Future Work/Life

This week, I'm joined by Pat Wadors, newly appointed CHRO at Intuitive, a leading medical technology company. Pat has previously led HR at UKG, ServiceNow, LinkedIn, and Yahoo and is widely recognised for her transformative leadership in the people space.In this episode, we explore leadership, storytelling, and the power of human connection. Pat also shares insights from her upcoming book, Unlock Your Leadership Story: How to Build Understanding and Motivate Teams Using Fables and Folktales.TALKING POINTS:The role of storytelling in effective leadership.How neurodiversity shaped Pat’s leadership approach.Navigating career growth in fast-paced, innovative industries.Lessons from leading HR in some of the world’s top companies.Insights on building inclusive, high-performing teams.LINKS:Pat's LinkedInUnlock Your Leadership Story: How to Build Understanding and Motivate Teams Using Fables and FolktalesInterested in me sharing insights on these topics with your team? Book a free consultation to see how I can help, HEREOllie's LinkedInFuture Work/Life NewsletterMy book, Work/Life Flywheel, was shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2024. You can order your copy HERE (UK) or HERE (US). 

This week, I’m joined by David Hanrahan, Chief People Officer at Flare.Flare’s software platform is transforming the delivery of professional services within the legal sector. By simplifying complex processes, Flare empowers lawyers to deliver an elevated experience, ensuring clarity and support during key life events.In this episode, David and I dig into some of the biggest challenges and opportunities shaping the modern workplace. TALKING POINTS:The challenge of workplace disconnection and social isolation—why addressing this is crucial for employee well-being.The ongoing debate on work models: insights on remote, hybrid, and in-office work, and why “one size fits all” doesn’t work.The evolving role of AI in HR and how it can help reduce busywork, enabling people teams to focus on more meaningful human interactions.Rethinking performance reviews—shifting from individual assessments to evaluating team performance for greater impact.Practical steps HR leaders can take to foster genuine human connection and boost team performance.LINKS:David's LinkedInFlare's websiteInterested in me sharing insights on these topics with your team? Book a free consultation to see how I can help, HEREOllie's LinkedInFuture Work/Life NewsletterMy book, Work/Life Flywheel, was a Business Book Awards 2024 finalist. You can order your copy HERE (UK) or HERE (US). 

This week, I’m joined by Michael Ioffe, co-founder and CEO of Arist.Arist is used by leading organisations to deliver behavioural training and critical knowledge through the messaging tools employees use every day, like WhatsApp, Slack, and Teams.Michael’s background is fascinating—from his early entrepreneurial endeavours to building a platform that’s reshaping how people learn on the job. Listen in to discover more...TALKING POINTS:How Arist leverages AI to deliver high-impact learning.The shift from legacy training methods to rapid, easy-to-deploy microlearning.The importance of meeting learners where they are - why training via SMS and tools like Teams & iMessage is so effective.The role of Stanford-backed research in Arist's development.Arist's new AI Agent, TeammateLINKS:Arist websiteMichael's LinkedInInterested in me sharing insights on these topics with your team? Book a free consultation to see how I can help, HEREOllie's LinkedInFuture Work/Life NewsletterMy book, Work/Life Flywheel, was a Business Book Awards 2024 finalist. You can order your copy HERE (UK) or HERE (US). 

This week, I speak with Chloe Combi, an expert on Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who’s spent years researching and advising on how these younger generations are reshaping work, education, and culture.Chloe is the author of Generation Z: Their Voices, Their Lives and a consultant to some of the world’s leading brands. She helps them connect with and understand the next generation of workers and consumers. In this episode, Chloe dives into the key factors driving these generations' workplace preferences, from feedback culture to boundary setting, and explores how organisations can adapt to attract and retain the talent of tomorrow.TALKING POINTS:Feedback Culture: Gen Z and Gen Alpha expect constant feedback—just like in the rest of their lives.Boundaries Matter: Younger generations prioritise mental health and set clear boundaries at work.Career Aspirations: Gen Z and Gen Alpha are choosing entrepreneurship and creativity over traditional careers.Visibility Drives Motivation: Younger workers need to feel seen to stay engaged and perform at their best.LINKS:Chloe's websiteChloe's LinkedInInterested in me sharing insights on these topics with your team? Book a free consultation to see how I can help, HEREOllie's LinkedInFuture Work/Life NewsletterMy book, Work/Life Flywheel, was a Business Book Awards 2024 finalist. You can order your copy HERE (UK) or HERE (US). 

