Beyond The Water Cooler

March is B Corp month and so who better to join me than  Chris Williams , Sustainability Champion and Commercial Manager at  Jennings , where they have just been awarded the badge?! In this conversation, Chris helps us to understand: What B Corp is actually about What prompted Jennings to pursue the B Corp route What a values-based culture looks like What the B Corp certification process...

Carla Maroussas  joins me today to explore overwhelm, and the all-important question - how do we reduce it? In a world where overwhelm feels normal, where many of us feel trapped with the only option being to push through, this is an important conversation.  We explore: the feeling of overwhelm that produces a real desire of wanting to retreat into a bubble the pressure on leaders and ma...

As we celebrate International Women's Day, I'm delighted to be joined by Dr Shawn Andrews , author of The Power of Perception: Leadership, Emotional Intelligence and the Gender Divide. I came across her book a few years ago and it was gripping - loads of jaw-dropping data, relatable case-studies and practical advice about women in leadership roles. She has so much to say that we split the conversa...

As we celebrate International Women's Day, I'm delighted to be joined by Dr Shawn Andrews , author of The Power of Perception: Leadership, Emotional Intelligence and the Gender Divide. I came across her book a few years ago and it was gripping - loads of jaw-dropping data, relatable case-studies and practical advice about women in leadership roles. She has so much to say that we split the conversa...

I know this guest really well, having worked with her over a number of years. Amanda Page of Change Tempo is a coach specialising in leading change.  We have supported a number of clients, from the NHS to recruiters, combining our expertise to lead change. Whether that's about navigating the unknown, anxiety about how to change people's behaviour, or overcoming push-back, Amanda and I have gu...

Having the "capacity to remain flexible in our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours when faced by life disruption, or extended periods of pressure" (Pemberton) is essential for resilience. It's fair to say that many of us still expect to come out the other side feeling like we've survived a storm. Yet, when we get resilience right, we should emerge feeling "stronger, wiser and more able." How do we...

Mel Francis  is an accomplished HR Director and she joins me to talk about Neurodiversity   in the workplace. Mel supports HR, and Diversity and Inclusion professionals, on their journey through her company,  NeuroinclusiveHR . We explore: What neurodiversity really is Different types of neurodiverse conditions and their common traits that may be evident at work Bias, stigma, stereo...

ESG  is just about the physical world, right? Wrong. There is so much packed into this term that every business needs to consider what it means for them. Whether we're talking about values, opportunities in the workplace or recruitment, ESG needs to be a central driver if we are serious about investing in our future. We all need to be part of the change now, talking less, doing more.  Wh...

The fabulous David Saab , Mental Wellbeing Champion and Business Alliance Manager for the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce , joins me to kickstart my new series of the podcast for 2023. In his role at the Chamber, David has a unique perspective into what's going on within companies across the Thames Valley. His observations about what's working and what isn't, David's insight into interpreting th...

In this final episode of the series, Lisa highlights some of the key principles for successful growth in life and business. She discusses the relevance of getting employee experience right at a time when so many employees are feeling emotionally drained and therefore simply don't have the capacity to perform well.  Lisa identifies key themes that have arisen from conversations with the guests...

Sarah Page , People Operations Lead at OOMPH has a diverse experience from working in public, private, start-up and corporate companies. She has learnt what works and what doesn't, to create a role in this new, award-winning business. We discuss...  How Sarah has intentionally shaped a role that focuses on people over process. What are the key elements that have made the role, and her employe...

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place."  George Bernard Shaw I’m delighted to be joined by two communication experts, Sophie Turton and Alice Reeves , Directors and Founders of The Joyful . They break down myths, challenge assumptions, get "ranty" about boxes, and really shine a new light on marketing.  I loved this conversation! It was a lo...

