Beyond the Status Quo – Details, episodes & analysis

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Beyond the Status Quo

Kathryn Gorman & Tamara Zaple Rolfs

Business

Education

Frequency: 1 episode/16d. Total Eps: 25

Beyond the Status Quo is the podcast for purpose-driven changemakers in education and beyond. Our listeners see that the world is changing and how we think, lead and learn must change too. They are leaders ready to question inherited systems, because the world is shifting but many leadership models haven't caught up: we're still rewarding control over connection, certainty over nuance and status over substance.

Brave, values-lead leadership isn't just possible. it's already happening at every level of society. And it's exactly what the world needs.

On this podcast, we bring together cross-sector voices who go beneath the surface, who shine a light through the cracks and show us what's possible when we lead beyond the status quo.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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https://thetcmgroup.com/team/david-liddle/
2 shares
https://thetcmgroup.com/recommended-reading/
2 shares
https://www.maritimeacademytrust.org/
2 shares

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrynxclarion/
4 shares
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-zaple-rolfs-my-delta/
4 shares

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Score global : 59%

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Tiffany Beck OBE- Relationships as Infrastructure

Season 3 · Episode 2

Thursday, October 1, 2026 • Duration 45:22

Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn speak with Tiffany Beck, Head of Education at PLMR and co-founder and chair of trustees of Maritime Academy Trust. Tiff makes the case that governance and communication are built on the same foundation: relationships treated as infrastructure, not afterthoughts. She traces this back to a school in the US, where raising a welfare concern about a classmate was met with "pray it will be fine," through to building a board culture based on trust rather than catching people out, and school systems designed around listening and connection before problems arise. Her closing advice: find the humour, even in hard times.

Takeaways:

Being told to "just pray it will be fine" as a teenager was Tiff's first experience of questioning the status quo, and it shaped her career.
The best governance question a board can ask a leader: what do you need from us to succeed?
Tiff's approach to mistakes: step back, take perspective, and "fail up" rather than assign blame.
Relationships work best as infrastructure: built deliberately, ahead of time, rather than summoned in a crisis.
Home visits before the school year starts and a community ambassador in every school are two ways Maritime builds trust before it's tested.
England's 250,000 school governors and trustees are the country's largest volunteer workforce, and need far more investment.
Humour and positivity build real resilience, even in the hardest, most heartbreaking corners of school life.

Links:

LinkedIn Tiffany Beck

PLMR

Maritime Academy Trust

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Thank you for listening, engaging and helping us explore what lies beyond the status quo. It means the 🌍 to us.

We are a proud member of the Education Leaders podcast network. For more great education shows, head to www.educationleaders.co/network

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Alice Gregson- Bridging Silos

Season 3 · Episode 2

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 • Duration 36:53

Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn speak with Alice Gregson, former CEO, independent leadership specialist and founder of Elevating Leadership. Drawing on a 20-year "sector nomad" career spanning policing, adult social care and health, the civil service and education, Alice makes the case for bridging silos: the belief that while every sector likes to think its challenges are uniquely complex, most of what leaders actually face, technology, finance, people and rising demand, is common ground, and it's context, not challenge, that's genuinely unique. She argues for starting small and saying yes to cross-sector conversations rather than waiting for the perfect plan, for knowing yourself and those you serve as the foundation of real priority-setting, and for treating consistency as one of the most underrated leadership skills in a polarised, fast-moving world.

Takeaways:

· Sectors love to believe they're uniquely complex, but it's context, not challenge, that's actually unique.

· Bridging silos doesn't need a perfect plan, say yes to a conversation outside your sector and see where it takes you.

· Sharing the load matters as much as sharing the learning: one sector's problem is often everyone's to carry.

· Knowing yourself and those you serve is what turns cross-sector working into a real priority, not just an idea.

· System leadership means impact beyond your own role, at any scale, and it counters feeling like a victim of political churn.

· In polarised times, consistency is an underrated skill: being a steady presence matters as much as having the right answer.

· No action is too small. Small, consistent steps are often where the biggest shifts start, so just do something.

Links:

ElevatingLeadership | Specialising in supporting leaders

Eve Poole- The Art of Leadership: Honing Your Skills to Lead Better

Season 3 · Episode 1

Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 59:26

In this Season 3 opener of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn speak with Dr Eve Poole OBE, chair of the Woodard Corporation and pioneer of the "leadersmithing" movement. Drawing on a career spanning the Church Commissioners, Deloitte, Ashridge Business School and a string of chair and interim chief executive roles, including the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Carnegie Trust, Eve argues that leadership isn't a title bestowed on the charismatic few but a craft forged through hard experience, failure and deliberate practice. She makes the case for "stacking the deck": seeking out difficult moments on your own terms that build the templates leaders draw on under pressure, and for reclaiming the "junk code" of being human- the emotion, intuition and storytelling that AI can't replicate and leadership has always actually run on.

Takeaways:

· Leadership isn't a title for the charismatic few, it's a craft ("leadersmithing") built through hard experience, failure and deliberate practice.

· "Stacking the deck": deliberately seeking out difficult experiences on your own terms builds the templates you'll need when real pressure hits.

