Shows
The Culture BuildersChange Maker Episode 10 - Abida LalaniJoin us for an insightful conversation with Abida Lalani, Strategy and Transformation Director. Having worked with Jane Sparrow for several years, the two of them sit down and discuss her wealth of experience in navigating and leading significant change. Abida brings a grounded and practical perspective to the often complex world of transformation.
In this episode, Abida takes us on a journey through her career, from her early experiences in financial services during the financial crisis to her most recent and current roles driving changes. She candidly recounts her personal evolution in embracing change, moving from initial...
2025-10-1025 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders - Helping Talent through the 50s DipChris has recently been speaking to a number of experts on the subject of the 50-60 year sprint for professionals in business. Following on from his conversion with Joanna Lockwood, he has reconnected with regular TCB Podcast contributor Steve Butler - author of a number of books, the most relevant of which covers exactly this topic - The Midlife Review.
They highlight the new obstacles that arise in the 50-60 phase, such as family requirements, health and one's own commitment to a career that may well have peaked.
Steve and Chris also cover how important i...
2025-07-2836 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders - Getting People Across the 50-60 chasmUsing his own recent experience of hitting the '50s doldrums' Chris has reached out to two experts in the area of managing age diversity to seek their thoughts and advice on how organisations can properly support their senior talent as it passes through a very complex decade of life.
First up is one of Chris' LinkedIn heroes - Joanne Lockwood - a highly respected expert and thought leader on inclusion and belonging. As a transgender woman in her early 60s, Joanne embodies the essence of transformative change, bringing authenticity and lived experience to her work in diversity, equity, and i...
2025-06-3045 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders - Guiding Leaders Through the New Wellbeing MazeChris recently spoke at a HR Network conference in Scotland - sharing the outputs from our research around the future trends for leaders, and the impact of the unintended consequences that the many wellbeing, inclusion, care and support initiatives are having on managers and leaders. With so much now to contend with, and a rightful focus on employees living sustainable lives, we've pushed so much into the role of a people manager.
Grace Orr, Director of People for CommuniCorp UK, joined Chris on the stage, to bring to life the situation, with examples, stories and actions that...
2025-05-2246 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders - The Cost, and Solution to the Wellbeing RevolutionAt the end of 2024, Jane and Chris - co-founders of The Culture Builders - took time to reflect on the seismic shift that's taken place over the last ten years. Many organisations have successfully built employee care and wellbeing programmes that encourage people to bring their whole selves to the business, and provide them with a wealth of support options to tackle issues of health, stress, inclusion and life events.
We wholly support this, and long may it continue. However, we are also seeing how these new, high levels of employee care and support are impacting those expected to enact t...
2024-12-2922 min
The Culture BuildersChange Maker Episode Nine - Andrew MoultrieIn this episode, Jane and Andrew talk about the impact of taking care of yourself, using your support network, and leading with trust, openness and clarity during transformation. They reflect on the lessons learnt throughout the years and discuss the importance of taking people with you on a journey of discovery and belief.
With a diverse career working with organisations such as Nike and PepsiCo before joining the BBC 11 years ago, Andrew has experienced change at many levels from restructuring, growth transitions and efficiency based changes.
He and Jane share stories and experiences from throughout th...
2024-09-1827 min
The Culture BuildersChange Maker Episode Eight - Steve ThornFor episode eight of our Change Maker podcast series Jane Sparrow and Steve Thorn are sharing their tips and advice for navigating and leading change.
Talking intentionality around tone, language used and managing pace - for yourself and those around you - Steve and Jane draw on their shared experiences and leave you with a whole host of tools and tips to guide you on your change journey too.
They discuss the need for a flexible mindset vs a fixed one, the importance of having a network of change agents, and the different responses people ha...
2024-08-1233 min
The Culture BuildersChange Maker Episode Seven - Pip SmithIn our latest podcast episode, Jane Sparrow is in conversations with Pip Smith, Director of Strategic Change & Portfolio at @ Currys, to talk about all things change leadership. Talking lessons and moments from their combined experiences of leading change.
Pip shares her top lessons from 17 years experience in transformation; the importance of linking to the vision, sharing proof points and trophy moments along the way, and understanding the differences between the people within your organisation.
Listen now to hear stories of successful change, and a time when it’s not gone so well. Learn from Pip and...
2024-07-2424 min
The Culture BuildersChange Maker Episode Six - Andy McGoffAs part of our in-depth change maker podcast series Jane Sparrow speaks to Andy McGoff, Director of Finance and Operations at Edinburgh Napier University.
With a rich bank of knowledge and involvement in all levels of change from start up scale to large scale, he stresses the importance of keeping a golden thread of trust throughout, investing time in your teams and creating an environment where you can be honest with one another (even if it’s not necessarily what they want to hear!).
Andy and Jane explore lessons learnt from his diverse career and the...
2024-07-0427 min
The Culture BuildersChange Maker Episode Five - Asha AmsterIn this episode, Jane Sparrow discusses all things transformation with Asha Amster. She has a rich career, working in various transformation and business roles, for a range of multinational companies, largely in TV and Entertainment.
Asha talks about the importance of the sector, how many people escape through entertainment during change, and the value of joy and immersion during your down time.
Jane and Asha share insightful tips and lessons learned and reflects on the leadership qualities and skills that help Asha to lead during change. Spoiler - emotional intelligence, vulnerability and active listening are t...
