The Brave Next Step

I’m back with a more personal episode, sharing the self-reflection I’ve been doing over the last few months and the question that’s been steering it all: what do I need in place to do my best work? After an intense stretch of travel and back-to-back client weeks, I realised I was running on fumes, and that’s not the energy I want to bring into the room. I talk about why reflection builds resilienc...

As we step into a new year, I wanted to pause and challenge the way we think about New Year’s resolutions. I share why I am not a huge fan of big, dramatic goals set in January, and why so many of them quietly fall away by the end of the month. This episode is about reframing resolutions as habits, and giving yourself permission to start, stop, adjust and recommit without judgement. I also reflect...

As we close out 2025, I wanted to slow things down and talk about gratitude, not in a cliched end of year way, but as a real, everyday leadership practice.  I share research that shaped my own thinking, showing how much more weight negative thoughts and interactions hold compared to positive ones. Understanding this has changed the way I speak to myself and the way I show up for others. In th...

This episode is a little different, because instead of sharing my reflections, I am handing the space over to you. As we reach the end of the year, it is the perfect moment to pause, look back and make sense of what shaped you as a leader in 2025. Reflection is one of the strongest predictors of leadership growth, yet it is the habit most people skip when the pace picks up. Across twelve thoughtfu...

I loved recording this one because it is such a classic leadership trap. We rush straight into the topic, full of energy and opinions, but skip the one thing that would actually help us reach a decision.  This episode came from a real moment on a rugby club committee where an innocent line in a terms of reference opened up a bigger question about what collective decision making truly means. I...

In this episode, I reflect on something sparked by my son's athlete review and how the four part athlete development model mirrors the gaps we often leave in our own leadership growth.  We are brilliant at focusing on skills, outcomes and delivery, but far less disciplined when it comes to the mental and emotional fitness that actually keeps us performing well. I share my own experiences with...

This episode starts with a moment at Twickenham that completely caught me off guard and ended up teaching me more about leadership than I expected.  I was there to enjoy the Rugby match, not to learn a lesson, but what happened in those first few minutes made me stop and think about expectations, assumptions and how easy it is to react before you truly understand what is going on. It reminded...

In this episode, I wanted to open up a conversation that has been pressing on my mind for months.  So many HR leaders are running on empty, holding the emotional weight of organisations while feeling they have nowhere safe to take their own challenges.  When I read the latest figures showing just how many people professionals are close to burnout and simply getting on with it, I knew we...

In this episode, I sit down with consultant, coach and author Steve Hearsum to talk about the uncomfortable realities of leadership, change and why there really isn’t a “fix it fast” solution for complex problems.  We dig into his book There’s No Silver Bullet and explore why the need for certainty often stops leaders from doing the deeper, inner work that actually matters. It’s a conversatio...

This week, I want to speak directly to the CEOs and managing directors out there - and honestly, to anyone leading a business.  How often do you check in on your HR leader? Not just on their workload, but on their wellbeing? HR carries an invisible weight that so often goes unseen. They hold space for everyone else through restructures, grievances and endless waves of organisational change, b...

What kind of leader are you when no one’s watching?  In this episode, I’m talking about what it really means to lead from within - starting with who you are, what you stand for, and the values that shape your decisions.  I share the story of how a misalignment between my personal values and my corporate role pushed me to make one of the biggest pivots of my life, and how clarity on my va...

In this episode, I share a few powerful leadership lessons inspired by my recent trip to India. What began as a family adventure turned into an unexpected reflection on culture, adaptation, and legacy.  From the overwhelming chaos of the streets to the quiet brilliance of the Taj Mahal, I found myself thinking deeply about what it means to lead, to adapt, and to leave something meaningful beh...

In this episode, I’m talking about one of the trickiest balances in leadership - knowing when to step in and when to step back.  Inspired by a moment with my son’s sports coach, I reflect on how leaders can help others learn to make decisions without taking over. We explore how coaching through questions, rather than instructions, can create real ownership, accountability, and growth within a...

In this solo episode, I explore a perspective that might surprise you - that the solution to burnout isn’t always rest.  Drawing on my own experience of hitting burnout as an HR leader, I share why stepping back isn’t always enough, and how real recovery often requires deeper reflection, change, and courage.  Using insights from Nick Petrie’s research on the three degrees of burnout, I u...

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” We’ve all heard it, but is it really true?  In this episode, I share why that phrase is more myth than fact, and how lifelong learning is not only possible but essential for leaders.  Drawing on fresh research from the IMF and what it means for an ageing workforce, I explore how our brains and bodies remain more capable than we think, and why mind...

Failure is never fun in the moment, but what if it could be the thing that makes you stronger?  In this episode, I sit down with Peter Mols to talk honestly about the brutal lessons of failure, the pain of losing it all, and the resilience that comes from getting back up. We explore how focus, vulnerability, and simple daily habits can transform setbacks into fuel for growth. Peter shares the...

In this reflective episode, I sit down with Ben to explore the role of feelings in leadership and work. We talk about how emotions don’t switch off when you walk through the office door, how they influence our relationships, and why dismissing them can lead to burnout.  I share my own experiences of trying to suppress emotions early in my career, and how learning to see feelings as data has c...

Feedback can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.  In this episode, I share how leaders can create feedback conversations that feel supportive, specific, and truly helpful. Instead of focusing on what you can’t control, I walk through what you can - from preparation and intention to the environment you set. I also introduce the SBI model as a simple framework to give feedback that’s clea...

Feedback can be one of the hardest parts of leadership, but it’s also one of the most powerful ways we grow.  In this episode, I share why great leaders don’t just give feedback, they model how to receive it first.  I walk through what it takes to create a safe space for others to be honest with you, how to listen without getting defensive, and why gratitude and reflection are essential...

This week, I sat down with the brilliant Dr. Erica Bowen, and wow, did we cover some ground.  We talked about trauma, why it’s not just a “soft” topic, and how it shapes the way we show up as leaders and colleagues.  Erica shared powerful insights on creating workplaces that feel safe, the emotional toll carried by HR and people leaders, and why doing the inner work is non-negotiable if...

Power. It’s a word that stirs up all kinds of thoughts, and in this episode, I share my reflections on what it really means in leadership and in life.  From my grandmother’s fearless influence to lessons from Jacinda Ardern, I explore the four types of power - personal, instrumental, projected, and official - and how they show up in the roles I play as a coach, facilitator, and parent. ...

Overthinking can feel like leaving your thoughts in the oven until they’re burnt to a crisp or stuck in a washing machine that never stops spinning.  In this episode, I share two memorable metaphors to help you spot when your mind’s running in circles, plus a simple process to break the cycle.  Using my THINK acronym, I show how to test your thoughts, create space, and turn mental energy...

In this episode, I’m diving into how our own thinking can trip us up - especially when it comes to leadership.  If you’ve ever found yourself overthinking a situation or stuck in a loop of unhelpful thoughts, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too, and I know just how much those patterns can hold us back. I break down four common “thinking traps” that I see a lot in leadership coaching: black-...

In this episode, I’m exploring what effective listening really means - and why it’s so much more than just hearing someone’s words.  I walk through the three key types of awareness in listening: focusing on ourselves (which we all default to), tuning into the other person, and sensing the environment around us. I share some of my own struggles and learnings from coach training, where I realis...

In this episode, I’m reflecting on the power of triads - why three doesn’t have to be a crowd, but a source of energy, creativity, and balance.  A trip with two close friends reminded me how transformative a group of three can be, and I’ve seen this play out in my business since hiring Ben. Together, with Mind Values Leadership as our “third pillar,” we’ve built something bigger than either o...