Life Beyond The Numbers

"Let's say somebody listening to that, is like, wow, I do that too. And that helps them develop their insights. So listening to people's stories is another wonderful way of developing insights." David Lee In this episode Dr Susanne Evans, David Lee and I discuss the importance of finding work that aligns with one's values and interests. We share personal experiences of how our childhood interests and mentors influenced our career paths. We chat about the importance of being self-aware and recognising when something isn't bringing joy or fulfilment to your work-life. We share some resources that have helped us in own journeys of self-discovery and finding our niche in the world. We encourage listeners not to stress about finding the perfect job and to be open to exploring different paths that unfold. Dr Susanne Evans is an organisation change consultant, trainer, coach and researcher on a mission to change the way that transformations are managed in organisations. She founded Feldspar Consulting in 2007 to help her clients lead change in a more human, effective way. As well as writing and speaking about organisation change, Susanne hosts open storytelling workshops, supporting organisations and individuals in writing a compelling story for themselves, and she is the host of the popular ChangeStories podcast. David Lee is a coach, consultant, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker, and author, who loves creating a win/win/win relationship between people and the organizations they work for. He helps leaders and leadership teams learn how to become "people whisperers", and by doing so, increase their ability to make their organization THE choice for "A List Talent" and inspire the best in their people. Connect with Susanne On LinkedIn Through her website: Feldspar Consulting Listen to Change Stories podcast Connect with David On LinkedIn Through his website Human Nature at Work Resources Mentioned: Video version Episode 122 What Matters Most Episode 113 Psychological Safety Your You-est You Podcast with Julie Reisler Myers-Briggs personality test and Clifton Strengths assessment The Power of Story by Jim Loehr The Great Work of Your Life by Stephen Cope Callings by Greg Lavoy Reflected Best Self Exercise Evolving Leaders podcast

"There is a huge shift in thinking from being customer success to being people success. Because if you look after your individual people as well as the people in your customers, whether that's B2B or B2C, then you are going to be the most successful and impactful that you can." Kellie Lucas Kellie Lucas discusses the importance of a people-first approach to business. We talk about balancing extreme capitalism with a more supportive approach to work, the impact of purpose and culture on individuals and organisations, and the need for personal and social responsibility in the workplace. Kellie emphasises the value of listening to others, being open and flexible, and finding what motivates individuals. We also discuss the ripple effect of conscious choices and little impacts, which can grow exponentially into a big impact. Kellie encourages better business practices for global good including a balance between technological innovation and maintaining a human element in business. Connect with Kellie: LinkedIn profile: Kellie Lucas LinkedIn business pages: The Customer Success Pioneer and Inspiring Future Leaders Resources Mentioned: Book: The Customer Success Pioneer by Kelly Lucas Podcast: Inspiring Future Leaders Podcast

Did you know that genetics account for 50% of our happiness? And our life circumstances 10%? That means we have the power to influence the other 40% through our actions and habits. In this episode, I explore the concept of happiness and how it is perceived differently by individuals. I discuss the relationship between mood and emotions and how they affect our overall well-being. I share some research on happiness, talk about happiness at work. I also share three practical ways to "chase" happiness, including savouring experiences, identifying your character strengths, and expanding your emotional vocabulary through affect labelling. Resources Mentioned: Nine Lies About Work: A Freethinking Leader's Guide To The Real World by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall VIA Character Strengths Website An Emotional Dictionary: Real Words for How You Feel, from Angst to Zwodder by Susie Dent The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig The Book of Human Emotions: An Encyclopaedia of Feeling from Anger to Wanderlust by Tiffany Watt Smith Asking one simple question can entirely change how you feel, Psyche

"...and each time I would attempt to do something, I would stop and stare out the window and wonder what matters. I began to ask variations of this question: What matters here? What actually matters? Does this really matter? What matters most?" Susan Ni Chriodain In this solo episode I share on a life-changing family event. And explore what it means to have your world change in an instant, discovering what matters most and having the courage to go after that. This episode is dedicated to M & M. I'd like to thank all my listeners for their understanding during this time of flux. And if there is anything here that resonated with you and you'd like to have a chat please get in touch. Resources Mentioned: Episode 120, Reconnecting with Sam Allen Episode 121, Courage with Robbie Swale

"If instead you just take small action, you not only get the rush of courage from having taken the action and the satisfaction that you've actually done something, but you have negated that building of resentment and regret. So it's a double benefit if you take the tiny action today." Robbie Swale Robbie Swale explains that courage is a key part of achieving our goals. And with small, repeated actions you can overcome fears, conquer resistance or procrastination and make progress. And often the confidence you need to do something and the competence required to do it is on the other side of doing it. You first need the courage to act - one of the most admirable qualities that humans can ever personify. Robbie talks about his 12-minute method and his four books which help people understand and apply some of what we discuss, and encourages people to take action now. Robbie Swale is a leadership coach, author and podcaster whose work focuses on creativity, leading with honour and the craft of coaching. He is the host of two podcasts – The Coach’s Journey Podcast and The 12-Minute Method Podcast – and the author of The 12-Minute Method series of books, including How to Start When You’re Stuck and How to Create the Conditions for Great Work. Connect with Robbie: Learn more about Robbie from his website and the coach's journey. Buy the 12-Minute Method Books here On LinkedIn On YouTube On Twitter Facebook Instagram Robbie's 100 podcast episode challenge Resources Mentioned: Episode 78: It's All About Relationships with Travis L. Scott James Clear on Warren Buffett blog Robert Holden Jennifer Garvey Berger Stephen Pressfield The War of Art Liz Gilbert Big Magic Roger Bannister on Seth Godin blog The Burnout Fix Dr Jacinta Jimenez

"Gradually I was shrinking, because this is such a big thing in me. So my process was, during that time, reconnecting to that creativity and taking seriously that need in me." Sam Allen Sam Allen provides an insight into how creativity can be used for healing and inspiration. She explains how she reconnected with her own creativity during a particularly tough period of her life. Sam writes poetry about topics such as truth, freedom, pleasure, self-love, and love. Her poems can be deep and meaningful as well as light-hearted. We talk about leadership and not taking ourselves too seriously. We discuss the importance of looking outside and connecting with nature to gain perspective and resilience. And we chat about the idea of simplicity and gratitude when it comes to finding joy in life. Sam Allen is a Creative Leadership Coach, Trainer, Podcaster and Poet and Co-founder of DynamiX Leadership. She designs and leads tailored leadership programmes for global organisations and is particularly passionate about female empowerment. Throughout her career Sam has empowered individuals to write books, make life-affirming career changes, overcome anxiety and to take giant leaps towards heightened self-realisation, increased authentic leadership presence and spiritual growth. A blogger and a jogger, Sam lives and breathes her own creativity and in turn inspires others to do the same. She writes poetry in nature on a daily basis ever since losing her incredible Father to pancreatic cancer and loves helping her clients to express and heal through creative expression. Connect with Sam Through her website Through her LinkedIn profile Through her Insight Timer profile On Facebook Email: [email protected] Resources Mentioned Follow these links to purchase a copy of The Wild, Feminine SpiritUK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BJBYXBDC US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJBYXBDC GERMANY: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0BJBYXBDC FRANCE: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B0BJBYXBDC CANADA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BJBYXBDC AUSTRALIA: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0BJBYXBDC Untaming Femininity Podcast

"Within the first year of the aviation business is when we started doing the coffee business. So I was suddenly involved and being the executive director of the aviation business and the executive chairman of the coffee shop business at the same time. So I was suddenly the serial entrepreneur, it was crazy." Kevin Ashley Kevin Ashley is one of the founders of Java House, an East African coffee house and diner. He attributes his success to staying flexible and having a passionate purpose beyond just getting money. We talk about the early days of Java House including how they got to the first 10 branches in the first 10 years. We also cover the further growth and diversification to eventual buy-out by private equity firms. Kevin says that building Java House was really a people story - one about purpose and dignity at work. People might think work is just about showing up. But at Java they instilled in staff that while they were at work they were actually there to serve something bigger than themselves. Kevin believes that dignity of work and a sense of purpose is the key for the future of humanity to have a functioning society. Kevin Ashley is a serial entrepreneur. His early career was as a humanitarian worker with World Food Program and Christian Aid. In the 90s he co-founded an aviation business, 748, and then a coffee house Java House. Java House, commonly referred to as ‘Nairobi Java’, opened its first store in 1999 at Adam’s Arcade in Nairobi with the aim of introducing gourmet coffee drinking culture in Kenya. The brand evolved to an American diner style restaurant. There are also two sister brands Planet Yoghurt and 360 Degrees Pizza. Please note that this episode was originally released as episode #32 in March 2021. In the introduction to this episode I provide an update that has had an impact on the podcast schedule.

