The Workplace Podcast in association with YellowWood

Episode 43: Creating a culture of mentoring with Sonata Kucin

Sonata Kucin joins our host William Corless to discuss creating a culture of mentoring in the workplace. Sonata is a Mentoring Culture Consultant, Program Manager, Mentor, Conference speaker, a member of the International Mentoring Association  (IMA) and European Mentoring and Coaching Council  (EMCC).

More than ten years ago, Sonata started her Mentoring Journey.One day at work, she was trying to solve a problem that she had with her team. She realized that the reason for this was one Mentor. Then Sonata acknowledged how powerful Mentoring is. In both ways. Positive and negative.So, she has faced the negative impact of Mentoring, and, as a manager, she had to do something. Sonata decided to look more deeply at what Mentoring is. There she started.

She designs Mentoring programs or collaborates in building a Mentoring Culture for different companies. In this episode we gain insights on the following:

• Peer mentoring
• Mentoring vs coaching
• Reverse mentoring
• Being a champion and an advocate
• Benefits of mentoring
• What organisations can learn about implementing a culture of mentoring
• Choosing your mentor wisely
• Mentor selection criteria
• Managing expectations of the mentor relationship
• Supports for the mentors themselves
• Ideal mentoring programme

Listener Giveaway.

Sonata is offering a free 30 min consultations for the first five companies who will contact her after listening to this podcast.  

More about Sonata Kucin you can find on her website

www.mentoring-culture.com

Episode 42: A load of Mullarkey - Improv and more with Neil Mullarkey

Neil Mullarkey, co-founder of the Comedy Store Players with Mike Myers joins us on the workplace podcast joins us to discuss improv and his book  “Seven steps to improve your people skills”. Neil has appeared on television shows Have I Got News For You, Whose Line Is It Anyway, Saturday Live and QI as well as the Austin Powers movies. Neil an executive coach and facilitator has been teaching improv and leadership for over 20 years,.

 

Neil provides our listeners with the origins of improv, how it developed and it’s application in the world of work.

• What is improv
• How improv enhances your presence
• We expose the myth that improv is winging it
• How improve improves communication
• Networking tips
• Improv allows is to be flexible and improve our interpersonal skills through seven steps

1. Learn
2. Look
3. Listen
4. Link
5. Let
6. Lighten
7. Leave

 

Neil has become synonymous with bringing the agility and innovation of improvisation to the boardrooms and sales teams of the world’s biggest corporations; transforming businesses from the inside by encouraging communication, collaboration, engagement and creativity, and simplifying some of the most complex of problems into the most compelling of solutions.

Be it designing bespoke workshops through to immersing himself in individual executive coaching on communication skills, Neil is now helping businesses across the globe communicate better, build high performing teams and deliver genuine, tangible results.

For more information:

https://neilmullarkey.com

Episode 41: Supporting people of colour in the workplace with Sertrice Grice

Sertrice Grice, an industrial organisational psychologist joins our host William Corless to discuss how we can support people of colour in the workplace.

Sertrice has deep experience helping complex, global organizations interpret organizational data and create action plans that help drive meaningful change. Sertrice writes and presents frequently on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion and is passionate about helping clients build cultures focused on anti-racism and allyship.

In this episode we discover where organisations can improve their approach to diversity and inclusion while also giving people insights on how they can practice allyship. This episode covers the following area's:

• An evidence based approach for organisations to utilise the data and interpret hard numbers
• Potential pitfalls in the employee life cycles where organisations can improve
• What to look for in D& I diagnostics
• Where discrimination occurs in the workplace especially around promotions
• Unconscious bias
• People who are eager to make a difference and don't know how
• Micro aggressions and micro affirmations
• Lived experiences and what people should avoid in conversations

Sertrice is offering a 50% discount on an AllyUp Udemy Course. Click on the link below for more details.

 

https://www.mattinglysolutions.com/workplace-podcast

Episode 40: Storytelling for business and sketch noting with Colin James

Colin James is one of Australia’s most respected and well-known keynote speakers and facilitators; his deeply engaging, humorous and provocative presentations are the highlight of any conference. He excels at imparting practical skills and workable knowledge – whilst making the whole audience howl with laughter! Winner of Australian Educator of the Year in 2008, Australian Keynote Speaker of the Year in 2020, and voted the highest-rated speaker at all global Gartner conferences in 2019 - scoring higher than both Tony Robbins and Simon Sinek.

In this episode Colin and our host William will explore:

• The role of storytelling in business
• The no slides approach and how to avoid death by PowerPoint
• Engaging your audience by using skilful language and vocabulary with eloquence
• Creating memorable presentation and the role of sketch noting on a Flipchart 
• Dealing with nerves
• Preparation of your presentation and refining your style

Colin has kindly offered a free Ebook and webinar for our listeners

Ebook - https://bit.ly/3sDaXJ2 

Free webinar recording - https://bit.ly/3n4jzY0

 

A gifted cartoonist, he is never far from his trusty flip-chart and pens; his drawing providing a unique and welcome diversion from the influx of PowerPoint presentations that soak up the imagination of your audiences fast. 

With 30-years’ experience in 34 countries globally his experience and unique style set him apart. Whether it is speaking to a crowd of 10,000 as he did in 2012 at the United Nations Conference or facilitating a small group of 20 CEO’s and executives to ensure that their contributions are superb and profoundly relevant - he leaves a lasting impression

Episode 39: Making your voice heard with Professor Connson Chou Locke

Professor Connson Locke of the London School of Economics joins the Workplace podcast to discuss Making your voice heard -How to own your space, access your inner power and become influential.

