The Business of Being Brilliant

Helen Beedham
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Organisational expert Helen Beedham explores the human side of work. She talks to business leaders, academics, authors and other experts about what’s helped them to work at their best and how we can create organisations where everyone can flourish. Tune in for some honest reflections, some wise advice and a host of practical suggestions to help you and your business succeed. Find the show notes at www.helenbeedham.com.

  1. S11 Ep 03: How to inject fun into work with Alys Martin

    3D AGO

    S11 Ep 03: How to inject fun into work with Alys Martin

    Is fun at work a nice-to-have or a must-have? In this episode, Helen Beenham sits down with Group HR Director and people leader Alys Martin to explore how organisations can create a culture of authentic, inclusive fun and why it matters more than ever in high-pressure work environments. Drawing from her strategic HR experience in tech, engineering, and publishing, Alys shares practical wisdom on why laughter and levity are vital for mental health, boosting team engagement, and creating genuine bonds at work.  Helen and Alys discuss: ⭐️ Why fun needs to be authentic and driven by teams, not imposed from the top-down  ⭐️ How “forced fun” and how exclusive social activities can inadvertently leave people out  ⭐️ Why fun can be “emotional oxygen” and how it helps people break up serious, stressful days and recover resilience  ⭐️The best ways for leaders to humanise their role, build trust, and show vulnerability  ⭐️ Tips on how leaders can read the room and ensure fun doesn’t end up hurting or excluding anyone  ⭐️ Why fun isn’t always frivolous and how a few minutes of laughter can restore perspective and balance in tough times. About Alys Martin:   Alys Martin is a strategic people leader with a passion for culture, reward, change and all the messy, beautiful, frustrating complexity of how people work together. She helps organisations to navigate growth, ambiguity, or reinvention and designs people practices that are thoughtful, effective, and rooted in real-life human experience. Alys is currently Group HR Director at Terrapin, was previously People Director at what3words and has held other senior HR roles in technology, engineering and publishing in organisations at different stages of growth and maturity. She describes herself, delightfully, as a fan of occasional nonsense and word games. Order Helen’s new business book, the Amazon Bestseller People Glue: hold on to your best people by setting them free. Help others to discover it too by leaving a book review and/or rating here. Download free retention tools from Helen’s website here, including the Freedom Index and 8 ways to diagnose your retention risks.   Listen to Helen’s special podcast episode about People Glue with guest host, CEO and tech entrepreneur Jen Sundberg.   Discover Helen’s award-winning first business book The Future of Time: how ‘re-working’ time can help you boost productivity, diversity and wellbeing.  Browse the reviews or rate it/post your own review here.   Join Helen’s mailing list here. Follow Helen on LinkedIn and Instagram. (Tip: click the bell icon on the top right of her Linked In profile to automatically see all her posts in your feed.)   Amy Edmondson’s post on Linked In about bringing your best self to work.  Loved this episode?   Follow The Business of Being Brilliant, rate and review the show, and share it with friends and colleagues who care about building brighter, fairer workplaces.

    30 min
  2. S11 Ep 02: How to manage the emotional crossovers between work and home with Vibeke Hartkorn

    FEB 1

    S11 Ep 02: How to manage the emotional crossovers between work and home with Vibeke Hartkorn

