Why Care?

Nadia Nagamootoo
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Business
  • Updated Bimonthly

If you have any form of Inclusion, Diversity and Belonging remit then this is the show for you. From thought-provoking conversations about parenting, gender stereotypes and racial inequality through to neurodiversity, sexuality and more, you’ll build your knowledge and get amazing advice from experts. To be the best in your field, you’ll need this latest thinking in Inclusion and Diversity so you can speak with enhanced confidence and credibility. Join Nadia Nagamootoo each month for inspiring conversations that you can use to accelerate your organisation’s journey towards inclusion.

  1. 12h ago

    66. From Outrage to Action: LGBTQ+ Equality, with Ellen Jones

    In the UK, LGBTQ+ equality is often spoken about as a settled achievement. Author, strategist and campaigner Ellen Jones joins Nadia Nagamootoo to explain why that assumption does not match the reality she sees. They discuss the UK’s position on ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map, the uncertainty facing trans people, and the lasting effects of policies and attitudes that shaped Ellen’s childhood. Ellen also shares her experiences of coming out at school, living with the shame left by bullying, and discovering she is autistic. Drawing on her book Outrage and her work through Pansy Studios, Ellen asks what organisations do when public support becomes less comfortable. She explains the impact of excluding LGBTQ+ people from jobs and commissions, and offers practical ways to help: hire and recommend talent, make introductions, share skills, fund community work and give your time. Key Takeaways: ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map places the UK 22nd among 49 countries in 2026 (down from 1st place in 2015). The ranking assesses laws and policies. The introduction of same-sex marriage did not settle every question of LGBTQ+ equality. Ellen describes how the belief that the work was finished left other needs overlooked. Ellen’s experiences of bullying and a lack of support at school show how shame can persist long after the incidents themselves. The conversation explores how access to everyday spaces, including toilets, affects whether people feel able to participate in work and public life. Ellen reflects on being both queer and autistic. School offered her structure and routine, while social exclusion remained part of her experience. Workplace values become meaningful through decisions about who is hired, commissioned, recommended and supported throughout the year. Practical allyship can draw on professional skills, contacts, money, transport or time. Guest Bio ⁠Ellen Jones⁠ is an author, strategist and award-winning campaigner whose work advances inclusion for LGBTQ+, neurodivergent and disabled communities. She received the inaugural MTV EMA Generation Change Award and was named Stonewall’s Young Campaigner of the Year. Ellen is the founder of Pansy Studios, a queer-led marketing agency that runs a global directory of LGBTQ+ freelance talent. Her debut book, Outrage: Why the Fight for LGBTQ+ Equality Is Not Yet Won and What We Can Do About It, was published by Bluebird, Pan Macmillan in January 2025. The paperback edition, published in January 2026, carries the subtitle How to Fight for LGBTQ+ Lives. Outrage was selected as Indie Book of the Month in February 2026. It examines the barriers LGBTQ+ people face and the actions others can take in support of the community. Cover photo: Shannen Lythgoe. Links Ellen Jones: Website | Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn | Buy “Outrage”  Nadia Nagamootoo: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Buy Beyond Discomfort Avenir Consulting: https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mauro Kenji Serra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kenji Productions⁠⁠⁠

