 Childhood And Immigrant Roots</p>
<p>13:43 Finding Her Voice</p>
<p>20:02 Purpose Across Career Switches</p>
<p>29:03 Earning Trust In New Worlds</p>
<p>32:50 Becoming Public Facing</p>
<p>36:40 Reluctant Regulator Mindset</p>
<p>40:28 Partnership Democracy Model</p>
<p>41:12 Customer Love and Stakeholders</p>
<p>43:20 Employee Ownership Pride</p>
<p>45:25 Resilience and Gratitude Mindset</p>
<p>47:30 Growth Needs Brave Leadership</p>
<p>51:12 Leading Through Constant Crises</p>
<p>53:07 Parenthood and Inclusion Lessons</p>
<p>56:18 Bravery and De Klerk Story</p>
<p>59:05 Quickfire Leadership Questions</p>
<p>01:01:33 Hosts Reflect on Key Takeaways</p>
<p>01:07:33 Duolingo Taxi Hiring Test</p>
<p>01:11:54 Meta AI Leader Avatars Debate</p>
<p>01:14:12 Wrap Up and Stay Connected</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>Credits:</p>
<p>Producer: Sunny Winter</p>
<p>Producer: Thuy Dong</p>
<p>Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE</p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <itunes:duration>4520</itunes:duration>
      <guid isPermaLink="false"><![CDATA[2fc5e628-4898-11f1-9577-97001b888255]]></guid>
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    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Mandela’s Secret Weapon: How Empathy Can Topple a Dictator</title>
      <description>From Apartheid to Ubuntu: Paul’s Journey with Mandela, Tutu &amp; the Truth Commission

Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

------

Paul recounts growing up white in apartheid South Africa with parents who opposed the regime, joining the anti-apartheid student movement, working on death penalty cases for a young black lawyer who was assassinated, and helping victims’ families build Kule Manni. 

At 26 he helped develop the Truth and Reconciliation Commission law and became its executive secretary under Archbishop Tutu, sharing leadership lessons about preserving opponents’ dignity and Mandela’s openness to hearing testimony about ANC abuses. 

He discusses empathy and Ubuntu as foundations for resilient societies, the role of information ecosystems and economic breakdown in modern polarization, and ways to embed Ubuntu in organizational culture. 

He describes the personal toll of trauma, later scaling transitional justice support globally by offering comparative experience rather than prescriptions, and founding London’s Conduit to convene coalitions tackling complex challenges like UK flooding.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0000</pubDate>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <itunes:author>Boxlight Creative Studio</itunes:author>
      <itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
      <itunes:summary>From Apartheid to Ubuntu: Paul’s Journey with Mandela, Tutu &amp; the Truth Commission

Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

------

Paul recounts growing up white in apartheid South Africa with parents who opposed the regime, joining the anti-apartheid student movement, working on death penalty cases for a young black lawyer who was assassinated, and helping victims’ families build Kule Manni. 

At 26 he helped develop the Truth and Reconciliation Commission law and became its executive secretary under Archbishop Tutu, sharing leadership lessons about preserving opponents’ dignity and Mandela’s openness to hearing testimony about ANC abuses. 

He discusses empathy and Ubuntu as foundations for resilient societies, the role of information ecosystems and economic breakdown in modern polarization, and ways to embed Ubuntu in organizational culture. 

He describes the personal toll of trauma, later scaling transitional justice support globally by offering comparative experience rather than prescriptions, and founding London’s Conduit to convene coalitions tackling complex challenges like UK flooding.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</itunes:summary>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>From Apartheid to Ubuntu: Paul’s Journey with Mandela, Tutu &amp; the Truth Commission</p>
<p>Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