"Happiness is enjoying that journey. Carving out that 15 minutes of pleasure. Happiness then increases our performance and our achievement and makes it easier to achieve success." Sashenka Milston Sashenka Milston and I discuss happiness and how we can achieve it. She explains that the research shows that it's not actually how much time you have it's what you do with it that matters to your happiness. What counts is whether we spend the time passively or on personally enriching experiences. Can we be happy at work? And what about stress? Sash talks about different types of stress. We explore the benefits of immersing ourselves in nature and Sash offers insightful tips on how to connect with nature, even without leaving the office, as well as practical exercises to ground yourself and reduce stress. Sashenka Milston helps leaders and their teams gain a greater sense of purpose and control over their lives and workflow. Sashenka has a PhD in Psychology (Social Neuroscience) and her work is grounded in evidence-based, practical techniques. Outcomes include increased happiness and well-being, productivity, and customer happiness, whilst reducing stress and employee turnover. She guest lectures at the Oxford Brookes Business School. She is a published author and Happiness Through Goal Setting is short, practical, and based on empirical evidence. Connect with Sashenka: On LinkedIn and Twitter Through her website Resources Mentioned: Kelly McGonigal "Make Stress Your Friend" TED talk Happiness Through Goal Setting: A Practical Guide to Reflect on and Change the Reasons Why You Pursue Your Most Important Goals in Life by Christian Ehrlich and Sashenka Milston

"There's always merit and value in being proactive when it comes to making changes within your career and not sleepwalking into a situation where your career's flatlining or you’re not achieving and getting the satisfaction and the enjoyment that you want within a particular job." Javed Bobat Javed and I talk about the importance of taking a proactive approach when it comes to making changes within your career. He encourages regular reflection on what you are looking for within your career and working life as it stands at the moment? And to think through what is important to you? Are you clear on the motivation and purpose behind it? Do you understand and are you prioritising your needs and non-negotiables. We chat job-searching and what to do if your receive a rejection. We discuss leaving a job without another one to go to. We also cover what line-mangers can do to retain staff, like taking responsibility for the people side of their job, and understanding that employees need both their professional and emotional needs met. Javed Bobat launched Fide Careers in 2019 as an ethical, new benchmark in agency recruitment. He is on a mission to prioritise people over profit and Fide is purpose-driven and socially motivated. They take a percentage of every recruitment fee and reinvest it directly back into the team, candidate and business they recruit for. He also set up a community interest company F=@#! Mental Health for mental health and well-being of the finance and accounting industry. Connect with Javed: On LinkedIn Through his recruitment website And F=@#! Mental Health website Resources Mentioned: Episode 12, Building Communities

"One of the challenges this year that I loved was one of my friends created a book and she had 40 questions and I had to answer each question with a picture. And really good questions about reflecting about life, about my past, about my present, about where I want to go." Diego Adame Diego Adame turned 40 during 2022 and decided to take on 40 challenges with friends and family as a way of celebrating the year. This included a variety of physical, fun and creative challenges, like skydiving, trying 40 different types of cheese, dressing up as an ant in Mexico City with friends and swimming 40km during the year with his siblings. Some of the challenges led him to reflect on his life and even revise some of his long-held beliefs about his childhood. Diego works at The Lego Foundation and we talk about our experiences with play in the workplace, and how it helps to create a psychologically safe environment, build relationships, and increase creativity. We conclude this episode with a reflection on how we can always find the time for things that are important to us. Diego Adame, at 28, was scared of becoming old and turning 30. He thought adulthood started at 30 (now he knows it starts at 50). Whenever he approaches an age with a multiple of 10, he feels the need to question his life. He climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro on July 2012 and, without planning it, started a tradition of celebrating birthdays with challenges. Diego has worked in the development sector for almost 15 years and is currently based in Denmark with The Lego Foundation as Senior Director Team Lead of Inclusive Learning. Connect with Diego Read his blog "This is (not) a midlife crisis" Resources Mentioned The Lego Foundation

Seven work-life snippets from 2022 guests make up this compilation episode. David Lee, Episode 102, Human Nature Kirsty Ritchie, Episode 91, Mental Fitness Pete Bearder, Episode 109, Collective Joy Natasha Tomlinson, Episode 103, Just Go For It Kris Lantheaume, Episode 111, Success Dougal Freeman, Episode 92, A Common Goal Robyn Harris, Episode 108, The Answers Are Inside Wishing all my listeners a joyful and fulfilling 2023 Resources Mentioned: Episode 90 The Way You Make Me Feel

"How did you feel about this year as a whole? And if you were to title this past year as a chapter in your story, what would it be? So, I've put together some thoughts on this year." The years seems to go by so quickly and can seem like they all roll into one. It can be easy to think well 'what's another year'. In this episode I reflect on the year and explore 2022 around four main themes - self-expression, nature, community and the inner world. Connect with Susan On LinkedIn Through my website Resources Mentioned Caitlin Cockerton, episode 112 Gib Bulloch, episode 28 and Craigberoch Pete Bearder, episode 109 Helen Joy, episode 6 and episode 77 How to Think More Effectively, The School of Life Alison Jones, episode 58 and Exploratory Writing Rob Lawrence Kerry Cullen David Whyte Seth Godin Greta Solomon, episode 80 and Heart, Sass and Soul

"....isn't that true of so many issues in organisations that it's just because people don't speak to each other and they don't listen to the other side. And that for me is the root, if we're talking about psychological safety, that is at the root. It's the willingness on all sides to be open and to listen." Dr. Susanne Evans Does psychological safety have an impact at work? In this episode Dr Susanne Evans, David Lee and I explore the concept of psychological safety and the impact it has on our working lives. We talk about the work environment, power dynamics, being open, listening and treating one another as humans. We wonder if the term gets interpreted at times as never having to feel uncomfortable. We all agree that feeling uncomfortable at work is inevitable at times but feeling unsafe isn't. And we talk about taking responsibility for our own behaviour. Dr Susanne Evans is an organisation change consultant, trainer, coach and researcher on a mission to change the way that transformations are managed in organisations. She founded Feldspar Consulting in 2007 to help her clients lead change in a more human, effective way. As well as writing and speaking about organisation change, Susanne hosts open storytelling workshops, supporting organisations and individuals in writing a compelling story for themselves, and she is the host of the popular ChangeStories podcast. David Lee is a coach, consultant, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker, and author, who loves creating a win/win/win relationship between people and the organizations they work for. He helps leaders and leadership teams learn how to become "people whisperers", and by doing so, increase their ability to make their organization THE choice for "A List Talent" and inspire the best in their people. Connect with Susanne On LinkedIn Through her website: Feldspar Consulting Listen to Change Stories podcast Connect with David On LinkedIn Through his website Human Nature at Work Resources Mentioned: Amy Edmondson on Psychological Safety Dealing with a Difficult Coworker by David Lee Google & Project Aristotle

"Keep it simple. It's free. Go outside. There are so many reasons to do it. It's so funny we love to complicate things. Our human brains are like, surely we should be paying for this meeting room and if only we could be doing some weird technical thing as part of our team bonding experience, then we'll be doing the right thing. But no, let's get back to basics". Caitlin Cockerton Caitlin Cockerton is an avid advocate for spending time, including work time, in nature. She explains that nature is a great metaphor for us and a mirror for what is happening inside. When we are outside we move into a state that enables us to tap into something deeper. We intuitively know the benefits and say things like "I need to go for a walk" or "I need to go and clear my head." But what about the benefits to teams and organisations? When we are caught in a cycle of back-to-back meetings and zoom calls are we really paying attention to what matters most? Slowing down and being in the best space, outdoors, can help us reconnect with ourselves and others, assess our priorities and have some deep and meaningful conversations about our people and our systems. Caitlin and I discuss some simple ways of taking work outside. And Caitlin tells us about her recent retreat in a Spanish desert. Caitlin Cockerton (PhD, MSc, CPCC) is a Life and Leadership Coach – Canadian roots, with years of experience in fast-paced London business consulting, and now based in the French Alps. Her work focuses on reconnecting people to themselves, one another and the world around us, in service of creating more meaning in the work we do and lives we lead. She does 1:1 coaching, team building and leadership retreats, and facilitates one-of-a-kind seasonal mountain retreats. Connect with Caitlin: Through her website Great Heights Pathways Resources Mentioned: Trail Haven Retreats

