"You can hear the silence emerging in the room. You can hear the sound of silence. There's a peace that comes with, a harmony that comes from it. It offers an opportunity for more sharing, more cooperation, less competition. So it's very generative." Carissa Bub

Carissa Bub and I explore the transformative power of silence in leadership and life. We dive into the paradox of silence - how it can feel awkward or even frightening, yet hold the potential for profound connection and insight. We discuss how cultivating stillness can unlock deeper awareness, relational intelligence, and a new level of courageous leadership. By tapping into stillness, leaders can listen more deeply, respond with empathy, and foster psychological safety within teams. Carissa shares her journey of embracing silence as a resource, not just as a practice but as a way of being that enhances presence, influence and authentic leadership. We also discuss the role of reflective practices, playfulness, and trusting in life’s unfolding mystery.

Carissa Bub is a Leadership and Systems Coach on a mission to re-humanise organisations. With one foot firmly in the business world and the other gently planted in the earth, she enables leaders and teams to navigate complex change with dignity and agency. For 25 years, she's partnered with C-suite leaders to build stronger connections - from the boardroom to the marketplace - bringing strength and heart to strategic dialogue. As a seasoned facilitator now trained in nature-based practices, she invites her clients to take off their shoes, both physically and metaphorically, deepening their trust in life and empowering them to use their gifts for the benefit of all life. What sets Carissa apart is her unique blend of systemic coaching expertise and her background as a BBC journalist turned media trainer. She creates spaces where authentic communication catalyses real change, helping leaders develop both their inner presence and outer voice to shape lasting impact. As faculty at CRRGlobal and Six Team Conditions, she helps coaches and consultants develop their practice in systemic transformation. A TEDx speaker, Carissa challenges organisations to think differently about leadership and change, cultivating environments where people and performance naturally thrive.

Connect with Carissa:

Through her website: www.carissabub.com

On LinkedIn 

Resources Mentioned:

Conclave – an example of silence and uncertainty in leadership moments.

Atomic Habits by James Clear 

The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel 

Marcel Marceau – influenced Carissa’s fascination with silence

Brother David Steindl-Rast – for his work on gratefulness and trust in life.

Eckhart Tolle – someone who embodies playfulness and presence.

Brahma Kumaris (BKs) – their practice of “Just a Minute” silence.

London Writers’ Salon – silent writing sessions.

Center for Awakening – Monday silence gatherings.

On Being with Krista Tippett – Yo-Yo Ma’s discussion on the space between musical notes.

Unlimited Futures - Episode 193 Life Beyond the Numbers 

"When I realised how much joy there was to be had in life, full stop, in your job and in people paying you to do something you actually enjoy, blew my mind. After 20 years of office work, I was like, wait, wait, I get to have fun and they pay me. I was really surprised by that." Ana Clements

Ana Clements and I explore the journey of rediscovering passion, pursuing creativity and embracing reinvention at any stage of life. She shares how reaching midlife made her reflect on what she truly wanted - bringing her back to music, voice work and ultimately, audiobook narration. Ana also shares the impact of late diagnosis of ADHD on her life and discusses the significance of self-compassion, continuous learning, and the art of performing while staying true to oneself. Whether you're considering a career shift or simply need encouragement to take that next step, Ana’s story will leave you inspired to trust your own path and embrace what makes you come alive.

Award-nominated Ana Clements is a passionate speaker, coach, and professional voice artist. With over a decade in the industry, she has narrated audiobooks for major publishers, bringing a wealth of character voices to her performances in both British and Spanish. As the founder of Audiobooks on Clubhouse, Ana has built a thriving community where narrators and creatives connect and share insights. Since 2021, she has hosted weekly sessions, deepening her understanding of the challenges and lived experiences of a creative career. Ana has spoken at industry-leading events, including VO Atlanta, MexicoAudio, MAVO, One Voice Conference, and at many writers groups and workshops. A qualified coach since 2022, she works with narrators and authors, offering practical, insightful guidance that empowers them to push past self-limitations with actionable direction. Her creative coaching has been described as “helping others reach a point of clarity on who they are as creative professionals.”

Connect with Ana:

All of Ana's social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, FaceBook, Threads, etc.) are @AnaClements and her website is https://www.anaclements.co.uk 

Resources Mentioned:

MOOC - Massive Open Online Courses https://www.mooc.org/

Personality Isn’t Permanent by Benjamin Hardy 

The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander & Benjamin Zander 

"...they were willing to take risks for the experience .... and I think I've really taken that on." Liz Jarman

Liz Jarman and I discuss her planned departure as CEO of Living Goods at the end of 2024. She shares her fascinating approach to succession planning, leadership transitions and a non-linear career path. We chat through some of her achievements, including fostering a strong organisational culture, scaling operations sustainably and spearheading a digital transformation in community health. Liz reflects on the influence of her upbringing on her leadership style, her emphasis on a high-performing team and giving people recognition - all offering invaluable lessons on leadership and managing change. 

Liz Jarman was named CEO of Living Goods in 2018 and is a member of the Living Goods Board of Directors. Liz has 25 years of experience from various sectors, Liz joined Living Goods in 2014 as Director of Product Strategy and was promoted to Kenya Country Director in 2015 and at the end of 2017, she was promoted to Chief Strategy Officer. Born in Zambia, Liz spent a large portion of her career at Sainsbury’s, a $30 billion UK grocery business where she rose to lead Sainsbury’s Product Development and Fairtrade strategy and worked with thousands of global suppliers with a particular focus on African sustainable supply chains. 

Connect with Liz

On LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned

Living Goods

Squiggly Careers Podcast

"I think there should be some sort of law that before you leave compulsory education, you have to do a psychometric on your preferences and how you respond to pressure." Becca Brighty

Becca Brighty is an organisational psychologist and we talk about some approaches, behaviours and preferences that are common in the workplace. First we cover failure. Becca promotes a fail fast culture and has developed her own 'Fail for Good' model based on the Kaizen (change for good) model. And she shares some ways to reframe failure as an everyday part of life, by asking

(1) What can I learn from this, and

(2) What great things are in my life because things didn't go according to plan. 

We spend some time going in-depth into imposter syndrome, confidence, inner confidence and why on every leadership program confidence isn't the first thing that's discussed. We talk about workplace engagement and the responsibility leaders have towards employees being engaged and happy at work. Becca believes there's no real reason why people should be miserable at work and aligning an individual's preferences, values, strengths and things they don't enjoy with those of the organisation and the role is the way forward. And Becca shares what she is learning following a recent ADHD diagnosis. 

Becca Brighty is an organisational psychologist and business coach, passionate about making a real difference to people’s working lives and organisational productivity. At Brighty People she helps businesses and employees discover long-term workplace happiness and success. Her powerful blend of organisational psychology and human behaviour analysis helps businesses and their employees find their best workplace fit between employer and employee - matching the right people to the right culture and roles. She is also trained in various personality testing, including Harrison Assessments. Her experience includes working as an Occupational Psychologist for the NHS. She also co-founded a values-based recruitment app. And Becca has also managed her own struggles with anxiety and imposter syndrome and knows how it feels not to believe in your own ability and how to challenge and overcome this thinking.

Connect with Becca

Her website Brighty People

On LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned

People and Culture Forum

Amy C. Edmondson and Psychological Safety

Imposter Syndrome Resources

Episode 96, Feeling Different with Siun Prochazka 

"Basically you grow up feeling different or knowing you're different - it's not something that other people always pick up around you and it might come across as, 'oh, they're a bit slow' or 'they don't care' or 'they're a daydreamer' or, all of that. And those messages you pick up on them because you're wired to fit in." Siun Prochazka

Siun Prochazka talks to me about people who are neurodiverse with a particular focus on ADHD. Siun spent a large part of her career working with people with Autism and ADHD. And then at 35 she received an ADHD diagnosis. She talks about the impact of that her on personally and how it has shaped her professionally too. We spend time talking about how neurodiversity might show up in the workplace and Siun says: "All behaviour is communication" and we cover behaviours like perfectionism, masking, time blindness, impulsivity and more. Siun also explains the concept of rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD) - dysphoria means unbearable - and how with ADHD rejection and criticism, even perceived, can make you feel like your brain is being held hostage. We also talk about steps employers can take like having a strengths based approach and asking about behaviours, not making assumptions. Siun explains the different types of ADHD and how children might display these types and what it is like to grow up feeling different. 

Siun Prochazka founded Uniquely Wired Coaching and is an ADHD coach who works with adults and youths online, in person and in workplaces. She is passionate about supporting people with ADHD to become experts in their own unique wiring and learning to live life through their strengths. She spent much of her earlier career working with adults and young people with Autism, ADHD and other forms of neurodiversity in schools and in William Morris CampHill Communities. Following an ADHD diagnosis at 35 Siun retrained, first as a Life Coach and later, as an ADHD coach. 

Connect with Siun

Uniquely Wired Coaching website 

Uniquely Wired ADHDCoaching on Instagram

Resources Mentioned

Lisa Feldman Barrett

ADHD Ireland 

ADHD UK

CHADD USA

"a lot of the research ... was based around lessons learned. And one of the key things that came out of it is businesses, organisations, almost have a blueprint now. They've got something in place whereby if something did happen again, they would be prepared." Julian Roy

Julian Roy joined me to chat about research he undertook for his MBA thesis on the challenges faced by leaders during the pandemic. The common thread running through his research is empathy. Some leaders were forced into becoming more empathetic and had to learn how to do so. And as Julian says, the only way we become empathetic is by building trust and authentic relationships. We chatted about how middle and senior managers, in particular, just had to crack on, often forced to put on a brave face. We covered aspects of corporate culture, communication, connection and community. We talk about the benefit of hindsight, learning what matters most / what motivates people, office interactions and a hybrid work-life. He also found one thing that encompasses much of the research: if you look after your people, they will look after the numbers.  