------</p>
<p>Paul recounts growing up white in apartheid South Africa with parents who opposed the regime, joining the anti-apartheid student movement, working on death penalty cases for a young black lawyer who was assassinated, and helping victims’ families build Kule Manni. </p>
<p>At 26 he helped develop the Truth and Reconciliation Commission law and became its executive secretary under Archbishop Tutu, sharing leadership lessons about preserving opponents’ dignity and Mandela’s openness to hearing testimony about ANC abuses. </p>
<p>He discusses empathy and Ubuntu as foundations for resilient societies, the role of information ecosystems and economic breakdown in modern polarization, and ways to embed Ubuntu in organizational culture. </p>
<p>He describes the personal toll of trauma, later scaling transitional justice support globally by offering comparative experience rather than prescriptions, and founding London’s Conduit to convene coalitions tackling complex challenges like UK flooding.</p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <itunes:duration>4070</itunes:duration>
      <guid isPermaLink="false"><![CDATA[a7b1a590-4326-11f1-9d40-7f1f8244afed]]></guid>
      <enclosure url="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR1000960318.mp3?updated=1777408827" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The Imposter Feeling Every Leader Faces (And How to Beat It) | Natasha Frangos</title>
      <description>Positive Leadership in a Chaotic World: Natasha Frangos on Culture, Growth, and Leading a Partnership

Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

------

Recorded at the Anthropy Conference at the Eden Project in Cornwall, Hayaatun interviews Natasha Frangos, managing partner of accountancy firm Haysmac, about leading with energy, authenticity, and optimism amid industry headwinds. 

Natasha shares how her Greek Cypriot upbringing, resilient grandmother, and accountant father shaped her leadership and view of trusted advisory relationships. She traces her path from leading the firm’s Creative Media &amp; Tech sector to a firm-wide corporate role during COVID, then being elected as the firm’s first female managing partner in its first contested election. 

We cover partnership leadership and governance, culture as a driver of growth, developing and retaining homegrown talent, mentoring outside the sector, AI and automation strategy, competing as a mid-tier firm, staying independent amid PE consolidation, and sustaining energy through family, yoga, and theatre.

00:00 First Female Managing Partner
00:33 Rainforest Podcast Setup
02:27 Natasha Role Overview
03:47 Family Roots and Resilience
08:18 Ambition and Peer Support
09:45 Ant Trail Interlude
10:14 First Leadership Sector Focus
12:22 Founder Lessons and Investors
15:29 COVID Board Leadership
18:03 Chief Herder of Cats
19:47 Election and Imposter Feelings
23:03 Mentors and Outside Perspective
24:37 Growth Is Never Done
25:43 Creating Shared Momentum
27:31 People Over Numbers
29:24 Defining Culture In Practice
31:49 AI Anxiety And Upskilling
34:51 Mid Size Edge And Partnerships
37:22 Staying Energized As Leader
39:03 Role Model Pressure And Legacy
41:53 Big Priorities For The Year
44:25 Quickfire Leadership Round
47:50 Consolidation And Career Loyalty
51:25 West London And Final Takeaways
53:59 Closing Reflections And Wrap

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 07:03:00 -0000</pubDate>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <itunes:author>Boxlight Creative Studio</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/62582b84-3e19-11f1-bac4-ffa12a8086f5/image/98496920f108e1985855def952808986.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&amp;max-w=3000&amp;max-h=3000&amp;fit=crop&amp;auto=format,compress"/>
      <itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
      <itunes:summary>Positive Leadership in a Chaotic World: Natasha Frangos on Culture, Growth, and Leading a Partnership

Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

------

Recorded at the Anthropy Conference at the Eden Project in Cornwall, Hayaatun interviews Natasha Frangos, managing partner of accountancy firm Haysmac, about leading with energy, authenticity, and optimism amid industry headwinds. 

Natasha shares how her Greek Cypriot upbringing, resilient grandmother, and accountant father shaped her leadership and view of trusted advisory relationships. She traces her path from leading the firm’s Creative Media &amp; Tech sector to a firm-wide corporate role during COVID, then being elected as the firm’s first female managing partner in its first contested election. 

We cover partnership leadership and governance, culture as a driver of growth, developing and retaining homegrown talent, mentoring outside the sector, AI and automation strategy, competing as a mid-tier firm, staying independent amid PE consolidation, and sustaining energy through family, yoga, and theatre.

