The Reality of Business

Bob Morrell and Jeremy Blake
  • 5.0 (26)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED FORTNIGHTLY

Welcome to The Reality of Business, the go-to podcast for insights, stories, and straight-talking advice on all things business. With over two decades of running Reality Training, Bob & Jeremy have coached thousands, spoken at global conferences, and worked with businesses of all sizes - from start-ups to household names. Their experience, paired with their unique storytelling style, makes this podcast a must-listen for anyone looking to sell smarter, lead better, and think differently about business. What You’ll Get 🎙️ Expert insights & strategies to transform your approach 😂 Honest, light-hearted discussions - no corporate jargon, just real talk 💡 Lessons from global business leaders & industry disruptors 🌍 Stories from working with world-renowned brands Launched in June 2021 as Bob & Jeremy’s Conflab, the show has evolved into The Reality of Business, delivering thought-provoking discussions, entertaining banter, and actionable takeaways to help you navigate the challenges of modern business. Why Listen? 📈 Want to sell more and manage better? We’ve got you. 💬 Looking for fresh perspectives on leadership & sales? You’re in the right place. 🎧 Need an engaging listen while you work, commute, or unwind? We’re here for that too. 🔗 Discover more about Reality Training & our work with global businesses: www.realitytraining.com 🎵 Original music by Charlie Morrell. If you enjoy the show, leave a rating and review - we’d love to hear your thoughts! 🚀 Listen now & rethink the way you do business.

  1. 20 APR

    Contact Centres: The Brand & Customer Lifetime Value

    The Final Part of our Contact Centre Series we unpack how AI shifts the work mix in contact centres and why brands that compete on experience outperform on sales and retention. We share a practical path from cost per call to value per customer, with hiring, training, and hybrid models that scale. • market growth and AI moving simple queries to automation • experience as the differentiator over price • contact centres as sales and retention engines • reinvesting AI savings into skills and tools • shifting metrics from cost per call to value per customer • automotive as a case study of fragmented journeys • remote and hybrid staffing for coverage and resilience • global standards for consistent behaviours across teams • talent pipelines that reward autonomy and negotiation • continuous strategy instead of one‑off projects Thank you for sharing episodes with your friends and your colleagues. You know, you just press share, click on it, and why not chuck in someone's email or WhatsApp them an episode if you think it might help them sound more interesting when you're next with them To find out more about our work, to see what we could do to help your organization, go to realitytraining.com For more info, free resources,  useful content & our blog posts, please visit realitytraining.com. Reality Training - Selling Certainty

    21 min

  2. 6 APR

    Contact Centres: The Future Team Leader - CX & Performance Coach

    We explore how team leaders in contact centres move from admin heavy oversight to true performance coaching while AI takes on the routine work. We share practical ways to build omni‑channel skills, manage hybrid teams, and use data to protect wellbeing and grow careers. • the step up from agent to leader and the peer challenge • why numbers alone don’t change behaviour • coaching as the primary lever for performance • building omni‑channel skills across voice, chat, email and video • handling camera reluctance with confidence and choice • using AI analytics to target training and fix processes • redesigning roles so automation handles repetitive work • creating career pathways and centres of excellence • managing remote teams with clear dashboards and rituals • preventing burnout with proactive data‑led support • weighing hybrid against in‑office team dynamics • why human conversations still anchor customer experience To find out more about our work, to see what we could do to help your organization, go to realitytraining.com For more info, free resources,  useful content & our blog posts, please visit realitytraining.com. Reality Training - Selling Certainty

    16 min

  3. 23 MAR

    Contact Centres: The Future - How AI is Reshaping & Elevating Human Skills

    We launch a three-part series on the future of contact centres, starting at the front line with the operator’s changing role. We explore how AI removes repetitive work, why complex conversations now define value, and how multiskilling and hybrid work create real career growth. • why automation now handles routine requests • why complex and emotional calls need humans • how to multiskill across voice, chat, email and social • how real‑time AI guidance boosts speed and accuracy • why CX beats call volume as the core metric • how outsourcing cycles affect skills and escalation • how hybrid and remote work expand talent options • how operators build value with empathy and problem solving • what leaders must train and measure to raise quality To find out more about our work, to see what we could do to help your organization, go to realitytraining.com For more info, free resources,  useful content & our blog posts, please visit realitytraining.com. Reality Training - Selling Certainty

    21 min

  4. 9 MAR

    Incentives, Rewards & Motivation

    Why do some people push harder at work while others just do the minimum? In this episode of The Reality of Business, Bob and Jeremy look at how incentives, rewards and recognition really affect employee motivation. They talk about the difference between incentives and perks, why some bonus and commission schemes work while others backfire, and how things like fairness, culture and recognition shape workplace performance. Using examples from real sales environments, they explore the psychology behind incentives, employee engagement and productivity. If you manage a team, design incentive schemes, or care about workplace motivation, this conversation will give you plenty to think about. For more info, free resources,  useful content & our blog posts, please visit realitytraining.com. Reality Training - Selling Certainty

