GRACE Works

In this podcast episode, Asha and filmmaker Riccardo Sai delve into Ricardo's journey in the creative industry, his passion for storytelling through film, and the evolution of his career.

Ricardo shares his background, moving from Italy to the UK, and discusses his company, "Storo," which focuses on creating impactful stories for ethical and sustainable brands.

He emphasises the power of storytelling to inspire change and connect people and also highlights recent projects, including documentaries and collaborations with sustainable companies.

To discover more about Riccardo and his work you can visit his website 🌎https://www.mistersai.uk/director and connect with him on LinkedIn at 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/riccardosai/

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📖 To read more of Asha's writing, follow this link to 🗞 https://ashasingh.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web&r=5flfv

📖 To read more of Paul's writing, follow this link to his Substack at 📖 https://thepocketdojo.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web&r=5flfv

Find out about Paul's work here: 📎 https://linktr.ee/theelevatepartnership

Find out about Asha's work here: 📊 https://www.learningthroughdoing.com

We hope you enjoyed this episode. Thanks for listening.

In this episode of the Pocket Dojo podcast, it's Paul's turn to lead the conversation and today he speaks with Justin Murray, Founder of Qube Buildings Limited.

We wrote about Justin and his work here.

Justin is the brains, passion and driving force behind a business that leads the way in regenerative practices innovating and making building materials poised to disrupt the building industry worldwide.

His innovation, the Bio-SIP™️ panel, enables the industry to provide accessible eco-friendly building materials and educate and inspire others to embrace sustainable construction practices.

Bio-SIP™️ is a heroic story and celebration of what happens when one person’s vision is brought to life through courage and an undaunted willingness to step up, take on the consensus view and entrenched practices to be the embodied change in the world we need.

Justin is passionate about regeneration and making a difference for his children and future generations.

Want to be inspired? Consider blocking some time out this week and have a listen to see what comes to mind for you.

In this episode of the Pocket Dojo podcast, it's Paul's turn to lead the conversation and today he speaks with Justin Murray, Founder of Qube Buildings Limited.

Justin is the brains, passion and driving force behind a business that leads the way in regenerative practices innovating and making building materials poised to disrupt the building industry worldwide.

His innovation, the Bio-SIP™️ panel, enables the industry to provide accessible eco-friendly building materials and educate and inspire others to embrace sustainable construction practices.

Bio-SIP™️ is a heroic story and celebration of what happens when one person’s vision is brought to life through courage and an undaunted willingness to step up, take on the consensus view and entrenched practices to be the embodied change in the world we need.

Justin is passionate about regeneration and making a difference for future generations.

Hello Pocket Dojo Community,

I’m delighted to bring you some exciting highlights from our latest podcast episode, where I had the pleasure of hosting a heartfelt conversation between Asha and Simon Hampel. This episode is brimming with wisdom, personal stories, and insights that I believe will resonate deeply with you. Here are some key takeaways and intriguing points we discussed:

Key Lessons and Ideas:

Leadership and Purpose: Simon shares his journey from running businesses in his 20s and 30s to leading NGOs across Africa and India. He talks about transitioning from traditional leadership to purposeful leadership and how this shift has shaped his life.

Personal Growth and Resilience: Simon opens up about the challenges he faced, including losing businesses and dealing with guilt and shame. He emphasises the importance of resilience and learning from these experiences.

Balancing Life as an Older Dad: With three young children, Simon discusses the joys and challenges of being an older parent and how it keeps him young and grounded.

Building a Community: Simon talks about creating Sarsen, an organisation aimed at fostering a community that supports personal and collective growth. He highlights the importance of having a council of trusted individuals who can provide guidance and support.

The Power of Presence: We delve into the significance of being present in our lives, despite the overwhelming distractions. Simon shares practical tips on how to cultivate presence through simple practices like walking in nature, meditation, and even chopping carrots!

Curiosities and Intriguing Points:

Experiential Learning: Simon's work with Global Leaders Quest focuses on growing wise, compassionate leadership through experiential learning. He shares fascinating stories from his time leading expeditions and living in remote parts of the world.

Trust and Letting Go: One of the most profound insights Simon offers is about the power of trust. He encourages us to let go of control and trust the process of life, which can lead to unexpected and powerful outcomes.

Purpose and Energy: Simon discusses how our sense of purpose evolves over time and how connecting with our true purpose can energise and motivate us.

Creating Safe Spaces: We explore the importance of creating environments where people feel heard and safe. Simon shares practical advice on how to foster trust and open communication within any organisation.

I hope these highlights spark your curiosity and inspire you to listen to the full episode. Simon's journey is a testament to the power of resilience, purpose, and community. Tune in to hear more about his incredible experiences and the valuable lessons he's learned along the way.

Thank you for reading The Pocket Dojō. This post is public so feel free to share it.

In this episode of the Pocket Dojo podcast, Asha speaks with Simon Hampel, Founder of Sarsen Limited.

Sarsen exists to create greater connection, balance and harmony with ourselves and the world around us. It gives us the wisdom to answer our inner yearning, the safety to be our authentic selves, and the space in our hearts to love openly, fearlessly and joyfully.