    Ever struggled to keep your work stress from spilling into home life, or vice versa? In this episode, Helen Beedham sits down with communication advisor, strategic executive coach, psychotherapist, and bestselling author Vibeke Hartkorn to explore how leaders and teams can navigate the emotional overlaps between work and home and why it matters more than ever. With a career spanning news anchoring, board leadership, and psychotherapy, Vibeke brings unique insight into why honest, open conversations at work are essential, not only for our individual happiness, but for the long-term success of organisations. Helen and Vibeke discuss: ⭐️ What impact the porous boundaries between our work and home lives have on our professional relationships ⭐️ Real-life examples of what happens when personal challenges show up in our performance or mood at work ⭐️ The risks for employees when sharing personal struggles and how making it safe for people to speak up is a gradual process that starts at onboarding and builds, one small conversation at a time. ⭐️ The need to train leaders in holding emotional “check-ins” and acquiring relationship skills which aren’t routinely taught to those entering the world of work ⭐️ Practical tips for building trust, setting boundaries, and fostering meaningful connection even in high-pressure workplaces ⭐️ What workplaces can learn from couples therapy to support stronger, more authentic teams. About Vibeke Hartkorn:   Vibeke Hartkorn is a Danish-Nigerian Communication advisor and Executive strategic business coach. Working mainly with international top executives and boards on leadership development, executive team communication, she ensures business results and effective stakeholder management through methods for psychological safety, business strategy enforcement and effective dialogue.  Vibeke Hartkorn´s work emphasizes that sustainable leadership and high-performing teams are built on trust, openness, and the ability to handle crisis situations and difficult conversations.  As a communication specialist and CEO of consultancies, and with a longstanding Board of Directors career she draws from her own executive experience, and brings a deep understanding of leadership and business challenges into her coaching and advisory work. After a career as a journalist and news anchor she trained as a psychotherapy specialist in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and has translated this method from couples therapy into workplace contexts to strengthen collaboration and trust. She is also the author of three bestselling business books and has been awarded Best Leadership Agency twice since 2023.   Vibeke’s executive coaching business Hartkorn Communications. Vibeke’s counselling business Great Relations. Vibeke on Linked In. Order Helen’s new business book, the Amazon Bestseller People Glue: hold on to your best people by setting them free. Help others to discover it too by leaving a book review and/or rating here. Download free retention tools from Helen’s website here, including the Freedom Index and 8 ways to diagnose your retention risks.   Listen to Helen’s special podcast episode about People Glue with guest host, CEO and tech entrepreneur Jen Sundberg.   Discover Helen’s award-winning first business book The Future of Time: how ‘re-working’ time can help you boost productivity, diversity and wellbeing.  Browse the reviews or rate it/post your own review here.   Join Helen’s mailing list here. Follow Helen on LinkedIn and Instagram. (Tip: click the bell icon on the top right of her Linked In profile to automatically see all her posts in your feed.)   Amy Edmondson’s post on Linked In about bringing your best self to work.  Loved this episode?   Follow The Business of Being Brilliant, rate and review the show, and share it with friends and colleagues who care about building brighter, fairer workplaces.

    35 min
  3. S11 E1: Takeover with Jen Sundberg: How to Create a ‘Sticky’ Organisation

    JAN 18

    S11 E1: Takeover with Jen Sundberg: How to Create a ‘Sticky’ Organisation

    What makes people really want to stay with your organisation? In this special episode, Helen Beedham hands over the hosting reins to Jen Sundberg, who turns the spotlight on Helen and her brand new book, People Glue: hold on to your best people by setting them free. Drawing on extensive research, personal experience, and interviews with more than 25 CEOs, COOs, and Chief People Officers, Helen shares the big paradox facing modern workplaces: how do you retain top talent when people want more freedom and individualisation in their work lives than ever before? In this candid conversation, Helen and Jen explore: ⭐️ Why retention has become one of leadership’s toughest challenges and why the freedom to curate a meaningful career matters to people more than ever ⭐️ The quiet, early warning signs your people may be preparing to leave (and what you can do before it’s too late) ⭐️ The 4 freedoms that your team/organisation should be offering ⭐️ How retention means very different things depending on life stage, gender, and career stage ⭐️ Why blanket office mandates create brittle loyalty and what actually builds trust and commitment ⭐️ Practical, actionable steps you can take today to create a ‘sticky’ team/organisation Plus some behind-the-book chat about Helen's highs and lows of writing People Glue.  If you’re a leader or manager wanting to keep your best colleagues,  this episode will change how you see retention. About Jen Sundberg:  Jennifer co-founded Board Intelligence, building it into the UK’s leading provider of board software and governance insight. More than 80,000 leaders across the Fortune 500, FTSE 100 and beyond use the platform to raise the quality of thinking and decision-making in boardrooms worldwide. In 2024 Board Intelligence was acquired by a US investment house and Jen turned her focus to the next generation. She launched The Park, a pioneering holiday programme that blends outdoor adventure with the science of critical thinking — helping children develop the skills and the habits to question well and make great decisions. Jen has been recognised as EY London Entrepreneur of the Year and The Times Young Businesswoman of the Year, and wrote a regular column for Management Today. With her long-time business partner Pippa Begg, she co-authored Collective Intelligence: How to Build a Business That’s Smarter Than You, shortlisted for Business Book of the Year 2024 and selected as an FT Book of the Month. Follow Jen on⁠ LinkedIn⁠ and find out more about her work ⁠here⁠. People Glue launches on Monday 26th January 2026 (e-book edition) / Tuesday 27th January 2026 (paperback and hardback editions). To get your copy: Pre-order or buy the paperback/hardback here: https://mybook.to/PeopleGlue (this link automatically directs to your local country site for your chosen bookseller). Snap up the e-book for just 99p for 1 day only on Amazon on 26th January: https://mybook.to/PeopleGlue-eb.  Download a calendar reminder here: https://calendar.app.google/1CeLgh8gZTemJAPF9 Follow me on LinkedIn to like, comment on and share my book launch posts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenjbeedham/ and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenjbeedham/ (Tip: click the bell icon on the top right of my Linked In profile to automatically see all my posts in your feed.) Please leave an Amazon rating and review here: https://mybook.to/PeopleGlue to help others discover the book too. Download the Freedom Index for free here: https://www.helenbeedham.com/people-glue Loved this episode?   Follow The Business of Being Brilliant, rate and review the show, and share it with friends and colleagues who care about building brighter, fairer workplaces.

