Beyond The Water Cooler – Details, episodes & analysis

Gregg Brown doesn't hold back!!

We took a different approach on this episode of the podcast. Instead of the where-the-conversation-goes-nobody-knows conversation I usually have with guests, Gregg and I discussed a number of statements.

⚠️ Everyone wants to know what the future of work is.

⚠️ Disruption is necessary for work to evolve.

⚠️ Taking action requires the right mindset.

⚠️ We need to get out of our comfort zone.

⚠️ Leadership is something that we can measure.

⚠️ Psychological safety is not a business term.

What do you think? 

Our responses might not be what you believe they would or should be. 

This conversation is about these important topics that we must understand and consciously engage with if we want organisations to be future ready. 

Those of you who know me will know that I'm a fan of taking statements like these, putting them on the table with your team and unpicking what they mean to you. It's a great place to start to increase clarity and alignment in your practice going forward.

We dive into concepts such as disruptive empathy, communities of understanding and PhDs in self-awareness!

Listen to or watch the episode and then send us a message to let us know what resonates, or where you have a different opinion. As you'll be able to tell, we love to talk in a down-to-earth way that simplifies the important stuff. 

I recommend you reach out to Gregg, Change and Future of Work Strategist, Speaker, Author, and Founder of Change Ready Leadership Solutions. Take a look at his resources and subscribe to his newsletter. And connect with me if you're interested in finding out more about how to lead engaging, healthy, high-performing workplaces.

Gregg Brown is an internationally sought-after consultant and speaker on building future ready organizations. Gregg was recently recognized as one of the Top 50 Global Thought Leaders change management. Starting out in a well known coffee business, over his 30-year career he has thrived in multiple leading roles in the healthcare, education, non-profit, and private sectors. With a graduate degree from the University of Leicester and as an associate member of the American Psychological Association, Gregg's keynotes and workshops have engaged thousands of people at Fortune 500 companies, governments, and humanitarian organizations worldwide to increase their impact and create positive change.

LinkedIn: Gregg Brown

Facebook: GreggBrownTO

Instagram: @greggbrownto

X: @GreggBrownTO

Website: www.BeChangeReady.com

Watch this episode on YouTube

Leadership Labs | It's Time for Change (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

Future Ready by Experimentation - with Gemma Ellison | Beyond the Water Cooler

Talent: The Other 8 Boxes - Duncan Targett | Beyond the Water Cooler

Gregg Brown: Articles, Videos, Podcasts... oh my!

Purpose-driven businesses have become much more the norm in terms of what people seek. 

Companies know that to attract employees they need to provide opportunities that are meaningful and engaging.

However, retaining your workforce over time is a different challenge.

In this episode of the podcast, Rachel Steele of Huddle joins me to discuss how to engage a workforce so that they stay. That means getting some key factors right, including:

⭐ personal brand

⭐ promotion, progression and recognition

⭐ when bringing our whole-self to work is required

⭐ the need for versatility in an increasingly AI world

⭐ the need for employers to give permission

If you're thinking about how to recruit awesome people and how to keep them engaged, this is for you. Rachel provides some great advice about how to achieve this, starting from a different place to traditional practice. 

And if YOU are someone thinking about new opportunities, check out what you should be asking potential employers to feel confident they have your best engagement interests at heart. 

Imagine the difference that would make to how you show up at work?!

To find out more, give Rachel a shout....

To dive into the practicalities of creating and leading organisations fit for the future, talk with me.

Rachel works in career development for people and their teams, with a person-centred approach to identifying and actioning progression in their work life.

Her own journey has taken in silversmithing and sculptural metalwork, recruitment and head-hunting in marketing and communications, running return-to-work and personal development programmes, and coaching people through many important career decisions.

With over 15 years’ experience in recruiting, head hunting and career advice, for diverse clients including Virgin Trains, Vice Media, Marks & Spencer, Heathrow, Cadbury / Mondelez International, and Magic Light Pictures, she started her own business in 2016 to offer a more holistic approach to career development and building award-winning teams. She offers 1:1 coaching, workshops and recruitment to support clients throughout their career journeys.

Rachel is a Relational Dynamics 1st certified coach (ILM 7 equivalent), and member of the Association of Coaching.

