Show Notes
Sarah and Megan explore how leaders create spaces for conversations that matter by (1) deepening their listening so that team members speak up and real issues are discussed; (2) being aware of power dynamics and their impact on a conversation; (3) paying attention to the incoming tide of employee activism and the use of generative AI in organisations. About Megan Reitz Megan is Founder of Reitz Consulting, Associate Fellow at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and Adjunct Professor of Leadership and Dialogue at Hult Business School. She is listed on the Thinkers50 ranking of global management thinkers (and recently shortlisted for both the Radar and Breakthrough Idea Awards) and HR Magazine Most Influential Listing. Megan writes, speaks and consults in the areas of leadership, dialogue, mindfulness, culture, change, coaching and team effectiveness. She is author of 'Mind Time' and 'Dialogue in Organizations' and co-author with John Higgins of 'Speak Up: Say what needs to be said and hear what needs to be heard' for Financial Times Publishing, which was shortlisted for CMI Management Book of the Year 2020. A second edition of this book hit the shelves in spring 2024 with the new title, 'Speak Out, Listen Up.' Megan is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, which has covered many of the themes of her books, and her research has recently been featured in the MIT Sloan Management Review, in Forbes, on the BBC, in a TEDx talk, and in numerous academic and practice-based journals. As well as her life as a lecturer, doctoral supervisor and business owner, Megan is mother to two wonderful daughters, who test her regularly on her powers of mindfulness and dialogue. For more information, go to www.meganreitz.com
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Sarah and Paul discuss the emerging trend of creating a coaching culture in an organisation and how a leader can bring a coaching approach to their conversations. In this episode we cover (1) coaching as a leader and why leaders need to go deeper into introspective work, so that they understand fully how they show up within the workplace, the impact they have on their immediate team, and sometimes an entire organisation; (2) the difference that it makes when you're able to notice the assumptions you're making, put those to one side and bring to the conversation your curiosity instead; (3) the shift in the identity of a leader, from somebody who needs to know all the answers to the idea of leader as coach, somebody who draws out the wisdom and the intelligence of the people around them; (4) the small changes you could make to a conversation that would bring a coaching approach such as phrases to use and questions to ask; and finally (5) the difference it makes when we bring our compassion to a conversation, particularly when the pressure is on and the stakes go up: compassion for self, but also compassion for others. We discuss how we can shift into a more spacious way of operating and of talking, so that instead of falling into the trap of reactive behaviour, we can tap into deeper resources, deeper parts of ourselves and have a positive impact in the conversation and upon the people we lead and indeed, across the organisation as a whole.
Sarah and Mandar discuss his transformational journey from being a petroleum engineer and a 17-year career at Shell to becoming a peace activist teaching meditation and self-care practices. In the conversation we cover (1) Mandar's work integrating meditation and breathing techniques into the corporate world, under the banner of 'innovation', starting with the creation of the "Aware" employee network at Shell and later transitioning to teaching meditation to thousands of leaders across multiple continents; (2) Mandar's peace-building initiatives, including a business model for healthcare clinics and a program training former gang members in meditation; and (3) the importance of businesses engaging in peace promotion such as working with the UN peacebuilding office. About Mandar Apte Mandar Apte is Executive Director at Cities4Peace, a documentary film maker and teacher of meditation.Having worked at Shell for nearly 18 years, Mandar draws upon his work of creating and managing Shell's GameChanger social innovation program to show how companies can create shared value through having a social impact. Mandar is a thought leader in social innovation, leadership development, and intrapreneurship, and has presented masterclasses on these topics at conferences and Business Schools including Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and London Business School.In his consulting and coaching work, Mandar also leverages nearly two decades of studying, practicing, and teaching meditation to thousands of leaders across four continents (including over 2000 colleagues while at Shell). Mandar strongly believes that a focus on daily "inner