Shows
Reaching Minds - ‘Thoughts for your Life Journey’Supervision as a PracticeIn this episode of Reaching Minds: Thoughts for Your Life Journey, we explore supervision as an essential yet often overlooked pillar of ethical, sustainable practice.When we work as coaches, facilitators or consultants, we are frequently the container for our clients’ complexity, emotions and organisational dynamics. But the question rarely asked is: who holds the space for the space-holders?I’m joined by Steve Hearsum, consultant, supervisor, coach and author of No Silver Bullet, a book that challenges organisations’ addiction to quick-fix solutions for complex problems. Steve is also a board member at the Tavistock Instit...
2026-02-0938 min
The Brave Next StepCourage, Chaos and the Messy Truth About ChangeIn this episode, I sit down with consultant, coach and author Steve Hearsum to talk about the uncomfortable realities of leadership, change and why there really isn’t a “fix it fast” solution for complex problems. We dig into his book There’s No Silver Bullet and explore why the need for certainty often stops leaders from doing the deeper, inner work that actually matters.It’s a conversation about courage, fragility and the importance of dialogue – the kind that helps us face the messiness of real organisational life without pretending we’ve got all the answers.
2025-11-1749 min
Highly RelationalMini Series: Six Voices - Finding the Love #2/3This three-part mini-series - Six Voices - revisits some of the most powerful moments from previous seasons of Highly Relational.In each episode, six terrific guests offer their own unique take on one shared truth: that relationships aren’t just important to teamwork and leadership - they are the work.About this episodeIn this second instalment of Six Voices, Robert Digings brings together six remarkable guests from Season 2 - each offering a distinct lens on why relationships sit at the heart of every great team.From family systems...
2025-10-1514 min
Leadership DecantedCheeky Half Episode (33): There's never a 'Silver Bullet'. Or is there...?Our very first live podcast recording with Steve Hearsum (Episode 5.07) is the gift that keeps giving!Join Paul & KG as they open the space to questions from our audience for our highly engaging guest. The questions are considered, and the ongoing conversation is insightful, offering an unexpected invitation to deeper reflection and vulnerability.And let us repeat, for your drinking pleasure, the delectable wines provided by our friends at Annandale Cellars on this occasion.2022 Spinifex Bête Noir Shiraz. 2024 Catlow & Company Nebbiolo 2024 Wanderer Yarra Valley Macclesfield Chardonnay
2025-09-1427 minLeadership Decanted(5.07) Leadership & the Myth of the Silver Bullet (LIVE!)Join KG and Paul in Leadership Decanted's FIRST podcast recorded in front of a live audience. Exciting times indeed!It seems that if we're doing leadership well, then chances are we will regularly experience uncertainty, ambiguity, doubt, and maybe even shame at our inability to find a solution to many of our challenges. Leadership is hard. We know this. If only there was a ready-made and easily deployable solution to each of these complex situations. There isn't one. We know this too.And yet we nevertheless long for these s...
2025-08-3157 min
HeadflexEp 13: Bringing Smelly Fish to the Table: Why we Avoid Hard Conversations at Work with Steve HearsumEver sensed there’s something unspoken at work? Something everyone feels but no one names? In this episode of Headflex, co-hosts Rebecca Walker and Diane Williams sit down with guest Steve Hearsum to talk about exactly that: the tricky, uncomfortable stuff that quietly shapes how teams function but rarely makes it into the meeting room.Steve’s a consultant, coach, and author of No Silver Bullet, a book that challenges the quick-fix culture many organisations rely on. Together, they talk about the kinds of issues that get ignored, why we avoid them, and what happens when we fina...
2025-06-1625 min
Strategy Meets Reality PodcastNo Silver Bullet: Reconnecting Strategy, Change, and Leadership with Steve HearsumWhat if the real barrier to change isn’t resistance—but the stories leaders tell themselves to avoid doing the work?In this episode of Strategy Meets Reality, Mike Jones is joined by Steve Hearsum—consultant, coach, and author of No Silver Bullet—to unpack the deep disconnect between strategy, leadership, and organisational change.This isn’t about frameworks or toolkits. It’s about the mess, the uncertainty, and the anxiety that real change creates—and what happens when leaders fall back on control, comms theatre, and performative fixes.Steve brings sharp insight...