· Imposter syndrome isn't a flaw, it's a sign you care enough to try, and it shows up in almost every good leader.

· AI has absorbed our "rational" knowledge, but our "junk code"- emotion, intuition, storytelling, meaning-making - is what makes leadership actually work, and it matters more than ever.

· Good governance is unglamorous but essential: clarity about delegated authority is what keeps organisations, and their leaders, safe.

· Reclaiming words like "bossy" matter. Much of what holds women and diverse leaders back is a heroic leadership myth modelled on a narrow, historically male archetype.

· Know why you're doing the job, and have an exit strategy: that clarity is what lets you make hard calls and know when to walk away.

Daniel Atlin- Radical Collaboration in the face of Complexity

Season 2 · Episode 8

Wednesday, July 29, 2026 • Duration 30:18

Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn speak with Daniel Atlin, a Canadian leadership executive and researcher, about leading through complexity. Drawing on his dissertation research with 25 university leaders across the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Daniel introduces his framework for sense-making as the antidote to leadership myths built on charisma and control. He argues that leaders must first make sense of themselves before they can make sense of others, and turns to higher education as a case study in radical collaboration, examining how institutions built for permanence must now adapt or risk becoming irrelevant.

Takeaways:

· Leadership isn't about having all the answers — it's about making sense of the mess with clarity, purpose and courage.

· Inner sense-making (self-awareness, emotional regulation) matters as much as outer sense-making (exploration, narrative, collaboration).

· Put your own oxygen mask on first: leaders must understand their impact on the system before leading others through it.

· The traditional charismatic "convening power" model of leadership is a myth that needs busting.

· Universities built for permanence and scale must adapt their business models or risk irrelevance.

· Radical collaboration — merging, restructuring, rethinking pedagogy — is now essential for institutions to survive.

· Disengagement, not attendance, is the real crisis in education at every level, from schools to universities to the workplace.

Links:

Daniel Atlin | LinkedIn

Nour Kharsa and Miriam Gosling Gage- Hopeful Leadership in the Cracks

Season 2 · Episode 7

Friday, July 17, 2026 • Duration 24:52

Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn are joined by two guests for the first time: Nour Kharsa, who leads a charity supporting displaced children and families in Lebanon, and Miriam Gosling-Gage, Head of Programmes at Co-Create Consultancy and Co-Director at Pelumbra. Recorded through a patchy internet connection from Lebanon, a fitting metaphor for the conversation itself. Nour describes the daily reality of running a centre for around 150 children and their families through displacement, economic collapse and two wars, and what it means to choose to show up when no one else will. Miriam draws on decades of work with leaders navigating complexity, unpacking the difference between critical, tame and wicked problems, and why leadership, not management, is what wicked problems demand. Together they explore what it takes to hold multiple truths, ask better questions instead of forcing solutions, and find hope that isn't abstract but built from small, real wins.

Takeaways:

Wicked problems need leadership, not management, there's no clean fix, only better questions.
Hope isn't abstract; it's measured in the actual children and families reached.
Showing up, even on the hardest days, is a choice, not a job you clock out of.
Understanding someone else's reality means stepping fully into their perspective.
Psychological safety grows when leaders loosen hierarchy and turn directives into conversation.
Small wins are what sustain people through work that never fully switches off.
Becoming a global citizen starts with questioning your own vantage point rather than assuming it's neutral.

Links:

Nour Kharsa Nour Kharsa | LinkedIn

Instagram: @mawtin_al_amal

Allana Gay- Merit Without Equity Isn't Merit

Season 2 · Episode 6

Thursday, July 2, 2026 • Duration 42:39

Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn speak with Allana Gay, headteacher, education consultant and co-founder of the BAMEed Network, about why representation in education leadership remains so stubbornly unequal. Drawing on her rejection from headship roles and her upbringing in Trinidad and Tobago, Allana argues that meritocracy is a myth unless equity sits underneath it. She unpacks how narrow governance structures and a single, inherited image of leadership keep shaping who gets to lead, and shares what has sustained her through the personal cost of being a visible voice for change: curiosity, community, and knowing who's actually ready to listen

Takeaways:

Governance shapes leadership far more than we acknowledge, and needs far greater scrutiny.
Merit without equity isn't really merit at all.
Curiosity, built early, becomes the foundation for lifelong advocacy.
Career growth is more like rock climbing than climbing a ladder.
Genuine dialogue only happens with those willing to learn.
Sustaining change requires a network that reminds you why you're doing the work.
Leadership needs to flex beyond a single, narrow image of what it looks like.

Links:

About Us – BAMEed Network

Allana Gay | LinkedIn

If you're enjoying these conversations, we'd love your help to amplify the ideas and voices we're bringing to the table.

