Fear. Fatigue.  Are you stuck in a rut that is littered with surveys? It's often the go-to channel for getting to know what employees think, but there also barriers that can get in the way of these being effective.  Fatigue is just one of them.  Fear is another. The brave face doesn't simply disappear when presented with written questions to provide our opinions. And that can be a BIG problem, especially for men. November is Men's Mental Health Awareness Month, and that prompted Kieran...

I love Tammy's phrase about wellbeing running through the veins of an organisation. When you achieve that, you are equipped to deal with any conversation that arises. And all because you start by putting people first.  That means being vulnerable and stepping into their space to learn about what someone else is experiencing and what they need. 18th October is menopause awareness day. It's a great time to remind you about the impact of menopause on women in leadership positions in your...

"We not only need to work happy, we need to work at being happy." I love that quote by Shawn Achor. So how are you working at that?  The Alliance of Independent Agencies have teamed up with Google to host an event that is dedicated to culture and high performance.  They recognise that leaders are navigating a rapid pace of change; the way people work has fundamentally changed. That's not just about where and when we work, but the types of activities that are ultimately draining our energy and...

This was a first and it was hilarious (just watch the outtake next week!). Susan Ní Chríodáin and I got to record this episode of the podcast outside in the beautiful gardens at Lady Margaret Hall at the University of Oxford, courtesy of Andrew Dickinson. After some shenanigans we got to dive into her recently-published book, Leading Beyond the Numbers, which is all about how accounting for emotions tips the balance at work. Who would have thought that my explanation of how imagination is our...

Gregg Brown doesn't hold back!! We took a different approach on this episode of the podcast. Instead of the where-the-conversation-goes-nobody-knows conversation I usually have with guests, Gregg and I discussed a number of statements. ⚠️ Everyone wants to know what the future of work is. ⚠️ Disruption is necessary for work to evolve. ⚠️ Taking action requires the right mindset. ⚠️ We need to get out of our comfort zone. ⚠️ Leadership is something that we can measure. ⚠️ Psychological safety...

Purpose-driven businesses have become much more the norm in terms of what people seek.  Companies know that to attract employees they need to provide opportunities that are meaningful and engaging. However, retaining your workforce over time is a different challenge. In this episode of the podcast, Rachel Steele of Huddle joins me to discuss how to engage a workforce so that they stay. That means getting some key factors right, including: ⭐ personal brand ⭐ promotion, progression and...

Are you looking to develop tomorrow's leaders to be able to take the business into a different place from where it is today? Or, are you looking for future leaders who most closely resemble those in leadership positions now?  That's a great question that Duncan Targett, my guest on this episode of the podcast, asks when we discuss talent. And who can resist talking with someone whose surname lends itself so brilliantly to the name of his company, On Targett Consulting?!! The conversation is...

Martin Drake ripped up the rule book and invited the "dynamic duo" that is Gemma Ellison and myself onto his podcast, Is This Room Free? We're not HR. But we are all about people.  In particular, we're focused on enabling people to be and experience their best self. And enabling them to develop in a way that provides most value to the organisation. All this whilst creating the most engaging experience that means we feel good about what we do. So in this conversation, we unpick leadership...

Man up. Does that phrase make you squirm or is it acceptable to you?  We've all been brought up with a set of beliefs and thoughts about how we should behave. But that puts pressure on people to show up in a certain way. It may no longer be considered acceptable or helpful. And it may mean we're covering up what's really going on. So, what about permission to be authentic?  My guest, Daniel Glyde, Life Coach & Founder of Positive Masculinity, explores a different approach to mental...

Nick O'Neill of Oriel Chambers outlines a modern approach for mental health in a traditional industry that is the legal sector. He explains that law is known for being a male dominated culture, attracting alpha characters. And that presents a challenge for addressing a very human need, particularly when you consider that many men of the generation that struggle to engage with mental health, are managers. Their perceptions and behaviours have a far-reaching impact. Add to that Nick's view that...

I'm talking about compassionate leadership because it is mental health awareness week. How are those linked, I hear some of you ponder? Well, as those of you who know me well, I'm not really about initiatives or individual-level intervention without thinking about the wider context. You wouldn't put a flourishing seedling in a dark room without water. And, I've been doing quite a lot of work lately working with leadership teams to create space to stop and check in with themselves, each...

➡️ Sick notes are on they way out, according to Sunak.  What does that mean for people needing support to get themselves into a place where they feel ok enough to re-engage with work? ➡️ Employees are more aware of their rights and expect more in terms of 'care', with access to services that aren't about making them 'better' but about enhancing their lifestyle.  How do companies know which specialists are credible, who work as a team, and that provide data to leaders to inform them about...

