Ollie on Work

In this episode, I had a fascinating chat with Hannah Grady Williams, the founder of d'Skills. We explored the challenges of the traditional education system and how new technologies, particularly AI, can revolutionise learning and skill acquisition for young minds eager to make their mark in the world. d’Skills is a 10-week virtual, cohort-based bootcamp where high schoolers learn new digital and...

In this episode, my conversation with Matthew Dicks sheds light on storytelling as a craft that everyone can master, offering insights into life and work. Matthew Dicks is an internationally bestselling author, columnist, blogger, podcaster, playwright, and teacher. A 59-time Moth StorySLAM champion and 9-time Moth GrandSLAM champion, Matthew teaches storytelling and public speaking to individuals...

In today's episode, I sit down with David Green, Host of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, co-author of Excellence in People Analytics, and Director of Insight222 and myHRfuture. David's round-up of the best HR and people-related content is legendary in the industry, and he brings that incredible expertise and insight to our conversation, which explores the role of data and technology in driving gro...

In today’s episode, I speak with Vanesa Pazos, a Partner at NoBa Capital. NoBA is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage tech-enabled businesses shaping the Future of Work. Their portfolio companies deliver worker-centric solutions that make this possible. Whether it's through providing access to work opportunities, improving career development, enhancing diversity and inclusion, provi...

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jenny von Podewils, co-founder and co-CEO of Leapsome. Leapsome is revolutionising how companies engage with employees and foster a culture of continuous improvement, providing tools for performance management, personalised learning, and employee engagement. TALKING POINTS: Insights into the challenges managers face, especially in a post-pandemi...

Today's guest is Tonille Miller, Transformation & Experience Leader, and author of The Flourishing Effect: Unlocking Employee Thriving and High Performance as Your Competitive Edge. This was a great conversation covering not just the biggest challenges faced by organisations and leaders right now, but many practical tips and strategies to help solve them. TALKING POINTS: Flourishing at Work: T...

Today's guest, Noelle London, is the founder and CEO of Illoominus. She's focused on unlocking the full value of companies' HR tech stacks, enabling leaders to foster people-first workplaces. This conversation delves into HR leaders' challenges and opportunities in leveraging data to make informed decisions. TALKING POINTS: Why is the increasing number of HR data sources such a big problem? Integr...

My guests today are Debra and Ken Corey, authors of the new book Bad Bosses Ruin Lives: The Building Blocks for Being a Great Boss. Debra Corey is a global HR thought leader, recently recognised among the top 101 global engagement influencers and most influential HR thinkers, while Ken has extensive leading technical teams as an engineer. Together, they delve into the evolving complexities of wor...

In this episode of the Future Work/Life podcast, I speak with John Winsor, formerly an advertising founder and exec and now a pioneer, entrepreneur and thought leader on open talent. John is the Executive in Residence at Harvard Business School's Laboratory for Innovation Science, founder and Chairman of Open Assembly, and the author of his sixth book Open Talent: Leveraging a Global Workforce to...

It’s a special episode today. We recently celebrated the 200th episode of the Future Work/Life podcast, which coincided with the same milestone for my guest’s show, "Conversations with Tyler." Tyler Cowen is an economist, columnist, blogger and podcast. He’s a professor of economics at George Mason University, founder of the Marginal Revolution blog (which he’s been writing daily for 20...

Today’s guest is Matt Abrahams, a Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and an expert in communication. With decades of experience as an educator, author, podcast host, and coach, Matt has helped countless presenters improve their communication skills, including those who have delivered IPO roadshows as well as Nobel Prize, TED, and World Economic...

Welcome back to a new series of the Future Work/Life podcast. Today’s guest is Nick Bloom, a Stanford Economist who has been studying remote work for over two decades. He is the co-founder of www.wfhresearch.com, a platform that provides insights and best practices on working from home.   We had a fascinating chat covering everything from Gangsta Granny to the perilous future of trains in the...

BEST OF 2023 EPISODES: Today's guest is Jennifer Moss, a workplace speaker and strategist. Jen's also an award-winning author, journalist, national radio columnist, and the author of The Burnout Epidemic and Unlocking Happiness at Work. She first appeared on the show in March 2021 and returns to discuss: Why burnout is far from cured Why businesses need to embrace change How to build a sustainable...

