Inspiring Thoughts Podcast

37. Inspiring Thoughts Podcast - What makes a Positive Leadership Culture with Kat Merchant

 

 

 

🌟 Introducing the Inspiring Thoughts Podcast! 🌟

We’re thrilled to kick off our latest episode with none other than Rugby World Champion, Kat Merchant! 🏆🎙️

In this empowering conversation, Kat dives deep into what truly makes a positive leadership culture. Drawing from her experience on and off the field, she shares:

💡 How leaders can inspire and uplift their teams
💡 The role of trust and mutual respect in achieving greatness
💡 Lessons from the world of elite sports that translate into everyday leadership

Kat’s journey is a testament to resilience, teamwork, and the power of a shared vision—and we’re honoured to have her share her insights with us.

Whether you’re leading a team, aspiring to inspire, or simply seeking motivation, this episode is packed with value you won’t want to miss.

 

📢 Tune in now and join the conversation about positive leadership culture!

Let us know your biggest takeaway from this incredible chat with Kat in the comments! 👇

#InspiringThoughtsPodcast #Leadership #Teamwork #KatMerchant

36. Authentic Leadership with Alex Thomas

In this month's episode of the Inspiring Thoughts Podcast, Stephen Adams is joined by Alex Thomas for an insightful conversation about Authentic Leadership and the challenges of managing Leadership roles. Alex begins by reminiscing about the early stages of his career, sharing valuable lessons he's learned along the way.

Throughout his remarkable journey, Alex emphasises that hard work and drive are the cornerstones of truly inspiring Leadership. Both Stephen and Alex agree on the importance of being a proactive Leader—someone who leads with purpose and vision, rather than merely checking off tasks.

Alex’s top advice for aspiring Leaders? Surround yourself with people who challenge and motivate you to be your best, as the work culture you immerse yourself in significantly shapes your Leadership style. Leadership, he explains, is not just about strategy—it teaches you to develop empathy, build synergy, and demonstrate your worth through dedication and innovation.

With so many valuable insights packed into today’s episode, it’s impossible to cover it all here—but it’s an episode you won’t want to miss!

 

 

35. Attracting Talent with Jess Pressland

In this week's Inspiring Thoughts Podcast Stephen Adams is joined by Jess Pressland to talk about attracting talent into organisations.

 

Jess shares with us her invaluable insights gained from her experience working in this field. Jess explains the pathway which you should be taking to ensure you are recruiting the best people for your roles. From attraction and onboarding to performance management and continuous learning, there is lots covered. We also completely agree with Jess' thoughts on how important culture and values are, in order to attract a multi-generational workforce.

 

To hear more you can listen here:

34. The Future of Learning & Development with Dean Giles

Dean Giles recently joined Stephen Adams on the "Inspiring Thoughts Podcast" to share his remarkable journey in the field of Learning and Development (L&D). During the episode, Dean delved into the pivotal moments that shaped his career, offering listeners an intimate glimpse into the challenges and triumphs he encountered along the way.

Dean's story is one of passion and resilience. He recounted how his early experiences ignited a deep interest in education and training, leading him to pursue opportunities that honed his skills and broadened his perspective.

Throughout the podcast, Dean emphasised the importance of adaptability and innovation in the ever-evolving landscape of learning and development. He shared insights on the latest trends and technologies that are transforming the field, highlighting how he has integrated these advancements into his work to drive meaningful change.

Listeners will be particularly inspired by Dean's commitment to fostering a culture of continuous improvement. He discussed various strategies for creating effective learning environments and empowering individuals to reach their full potential. His dedication to making a positive impact was evident as he recounted success stories from his career, illustrating the profound difference that well-designed learning initiatives can make.

The episode not only shed light on Dean's personal journey but also provided practical insights for anyone looking to excel in the field of learning and development.

33. Sustainable Impact For Women in HR with Emma Djemil

In this month's Inspiring Podcast Stephen Adams has a great chat with Emma Djemil discussing her passion of helping women in the HR profession 'Be Unstoppable'. Emma's coaching is helping women break down barriers to their own success and overcoming many misconceptions of the profession.

 

Emma is also the founder of The Big HR Meet, which if you aren't already a member of, we would highly recommend. It is more than just a networking group, they are a huge community of likeminded HR superstars who offer support and learning opportunities to each other.

 

Take a listen to their chat here, we know you will enjoy it:

32. Authentic Leadership with Claire Thorpe

 

In this Months Inspiring Thoughts Podcast Stephen Adams has a great conversation with Claire Thorpe about all things Authentic Leadership.

Claire is passionate about helping companies develop a coaching approach to leadership as she knows first hand the benefits this can have for any organisation, regardless of industry type.

They discuss the importance of several key leadership traits including listening, self-awareness, vulnerability and courage. They even discuss Mary Poppins!!

To find out what how the qualities of a fictional character can inspire you, take a listen to their chat here:

31. Attracting Workforce Talent with Claire Johnston

In this month's Inspiring Thoughts Podcast we talked to Claire Johnston, People Director at Crerar Hotels.  We had a great discussion about the people function and attracting talent and although Claires vast experience is within the hospitality industry, the same principles can be applied to any organisation. 

 

Claire's view on how the changing face of the modern workforce has made recruitment much more of a two-way street is refreshing. We also learnt about all the exciting development initiatives the hotel group have coming up and its great to hear about the importance the L&D team have in driving a culture of continuous learning - something we wholeheartedly agree with!

 

You can listen to Stephen Adams and Claire chat here - we'd love to know your thoughts too: 

 

 

 

30. The Power of Early Dialogue with Jo Lakin

 

We have been lucky enough to work with Jo Lakin on several occasions, one of which was when she attended our Accreditation in Mediation course and became a certified mediator. So, it was a delight to have Jo on our Inspiring Thoughts podcast this week discussing the 'Power of Early Dialogue'. 

 

Jo tells Stephen Adams how the skills she learnt help both in her Employee Relations role, as well as outside of the workplace. Like us, Jo is a huge advocate of leaning into difficult conversations in order to stop them from escalating further and she has seen for herself the difference that can make for her clients and colleagues.

 

you can listen to the podcast here: