About Time - with Chris Nichols

Peter was a colleague in Ashridge Consulting, who subsequently did his doctoral work at the Tavistock NHS Trust.  Peter is a massively experienced and skilled group consultant, and in this episode he talks about his doctorate (fascinating work embedded in a leadership team at a time of a shift, from an era of plenty to times of difficulty). It’s a consulting story of great relevance to all of us n...

In this episode I talk to James Aldridge about his work as an artist. James was a long time friend and colleague of our mutual friend, artist, Dr Chris Seeley. In this episode James talks about how they first met, it involved art and socks. James also talks about his work, in community art making and in his own practice and how it helps to build awareness and connection to place and to the living...

Dr Eve Poole is a speaker, writer, Chair and Chief Executive, and an old friend. We worked together at Ashridge for many years. These days she is based in Edinburgh and has worked as a Chair and Chief Executive of several fascinating organisations from Gordonstoun School to the Church Estates Commission. She is one of the few people I know who has been immortalised as an oil painting, and who is a...

I’ve known Giles Hutchins for a long time. When we first met, Giles was in the process of leaving his mainstream consulting role to become a freelance writer and speaker. He moved to Devon, and we had many opportunities to walk on the moor and talk about our mutual work (at the time I ran the sustainability MSc at Ashridge and also taught at Schumacher College). In the years since, Giles has becom...

Stephen Gould was the MD of family brewer and pub owner Everards for many years, and I first met him through my work with the ALMR (the pub and hospitality trade body, known these days as Hospitality UK).  Stephen these days is a non-exec, being Deputy Chair of Everards and serving on several other boards. He has always been a purpose led leader, based on his christian faith, and also an inherent...

I’ve known Dr Victoria Hurth for a long time. When we met she was doing her PhD at Exeter. She’s subsequently been a full time academic, and more recently has moved into freelance “pracademic” roles. I’ve always been blown away by her capacity to handle massive creative and organisational workloads. She’s a teacher, a writer and a convener / collaborator on the globe governance stage. In this epis...

Rob Hopkins is something of a legend for his work in creating the Transitions Town movement. But there’s much more to know. In recent times his focus has been on the power of imagination and creativity. He has written two books on this, and is a powerful workshop facilitator and speaker. In this episode I was delighted to ask Rob to talk about some of his roots and influences, and to share some of...

Jean Boulton is the real deal when it comes to working with complexity. She’s got a PhD in quantum physics, an MBA, and an MPhil from Bath University – entitled The Complexity Turn: Narrative, Science and Utility. She’s written a lot, including two major books about complexity in organisations, and in wider life. Jean is a terrific teacher and communicator, and makes it possible for people outside...

I first met Dr Fiona Tilley (or just Tilley, as I know her) as a participant on the Schumacher College Certificate in Education for Sustainability, a course I taught alongside Toni Spencer and Karen Blincoe many years ago. Tilley arrived having stepped away from her role as a business school academic. She has a doctorate and a CV full of publications and research. And when she arrived, she’d run o...

Bill Critchley was Chris Nichols teacher on the Ashridge MSc in Organisational Consulting and Change, and for many years a colleague in Ashridge Consulting.  In this episode Chris invites Bill to share some of his life story - including the influences that shaped his work and the challenges and triumphs of bringing a gestalt perspective into the work of a business school.  It’s a wonderful and ric...

Edward Peck was Vice Chancellor of NTU for ten years, before standing down in July 2025 to become Chair of the office for Students. Edwards tenure saw NTU soar in the league tables, with the University winning many awards, including University of the Year. In this episode Edward, and GameShift’s Philippa Hardman, reflect on the participative approach to strategy making and action that formed the c...

John Higgins has been a friend and colleague for many years, and we are blessed that he is our research partner at GameShift.  John has produced some of the most powerful and vital research to influence the organisational, leadership, HR and OD fields over the past few years. This conversation gave us the chance to go behind the content of his writing to explore the foundations - why this work mat...