00:00 First Female Managing Partner
00:33 Rainforest Podcast Setup
02:27 Natasha Role Overview
03:47 Family Roots and Resilience
08:18 Ambition and Peer Support
09:45 Ant Trail Interlude
10:14 First Leadership Sector Focus
12:22 Founder Lessons and Investors
15:29 COVID Board Leadership
18:03 Chief Herder of Cats
19:47 Election and Imposter Feelings
23:03 Mentors and Outside Perspective
24:37 Growth Is Never Done
25:43 Creating Shared Momentum
27:31 People Over Numbers
29:24 Defining Culture In Practice
31:49 AI Anxiety And Upskilling
34:51 Mid Size Edge And Partnerships
37:22 Staying Energized As Leader
39:03 Role Model Pressure And Legacy
41:53 Big Priorities For The Year
44:25 Quickfire Leadership Round
47:50 Consolidation And Career Loyalty
51:25 West London And Final Takeaways
53:59 Closing Reflections And Wrap

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</itunes:summary>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Positive Leadership in a Chaotic World: Natasha Frangos on Culture, Growth, and Leading a Partnership

Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

------

Recorded at the Anthropy Conference at the Eden Project in Cornwall, Hayaatun interviews Natasha Frangos, managing partner of accountancy firm Haysmac, about leading with energy, authenticity, and optimism amid industry headwinds. 

Natasha shares how her Greek Cypriot upbringing, resilient grandmother, and accountant father shaped her leadership and view of trusted advisory relationships. She traces her path from leading the firm’s Creative Media &amp; Tech sector to a firm-wide corporate role during COVID, then being elected as the firm’s first female managing partner in its first contested election. 

We cover partnership leadership and governance, culture as a driver of growth, developing and retaining homegrown talent, mentoring outside the sector, AI and automation strategy, competing as a mid-tier firm, staying independent amid PE consolidation, and sustaining energy through family, yoga, and theatre.

00:00 First Female Managing Partner
00:33 Rainforest Podcast Setup
02:27 Natasha Role Overview
03:47 Family Roots and Resilience
08:18 Ambition and Peer Support
09:45 Ant Trail Interlude
10:14 First Leadership Sector Focus
12:22 Founder Lessons and Investors
15:29 COVID Board Leadership
18:03 Chief Herder of Cats
19:47 Election and Imposter Feelings
23:03 Mentors and Outside Perspective
24:37 Growth Is Never Done
25:43 Creating Shared Momentum
27:31 People Over Numbers
29:24 Defining Culture In Practice
31:49 AI Anxiety And Upskilling
34:51 Mid Size Edge And Partnerships
37:22 Staying Energized As Leader
39:03 Role Model Pressure And Legacy
41:53 Big Priorities For The Year
44:25 Quickfire Leadership Round
47:50 Consolidation And Career Loyalty
51:25 West London And Final Takeaways
53:59 Closing Reflections And Wrap

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE</p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <itunes:duration>3441</itunes:duration>
      <guid isPermaLink="false"><![CDATA[62582b84-3e19-11f1-bac4-ffa12a8086f5]]></guid>
      <enclosure url="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR9245461227.mp3?updated=1776845437" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Why Great Leaders Stop Trying To Be Busy</title>
      <description>Time Management for Leaders: The 4Ds, Being Present, and Making Busy Work Matter
Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

Hayaatun and Matt explore why leaders obsess over time and how choices, not sheer scarcity, shape outcomes. They discuss practical tools for overload, including Hayaatun’s “4Ds” (delegate, delay, drop, do), getting worries out of your head and into reliable systems (quadrant to-do lists, calendars, colored pens), and tackling the scariest task first to reduce stress. 

Hayaatun shares formative lessons from the high-pressure pace of the House of Commons and the value of trusted teamwork, while Matt reflects on preparing for leadership “set pieces,” using low-meeting days, processing time (commutes), and block time for deep work. They cover signals leaders send through calendars, the importance of hiring and tough conversations, meeting waste, and why sleep matters despite occasional crunches.

00:00 Zombie Consultants Intro
00:33 Time Choices Question
01:32 Meet The Hosts
02:09 Leader Time Signals
04:30 Four Ds Framework
06:10 Drop And Do
08:30 Quadrant List System
12:07 House Of Commons Pace
16:40 Fast Drafting Lesson
20:02 Prepared CEO Style
22:54 Safety Valves And Fridays
24:47 Calendar As Choices
27:02 Sauna Politician Aside
27:49 PhD Roots Of Time
29:01 Overwhelm And Fear
29:41 Do Scary Thing First
30:52 PhD Stress Triggers
32:20 Emotions As Data
34:19 Peak Hours Block Time
35:23 Travel Energy Management
37:42 Busy Leader Signals
40:48 What Leaders Cant Delegate
43:53 Chunk Time Strategy
46:16 Calendar And Team Alignment
51:15 Time Audits And Meetings
53:56 Sleep And Crunch Times
56:36 Key Takeaways On Time Management

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Post Producer: Ben Alexander Kippen
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0000</pubDate>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <itunes:author>Boxlight Creative Studio</itunes:author>
      <itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
      <itunes:summary>Time Management for Leaders: The 4Ds, Being Present, and Making Busy Work Matter
Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

Hayaatun and Matt explore why leaders obsess over time and how choices, not sheer scarcity, shape outcomes. They discuss practical tools for overload, including Hayaatun’s “4Ds” (delegate, delay, drop, do), getting worries out of your head and into reliable systems (quadrant to-do lists, calendars, colored pens), and tackling the scariest task first to reduce stress. 

Hayaatun shares formative lessons from the high-pressure pace of the House of Commons and the value of trusted teamwork, while Matt reflects on preparing for leadership “set pieces,” using low-meeting days, processing time (commutes), and block time for deep work. They cover signals leaders send through calendars, the importance of hiring and tough conversations, meeting waste, and why sleep matters despite occasional crunches.

00:00 Zombie Consultants Intro
00:33 Time Choices Question
01:32 Meet The Hosts
02:09 Leader Time Signals
04:30 Four Ds Framework
06:10 Drop And Do
08:30 Quadrant List System
12:07 House Of Commons Pace
16:40 Fast Drafting Lesson
20:02 Prepared CEO Style
22:54 Safety Valves And Fridays
24:47 Calendar As Choices
27:02 Sauna Politician Aside
27:49 PhD Roots Of Time
29:01 Overwhelm And Fear
29:41 Do Scary Thing First
30:52 PhD Stress Triggers
32:20 Emotions As Data
34:19 Peak Hours Block Time
35:23 Travel Energy Management
37:42 Busy Leader Signals
40:48 What Leaders Cant Delegate
43:53 Chunk Time Strategy
46:16 Calendar And Team Alignment
51:15 Time Audits And Meetings
53:56 Sleep And Crunch Times
56:36 Key Takeaways On Time Management

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Post Producer: Ben Alexander Kippen
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</itunes:summary>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Time Management for Leaders: The 4Ds, Being Present, and Making Busy Work Matter
Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

Hayaatun and Matt explore why leaders obsess over time and how choices, not sheer scarcity, shape outcomes. They discuss practical tools for overload, including Hayaatun’s “4Ds” (delegate, delay, drop, do), getting worries out of your head and into reliable systems (quadrant to-do lists, calendars, colored pens), and tackling the scariest task first to reduce stress. 

Hayaatun shares formative lessons from the high-pressure pace of the House of Commons and the value of trusted teamwork, while Matt reflects on preparing for leadership “set pieces,” using low-meeting days, processing time (commutes), and block time for deep work. They cover signals leaders send through calendars, the importance of hiring and tough conversations, meeting waste, and why sleep matters despite occasional crunches.

00:00 Zombie Consultants Intro
00:33 Time Choices Question
01:32 Meet The Hosts
02:09 Leader Time Signals
04:30 Four Ds Framework
06:10 Drop And Do
08:30 Quadrant List System
12:07 House Of Commons Pace
16:40 Fast Drafting Lesson
20:02 Prepared CEO Style
22:54 Safety Valves And Fridays
24:47 Calendar As Choices
27:02 Sauna Politician Aside
27:49 PhD Roots Of Time
29:01 Overwhelm And Fear
29:41 Do Scary Thing First
30:52 PhD Stress Triggers
32:20 Emotions As Data
34:19 Peak Hours Block Time
35:23 Travel Energy Management
37:42 Busy Leader Signals
40:48 What Leaders Cant Delegate
43:53 Chunk Time Strategy
46:16 Calendar And Team Alignment
51:15 Time Audits And Meetings
53:56 Sleep And Crunch Times
56:36 Key Takeaways On Time Management

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Post Producer: Ben Alexander Kippen</p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <itunes:duration>3588</itunes:duration>
      <guid isPermaLink="false"><![CDATA[c89c3a76-3828-11f1-b69d-bb783f9384e9]]></guid>
      <enclosure url="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR2445872302.mp3?updated=1776436749" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Former WPP Boss on Return to Office Backlash and Doing the Right Thing</title>
      <description>Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

Mark Read on Leading WPP Through Chaos: Succession, Return-to-Office, AI &amp; Creative Culture

In this episode of What We Don’t Know, hosts Hayaatun and Matt interview Mark Read, who recently stepped down as CEO of WPP, about the realities of leading a 100,000-person global public company serving major clients like Google, Coca-Cola, Unilever, and Ford. 

