Beyond The Water Cooler

I keep hearing the same pattern in conversations with organisations, no matter what challenge we’re tackling. Whether the topic is leadership development, collaboration, coaching, or assessment, it’s tempting to jump straight to deciding what needs to happen next before really getting to the heart of the issue. Here’s the reality: the behaviour we notice is rarely the problem - it’s usually a clue...

Too often, organisations react to signs of stress or slipping performance in management by rolling out the usual training. But what if the real issue lies deeper? Dan Northover , CEO at Handcrafted , joined me for a frank conversation about supporting and developing managers in a way that actually addresses what’s needed on the ground. At Handcrafted, they paused before jumping to training and ins...

Ever find yourself questioning whether leadership fundamentals have really changed, or if we’re simply in another cycle of bold claims and louder voices? I recently joined Chris Kitchener and Gareth Tennant from the ‘ Battling With Business ’ podcast and traded places for a challenging conversation in a pub - complete with parking cars and pints! We unravelled whether leadership values like empath...

We often talk about wellbeing, engagement and supporting people at work. But too often, those conversations stay at policy level - or only happen when someone is already struggling. In this episode, I’m joined by Mel Jones , Principal Educational Psychologist at Staffordshire County Council , to explore a simple but powerful approach that one school in Leeds has embedded into everyday practice. Ev...

AI has become a dominant talking point in the world of work, but most of what I see and hear centres around automation, efficiency, and risk. The missing link is what AI means for people - for their growth, their sense of purpose, and how leaders and managers navigate this shift. I sat down with Jon Matthews from The Career Innovation Company to dig beneath the usual headlines. The honesty he brin...

Skills gaps are being talked about in boardrooms everywhere right now, but I think we need to look far deeper than recruitment statistics or the latest government target. It’s not just about how quickly you can hire or how many apprenticeship schemes you’ve got going - it’s about what your workplace stands for, and the environment you’re creating for people to grow and truly engage. A thriving org...

How do you become an employer of choice in a busy, ever-shifting work climate, where people are under pressure and their capacity for work already feels stretched? That’s the question I explored with Robin Rogers , Director of Economy and Place at Oxfordshire County Council. What I found compelling speaking with Robin is how local authorities are wrestling with exactly the same workplace questions...

We often talk about progress on International Women’s Day, but real progress in our organisations means taking a hard look at what still isn’t working, especially where workplace harassment is concerned. Throwing a policy on the shelf or holding a one-off session misses the point. The reality - which far too many women live, often in silence - should make us all uncomfortable. As leaders and manag...

Getting people right means getting business right - and I’m always drawn to conversations about the human factor at work. I’m joined by Alex Rae, CEO at Wise Investments, whose insights cut through the noise about future-proof organisations and put real emphasis on what matters - people. We dig into preparedness and possibility as a lens for leadership. Forget any notion that leaders should have a...

'HR data' - for many, those two words conjure up images of spreadsheets, reporting for the sake of it, or endless discussions about what to count and who even cares. But what if we stopped treating ‘people data’ as just another extra or admin task, and instead saw it as essential for understanding what really makes our teams tick? I sat down with Lorna Moles , director of Farrell HR , to unpick wh...

High performing teams aren’t just about more tools or faster processes. What really sets them apart as we look to 2026 is how they create and sustain performance - not simply by working harder, but by rethinking the way they lead and work together. I’m noticing a clear pattern across organisations: people are working flat out, yet performance feels fragile and easily disrupted. Decision making can...

As we approach a new year, I’m urging leaders and managers to pause and reflect - it’s time for strategic, actionable thinking about how we’ll lead into 2026. Expectations at work have changed, people have changed, and the way organisations respond needs to change too.  I’m sharing the five people challenges that simply can’t be ignored if you want a work culture where employees thrive, not j...

No sidelines. That’s the phrase  Gareth Weir  digs into as we explore leadership, management, and the connections across our working world. Gareth is the Deputy Ambassador at the British Embassy in Seoul, and he’s just recorded a TEDx talk challenging the myth that it’s enough to stand on the edge and watch the world go by. Growing up in West Africa with teachers for parents, Gareth...