This is a first! I have two fantastic guests joining me today - Danni Rush , COO, and Lauren Sweeney , Head of People at Virgin Incentives .  We met at the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Awards in June where they won Employer of the Year! They are scooping up an increasing number of nominations and awards, including most Inspirational Place to Work, recognition as the #1 Emerging...

Dr Tracy Rea , Director and Founder of  Talent Transfer Ltd , and Dr of Philosophy for talent transfer, joins me to discuss a much-needed perspective on rethinking skills, roles and people development. At a time when so many employees are considering new roles in new companies, there has never been a more important time to consider the talent agenda. The need to create the right environm...

I'm joined by Andrew Dean , Director at Menlo Park to discuss gathering feedback to shape business.  Andrew's LinkedIn profile says it all... Our methods and purpose come from our belief that everyone should be happy and fulfilled at work. Placing the right people, in the right roles, will increase happiness, security and productivity in the workplace, in turn, leading to people enjoying an o...

In this episode we discuss a big topic... the metaverse!  I'm joined by Magnus Wood , Co-Founder of The Kindness Corporation who has a lot to say about working kind in the metaverse, and who is behind the  Metaverse Coalition . We discuss the changing world of work and how virtual reality is going to be part of our day-to-day reality in not-too-far a future. This shift in how we communic...

Pete Sanders , Co-Founder and Group MD at The identifi Group , joins me to discuss the challenge of recruitment in a world where the workforce is so dispersed.  This is something that so many companies are struggling with right now, despite the fact that arguably, it should be easier than ever to recruit when remote working is the norm. So, what really is getting in the way? We explore:...

Graham Ballantyne , Director and Owner of UK Business Mentoring Group , joins me to discuss umbrella leadership. This conversation unpicks the term 'umbrella leadership' and why leaders might choose to use that approach. We also discuss some of the dangers of using that style of leadership, and how to mitigate for those.  As someone who used the approach with mixed success, Graham talks about...

* NEWSFLASH: Emma is recruiting! If you'd like to join her awesome team, click on the link here * Emma Browning , Managing Director of Meraki HR Solutions , joins me to discuss the role of stay interviews. Morgan McKinley found earlier this year that 42% of UK professionals do NOT know what their employer is doing to try and retain them.  Stay interviews are part of a process that helps organ...

Rob Smedley , CEO and Founder of Smedley Group , joins me to explore After Action Reviews (AARs) as a tool for driving positive change. We delve into a lot more than AARs though, as Rob has built his company around a very clear mission that is about disrupting the motorsport industry.  He is also taking the lead in the business by very intentionally creating a team that can develop, innovate,...

Colin Minto , Global Early Careers Talent Attraction Lead at  HSBC , joins me today to discuss OCD.  As someone who lives with OCD himself, he enlightens people about the reality, guides companies about what they should and should not do, and helps us think about the mental health condition differently.  There will be many people who will not think this episode of Beyond the Water C...

This episode is a little bit different.   My guests from series 2 have shared their thoughts to 3 questions that have impacted on who they are today: If they could rewind 10 years, what advice would they give themselves? What have they learned about themselves to keep hold of into the future? And what one thing would they leave in the past?   It is worth listening to what they have to sa...

Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. Award winning Eric Collins , MD at The Jackloc Company , joins me to share what he has learned and how he has overcome the challenges that he has experienced during his 35 year corporate life before taking on his own business.  Eric is driven by doing what is right for people and so he is very much onboard with the need for positive empl...

Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. This was so much fun to record! Dan Sodergren is a Ted X talker, keynote speaker, ex-marketing agency owner, digital trainer, serial tech start-up founder and now media spokesperson. Quite some profile!  Some of Dan's main areas of interest are the future of work, remote work and using data, and he is co-founder of  YourFLOCK , a te...

Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. David MacLeod , OBE for Services to Business and Employee Engagement, joins me in this really interesting episode (even if I say so myself!). David talks about his passion and expertise around enabling people to work to their full potential, and he should know a thing or two about it. In 2009, along with  Nita Clarke , David produced the...