Life Beyond The Numbers

Life Beyond The Numbers

Are you curious about having a more fulfilling work-life? Do you believe in putting people first and in purpose; not profit at any cost? If so, this podcast is for you. We place a lens on the human side of work-life.

Episodes

July 5, 2025 51 mins

“I want to create something which fit that space and would help those people... to future-proof themselves.” James Culmer-Shields

 

James Culmer-Shields and I recently sat down at my kitchen table and talked about something that touches all of us: how we stay well enough as we age to live the lives we want to live. James has spent decades in the world of fitness - from his time in the military training to personal coaching to found...

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"So by that definition, all stories are useful. The question is: to what end?" Jay Perry

 

Jay Perry and I explored what happens when we begin to see story not as decoration or distraction, but as data - the language we use to survive, connect and create. Jay shared his definition that “a story is language put to use” and reminded us that “all stories are useful” - the real question being to what end? Together we examined how some ...

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"There is a pilot light running in all of us, and to me that pilot light is the artist inside us." Alexander Inchbald

 

Alexander Inchbald and I have an in-depth conversation about creativity and the courage to listen to something larger than ourselves. Alexander equates our inner spark - our "light" - with the artist within, present in all of us, even when dimmed. We explore the roles of d...

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"At this particular moment, am I in alignment with, am I in resonance with my values, with what I stand for, with what my heart beats for?" Migena Gjerazi

 

In this special compilation episode, I revisit conversations from Episodes 100 to 200, to bring together moments from conversations to explore how choice isn’t always obvious, but it’s always there. Awareness opens the door. Articulatio...

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I didn’t set out to reach 200 episodes—I set out to follow the joy. And in this episode, I reflect on how joy hasn’t come from numbers or milestones, but from the moments in between - from the magic of sitting down and having real, honest conversations.

Over the years, I’ve explored everything from emotional intelligence to leadership transitions, from burnout to belonging, from accounting for our emotions to creating more human wo...

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March 29, 2025 49 mins

"Playfulness is our natural state of well-being. We are playful when we are well." Chris Marshall

 

Chris Marshall and I explore why playfulness isn’t frivolous or childish but fundamental to how we thrive at work and in life. We discuss how playfulness helps us embrace complexity, navigate uncertainty and show up as our whole, human selves. Chris shares his multi-faceted career journey and...

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"... you take people outdoors. They get into a resourceful state, you're able to explore more. You can use nature. I call it wayfinding, just like you use a compass and things like that. You can use the path you're on as a metaphor. And because you're outdoors, you can stay inquisitive longer." Murph 

 

Murph and I explore the incredible benefits of movement, nature and human connection in leadership and decision-making. We discuss...

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"You can hear the silence emerging in the room. You can hear the sound of silence. There's a peace that comes with, a harmony that comes from it. It offers an opportunity for more sharing, more cooperation, less competition. So it's very generative." Carissa Bub

 

Carissa Bub and I explore the transformative power of silence in leadership and life. We dive into the paradox of silence - how it can feel awkward or even frightening, y...

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February 15, 2025 49 mins

"When I realised how much joy there was to be had in life, full stop, in your job and in people paying you to do something you actually enjoy, blew my mind. After 20 years of office work, I was like, wait, wait, I get to have fun and they pay me. I was really surprised by that." Ana Clements

 

Ana Clements and I explore the journey of rediscovering passion, pursuing creativity and embracing reinvention at any stage of life. She sha...

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"...because we're all imperfect if we have any kind of power, including even just like having a strong personality, that we can be doing things that we don’t even realise are intimidating or shutting down other people."​ David Lee

 

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Susanne Evans and David Lee for one of our irregular but always insightful conversations. Today, we dive into the topic of bad behaviour in our workplaces — what it l...

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January 18, 2025 43 mins

"I was completely transfixed by the idea of these very tiny teapots and these tiny tea cups that were serving small amounts of tea." James Thirlwall

 

James Thirlwall and I explore the connection between tea and creating connection. I venture out of my usual space to record in a delightful and intimate setting: a tiny teahouse in East Oxford. We delve into the world of Japanese tea ceremonies as well as discover how Chinese tea cer...

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January 4, 2025 40 mins

"Any given moment contains unlimited futures that can become real. The reality that occurs is the one you pay attention to."  [Quoting] Penney Peirce

In this inaugural episode of 2025 I reflect on three recent inspirations — a movie and two exhibitions — that explore themes of creativity, certainty and choice. Drawing connections between the iterative nature of creativity, life’s constant rewrites and the courage to start anew, I s...

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December 21, 2024 43 mins

In this year-end episode of 'Life Beyond the Numbers,' I explore the theme of going beyond the status quo. The episode features a compilation of interviews and stories from previous episodes focused on creating a more fulfilling work life by emphasising the human side of our work-lives. I share a selection of snippets with insights on topics such as the importance of avoiding short-termism, the value of shifting perspective, the i...

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"The actions that we take are the things that are going to get us results, whether we like it or not. And so looking at those results, which business leaders are looking at all the time. We're always looking at those results. Are we meeting our outcomes? Are we meeting our metrics? And if we're not getting those results, well, we're not taking the right actions." Katie McLaughlin

 

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"For everything that we do, if you cared this much - just a couple of centimetres of care - it would make all the difference in the world". Marc Haine

 

Marc Haine and I discuss how small, intentional acts of care can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. From building trust to creating a culture of excellence, this episode is packed with insights on why daring to care just a little bit more matters so much. From his journ...

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November 9, 2024 43 mins

"We can do so much better for ourselves in terms of the way in which we live and the degree of fulfilment and meaning that we derive from life." Kate Jones

 

Kate Jones shares her unique approach to fostering personal and organisational fulfilment. We explore her Wheel of New Horizons, a framework for helping successful yet unfulfilled individuals reconnect with their heart's desires and navigate life changes with purpose. Kate als...

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October 26, 2024 36 mins

"If they're not applying creative and intuitive thinking in addition to critical and judgmental thinking, then they're not creating new knowledge for the organisation. They're just taking old knowledge and rearranging it. And for me, that's not adding value." Jackie Eaton

 

Jackie Eaton shares her unique career path from obtaining a mathematics degree to working in operational research for NATO. She discusses her affection for sol...

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October 12, 2024 51 mins

"...they were willing to take risks for the experience .... and I think I've really taken that on." Liz Jarman

 

Liz Jarman and I discuss her planned departure as CEO of Living Goods at the end of 2024. She shares her fascinating approach to succession planning, leadership transitions and a non-linear career path. We chat through some of her achievements, including fostering a strong organisational culture, scaling operations susta...

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September 28, 2024 47 mins

"Don't be funny, be human -  you don't have to force it. Have a sense of humour. Have the ability to look at situations and see the humour that you do when you're outside of work. How often do you go home from work and you're sitting at the dinner table saying to your partner, or your family, you just wouldn't even believe what happened today..." Beth Sherman

 

Beth Sherman and I place a lens on the transformative power of humour i...

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September 14, 2024 60 mins

"This is about what you are experiencing. And I think the beauty of your experience is it's your experience and no one can argue with that."

 

David Lee and I delve into the significance of emotional self-regulation and co-regulation, highlighting the impact they have on psychological safety and productive workplace environments. We discuss concepts from my book 'Leading Beyond the Numbers' including the importance of emotional gra...

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