Episode Description

In this episode, Julia Middleton is joined by Heather, an intuitive coach and animal communicator, who reminds us that leading is all around us, even in nature. Heather shares how animals instinctively understand leadership, offering valuable lessons on responsibility, presence, and accountability.

“Animals show us that leading isn’t just about taking charge, it’s about knowing when to step up, when to support, and when to follow,” says Heather.

Drawing from years of experience observing and communicating with animals, Heather explores how their interactions reveal deep insights into collaboration, trust, and adaptability. From the way herds protect their own to how animals hold each other accountable, this episode invites us to rethink leadership through the wisdom of the natural world.

Listen to this episode to discover how nature’s leaders can inspire new ways of thinking about leading.

About the Guests

About the Host

Julia Middleton

Julia Middleton is the host of the Women Emerging podcast and a best-selling author of “If that’s leading, I’m in” as well as two previous books: “Leading beyond Authority” and “Cultural Intelligence”. She is deeply committed to helping people from all backgrounds to find their own approach to leading.

In 2020, Julia launched Women Emerging and in 2022 she lead an expedition of 24 women to find ‘an approach to leading that resonates with women’. She now leads expeditions with women all over the world based on 4Es methodology, discovered in the first expedition.

Prior to that, Julia was founder and, for over thirty years, Chief Executive of Common Purpose, which grew to become one of the biggest leadership development organisations in the world.
Julia is also an Ambassador for the Aurora Prize based in Armenia, on the boards of Alfanar Venture Philanthropy in the Arab World and Equality Now, which operates globally, and on the Advisory Councils of Fundacao Dom Cabral in Brazil and Synapse in Pakistan.

Born in London and brought up in New York, Julia was educated at French Lycées and graduated from the London School of Economics. She is married, with five children and lots of grandchildren.

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