2024-06-1928 min
The Culture BuildersChange Maker Episode Four - Sam TewungwaSam Tewungwa, Managing Director at UKTV and President, UK Region BBC Studios, joins Jane Sparrow for the latest Change Maker podcast. Sam is currently leading the UKTV Digital transformation and has a wealth of experience leading change throughout his rich career.
In this episode, they talk about their shared passion for remembering the human side of change, the importance of looking for feedback from all across the business and ensuring alignment throughout the change process.
Listen now to hear Sams top three leadership learnings.
2024-06-0622 min
The Culture BuildersChange Maker Episode Three - Charlotte EatonJane Sparrow is joined by Charlotte Eaton, CPO & Customer Experience at OVO Energy, for the next instalment of our change maker series to reflect on her key change leadership lessons through her sparkling career.
Charlotte covers the importance of investing in relationships, connection and intentionality when leading change. Find out how she got her fingers burned and listened to some tough feedback that has shaped how she understands the context of others and manages her own human Bank of Me. And, hear her killer change lesson toward the end! We love our work with OVO and so a...
2024-05-2436 min
The Culture BuildersChange Maker Episode Two - Carrie CushingEpisode two of our Change maker podcast series - Jane Sparrow is joined by Chief People Officer at at EXA Infrastructure, Carrie Cushing.
Carrie and Jane discuss the need for connecting change to your day to day life and your stakeholders. Carrie shares how she's learned the power of connecting change to each individual's context and taking the time to help people make sense of it. She's seen a better reaction that way - all lessons we advocate through our work too.
Listen now to hear more on Carrie's personal change journey and le...
2024-05-1528 min
The Culture BuildersChange Maker Episode One - Phil RumbolKicking off our series of Change Leadership Lessons, Jane Sparrow is joined by Phil Rumbol
Phil is a Non Exec Director and advisor who has held many Senior Marketing and Commercial roles within Cadbury, Whitbread, Bahlsen, AB InBev.
Listen now to hear some of the lessons and strategies learnt from leading change and Phils valuable advice to others who are about to embark on their own change journey.
Phil talks about the need for a ‘clear narrative about what you're doing, the change you’re trying to drive and why you are doing...
2024-04-2530 min
The Culture BuildersIntroducing Our Change Makers Podcast SeriesOver the coming weeks we will be sharing a series of podcasts from some of the most progressive leaders in the UK and wider world - people that have built successful paths through change, and possess a wealth of knowledge around the practical, personal and leadership skills needed to help people during some of the toughest moments in their career.
Watch out for the first episode, landing soon, along with a rich mix of content to give you ideas and practical steer on how you can take your own team and organisation through change.
2024-04-2201 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders – A deep dive into 2023Another year tucked under our belts, and a whole heap of challenges, successes and growth. Like most people, we’ve forgotten most of it… and it took some time to recall enough to pull our last 2023 podcast together! Chris and Jane muse on the ups and downs for the company, and the big learnings that the year has produced.
Late trains, difficult conversations, bees, workloads and collaboration (lack thereof) are all topics, along with a dose of personal reflection on what the year has meant. We loved doing it, we think it’s important for other to do the...
2023-12-1526 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders – Honey to the Bee and Bank of MeJane managed to fulfil a personal objective for 2023 – just under the wire as the year ends. Ever since meeting Paula Carnell - Environmental Consultant of the Year - at a ‘honey tasting’ event, she has wanted to find an opportunity to interview her on our podcast channel. Why? Because her experiences and views on the importance of bees and honey for the health and wellbeing of humans is becoming a huge topic.
At the very forefront of this is Paula. She came to beekeeping later in her life, following a period of prolonged illness. Through her own experi...
2023-12-0742 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders - Closing the Gap for Black Women in BusinessA fortuitous review of Leanne Mair’s new book: Closing the Gap, led to not one, but two podcasts with the author. The book is an in-depth look at the disparity that black women face in the working world - despite being a group identified as some of the most hard-working, professional and well educated people we have the opportunity to recruit.
Leanne has a wealth of experience and insight (more than a book’s worth) to share, and does it in a way that, without diminishing the issue, makes it feel like a positive and action focu...
2023-12-0642 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders - Harnessing the Power of ADHDAs part of our support for ADHD awareness month, Jane Sparrow interviewed Samantha Hiew, PhD – an acknowledged expert on the subject, and someone who has a wealth of experience and advice for people with ADHD and those working and living alongside them.
The podcast is full of practical examples of how a person with ADHD navigates the world, how they best operate and the ideal ways that leaders can engage with them and harness what is, in many ways, a super power.
Compulsive listening if you are working in a team that...
2023-10-1643 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders - Bright Sparks and The World ServiceRegular listeners will recognise the name - John Tusa has previously appeared on our podcast, talking about his book 'On Board' - a rich insight into the Boards of many public institutions. At the time, we didn't get a chance to talk about his role in the BBC World Service.
However, a chance comment from a colleague, concerning the famous 'Tusa-grams' sent us right back to John, with a plea to talk more about his role leading the World Service, and how he curated the organisation during a time of significant change. We also got a chance t...
2023-09-1938 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - Nectar for LeadersWhen a book lands on your desk titled: "The Eagle That Drank Hummingbird Nectar" you know it's going to be something different from the norm. Aneace Haddad is a coach and advisor to a range of C-level leaders, who draws on his own journey to a senior role to help others to articulate and overcome the challenges they face 'at the top'.
Chris got a chance to interview Aneace, and had a broad-ranging, stimulating conversation about what it means to be the one that 'the buck stops at'. He talks candidly about how lonely it ca...
