Hello, I'm Rory Stewart, and I'd like to tell you about an intelligent squared event

I'm doing with the classicist author and broadcaster Mary Beard. Together we'll be discussing

politics and power from the Caesars to Sunack, who gets to Winpar, who is excluded,

does power always corrupt, or other examples of leaders who've maintained their integrity while

an authority. And how does the nature of power vary across different times and cultures?

These are just some of the questions that Mary and I will be trying to answer.

In person tickets are now sold out, but you can still watch online on the 13th of November

at 7pm BST. Put your questions first live as we discuss power and politics down the edges.

When leaders find the courage to distribute rather than hoard power, creativity can multiply,

trust can deepen, and inclusivity can expand. That's the argument of today's guest Matthew

Barsen. He's the former US ambassador to the United Kingdom, and he spoke to Kamal Ahmed

about his leadership insights that he's gained over the course of a successful and varied career.

It's a fascinating conversation, and if you do enjoy it, you can find a link for Matthew's book

with the intelligent squared discount in the podcast description. But now let's go to the episode.

Welcome Matthew, not quite literally to a rather sweaty London,

and also on a day that is freedom day we've been told by the government. So in England at

least we are allowed to go about our business as we see fit, but I hope everyone is still being

cautious as the Prime Minister is telling us. Now Matthew, you have a glittering career, former US

ambassador to the United Kingdom and Sweden, and the last time we met Matthew, I don't know if

you'll remember, was that at one of your rather luscious garden parties, I believe the US

ambassador's residence in London has the second largest back garden in the cities, that right?

I've been told that, which is the biggest. Buckingham Palace. Correct. So we met there at one of

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