Julian Roy is a Personal Development Consultant and Sales Trainer. He has recently completed an MBA at Salford. For his thesis his research focused on the challenges faced by sales leaders during the pandemic. Julian provides clients with tailor made training, guidance, mentoring and support and the necessary tools and support for them to broaden their perspective and open their minds, enabling goal achievement. Empowering others to realise their own self-worth and self-belief is a career driver for Julian.  

Connect with Julian

On LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned

Start with Why by Simon Sinek 

“Feelings aren't a beacon of eternal truth. They're a negotiation. They're always real because they are a perception inside of you, but it doesn't mean that they are accurate, useful, or true they're things that need to be negotiated. We can reframe them and construct them differently.” Steve Haines

Steve Haines takes us in-depth on the transformative power of learning to connect with our bodies with the use of some great metaphors. He explains that the biggest decision we're making in a moment is “Am I safe or not?”  Steve explains that everybody gets triggered but we can learn how to reframe our feelings - how to have a feeling rather than the become a feeling. Steve says that the biggest predictor to a happy and healthy life is movement and the good news is “the best exercise, is exercise you're going to do”. 

Steve Haines has been a bodyworker for over 20 years, runs regular clinics in London and Geneva and teaches all over the world. He is the author of the award winning ‘Anxiety Is Really Strange’, part of a series of graphic books that includes ‘Pain Is Really Strange’, ‘Trauma Is Really Strange’ and 'Touch is Really Strange". Understanding the science of pain and trauma has transformed his approach to healing. He has studied Yoga, Shiatsu, Craniosacral Therapy, and Trauma Releasing Exercises TRE®.

Connect with Steve: https://bodycollege.net/ +

https://www.facebook.com/bodycollege/ +

On Twitter and on Instagram

And have a listen to episode 47

"I grew up with a family myth about jet lag. We're Italian, my father's Italian 100 percent. And we would sit around the dinner table and just like chat and he would always tell the story of my foster brother, who the summer of 1971 was kidnapped and travelled non-stop Intercontinental for about four months. And then his grandmother suddenly died during the journey in a luxury hotel in Amsterdam." Emily Brown

Emily Brown had a love-hate relationship with her last job - she had a lot of purpose but was missing out on family life. So she quit. And began to write. She talks about her most recent work on the biography of jet-lag inspired by a family event in 1971 - her foster brother is related to the most fatal sufferer of jetlag, Sarah Krasnoff. This event has been widely reported and written about through the years but her brother's story had never been told. She is co-authoring this book with her Mom. And going beyond the looking at jet lag through the lens of flying only to draw parallels to how jet lag might be showing up in other parts of our lives. We talk about sleep, natural light and balance.

Emily Ross Brown has studied jetlag since 2015 and holds a Masters of Science in Hospitality Management. Brown was a 2000 Addy Award team recipient and has had her ideas featured by The Baltimore Sun. Brown was a feature writer for spinrecords.com (owned by Ice-T) and has been published in numerous Maryland publications. Brown began blogging about non-traditional career transitions in 2016. She is the author of two children’s books, a musical and the co-author of Biography of Jetlag, an historic nonfiction narrative. When not writing or caring for her family, Brown is a community organizer and leader, and a political advocate for education equity. 

Connect with Emily

Through her website 

TheJetLagProject on YouTube

Email her on emily@thejetlagprojectatgmail.com

Resources Mentioned

Lena Dunham

Jamie Lee Curtis

Little Bird by Camilla Way

Paul Virilio on Jetlag

Liz Diller 

Shawn Coyne The Story Grid Podcast

The Global Soul by Pico Iyer

Will Smith at the 2022 Oscars

"And the tension sometimes in the office was palpable. And to get things done you had to start to think about how to keep people on a common goal, despite some of the rivalry or politics that people brought with them to the office." Dougal Freeman

Dougal Freeman was working in Iraq during the second Gulf war and narrowly escaped the Canal Hotel bombing in 2003. Based in Jordan with Care Australia he talks about some of the realities of humanitarian work and about the kidnapping and subsequent murder of his boss. Dougal's experience is far from ordinary and he paints a vivid picture of his work-life in agri-businesses in Africa and in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. He is so much more than the number's person and we talk about understanding people and getting people working toward a common goal, particularly when tensions are high. We also talk about impact, value addition and value destruction and how crucial it is that people in management and teams really care about what they do. 

Dougal Freeman is an accomplished CFO with more than two decades of global experience spanning the private sector, NGOs and not-for-profits. He has worked extensively across Africa and the Middle East for major international charities, food and agribusiness organisations, and then held Deputy CEO and Finance Director roles in public health consultancy and for a Nobel Prize-winning charity in the UK. He worked with Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in Switzerland as CFO for six years. Currently he is the outgoing CFO and board member for Oxford Policy Management (OPM), an international development consultancy, where he leads finance strategy and operations, and plays an integral role in the broader growth and performance of the organisation.

Connect with Dougal:

On LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned:

Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Photographer Ami Vitale

Uhuru Flowers, Kenya

Hawala System

Canal Hotel Bombing, Iraq, 2003

Margaret Hussain kidnap and murder

Access to Nutrition Index ATNI

"We chose the term mental fitness because in our mind, it's positive because we think of it in connection with our physical fitness. And our hope is that one day we consider going to a psychotherapist in exactly the same way as we wouldn't think twice about going to a personal trainer." Kirsty Ritchie

Kirsty Ritchie and I chat about mental fitness. Kirsty says our ability to be the best person we can be requires autonomy and our own self power. We chat about how living our values is key in order to be who we are. And we chat about bringing back humanity and human conversations to the workplace and making sure that workplaces are psychologically safe places to be, allowing us to thrive. Kirsty goes through some of the signs of toxic workplaces and kindly shares her own experience of bullying and harassment at work where, she says, there was ignorance and tolerance of poor behaviours. And we talk about trust and Kirsty introduces a trust equation. 

Kirsty Ritchie FCCA MNCS Accred. started her working life as an office junior at Pringle of Scotland and after 10 years in manufacturing finance roles, she moved to Edinburgh and into financial services. Her last corporate position was in banking, where adapting to change had become a critical skill. She saw through the global crisis and witnessed the aftermath on people’s mental health and careers. After personally experiencing bullying and harrassment in the workplace, Kirsty had a strong desire to support people in crisis leading her to retrain as a psychotherapist. She now combines this with her corporate experience. Kirsty still tutors students and coaches Financial Services Apprenticeship Programme participants. She also supports the charity Place2Be, supporting primary school children in crisis.

Connect with Kirsty:

Mind and Mission website

On email kirsty@mindandmission.com

And on LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned:

Leaders in Lockdown by Atholl Duncan

"And I've no doubt that these stories and indeed the stories that all guests share, evoke different memories, emotions, and feelings for you. And I always love to hear them. So please feel free to send me your thoughts. What were your favorite snippets? What were your favourite episodes? Who would you like to hear more from?" Susan

This is a compilation episode and includes snippets from the following guests

7:30 Dr. Susanne Evans on the impact of change (Episode 83)

9:00 Travis L. Scott on cognitive entrenchment (Episode 78)

10:45 Greta Solomon on being true to yourself (Episode 80)

13:10 Emma O'Brien's career corner (Episode 76)

16:45 Mason Cosby on helping others (Episode 81)

20:50 Paul Wright on mentoring (Episode 88) 

25:25 Nat Hunter on designing for the future (Episode 82)

35:05 Philip Oliver on diving for diamonds (Episode 73)

Connect with Susan

By email: susan@beyond-thenumbers.com

On LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter too!

"This week I found myself .... I don't know if I was having a reflective moment ... but I've realised that I'm still in the habit of seeking permission and I was thinking about if I wasn't always looking elsewhere for permission I wonder what I would have achieved?" Antonia Taylor

Antonia Taylor left the corporate PR agency world 10 years ago to work for herself and in this episode she reflects on this journey - one of freedom and possibility. We chat about 

- what was hard to let go of: the relationship between time and money

- what she missed: not being part of a team 

- some of her learnings: she describes working for herself as the biggest self-development journey. We cover the importance of a growth mindset, knowing your values,  permission, how we all have everything we need inside, asking for help and being yourself

And we finish up chatting about a couple of her highlights. 

Antonia Taylor began her PR career in London agency life. She cares wholeheartedly about PR’s impact and started Antonia Taylor PR to stay front-line for her clients, building relationships that endure. Working flexibly, she brings in resource from industry peers for changing business needs; PR success is grounded in working as an extension of your team. PR is no longer just PR and Antonia recognises that businesses need a creative 360-degree comms strategy to connect with their audiences authentically. Her sweet spot is tech, professional services and scaling start-ups. Being at home more for her family – attached to her laptop and working all hours, in between hugs, ballet and football training – also matters to Antonia.

Connect with Antonia:

Through her website

On LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter

Resources Mentioned:

Greta Solomon, Episode 80, Why Do I Have to Fake It?

