Why Not? & What If?

Siobhan & Andy
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Why Not? & What If? is a podcast about life, work, well-being – and the beautiful chaos in between. Hosted by Andy Cracknell, a creative whirlwind and disruptor of dull thinking, and Siobhán Godden, the HR consultant and coach who listens through the noise to what really matters. Think of Siobhán as the calm to Andy’s creative storm. Each episode dives into the messy, magical intersection of life, work, leadership and all the bits we’re not supposed to talk about – from gender equality, working parenthood and career “wounds”, to neurodiversity, burnout, leadership energy and HR headaches. Expect candid conversations, uncomfortable truths, inappropriate laughter and the occasional alpaca – plus practical ideas you can actually use. If you’re a leader, HR / People professional, working parent, neurodivergent human (or simply someone wondering “is it just me?”) – Why Not? & What If? is your space to think out loud, challenge the usual way of doing things and imagine what else might be possible.

  1. 12/23/2025

    Christmas Eve Special: HR Christmas Nightmares!

    Send us a text Tis our Christmas Eve special — and we’re diving into the stuff HR teams never forget… even when they try. Siobhán shares anonymised “HR nightmares at Christmas” stories that range from jaw-dropping (a motorboating incident with a very questionable defence) to the painfully familiar (people passed out in toilets, tears in the loo, and the post-party investigations nobody wants).  We also get into the messy reality of workplace hookups, the risks around power dynamics and consent, what happens when partners are invited, and why “what happens at the Christmas party” very often doesn’t stay there. Content note: This episode includes discussion of sexual harassment/misconduct scenarios, alcohol, and workplace investigations.  Got a story or a view? Email letstalk@whynotwhatif.com — we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

    24 min

  2. 12/15/2025

    Christmas Special 2: HR’s Christmas Party Dilemma: Boundaries, Booze & Being Blamed

    Send us a text HR gets labelled “the police” at Christmas parties… and somehow also “the fun sponges”.  In this episode, Andy and Siobhán talk about the reality of attending work socials when you’re the person everyone assumes will step in, calm things down, and clean up the aftermath — even though HR aren’t there to break up fights, and definitely shouldn’t be expected to put themselves in harm’s way.  We get into the awkward moments (“Careful what you say… HR’s here”), the pressure of holding company confidences when everyone’s had a few, and why some HR pros choose to leave early… or skip the whole thing entirely.  Plus: the different “tiers” of Christmas dos, why HR often prefer lunches, and a film recommendation that flips the “fun sponge” stereotype on its head. Got a story or a view? Email letstalk@whynotwhatif.com — we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

    15 min

  3. 12/15/2025

    Christmas Special 1: Christmas Party Survival Guide: 10 Tips to Keep Your Job (and Your Dignity)

    Send us a text It’s the first of our three-part Christmas mini-series — and we’re starting with the one everyone thinks they already knows: how to survive the work Christmas party. Andy and Siobhán share a “top 10 (plus a few)” set of common-sense rules for employees (and partners) that keeps the night fun… without it turning into a disciplinary, a PR disaster, or a proper horror story. We cover why a Christmas party still counts as a work event, the risks that come with booze (including the open bar Olympics), why “dancing on tables” can have real-world consequences, and the modern minefield of phones, photos, and sharing things that should never leave the room. There’s also a brutally practical section on getting home safely (don’t “rely on vibes”), plus a few tales that preview what’s coming in our final Christmas Eve episode: anonymous stories of Christmas parties that went wildly off-piste.  Got a story or a view? Email letstalk@whynotwhatif.com — we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

    26 min

  4. 12/12/2025

    S2E6 - Beyond Hunted: Burnout, Gut Health & the Mind–Body Reset with Paul Cashmore (Part 2)

    Send us a text In Part 2 of our conversation with Channel 4’s Hunted hunter Paul Cashmore, we step away from the TV screens and go deep into the work that really lights him up – mental and physical health, NLP and full-body nervous system reset. If Part 1 was about fame, ego and being “the guy off the telly”, this episode is where it all gets practical. Paul opens up about burnout, chronic stress and the moment his body literally forced him to stop. He shares how meditation, martial arts, Buddhist philosophy and neuroscience collided to shape his approach as a performance coach – and why so many clients now know him as the “NLP Ninja”. We get into: What it actually means to reset your nervous system (and why most of us are stuck in permanent fight-or-flight)The link between stress, gut health, eczema, pain, fatigue and exhaustionWhy your thoughts can create symptoms – and how they can also help release themThe simple Venn diagram Paul uses with clients: past, environment, movement and nutritionHow he blends NLP, coaching, PT and sound frequencies to help people let go of anxiety, trauma and old storiesThe deceptively simple question he always starts with: “What do you want?”Paul also talks about being a “human guinea pig” for everything he teaches, why science-backed “woo” can be life-changing, and how tiny habits and small wins can start to pull you out of overwhelm. 👉 New here? This is Part 2 of Paul’s story – so if you haven’t already, go back to Part 1 to hear the journey from police officer to Hunted hunter and the hidden cost of being in the public eye. Connect with Paul: Website: paulcashmore.co.uk Email: paul@paulcashmore.co.uk If you know someone who’s burnt out, wired, stuck in their own head or constantly in “go mode”, share this episode with them – it might be the nudge they need to hit reset. Got a story or a view? Email letstalk@whynotwhatif.com – we might do a follow-up episode with your takes. Got a story or a view? Email letstalk@whynotwhatif.com — we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

