Kindness Matters with Sophie Bretag

  “…find that new and better version that better suits and deals with the problem at hand, whether that's one for you and or your client, and then go out and sell that. Now we've made a new and smarter version, oh and by the way, it's actually also better for the world, but it's not the other way around. Don't lead with green, lead with better, and then sprinkle green on top. That's what's going to make you set your path.” In this episode of the Humans at Work podcast, Jasper takes us through his journey into sustainability and the importance of business leadership in addressing climate change. Jasper introduces his concept of the 'Fatal Five' barriers to sustainability and how reframing the conversation can lead to positive outcomes for both businesses and the environment. We discuss the need for a redefinition of sustainability that emphasizes proactive measures for future generations, the importance of collaboration and openness in addressing environmental challenges, and the necessity of overcoming fear to embrace an abundance mindset. Jasper and I talk about: The impact of our upbringing on our climate awareness. Rethinking how sustainability can align with business success. Two basic needs - a stable ecosystem and meaningful jobs. How mindset shifts are crucial for embracing sustainability. Why sustainability is often viewed as a burden, not an opportunity, and the impact this has. Turning around negativity to looking at opportunities for creating positive impact Collaboration and openness as essential for solving sustainability challenges. How fear can hinder progress, whereas embracing abundance fosters innovation. Authentic communication is key, how to lead with better solutions, not just green initiatives. That businesses need a mission bigger than themselves to enhance their credibility and their sustainability efforts. Practical strategies to empower businesses to implement sustainability.   Resources and Links: Connect with Jules: Follow Jules on linkedin.com/in/julesharrisonannear Need an engaging, thought-provoking, inspirational speaker or facilitator? Talk to Jules about her availability via https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/humans-at-work-chat To get Jules’ help with your organisational or leadership challenge, visit jerica.org or go ahead and book a time with Jules via Calendly on https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/thinkingdifferently Keep connected with Humans At Work: To listen to more podcasts and read Jules’ blogs visit https://www.humansatwork.org/ To improve your ethnical leadership, sign up to our free self-paced digital Matching Values to Action course https://www.humansatwork.org/store

“News and information in general has never been more important. When we're looking at how we inform the decisions that we make in our lives and what we care about.  Just using the US as an example, whether it's related to what's happening in our Supreme Court and the cases that they're selecting, what's happening in our local governments, and our state governments, and our federal government? Having an informed electorate has never been more important and that's one of the things that has always drawn me to news and information is about letting people know facts...“ This episode of the humans at work podcast features conversation with Dave Trausneck, Communications Consultant at Knowledge Partners, and Senior Manager at Aidoc.  Dave and I explore a variety of topics, ranging from personal stories about pets to the impact of community in sports, the evolution of news, and the importance of authentic communication in organizations. We discuss the challenges of misinformation and the importance of trust, the significance of listening to understand, and the power of vulnerability in professional settings.  We also talk about what led us to connect, and the importance of seeking help during challenging times. Dave and I talk about: How pets bring immense joy and companionship. Celebrity culture and the unrealistic expectations placed upon people to be perfect role models. How sports teams can be a catalyst for community development. How the landscape of news has drastically changed. The challenge that misinformation poses. How listening to understand is vital for meaningful dialogue. Authenticity in storytelling and the links to brand trust. Employee advocacy and its role in shaping public perception. Building community connections, even in remote-first organizations. Making it okay to seek help during difficult times.   Resources and Links: Connect with Jules: Follow Jules on linkedin.com/in/julesharrisonannear Need an engaging, thought-provoking, inspirational speaker or facilitator? Talk to Jules about her availability via https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/humans-at-work-chat To get Jules’ help with your organisational or leadership challenge, visit jerica.org or go ahead and book a time with Jules via Calendly on https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/thinkingdifferently Keep connected with Humans At Work: To listen to more podcasts and read Jules’ blogs visit https://www.humansatwork.org/ To improve your ethnical leadership, sign up to our free self-paced digital Matching Values to Action course https://www.humansatwork.org/store

