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...

Did you know that in Q3 of 2022-23, antidepressants were the most prescribed class of drug? More and more people are struggling with anxiety and depression, yet we conveniently turn a blind eye. It's easier to assume that employers are not responsible. However, when we consider the significant role work plays in mental health, whether that's adding to problems, or in contrast creating the conditions to thrive, we must take a collective responsibility. The second resource in The Resilience...

I love talking with people about exceptional employee experience, and Mike Mair is one of those people who knows a thing or two about it. He is passionate about helping people grow and develop.  This conversation is a step-by-step exploration of EX throughout the employee lifecycle. It follows a road map that includes: 📌Recruitment 📌Onboarding 📌Training 📌Work environment 📌Leadership 📌Strategy and vision 📌Outstanding team 📌High performance 📌Balance 📌People Development 📌Culture 📌Reward and...

From being told he wouldn’t get anywhere in life, to becoming Operations Manager at Guernsey Mind, Chris Chamberlain likes to challenge expectations! In this episode of the podcast, we delve into shaping yourself as an intentional leader, and the style of situational leadership.  We consider the balance between being authentic and changing our style to suit others. How do we get self-awareness, empathy and being proactive right? Chris explains how to challenge existing practice to do what is...

The Health and Wellbeing at Work report from the CIPD, published in September, identified stress as continuing to be one of the main causes of absence.  More specifically, high workloads are still cited as the main cause of stress-related absence.  It just goes to show that the efforts to reverse this trend over recent years appear not to be having the desired impact.  Why is that? That's an important question because we know the correlation between wellbeing, stress, and employee...

Allyship. Seb Randle and I discuss what makes this an important topic... FOR MEN. Women are great at promoting women, but without men onboard, we hit a glass ceiling.  But it's not 'all about the women at the expense of men'.  We need to get beyond stereotypes and look at a more inclusive approach that benefits everyone.  We discuss the all important question for much of the workforce: What's in it for men? Every individual in an organisation has a part to play. Every individual benefits. We...

Olivia Sharp, Partner in HR Practice at Eton Bridge Partners, has produced the Chief People Officer Pathway Report, a comprehensive set of findings based on research into the CPO role. She joined me on the podcast to discuss the outcomes and how we apply that to the world of HR and the future of work.  We discuss terminology and how HR titles can be a controversial subject.  We explore differences in internal/ external appointments, gender and geography. We consider squiggly careers and...

Welcome to The Resilience Collective! If you're interested in mental health, wellbeing, employee engagement and basically being a kind and compassionate human, you'll love this! Amantha King and I have joined forces to create some awesome resources for you to use, and in this episode, we explain what they're all about. We are bridging the gap between knowing 'I should be doing something' to support people, 'what' that could be, and 'how'. As a psychologist and a coach, we have pooled our...

Do you have a 'JOB'?  According to Mike's dad, job stands for 'Just Over Broke'. Not very inspiring, energising or engaging if you want to live a meaningful, fulfilled life.  As an entrepreneur, Michael Brennan is anything but that.  In this honest and self-aware conversation, Mike shares his challenges, what he has learnt, and in his view, what leading a business is all about.  We get to grips with: Reinventing ourselves to intentionally become who we want, learning from past experienceThe...