Space to Think: Conversations In Education

This week, I’m sharing a conversation from the archives of the Changing Conversations podcast. Simon Breakspear was always a popular guest, and his episodes consistently topped our most-listened-to list. In this conversation Simon introduces the Pruning Principle, a powerful leadership approach that tackles the chronic issues of overwork and inefficiency. While Simon’s work is rooted in the contex...

Burnout is more than just exhaustion - it’s a deep depletion that can leave us feeling disconnected from our work, our purpose, and even ourselves. In this episode, I’m joined by Hazel Anderson-Turner, coach and author of Coaching Through Burnout .  Hazel brings both personal experience and professional insight to this conversation, considering how psychological flexibility, rather than just ‘push...

In this episode, I sit down with Kiki, the founder of the Heiter community and magazine. Heiter might be a new word to some, but Kiki explains its meaning and why it resonates so deeply. More than just a translation, heiter embodies a way of living—styling our lives in a way that feels good, light, and joyful. Kiki shares the story of how Heiter came to life, the risks she’s taken, and the challen...

In this episode, I’m joined by Belinda Kirk, adventurer, author, and founder of AdventureMind. We explore the profound impact adventure can have on mental health and well-being, from building resilience and confidence to fostering creativity and connection. Belinda shares her journey - from growing up with the freedom to roam, to discovering the life-changing power of the Duke of Edinburgh Award,...

In today’s episode, I chat with Hannah Rosenberg, the talented writer behind @hannahrowrites. Known for her poetic and deeply relatable writing, Hannah shares her journey into creativity, what it means to her, and how she overcomes challenges along the way. We explore themes like: Finding inspiration : What sparks creativity and how her process has evolved over time. The personal touch : How her l...

In this episode, I’m joined by Liz, a dedicated herbalist. We explore the rich intersections between herbalism, mindfulness, and the natural world. Liz shares her personal journey from landscape architecture to herbalism, which has its roots in a specific life experience and her childhood. This episode is filled with insights into the role of tradition, intuition, and self-care in modern herbalism...

In this episode of Space to Think , we dig into the experience of Imposter Phenomenon —that unsettling feeling that somehow, we don’t truly belong in our successes or roles. Many of us, maybe even all of us, have felt this at some point. We worry we’ll be “found out” or think, "Why me?" when things go well. It’s a topic I encounter frequently with clients, and I’ve felt it myself, too. I’m joined...

In this episode of Space to Think , I sit down with Harvard professor and world-renowned thought leader Amy Edmondson. With her extensive research into psychological safety and high-performing teams, Amy has shaped the way we understand collaboration and leadership in complex environments. Her latest book, The Right Kind of Wrong , takes a fresh look at failure - not as something to fear, but as a...

In this episode of Space to Think , I sit down with designer and TV presenter Anna Campbell-Jones. You may know Anna as one of the judges on Scotland’s Home of the Year , but in our conversation, she reveals much more about her creative journey and life philosophy. We explore creativity, creating a brand, perfectionism and working with life’s ebb and flow. Anna shares personal stories and reflecti...

Dr Lucy Kelly is Associate Professer in Education at Bristol University and author of Reimagining the Diary: Reflective practice as a positive tool for educator wellbeing .  Lucy is currently engaged in the process of writing her second book on the topic of Perfectionism. In this episode we unpack some of the definitions and research around perfectionism, how we might recognise it in ourselves and...

Join me in conversation with Anna Considine, the founder of Studio Gently, brand photography for kind and creative kin.  Boundaries are one of those things we often find it hard to clearly articulate what they are but we know when they’ve been pushed or trampled over. We can enforce them or stick to them when we aren’t clear what they are.    Anna shares the story of why boundaries in work (and li...

Oliver Burkeman is well known for his best-selling book 4000 Weeks , a book that I have shared with many and I know (because they have been excited to tell me) it has shifted their thinking, changed their relationship with time or their inbox or given them a new perspective on decisions they’ve been pondering or indeed agonising over.  4000 Weeks encourages us to embrace our limits and let go of p...

An episode from the archives.  This conversation with Oliver Burkeman was originally recorded for my Changing Conversations podcast. Oliver Burkeman is well known for his best-selling book 4000 Weeks which encourages us to embrace our limits and let go of perfectionism.  Up next is our conversation about his new book Meditations for Mortals which you can enjoy immediately after, or before, this ep...

In this episode, I reconnect with friend and colleague Peter Dewitt.  Peter is the Founder and CEO of the Instructional Leadership Collective. Over the last 10 or so years Peter has written extensively on leadership and improvement in schools and facilities professional learning around the world.  This conversation was an opportunity to reflect on where we are now and what’s changing or shifting i...

In this episode, I chat with Maggie Farrar about presence in leadership. Maggie has worked in Education for many years as a teacher and as a leader, and found that her personal mindfulness practice was a cornerstone of her leadership practice.  Having trained as a mindfulness practitioner, her work with leaders focuses on supporting others to cultivate mindfulness in life and work.  We explore how...

In this episode I reconnect with Jennifer Abrams to chat about how we stretch our learning edges, the context for Jennifer's work is education and schools but the ideas and the insights she shares about how we as human beings learn and grow apply equally in any workplace and or work-based relationships and interactions.  Jennifer has identified 5 facets to help us translate what it means to st...

In this episode, I chat with Sarah Roberston, designer, writer and mentor. I loved having the opportunity to unpick some of the elements that I know are important to her work and life.  Sarah believes that we are all creative, we might bring that out in different ways but it’s within us all. We need to support and nurture that creativity and that may look different in different seasons of our work...

In today’s episode, I chat with Ian Sanders, Ian describes himself as a storyteller, energiser and author. His latest book is 365 Ways to Have A Good Day. This was a spontaneous conversation, we took the opportunity of a space in both our diaries about 24 hours after I asked Ian if he would be up for a chat. I love that about podcasting.   This is a very human conversation all about curiosity and...

My guest today is journalist and founder of the Alnwick Story Festival as well as running The Heart Leap Substack, a self-development and writing community. I was curious to learn more about Suzy's experience of leaping, it's not a word of action I use often! Suzy reflects that for her, the leap is between the head and the heart. Such a small physical distance between head and heart, and y...

In this first episode I am joined by Robert Poynton, amongst other things (which he’ll tell you more about) he is the author of three Do/Books on the topics of improvisation, pausing and conversation.  Now.. I’m not going to lie…recording a conversation with someone who has written about these topics was a little daunting, we allowed the conversation to flow and meander through elements of pausing...

Welcome to Space to Think, a podcast where I create space to think through conversations with guests exploring their knowledge, insights and stories. Each conversation holds the potential for ideas to grow wild. Episode 1 with Robert Poynton (of Do/Pause fame) will land on 2nd May.