340: Conscious Leadership in Action

What does it take to lead with both empathy and impact in today’s fast-moving retail environment? In this episode, we're joined by Tracey Clements—an experienced and values-driven leader who has held senior roles at Tesco, One Stop, Boots, and BP, and who also wrote the foreword to Oliver's book, Driving Retail Transformation. Listen as Tracey explores the concept of conscious leadership - what it means, why it matters, and how to bring it to life under real-world pressure. From balancing personal values with corporate culture, to developing "empathy with edge," Tracey shares a thoughtful, practical perspective on leadership that’s grounded in both self-awareness and commercial acumen.

Listen to this episode to discover:

• What it means to lead consciously—and how to stay true to your values in high-pressure environments.
• Why empathy is a critical transformation skill—and how to apply it to communication, conflict, and change.
• The concept of “empathy with edge”—how to balance compassion with clarity and challenge.
• How to evolve your leadership style over time through reflection, feedback, and influence.

The show notes are at www.obandco.uk/340.