The Courageous Leaders Podcast Can You Be Kind and High-Performing as a Leader?
13 snips
Sep 25, 2025 
Peter Markey, former CMO for Boots, TSB and Aviva and current ISBA president, talks about leading with kindness, creativity and clarity. He shares how improv built bravery and team bonds. He describes risky creative wins, learning from failure, coaching others to lead, protecting energy with diverse outlets, and balancing kindness with tough, high‑performance expectations.
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Backing A Bonkers Creative Campaign
- Pete described choosing the risky 'More Than Freeman' campaign that used an impressionist sounding like Morgan Freeman after research favored it.
- He sold the idea to executives, navigated legal and production complexity, and later met Morgan Freeman who praised the brand alignment.
Commit Fully To One Creative Route
- When you back one creative route, accept the sleepless nights and logistical risks and surround yourself with great people to push through.
- Believe in the work, track details, and commit to overcoming barriers during execution.
Legacy Is People, Not Awards
- Pete hires and mentors because leaders who believed in him shaped his career; legacy is the people you help, not trophies.
- He prioritizes impact on others over personal accolades when measuring success.