    45 min
  4. S10 Ep 24: How to put people first with AI with Jayne Mather

    12/07/2025

    S10 Ep 24: How to put people first with AI with Jayne Mather

    How can leaders harness the power of AI at work without leaving their people behind? In  this episode, Helen Beedham sits down with digital transformation expert, senior consultant, and author Jayne Mather to dig into the human side of technological change.  Drawing on her decades of experience helping major organisations adopt new tech, Jayne reveals what really works when it comes to putting people first while bringing AI into the workplace. Helen and Jayne explore:  ⭐️ The real reason why many businesses struggle to put people front and centre ⭐️ The risks for employees when technology outpaces their ability to adapt ⭐️ Why just switching on AI can backfire and the pitfalls of it as a headcount reduction tool  ⭐️ How to involve staff in AI adoption to boost engagement, creativity, and long-term success  ⭐️ Practical ways that workplaces can share the “gift of time” freed up by AI  ⭐️ Why human connection still matters for brand reputation, client loyalty, and learning. About Jayne Mather:  Jayne Mather is passionate about transforming organisations through technology, as is evident in her books Humans and AI: The Future of Work, and Super User Networks: Best Practices in Change.  She is a Senior Consultant with decades of experience working with some of the biggest brands on the planet delivering digital transformation initiatives.  Splitting her time between London and Yorkshire, when she's not working or writing, she can be found reading with a cup of (Yorkshire) tea and her two cats, spending time with the family, or occasionally venturing out for cocktails and good food with friends.  Visit Helen’s website www.helenbeedham.com. Pre-order Helen’s new book People Glue: hold on to your best people by setting them free  (out 26 Jan 2026) and become a book supporter to gain exclusive book-related invitations and offers.  Check out Helen's award-winning business book: The Future of Time: how 're-working' time can help you boost productivity, diversity and wellbeing. Leave a book review on Amazon here. Get in touch about Helen’s Time-Intelligent Teams workshops or view/download a flier here. Join her mailing list here. Follow Jayne Mather on LinkedIn and find out more about her work and her books here. Loved this episode?   Follow The Business of Being Brilliant, rate and review the show, and share it with friends and colleagues who care about building brighter, fairer workplaces.

