A weekly look at the entertainment landscape from The Contending.
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Saranne Segal is a conflict resolution advocate on a mission to create more harmonious workplaces. Peace at the Water Cooler is your go-to podcast for dealing with difficult people, managing toxic behaviours and how to have those tricky conversations with colleagues. With a background as a lawyer and mediator, Saranne brings decades of experience dealing with workplace conflict to each episode as she talks to experts, authors and employees.
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The water cooler is the podcast where we talk about interesting ideas that come across you and me everyday. We talk about interesting ideas, news, politics, tech and any idea that we find interesting.
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Are you confident about how to create the best workplace, from the inside out, where people are put first? Does your workforce share a clear sense of purpose, are they secure about change, do they know how to reduce stress, anxiety and the risk of burnout? Are you sure that productivity in your company is not diminished by presenteeism or staff turnover? This podcast features mini-series’ that delve into these topics and more, that have never been more important. As a psychologist, I get ben ...
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Discover life beyond the consensus of the water cooler collective. A life not determined by norms and expectations. Learn to pursue your own path, push the boundaries of expectations, and find your purpose, hidden possibilities, and joy. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brokenwatercooler/support
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Join us each week as we break down our top picks for comics of the week.
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Talk around America's water cooler surrounding faith, politics, and culture is changing fast. Just the News' political affairs program "The Water Cooler with David Brody" takes a deep dive into the issues of our time to get to heart of what people are talking about today. Journalist David Brody sits down with some of the biggest newsmakers and thought leaders of the day to talk about values and traditions in a non—traditional way.
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Travis + Gudda talk sports, fashion, culture and gambling
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We’ve all seen Gladiator II and have definite opinions on some hot topics, including Denzel Washington, flooding the Colloseum, Paul Mescal, and properly channeling rage. We break down our feelings on Ridley Scott’s latest film and try to figure out where it stands within the Oscar race after good box office but middling critic and audience reviews…
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“Terrifying… What, me?!” – Miranda Williams
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Ever been accused of being a bully? Or of being terrifying? Maybe not. But maybe you have experienced feedback that has shocked you because it was not what you intended. The void between what we want to communicate and how our communication lands can be enormous. Most of us haven't had the opportunity to learn about how we feedback and challenge. A…
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‘Spellbound’ Composer Alan Menkin, Lyricist Glenn Slater Leverage International Influences For Updated Take On Princess Lore
Eight time Oscar-winning composer and EGOT recipient Alan Menken created some of the greatest film scores in cinematic history. Any composer would be thrilled to have only created the scores to Disney’s animation renaissance unofficial trilogy of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. But he did not stop there. His scores range from…
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We dive into two major 2025 Oscar contenders: A24’s Anora and Searchlight’s A Real Pain. We review each title and break down key moments of the films. Fair warning: our Anora conversation has a few spoilers, but we give you fair warning before ruining a few key moments of the film. Then, our A Real Pain conversation leads us to a discussion of the …
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Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night is a love letter to the counterculture minds that formed one of the longest running television series in history, Saturday Night Live. Reitman creates a deliberately, lovingly chaotic atmosphere packed with visual gags, nostalgic references, sounds, and iconic music that all collaborates to orient the audience in a ve…
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With film festival season behind us, we wanted to sit back and catch up to some notable titles we’ve loved over the past few weeks. Case in point, Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, Woman Of the Hour, is an astoundingly accomplished breakthrough from the actress. She frames the story of the serial killer who appeared on The Dating Game with empathy…
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Never Just a Survey – Kieran Innes, Stribe
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Fear. Fatigue. Are you stuck in a rut that is littered with surveys? It's often the go-to channel for getting to know what employees think, but there also barriers that can get in the way of these being effective. Fatigue is just one of them. Fear is another. The brave face doesn't simply disappear when presented with written questions to provide o…
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Megan returns from the SCAD Savannah Film Festival fresh with new takes on film, actors, and everything in between. One of the titles she loved at the festival was Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez, so the team discusses that film in a spoiler-free conversation and assess its Oscar chances as well as the Oscar chances of other films at play in the fes…
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‘Agatha All Along’ Production Designer John Collins Marches Down, Down, Down His Brilliantly Designed Road [Podcast]
Marching ever forward ‘neath the wooded shrine I stray not from the path. I hold death’s hand in mine. Disney+’s Marvel Television series Agatha All Along wrapped this week with a 2-episode series finale that brought the series to an emotionally satisfying climax. While initially uneven tonally, Agatha eventually settled into an entertaining and co…