"Success for me now is trusting myself and being patient enough to see what emerges rather than rushing to create some version of success that makes sense to other people." Kris Lantheaume Kris Lantheaume learned to find safety in success from a young age. After years of being "successful" at work she found that there was this internal restlessness that would come and go and a voice saying is this really where you wanna be putting all your time? Always focusing on accolades and the next promotion became a habit but knowing she was meant for something else led to an existential career "crisis". We talk about how Kris transitioned to being more in the driver's seat of her life and her work. We talk about how the path to success is different for everyone and as we follow our paths, the most important part, is making sure that it's our path that we're following. And we spend time talking about workplaces and ask the question what can be done to make work a more engaging and meaningful experience? Kris Lantheaume is a business coach and operations strategist helping heart-centered business owners launch and grow their businesses. Sounding board, business advisor, coach, accountability partner and cheerleader, Kris brings decades of high level thinking, deep empathy, and proven problem solving to help her clients navigate the emotional and logistical complexities of business ownership. Given that we all have unique strengths and gifts, Kris is committed to helping people find their own path to doing business in a way that is both financially sustaining and personally fulfilling. Connect with Kris Through her website On LinkedIn and Twitter Resources Mentioned: Author Sue Monk Kidd Fear-Setting with Tim Ferris

"So instead I thought, well, what about four weeks? What if I do it in four weeks? And actually that works out perfectly because there. 13 sets of four ... 13 fours is 52." Susan I turned 49 a couple of weeks ago and so began my 50th year on this planet. This led to some reflections on the last 49 years as well as thinking about the future and setting an intention for the next year. I wanted a system that might work for me so rather than thinking for the whole year I broke my year into streaks - and came up with a plan for 13 four-week streaks. Will this work? As the Irish would say 'go mbeirmid beo ag an t-am seo aris' or 'may we be alive at this time again' and if we are we'll find out! Connect with me: Send me a message on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter Or go ahead and send me an email - I'd love to hear from you Resources Mentioned: Seth Godin Akimbo Alison Jones: Practical Inspiration Publishing and The Thousand Days Lesson, Episode 276, of Extraordinary Business Book Club Podcast Inc Magazine Article - 13 Hard to Learn Skills Atomic Habits by James Clear

"If you consider we're living through a mental health epidemic, there is an urgent need for us to pioneer new ways to create collective joy and collective ecstasy, the very things which are an antidote to loneliness." Pete “the Temp” Bearder Pete “the Temp” and I begin our conversation talking about laughter and the role of laughter in our lives: as a healing modality, as a way to release tension, the giggles and the practice of laughter yoga and meditation. We delve into the culture that gave birth to the modern work environment and one that suppresses creativity and art in the name of profit and efficiency. Pete shares how he came to dedicate his life to the spoken word. We talk about the involvement of our bodies in speech and how class, gender and power all play a role in how we interact. And we discuss the differences between the spoken word and the written word. Pete “the Temp” Bearder is an award-winning spoken word poet, author, comic and laughter yoga instructor. He has toured around the world as a performer, delivered workshops with organisations such as The British Council and featured on BBC national and international radio and television. Pete has worked extensively as a spoken word educator through the Spoken Word Education Programme in collaboration with Goldsmiths University and cultural institutions. In 2019 he released a book about performance poetry called Stage Invasion: Poetry, Renewal and the Spoken Word Renaissance. Connect with Pete: Through his website On YouTube, on Instagram and Facebook Resources Mentioned: Stage Invasion: Poetry & The Spoken Word Renaissance by Pete Bearder Dancing in the Streets by Barbara Ehrenreich Emmy the Harp

"You can't find the answers out there. The answers aren't out there. The answers are inside. And until you look inside and find your own answers, answers that you have from outside won't work." Robyn Harris Robyn Harris explains that our bodies don't make mistakes. We explore a more conscious approach to wellbeing, the language we use when speaking about illness, the body's ability to heal and the learning we are offered when we are sick. Robyn shares how she learnt to take to back her power after giving it away and abdicating her responsibility and ability to make her own choices. She found what made her heart sing with the help of nature and Wonder, Intuition, Love and Dance (W-I-L-D). We also talk about meta consciousness, shame and guilt and the magic of finding our answers inside. Robyn Harris has been described as a Wellbeing Alchemist who brings a new and transformative perspective, which invites and enables people to step into a whole new way of being that feels liberating and helps to shift their wellbeing to a new level. She finds joy in supporting passionate, deeply caring people to start falling in love with Who They Really Are, enabling them to rediscover their sense of clarity, energy and fun – without getting swamped by overwhelm or feeling like it has to be hard work. Connect with Robyn On LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube Through her website - Equenergy Her Wild Wisdom Wellbeing Facebook page Resources Mentioned Episode 56, Gut Health with Caroline Peyton Depak Chopra Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker Gabor Mate, Brene Brown, Bessel VanDerKolk, Abraham Hicks, Neil Donald Walsh, Andrew Cohen, Wayne Dyer, Bruce Lipton

"You have to be in the room. You've got to be a part of the conversation." "If you're not talking to each other and you're not in the room where it's happening then you are a step behind others who are thinking differently." Ellen Leith Ellen Leith loves to connect people has also been interested in areas of business, or life, that is fundamental to people. And a key facet for all of us throughout our lives, Ellen says, is the aspect of paying for something or being paid for something. This led her to launch the Purchase to Pay Network in 2008 and today this network includes over 15,000 key decision makers across a variety of different industries. We talk about knowledge-sharing and learning. Ellen explains that every time she puts on an event she wants people to feel (1) that it has been a valuable use of their time, and (2) that they have learned something new. We also chat about technology and tech humanism, curiosity, collaboration, celebrating success and lost more. Ellen Leith is passionate about people, processes that work and technology that does what it says it will. She brings together leaders across Finance, P2P, AP and Procurement to elevate careers, share knowledge and facilitate learning. Ellen is the founder of the Purchase to Pay Network that gives best practice advice, offers benchmarking results, conducts market research, industry news, white papers, jobs, the annual P2P Summit, roundtable events and webinars. PPN also offers its sponsors a chance to connect with new channels and enjoy being a part of a real P2P community. Connect with Ellen On LinkedIn On Twitter Through the P2P Network website or LinkedIn group Resources Mentioned P2P Focus Week PPN Annual Awards P2P Annual Summit will be held on June 6th 2023

"I think you can only build that inner resilience if you do actually accept that we do all need rest and recovery, not just the annual long holiday, but actually building that into everyday life." Sue Rosen The last weekend in October is the weekend the clocks change and here in the UK that signals winter is on the way. This made me think about hibernating. But also the importance of rest, pausing, stopping and taking breaks and holidays. So, I've put together a compilation of snippets from earlier episodes, outlined below, on this very topic. Episode 12 with Javed Bobat Episode 30 with Lisa LLoyd Episode 1 with Sue Rosen Episode 50 with Kiki Kirby Episode 35 with Tony Pound Episode 29 with Andy Lonnen Episode 61 with Lisa LLoyd Connect with Previous Guests You can connect with all of these guests, and me, on LinkedIn Resources Mentioned James Clear 3-2-1 Newsletter Beant K Dhillon on Twitter

In this solo episode I talk about creating the content we want to see in the world. This was inspired by the International Women's Podcast Awards 2022. And by my recent commitment to writing a book. Connect with me: On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter Resources Mentioned: Episode 87 and Episode 60 of Life Beyond the Numbers International Women's Podcast Awards Alison Jones and Practical Inspiration Publishing How Emotions are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett The Answer to How is Yes by Peter Block Consolations by David Whyte Episode 10 and Episode 47 of Life Beyond the Numbers with Steve Haines

