Alongsider - finding your place and taking your place

Alongsider returns with the change of seasons and some may say turbulent times. If this resonates with where you are, then this conversation may be for you. We meet Dr John Blakey again (see episode 15 2024) and his colleague Glen Duncan - both antidotes to uncertainty who bring hope. Hope and encouragement especially for those of us who are challenged with identifying the next hill to climb and a...

Welcome to Alongsider. In this episode we explore the art of connection and the science of possibility to redesign the world of work. We meet again guests Emily Hinks and Carola Verschoor, who both describe themselves as "high energy Enneagram 7's" and enthusiastic possibilitarians who see potential everywhere they look. We delve into how our professional landscape has been interrupted, redesigned...

#Alongisider meets Dr. Iain McCormick, a New Zealand-based coach and therapist, who transitioned from hard sciences to a lifelong exploration of human psychology and its workplace applications. His research highlights a compelling insight: successful psychotherapy outcomes correlate primarily with relationship quality rather than professional expertise. This finding raises a profound question: Doe...

#Alongsider advises fastening seatbelts for this delightful conversation with Claire Pedrick and Dr Judith Mohring. For those who seek a compassionate and practical understanding of Neurodiversity - this really is for you. We discuss 'dream polishing' - is it really good enough? Is it 'not yet' though a wonderful idea. Is that intense annoyance and distraction more than unhelpful - positively pain...

Alongsider meets Emily Hinks, founder of Mischief Makers, a future of work agency that seeks to unlock potential by reframing 'fun'. Yes, she believes from hard evidence that serious results do not require serious behaviour. She is patient and those who work with her experience an acceptance and the freedom to be themselves to get some extraordinary things done. When working with the not-yet-conve...

#Alongsider - welcome back to season 2 of the podcast - finding your place and taking your place. We start this week on Friday with a wonderful conversation with Emily Hinks of Mischiefmakers facilitators. More on that shortly. For now, a little about what is coming up. We have used an AI tool to interrogate the 40 conversations from the episodes in 2024 and there seem to be 17 (yes, 17) traits th...

Alongsider's 40th and final Episode for 2024 and we meet Christopher AKA Peter Hill - one of life's genuine enthusiasts and Jestor (the only one at court who cannot be killed off). A highly skilled engineer who has been called to bring 'oil' and order to many varied situations from complex engineering challenges, manuafacturing processes, Board & Senior Leadership teams. His grandmother was a wond...

Alongsider talks with Peter Brook, an Engineer fascinated by how things work. He shares this with his ancestry, one of whom invented the clocking-in machine - the time clock. Peter's main interest is in how things work together and particularly people. He has huge heart for community and believe this is the staple for how we experience life at its fullest and most raw. He has spent many years work...

Alongsider meets Dean Nicholas, normally known as Nick, currently responsible for the spiritual and organisational life of Salisbury Cathedral. His has not been an obvious path as he started in criminal law serving 7 years largely defending until he discovered that the Law could not always bring about a wise outcome. He then stepped into the role he has had a heart for ever since - that of priest....

Alongsider revisits Simon Acerson-Paine - Professional Trainer and expert running coach. When was the last time you were taught to run - Simon takes us through this transformation and shares what he learnt from the work of Russian, Dr Nicholas Romanoff. Learning to use gravity and the route of least resistance for peak performance. He also explores the energy that emerges from groups in harmony. '...

Alongsider meets Richard J Roberts who he confides originally wanted to be a marine biologist. However, despite a fear of blood, he became a doctor and GP before adding Psychotherapy to his skillset. He shares about his recently published book on the remarkable life of St Patrick and Ireland. Kidnapped by pirates and taken as slave to the Emerald Isle, he managed to escape with some divine help an...

Alongsider has something for everyone in this episode. The common ground is our body and how it connects to mind and belief. Simon Acerson-Paine is a highly skilled professional with a significant grounding in psychology as well as nutrition, anatomy etc, He talks about his fundamental compulsion to 'burn energy' with the end in mind. He is a 9 on the Enneagram - an adaptive peacemaker. He would n...