    66. From Outrage to Action: LGBTQ+ Equality, with Ellen Jones

  2. Sep 7

    65. What The Traitors Reveals About Trust and Ethical Leadership, with Amanda Collier

    What happens to trust and judgement when people are placed under intense pressure? Former Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector and The Traitors contestant, Amanda Collier, joins Nadia Nagamootoo to explore human behaviour, resilience and ethical leadership. Amanda reveals why people instinctively seek safety in uncertain environments, how confidence can make someone a target and what the experience taught her about trust. Drawing on decades in serious crime and counter-terrorism operations, she shares how effective leaders make difficult decisions and create psychologically safe teams. She also reflects on being a gay woman in the Metropolitan Police during the 1990s, the tough persona she developed to survive and the emotional cost of appearing strong. Amanda also shares how medical checks for The Traitors uncovered a serious heart condition and inspired a new chapter of LGBTQ+ visibility, heart-health awareness and public service. This is a powerful conversation about integrity, identity and leading with humanity when the stakes are high. Key Takeaways: Under pressure, people form connections quickly and instinctively gravitate towards those who make them feel safe.Calmness and confidence can build trust, but they can also be perceived as authority, distance or threat.A strong professional persona may support survival and career progression while concealing a significant emotional cost.Effective leadership combines empathy and emotional intelligence with the courage to make difficult decisions.Character, kindness and respect are essential hiring considerations because technical skills alone do not create a healthy culture.Psychological safety grows when leaders trust their teams, protect specialist expertise and give people the authority to do their jobs.Leaders shape culture through the behaviours they reward, challenge and consistently demonstrate.Concealing parts of your identity at work can affect wellbeing, belonging and the ability to lead authentically.Integrity becomes most visible when certainty, familiar structures and control disappear.Unexpected adversity can create new opportunities for advocacy, service and personal purpose.Guest Bio Amanda Collier is a former Detective Chief Inspector with the Metropolitan Police, with decades of experience working at the sharp end of policing, including serious and organised crime and counter‑terrorism operations. Throughout her career, Amanda led complex investigations, made high‑stakes decisions under pressure and developed a deep understanding of trust, influence and human behaviour. In 2026, Amanda became widely known as a contestant on BBC One’s The Traitors, where her calm authority, integrity and analytical thinking resonated strongly with audiences. Since leaving policing, Amanda has used this public platform to champion issues including leadership, resilience, public service and heart health awareness, following a life‑saving diagnosis uncovered during medical checks for the programme. Amanda brings a rare combination of frontline operational experience and public insight, offering powerful reflections on decision‑making, ethics, psychological safety and what it truly means to lead in environments where the stakes are high and uncertainty is constant. Links Spotify Amanda Collier: | Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn  Nadia Nagamootoo: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Buy Beyond Discomfort Avenir Consulting: https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mauro Kenji Serra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kenji Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠

    65. What The Traitors Reveals About Trust and Ethical Leadership, with Amanda Collier

  3. Jul 13

    64. Allyship As A Leadership Skill, with Lee Chambers

    In this episode of Why Care?, Nadia Nagamootoo is joined by Lee Chambers, founder and CEO of Male Allies UK, for a powerful conversation about allyship, masculinity, gender equality and the urgent need to move from division to dialogue. Lee shares how serious illness, caregiving, fatherhood and his experience as a Black entrepreneur shaped his understanding of masculinity, purpose and impact. He explains why allyship is not an identity or ideology, but a set of practical skills that help people work across difference, build better relationships and create fairer systems. Together, Nadia and Lee explore why inclusion can feel threatening to some men, how fear and scarcity fuel polarisation, and why boys need broader, healthier scripts for what it means to be male. They also discuss autism, justice sensitivity, the manosphere, the Festival of the Boy, the Voice of Boys research and the Stronger Together Summit. This is a hopeful and practical episode about fairness, courage, curiosity and the role men can play in building workplaces and societies where everyone can thrive. Key Takeaways: Why allyship should be understood as a practical skill set, not a label or ideology. How fear, scarcity and polarisation make inclusion work harder, but more important. Why men often benefit personally from allyship through self-compassion, courage and stronger relationships. How Lee’s illness, caregiving role and time in women-dominated spaces reshaped his view of masculinity. Why boys are searching for a new script for masculinity, and how harmful online spaces exploit that need. How organisations can engage men who see inclusion as a threat, distraction or something being “done to them”. Why collaboration across difference can help workplaces move from gender division to gender dialogue. Guest Bio Lee Chambers is the founder and CEO of Male Allies UK, supporting organisations to engage men in inclusion and promote effective allyship. After a diverse career spanning corporate finance and tech entrepreneurship, Lee now focuses on gender equality, allyship, masculinity and workplace inclusion. He has been featured on the Startups 100 Index, received a Great British Entrepreneur Award, and sits on the board of CMI Women and Manchester Metropolitan University Business School. In 2024, he received the Freedom of the City of London for services to equality in business. He is also the 2023 UN Women Changemaker of the Year, an EDI Fellow at the University of East London, an ambassador for Working Families and 50:50 Parliament, and the author of Momentum: 13 Ways To Unlock Your Potential. Links Spotify Lee Chambers: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Buy Momentum: 13 Ways to Unlock Your Potential Nadia Nagamootoo: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Buy Beyond Discomfort Avenir Consulting: https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mauro Kenji Serra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kenji Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠

    64. Allyship As A Leadership Skill, with Lee Chambers

  4. Jun 22

    63. How to Create Safer Cultures at Work and Beyond, with Jamie Klingler

    In this episode of Why Care?, Nadia Nagamootoo is joined by writer, broadcaster and campaigner Jamie Klingler for a conversation about accidental activism, women’s safety, police reform and the institutional failures that still leave women carrying the burden of risk. Jamie reflects on the moment Sarah Everard’s murder pushed her from behind-the-scenes media work into national campaigning, how Reclaim These Streets was formed at breakneck speed, and why the vigil and High Court fight became a turning point in the public conversation on violence against women and girls. From there, the conversation widens into what has changed, what has not, and what leaders still fail to understand. Jamie speaks candidly about consent, male entitlement, the emotional toll of becoming a public voice on women’s safety, and why organisations cannot keep treating violence, harassment and misogyny as if they sit outside the workplace. The result is a powerful episode about courage, accountability and what it really takes to change culture rather than simply comment on it. Key Takeaways The public conversation on violence against women has moved, but institutions still lag behind. Consent education needs to go far beyond teaching girls how to say no. Men who want to help often need practical, behaviour-based guidance rather than abstract reassurance that they are “one of the good ones”. Organisations already know where the risks are. The issue is usually not awareness but whether leaders are willing to act early and decisively.  Guest Bio Jamie Klingler became an activist and campaigner for women's safety and police reform as one of the founders of Reclaim These Streets, an organisation that was created after Sarah Everard, was abducted, raped and murdered by a serving police officer. The organisation tried to hold a vigil for Sarah, but the Metropolitan Police said they weren’t allowed. In doing so and trying to silence them; Reclaim These Streets fought them in the High Court for violating their human right to assemble, and won. Jamie speaks on becoming an accidental activist and using her media and events expertise to create a real impact.  Her TEDx talk on How to Reclaim Your Life is here: https://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_klingler_reclaim_yourself_the_most_valuable_investment_you_ll_make Links Jamie: ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ Nadia Nagamootoo:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠ | Buy ⁠⁠⁠Beyond Discomfort⁠⁠⁠Avenir Consulting: ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices⁠⁠⁠Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mauro Kenji Serra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kenji Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠

    63. How to Create Safer Cultures at Work and Beyond, with Jamie Klingler

  5. Jun 1

    62. Why High Performers Still Don’t Feel Good Enough, with Starling

    In this episode of Why Care?, Nadia Nagamootoo is joined by pop artist, Starling, for a conversation about self-worth, invisible adversity, ageism, loneliness and the courage to become who you really are. Starling shares how childhood trauma, industry gatekeeping and years of being told she was not enough shaped her early story, and how inner work, nervous system awareness and radical self-belief helped her rebuild it. Together, they explore the pressures of image, success and social media, why so many people still feel lonely and not good enough, and what it means to create work that heals rather than simply performs. It is a conversation about confidence, human connection and choosing yourself, again and again. Key Takeaways: Invisible adversity shapes confidence just as deeply as more visible forms of discrimination or exclusion. You can build an identity that is both fully authentic and consciously created. Success, followers and public recognition do not automatically heal not-enoughness. Feeling safe in your body and nervous system changes the quality of your choices. Self-improvement becomes healthier when it comes from self-respect rather than self-rejection. Human connection remains one of the most powerful forms of healing.  Guest Bio Starling is a pop artist and speaker whose work sits at the intersection of music and personal transformation, a space her growing audience describes as “pop therapy”. Once told she could not sing, she has built her career by dismantling limitations and turning lived experience into songs about empowerment, resilience and possibility. Her music centres on one core idea: you are not what has happened to you, you are what you choose to become. Alongside millions of streams, major radio and press support, and sync placements including Love Island, Starling has also built a powerful platform around self-worth, creative empowerment and human connection, helping people rethink what they are capable of becoming. Links Starling: ⁠Website ⁠| ⁠Facebook⁠|⁠ Instagram ⁠| ⁠Spotify ⁠| ⁠Apple Music⁠ Nadia Nagamootoo:⁠ ⁠⁠Website⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn⁠ |⁠ Instagram⁠ | Buy ⁠Beyond Discomfort⁠Avenir Consulting: ⁠https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices⁠Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Mauro Kenji Serra⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Kenji Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠

    62. Why High Performers Still Don’t Feel Good Enough, with Starling

  6. May 11

    61. Worthiness, Belonging, and Leadership with Nova Reid

    In the first episode of Why Care? Season 7, Nadia Nagamootoo sits down with Nova Reid, founder, storyteller, and bestselling author of The Good Ally, for a conversation about worthiness, healing, history, and leadership. Nova explains why worthiness is not something we earn through achievement, but something many of us must practice intentionally after learning unworthiness early in life. Together, they explore how social programming shapes identity, belonging, and self-esteem, how assimilation and silence can become survival strategies, and why people-pleasing often leaves us exhausted, overextended, and disconnected from ourselves. They also unpack the deeper inner work behind leadership, the cost of telling only the stories systems find convenient, and why care must sit at the centre of culture, storytelling, and change. Key Takeaways: Worthiness is a lifelong practice, not a reward for productivity or performance. Bias and social programming begin early, long before children can fully understand the messages they absorb. Assimilation, silence, and overadaptation are often learned as safety strategies, especially across generations. People pleasing and overgiving can feel generous, but they can also drain us and prevent others from developing their own agency. Real culture change requires more than representation. It requires reckoning, care, and inner work. Guest Bio Nova Reid is a founder and visionary who cares deeply about healing and repair and uses the power of storytelling to help solve social justice issues. Often described as a force to be reckoned with, Nova’s work sits at the intersection of storytelling, mental health, and social justice. She is a renowned agent of change, winning multiple accolades for her work in racial justice spanning over a decade. She has performed on world class stages and written for major publications including The Guardian, Vogue and Elle Magazine - her cannon of work from her bestselling book The Good Ally - to Hidden Histories with Nova Reid is consistently described as life changing. Links Nova Reid: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Hidden Histories with Nova Reid | The Good AllyBook tickets to Nova’s one-woman show, Worthy on 23rd June 2026: https://www.novareid.com/worthyNadia Nagamootoo: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Buy Beyond DiscomfortAvenir Consulting: https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservicesProduced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mauro Kenji Serra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kenji Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    61. Worthiness, Belonging, and Leadership with Nova Reid

  7. Mar 29 ·  Bonus

    Shame, Identity and the Right to Be Yourself | Why Care? Live in partnership with Athena Effect

    In this special live episode of Why Care? Live, recorded at Dame Kelly Holmes’ Annual Women’s Celebration Event - Athena Effect, Nadia Nagamootoo is joined by Linda Riley, Raga D’silva, and Vikki Feltham for a powerful conversation on identity, shame, visibility, and what it takes to live truthfully in a world shaped by expectations. Together, they explore the pressure to stay hidden, the cost of being judged by systems and society, and the courage it takes to reject shame and define yourself on your own terms. From activism and allyship to illness, recovery, and self-acceptance, each guest shares deeply personal reflections on being seen, being underestimated, and choosing authenticity anyway. This is a conversation about what happens when women stop shrinking, stop apologising, and start living fully as themselves. Key Takeaways Authenticity often comes with risk, but hiding can carry its own long-term cost. Raga speaks about years of living multiple identities before deciding she could no longer stay hidden. Shame begins to loosen when people reconnect with their own worth rather than external expectations. Vikki reflects on surviving cancer, rebuilding trust in her body, and no longer seeing herself as someone to hide. Allyship matters most when allies speak up, not just listen quietly. Linda makes a direct call for stronger ally support, especially when LGBTQIA+ communities are forced to defend themselves alone. Inclusion conversations become more powerful when they are open, human, and psychologically safe, which is exactly how Why Care? Live is positioned in the concept brochure. The closing message of the panel is simple and strong: listen without judgment, question your assumptions, and help shape change through everyday actions. Links - Nadia Nagamootoo:⁠ Official website⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn⁠ | ⁠Instagram⁠ - Avenir Consulting: ⁠https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices - Athena Effect: Official website| Instagram - Dame Kelly Holmes: Official site | LinkedIn | Instagram - Linda Riley: Official website | LinkedIn | Instagram - Raga D'silva: Official website | LinkedIn - Vikki Feltham: LinkedIn | Instagram

