Ep. 098: Building Trust and Flexibility: Lucy Darch on Resilient Leadership

What does it take to lead in a high-pressure industry, without burning out your people or yourself?In this episode, I speak with Lucy Darch, CEO of Wave, a major UK water retailer, about how her leadership style evolved from fast-paced individual contributor to culture-focused CEO. With over 20 years in the utilities sector (including early years at Enron) Lucy shares how adaptability, empathy and trust became cornerstones of her leadership.In this episode, you’ll learn:How childhood influences shaped Lucy’s independence and driveWhat it takes to transition from autonomy to collaborative leadershipStrategies for navigating culture shifts and organizational changeHow to build a flexible, high-performing workplace that retains top talentBalancing executive demands with family and personal prioritiesKey themes:Resilience in high-stakes corporate environmentsThe shift from control to trust in leadershipEvolving leadership through personal and industry-wide changeRedesigning work cultures for sustainability and performanceLucy’s story is a practical blueprint for leaders navigating transformation - whether in utilities, startups or large organizations. Join us for an engaging discussion that will inspire you to reflect on your own leadership journey and consider new approaches to leading in today's dynamic business landscape.📣 If this conversation sparked ideas, hit like, leave a comment with your takeaway and subscribe for more real-world leadership insights from experienced executives.Connect with Lucy Darch: 🔗Connect with Lucy Darch on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-darch-71184413Write to Lucy Darch: [email protected] Lucy’s website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/waveutilities/Connect with me here:🎬YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andrewtallents 📲 X: https://x.com/andrewtallents📲 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewtallents🌐 Website: https://www.tallents-partnership.com/📖 Get my book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09NZRZH4J📰 Weekly Newsletter: https://bit.ly/selfcoaching-newsletter📞 Write me: [email protected] Moments:00:00:39 - Lucy's background and current role00:03:38 - Childhood experiences shaping leadership style00:09:20 - Early career and adapting to different corporate cultures00:17:45 - Navigating personal and professional challenges00:22:10 - Strategies for sustainable leadership and work-life integration00:26:25 - Embracing flexible work arrangements and their impact on productivity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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