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Megan is off to cover the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, leaving Joey and Clarence to share their favorite “get in the spooky spirit” Halloween media. Then, Joey breaks down the X / Twitter meme culture around (largely) gay Halloween costumes — “What Do You Mean You’re…” Finally, Joey makes a special announcement about a December podcast special for …
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Mark Johnson returns to wrap our coverage of the Middleburg Film Festival and to talk about changes to our Oscar predictions following festival screenings. Then, Megan previews her coverage of the SCAD Savannah Film Festival. We close our podcast, as always, with the Flash Forward to the media we’re most anticipating in the upcoming week. We’re dee…
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Mark Johnson makes his Contending at the Water Cooler podcast debut in a conversation with Joey and Clarence about the first two days of the Middleburg Film Festival. In conversation are Blitz, The Brutalist, The Piano Lesson, Memoir of a Snail, September 5, and Emilia Pérez. It’s always a great time at Middleburg! Join us next year! Check back ear…
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How is Menopause Impacting your Leadership? – Tammy Gee
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I love Tammy's phrase about wellbeing running through the veins of an organisation. When you achieve that, you are equipped to deal with any conversation that arises. And all because you start by putting people first. That means being vulnerable and stepping into their space to learn about what someone else is experiencing and what they need. 18th …
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Podcast: Previewing This Weekend’s Middleburg Film Festival
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This week, Megan takes a break to prepare for her coverage of the upcoming SCAD Savannah Film Festival, leaving Joey and Clarence to preview their coverage of this weekend’s Middleburg Film Festival. Check back at The Contending over the weekend for the latest in our coverage. We close our podcast, as always, with the Flash […] The post Podcast: Pr…
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Podcast: ‘Anora’ Writer-Director Sean Baker On Ani’s Potential Happy Ending
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Writer-director Sean Baker broke onto the filmmaking scene in 2000 with his debut feature Four Letter Words, but it was his one-two punch of universally acclaimed films Tangerine and The Florida Project that caused critics and audiences to stand at attention. When Oscar called for Willem Dafoe’s Supporting Actor nomination for The Florida Project, …
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Are you a fan of romantic comedies? Do we need more of them on television? For this week’s episode, Megan and Joey (where’d you go, Clarence?!) sit down at the Water Cooler to gab about the majesty and the delight of Erin Foster’s hit comedy series, Nobody Wants This. Megan swoons over Adam Brody and […] The post Podcast: ‘Nobody Wants This’? More …
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Happiness for Better Business Results – Isabel Odlin
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"We not only need to work happy, we need to work at being happy." I love that quote by Shawn Achor. So how are you working at that? The Alliance of Independent Agencies have teamed up with Google to host an event that is dedicated to culture and high performance. They recognise that leaders are navigating a rapid pace of change; the way people work…
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Why We Make Bad Decisions at Work: Insights from Dan Ariely
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Ever wonder why people make decisions at work that just don’t make sense? On this episode of Peace at the Watercooler, I’m joined by Dan Ariely, world-renowned professor of psychology and behavioural economics and bestselling author of Predictably Irrational. Dan has spent years researching how and why we make irrational choices, and today, he’s he…
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This week, we’re breaking down our complicated reactions to two wildly different films and a television show. All three of us have seen Demi Moore in The Substance, so it’s finally time to break down those wild plot twists and turns. And that ending… Then, Joey and Clarence bring Megan up to speed on the […] The post Podcast: Going Deep Into ‘The S…
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Joey recently dove into the 2025 Oscars Best Actress race, which he called “Another Best Actress Bloodbath.” He brings that analysis to Contending at the Water Cooler along with a first time guest to the podcast: The Contending staff writer Frank J. Avella. We all dive into the bloodbath, figure out who are the nomination […] The post Podcast: Bath…
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Leading Beyond the Numbers – Susan Ní Chríodáin
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This was a first and it was hilarious (just watch the outtake next week!). Susan Ní Chríodáin and I got to record this episode of the podcast outside in the beautiful gardens at Lady Margaret Hall at the University of Oxford, courtesy of Andrew Dickinson. After some shenanigans we got to dive into her recently-published book, Leading Beyond the Num…
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As is the tradition at the Water Cooler, Team Contending gathers in full (minus Frank J. Avella) to break down the winners, the losers, and the overall production of last night’s 76th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. Instead of the media we’re most anticipating, we put series and performances in our Emmy Time Capsule to open […] The post Podcast: Team…
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This weekend’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards saw FX’s Shōgun receive a record number of wins for a series in a single year. So does that mean the series will dominate the Drama categories on Sunday night’s Primetime Emmy ceremony? Does Hacks‘ shut-out this past weekend mean it will receive similar treatment at the hands of The Bear? […] The post Podcas…
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Active Leadership to Build Future Ready Organisations – Gregg Brown
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Gregg Brown doesn't hold back!! We took a different approach on this episode of the podcast. Instead of the where-the-conversation-goes-nobody-knows conversation I usually have with guests, Gregg and I discussed a number of statements. ⚠️ Everyone wants to know what the future of work is. ⚠️ Disruption is necessary for work to evolve. ⚠️ Taking act…
