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In this episode of The Leadership Multiverse, Ellen is joined by special guest, Elisa Pratt to explore the leadership lessons of Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games.

Katniss is not a conventional leader. She doesn't seek power, status or a platform. She steps forward to protect her sister and becomes, almost against her will, a symbol of resistance, hope and disruption. That makes her a fascinating study in reluctant leadership, authenticity, personal brand and the uncomfortable politics of being turned into a figurehead.

Ellen and Elisa discuss Katniss as an imperfect but powerful leader: reactive, principled, emotionally driven, sometimes strategic, often resistant to being managed, and deeply shaped by the world around her. They consider what her story reveals about symbolic leadership, volunteer leadership, board dynamics, political performance, influence, empathy, rebellion and the limits of charisma.

Along the way, they ask whether Katniss belongs more naturally in Star Wars, Star Trek or the Avengers, whether she deserves more credit as a transformational leader, and why the messiest leaders are often the most interesting.

A thoughtful, lively conversation about the Mockingjay, leadership under pressure, and what happens when the person everyone follows never really wanted to lead.

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This week Andrew and Ellen enter Westeros to examine Daenerys Targaryen: liberator, revolutionary, symbol-maker, and ultimately a deeply dangerous leader.

They explore her journey from vulnerable exile to Mother of Dragons, asking when moral clarity becomes absolutism, when vision turns into destiny, and why charisma without accountability can become catastrophic. Along the way, they discuss trauma, founder syndrome, symbolic leadership, emotional volatility, weak systems, poor succession, and why “breaking the wheel” is not much use if you replace it with fire.

A fascinating, conflicted and occasionally scorching leadership case study. Literally.

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In this episode of Leadership Multiverse, Andrew and Ellen take on Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, and ask whether he really deserves his reputation as one of popular culture’s clearest examples of values-based leadership under pressure.

The discussion explores his moral clarity, courage, calm crisis leadership and ability to build followership in moments of danger. It also asks harder questions about his rigidity, his difficulty with compromise, his loyalty to Bucky, the breakdown of the Avengers, and whether principled leadership can become destabilising when it leaves too little room for accountability, ambiguity and other people’s perspectives.

Along the way, Andrew and Ellen consider the Sokovia Accords, Civil War, sacrifice, emotional intelligence, operational command, and whether Steve Rogers would survive in Starfleet, Star Wars, The Boys, Game of Thrones or DC. Spoiler: Andrew remains deeply unconvinced.

A lively episode on moral leadership, wartime leadership, personal loyalty, and the difference between being worthy and being easy to work with.

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This week, The Leadership Multiverse heads back to Starfleet to explore the leadership of Captain Christopher Pike.

We look at Pike as a servant leader: calm, values-led, emotionally intelligent and deeply trusted by his crew. We discuss how he creates psychological safety, invites challenge, humanises command and carries the burden of knowing his own tragic future.

We also ask where his strengths become risks. Does his empathy tip into paternalism? Does he carry too much alone? Can a leader who values consensus still move quickly when the moment demands command?

Expect comparisons with Kirk, Picard, Burnham, Sisko and Janeway, plus the usual attempt to place him somewhere improbable in the wider leadership multiverse.

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This week, we turn to Professor X: calm, principled and often held up as the model of thoughtful leadership.

We explore how his style shifts over time, from coach and mentor to something more controlling, and question whether his belief in coexistence strengthens or limits those around him. Along the way, we test his moral authority, his reliance on persuasion, and the fine line between protecting a team and holding it back.

By the end, this is a more complicated portrait of leadership than it first appears, and one that will change how you see him.

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What can a giant transforming robot teach us about leadership? Quite a lot, it turns out. In this episode, we take on Optimus Prime as a leadership case study, exploring moral conviction, burdened leadership, executive isolation, succession blind spots, and whether principled leaders can become too rigid for the worlds they lead. From 1980s Cold War symbolism to modern questions of adaptability and team culture, Ellen and Andrew ask whether Optimus is the heroic leader we remember, or a more flawed commander than nostalgia admits. As ever, expect serious leadership analysis, geeky detours, and the occasional truck-sized heresy.

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Season two opens with a return to the Leadership Multiverse after a winter hiatus, and a shift straight into the outer rim. This week we explore the leadership qualities of The Mandalorian, a character who challenges conventional ideas of what leadership looks like.

At first glance, he's not an obvious leader but Ellen and Andrew examine how his journey from compliant rule-follower to adaptive, values-led decision-maker, reflects a deeper leadership evolution. This is the way.

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This week we explore why Diana Prince stands out as one of the multiverse’s most emotionally intelligent leaders. From Wonder Woman to Justice League, we look at how she navigates conflict, unites clashing personalities, and leads with empathy without losing authority. We touch on her moral courage, her ability to create psychological safety, and the blind spots that come with her idealism. A warrior, a diplomat, and a calm centre in a room full of egos, Wonder Woman proves that compassion is a leadership superpower.

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