    52 min

  5. 12/05/2025

    S2E5 – Paul Cashmore from Channel 4’s Hunted: Fame, Ego and the Man Behind the Hunter (Part 1)

    Send us a text We got caught – properly. In this episode of Why Not? & What If?, Siobhán Godden and Andy Cracknell sit down with someone most of us know as “that bloke off the telly” – Paul Cashmore, one of the original Hunters from Channel 4’s hit series Hunted and Celebrity Hunted. But this isn’t just fan chat. It’s the story of what happens behind the persona – and what being in the public eye really does to how we see ourselves and each other. From a 15-year-old kid who just wanted to be on TV, to a police officer writing scripts in his spare time, to finally landing his dream on Channel 4 at 40, Paul shares the near-misses, rejections and sheer refusal to give up that got him there. Along the way, we dig into: What fame, ego and social media really do to your sense of selfHow the “Hunter” persona was created – and the human being underneath itWhen self-care and fitness tip into obsession and harmWhy teenagers now feel celebrity-level pressure without celebrity-level supportThe power of authenticity – and why it might be the highest “vibration” of allPaul’s simple first step if you’re on the edge of stress or anxiety: reach outWe also meet the calmer side of the man behind the Hunter: the grounded, quietly powerful energy that makes Paul such an effective coach – and, as Andy dubs him, the “NLP Ninja”. 👀 This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation with Paul. In Part 2, we go deeper into his work in mental and physical health, NLP and performance coaching – and the tools he uses to help people reset, rebuild and move forward. 🔗 Connect with Paul Web: www.paulcashmore.co.uk Email: paul@paulcashmore.co.uk 💬 Got a story or a view on fame, ego or mental health? Email letstalk@whynotwhatif.com – we might do a follow-up episode with your take. If you’re a Hunted fan, a coach, or someone who’s ever wondered what chasing external validation is doing to your head and heart – this one’s for you. Got a story or a view? Email letstalk@whynotwhatif.com — we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

    42 min

  6. 11/28/2025

    S2E4 - HR Is Dead (Kind Of): Wrestling, Stand-Up Comedy & Blowing Up Bullsh*t Training with Toby Kheng

    Send us a text HR is supposed to care about people. So why does so much of it feel like policy updates, tick-box training and vibes of “please sign to say you’ve read this”? In this episode of Why Not and What If, Siobhán Godden and Andy Cracknell sit down with HR disruptor, stand-up comic and former chef-turned-wrestler Toby Kheng (Founder of Freeformers) to ask a very simple question: If HR vanished tomorrow... would anyone actually notice? Together they dive into a very spicy mix of: Why traditional HR and L&D are obsessed with knowledge retention instead of real behaviour changeThe brutal truth about sexual harassment training, policy updates and why none of it shifts culture on its ownHow behavioural economics and human-centred design can transform employee experience far more than another LMS login What wrestling and stand-up comedy can teach leaders about performance, feedback and genuine stakesWhy so many HR teams are quietly de-skilling themselves by leaning on AI for everythingThe danger of L&D arrogance: “we’ll just build our own presentation skills course”How leaders destroy their own credibility with robotic comms and why humility, self-awareness and a bit of self-deprecation land so much betterToby shares how learning stand-up and stepping into the wrestling ring gave him more powerful lessons than any corporate programme, and why he and his co-founder Emily are rebuilding the employer–employee relationship from the ground up through Freeformers.  Siobhán brings the HR realism (and the 2am wake-ups over clients’ people problems), while Andy owns his history of being “told off by HR” and why he still believes tone of voice, values and culture cannot be imposed from the top. If you work in HR, L&D, people, internal comms or leadership and you suspect a lot of what you’re “supposed” to do is nonsense, this one might hit a nerve in the best possible way. Connect with Toby & Freeformers Freeformers website: search “Freeformers employee experience” or visit freeformers.comToby on LinkedIn: search “Toby Kheng Freeformers”Got a topic you want us to dive into? Email us at letstalk@whynotwhatif.com – your ideas genuinely fuel this chaos. If this episode made you think, laugh or rage-text your HR WhatsApp group, hit follow/subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who still thinks “updating the policy” is a culture strategy. Got a story or a view? Email letstalk@whynotwhatif.com — we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

