Host and expert coach Helen Wada is a strong believer in the commercial advantage of being human at work.
With over 25 years commercial experience, Helen has seen an opportunity for businesses to do things differently – a sweet spot where a coaching approach and commercial focus can co-exist to build a more human working world.
This podcast is for anyone in business who believes that a better way of working is out there: better for teams, for organisations and, ultimately, for society as a whole.
We'll hear from senior leaders, founders, people on the ground and professionals from a variety of different disciplines, learning from their unique wisdom and experience.
So, if you're ready to make the human advantage your commercial advantage, join Helen and guests every other week on all major podcast directories.
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Données mises à jour le 09/10/2026
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Can you really put people first and still deliver ambitious commercial growth, or is that the wrong question entirely?
In this episode of Human Wise, Helen Wada is joined by transformational Chief People Officer, entrepreneur and human capital growth strategist Finesse Blumenthal to explore why human-centred leadership and business performance belong together. Drawing on her experience working with high-growth organisations, executive teams and boards, Finesse challenges the idea that leaders must choose between caring about people and delivering results.
Together, Helen and Finesse explore how listening, trust, accountability and meaningful development translate into commercial value. They discuss the role of human skills in an AI-enabled workplace, how people leaders can build stronger business cases for investment, and why leaders need to create a safety net that gives people the confidence to stretch themselves. Finesse also shares her unconventional journey into executive leadership and why she believes relationships, reinvention and the courage to step into the unknown can transform both careers and organisations.
Topics Discussed
Why people should never be treated simply as resources
What should remain distinctly human as AI reshapes work
Why human-centred leadership and commercial performance belong together
Turning listening into action and measurable business value
Making the business case for investing in people and human skills
Why HR and people leaders need to speak the language of the business
Finesse's unconventional journey into executive leadership
Creating trust by giving people a safety net to experiment and grow
Why stretching people requires both ambitious targets and strong coaching
Preparing the next generation with relationship, communication and commercial skills
Success often looks impressive from the outside, but what happens when it no longer feels fulfilling on the inside? In this episode of Human Wise, Helen Wada is joined by executive coach, entrepreneur, and founder of Lawyer Unleashed, Helen Pamely, to explore why the greatest leadership transformation begins with knowing yourself.
Drawing on her journey from City law firm partner to executive coach, Helen shares how stepping away from a successful legal career allowed her to reconnect with her values, rediscover her voice, and build a business centred on authenticity, purpose, and human connection. Together, Helen and Helen discuss why self-awareness, coaching, and meaningful conversations are becoming essential leadership skills in an increasingly complex and AI-driven world.
This is an inspiring conversation for leaders, professionals, and anyone who wants to achieve success without losing sight of who they are.
Topics Discussed
Why self-awareness is the foundation of authentic leadership
Reconnecting with your own humanity before leading others
The journey from external success to internal fulfilment
How coaching transforms leadership and commercial conversations
Why creating space leads to better thinking and decision-making
Personal responsibility versus a victim mindset
Ep67: Why Great Leaders Learn Through Failure with Melisa Buie
Failure is something most of us try to avoid, yet it is often where our greatest learning begins. In this episode of Human Wise, Helen Wada is joined by engineer, researcher, leadership expert, and author Melisa Buie to explore why curiosity, experimentation, and reflection are becoming essential skills for modern leaders.
Drawing on a career spanning engineering, operational excellence, leadership, and problem solving, Melisa shares why technical expertise alone is no longer enough. Together, Helen and Melisa discuss how leaders can build confidence by embracing uncertainty, learning from setbacks, and creating cultures where experimentation leads to innovation rather than fear.
This is a thought-provoking conversation for leaders, technical professionals, and organisations looking to develop more curious, resilient, and human-centred teams.
