On a Human Basis with Joe Badman

Basis
  • 5.0 (1)
  • GOVERNMENT

How do we sustain public services without losing their soul? We’re on a mission to prove that radical change is possible even amidst financial constraints. Join Joe Badman, Managing Director of Basis, as he speaks candidly with the pioneers creating more human and relational public services. Each episode focuses on practical lessons from the field to help leaders build on the work of their peers, avoid common pitfalls, and navigate the messy reality of creating a more relational public service. What we’ll discuss: - Relational Service Design: Shifting from transactional service factories to high-trust systems - Agile Delivery: Turning the relational vision into operational reality - Smarter Savings: Demonstrating financial impact while putting human connection first Join the mission: - Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joseph-badman - Read the latest chapters from our upcoming book: https://relationalservicedesign.com - Master the methodology: https://basistraining.co.uk/ - Partner with us: https://basis.co.uk

  1. APR 22

    The Surgeon-Scrum Master: Embedding agile in the NHS with Rob Macadam

    What happens when a consultant surgeon embeds agile ways of working into the messy reality of an NHS operating theatre? In this episode, Joe sits down with Rob McAdam, a Consultant Upper GI and Bariatric Surgeon who also happens to be a qualified Scrum Master. Rob is a rare example of a practitioner who hasn't just read the theory - he has spent years embedding agile ways of working into the heart of the NHS. For Rob, the "stable team", the "prioritised backlog" and the "retrospective" aren't just agile buzzwords - they directly map onto the most important parts of surgical practice. In this deep dive, we explore how he moved his department away from rigid, linear planning and toward a model that values human collaboration over top-down protocols. Rather than asking clinicians to work harder inside a rigid system, this work asks a different question: What if we trusted teams to redesign how the work gets done? In this conversation, we explore: Why the pandemic forced a shift to 24-hour sprints - and what was lost when things "returned to normal"How a theatre list already resembles a Scrum team, and what that unlocksWhy traditional list planning produces garbage-in, garbage-out resultsWhat surgical story points look like in practice, and how they've increased capacity without burning people outHow proper retrospectives surface the invisible frictions a debrief never catchesA real example of a tiny AI-assisted fix that's now spreading across an NHS trustWhy "the HIPPO effect" still shapes medicine - and how Agile challenges itHow psychological safety and team-led improvement could transform frontline NHS delivery This episode is especially relevant for: Clinicians, surgeons and NHS leadersPublic sector commissioners and service designersContinuous improvement and transformation teamsAnyone working on adaptive, team-led change in complex systems Stay connected: Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joseph-badmanRead the latest chapters from our upcoming book: https://relationalservicedesign.comMaster the methodology: https://basistraining.co.uk/Partner with us: https://basis.co.uk

    1h 7m

  2. MAR 12

    Busting bureaucracy: unlocking £12 million in pupil premium funding with Myles Bremner

    Is your local authority missing its "hidden cohort" for free school meals? In this episode, Joe sits down with Myles Bremner (Bremner & Co.) who has spent over a decade at the heart of school food policy. They confront the "crazy bureaucracy" standing between children and free school meals, and share how working with teams in Devon and Tower Hamlets has already put £12 million in pupil premium funding back into schools across the UK. What you’ll learn: The Hidden Cohort: How to identify the thousands of eligible pupils currently missing out on vital support.The £12 Million Impact: Why fixing the registration process for free school meals is the fastest way to secure pupil premium funding.The September Deadline: Navigating upcoming changes to transitional protection and what they mean for your Local Authority.Data as a Force for Good: How local data officers are cutting through red tape to automate enrolment.Partnership Wins: Why honest conversations between councils and schools deliver more than working in silos. Take Action on FSM: How is your team preparing for the policy changes this September? We are currently helping a select cohort of Local Authorities automate their FSM systems. Explore the FSM Hub: https://basis.co.uk/free-school-meals/ Stay connected: Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joseph-badmanRead the latest chapters from our upcoming book: https://relationalservicedesign.comMaster the methodology: https://basistraining.co.uk/Partner with us: https://basis.co.uk

    48 min

  3. FEB 12

    The balcony and the dancefloor: relational leadership with Geeta Subramaniam-Mooney