LinkedIn:

Rachel Steele

Huddle 

Website: www.the-huddle.co.uk

Watch this episode on YouTube

Employee Engagement Guide For Managers - It's Time for Change (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

Engagement Action Plans - It's Time for Change...

Luckily for us, Dr Jill McGarry is "a geek!"... her words, not mine!

The good news about that is she has a real love for actionable solutions to improve sleep. 💤

And who doesn't need a bit of that in their lives? 😴

In this episode of the podcast we hear, very clearly, why we need to banish beliefs such as...

"YOU SNOOZE, YOU LOSE!"

And we get to grips with practical advice for individuals and employers, including: 

✔️ coffee as a recommendation (yes... from a sleep expert!)

✔️ what to do when you can't sleep

✔️ equality

✔️ flexible working

✔️ 4 key factors for sleep hygiene - do YOU know what they are? Are you putting them into practice?

Check out the excellent resources that Jill shares, including those for managers, in the show notes. STOPBANG should become part of your toolkit.

Dr Jill McGarry is a consultant clinical psychologist with 25 years of experience in working with mental health issues in the NHS. During this time she has become skilled and experienced in supporting people with sleep issues. In October 2023 Jill decided to leave the NHS because she recognised that companies were a missing piece of the jigsaw in improving sleep for individuals. By focusing on providing support and training to companies regarding sleep we can joinlty reduce staff fatigue, improve team effectiveness and ensure that companies excel.

LinkedIn: Dr Jill McGarry

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.sleepbetterdoctor.co.uk

Watch this episode on YouTube

Leadership & Manager Labs (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

Leveraging ’Shuteye’ for Resilience (youtube.com) - Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce webinar

NHS choices (www.nhs.uk)

YouTube Matthew Walker TEDx Sleep talk, others and his book Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker | Waterstones

Fast Asleep by Michael Mosley | Waterstones & BBC programme in 2022  

Epworth Sleepiness Scale questionnaires (ESS) Epworth Sleepiness Scale | Asthma + Lung UK

(asthmaandlung.org.uk)

 STOP BANG questionnaire: Is it possible that you have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)? STOPBang Questionnaire (britishsnoring.co.uk)

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lisapsychology

Website: www.itstimeforchange.co.uk

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What is self-harm? Possibly not something you associate with yourself. And not a behaviour that you attribute to your colleagues, friends or family members. 

But the reality could be very different and that is why this episode of the podcast and the free resource is so important. Self-harm is not uncommon and therefore you need to know about it.

Yaj Buljeean is a trainer and clinician at Harmless, the national leader in this field. She joins me to explore what we mean by self-harm, the stigma around it, and the prevalence and risk factors. Crucially, Yaj provides practical advice for companies to support their employees who are using this behaviour to cope with underlying distress.

If you're reading this thinking this topic isn't relevant. Think again. 

According to the WHO, 16 million people worldwide are reported to self-harm. We know that is likely to be an underestimate. My experience alone is that clients hide their behaviour... from their partner, their friends, their employers. 

Shame and embarrassment keeps mouths shut.

Convenient for companies? That's no longer okay. 

No idea how to think about it or where to start? That's understandable. 

And that's why the free, downloadable resource that covers a breadth of mental health disorders, as well as self-harm, has been created. It is a must for anyone looking to demonstrate care towards their workforce. You can get hold of your copy here: It's Time for Change: Resources

Stop passing the buck. National Self Harm Awareness Day is on 1st March. Be part of raising awareness around what is often a misunderstood topic. Find out more and request your media pack to help coordinate your effort here: National Self Harm Awareness Day 2024 - Harmless

Additional resources and podcast conversations about Depression & Anxiety and Addiction can be found here: It's Time for Change: Resources

Yaj works for Harmless CIC, a user-led self harm prevention service based in the East Midlands. With nearly 3 years of professional experience and 20 years of personal experience, Yaj aims to normalise the conversation around both self harm and suicide to enable anyone who's struggling to be able to reach out for support. As a trainer and clinician, breaking down barriers to access support is a high priority for her.

LinkedIn:

Yaj Buljeean

Harmless

Website: harmless.org.uk

Facebook: The Academy at Harmless: Letstalktraining

X: @Yaj_Harmless

Email: [email protected]

Watch this episode on YouTube

My LinkedIn post in January that asked the question, 'Do soft skills need a rebrand?' attracted over 40 comments. 