"Your intention has a huge impact .... the impact of what you say or do may not match up with your intention. And so that's where we have to, as leaders, continue to be emphasising that intention through our words, through our actions..." Katie McLaughlin speaks to me about how she uses her background in theatre to facilitate transformation at work. Katie says we need more artists in the world of business as there's less of a science to business and more of an art. We talk about how your intention matters and to be wary of the unintended impact of your intentions. We talk about vision, values, connection, meaning and the skill sets we need to better communicate, collaborate and understand each other. We also cover unfulfilled potential in our workplaces, workplace hurt and the value of felt lived experience. Katie McLaughlin is on a mission to stop workplace hurt. She is passionate about creating a better world through happier workplaces and teams. She created her McLaughlin Method to put an end to boring, theory-based training and move past theories of leadership to step into common situations to develop tangible skills and change behaviours. Theatre is her passion and her secret sauce to transforming your current understanding of the people you lead. Connect with Katie: On LinkedIn Through her website

"....it was really, really difficult to walk away from a very solid career. And I think I wanted from the life coach validation, just someone to say, go for it, you're not being stupid, you're not being crazy, just go for it." Natasha Tomlinson Natasha Tomlinson stepped away from a 20 year career in accounting to pursue her passion. Tasha studied psychology in university and when offered a job in accounting she took it. She got to the point where in her heart of hearts she knew she wanted to go back into psychology. We talk about how Tasha made that happen. And we talk about the business she co-founded to improve resilience and social skills of students some of whom are disengaged with education, display challenging behaviour, experience distress due to mental health/medical conditions and have significant attachment and/or trauma needs. Natasha Tomlinson has a degree and Master’s in Psychology and is a psychotherapist. She has worked in mental health for many years, in the charity sector, in a corporate setting and as a mentor, counsellor, fitness & wellbeing instructor. Her passion is health and wellbeing. She is trained in mindfulness and it’s a technique she uses every day. Together with Luke, she runs Life Skills Hub. She leads the KIDS partnership project working with young people with autism and anxiety/depression and also takes care of the finance director and company secretary roles within the business. Connect with Tasha On LinkedIn Through Life Skills Hub Resources Mentioned Young Minds National Autistic Society (UK) Episode 84, Sibling Special, Life Beyond the Numbers

"...the more you understand human nature, the more you bring out the best in people." David Lee David Lee and I talk about our workplaces today are unhuman friendly and that they are largely transactional as opposed to relational. We talk about understanding human nature at work. And David explains 'downshifting', the 'reptilian brain' concept as well as polyvagl theory or, as he calls it, 'cool, calm and connected.' We also talk about how we as humans make meaning and that sometimes we make up meaning. David and I packed lots into this conversation and become animated at times. David Lee is a coach, consultant, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker, and author, who loves creating a win/win/win relationship between people and the organizations they work for. He helps leaders and leadership teams learn how to become "people whisperers", and by doing so, increase their ability to make their organization THE choice for "A List Talent" and inspire the best in their people. Connect with David On LinkedIn Through his website Human Nature at Work Resources Mentioned Peter Senge and The 5th Discipline Neuroscientist Dr. Paul Maclean Polyvagl Theory Dr. Stephen Porges and Deb Dana Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman Permission to Feel by Professor Marc Brackett David Whyte

"We are all people. We are all different and unique. We think differently, work differently, process differently, but we are all human. If we work off the premise of people are just people first and foremost, and different from me is okay, can we actually make the world a better place?" Susan Ní Chríodáin Life Beyond the Numbers is on a break and will be back in early October 2022 with episode 102. Part 3 of the trilogy is future focused. I talk about what my purpose in life is, at present, and how that is informing my future direction. I have help from some previous episodes and books (all listed in the resources section). I talk about numbers and people. I talk about the tragedy of workplace engagement numbers being so low. And I talk about some ways to open up the discussion about this to improve how people are treated, how they perform and ultimately how the world can be a better place. Susan Ní Chríodáin focuses on the people side of work-life and understands the numbers side too. She knows that feelings impact the bottom line, and that the bottom line is that feelings matter at work. Engagement, dignity and belonging are all feelings and they all impact people’s performance and ultimately the results of an organisation. She hosts this podcast for people who are curious about how to have a more fulfilling work-life. Connect with Susan On LinkedIn Through Beyond the Numbers Resources Mentioned Episode 42 Metamorphosis with John Shinnick Episode 7 Connecting & Communication with Clay Moffat Episode 26 Guinness & Tea with John Collins Episode 32 Serial Entrepreneur with Kevin Ashley Episode 39 HEART with Glin Bayley Episode 13 Never Think You're Reaching Too High with Margaret de Valois Coaches Rising and Nicholas Janni Beyond Measure by Margaret Heffernan The Human Side of Enterprise by Douglas McGregor Courage by David Whyte (from Consolations)

"I'm becoming the person I'm becoming. I'm following my inner, personal route." Susan Ní Chríodáin Welcome to episode 100. This is the second in the trilogy of past, present and future. In this episode I talk about my the present and where I am in my journey as well as some of the paths I am exploring. Is there a line you remember from a poem or short story in school that still fascinates you to this day? I talk about one I remember. Do you ever wish you had more space to be and not just do? I talk about making space and about white space, liminal spaces, wide-open spaces and more. And of course I do all of this with some help from some writers, poets and previous episodes. Susan Ní Chríodáin is the host of Life Beyond the Numbers. She is an Irish woman living abroad. She spent the first part of her career working in accounting and finance, the second part in general organisational management, leadership and development. She now works with leaders and teams who are making conscious efforts to improve work-lives, engage their people and make their working environment and culture more human-centric. Connect with Susan: On LinkedIn Or check out her website Beyond the Numbers Resources Mentioned: "Oh, the places you'll go" by Dr. Seuss Consolations by David Whyte The Fly in the Ointment by V.S. Pritchett Episode 28, Breakthrough with Gib Bulloch. Gib is also the founder of Craigberoch. Episode 52, Everything's Okay with Alan Creedon

"And we're all human. And I think that's the main message that I try to bring out in this podcast - it's human stories for human listeners. We are all people. We are all doing our best. And it's wonderful to know that others have been where we are or think like we do or are going where we want to go or can show us things we didn't know." Susan Ní Chríodáin To celebrate getting to 100 episodes I opted to do a trilogy for episode 99, 100 and 101. In episode 99 I take a look back over the last two years and with the help of some listener quotes, guest quotes and episode excerpts I talk about what matters most about this podcast. And that is people: guests, listeners and me. And for all of us it is about stepping into the unknown, practice, practice, practice and solace in knowing we are not alone. Susan Ní Chríodáin is the host of Life Beyond the Numbers. Life Beyond the Numbers is for people who are curious about how to have a more fulfilling work-life. The first episodes aired in Sept 2020 and Susan has had over 80 recorded conversations with 43 women and 39 men. To date this podcast has been downloaded in 80 countries. Connect with Susan On LinkedIn Through her website Resources Mentioned Episode 1 Stepping Into the Unknown with Sue Rosen Episode 44 Preparation and Practice with Carlos Gimeno Episode 84 Sibling Special Episode 49 A Sense of Belong with Jenny Ashmore Episode 12 Building Communities with Javed Bobat Episode 66 Lift the Lid with Amantha King Episode 50 A Journey with Kiki Kirby Episode 54 You're Not Alone with Louise McMilan Episode 68 Extreme Experiences with Anna Haslock Episode 71 Your True Self with Jonathan de Potter

"It's about working together based on your strengths to be able to get the best deal out of the supplier or to get the best relationship out of the supplier." James Meads James Meads is a location-independent digital nomad. We chat about his choice from a cost-of-living perspective. And James asks why wouldn't we, given a choice, live somewhere where rent/mortgage and taxes are lower without risking any detriment to your quality of life? Of course you also need a professional background and skill set congruent to you doing that. His biggest challenge was finding enough remote-based work to be able to pay the bills, which ultimately led him down the route as more of a content creator. He now has an online media start-up and is passionate about shining a light on all the innovation and technology that's out there that can make day-to-day working lives easier by digitizing. James talks about procurement from the perspective of a business and explains the benefits of having people who have the knowledge and skills to buy, to get the best deal, to get value for money and to be of added value to a business. James Meads is the Founder of ProcurementSoftware.site, an online media platform for all things digital procurement. His passion for all things procurement tech came from the frustration of feeling like a well-paid admin assistant during his 16 years in corporate procurement. He passionately believes that procurement processes should be intuitive and the software must be user friendly. He loves being active in the mountains, by the sea, discovering good wine, smelly cheese, and avoiding cold weather. Currently location independent, he spends most of the year in the mountains of Bulgaria but escapes somewhere warmer during ski season. Connect with James On LinkedIn Through his website Listen to Procure Tech Podcast Resources Mentioned Purchase to Pay Network Procure Tech Podcast episode with Melissa Drew Procure Tech Podcast episode with Joël Collin-Demers