Mark discusses moving from head-office “pigeon” roles to running a business, following a founder with a very different style, and why succession planning enables promotion. He shares CEO disciplines like fast responsiveness, balancing urgent vs important work, and communicating at scale during COVID. He explains his controversial return-to-office policy, handling a large employee petition, and learning to engage better. 

Mark also argues AI will transform work but won’t replace human judgment and creativity, illustrating with a “Fitbit on a chicken” campaign, and reflects on early-tenure decision-making, career risk-taking, and his next chapter.

00:00 Beachside Leadership Hook
00:45 Meet Mark Read
02:29 CEO Scope and Pressure
05:12 Early Career Origins
08:47 Learning by Doing
12:51 From Pigeon to Operator
15:54 Stepping Up to CEO
19:30 Taking the WPP Helm
22:39 Succeeding the Founder
26:03 Inbox Discipline and Introverts
29:08 Leading Your Own Way
30:18 Interviewing Visionaries
31:05 Elon Musk Takeaways
31:54 Showing Up as CEO
35:07 Return to Office Debate
39:25 Data Behind Attendance
40:06 Optimism in AI Era
41:52 Fit Chick Creativity Story
43:38 Building Creative Culture
46:49 Leadership Lessons Ahead
49:18 Next Chapter Plans
51:38 Quickfire Round Finale
53:42 Hosts Reflect and Wrap

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Post Producer: Ben Alexander Kippen
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000</pubDate>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <itunes:author>Boxlight Creative Studio</itunes:author>
      <itunes:image href="https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/025284de-3291-11f1-aa6e-1716c1bde1b7/image/b567ea7e0ff8fec24559409e742b7cef.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&amp;max-w=3000&amp;max-h=3000&amp;fit=crop&amp;auto=format,compress"/>
      <itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
      <itunes:summary>Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

Mark Read on Leading WPP Through Chaos: Succession, Return-to-Office, AI &amp; Creative Culture

In this episode of What We Don’t Know, hosts Hayaatun and Matt interview Mark Read, who recently stepped down as CEO of WPP, about the realities of leading a 100,000-person global public company serving major clients like Google, Coca-Cola, Unilever, and Ford. 

Mark discusses moving from head-office “pigeon” roles to running a business, following a founder with a very different style, and why succession planning enables promotion. He shares CEO disciplines like fast responsiveness, balancing urgent vs important work, and communicating at scale during COVID. He explains his controversial return-to-office policy, handling a large employee petition, and learning to engage better. 

Mark also argues AI will transform work but won’t replace human judgment and creativity, illustrating with a “Fitbit on a chicken” campaign, and reflects on early-tenure decision-making, career risk-taking, and his next chapter.

00:00 Beachside Leadership Hook
00:45 Meet Mark Read
02:29 CEO Scope and Pressure
05:12 Early Career Origins
08:47 Learning by Doing
12:51 From Pigeon to Operator
15:54 Stepping Up to CEO
19:30 Taking the WPP Helm
22:39 Succeeding the Founder
26:03 Inbox Discipline and Introverts
29:08 Leading Your Own Way
30:18 Interviewing Visionaries
31:05 Elon Musk Takeaways
31:54 Showing Up as CEO
35:07 Return to Office Debate
39:25 Data Behind Attendance
40:06 Optimism in AI Era
41:52 Fit Chick Creativity Story
43:38 Building Creative Culture
46:49 Leadership Lessons Ahead
49:18 Next Chapter Plans
51:38 Quickfire Round Finale
53:42 Hosts Reflect and Wrap

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Post Producer: Ben Alexander Kippen
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</itunes:summary>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

Mark Read on Leading WPP Through Chaos: Succession, Return-to-Office, AI &amp; Creative Culture

In this episode of What We Don’t Know, hosts Hayaatun and Matt interview Mark Read, who recently stepped down as CEO of WPP, about the realities of leading a 100,000-person global public company serving major clients like Google, Coca-Cola, Unilever, and Ford. 

