In this inspiring episode, Brigid speaks with Kate Jenkinson, an HR Director turned Business Poet and Creative Executive Coach.

With over 25 years of experience in HR within engineering and science sectors, Kate now runs her own business, Next Step HR. She is a sought-after neurodiversity coach, spoken-word artist, and founder of the Poetry in Business Conference. Kate uniquely bridges the gap between the corporate world and the creative arts, using poetry as a tool for leadership development and organisational change.

In this interview, Kate discusses how poetry and spoken word can transform the workplace, offering a fresh perspective on learning and engagement. She covers:

1. Poetry as the Language of Learning: Kate explains that our brains are wired for poetry, referencing how we first learn through rhyme and rhythm in childhood. Spoken word has historically been a primary method of passing on information, making it naturally memorable and engaging.
2. Emotional Literacy in Leadership: Kate argues that emotional literacy and the ability to name and recognise emotions are precursors to emotional intelligence. Poetry helps leaders tap into nuance and empathy, allowing them to understand complex people dynamics that logic alone cannot resolve.
3. The "Spoken Word Finale": Kate shares her unique service, summarising entire conferences or events into a 5-8-minute spoken-word performance. This creative summary bypasses cognitive overload, anchors learning through emotion, and leaves a lasting impact on attendees.
4. Creativity as a Business Asset: In an age of efficiency and AI, Kate emphasises that creativity is essential for resilience and innovation. She describes poetry as the "language of the messy middle"—the ambiguous space between where we are and where we want to be—helping people navigate change and uncertainty.
5. Neurodiversity and Divergent Thinking: Reading and writing poetry develops divergent thinking, a key skill for problem-solving and leadership. It trains the brain to be comfortable with paradox and multiple possibilities.

Kate invites us to reclaim creativity in the corporate world, proving that beauty and truth have a powerful place alongside efficiency. If you are looking for innovative ways to engage your workforce and develop more empathetic, resilient leaders, this is a must-listen-to episode.

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn: Kate Jenkinson PhD, FCIPD | LinkedIn

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In this enlightening episode, Adam is joined by Zavier Coyne and Patrick Quinton-Smith, the founders of Gen Z Coach. Zav is the youngest qualified master intuitive psychology coach in the world and a TEDx speaker. Patrick is a certified leadership trainer and ICF PCC coach who has led multiple high-performing teams globally. Together, they combine their expertise to help businesses bridge the gap between managers and the incoming generation of talent.

In this interview, Zav and Patrick unpack the concept of "Generational Intelligence" and offer strategies for leaders to navigate the unique challenges of a digitally native workforce. They discuss:

1. Reframing the "Problem": Zav argues that leaders should not view Gen Z as the problem, but rather understand that they are navigating a "polluted" digital environment. Leaders must look at the context—the water the fish is in—rather than just judging the fish.
2. The Digitally Native Impact: As the first generation to grow up entirely with the internet and smartphones, Gen Z’s social and cognitive development has been uniquely conditioned. This has created an expectation for rapid feedback loops and instant gratification that often clashes with traditional workplace structures.
3. No News is Bad News: Unlike previous generations where "no news was good news," Zav explains that for Gen Z, silence is interpreted as bad news. They are accustomed to instant, personalised feedback data in their personal lives and disengage when they encounter silence in the workplace.
4. Generational Intelligence: The duo defines this as the behavioural and strategic skillset to effectively understand, empathise, and communicate across all age groups . This involves moving away from "command and control" leadership toward a coaching style that asks questions to stimulate thinking.
5. The Trust Gap in Recruitment: Patrick highlights that many young people leave within the first 12 months because the reality of the role does not match the vision sold during recruitment. Authenticity is critical, as 87% of Gen Z will leave a role to do the exact same job elsewhere if the new company is more aligned with their values.

Zav and Patrick provide a compelling case for evolving leadership styles to meet the speed of change in today's society. If you are a leader looking to improve retention, engagement, and productivity by better understanding your younger employees, this is a must-listen episode.

Connect with Zav and Patrick on LinkedIn: Zavier Coyne & Patrick Quinton-Smith

And check out Gen Z Coach

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

In this excellent interview, Brigid sits down with Julia Jones of Altezza People UK.

Julia is the founder of Altezza People UK, a leadership and emotional intelligence consultancy that uses embodied learning with horses to create measurable behavioural change. With a background in financial services and psychometrics, she combines commercial acumen with a passion for helping leaders and teams understand how their behaviour influences trust, communication, and performance.

In this episode, Julia discusses the limitations of traditional classroom training and the power of embodied learning to shift behaviour. She provides a fascinating masterclass on using physical experience to drive culture change, including:

1. Why Horses?: How horses act as mirrors to human energy and emotion, providing immediate feedback on leadership and behaviour that reveals what is really going on beneath the surface.
2. Embodied Learning vs. Cognitive Learning: Julia explains why we are often "tired of the mind" and how engaging the body creates lasting "lightbulb moments"—similar to the permanent skill of learning to ride a bike.
3. Psychological Safety: How removing teams from their usual environment and asking simple questions like "How are you feeling?" can uncover vulnerability and build immediate trust and safety.
4. Bridging Generational Gaps: Using shared experiences to connect the "fluid intelligence" of younger workers with the "crystallised intelligence" of the ageing workforce to foster better communication.
5. Measuring the Intangible: The critical need to move beyond "happy sheets" and link behavioural change and soft skills directly to business ROI and corporate objectives to prove value to the board.

Julia offers a unique and refreshing perspective on how to achieve deep behavioural change. If you are looking to move beyond theory and truly transform your team's culture, this is a must-listen-to episode.

Connect with Julia on LinkedIn: Julia Jones | LinkedIn

Check out Altezza Training: https://altezzapeople.co.uk/

Looking for a content library to help your team develop their productivity, communication, leadership skills and more? Check out assembleyou.com and follow us on LinkedIn.