2023-09-1127 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders – The Three Big Fixes For LeadersSun, sand and strategic thinking? At the time of recording, many leaders are turning on the out-of-office note and heading for a well-earned holiday. But they are departing from professional lives that are busier, more complex and stressful than ever. With a myriad of new factors to contend with, the question ‘who would want to be a boss?’ rings truer than ever.
Jane and Chris dip their toe into the waters of leadership life on this podcast – taking a short look at the three big challenges that leaders face – empowerment, strategic thinking and burn out. All three are link...
2023-07-1125 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders - The Warmth of a Cold CultureWant to be part of a really strong, positive and supportive culture? It’s going to cost you – the price of a swim in freezing cold water… But it’s worth it, as that action buys you entry into a rapidly growing network of people, mainly women, who are part of the Bluetits Chill Swimmers club.
Sounds extreme, but for the 80,000+ people in the network, it’s a way to build courage and overcome their fears & self-assumptions. Founded by Sian Richardson, the Bluetits encourages people to safely swim in open water in the UK – all year round. It’s freezin...
2023-06-2331 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - Bringing Values to LifeWhat can beer theft (or lack of) teach us about how to bring values to life in an organisation? Or what does it mean to be Daring at 4am in the loading bay of a warehouse? Listen in as Owen and Chris talk about their experience with values and the ways in which organisations bring them to life.
You'll be asking tough questions of your own organisational values - are they static, active or progressive? Do they encourage action, or simply make people feel good?
Values live or die based on how people bring them in...
2023-06-0728 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst - Talking Psychological SafetyPsychological Safety is a phrase we all bandy about, and more - it's big business and a major focus for many organisations that genuinely want to ensure it exists in strength within their teams. But, as most people to define it and we stumble - it's not a simple thing to grasp (or indeed create) and many of us end up talking about trust and safety to speak up.
Which, yes, it is both. But it's also so much more. Jane took time with one of our team members - Janine Roberts - to bring t...
2023-05-3117 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – connecting cultures with language ‘hygiene’This episode is a cautionary tale of linguistic privilege. What? You say. Listen on and find out, as Chris interviews Heather Hansen – a Global Communication Expert and author of the book ‘Unmuted’. She spends a great deal of her professional life helping people to feel more confident speaking in a second language (in particular, English). But, as she explains, the main root problems lie with the native speaker, not the person trying to improve.
Listening to this is a cold-shower wake up for native English speakers – challenging us to rethink how we communicate with our global community, and to u...
2023-04-2635 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - find your route to appreciationJane is joined by our Head of Consulting - Tyson Matheson - to talk through the 'five languages of appreciation' - sharing tips, stories and ideas that can help to build a stronger culture within any organisation.
Find time to listen and think about how you prefer to demonstrate it, and the reasons why you want to show appreciation (hint: It's not to receive it back). Jane and Tyson share some ideas on how to use the thinking in your daily professional life, and how to start a 'movement' in your team that sees this being a...
2023-04-1320 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - From Fruit Flies to Frozen Planet - a Cultural JourneyFrom an audience of fruit flies, to a global one numbering in the billions, Nicki Sheard, President, Brands & Licensing for BBC Studios, has had a highly varied career that's led to her current role. She's worked in FMCG, Fashion and Gaming sectors, and has held a number of roles across the BBC group.
Jane got the chance to talk to Nicki about her experiences across this diverse portfolio and share them on our latest podcast. The singles biggest differentiator in each role has, for Nicki, been the culture. She has drawn learnings from every experience, good and bad...
2023-01-2632 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Word of the YearIt’s mere days before we hear the strains of Auld Lang Syne played across the globe, as we say goodbye to a challenging 2022, and step into an uncertain 2023. Jane and Chris’s advice is simple – have a word ready to set the tone.
Over the last few years The Culture Builders’ team has made it a habit to choose a personal word each year that helps them find new and more productive ways of working and thriving. Jane and Chris share their previous words and, as an exclusive sneak-peek, share their next year’s ones now. The questi...
2022-12-2313 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Meet the Bank of MeOver the last two years the pressure of work has simply grown and grown – phrases such as ‘The Great Resignation,’ ‘Quiet Quitting,’ and ‘Husk Workers’ have all sprung up as we all find the professional life more challenging than ever, and leaving us to ask the tough question of ‘why’.
On this podcast, Chris and Jane talk through the key factors that led them to creating the Bank of Me app – a tool aimed at helping busy professionals to stay well, focused and productive in a very tough environment. Burn-out is the word of the moment, and the impact for organ...
2022-12-1617 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - impact of isolation Jane Sparrow, speaks with designer and maker Stephen Bailey - who shares his story behind being self-employed and working alone, as well as the experience of taking part in an 'impact of work' study and how it made himself more aware of his mental wellbeing, particularly during the pandemic.
Lots of ideas, tips and inspiration to help us all move forwards with our health.
2022-12-1522 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - Beating The Monday BluesJane Sparrow speaks with Kirstin Furber, People Director at Channel 4 - who shares her advice on how to tackle Sunday night blues, as well as tips on workplace wellbeing. Her organisation has recently placed a great emphasis on making Monday the highlight of the week, rather than the lowlight.
Lots of ideas, tips and inspiration to help us all move forwards with our health.
2022-12-1521 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Creating a Culture of Financial WellbeingOrganisations, quite rightly, are very proactive in providing mental wellbeing support to their employees. Perhaps less so with physical wellbeing… but even worse when it comes to financial wellbeing. On this note, as we enter the ‘Talk Money’ week and there’s a raised focus on this area, Jane caught up with one of the UK’s leading financial wellbeing consultants – Emma Waller – to look at how organisations can make money-sense a cultural differentiator.