recalibration" can transform our leadership vision, potential, and impact.For more about Mandar’s work, please visit: www.mandarapte.net https://www.mandarapte.net/film/ https://www.mandarapte.net/purpose-innovation-lab/ Periodically Mandar teaches meditation-based leadership workshops online. Find out more: https://www.mandarapte.net/mindful-leadership/ More about this episode Here's a summary of the main points: From Shell to Peace Activism Sarah and Mandar discussed Mandar's journey from a 17-year career at Shell to becoming a peace activist. Mandar shared a pivotal moment in 2001 when he was chased by villagers in Nigeria while working for Shell, which led him to explore meditation and self-care. This experience, along with his realization that corporate life could not provide the healing he needed, inspired Mandar to pursue a path of peace activism. Meditation and Breath Science Journey Mandar shared his personal journey with meditation and its impact on managing stress and negative thoughts, comparing it to erasing marks on a blackboard. He discussed his experience working at Shell and how he felt compelled to bring inner transformation approaches to leadership, particularly after facing a traumatic incident in Nigeria. Mandar explained his discovery of the breath science, which teaches that emotions have distinct breathing patterns and can be managed through conscious breathing techniques, allowing one to respond rather than react to situations. Corporate Meditation: A Leadership Journey Mandar shared his journey of integrating meditation and breathing techniques into the corporate world, starting with the creation of the "Aware" employee network at Shell in 2004. He described how he transitioned from designing petroleum engineering pipelines to becoming a meditation teacher, leveraging his passion to help colleagues at Shell and even American soldiers. Mandar highlighted the importance of authentic leadership in recognizing and encouraging employees' passions, which he demonstrated by teaching meditation to 2,000 Shell staff across multiple countries. He emphasized the concept of shared value, showing how engaging employees' passions can create meaningful contributions to the workplace. Truck Stop Healthcare Business Model Mandar shared a business model for establishing primary healt
In this episode, Sarah and Catherine Stothart discuss (1) how understanding a framework of four interaction styles helps you communicate with people whose personality or approach is very different to you own (whether at work or in your personal life); (2) how you can flex your style enabling you to build rapport, collaborate effectively and communicate even when the stakes go up; (3) some real-life stories of leaders and managers who adapted their communication style successfully and (4) top tips for hybrid working in teams so that communication stays strong and everyone feels valued in an inclusive working environment.
In this episode, Sarah and Klaudia discuss (1) what happiness is; (2) how we can grow our happiness through cultivating 'happiness habits'; (3) how to manage destructive self-talk and stop ruminating before a difficult conversation; and (4) how to develop a toolkit so that your happiness doesn't depend on any person, place or thing exterior to you. About Klaudia Mitura Klaudia is the author of the book "The Alphabet of Happiness: Create more happiness at work, in relationships and in your own skin" (publication date: September 2025.) Klaudia is a work psychologist and the Learning and Development Manager at the Science Museum Group. For the last twelve years, she's been applying scientific research on employee engagement to design and implement energetic, creative and data-driven programmes to empower individuals to be at their best at work.During a difficult time in 2020, Klaudia started “The Happiness Challenge” podcast with a mission to interview leading wellbeing experts and test-drive the best happiness hacks that science has on offer.
In this episode, Sarah discusses with Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer, authors of Wise Power and Wild Power, (1) why cyclical awareness is an under-utilised resource that builds resilience in leaders, (2) how to pick your moment for a courageous conversation (3) how leader is able to be responsive by setting boundaries and standing their ground and (4) how to start a fresh chapter by staying true to you. Sarah, Alexandra and Sjanie also discuss what leaders can learn from moving beyond politeness into a real conversation where everyone leaves feeling seen and heard. About Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer are founders of Red School and co-authors of Wild Power: Discover the Magic of the Menstrual Cycle and Awaken The Feminine Path to Power. They are the creators of the Menstruality Medicine Circle™, a brand new healing modality. For more information, please go to: https://www.redschool.net