Speech Bubbles with Charlotte Otter

Leadership Stems from Being not Doing with Tanmay Vora

Making the case for leadership as a practice, not a performance. In this episode, Charlotte Otter talks to Tanmay Vora about leadership, visual storytelling, non-linear careers, and what it really takes to build a meaningful reputation. Tanmay is a founder, visual leadership facilitator, TEDx speaker, author, blogger, and former software executive who has spent more than 25 years helping people and organisations make sense of complexity. Tanmay’s believes that brevity is a gift. He shares how blogging and Twitter’s old 140-character limit taught him to sharpen his thinking, communicate clearly, and distil complex ideas into something people can actually absorb. That discipline eventually led him into visual storytelling, sketch notes, and illustrating bestselling books, including titles by Tiffany Bova. Charlotte and Tanmay explore the power of discipline over motivation, and why showing up consistently matters more than waiting to feel inspired. They also talk about non-linear careers and why purpose should be seen not as a prison, but as a playground. Tanmay’s metaphor of human beings as diamonds with multiple facets rather than coins with two sides is one of the standout ideas in this episode, especially in a world where work and careers are changing fast. The conversation also goes deep on modern leadership. Tanmay makes the case for leadership as a practice, not a performance. Instead of command-and-control, he argues for grace, decency, curiosity, inclusion, and wayfinding together. His line that leadership stems from your being, not your doing is one of the most powerful moments in the episode. Charlotte and Tanmay also discuss personal reputation, how to build trust by working out loud, and why real influence is a byproduct of character, generosity, and consistency. If you care about leadership communication, personal brand, visual thinking, career development, or changing outdated leadership archetypes, this episode is full of insight. It’s thoughtful, practical, and deeply human. In this episode, you’ll hear about: * Visual storytelling and why it matters in a distracted world * Why discipline beats motivation * Non-linear careers and tiny experiments * Leadership as grace, not performance * Reputation, trust, and working out loud Follow Tanmay on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tnvora/] · Tanmay's work [https://tanmayvora.com/] · Tanmay's books [https://tanmayvora.com/books/] · · Follow Charlotte on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotteeliseotter/] · Subscribe to Speech Bubbles the newsletter [https://otterc.substack.com/] · Link to buy We Need New Leaders [https://www.charlotteotter.com/leaders]

Crossing Borders with Kave Bulambo

Building leadership across borders, systems, and cultures. In this episode, Charlotte Otter speaks with Kave Bulambo: founder, TEDx speaker, talent expert, and cultural transformation advocate. Kave is the force behind BlackInTech Berlin, the first community of people of African descent in tech in Germany, and the founder of Talent Diverse, which connects diverse talent with inclusive organisations. Born in Congo, raised in Durban, South Africa, and now based in Berlin, Kave brings a rich and deeply human perspective to leadership, diversity, and work. She shares how crossing borders geographically, socially, and professionally shaped her ability to connect with people from all walks of life and gave her the confidence to become a natural bridge builder. Together, Charlotte and Kave explore one of the biggest myths in the diversity conversation: that Europe lacks underrepresented talent. Kave argues the real problem is not talent, but systems. Too many organisations still lack the structures, promotion pathways, and inclusive hiring practices needed to bring diverse talent in and help it thrive once inside. This is a warm, thoughtful conversation about leadership, inclusion, personal branding, community building, and changing the old archetype of who gets to lead. In this episode, you’ll hear: * Why underrepresented talent is being failed by systems, not ambition * What inclusive organisations do differently * How to think about personal branding and reputation with integrity * Why leadership often begins before anyone officially gives you the title This episode is for anyone interested in leadership, diversity, inclusion, reputation, women in tech, underrepresented talent, career growth, and building a more human future of work. Follow Kave on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kave-bulambo-she-her-a090bb32/] · BlackInTech Berlin [https://www.blackintechberlin.com/] · Check out the Emerging Women Leaders Conference [https://emergingwomenleadersconference.eu/] · · Follow Charlotte on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotteeliseotter/] · Subscribe to Speech Bubbles the newsletter [https://otterc.substack.com/] · Link to buy We Need New Leaders [https://www.charlotteotter.com/leaders]

