Life Beyond The Numbers

#102 Human Nature - David Lee

"...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

#101 Looking Forward - Susan Ní Chríodáin

"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)
 

#100 My Present Journey - Susan Ní Chríodáin

"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

#99 Looking Back - Susan Ní Chríodáin

"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

#98 The Best Deal - James Meads

"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

#97 Your Preferences - Becca Brighty

"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 

#96 Feeling Different - 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
 
 

#95 Lessons Learned - Julian Roy

"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 

#94 This Feelings Business - Steve Haines (From the Archives)

“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
 

#93 Jet Lag - Emily Brown

"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 emily@thejetlagprojectatgmail.com
 
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