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Podcast: Recapping the Telluride Film Festival, Previewing the Toronto International Film Festival
It’s only Joey and Clarence at the Water Cooler this week as Megan’s taking the weekend off. Clarence reviews his experience at this year’s fantastic Telluride Film Festival. Joey launches from there to preview his upcoming travel to the Toronto International Film Festival. What movies overlap? What new movies will Joey cover for The Contending […]…
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Podcast: ‘Blink Twice!’ It’s a New Dawn, A New Day, A New Website, and We’re Feelin’ Fantasy Oscar
Welcome to The Contending’s Contending at the Water Cooler podcast! Hopefully, if everything goes well, you’re able to subscribe, download, and listen to our latest podcast. If not, then no worries! We will figure it all out. This week, Clarence, Megan, and Joey bring their annual tradition of the Fantasy Oscar pool to The Contending. […] The post …
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Developing an agile workforce for the future – Rachel Steele
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Purpose-driven businesses have become much more the norm in terms of what people seek. Companies know that to attract employees they need to provide opportunities that are meaningful and engaging. However, retaining your workforce over time is a different challenge. In this episode of the podcast, Rachel Steele of Huddle joins me to discuss how to …
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Talent: The Other 8 Boxes – Duncan Targett
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Are you looking to develop tomorrow's leaders to be able to take the business into a different place from where it is today? Or, are you looking for future leaders who most closely resemble those in leadership positions now? That's a great question that Duncan Targett, my guest on this episode of the podcast, asks when we discuss talent. And who ca…
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Trading Places: Is This Room Free? Leadership Labs – Lisa & Gemma Ellison join Martin Drake
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Martin Drake ripped up the rule book and invited the "dynamic duo" that is Gemma Ellison and myself onto his podcast, Is This Room Free? We're not HR. But we are all about people. In particular, we're focused on enabling people to be and experience their best self. And enabling them to develop in a way that provides most value to the organisation. …
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Masculinity for Mental Fitness – Daniel Glyde
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Man up. Does that phrase make you squirm or is it acceptable to you? We've all been brought up with a set of beliefs and thoughts about how we should behave. But that puts pressure on people to show up in a certain way. It may no longer be considered acceptable or helpful. And it may mean we're covering up what's really going on. So, what about per…
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Let Men Drive The Mental Health Bus – Nick O’Neill
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Nick O'Neill of Oriel Chambers outlines a modern approach for mental health in a traditional industry that is the legal sector. He explains that law is known for being a male dominated culture, attracting alpha characters. And that presents a challenge for addressing a very human need, particularly when you consider that many men of the generation …
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Compassionate Leadership (a better approach for mental health?)
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I'm talking about compassionate leadership because it is mental health awareness week. How are those linked, I hear some of you ponder? Well, as those of you who know me well, I'm not really about initiatives or individual-level intervention without thinking about the wider context. You wouldn't put a flourishing seedling in a dark room without wat…
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The Shirtless Diver Levels up Wellbeing – Jamie Humphrey, ReechUs
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➡️ Sick notes are on they way out, according to Sunak. What does that mean for people needing support to get themselves into a place where they feel ok enough to re-engage with work? ➡️ Employees are more aware of their rights and expect more in terms of 'care', with access to services that aren't about making them 'better' but about enhancing thei…
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Vulnerability, Purpose & the Power of Adversity – Phil Holdcroft
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From dodging bullets to becoming an executive senior leader of Defence, Phil Holdcroft knows a thing or two about leadership and teamwork. Phil is a decorated combat pilot with a 20-year military career that culminated in designing and delivering the senior leadership programme at the UK Defence Academy. Drawing on life-lessons and experience, he c…
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Getting it right for this generation to empower the next – James Elliott, the Sarena Clinic
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Two psychotherapists in conversation... This episode of the podcast is an interesting one. James Elliott, of the Sarena Clinic, explains what needs to be done now to shape a healthier workforce for the future. And it's simple stuff. We need to equip employees with the knowledge and tools to empower themselves and their children to experience meanin…
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Sleep: The Hidden Key to Team Working & High Performance – Dr Jill McGarry
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Luckily for us, Dr Jill McGarry is "a geek!"... her words, not mine! The good news about that is she has a real love for actionable solutions to improve sleep. 💤 And who doesn't need a bit of that in their lives? 😴 In this episode of the podcast we hear, very clearly, why we need to banish beliefs such as... "YOU SNOOZE, YOU LOSE!" And we get to gr…
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SELF HARM: Dispelling myths & shaping solutions (in YOUR company)
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What is self-harm? Possibly not something you associate with yourself. And not a behaviour that you attribute to your colleagues, friends or family members. But the reality could be very different and that is why this episode of the podcast and the free resource is so important. Self-harm is not uncommon and therefore you need to know about it. Yaj…