Clearly people are interested in this topic.

So it seemed only natural to continue the conversation with someone who shared his view on that post, Andrew Bardsley, Founder of JackHR. As someone who focuses on helping tech companies stand out and keep good people, Andrew has some great insights into a world of both hard and soft skills. 

💻 We unpick how soft skills sit alongside tech.

🧠 We consider how AI and human skills will feature in the future of work.

♂️♀️ We explore gender differences and the teaching of soft skills.

🚧 We tackle some of the barriers to investing in the development of these critical skills.

💥 We offer our opinion on how soft skills should be positioned in business to have greatest impact.

🌙 And we discuss getting lost on the moon!

Whether you're interested in leadership development, management development, recruitment, onboarding, learning and development, emotional intelligence, coaching, or psychological safety, there are some little nuggets of wisdom that could just shift some important parts of your practice.

Listen to or watch us talk, and let us know how you go about positioning and developing the not-so-soft-skills in your organisation.

If you want to find the right space for developing such skills in your organisation, Leadership and Manager Labs might just be your thing. Check them out here: Leader & Manager Labs | It's Time for Change (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

Employee retention is a £1Billion problem here in the UK which is why, in 2023, Andrew decided to launch JackHR - a business dedicated to helping scaling tech companies keep hold of their amazing talent.

Andrew's journey started in the North West of England, before making the 300 mile trip north to study Philosophy at The University of Stirling. When he left in 2013, the job market for ancient Greek philosophers was quiet, so he started in HR instead.

Andrew has spent the last decade working with businesses to better support their managers, provide teams with amazing growth opportunities and help individuals thrive through 1:1 coaching.

LinkedIn:

Andrew Bardsley

JackHR

TikTok: @jackofallhr

Website: jackhr.com

Watch this episode on YouTube

Focus on 'soft skills' at our Leadership & Manager Labs (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

The Most In-Demand Skills for 2023 | LinkedIn

11 Essential...

Do you know...

🏢 What your office is for?

✅ Which elements to consider when designing workplace where people actively want to spend time?

🌍 What global research tells us about how we can help people do their best work in the many places that work happens?

😊 How to cultivate a joyful workplace environment?

💭 The link between physical workplaces and psychological wellbeing?

🙌 Strategies and frameworks for building a work environment that amplifies productivity, happiness and job satisfaction?

As part of Leicestershire's Innovation Festival session at De Montfort University on 12 February, I'll be joining Rob Day and Chloe Sproston of Blueprint Interiors, Kris Newman of Steelcase, Nicky Harding and Lis Ku from De Montfort University to discuss 'Designing Tomorrow's Workplace'. 

Blueprint Interiors have a unique approach to designing workplaces, based on putting people first.

In this podcast, Rob focuses on the psychology behind design, encompassing the Human Givens. 

Find out more by listening to or watching the conversation and then book your place at the event here: Event Details for Designing Tomorrow's Workplace: A Blueprint for Innovation (evolutive.co.uk)

Having studied at the University of Lancaster for a degree in Management Science & Marketing, Rob Day spent a 15-year career in Sales, Design & Project Management in the Commercial Office and Leisure sectors.

In 2001 he founded his business - Blueprint Interiors Limited, a specialist design & fit-out company focused on designing and redeveloping commercial interiors. The company is now recognised as the leading workplace consultancy in the Midlands and this approach has led to significant growth as the economy comes out of the pandemic crisis.

They are firmly established in Ashby de la Zouch – celebrating their 23rd birthday this year - and employ 18 staff directly with many more subcontractors indirectly dependent upon their business throughout the Midlands.

As Chairman & Founder, Rob has successfully overseen the growth of the business and the succession plan to bring the next generation of leaders into the organisation.

LinkedIn:

Rob Day

Blueprint Interiors Limited

Facebook: @BlueprintInteriorsLtd

Instagram:

The people who need the most development and most time are leaders, but they are precisely the people who don't invest in themselves. Are you one of them?

That's why Gemma Ellison of Heart Leadership and I created Labs. 

Leanne Ledger, Senior Brand Strategist and Partner at Emperor, and Sarah Cockroft, Manager at OceanWise Ltd join Gemma and I in this podcast to share the impact that a new approach to development has had for them.