During this podcast we discuss influencing upwards and why it matters, personality type and introversion, the difference culture and gender makes plus we dive into imposter syndrome and the role of personal power.

Listeners are in a chance to win a copy of her new book: 

Making Your Voice Heard, which uses the research on power and influence to help people speak up to those who have more power than they do.  https://connsonlocke.com/

Professor Locke teaches Leadership, Organizational Behaviour, and Negotiation and Decision Making.  Connson has over 30 years’ experience as an educator, coach, and consultant working in Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Australia. Prior to entering academia, she served as Regional Training and Development Manager for the Boston Consulting Group where she was responsible for the learning and development of consulting staff in 10 offices across Asia Pacific. Connson holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Business Administration (Organizational Behaviour) from the University of California, Berkeley and a B.A. in Sociology from Harvard University where she graduated with honours. 

Episode 38: Dealing with gossip in the workplace with Deborah Grayson Riegel

Deborah Grayson Riegel is a keynote speaker, executive coach, and consultant who teaches leadership communication for Wharton Business School, Duke Corporate Education, Columbia Business School’s Women in Leadership Program, and the Beijing International MBA Program at Peking University. She writes for Harvard Business Review, Inc., Psychology Today, Forbes, and Fast Company, and has been featured in Bloomberg Businessweek, Oprah Magazine, and The New York Times. She is the author of "Overcoming Overthinking: 36 Ways to Tame Anxiety for Work, School, and Life" and consults and speaks for clients including Amazon, BlackRock, Google, KraftHeinz, PepsiCo, and The United States Army.

Deborah joins our host William Corless the workplace podcast to discuss gossip in the workplace. We understand why we do this  and what we can do when we need to deal with gossip. Deborah offers expertise on delivering feedback.

You can find Deborah online at www.deborahgraysonriegel.com.

Episode 37: Rethinking workplace learning. What organisations can do better to make learning effective with Richard Wentworth Ping.

Richard Wentworth-Ping (Facilitator, Executive Coach and Consultant) joins the workplace podcast to share over 30 years of his experience of Learning and Development (L&D). A truth sayer with his direct  communication style especially towards trends in L&D. Richard provides his learnings that will help organisations make learning more effective.

Changing behaviours, changing mindsets, changing cultures, changing the way people lead, manage and communicate. 

Richard's view is that organisations don't change. People change. If enough people in an organisation change, then the organisation is changed, as is the culture. Richard is not convinced by the idea that change has to be hard, nor that 70% of change initiatives fail. Change can be achieved and there's plenty of evidence it can be enjoyable. 

The way to develop capability, build habits, change behaviours and impact the business results and metrics that matter is very like getting fit: the person who wants to get fit has to do the work and exercise. The personal trainer can provide input, methodology, encouragement, support but the sit ups are yours to do.

This podcast is essential listening for people interested in Learning and Development for rethinking learning in the workplace.

Episode 36: Social networks and relationships for the hybrid workplace with Professor Claire Gubbins

Professor Claire Gubbins,  Organisational Behaviour & Human Resource Management, Dublin City University joins the workplace podcast. We discuss the importance of social networks and relationships in a hybrid workplace.  Claire is an expert in social capital, tacit knowledge and social learning in organisations. 

With so many changes happening in the workplace, are we setting people up for success. Who are the key people that we must value highly due to their tacit knowledge, connection people and processes.

With a return to the workplace on the horizon, we discuss the importance of these key people, especially with new hires facing an arduous task of embedding themselves into a team.

Many benefits will result from the learnings provided by Professor Gubbins such as tactic knowledge streams, talent retention, productivity and employee engagement.

Episode 35: In service of the public good - leadership insights from Vice Admiral Mark Mellett

Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, the first naval officer in the Irish State to serve as Chief of Staff, having previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief of Navy.

Holder of a Doctorate in Political Science and a Masters in Government and Public Policy, Admiral Mellett has a keen interest in research with a focus on European security, innovation, diversity and values-based leadership

Admiral Mellett share his leadership insights and the lessons from a career in serving the public good for over 40 years of military service. In this refreshing podcast, we cover leadership related topics and valuable nuggets  on humility & ego, what is means to cede power to gain power,  vulnerability, mental health, collaboration & innovation, reciprocity and what authority actually means.

Episode 34:Critical thinking - an essential workplace skill to future proof your career.

David Robert Grimes is a physicist, cancer researcher, and author. His work encompasses everything from how tumours use oxygen to the impact of disinformation and conspiracy theory on public understanding. He has a strong focus on public understanding of science and medicine, contributing to BBC, RTE, The New York Times, The Guardian, Scientific American, The Irish Times, and PBS. He received the 2014 Maddox prize, and his first book, “The Irrational Ape - why we fall for disinformation, conspiracy theory, and propaganda” is out now from Simon & Schuster UK. 

David joins to workplace to provide insight through story telling to what critical thinking is. David joins our host William Corless to discuss how critical thinking impacts so much of everyday life, including the workplace. In this wide ranging discussion we cover subject matters on toxic masculinity, cognitive biases, gender balance, team and leadership behaviours, group think, mansplaining, social media polarisation and decision making. 

This enjoyable and thought provoking podcast highlights the pitfalls we can avoid and tips on how to become a more effective critical thinker.