As we celebrate International Women's Day, I'm delighted to be joined by Dr Shawn Andrews , author of The Power of Perception: Leadership, Emotional Intelligence and the Gender Divide. I came across her book a few years ago and it was gripping - loads of jaw-dropping data, relatable case-studies and practical advice about women in leadership roles. She has so much to say that we split the conversation into two parts! In the first episode, Shawn explains the 5 main barriers for women in business ...
Mar 10, 2023•46 min•Season 4Ep. 40
As we celebrate International Women's Day, I'm delighted to be joined by Dr Shawn Andrews , author of The Power of Perception: Leadership, Emotional Intelligence and the Gender Divide. I came across her book a few years ago and it was gripping - loads of jaw-dropping data, relatable case-studies and practical advice about women in leadership roles. She has so much to say that we split the conversation into two parts! In the first episode, Shawn explains the 5 main barriers for women in business ...
Mar 03, 2023•45 min•Season 4Ep. 39
I know this guest really well, having worked with her over a number of years. Amanda Page of Change Tempo is a coach specialising in leading change. We have supported a number of clients, from the NHS to recruiters, combining our expertise to lead change. Whether that's about navigating the unknown, anxiety about how to change people's behaviour, or overcoming push-back, Amanda and I have guided leaders through the turbulence. In this episode we discuss a number of issues and strategies that lea...
Feb 24, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 38
Having the "capacity to remain flexible in our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours when faced by life disruption, or extended periods of pressure" (Pemberton) is essential for resilience. It's fair to say that many of us still expect to come out the other side feeling like we've survived a storm. Yet, when we get resilience right, we should emerge feeling "stronger, wiser and more able." How do we do that? In this episode of the Beyond the Water Cooler podcast, Dave Greenaway and I discuss how to...
Feb 10, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 4Ep. 37
Mel Francis is an accomplished HR Director and she joins me to talk about Neurodiversity in the workplace. Mel supports HR, and Diversity and Inclusion professionals, on their journey through her company, NeuroinclusiveHR . We explore: What neurodiversity really is Different types of neurodiverse conditions and their common traits that may be evident at work Bias, stigma, stereotypes and the use of language The power of ingroups and outgroups, The impact of culture and psychological safety The v...
Feb 03, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 4Ep. 36
ESG is just about the physical world, right? Wrong. There is so much packed into this term that every business needs to consider what it means for them. Whether we're talking about values, opportunities in the workplace or recruitment, ESG needs to be a central driver if we are serious about investing in our future. We all need to be part of the change now, talking less, doing more. Who better to join me to explain the benefits and how to approach ESG than Nicola Weir , Internal Sustainability a...
Jan 27, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 35
The fabulous David Saab , Mental Wellbeing Champion and Business Alliance Manager for the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce , joins me to kickstart my new series of the podcast for 2023. In his role at the Chamber, David has a unique perspective into what's going on within companies across the Thames Valley. His observations about what's working and what isn't, David's insight into interpreting that, and his advice about what businesses should focus on during the year ahead, makes this episode a...
Jan 20, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 4Ep. 34
In this final episode of the series, Lisa highlights some of the key principles for successful growth in life and business. She discusses the relevance of getting employee experience right at a time when so many employees are feeling emotionally drained and therefore simply don't have the capacity to perform well. Lisa identifies key themes that have arisen from conversations with the guests and the over-arching messages about going back to basics regarding human relationships, and creating spac...
Dec 16, 2022•19 min•Season 3Ep. 33
Sarah Page , People Operations Lead at OOMPH has a diverse experience from working in public, private, start-up and corporate companies. She has learnt what works and what doesn't, to create a role in this new, award-winning business. We discuss... How Sarah has intentionally shaped a role that focuses on people over process. What are the key elements that have made the role, and her employer, so successful The impact of different approaches Revealing blind spots that lead to action Open mindset...
Dec 09, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 32
"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." George Bernard Shaw I’m delighted to be joined by two communication experts, Sophie Turton and Alice Reeves , Directors and Founders of The Joyful . They break down myths, challenge assumptions, get "ranty" about boxes, and really shine a new light on marketing. I loved this conversation! It was a lot of fun at the same time as communicating how we need to think about branding differently. From company culture...