In 2016, following a traumatic departure from work he loved, Chris Nichols took a long walk, covering the South West Coast Path as a solo silent walk during the season from May to September.  In this closing episode of Series One,  Philippa Hardman leads Chris through a reflection of his reaction to the Raynor Winn book The Salt Path, and the new film of the same name, drawing out Chris’ reflectio...

Chris Nichols first met Steve Clark at Anthropy 25 - a gathering of social change-makers at the Eden Project organised by John O’Brien. Chris was blown away by Steve’s personal story around his stage four cancer diagnosis, and how he has harnessed his experience to lead social change through education, activism and patient participation. In this episode Steve and Chris explore this story, and take...

Kai Peters was the CEO of Ashridge throughout much of Chris’ time there, and has since played a range of higher education leadership roles. In this episode,Chris and Kai reflect on the Ashridge story, on the challenges facing higher education today, and on the future of business schools. Kai also shares some of his reflections on the skills and attributes needed in top university leadership in a w...

Helena Clayton is a coach, facilitator, writer and podcaster, whose work will be well known to many people in the organisational development and learning fields. Chris and Helena have known each other for a long time, through a shared interest in love in organisational work. In  this episode Helena talks about how her work on love came into being, and Helena shares reflections on how her Love Lab...

Minni Jain is a pioneer in participative work around river restoration and in the indigenous wisdom around living waters. In this episode Chris and Minni explore the roots of her work, and her connection to Satish Kumar, to Tagore, and to Schumacher College. Then they dive into the work of The Flow Partnership and its work worldwide, as well as the new award winning book Minni has written with Phi...

Phoebe Tickell describes herself as a renegade scientist, systems thinker and social entrepreneur. Chris describes her as a world shifting human dynamo! Chris and Phoebe first met at Schumacher College in Devon. Phoebe is the founder of Moral Imagination, an organisation that helps to bring about an ecological shift in society and consciousness through the power of imagination. This episode explor...

Chris and Mark first met during the Ashridge MSc in Organisational Consulting, when Chris was struggling to find colleagues who could bear his love of ambiguity and improvisation. Mark immediately struck Chris as someone who rejoices in creating experiences to explore the unknown. In this episode, Chris and Mark explore the roots of Mark’s work, from being a professional musician to his time as a...

In this episode, Chris Nichols talks to Professor Roger Kneebone, who has been a surgeon, a GP, a medical educator, a harpsicord player (and maker) and explorer across many frontiers.  Roger and Chris first met during Roger’s engagement fellowship at The Wellcome Trust, and from there dived into many adventures in looking at the world through richly different lenses. Roger’s book, Expert, is one o...

This episode finds Chris in conversation with his old friend and colleague Alex Steele. Alex is a professional jazz musician as well as being a visiting Professor and Fellow at business schools and universities. He is a coach and an academic specialising in environmental matters. This episode takes a playful deep dive into Alex’s work, including its roots in his family where music was the first la...

In this episode of the About Time podcast, Chris Nichols is in conversation with Helen Sieroda, a leadership expert and coach. They discuss Helen's journey through eastern philosophy, psychosynthesis psychology, her coaching philosophy, the impact of her master's degree, and the importance of action inquiry in leadership development. Helen shared her insights on purpose in business, the ch...

In this episode Chris spends time with long time colleague Michael Chaskalson, buddhist teacher and mindfulness practitioner. Michael is a writer, consultant, coach and academic, and author of many books. His work brings the wisdom of buddhist practice together with the latest work in physiology and neuroscience, to help leaders and teams be more fully human and effective in turbulent times. Micha...

This episode features Chris in conversation with author, educator and master story-teller Geoff Mead. Geoff and Chris have often worked together over the past twenty or more years. Chris explores with Geoff the roots of his practice, and its links to the therapeutic and leadership development worlds, and dives into Geoff’s latest work on writing, identity and the remaking of possibility. 

In this first episode of the Project 65, About Time podcast, Chris Nichols and Philippa Hardman discuss their long-standing collaboration in strategy engagement. They reflect on their work together, innovative approaches to strategy implementation, and the impact of their practice over the years. They also look ahead to future conversations and guests.