 “As I look at how the world operates, that global community, even now we need even more attention and detail to being respectful, to broadening our perspectives on things and to reaching out and helping people. Rather than having our measure as individual success, have our measure as collective or community success cos then everyone gets to have some value.”   This episode of the humans at work podcast features conversation with Craig Pattison, Director of ChalknTalk, and COO of Capability Collective.  Craig and I discussed the privilege and opportunities that travel and engaging with other cultures affords, the nature of community and the obligations and values embedded within that.  We also touch on AI adoption and adaptation, the nature of long-distance relationship building, and how risk management and governance are shifting in context.   Craig and I talk about: His travels to 58 countries (so far) The value and insights that come from immersing yourself in new sights, sounds and experiences Showing up in your contribution to communities Impact entrepreneurship and the importance of hand-up not hand-out strategy Risk management standardisation and the importance of focusing on material risks Understanding, adopting and adapting AI that fits with your organisational context and needs The combination of logic and reasoning and relationship management Relationship building despite physical distance.   Resources and Links: Connect with Jules: Follow Jules on linkedin.com/in/julesharrisonannear Need an engaging, thought-provoking, inspirational speaker or facilitator? Talk to Jules about her availability via https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/humans-at-work-chat To get Jules’ help with your organisational or leadership challenge, visit jerica.org or go ahead and book a time with Jules via Calendly on https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/thinkingdifferently Keep connected with Humans At Work: To listen to more podcasts and read Jules’ blogs visit https://www.humansatwork.org/ To improve your ethnical leadership, sign up to our free self-paced digital Matching Values to Action course https://www.humansatwork.org/store

 “How are we gonna lock arms with trust and love and care and move into this unknown, unshaped, unformed future and start putting some shape and form to it, born from love? Not fear, power over, scarcity, all that kind of stuff. That’s what I’m hoping, this book becomes an instrument in that way to bring forward those kinds of caring conversations. This episode of the humans at work podcast features conversation with Kent Frazier, CEO of ParadoxEdge. Kent and I talk about polarities and becoming comfortable with the ‘edges’ of things.  We traverse a wide range of topics including, what this means for leadership through care, the search for conversational relationships in a world of ‘meetings’, and the need to move away from fixed, binary camps to embracing our polarities as a continuum that bring generosity and humanness at work.  Kent not only articulates these concepts clearly, but has written and designed “Love Fiercely”, an inspirational (and aspirational) book for children and adults of all ages and in all contexts. Kent and I talk about: Honouring the full spectrum of who we are and who we want to become The concept of polarities and agility required to move constantly within them How partial truths are part of our inherently human nature How labels have gained a primacy that needs to be overcome – including when job titles are seen as a proxy for value The value of true conversations, creating relationships built on generosity, understanding, conscious vulnerability, and valuing of each other Shifting leadership paradigms towards a more human, candid and caring space Being comfortable with being uncomfortable The future of work, ethically embracing humanity, technologies and nature   Resources and Links: Connect with Jules: Follow Jules on linkedin.com/in/julesharrisonannear Need an engaging, thought-provoking, inspirational speaker or facilitator? Talk to Jules about her availability via https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/humans-at-work-chat To get Jules’ help with your organisational or leadership challenge, visit jerica.org or go ahead and book a time with Jules via Calendly on https://calendly.com/jules_jerica/thinkingdifferently Keep connected with Humans At Work: To listen to more podcasts and read Jules’ blogs visit https://www.humansatwork.org/ To improve your ethnical leadership, sign up to our free self-paced digital Matching Values to Action course https://www.humansatwork.org/store

