Better At Work with Cathal Quinlan

Cathal Quinlan
  • 5.0 (12)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Better At Work podcast is your new best friend at work. It’s packed with honest, practical advice and science-backed techniques from a diverse range of guests to help you achieve betterness in your work, and life. Better At Work is for everyone striving to be better and feel better. Whether you’re ready to take your career to new heights, or battling with the daily grind, your host Cathal Quinlan is here to help.  By drawing on insights from leading psychologists, neuroscientists and performance experts, and Cathal sharing his own successes and mistakes as a leader, the podcast delivers proven strategies, tools and science-backed techniques to help you achieve betterness in your working life, one day at a time, because when work is better, life is better. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 3D AGO

    Tesla's Secret to Creativity, A Listener Breaking Under Retail Burnout, and Cathal Finally Gets New Glasses

    What if the colleague who drives you up the wall is the one your organisation can't afford to lose? Cathal and Annette are back for a listener-questions special, picking up where last week's conversation with David [surname TBC], former Head of Design at Tesla, left off. The idea that stuck: every team has Mad Hatters and White Rabbits. The Mad Hatters bring the wild, disruptive, sometimes maddening ideas. The White Rabbits keep things running on time. Most organisations over-index on one and quietly punish the other, which is exactly how you lose the creative edge that made you competitive in the first place. Cathal shares why the framework hit home, why psychological safety matters more than surface-level politeness, and why "I don't agree with you" should be a welcome sentence in any good team. He also references his recent LinkedIn post on the thing nobody tells you when you become a manager for the first time: there's no handbook. You're going to get it wrong sometimes. That's fine, as long as you keep showing up and keep supporting the ideas. Then the listener question. Michelle wrote in from retail. She's covering two to three people's roles on her normal shifts and being called in on her days off. She's drained. She can't say no. She's breaking. Annette and Cathal unpack it honestly and the reframe is the gold: the days-off problem isn't the real problem. The root cause is the workload. And there's a way to raise it with her manager that doesn't torch the relationship, with a Plan B ready if it doesn't land. Expect the glass-of-water stress analogy, a useful reframe on supporting failure at work, and a reminder that the people who held the retail and service economy together through Covid deserve better than being treated as infinitely elastic. In this episode: Why Mad Hatters and White Rabbits need each otherThe LinkedIn post Cathal wrote about becoming a managerWhy feeling threatened by a different viewpoint is a trapThe glass of water and what stress does when you hold it too longHow Michelle can raise the workload conversation, with a Plan B ready Chapters: 00:00 Welcome back 01:35 Recap: David on curiosity at Tesla 05:38 The Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit 11:06 Why entrepreneurial thinkers need air cover 12:15 No handbook for being a manager 14:05 Why supporting failure is a leadership skill 15:03 Listener question: Michelle is running on empty 19:08 The glass of water test 20:14 How to reframe the conversation upwards 25:20 Respect for frontline workers 26:15 Next week: Jennifer Moss returns Mentioned in this episode: Last week's interview with David Imai, former Head of Design at Tesla (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)Cathal's recent LinkedIn post on becoming a managerNext week: Jennifer Moss, author of Why Are We Here? Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants Got a career dilemma of your own? Send it in. We'll take it on anonymously, just like Michelle's. Details at betteratwork.net Subscribe to The Better Bits newsletter for the best insights from every episode, delivered straight to your inbox. New episodes every Thursday on Apple, Spotify and YouTube. Hit follow so you don't miss Jennifer Moss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min

  2. APR 16

    The Ex-Tesla Designer On Why Your Best Ideas Keep Dying At Work

    For 14 years, David Imai was a Design Director at Tesla, helping shape every car the company put on the road. Before that, GM and Opel. Today he advises the startups building the future of transport and robotics, and he's obsessed with one question: why do the best ideas keep dying inside big organisations? His answer will surprise you. Every team has two types of people. The Mad Hatter, who throws out wild, half-formed, maybe-genius ideas. And the White Rabbit, who gets things done on time. Most workplaces only protect one of them, and it's almost always the wrong one. That's why your best thinking never makes it out of the meeting room. In this episode, David sits down with Cathal (his old London housemate, small world) to unpack the three things every curious culture needs. Why psychological safety isn't optional. Why Tesla sends its robotics engineers to Disney Imagineering. And the one habit that separates teams that innovate from teams that talk about innovating. If you've ever walked out of work wondering why nobody listens to your best ideas, press play. This is the episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    52 min

