Messy with Daniel Atlin
Episodes
Leadership is bringing people along... through empathy, integrity, and curiosity | Mary Anne Chambers
29 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
And meeting them where they're at. In this episode of Messy, Daniel Atlin sits down with Mary Anne Chambers, former Ontario cabinet minister, bankin...
What others see as messes, some see opportunities | David Agnew
15 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don't be afraid to try something new. What does it take to lead in systems that are complex, constrained, and constantly changing? Daniel Atlin sits...
Putting the Mouth Back into the Body Politic | Sara Hurley
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Public Service = Designing Fairness at Scale. In this episode of Messy, Daniel Atlin is joined by Sara Hurley, former Chief Dental Officer for Englan...
Is the University Model Broken? | Tim Blackman
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Rethinking higher education — and finding your purpose. What if the real problem with higher education isn’t funding, technology, or rankings, bu...
Making Sense of Making Sense | Why the mess matters
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is different. There’s no guest. It’s just me, Daniel Atlin, answering the question I ask every leader who comes on Messy: to riff of...
Should you Collaborate with the Enemy? | Adam Kahane
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you're not part of the problem, you can't be part of the solution. In this episode of Messy, Daniel Atlin sits down with global facilitator and sy...
Between the Dance Floor and the Balcony | Iain Martin
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Leading across Australia, the UK, and New Zealand. What does it mean to lead a university when trust in public institutions is eroding and the rules ...
Structured Chaos in a Messy System | John Yip
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A little playbook, a little Picasso. Healthcare is often treated as a hospital story, until you need care at home. In this episode of Messy, I am j...
Universities at the Boundary | Meric Gertler
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Sensemaking and Placemaking. In June 2025, Meric Gertler completed a 12-year term as President of the University of Toronto. I had the privilege a...
Why global health needs collective leadership | Heather Anderson and David Kamau
08 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Lasting impact happens inside people and adaptation is the critical skill. “That trusted network of peers is what keeps leaders standing when the w...
Leading like a jazz conductor, not a classical maestro | Mark Walton
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hospitals are messy, complex, adaptive systems. In this episode, I speak with Mark Walton, President and CEO of Guelph General Hospital. Together, w...
Reputation, purpose, and the mess of leadership | Tania Rhodes-Taylor
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Stewardship in an Age of Noise. Executive Director of Communications “When leadership goes wrong is when people cling to the baton — and you hav...
Changing the narrative - regreening a community | Lynn Wells
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Leading through renewal and reinvention. What does it take to lead after an institutional trauma and how to do this work without making it about you?...
A foot in two different worlds | Daniel Sharaiha
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Balancing heart and mind. This “Messy” conversation is a bit of a departure from previous episodes as I talk to a bank executive in the Middle Ea...
Lead with purpose, not position | Dr Diana Beech
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Navigating the mess to find opportunities. In a messy world, leadership doesn’t come with a roadmap — it comes with questions, courage, and relen...
Leading Through Healing | Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Know yourself: surrender to the mess. What does it really mean to lead with authenticity? And how does healing your own wounds shape the way you show...
Tap into an outsider mindset | Tim McTiernan
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Your identity is your superpower. Tim McTiernan is Irish-Canadian and has extensive experience in social purpose organisations from governments (Onta...
No Risk, No Reward - Innovators Needed | Sheldon Levy
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Don't just shape the future - invent it! Sheldon Levy is one of the most recognisable names in Canadian Post-Secondary having worked in senior leader...
Powered by Passion and Purpose | Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's all about the students and pedagogy. Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes makes sense of her journey in higher education leadership, her insights on org...
The doctor will see you now | Dr. Vivek Goel on Leadership and AI
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for a conversation with Dr. Vivek Goel, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Waterloo as he takes us on a journey through his di...
Welcome to Messy - Making Sense of Leadership
08 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder if leaders really matter in complex organizations? I’m Daniel Atlin, an executive coach with over 30 years steering Canada’s univers...