We contrast a conscious process that centres around being human, with traditional models of leadership and manager training. We hear how Labs have changed practice in terms of creating space for people to become more self-aware, to think, to plan and to perform well.

And that's hugely important when people in these roles usually focus on supporting others; turning the lens to look inwards is empowering.

Using a test and learn approach requires analysis, hypotheses and creativity. When we apply that process to our real-world challenges, we grow and innovate. 

Whether the focus is about understanding your place and purpose as a leader, or feeling confident to try new things and reduce pressure on ourselves to be perfect, there is real value from engaging with these topics. Learn about what's most relevant to you. Could that be... 

❓ how you show up for your team or within your peer group, and for your self in terms of mental wellbeing?

❓ how to lead aspects of your business better, from change and uncertainty, to emotional intelligence, psychological safety, or having effective conversations?

What is it that Leanne or Sarah say that appeals to you? I'd challenge anyone to listen to their experience and not feel a teeny bit inspired! 💡👏🏼

Find out more about the Labs here or drop us a line to have a chat.

If you're interested in bringing Labs in-house, 🏢 reach out to Gem or I. We're excited about the interest we've had in a company-based approach to developing people. 

2024 might just be your year for trying something new!

Leanne Ledger is a Senior Brand Consultant at Emperor, a corporate communications agency. She works with businesses to help define and articulate what makes them distinct, relevant and authentic to create a strategy and positioning that will elevate their reputation, inspire and motivate their people and make them more competitive and successful. With over 20 years in advertising and brand strategy, Leanne is also passionate about people development, ED&I, allyship and sustainability, so is involved in other initiatives as well as being lead singer in a ten-piece band (which has its own joys and challenges)!

LinkedIn:

Leanne Ledger

Emperor

Website: emperor.works

Sarah has just started at

Did you know...

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

The world is evolving. Expectations are changing. The impact on your people is real. 

Our world is becoming more experimental, pushing boundaries, stepping outside the norm. As Marshall Goldsmith says, "What got you here won't get you there."

And so your practice must shift to stay ahead of the game.

💭 We need peers with whom we can unpick challenges and explore new ways to think about them.

🧑🏼‍🤝‍🧑 We crave a human, interactive experience for development; to emotionally connect and focus on what matters most to us.

🔬 We feel excited by the ability to learn, apply, test and review.

How are you making that happen?

Regardless of size, your organisation can apply key principles adopted by the likes of Booking.com and Toyota, to increase engagement and performance.

In this podcast, Gemma Ellison and I discuss how, including the need to create a meaningful space for experimentation to happen. Given the constant battle for time and attention, that's a significant challenge. 

But, it's worth it. Your people know what is most meaningful and what's most likely to enable greater success. Finding a way to nurture that is key.

Access the webinar that dives into this in greater depth here: Leadership and Manager Labs

Don't:

❌ leave the development of your people and processes to chance

❌ use existing processes simply because 'that's the way we do things' 

❌ grab a quick fix or be persuaded by marketing that promotes a blanket approach 

Instead: 

✔️ identify what your people observe, need and are inspired to try

✔️ urge them to plan new ways of working, test and evaluate with intention

✔️ create a healthy, thriving, high-performing and empowered workforce

Join the likes of Amazon, Facebook, Google and Microsoft who have found experimentation to be a game changer. 

How are you 💡empowering💡 your employees to shape the future of work?

Contact us for an experiment design template to support you on your journey.

Gemma Ellison, Leadership and Culture Director and founder of Heart Leadership, knows that employee engagement is at an all time low (it’s estimated that only 15% of employees are engaged globally). That’s where Heart Leadership comes in; they evolve organisational culture to create environments where people feel genuinely valued, inspired and empowered. The result? Increased happiness, productivity, innovation and profit.

Gemma's journey started as a lawyer. Someone once described her as having a ‘sensitivity for the human condition’. That sensitivity and curiosity about human behaviour led her to pivot, turning her attention to workplace culture.

As Director of Culture, she's seen first hand the remarkable impact of nurturing a purpose driven work environment. This happens by design - not by accident. The world is changing rapidly, and the way most organisations currently work isn’t fit for purpose, both for now and moving into the future. She believes in experimenting within organisations to find unique, bespoke ways to enhance...

Is your organisation fuelling addiction? 

Do you understand the causes and triggers that can lead to someone engaging with addictive behaviour?

