12: Why Your Employees Don’t Respect You & How To Be A Good Manager - Heather Elkington

No one teaches you how to be a great leader, but getting it wrong can make or break your career. Today, I’m sitting down with Heather Elkington, the Gen Z leadership coach who’s helped thousands step up with confidence. Heather started as a young manager at Harrods, struggling with imposter syndrome, tough feedback, and impossible workloads. Now she’s trained leaders at American Express, Abercrombie & Fitch, and FTSE100 companies and she’s here to share what actually works. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or unsure as a leader, this episode is for you. Chapters:  0:00 Introduction  3:00 The worst type of leader  5:00 How to give bad feedback 8:30 Why you need to stop being nice 15:00 Heather's love for work 17:00 working at Harrods 22:00 Building Her Business  44:00 Why you need core values  51:00 What does a great manager actually do  58:00 Heather First Business inspiration  1:03:00 Dark side of entrepreneurship  1:07:00 How to conduct a 1-to-1s  1:10:00 How to set boundaries  1:12:00 What is the biggest mistake managers make  1:22:00 What is the mission of the business 1:30:00 What's next for Heather  Follow Chris: https://www.instagram.com/chrisdonnellyofficial/?hl=en Follow Heather: https://www.instagram.com/leadershipheather/?hl=en

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A few years ago, I was just like many of you, figuring out the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, facing setbacks, and chasing breakthroughs. By 25, I had built and sold a leading digital marketing agency. By 30, I was co-founding Lottie, a health tech company transforming care solutions, and growing into one of the UK’s fastest-rising business creators. But along the way, I noticed something: the world is changing, yet most of us are still stuck playing by outdated rules. That’s why I launched Wake Up, a podcast for people who are ready to rewrite the playbook. It’s not just about hearing incredible stories, it’s about taking those stories and turning them into real, actionable steps. Each week, I sit down with some of the most inspiring leaders, creators, and innovators to uncover their strategies, struggles, and unfiltered truths. Wake Up isn’t here to inspire you for a moment, it’s here to empower you for a lifetime. Together, we’ll rethink the way we work, lead, and succeed in a world that demands new ideas. Thank you for joining the movement. Let’s wake up to what’s possible and create something extraordinary.