The Green Room: Questions That Matter Most In Business

When we think of great leaders, influential visionaries come to mind. Pioneers in the corporate world. People who take risks, open doors and inspire others to step into their footsteps. But is the concept of a leader changing? And is it about finding who you are as a leader vs trying to fit into expectations of what a leader should be? In this episode, we're joined by Jonathan Mildenhall, curator...

Every one of us has dreams. A desire to make a difference on the things that matter to us. A vision for change, from the project we're working on to our local community. Without action, a vision will merely be a dream. But a vision that many people believe in? Now that can change the world – ask any great leader. So how do you get this buy-in? Should that be the first step? Or is it something that...

Astronaut. Dancer. Footballer. Pop star. Many of us will remember our childhood ambitions. But then life happens. We get an education. We're forced to make a choice between one route or another. Wherever we want to get to, or redirect to, it's about knowing what we want – and feeling capable. It's about knowing where we could be – and feeling supported. It's about raising aspirations – and overcom...

It's hard to beat the feeling of momentum building around something you care about. That positive energy and progress towards hitting your goals and climbing to new heights is infectious. It builds confidence and motivation – leading to even more success. But momentum can be gone just as quick as it arrives. So how do you build on it when it matters most? Nowhere is momentum building faster than w...

How do you make change happen? And not just any change. We're talking about a systemic shift towards living, working and doing business more sustainably. Does it start with us? What about the companies supplying the products and services we buy? Should they change their ways in response to demand - or lead the way because it's the right thing to do? For the planet and their business. And what abou...

We all want to belong. At school. In our friendship groups. Our gym class. At work. It's what makes us human. Instead, we often settle for fitting in. We edit who we are. Shapeshift to match the world around us. Or present a version of us that might be more 'acceptable' to others. And if you're black, it's likely that you've spent a big part of your life doing just that. In this episode, we explor...

Global life expectancy has risen by over 50% since 1950. And one in three children born in 2016 will live to 100. But what will more of us living for longer actually look like? It could look amazing. More time to achieve everything we want to achieve. See everything we want to see. Spend time with our loved ones. But there's lots to consider if we're going to live for a long (and happy) time. How...

Protests. Megaphones. Cardboard messages. Boardrooms. When we think of activism, we imagine protestors on the streets – not C-suite executives.    But is that right? From climate change to inequality, today's challenges have become critical – and so has the role of organisations in them.    In this episode, we explore a new kind of leadership by talking to two people on both sides of the fence on...

Summer has seen too much rain and too little of The Green Room... we can't do anything about the weather but at least the podcast is back! After a short break, we're back with an incredible season of content lined up as we continue   to explore the topics that matter most in business. In this special launch episode of The Green Room, we've got the band back together with all our hosts in the studi...

Goodbye Season 6, hello summer break... As we wrap up Season 6 and get geared up for Season 7, we thought that we would take some time to reflect on some of this season's best bits. And who else better to share their highlights other than our two fantastic hosts, Ethan and George? From inviting high-profile guests into our studio to having meaningful conversations around the topics that matter mos...

Growing up is a tough gig. We're constantly learning about the world around us – and our place in it. What we like. What we don't like. Who we are. Who we are not. But what if our differences feel too… different? What if who we are deep down isn't the mainstream we're seeing in society? And if you identify as LGBTQ+, we know it's anything but easy. For Episode 52, we're joined by two allies from t...

We all have ideas. Even when we say we don't. They pop up in the shower, on a dog walk or just as we're nodding off to sleep. It could be an innovation that makes serious headway in the fight against climate change. A new piece of tech that opens up a world of possibilities. Or something completely different, that could make the world better for all of us. But what takes an idea from being somethi...

We often think financial crime is victimless. Something that affects big banks. And is mainly about losing money. Or is it? What if we told you that everyday fraud adds up to something much bigger and darker? That behind every transaction, there's a huge societal and human cost?   Financial crime is on the rise. And thanks to the internet, the scale of the problem is staggering. It will take a net...

