“And so how do we navigate this complex reality, which is that we're constantly masked because we need to be, because if you take all of that off and you reveal all the inner workings, it would be complete chaos. But at the same time, what tends to happen as humans is the mask, the presentation, we start to get caught up in the idea that the presentation is everything that we are. And that gets very confusing.”

This episode of the Humans at Work podcast features a conversation with Dr. Tom Cotton, Founder & Programme Director at The Breakthrough Process. We explore various themes including leadership, sustainability, and the concept of masking in professional settings. We discuss the importance of understanding one’s identity beyond job roles, the transformative power of group dynamics in leadership, and the emotional work required to navigate personal challenges and growth.

Tom and I talk about:

• How masking in leadership can lead to personal dissonance, and why understanding your "mask" is crucial for greater authenticity.
• How group dynamics can reveal powerful insights about yourself.
• The role of creativity and storytelling as powerful tools for connection, understanding, and enhancing both personal and professional growth.
• Why internal success metrics are more meaningful than external ones, as identity is often closely tied to professional roles and titles.
• The differences between teams and groups – where self-selection into groups can support more change readiness.
• The kinds of communication barriers that hinder effective teamwork, making supportive environments crucial for personal exploration and growth.
• How engaging in stories we watch or hear, change us as well.
• Why future aspirations should encompass both personal and professional development, with an emphasis on confronting difficult emotions.

Resources and Links:

Connect with Jules:

• Follow Jules on linkedin.com/in/julesharrisonannear
• Need an engaging, thought-provoking, inspirational speaker or facilitator? Talk to Jules about her availability via https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/humans-at-work-chat
• To get Jules’ help with your organisational or leadership challenge, visit jerica.org or go ahead and book a time with Jules via Calendly on https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/thinkingdifferently

Keep connected with Humans At Work:

• To listen to more podcasts and read Jules’ blogs visit https://www.humansatwork.org/
• To improve your ethnical leadership, sign up to our free self-paced digital Matching Values to Action course https://www.humansatwork.org/store

“So, we need leaders who are jazz band leaders, where you agree on the key and get the drummer to set the tempo. And then actually it's up to the whole group to kind of be alive and paying attention to each other and having real honest conversations about what's going on. It's those tiny little glances between people when you're playing in a band that, of these little signals that you have to pay attention to. And so, the jazz band leader's job is very different. It's one of hinting and nudging and getting alongside people rather than being out the front demanding that they do things in a certain way.”

This episode of the humans at work podcast features conversation with Paul McGregor, facilitator and speaker. We explore various themes including leadership, facilitation, and community engagement, including the importance of cultural context. Paul shares his journey of writing a book focused on the power of curiosity and questions in leadership, while also emphasizing the significance of listening and engagement in effective communication. And we touch on the challenges of job seeking in today's environment, and the need for organizations to rethink their recruitment processes.

Paul and I talk about:

• The importance of culturally appropriate introductions in New Zealand.
• Listening as a critical skill for effective leadership.
• The role of facilitation in navigating complex group dynamics.
• How curiosity drives better engagement and understanding.
• The ways job seeking has changed, and the need for recruitment processes to be more human-centred.
• How relationships should come ahead of process – in leadership, recruitment, procurement.
• The social contract between employees and organizations.
• How the process of writing a book can enhance personal confidence and knowledge.
• The importance of questions, and how they can elicit unexpected insights and deeper conversations.

Resources and Links:

Connect with Jules:

• Follow Jules on linkedin.com/in/julesharrisonannear
• Need an engaging, thought-provoking, inspirational speaker or facilitator? Talk to Jules about her availability via https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/humans-at-work-chat
• To get Jules’ help with your organisational or leadership challenge, visit jerica.org or go ahead and book a time with Jules via Calendly on https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/thinkingdifferently

Keep connected with Humans At Work:

• To listen to more podcasts and read Jules’ blogs visit https://www.humansatwork.org/
• To improve your ethnical leadership, sign up to our free self-paced digital Matching Values to Action course https://www.humansatwork.org/store

“…find that new and better version that better suits and deals with the problem at hand, whether that's one for you and or your client, and then go out and sell that. Now we've made a new and smarter version, oh and by the way, it's actually also better for the world, but it's not the other way around. Don't lead with green, lead with better, and then sprinkle green on top. That's what's going to make you set your path.”

In this episode of the Humans at Work podcast, Jasper takes us through his journey into sustainability and the importance of business leadership in addressing climate change. Jasper introduces his concept of the 'Fatal Five' barriers to sustainability and how reframing the conversation can lead to positive outcomes for both businesses and the environment. We discuss the need for a redefinition of sustainability that emphasizes proactive measures for future generations, the importance of collaboration and openness in addressing environmental challenges, and the necessity of overcoming fear to embrace an abundance mindset.

Jasper and I talk about:

• The impact of our upbringing on our climate awareness.
• Rethinking how sustainability can align with business success.
• Two basic needs - a stable ecosystem and meaningful jobs.
• How mindset shifts are crucial for embracing sustainability.
• Why sustainability is often viewed as a burden, not an opportunity, and the impact this has.
• Turning around negativity to looking at opportunities for creating positive impact
• Collaboration and openness as essential for solving sustainability challenges.
• How fear can hinder progress, whereas embracing abundance fosters innovation.
• Authentic communication is key, how to lead with better solutions, not just green initiatives.
• That businesses need a mission bigger than themselves to enhance their credibility and their sustainability efforts.
• Practical strategies to empower businesses to implement sustainability.

Resources and Links:

Connect with Jules:

• Follow Jules on linkedin.com/in/julesharrisonannear
• Need an engaging, thought-provoking, inspirational speaker or facilitator? Talk to Jules about her availability via https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/humans-at-work-chat
• To get Jules’ help with your organisational or leadership challenge, visit jerica.org or go ahead and book a time with Jules via Calendly on https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/thinkingdifferently

Keep connected with Humans At Work:

• To listen to more podcasts and read Jules’ blogs visit https://www.humansatwork.org/
• To improve your ethnical leadership, sign up to our free self-paced digital Matching Values to Action course https://www.humansatwork.org/store