Building Better Leaders Scaffold Coaching

In this month’s episode of the podcast, we are joined by serial entrepreneur Lorri Haines. Lorri and his fiancé Fearne McCann (Public figure and star of ITVBe’s My Family and Me) are co-founders of mental health and wellbeing app Shoorah.


In this conversation we continue our theme of mental wellness and how mental health, and personal wellbeing can either improve or reduce the productivity of teams in the workplace. We explore new ways that leaders can prevent, and support employees improved wellbeing using new technology, and dare we say it – artificial intelligence! Which is a core component of the Shoorah’s counselling offer – Shuru.


If you’re curious about how technology can be used to help not hinder our wellbeing, how we function in a world of ever-increasing stress, and how the NHS could be revolutionised by using technology and AI, then this conversation will spark your interest.


Lorri’s 3 leadership essentials are:


Do what you say you are going to do
People don’t work for you, they work with you
Don’t work so hard because one day it’s going to be over.

Excitingly Lorri also shares some brand-new features coming later this year in the Shoorah app, and how HR and L&D managers in organisations can try the app for free. It’s also worth noting that the cost for Shoorah business is significantly reduced per user. Find out more and request a free demo at: https://shoorah.io/shoorah-business/



You can contact Lorri at Lorrihaines@shoorah.io or follow him on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/lozzahaines/ or LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorri-haines-8a1336136/

Melissa Sookia, founder of Live, discusses menopause, its impact on women in leadership roles, and the need for affordable treatment.

Menopause symptoms vary and can affect productivity at work. Perimenopause starts with subtle changes like irregular periods and mood swings. Awareness is key in supporting women experiencing symptoms. Menopause can last for a 15-year period, with some women sailing through, while others may have severe symptoms.

Lack of awareness often leads to confusion and emotional distress for women experiencing symptoms.

We ask Melissa what can women do for themselves, and where should they go for help and direction. What should considerate employers be thinking about when it comes to discussing this thorny subject?

Leadership Essentials: 
Melissa shares her main takeaways about what women should be thinking about:

1. Communication: whether its your home life, or in the workplace talk about your feelings, and symptoms because you need to be heard and understood

2. Delegate: shift some of your workload

3. Time Management: take time, and be kind to yourself.

Melissa can be contacted through linkedin, or you can visit her website and book a consultation with her at LIVVE.UK

What does wellbeing in the workplace mean to you? There’s a lot of talk about mental health, and mental wellbeing, yet when it comes to understanding the full breadth and depth of our wellness this nowhere near the full story. Are your people happy, healthy and comfortable?

In this episode Rachael & John are in conversation with Claire Burns Health and Wellbeing Consultant - Mental Health First Aid Instructor and Founder of Wurkplace Wellbeing; uncovering the range and scope of employee help, that better leaders should be seeking within their organisations. 

They uncover the four pillars of well-being and discover how each one can be affected by the other. Looking after your employees makes obvious sense, it should be the human thing to do; vital for the individual, their family and friends and the good of your organisation. Yet it is not so obvious to match peoples outward behaviour with their thinking, and understanding what’s most important to them.

Three Things for Leaders to be on the lookout for:-





People have different starting points - The critical importance of showing affirmation and validation of someones situation
Vulnerability to stress - Appreciating the different triggers, and our individual capacity that fill up our “stress tank"
Hidden behaviours  - Asking why perfectionism is a real problem alert?


Claire’s Leadership Essentials:

1. Curiosity
2. Empathy
3. Role Modelling 

The four pillars of wellbeing: social, financial, mental health, and physical health.

You can contact Claire on LinkedIn, and access her website here at https://www.wurkplace-wellbeing.co.uk

In this podcast Rach & John talk to Former Counter Terrorism Covert Operations Leader and HUMINT specialist turned Entrepreneur and Solo Ocean Rower – Mike Bates. 

Born and raised in Doncaster, Mike carved out a career that most boys would dream of. Spending years undercover as a human intelligence specialist, covert counter-terrorism operations leader and commando in the Royal Marines. Mike was the real-life James Bond. But all those years spent undercover, Mike didn't know who he really was. Until he undertook the biggest challenge of his life - becoming the fastest British person to complete the ‘The World’s Toughest Row' solo in a little over 46 days. 

Rooted in his personal experiences of fighting terrorists, tackling mother nature at her most powerful and attaining his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Mike shares his unique experiences to provide a powerful and credible perspective on resilience, leadership, humility and overcoming adversity.
 
Leadership Essentials






Courage – to challenge the status quo, to do things differently, to admit you are wrong. 

Clarity - of mission. The mission needs to be absolutely clear. Clarity of communication with no doubt in any communication what you are trying to do and say. Clarity about the achievement and praising staff. Clarity in the culture of the organisation you are trying to create.

Credibility – this is different from experience. It's integrity, care and empathy. The ability of a leader to inspire others to follow you.


Get in touch with Mike:
Links to Mike Bates on: LinkedIn, Instagram
Or email Mike at: mikebatesofficial@gmail.com

Everyone keeps talking about where they want to work, how they'd prefer to work, yet employers often have a different view; the media have dubbed it "The Great Return," so for those of you with Zoom fatigue, or perhaps people who are reluctant to be in the workplace John & Rachael thought it was worth talking about.

With more questions and answers they look at the dilemma from both employer and employees points of view:





How much do we trust our people to do the work?
Is productivity now a problem?
Should we keep our offices anymore?
What about people's health and their ability to be social when working remotely?
Should we cater for everyone's needs?
What do our clients think we should be doing? Do they even care?
What sort of leadership style is being dictated by hybrid working?
How long can you put up with back to back virtual meetings?
When do I actually get any work done? 


Ledership Essentials:





What kind of approach does the work require?
What kind of leadership style do different people in your organisation need?
What is the role of individuals in meetings, do people really know why they are there? 

In the second podcast on 2023 we chat with David Harper, Career Coach. David is an ex CIO for a major UK insurance company with extensive experience of leading people in a £4bn business. In 2015 David was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, initiating his own career move into coaching.

David’s true purpose is helping people achieve. We talk to him about how he enjoys helping younger people start their careers, the sort of questions he asks them, and how the value of truly listening to people is in very short supply.

We discuss the sort of questions that employers should be asking themselves when it comes to employing people in their late forties and early fifties and beyond. The value of employing people based on outcomes and results, rather than just paying someone a salary based on a number of hours.

David’s Leadership Essentials





Remembering it’s always about people and to speak and listen to your team at an emotional level
Leadership is about walking about, being available without agenda
Getting into the work; visit and listen to the people who actually use your products and services 

 David can be contacted at https://harper360.com