London Writer's Salon

Alison Jone's Book Proposal Challenge

Phil Pallen brand strategist

Danielle LaPorte Heart Centered content

Career Comeback Article in RED Magazine

"A pacemaker is not a death sentence or even a life sentence, it's a lifeline. My role is to send the ladder down for other people. And that gives me a lot of satisfaction. Whether that's heart health, helping people who are going through the trauma of looking for work or people who've failed exams I've been there." Paul Wright

Paul Wright and I talk about finding purpose and how it might not always be something you are aware of early in your career. Paul had a pacemaker fitted in 2018 and he wondered about the purpose people of people who work at Medtronic ... and with some LinkedIn magic he found out! Paul shares how he has a different perspective on life and the impact that had on him personally and professionally. We chat about looking for work after 18 years in one organisation and what experience counts. Paul talks about helping others through mentoring, in communities and on LinkedIn and says if his experience isn't shared, it's just hindsight. We chat about his two keys to success (i) being brave in career choices and (ii) being yourself. And we talk about telling your story and creative writing. 

Paul Wright is a management accountant with over 20 years' post-qualification experience. He gathered senior leadership experience in a large, global energy company before moving into practice, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in an advisory capacity. Today, Paul continues to provide part time finance director support whilst pursuing a number of voluntary activities. Paul is married to Nicola, a head teacher, and has two grown-up daughters.

Connect with Paul

On LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned

Earl Bakken "One Man's Full Life" and Medtronic

Legacy by James Kerr

NASA purpose

Toastmasters International 

Episode 3 'Proud to be an Accountant' with Michelle Heer

"Don't be funny, be human -  you don't have to force it. Have a sense of humour. Have the ability to look at situations and see the humour that you do when you're outside of work. How often do you go home from work and you're sitting at the dinner table saying to your partner, or your family, you just wouldn't even believe what happened today..." Beth Sherman

Beth Sherman and I place a lens on the transformative power of humour in our work-lives. Beth shares insights from her career as a comedy writer and stand-up comedian, illustrating how humour can be a powerful tool for leaders to build trust, reduce tension and foster team dynamics. We touch on practical applications such as using humour to make interactions more human, make connections in diverse environments and improve workplace resilience. She emphasises the importance of self-awareness and authenticity in using humour effectively. Beth believes humour is a love-language, it can be used like a seasoning and that there is a lot of truth in humour. 

Beth Sherman is a speaker, comedian, and seven-time Emmy Award-winning Hollywood comedy writer who's written for the biggest shows in American television, including Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Ellen, and the Academy Awards. As a speaker, she helps individuals and organizations harness the power of humor to create meaningful connection and genuine engagement with clients, colleagues and audiences.

Connect with Beth

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-sherman/

Website: https://www.bethsherman.com/ 

Resources Mentioned:

Professional Speakers Association

Victor Borge

"I have wanted to do a solo episode for I don't know how long now. And it's something that I've really, really struggled with or battled with and found daunting." Susan

In this first solo episode I focus on voice, the gift of voice. I open up about my own thoughts around using voice, particularly in the service of others. I talk about the tension between the desire to do something and the challenge of doing it. And I share some of my writings on voice and the importance of speaking up, speaking out or just speaking. We don't need a loud voice to be heard. We only need to speak.

Numbers don't inspire us, people do. And this episode is inspired by so many people. I'm grateful to you all - those of you I've been lucky enough to meet and speak with and those of you whom I've never met but whose words encourage me nevertheless. And a special thank you goes to Kerry. You were right, I just had to start close in. 

Connect with Susan

Check out my website

On LinkedIn 

On Twitter

On Instagram

Resources Mentioned:

Greta Solomon, Heart, Sass and Soul. And guest on episode 80

Cassandra Speaks by Elizabeth Lesser

Nat Hunter, An Edge Walker, Episode 82

David Whyte and in particular his book Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning Of Every Day Words

Episode 84, Sibling Special

Coaches Rising Training 

Alison Jones, Making Connections, Episode 58

"We don't have enough social practices or social norms around how to deal with our emotional and bodily intelligence. It's not something that is integrated in the way that we are being. And we are seeing on one side a great awakening where people are beginning to understand, wow, there's so much here that I didn't see, feel, connect with." Madelaine Golec

Madelaine and I begin this conversation exploring a quote from Thomas Hübl: "Movement is intelligence in action." We are both curious about presence, consciousness and bodily intelligence. How do we tune into the wisdom of our bodies, the meanings and purpose of sensations, feelings and emotions. We settle on anger as an example and that takes us to Will Smith at the Oscars and the slap that was felt around the world. Madelaine explains why she thinks we need a new paradigm of welcoming in our emotional and bodily intelligence, not to take over from our thinking but for all of them to work together in unison. We talk about the possible implications of disconnection from our bodily intelligence. And we discuss getting curious and doing our own inner work when we might rather bypass having to feel things or believe we can think our way into feeling differently. 

Madelaine Golec is a pelvic health physiotherapist and owner of a multidisciplinary clinic in Mississauga, Canada. As part of her professional development and growth she dove into the realm of trauma work, Poly-vagal theory and Somatic Experiencing to help her clients discover what is keeping them from achieving their health goals. She is now interested in applying these techniques in the business realm, to support deep inner work for entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals, who want to discover their patterns of self-sabotage/blockage preventing them from achieving their goals. Her approach focuses in what she calls, BQ: Body Intelligence, which is about tapping into the wisdom of the body, nervous system and subconscious through presence, attunement and relational healing. Rather than focusing on the content of the problem (story), she focuses on the context (what is happening in the body and nervous system as you engage with the problem). What is the patterned response that shows up in the body when you have to do something uncertain and unpredictable and she supports the nervous system into more regulation where the person can be more open, trusting, innovative and creative in their responses. She believes it is time to stop giving all our power to the IQ: Thinking Mind and open up to the vastness that lies beneath the Mind. 

Connect with Madelaine:

Website: BQ for Business COMING SOON! Email: info@bqforbusiness.com

Podcast Living A Better Life

On Instagram

TikTok handle is @madelainegolec

LinkTree

Resources Mentioned:

Episode 154 with Susan Living A Better Life

Thomas Hübl website

Coaches Rising Trainings

Will Smith at the Oscars

"I realised, okay, so I've done all this left-brain clever stuff like accounting, finance, languages, strategy, marketing, dah, dah, dah. I feel suicidal. So clearly I am missing something. My father was in sales, my brother is in sales and I realised there were people who were far less academic than me who were leading much happier lives and were not trying to kill themselves." John Purkiss. 

John Purkiss finds himself drawn to anything that helps change the world in a positive way including in business, photography and writing books. Working as a headhunter John uses his training in banking and finance every day and shares the value of going beyond that to be far more effective. We talk about being present, the power of letting go and how letting go does not mean giving up but helps you become more powerful. Work-life balance John believes is a misnomer - how can you balance one thing that is part of the other?

John Purkiss studied economics at Cambridge University and has an MBA from INSEAD. He began his career with The First National Bank of Chicago, Mercury Asset Management and OC&C Strategy Consultants. John then co-founded a software company and worked in sales and marketing, in the UK, Belgium and France. He joined Heidrick & Struggles, where he set up and ran the CFO Practice in the London office and was promoted to partner. John is now a partner with August Leadership. He is the author of How To Be Headhunted, Brand You and The Power of Letting Go. www.johnpurkiss.com

Connect with John

On LinkedIn

On Instagram

Resources:

http://www.johnpurkiss.com/books/ 

http://nithyananda.org  

A Rich Man's Secret: An Amazing Story For Success, Ken Roberts

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, Eckhart Tolle

Headspace - Meditation and Sleep Made Simple

"It's so exciting to have my two amazing siblings here to sit down and talk about something that we've talked about. We have had conversations over the years about Aoife and about how it was to have a sister like Aoife. But I feel really honoured that I can sit down with you two here now and talk about her life and about our lives with her and share with other people in the hope that other people would benefit from hearing this or maybe just be interested in hearing it." Siun Creedon Prochazka (this episode was originally released in November 2020 on the Uniquely Wired podcast)

Our sister Aoife was born severely mentally and physically disabled.  She never spoke a single word nor walked a single step. We never really knew if she even recognised us.  She lived most of her life in care. She died at 33. I can't say that I ever knew her, ever formed a relationship.  But of course there was a relationship and I did know my sister.  In this episode my siblings and I explore our unique relationships with our sister and our unique experiences. 

Listening to this episode I'm reminded of a beautiful quote by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross:  

"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths.  These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness and deep loving concern.  Beautiful people do not just happen."  

There is beauty inside all of us. All of us suffer, are defeated, struggle and feel loss. And we are all capable of compassion and self-compassion. Let your beauty shine through. Keep an eye out for that beauty in others and encourage it to shine through too. The world will be a better place.  

Connect with Siun & Alan

Siun's website Uniquely Wired

Alan's website Endless River

Resources Mentioned:

Uniquely Wired podcast

The Search for Still Waters by Alan Creedon (Alan mentioned his walk several times but the book had not yet been release at the time of recording)

"...helping people think about the impact of change on people. And a big part of it is around people feeling secure, people feeling that they understand the impact that this is going to have on them, on their relationships. Uncertainty, because uncertainty is a really hard thing for people to deal with. And I think a big part of fear of change, resistance of change are those questions about what's in it for me?" Dr Susanne Evans

Dr Susanne Evans and I talk about organisational change. In particular we hone in on the importance of stories. Organisational change efforts are forward and future focused but sometimes digging into the past helps shape and inform the future. We ignore it our peril. Susanne uses the analogy of an archaeological excavation to explain the importance of digging into the past. We talk about understanding people's resistance to change, managing change and the right type of leadership needed for change. We discuss how change efforts go so wrong and how leaders might make it better for people. Susanne reveals some stories (decorations, toilet rolls and chocolate biscuits) that demonstrate how things that might seem small or inconsequential matter. And we dig why what goes on in organisations is often 'all talk' without really listening or having honest, open and, at times, uncomfortable conversations. 