    1h 7m

  7. 11/20/2025

    S2E3 - Lonely at the Top: C-Suite Leadership Energy, Psychological Safety & Coaching That Actually Helps

    Send us a text C-suite roles are supposed to be the pinnacle of a career… so why do so many senior leaders feel exhausted, isolated and secretly wondering if they’re “doing leadership wrong”? In this episode of Why Not and What If, Siobhán Godden and Andy Cracknell sit down with change maker consultant Simon Phillips to unpack leadership energy – and why understanding your natural impact style can be the difference between burnout and genuinely loving your work. Together they explore: Why your energy patterns as a leader matter more than your job titleHow tools like The GC Index® and Simon’s Change Leader Code reveal where you really add valueThe hidden loneliness epidemic at C-suite level – and how psychological safety, coaching and honest conversations can change everythingWhy “being nice” isn’t the same as being kind – and how real Playmaker energy often means inviting healthy conflictThe dangers of hiring and promoting on skills alone, without understanding proclivities and energyHow the Young People Index is helping teenagers make better choices about study, careers and self-worthThe link between game changer energy and ADHD, and what that means for how we design work and support peopleAndy also shares how discovering his own GC Index profile literally changed the course of his career (and quite possibly saved his life), and Siobhán lifts the lid on why so many senior HR and people leaders quietly lie awake at 2am worrying about their people. If you’re a leader, HR/People professional, coach or just someone who feels like work is draining more than it gives, this one’s for you. 🔗 Connect with Simon Explore the Change Leader Code: changeleadercode.comFind Simon on LinkedIn: search “Simon Phillips Change Leader Code”💌 Got a topic you want us to dive into?  Email us at letstalk@whynotwhatif.com and tell us what’s keeping you up at night. If this episode made you think, laugh or rage-text your mates, hit follow/subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear they’re not the only “lonely leader” in the room. Got a story or a view? Email letstalk@whynotwhatif.com — we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

    1h 9m

  8. 11/14/2025

    S2E2 - ADHD, Microtraumas & Neuro-Inclusion at Work (with Chris Hood, Neurobridge)

    Send us a text In this episode of Why Not and What If, hosts Siobhan Godden and Andy Cracknell sit down with Chris Hood, Head of Coaching and Community at Neurobridge, for a refreshingly honest conversation about neurodiversity — what it really means, why it matters, and how understanding it can reshape how we see ourselves and others. Chris opens up about his own ADHD diagnosis, sharing how it shaped his mental health, self-esteem, and identity. Together, they explore the misconceptions, microtraumas, and stigma that often accompany neurodivergence, particularly for women, who are frequently underdiagnosed or misunderstood. This episode goes beyond discussing ADHD. It is a call to compassion, curiosity, and kindness. When we understand the different ways people think, we do not just create better workplaces; we create a better world. Key takeaways: ADHD and neurodiversity often intersect with mental health challengesEarly diagnosis and support can change livesSelf-esteem is a silent struggle for many neurodivergent individualsDiversity of thought drives innovation and empathyTune in for a conversation that is both insightful and heartening, reminding us that everyone’s mind works differently, and that is exactly how it should be. Got a story or a view? Email letstalk@whynotwhatif.com — we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

    1h 2m
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About

Why Not? & What If? is a podcast about life, work, well-being – and the beautiful chaos in between. Hosted by Andy Cracknell, a creative whirlwind and disruptor of dull thinking, and Siobhán Godden, the HR consultant and coach who listens through the noise to what really matters. Think of Siobhán as the calm to Andy’s creative storm. Each episode dives into the messy, magical intersection of life, work, leadership and all the bits we’re not supposed to talk about – from gender equality, working parenthood and career “wounds”, to neurodiversity, burnout, leadership energy and HR headaches. Expect candid conversations, uncomfortable truths, inappropriate laughter and the occasional alpaca – plus practical ideas you can actually use. If you’re a leader, HR / People professional, working parent, neurodivergent human (or simply someone wondering “is it just me?”) – Why Not? & What If? is your space to think out loud, challenge the usual way of doing things and imagine what else might be possible.

Information

  • Creator
    Siobhan & Andy
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Why Not? & What If?
  • Show Website
    Why Not? & What If?