From dodging bullets to becoming an executive senior leader of Defence, Phil Holdcroft knows a thing or two about leadership and teamwork.  Phil is a decorated combat pilot with a 20-year military career that culminated in designing and delivering the senior leadership programme at the UK Defence Academy. Drawing on life-lessons and experience, he created the ultimate playbook for leadership, resilience and high performance. And that’s what we discuss on the podcast today. Now officially a...

Two psychotherapists in conversation... This episode of the podcast is an interesting one. James Elliott, of the Sarena Clinic, explains what needs to be done now to shape a healthier workforce for the future. And it's simple stuff.  We need to equip employees with the knowledge and tools to empower themselves and their children to experience meaning and fulfilment, and that supports good mental wellbeing. And we need to demonstrate empathy, based on knowing our teams well, so that we enable...

Luckily for us, Dr Jill McGarry is "a geek!"... her words, not mine! The good news about that is she has a real love for actionable solutions to improve sleep. 💤 And who doesn't need a bit of that in their lives? 😴 In this episode of the podcast we hear, very clearly, why we need to banish beliefs such as... "YOU SNOOZE, YOU LOSE!" And we get to grips with practical advice for individuals and employers, including:  ✔️ coffee as a recommendation (yes... from a sleep expert!) ✔️ what to do when...

What is self-harm? Possibly not something you associate with yourself. And not a behaviour that you attribute to your colleagues, friends or family members.  But the reality could be very different and that is why this episode of the podcast and the free resource is so important. Self-harm is not uncommon and therefore you need to know about it. Yaj Buljeean is a trainer and clinician at Harmless, the national leader in this field. She joins me to explore what we mean by self-harm, the stigma...

My LinkedIn post in January that asked the question, 'Do soft skills need a rebrand?' attracted over 40 comments.  Clearly people are interested in this topic. So it seemed only natural to continue the conversation with someone who shared his view on that post, Andrew Bardsley, Founder of JackHR. As someone who focuses on helping tech companies stand out and keep good people, Andrew has some great insights into a world of both hard and soft skills.  💻 We unpick how soft skills sit alongside...

Do you know... 🏢 What your office is for? ✅ Which elements to consider when designing workplace where people actively want to spend time? 🌍 What global research tells us about how we can help people do their best work in the many places that work happens? 😊 How to cultivate a joyful workplace environment? 💭 The link between physical workplaces and psychological wellbeing? 🙌 Strategies and frameworks for building a work environment that amplifies productivity, happiness and job...

The people who need the most development and most time are leaders, but they are precisely the people who don't invest in themselves. Are you one of them? That's why Gemma Ellison of Heart Leadership and I created Labs.  Leanne Ledger, Senior Brand Strategist and Partner at Emperor, and Sarah Cockroft, Manager at OceanWise Ltd join Gemma and I in this podcast to share the impact that a new approach to development has had for them. We contrast a conscious process that centres around being...

Did you know... Only 46% of employees trust their manager to do what is right, dropping to 32% for senior leaders?72% leaders report they feel used up at the end of the day, an increase of 12% from 2020?Fewer than half of leaders find their jobs purposeful. Yet, leaders with a strong sense of purpose are 9 times more likely to feel engaged?Only 29% companies train for the crucial skills that leaders want to develop. The world is evolving. Expectations are changing. The impact on your people...

Is your organisation fuelling addiction?  Do you understand the causes and triggers that can lead to someone engaging with addictive behaviour? Do you know the behaviours that might constitute addiction, or that could manifest into addiction?  Richie Paxton of the EPIC Restart Foundation has lived experience. He joins Amantha King and I to share a heap of insight about how to be more aware and support people living with addiction, including those impacted by someone else using this...

A Chief Inspector is not necessarily the first person who springs to mind as the driving force for self-care, better mental health and launching a podcast!  But Stewart Codling of Thames Valley Police is modelling exactly how leaders can embrace the challenge of changing expectations by doing things differently.  Stewart joins me on my podcast to explain how he is going about improving mental health, particularly for men in a traditional industry. Police are people who wear a metaphorical...

Bad managers are causing one in three staff to walk*.  Luckily for OceanWise, Sarah Cockcroft isn't one of these managers. She is only two weeks into her role there, but she is going in with her eyes wide open to what is needed of her.  Sarah has the benefit of hindsight. She is not new to management and that is why I invited her to join me to discuss the very real problems that are existing in many organisations today.  Instead of starting with clear ideas about what she wants, she has armed...

What are you growing? 🪴 Is the PH level in your environment producing what you want?   And what have you grown into? Are you in the right soil? Have you become what you WANT to be? What you NEED to be?   I was inspired when I heard Courtney Hobbs share his experience during a session where we both presented for macmillan cancer earlier this year. Today he joins me to expand on his story that includes a need to fit in and how quickly things can get out of control. His earlier life...