    Can you actually lead a complex system if you never leave the boardroom? In this episode, Joe sits down with Geeta Subramaniam-Mooney, Director for Environment and Climate Change at Hackney Council. Geeta is local government through and through. With more than 25 years in the public sector, she has an eclectic mix of experience, areas she has delivered within and been responsible. From directly working with children at risk and criminal justice services experienced children to cross corporate and partnership services. She knits together people and place-based services. In her current role she is responsible for environmental services, streetscene, public realm, safety and climate change. In this conversation, Geeta speaks honestly about what leadership really looks like in complex systems. It’s not about having all the answers, or being the technical expert in the room. It’s about humility, asking the right questions, building trust, and staying close to the communities you serve. Her message is quietly powerful: lasting change happens through relationships. Through genuine participation. And through leaders who are willing to take the less trodden path - even when it feels slower or harder. What you’ll take away from this episode: Why leadership is about breadth - the balcony as well as being close to the dancefloorThe role sponsorship plays in supporting others in their journeysWhat local government taught us during COVID about speed, adaptability and courageWhat meaningful co-production with communities really requiresWhy creativity, play and humour can unlock better solutionsWhy relationships matter more than frameworks, tools or methods Geeta also reflects on resilience, both personal and organisational, and why supporting people through emotionally demanding work is essential. Supporting staff enables everyone to be valued and able to bring their best selves to their roles, and build public services that are sustainable now and into the future. If you care about social justice, community and organisational resilience, and leadership grounded in humanity rather than hierarchy, this conversation is worth your time. Stay connected: Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joseph-badmanRead the latest chapters from our upcoming book: https://relationalservicedesign.comMaster the methodology: https://basistraining.co.uk/Partner with us: https://basis.co.uk

    55 min

  4. FEB 5

    Self-management over hierarchy: a masterclass with Helen Sanderson

    What happens when you stop being "the boss" and start treating your team like they actually matter? In this episode, Joe sits down with Helen Sanderson to discuss the radical experiment of Wellbeing Teams. Helen walked away from a traditional CEO role to prove that "Self-Management" isn't just a buzzword, it’s a way to save lives. By ditching CVs for "Heart," writing "Scare Away Letters" to find the right people, and replacing rigid rules with trust, her team achieved something impossible: They were 5 times (500%) less likely to see their patients admitted to the hospital. If you’ve ever felt like a "cog in a machine" or wondered if there’s a kinder way to lead, this story is for you. In this episode, we explore: The "Scare Away Letter": Why being radically honest about the "bad parts" of a job builds the best teams.Hiring for Heart: Why Helen stopped looking at CVs and started looking for "mattering."The 50x Result: The data-backed proof that relational working outperforms traditional "Time and Task" management.The "Boss" Trap: How Helen learned to give up control to find real psychological safety.The Bitter Truth: Why an "Outstanding" rated team had to close down because the system wasn't ready for it. Stay connected: Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joseph-badmanRead the latest chapters from our upcoming book: https://relationalservicedesign.comMaster the methodology: https://basistraining.co.uk/Partner with us: https://basis.co.uk

    1h 39m

  5. JAN 29

    Putting love back in the care system with Carly Glover

    Can love actually be a legitimate—and measurable—policy goal for public services? In this episode, Joe sits down with Carly Glover, founder and former CEO of Jersey Cares, to explore the profound impact of love, advocacy, and human connection within the care system. Drawing from her transformative work in Jersey and Scotland, Carly shares how shifting from a transactional "Victorian model" to a relational approach can fundamentally change lives for those with care experience. Key discussion points: The Foundation of Jersey Cares: How a diverse "band of unusual suspects", from Chief Ministers to community leaders, came together in a noisy Portuguese cafe to redefine advocacy.The Power of Love in Policy: Why the core mission of "children in care should be loved" became the non-negotiable golden thread that influenced government practice.Brutalising vs. Tender Environments: Carly discusses how high-pressure, back-to-back professional schedules can "brutalise" staff, making it difficult to deliver "tender" services to vulnerable families.The Promise Scotland: Insights into the radical commitment to ensure all care-experienced children are loved, safe, and respected by 2030.Ceding Power & Agency: A look at why public services must stop "pretending" to have total control and instead empower individuals to exert their own agency. Stay connected: Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joseph-badmanRead the latest chapters from our upcoming book: https://relationalservicedesign.comMaster the methodology: https://basistraining.co.uk/Partner with us: https://basis.co.uk