Mark discusses moving from head-office “pigeon” roles to running a business, following a founder with a very different style, and why succession planning enables promotion. He shares CEO disciplines like fast responsiveness, balancing urgent vs important work, and communicating at scale during COVID. He explains his controversial return-to-office policy, handling a large employee petition, and learning to engage better. 

Mark also argues AI will transform work but won’t replace human judgment and creativity, illustrating with a “Fitbit on a chicken” campaign, and reflects on early-tenure decision-making, career risk-taking, and his next chapter.

00:00 Beachside Leadership Hook
00:45 Meet Mark Read
02:29 CEO Scope and Pressure
05:12 Early Career Origins
08:47 Learning by Doing
12:51 From Pigeon to Operator
15:54 Stepping Up to CEO
19:30 Taking the WPP Helm
22:39 Succeeding the Founder
26:03 Inbox Discipline and Introverts
29:08 Leading Your Own Way
30:18 Interviewing Visionaries
31:05 Elon Musk Takeaways
31:54 Showing Up as CEO
35:07 Return to Office Debate
39:25 Data Behind Attendance
40:06 Optimism in AI Era
41:52 Fit Chick Creativity Story
43:38 Building Creative Culture
46:49 Leadership Lessons Ahead
49:18 Next Chapter Plans
51:38 Quickfire Round Finale
53:42 Hosts Reflect and Wrap

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Post Producer: Ben Alexander Kippen</p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p>]]>
      </content:encoded>
      <itunes:duration>3480</itunes:duration>
      <guid isPermaLink="false"><![CDATA[025284de-3291-11f1-aa6e-1716c1bde1b7]]></guid>
      <enclosure url="https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR9262570620.mp3?updated=1776204887" length="0" type="audio/mpeg"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Who Is Matt Brittin? | What We Don't Know</title>
      <description>Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

Today we meet our co-host, Matt Brittin!

After 18 years at Google - including a decade running Europe, the Middle East and Africa — Matt Brittin has stepped away from one of the most powerful roles in global tech.

In this first episode of What We Don’t Know, hosts Hayaatun Sillem and Matt turn the lens inward - unpacking what happens when high-performance leadership stops, and what comes next.

Matt opens up about his “midlife gap year,” life after intensity, and learning to be present again following the loss of his father. From a disruptive childhood to rowing for Great Britain — and a very public defeat in the Cambridge Boat Race — he reflects on the moments that shaped how he builds teams and leads under pressure.

They also go deep on what really drove Google’s success: hiring at scale, building diverse teams, setting ruthless clarity of priorities, and the simple principle - put the best people on the most important problems, then get out of the way.

Plus: navigating public scrutiny on tax, YouTube extremism, and what leadership looks like when you have to say “we got this wrong” — and fix it.

This is a conversation about leadership after the job title — and why the most important lessons often come from what we don’t know.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:33 What We Don’t Know
02:14 Meet Matt Today
02:40 Midlife Gap Year
04:52 Family Time and AI
07:29 What He Misses
09:02 Pottery and Reset
10:28 Growing Up Britain
12:05 Bored at School
13:22 Rowing Changes Everything
15:13 Teamwork Lessons
19:02 Failure and Turnaround
23:52 From Sport to Business
27:32 Why Google Won
28:57 Day One at Google
30:38 Scaling and Hiring
33:21 Culture of Help
33:59 Hiring for Scale
35:07 Fixing Hiring Bias
37:04 Becoming Public Spokesperson
39:44 Stories Backed by Data
41:17 Crisis Comms on YouTube
45:14 Select Committees Pressure
46:54 Leadership Lessons Learned
48:37 Big Tech Backlash
51:06 Next Chapter Purpose
52:39 Resilience and Energy
55:09 Why This Podcast
01:01:57 Making Podcasts Work
01:06:55 Rapid Fire Wrap
01:11:32 Closing and Thanks

Follow Matt and Hayaatun below 👇
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayaatun/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-brittin-cbe-5aa6391/

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Post Producer: Ben Alexander Kippen
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:30:00 -0000</pubDate>
      <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
      <itunes:author>Boxlight Creative Studio</itunes:author>
      <itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
      <itunes:summary>Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

Today we meet our co-host, Matt Brittin!