This week, I speak with Nancy Duarte, CEO of Duarte Inc. and the world's leading presentation expert.Nancy’s career is a masterclass in the art of communication. She has advised TED, worked with Al Gore on the documentary An Inconvenient Truth, and helped some of the world’s biggest companies communicate effectively. She is famous for her deep understanding of storytelling and empathy, and her analysis of speeches by Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Steve Jobs is legendary.Duarte Inc. has helped countless leaders and companies transform how they present ideas, blending empathy, storytelling, and data to craft powerful messages that resonate. In this episode, Nancy shares her insights on communicating authentically, leading with empathy, and adapting to an evolving technological landscape.TALKING POINTS:The Role of Storytelling in Leadership: Nancy explains why storytelling is key to authentic leadership and how leaders can use it to connect with their teams.Balancing Structure and Authenticity: Nancy discusses how to deliver scripted communications without losing authenticity and the nuances of using teleprompters effectively.Navigating Hybrid Work Challenges: Insights on maintaining visibility and transparency in distributed teams and why in-person communication remains critical.The Future of AI in Communication: Nancy’s take on the opportunities and risks of AI and how it might change how we communicate, both in business and beyond.Empathy as a Core Skill: The critical role empathy plays in leadership and communication, and how leaders can cultivate it to improve their influence and effectiveness.LINKS:Duarte IncInterested in me sharing insights on these topics with your team? Book a free consultation to see how I can help, HEREOllie's LinkedInFuture Work/Life NewsletterMy book, Work/Life Flywheel: Harness the work revolution and reimagine your career without fear, was recently shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2024. You can order your copy HERE (UK) or HERE (US). 

This week, I speak with Nick Matthews, VP and GM of Europe, Middle East & Africa at Culture Amp.Nick brings a unique blend of experiences from his early days teaching Liam Neeson’s kids to swim to his career in tech. He started his career at Deloitte Consulting before moving to Yammer, which was later acquired by Microsoft, where he worked for four years before joining Culture Amp in 2016.Culture Amp is the world’s leading employee experience platform, revolutionizing how 25 million employees across more than 6,500 companies create a better world of work. Culture Amp empowers companies of all sizes and industries to transform employee engagement, drive performance management, and develop high-performing teams.TALKING POINTS:AI and Technical Comfort: The importance of embracing technology and AI to enhance workforce and talent strategy.Cultural Transformation: From his start at Deloitte to leadership roles in tech, Nick discusses navigating shifts in workplace culture.Employee Experience as a Culture First Approach: How Culture Amp uses employee engagement data to enhance organisational culture and drive financial success.Performance Management Evolution: Nick’s take on transforming performance management systems to accommodate modern, hybrid work environments.Future of HR Technology: Expectations for integrating AI and analytics into HR practices to enhance strategic decision-making and organisational outcomes.LINKS:Nick's LinkedInCulture AmpInterested in me sharing insights on these topics with your team? Book me to speak with your team.Ollie's LinkedInFuture Work/Life NewsletterMy book, Work/Life Flywheel: Harness the work revolution and reimagine your career without fear, was recently shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2024. You can order your copy HERE (UK) or HERE (US). 

In this episode, I interview Isabel Berwick, presenter of the award-winning Financial Times' Working It podcast and co-writer of the Working It newsletter.Isabel's new book The Future-Proof Career: Strategies for thriving at every stage is published this week. We had a brilliant conversation about careers, management and changes in how we work. The book is a great read, so make sure you order a copy!"Covering topics as wide-ranging as the four-day working week, bridging the workplace generation gap, making sure your company walks its diversity talk, quiet quitting and the great resignation, achieving workplace equality and even micro-dosing for creativity, The Future-Proof Career spreads the word about understanding modern workplaces so we can all have happier, more productive lives."TALKING POINTS:Understanding Ambition: The importance of aligning personal ambition with career advancement.The Managerial Journey: The evolving roles of managers and non-managers in career progression.Navigating Toxicity: Identifying signs of a toxic workplace and building a healthy organisational culture.Work/Life Balance?: The realities of balancing career aspirations with personal commitments.Late Career Blooms: Celebrating the potential for growth and reinvention.LINKS:The Future-Proof Career: Strategies for thriving at every stageWorking It Isabel's LinkedInInterested in me sharing insights on these topics with your team? Book me to speak with your team.Ollie's LinkedInFuture Work/Life NewsletterWork/Life Flywheel: Harness the work revolution and reimagine your career without fear, is out now. You can order your copy HERE (UK) or HERE (US). 

In this episode, I had a fascinating chat with Hannah Grady Williams, the founder of d'Skills. We explored the challenges of the traditional education system and how new technologies, particularly AI, can revolutionise learning and skill acquisition for young minds eager to make their mark in the world.d’Skills is a 10-week virtual, cohort-based bootcamp where high schoolers learn new digital and AI skills and convert them into paid, real-world projects with small businesses.TALKING POINTS:The problem with the current education systemAlternative approaches, including more hands-on, creative modelsWhy Gen Z looks at things differently and what they want from workReimagining education and careers, focused on adaptability, creativity and critical thinkingHow d'Skills empowers high-schoolers to build Impact PortfoliosLINKS:d'SkillsHannah's LinkedInMost Likely To Succeed documentaryInterested in me sharing insights on these topics with your team? Book me to speak with your team.Ollie's LinkedInFuture Work/Life NewsletterWork/Life Flywheel: Harness the work revolution and reimagine your career without fear, is out now. You can order your copy HERE (UK) or HERE (US).