✅ Like and share this post with your network

✅ Follow, rate and review the podcast wherever you listen

✅ Share your reflections, challenges and questions

Jeremy Hannay- Leaders Walk Slowly

Season 2 · Episode 5

Thursday, June 18, 2026 • Duration 54:03

Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn speak with Dr Jeremy Hannay, Executive Principal of Three Bridges and Wolffields Primary Schools, about leading schools through trust, curiosity and human-centred growth rather than fear and compliance. Drawing on his Canadian background and experience challenging traditional school improvement models, Jeremy explores the impact of high-stakes accountability on educators and learners. He argues that sustainable improvement comes from psychological safety, teacher agency, collaboration and a clear sense of purpose. Through examples from his own schools, he demonstrates that happy, thriving schools can also achieve exceptional outcomes without relying on excessive scrutiny or control.

Takeaways:

• Psychological safety is essential for innovation, learning and growth.

• Teacher development is most powerful when it is collaborative and research-informed.

• School culture shapes classroom culture.

• Strong outcomes can be achieved without excessive monitoring and compliance.

• Leaders create conditions for growth.

• Looking beyond national systems can inspire new possibilities.

• Meaningful change happens slowly and requires courage, curiosity and patience.

Links:

Three Bridges Primary School - Home

Home | Wolf Fields Primary School

Dr Jeremy Hannay | LinkedIn

Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE- Lead with Joy, Change the System

Season 2 · Episode 4

Thursday, June 4, 2026 • Duration 53:14

Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn speak with Laura-Jayne. Rawlings MBE, CEO of Youth Employment UK, about the growing disconnect between education, employment and the realities facing young people today. Drawing on her own experience of poverty and an unconventional route into work, Laura-Jane challenges the assumption that current systems are serving young people well. The conversation explores findings from Youth Employment UK’s Youth Voice Census, highlighting rising anxiety, inequality, lack of work experience opportunities and a growing sense of futility among young people. Laura-Jane argues that the social contract has broken down, with hard work no longer guaranteeing opportunity. She calls for greater youth voice, system-wide change, shared leadership responsibility and a renewed focus on purpose, agency and joy.

Take Aways:

· Young people want to work but face growing barriers to opportunity.

· The “social contract” feels broken for many young people.

· Youth voice must shape policy, education and employment systems.

· Trusted adults can empower agency rather than direct decisions.

· Apprenticeships offer lessons in personalised learning and support.

· Leadership is everyone’s responsibility, not just those with titles.

· System change requires shared purpose across organisations.

· Joy, belonging and hope are essential for meaningful learning and work.

Links:

Youth Voice Census - Youth Employment UK

About Youth Employment UK | Youth Employment UK

Jade Garratt- Psychological Safety, Power and Hierarchy

Season 2 · Episode 3

Thursday, May 21, 2026 • Duration 53:16

Summary

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Jade Garratt talks to Tamara and Kathryn about why psychological safety matters so deeply in education and more widely, in leadership. Drawing on her experience as a teacher, researcher and co-founder of Psych Safety, Jade reflects on the power dynamics, accountability pressures and cultural norms that shape whether people feel able to speak up, take risks and learn together.

Jade challenges the idea that psychological safety is about comfort or “bringing your whole self to work,” instead describing it as the shared belief that it is safe to speak up with ideas, questions, concerns and mistakes. The conversation explores how fear, hierarchy and high-stakes accountability can silence innovation, while trust, curiosity and thoughtful leadership can create environments where people collaborate, experiment and improve together.

Take Aways:

· Psychological safety means feeling safe to speak up.

· Strong teams learn through challenge and honesty.

· Power dynamics affect whether people contribute.

· Fear and accountability can silence innovation.

· Leadership behaviours shape team culture.

· Curiosity and questions reduce hierarchy barriers.

· Collaboration creates safer professional learning.

· Middle leaders can build safe team cultures.

· Psychological safety enables reflection and change.

· Schools should extend this mindset to adults too.

Links:

Psychological Safety: Workplace Training, Online Workshops and Consultancy - Psych Safety

Jonny Uttley- Despite the System, Not Because of It

Season 2 · Episode 2

Thursday, May 7, 2026 • Duration 37:00

Summary

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Jonny Uttley reflects on challenging systems, from his upbringing to leading schools and multi-academy trusts. He explores the tension between education’s moral purpose and a system that often works against inclusion and equity.

Jonny argues that many schools deliver inclusive education despite the system, not because of it. He examines how accountability measures, competition and narrow definitions of success can leave young people behind, while calling for a more collaborative and community-focused approach.

At the same time, this conversation is hopeful. Jonny highlights the power of courageous leadership, thought partnership and human connection, and challenges leaders to move beyond fear, competition and short-term metrics towards systems built on trust, belonging and shared responsibility.

Takeaways:

· Education should challenge the status quo, not reinforce it.

· Inclusive leadership often happens despite the system, not because of it.

· Competition and accountability measures can create barriers to inclusion.

· Staff wellbeing is essential to improving outcomes for children.

· Sustainable improvement comes from shared thinking, not imposed solutions.

· Context matters, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to schools.

· Leaders need to communicate the “why” behind change.

· Collaboration during COVID showed what schools are capable of without high-stakes pressure.

· Shared accountability across communities could transform outcomes for young people.

· Relationships, trust and human connection remain powerful forces for change.

Links:

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Beyond the Status Quo – Details, episodes & analysis

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