Leadership Journeys [174] - James Burstall - "Being real and authentic is an essential part of being a leader."

Choosing Leadership with Sumit Gupta

This is the Leadership Journey series on the Choosing Leadership Podcast.

I believe we all have a lot to learn from each other's stories - of where we started, where we are now, and our successes and struggles on the way. With this series of interviews, my attempt is to give leaders an opportunity to share their stories and for all of us to learn from their generous sharing. If you know a leader whom you would like to see celebrated on the show, please send me a message on LinkedIn with their name.

Dive into an enlightening conversation with James Burstall, Chief Executive of a renowned production group, as he shares his journey from journalism to leading a thriving media empire.

With captivating anecdotes and candid reflections, James unveils the essence of true leadership, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and emotional intelligence in navigating today's ever-evolving business landscape.

Discover valuable lessons on fostering creativity, building resilient teams, and thriving amidst crises, as James offers practical insights drawn from his extensive experience.

Whether you're a seasoned leader or an aspiring entrepreneur, this interview promises to inspire, empower, and equip you with the tools to excel in your own leadership journey.

Tune in for a dose of wisdom, humor, and actionable advice from a visionary leader shaping the future of media and entertainment.

You can find James Burstall at the below links

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesburstall/
• https://jamesburstall.com/

In the interview, James shares

• "We are a truly diversified group producing content across all platforms from TikTok to IMAX and everything else in between."
• "I've always liked that kind of entrepreneurial, trying things out and also not having people breathing down my neck and telling me what I can and can't do."
• "Business is not a P and L. Business is a collective of people."
• "Use that as a lesson, what is there in that I need to learn? And in that particular lesson, I needed to learn that you've got to treat your clients, you've got to treat your people with respect, and then they will come back and work with you again."
• "We're living in a time of permacrisis. We are constantly facing these challenges. So we need to be flexible and nimble in our mindset."
• "Emotional intelligence for me is probably one of the most important skills that I have."
• "Being real and being authentic is an essential part of being a leader."
• "My company, Argonaut, will always be there for you. And you can tap in and you can use our expertise as people, our relationships, our skills in legal, commercial, business affairs, editing, PR, HR, we can provide all of those services as the handrail."
• "A lot of my job working with creative people is trying to marry between giving talent, talented people space to do their work and help them where I can to develop their ideas."
• "I wrote it to be a conversation. I wrote it to be purposeful. I wanted to put down in writing our experiences, not just from my group, but from leaders in various sectors who have battled their way through difficult times."