  3. APR 9

    Culture Isn't What You Think It Is: Marcus Collins Takeaways + Why Retail Workers Are Struggling

    In this week's listener questions episode, Cathal and Annette revisit three powerful ideas from their conversation with Marcus Collins. First, Emile Durkheim's sociological definition of culture, and why Marcus uses it: culture isn't something we create as individuals, it creates us as social beings. Second, Marcus's definition of brands as "vessels of meaning," identifiable signifiers that conjure thoughts and feelings in the hearts and minds of people. And third, his surprisingly direct advice: if you don't believe in the brand you work for, leave. Cathal also shares what he picked up from a recent TV media training session (including why you should never say "hello everybody"), and Annette updates on her Camino preparation with seven weeks to go. Then they turn to something Cathal encountered across multiple conversations in Ireland over Easter: a sharp rise in abuse directed at retail, pharmacy, and healthcare workers. Signs in shops asking customers not to abuse staff. Young workers blindsided by aggression they never expected. Nurses flagging the link between understaffing and escalating hostility. They want to hear from you if you're experiencing this, especially if you work outside the typical corporate environment. Finally, Better at Work is approaching the end of this series and planning the next season. If you've got a guest suggestion or a topic you'd love covered (someone already pitched workplace design), send it through to betteratwork.net. Next week: David Eime joins to talk about how to create curiosity in the workplace. And Cathal has an unusual connection to him that he's keeping under wraps until then. Key topics: culture as a system, brands as vessels of meaning, brand alignment, retail worker abuse, psychosocial hazards, customer service training, workplace design New episodes every Thursday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 min

  4. MAR 26

    Why Culture Is the Most Powerful Force at Work (And How to Actually Change It) | Marcus Collins

    Why Culture Is the Most Powerful Force at Work (And How to Actually Change It) | Marcus Collins What if the biggest thing shaping your experience at work isn't your manager, your workload, or your pay, but something most organisations can't even define? In this episode, Cathal sits down with Marcus Collins, marketing professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, faculty director for the school's executive education partnership with Google, and faculty member at Harvard Extension School. Marcus has led digital strategy for Beyonce, worked on Nike and iTunes initiatives at Apple, and was recently awarded the Thinkers 50 Radar Distinguished Achievement Award. His book For the Culture: The Power Behind the World's Most Successful Brands has been endorsed by Daniel Pink, Adam Grant, Amy Edmondson, and Katy Milkman. But don't let the word "marketing" fool you. This is a people book, and the conversation goes deep into what actually drives behaviour in any organisation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min

  5. MAR 19

    Your Team Is Too Big (Here's the Ideal Size) | Listener's Questions

    Your team might be too big to do its best work. In this week's Q&A, Cathal and Annette unpack their takeaways from Colin Fisher's research on what makes great teams. The number that stuck: 4.5 people. That's the ideal team size for real collaboration. They dig into why most leadership meetings are too big to actually solve anything, the goal-setting mistake Colin calls "meet me in California tomorrow," and how the rise of individualism is quietly reshaping how we work in teams. Annette connects Colin's findings to Google's Project Aristotle research, making the case that psychological safety matters more than ever in an era where "I" is replacing "we." Plus, a listener shares an update on her career transition: from corporate burnout to building a portfolio that combines consulting with her real passion, acting. Key topics: ideal team size, goal specificity, individualism vs collectivism, psychological safety, portfolio careers, career transitions. Guest book recommendations from listeners:→ Working Identity by Herminia Ibarra→ Barking Up the Wrong Tree by Eric Barker Got a career question? Head to betteratwork.net and send us a note. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    25 min

