Leading for Business Excellence

Curiosity separates good leaders from great ones. Are you asking the questions to truly understand how work gets done across your organisation? Sue Thexton , Group Leader at Harris Computer is a seasoned business leader with decades of experience guiding teams and organisations across the UK, Europe, and beyond.  Sharing her insights on the power of curiosity in leadership, Sue explains how asking...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. In this minisode, Richard Best, Director of Improvement at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, shares  how standardising work across 42 admin teams unlocked not only financial savings but also happier teams, reduced stress, and faster patient outcomes. Listen to th...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. This minisode features Hayley Glasby-Ringham, Associate Partner at KPMG, as she shares how her organisation navigated a “Transformation with a capital T" - a full-scale, end-to-end change across processes, systems, and culture. Listen to the full episode here: http...

What happens when Continuous Improvement is led from the frontline, not just the boardroom? In this episode, Alex Donaldson and Ben McCready , Process Improvement Managers from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) share how their BQF award-winning ‘Perform’ programme is equipping managers to lead change in one of the world’s fastest growing electricity networks companies. You’ll hear...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. In this minisode, Richard Best, Director of Improvement at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, shares how his teams use improvement huddle boards to build skills, share learning, and boost coaching confidence - proving that with structure and respect for time, 15 m...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. In this minisode, Anu Kalia shares how Continuous Improvement has become part of the fabric at Tesco. From onboarding new colleagues to embedding CI in transitions and day-to-day operations, he explains how a culture of improvement is built from the start, and sustained...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. In this minisode, experienced board director Helen Mahy shares practical advice on what non-executive directors focus on to understand an organisation’s health. From financial control to executive quality and early signals that a growing business needs a board, Helen of...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. In this minisode, Tony Tielen, former Group Director of Operational Excellence at Smiths Group plc, shares how data-driven decisions, talent incubation, and inclusive behaviours are helping shape a more balanced future. Listen to the full episode here: https://pmi.co.uk...

What does it take to embed improvement into the fabric of a global organisation? Anu Kalia , Global Process Excellence Lead at Tesco , shares how a long-term commitment to Continuous Improvement is delivering impact at scale, earning them the 2025 BQF Award for Excellence in CI Culture (Service). From onboarding and talent attraction to leadership behaviours and daily huddles, Anu explains how Tes...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. In this minisode, PMI’s Rich Seddon challenges traditional thinking on productivity, arguing that old models no longer serve today’s societies. From economic systems to resource scarcity, he explores the critical role of improvement in creating value with fewer inputs....

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. In this minisode, experienced board director Helen Mahy shares a candid take on what’s really changing in boardrooms, from true diversity of thought to the powerful role of the chair. Plus, why being the “best fit” isn’t always best for business. Listen to the full epis...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. In this minisode, Jason Hill, founder of Hill Helicopters, shares why product innovation should start with a deep understanding of customer need, not just a good idea. Hear how decades of listening, refining, and real-world insight fuelled his 30-year journey to reimagi...

Are you ready to navigate the changing landscape of transformation where AI is more than a buzzword? Hayley Glasby-Ringham, Associate Partner at KPMG, shares practical insights from the frontline of large-scale change. Hayley explains how AI is reshaping the way organisations approach transformation, and why technology alone won’t deliver success. This episode focuses on the human factors that oft...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. In this minisode, Steve Vaid, CEO of Money Advice Trust, shares insights from his first 90 days in leadership. From meeting every employee to fostering a culture of problem-solving, Steve discusses how listening, data, and empowering teams are driving improvement within...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. In this minisode, PMI’s Managing Partners challenge us to think beyond quick wins, explaining why true sustainability relies on systems thinking, thoughtful design, and equipping people with the skills to evaluate impact. Listen to the full episode here: https://pmi.co....

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. In this episode, former Global Head of Process Experience at Tesco, Laura McLaren shares why successful change is about understanding people as much as it is about managing projects. From Oyster cards to neuroscience, she explores what it really takes to embed lasting c...

Featuring Richard Best Director of Improvement, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust & Deputy Director of Quality Improvement for Specialised Commissioning, NHS England   What’s getting in the way of real, lasting improvement in your organisation? Is it time? Buy-in? Or just too much variation in how your teams are led? From streamlining thousands of admin processes to embedding Leader Stan...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast series. In this episode, Neurodiversity Trainer and Consultant Rosie Brighty shares practical advice on how standardised processes can be made more inclusive for neurodivergent team members. From visual cues to logical file structures, Rosie highlights the balance between neces...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast. In this minisode, Jason Hill, Chairman and Chief Engineer at Hill Helicopters, discusses the art of designing processes that evolve with a business. From manufacturing every component in-house to managing data and workflows, Jason shares how his team builds systems that are bo...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast. In this minisode, PMI's Susannah Clarke, Kate Smith and Rich Seddon explore the risks of digital transformation without a clear purpose. Are businesses falling into the trap of letting technology drive the process, rather than the other way around? And how can organisatio...

Is your transformation strategy energising your people, or exhausting them? Transformation expert and BQF Non-Executive Director Laila Iftikhar-Ali shares practical insights for leaders looking to drive meaningful change without leaving their teams behind. Drawing on years of cross-sector experience, Laila explores how to build psychological safety, unlock individual motivation, and create the con...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast. In this minisode, Helen Mahy, Chair of the NextEnergy Solar Fund and Non-Executive Director at SSE plc and Gowling WLG, shares why modern boards must go beyond the boardroom. How do great leaders balance strategic oversight with on-the-ground understanding? Listen to the full...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast. In this minisode, Jamie Bowen, Head of ESG and Improvement at Chevron Group, shares insights into overcoming challenges when scaling business improvement across a growing organisation. How do you sustain Continuous Improvement and share knowledge as your company evolves? Liste...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast. In this minisode, Jason Hill, Chairman and Chief Engineer at Hill Helicopters, discusses the critical role of leadership in driving innovation and business growth. What does it take to keep your team on track while scaling your business? Listen to the full episode here: https:...

Welcome to our series of bite-sized episodes featuring favourite moments from the Leading for Business Excellence podcast. In this minisode, join Laura McLaren, Global Head of Process Excellence at Tesco, and PMI’s Susannah Clarke as they discuss the benefits of gamification. How can you bring your improvement initiatives to life in a way that engages and excites your team? Listen to the full epis...