After 18 years at Google - including a decade running Europe, the Middle East and Africa — Matt Brittin has stepped away from one of the most powerful roles in global tech.

In this first episode of What We Don’t Know, hosts Hayaatun Sillem and Matt turn the lens inward - unpacking what happens when high-performance leadership stops, and what comes next.

Matt opens up about his “midlife gap year,” life after intensity, and learning to be present again following the loss of his father. From a disruptive childhood to rowing for Great Britain — and a very public defeat in the Cambridge Boat Race — he reflects on the moments that shaped how he builds teams and leads under pressure.

They also go deep on what really drove Google’s success: hiring at scale, building diverse teams, setting ruthless clarity of priorities, and the simple principle - put the best people on the most important problems, then get out of the way.

Plus: navigating public scrutiny on tax, YouTube extremism, and what leadership looks like when you have to say “we got this wrong” — and fix it.

This is a conversation about leadership after the job title — and why the most important lessons often come from what we don’t know.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:33 What We Don’t Know
02:14 Meet Matt Today
02:40 Midlife Gap Year
04:52 Family Time and AI
07:29 What He Misses
09:02 Pottery and Reset
10:28 Growing Up Britain
12:05 Bored at School
13:22 Rowing Changes Everything
15:13 Teamwork Lessons
19:02 Failure and Turnaround
23:52 From Sport to Business
27:32 Why Google Won
28:57 Day One at Google
30:38 Scaling and Hiring
33:21 Culture of Help
33:59 Hiring for Scale
35:07 Fixing Hiring Bias
37:04 Becoming Public Spokesperson
39:44 Stories Backed by Data
41:17 Crisis Comms on YouTube
45:14 Select Committees Pressure
46:54 Leadership Lessons Learned
48:37 Big Tech Backlash
51:06 Next Chapter Purpose
52:39 Resilience and Energy
55:09 Why This Podcast
01:01:57 Making Podcasts Work
01:06:55 Rapid Fire Wrap
01:11:32 Closing and Thanks

Follow Matt and Hayaatun below 👇
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayaatun/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-brittin-cbe-5aa6391/

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Post Producer: Ben Alexander Kippen
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</itunes:summary>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>Welcome to What We Don't Know with Matt Brittin &amp; Hayaatun Sillem. 

The show about better leadership in a truly chaotic world. 

Across the series, episodes are hosted by Matt and Hayaatun as well as a range of other leading figures, bringing different perspectives to each conversation.

Subscribe to not miss an episode! ▶️

⚡️ Powered by Boxlight.io 
https://www.boxlight.io/

Today we meet our co-host, Matt Brittin!

After 18 years at Google - including a decade running Europe, the Middle East and Africa — Matt Brittin has stepped away from one of the most powerful roles in global tech.

In this first episode of What We Don’t Know, hosts Hayaatun Sillem and Matt turn the lens inward - unpacking what happens when high-performance leadership stops, and what comes next.

Matt opens up about his “midlife gap year,” life after intensity, and learning to be present again following the loss of his father. From a disruptive childhood to rowing for Great Britain — and a very public defeat in the Cambridge Boat Race — he reflects on the moments that shaped how he builds teams and leads under pressure.

They also go deep on what really drove Google’s success: hiring at scale, building diverse teams, setting ruthless clarity of priorities, and the simple principle - put the best people on the most important problems, then get out of the way.

Plus: navigating public scrutiny on tax, YouTube extremism, and what leadership looks like when you have to say “we got this wrong” — and fix it.

This is a conversation about leadership after the job title — and why the most important lessons often come from what we don’t know.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:33 What We Don’t Know
02:14 Meet Matt Today
02:40 Midlife Gap Year
04:52 Family Time and AI
07:29 What He Misses
09:02 Pottery and Reset
10:28 Growing Up Britain
12:05 Bored at School
13:22 Rowing Changes Everything
15:13 Teamwork Lessons
19:02 Failure and Turnaround
23:52 From Sport to Business
27:32 Why Google Won
28:57 Day One at Google
30:38 Scaling and Hiring
33:21 Culture of Help
33:59 Hiring for Scale
35:07 Fixing Hiring Bias
37:04 Becoming Public Spokesperson
39:44 Stories Backed by Data
41:17 Crisis Comms on YouTube
45:14 Select Committees Pressure
46:54 Leadership Lessons Learned
48:37 Big Tech Backlash
51:06 Next Chapter Purpose
52:39 Resilience and Energy
55:09 Why This Podcast
01:01:57 Making Podcasts Work
01:06:55 Rapid Fire Wrap
01:11:32 Closing and Thanks

