Life Beyond The Numbers

#92 A Common Goal - Dougal Freeman

"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

#91 Mental Fitness - Kirsty Ritchie

"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 kirsty@mindandmission.com
And on LinkedIn
 
Resources Mentioned:
Leaders in Lockdown by Atholl Duncan
 

#90 The Way You Make Me Feel - Guests from ’22

"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: susan@beyond-thenumbers.com
On LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter too!
 

#89 Permission - Antonia Taylor

"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

#88 A Lifeline - Paul Wright

"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
 
 

#87 Susan Speaks - Susan Ni Chriodain

"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

#86 Bodily Intelligence - Madelaine Golec

"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: info@bqforbusiness.com
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

#85 Letting Go - John Purkiss (From the Archives)

"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

#84 Sibling Special - Siun, Alan and Susan

"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)
 

#83 The Impact of Change - Dr. Susanne Evans

"...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