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Do Soft Skills Need a Rebrand? with Andrew Bardsley
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My LinkedIn post in January that asked the question, 'Do soft skills need a rebrand?' attracted over 40 comments. Clearly people are interested in this topic. So it seemed only natural to continue the conversation with someone who shared his view on that post, Andrew Bardsley, Founder of JackHR. As someone who focuses on helping tech companies stan…
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Designing Tomorrow’s Workplace with Rob Day
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Do you know... 🏢 What your office is for? ✅ Which elements to consider when designing workplace where people actively want to spend time? 🌍 What global research tells us about how we can help people do their best work in the many places that work happens? 😊 How to cultivate a joyful workplace environment? 💭 The link between physical workplaces and …
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Cultivating Workplace Harmony with Kim Scott: Lessons in Radical Candor
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In this episode of "Peace at the Water Cooler," we delve into the transformative concept of "Radical Candor" with renowned author, Kim Scott. Join us as Kim shares valuable insights drawn from her experiences at Google, Apple, Qaltrics, Dropbox, and Twitter, providing practical wisdom on leadership, feedback, and fostering a healthy workplace cultu…
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Leaders Tell Us: A Unique Approach to Development
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The people who need the most development and most time are leaders, but they are precisely the people who don't invest in themselves. Are you one of them? That's why Gemma Ellison of Heart Leadership and I created Labs. Leanne Ledger, Senior Brand Strategist and Partner at Emperor, and Sarah Cockroft, Manager at OceanWise Ltd join Gemma and I in th…
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Future Ready by Experimentation – with Gemma Ellison
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Did you know... Only 46% of employees trust their manager to do what is right, dropping to 32% for senior leaders? 72% leaders report they feel used up at the end of the day, an increase of 12% from 2020? Fewer than half of leaders find their jobs purposeful. Yet, leaders with a strong sense of purpose are 9 times more likely to feel engaged? Only …
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ADDICTION Unveiling the Shadows: Understanding the Complexity and Providing Support
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Is your organisation fuelling addiction? Do you understand the causes and triggers that can lead to someone engaging with addictive behaviour? Do you know the behaviours that might constitute addiction, or that could manifest into addiction? Richie Paxton of the EPIC Restart Foundation has lived experience. He joins Amantha King and I to share a he…
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Removing the Cape: Listening. Supporting. Stronger. With Stewart Codling, Chief Inspector, Thames Valley Police
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A Chief Inspector is not necessarily the first person who springs to mind as the driving force for self-care, better mental health and launching a podcast! But Stewart Codling of Thames Valley Police is modelling exactly how leaders can embrace the challenge of changing expectations by doing things differently. Stewart joins me on my podcast to exp…
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Managers… Just Managing? with Sarah Cockroft
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Bad managers are causing one in three staff to walk*. Luckily for OceanWise, Sarah Cockcroft isn't one of these managers. She is only two weeks into her role there, but she is going in with her eyes wide open to what is needed of her. Sarah has the benefit of hindsight. She is not new to management and that is why I invited her to join me to discus…
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The Art of Reinvention with Courtney Hobbs
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What are you growing? 🪴 Is the PH level in your environment producing what you want? And what have you grown into? Are you in the right soil? Have you become what you WANT to be? What you NEED to be? I was inspired when I heard Courtney Hobbs share his experience during a session where we both presented for macmillan cancer earlier this year. Today…
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DEPRESSION & ANXIETY: Effective strategies for nurturing the black dog
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Did you know that in Q3 of 2022-23, antidepressants were the most prescribed class of drug? More and more people are struggling with anxiety and depression, yet we conveniently turn a blind eye. It's easier to assume that employers are not responsible. However, when we consider the significant role work plays in mental health, whether that's adding…
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Outstanding End-to-End Employee Experience with Mike Mair
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I love talking with people about exceptional employee experience, and Mike Mair is one of those people who knows a thing or two about it. He is passionate about helping people grow and develop. This conversation is a step-by-step exploration of EX throughout the employee lifecycle. It follows a road map that includes: 📌Recruitment 📌Onboarding 📌Trai…
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Situational Leadership with Chris Chamberlain
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From being told he wouldn’t get anywhere in life, to becoming Operations Manager at Guernsey Mind, Chris Chamberlain likes to challenge expectations! In this episode of the podcast, we delve into shaping yourself as an intentional leader, and the style of situational leadership. We consider the balance between being authentic and changing our style…
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Men: Developing Allies – with Seb Randle
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Allyship. Seb Randle and I discuss what makes this an important topic... FOR MEN. Women are great at promoting women, but without men onboard, we hit a glass ceiling. But it's not 'all about the women at the expense of men'. We need to get beyond stereotypes and look at a more inclusive approach that benefits everyone. We discuss the all important …
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