What happens when the version of you that made you successful no longer feels like the person you want to be?

For my milestone 300th episode of Leading You, I’m joined by someone I’ve listened to and admired for years, Christian O’Connell.

Christian is an award-winning radio broadcaster who built an extraordinary career in the UK before moving his family to Australia at 45 and starting again. Within 15 months, his Melbourne breakfast show was number one. Today, he hosts Australia’s first national commercial breakfast show.

He’s also the author of his fifth book, Unscript: The Radical Act of Being Yourself.

But this conversation goes well beyond radio and career success.

Christian opens up about his midlife correction, the panic attacks that made him question the person he’d become, and what happened when he began letting go of the successful persona he’d spent years creating.

We also explore his evolution as a leader, the moment he realised he was contributing to problems within his own team, and why becoming a little less defended can transform how we connect with others.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why Christian calls midlife a correction rather than a crisis
• What happens when the identity that made you successful no longer fits
• How anxiety and starting again changed Christian’s perspective on success
• Why authenticity and vulnerability create stronger human connection
• The leadership lesson behind his decision to put his team first
• His inner dial technique for managing your emotional state
• The WAVES framework for more meaningful leadership conversations
• Why storytelling is one of the most valuable skills a leader can develop

Christian shares some wonderful insights about success, self-awareness, leadership and the importance of being yourself.

Because sometimes the very thing that helped you succeed is the thing you need to reconsider to move forward.

Timestamps

00:00 Vulnerability Hooks Us
00:22 Welcome and Episode 300
02:41 Why Unscript Now
06:29 Midlife Pressure and Potential
09:26 Work Priorities Shift
10:41 Killing the Radio Persona
13:19 Australia and Real Connection
16:25 Leading the Team First
20:46 Undefended at Work
25:23 Inner Dial and Thermostat
28:39 Dial Your Energy
29:32 Tell Stories With Feeling
30:54 Why Leaders Need WAVES
35:07 Wonder First
37:56 Attunement and Presence
40:01 Vulnerability Without Oversharing
43:41 Enjoyment as a Metric
46:12 Unscripted Consistency
49:38 Rob the Paramedic Story
52:50 Storytelling Edge and Farewell