Stirrers and Saints: The Podcast

In this episode, Brian and Aaron reflect on the eight episodes that comprised season three on the topic of 'Faith at Work'.

A great deal was discussed, and hopefully a lot of insightful wisdom was shared! 

From thinking about the future to thinking about your values, goal setting to disagreeing, theology to work, this season was crammed with good stuff.

A Centre for Faith and Life Production. For more information, visit centreforfa...

What is ambition? 

Is ambition a virtue or a vice?

How do you gain respect and standing at work? Are these good things to pursue?

In this episode, Brian and Aaron talk about the nature of ambition, what it means to be respected in the work place, and the distinction between status and standing. The former has more to do with the power and authority that comes with your formal position, whereas the latter has more to do with your ch...

"We need to agree on what makes humans remarkable...and then get really good at it."

Brian and Aaron talk with old friend and futurist Jon Bergmann about what he has termed the "Fluencies of the Future", the core elements of what it means to be human. These are the things that define who we are and that we shouldn't sacrifice on the altar of progress. These are the things we must hold dearly and defend with everything we have, in t...

What would work look like without disrupters? Perhaps that idea fills you peace and joy, or perhaps the idea bores you. 

The truth is, without disrupters - the ones who question, challenge, and push back - our organisations, and indeed our world, would grind to a halt. It would stagnate, falling back into a comfortable status quo where nothing ever changes and innovations is discouraged, rather than encouraged.

So we need disrupter...

What sort of person are you?

What sort of person do you wish you were?

What sort of person do you hope to become? 

If an alien from outer space was to look at your life, what would they see? What would you want them to see? 

It is impossible to answer any of these questions, at least not accurately, without taking a serious, careful, objective look at yourself. This might be a humbling, uncomfortable experience, but remember that '...

Do you have your life planned out? What will you be doing 1 year from now, 5 years, 10 years...?

Have you planned anything at all, or are you winging it?

Plan too much and you might struggle when the curveballs of life get thrown your way, but if you don't plan at all then you might just end up nowhere at all. Remember, failing to plan is planning to fail, and if you aim at nothing then that is what you just might get.

In this epis...

How do you know what you value? Why do they matter? How do we figure all of this out?

Values may go stated (words like 'courage' and 'integrity' and 'innovation' plastered on staff room walls) or they may be hidden, lurking beneath the surface of every decision we make. Quite often, our values only become evident when something happens that conflicts with those values we didn't realise we had. And sometimes they simply shape the cu...

Work is supposed to be good. To go to work, to toil and labour, is to reflect the creative and productive character of God. It brings purpose and meaning, and allows us to make the world a better place and be custodians of God's good creation.

But work, for so many, does not inspire. It's a drain and a dread. They knuckle down and get on with the workweek just looking to get home or for Friday evening to come around. 

So how can wo...

Christian faith is not limited to Sunday mornings. Indeed, it stretches into every part of our lives, including our work. The Christian church has had a major impact on Western Civilisation and how we do work, and its values have permeated into many of today's "secular" organisations. As leaders today, it's vital that we think about the values - both stated and implicit - of the organisations we lead and work within.

This episode i...

Join Brian Harris and Aaron Chidgzey as they re-listen to some of their favourite moments from season two and reflect on the helpful and insightful leadership lessons. They discuss what it means to care for people without being intrusive, creating a culture and inspiring vision, being set apart and working with others who are also set apart, the importance of making mistakes, and remaining hopeful about the future.

This is the last...

Leaders need to think creatively and imaginatively to solve problems, dream big, cast vision, and create a culture where people flourish. And the good news is that everyone can be creative! 

But how is it done? And is it possible to get better at it?

Aaron Chidgzey sits down with Brian Harris and special guest, musician and cafe manager extraordinaire, Jett Harris, to talk about this important and inspiring topic. What ensues is an...

Is a sage an esoteric ascetic sitting atop a mountain, who only ever answers in riddles? Or is a sage the one who speaks the loudest and never thinks they're wrong? Perhaps (though probably not for the second one), but most of the time, a sage is someone who understands their own limitations, is willing to admit to their mistakes, and is constantly reflecting and evaluating and growing.

That's the sort of person we think most peopl...

What does a 'professional' leader look like? Probably the same as what a 'perfect' Christian looks like: inauthentic. There is significant cultural pressure to professionalise our leadership, but this often comes with a cost, and that cost is our ability to effectively point people toward God.

In this episode, Aaron Chidgzey sits down with Jen Argue and guest Mandy Smith, pastor, leader, teacher, and author of the upcoming book 'Co...

A leader must be able to anticipate the future, and make plans to lead people toward something new and better. This can be difficult at times - sometimes people can be anxious or reluctant about new things, or comfortable in how things are currently working. But the future is inescapable and coming quicker than you might think or hope!

Jon Bergmann likes to talk about the future, and chats with Aaron Chidgzey and guest, Nathan Brow...

Leadership is about making decisions. Indeed, the human experience is about making decisions. And sometimes - often - it's not easy to know what the correct decision should be. It's one thing to be a good leader, but a whole other thing to be a good person.

In this episode, Brian sits down with Aaron and friend, Dr. Michael O'Neil to discuss ethics. Michael is a lecturer in theology and ethics, and the conversation covers a lot of ...

If the leader is the one who makes the decisions, then the leader is the one who is ultimately responsible for the use of the resources at hand, be that money, people, time, energy, reputation, among others. So the leader is also a steward. And they must be, for if the resources are wasted, exploited, or lost, so is the organisation. So how does one be a wise steward?

Brian Harris chats with Jen and Aaron on how to be responsible s...

Leader as servant? Isn't that an oxymoron? No! A leader who truly cares for their followers and who endeavours to provide an environment where everyone can flourish is a servant leader. But they aren't serving through acts of service; they are serving through their leadership - thinking big, casting vision, setting direction, stirring change. That is what Aaron Chidgzey talks about with Jen Argue and Brian Harris in this episode. 

...

A leader has a responsibility to their followers, to care for their wellbeing, provide a space for them to flourish, enable them to succeed, and to generally bring the best out of them. In this sense, a leader is a shepherd.

In this episode, Jen Argue sits down with Brian Harris and Jon Bergmann to chat about this concept of the leader as a shepherd. It's not necessarily common language in the business world, but 'shepherd' is a ri...

Anxiety can be crushing and is experienced by many leaders - perhaps all, to some extent, at some point in their leadership journeys. Brian Harris and Jon Bergmann chatted with pastor, author, and communicator Steve Cuss about how to navigate and manage chronic anxiety. As a leader, looking after yourself and your wellbeing is vital and Steve offers wisdom and practical advice to help everyone.

Steve experienced anxiety himself, an...