2025-06-0351 min
The Business of Being BrilliantS10 Ep 08: How to get past the quick fix with Steve HearsumHow do quick fix solutions impact the way we approach organisational challenges, and what's the alternative? In this episode I chat with Steve Hearsum, an experienced organisational consultant, coach, and author. Together, we explore why quick fixes in the business world are so tempting yet problematic; we also discuss the human side of transformation.Join us as we explore how to: ⭐️ Recognise the allure of quick fixes while understanding their long-term implications. ⭐️ Equip yourself with the tools for constructive conflict and meaningful dialogue across organisational boundaries. ⭐️ Foster an environment where enquiry and sense-makin...
2025-04-2734 min
Health and Safety ConversationsSteve HearsumSteve Hearsum has worked for over 20 years as an organisational consultant, coach
and more recently supervisor. He has a keen interest in the human side of change,
which in recent years that has grown into a fascination with how shame and anxiety
drive behaviour in organisations, particularly at senior leadership levels. He supports
and challenges clients to find their ‘edge and stretch’ when what they are after is
more than simply ‘better sameness’, and has been described as ‘the right kind of fly
in the ointment’.
His work focuses on building cha...
2025-04-1231 min
Voices from the EdgeSteve HearsumSteve Hearsum has worked for over 20 years as an organisational consultant, coach
and more recently supervisor. He has a keen interest in the human side of change,
which in recent years that has grown into a fascination with how shame and anxiety
drive behaviour in organisations, particularly at senior leadership levels. He supports
and challenges clients to find their ‘edge and stretch’ when what they are after is
more than simply ‘better sameness’, and has been described as ‘the right kind of fly
in the ointment’.
His work focuses on building cha...
2025-04-1231 min
Advanced Executive Leadership#62 No Silver Bullets with Steve HearsumSteve Hearsum supports and challenges clients to find their 'edge and stretch' when what they are after is more than simply 'better sameness'. He creates useful discomfort in service of learning and have been told he has “a knack of not letting people off the hook, without leaving them feeling like they’re on the hook”. His interest is in building change capability through:Leadership practice: conventional leadership development is largely a waste of time and money. He works with leaders to help them understand how they show up and the impact they have in the context they ope...
2024-12-1252 min
Reaching Minds - ‘Thoughts for your Life Journey’How Vulnerability can be a Doorway to Human Fragility | Steve Hearsum | Reach Minds PodcastWelcome to our episode of ‘Reach Minds: Thoughts for Your Life’s Journey’ podcast.
In today’s show, we explore how vulnerability can be a doorway into connecting with our human fragility. This concept is often overlooked in ourselves and when working with leaders in organisations. How do we, as practitioners, acknowledge or discuss human fragility when we see it in our clients or leaders, particularly as part of the change and transitional process where uncertainty and anxiety could be present.
Today, I am joined by Steve Hearsum, a consultant supervisor and coach, and the author of...
2024-11-2121 min
Work's Not Working... Let's Fix It!No Silver Bullet: Debunking the Quick Fix In Leadership with Steve HearsumIn this episode of Work’s Not Working, Siân Harrington sits down with Steve Hearsum to debunk one of the most seductive myths in leadership and organisational change – the myth of the "silver bullet." From tales of vampires and werewolves to the Lone Ranger’s legendary single shot, Steve uses storytelling to explore why leaders are so often tempted by the idea that a single, magical solution can solve their organisation’s most complex problems.Steve takes aim at quick fixes, challenging the traditional ways leadership development is approached and questioning why companies are still pouring millions...