    35 min
  5. S10 Ep 23: How to Develop and Retain Gen Z Talent with Alex Atherton

    11/23/2025

    S10 Ep 23: How to Develop and Retain Gen Z Talent with Alex Atherton

    What’s really going on with Gen Z at work and how can leaders rethink their approach to unlock their immense potential? In this episode, Helen Beedham sits down with educator, leadership coach, and author Alex Atherton to explore the myths, frustrations, and truths surrounding Gen Z talent. Drawing on his decades of experience as a Head Teacher and workplace generational expert, Alex offers invaluable insight into what Gen Z truly values, the obstacles they face, and why traditional career paths just don’t add up for this cohort. Helen and Alex discuss: ⭐️ Why the “impatient, unreliable snowflake” label does Gen Z a disservice and what the data shows about their work ethic and achievements ⭐️ How growing up as digital natives and living through economic uncertainty have shaped Gen Z’s outlook at work ⭐️ How organisations can adapt to engage and retain the Gen Z generation ⭐️ The importance of telling authentic stories (not polished marketing) to attract and motivate younger talent ⭐️ How leaders can leverage Gen Z’s entrepreneurial skills, even if it means embracing flexibility and creative arrangements rather than one-size-fits-all job specs About Alex Atherton: Alex Atherton is an educator, leadership coach, and keynote speaker with over 25 years’ experience in inner-city schools, including more than a decade as a London headteacher. He’s also author of The Snowflake Myth: explaining Gen Z in the workplace and beyond. Alex specialises in bridging generational gaps at work — bringing rich insights into what Gen Z truly value and how organisations can help them thrive. Visit Helen’s website www.helenbeedham.com. Pre-order Helen’s new book People Glue: hold on to your best people by setting them free  (out 26 Jan 2026) and become a book supporter to gain exclusive book-related invitations and offers.  Check out Helen's award-winning business book: The Future of Time: how 're-working' time can help you boost productivity, diversity and wellbeing. Leave a book review on Amazon here. Get in touch about Helen’s Time-Intelligent Teams workshops or view/download a flier here. Join her mailing list here. What does freedom at work mean to you? Take my short survey here. Discount code “Alex” to purchase The Snowflake directly at Alex’s website   Follow Alex Atherton on LinkedIn Loved this episode?   Follow The Business of Being Brilliant, rate and review the show, and share it with friends and colleagues who care about building brighter, fairer workplaces.

    34 min
  6. S10 Ep 22: How to Humanise HR with Vivian Leinster

    11/09/2025

    S10 Ep 22: How to Humanise HR with Vivian Leinster

    Can HR be both the conscience of the organisation and a champion for the people who work in it? In this episode, Helen Beedham sits down with seasoned C-suite executive Vivian Leinster, whose 30-year career as a Chief People Officer and People Director has spanned sectors from telecoms and technology to healthcare and insurance. Together, they peel back the layers of what it means to humanise HR, moving beyond rigid policies, challenging combative workplace dynamics, and encouraging genuine conversations that build trust and flexibility. Helen and Vivian chat about: ⭐️How standardisation is making HR less human and what real flexibility could look like ⭐️ Why conversations, not just policies and processes, are the secret to unlocking genuine connection and accountability in organisations ⭐️ How the instinct to “fix” or manage people can actually take away autonomy and choice, and what leaders need to do instead ⭐️ The vital skills HR professionals (and all leaders!) need to know ⭐️ Practical ways organisations can champion transparency, encourage autonomy, and help people feel truly valued even amidst difficult change. About Vivian Leinster: Vivian is a seasoned C-suite executive who helps boards and executive teams align business strategy with culture to unlock step-change results. With over 30 years’ experience across HR, change and transformation, she is known for cutting through organisational complexity and surfacing the hidden assumptions that shape behaviour. She has led global culture transformations from case-for-change to embedding culture champions, coaching leaders to find authentic styles that inspire confidence and deliver outcomes. Her track record spans listed, private and PE-backed firms across telecoms, technology, infrastructure, insurance, healthcare and professional services. Now enjoying a portfolio career, Vivian combines psychological acuity with commercial edge, honed through senior roles in the UK and Australia. Links: Visit Helen’s website www.helenbeedham.com. Check out Helen's award-winning business book: The Future of Time: how 're-working' time can help you boost productivity, diversity and wellbeing. Leave a book review on Amazon here. Get in touch about Helen’s Time-Intelligent Teams workshops or view/download a flier here. Join her mailing list here. What does freedom at work mean to you? Take my short survey here. Pre-order my new book People Glue: hold on to your best people by setting them free  (out 26 Jan 2026) and become a book supporter to gain exclusive book-related invitations and offers.  Follow Vivian on LinkedIn. Loved this episode?   Follow The Business of Being Brilliant, rate and review the show, and share it with friends and colleagues who care about building brighter, fairer workplaces.

