Series 3 of our podcast Leading Edge is here!
The series will once again feature an interesting lineup of Henley Business School experts with a new episode published weekly throughout the autumn of 2021.
Sharon Varney, Director of The Henley Forum talks to Leading Edge’s host Thomas Mason about our complex and ever-changing reality.
In this episode, Sharon discusses the impact of business volatility and uncertainty on leaders and how they might address the challenges. Amplified by the pandemic, the future effects of decisions made, and actions taken in the here and now, are unknowable.
Listen to Sharon’s episode to hear her discuss these topics:
- How to engage with change rather than attempting to manage it
- Being at the leading edge of the here and now, with an eye to what is emerging
- You can’t keep up, so slow down, understand, and choose what to do

“…there’s too much going on to ever take it all in, and things are so connected that we can never safely leave anything out of the picture”
What will Sharon keep and stop doing in the ‘new normal’?
• Continue: connecting internationally for a quick ‘virtual coffee’ (especially if there’s cake!)
• Stop: having no gaps between meetings and start building in reflection time.

Sharon Varney
Sharon is Director in Practice for The Henley Forum. She also teachers the ‘Leadership of complexity and change’ module on the Henley MA Leadership. Sharon developed her leadership and change expertise working internationally as a senior manager in large organisations. Her research takes a ‘complexity science’ perspective on organisational change and its leadership.
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