Emma is a Financial Wellbeing Consultant with extensive experience in developing financial content across private, public and voluntary sectors, designing and delivering financial wellbeing prog...
2022-11-0840 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst - Flex Working Take-awaysJane caught up with our Head of Programmes, Owen Cook, who recently delivered a taster webinar to share our latest thinking around the hugely topic of flex working. On this podcast he shares an overall structure for developing a consistent, sustainable road-map for an organisation's way forward.
Plenty of practical ideas to get you thinking and open up wider conversations within your organisation to progress your own future of work planning.
2022-10-1511 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Making the Four Day Week Work“Four day working week ahead” shout all the headlines at the moment. But, as many are finding out, the reality of a truncated working pattern is far from easy. Jane got a chance to talk to David Taylor, the Group Commercial Director for Costain, who shared with her his experience of changing from a five to a four day week.
The move was part of his search for a ‘quality of life upgrade’ but, when he trialled it, David found it was anything but – working a four day week just shifted the work into the weekend and pressurise...
2022-09-0824 min
The Workplace EffectHybrid Working with Jane Sparrow (Author and founder of The Culture Builders and Tuddl)This month's host, Cinzia Soro, welcomes the Author and founder of The Culture Builders and Tuddl, Jane Sparrow, as they discuss why the new hybrid working model works for both the employer and the employee. For the majority of us, we were all thrown into remote working throughout the pandemic. And many of us still work this way! It’s evolved and transformed the way we work and our daily lives. But hybrid working looks different for us all.
Links
www.theculturebuilders.com
https://tuddl.com/
Credits
Host: Cinzia Soro...
2022-07-2822 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Flex in the new world of workThere is, without a doubt, a huge, global desire to remove the nine to five working patterns. But, to be balanced, it’s been on the way out for a number of years… but slowly and with great effort by a few determined people.
In that vein, meet Emma Cleary – Founder of Flexibility Matters, an organisation that’s been specialising in placing candidates that are looking for flexible working patterns. In Emma’s own words, it’s been a tough sell for many years. But, for her, the rollercoaster cart has reached the top of the climb, and now is h...
2021-12-0730 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – putting numbers to the impact of the pandemicDuring the early autumn of 2021, The Culture Builders commissioned an independent research project to look at the impact of the pandemic on organisations across the UK, and beyond. The aim was to identify the key factors that have been impacted (positively and negatively by the Lockdown and restrictions, and to chart out how this impact differs across organisations.
The inevitable results demonstrated that areas such as engagement, talent development and culture have all been impacted (but more deeply than first thought). But the research told a story of two situations – smaller companies have been harder hit, but ar...
2021-10-2511 min
The Culture BuildersWelcome to poly-working – meeting a myriad of needsSince Jane and Chris developed the thinking behind the concept of Poly Working, the team has been inundated with requests for conversations, support and ideas. The notion of a multi-faceted approach to the return to work, and beyond, is a compelling call to action that challenges the overly simplistic remote working structures that some organisations are looking to implement.
In this podcast, they open up the idea, and share how organisations are finding success as they find their way in the new world of work. There’s no one easy solution, and the guidance focuses more on co...
2021-06-1120 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - working with purpose at the heart of the cultureSelina Hales, founder of Glasgow-based Charity, Refuweegee talks to Owen Cook about managing, leading and looking after staff, volunteers, and yourself in a high-purpose environment, where people pour themselves into their work.
The conversation brings lessons in working towards unachievable goals and developing a symbiotic relationship with your people in order to continue to perform under difficult circumstances. If this one doesn't give you goosebumps at some point, we don't know what will.
This was recorded pre-pandemic.
2021-03-0429 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - Leadership in the charitable sectorIn this episode, our Head of Programmes, Owen Cook, talks with Diana Jupp, the CEO at Pancreatic Cancer UK - the Charity leading on raising awareness of this type of cancer and providing support to patients and families affected by it. Diana talks about the challenges that working in a charity so closely linked to loss brings to her and the team.
During the course of the conversation Diana shares her insights on maintaining culture whilst growing an organisation, the difficulty of finding the right balance between investment and delivery when you have limited resources, and what...
2021-03-0420 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - keeping an eye on the talent ballHow do you maintain culture, connection and performance in your organisation when you add talent? In this episode, Hilary Wells - HR Director for Hawkeye - talks to Owen about managing and developing people to achieve high-performance.
Hilary shares her insights on recruiting people during phases of rapid growth, in contexts ranging from family-owned, to truly global businesses and dealing with the resulting shifting dynamics.
2021-03-0423 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Talent in the new realityKellie McSorley, Founder of SILK Search and The SET joins Jane Sparrow to discuss the current and emerging talent landscape that organisations are experiencing. Her insight is both deep and broad – bringing in a number of perspectives that point to the emerging direction that organisations will be taking as they look for the next wave of senior leaders.
In a pandemic and hopefully post-pandemic world, new skills are going to be critical as companies look to on-board people who bring a strong mix of ‘soft skills’ that enable them to effectively manage a rapidly evolving workplace. Placed as she...
2021-01-2829 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Don’t wing culture in aviationJane and Chris both take time on this episode to interview Peter Davies – a man whose vast experience and knowledge of the aviation industry and its unique leadership challenges needs two interviewers to do justice to! He’s a turn-around specialist who has rekindled the passion, and passenger numbers in a number of airlines and aviation-related organisations. But he’s not your average trouble-shooter.