2024-10-2148 min
The Oxford Review PodcastBursting the bubble of the organisational quick fix with Steve HearsumIn this episode David talks with Steve Hearsum - author of 'No Silver Bullet -
Bursting the bubble of the organisational quick fix'. For full show notes, links, downloads etc please go to:
2024-10-0344 min
The Wicked PodcastSteve Hearsum - No Silver BulletWhy do we believe in silver bullets?Steve Hearsum - No Silver Bullets is a book exploring our fallacies around technology as silver bullets and why we still tend to believe in technology more than we should.Please like and subscribe.Sponsor: Zencastr : http://www.zencastr.com Get 40% off the first 3 months for unlimited audio and HD video recordings Code: wickedpodcast'The Wicked Company' book on Amazon Associate Link: https://lnkd.in/dk34h-_sThe Wicked Podcast: Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thewickedpodcastThe...
2024-09-2633 min
The Product ExperienceThe illusion of quick fixes in organisational change - Steve Hearsum (Consultant, Author)Can organisational change truly rely on quick fixes, or are we missing the bigger picture? Join our engaging discussion with Steve Hearsum, Author of "No Silver Bullet: Bursting the Bubble of the Organizational Quick Fix." Steve shares his journey into the field and reveals the flawed belief in miracle solutions for complex challenges. We tackle the often-overlooked challenges faced by product managers who are expected to perform at senior leadership levels without adequate support. Featured Links: Follow Steve on LinkedIn | Buy Steve's book 'No Silver Bullet: Bursting the Bubble of the Organisational Quick Fix' | Edge +...
2024-06-1246 min
The Consultancy BusinessWhy the “quick fix’ is a myth: Steve HearsumThis month's guest is consultant, superviser and speaker Steve Hearsum. Steve is the author of 'No Silver Bullet: bursting the bubble of the organisational quick fix' and joins Phil to discuss the true role of consultants in a world where complex problems do not have easy answers. You can find Steve's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silver-Bullet-Solutions-Psychology-Management/dp/1738553809
2024-06-0338 minHighly RelationalBonus #2: Season End Reflections - Listening is VulnerabilityIn this bonus episode Robert reflects on the second half of the series, sharing his personal thoughts about the conversations he's had and the stand out themes of LISTENING and VULNERABILITY. He thanks the guests and listeners, asks for topic suggestions and guest recommendations and provides a Brucey Bonus!Listen here to find out more.If you enjoyed Robert's reflections and want to hear more try the mid-season reflection episode (BONUS #1: MID-SEASON REFLECTIONS - RELATIONAL LEADERSHIP) or if a particular clip drew you in listen to the full episode on...
2024-05-2913 min
The Sacred Wild PodcastNo Silver Bullet: Embracing the Complexity of ChangeHey Wild Ones! In this deeply insightful episode, I had the pleasure of diving into the complex world of change, leadership, and authenticity with my dear friend and provocateur, Steve Hearsum. Fresh off the launch of his thought-provoking book, "No Silver Bullet", Steve shared his wisdom on the absurdity of searching for simple solutions to complex problems. Together, we explored the role of shame, shadow, and vulnerability in our lives as change-makers and the importance of embracing discomfort in service of genuine growth and transformation.Throughout our conversation, Steve's authenticity shone through as he candidly shared his...
2024-05-0349 minHighly RelationalSilver Bullet - The Myth of Fixability with Steve HearsumWhen was the last time you experienced true change in your organisation?When was the last time you hired a change consultant?What did it actually change? Highly RelationalSeason 2 - Episode 9Silver Bullet – Myth of Fixabilitywith Steve Hearsum Steve has spent decades working as an executive coach and consultant, working with organisations like Roffey Park, Tavistock Institute of Human Relations and the University of Sussex and has come to understand that there are no silver bullets, no quick fixes. Steve is here today to highli...
2024-05-0143 min
OrgDev with DistinctionNo Silver Bullet - Busting the Myth of Organisation Quick Fixes with Steve Hearsum - OrgDev Episode 17We'd love to hear from you so send us a message!Our latest episode of the OrgDev podcast is with Steve Hearsum. Steve has recently published his first book called No Silver Bullet: Moving Beyond Quick Fix Solutions in Business and the Psychology of Change Management. We had an energising time talking with Steve and unpacking why we are so tempted by quick fixes both as leaders. We covered a lot of ground in less than an hour including the problems caused by the non-stop search for silver bullets to organisation challenges, the rise of the thought l...
