Squiggly Careers

If networking feels awkward or transactional, this Squiggly Shortcut offers a simpler starting point: give to gain. Helen explores why focusing on what you can contribute, rather than what you can get, makes building relationships easier and more effective. Generosity strengthens connections and creates reciprocity, a concept backed by research from Adam Grant. To make it practical, she shares three easy ways to get started: reflec...

In this episode, Helen and Sarah borrow brilliance from a powerful Harvard Business Review article by James Elfer, Siri Chilazi, and Edward Chang on the science of behaviour change at work.They unpack the “Four T’s” model, a practical framework used in big organisations to drive measurable behaviour change. But instead of keeping it theoretical, they apply it to real team challenges like:

- Reducing interruptions in meetings

- Pr...

If influence sometimes feels uncomfortable or awkward, this is a fresh take that reframes it as collaboration rather than persuasion. In this Squiggly Shortcut, Sarah shares a practical, three-step approach to influencing with curiosity rather than control. Using the example of someone challenging the idea of squiggly careers, Sarah explores why pushing harder rarely works and why listening first is often your most powerful move. F...

How do you make your LinkedIn feed work harder for your career instead of just scrolling past the same ideas on repeat? In this episode, Helen and Sarah are Borrowing Brilliance from LinkedIn’s Top Voices list. They share three people worth following right now and why. This episode is all about curating smarter inputs, breaking out of echo chambers, and learning faster from the right voices.

Episode 537

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In this Squiggly Shortcut, Helen shares why self-awareness is one of the most important skills for your career and how to build it in small, practical ways. Rather than relying on reflection alone, she explains how self-awareness also means understanding how others experience you and offers three simple exercises to help you spot blind spots, manage your energy, and support your growth.

Episode 536

🦞 Learn Like A Lobster:

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Do you ever find yourself going round in circles with the same problem or struggling to come up with fresh ideas at work? In this episode, Helen and Sarah are borrowing brilliance from the Deck of Brilliance - a creative thinking tool packed with prompts to help you break out of your default patterns and see things differently. Together, they explore three simple techniques that help you reset your thinking, unlock new ideas, and m...

In this Squiggly Shortcut, Sarah shares practical, low-pressure ways to network when you’re more introverted than extroverted. Rather than forcing yourself into energy-draining events or awkward small talk, Sarah reframes networking as learning, connection, and curiosity and offers simple strategies that feel more natural and sustainable.

Episode 529

🦞 Learn Like A Lobster:

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In this special live episode of Squiggly Careers, Helen and Sarah take to the stage to explore one of the trickiest parts of career growth - learning through the uncomfortable, uncertain, and messy moments. Borrowing brilliance from lobsters, they share the idea from their new book Learn Like a Lobster of 'shell shedding' — the vulnerable transitions we all go through when we outgrow old roles, identities, or ways of working.

Th...

This is the fifth and final episode in our Shell-Shedding Moments series, a series where CEOs and leaders share the vulnerable moments, the challenges, mistakes, and personal revelations that most people never see. In this episode, Logan McClure Davda, CEO of TED, reflects on stepping into leadership at one of the world’s most influential idea-sharing organisations and the personal shifts that came with it. From making the hard dec...

This is the fourth episode in our Shell-Shedding Moments series, a series where CEOs and leaders share the vulnerable moments, the challenges, mistakes, and personal revelations that most people never see. In this episode, Nick Bent, CEO of UpReach, opens up about the moments that tested him, from handling technology mishaps to resetting organizational culture. He shares how embracing challenges, maintaining perspective, and surrou...

This is the third episode in our Shell-Shedding Moments series, a series where CEOs and leaders share the vulnerable moments, the challenges, mistakes, and personal revelations that most people never see. Today's episode is with Flight Story CEO Georgie Holt, who shares why great ideas are rarely obvious or easy, why comfort is the enemy of growth, and the necessity of experimentation to drive real progress.

🦞 Pre-order Learn L...

In this special CEO Shell-Shedding Moments episode, Sarah interviews Helen, about the uncomfortable moments that help us grow. From difficult interviews to co-founder friction and communication challenges, Helen shares what happens when things feel hard at work and how to fix friction fast before it festers. If you’ve ever replayed a mistake, avoided an awkward conversation, or felt stuck in a working relationship, this episode is ...

Welcome to Shell-Shedding Moments, a series where CEOs share the vulnerable moments, the challenges, mistakes, and personal revelations that most people never see. Today's episode is with CEO Zaid Al-Qassab who opens up about his experiences with depression, the challenges of leading while managing mental health, and the power of vulnerability in the workplace. Zaid shares how embracing these moments can strengthen resilience, deep...

In this Squiggly Shortcut episode, Helen shares a practical, step-by-step framework for asking for help at work in a way that feels confident, clear, and effective.

Many of us struggle to ask for help because we fear looking incompetent, don’t want to burden others, or try to push through on our own. Helen breaks down how to neutralize that anxiety, identify what kind of help you need - support, solutions, or a sounding board- f...

How do you introduce yourself in a way that turns a polite “nice to meet you” into a genuine “tell me more”? In this episode, Helen and Sarah are Borrowing brilliance from Rebecca Okamoto’s TED Talk How to Introduce Yourself and Get Hired. They unpack five simple formulas you can use to make high-impact introductions — whether you’re meeting someone new, speaking at an event, or kicking off a meeting. This episode is all about shor...

In this fifth and final episode of the Learn Like a Lobster skill sprint, Helen and Sarah introduce "Helpful How-Tos" - a simple, fun way to share knowledge that helps you learn faster and helps your team too. You'll discover why sharing makes learning stick, how to overcome confidence gremlins, and a practical (and fun) format you can use immediately with your team to keep learning and growing.

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When it comes to learning at work, it’s easy to wait for permission - from managers, organisations, or “the right moment.” In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore how to lead your own learning, even when time, money, or support feel limited. This is Day 4 of the Learn Like A Lobster skill sprint, and the focus is on adaptability — the skill that helps you keep learning when things don’t go to plan. Helen and Sarah explain why rely...

This is Day 3 of the Learn Like a Lobster skill sprint, and today Helen and Sarah share a simple way of reflecting on hard moments at work so you can learn faster, avoid recency bias, and take control in tough situations.

Because when work feels messy, reflection is often the first thing we skip - or overdo. In this episode, you’ll learn practical tools, including the 5:1 formula and the WWW/EBI framework, to help you regain perspec...

This is Day 2 of the Learn Like a Lobster skill sprint, and today Helen and Sarah focus on one of the hardest - and most important - career skills: how to give and receive tough feedback. Learning doesn’t just happen after the difficult moment has passed - some of the most powerful development happens while things feel uncomfortable. In this episode, Helen and Sarah explore how to learn in the hard moments — particularly when feedb...