Lucinda studies the topic of "Reward for Performance: What Really Works?" as part of our high-performance series. She explores the multifaceted nature of rewards, emphasising that while monetary compensation is often the first thought, it is not the only—or necessarily the most effective—motivator for high performance. The discussion covers the importance of defining high performance within organisations, the role of recognition and intrinsic motivators, and the potential pitfalls of performance...
Jun 30, 2025•34 min•Ep. 265
Lucinda welcomes returning guest Dr. Jo Burrell, a clinical psychologist and co-founder of Ultimate Resilience. They delve into the alarming findings of the latest HR Wellbeing Report, which reveals that nearly half of HR professionals are experiencing clinical levels of depression, significantly higher than the general population. With over 1,400 respondents, the report highlights a stark disparity between the mental health struggles faced by HR professionals and the support they receive. Jo di...
Jun 15, 2025•32 min•Ep. 264
Lucinda continues the High Performance HR series by focussing on the critical elements of performance management that drive high performance within organisations. She talks about the importance of clear goals, regular feedback, ongoing development, and a supportive culture in fostering employee engagement and performance. Lucinda also outlines practical strategies for implementing continuous performance management, moving away from traditional annual appraisals to a more dynamic approach that in...
May 25, 2025•38 min•Ep. 263
Lucinda continues the High Performance HR series by delving into the critical roles of leadership and management in fostering a high-performance culture within organisations. It begins with a clear distinction between leadership and management, emphasising that while both roles are essential, they serve different functions—management focuses on planning and organising, while leadership is about inspiring and setting direction. The episode outlines practical strategies for HR professionals to inf...
May 04, 2025•29 min•Ep. 262
Lucinda discusses Practical Organisational Development (OD) and its connection to high performance. She focusses upon the definition of OD, emphasising its role in enabling sustained organisational performance through the involvement of people. Lucinda also outlines key topics related to OD, such as organisational structure, talent management, and culture change, and introduces a five-step process for implementing OD interventions. KEY TAKEAWAYS OD is a planned and systematic approach to enhanci...
Apr 27, 2025•29 min•Ep. 260
In this second part of High Performance HR, Lucinda talks about how to target and measure success within HR functions. She discusses the importance of utilising data to demonstrate HR's impact on business value, emphasising the balanced scorecard framework as a strategic tool for aligning HR activities with organisational goals. Lucinda also talks about various metrics, including engagement surveys, employee net promoter scores, and foundational HR metrics, while also highlighting the role of AI...
Apr 06, 2025•37 min•Ep. 260
Lucinda presents the first instalment of the High Performance HR series, focusing on maximising personal impact as HR professionals, emphasising the importance of self-awareness, encouraging listeners to identify their unique strengths, values, and areas for development. Lucinda talks about five key areas: knowing oneself, setting personal career goals, overcoming imposter syndrome, defining how to add value to the organisation, and building relationships for long-term success KEY TAKEAWAYS Unde...
Mar 30, 2025•35 min•Ep. 259
Lucinda introduces an exciting new series titled "High Performance HR," aimed at providing practical insights and tools for HR professionals looking to drive strategic impact within their organisations. She discusses how each episode will be focusing on key aspects of high-performance HR, including individual purpose, strategic alignment, organisational development, leadership, performance management processes, reward strategies, talent development, and cultural mapping. KEY TAKEAWAYS The podcas...
Mar 17, 2025•18 min•Ep. 258
Lucinda welcomes Jeannette Crisp, the Director of People and Culture at the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Jeanette shares her journey into HR, highlighting her diverse experiences in the public sector and the importance of strategic thinking in people management. She discusses the development of the organisation's people strategy, the significance of employee engagement, and the impact of their work on young people KEY TAKEAWAYS The importance of working in roles that have a meaningful impact on in...
Mar 10, 2025•31 min•Ep. 257
Lucinda welcomes Ruth Cornish, an independent Chief People Officer with a diverse background in HR across various industries, including financial services, retail, and public sector. Ruth shares her journey from temping at American Express to founding her own HR consultancy, discussing the challenges and successes she encountered along the way, including her experience with cancer and how it shaped her business model. The conversation delves into the importance of resilience, strategic thinking ...