To give you an insight into this, he devotes five minutes of this podcast talking about fixing toilets. It’s not as trivial as it seems, and it’s something that typifies Peter’s style – ca...
2020-12-1130 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – The Culture of the BoardSir John Tusa’s board experience reads like a top ten list for the UK arts world. He’s been part of the governance process for organisations such as The British Museum, The English National Opera and the National Portrait Gallery. This, on top of a career that’s seen him running the BBC World Service, co-founding Newsnight and managing London’s Barbican Centre. So, when John writes a book about Boards, you know it’s going to be good.
Chris recently reviewed John’s new book – On Board – and was compelled to talk to him about how an organisat...
2020-12-0934 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Energising a magnetic cultureLibby Townsend – Group People Director at OVO Group – joins Jane Sparrow to discuss her experiences in a range of corporates, and what she sees as the deeper factors that create a ‘magnetic culture’ for organisations – drawing in and keeping bright people as we enter the new year and a range of new challenges and possibilities
She shares her journey and learning points around the creation and maintenance of strong cultures - such as her tent-in-a-field induction with Virgin Mobile and how it demonstrated the power of fun in an organisation. Libby also talks about the difficulty of ‘retro-fittin...
2020-11-2631 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – There’s something funny about cultureFrom March 2020 to today we have all been living and working on a rollercoaster – the initial stages filled us with fear and trepidation, but also with a keen sense of humour and shared laughter. Over time, fear has become resignation and humour has faded. But, with the change in seasons, steps ‘back’ around lockdown and people feeling at a low ebb, we need it more than ever.
In this quick burst episode, Chris takes a dip into this surprisingly complex subject and highlights its importance (and risk) in creating a strong team culture. He also lays down the ch...
2020-11-1308 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – Unplug to rechargeWith statistics right now indicating that two thirds of us are facing issues with burn-out, it’s vital that we start taking on board the idea that ‘unplugging’ is a critical factor for sustainable working, and to give use a fighting change of making it through this most difficult, prolonged period of uncertainty. No one is taking the right amount of time off at the moment, and people are working longer and harder than ever. But it will end badly if we don’t make some changes now.
Jane and Chris, on this Burst podcast, share some very pra...
2020-10-1515 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – How to make September the start of the next chapterSeptember will be a significant turning point for many of us – as the critical situation created by COVID19 will become a chronic situation that we are learning to live with. The change of the season and the return to school/work for many is a signal that a change is hopefully coming. We have an opportunity to define the next stage of our strange 2020 world, and it’s important that we don’t sleepwalk through it and miss the opportunity. Cultures are fluid, people are looking for change and, with the right pace, great things can happen.
Jane a...
2020-09-0313 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Curating a unique culture during rapid growthHow do you capture and maintain what makes your company culture fantastic when your growth trajectory brings in a slew of new people who have the potential to dilute that culture? This was the problem faced by Paul Knight when he joined the People Function in the rapidly-growing Perform Media Group seven years ago.
Under his guidance, the organisation went from 750 people to more than 3,000 in less than four years, culminating in a necessary de-merger of the two parts (into Perform and DAZN) of the company to allow future growth. Throughout this time, Paul and the team...
2020-07-0931 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - Cultures and AI - a complex relationship“The current situation is only accelerating what’s been happening for a while with AI,” believes Greg Orme, award-winning author of The Human Edge. He joins Chris on this podcast to discuss how this now-pervasive technology is changing the landscape of work for everyone, and how we should positively use the opportunity to ‘remove tasks, not jobs’ as part of its implementation.
Greg brings a fascinating insight into how we, as a professional society, are responding to AI – where it’s being harnessed to help improve lives and where it’s disrupting traditional approaches for those less comfortable with...
2020-06-2632 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Leading BBC Studioworks through a crisisJust a few short months into his tenure as CEO of BBC Studioworks, Andrew Moultrie faced the prospect of leading his organisation through the COVID19 crisis and resultant restrictions for broadcasters. The company, a subsidiary of the BBC, provides facilities for the filming and production of some of the most popular TV shows in this country and beyond – Eastenders and Strictly being just two of a wide range of outputs.
The first tool he reached for? Emotional intelligence. Andrew credits any success of his leadership to this factor – far more so than models, process or structure. As he sa...
2020-06-1221 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst - Wellbeing becoming a critical part of business during the pandemicWellbeing has long been on the fringes of business - yes, it's important, but it's long been sat in the corner, adding value 'as and when'. But now, with the new landscape of a pandemic-hit world, we are seeing it rise to the top of the list of priorities.
Jane and Chris share their thoughts on this, and talk about how the 'permission' to take advantage of wellbeing offerings and to be more open about using them are some of the unexpected benefits of the current lockdown situation. More than ever, we need people to be focused...
2020-05-3114 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Lessons from COVID19 and the opportunities it offersBack for part two, Andrew Keith, President of Lane Crawford, builds on his views around how the virus has been a catalyst for necessary but also desired change in the fashion industry. Since the 23rd of January his organisation has been surviving in a lockdown world, and he shares his views on how they have coped, the things he has done as a leader to ensure he remains a visible, connected leader, and the impact that the values and culture work has had in preparing them for this situation.
He shares examples of where his retail team...
2020-05-2819 minThe Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – A sea change in the fashion industryA number of leading figures in the fashion industry have taken the bold step of challenging the traditional seasonal model that dominates the market currently. It’s wasteful, frustrating and unnecessary. But it takes a brave voice to rock the boat so drastically. But that’s exactly what our guest this week, Andrew Keith – President, Lane Crawford – did recently. He, and a number of leading industry figures joined forces to call out the current situation and lay the groundwork for a new way of retailing.