"I think there should be some sort of law that before you leave compulsory education, you have to do a psychometric on your preferences and how you respond to pressure." Becca Brighty Becca Brighty is an organisational psychologist and we talk about some approaches, behaviours and preferences that are common in the workplace. First we cover failure. Becca promotes a fail fast culture and has developed her own 'Fail for Good' model based on the Kaizen (change for good) model. And she shares some ways to reframe failure as an everyday part of life, by asking (1) What can I learn from this, and (2) What great things are in my life because things didn't go according to plan. We spend some time going in-depth into imposter syndrome, confidence, inner confidence and why on every leadership program confidence isn't the first thing that's discussed. We talk about workplace engagement and the responsibility leaders have towards employees being engaged and happy at work. Becca believes there's no real reason why people should be miserable at work and aligning an individual's preferences, values, strengths and things they don't enjoy with those of the organisation and the role is the way forward. And Becca shares what she is learning following a recent ADHD diagnosis. Becca Brighty is an organisational psychologist and business coach, passionate about making a real difference to people’s working lives and organisational productivity. At Brighty People she helps businesses and employees discover long-term workplace happiness and success. Her powerful blend of organisational psychology and human behaviour analysis helps businesses and their employees find their best workplace fit between employer and employee - matching the right people to the right culture and roles. She is also trained in various personality testing, including Harrison Assessments. Her experience includes working as an Occupational Psychologist for the NHS. She also co-founded a values-based recruitment app. And Becca has also managed her own struggles with anxiety and imposter syndrome and knows how it feels not to believe in your own ability and how to challenge and overcome this thinking. Connect with Becca Her website Brighty People On LinkedIn Resources Mentioned People and Culture Forum Amy C. Edmondson and Psychological Safety Imposter Syndrome Resources Episode 96, Feeling Different with Siun Prochazka

"Basically you grow up feeling different or knowing you're different - it's not something that other people always pick up around you and it might come across as, 'oh, they're a bit slow' or 'they don't care' or 'they're a daydreamer' or, all of that. And those messages you pick up on them because you're wired to fit in." Siun Prochazka Siun Prochazka talks to me about people who are neurodiverse with a particular focus on ADHD. Siun spent a large part of her career working with people with Autism and ADHD. And then at 35 she received an ADHD diagnosis. She talks about the impact of that her on personally and how it has shaped her professionally too. We spend time talking about how neurodiversity might show up in the workplace and Siun says: "All behaviour is communication" and we cover behaviours like perfectionism, masking, time blindness, impulsivity and more. Siun also explains the concept of rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD) - dysphoria means unbearable - and how with ADHD rejection and criticism, even perceived, can make you feel like your brain is being held hostage. We also talk about steps employers can take like having a strengths based approach and asking about behaviours, not making assumptions. Siun explains the different types of ADHD and how children might display these types and what it is like to grow up feeling different. Siun Prochazka founded Uniquely Wired Coaching and is an ADHD coach who works with adults and youths online, in person and in workplaces. She is passionate about supporting people with ADHD to become experts in their own unique wiring and learning to live life through their strengths. She spent much of her earlier career working with adults and young people with Autism, ADHD and other forms of neurodiversity in schools and in William Morris CampHill Communities. Following an ADHD diagnosis at 35 Siun retrained, first as a Life Coach and later, as an ADHD coach. Connect with Siun Uniquely Wired Coaching website Uniquely Wired ADHDCoaching on Instagram Resources Mentioned Lisa Feldman Barrett ADHD Ireland ADHD UK CHADD USA

"a lot of the research ... was based around lessons learned. And one of the key things that came out of it is businesses, organisations, almost have a blueprint now. They've got something in place whereby if something did happen again, they would be prepared." Julian Roy Julian Roy joined me to chat about research he undertook for his MBA thesis on the challenges faced by leaders during the pandemic. The common thread running through his research is empathy. Some leaders were forced into becoming more empathetic and had to learn how to do so. And as Julian says, the only way we become empathetic is by building trust and authentic relationships. We chatted about how middle and senior managers, in particular, just had to crack on, often forced to put on a brave face. We covered aspects of corporate culture, communication, connection and community. We talk about the benefit of hindsight, learning what matters most / what motivates people, office interactions and a hybrid work-life. He also found one thing that encompasses much of the research: if you look after your people, they will look after the numbers. Julian Roy is a Personal Development Consultant and Sales Trainer. He has recently completed an MBA at Salford. For his thesis his research focused on the challenges faced by sales leaders during the pandemic. Julian provides clients with tailor made training, guidance, mentoring and support and the necessary tools and support for them to broaden their perspective and open their minds, enabling goal achievement. Empowering others to realise their own self-worth and self-belief is a career driver for Julian. Connect with Julian On LinkedIn Resources Mentioned Start with Why by Simon Sinek

“Feelings aren't a beacon of eternal truth. They're a negotiation. They're always real because they are a perception inside of you, but it doesn't mean that they are accurate, useful, or true they're things that need to be negotiated. We can reframe them and construct them differently.” Steve Haines Steve Haines takes us in-depth on the transformative power of learning to connect with our bodies with the use of some great metaphors. He explains that the biggest decision we're making in a moment is “Am I safe or not?” Steve explains that everybody gets triggered but we can learn how to reframe our feelings - how to have a feeling rather than the become a feeling. Steve says that the biggest predictor to a happy and healthy life is movement and the good news is “the best exercise, is exercise you're going to do”. Steve Haines has been a bodyworker for over 20 years, runs regular clinics in London and Geneva and teaches all over the world. He is the author of the award winning ‘Anxiety Is Really Strange’, part of a series of graphic books that includes ‘Pain Is Really Strange’, ‘Trauma Is Really Strange’ and 'Touch is Really Strange". Understanding the science of pain and trauma has transformed his approach to healing. He has studied Yoga, Shiatsu, Craniosacral Therapy, and Trauma Releasing Exercises TRE®. Connect with Steve: https://bodycollege.net/ + https://www.facebook.com/bodycollege/ + On Twitter and on Instagram And have a listen to episode 47

"I grew up with a family myth about jet lag. We're Italian, my father's Italian 100 percent. And we would sit around the dinner table and just like chat and he would always tell the story of my foster brother, who the summer of 1971 was kidnapped and travelled non-stop Intercontinental for about four months. And then his grandmother suddenly died during the journey in a luxury hotel in Amsterdam." Emily Brown Emily Brown had a love-hate relationship with her last job - she had a lot of purpose but was missing out on family life. So she quit. And began to write. She talks about her most recent work on the biography of jet-lag inspired by a family event in 1971 - her foster brother is related to the most fatal sufferer of jetlag, Sarah Krasnoff. This event has been widely reported and written about through the years but her brother's story had never been told. She is co-authoring this book with her Mom. And going beyond the looking at jet lag through the lens of flying only to draw parallels to how jet lag might be showing up in other parts of our lives. We talk about sleep, natural light and balance. Emily Ross Brown has studied jetlag since 2015 and holds a Masters of Science in Hospitality Management. Brown was a 2000 Addy Award team recipient and has had her ideas featured by The Baltimore Sun. Brown was a feature writer for spinrecords.com (owned by Ice-T) and has been published in numerous Maryland publications. Brown began blogging about non-traditional career transitions in 2016. She is the author of two children’s books, a musical and the co-author of Biography of Jetlag, an historic nonfiction narrative. When not writing or caring for her family, Brown is a community organizer and leader, and a political advocate for education equity. Connect with Emily Through her website TheJetLagProject on YouTube Email her on [email protected] Resources Mentioned Lena Dunham Jamie Lee Curtis Little Bird by Camilla Way Paul Virilio on Jetlag Liz Diller Shawn Coyne The Story Grid Podcast The Global Soul by Pico Iyer Will Smith at the 2022 Oscars