“…so what we want to do is really unleash the potential of humans to really connect and help. It’s a bit of what we do in Africa – it’s unleashing the potential, the entrepreneurial potential to actually drive solutions, and what we’re giving is this tool that even any random individual can be a solution to local problems.”   This episode of the humans at work podcast features a conversation with Emanuele Santi, co-founder and president of Afrilanthropy supporting African entrepreneurs, and Riding the Rainbow, an app connecting refugees and local communities in the sharing, circular economy. Emanuele and I talk about fear, risk, myth and labelling, and how his work with African entrepreneurs and refugees provides simple tools and channels that unleash human potential for innovation, empathy and local solutions.  We covered the full range of topics in the economic space from macro-economics and the continuing negative impacts of colonisation, to micro-economics and the power of individuals to create local solutions that deliver impact and can scale.   Emanuele and I talk about: The concept of Mal d’Afrique, once you’ve been to Africa you long to go back Unleashing and supporting potential for local solutions through local innovation Mindset shifts in philanthropy and sustainable social support Broken investment and economic systems Concepts of risk based on your lived experience Social entrepreneurship and capacity for risk Changing narratives – Africa as a hotspot for innovation Macro to micro economic theory The ongoing impact of colonisation Myths of global food and energy production Riding the Rainbow, the app connecting asylum seekers and refugees with local communities The concept of direct solidarity, breaking down barriers for empathy and connection How fear drives disconnection Recycling and circular economy   Resources and Links:  Connect with Jules: Follow Jules on www.linkedin.com/in/julesharrisonannear Need an engaging, thought-provoking, inspirational speaker or facilitator?  Talk to Jules about her availability via https://calendly.com/jules-jhaconsulting/speaking-event-preparation To get Jules’ help with your organisational or leadership challenge, visit https://jhaconsulting.org or go ahead and book a time with Jules via Calendly on https://calendly.com/jules-jhaconsulting   Keep connected with Humans At Work: To listen to more podcasts and read Jules’ blogs visit https://www.humansatwork.org/ To improve your ethical leadership, sign up to our free self-paced digital Matching Values to Action course https://www.humansatwork.org/store Sign up to the human hub newsletter keep up to date with all things Humans at Work. Find more info here Follow Humans at Work on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/humans-at-worknz/

“The present is already really messy.  What I’ve learnt is that the future will be really messy, too, and that there won’t be a single answer to everything.  Coming back to foresight then, I think good organisations should really do the work of imagining multiple futures and there’s some really well-designed scenario methodologies out there for working out which kinds of futures you might want to think about.  Let’s say you end up with four different futures for how you think the world might be, that’s really, really useful for strategising.”    This episode of the humans at work podcast features conversation with Melissa Clark-Reynolds, a futurist, technology entrepreneur and insightful and visionary speaker. She is the Managing Director at FutureCentre.nz and sits on the Boards of Atkins Ranch, Wētā Workshop Ltd, Alpine Energy Group, Daffodil Enterprises Ltd, NZ Future Bees Trust, and Iron Duke. Melissa and I talk about the changing nature of consumer and employer influence, the evolution of executive governance, and the role of long-term investment thinking for future generations.  As an experienced Director, Melissa reflected on how Boards need to role model the behaviours and values of the organisation, how incentives for CE performance could do with an overhaul, and how to develop resilient strategies.   Melissa and I talk about: Pattern recognition across multiple different systems Food security and ethical labour and what it means to our ‘small pleasures’ Era of increasing transparency Consumerism as voice and voting Ethical alignment and the importance of visible integrity Organisations as part of wider ecosystems Intergenerational workforce strategies Shifting nature of employer – employee relationships Importance of holistic reputations for companies Governance and Directorships – role of Boards in supporting and role modelling the company ethos and values Relationships between CE and Board chairs What success is for companies and organisations with a future perspective Appropriate incentives for sustainable longer-term strategies Board Director’s roles in supporting culture and succession The importance of long-term workforce strategies Planning for comprehensive integration of migrants into the workforce and communities The need to review New Zealand’s labour market policies Long-term investment in education and health The importance of teaching critical thinking and creativity Infrastructure and the challenge of government debt leaving stranded assets for future generations Strategies that build resilient futures that future generations will have the most choice in Te Ao Māori view in relation to valuing people with preferences for the past, the present and the future The importance of handling the present as well as thinking of the future The need to imagine multiple futures and scenarios to build resilient strategy The importance of pandemic scenario planning.   Resources and Links:  Connect with Jules: Follow Jules on www.linkedin.com/in/julesharrisonannear Need an engaging, thought-provoking, inspirational speaker or facilitator?  Talk to Jules about her availability via https://calendly.com/jules-jhaconsulting/speaking-event-preparation To get Jules’ help with your organisational or leadership challenge, visit https://jhaconsulting.org or go ahead and book a time with Jules via Calendly on https://calendly.com/jules-jhaconsulting   Keep connected with Humans At Work: To listen to more podcasts and read Jules’ blogs visit https://www.humansatwork.org/ To improve your ethical leadership, sign up to our free self-paced digital Matching Values to Action course https://www.humansatwork.org/store Sign up to the human hub newsletter keep up to date with all things Humans at Work. Find more info here Follow Humans at Work on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/humans-at-worknz/

