Love Your Work!

Main Topics: The importance of authentic self-expression in all spaces Love versus fear as guiding principles in the workplace How love promotes creativity, connection, and organisational success The impact of fear: disconnection, loneliness, and inequality Practical examples of love-led leadership and workplace culture The role of community, growth, and purpose in professional fulfillment Rachel’...

Watch now | After hearing Anthropic co-founders Dario and Daniela Amodei on The Oprah Podcast, I couldn’t stop thinking about what it means to choose your AI tools wisely in the workplace.

Summary In this conversation, Rachel Sparkes explores leadership lessons derived from the latest Bridgerton episode, focusing on three distinct households that exemplify different leadership styles and their impacts on workplace culture. She highlights the consequences of toxic leadership, the importance of accountability, and the need for supportive environments that foster employee retention and...

Summary In this episode of the Love Your Work podcast, Rachel Sparkes discusses how to identify your interests and strengths in the workplace. She emphasizes the importance of focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses, utilizing tools like the Gallup Strength Test and the Johari Window to gain insights into personal capabilities. Additionally, she encourages listeners to follow their curiositie...

Summary In this episode of the Love Your Work podcast, Rachel Sparkes delves into the influences behind career choices, emphasising the importance of understanding emotional catalysts, the circle of influences, and universal human needs. She encourages listeners to reflect on their motivations, the people who impact their decisions, and the fundamental needs that drive their professional lives. Th...

In this episode of the "Love Your Work" podcast, Rachel Sparkes, an HR expert from Big Tech, delves into Chapter 11 of her book "Work It Real Good," focusing on the "Discover It" quadrant. This chapter emphasizes the importance of understanding one's identity, interests, and influences before pursuing career actions like job applications. Rachel discusses the sign...

Summary In this episode of the Love Your Work podcast, Rachel Sparks shares her transformative 'Review and Renew' workshop, a personal development practice she conducts with her girlfriends. After a refreshing break in Australia, Rachel dives into the concept of the life wheel, a tool that helps individuals assess various aspects of their lives, such as health, relationships, and personal...

In this episode of the Love Your Work podcast, host Rachel Sparkes revisits her book 'Work It Real Good' to explore the essential elements of career success: achievement, attitude, and awareness. She emphasizes the importance of sustainable delivery in the workplace, the impact of attitude on personal branding, and the necessity of self-awareness for career growth. The conversation highlig...

Summary In this conversation, Hanna Bauer discusses her journey from a traditional leadership role to embracing heart-centered leadership through her proprietary methodology, Heartnomics. She emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural and relational dynamics in organizations, the need for alignment between personal and organizational purpose, and the integration of operational excellence...

In this conversation, Rachel Sparkes and Kirryn Zerner explore the critical importance of human connection in the workplace, especially in the age of AI. They discuss Kirryn's transition from corporate communications to keynote speaking, the significance of building trust and connection within teams, and how to engage multiple generations in the workplace. Kirryn shares insights on creating me...

Summary In this conversation, Rachel Sparkes discusses the importance of career clarity and the reasons behind workplace disengagement. She emphasizes that many individuals feel stuck not because they are in the wrong job, but due to a lack of clarity in their career direction. Rachel introduces the concept of the career compass and highlights a critical quadrant that often gets overlooked, provid...

Summary A deep dive into the Decision Dial framework to get unstuck In this conversation, Rachel Sparkes discusses the paradox of having more career options and flexibility than ever, yet many individuals feel paralysed when it comes to making career changes. She introduces a framework developed over 15 years to help individuals navigate critical decision points that contribute to this paralysis....

Work It Real Good Book Series: Chapters 4 & 5: Heart-Mind Connection and Passion & Purpose Here’s a statistic that might surprise you: the average person stays in a role for only 18 months. We’re changing jobs almost as often as we change our jeans, hopping from opportunity to opportunity, thinking the next one will finally be “the one.” But it never is. I see it all the time in my coachin...