Follow Matt and Hayaatun below 👇
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayaatun/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-brittin-cbe-5aa6391/

Credits:
Producer: Sunny Winter
Producer: Thuy Dong
Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Post Producer: Ben Alexander Kippen</p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p>]]>
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      <title>Trailer: What We Don't Know</title>
      <description>In a world that feels increasingly chaotic and uncertain, what does leadership really look like - and what do even the most experienced leaders still not know?

Hosted by Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE and Matt Brittin, What We Don’t Know explores the realities of leadership today. Having both recently stepped down from major roles, they reflect on their own experiences while speaking with extraordinary guests from business, politics, technology and beyond.

Together, they unpack the moments that shape leaders: crises, difficult decisions, unexpected lessons, and the questions that don’t always have easy answers.

From negotiating with world leaders to navigating corporate chaos (and even finding lessons in nature), this podcast explores the human side of leadership - what works, what doesn’t, and what we’re all still figuring out.

Follow the show and join the conversation as we explore the biggest question of all: what don’t we know about leadership yet?

Credits

Production Company: Boxlight Creative Studio
Hosts: Matt Brittin CBE and Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE
Executive Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Lead Producer: Sunny Winter
Junior Producer: Thuy Dong
Editor: Ben Alexander Kippen
Guest Booker &amp; Operations: Vicki Gostling
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:26:00 -0000</pubDate>
      <itunes:episodeType>trailer</itunes:episodeType>
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      <itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
      <itunes:summary>In a world that feels increasingly chaotic and uncertain, what does leadership really look like - and what do even the most experienced leaders still not know?

Hosted by Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE and Matt Brittin, What We Don’t Know explores the realities of leadership today. Having both recently stepped down from major roles, they reflect on their own experiences while speaking with extraordinary guests from business, politics, technology and beyond.

Together, they unpack the moments that shape leaders: crises, difficult decisions, unexpected lessons, and the questions that don’t always have easy answers.

From negotiating with world leaders to navigating corporate chaos (and even finding lessons in nature), this podcast explores the human side of leadership - what works, what doesn’t, and what we’re all still figuring out.

Follow the show and join the conversation as we explore the biggest question of all: what don’t we know about leadership yet?

Credits

Production Company: Boxlight Creative Studio
Hosts: Matt Brittin CBE and Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE
Executive Producer: Jimmy McLoughlin OBE
Lead Producer: Sunny Winter
Junior Producer: Thuy Dong
Editor: Ben Alexander Kippen
Guest Booker &amp; Operations: Vicki Gostling
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices</itunes:summary>
      <content:encoded>
        <![CDATA[<p>In a world that feels increasingly chaotic and uncertain, what does leadership really look like - and what do even the most experienced leaders still not know?</p>
<p>Hosted by <strong>Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE</strong> and <strong>Matt Brittin</strong>, <em>What We Don’t Know</em> explores the realities of leadership today. Having both recently stepped down from major roles, they reflect on their own experiences while speaking with extraordinary guests from business, politics, technology and beyond.</p>
<p>Together, they unpack the moments that shape leaders: crises, difficult decisions, unexpected lessons, and the questions that don’t always have easy answers.</p>
<p>From negotiating with world leaders to navigating corporate chaos (and even finding lessons in nature), this podcast explores the human side of leadership - what works, what doesn’t, and what we’re all still figuring out.</p>
<p>Follow the show and join the conversation as we explore the biggest question of all: <strong>what don’t we know about leadership yet?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Credits</strong></p>
<p>Production Company: <strong>Boxlight Creative Studio</strong>
Hosts: <strong>Matt Brittin CBE</strong> and <strong>Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE</strong>
Executive Producer: <strong>Jimmy McLoughlin OBE</strong>
Lead Producer: <strong>Sunny Winter</strong>
Junior Producer: <strong>Thuy Dong</strong>
Editor: <strong>Ben Alexander Kippen</strong>
Guest Booker &amp; Operations: <strong>Vicki Gostling</strong></p><p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p>]]>
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      <itunes:duration>126</itunes:duration>
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