In the season finale of Dare to Be Different, I look back at the best moments from 2024 - a collection of powerful stories, raw truths, and deep transformations from the men who joined me this year.

Matty Peet
Matty shares his experience leading Wigan Warriors, redefining leadership, and balancing the demands of professional coaching with authenticity and self-awareness.

Andrew Jenkins
Andrew reflects on completing The Big Trek—1,200km across four nations—raising awareness for brain injury while sharing his powerful story of recovery, grit, and determination.

Martin Bone
Martin takes us through his personal journey of loss and healing, exploring how breathwork and movement helped him reconnect with purpose and clarity.

Rhys Thomas
Rhys shares his life-altering experience of a heart attack at 29, reflecting on how it transformed his outlook on health, life, and leadership.

Stevie Ward
Stevie talks openly about transitioning out of professional rugby due to injury, grappling with identity, and finding meaning beyond the sport.

Antonio Vizintin
Antonio shares the extraordinary story of surviving the 1972 Andes plane crash—facing unthinkable decisions and how that shaped his perspective on life, survival, and resilience.

Sean Long
Sean opens up about his struggles with mental health, addiction, and rebuilding his life, offering a raw, honest account of transformation.

Piers Cross
Piers explores how childhood trauma—particularly boarding school experiences—impacts leaders’ ability to connect, empathise, and lead authentically.

Keith Witt
Keith dives deep into relationships, emotional intelligence, and the importance of cultivating awareness to unlock our potential.

Robert Masters
Robert discusses the power of shadow work, emotional intimacy, and embracing all parts of ourselves to achieve true transformation.

Liam Hennessy
Liam shares wisdom on balance, physical health, and longevity, reminding us that sustainable leadership begins with our own well-being.

Chris Brown
Chris reflects on his journey with mental health and resilience, unpacking the tools that helped him face personal and professional challenges.

Pat Divilly
Pat talks about emotional vulnerability, self-connection, and his journey to help men create deeper, more meaningful lives.

Traver Boehm
Traver dives into the importance of brotherhood, the power of connection, and why men need other men to thrive in today’s world.

In this episode of Dare to Be Different, I sit down with Piers Cross - author, filmmaker, and leadership coach specialising in trauma and peak performance.

Together, we explore a question that cuts to the heart of leadership today: Are our leaders carrying unresolved trauma, and how does it impact their ability to lead?

Piers shares powerful insights into the emotional wounds many leaders carry, particularly those shaped by environments like boarding schools. This conversation dives deep into how unhealed trauma manifests in leadership, from disconnection to unhealthy power dynamics, and offers tools for cultivating authentic leadership through self-awareness and healing.

This isn’t just a discussion about leaders in boardrooms, it’s about all of us stepping into leadership roles in our own lives, workplaces, and families.

The Hidden Trauma of Leaders

• How childhood experiences, especially in boarding schools, create emotional patterns that carry into adulthood.
• Why unresolved trauma leads to disconnection, poor decision-making, and struggles with vulnerability.

The Importance of Vulnerability

• Redefining vulnerability as strength in leadership and how it fosters deeper connection and trust.
• Piers explains how leaders can embrace vulnerability to improve relationships at work and home.

Breaking the Cycle of Trauma

• Understanding the link between trauma, self-awareness, and authentic leadership.
• Piers shares practices to help leaders identify and heal emotional wounds that hinder their potential.

The Role of Self-Reflection

• How leaders can pause, reflect, and move beyond their past to redefine their purpose and impact.
• Tools for developing emotional intelligence and creating a leadership style rooted in authenticity.

Practical Advice for Evolving as a Leader

• Strategies for building emotional resilience and fostering meaningful connections.
• Why joining men’s circles, seeking therapy, or engaging in reflective practices can lead to profound growth.

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In this episode, I sit down with Traver Boehm, author, speaker, and founder of the Man Uncivilized movement. Traver’s work has been a beacon for men seeking to reclaim their authentic selves in a world that often stifles true masculinity.

Together, we explore why men need men—why male connection and community are essential not just for personal growth but for creating a life of purpose, power, and connection. From redefining vulnerability to tackling shame and isolation head-on, this episode is a raw, honest, and impactful conversation for anyone ready to step into their full potential.

Show Notes

The Importance of Male Connection

• Traver explains why men thrive in environments of brotherhood and shared purpose.
• The risks of isolation in modern life and how it impacts mental, emotional, and relational health.

Redefining Vulnerability

• Vulnerability is reframed as strength, not weakness, and a gateway to deeper relationships and personal growth.
• Traver shares stories of men who found transformation by embracing openness and honesty with others.

Understanding and Healing Shame

• A deep dive into the role shame plays in holding men back from their true power.
• Practical steps for identifying and overcoming shame through shared experiences and self-compassion.

The Role of Pain in Transformation

• Why pain is often the catalyst for growth and how to use it as a tool for self-discovery.
• Traver shares his personal journey of loss and how it propelled him to create the Man Uncivilized movement.

Men and Emotional Freedom

• Why men struggle with expressing emotions and the consequences of emotional repression.
• Tools and practices Traver uses to help men unlock emotional freedom and live more balanced lives.

The Power of Brotherhood

• Real-life examples of how a strong male community can provide accountability, growth, and support.
• Traver discusses why men need other men to challenge them, hold space, and celebrate their wins.

Practical Steps for Men Ready to Transform

• How to build meaningful connections with other men.
• Simple practices to integrate emotional awareness and authentic leadership into daily life.

Subscribe to the Dare to Be Different podcast on your favorite platform for more transformative conversations. If this episode resonates with you, don’t forget to leave a review.