But the story starts three years earlier, when Lane Crawford (Asia’s leading lu...
2020-05-2220 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – managing emotions at 400 mphMike Ling is one of the flying team with the Blades Aerobatic Team – a place earnt through a spectacular military flying career, that concluded with him taking one of the lead pilot roles in the world renowned Red Arrows. He spoke to us recently to share more of his story and put into context some of our work and thinking around areas such as emotional management during stressful situations and the criticality of physiological management.
His story is nothing short of heart-stopping, in the interview he talks about a near-fatal crash that nearly ended his flying career, an...
2020-05-1529 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Culture lessons from a global team"The necessity of presence is over-rated – I’m far more focused on output and productivity, rather than the number of hours you’re sat in the office,” states Joel Krutz, former CFO of Viacom CBS International and this episode’s guest. He has, for many years worked with a team that spans the globe, so when he talks about remote working and remote teams, you sit back and listen!
You’ll need your notepads ready for this one, as Jane and Joel chat about the reality of a workforce upon which the sun never sets and how to both deli...
2020-05-0627 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - What does three years of home working teach you?Our guest this episode describes the current (April 2020) remote working situation as ‘taking off one pair of slippers and putting on different ones. Since 2016, when a leukemia diagnosis forced Frank Cunnane to re-think his work patterns, he’s been re-shaping his working patterns to take into account the new reality for him.
We asked him to share his learnings from this experience, to talk about the changes he made and the new attitudes he developed to enable him to still be an effective leader. His role as Vice President & Regional CIO EMEA for Sony Pictures Entertainment requires a gr...
2020-05-0118 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Remote working – it’s about trust & talentJames Skinner, Director of Digital Technology for Specsavers has a number of keen perspectives on how an organisation can develop its remote working culture. James joins Jane Sparrow to talk about what it means to build a remote-working focused culture and the attitudes that leaders need to foster authentically if they are to make the transition to a more fluid working approach a success.
His experience in companies such as Dyson and Specsavers and the different ways they approach this area are highly illuminating. One area he raises on the podcast is the link between flexible work p...
2020-04-2828 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – On the road with a remote working proContinuing our remote working focus, Jane is joined by Jonathan Hood - Business Development Manager – Coloplast is no stranger to remote working, having worked as a field rep for the company. He shares with Jane his experiences of the highs and lows of remote working and the learnings he’s taken from the journey (metaphorical and physical) of transitioning into the role.
One of the key stand-outs is the opportunity to use the time and the experience to learn. Jonathan uses his journeys as a way of adding to his knowledge bank and catching up on stimulating cont...
2020-04-2322 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – managing an age diverse workforce during the lockdownWe are joined on this episode by Steve Butler, author of Managing the Gap – a highly practical look at inter-generational working and how to get the best out of an age-diverse workforce. This area has become a key factor for remote working, with the focus turning on the under 25s as they struggle the most with this extraordinary environment.
Steve talks about his experience managing a diverse age group through the current challenges – how he’s seeing the differences manifest and the activities he’s putting in place to ensure people are included and supported. As ever, Steve ta...
2020-04-1020 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Meet and understand the remote workersWhen we say ‘people are’ we totally lose the individuality that makes our workforce so varied, vibrant, robust and challenging. Right now, with the challenges of remote working near the top of every organisation’s list, it’s critical that we continue to think about people as unique individuals, who each need a specific plan to ensure they can be successful, remain positive and stay healthy (you included).
So, meet Frankie, Drew, Charlie and Remi – four characters that bring to life the challenges that we are all facing – distractions, stress, worry, dislocation and boredom. In this episode, Jane and Chr...
2020-03-2417 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – Sleep well on International Sleep DayIt's World Sleep Day today so, in this short Burst Episode, Owen taps Beccy - the head of our Physiological Faculty - for her top five tips on Sleep. While there's bound to be a couple you've heard before in there (that doesn't make them wrong - go do something about them), there are also a couple that we'd hope are new to you including thinking about how the way you get up in the morning might make a difference to your sleep at night... Hopefully that's enough to peak your curiosity. That said, we're always curious about what wo...
2020-03-1305 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – keeping a team a team when everyone's remoteWhen asked to describe remote working, we talk about a high-stress environment. Unless you are adept at working at home, it can be one of the hardest environments to be effective in – new distractions, lack of resources and, as we explore in this podcast, something that can make people feel isolated.
Jane and Chris explore more ideas around how to make a success of remote working – staying connected, being proactive in relationships and ensuring your social sphere doesn’t shrink down to the few people that you absolutely need to connect with.
Also, don’t forget t...
2020-03-0909 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – the challenge of remote workingRight now, many companies are facing up to the challenge of temporarily changing how their people work – putting in place travel bans and remote working requirements as part of their efforts to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
Like a snow-day, the novelty of the situation soon wears off, and people across the globe (particularly in China and Hong Kong, where people have been facing this situation far longer) are struggling to make the situation work. Put simply, most of us just don’t know how to work effectively outside of the office.
We’ve dedicat...
2020-02-2807 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Standard Chartered Bank & culture change through ethical investment2020 has made a dramatic entrance, with a number of world events putting the issues of global warming, climate change and carbon reduction at the very front of all of our minds. The changes needed run through every culture – local, national, global and, critically, organisational. To make lasting shifts that will slow global warming, we need organisations to take significant action.
We got the opportunity to find out how one company – Standard Chartered Bank – is driving this change with its shifting focus onto ethical investment. Samantha Bramley, Director, Environmental and Social Risk Management, joined us on our latest Deep-Di...