Topics Discussed
Why failure is one of our greatest teachers
The role of curiosity in leadership and innovation
How technical experts become stronger leaders
Creating psychologically safe environments for experimentation
Reflection as a tool for continuous improvement
Building confidence through action instead of perfection
The relationship between operational excellence and human leadership
Helping teams solve problems more effectively
Ep66: Building Human Wise Organisations in the Age of AI with Perry Timms
What does it take to build organisations where people genuinely thrive while delivering sustainable business performance? In this episode of Human Wise, Helen Wada is joined by Perry Timms, internationally recognised HR thinker, organisational development expert, and author, to explore why the future of work depends on putting people, purpose, and humanity at the centre of business.
Drawing on more than three decades of experience in business transformation and organisational development, Perry shares why organisations must rethink traditional models of leadership, performance, and work itself. Together, Helen and Perry discuss AI, organisational design, meaningful work, trust, and why the organisations that succeed tomorrow will be those that remain deeply human today.
This is an inspiring conversation for leaders, HR professionals, founders, and anyone passionate about creating workplaces where both people and organisations flourish.
Topics Discussed:
Why human-centred organisations outperform in the long term
The future of work in the age of AI
Purpose as a driver of sustainable performance
Organisational design for modern workplaces
Trust, autonomy, and meaningful work
Why profit should be an outcome, not the purpose
Leadership that enables people to thrive
Ep65: Leading with Relational Intelligence with Kate Heard
Leadership has never been more complex. In a world shaped by uncertainty, rapid change, and increasing pressure, the ability to make sound judgements has become one of the defining capabilities of modern leadership. In this episode of Human Wise, Helen Wada is joined by Dr. Kate Heard, researcher, leadership adviser, and expert in human judgement, to explore why even capable, well-intentioned leaders can make decisions that unintentionally create harm.
Drawing on an extraordinary career spanning broadcast journalism, maternal healthcare, humanitarian work, and leadership research, Kate shares why judgement is not simply about intelligence or experience. Together, Helen and Kate explore curiosity, cognitive bias, uncertainty, psychological safety, and how leaders can create environments where better thinking leads to better decisions.
This is an insightful conversation for leaders, boards, and organisations seeking to strengthen judgement, improve decision-making, and lead with greater humanity in increasingly complex environments.
Topics Discussed
Why good leaders can still make poor decisions
Human judgement in complex and uncertain environments
The role of curiosity in effective leadership
How cognitive bias influences decision-making
Psychological safety and constructive challenge
Why certainty can become a leadership risk
Ep64: Leading Under Pressure Without Losing Your Humanity with Kate Adams
What happens when leaders are expected to deliver commercial results while navigating increasing scrutiny, complexity, and competing expectations? In this episode of Human Wise, Helen Wada is joined by leadership advisor, coach, and author Kate Adams to explore how leaders can remain human when the pressure is relentless.
Drawing on two decades of experience across business, technology, innovation, and the social sector, Kate shares insights from her book Accountability Under Fire. Together, Helen and Kate discuss why leadership today is no longer about having all the answers. Instead, it requires curiosity, courage, and the ability to hold space for different perspectives while making difficult decisions.
This is a thoughtful conversation for leaders seeking to balance performance, accountability, and humanity in an increasingly complex world.
Topics Discussed
What it means to be human at work under pressure
Why leadership complexity is increasing
The relationship between accountability and scrutiny
How curiosity and listening improve decision-making
Leading yourself before leading others
Understanding stakeholders and systems thinking
Balancing commercial performance with societal impact
Why awareness creates better leadership
The importance of holding different perspectives
Ep63: Leading Through Uncertainty Without Losing Yourself with Sally Henderson
What happens when uncertainty becomes the norm rather than the exception? In this episode of Human Wise, Helen Wada is joined by high-stakes leadership mentor, speaker, and author Sally Henderson to explore what it takes to lead, perform, and thrive when pressure never seems to let up.
