This is the final episode in a mini-series focused on setting you up for a successful and fulfilling 2025. Today, I'm sharing my conversation with Marcus Buckingham, bestselling author and renowned research director, about understanding the hidden patterns that drive career success. Marcus spent two decades at Gallup Organization co-creating the StrengthsFinder tool, built his own coaching and education firm, and now leads research at the ADP Research Institute. He's the author of 10 books, incl...
Jan 30, 2025•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I'm resharing my 2022 conversation with strategy consultant, executive coach, and keynote speaker Dorie Clark. Dorie has twice been named one of the Top 50 Business Thinkers in the World by Thinkers50, and the #1 Communication Coach in the World by the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards, as well as one of the Top 10 Communication Professionals in the World by Global Gurus. She's also the author of several books, including the WSJ bestseller "The Long Game" (Harvard Busin...
Jan 23, 2025•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I'm resharing my conversation with Daniel Pink, in which we explore how to make better decisions using mental time-travel. Dan is the author of five New York Times bestsellers, including his latest, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward , published this month . His other bestsellers include When and A Whole New Mind, To Sell is Human, and Drive, which brought the ideas of intrinsic motivation within business and management...
Jan 15, 2025•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week we're revisiting a standout conversation with Grace Lordan, Associate Professor in Behavioural Science at the LSE and author of Think Big. Grace shares her approach to goal setting, building resilience, and embracing uncertainty as essential ingredients for creating the future you want. Whether you're reflecting on your career path or planning new habits for 2025, this episode offers practical steps to help you think big and take small actions that make a lasting impact. Talking Points...
Jan 09, 2025•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week I share some thoughts on why 2025 will be the year of the AI Agent. Plus, how it will affect roles in B2B marketing, learning & development, and law. Finally, I share some advice on how you can prepare your company and team. READ: AI Agents: our new colleagues Work Redesign: Humans + AI Agents LINKS: Follow Ollie on LinkedIn Subscribe to the Future Work/Life Newsletter My book, Work/Life Flywheel, was shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2024. You can order your copy HERE...
Dec 17, 2024•12 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I’m joined by David Landman, former Goldman Sachs executive turned advisor and educator. After two decades leading performance management, talent mobility, and talent development at Goldman, David embarked on what he calls The Long Exhale - a transformative sabbatical that reshaped his outlook on work and life. David shares his journey into purpose-driven work, reflecting on what it means to create a more sustainable, inclusive, and fulfilling workplace. Whether you’re rethinking your...
Dec 11, 2024•35 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I'm joined by Donald (DK) Knight, SVP of People & Culture at Warner Bros. Discovery. Donald has had a varied career, working in senior HR and people roles and serving as a venture partner and advisor for Valor VC, PeopleTech Partners, and Lattice. We had great fun discussing various topics related to company culture, wellbeing, and the skills you need to build a fulfilling work/life. You'll enjoy this. TALKING POINTS: The importance of mental fitness in the workplace and why it's ...
Dec 04, 2024•24 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I’m joined by David Blake, CEO of Degreed and a pioneer in the world of lifelong learning and skills development. Degreed, founded in 2012, launched with the mission of “jailbreaking the degree”, where all skills are recognised, irrespective of how they are acquired. More than 9 million learners from hundreds of global companies now use Degreed to gain the skills to grow in their careers. If you've been thinking about how to manage talent in the age of AI, or how to future-proof...
Nov 20, 2024•29 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to this special episode of Future Work/Life , in which we take a step back and reflect on the key themes and insights from Season 15 so far. It’s been a busy few months—between speaking events and connecting with people leaders, I've had the privilege of speaking with incredible guests about the future of work, leadership, learning, and what it means to be human in an AI-powered world. In this episode, I bring together the standout ideas and discussions from Season 15. We talk about how ...
Nov 13, 2024•7 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I’m joined by Grief Gang's Amber Jeffrey, a podcaster, speaker, and grief mentor. Despite tackling a challenging topic, I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, which was filled with laughter and positivity. We explore how grief is often hidden in the workplace, how creating space for these conversations can help people heal, and why connecting during tough times matters. I finished our conversation feeling more confident about discussing these tough topics—and I hope this episode does ...