    37 min

  5. 9 FEB

    Business Language, Political Spin & the Loss of Plain Speaking

    We’ve all sat in meetings where a lot of word are used, and nothing really gets said.  In this episode, Bob and Jeremy talk about the language that’s crept into politics and management over the years. The phrases that sound confident and purposeful but often dodge the issue or leave everyone none the wiser. Why do we accept that certain areas of work and public life are packed with oddly chosen terms that make our skin crawl or test our patience? And at what point did we lose the habit of just saying what we mean, simply and directly? From political staples like “tough decisions” and “the national interest” to workplace favourites such “let’s take this offline” or “have you got the bandwidth?”, we look at what these phrases are really doing. Not just how annoying they are but how they affect leadership, trust, decision-making and everyday communication at work. We also talk about standards. What comes as standard in the way your organisation communicates? Could your people explain what those phrases actually mean? And would things improve if clearer language became the norm rather than the exception? If you’ve ever left a conversation feeling confused, irritated, or quietly switched off, this episode will strike a chord. This podcast comes from Reality Training. For the last 25 years, we’ve transformed the customer interactions of many leading UK businesses and developed thousands of managers to be better at what they do. For more info, free resources,  useful content & our blog posts, please visit realitytraining.com. Reality Training - Selling Certainty

    24 min

  6. 12 JAN

    Standards Have Slipped: Why Leadership Needs to Step Up

    Standards are essential for successful, growing brands.  But here’s the real question: what are your standards? Can your people clearly explain them? Do they know what ‘good’ looks like day to day? And are those standards actually being maintained or quietly ignored? In this episode of The Reality of Business, Bob and Jeremy talk honestly about why standards have slipped across sales, service and leadership and why this is a leadership issue, not a people problem. They explore how ‘expectations’ have replaced standards, why remote and hybrid working has made things harder to spot and enforce and how flexible management can drift into avoiding accountability altogether. You’ll also hear why: Standards need to be visible, not just written downLeaders must enforce them, not hope for the bestMetrics without behaviour attached can do more harm than goodCustomers now expect more than many organisations are deliveringMost importantly, they ask the question many businesses avoid: where do we start? If you care about quality, consistency and protecting your brand as you grow, this episode will give you plenty to think about and act on. For more info, free resources,  useful content & our blog posts, please visit realitytraining.com. Reality Training - Selling Certainty

    30 min

  7. 15/12/2025

    Team Leaders Part 2: Managing Time & Managing Work

    If you’re always busy but nothing really seems to move forward, this episode is for you. In part two of our Team Leaders series, we take a closer look at what gets in the way of consistent leadership and how to get back on track. It’s a practical conversation about replacing firefighting with focus and giving your team (and yourself) a clearer sense of direction. From endless meetings to shifting priorities, we explore what’s actually worth your time and how to make it count. We cover: Spotting the difference between busy and making progressUsing 3 daily non-negotiables to take control of your dayBuilding a 90-day plan and creating a proper leader’s playbookMaking sure your metrics match your values and cultureLetting your calendar speak for your leadershipQuietly fixing one small thing each weekSeeing why remote accompaniment matters more than everWhether you’re new to leading a team or you’ve been doing it for years, this episode offers honest, realistic ways to manage your time, your work and your team. Haven’t listened to Part 1 yet? That one’s all about managing people – worth going back for. For more info, free resources,  useful content & our blog posts, please visit realitytraining.com. Reality Training - Selling Certainty

    29 min

  8. 10/11/2025

    Team Leaders Part 1: People Management Without the Drama

    If you lead a team, or have just started, this is part 1 of two episodes all about making that role easier and more effective. We talk about the stuff that’s hard: What to do when someone says the rules don’t apply to themHow to respond without backing down or starting a rowDealing with likeable people who still aren’t performingHelping quiet team members feel confident to speakGetting two people to work together when they clearly don’t want toYou’ll also hear how to open a meeting with purpose, give useful feedback, and create the kind of team environment where expectations are clear and people know what good looks like. This episode is all about managing people – the day-to-day conversations, nudges, and challenges that come with the job. Part 2 is coming soon, where we’ll look at managing time, workload, and getting out of firefighting mode. Listen in and take one idea into your week! For more info, free resources,  useful content & our blog posts, please visit realitytraining.com. Reality Training - Selling Certainty

    27 min
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5
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Reality of Business, the go-to podcast for insights, stories, and straight-talking advice on all things business. With over two decades of running Reality Training, Bob & Jeremy have coached thousands, spoken at global conferences, and worked with businesses of all sizes - from start-ups to household names. Their experience, paired with their unique storytelling style, makes this podcast a must-listen for anyone looking to sell smarter, lead better, and think differently about business. What You’ll Get 🎙️ Expert insights & strategies to transform your approach 😂 Honest, light-hearted discussions - no corporate jargon, just real talk 💡 Lessons from global business leaders & industry disruptors 🌍 Stories from working with world-renowned brands Launched in June 2021 as Bob & Jeremy’s Conflab, the show has evolved into The Reality of Business, delivering thought-provoking discussions, entertaining banter, and actionable takeaways to help you navigate the challenges of modern business. Why Listen? 📈 Want to sell more and manage better? We’ve got you. 💬 Looking for fresh perspectives on leadership & sales? You’re in the right place. 🎧 Need an engaging listen while you work, commute, or unwind? We’re here for that too. 🔗 Discover more about Reality Training & our work with global businesses: www.realitytraining.com 🎵 Original music by Charlie Morrell. If you enjoy the show, leave a rating and review - we’d love to hear your thoughts! 🚀 Listen now & rethink the way you do business.

Information

  • Creator
    Bob Morrell and Jeremy Blake
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    99
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Reality of Business
  • Show Website
    The Reality of Business