Leadership & Life Chat

The team were thrilled to welcome renowned former BBC sports journalist, Simon Mundie, to the pod back in early 2021. Simon has interviewed hundreds of elite and world-famous sports stars, and in this episode they discussed how the lessons those stars have learnt can be applied to success in business. In this bitesize clip of that interview, they discuss imposter syndrome, as well as Simon's perso...

Whether it's putting adverts into your Facebook feed for items you recently Google searched, or helping to filter out applicants for a job you're advertising, based on the key words in their CV, algorithms are everywhere. They affect us all, sometimes even when we least expect it! The trick is to arm yourself with knowledge; learn more about how they work, why they can be forces for good, not just...

Do you view a problem as an obstacle or an opportunity? How you answer this question can define and set you apart as a leader, in life and business. Inspired by Ryan Holiday's book The Obstacle is the Way , James and Mark dive into how fear can equal disaster in business, and how our state of mind can be reprogrammed to find the positives. There will always be problems, but how we handle them can...

This week, James and Mark look back on their chat with Louise Newby, and how their conversation on mental health and wellbeing is still just as relevant now as it was back in November 2020, on their Impromptu Business Chat series. They also reflect on how this episode inspired them to put together their own Men's Mental Health Special, in July 2021.  We pull out and reflect on some highlights from...

Dr Mathew Hampshire-Waugh is the author of Climate change and the road to net zero but doesn't describe himself as an environmentalist; the self-confessed 'city boy' simply wants to give the climate change low-down to those people not already sold on it. His book has been described as; " Blowing away the entrenched idea that solving climate change is a trade-off between the economy and environment...

One of the best ways to re-focus our personal resilience is completely free: practice gratitude! The impact of gratitude on our physical and mental wellbeing can never be underestimated. Both dopamine and serotonin are brain chemicals that bring proven benefits to our overall health. Experts across the globe agree that being content with what you have and aiming to 'be better' is the first step to...

This week, in the first of their BITESIZE episodes, James and Mark look back on their chat with Andy Nicol and Sue Liburd MBE, and how their conversation on diversity and inclusion is still just as relevant now as it was back in October 2020 on their Impromptu Business Chat series. It is, to date, their second most downloaded episode which further proves that this topic is still so pertinent, espe...

Public speaking is often cited as one of our biggest fears, feared more than death itself. But what if you can hone your skills and combat your fears? Is it worth the effort? Andrew Brammer is a global award-winning public speaker and fellow podcaster, who believes passionately in the power of public speaking, and the wider benefits that your new-found confidence can bring to all aspects of your l...

Welcome to the first episode in our new series! There will be three different episode styles in this new series, our expert guest interviews, special bitesize gems, and these deep dive episodes. James and Mark will be 'deep diving' into a specific topic each week. If you were a listener of Impromptu Business Chat, you'll be familiar with their casual, fun and informative discussions. Now they'll b...

From the team that previously brought you Impromptu Business Chat, comes the new series Leadership and Life Chat, dropping in the spring, sponsored by Larking Gowen. James and Mark will be looking at what makes a great leader and offer tips to help improve your leadership skills and wellbeing in general. In each episode, they will discuss a different topic, possibly one you may never have consider...

This week's episode is all about coping with Christmas! James and Mark look back nostalgically on bygone years, and have musical references aplenty to keep spirits up. They have been inspired by recent guest Chris Anthony, and in the spirit of Christmas, decided to devote this episode to the mantra of 'being in service to others' and offer their wellbeing tips for coping with the festive period. H...

*SPOILER ALERT* FOR NO TIME TO DIE! If you still haven't seen the latest Bond film, please skip to 02:58! James and Mark are watching over the news this week as James's self-imposed 'No News November' ends, and they discuss what the new COVID variant Omicron could mean for businesses as we head into winter. They discuss how we need to lean on the skills and lessons we have learnt during the last 1...