"And the tension sometimes in the office was palpable. And to get things done you had to start to think about how to keep people on a common goal, despite some of the rivalry or politics that people brought with them to the office." Dougal Freeman Dougal Freeman was working in Iraq during the second Gulf war and narrowly escaped the Canal Hotel bombing in 2003. Based in Jordan with Care Australia he talks about some of the realities of humanitarian work and about the kidnapping and subsequent murder of his boss. Dougal's experience is far from ordinary and he paints a vivid picture of his work-life in agri-businesses in Africa and in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. He is so much more than the number's person and we talk about understanding people and getting people working toward a common goal, particularly when tensions are high. We also talk about impact, value addition and value destruction and how crucial it is that people in management and teams really care about what they do. Dougal Freeman is an accomplished CFO with more than two decades of global experience spanning the private sector, NGOs and not-for-profits. He has worked extensively across Africa and the Middle East for major international charities, food and agribusiness organisations, and then held Deputy CEO and Finance Director roles in public health consultancy and for a Nobel Prize-winning charity in the UK. He worked with Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in Switzerland as CFO for six years. Currently he is the outgoing CFO and board member for Oxford Policy Management (OPM), an international development consultancy, where he leads finance strategy and operations, and plays an integral role in the broader growth and performance of the organisation. Connect with Dougal: On LinkedIn Resources Mentioned: Ol Pejeta Conservancy Photographer Ami Vitale Uhuru Flowers, Kenya Hawala System Canal Hotel Bombing, Iraq, 2003 Margaret Hussain kidnap and murder Access to Nutrition Index ATNI

"We chose the term mental fitness because in our mind, it's positive because we think of it in connection with our physical fitness. And our hope is that one day we consider going to a psychotherapist in exactly the same way as we wouldn't think twice about going to a personal trainer." Kirsty Ritchie Kirsty Ritchie and I chat about mental fitness. Kirsty says our ability to be the best person we can be requires autonomy and our own self power. We chat about how living our values is key in order to be who we are. And we chat about bringing back humanity and human conversations to the workplace and making sure that workplaces are psychologically safe places to be, allowing us to thrive. Kirsty goes through some of the signs of toxic workplaces and kindly shares her own experience of bullying and harassment at work where, she says, there was ignorance and tolerance of poor behaviours. And we talk about trust and Kirsty introduces a trust equation. Kirsty Ritchie FCCA MNCS Accred. started her working life as an office junior at Pringle of Scotland and after 10 years in manufacturing finance roles, she moved to Edinburgh and into financial services. Her last corporate position was in banking, where adapting to change had become a critical skill. She saw through the global crisis and witnessed the aftermath on people’s mental health and careers. After personally experiencing bullying and harrassment in the workplace, Kirsty had a strong desire to support people in crisis leading her to retrain as a psychotherapist. She now combines this with her corporate experience. Kirsty still tutors students and coaches Financial Services Apprenticeship Programme participants. She also supports the charity Place2Be, supporting primary school children in crisis. Connect with Kirsty: Mind and Mission website On email [email protected] And on LinkedIn Resources Mentioned: Leaders in Lockdown by Atholl Duncan

"And I've no doubt that these stories and indeed the stories that all guests share, evoke different memories, emotions, and feelings for you. And I always love to hear them. So please feel free to send me your thoughts. What were your favorite snippets? What were your favourite episodes? Who would you like to hear more from?" Susan This is a compilation episode and includes snippets from the following guests 7:30 Dr. Susanne Evans on the impact of change (Episode 83) 9:00 Travis L. Scott on cognitive entrenchment (Episode 78) 10:45 Greta Solomon on being true to yourself (Episode 80) 13:10 Emma O'Brien's career corner (Episode 76) 16:45 Mason Cosby on helping others (Episode 81) 20:50 Paul Wright on mentoring (Episode 88) 25:25 Nat Hunter on designing for the future (Episode 82) 35:05 Philip Oliver on diving for diamonds (Episode 73) Connect with Susan By email: [email protected] On LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter too!

"This week I found myself .... I don't know if I was having a reflective moment ... but I've realised that I'm still in the habit of seeking permission and I was thinking about if I wasn't always looking elsewhere for permission I wonder what I would have achieved?" Antonia Taylor Antonia Taylor left the corporate PR agency world 10 years ago to work for herself and in this episode she reflects on this journey - one of freedom and possibility. We chat about - what was hard to let go of: the relationship between time and money - what she missed: not being part of a team - some of her learnings: she describes working for herself as the biggest self-development journey. We cover the importance of a growth mindset, knowing your values, permission, how we all have everything we need inside, asking for help and being yourself And we finish up chatting about a couple of her highlights. Antonia Taylor began her PR career in London agency life. She cares wholeheartedly about PR’s impact and started Antonia Taylor PR to stay front-line for her clients, building relationships that endure. Working flexibly, she brings in resource from industry peers for changing business needs; PR success is grounded in working as an extension of your team. PR is no longer just PR and Antonia recognises that businesses need a creative 360-degree comms strategy to connect with their audiences authentically. Her sweet spot is tech, professional services and scaling start-ups. Being at home more for her family – attached to her laptop and working all hours, in between hugs, ballet and football training – also matters to Antonia. Connect with Antonia: Through her website On LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter Resources Mentioned: Greta Solomon, Episode 80, Why Do I Have to Fake It? London Writer's Salon Alison Jone's Book Proposal Challenge Phil Pallen brand strategist Danielle LaPorte Heart Centered content Career Comeback Article in RED Magazine

"A pacemaker is not a death sentence or even a life sentence, it's a lifeline. My role is to send the ladder down for other people. And that gives me a lot of satisfaction. Whether that's heart health, helping people who are going through the trauma of looking for work or people who've failed exams I've been there." Paul Wright Paul Wright and I talk about finding purpose and how it might not always be something you are aware of early in your career. Paul had a pacemaker fitted in 2018 and he wondered about the purpose people of people who work at Medtronic ... and with some LinkedIn magic he found out! Paul shares how he has a different perspective on life and the impact that had on him personally and professionally. We chat about looking for work after 18 years in one organisation and what experience counts. Paul talks about helping others through mentoring, in communities and on LinkedIn and says if his experience isn't shared, it's just hindsight. We chat about his two keys to success (i) being brave in career choices and (ii) being yourself. And we talk about telling your story and creative writing. Paul Wright is a management accountant with over 20 years' post-qualification experience. He gathered senior leadership experience in a large, global energy company before moving into practice, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in an advisory capacity. Today, Paul continues to provide part time finance director support whilst pursuing a number of voluntary activities. Paul is married to Nicola, a head teacher, and has two grown-up daughters. Connect with Paul On LinkedIn Resources Mentioned Earl Bakken "One Man's Full Life" and Medtronic Legacy by James Kerr NASA purpose Toastmasters International Episode 3 'Proud to be an Accountant' with Michelle Heer

"I have wanted to do a solo episode for I don't know how long now. And it's something that I've really, really struggled with or battled with and found daunting." Susan In this first solo episode I focus on voice, the gift of voice. I open up about my own thoughts around using voice, particularly in the service of others. I talk about the tension between the desire to do something and the challenge of doing it. And I share some of my writings on voice and the importance of speaking up, speaking out or just speaking. We don't need a loud voice to be heard. We only need to speak. Numbers don't inspire us, people do. And this episode is inspired by so many people. I'm grateful to you all - those of you I've been lucky enough to meet and speak with and those of you whom I've never met but whose words encourage me nevertheless. And a special thank you goes to Kerry. You were right, I just had to start close in. Connect with Susan Check out my website On LinkedIn On Twitter On Instagram Resources Mentioned: Greta Solomon, Heart, Sass and Soul. And guest on episode 80 Cassandra Speaks by Elizabeth Lesser Nat Hunter, An Edge Walker, Episode 82 David Whyte and in particular his book Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning Of Every Day Words Episode 84, Sibling Special Coaches Rising Training Alison Jones, Making Connections, Episode 58

