No More Excuses: The Responsible Leadership Wake-Up Call

In this episode of Change Loves Company, host Dominique sits down with Anna Sheppard, founder of Bambuddha Group, to unpack why kindness isn't just a soft skill, it's a leadership power move that delivers real results twice as fast. From Anna's bold vision for Responsible Leadership 2035 to the magic of storytelling (which boosts retention 22x over dry facts), they explore accountable workplaces, psychological safety, and how neurodiversity and non-binary authenticity bring fresh problem-solving to the table.

They dive into practical shifts (like truly listening over a cuppa to spark trust) while debunking bully-boy myths and celebrating ripples of empathy that benefit people, planet, and profits. Thoughtful, warm, and genuinely uplifting, this episode reveals how small acts of humanity can reshape leadership for a kinder, more connected future.

Transcript

Dominique

Welcome to the Change Loves Company podcast, where I sit down with creatives, fundraisers, social entrepreneurs, artists and activists — all with one thing in common. They’re changing the world for the better through their work.

I'd like to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land I'm recording on today, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging. Always was, always will be.

Anna Sheppard is a social entrepreneur, producer and impact expert dedicated to building a sustainable world of equality and opportunity for everyone. As Founder and CEO of the multi award-winning Bambuddha Group, Anna leads initiatives in leadership, coaching, training and advisory to drive a global shift towards responsible leadership by 2035.

Through Bambuddha Studios, Anna extends this vision by producing purpose-driven media and storytelling that inspires action and social change. She’s been recognised among APAC’s top leadership companies and top LinkedIn influencers, and she champions kindness as a catalyst for systemic change.

Anna and I did a deep dive into responsible leadership and why her go-to power move will always be kindness.

Anna Sheppard, it is an absolute delight to welcome you to Change Loves Company. Welcome to the studio.

Anna Sheppard

Thank you Dominique. It’s very nice to be here.

Dominique

Of course, this is kind of your studio — the Bambuddha Studios — so it’s like we’re just sitting in your house on the couch.

Anna Sheppard

It’s actually identical to my house. I have giant green lamps and lights pointing in my eyes in every direction. No, I don’t really, but I do have a lot of lamps and plants.

Dominique

Oh nice.

Anna Sheppard

Oh yeah.

Dominique

I’m not allowed to have lamps and plants, but that’s another story for another day.

So your shtick for many years has been kindness. When did you realise that kindness could be a power move?

Anna Sheppard

I think over the years, recognising and observing many different types of leadership styles, it became clear that kindness — when done intentionally over long periods of time — actually creates incredible outcomes.

It delivers results faster, creates huge engagement, reduces stress and ultimately has the ROI to prove it across many different environments — organisations, politics, workplaces, and in how we connect with others.

For me, it started with noticing a lack of kindness in leadership. I was bullied in a workplace, which pushed me to think about different solutions.

At the same time, I worked a lot in corporate partnerships with charities. I would see people light up when they were engaged in philanthropy and impact work — they were passionate and energised.

But when they went back to work, they would turn into grey sludge. You could literally feel the shift.

That made me wonder: why can’t people feel excited about work all the time?

About fifteen years ago, when I started looking at what existed in leadership development, there really wasn’t much encouraging leaders to be empathetic or human-centred.

Now everyone seems to be talking about kindness, but when we started it certainly wasn’t mainstream.

Dominique

Not everyone yet, but we’re definitely getting there.

It’s a delicious irony because kindness was once seen as a soft skill — something the girls brought to the table — but it wasn’t taken seriously in business.

You’ve evolved that idea into something you now call responsible leadership. Before Bambuddha made that concept more visible, was there ever a time where you had to fake being a responsible leader?

Anna Sheppard

Yes — many times.

There are lots of environments where you have to show up in situations that feel out of alignment with how you want to operate. It might be because of policies, culture or processes that already exist.

A good example is redundancies. How do kindness and responsible leadership show up in those moments?

Earlier in my career, I thought responsible leadership meant having a perfect plan, colour-coded strategies and accountability frameworks.

But through research and working with brilliant minds in this field, we’ve learned that responsible leadership is really about accountability. It’s understanding the ripple effect of your actions and how your leadership decisions impact others.

It’s about creating positive outcomes for teams, organisations, communities and the environment in ways that are measurable and sustainable.

Originally we used the language of kindness, but some leaders struggled to understand how kindness fits into business.

So we evolved the framework to focus on impact and responsible leadership — powered by kindness.

Dominique

You also have a big hairy audacious goal called Responsible Leadership 2035. Tell me about that.

Anna Sheppard

By 2035 we want to catalyse a global shift toward responsible leadership.

And honestly, you only have to look at the world to understand why that matters.

We’ve got the UN Sustainable Development Goals running until 2030, and beyond that we need new ways to move forward.

Ten years is a long time — think about everything that has changed in the past decade.

Through the Bambuddha Impact Index and a growing learning ecosystem, we want to give leaders everywhere the tools and literacy to lead more responsibly.

The evidence is stronger than ever that responsible leadership benefits individuals, organisations, communities and the planet.

We need a more humane way forward.

Dominique

You’ve said Bambuddha is more than a business — it’s a movement. Is that what it takes to make a shift like this?

Anna Sheppard

Yes, but not in a cult-like way.

