A Job Done Well - For Managers Caught in the Middle

In this episode, we dive into how to make more money at work while still enjoying what you do. We chat about everything from the difference education makes to earnings, choosing the right industry and company, to the importance of ongoing development whilst climbing the corporate ladder. We share our stories and tips on networking, moving companies, and why enjoying your job is as essential as you...

In this episode, we are joined by Amanda Gilbert, and we dive deep into collaboration in the workplace. We discuss the importance of collaboration, how to achieve it, and the common corporate pitfalls that can prevent it.  We share practical steps for setting up collaborative environments, building trust among team members, and achieving shared goals.  We also highlight real-world examples of succ...

This week, we delve into the intricacies of leadership power and its impact on workplace dynamics. We explore power’s misuse and ethical implications, highlighted by current events and personal experiences. We also share our 'research'  and insights - all aimed to encourage self-awareness for leaders to wield their power conscientiously and effectively for positive outcomes.  You can als...

In this episode, we are joined by returning guests Amanda Gilbert and Dawn Wray to discuss the pervasive impact of fear in the workplace. We explore various sources of fear, including individual anxieties, interpersonal dynamics, and systemic issues.  The conversation, featuring personal anecdotes and professional insights, highlights how fear can hinder performance and well-being and occasionally...

'The wise learn not only from their own mistakes but also  from the missteps of others.' In this episode, we discuss the challenges faced by the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as it attempts to cut federal spending and modernise technology under President Trump's agenda.  We discuss Elon Musk's cost-saving playbook, the risks of the approach, and most importantly...

In this episode, we welcome guest Adrian Swinscoe, an author, researcher, and advisor on customer service and experience.  Adrian challenges the underlying management beliefs that you should try to manage revenue, cost, and profitability and explains how you can create better organisational outcomes by focusing on your employees and customers. The discussion also covers the shortcomings of chatbot...

Bernie Smith, KPI guru, is back to help us find 'gold bars' - those vital measures that drive business success.  Bernie shares a simple three-step method for unlocking those gold bars, using examples as diverse as predicting an international incident from pizza sales data, spotting a COVID outbreak using scented candle complaints, and calculating the number of piano tuners in Chicago. De...

This week, we are joined by KPI Guru Bernie Smith - world-renowned expert and author of 21 books...Bernie has made a career out of successfully helping people from across the globe to identify how they use KPIs to unlock performance.  In this first episode, Bernie shares how to identify the KPIs that will give you the edge with practical insights and engaging stories. It is hard to believe that KP...

This week, we hear more from Leadership and Wellbeing Guru James Carrier. Following last week's episode, we discuss who's responsible for wellbeing, and if this is such an obvious thing to invest in, what gets in the way? Why do many organisations tick boxes rather than invest in their employees' wellbeing, improving the workplace and, ultimately, performance and results?  Much to J...

Wellbeing – is it another corporate buzzword, a moral responsibility or an investment in future performance?  This week, we are lucky to have James Carrier joining us to discuss wellbeing at work.  How do we define it?  How do we measure it?  How do we improve it?  Why does it matter? What are our responsibilities for our personal wellbeing and those around us? James Carrier is thought-provoking a...

You want to make a good impression… but you don’t even know what “good” looks like yet.  So you end up busy, visible—and not always effective.  Throughout our work lives, we change jobs - sometimes, we get a promotion, move to a new organisation, or move within a company. It happens all the time. Often, the initial transition can be bumpy and influence your entire tenure in a role, so this week, w...

This week's special guest is Graeme Rainbird, a Leadership expert and self-confessed question addict. Questioning is something we do daily, but with little thought, Graeme talks about the power of questions for shaping outcomes and relationships and gives some hints and tips for asking great questions. It's an easy but impactful win, so check out what Graeme says. This episode was record...

You or someone near you suffers from one of these..... This week, Steve Shutts joined us to discuss energy-limiting conditions, which impact 15 million people in the UK or 1 in 5 in the workplace. These conditions are a silent challenge for many, often not talked about or understood, and consequently negatively impact many people's working lives. Steve shares the extent to which these conditi...

On average, we spend 28% of our working lives in meetings. So how do we make the most of this time and ensure meetings are productive and positive rather than "hours of my life I won't get back."? This week's podcast discusses the importance of meetings and how we fool ourselves by using them to define our status and importance. By following some simple principles, you can turn...

Happy New Year! We're back and starting 2025 on a high with a special guest: Patricia Brooks, a high-performance strengths coach. Patricia shares the importance and value of knowing what you are good at and her model for identifying, owning, and leveraging your personal strengths. This approach is invaluable for us all, as we perform better and enjoy our work more if we concentrate on the are...

We end the year with our version of the 12 Days of Christmas – a light-hearted look at some seasonal insights to help you over the festive period and into 2025.   Amanda Gilbert our Learning and Development Guru attempts to keep us in order as we cobble together insights on habits, collaboration and how to behave at Christmas Do's.   Thank you to everyone for listening, sharing, following, an...

Free advice from two old men, but is it any good? This week, we explore 'how to manage your career' - a subject often discussed, rarely taught, and where perfect answers don't exist. We have both had decades of experience—good and bad—trying to make the most of our careers. So, we thought we would share some of the dilemmas we faced and the insights we have gained. If our expertise...

This week is the second part of our conversation with Gestalt Therapist Dawn Wray. Dawn explains the "five explorations", questions that will help you deepen your understanding of yourself and improve your relationships with the world around you. She also shows how your past can affect your future. If you are 'curious' and want to learn more about the subject, please contact Da...

This week, we will see the first of two episodes with Gestalt Therapist Dawn Wray.  We will explore how therapy can help improve performance and enjoyment at work. Dawn discusses its nature and shares how it can have a profound effect on your personal and professional life. She has helped people who have faced redundancy, been promoted, changed jobs, and many other situations. She shares some ques...

Good/bad, happy/sad, success/failure—we are conditioned to fear failure, but it's essential for learning, growth, and innovation. This week, we review the research into failure and share our experiences and perspectives. Listen to help you understand and develop a positive relationship with one of life's most prevalent natural resources. If that's not enough, we also share some TV r...

This week, Amanda Gilbert joins us to share insights into how you can build people's capability - yours, your teams, or your organisation. Avoid some common pitfalls and follow critical steps to improve capability and results. This podcast follows the recent episode where James shared a magic bullet for improving performance: building your systems' capability. People are critical to any...

This week, we discuss the often shortsighted cost-cutting measures companies adopt to hit their targets and the flawed logic behind these strategies. What might appear to be an immediate saving usually leads to more significant issues down the line.  Instead of superficial cuts, we will explain the catch-all strategy to fix all your operational and financial woes. Are we snake-oil salesmen, or do...

A second episode, in which Rob Wilson (Co-Founder of Service Economics) shares his insights into Systems Thinking – an approach that can help transform how businesses work. We discuss how you can change the way you think about your system (or organisation) to improve customer and staff outcomes. Rob's advice is easy to understand and pragmatic, and it's immediately apparent how it will r...

This week, we are lucky to have Rob Wilson, Co-Founder of Service Economics, as a special guest. Rob has 20+ years of experience leading and transforming service operations across various sectors and is an expert in Systems Thinking. This approach can help transform how you think about doing your job, and it has some stunning results. However, it has been surrounded by mystique and cynicism, as hi...

In last week's episode, we discussed the issues highlighted in Lord Darzi's report on the current state of the NHS and concluded that many are common to other organisations and teams. This week, we share some of the solutions we've found that can help overcome these challenges, from breaking a backlog to finding the best opportunities for improvement. We also discuss how Jimmy regre...