For those in the corporate world, the festive season brings with it invitations to parties with an expectation that alcohol will be freely consumed….and you will be involved! How do you navigate these events if you're sober? Mark and James welcome the 'Sober Exec' Chris Anthony to chat about navigating the corporate drinks culture. Chris talks about what life is like at the top of the corporate wo...

This week, James and Mark discuss a recent UK survey which revealed that 50% of workers, from management to shop floor level are secretly hoping for a 'fire-break' lockdown over Christmas, as they are facing burn out. For many, 2021 feels like it's been a longer, more stressful year than 2020, as there appears to be more work out there for businesses than expected. They are facing the perfect stor...

What does sustainability REALLY mean in practical terms for business, and what does the future look like? Mark breaks down what is currently happening in big business, and what still needs to be done at both corporate and SME levels. He's currently writing a paper on how his business (Larking Gowen!) needs to tackle sustainability, and his sources are steering away from the 'trendy stuff'. His per...

James and Mark look at the myth that is having a Unique Selling Point. Instead they focus on the business critical concept of Sustainable Competitive Advantage (SCA) and walk the listeners though a step by step process to help them identify what their SCA is. In time honoured fashion, the come up with 3 top tips and a musical link for good measure! If you are enjoying the series, we would really a...

Paul has competed in two of the most competitive industries in the world: elite sport, and performance psychology. Paul played professional football at Premier League level, for both Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich City FC. He realised though, early on in his career, that whilst he knew he wanted to play football, he also had a time limit on his career. This realisation sparked a career in his other...

James and Mark share the time management difficulties they're encountering as they return to face-to-face meetings. Many people are, for the first time, managing their workloads and diaries with a mix of face-to-face and virtual meetings, placing new challenges and stresses. How do you overcome this? As usual, James and Mark come up with 3 top tips, cross-referring to musical links whenever they c...

In this weeks episode of Impromptu Business Chat, Mark and James provide 3 practical tips that business owners can implement in the lead up to a sale of their business. The tips, many of which are just as valid for those business owners not looking to sell, are taken from the 9 key factors of our 'Business Sale Readiness' online diagnostic tool. It only takes 5 minutes to complete, its entirely fr...

IBC is back for series 6! Mark and James reflect on the recent World Mental Health Day and the work of the late great Trevor Moawad. We learn that saying something negative is up to 70x more powerful than thinking a positive thought, so we must be very careful what we say! In their trademark casual but informative style, they come up with 3 top tips and make references to some musical links along...

In celebration of their 60-episode Diamond anniversary, James and Mark are looking back over some highlights from the past 18 months, and yes, even some of the low points, mostly consisting of Mark's tenuous/terrible musical links! During this special episode they listen back to past clips from both the interviews and top tip episodes, demonstrating just how far they have come as presenters, learn...

What does it really take to work in one of the most respected and well-known military branches in the world? And what can business leaders learn from the lessons it teaches? James and Mark chat to former RAF Fighter Pilot and Executive Officer of the Red Arrows Dan Lowes, who reflects on his 16 years as a fast jet pilot and qualified weapons instructor (aka Top Gun School!) and how business leader...

James and Mark chat about the huge surge in vacancies across the UK and many parts of the world. They reflect on what businesses can do to help retain and attract the best talent, providing 3 top tips along the way. They take inspiration from a recent article in Wired by Alex Christian, the experience of local chef and restaurant owner Iain McCarten, Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective Pe...

James and Mark chat about the new challenges facing businesses emerging from furlough with a growing need to manage hybrid teams working from home and the office. They provide 3 top tips and take inspiration from John Seddon's book Freedom From Command & Control, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin's New York Time's bestseller Extreme Ownership, and 1970's American disco group The Village People!     We...

Mark and James chat about the importance of enjoying your job and the benefits this bring to business and life. As usual, they come up with 3 top tips, and along the way take inspiration from various sources including Richard Bandler & Owen Fitzpatrick's book Conversations , 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work by Dave Hemsath and Leslie Yerkes and even Lionel Richie!     We would love to hear from you -...