2024-04-2656 min
Sage Thought Leadership PodcastSteve Hearsum on his book, No Silver Bulllet: Bursting the bubble of the organizational quick fixSteve Hearsum discussed the limitations of quick fixes and the importance of functional collaboration in a complex world. They also explored the link between anxiety and creativity, and the need for leaders to acknowledge their limitations and learn. Lastly, they examined the persistence of the heroic leadership concept and the need for a shift in organizational mentality. Steve is the author of No Silver Bullet: Bursting the bubble of the organizational quick fix. Steve is the founder of Edge and Stretch, working with brands and organisations to increase their capacity for collaboration and experimentation, including the NHS...
2024-04-1810 minSage Thought Leadership PodcastSteve Hearsum on his book, No Silver Bulllet: Bursting the bubble of the organizational quick fixSteve Hearsum discussed the limitations of quick fixes and the importance of functional collaboration in a complex world. They also explored the link between anxiety and creativity, and the need for leaders to acknowledge their limitations and learn. Lastly, they examined the persistence of the heroic leadership concept and the need for a shift in organizational mentality. Steve is the author of No Silver Bullet: Bursting the bubble of the organizational quick fix. Steve is the founder of Edge and Stretch, working with brands and organisations to increase their capacity for collaboration and experimentation, including the NHS...
2024-04-1810 min
ChangeStoriesSteve Hearsum - The challenges and ethics of organisational consulting, for consultants and leaders In this episode, Susanne talks to Steve Hearsum about his book, No Silver Bullet, and the unconscious patterns of shame and anxiety that drive leaders to seek a quick fix for complex problems. Also, we discuss how consultants are very willing to collude with these unconscious behaviours. We also talk about how to build change capability in organisations and challenge our own thinking as consultants, recognising how uncomfortable this can feel at times. The ChangeStories podcast is for people who are interested in change, whether that is within organisations or for i...
2024-04-1848 min
Down To BusinessDifficulties in Business Management with Steve HearsumBobby is joined by Steve Hearsum, author of No Silver Bullet: Bursting the Bubble of the Organisational Quick Fix to discuss the difficulties you can have in business management.
2024-04-0613 minDown To BusinessDifficulties in Business Management with Steve HearsumBobby is joined by Steve Hearsum, author of No Silver Bullet: Bursting the Bubble of the Organisational Quick Fix to discuss the difficulties you can have in business management.
2024-04-0613 min
The Mayvin PodcastThe Future of OrganisingSend us a textJoin Sarah Fraser and Steve Hearsum in this podcast episode as they talk about their time teaching a module on organisational change. They discuss the challenges of planning for the future when it's uncertain and touch on power dynamics, the need for sharing power, and the role of human behavior in shaping organisations. They share some surprising moments, like the idea of a group nap, and emphasize the importance of being fully present today to create a better future. Thanks so much for listening! Keep in touch: Email us on m...
2024-03-1437 min
The Heard Space3 Love, leadership and hope w/ Helena ClaytonIs there a business case for love? Does love need to be productised or deliver an ROI in order to be valued in the world of work? And what exactly does love mean in today's complex, fragmented world? These are just some of the questions this week's guest, Helena Clayton, explores with host Elloa Barbour. Helena is a highly experienced coach, facilitator and consultant specialising in leadership development to help people and organisations change and grow. She works with various approaches including systems mapping, shadow work and a focus on love. In this episode, Helena...
2023-02-081h 05
#Biz_Culture#18_PODCAST #Biz_Culture | Wanna change or linger in ‘better sameness’? by Steve HearsumReally?... it is like a famous gif of ”seriously?” - it has the same check-point function to check on the reality in which we live. Questioning, critical thinking, discomfort, and change are what we really need to put to the checkpoint for a reality test. That’s why this new episode with Change expert Steve Hearsum will be eye-opening, for real :)
Also, this time we will talk from the consultant’s perspective and Steve’s perspective might allow you to rethink what you used to think about organizational consultants.
It will be deep and interesting - tune in!
Keywords of today’s ep...
2023-02-0749 min
Life Beyond The Numbers#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 sto...
2022-04-1249 min