Simon is also a Partner at Leaders’ Quest based in London. Leaders' Quest works with global companies and institutions to help catalyse the transformational change required to meet today’s challenges. Simon spent 1993 to 2001 as a serial entrepreneur, building companies in Europe, the US and Canada in the fields of financial services, leisure, consultancy and technology.

Simon delves into his leadership and personal development journey, reflecting on his extensive experience managing businesses and NGOs, as well as his role at Global Leaders Quest.

He underscores the critical importance of trust, purpose, and mindfulness in both professional and personal spheres. Additionally, Simon elaborates on his current initiatives, which focus on the convergence of consciousness, energy, and technology to drive transformative change.

The conversation underscores the value of cultivating supportive communities and explores practices that enable individuals to reconnect with themselves and others.

In this first episode of Series 2 of the Pocket Dojo podcast, Asha is in conversation with Katherine Long, a renowned regenerative practitioner in leadership and organizational development.

Katherine shares her journey from teaching English in Japan to focusing on cross-cultural communication and coaching. She discusses the principles of living systems, the concept of regeneration, and the importance of intuition in her work.

The conversation explores healing as an ongoing process, the relational dynamics within systems, and the need for a holistic approach to change. Katherine also reflects on the impact of technology on regenerative practices and emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and adaptation.

Katherine dives deep into the concept of regeneration and its ties to living systems principles. She and Asha explore how understanding the seasonal cycles of regeneration and degeneration can guide us in our roles within the larger context of the earth.

Katherine’s insights highlight the importance of surrendering to a sense of purpose and tuning into our natural rhythms.

The conversation also embraced the essential idea of healing as a vital approach to regenerative change.

Healing isn't a fixed destination; it's a continuous journey of integration and evolution. Katharine shared her perspective on healing as an innate capacity of living systems, including humans. She stressed the importance of partnering with this natural healing ability through core principles and a holistic approach.

'Even the most depleted soils and rivers, and even our own bodies and communities, given the right conditions, have the capacity to heal and reliably so.'

She points the way for scaling regenerative practice by noting that when we understand how to partner with the power of healing, it

Her words remind us that, with the right conditions, profound healing and change is possible and point the way for scaling regenerative practice in our organisations, communities and families.

📖 To read more of Katherine's writing, follow this link to her Substack

🔗 Connect with her here on Linked In where you can subscribe to her newsletter:

🌎 To find out more about the specifics of her work follow this link to her website

🌱 If you’d like to explore opportunities to work and learn new skills on organic farms around the world follow this link.World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms | WWOOF

In this first episode of Series 2 of the Pocket Dojo podcast, Asha is in conversation with Katherine Long, a renowned regenerative practitioner in leadership and organizational development.

Katherine shares her journey from teaching English in Japan to focusing on cross-cultural communication and coaching. She discusses the principles of living systems, the concept of regeneration, and the importance of intuition in her work.

The conversation explores healing as an ongoing process, the relational dynamics within systems, and the need for a holistic approach to change. Katherine also reflects on the impact of technology on regenerative practices and emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and adaptation.

Katherine dives deep into the concept of regeneration and its ties to living systems principles. She and Asha explore how understanding the seasonal cycles of regeneration and degeneration can guide us in our roles within the larger context of the earth.

In series 1, Asha and I tackled several topics about leadership practice, the challenges of team working and the wider context of shifting from the idea of the need for sustainable practices in business to that of regeneration.

Woven through this was the simple idea that significant, avoidable costs erode profit where there is misalignment, miscommunication and unresolved conflict.

It was an opportunity for us to find our voices and learn the art of preparing, recording and publishing a podcast together consistently every two weeks.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to listen or watch one or more episodes.

In Series 2, the theme is ‘The Spaces In Between’. We’re going to be paying attention to gaps in our knowledge, our practices and each other in the ways we choose to lead ourselves and each other.

The difference this time around is that we are having conversations with practitioners, thinkers and artists to develop a deep and well-rounded perspective on the idea of regenerative leadership practices for individuals and teams.

All of our guests have a unique perspective to share and our initial conversations, as expected, offer unique insights.

So, consider diving in to this episode which sets the scene on Series 2. We can’t wait to bring you the first conversations from June 10th onwards.

Welcome to the final episode of Series 1. Thank you to everyone who has watched or listened to one or more episodes. We hope it's been thought-provoking and helpful to you.

In this episode: 

🔑 Key Lessons & Ideas:

Principles of Practice: We took a deep dive into the art of practice and how it's the backbone of leadership development. Remember, it's about being patient, mindful, and dedicated to your growth journey.

The Grace Framework®: The framework helps you navigate emotions and life's hurdles with more... well, grace. It can be a game-changer to accelerate the process of developing personal mastery.

Learning Through Doing: Asha, shared her insights on collective team development. It's all about action, reflection, and refinement.

Collective Leadership Assessment: We also touched on assessing leadership effectiveness, not just individually but as a cohesive unit by taking a litmus test of your team's culture. It's about the power of 'we' over 'me.'