And those of us who are 45 and up who are in that category of leaders at the moment, if you like, what if we’d all been through an education system which taught us to be ethically informed about what our actions were doing, not just on our doorstep but in other parts of the world?  Or about the climate or about how the economic system favours some people and definitely not the majority of people, might we have a completely different perspective?    This episode of the humans at work podcast features conversation with Sophie Howe, Sustainability Futures and Wellbeing Adviser, and the first Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. Sophie and I talk about what the reality is of the ‘superhero’ job Future Generations Commissioner, how much more public and private sector can be doing to integrate our thinking systemically and holistically, and how to enable younger generations to think creatively, proactively and strategically to be better prepared for the future challenges.    Sophie and I talk about: The amazing British TV show Gavin and Stacey, and how well it captured the small nuances of culture and behaviour Personal experience as valuable for driving your work The breathtaking slow-ness of governments in thinking and planning ahead for social, technological and other shifts The Wellbeing of Future Generations Act in Wales The national ‘citizens conversations’ that designed and developed the concept of the ‘Wales we want’ into reality The 5 ways-of-working that embedded a fundamental shift in how government agencies, local councils, citizens and others work together systematically to create the future of Wales Involvement of the private sector in national shifts in ethos The value of a clear national strategic vision for certainty for all sectors What counts as ‘future generations’ – in the Welsh context, 25 years ahead is the starting point Tensions within government system settings between short-term and long-term decision-making and mechanisms to resolve those Cross-discipline and integrated system thinking – e.g. applying a public health perspective to long term transport strategy Education as a tool for embedding preventative and integrated thinking for future leaders The role and tactics of the Future Commissioner The fact that road building (and the future debt required) doesn’t stand up to scrutiny from a holistic wellbeing perspective Building courage for holding the holistic, future lens ground in conversations Social justice and the concept of intergenerational fairness Public policy and its role in getting to the root cause of systemic problems rather than short-term sticking plasters Her work with the UN system to reach a declaration for Future Generations What everyone can do to bring a future generations lens to your influence and work.   Resources and Links:  Connect with Jules: Follow Jules on www.linkedin.com/in/julesharrisonannear Need an engaging, thought-provoking, inspirational speaker or facilitator?  Talk to Jules about her availability via https://calendly.com/jules-jhaconsulting/speaking-event-preparation To get Jules’ help with your organisational or leadership challenge, visit https://jhaconsulting.org or go ahead and book a time with Jules via Calendly on https://calendly.com/jules-jhaconsulting   Keep connected with Humans At Work: To listen to more podcasts and read Jules’ blogs visit https://www.humansatwork.org/ To improve your ethical leadership, sign up to our free self-paced digital Matching Values to Action course https://www.humansatwork.org/store Sign up to the human hub newsletter keep up to date with all things Humans at Work. Find more info here Follow Humans at Work on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/humans-at-worknz/

This episode of the humans at work podcast features a Postscript Moment – a special follow-up conversation with one of our previous podcast guests.  For those of you who can remember letter-writing, after you’d signed off your letter, you could write P.S. and add in one last story or commentary that you knew would appeal to your letter recipient!  You wouldn’t have much space left on the paper, so you’d need to be more succinct and often P.S. information was the most informal and ‘juicy’ part of your news.   “So, you cannot pretend those things didn’t happen and you cannot pretend that those things don’t have an influence on what happened a hundred years later, and how living with that legacy of that trauma can still have an impact in today’s world.”   This episode of the humans at work podcast features a short(er) follow-up conversation with Enver Samuel, Documentary Film Maker, head of EMS Productions and currently a board member of the Documentary Film Makers Association.  It builds on the full podcast with Enver in episode 1.   Enver and I talk about: The beauty of Kruger National Game Park The peaceful sound of Africa How social and economic imperatives take effort and investment away from environmental issues The power of storytelling to fundamentally change the settings of the future The success of impact campaigns – bringing forgotten voices back to life Transgenerational trauma and the importance of addressing it to move forward The need to acknowledge the past and its affect on people’s futures, particularly the impact of colonialism The importance of taking breaks, particularly when dealing with trauma and hard topics Techniques for keeping safe when dealing with difficult topics and working for impact.   Resources and Links: To learn more about Enver:  Visit EMS Productions   Join us at humans at work: Sign up to the human hub newsletter today! Engage with Jules as she discusses important and thought-provoking questions and themes every month, and keep up to date with all things Humans at Work. Find more info here. To listen to more podcasts, read the blogs, invest in some active community learning and mentoring…visit https://www.humansatwork.org/ Follow Jules on LinkedIn Follow Humans at Work on LinkedIn