2020-01-2422 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive: Leadership Lessons for your first 90 days in postHow do you prepare to step into a new leadership role? What can you do before the move to make sure you're at your best for it? What do you need to do, for yourself and others, during the first 60-90 days in role to get off to the best start? In this episode Jane gets to talk to Seb Monk - Chief Experience Officer at property tech and shared living start-up, Lyvly - about how he prepared for the move and what he's been doing in his early days in post.
Seb shares learning from the environments and transitions a...
2020-01-1023 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – 5 festive actions to top up your human bank accountAs we all wind down to the end of 2019, to the end of a decade and enter what will no doubt be a very interesting period, we wanted to share five things you can do for yourself and those around you. They are small things to help prepare for the festive period and to set yourself on the right track for 2020.
Chris and Jane share their five top tips for you – they are easy, positive and ones you can involve others in. Simple ideas around staying hydrated, saying thank you and getting your 2020 To Do list off to...
2019-12-1009 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – creative cultures are founded on trustHeather Golding is the founder of TonyG – a company that has created branding and campaign materials for some of the world’s biggest retail brands. Every listener will have experienced their outputs in some way, their work with global brands appears on our high streets and in stores across the world.
We took some time to talk to Heather in her Warwickshire office and, helped by the local birdlife, we asked her to share views on creating creative cultures. Her take on this hard-to-grasp area is as surprising as it is practical. It’s not about slides, music...
2019-11-1817 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – taking stress apartIt’s Stress Awareness Day, and there are many conversations and ideas around the topic – causes, symptoms and (critically) cures. Inevitably the majority of this will focus on the workplace. It’s a sad state that stress in our careers has become such a presence – there’s no doubt that it has only increased in the last decade.
However, it’s also heartening that it’s a topic we are more comfortable talking about (as with mental health, which is a close conspirator with stress). It’s something we constantly raise through our work, taking about the causes and the c...
2019-11-0605 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst - the cornerstones of wellbeingWe wholly support the increased focus on personal, team and organisational wellbeing. Supporting individuals to work and live their lives in ways that deposit into their personal bank account (keeping them in the ‘black’ in our terms) creates cultures that sustainably achieve business targets, are amazing places to work and attract the best talent.
But it’s also a confusing area – what is and isn’t ‘in scope’ for wellbeing, and where to begin? Jane Sparrow shares how we outline wellbeing, and the areas we see as critical to focus on. As we say, ‘it’s not rocket science, it...
2019-10-1705 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – Growing and managing an international culture within DAZNRapid international growth is a major challenge for many young organisations. Aside from the inevitable logistics, one of the most frequent issues (or indeed opportunities) is the cultural differences that are encountered as companies move into new markets and territories.
This has been the case for DAZN – the first OTT live sports broadcaster – as it seeks to rapidly build a global brand from a UK base. Joining us on the Bank of Me podcast this episode is their SVP of Talent and Resourcing, Suzana Thurston. She has been at the sharp-end of this growth – sourcing and developing a 3,00...
2019-09-2022 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – Checking in on your passionPassion today, passion tomorrow, energy from people – Jane Sparrow shares the three questions she encourages the leaders and teams to consider when they are facing long-term challenges and change.
During these times it’s easy for things to grind us down, to lose sight of the positives and to be drained by the tasks at hand. In this short podcast Jane gives some practical tips on fuelling your ‘Bank Account’ and finishing a challenging work thinking ‘I learnt and grew’.
2019-08-1203 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – learning tips from leaders – Steve ThornFor this episode Jane is joined by Steve Thorn, Executive Director, Digital at Civica. We’ve been wanting to feature him on a podcast for some time – he’s long been a source of inspiration for us and his experience and approach to his career is something we are always keen to share.
Steve has the most amazing tips and stories on leadership – from the names and roles of 272 people aboard a Royal Navy ship to the ’25 names game’ – his approach to managing and growing people helps him, and others, overcome the challenges we all face when working in lar...
2019-07-1637 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – the balancing act that is personal wellnessThe struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle alongside the ever growing demands of our jobs is real and common. Following some recent conversations with clients on this challenge, we asked our colleague Owen Cook to sit down with Beccy Matthews - the head of our physiological faculty - to discuss the links and impact between our physical health and our overall performance.
Beccy draws on her 15 years of experience in the fitness and nutrition industries: outlining the three key areas of our physiological well-being that we should all focus on - using the analogy of a three-legged...
2019-07-0218 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders – 4am mindfulness & the morning chorusListening in on a colleague delivering a webinar on mindfulness was the inspiration and motivation I needed to do something that’s been on my list for some time.
Like most people, I’m guilty of doing far too much and paying way too little attention to the things that absolutely need my focus. Pausing isn’t easy in an always-on ever-demanding world. But, at 4am, I found the time and the peace to try a mindfulness exercise.
This is a slow episode. Most of the audio invites you to take time out, listen, be mindfu...
2019-06-2419 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – Integrating, not balancing work and lifeThe phrase ‘work-life-balance’ has become clichéd and now seen as a negative term by many. The idea of balance is a challenging one to many of us, who face multiple draws on our time and have little spare capacity to do the things that are personally important.
In this Burst Jane shares her view on how we should be looking at our lives – understanding and integrating what’s important, rather than trying to segment everything into two neat buckets. For her, it all starts with how we are, and the real answer to ‘how are you?’