Drawing on 25 years of experience working with senior leaders and executive teams, Sally shares why many traditional leadership approaches have not kept pace with the realities of today's world. Together, Helen and Sally explore the importance of boundaries, identity, recovery, and self-awareness, and why sustainable performance starts with understanding not just how you lead, but how you live.
This is a thought-provoking conversation for leaders, founders, commercial professionals, and anyone navigating uncertainty while trying to stay true to themselves.
Topics Discussed
Why uncertainty has become a permanent feature of leadership
The relationship between personal identity and professional identity
Why boundaries are essential for sustainable performance
The difference between purpose and action
How leaders can reframe high-stakes situations
The role of emotional awareness and embodied leadership
Using breath, reflection, and recovery to improve performance
Ep62: Sustainable Success at Work Starts with Being Human with Dr. Emma Waddington
What happens when high performance becomes unsustainable? In this episode of Human Wise, Helen Wada is joined by clinical psychologist and founder of Us Therapy, Dr. Emma Waddington, to explore the growing tension between commercial success and human wellbeing in today’s workplace.
Drawing on years of experience supporting leaders, teams, and high-performing professionals in Singapore, Emma shares why burnout, anxiety, and overwhelm are becoming increasingly common in modern organisations. Together, Helen and Emma unpack why human-centred leadership is no longer optional, how trust and psychological safety shape performance, and why rest, reflection, and connection are essential for sustainable success.
This is a powerful conversation for leaders, commercial teams, and organisations navigating pressure, change, and the growing complexity of modern work.
Topics Discussed
Why burnout and overwhelm are increasing in modern workplaces
The connection between high performance and psychological safety
How leaders create cultures where people can speak up
Balancing commercial success with human-centred leadership
The importance of reset, reflection, and deliberate rest
How trust shapes customer relationships and team performance
Why listening is one of the most underrated business skills
Ep61: What It Takes to Lead in the Boardroom Today with Shefaly Yogendra
What does it really take to lead in today’s boardroom? In this episode of Human Wise, Helen Wada is joined by Shefaly Yogendra, experienced independent board director, governance adviser, and author of Uncharted Spaces: Reset the Agenda. Reimagine the Boardroom. Together they explore the growing complexity leaders face as organisations navigate AI, uncertainty, competing priorities, and long-term stewardship.
This conversation goes beyond governance frameworks and compliance checklists. Shefaly shares why curiosity, patience, courage, and self-awareness are becoming critical leadership capabilities in modern boardrooms. As organisations face increasingly uncharted territory, this episode explores how leaders can strengthen judgement, improve decision-making, and bring more humanity into the conversations shaping the future.
Topics Discussed:
What it means to lead in today’s boardroom
Why curiosity and patience are essential leadership skills
The importance of knowing yourself as a leader
Ep60: Rethinking Sales in Professional Services: Finding Your Way to Grow Your Business with Rachel Harrison
What if the reason so many professionals struggle with sales is not capability, but how it has been taught? In this episode of Human Wise, Helen Wada is joined by Rachel Harrison, IP lawyer and founder of Your IP, to explore why business development feels uncomfortable for so many experts and how that can change.
After more than 20 years in law firms, Rachel stepped away to build her own business and discovered something unexpected. Sales did not have to feel forced or transactional. Instead, it could be human, relationship-led and even enjoyable. Together, they unpack how professionals can shift their mindset, build confidence and develop business in a way that feels authentic and aligned.
This is a powerful conversation for anyone in professional services, leadership or sales who has ever thought, this is not me.
Topics Discussed:
Why sales feels uncomfortable for technical experts
The gap in sales and leadership training in professional services
Reframing business development as human connection
How confidence grows through action and coaching
The role of mindset, identity and self-belief in sales
Why relationships and referrals drive sustainable growth
The impact of AI on technical roles and human differentiation
How leaders can retain talent by changing how sales is taught
The neuroscience behind changing habits and mindset
Building human-centred cultures in the age of AI
Why listening is one of the most valuable commercial skills
Gratitude, reflection, and creating sustainable success
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