🎙️ Special Guest Wisdom:

Finding Your Voice: Jennifer Hamady graced us with her expertise on authenticity and self-expression. She's a beacon for anyone striving to be their truest self in the workplace and beyond.

🌱 Creativity & Team Development:

Creativity in the Workplace: We discussed the hurdles to creativity and how to cultivate an environment that breathes innovation.

Frameworks for Teams: Asha brought to light how observing, exploring, and experimenting can lead to robust team leadership, especially in diverse and complex settings.

This episode is more than just a conversation; it's a toolkit for anyone ready to elevate their leadership and team dynamics. So, if you're curious about transforming your leadership practice, finding your voice, or fostering creativity where you work, tune in to this episode of the Pocket Dojo podcast. 

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📖 To read more of Asha's writing, follow this link to 🗞 https://ashasingh.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web&r=5flfv

📖 To read more of Paul's writing, follow this link to his substack at 📖 https://thepocketdojo.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web&r=5flfv

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Find out about Paul's work here: 📎 https://linktr.ee/theelevatepartnership

Find out about Asha's work here: 📊 https://www.learningthroughdoing.com

We hope you enjoyed this episode. 

Thanks for listening!

Welcome to the final episode of Series 1. Thank you to everyone who has watched or listened to one or more episodes. We hope it's been thought-provoking and helpful to you.

Regenerative leadership is an approach to leadership practices that focus on creating positive, long-term impacts for both people and the planet. It’s about moving beyond simply doing less harm or minimising negative impacts to actively regenerating and restoring the systems we rely on to support how we live in future.

Put succinctly, the pursuit of sustainability is no longer sustainable.

Whilst it’s an important first step in raising awareness and beginning to change our behaviours, the planet remains on a trajectory to becoming uninhabitable.

Legacy sustainability refers to what most of us heave become familiar with and refers to mainstream practices such as footprint reduction, net zero goals and carbon offsetting. It applies to a small share of all the industries present today and there is a need to alter our course to make life on our planet possible for future generations.

Regenerative leadership practices are achievable in our modern business world, and it requires significant changes in mindset, structures, and practices. It requires us to shift from extractive to regenerative, to being willing to conserve natural resources, repairing degenerated ecosystems and rewilding to increase the planet’s capacity to reverse existing damage, renewing and revitalising the hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere

Here are some reasons why regenerative leadership is achievable:

* Changing Consumer Expectations: Consumers are increasingly demanding that businesses prioritise social and environmental responsibility, and the adoption of regenerative leadership practices can help meet these expectations.

* Technological Advancements: Advances in technology, such as renewable energy, regenerative agriculture, and circular design, are helping to create new opportunities for businesses to create a positive impact (e.g. Dyson Farming in the UK)

* Competitive Advantage: Businesses that embrace regenerative leadership can and do differentiate themselves from competitors and attract customers, employees, and investors by walking their talk and looking for ways to work in harmony with our ecosystems

* Collaborative Networks: Networks of businesses, NGOs, and governments are emerging to promote regenerative practices and support businesses in their transition towards regenerative leadership.

However, there are also some challenges to implementing regenerative leadership in the modern business climate:

* Short-term Pressure: The pressure to deliver short-term profits and meet shareholder expectations is familiar and can make it difficult for businesses to prioritise long-term sustainability and regeneration.

So how might we make progress?

There are a number of things that can be done to begin your regenerative journey and arguably, how we leader ourselves and each other is perhaps the most important first step.

In this episode…

…we recap some of the essential human themes of developing leaders and teams using a regenerative lens.

🔑 Key Lessons & Ideas:

Principles of Practice:  We took a deep dive into the art of practice and how it's the backbone of leadership development. Remember, it's about being patient, mindful, and dedicated to your growth journey.

The Grace Framework®: The framework helps you navigate emotions and life's hurdles with more... well, grace. It can be a game-changer to accelerate the process of developing personal mastery.

Learning Through Doing:  Asha, shared her insights on collective team development. It's all about action, reflection, and refinement.

Collective Leadership Assessment: We also touched on assessing leadership effectiveness, not just individually but as a cohesive unit by taking a litmus test of your team's culture. It's about the power of 'we' over 'me.'

🎙️ Special Guest Wisdom:

Finding Your Voice: Jennifer Hamady graced us with her expertise on authenticity and self-expression. She's a beacon for anyone striving to be their truest self in the workplace and beyond.

🌱 Creativity & Team Development:

Creativity in the Workplace: We discussed the hurdles to creativity and how to cultivate an environment that breathes innovation.

Frameworks for Teams: Asha brought to light how observing, exploring, and experimenting can lead to robust team leadership, especially in diverse and complex settings.

This episode is more than just a conversation; it's a call to action for anyone and any business ready to elevate their approaches to developing leadership practice and nurturing team dynamics to be a positive force for good in the world.

So, if you're curious about transforming your leadership practice, finding your voice, or fostering creativity where you work, tune in to this episode of the Pocket Dojo podcast.