Shows
Fearless DiversityDoes Age Matter?In the week that Parliament decided to give the vote to sixteen year olds, welcome back to Fearless Diversity, the podcast where age isn’t just a tick-box in the census, it’s the parent, the baby, and the teenage activist in the room. Join Simon, your resident digitally Bewildered Baby Boomer, living proof that you can survive a childhood without Wi-Fi or oat milk and Rachel stuck between Millennials’ optimism and Greta Thunberg’s existential despair. Age is a minefield for managers and leaders. The young are idealised, patronised or indulged at work, while older peopl...2025-07-251h 01Fearless DiversityLet’s Be Honest: The conversation on immigration is neither neat nor simple.Let’s Be Honest: The conversation on immigration is neither neat nor simple.So in this episode, Rachel and Simon wade straight into the mess of history, aspiration, personal fear, good intentions and the fear of getting it wrong which make it so complicated. Simon unpacks the historical waves of immigration since the War and the reaction which exposes public ambivalence and ingrained biases, caught between welcoming diversity and grappling with the underlying uncertainties which for so many reflects reality in UK workplaces. Born in Australia, Rachel tells how she was compelled every ye...2025-07-171h 00Fearless DiversityFree to Say What? Glastonbury, Censorship and the BBC BluesAfter explosive scenes at Glastonbury and two alarming reports detailing “cancellation” and fear sweeping through both publishing and the arts, Fearless Diversity dives into the complex world of artistic freedom, censorship and public outrage.Simon wrestles with whether there are any limits to what artists can say and whether Rod Stewart should just shut up about Gaza and Farage, and stick to singing “Maggie May”. Meanwhile Rachel tries (and fails) to keep the chat away from her beloved football, Edinburgh and her horror at the antisemitism at Glastonbury.We’re not afraid to tackle the...2025-07-1055 minFearless DiversityPIP PIP Hooray .PIP PIP Hooray - Disability: People, Potential, and the Art of the Possible Welcome to Fearless Diversity the podcast that tackles the tricky bits of life in work and has the conversation that you want to. This week Simon and Rachel dive into disability after the huge public, media and Parliamentary furore about welfare reform and the implications for disabled people receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIP). In our conversation we unpick some of the biggest issues facing disabled people in the UK today, from societal stigma, employment and pay gaps to the ongoing complexity of rea...2025-07-0353 minFearless DiversityWhy are we all so scared to talk about race?Let’s face it: conversations about race make even the most fearless among us uneasy, awkward or just very nervous. In this episode of Fearless Diversity, Simon Fanshawe (Diversity Dissident) and Rachel Cashman (Fearless Facilitator) dive headlong into the silence, discomfort, and tiptoeing that surrounds race at work and in everyday life.Prompted to record this episode by the publication of Baroness Casey's 'National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse' and the associated headlines -defensive and offensive - Simon and Rachel felt it was time to talk about race. Ever found yours...2025-06-2658 minFearless DiversityFAIL or First Attempt In Learning?Join Simon Fanshawe, the Diversity Dissident, and Rachel Cashman, the Fearless Facilitator, as they boldly dive into one of everyone's least favourite topics: Failure! With wit, honesty, and plenty of personal anecdotes (Rachel fails daily, Simon hourly!), they tackle why failing isn't just inevitable, but essential for growth. From Edison’s famous quip about discovering "10,000 ways not to do it," to dramatic real-world examples including nuclear reactors and Broadway producers, Simon and Rachel explore how embracing failure can become a powerful force for learning and innovation. This episode unpacks practical questions leade...2025-06-1952 minFearless DiversityFree Speech or say nothing?Get ready to tackle another hot topic with Simon and Rachel as they have the conversations you want to In this episode, they're diving deep into the question: What exactly do we mean by free speech, especially at work? From academic freedom and artistic expression to controversial workplace debates and social media snafus, Rachel and Simon fearlessly (and humorously) navigate the delicate dance of speaking your mind without