BEST OF 2023 EPISODES: Today's guest is Tom Goodwin, a digital business transformation specialist and the founder of All We Have Is Now, a consultancy created to help companies unleash the power of new technology, focusing on making better products and services and on consumer-centricity. This was a fantastic conversation. One part analysis of the world of business and work. One part therapy...

BEST OF 2023 EPISODES: Today's guest is New York Times bestselling author Bruce Feiler. Bruce's last book Life is in the Transitions greatly impacted Ollie and featured in his book Work/Life Flywheel. His new book is called The Search: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World . It provides a bold new road map for finding meaning and purpose at work, based on insights drawn from hundreds of l...

BEST OF 2023 EPISODES: Today's guest is Julia Hobsbawm, Writer, Speaker, Consultant and Broadcaster about the future of work, Social Health and creating a better connected and functioning society. Julia is the founder of The Nowhere Office and the author of a book of the same name. She's previously authored five more books, including Reinventing Work and the Workplace of the Future, and is now a c...

BEST OF 2023 EPISODES: A special episode recorded live in conversation with Ogilvy Vice Chairman Rory Sutherland at the Work/Life Flywheel launch at a pub in Soho in January 2023. We discuss various topics, including flexible work, autonomy, AI and creativity, and the rise of the 'multi-stage life'. Thanks to everyone for your support in making my book a bestseller! If you haven't ordered a copy y...

This series, I'm sharing insights from my book Work/Life Flywheel. In this final episode, I explain the impact writing has had on my work/life and what I'm working on next. LINKS: Book Ollie to speak with your team Ollie's LinkedIn Future Work/Life Newsletter Work/Life Flywheel: Harness the work revolution and reimagine your career without fear , is out now. You can order your copy  HERE &nbs...

This series, I'm sharing insights from my book Work/Life Flywheel. In this episode, I explain why during the inevitable ups and downs of work and life, you must trust the process and keep your flywheel turning. Chapter Summary: Work/Life transitions aren't easy, and you'll frequently experience moments of doubt. While having a 'north star' can provide motivation and purpose, true satisfaction only...

This series, I'm sharing insights from my book Work/Life Flywheel. In this episode, I explain why we value making progress so highly, and how to help track yours. Chapter Summary: Developing a journaling habit helps provide unique levels of self-awareness and insight. Recording significant events and emotions in a tracker allows you to spot connections between patterns of behaviour and thinking. A...

This series, I'm sharing insights from my book Work/Life Flywheel. In this episode, I discuss the power of journaling in our work and personal lives. Chapter Summary: Ensuring that your 'stress bucket' doesn't overflow can help prevent physical and mental health challenges. Journaling is a powerful reflection tool, helping you manage and organise the vast amounts of information going through your...

This series, I'm sharing insights from my book Work/Life Flywheel. In this episode, I explain why rest and recovery are an essential component of building a successful, sustainable career. Chapter Summary: Sustained high-performance means pacing yourself. Plan your diary to balance intense periods with opportunities to stop and recover. Give yourself time throughout the working day to gather your...

This series, I'm sharing insights from my book Work/Life Flywheel. In this episode, I explain why finding your purpose may not be as difficult as you think - just follow your curiosity. Chapter Summary: It’s normal to experience crises of confidence and a lack of direction mid-career. To remind yourself of matters, focus on what you look forward to most. Following your curiosity and concentrating...

This series, I'm sharing insights from my book Work/Life Flywheel. In this episode, I discuss why we're moving to an era of the multi-stage life, and why that requires us to adapt our view of learning. Chapter Summary: An obsession with winning will hold you back, so it's essential to reframe success. Rather than comparing yourself to others, focus your energy on creating a work/life that gives yo...

This series, I'm sharing insights from my book Work/Life Flywheel. In this episode, I discuss the significance of building connections with others and outline the perfect conditions for great collaborative sessions. Chapter Summary: The risk of remote work is less connectedness with others. Businesses need to reimagine how in-person interactions can enable more collaboration and build trust and co...