Fixing Credibility with Debbie Jenkins

(And using AI to write your book won't help) In this episode of Speech Bubbles, host Charlotte Otter is joined by Debbie Jenkins - founder, publisher, author, marketing strategist, Stevie Award winner, and self-described horse tickler and wine enthusiast. Jenkins has written 18 books under her own name (plus ghostwritten others) and has been mentoring authors since 2004. Her company Intellectual Perspective Press is one of many businesses she runs. Debbie's central message around AI and publishing is clear: Faster isn’t better, it’s just faster. Charlotte and Debbie explore what AI is doing to publishing, leadership, and credibility and why the biggest risk isn’t speed, but reputation. Debbie says that when authors outsource their words to AI, they risk creating work they can’t defend over time. If someone can’t stand behind what they publish in 10 years, they may be building a trust liability rather than a lasting asset. The conversation also celebrates the messy creative process: nonlinear thinking, detours, doubt, and effort. She describes this as ideas being forged in fire - where the struggle is not a bug, but the source of authenticity, depth, and value. Debbie shares insights from her award-winning book Stop the Credibility Crisis, which introduces a practical framework: credibility sits at the intersection of trust and desirability. In a world where AI can fake both, she encourages genuine experts and leaders to take control of their trust and desirability clues. To get better leaders, we must become better followers, says Debbie. The onus is on us to be more discerning about who we elevate in an age of manufactured personas. Follow Debbie on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/debsjenkins/] · More about Debbie [https://debbiejenkins.com] · Find Debbie's books [https://shortvaluablebooks.com/] · · Follow Charlotte on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotteeliseotter/] · Subscribe to Speech Bubbles the newsletter [https://otterc.substack.com/] · Link to buy We Need New Leaders [https://www.charlotteotter.com/leaders]

Don't Be a Hero with Michael Gerharz

From computer scientist to communications advisor. In this episode of Speech Bubbles, Charlotte Otter talks with Dr. Michael Gerharz — author, speaker, podcaster, and former computer scientist — about why brilliant ideas so often fail for one painfully simple reason: people don’t find the right words. Michael shares his journey from the world of code (during the mobile phone revolution) into the world of communication, after watching smart teams get stuck, not because the problems were too complex, but because the language was. He explains why simplicity isn’t the enemy of complexity — it’s the doorway in. When you make something feel clear and personally relevant, you don’t have to persuade. People move. Together, Charlotte and Michael explore: * Why clarity creates progress — and confusion quietly kills momentum * How simple language can actually reveal deeper strategic truth (and expose the flaws fast) * Michael’s framework for communication that drives action * Why strategy launches fade within months — and what to do instead * A more modern leadership model: step off the hero pedestal, ask better questions, and tap into collective brilliance There’s also a brilliant detour into Michael’s unexpectedly non-linear creative life — from daily blogging discipline, to writing in English as a second language, to toy licensing and a children’s book success story (The Grumble Troll), all tied together by the same thread: making ideas land with both logic and emotion. Michael closes with three clear tips for emerging leaders: stop trying to be the smartest person in the room, don’t confuse leadership with having all the answers, and choose plain, simple language over grand statements — every time. If you care about leadership, strategy, and communication that actually changes behaviour, this conversation will land with you. Follow Michael on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgerharz/] · Sign up for Michael's newsletter [https://michaelgerharz.com/newsletter] · Check out Michael's website [https://michaelgerharz.com/] · · Follow Charlotte on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotteeliseotter/] · Subscribe to Speech Bubbles the newsletter [https://otterc.substack.com/] · Link to buy We Need New Leaders [https://www.charlotteotter.com/leaders]

Your Difference is an Asset with Barbara Salopek

Diversity delivers value. In this episode of Speech Bubbles, Charlotte Otter talks to Barbara Salopek - Founder & CEO of Vinco Innovation, TEDx speaker, lecturer at BI Norwegian Business School, board member, and author of Future Fit Innovation - to unpack a powerful leadership truth: the very things that make you different can become your biggest advantage. Barbara, Croatian-born and Norway-based, challenges the modern obsession with innovation shortcuts. She argues that real, sustainable innovation isn’t delivered by a single workshop or the latest fashionable framework. It’s built by doing the deeper work: understanding individuals, how they form teams, and how teams operate inside organisations shaped by technology, markets, and society. Her three-level lens makes innovation feel less like hype and more like a capability leaders can intentionally grow. A standout theme is the link between diversity and psychological safety. Barbara makes the case that diversity can’t deliver value if people don’t feel safe enough to speak. When the loudest voices dominate and everyone else goes quiet, organisations end up with echo chambers, weak decisions, and missed customer insight. Her memorable analogy lands the point: we don’t expect everyone to wear the same shoe size - so why would we design one-size-fits-all products, solutions, or cultures? The conversation also explores Barbara’s leadership journey: learning under pressure early in her career, developing a practical, action-oriented style, and navigating cultural differences between direct Croatian communication and more conflict-avoidant Norwegian norms. Barbara shares what it took to write Future Fit Innovation alongside full-time work - including reviewing 50–60 scientific articles - and why she ultimately enjoyed the process more than she expected. Follow Barbara on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-salopek/] · Buy Barbara's book [https://barbarasalopek.com/book/] · Barbara and her work [https://barbarasalopek.com/] · · Follow Charlotte on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotteeliseotter/] · Subscribe to Speech Bubbles the newsletter [https://otterc.substack.com/] · Link to buy We Need New Leaders [https://www.charlotteotter.com/leaders]