Do you know the behaviours that might constitute addiction, or that could manifest into addiction? 

Richie Paxton of the EPIC Restart Foundation has lived experience. He joins Amantha King and I to share a heap of insight about how to be more aware and support people living with addiction, including those impacted by someone else using this behaviour.

If you think this topic is not relevant for you, watch this short film produced for #AddictionAwarenessWeek2023: Everybody Knows Somebody... it's 17 minutes that could change so much.

Everybody knows someone.

The downloadable Addiction resource is part of a series that so far also features a resource for Depression & Anxiety. It is full of advice about making addiction relevant to YOU and your organisation, including what to look for and how to help. 

Get your free copy here: It's Time for Change: Resources

Harmful behaviours can quickly snowball when we experience a significant life event, unmet emotional needs, or we don't have appropriate coping strategies to deal with life's challenges.

Richie shares his story. It reminded me of the incredible novel I read recently, Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver. Addiction is a reality.

Our conversation also reminded me that we often have NO idea about what's going on for people behind their mask. We make assumptions about people's lives, particularly when they appear to have all they need to be happy. But perception is a very unique thing. 

You don't need to fix the problems. 

But you do need to hold space for people.

Space is a recurring theme, whether I'm focusing on mental wellbeing, workplace culture or leadership and management. Get this right and you'll get a lot right in terms of looking after your people.

Find out more in the resource. 

Get in touch for help to develop your workforce to have compassionate conversations and to gain confidence supporting and empowering employees to live their best selves.

Back to my first question. Are you fuelling addiction or are you part of the solution?

Leadership & Manager Labs (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

Watch this episode on YouTube

Download the Resources and listen to/watch the episodes: It's Time for Change: Resources

Everybody Knows Somebody - feature edit (17mins) - Addiction Awareness Week 2023. - YouTube

Signs of Addiction - Spot the Danger - Blueprints for Recovery

Managing drug and alcohol misuse at work

A Chief Inspector is not necessarily the first person who springs to mind as the driving force for self-care, better mental health and launching a podcast! 

But Stewart Codling of Thames Valley Police is modelling exactly how leaders can embrace the challenge of changing expectations by doing things differently. 

Stewart joins me on my podcast to explain how he is going about improving mental health, particularly for men in a traditional industry.

Police are people who wear a metaphorical cape each day to protect others. It's entirely different asking them to look inwards to protect themselves. That requires removing the cape and being vulnerable.

Stewart is an 'ordinary' guy. Actually, he's quite incredible. But that's because he's chosen to be - he's not an expert in mental health. His expertise is in being a human, and specifically male.

He has made his intention clear to improve mental health for men at work, and he is actively finding ways to show people how policing can be different. 

That's important. It blows the excuses about 💥 our organisation being too big 💥our industry being too traditional/ male, out of the water.

Stewart is clear that being an advocate for mental health does not displace who he really is. It does not affect his status or detract from his ability to be 'tough' when that's called for. 

But it does improve empathy, compassion and the ability to have conversations that really make a difference. It empowers people. Stewart shares the evidence.

We discuss so much, including individual responsibility, prostate screening, and webinar topics such as 'male behaviour at Christmas.'

Being clumsy during conversations is fine, as long as you're listening, and sometimes talking. Stewart's words as we discussed humility said it all...

"If I make a fool of myself I don't care. I'm going to do it anyway."

How able are you to get beyond your status and do something different, because you know it's right for someone else⁉️

Does your mask of expectation, hierarchy and control hold you back⁉️ 

P.S. Listen to find out why Stewart says he's a fig roll!!! 

Stewart has been with his wife for 22 years and they have 3 children who continually amaze and inspire them; he adores his family. Stewart has been in policing 4 years longer, serving with two police forces, West Yorkshire and Thames Valley Police. He has been lucky to have been a detective, in firearms roles and latterly to have held the role of Chair of their Men's Forum, TVP's staff support network for men facing challenges. He is proud to lead on work to reform the paternity pay provision within the force, as well as talking about and promoting suicide prevention. He loves policing.

LinkedIn: Stewart Codling

Thames Valley Police 

Leadership & Manager Labs (itstimeforchange.co.uk)

Watch this episode on YouTube

Home | Thames Valley Police

Police Federation of England & Wales (polfed.org)

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