2019-05-0706 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - Checking In for Surgery & Best Practice Team WorkThe ‘theatre’ of surgery is one that fascinates us all. It’s seen as a place of drama, tension and crisis. However, taking a deeper dive into this complex world, this episode features Simon Watts – ENT Consultant and facial plastic surgeon – who talks in detail about how the medical profession has, over the last ten years, made some small but highly significant changes to the way they communicate, collaborate and challenge each other.
Simon details the important factors for a modern theatre – surprisingly simple ones, such as chatter, questioning and feedback. To expedite these strengths, teams across the world hav...
2019-04-2537 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – sharing the company with investorsIn this burst episode we are joined by the Head of Technology & Delivery at Dabbl Invest, a company that, in their own words, is ‘democratising investing’. They have a unique perspective on the investment world, as they seek to engage and include a new generation of investors.
What’s becoming evident is that, with a higher awareness and expectation on a company’s ethical and sustainable position, younger investors are placing as much emphasis on the perception of the brand they are buying as they do on its financial performance. This change will need organisations to focus far more...
2019-03-2912 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – building a strong culture across a UK radio networkGrace Hannah – Director of People for Communicorp UK – joins us down the line to talk about the cultural journey that her company has been on since she joined in 2014. In this Deep Dive she talks about the importance of teams living the company’s values – through daily activity, development and performance. Her experience of alignment at the most senior level is testament to the fact that culture has to be owned top to bottom in an organisation.
Communicorp UK is home to some of the most exciting brands in UK radio including Capital networks in Scotland and South Wa...
2019-03-1230 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst – time is a gift we can all giveWith the season of giving fast approaching, many of us are in search of something to give. Often this is a fraught process, as we try and choose something we think ‘they will really want’.
Jane Sparrow has a novel and simple idea, and perhaps one that more people than we realise would appreciate and actually need. The gift of time. Time to listen, to interact and to be present.
Looking for something for that special someone in your professional or personal life? Take a listen to this Burst first.
2018-12-1404 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – helping children sleep better, helping adults sleep betterWe are joined on this episode by Ian Chambers – CEO of Mind Candy. His organisation is focusing on how to use devices to help children get a better night’s sleep – an area of growing concern, punctuated by an increasing reliance globally on drugs to help combat sleep issues in young people.
Sleep is a cornerstone of health (and something the Bank of Me emphasises as critical for high performance), and Ian talks about the things that we can all do to improve the quality and consistency of sleep, for our children and ourselves.
As we look...
2018-11-2827 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders - the art (and risk) of paying forward - tips on sharing a random act of kindnessIn this Bank of Me burst, Owen Cook talks about his own experiment in paying forward kindness - bringing some unexpected joy to airline crew and helping create a better experience of flight for everyone.
As he explains, it isn't easy... But the rewards are worthwhile. He also highlights that, whether we like it or not, way pay forward far more than we realise - good and bad.
2018-11-0410 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive – learning from education how to recruit for long-term fitEducation is often accused of being ‘behind the times’ in comparison to the commercial world. However, when it comes to recruitment, there is a great deal that business could learn from academia in terms of the care and consideration placed on hiring senior roles.
This Bank of Me podcast features Edward Clark – Executive Director, LSC Education. He shares his unique perspective on how schools successfully recruit senior roles. The impact of a poor hire for the organisations he works with is tremendous and the steps taken to prevent this are ones that anybody about to hire would do well...
2018-10-3115 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - The Red Arrows - truly high-altitude performing organisationThere can be very few people listening that do not know who the Red Arrows are - the world's foremost aerial acrobatic display team. Their in-air shows a breathtaking and seen by millions throughout the world. However, the story of what makes them such high performers is just as enthralling.
This deep-dive podcast features an in-depth interview with Andy Morton - Head of Communications for the Red Arrows. He brings to life the behind-the-scenes work of the team and shares some of the key factors that enable them to perform at their best. As with any successful...
2018-10-1935 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - Looking beneath the wings of WestJet - a company breaking the aviation industry mouldWe had the opportunity to spend some time with Pam August, Director, Culture Activaiton, for WestJet. It's a brand that, from day one 22 years ago, has done things differently. They don't have passengers they have guests, they aim to Create A Remarkable Experience (CARE) and they are an organisation full of investors. The figures for aviation are startling - more than 95 percent of carriers go out of business and the profit margins for flying people a thousand miles struggles to make double figures. Yet WestJet has been a major success - 22 year of profit with only two quarters showing a...
2018-10-0828 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst - Using appreciation to ensure we show people true valueGoogle's latest email update has added quick messages for response. A great tool to burn through your email inbox, but a terrible one when it comes to showing how you value someone.
Appreciation is not an art, it's a habit that requires effort and thought. In this podcast Chris Preston shares two short stories of appreciation and gives tips on how to ensure your own approach to it is working.
2018-10-0406 min
The Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Burst - How to Maintain Energy for the Long Run - Talking With Darren Childs, CEO, UKTVJane Sparrow asks Darren Childs how he manages and builds his own energy to ensure he is match fit to take on the challenges of the CEO role - exploring the need to plan for the long term and recognise that the most challenging roles often come when our energy starts to dip.
2018-10-0108 minThe Culture BuildersThe Culture Builders Deep Dive - Talking to the CEO of UKTV and the journey the company has been onJane Sparrow talks to Darren Childs about the amazing journey that UKTV has been on over the last seven years - going from niche broadcaster to an audience bigger than Channel 5.
Darren talks candidly about the journey they have been on, the ups and downs and the key factors that helped to get UKTV into the Times Top 100 Companies to work for. The first broadcaster in the UK to ever do this.
2018-10-0131 min