Nov 06, 2024•41 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I’m joined by Cara Brennan Allamano, cofounder of PeopleTech Partners and experienced people leader at startups and high-growth companies. Cara has been instrumental in scaling people functions at Pinterest, Udemy, and, most recently, Lattice. In this episode, we explore the biggest challenges and opportunities in the world of work, how AI is reshaping jobs, and Cara's advice for people leaders and executives looking to thrive. TALKING POINTS: The historic shift in work: from agrarian...
Oct 30, 2024•20 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I'm joined by Pat Wadors, newly appointed CHRO at Intuitive, a leading medical technology company. Pat has previously led HR at UKG, ServiceNow, LinkedIn, and Yahoo and is widely recognised for her transformative leadership in the people space. In this episode, we explore leadership, storytelling, and the power of human connection. Pat also shares insights from her upcoming book, Unlock Your Leadership Story: How to Build Understanding and Motivate Teams Using Fables and Folktales . T...
Oct 24, 2024•41 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I’m joined by David Hanrahan, Chief People Officer at Flare. Flare’s software platform is transforming the delivery of professional services within the legal sector. By simplifying complex processes, Flare empowers lawyers to deliver an elevated experience, ensuring clarity and support during key life events. In this episode, David and I dig into some of the biggest challenges and opportunities shaping the modern workplace. TALKING POINTS: The challenge of workplace disconnection and ...
Oct 18, 2024•17 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I’m joined by Michael Ioffe, co-founder and CEO of Arist. Arist is used by leading organisations to deliver behavioural training and critical knowledge through the messaging tools employees use every day, like WhatsApp, Slack, and Teams. Michael’s background is fascinating—from his early entrepreneurial endeavours to building a platform that’s reshaping how people learn on the job. Listen in to discover more... TALKING POINTS: How Arist leverages AI to deliver high-impact learning. Th...
Oct 09, 2024•39 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Melissa Daimler , Chief Learning Officer at Udemy, returns to the podcast. Melissa brings decades of experience shaping leadership, learning, and organisational culture at some of the world’s leading companies, including Adobe, Twitter, and WeWork (you can listen to what she learned during her brief spell at the latter on her previous pod appearance ). She's also the author of ReCulturing: Design Your Company Culture to Connect with Strategy and Purpose for Lasting Success. TALKING PO...
Oct 04, 2024•34 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I speak with Chloe Combi, an expert on Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who’s spent years researching and advising on how these younger generations are reshaping work, education, and culture. Chloe is the author of Generation Z: Their Voices, Their Lives and a consultant to some of the world’s leading brands. She helps them connect with and understand the next generation of workers and consumers. In this episode, Chloe dives into the key factors driving these generations' workplace preferences, f...
Sep 25, 2024•45 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I speak with Nancy Duarte, CEO of Duarte Inc. and the world's leading presentation expert. Nancy’s career is a masterclass in the art of communication. She has advised TED, worked with Al Gore on the documentary An Inconvenient Truth , and helped some of the world’s biggest companies communicate effectively. She is famous for her deep understanding of storytelling and empathy, and her analysis of speeches by Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Steve Jobs is legenda...
Sep 18, 2024•43 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast This week, I speak with Nick Matthews, VP and GM of Europe, Middle East & Africa at Culture Amp. Nick brings a unique blend of experiences from his early days teaching Liam Neeson’s kids to swim to his career in tech. He started his career at Deloitte Consulting before moving to Yammer, which was later acquired by Microsoft, where he worked for four years before joining Culture Amp in 2016. Culture Amp is the world’s leading employee experience platform, revolutionizing how 25 million employ...
Jun 20, 2024•45 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, I interview Isabel Berwick, presenter of the award-winning Financial Times' Working It podcast and co-writer of the Working It newsletter. Isabel's new book The Future-Proof Career: Strategies for thriving at every stage is published this week. We had a brilliant conversation about careers, management and changes in how we work. The book is a great read, so make sure you order a copy! "Covering topics as wide-ranging as the four-day working week, bridging the workplace gen...
Apr 10, 2024•40 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, I had a fascinating chat with Hannah Grady Williams, the founder of d'Skills. We explored the challenges of the traditional education system and how new technologies, particularly AI, can revolutionise learning and skill acquisition for young minds eager to make their mark in the world. d’Skills is a 10-week virtual, cohort-based bootcamp where high schoolers learn new digital and AI skills and convert them into paid, real-world projects with small businesses. TALKING POINTS: Th...
