This week I noticed something fascinating, I had several client conversations that all circled the same frustration: “My people just aren’t doing what I need them to do.” And I get it, that feeling can turn into pure exhaustion, and then resignation.

So today I’m talking about the part we usually skip, the connection between what you do and how others respond. If you want new behaviours in your team, you have to be the stimulus, consistently.

We’ll look at why empowerment fails when you’re still deep diving, how habit change really works in organisations, and a simple way to build feedback cultures without accidentally training people to stay quiet.

Highlights:

(02:05) - The question that changes everything: what am I doing that’s creating this outcome?

(03:25) - “I want you empowered”, while quietly micromanaging anyway

(05:12) - You trained them to rely on you, now you have to retrain the system

(07:35) - January blues check, how consistent have you actually been with your change?

(09:20) - Want honest feedback? Don’t wing it, design safety (start, stop, continue works)

(10:45) - The fastest way to kill feedback: get defensive, then wonder why it disappears

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This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

I’m back with a more personal episode, sharing the self-reflection I’ve been doing over the last few months and the question that’s been steering it all: what do I need in place to do my best work?

After an intense stretch of travel and back-to-back client weeks, I realised I was running on fumes, and that’s not the energy I want to bring into the room.

I talk about why reflection builds resilience and emotional intelligence, plus the practical shifts that have helped me re-energise: protecting thinking time, planning so I feel in control, and using thought partners to sharpen the quality of my decisions.

I’ll leave you with a question to take into your own week.

Highlights:

(01:42) - Why self-reflection is a leadership tool, not a fluffy extra

(03:28) - The treadmill moment, when I realised “this pace isn’t sustainable”

(05:46) - Extrovert energy, and why I now need more quiet windows than I used to

(06:58) - The restorative week experiment, what changed when my diary finally had space

(08:34) - Planning as stress relief, how structure helps me feel calmer and sharper

(09:55) - Quality thinking needs conditions, and why a thought partner boosts my best work

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This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

As we step into a new year, I wanted to pause and challenge the way we think about New Year’s resolutions. I share why I am not a huge fan of big, dramatic goals set in January, and why so many of them quietly fall away by the end of the month.

This episode is about reframing resolutions as habits, and giving yourself permission to start, stop, adjust and recommit without judgement.

I also reflect on the goals that have actually worked for me, and the common thread between them. Small steps, realistic expectations and accountability made all the difference.

If you are feeling pressure to overhaul your life right now, this conversation will help you take a calmer, more sustainable approach to growth this year.

Highlights:

(01:10) Why a New Year’s resolution is just a goal in disguise

(02:58) The problem with all or nothing thinking in January

(04:47) Why habits take longer than 21 days to stick

(06:12) How small, flexible goals create lasting change

(07:45) The power of accountability when building new habits

(09:10) A realistic approach to health, strength and consistency

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This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

As we close out 2025, I wanted to slow things down and talk about gratitude, not in a cliched end of year way, but as a real, everyday leadership practice.

I share research that shaped my own thinking, showing how much more weight negative thoughts and interactions hold compared to positive ones. Understanding this has changed the way I speak to myself and the way I show up for others.

In this episode I walk through my own weekly gratitude habits, the tiny moments that keep me grounded and the impact they have had on my mindset, resilience and leadership. I also explore what happens when we extend this practice to the people we lead, and how appreciation strengthens morale, engagement and trust.

As the year wraps, I share the things I am most grateful for in 2025, what surprised me, what stretched me and the joy I have found in creating this podcast.

Highlights:

(01:42) The research that explains why negative thinking hits harder

(04:15) How I practise gratitude weekly in small, simple ways

(06:58) Why leaders must recognise what is going well, not just what needs fixing

(09:25) Building a team culture where appreciation is normal

(10:39) My personal reflections and wins from 2025

(12:55) A thank you to listeners and my hopes for 2026

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This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

This episode is a little different, because instead of sharing my reflections, I am handing the space over to you.