    32 min
  7. S10 Ep 21: How to Be Good Enough at Work with Michael Skapinker

    10/26/2025

    S10 Ep 21: How to Be Good Enough at Work with Michael Skapinker

    Can the secret to thriving at work be about being “good enough” rather than exceptional? In this episode, Helen Beedham sits down with award-winning journalist, careers counsellor, and Financial Times contributor Michael Skapinker to unravel why letting go of perfectionism could be transformational for managers and teams. Together, they explore the parallels between parenting and leadership, and offer practical advice for creating healthier, more empowered workplaces. Helen and Michael chat about: ⭐️ Why the “good enough” approach borrowed from parenting psychology is not about doing the bare minimum, but creating a certain environment ⭐️ How family dynamics and early experiences shape the way we lead, and respond to leaders, at work ⭐️ The surprising loneliness and anxiety that managers often face, and what helps to lessen this ⭐️ The 2 must-have leadership tools that spark deeper conversations, surface challenges and help people feel genuinely heard. ⭐️ 3 things managers can put into practice that will help their teams flourish.  About Michael Skapinker: Michael Skapinker is a careers counsellor, leadership educator and contributing editor at the Financial Times, where he was a reporter, senior editor and award-winning columnist for 34 years. He is the author of the book: "Inside the Leaders' Club: How top companies deal with pressing business issues". Links: Visit Helen’s website www.helenbeedham.com. Check out Helen's award-winning business book: The Future of Time: how 're-working' time can help you boost productivity, diversity and wellbeing. Leave a book review on Amazon here. Get in touch about Helen’s Time-Intelligent Teams workshops or view/download a flier here. Join her mailing list here. What does freedom at work mean to you? Take my short survey here. Pre-order my new book People Glue: hold on to your best people by setting them free  (out Jan 2026) and become a book supporter to gain exclusive book-related invitations and offers.  Follow Michael on LinkedIn Order Michael’s book Inside the Leaders' Club: How top companies deal with pressing business issues. Loved this episode?   Follow The Business of Being Brilliant, rate and review the show, and share it with friends and colleagues who care about building brighter, fairer workplaces.

    31 min
  8. S10 Ep 20: How to Be Fearless in Life and Work with Soulaima Gourani

    10/12/2025

    S10 Ep 20: How to Be Fearless in Life and Work with Soulaima Gourani

    What does it really mean to be fearless at work and is it about confidence, risk-taking, privilege, or something deeper? In this episode, Helen Beedham sits down with globally recognised tech founder, author, CEO, and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, Soulaima Gourani, to rethink what it means to dance through life and career challenges, rather than simply climb ladders. Together, they unpack how setbacks, risk, and an authentic sense of self can fuel our most brilliant moves in business and beyond. Helen and Soulaima explore: ⭐️ How to view life and career as a dance, not a ladder, and turn adversity into unconventional opportunities. ⭐️ The “8% Rule”, where Soulaima says yes to things when she understands just 8% of them, trusting her intuition and energy rather than waiting to be “fully ready.” ⭐️ How to keep imposter syndrome in check by reframing failures and openly sharing challenges. ⭐️ How to be guided by what truly energises you and using that when weighing up big decisions. ⭐️ How to create your own opportunities and networks instead of waiting for invitations, and to avoid measuring your own self-worth against others. About Soulaima Gourani: Soulaima Gourani dropped out of school in 7th grade, left home at 13, and grew up in foster care. Today, she’s a globally recognized tech entrepreneur, WEF Young Global Leader, Thinkers50 honoree, and former UN Women’s Advisor. With a background in SaaS sales and jobs at Maersk, Microsoft, and HP, she has since mentored TED Fellows, founded award-winning companies, and been named one of the Top 100 Women in Tech and "40 under 40." An MBA from CBS and with executive education from Harvard, Wharton, Yale, and 10+ global institutions, Soulaima has lectured at HKS, CBS, LBS, HULT, and more. Currently nominated for Global Tech Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 and 100 Reputable Women of African Descent, she’s on a mission to eliminate barriers and radically improve people's quality of life. Links: Visit Helen’s website www.helenbeedham.com. Check out Helen's award-winning business book: The Future of Time: how 're-working' time can help you boost productivity, diversity and wellbeing. Leave a book review on Amazon here. Get in touch about Helen’s Time-Intelligent Teams workshops or view/download a flier here. Join her mailing list here. What does freedom at work mean to you? Take my short survey here. Pre-order my new book People Glue: hold on to your best people by setting them free  (out Jan 2026) and become a book supporter to gain exclusive book-related invitations and offers.  Follow Soulaima on Linked In. Happioh’s website.  Loved this episode?   Follow The Business of Being Brilliant, rate and review the show, and share it with friends and colleagues who care about building brighter, fairer workplaces.

    30 min
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Organisational expert Helen Beedham explores the human side of work. She talks to business leaders, academics, authors and other experts about what’s helped them to work at their best and how we can create organisations where everyone can flourish. Tune in for some honest reflections, some wise advice and a host of practical suggestions to help you and your business succeed. Find the show notes at www.helenbeedham.com.

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