Dr Susanne Evans is an organisation change consultant, trainer, coach and researcher on a mission to change the way that transformations are managed in organisations. Having spent 10 years in Big 4 consultancy firms she saw first-hand the difficulties that leaders and change practitioners had in achieving the benefits of large-scale transformation programmes. She founded Feldspar Consulting in 2007, helping her clients lead change in a more human, effective way. Her PhD research focused on the role of stories in organisational transformation and she distilled both this research and her 25 years of hands-on consultancy experience to create the ChangeStoriesTM approach, enabling her clients to use stories, ask questions and have powerful conversations to drive change. As well as writing and speaking about organisation change, Susanne hosts open storytelling workshops, supporting organisations and individuals in writing a compelling story for themselves, and she is the host of the popular ChangeStories podcast, in which guests share ideas for improving the world of work.

Connect with Susanne

On LinkedIn

Through her website: Feldspar Consulting

Listen to her podcast Change Stories

Resources Mentioned:

SCARF model by David Rock

Appreciative Inquiry Model

Manfred Ket de Vries who talks about lifting the rug

Steve Hearsum talks about “no silver bullet”

Kubler Ross Change Curve

Susan David

The School of Life on work

"Trying to describe myself has always been really hard. I've never fitted into anything. Someone described me as an edge-walker the other day. And I thought, oh my God, that's the first time anyone's put me into a category that I can relate to." Nat Hunter

Nat Hunter always felt pigeon-holed, like she could only bring a small sliver of herself to work and so she co-founded her own design company, Airside in 1999. We talk about their approach: what happens if you make work somewhere where people can really show up and be themselves? We also chat about their mantra of never do something just for the money and about the eventual winding up of the company. Nat decided life was short and only wants to do stuff that has a positive impact on the planet. And as 80% of the ecological impact for products is determined in the design phase Nat talks about various approaches designers can take to have a more holistic approach. We talk about sustainability, circular economy, regenerative design, net zero, co-designing with insects and more. And we delve into how we would decide what to buy if we could only buy three items of clothing a year? 

Nat Hunter, a Director of Other Today, is a designer, educator and coach, currently exploring how regenerative culture and organisational behaviour can positively impact people, society and the planet. A systems thinker and agitator for change, she brings her experience in business, design and coaching together in order to create and support change. She co-founded the multi-award winning Airside, one of the UK’s first digital design studios. In 2021 Nat co-created the influential Design Council report Beyond Net Zero and is currently a Design For Planet Fellow at the Design Council.

Connect with Nat:

On LinkedIn

By email redfishgreenfish@gmail.com 

Resources Mentioned:

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World by Tyson Yunkaporta

Sherri Mitchell

Beyond Net Zero: Design Council

Rob Hopkins Transition Movement

Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek

Carbon Tunnel Vision Diagram

B Corp

Reinventing Organisations by Frederic Laloux

"When you're a professional that has a mortgage and a family, the time to help is significantly less. To put it bluntly, you have to figure out how you can help others that makes sense within the context that you are." Mason Cosby. 

Mason Cosby was laid off at the beginning of the pandemic. A month earlier he got engaged and bought a house. He spent the next four months on the couch applying for jobs. And we talk about how since then he has done everything in his power to help others avoid a similar fate and make sure his family is never in that situation again. Mason loves his job as the dedicated marketer of a marketing agency and is also super passionate about career building. As he says, he is on a journey and he wants to show others he is in it with them. He does this by being bullish about kindness and learning in public. We chat about how he started a podcast, The Marketing Ladder, as a scalable way to help others build their marketing career. And we talk about how when you want to improve something: quantity and consistency result in quality and confidence. 

Mason Cosby helps marketers grow their company and their career.  He is the Marketing Director of Mojo Media Labs and Host of The Marketing Ladder. Mason is bullish about kindness and is actively learning in public. And he is a nurse husband. 

Connect with Mason Cosby:

On LinkedIn

The Marketing Ladder Podcast

Resources Mentioned:

Storybrand 

Megan Haupt Brio Career and on Life Beyond the Numbers episode 25 Your Career Story

"And it was a massive learning because I thought, why do I have to fake it? Why do I have to pretend that I'm okay? And I think that point comes to many of us at some point. It came to me really early, I was like 21. It came super early that I'm not going to fake it at work." Greta Solomon

Greta Solomon and I talk about self-expression. We talk about how to express ourselves at work so we get our message across, the importance of being our real self and not faking it to fit in, and how using our own voice, and not a Shakespearian persona, is okay. The idea of living a divided or disconnected life comes up and how connecting to our creative energy is massively underrated. Greta explains that being able to express our own creativity is the missing piece of the wellness picture. We explore gratitude and she explains why the practice needs to come with a warning. Greta shares insights on writing at work and on the power of journaling.

Greta Solomon is the founder of Heart, Sass & Soul Writing School. She is a writing teacher, intuitive life coach, and journal healer. She is the author of Just Write It! How to Develop Top-Class University Writing Skills and Heart, Sass & Soul: Journal Your Way to Inspiration and Happiness. She has over 14 years of experience in training individuals in multi-million pound companies in writing skills and is particularly skilled in working with internationally diverse teams of highly skilled experts for whom English is a second language. She has a former career as a women’s magazine journalist, and also set up a thriving English and writing tutoring business and she worked at industrial business-to-business PR consultancy. She still writes for newspapers and magazines, mostly about writing, creativity and self-development.

Connect with Greta:

Through her website

On Instagram and on LinkedIn

Read her book Heart, Sass and Soul

Resources Mentioned:

Are You Living a Divided Life? Article by Gregg Vanourek

Severance on Apple TV

Object Writing - Pat Pattison

Stories are data with a soul - Brene Brown

"Happiness comes from a wide variety of different sources. And actually happiness is not the one single thing that we should pursue because part of being human is the whole world of emotion and feelings. And all of them are valid." Gavin Andrews

Being Human is a compilation, an exploration of the mind-body connection. The body is a source of wisdom and intelligence that is often untapped. We have a tendency to rely on our mental intelligence, our rational thought and not our emotional self or felt sense. In this episode we hear from six previous guests about tapping into this other source of knowledge. And many of them talk about the importance of feeling safe and feeling a sense of belonging. 

7:30 Steve Haines on how minds and body are connected and the importance of feeling safe including with our interactions with others

13:00 Gavin Andrews on accessing the wisdom of the heart and state of coherence - an optimal state for heart and brain to be in

17:55 Rebecca Cheetham on mind-body disconnection and squishing emotions

18:50 Lisa Milnor on bringing awareness to the body

25:10 Gavin Andrews on bringing our emotional self to work

26:55 Steve Haines on how to make sense of sensations in our body

28:50 Matt Phelan on emotional data in the workplace and a sense of belonging

35:55 Jenny Ashmore on the power of a sense of belonging for teams

Resources Mentioned:

Coaches Rising

Episode 10, Life Beyond the Numbers, This Feelings Business with Steve Haines

Episode 38, Life Beyond the Numbers, Wisdom and Technology with Gavin Andrews

Episode 48, Life Beyond the Numbers, Baby Steps with Rebecca Cheetham

Episode 49, Life Beyond the Numbers, A Sense of Belonging with Jenny Ashmore

Episode 59, Life Beyond the Numbers, Weird & Wonderful with Lisa Milnor

Episode 67, Life Beyond the Numbers, Better Understanding with Matt Phelan

"It's about relationships. Bottom line, build relationships. Not just when you need to. I think the worst mistake people make is when they think of networking and using something like LinkedIn, they wait until they're desperate." "And that desperation comes through, right." "So I would say it's all about relationships." Travis L Scott.

Travis L Scott is a former recruiter who is annoyed by recruiters. He believes the way companies hire is broken and we talk about how transactional recruitment is, especially in larger companies. It's a numbers game. So we go into life beyond those numbers - from the perspective of recruiters and candidates. We talk about the importance of developing and nurturing relationships throughout our careers; not waiting until we are desperate, especially if we have a non-linear career. Travis shares a story about accidentally finding himself in a role where he became 'boxed-in' and how starting a side-gig set him free. We chat about being "an expert" and the cognitive entrenchment that might result in. And we cover the fact that there is always so much more to learn and some of the ways we can keep learning. 

Travis L. Scott is the Founder of RainierDigital, an inbound marketing consultancy and agency focusing on recruitment marketing, B2B, and non-profit organisations. Travis loves to help things grow - whether it's plants or a company's marketing potential. And he loves to teach and share what he has learned with people. The core of his business is helping companies and non-profits optimise processes and workflows to then leverage technology to save money, create efficiency, and, ultimately, grow.  Most recently, Travis was the Director of Marketing at ISM, a Denver-based B2B company. He has written for the employer brand sites of Microsoft and Dunkin' Brands, and has contributed to Recruiting Daily’s blog.

Connect with Travis:

On LinkedIn

Through his website Rainier Digital 

On Twitter

Podcasts: The Winding Road and Marketing Unboxed

Resources Mentioned:

Dorie Clark The Long Game

Benjamin Zander The Art of Possibility

Seth Godin Seth's Blog

Adam Grant WorkLife Podcast

Cal Newport So Good They Can't Ignore You

Gary Vee

HubSpot

"This is about what you are experiencing. And I think the beauty of your experience is it's your experience and no one can argue with that."

David Lee and I delve into the significance of emotional self-regulation and co-regulation, highlighting the impact they have on psychological safety and productive workplace environments. We discuss concepts from my book 'Leading Beyond the Numbers' including the importance of emotional granularity and how subtle changes in language can shape one's perception and interactions. We also cover the value of reflection and curiosity, and the cultural impact of emotions in an organisation. Through relatable examples and research, our discussion offers practical techniques for managing emotions and enhancing workplace culture. 

David Lee is a coach, consultant, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker, and author of Dealing with a Difficult Co-Worker, who loves creating a win/win/win relationship between people and the organizations they work for. He helps leaders and leadership teams learn how to become "people whisperers", and by doing so, increase their ability to make their organization THE choice for "A List Talent" and inspire the best in their people. 

Connect with David

On LinkedIn

Through his website, SoulSatisfyingWork

Resources Mentioned

How to Up Your People Game at Work: LinkedIn Live Series (Forthcoming onOct 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th 5pm UK/12pm EST)

Leading Beyond the Numbers, Susan Ní Chríodáin

The Book of Human Emotions, Tiffany Watt Smith

The Emotional Dictionary, Susie Dent

Lisa Feldman Barrett, How Emotions are Mad

Daniel Goleman

Steven Porges and Polyvagal Theory

Don't Bite the Hook, Pema Chodron

Ted Lasso on Apple TV

Emotional Agility, Susan David

"We might have an idea of the kind of manager we want to be. But how often do we intentionally focus on that on a daily basis?" Helen Joy 

In this episode Helen Joy and I go in-depth into three areas that impact how we show up, lead and manage, on a daily basis, especially if we are new to the role or new to an organisation. 

1. What people forget first or need to be reminded of first is they're already doing a lot of the really positive, great work around nurturing, supporting, and developing their people because they're great people. And that they are in that role for a reason. We talk about people management versus task management. 
2. It's okay to focus on our own personal development and that personal development is absolutely critical for continued growth. And we talk about some of the many ways that we can do that. And we speak about the impact if we don't. We look at personal versus professional development. 
3. To not be so afraid of difficult conversations. We ask what makes this conversation difficult for you? We discuss how we can forget how much influence we have on the culture of our team and how our moods, feelings and emotions have an influence and impact on that. 

Helen Joy’s passion is Leadership and Management Development, particularly aspiring and new managers. She passionately believes that we are all capable of creating a work environment that is motivating, inspiring and enables people to achieve their potential. Prior to founding PeopleSpark Helen led and developed teams within operational and support environments to achieve results through coaching and formal training.

Connect with Helen: On LinkedIn

Helen's website is PeopleSpark

And email address

Resources:

Episode 6, Life Beyond the Numbers, Learning How to Manage

Lived & Learned Video Series 

"I was in a career corner .... I'd painted myself into it and I didn't know how to get out. And I was having those thoughts that in my early 30s you know, “that's it, I'm ruined” .... now I'm thinking I can continue to change and evolve and do so many different things with my life and my career. It's limitless." Emma O'Brien

Emma O'Brien and I talk about how our minds work and respond to us and how our beliefs are created by us. Emmas uses a great example of how a bad experience in something so innocent like a school play can play a role in our working lives - how shame and humiliation manifest themselves in beliefs we have about ourselves - the vortex of self doubt as she calls it. Emma shares how we can reorient our beliefs towards a different meaning and says that instead of choosing something overly positive, or Pollyanna-like, if we choose something that's realistic it serves us better. Emma speaks openly about how getting to know her strengths helped her reorient herself out of the career corner she had painted herself into.  

Emma O’Brien is a Rapid Transformational Therapist (RTT), Mindset and Strengths Coach. She helps leaders and business owners rapidly release self-defeating beliefs, habits and behaviours to make massive personal transformation. During her corporate career in HR, Organisational Development and Transformational Change she experienced 'impostor feelings' and self doubt. She also suffered with depression and anxiety. So she knows first hand how much this can hold people back, sabotage success and smother the ability to find their true expression. 

Connect with Emma:

Through her website

On Instagram and Facebook

Resources Mentioned:

Episode #53: Start with You - Nikki Hill

Marissa Peer

Rapid Transformational Therapy RTT

Gallup - Clifton Strengths

Mind Jogger App

"...you ask potential candidates who are joining your organisation, what are their intrinsic motivations and 80-90% of the time, they will say, I want to be part of an organisation that is making a positive difference in the world."  John Collins

John Collins a 'walking stereotype' (Irish, red-hair and worked for Guinness) takes us on a journey from Dublin to Asia Pacific to Africa and around the UK. He believes that great people, serving a great purpose make great organisations. He shares his steepest learning curve, his self-doubt and how he learnt about what he wanted from his career and tuned into that voice inside of him that for a long time wasn't saying anything. He also shares his thoughts on how business and consumption are at the heart of the situation that we're in and you can either bemoan that from the outside or you can be part of the solution on the inside. In Pukka Herbs John says one of the most satisfying and motivating thing about an organisation like Pukka is the genuine feeling that they are making decisions for the right reasons

John Collins is Finance Director of Pukka Herbs, whose mission is to create a world where plants play a central role in human health and wellbeing. He is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and has extensive experience working in the private sector across a number of disciplines and geographies in organisations such as Deloitte and Diageo. He is a board member of Friends of the Earth.

***Please note that episode 26 was originally released in January 2021 and is from the archives

Connect with John:

On LinkedIn

"Freedom for me .... is the ability to build a portfolio .... a portfolio of experiences, a portfolio of projects rather than just one single life path, life career." Trevor O'Hara

During the pandemic Trevor O'Hara looked at his own life and asked himself if he wanted to spend the rest of it on a plane and decided he was ready for a change. So he took his side gigs and turned them into revenue streams and built a portfolio. As a society we've been taught to aim high and he says the problem with this is the higher we aim the further we have to fall if it doesn't work out. We talk about dealing with uncertainty and discomfort. We discuss resilience and bouncing back and Trevor says there is no such thing as a 'new you' as we are constantly changing and evolving. Trevor believes part of his calling is to dispel the myths about reinvention and uncertainty. He introduces us to agilism - an agile approach. And we also cover the role of randomness and luck in our lives. 

Trevor O'Hara is an entrepreneur who helps people work through change, transition, and reinvention by building a portfolio lifestyle. Trevor has lived with change all his life. For the last two decades, he has lived in 12 countries as a technology and transport exec delivering retail, hospitality, and technology innovations for the world’s largest airports, and has raised several million dollars from a range of international investors. During the pandemic, Trevor redesigned his life in favour or a portfolio lifestyle. He runs several businesses, one of which is Wayless – a personal development platform for people dealing with change, transition, and reinvention.

Connect with Trevor:

On Twitter or LinkedIn

His website

Resources Mentioned:

Alison Jones Book Proposal Challenge

21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari

Jack Butcher

Annie Duke

"Innovation …. it's going to be meaningfully unique .... new and different. And new and different means people are going to be getting ‘that sounds crazy’, ‘that sounds mad’, ‘we can't do that’.… How we attend to this question of fear … how we encourage learning, how we fuel collaboration these are jobs of the leader and a leader that has humility. And …. this is in the deep tissue of leading. It's the fabric of leadership. It's what makes a leader really a leader in my view, at least in the context of innovation." Philip Oliver

Philip Oliver describes his work-life as having two themes - adventure and innovation. And we go on an adventure from Singapore to South Africa, including diving for diamonds on the Coast of West Africa, to working in business improvement and innovation in the oil and gas industry in Scotland. We talk about what innovation means, really. Philip says there is no lack of literature on the subject, most of it is worthy of contemplation but actually not particularly helpful. Innovation has to be meaningfully unique (new and different) to you/your team, the organisation and the customer. We talk about the three conditions necessary for innovation (i) a creative spark (ii) diversity of thought and (iii) absence of fear. And we talk about how do might attend to this question of fear, how to encourage experimentation and learning and how to fuel collaboration. It is a question of leadership ... and leading with humility. Philip has many stories and examples from his own work-life, including his childhood. 

Connect with Philip

Eureka Europe website

On LinkedIn

Or email: philip.oliver@eureka1europe.com

Resources Mentioned:

Purposeful People: Business Leaders Making A Difference by Chris Paton

Future, Engage, Deliver: The Essential Guide to Your Leadership by Steve Radcliffe

Doug Hall Eureka! Ranch

Helen Potter Eureka Europe

"I kept reading about languishing and it occurred to me that we were missing the element of surprise..... surprise adds that sort of element of surprise, but it does more than that. It takes your brain on a little journey .... it fires you up." Ella Clark

Ella Clark and I talk about the element of surprise and how life can present us with many surprises, some are a delight and some might be unwanted. We speak about ways of reframing some of those unwanted surprises - being made redundant as an example. We chat about how our identities can be intertwined with the jobs that we do or our careers and how to pivot. Ella herself talks about how she "ended up doing financial communications" and had an epiphany in a cardiac ward - she pivoted. Ella is an identical twin which brings an interesting twist to the identity conversation. Diamonds, canaries and battles are some of the metaphors we explore during this conversation - Ella's love of storytelling and the use of metaphors helps her help people reveal their inner desires. If you are at a crossroads in your career or even starting to think about what might be next for you in your work-life this episode is full of recommendations on how to start exploring. 

