Your 12 minute HR lesson

This episode argues against “sugary” learning in HR and leadership—catchy slogans and simplistic insights that feel good but don’t actually change behaviour. Using stand-up comedy as a metaphor, we contrasts cheap, stereotype-driven laughs with the kind of complex, nuanced thinking that takes time to build but delivers real insight, likening his approach to comedians like Chris Rock who earn meani...

I explore the idea of “magic words” — phrases we treat as if they instantly change a situation — and why leaders shouldn’t fall for them. Drawing on fantasy stories where magic requires rules, triggers, and consequences, I explain how certain workplace words like please , sorry , and work-life balance are often used as conversation-enders rather than starting points. While words matter and give us...

This episode delivers a practical HR lesson on decision-making, arguing that HR’s role is not to make decisions but to ensure decisions are made well by identifying risks and variables. It distinguishes bad decisions from risky ones, explaining that a bad decision is not simply one with a poor outcome, but one that was flawed based on what was known at the time—rather than judged through hindsight...

This week we talk about the “flawed mentor” — that Gandalf/Dumbledore/Merlin figure who guides us… until the moment their limitations show us it’s time to grow up and step out on our own. Then we flip that archetype onto real-world management. Why do the models that help new managers eventually hold experienced ones back? And how has the well-meaning push toward nurturing, supporting, and “cheerle...

This episode examines how hype often outpaces reality in business, using WeWork, Bodega Boxes, and Theranos as examples of ideas that generated enormous buzz but couldn’t deliver on their promises, then applies Gartner’s hype cycle to show how new concepts move from excitement to disappointment before settling into their true value. You use this lens to question whether the shift from “HR” to “Peo...

In this episode, I weave together a story about two five-year-olds, Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car , and the Dunning–Kruger effect to explore why some people feel and understand things they can’t yet explain—and why, in the workplace, we so often mistake confidence for competence. From the beauty of a song you have to experience yourself to the quiet experts sitting at the bottom of the curve, this epis...

You've been warned.... so don't blame me...

What would future beings think of us if humanity suddenly disappeared? That’s a thought experiment I dive into in this week’s episode — and it leads somewhere far more relevant to our everyday lives than you might expect. If humans vanished tomorrow and were rediscovered centuries later, what story would our civilization tell? Would they think chocolates, perfume, and watches were pillars of our c...

Punishment stops bad behaviour. Rewards start good behaviour. It sounds simple — but it’s one of the most misunderstood ideas in management. In this week’s episode, I dive into the psychology behind carrots and sticks — why punishment can create compliance, but never growth, and how small, genuine recognition can completely shift a team’s culture. I also share one of my favourite tools: the chocol...

A lot of the time in HR, we don’t actually have power — we have influence . And the most effective kind of influence often comes from calmness. In this week’s 12-minute HR lesson, I share a story that started with a car accident (literally, half an hour before recording!) — and ended with a lesson about leadership, composure, and how to take charge when no one’s in charge. We unpack: -What it real...

Ever felt stuck in HR, waiting for the business to tellyou what to do ? In this week’s 12-minute HR lesson, I unpack how “TheRemains of the Day” taught me everything about managing up,anticipating needs, and making your HR strategy actually matte It’s less about doing what you think is right, and more about knowing what the business truly needs before they even ask. Are you a Mr. Stevens or a Mr....

This week's podcast: the secret sauce of sampling. Today I’m channelling my inner grumpy old man. We interview. We personality-test. We talk endlessly about “fit.” But we rarely ask candidates to actually do the work. Work samples — small, simple, real-world tests — are one of the strongest predictors of job success, and yet almost no one uses them. But the lesson isn't really about that. I’m chal...

There’s an old saying: “Dissecting jokes is like dissecting a frog. No one laughs—and the frog dies.” In this week’s 12-Minute HR Lesson, I’m unpacking what comedy can teach us about risk—and why playing it too safe can quietly kill your organisation’s growth.

How is a dinosaur like a piece of legislation? The lesson of Jurassic Park is chaos theory; life is too complicated to be fully accounted for by any system. It's the same with the law. The new holidays act reform will be big improvements but don't expect a perfect fix, because that's impossible.

This week's episode: Low-hanging fruit. You've written the policy, you've launched it, you've had the awareness day, you've posted the photos of people smiling in bright coloured t-shirts. You've plucked the low-hanging fruit. Now what? The problem with low hanging fruit is that it can't be picked twice. There's more work to do, and it's harder to reach, harder...

This week's podcast: Home again. How can an iconic song give you insight into your workplace language? In broad vague sloganistic safe phrases? Love as topic of music has become so generic that we cease to hear the words. But what about songs about home?

Too much of HR is treated like internal marketing. - Convincing people everything is fine. - Selling the “isn’t our company great?” message. But what if HR is closer to engineering than marketing? Think about an engineering manager in a factory. Their job isn’t to make machines look good in company colours — it’s to keep the line running. - Fix breakdowns quickly. - Do preventative maintenance bef...

HR, the law… and the Hulk? In this week’s 12-minute HR lesson, I talk about what the Hulk can teach us about managing power at work. As managers and HR professionals, we often fall into the trap of seeking agreement. But sometimes, the real superpower is knowing when to listen, when to decide, and when to move on. This isn’t about recklessness—it’s about using power wisely.

Why was Whitney Houston one of, if not the greatest? How were her live performances of 'The greatest love of all' some of the best live performances? How understanding skill vs talent helps us build better teams.

Management is hard and unpleasant, and many shy away from the unpleasant parts. But it has to be done, because systems only work if everyone pulls their weight. This lesson talks about the pressures that management places on the manager, and the managee.

We rattle off the term 'best practice' all the time, but is it true? Is there a 'right way' to do things in all situations? Let's discuss.

Maslow explained how our needs are a hierarchy, but he also had a hammer. Maybe he did some DIY on the weekends. In this episode I explain how we used to what we are good at, but we need to challenge ourselves to pick the best path, not just the most familiar.

Everyone has two parts to them, two sets of needs. What is too much to ask, and what is reasonable to ask, when it comes to enforcing the contract?

Stopping and thinking is a skill. Too little, and you blunder from mistake to mistake, too much and you get analysis paralysis. I discuss one of the great pauses of history, how the courts expect us to pause, and how that mechanism for pause is you.

Want to be wiser? Want to appear wiser? Or at least be less foolish? The answer is it depends. Have a listen.