Kinder Conversations hosted by A Kind Life

📕 This episode is the This episode offers practical insights for anyone working on cultural transformation, cross-cultural leadership and building environments where people thrive. Join us as we get into the mechanics with Maria Ursu – HR Director, Marketplace at Booking.com (previously at Vodaphone and Uber, with deep experience leading cultural transformation across Europe).   This week on the Kinder Conversations Podcast, @Tim Keogh is joined by one of our biggest guests yet.   In this episode you’ll learn: 🌍 How to lead across different cultures. 👏 How to build cultures where tough truths & respect co-exist. 🛠️ The 3 practical behaviours HR leaders can implement today. 🫣 What HR leaders get wrong about vulnerability and kindness. 📈 How kindness increases performance, engagement & retention.   Maria has led transformation in some of the world’s most complex cultures, and she is crystal clear on one thing: kindness works.   If you’re working to build a culture where people can thrive, this is the episode you cannot miss.

Behind every investigation is a person. Do you always remember that?   For HR, wellbeing and leadership professionals, this is essential listening on creating systems that are fair and kind.   In this month’s Kinder Conversations episode, we explore one of HR’s toughest challenges: When systems designed to protect people sometimes hurt them instead.   You’ll hear about: The emotional toll of investigations and how to prevent it What “working in the grey” really looks like for HR The “Friday Rule” (a simple, humane change with huge impact) How one health board cut investigations by 70%, saving 700k Why harm doesn’t stop with one person and what this means for culture

What does kindness have to do with food wholesaling? Everything.   In this month’s episode of Kinder Conversations, Tim Keogh sits down with Paul Hargreaves, CEO of Cotswold Fayre, early UK B-Corp pioneer, and author of The Fourth Bottom Line. Paul’s story is extraordinary. From starting out with products in the back of his car to building a purpose-driven business that puts people and planet first, his career shows how being kind in business can be a strategic advantage.   Listen now and rethink what your leadership could look like...

🎙️ What does kind leadership really look like in practice? In this powerful episode, Tim Keogh sits down with Professor Cath Crock, Paediatrician, Founder of the Hush Foundation and a true pioneer in patient-centred healthcare.   👏 Together, they explore why healthcare systems can’t deliver compassionate care when their people are burnt out, silenced unseen.   Cath shares transformational stories that every HR leader, clinician and team builder should hear from embedding music and theatre into hospital culture to creating safer, calmer environments for children undergoing chemotherapy.   Key takeaways: How to shift team dynamics in high-pressure environments Why junior voices can go unheard and what that costs us How to create space for staff to speak up without fear Why judgement poisons culture and how empathy rewires it What sensory-safe kind care really looks like in action

Missed us at NHS ConfedExpo? You can now watch the full session on the Kinder Conversations podcast! At this year’s ConfedExpo, we dug into why the NHS needs kindness now more than ever. We looked at how teaching and embedding kindness into leadership, workforce development and organisational culture leads to: ✅ Safer patient care ✅ Stronger, more connected teams ✅ Resilient, values-driven systems This session features powerful insights from leaders shaping cultural change across the NHS. Hear from: 🚑 Daniel Elkeles, CEO, NHS Providers 🤝 Julie Rogers, CEO, HPMA 🏥 Terry Roberts, Chief People Officer, Oxford University Hospitals FT 🎙️ Hosted by Tim Keogh

If you are looking to transform your relationships, leadership or team culture, this episode is a must-listen! In this month’s episode of Kinder Conversations, Tim Keogh is joined by the brilliant Jenny Martin, a coach, facilitator and trainer who brings 25 years of leadership experience, a postgraduate degree in the Psychology of Kindness and Wellbeing, and a suitcase full of LEGO® to the table. Jenny shares a thought-provoking conversation about how kindness can be a powerful driver of innovation and psychological safety, both of which are essential for building high-performing teams. In this episode you’ll discover: ✅ Why listening in transformational for the speaker and the listener ✅ The link between kindness, innovation and psychologically safe workplaces ✅ How neurodiversity and inclusion unlock better collaboration ✅ Why being “nice” can hold teams back and how to be kind and clear ✅ What her master’s taught her about kindness

Calling all HR professionals – do you want to learn how to practically improve the culture of your organisation? HPMA’s HR Director of the year 2023, Terry Roberts, shares exactly how - laying out the practical tools, leadership approach and knowledge you need to make this change happen. In this month’s episode of Kinder Conversations, Tim Keogh speaks to Terry, Chief People Officer for Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust about how to create kinder, more inclusive cultures. Here’s what you’ll learn: ✅ Discover the practical tools Terry has introduced to his organisation and how they are being used to turn wishful thinking into intentional action. ✅ Why Terry prioritises equipping his staff and managers with the tools to be kind. ✅ How, through active listening, you can translate what you’ve heard into action. ✅ Why EDI benefits everyone in an organisation and how we need to hold ourselves accountable for the implementation of EDI initiatives.

How can you be an advocate for kindness in your organisation? Well, we believe Regional Executive Officer Andy Phillips sets a great example… In this month’s episode of the Kinder Conversations podcast, Tim Keogh had the opportunity to speak to Andy about the importance of being intentionally kind and why leaders must be mindful of their impact on the workplace and the psychological safety of their staff. 👏 As Regional Executive Officer for the South-West region of the Health Service Executive – the Irish NHS – Andy helps provide health, wellbeing and social care to 750,000 people across Cork and Kerry. Tune in to hear: ✅ All about Andy’s coined term “Kind-fulness” ✅ How Andy puts himself in the shoes of those he is privileged to provide healthcare for ✅ The difference between kindness and niceness ✅ How Andy uses our BUILD feedback model (and what this stands for) ✅ Tim and Andy’s views on “blame culture”

Simon Cusden is someone who, from the moment you listen to him, makes you believe that a kinder world is possible – and that we all have the power to create it. In this month’s Kinder Conversation episode Tim Keogh had the chance to speak to Simon Cusden, former professional cricketer, wellbeing and mental health coach and the Co-founder of Whole People Group. From battling addiction and depression to guiding high achievers and leaders, Simon’s journey has given him profound insights into kindness, leadership and how embracing discomfort can lead to meaningful growth and sustainable success.

How do you build workplaces where people feel heard, valued and inspired? For Phillip Marshall, Executive Director of Workforce and OD at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, it’s all about kindness.  A passionate advocate for staff engagement, Phillip leads by example, showing how small actions can make a big impact. In our latest episode of the Kinder Conversations podcast, Phillip joins Tim Keogh to share his journey of culture transformation, outlining what we can all learn from simple yet powerful conversations and how kindness can shape better outcomes for both staff and patients.