"We don't have enough social practices or social norms around how to deal with our emotional and bodily intelligence. It's not something that is integrated in the way that we are being. And we are seeing on one side a great awakening where people are beginning to understand, wow, there's so much here that I didn't see, feel, connect with." Madelaine Golec Madelaine and I begin this conversation exploring a quote from Thomas Hübl: "Movement is intelligence in action." We are both curious about presence, consciousness and bodily intelligence. How do we tune into the wisdom of our bodies, the meanings and purpose of sensations, feelings and emotions. We settle on anger as an example and that takes us to Will Smith at the Oscars and the slap that was felt around the world. Madelaine explains why she thinks we need a new paradigm of welcoming in our emotional and bodily intelligence, not to take over from our thinking but for all of them to work together in unison. We talk about the possible implications of disconnection from our bodily intelligence. And we discuss getting curious and doing our own inner work when we might rather bypass having to feel things or believe we can think our way into feeling differently. Madelaine Golec is a pelvic health physiotherapist and owner of a multidisciplinary clinic in Mississauga, Canada. As part of her professional development and growth she dove into the realm of trauma work, Poly-vagal theory and Somatic Experiencing to help her clients discover what is keeping them from achieving their health goals. She is now interested in applying these techniques in the business realm, to support deep inner work for entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals, who want to discover their patterns of self-sabotage/blockage preventing them from achieving their goals. Her approach focuses in what she calls, BQ: Body Intelligence, which is about tapping into the wisdom of the body, nervous system and subconscious through presence, attunement and relational healing. Rather than focusing on the content of the problem (story), she focuses on the context (what is happening in the body and nervous system as you engage with the problem). What is the patterned response that shows up in the body when you have to do something uncertain and unpredictable and she supports the nervous system into more regulation where the person can be more open, trusting, innovative and creative in their responses. She believes it is time to stop giving all our power to the IQ: Thinking Mind and open up to the vastness that lies beneath the Mind. Connect with Madelaine: Website: BQ for Business COMING SOON! Email: [email protected] Podcast Living A Better Life On Instagram TikTok handle is @madelainegolec LinkTree Resources Mentioned: Episode 154 with Susan Living A Better Life Thomas Hübl website Coaches Rising Trainings Will Smith at the Oscars

"I realised, okay, so I've done all this left-brain clever stuff like accounting, finance, languages, strategy, marketing, dah, dah, dah. I feel suicidal. So clearly I am missing something. My father was in sales, my brother is in sales and I realised there were people who were far less academic than me who were leading much happier lives and were not trying to kill themselves." John Purkiss. John Purkiss finds himself drawn to anything that helps change the world in a positive way including in business, photography and writing books. Working as a headhunter John uses his training in banking and finance every day and shares the value of going beyond that to be far more effective. We talk about being present, the power of letting go and how letting go does not mean giving up but helps you become more powerful. Work-life balance John believes is a misnomer - how can you balance one thing that is part of the other? John Purkiss studied economics at Cambridge University and has an MBA from INSEAD. He began his career with The First National Bank of Chicago, Mercury Asset Management and OC&C Strategy Consultants. John then co-founded a software company and worked in sales and marketing, in the UK, Belgium and France. He joined Heidrick & Struggles, where he set up and ran the CFO Practice in the London office and was promoted to partner. John is now a partner with August Leadership. He is the author of How To Be Headhunted, Brand You and The Power of Letting Go. www.johnpurkiss.com Connect with John On LinkedIn On Instagram Resources: http://www.johnpurkiss.com/books/ http://nithyananda.org A Rich Man's Secret: An Amazing Story For Success, Ken Roberts The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, Eckhart Tolle Headspace - Meditation and Sleep Made Simple

"It's so exciting to have my two amazing siblings here to sit down and talk about something that we've talked about. We have had conversations over the years about Aoife and about how it was to have a sister like Aoife. But I feel really honoured that I can sit down with you two here now and talk about her life and about our lives with her and share with other people in the hope that other people would benefit from hearing this or maybe just be interested in hearing it." Siun Creedon Prochazka (this episode was originally released in November 2020 on the Uniquely Wired podcast) Our sister Aoife was born severely mentally and physically disabled. She never spoke a single word nor walked a single step. We never really knew if she even recognised us. She lived most of her life in care. She died at 33. I can't say that I ever knew her, ever formed a relationship. But of course there was a relationship and I did know my sister. In this episode my siblings and I explore our unique relationships with our sister and our unique experiences. Listening to this episode I'm reminded of a beautiful quote by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross: "The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness and deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen." There is beauty inside all of us. All of us suffer, are defeated, struggle and feel loss. And we are all capable of compassion and self-compassion. Let your beauty shine through. Keep an eye out for that beauty in others and encourage it to shine through too. The world will be a better place. Connect with Siun & Alan Siun's website Uniquely Wired Alan's website Endless River Resources Mentioned: Uniquely Wired podcast The Search for Still Waters by Alan Creedon (Alan mentioned his walk several times but the book had not yet been release at the time of recording)

"...helping people think about the impact of change on people. And a big part of it is around people feeling secure, people feeling that they understand the impact that this is going to have on them, on their relationships. Uncertainty, because uncertainty is a really hard thing for people to deal with. And I think a big part of fear of change, resistance of change are those questions about what's in it for me?" Dr Susanne Evans Dr Susanne Evans and I talk about organisational change. In particular we hone in on the importance of stories. Organisational change efforts are forward and future focused but sometimes digging into the past helps shape and inform the future. We ignore it our peril. Susanne uses the analogy of an archaeological excavation to explain the importance of digging into the past. We talk about understanding people's resistance to change, managing change and the right type of leadership needed for change. We discuss how change efforts go so wrong and how leaders might make it better for people. Susanne reveals some stories (decorations, toilet rolls and chocolate biscuits) that demonstrate how things that might seem small or inconsequential matter. And we dig why what goes on in organisations is often 'all talk' without really listening or having honest, open and, at times, uncomfortable conversations. Dr Susanne Evans is an organisation change consultant, trainer, coach and researcher on a mission to change the way that transformations are managed in organisations. Having spent 10 years in Big 4 consultancy firms she saw first-hand the difficulties that leaders and change practitioners had in achieving the benefits of large-scale transformation programmes. She founded Feldspar Consulting in 2007, helping her clients lead change in a more human, effective way. Her PhD research focused on the role of stories in organisational transformation and she distilled both this research and her 25 years of hands-on consultancy experience to create the ChangeStoriesTM approach, enabling her clients to use stories, ask questions and have powerful conversations to drive change. As well as writing and speaking about organisation change, Susanne hosts open storytelling workshops, supporting organisations and individuals in writing a compelling story for themselves, and she is the host of the popular ChangeStories podcast, in which guests share ideas for improving the world of work. Connect with Susanne On LinkedIn Through her website: Feldspar Consulting Listen to her podcast Change Stories Resources Mentioned: SCARF model by David Rock Appreciative Inquiry Model Manfred Ket de Vries who talks about lifting the rug Steve Hearsum talks about “no silver bullet” Kubler Ross Change Curve Susan David The School of Life on work

"Trying to describe myself has always been really hard. I've never fitted into anything. Someone described me as an edge-walker the other day. And I thought, oh my God, that's the first time anyone's put me into a category that I can relate to." Nat Hunter Nat Hunter always felt pigeon-holed, like she could only bring a small sliver of herself to work and so she co-founded her own design company, Airside in 1999. We talk about their approach: what happens if you make work somewhere where people can really show up and be themselves? We also chat about their mantra of never do something just for the money and about the eventual winding up of the company. Nat decided life was short and only wants to do stuff that has a positive impact on the planet. And as 80% of the ecological impact for products is determined in the design phase Nat talks about various approaches designers can take to have a more holistic approach. We talk about sustainability, circular economy, regenerative design, net zero, co-designing with insects and more. And we delve into how we would decide what to buy if we could only buy three items of clothing a year? Nat Hunter, a Director of Other Today, is a designer, educator and coach, currently exploring how regenerative culture and organisational behaviour can positively impact people, society and the planet. A systems thinker and agitator for change, she brings her experience in business, design and coaching together in order to create and support change. She co-founded the multi-award winning Airside, one of the UK’s first digital design studios. In 2021 Nat co-created the influential Design Council report Beyond Net Zero and is currently a Design For Planet Fellow at the Design Council. Connect with Nat: On LinkedIn By email [email protected] Resources Mentioned: Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World by Tyson Yunkaporta Sherri Mitchell Beyond Net Zero: Design Council Rob Hopkins Transition Movement Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek Carbon Tunnel Vision Diagram B Corp Reinventing Organisations by Frederic Laloux

"When you're a professional that has a mortgage and a family, the time to help is significantly less. To put it bluntly, you have to figure out how you can help others that makes sense within the context that you are." Mason Cosby. Mason Cosby was laid off at the beginning of the pandemic. A month earlier he got engaged and bought a house. He spent the next four months on the couch applying for jobs. And we talk about how since then he has done everything in his power to help others avoid a similar fate and make sure his family is never in that situation again. Mason loves his job as the dedicated marketer of a marketing agency and is also super passionate about career building. As he says, he is on a journey and he wants to show others he is in it with them. He does this by being bullish about kindness and learning in public. We chat about how he started a podcast, The Marketing Ladder, as a scalable way to help others build their marketing career. And we talk about how when you want to improve something: quantity and consistency result in quality and confidence. Mason Cosby helps marketers grow their company and their career. He is the Marketing Director of Mojo Media Labs and Host of The Marketing Ladder. Mason is bullish about kindness and is actively learning in public. And he is a nurse husband. Connect with Mason Cosby: On LinkedIn The Marketing Ladder Podcast Resources Mentioned: Storybrand Megan Haupt Brio Career and on Life Beyond the Numbers episode 25 Your Career Story