    Shame, Identity and the Right to Be Yourself | Why Care? Live in partnership with Athena Effect

  8. Jan 19

    60. It’s Not Magic, with John Amaechi

    In the Season 6 finale of Why Care?, Nadia Nagamootoo is joined by John Amaechi OBE, organisational psychologist and Founder of APS Intelligence, for a wide-ranging and deeply grounded conversation on leadership, power, and personal accountability. Drawing on behavioural science, coaching practice, and lived experience, John challenges the myth that great leadership is rooted in charisma or innate talent. Instead, he argues that leadership excellence is built from ordinary, learnable skills that require sustained effort, self-regulation, and ethical clarity. Together, they explore why some leaders seek titles without accepting responsibility, how personalised power corrupts leadership intent, and why culture often gives permission to harmful behaviour. John reflects on vulnerability, feedback, presence, and the energy required to lead well, as well as the danger of outsourcing accountability to systems, algorithms, or circumstance. This episode is a candid examination of leadership without shortcuts, grounded in evidence, human dignity, and the daily choices that shape organisational culture. Cover Photo: Courtesy of APS Intelligence Key Takeaways: ​Leadership skill is learnable, not magical​Wanting power is necessary, but how power is used defines leadership quality​Avoiding discomfort undermines organisational performance​Accountability cannot be outsourced to systems or context​Ethical leadership requires sustained personal effort​Individual choices shape collective outcomesGuest Bio John Amaechi OBE is a world-renowned organisational psychologist, bestselling author, and Professor of Leadership at the University of Exeter Business School. As the founder of APS Intelligence Ltd., John leads a global team that transforms leaders and cultures by combining cutting-edge behavioural science with psychological insight. His bespoke programmes aren’t about quick fixes, they drive sustainable growth, ethical leadership, and organisational well-being. From his roots in Stockport, near Manchester, to becoming the first Briton to play professional basketball in the NBA, John’s personal journey exemplifies resilience and ambition. Inspired by his mother’s words, “The most unlikely of people in the most improbable of circumstances can become extraordinary”, John has spent his career challenging expectations and helping others unlock their potential. An adviser to FTSE 100 boards, a LinkedIn Top Voice, and the recipient of the Sport Industry Integrity and Impact Award, John is recognised as one of the most influential voices in leadership and organisational culture. His bestselling book, The Promises of Giants, inspires leaders worldwide to embrace authenticity, drive ethical change, and create lasting legacies. Links ​John Amaechi: LinkedIn | Instagram | Substack | TikTok​Buy his books:- “It's Not Magic: The Ordinary Skills of Exceptional Leaders” - “The Promises of Giants” ​APS: Website | LinkedIn​Nadia Nagamootoo:⁠ Website ⁠| ⁠LinkedIn ⁠|⁠ Instagram⁠​Avenir Consulting: ⁠https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices

    60. It’s Not Magic, with John Amaechi
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

If you have any form of Inclusion, Diversity and Belonging remit then this is the show for you. From thought-provoking conversations about parenting, gender stereotypes and racial inequality through to neurodiversity, sexuality and more, you’ll build your knowledge and get amazing advice from experts. To be the best in your field, you’ll need this latest thinking in Inclusion and Diversity so you can speak with enhanced confidence and credibility. Join Nadia Nagamootoo each month for inspiring conversations that you can use to accelerate your organisation’s journey towards inclusion.

Information

  • Creator
    Nadia Nagamootoo
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    72
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Nadia Nagamootoo
  • Show Website
    Why Care?

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