Dec 02, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 31
This is a first! I have two fantastic guests joining me today - Danni Rush , COO, and Lauren Sweeney , Head of People at Virgin Incentives . We met at the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Awards in June where they won Employer of the Year! They are scooping up an increasing number of nominations and awards, including most Inspirational Place to Work, recognition as the #1 Emerging Company to Watch in the US by CIO Bulletin, and Business Leader of the Year in the Thames Valley Business ...
Nov 25, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 30
Dr Tracy Rea , Director and Founder of Talent Transfer Ltd , and Dr of Philosophy for talent transfer, joins me to discuss a much-needed perspective on rethinking skills, roles and people development. At a time when so many employees are considering new roles in new companies, there has never been a more important time to consider the talent agenda. The need to create the right environment to fast track people to achieve organisation goals is evident. Here, Tracy explains how and why. We discuss...
Nov 18, 2022•58 min•Season 3Ep. 29
I'm joined by Andrew Dean , Director at Menlo Park to discuss gathering feedback to shape business. Andrew's LinkedIn profile says it all... Our methods and purpose come from our belief that everyone should be happy and fulfilled at work. Placing the right people, in the right roles, will increase happiness, security and productivity in the workplace, in turn, leading to people enjoying an overall greater sense of well-being in their lives. We put those capable of making a big positive differenc...
Nov 11, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 28
In this episode we discuss a big topic... the metaverse! I'm joined by Magnus Wood , Co-Founder of The Kindness Corporation who has a lot to say about working kind in the metaverse, and who is behind the Metaverse Coalition . We discuss the changing world of work and how virtual reality is going to be part of our day-to-day reality in not-too-far a future. This shift in how we communicate and interact raises lot of questions, which we discuss here. There are key considerations for leadership as ...
Nov 04, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 27
Pete Sanders , Co-Founder and Group MD at The identifi Group , joins me to discuss the challenge of recruitment in a world where the workforce is so dispersed. This is something that so many companies are struggling with right now, despite the fact that arguably, it should be easier than ever to recruit when remote working is the norm. So, what really is getting in the way? We explore: How the 'dis-connect' can enhance diversity How open companies are to exploring the real reason for needing to ...
Oct 21, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 26
Graham Ballantyne , Director and Owner of UK Business Mentoring Group , joins me to discuss umbrella leadership. This conversation unpicks the term 'umbrella leadership' and why leaders might choose to use that approach. We also discuss some of the dangers of using that style of leadership, and how to mitigate for those. As someone who used the approach with mixed success, Graham talks about it with conviction. As with any 'tool', it's about knowing why , when and where it can be useful. It's al...
Oct 14, 2022•59 min•Season 3Ep. 25
* NEWSFLASH: Emma is recruiting! If you'd like to join her awesome team, click on the link here * Emma Browning , Managing Director of Meraki HR Solutions , joins me to discuss the role of stay interviews. Morgan McKinley found earlier this year that 42% of UK professionals do NOT know what their employer is doing to try and retain them. Stay interviews are part of a process that helps organisations understand what matters to their employees, and what they’d like to see improve, before those peo...
Oct 07, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 24
Rob Smedley , CEO and Founder of Smedley Group , joins me to explore After Action Reviews (AARs) as a tool for driving positive change. We delve into a lot more than AARs though, as Rob has built his company around a very clear mission that is about disrupting the motorsport industry. He is also taking the lead in the business by very intentionally creating a team that can develop, innovate, and perform at the same high standards that he is used to from Formula 1. His focus on building the cultu...
Sep 30, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 23
Colin Minto , Global Early Careers Talent Attraction Lead at HSBC , joins me today to discuss OCD. As someone who lives with OCD himself, he enlightens people about the reality, guides companies about what they should and should not do, and helps us think about the mental health condition differently. There will be many people who will not think this episode of Beyond the Water Cooler is relevant to them. But the conversation stretches far wider than OCD. We discuss individual human differences ...