We realised we were building a movement when organisations stopped asking us to come in and run programs. Instead they asked:

“How do we recreate the Bambuddha vibe in our organisation?”

And our response is always that your culture must reflect who you are authentically.

Responsible leadership is about understanding your impact and influence, reducing harm, and improving outcomes for everyone around you.

The movement is simply leaders committing to operate more responsibly in the next chapter of business.

Dominique

So what does a kind organisation actually look like in practice?

Anna Sheppard

A kind organisation is an accountable organisation.

It understands the impact it has on all its stakeholders.

Where does it invest money?
Who is in the supply chain?
Is the workforce reflective of the communities it serves?
Is pay equitable?
Are opportunities fair?

It’s about authenticity and accountability.

If organisations don’t take responsibility, stakeholders will eventually hold them accountable anyway.

Kind organisations create psychologically safe environments where people can thrive, be productive and build profitable businesses that also benefit people and the planet.

Dominique

That sounds amazing.

You’ve described yourself as neurodiverse, non-binary and a social entrepreneur.

What do those identities bring to your work?

Anna Sheppard

They’re separate things but deeply connected.

Being neurodivergent means I often see the world in a fluid way. Labels like autism or ADHD help communicate our needs, but the reality is that in supportive environments neurodivergent people bring alternative perspectives that help solve complex problems.

We’re not new — we’ve always existed.

In tribal societies, neurodivergent individuals may have been the ones sensing changes in the environment or noticing patterns others didn’t.

But today many systems — education systems, workplaces — weren’t designed with neurodivergent minds in mind.

As for being non-binary, that was something I came to understand more recently as I explored who I truly am.

I realised I don’t feel fully aligned with traditional gender boxes. I don’t feel solely masculine or feminine.

And there’s a myth that every non-binary person will get angry if you get pronouns wrong.

Most of us simply want people to try.

If someone gets it right occasionally, that can mean a lot.

We need spaces where people can learn and make mistakes without fear.

Because if I don’t feel safe, I’m not going to share my creativity, innovation or vulnerability.

Dominique

Where does storytelling fit into all of this?

Anna Sheppard

Storytelling is incredibly powerful.

At Bambuddha we work in leadership training and advisory. What we’ve learned is that facts and statistics alone don’t create connection.

Research shows people remember up to 22 times more when information is shared through stories.

When people hear a story, they see the humanity in another person and can relate to them.

Storytelling has existed since the beginning of humanity — sitting around the fire listening to elders.

We keep coming back to it again and again.

That’s why we invested in Bambuddha Studios — to create engaging learning experiences through authentic storytelling.

People don’t want boring training modules anymore.

They’re learning through fast-paced, visual storytelling everywhere online.

Leaders today face an overwhelming amount of complexity, and storytelling helps make learning meaningful.

Dominique

It’s interesting — when people talk about the climate crisis, they often focus on overwhelming statistics.

But stories about individuals affected by climate events often resonate much more.

Anna Sheppard

Exactly.

Sometimes communication about global issues becomes a “doom party.”

“Come to my doom party, drink some doom juice, and leave feeling terrible.”

That approach doesn’t motivate people.

There are actually many positive climate stories and innovations happening, but they’re often overshadowed by fear-based messaging.

When you combine storytelling with inclusive leadership — allowing people to share their authentic voices — you create a powerful learning legacy.

Dominique

How do you create ripple effects so that people who hear these stories take action?

Anna Sheppard

We’re always balancing choice and accountability.

People have many priorities, so they choose what feels urgent.

But if individuals understand the impact they can have, even small actions can create ripple effects.

Sometimes social entrepreneurs feel discouraged because they don’t see change immediately.

But change isn’t about personal recognition — it’s about the ripple effect you leave behind.

If everyone woke up tomorrow and made slightly kinder, more conscious decisions, we would be on a very different trajectory.

Dominique

Workplaces often seem to reward bad behaviour at the highest levels. How do we shift that?

Anna Sheppard

The truth is that everyone has the capacity for both good and harmful behaviour depending on the environment they’re in.

Many leaders were simply taught that ruthlessness and profit were the only priorities.

But the world is changing.

Investors, regulators and employees are all expecting organisations to minimise harm and create psychologically safe workplaces.

We’ve even seen legislation emerging around psychological risk at work.

So responsible leadership is becoming essential.

Dominique

Part of kindness must also involve being kind to yourself.

Anna Sheppard

Absolutely.

Mental health is still heavily stigmatised.

Many people struggle but feel unable to speak honestly about it.

From a young age we aren’t taught how to communicate our emotional realities.

That’s why I’m passionate about the next generation of leaders who are being raised with more regenerative and inclusive thinking.

Dominique

Before we wrap up, what’s one small act of kindness someone could bring back to their workplace today?

Anna Sheppard

Invite someone for a cup of tea — and actually listen.

Great ideas and trust come from spending time together in safe environments where people feel heard.

Dominique

Finally, what legacy do you hope to leave?

Anna Sheppard

Through Bambuddha Studios, I hope we can build the most authentic and meaningful learning archive the world has ever seen.

A place where real stories, real voices and real advice help leaders create a better future.

Dominique

Anna Sheppard, it has been wonderful speaking with you. Thank you for joining us on Change Loves Company.

Anna Sheppard

Thank you, Dominique. It’s been a pleasure, and I’m grateful for the work you do supporting the social impact community.