  6. MAR 5

    The Hidden Reason Your Team Isn't Working | Colin Fisher

    Colin Fisher went from touring the world as a jazz trumpet player to becoming one of the leading researchers on group dynamics at UCL. His new book, The Collective Edge, reveals why the structure around your team matters more than the talent inside it. In this episode, Colin shares the surprising research behind why orchestra musicians are less satisfied than prison guards, introduces the "California Tomorrow" problem for goal-setting, and explains why 93% of leadership teams can't even agree on how many people are on the team. We also cover: the optimal team size (it's 4.6), how to "relaunch" teams that are stuck, why competition between teammates is playing with fire, and why the best coaches ask questions instead of diagnosing. Key topics: group dynamics, psychological safety, team composition, goal clarity, conformity vs. creativity, competition, team coaching, relaunches. Book: The Collective Edge by Colin Fisher (available now)Connect with Colin: colinamfisher.com | @ColinMFisher on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, BlueSky Subscribe for new episodes every Thursday at 7am. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min

  7. FEB 26

    Regretting a Career Move? Here's What to Do | Better at Work Q&A

    She left her job for a direct competitor. Six months in, she wants out. This week's Q&A tackles a listener career dilemma that most of us have lived through — that sinking feeling when your new job isn't what you expected. Amy's dealing with a culture mismatch, missing processes, and tanking motivation. Cathal and Annette share practical, honest advice drawing from their own career transitions. Plus, Annette shares her three key takeaways from last week's conversation with Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez on project-driven organisations. What we cover:→ Why the shock of changing organisations is bigger than we admit→ Finding one friend at work (and why it matters)→ The manager conversation most people never have→ How to protect your personal brand while job hunting→ Annette's sea view analogy — knowing what you need→ Antonio's balanced portfolio approach to projects Mentioned: "Powered by Projects" by Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez Next week: Colin Fisher — The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups Send your career dilemma: betteratwork.net Connect: @betteratworkpod on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min

  8. FEB 15

    Getting Fired to Harvard Business Review: Project Management Revolution | Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez

    Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez got fired for trying to bring project management to a top consulting firm. Today, he's the most published expert on project management in Harvard Business Review and a Thinkers 50 global authority. His new book "Powered by Projects" makes a bold claim: Every organization is project-driven, but the leaders don't know it. IN THIS EPISODE: The Origin Story: - Almost went professional with Real Madrid (broke his knee) - Got fired for pitching project management ("too tactical") - The moment that sparked his mission Getting HBR to Listen: - Chased Harvard Business Review for 5 years - The pitch: "Everyone's a project manager but nobody knows it" - Became their most published PM expert COVID Changed Everything: - 3 days to do what used to take 3 months - Laser-sharp focus on priorities - Then we lost all that knowledge The Project-Driven Organization: - Shift from operations to transformation - AI taking over operations; people work on projects - "Back to normal" doesn't exist Three Dimensions Framework: 1. Organization (culture, structure, governance) 2. Leadership (prioritization, HR, performance) 3. Value Creation (operations, execution) Key Examples: - Haier: Stop projects if no value in 3 months - Fixed to exponential mindset - Lean governance (match intensity to risk) Best Advice: - Do the hardest thing first every day - Care about people (Marshall Goldsmith) - Speak up constructively to leaders KEY QUOTES: "Your projects are your future. If you do them wrong, you put your future at risk." "During COVID we did in 3 days what took 3 months. Then we went back to thousands of projects going nowhere." "There's no back to normal. Change will happen." About Antonio: - Author: "Powered by Projects" & "HBR Project Management Handbook" - Thinkers 50 ranking (2023, 2025) - 25 years corporate (PwC, BNP Paribas, GSK) - Website: antonionietorodriguez.com Better at Work - Making work better, one conversation at a time. New episodes every Thursday (+ special Sunday episodes!) Hosted by Cathal Quinlan & Annette Sloan betteratwork.net Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr
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5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

The Better At Work podcast is your new best friend at work. It’s packed with honest, practical advice and science-backed techniques from a diverse range of guests to help you achieve betterness in your work, and life. Better At Work is for everyone striving to be better and feel better. Whether you’re ready to take your career to new heights, or battling with the daily grind, your host Cathal Quinlan is here to help.  By drawing on insights from leading psychologists, neuroscientists and performance experts, and Cathal sharing his own successes and mistakes as a leader, the podcast delivers proven strategies, tools and science-backed techniques to help you achieve betterness in your working life, one day at a time, because when work is better, life is better. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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