Sep 23, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 22
This episode is a little bit different. My guests from series 2 have shared their thoughts to 3 questions that have impacted on who they are today: If they could rewind 10 years, what advice would they give themselves? What have they learned about themselves to keep hold of into the future? And what one thing would they leave in the past? It is worth listening to what they have to say because their insight is a real opportunity to evaluate the path that you are on. How aligned is your reality to...
Sep 16, 2022•29 min•Season 3Ep. 21
Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. Award winning Eric Collins , MD at The Jackloc Company , joins me to share what he has learned and how he has overcome the challenges that he has experienced during his 35 year corporate life before taking on his own business. Eric is driven by doing what is right for people and so he is very much onboard with the need for positive employee engagement, great company culture and effective leadership. Some of the areas we explore include: The...
Jul 15, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. This was so much fun to record! Dan Sodergren is a Ted X talker, keynote speaker, ex-marketing agency owner, digital trainer, serial tech start-up founder and now media spokesperson. Quite some profile! Some of Dan's main areas of interest are the future of work, remote work and using data, and he is co-founder of YourFLOCK , a team engagement platform based on values. We unpick challenges and share insights about employee experience, reten...
Jul 08, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. David MacLeod , OBE for Services to Business and Employee Engagement, joins me in this really interesting episode (even if I say so myself!). David talks about his passion and expertise around enabling people to work to their full potential, and he should know a thing or two about it. In 2009, along with Nita Clarke , David produced the Engage for Success report for the Secretary of State for Business, and this really shone a light on how t...
Jul 01, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. Sheila Lord , Director of BMR Health and Wellbeing , joins me in this episode to explore the ISO 45003 and how it can benefit employee experience. The ISO 45003 is the first global standard that gives employers practical guidance on how to manage psychosocial risks to staff in the workplace, focusing on the “mental health” and “wellbeing” aspects of health & safety. It helps companies build a positive working environment that can help i...
Jun 24, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. John Holland , Senior Software Engineer & Mental Health First Aider at Maersk , joins me to explore men's mental health as part of employee experience. As a Mental Health First Aider, John provides real insight into some of the challenges that men experience and how to engage with them. But he offers more than that; John is an advocate for a more holistic approach to mental wellbeing. He recognises the role of individual responsibility,...
Jun 17, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. Will Shorter joins me to share his story about his experience of working in a damaging culture. We unpick what was wrong and the impact it had, ultimately driving him to leave the company. That was clearly their loss and a gain for both Will personally and his current employer, EKF Diagnostics. According the the Culture Economy Report 2021, toxic workplace culture is costing the UK economy £20.2 billion per year, and is causing almost a thi...
Jun 10, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. Lydia Berry , Founder and Director at Waymaker Consulting is a phenomenal woman. Her personal story that she shares here tells us a lot about why she is who she is today. Lydia has been able to draw on her tragedy 10 years ago to reframe her weaknesses, challenge her fear, and lead her team with a clarity about what provides the most meaningful experience at work. Lydia's story is one about child bereavement. If you are affected by this and...
May 27, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. This episode is a little bit different. Having had a great conversation with Dave Harms in my last episode about remote working, I felt there was a bit more to add. I wanted to share with you some strategies for leaders to use when planning remote working, to help it become more effective. I hope you find it helpful. Don't forget to listen to Dave and I discuss the topic first, in episode 13. Here are some resources that might be of interes...
May 20, 2022•15 min
Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. Dave Harms , partner at Valentine Thomas & Partners , specialising in senior searches for investment management firms across the globe, has an informed perspective on remote working, as it is a conversation he is engaging in with most clients. We discuss remote working, the current context, and the how to think about a challenge that has no one answer! It's a topic that Dave and I get involved in frequently, exploring what it can look l...
May 20, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Series 2: The how to getting employee experience right. I really enjoyed this conversation with Maureen Robson-Norman , Founder and CEO (Chief Engagement Officer) of Whyaye . The name of her company says everything... it is different, with fun and connection being at the heart of what they do, "Putting the yay into every day!" We unpick transformation in terms of changing the way people work, through their learning, mindset and engagement. A key part in enabling that is removing the need for hie...
May 13, 2022•59 min•Season 2Ep. 12