From customer experience to global product strategist, Samantha’s story reveals how staying human is the real superpower in tech. Summary In this episode of Love Your Work, Samantha Middlebrook shares her journey from a non-tech background to becoming a globally recognized product strategist. She discusses the importance of human-centered design in technology, navigating imposter syndrome, and the...

In this episode, Rachel Sparkes discusses the top 10 career mistakes that individuals often make, drawing from her experiences in HR and coaching. She emphasizes the importance of being proactive, setting clear goals, and maintaining self-awareness. Rachel also highlights the significance of personal branding, understanding the job market, and preparing effectively for interviews. Additionally, sh...

Summary In this episode of the Love Your Work podcast, Rachel Sparkes discusses the vital role of creativity in both personal and professional life. She emphasizes the importance of creating for joy, sharing her experiences with music and the use of AI tools like Suno AI for music production. Rachel encourages listeners to engage in creative activities and build a community around shared creativit...

Factors Affecting Todays Workplace Welcome back, friends — we’re diving into  Chapter 2  of my book  Work It Real Good  (yep, the one I wrote a whole decade ago). This is also  Episode 2  in our new series where I dust off those ideas, give them a shake, and see how they hold up in today’s wild world of work. Spoiler: a lot has changed, and a lot hasn’t. Here’s the quick and dirty: A whopping  87%...

In this episode, Rachel Sparkes introduces her book 'Work It Real Good' and discusses the importance of self-awareness and personal growth in achieving career satisfaction. She outlines the common struggles faced by individuals in their careers and presents a roadmap for transformation through clarity, confidence, and conviction. Rachel shares her personal journey from IT recruitment to coaching,...

From UX to L&D to leadership—why nothing changes until you meet the right need Ever tried to roll out a workplace change, only to have it land with all the excitement of a damp muffin? Yeah, me too. Recently, I was deep in the weeds designing a technology certification drive . that would be rolled out to thousands of tech folk. The goal? Get people certified. The problem ? Most people didn’t e...

I just got back from a whole month working overseas — yep, a full four weeks in Manchester, with side quests to our London and German offices, and some much-needed personal travel to Menorca, The Hague, and Amsterdam with my partner. It wasn’t just a change of scenery — it was a full-blown mindset refresh. And guess what? Science says this kind of thing isn’t just good for the soul — it’s brillian...

Liv Downing's journey from corporate to becoming a thought leader in workplace wellbeing, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness, creativity, and compassion in leadership. In this episode of the Love Your Work! podcast, host Rachel Sparkes interviews Liv Downing, a psychologist and mindfulness advocate. They explore Liv's journey from corporate HR to becoming a thought leader in workplace wellb...

summaryIn this conversation, Rachel Sparkes discusses the critical importance of company culture in influencing employee performance, retention, and overall workplace satisfaction. She emphasizes that culture is not merely about perks like ping pong tables or free snacks, but rather the collective experience of employees from recruitment to exit. Sparkes shares insights on building a people-first...

How Self-Knowledge Transforms Fear from a Roadblock into a Catalyst for Leadership In this episode of Love Your Work! , I discuss the profound importance of self-knowledge in conscious leadership — and how AI tools like ChatGPT can unexpectedly support our personal growth journeys. A key theme we explored was fear — particularly how it holds many leaders, especially women, back from embracing thei...

I had a huge response to my Blog Post on delegation 2 weeksago. Seems many leaders miss these three game-changing principles:   🎨 Colour: Connecting theDots – Help your team see the full picture, not just their piece of the puzzle. 💬 Be Clear to Be Kind –Vague instructions lead to frustration. Clarity = confidence. ⚖️ Communicate the Consequences –What happens if they nail it? What if they don’t...

This video is from the Love Your Work! podcast and blog on Substack hosted by Rachel Sparkes You can read the full article here: https://rachelsparkes.substack.com/p/the-two-word-check-in Other Links Brown, Brene.  Dare to Lead .  Link to Brene Brown’s work Harvard Business Review : Emotional Intelligence in Leadership.  HBR Study on EQ Zak, Paul J. “The Neuroscience of Trust.”  Harvard Business R...