As we reach the end of the year, it is the perfect moment to pause, look back and make sense of what shaped you as a leader in 2025. Reflection is one of the strongest predictors of leadership growth, yet it is the habit most people skip when the pace picks up.

Across twelve thoughtful questions, I guide you through the moments that tested you, surprised you and changed you. You will explore what worked, what wobbled and what you want to bring into 2026 with intention.

If you follow the prompts fully, you will finish with clearer insight, better self awareness and a leadership focus you can actually commit to next year.

Highlights:

(01:42) Why year end is the ideal moment for reflective practice

(02:55) The question that reveals your most defining leadership moment

(04:30) How hidden assumptions shaped your choices

(06:05) Spotting unintended consequences you may have missed

(07:48) What recurring habits say about your leadership style

(10:12) Choosing the behaviour that will matter most in 2026

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This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

I loved recording this one because it is such a classic leadership trap. We rush straight into the topic, full of energy and opinions, but skip the one thing that would actually help us reach a decision.

This episode came from a real moment on a rugby club committee where an innocent line in a terms of reference opened up a bigger question about what collective decision making truly means.

I talk through the simple shifts that help groups make decisions with far less friction. Whether you prefer consensus, majority rule or delegated accountability, the clarity you set at the start will shape everything that follows.

If you want meetings that stop circling the drain and start creating momentum, this one is for you.

Highlights:

(01:32) The committee moment that sparked this whole episode

(02:40) Why groups stall when no one agrees the decision process

(04:05) The pitfalls of assuming consensus without saying so

(06:12) How majority rule works when not everyone agrees

(07:45) When one person should take the final decision

(09:10) The question to ask before any meeting with decisions ahead

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This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

In this episode, I reflect on something sparked by my son's athlete review and how the four part athlete development model mirrors the gaps we often leave in our own leadership growth.

We are brilliant at focusing on skills, outcomes and delivery, but far less disciplined when it comes to the mental and emotional fitness that actually keeps us performing well.

I share my own experiences with therapy, coaching, supervision and mentoring, along with the very human moments that nudged me towards each.

No single method solves everything, but a thoughtful mix creates the resilience and clarity we need for sustainable leadership. This is about choosing not to leave your psychological development to chance.

Highlights:

(01:36) The athlete development model that shifted my thinking

(03:12) Why leaders often ignore the psychological side of performance

(06:05) My experience of therapy and how it supported major transitions

(09:48) Coaching as a thought partner when the mind feels noisy

(12:41) Supervision and the deep insights it opened up

(14:55) How informal relationships can quietly spark real change

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This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio

This episode starts with a moment at Twickenham that completely caught me off guard and ended up teaching me more about leadership than I expected.

I was there to enjoy the Rugby match, not to learn a lesson, but what happened in those first few minutes made me stop and think about expectations, assumptions and how easy it is to react before you truly understand what is going on. It reminded me how important it is, especially in a new environment, to observe first and act later.

As I reflected on the woman behind me and her reaction, I realised how often we do this at work. We step into a new organisation or team and challenge something before we have taken the time to understand the culture, the behaviours or the unwritten rules.

When we rush, we risk creating conflict or misjudgment that could have been avoided. Giving ourselves that brief pause, the one Viktor Frankl describes so well, helps us respond thoughtfully instead of reacting emotionally.

This simple moment at the rugby became a powerful reminder that leadership often begins with noticing.

Highlights:

(01:22) The unexpected moment at Twickenham that made me stop and think

(03:41) How quick assumptions can create unnecessary tension

(06:31) Why observing a culture first helps me lead better

(08:34) What I learned about espoused values versus real behaviour

(10:00) How pausing helps me respond rather than react

(10:44) Why Viktor Frankl’s model now stays in my mind at work

Connect with Emma:

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This Podcast is proudly produced by Wavemakers Audio