Another Alongsider participant kindly introduced our guest this time, Cathi Raffaeli. She describes herself as 'eclectic' and someone who is tenancious - she never lets go. It is no surprise that she has established a global reputation for her talent with money and organising. Money, she shares, is an enabler to prosperity and we hear some stories that support this. She also delights to tell how b...

Alongsider has great pleasure in meeting one of life's natural enthusiasts. James Garner's many years as a QS and working with Data to gain insight in the built Environment has not left him static. His thirst for 'what next' and 'what's new' embraces an interest in his sector's collective learning with RICS Construction Property Group panel . He loves to decompose the complext and reassemble it wi...

If you would like real insight into Diversity Inclusion and Equity and how it plays out in the workplace and elsewhere, this is for you. Alongsider meets a gentle man of great diversity, meaning someone who is interested and interesting. A stand up comedian, campaigner for fairness, University Rector and much more. He is also really great company - meet Simon Fanshawe OBE. He speaks of his upbring...

If you are looking to develop your corporate life whilst also building an external personal reputation - this is for you. Alongsider meets Dr Florian who as an Alongsider and Loyal Sceptic (Enneagram 6) shares how he likes to 'take the steering wheel' and allow joy to rise in the workplace. This is someone who does not find most things difficult once there is belief. He momentarily disappointed hi...

Welcome back to Alongsider in conversation with Debra Green OBE, a person of great inspiration and influence. She has been described as being "very ordinary" and yet her stories reveal some extraordinary results. These are often in community settings where there is a belief that change is 'impossible'. She has a special gift for coming alongside communities to build trust and opportunity to discus...

For anyone seeking to make their OKRs work even more effectively (start or start again!) to achieve your desired outcomes - this is for you. Alongsider tries something new this episode and asks Master (gender neutral Google tells me) OKR coaches Melanie Wessels and Mark Richard to join us again (see Episodes 1 and 19). They share some deep insights into how OKRs are being adapted to fit the contex...

Alongsider meets Colin Newbold, a force to be reckoned with, who says we 'live in interesting times'. Clearly life is never dull around Colin who is at an age where most might be slowing down - Colin has merely moved from racing on the track to rallying in town and country. He has been dubbed 'crazyboy' by his partner who should know! A successful career in Pharmaceuticals starting at the bottom t...

Join Alongsider for a great collaborative conversation with Des Kennedy a highly creative, strategic designer and coach. Most of all, someone you would like to have alongside as you start something new - especially, if it involves technology and practical solutions. Des shares his story from Design school graduate to the lights of 80's London where he and his colleague creatively found a central p...

Alongsider meets Fr Nigel Mumford whose unlikely story he shares with great humour and groundedness. An early yearning to serve in the Police Force was thwarted and he turned to the Royal Marines - their demanding fitness test he passed. All this via Selfridges and a thriving framing business. As Royal Marine, he served in Northern Ireland, endured PTSD and experienced healing. This led him to US...

Alongsider is in a rich and wide ranging conversation with, Mark Goyder, Founder of Tomorrow's Company formed to encourage business to find and take its place within the global and local community in which it seeks to flourish. The 8th child of parents who greatly influenced the young Mark - from his mother he received the gift of 'peacemaker' and from his father - 'battling'. All this has been fo...

Alongsider meets a global missionary, Brother James, whose heart is for the untouchables, the poor and needy in India. 'Christianity is not a religion its purpose is to connect people with themselves, each other and their Creator.' He speaks of Hinduism and identity and how the 'untouchables' were often excluded as the fifth level of the caste system. Whilst some of this has changed, these people...

Alongsider meets an expert who completely changes one's perception of a profession - in this case it is psychiatry and how it can impact the workplace. Dr Judith Mohring shares how she added coaching to her skillset and found the experience transformational. She has left her professional practice to pursue her passion to help organisations and individuals create an 'eco-system' where people can be...

Alongsider has great pleasure in speaking with Hannah Grove, an elegant and seasoned Financial Marketing professional who now influences more from the Board than BAU. She hints that her teachers might not have seen her in a career in finance. She has a wide interest and brings her own shine to each place she choses to take. This extends to Libraries and the significant place they offer in communit...