Unlock the secret to truly impactful leadership: when the leader isn't in the room, culture takes over.

Discover how aligning behaviour with your organisation's North Star can transform your company from the inside out. If you're tired of reactive decision-making, misaligned teams, and superficial values, this episode will nudge you towards creating a culture that drives real results even in complex, chaotic times.

In this brilliant conversation, Anwen Bottois (your host) is joined by organisational psychologist Danny Wareham reveals why culture is often seen as an afterthought and how to shift it into a strategic advantage. You'll learn why traditional leadership models fall short in today’s volatile environment.

Danny shares practical frameworks and mindset shifts, including the need to craft a compelling vision that guides alignment and behaviour. We break down the importance of a clear North Star that anchors behaviours, making tough choices easier and ensuring everyone is pulling in the same direction. Plus, hear why HR's role should go far beyond policies, becoming the strategic partner that shapes the culture your organisation needs to thrive.

Failing to embed genuine purpose and aligned behaviours can lead to strategic drift, disengagement, and even societal harm. But by walking your talk and measuring impact through consistent behaviours, you'll unlock not only better business performance but a more positive societal footprint.

This episode is perfect for HR leaders eager to future-proof their organisation, this episode fuels your leadership with actionable insights to walk your North Star, shape culture proactively, and navigate uncertainty with confidence. It’s time to shift from reactive to strategic.

Find Danny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-wareham/

On via his website: https://firgun.co.uk/

Buy his new book: https://amzn.eu/d/07qLB0cw

Find Anwen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anwen-bottois-leadership-coach/

Find all episodes here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/hr-strategy-in-the-hot-seat/id1870588503

In this episode of the HR Strategy in the Hot Seat, Anwen Bottois (your host) is joined by Paula Brockwell (the Employee Experience Project).

Join us in unlocking the secret to transforming your company’s performance by redefining what culture (and culture work) truly means, going beyond just happy employees.

You’ll discover why a focus on strategic behaviour and performance drivers is the missing piece in many organisations’ success stories. If you're an HR leader tired of chasing fleeting engagement metrics and ready to create a culture that actually powers results, this episode is your game changer.

Paula Brockwell, an occupational psychologist and founder of the Employee Experience Project, reveals how organisations can shift from superficial employee happiness to cultivating the right environment for sustained high performance. She explains why culture is about much more than just feeling good, it’s about enabling teams to show up in the ways that directly impact business success.

You’ll learn how to steer conversations with your executive team toward strategic behaviour, how to design cultures in line with your unique context, and why the idea of “creating happiness” can sometimes hold companies back.

We break down concrete frameworks, like Paula’s driver model, which predicts 62% of observed behaviour within an organisation based on environmental cues. She shares actionable tactics for HR leaders to redefine their culture conversations, from understanding the real drivers of behaviour to managing the psychological contract effectively.

Discover how leaders can shift from a comfort zone of mediocrity to a stretch zone that fosters growth, accountability, and true organisational agility.

Struggling with resistance from leadership or feeling boxed in by outdated ideas? Paula’s insights empower HR professionals to influence beyond their traditional remit, encouraging proactive, performance-driven cultural strategies. Ignoring these principles risks stagnation, but embracing them opens the door to a resilient, high-performing workplace that aligns business goals with a healthy, sustainable employee experience.

This episode is perfect for HR leaders, executives, and culture champions eager to go beyond surface-level engagement. This episode offers the tools to make culture a strategic lever for real results. If you want your organisation to thrive in a complex world, understanding and applying these insights will position you as a true driver of performance, a critical component of any successful HR Strategy.

Find Paula on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulabrockwell/

The EX Project website here: https://theexproject.com/

The Paper Mentioned: Harness Your Culture for Performance: https://share.google/gYh51VHVVu7bWMyWr

Find Anwen on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anwen-bottois-leadership-coach/

Welcome to the HR Strategy in the Hot Seat Podcast!

In this first episode, I'm joined by Tom Emery for Hex Development and we are diving into a critical factor of success for HR Leaders, the mindset they bring and lead with. How HR Leaders show up influences how they organisation responds to them and how they best influence for maximum impact.

Tom Emery, from Hex Development is a seasoned HR leader and consultant, and he shares his insights on the critical role of mindset in HR strategy. He emphasises the importance of viewing HR as an integral part of business strategy, the need for HR leaders to embrace their agency, and the power of curiosity and incremental influence.

We discusses the shift from a service-oriented mindset to one focused on impact and innovation, and the necessity of learning from mistakes to foster a culture of growth. The conversation concludes with actionable takeaways for HR leaders to enhance their effectiveness and influence within organisations.

You can find Tom Emery and Hex Development on LinkedIn. Here's the website.

Thank you for joining the HR Strategy in the Hot Seat Podcast! I'm your host, Anwen Bottois, and my business is Purple Sky Consulting. I'm an HR Strategy and Leadership Coach and I specialise in Leadership Promotions. I love working with leaders and I really am enjoying working with HR Leaders to develop as strategic leaders.

Welcome to the Trailer for the BRAND NEW podcast: HR Strategy in the Hot Seat!