What does it really take to build a work culture where employees genuinely belong and perform at their best? The conversation with  Megan Carter  - Head of People at  Blenheim Palace  and  Pye Homes  - clears away the gloss and gets down to the essentials. Even when joining an organisation with positive foundations, it’s easy for teams to fall into silos or lose sight...

Burnout isn’t just about dramatic crashes or sudden breakdowns - far more often, it creeps in slowly, going undetected until leaders and high performers find themselves exhausted, cynical, and detached. It’s an uncomfortable reality, particularly in workplaces where relentless pace and hyper-productivity can masquerade as success. I spoke with Dr Claire Plumbly , psychologist and founder of Plum P...

Have you ever found yourself frustrated by the endless “Top 10 Ways to Lead” lists, only to realise that thriving teams and high-performing cultures aren’t built by ticking boxes? In this special episode of Beyond the Water Cooler, I’m sharing my recent guest appearance on  Battling with Business , where I joined  Gareth Tennant  and  Chris Kitchener  to dive into what tru...

Leadership. It’s at the heart of every conversation I have about workplace culture and team performance. This latest episode of Beyond the Water Cooler is no exception. I’m joined by the fabulous  Rich Hanrahan , co-founder of  RPNA , to pick apart the link between leadership, wellbeing, and organisational output - and, as you might expect, the conversation is packed with insights that a...

When we talk about people thriving at work, the conversation must go well beyond policies and perks. In this final episode of season 11, I’m wrapping up with my high-level reflections on what truly matters when it comes to leadership, management, and fostering a work culture where employees are not only high performing, but actually want to show up and contribute. From working with organisations o...

Do you know the difference between strategy, tactics, and operations?  This conversation with  Gareth Tennant , Director of  Decision Advantage , brings clarity. And he should know, having two decades’ experience as a Royal Marines officer. His insights into intelligence, decision-making and organisational learning are invaluable.  Gareth helps us understand why muddling strate...

We’ve officially reached the 100th episode of Beyond the Water Cooler! It’s a perfect moment to pause and reflect on not just how far we’ve come, but where we’re headed when it comes to the future of work. To celebrate this milestone, I’ve brought together three brilliant guests, each an industry leader from a different sector: Sarah Foster from law (Freeths Oxford), Jamie Purcell from hospitality...

Ever wondered what it truly takes to build a thriving workplace culture—one where employees are not only high performing but genuinely engaged and supported? I’m excited to share something a little different for this episode of Beyond the Water Cooler.  This time, the tables are turned, and I’m the guest, joining  Theran Knighton-Fitt  on  Mygrow ​'s Organisational Effecti...

Many companies are cancelling programmes and changing language about DE&I following Trump's messaging. Where do you stand on this topic?  Angela Prentner-Smith , Managing Director of  This is Milk  brings her rich knowledge and experience of neurodiversity to the podcast, which is especially timely as yesterday was World Autism Awareness Day. She reminds us why it remains an imp...

Happy International Day of Happiness! 🎉  There’s no better way to celebrate than exploring how happiness can make or break our workplace with insights from expert,  Matt Phelan , co-founder of  The Happiness Index. In this enlightening episode of the Beyond the Water Cooler podcast, I chat with Matt   about the intricate relationship between happiness and organisational g...

With Trump's very problematic attitude to women and DEI, is progress that's been made over the last 50 years about to do a massive U-turn?  In case you've somehow managed to avoid his comments, here is just one example (there are sooooo many)... Talking about Kamala Harris during  a Fox News appearance  in September 2024, Trump said, "They put her in, and she somehow — a woman — som...

Rosie Hawes  is a business risk consultant who has worked in Russia, China and South Korea. In this conversation she brings a really interesting perspective to the challenges of managing people in different cultures.  Her experience really shines a light on the range of pressures facing different cultures, from misogyny and gossip, to the 'entitlement' of gen Z.  We explore the whet...