"And it was a massive learning because I thought, why do I have to fake it? Why do I have to pretend that I'm okay? And I think that point comes to many of us at some point. It came to me really early, I was like 21. It came super early that I'm not going to fake it at work." Greta Solomon Greta Solomon and I talk about self-expression. We talk about how to express ourselves at work so we get our message across, the importance of being our real self and not faking it to fit in, and how using our own voice, and not a Shakespearian persona, is okay. The idea of living a divided or disconnected life comes up and how connecting to our creative energy is massively underrated. Greta explains that being able to express our own creativity is the missing piece of the wellness picture. We explore gratitude and she explains why the practice needs to come with a warning. Greta shares insights on writing at work and on the power of journaling. Greta Solomon is the founder of Heart, Sass & Soul Writing School. She is a writing teacher, intuitive life coach, and journal healer. She is the author of Just Write It! How to Develop Top-Class University Writing Skills and Heart, Sass & Soul: Journal Your Way to Inspiration and Happiness. She has over 14 years of experience in training individuals in multi-million pound companies in writing skills and is particularly skilled in working with internationally diverse teams of highly skilled experts for whom English is a second language. She has a former career as a women’s magazine journalist, and also set up a thriving English and writing tutoring business and she worked at industrial business-to-business PR consultancy. She still writes for newspapers and magazines, mostly about writing, creativity and self-development. Connect with Greta: Through her website On Instagram and on LinkedIn Read her book Heart, Sass and Soul Resources Mentioned: Are You Living a Divided Life? Article by Gregg Vanourek Severance on Apple TV Object Writing - Pat Pattison Stories are data with a soul - Brene Brown

"Happiness comes from a wide variety of different sources. And actually happiness is not the one single thing that we should pursue because part of being human is the whole world of emotion and feelings. And all of them are valid." Gavin Andrews Being Human is a compilation, an exploration of the mind-body connection. The body is a source of wisdom and intelligence that is often untapped. We have a tendency to rely on our mental intelligence, our rational thought and not our emotional self or felt sense. In this episode we hear from six previous guests about tapping into this other source of knowledge. And many of them talk about the importance of feeling safe and feeling a sense of belonging. 7:30 Steve Haines on how minds and body are connected and the importance of feeling safe including with our interactions with others 13:00 Gavin Andrews on accessing the wisdom of the heart and state of coherence - an optimal state for heart and brain to be in 17:55 Rebecca Cheetham on mind-body disconnection and squishing emotions 18:50 Lisa Milnor on bringing awareness to the body 25:10 Gavin Andrews on bringing our emotional self to work 26:55 Steve Haines on how to make sense of sensations in our body 28:50 Matt Phelan on emotional data in the workplace and a sense of belonging 35:55 Jenny Ashmore on the power of a sense of belonging for teams Resources Mentioned: Coaches Rising Episode 10, Life Beyond the Numbers, This Feelings Business with Steve Haines Episode 38, Life Beyond the Numbers, Wisdom and Technology with Gavin Andrews Episode 48, Life Beyond the Numbers, Baby Steps with Rebecca Cheetham Episode 49, Life Beyond the Numbers, A Sense of Belonging with Jenny Ashmore Episode 59, Life Beyond the Numbers, Weird & Wonderful with Lisa Milnor Episode 67, Life Beyond the Numbers, Better Understanding with Matt Phelan

"It's about relationships. Bottom line, build relationships. Not just when you need to. I think the worst mistake people make is when they think of networking and using something like LinkedIn, they wait until they're desperate." "And that desperation comes through, right." "So I would say it's all about relationships." Travis L Scott. Travis L Scott is a former recruiter who is annoyed by recruiters. He believes the way companies hire is broken and we talk about how transactional recruitment is, especially in larger companies. It's a numbers game. So we go into life beyond those numbers - from the perspective of recruiters and candidates. We talk about the importance of developing and nurturing relationships throughout our careers; not waiting until we are desperate, especially if we have a non-linear career. Travis shares a story about accidentally finding himself in a role where he became 'boxed-in' and how starting a side-gig set him free. We chat about being "an expert" and the cognitive entrenchment that might result in. And we cover the fact that there is always so much more to learn and some of the ways we can keep learning. Travis L. Scott is the Founder of RainierDigital, an inbound marketing consultancy and agency focusing on recruitment marketing, B2B, and non-profit organisations. Travis loves to help things grow - whether it's plants or a company's marketing potential. And he loves to teach and share what he has learned with people. The core of his business is helping companies and non-profits optimise processes and workflows to then leverage technology to save money, create efficiency, and, ultimately, grow. Most recently, Travis was the Director of Marketing at ISM, a Denver-based B2B company. He has written for the employer brand sites of Microsoft and Dunkin' Brands, and has contributed to Recruiting Daily’s blog. Connect with Travis: On LinkedIn Through his website Rainier Digital On Twitter Podcasts: The Winding Road and Marketing Unboxed Resources Mentioned: Dorie Clark The Long Game Benjamin Zander The Art of Possibility Seth Godin Seth's Blog Adam Grant WorkLife Podcast Cal Newport So Good They Can't Ignore You Gary Vee HubSpot

"We might have an idea of the kind of manager we want to be. But how often do we intentionally focus on that on a daily basis?" Helen Joy In this episode Helen Joy and I go in-depth into three areas that impact how we show up, lead and manage, on a daily basis, especially if we are new to the role or new to an organisation. What people forget first or need to be reminded of first is they're already doing a lot of the really positive, great work around nurturing, supporting, and developing their people because they're great people. And that they are in that role for a reason. We talk about people management versus task management. It's okay to focus on our own personal development and that personal development is absolutely critical for continued growth. And we talk about some of the many ways that we can do that. And we speak about the impact if we don't. We look at personal versus professional development. To not be so afraid of difficult conversations. We ask what makes this conversation difficult for you? We discuss how we can forget how much influence we have on the culture of our team and how our moods, feelings and emotions have an influence and impact on that. Helen Joy’s passion is Leadership and Management Development, particularly aspiring and new managers. She passionately believes that we are all capable of creating a work environment that is motivating, inspiring and enables people to achieve their potential. Prior to founding PeopleSpark Helen led and developed teams within operational and support environments to achieve results through coaching and formal training. Connect with Helen: On LinkedIn Helen's website is PeopleSpark And email address Resources: Episode 6, Life Beyond the Numbers, Learning How to Manage Lived & Learned Video Series

"I was in a career corner .... I'd painted myself into it and I didn't know how to get out. And I was having those thoughts that in my early 30s you know, “that's it, I'm ruined” .... now I'm thinking I can continue to change and evolve and do so many different things with my life and my career. It's limitless." Emma O'Brien Emma O'Brien and I talk about how our minds work and respond to us and how our beliefs are created by us. Emmas uses a great example of how a bad experience in something so innocent like a school play can play a role in our working lives - how shame and humiliation manifest themselves in beliefs we have about ourselves - the vortex of self doubt as she calls it. Emma shares how we can reorient our beliefs towards a different meaning and says that instead of choosing something overly positive, or Pollyanna-like, if we choose something that's realistic it serves us better. Emma speaks openly about how getting to know her strengths helped her reorient herself out of the career corner she had painted herself into. Emma O’Brien is a Rapid Transformational Therapist (RTT), Mindset and Strengths Coach. She helps leaders and business owners rapidly release self-defeating beliefs, habits and behaviours to make massive personal transformation. During her corporate career in HR, Organisational Development and Transformational Change she experienced 'impostor feelings' and self doubt. She also suffered with depression and anxiety. So she knows first hand how much this can hold people back, sabotage success and smother the ability to find their true expression. Connect with Emma: Through her website On Instagram and Facebook Resources Mentioned: Episode #53: Start with You - Nikki Hill Marissa Peer Rapid Transformational Therapy RTT Gallup - Clifton Strengths Mind Jogger App