Steve Jobs. Anita Roddick. Yvon Chouinard. Mary Portas.   There are many inspiring examples of business leaders who have changed the world through their work.   We admire their successes. Quote them in our presentations. Read about their morning routines. They make us want to make a difference too.    But making real change is easier said than done. On this episode of The Green Room, we speak to t...

We spend our days reacting, responding, pivoting. To the latest trends, headlines and/or that urgent email in your inbox. It's not you – it's your brain. It's how we're wired.   But understanding why we all behave the way we do is incredibly powerful. It allows us to align with the things that matter to us most – from personal change to climate change. So, we thought we'd ask the experts and invit...

Autocorrect. Chatbots. Social media feeds. E-payments. Facial recognition.      These are just some examples of artificial intelligence we come across daily.      50 years ago, its possibilities seemed like science fiction to us. Now, it's quickly permeating almost every sphere of our personal and working lives.      Some days, we get excited about its tremendous potential. Because just like the f...

Baby boomers. Generation X. Millennials. Gen Z. And make way for Generation Alpha… Labels can help us understand the world, but they often become unhelpful generalisations – especially at work. So where do these stereotypes come from? And just how accurate are they?   To help us sort 'sweeping generalisation' from 'trends sweeping generations', we've enlisted the help of two experts; Bobby Duffy,...

We often say we're going round in circles like it's a bad thing. But it might just be the key to a better future for our planet – and the people on it. That's the idea behind switching to a circular economy. But what would that new economy look like? And what can we do to make it happen? Tune in to find out: What a circular economy really looks like - and how we can build it Why James believes it...

Money shapes the world – from our savings accounts to big investment decisions. But many of us don't feel confident when it comes to money. And that's a shame. Because our decisions about money are one of the most powerful ways to ignite change. So where do we start? Tune in to find out: What Anneka wishes she'd known about investing sooner The changes that Louise would like to see within the fina...

Our stories matter. Sharing them is one way in which we can change the world for the better. The trouble is, some stories are represented more than others. So, how do we change that? What can we do to be better allies, to create space and to ensure that all voices are heard? Tune in to find out: What 'intersectionality' means and why it's important Why Antonia changed careers from zoologist to vir...

Beautiful green spaces. Vibrant high street. Good schools. Easy commutes. We all look for different things when weighing up where to live and work. Some parts of the UK have always been seen as more attractive than others. How can we change that? How could the plan to 'level up' get us there?   Tune in to find out… ·         Why Andy and Jo can't see themselves living anywhere else but Manchester...

Who doesn't love ticking things off the to do list? But when it gets a bit too long, overwhelm can take over. It's the same when we think of the planet too. We all want to make a difference, but it's hard to know where to start. So how do we make meaningful progress – and fast? Tune in to find out… • What Hannah learned about tough decisions over her 20+ years at Nike • The projects that are givin...

Lots of us spend (too) many hours sitting behind a computer for our jobs. And then spend our free time scrolling on our smartphones. Dropping concentration levels. Rising obesity rates. Mental health issues. It's clear that we'd all benefit from less time on our devices and more time being active.   Technology isn't all bad though. There are some fantastic examples of technology being put to good...

For some, the arrival of the metaverse seems like the plot of a sci-fi blockbuster. It's exciting but it can be hard to grasp. Is it just the natural evolution of hybrid working? Or is it something more revolutionary? If used in the right way, does the metaverse have the potential to make work better? Tune in to find out… What George and Ethan decided to wear in the metaverse How far away we are f...

The power of conversation never ceases to amaze us. After another fantastic year of honest and insightful discussions, we're feeling a little nostalgic here in The Green Room HQ. 11 episodes, 8 hours and 18 different guests this year. Taking us to 38 episodes, 25 hours and 76 different guests since launching the podcast. Phew! For the last episode of the year, our hosts look back on their highligh...