Mar 03, 2025•31 min•Ep. 256
Lucinda talks to Jen Scherler, the Global Head of Country Consultants at Cisco, to discuss her career journey and the evolution of her role within the organisation. Jen shares insights into managing HR activities across 95 countries, emphasising the importance of compliance and the challenges of navigating different cultural landscapes. She reflects on her transition from an individual contributor to a leader of leaders, highlighting the skills necessary for success at this level, such as buildi...
Feb 24, 2025•36 min•Ep. 255
Lucinda is joined by Helen Ketteringham, the Chief People Officer at NCFE, an education charity based in the North East of England. Helen shares her journey in HR, detailing her 20 years of experience across various sectors, including retail and financial services, before stepping into her current role. She discusses the importance of navigating uncertainty in leadership, the value of a coaching culture, and the significance of continuous learning. KEY TAKEAWAYS A commitment to lifelong learning...
Feb 17, 2025•35 min•Ep. 254
Lucinda is joined by Andrew Webster, a Senior People Analytics Manager at Evershed Sutherland, to discuss the evolving field of HR analytics and its significance in modern organisations. Andrew shares insights from his career journey, highlighting his transition from a mathematics teacher to a key player in HR analytics, where he focuses on transforming data into actionable insights. He also discusses the importance of using tools like Power BI to visualise data and support strategic decision-ma...
Feb 10, 2025•37 min•Ep. 253
Lucinda is joined by Caroline McCague, the Director of People and Culture at the RSPCA, to discuss her inspiring journey and the unique challenges of working within a 200-year-old charity. Caroline shares insights into the RSPCA's broad mission of animal welfare, including their rescue operations, advocacy work, and the importance of governance in the charity sector. She reflects on her transition from professional services to a purpose-driven organisation, and talks about the significance of em...
Feb 03, 2025•35 min•Ep. 252
Lucinda is joined by Kate Hughes, the Chief People Officer at Seven Investment Management (7IM). Kate shares her journey over the past decade at 7IM, detailing the company's significant growth from 170 to over 600 employees and the evolution of its culture. She discusses the importance of establishing a strong organisational culture, engaging with employees to align values, and fostering an inclusive environment. Kate also talks about her approach to HR, which combines strategic thinking with a ...
Jan 27, 2025•32 min•Ep. 251
To mark the very special 250th episode milestone, Lucinda welcomes Steve Browne, Chief People Officer at LaRosa's, who shares his remarkable career journey and the evolution of his role within the organisation. Steve examines the importance of strategic thinking in HR, the value of collaboration, and the need for HR professionals to engage with their teams on a personal level. He also reflects on his experiences, including the challenges and successes he has faced, and offers valuable insights o...
Jan 20, 2025•48 min•Ep. 250
Lucinda welcomes back Gary Cookson from Epic HR to discuss his upcoming book, "Making Hybrid Working Work." They delve into the current landscape of hybrid working, exploring why some organisations are pushing for a return to the office while others successfully embrace hybrid models. Gary also highlights the demographic factors influencing leadership decisions and the importance of trust in managing remote teams. KEY TAKEAWAYS Organisations that are struggling with hybrid working often haven't ...
Dec 09, 2024•31 min•Ep. 249
Lucinda is joined by Rob Lion, from Black River Performance Management to discuss the critical elements of fostering intrinsic motivation and performance in the workplace. Rob, a full-time professor and expert in human resource development, emphasises the importance of understanding human behaviour, the psychological factors that influence motivation, and introduces the "CAR" model, which focuses on competency, autonomy, and relatedness as key drivers of intrinsic motivation. KEY TAKEAWAYS Effec...
Dec 02, 2024•35 min•Ep. 248
Lucinda is joined by employee relations expert Emma Hogan to explore the intricacies of workplace investigations. Emma shares her extensive background in HR, detailing her journey from retail graduate to running her own consultancy specialising in complex investigations. Together they examine the importance of conducting thorough and empathetic investigations, especially in light of recent legislation aimed at preventing workplace harassment KEY TAKEAWAYS Investigations are increasingly critical...
Nov 25, 2024•39 min•Ep. 247
Lucinda is joined by Karen Skidmore, a business growth strategist and embodied business mentor, to discuss the importance of embracing our natural energy cycles for enhanced productivity. Karen shares her personal journey through burnout and the transformative practices she adopted, such as sound healing and embodiment, to reconnect with her body and intuition. KEY TAKEAWAYS Recognise that productivity is not solely about time management; it's about managing energy. Understanding and aligning wi...