Ella Clark specialises in career coaching & life coaching for people who are highly successful and capable and at a crossroads in their work or personal life. Ella has a science background, and uses evidence-based scientific coaching approaches from social sciences and psychologically-informed practices that are successful in health and wellbeing, and the disability sector. She works as a person-centred integrative coach, with a mix of neurologically-based behavioural tools from social sciences, CBT, NLP, existential philosophy and positive psychology theories. She is a a licensed Firework Career Coach and a certified Life Coach & Master NLP Practioner. Ella loves working with people at the intersection of work, life and the many identities that people can have, to create a life that makes them happy, fulfilled and balanced.

Connect with Ella:

Through Life Coaching with Ella website

On Instagram and LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned:

The Body Keeps The Score by Besser van der Kolk

Emilie Wapnick: Why some of us don't have one true calling TED Talk

The Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell 

The Johari Window Model 

Ikigai (reason for being)

Spectrum of Possibilities

Double Diamond (Diverge & Converge)

16 Personalities test

Values in Action (VIA) Personality test

"This is a tool to amplify your sensitivity to some of those lower-level energies that might be keeping you away from your true self." Jonathan de Potter

Jonathan de Potter is the founder of Behold Retreats and in this episode we talk about the benefits of unpacking and exploring our inner world in a way that begins to give us a very different perspective in the relationship between self and the outer world. Jonathan and I chat about psychedelics or plant medicine. Psychedelics he says is an interesting term because different people with different interests define it differently. What he is focused on is the psychedelics that have a neurogenerative effect meaning they can actually facilitate the growth of new neurons and facilitate an increase in neuroplasticity. The medicine is fundamentally trying connect, reconnect, and harmonise body, mind, heart and spirit into a single vibration - to bring us back to our true self. We talk about energy and vibrations and Jonathan encourages us all to find the people who reflect the energy that we aspire to ultimately and to figure out what would truly make us happy. 

Jonathan de Potter is the Founder of Behold Retreats, passionate about plant medicine, and believes that absolutely everyone can improve their mental health and consciousness. Behold Retreats facilitate life-changing plant medicine journeys to explore your inner world, discover your truth, and live to your full potential. A primary focus for Jonathan is to raise awareness and education on the subject of plant medicine, and to begin conversations on if and how to bring this important science to the many cultures in Asia- Pacific. Prior to working in plant medicine, Jonathan worked in management consulting, supporting clients in APAC with innovation, digital strategy, scaling, and transformation programs.

Connect with Jonathan:

Through Behold Retreats website

On Instagram

Resources Mentioned:

Articles, videos and books on the science on Behold Retreats Website

Netflix Documentary - Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics 

Rick Doblin TED Talk

Happy New Year. Welcome to 2022 and episode 70 of Life Beyond the Numbers - a compilation episode from some of the least downloaded episodes of 2021 ... or the hidden gems from 2021

Lisa LLoyd introduces us to the difference between Imagination and Thinking (minute 4)

Alison Jones talks about thinking, deep thinking and reflective thinking (minute 6)

Lisa LLoyd covers our brain and pattern recognition (minute 13)

Glin Bayley illustrates pattern recognition and writing from the heart (minute 17)

Gavin Andrews introduces HeartMath and we chat about emotions (minute 23)

Lisa Milnor goes deeper into feelings and the mind body connection (minute 33)

And finally Lisa LLoyd on the importance of knowing how our brain works (minute 40)

Podcast Episodes - Hidden Gems of 2021

#38 Wisdom & Technology with Gavin Andrews (HeartMath)

#39 H.E.A.R.T with Glin Bayley (Heart of Human)

#58 Making Connections with Alison Jones (WriteBrained)

#59 Weird & Wonderful with Lisa Milnor (Shaping Clarity)

#61 Imagination with Lisa LLoyd (It's Time for Change)

You are welcome to write to me on susan@beyond-thenumbers.com or connect with me on social media with guest or topic suggestions.  

"Figure out what works for you. Whether it be, your physical health, your nutritional health, your financial health, figure out what works for you." Alyn Mitlyng

Alyn Mitlyng has two rules in life 'Modification and Moderation'. And we talk about her approach to figuring out how to define and achieve personal goals by modifying conventional rules and approaches to fit your personal preferences and motivation style. Alyn wrote a book, Dirty Goals, to fully explore personal goals. She explains her formula that allows you to TAP (Thought, Action, Process) into your own thoughts so you can mine them, perhaps for gold. We talk about the difference between personal goals and a life purpose and she shares her own life purpose, being kind. Alyn explains she chose kindness when she had enough of being an abrasive person, or a jerk as she calls it. We also talk about the difference between goals and resolutions (it is that time of year!), signs from the universe and feeling fulfilled. 

Alyn Mitlyng is an author, girlfriend, dog mom, industry professional and goal enthusiast. Dirty Goals is her first book and was inspired by an obvious lack of guidance when she was developing her own personal goals. Originally from Montevideo, MN, Alyn now enjoys the milder climate of Colorado with her boyfriend and two dogs, Rozi and Zoe.

Dirty Goals Breaking Conventional Rules to Achieve Your Dreams

Connect On Instagram

Resources Mentioned: 

The Miracle Morning Hal Elrod

DIY Angela Rose on Instagram

"I think part of his personality and a lot of our riders' personalities is they need to test themselves like this. They need to push their boundaries. And try these extreme experiences and the rewards that they get very important to them, life affirming to them." Anna Haslock

Content Warning: Topics discussed in this episode include a fatal road collision and rape (c. min 22-29). Some listeners might find the content disturbing. If anything does impact you while listening to this episode please reach out to or speak to someone you trust. 

Anna Haslock has a powerful story to tell; a story about adventure, resilience, personal growth as well as dealing with and learning from extreme life experiences. We talk about the Transcontintenal Race - an unsupported ultra endurance single stage cycling race where the clock never stops. One of the aims of the organisation she runs, Lost Dot, is to promote adventure cycling for self-development and personal growth. And this is something quite close to her heart because both herself and race founder Mike Hall experienced, for different reasons, the real benefits that you can get from having been tested to your extreme. For Mike his was mostly self-imposed doing these events. Anna, although not a racer, experienced this test of herself through two very difficult life experiences. Lost Dot was set up to honour Mike's legacy and promotes road justice, cycling as a sustainable form of transport and celebrates integrity in sport over winning at any cost. We talk about the race, the racers, the community, the Dot Watchers and the 2019 race winner, Fiona Kolbinger. 

Anna Haslock co-founded Lost Dot Ltd to ensure Mike Halls's legacy is nurtured and preserved. She is the Race Director of the Transcontinental Race and Trans Pyrenees Race and previously the Race Coordinator of the Transcontinental Race from 2014 to 2017. 

Trans Continental Race

On Instagram and Twitter

2019 Race Winner Fiona Kolbinger

I am thoroughly enjoying reading "Wayfinding: The Art and Science of How We Find and Lose Our Way" by Michael Bond and have drawn from it to put together this episode. The parallels between how we do this out there in the wild and within the daily confines or our work-life struck me. 

I've used excerpts from this book, in particular the psychology of being lost, for this episode and added some of my own thoughts, stories and poems. 

Please note that I will be taking a break for the month of August. Until September .... happy wandering!

Resources Mentioned

Wayfinding: The Art and Science of How We Find and Lose Our Way by Michael Bond

"If you can measure it, you can manage it. I used to say that for years. And  now I say if you can measure it, you can better understand it. If you can better understand it, you can make better decisions." Matt Phelan. 

Matt Phelan, co-founder of the Happiness Index, and I talk about how The Happiness Index provides organisations with an index of people's emotions. Emotions are data points that give you a better understanding of how your people feel so you can make better decisions. Matt says they are providing people with data to achieve emotional intelligence (EQ) at scale. We talk about how emotional data is four dimensional (4-D) and Matt takes me through an example of this using the interview process. Matt shares some of the evidence to support the business case for happiness at work. We chat about employee engagement, how happiness is associated with energy, that relationships are the number one driver of happiness at work and the impact of discrimination in the workplace. We also cover biases, belief systems, ignorance and incompetence as well as Matt's book 'Freedom to be Human'. 

Matthew Phelan is a co-founder and the Head of Global Happiness at The Happiness Index. He is on a mission to improve the way organisations treat people. He co-founded a global data and digital marketing agency before leaving the business after a trade sale and focussing entirely on The Happiness Index. His passion is to understand how people experience happiness and his vision is to use data to visualise culture in a similar way to how Google Maps visualises the world. He is the author of "Freedom to be Happy: The Business Case for Happiness." 

Connect with Matt:

On LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram or write him a letter!

If you want to collect data - go to The Happiness Index and book a demo

Read his book Freedom to be Happy

Tune into the Happiness & Humans podcast 

Resources Mentioned:

Jana Dowling Arkeo app

Advancing Racial Equity Conference and Sheeren Daniels

Happiness & Engagement Model

Happiness & Humans Podcast Episodes:

Employee Engagement with William Kahn (Mar 2021)

Employee Happiness with Professor Jeremy Dawson (Sept 2020)

Data & Research into Workplace Happiness with Professor Alex Edmans (Aug 2020)

"So that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to lift the lid on it. It's not just me, it's my friends. I want it for our daughters. That's what I want it for more than anything." Amantha King. 