breaking the office etiquette. Simon boldly explores how free speech can quickly turn chaotic without clear boundaries, while Rachel brings her trademark clarity, unpacking the mechanics and d...2025-06-1249 minFearless DiversityEmployee or Activist?Hold on tight as Simon and Rachel tackle a red-hot question: Are your employees still just employees, or are they morphing into activists? From baked beans to workplace tussles about toilets (a subject that disproportionately is vexing employers and their staff right now!) and drag pantos at Christmas parties, this conversation has everything, and a few surprises.Find out why Rachel was kettled by the Metropolitan Police outside Miss World in her younger years, while Simon fondly remembers being “bullied” by bolshy feminists into joining activism life-changing, he insists! Together they dive headfirst into the messy busi...2025-06-0541 minFearless DiversitySupreme Court Ruling Part 2In our second episode on the Supreme Court Judgement on the meaning of sex in the Equality Act, Rachel and Simon again explore the complexities. The re-statement of the law by the Court is crystal clear. But the reaction has ranged from the practical and sensible to the defiant and the downright defamatory. And from some people who should know better. Why did one of the leading law firms in the UK host a session where the Supreme Court Judges were described by a panellist to laughter as “f******g idiots”? Who shouted what insult at Simon on the bus? Why...2025-05-2953 minFearless DiversityConsultationWhy are you consulting? Why thinking about Parking Schemes will help you to do it well – honestly! Work is not a democracy? Don’t be kind, be clear. How do you make staff feel genuinely involved while being straight forward that it’s you who will take the final decision? How do you keep those who don’t agree with your decision on side? How do you say ‘No’. Can you cope with not being liked? All this and more as Rachel and Simon find the complexity in consultation. Is it a bit of a dry topic? Not the way we talk...2025-05-2249 minFearless DiversitySupreme Court Ruling Part 1What is A Woman?The Supreme Court judgement of April 16th has sent shockwaves through the national conversation about women's rights, where trans people stand, what single sex services and sports mean and what are the actual obligations for employers and organisations to their staff and the public. The noise is incredibly loud… So, if you need some calm about all this, listen to Rachel and Simon’s first of two episodes on the judgement where we will explore what the judgment actually said - and of course what it didn’t (beware of what you read and he...2025-05-1557 minFearless DiversityBanterBanter is fun. But it's also waring and bullying. It's negative and positive. So When does the negative become harassment? But when does the absence of laughter and jokes make it more difficult to work together? Can’t we make jokes / laugh at work any more? What are the guidelines / boundaries? It's not comfortable walking on eggshells. But other people's sensitivities do matter. Is the ability to joke with each other a sign of safety with each other? Rachel and Simon explore all this.. seriously and also have a bit of a banter.For more about Rachel: Who Is T...2025-05-0858 minFearless DiversityTrump and DiversityDonald Trump is back. So, what does this mean for UK businesses and their EDI agendas? Simon sets out a practical five-point plan to navigate the turbulence, while Rachel reveals some of the rational, and decidedly irrational, executive behaviours she's encountered in boardrooms since Trump's second inauguration. Together, they unpack how leaders can seize opportunities, sidestep pitfalls, and stay respond productively in the face of renewed disruption.For more about Rachel: Who Is The Fearless Facilitator? - Fearless Facilitator For more about Simon: Who We Are – Diversity by DesignFor more a...2025-04-3048 minFearless DiversityIntroducing Fearless DiversityIntroducing Fearless Diversity, the candid podcast that tackles the real dilemmas bosses, managers, and leaders face every day. Join Rachel Cashman and Simon Fanshawe — two of the foremost thought leaders in workplace diversity, leadership, and inclusion — as they dive into honest conversations that get to the heart of it.For more about Rachel: Who Is The Fearless Facilitator? - Fearless Facilitator For more about Simon: Who We Are – Diversity by Design Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.2025-04-3002 min