Nov 18, 2024•50 min•Ep. 246
Lucinda is joined by Neil Thompson, founder of Teach the Geek, to explore how technical experts can enhance their presentation skills. Drawing from his own experiences as a former engineer in the medical device industry, Neil shares insights on the common pitfalls technical professionals face when communicating with non-technical audiences, such as the overuse of jargon and a lack of empathy for the audience's understanding KEY TAKEAWAYS Use plain language and avoid technical jargon or acronyms ...
Nov 11, 2024•25 min•Ep. 245
Lucinda discusses the upcoming book series "Six Minute Smarts," set to be published on November 5, 2024, by Practical Inspiration Publishing. The series aims to help individuals coach themselves in various business skills, including effective change management. Drawing from the her previous work, Lucinda outlines a structured approach to understanding and implementing change over ten days, emphasising the importance of emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and effective communication KEY T...
Nov 04, 2024•20 min•Ep. 244
Lucinda is joined by Dr Anna Eliatamby, a clinical psychologist and executive coach with extensive experience in leadership and organisational development. Anna shares her unique journey, which includes working with the UN and developing mental health strategies across 47 countries. Anna and Lucinda talk about the importance of self-care for leaders, recognising and addressing workplace toxicity, and the need for collective accountability in fostering a healthy organisational culture KEY TAKEAWA...
Oct 28, 2024•26 min•Ep. 243
Lucinda is joined by special guest Susi Miller from eLaHub about the critical topic of accessibility in e-learning. Susi discusses the importance of making digital learning content accessible to individuals with various disabilities and access needs, as well as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and how these standards apply to e-learning, highlighting common pitfalls and best practices for creating inclusive learning experiences KEY TAKEAWAYS Accessibility goes beyond traditional v...
Oct 20, 2024•33 min•Ep. 242
Lucinda discusses the important topic of neurodiversity with independent consultant Amanda McEvoy. With over 20 years of experience in the health sector and a personal connection to neurodiversity through her family, Amanda shares her insights on the challenges and strengths associated with conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. The conversation delves into the unique ways neurodiversity presents, particularly in females, and emphasises the need for organisations to create inclusive environ...
Oct 13, 2024•37 min•Ep. 241
Lucinda welcomes diversity, equity, and inclusion expert Sara Taylor, who shares her extensive experience in the field spanning over 35 years. They discuss the evolution of DEI practices, particularly in the U.S., and how these concepts have been integrated into workplace culture. Sara introduces her recent book, "Thinking at the Speed of Bias," and delves into the importance of understanding unconscious filters and the five developmental stages of awareness regarding diversity KEY TAKEAWAYS Sel...
Oct 06, 2024•40 min•Ep. 240
Lucinda talks with Kate Jones, a leadership coach and consultant from Neon, about the evolving landscape of leadership, culture, and well-being in organisations. Kate shares her journey from frontline social work to management consulting and ultimately founding Neon, where she focuses on fostering deeply human leadership capabilities. Together, they talk about the growing demand for purpose-driven work, particularly among younger generations, and the challenges of maintaining a meaningful organi...
Sep 29, 2024•43 min•Ep. 239
Lucinda talks to Adam Horne, co-founder of OpenOrg, who shares insights from his extensive experience in culture change and highlights alarming statistics about employee engagement and trust in the workplace. Together they look into the challenges organisations face, particularly in smaller businesses, regarding miscommunication and the erosion of trust KEY TAKEAWAYS There is a significant trust deficit within organisations, with studies indicating that around 67% of employees do not trust their...
Sep 22, 2024•35 min•Ep. 238
Lucinda talks to Liz Redway about into the intriguing world of artificial intelligence (AI) in human resources. Drawing from her recent session aimed at demystifying AI for HR professionals, Liz discusses the current landscape of AI adoption, highlighting both the excitement and apprehension surrounding its use. KEY TAKEAWAYS There is a noticeable gap in the adoption of AI within HR, with many professionals either hesitant to embrace it or unaware of its potential applications. This indicates a ...
Sep 15, 2024•32 min•Ep. 237
Lucinda talks to Rob Toomey, the President of TypeCoach about understanding personalities and improving communication within organisations. Rob discusses how TypeCoach utilises personality frameworks like Myers-Briggs and David Kersey's temperament model to help individuals navigate relationships in various contexts, including team dynamics, leadership development, and sales interactions, as well as the benefits of understanding personalities, reducing stress, increasing diversity of ideas, and ...
Sep 08, 2024•37 min•Ep. 236