Mar 27, 2024•51 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, my conversation with Matthew Dicks sheds light on storytelling as a craft that everyone can master, offering insights into life and work. Matthew Dicks is an internationally bestselling author, columnist, blogger, podcaster, playwright, and teacher. A 59-time Moth StorySLAM champion and 9-time Moth GrandSLAM champion, Matthew teaches storytelling and public speaking to individuals, corporations, universities, entrepreneurs, religious institutions, and school districts around the...
Mar 20, 2024•49 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast In today's episode, I sit down with David Green, Host of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, co-author of Excellence in People Analytics, and Director of Insight222 and myHRfuture. David's round-up of the best HR and people-related content is legendary in the industry, and he brings that incredible expertise and insight to our conversation, which explores the role of data and technology in driving growth in people and organisations. TALKING POINTS: Defining people analytics The impact of technology ...
Mar 13, 2024•40 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast In today’s episode, I speak with Vanesa Pazos, a Partner at NoBa Capital. NoBA is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage tech-enabled businesses shaping the Future of Work. Their portfolio companies deliver worker-centric solutions that make this possible. Whether it's through providing access to work opportunities, improving career development, enhancing diversity and inclusion, providing financial stability, supporting wellbeing, or fostering flexibility. TALKING POINTS: The person...
Mar 06, 2024•32 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jenny von Podewils, co-founder and co-CEO of Leapsome. Leapsome is revolutionising how companies engage with employees and foster a culture of continuous improvement, providing tools for performance management, personalised learning, and employee engagement. TALKING POINTS: Insights into the challenges managers face, especially in a post-pandemic world, and how Leapsome assists in overcoming these hurdles. The evolving workplace expectations a...
Feb 28, 2024•39 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast Today's guest is Tonille Miller, Transformation & Experience Leader, and author of The Flourishing Effect: Unlocking Employee Thriving and High Performance as Your Competitive Edge. This was a great conversation covering not just the biggest challenges faced by organisations and leaders right now, but many practical tips and strategies to help solve them. TALKING POINTS: Flourishing at Work: Tonille discusses creating workplaces that fulfil human needs inspired by positive psychology. Workpl...
Feb 21, 2024•40 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Today's guest, Noelle London, is the founder and CEO of Illoominus. She's focused on unlocking the full value of companies' HR tech stacks, enabling leaders to foster people-first workplaces. This conversation delves into HR leaders' challenges and opportunities in leveraging data to make informed decisions. TALKING POINTS: Why is the increasing number of HR data sources such a big problem? Integrating disparate HR tech tools to provide comprehensive, actionable insights. Quick quitting and how ...
Feb 14, 2024•11 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast My guests today are Debra and Ken Corey, authors of the new book Bad Bosses Ruin Lives: The Building Blocks for Being a Great Boss. Debra Corey is a global HR thought leader, recently recognised among the top 101 global engagement influencers and most influential HR thinkers, while Ken has extensive leading technical teams as an engineer. Together, they delve into the evolving complexities of workplace dynamics and give a blueprint for how we can improve as leaders. TALKING POINTS: Understanding...
Feb 07, 2024•41 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of the Future Work/Life podcast, I speak with John Winsor, formerly an advertising founder and exec and now a pioneer, entrepreneur and thought leader on open talent. John is the Executive in Residence at Harvard Business School's Laboratory for Innovation Science, founder and Chairman of Open Assembly, and the author of his sixth book Open Talent: Leveraging a Global Workforce to Solve Your Biggest Challenges , co-authored with Jin Paik. TALKING POINTS: Journey to Open Talent: J...
Jan 31, 2024•45 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast It’s a special episode today. We recently celebrated the 200th episode of the Future Work/Life podcast, which coincided with the same milestone for my guest’s show, "Conversations with Tyler." Tyler Cowen is an economist, columnist, blogger and podcast. He’s a professor of economics at George Mason University, founder of the Marginal Revolution blog (which he’s been writing daily for 20 years), and a columnist for Bloomberg. Tyler and I delve into various topics in this episode, reflec...
Jan 24, 2024•48 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s guest is Matt Abrahams, a Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and an expert in communication. With decades of experience as an educator, author, podcast host, and coach, Matt has helped countless presenters improve their communication skills, including those who have delivered IPO roadshows as well as Nobel Prize, TED, and World Economic Forum presentations. In our conversation, we delve into various aspects of effective communication,...
Jan 17, 2024•36 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast 