    1h 5m

  6. JAN 22

    Rehumanising data: Why KPIs are failing citizens with Ron Charlton

    How do we make sure the people most in need don't keep falling through the cracks? In this episode, Joe sits down with Ron Charlton, Data and Information Lead at Changing Futures Northumbria. Ron explains why transactional, target-driven public services fail people with multiple disadvantages, and how a relational, human-centred approach can transform outcomes while reducing crisis demand. Drawing on decades of frontline policing and system leadership, Ron shares how rehumanising data, using bottom-up, real-world information instead of abstract metrics, brings leaders closer to reality and enables better decision-making across public services. This is a deep dive into relational practice, systems change, and why traditional performance frameworks often create harm rather than help. In this conversation, we explore: Why referrals and assessments often fail people with complex needsHow relational practice outperforms transactional service modelsWhat “rehumanising data” actually looks like in practiceHow lived experience and shared power change outcomesWhy psychological safety matters for learning and innovationHow relational approaches reduce crisis demand across systems Rather than asking people to fit into broken systems, this work asks a different question: What if we redesigned services around people, not process? This episode is especially relevant for: Public sector leaders and commissionersPolicy and systems-change professionalsPractitioners working with complex needsData, insight and service design teams Stay connected: Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joseph-badmanRead the latest chapters from our upcoming book: https://relationalservicedesign.comMaster the methodology: https://basistraining.co.uk/Partner with us: https://basis.co.uk

    1h 16m

  7. 12/04/2025

    From PMO to impact: leading transformation with Ayesha Hakim Rahman

    Is your transformation team just a PMO function in disguise? In this episode, Joe sits down with Ayesha Hakim Rahman to discuss her 10-year journey from the voluntary sector to leading transformation across London boroughs like Tower Hamlets and Bexley. Ayesha challenges the status quo, arguing that transformation is far more than just PMO or governance - it is about curiosity, impact, and challenging the phrase "this is how it’s always been". We explore how to move from tick-box consultation to honest community engagement, why we need to stop using the term "hard to reach," and the vital role of Agile methodology in the public sector. Whether you work in the public sector, service design, or change management, this conversation offers practical insights on building resilience, using data effectively, and the power of "intelligent risk-taking". What we cover: From Community to Strategy: Ayesha’s transition from the third sector to local government and how living in the borough she worked in changed her perspective on decision-making.Redefining Engagement: The regeneration project success story and why honesty about what residents can and cannot influence is crucial for trust.Transformation vs. PMO: Why confusing Project Management Offices with Transformation is a mistake, and how to spot the difference.Agile in Government: Moving away from "As-Is" and "To-Be" waterfall planning toward testing, learning, and delivery sprints.Leadership Growth: Ayesha’s personal goal to become a "patient leader" and learning from the friction of past projects. Stay connected: Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joseph-badmanRead the latest chapters from our upcoming book: https://relationalservicedesign.comMaster the methodology: https://basistraining.co.uk/Partner with us: https://basis.co.uk

    1h 11m

  8. 08/07/2025

    People over process: designing relational services with Virginie Clarke

    Can we design services that are genuinely relation, or are we just making bureaucracy slightly more efficient? In this episode, Joe sits down with Virginie Clarke, a service design lead working at the heart of local government to make services more human by putting people and relationships first. What you’ll learn: How Virginie’s background in performance and theatre helped shape her approach to service design.Why holding space, reading the room, and modelling vulnerability are critical facilitation skills.What it takes to build trust with people facing complex challenges—and with the staff supporting them.How the Havelock project is building something better from the ground up by listening, adapting and acting.What it really means to design relational services in practice. Virginie’s story - pivoting into local government during the pandemic, building a new team, and learning by doing, shows that creating better public services isn’t about perfect plans, but about people, relationships, and staying open to what works. Join the mission: Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joseph-badmanRead the latest chapters from our upcoming book: https://relationalservicedesign.comMaster the methodology: https://basistraining.co.uk/Partner with us: https://basis.co.uk

    56 min
See All (14)

About

How do we sustain public services without losing their soul? We’re on a mission to prove that radical change is possible even amidst financial constraints. Join Joe Badman, Managing Director of Basis, as he speaks candidly with the pioneers creating more human and relational public services. Each episode focuses on practical lessons from the field to help leaders build on the work of their peers, avoid common pitfalls, and navigate the messy reality of creating a more relational public service. What we’ll discuss: - Relational Service Design: Shifting from transactional service factories to high-trust systems - Agile Delivery: Turning the relational vision into operational reality - Smarter Savings: Demonstrating financial impact while putting human connection first Join the mission: - Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joseph-badman - Read the latest chapters from our upcoming book: https://relationalservicedesign.com - Master the methodology: https://basistraining.co.uk/ - Partner with us: https://basis.co.uk

Information