Amantha King and I talk about menopause. Every woman deserves the right to a fulfilling life and she says hands down we know the number one thing that improves menopause is actually women's awareness going into it. Amantha talks us through the phases of menopause from peri to post. We talk about some of the symptoms and some of the different ways to get help. We both speak openly about our own symptoms and our menopause stories. We talk about the workplace and what employers can do and how important it is to take the whole person into consideration. We talk about lifting the stigma, speaking openly, honestly and transparently, with kindness, compassion and humour and not suffering silently. 

Amantha King spent over 20 years spent soaking up people skills in pharmaceutical sales, training and management roles.  In 2010 she set up her own coaching and development business around her passion that coaching using NLP and neuroscience creates behaviour changes that have far reaching positive outcomes. She is also passionate about educating and providing support for women transitioning through menopause and is an advocate for sharing best practice within organisations who are looking to support their teams. Amantha is also a Judge at The UK Business Awards and advises businesses on how to get the most from their important asset, their people.

Connect with Amantha:

On LinkedIn

On Twitter

On Instagram as My Meno Coach and Amantha King Coaching

Resources Mentioned:

My Menopause and Me - Amantha King

Dr. Louise Newson website

Balance App

NICE Guidelines

Oestrogen Matters: Why Taking Hormones in Menopause Can Improve Women's Well-Being and Lengthen Their Lives - Without Raising the Risk of Breast Cancer by Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris 

Headspace App

Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause on Channel 4

The theme of International Leadership Week (#ILW21) is Leadership Reinvented. What does reinvented leadership look like? 

Many guests on this podcast share their views on leadership and their experiences of leadership. This week I've compiled some excerpts from different episodes, including an intro about what reinvented leadership might mean. 

The estimated start times for each of the segments is:

8:30 Helen Joy on workplace engagement from Episode 6, Learning How to Manage

9:40 Gib Bulloch on leadership problems from Episode 28, Breakthrough 

13:10 Jenny Ashmore on the day you find out what type of leader you are from Episode 49, A Sense of Belonging 

15:00 Caroline Mabon on aligning intentions and action when it comes to leadership from Episode 60, Leadership

16:40 Luke Kyte on a cultural evolution from Episode 43, Putting People First

21:00 Sheila Walsh on working in a people first environment from Episode 27, Healthy High Performance

24:00 Kevin Ashley on leading individuals and being a leader from Episode 32, Serial Entrepreneur

27:00 Sue Rosen on inclusive leadership and workplaces from Episode 1, Stepping into the Unknown

32:30 Eamon FitzGerald on being authentically you, flaws and all from Episode 64, Being Yourself

36:30 Helen Joy on why changes are finally happening from Episode 6, Learning to Manage

and

37:30 Caroline Mabon on leadership as an honour and a huge responsibility from Episode 60, Leadership

Resources Mentioned:

Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy video

Nine Lies About Work by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall

"As it turns out being authentically me means more sales when it comes to marketing and everything. So that was the big lesson I learned early on. It took a very tough learning experience. But that sense of being yourself for all its flaws and all its good things as well that was a huge learning for me." Eamon FitzGerald.

Eamon FitzGerald and I talk about wine. Eamon has a passion for connecting great wine makers with people who appreciate their wine and loves to share the winemaker's stories. With his new venture, WineSpark, he has created a business model that makes amazing wines accessible and affordable to regular people. Eamon spent 10 years with Naked Wines in the UK and became Managing Director within a year of joining the fast growing company. He talks openly about taking on this role at a young age, and how he learned to lead and grow a business. As he says businesses are a complex beast but the key is to focus on some simple things - not rocket science. We talk about the Customer Happiness Team and culture at Naked Wines, being yourself and the importance of quality and service for customers. Eamon also talks about wine production costs and shares some stories from his extensive travels. 

Eamon FitzGerald loves discovering talented winemakers and sharing their wines and stories with his friends. He did this for 10 years when he was MD and Global Wine Director for Naked Wines in the UK and US. He spent most of his time hunting down the best independent winemakers and setting them up in business. Now back in Ireland he has set up WineSpark. WineSpark is a community of passionate wine drinkers and winemakers aiming to make the world’s best wines accessible and affordable to everyone. Eamon has worked for Decanter magazine, and on the side of a mountain in France picking grapes. He also worked in financial services in London and Dublin for Accenture. 

Connect with Eamon:

Through his website WineSpark

On Instagram

On LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned

If Disney Ran Your Hospital: 9 1/2 Things You Would Do Differently by Fred Lee

Legacy by James Kerr

Frederico Cerelli winemaker

Johan Kruger winemaker

Naked Wines

"We are both in a quest. We are partners in this quest, both the coach and the coachee, and when we have this quest it is something that unites us." Spyros Gousetis. 

Spyros Gousetis and I talk about becoming the best version of ourselves. Becoming the best human being that we can be - personally and professionally. Spyros compares this journey to a virtual computer game - as we learn we go up a level. We learn skills and competencies but we also have to learn about ourselves, our inner world. One way to do this is to understand how we think. Evaluating our own thinking style Spyros says is like tickling yourself: you know what to do but you just can't do it and so you stop. This is where a coach can help. A coach becomes your thinking partner, a thinking partner who helps you to think purposefully and helps you determine your choices. Spyros also explains that all beliefs, or limiting beliefs, fall under three categories: possibility (it is not possible to do that) ability (I cannot do that) and self worth (I don't deserve that). We talk about motivation, discipline, habits, action and how Aikido is like coaching. 

Spyros Gousetis is an international executive and business life coach and NLP practitioner, former corporate board member and strategic consultant. He has 20+ years of Europe and Middle East corporate business experience, in Strategic Marketing and Business Development, spanning Foods, Personal Wash and Skin with Unilever, Consumer Electronics with Sony. Driven, motivated with sense of humour, curiosity and a bias for learning. Ability to influence within C-suite, critical thinker and Board facilitator. Comprehensive knowledge of the human and operational strategies required to succeed in sectors with rapidly changing competition and technologies leading to Business Model Innovation and Digital Transformation.

Connect with Spyros:

Through his website

On LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned:

Elie Wiesel

"And I think acceptance, real acceptance, for me is like: today, where am I? In a week or a month it may be better or worse, but today, how am I am?" Sarah Wells.

Sarah Wells became a master at putting her head down, getting on with things and assuming everything would be ok. This worked until it didn't. After her first child was born Sarah received a diagnosis of a rare and chronic condition. On her return to work her coping mechanisms no longer served her. She left work, had another child and applied her old coping mechanisms to this new situation. After the birth of her third child Sarah was diagnosed with another rare and chronic condition. A medical appointment for her daughter was a turning point for Sarah as she realised she needed to step up and advocate for her children and show them how to live their lives well. This began with acceptance. Sarah talks openly about the impact of chronic conditions on people's lives - at home, at work, with family and friends - and that to be able to live life well it is really important to manage conditions really, really well. 

Sarah Wells has always had helping people at the core of her work, from long summers working with disabled kids while studying at university, to her early career as a teacher. With a lifetime’s experience living with chronic illness and a first degree in biology, her newest role supporting women with chronic illness feels like coming home for her. Trained in coaching and NLP she gives women the tools they need to feel supported and in control, to be seen, to be heard… sometimes for the first time. She specialises in supporting them through and after their diagnosis, to hang up their superwoman cloak, to rediscover who they are and to become chronically empowered.  

Connect with Sarah:

On instagram

Through her website

Conditions Mentioned:

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS)

Charcot Marie Tooth Disease (CMT)

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

Thank you for listening.

If you enjoyed this episode, consider leaving a review and sharing it with someone who is curious like you. 

"So when we use our imagination well the possibilities are endless." Lisa LLoyd

Lisa LLoyd believes our imagination is our most misused resource, an innate resource that is so important for us. We delve into all things imagination and Lisa explains how our imagination can help to inform thinking or can be a barrier to that thinking depending on the state of our emotional arousal. Lisa talks us through what goes on in our brains when we enter a state of high emotional arousal and introduces us to some practical approaches to managing our emotional state, including recognising early warning signs and giving our amygdala a name, like Bob! We take our discussion into the workplace and Lisa explains how we operate based on patterns. She talks us through the power of visualisation as the key to imagining different outcomes and changing patterns. And we talk about how to harness our imagination at work in order to be creative and innovative. 

Lisa LLoyd is a Chartered Psychologist & Psychotherapist. Alongside her private psychotherapy practice she founded It’s Time for Change based on the belief that if we all started to do things a little bit differently, we’d achieve huge results. She is an advocate for putting the human factor back into business and her mantra is: when we get people right, we get business right. She works collaboratively with organisations, using psychological principles and evidence-based practices to improve leadership, employee engagement and resilience and to create workplace cultures where employees excel, where teams are dynamic and where people are happy.

Connect with Lisa:

On LinkedIn

Through her Website: https://itstimeforchange.co.uk/ 

Resources Mentioned:

Check out episode #30, Leading Change with Lisa LLoyd

"...it's that balance of being really clear with your purpose and having this people centric style that actually brings out the best in the people around you." Caroline Mabon

Caroline Mabon and I talk about leadership. Caroline has been inspired by Bob Chapman who describes leadership "as the stewardship of lives entrusted to you." And we probe this a little covering how we need to have the skills and self-understanding to know that leadership isn't just something that you fall into because you're functionally amazing at what you do. It is a huge responsibility and we need to become more conscious about the way that we're leading. And of course there is huge financial reward for a business when we tap into what truly engages people. We also talk about fear-based workplaces and we explore what having a compassionate culture means.  