“Kindness can look different to different people as well. Kindness for me is very specific around boundary setting; by setting clear and not rigid but I’m very strict with my boundaries around my time, my emotional energy, my energy levels, my mental bandwidth around what I will and won’t take on and what I will and won’t keep."   This episode of the humans at work podcast features conversation with Sophie Bretag, Kindness guru and CEO and Founder of Metta Leaders. Sophie and I talk about what kindness looks, feels and sounds like in the workplace, the value of the Human Resources function within organisations, and the challenges and opportunities of adaptive parenting.   Sophie and I talk about: Our journeys to not drinking alcohol Adaptive strategies and applying them to parenting Parenting opportunities and challenges Choices and conscious risk taking Change and opportunities to use scenarios to demystify the future Organisational change processes and people impacts The invisible value of Human Resources for the system that is the workforce of an organisation Taking responsibility for your own health and wellbeing The shift that COVID brought to organisations’ view of the value of HR The intersect between HR and leadership, behind common purpose Jules’ views on the true definition of an organisation The return on investment from kindness in the workplace Understanding what kindness looks like The importance of personalising purpose and values Modern offices that don’t encourage connection with nature Opportunities to partner with nature in the design of healthier workplaces The value of daydreaming   Resources and Links: To learn more about Sophie: Visit Sophie at mettaleaders.com/   Follow Sophie on LinkedIn   Join us at humans at work: Sign up to the human hub newsletter today! Engage with Jules as she discusses important and thought-provoking questions and themes every month, and keep up to date with all things Humans at Work. Find more info here. To listen to more podcasts, read the blogs, invest in some active community learning and mentoring…visit https://www.humansatwork.org/ Follow Jules on LinkedIn Follow Humans at Work on LinkedIn

“One of those examples is, we talk about articulating strategy, because strategic thinking is no good if it just stays in your head.  So, we talk about articulating strategy and how you can get clear on that in your head, in order to communicate it and articulate it. That’s not just how do you write a strategy document, that’s how do you have day to-day conversations where you’re being clear with people, you’re leaving space for them to come up with their own solutions.”   This episode of the humans at work podcast features conversation with Nina Field, Business Psychologist.  Nina shares her journey from her love of water to joining the Navy and then designing her own highly successful strategic thinking programme. Nina and I talk about what its really like in the Navy, how organisational psychology and a love of strategy led to Nina designing a programme to help people translate the process of strategic thinking into tangible actions, and the value of understanding how you think.   Nina and I talk about: Working in the Navy The focus for organisational psychology The training foundation of defence work that enables readiness Strategic thinking from a psychological perspective Nina’s strategic thinking framework and programme Metacognition – the process of thinking about your thinking Jules’ decision-making practice work The link between thinking and decisions, and decisions and actions The need for clear articulation of your strategy Use of assessment tools in selection and development Cognitive Profile process and the value of understanding how you think The value of knowing your strengths and weaknesses and recruiting for complementary skills and capabilities.   Resources and Links:  To learn more about Nina: Visit Nina at ninafield.co.nz/ Follow Nina on LinkedIn   Join us at humans at work: Sign up to the human hub newsletter today! Engage with Jules as she discusses important and thought-provoking questions and themes every month, and keep up to date with all things Humans at Work. Find more info here. To listen to more podcasts, read the blogs, invest in some active community learning and mentoring…visit https://www.humansatwork.org/ Follow Jules on LinkedIn Follow Humans at Work on LinkedIn