Connect with Caroline

Compassionate Cultures website and on instagram

On LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned:

Everybody Matters by Bob Chapman

Time to Think by Nancy Kline

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown

First Follower: Dancing Lessons from Leadership Guy

"I love uncertainty. But most people don't. There's this kind of innate thing about humans that we want to be in control. We like to think we're in control. We like certainty. And if nothing else the pandemic has shown us that life is totally unpredictable and uncertain. And it is moment by moment." Lisa Milnor 

Lisa Milnor began her career immersed in numbers. She talks about how at age 40 she began to wonder what else was out there. She left her FD role and ran a ski chalet for three years at the same time as setting up her business, Shaping Clarity. Lisa shares her stories about yoga, mindfulness, TRE, herbal medicine and more. We take a deep dive into awareness, what it is and how do you know if you have it. We apply it to the workplace. And we talk about emotions and the intelligence of our bodies including why we have tear ducts! Lisa shares plenty of stories and insights from her work-life, including one about donuts and nettles.

Lisa Milnor has a business background in Finance and Accountancy. She undertook three years of yoga teacher training and qualified as a British Wheel of Yoga teacher in 2012. Through her own practice and teaching she came to realise and experience the transformational healing power of yoga and in 2012 had a total career change and undertook training as an integrated Yoga Therapist and then as a Mindfulness Teacher. She has also completed training in TRE (Tension and Trauma releasing exercise).  

Connect with Lisa:

Her website is Shaping Clarity

Resources Mentioned:

Heather Church website

Cathy Mae Karelse Clear Mind International

Sarah Beck website

Set Free: A Life-Changing Journey from Banking to Buddhism in Bhutan by Emma Slade 

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

Eckhart Tolle https://eckharttolle.com

Steve Haines, episode #10 and #47 of Life Beyond the Numbers and TRE The Body College

Andi Lonnen, episode #29 Life Beyond the Numbers

"So yeah, that sense of making connections, which your brain does all the time. And writing enables you to capture that." Alison Jones

Alison Jones and I talk about writing as a way to think. Thinking might seem like a luxury that many of us don't have time to do but Alison makes a case for lightweight, affordable and accessible writing as a thinking tool - all you need is six minutes and a big scruffy A4 pad. Alison shares some techniques such as free-writing and mind-mapping and we chat about the hand-brain connection, the power of visual, storytelling, reading and using writing for communication. We also cover reflective practice, self-coaching metaphors and creativity. 

Alison Jones is founder of Practical Inspiration Publishing, a pioneering publishing partner for businesses, and host of The Extraordinary Business Book Club, a podcast and community for writers and readers of extraordinary business books. A veteran of the publishing industry, she worked for 25 years with leading companies such as Oxford University Press and Macmillan. She regularly speaks and blogs on the publishing industry, is on the board of the Independent Publishers Guild and Head Judge of the Business Book Awards. She has written and edited several books, most recently This Book Means Business (2018). 

Connect with Alison

Through her website

and her WriteBrained (28-day exploratory writing adventure) wait list

and Practical Inspiration Publishing

or tune into her Extraordinary Business Book Club Podcast

Resources Mentioned

Reflective Practice Writing and Professional Development by Gillie Bolton

Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist is by Kate Raworth

The Art of Enough: 7 ways to build a balanced life and a flourishing world by Becky Hall

"There's schools of thought around us; the quantum nature of humanity in terms of us being energy and vibrations. And whether you think of it as woo-woo, pseudoscience or whatever, I'm not concerned about that as much as understanding that when we got on this call, our energy levels were higher than usual and matching each other. And I think that is something that as people we really need to tap into. Being able to empathetically match our energy and also have the ability to shift it up or down as we see fit and that serves the environment that we're in." Steve Wright

Steve Wright and I have a dynamic discussion on his career journey from IT to coaching, and the intersection of human and information technology. We delve into how upbringing influenced Steve's interest in people and the importance of human interaction in technology. We explore leadership, the psychology-physiology connection, life's valleys and peaks and the significance of personal responsibility. We discuss the significance of energy in interactions, both personally and professionally. Steve also shares insights into his coaching practice, particularly around being a thinking partners to help managers become effective leaders. 

Steve Wright's career path took him into Information Technology (IT) but the lessons of Human Technology remained, and have been a thread throughout his life. He experienced the transformation that can be achieved with a change in our physiology and psychology. Steve with over 25 years of experience is now a seasoned IT manager turned business and life coach based in Lancaster, UK. He empowers managers to become inspiring leaders through his company, SAWright Coaching.

Connect with Steve

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sawright/ 

Through his website: https://sawrightcoaching.com

Resources Mentioned:

The 1 to One Thing Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-1-to-one-thing/id1696216009

Episode 45 of The 1 to One Thing Podcast, Leading Beyond the Numbers with Susan Ní Chríodáin: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ep-45-leading-beyond-the-numbers-susan-ni-chriodian/id1696216009?i=1000657301125 

Tony Robbins https://www.tonyrobbins.com/ 

"And my vision is that that 80 percent number can reduce and more people are engaged in the workplace and enjoy what they do." Susan Ni Chriodain

Life Beyond the Numbers was launched in Sept 2020. And for my 1st anniversary someone special, my Dad, interviewed me! I spent a week in Dingle, my home town in Ireland, in late August 2021 and we talked lots about my work, past and present as well as my future vision - so we thought, why not record an episode! Here it is. I hope you enjoy it. 

Curious to know more

Please visit my website

Connect with me on LinkedIn 

and on Instagram or Twitter

or send me an email on susan@beyond-thenumbers.com 

Susan Ni Chriodain founded Beyond the Numbers to work with organisations who recognise that putting people first generates the greatest return. Her experience and business acumen stem from a wide variety of commercial and non-profit operational, project and financial roles. For over 20 years she led and managed a wide variety of teams in Europe, Africa, Asia, in-person and remotely. A Finance Director at 33 she learnt that to have an impact required you to be brave, bold and to build strong working relationships. It wasn’t enough to be technically excellent; putting people first was key. She has a practical, no-nonsense approach to understanding and resolving other people’s problems no matterhow intractable they might seem.

"Many of us are beginning to learn today just how important it is to know what is going on in our gut. And that gut health is important to our overall health." Caroline Peyton

Caroline Peyton has an holistic approach to health and wellbeing. In this episode we start out chatting about how our gut is invisible and we tend to ignore it unless there is a problem. However, making sure that what goes into our gut, how it survives and thrives in there or doesn't and the impact of that on our lives - from moods to stress to ill health is fascinating. Caroline's enthusiasm helps us visualise what is going on and she broadens it out to cover so many areas, including:

• If you are a tea and/or coffee drinker are you aware of the impact on your body?
• How much hydrating fluid do you consume daily? 
• If you have a desk based job how much do you move around and exercise? 
• How many pieces of fruit and vegetables do you consume daily?
• How do you know if you have an intolerance or an allergy?

And we keep returning to the fact that our bodies are amazing - how it does its best to cope, but sometimes if we push it a little bit too far, it will start to try and tell us that it's not so happy. We have to tune in and listen to our bodies. 

Caroline Peyton spent 20 years in corporate management roles and then took the decision to retrain; firstly in Nutritional Therapy in 2009 and then in Naturopathy in 2014. She also holds diplomas in Iridology and Wellbeing Coaching. Caroline helped establish the Naturopathic Nutrition Association and was Chair for seven years. She also became Principal of the Natural Healthcare College in 2013 and supervised final year students’ Clinical Practice training until 2018. Caroline runs her own private practice and specialises in digestive gut health.

Connect with Caroline

Through her website Peyton Principles

Her email address is caroline@peytonprinciples.com

YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned:

More Salt Less Herbs blog post

Gut: the inside story of our body's most under-rated organ, Giulia Enders

"as adults we've put play and work in opposition and that's another myth." Pauline McNulty

Pauline McNulty prioritised career progression above everything else in her life until about 18 months into a role as Chief Risk Officer. The role was meaningful and important but something wasn't working for her. She got really curious about what was motivating for her and came across an article about three primary intrinsic motivators - potential, purpose and play. And she says the way they talked about play is enjoying the act of the work itself. Pauline and I talk about how play shows up our workplaces and in the act of the work itself. We talk about the benefits of play - using play can unlock hidden potential and get more creativity from people. People make better decisions. And generally, you'll be more resilient for whatever challenges are coming down the track. Pauline is not saying this play is a silver bullet. It's an activity, it's also an experience, and it can also be a mindset. How do we design work in a way that feels like play because we're going to get better results?

Pauline McNulty has executive-level leadership experience that spans transformational change, risk and assurance. After graduating with a 1st class degree in Computer Science, Pauline trained as an accountant with KPMG. Her ambition led to Head of Internal Audit by her early 30s and Chief Risk Officer of a $3bn organisation by 35. Since the beginning of 2020, in conjunction with co-founding Playfilled, Pauline has built a portfolio focused on enabling sustainable success for people and organisations as a coach, advisor/NED, and advocate. Passionate about inclusion and mental well-being, Pauline was recognised for her work as LSM Executive Sponsor for D&I when she was featured on inaugural 2019 InsideOut Leaderboard.

Connect with Pauline

On LinkedIn

Playfilled website and on LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned

HBR Article How company culture shapes employee motivation

Dr. Stuart Brown TED Talk

Design Your Life 

Primed to Perform Vega Factor

Nine Lies About Work (Lie #8) makes reference to Mayo Clinic Study

Playful Work Design

Design Good Work, CIPD