More Than a Lumpy Jumper

National Mentoring Month gives Bobby and Bridge a way into a conversation on how to establish a support system for growth, development and learning. Their history has clearly been spattered with support and help which, in their youth, they have clearly been CRAP at requesting or didn’t realise they had. So join them as they explore the importance of a support system for SELF as well as the need for Leaders to step up and find the capacity to be support systems for others.

Links

AllBright

Network Ireland

What the Best Mentors Do (hbr.org)

A wardrobe of mentors

Bridge mentoring - A Better Approach to Mentorship (hbr.org)

Are men afraid to mentor women? Forbes

Reverse Mentoring

How to set up a mentoring programme

Well…you may feel like Bobby and Bridge are splitting hairs here as they try to fathom the distinctions between a vague and probably unachievable New Year Resolution versus making a Commitment…and then where the heck does an Intention fit in? But join them anyway as they get to grips with making Commitments for the year. Find out what BSQ stands for. And another of Bobby’s pet hates is revealed!

Links

How long do resolutions last?

Creative Leadership Diploma

How to Play to Your Strengths (hbr.org)

The Importance of Practice – And Our Reluctance to Do It HBR-

COIN feedback model

AIM feedback model

Feedback is a gift ! ACT receiving feedback model

What is BSQ Goal: Goal-Setting Framework (hqhire.com)

Don't underestimate the power of reflection - HBR.org

The power of journaling as a life habit - Rest Less

What happens when you get rid of performance reviews - Forbes

5 steps for giving effective feedback - the muse.com

Now for the woo-woo How to have a moon ceremony - Vogue

Whilst overwhelm can come calling at all times of the year, December can bring some added pressures to daily life…attending and throwing parties, entertaining extended family, gift shopping. And then there’s the December lurgies, the lack of daylight, more feelings of exhaustion than normal. Is overwhelm any real surprise?

Join Bobby and Bridge as they search out a few more little gifts to help you with such feelings over the holiday period.

Links
How to Take Care of Yourself When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed - Mental Health FirstAid

Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science | Compassion-Based Resilience

TrainingKindness to Self | Compassion Based Meditation

About Dr Libby Weaver - Nutritional biochemist

Rushing Woman's Syndrome | Dr Libby Weaver

The Pace of Modern Life versus our Cavewoman Biochemistry: Dr Libby Weaver: TedX

Life is a Verb | 37 Days to Wake Up, be Mindful and Live Intentionally | Patti Digh

Unwind with the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique (mondaycampaigns.org)

Bobby and Bridge do love the curiosity topic. Or is it more their toddler predilections of asking Why? Either way, they are very aware that curiosity as part of our make up has such benefits. It can make you happier, strengthens relationships, expands empathy and boosts achievement to name but a few. So join these two inquisitive creatures as they hand out some gifts to improve your curiosity. It really didn’t kill a cat!

Links

Britannica’s Curiosity Compass | 10 Ways to Improve Your Curiosity

Britannica’s Curiosity Compass | The Quiz

Why curiosity gets you farther than ambition | Drew Lynch | TedX

The book of beautiful questions - Warren Berger

encouraging curiosity (not just for kids)

What an awesome topic!! Eager to continue this conversation about the importance of play (and NOT just because they are an evil couple of mischief makers!!), but for now Bobby and Bridge offer you some gifts around play and rest…but mostly play, in the belief that when playing, you really are giving yourself a break. So don your fancy dress, grab a water pistol or a pillow, tell stories, jokes, laugh and if all that fails, take a listen to this mini episode for some more inspiration.

Links

The Gifts of Imperfection: 10th Anniversary Edition: Brené Brown

Infographic for the 10 Guideposts for Wholehearted Living by Brene Brown

Lego Serious play

Lego Creative Problem Solving

Design your life book by Burnell and Evans

What is Design Thinking

Centring is not just for Christmas because…. it’s a practice to help all of us whether we are celebrating this holiday period or not…it’s equally a practice that could help all of us every day of the year. So what is Centring? Centring or Grounding (interchangeable) usually refers to our mental and physical state of mind. It’s the place we know we have to get back to when we’re not feeling like ourselves. Bobby and Bridge chat and offer gifts a plenty of things you can do to help you back to Centre. And there’s a lot of chat about Gravy!

Links

Richard Strozzi Heckler - Centring Practice

Forest Bathing

Shout Out to the lovely Grainne Bagnall of Forest Bathing West Cork

What is Somatic Shaking

Somatic Soundtrack

123 Gratitude Journal Prompts: The Only List You'll Need

Centring yourself: 11 practices to try

To round off the series, Bobby and Bridge are joined by James Fulford-Talbot of nXsus People in Australia for a conversation about Boundaries. How do you keep a check on your own boundaries whilst working in an environment whose structures and habits may call for more…perhaps unreasonably so? What helps or hinders us setting healthy boundaries for ourselves, within our teams and indeed within our family set ups? And what are the consequences when we don’t?

Links

 Our Amazing Guest!

James Fulford-Talbot

nXus

Home - nXus People

Global Leadership Wellbeing Survey

Home - GLWS Wellbeing

Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson

About the lecturer and author Thomas Erikson (surroundedbyidiots.com)

Charlie Brown

Charlie Brown Teacher Speaking

Herrman Brain Dominance Instrument

HBDI (Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument)® Assessment | Herrmann (thinkherrmann.com)

Bobby and Bridge talk about showing up as their most Bobbyist and Bridgeyist selves and what it’s like when you don’t. The difference that others can feel when you are all in and when you are not. And then once again, they meander off topic and begin surmising who would play them in the movie version of themselves. There’s even a story about stockings. Honestly, who let these two loose with recording equipment.

Link

Authentic Leadership Authentic Leadership: What It Is & Why It's Important | HBS Online

Living your Values – Brene Brown Living Into Our Values Brené Brown (brenebrown.com) Values Document

Bevy Smith: How to discover your authentic self -- at any age | TED Talk

Leader: Know Love and Inspire Your People by Katy Granville-Chapman, Emmie Bidston

The Oxford Character Project

Good Leadership in UK Business

Leading and Flourishing in Difficult Times - online course

Human Flourishing Programme - Harvard

Daniel Goleman – Emotional Intelligence, Social Intelligence, Ecological Intelligence

Goldberg on Emotional Regulation Emotional Intelligence Frameworks, Charts, Diagrams & Graphs (positivepsychology.com)

Caitlin Moran and the menopause

More menopause and more Caitlin

Jiminy Cricket

Cruella deVille

Always look on the bright side of life

Crone

What’s the difference between a truly toxic workplace and being in an environment where there’s high pressure situations and people are stressed? Are they one and the same? Where do you find allies? How do you look after yourself?

Bobby and Bridge talk about their different experiences in such environments AND what they found by way of connection and solace when finding community and making time to look after themselves.

Links

Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall B. Rosenberg PhD

Rosenberg video

Nonviolent communication cartoon

Positive to Negative Feedback Harvard Research Finds Employees Need a 6:1 Positive Feedback Ratio to Perform Their Best

Positive and Negative Feedback Helps Agents Perform

Better Leadership lessons from Google: What makes a great manager and how to get useful employee feedback

Toxic Work Cultures 5 Marks Of A Toxic Work Culture—And How You Know It’s Time To Leave

L'esprit d'escalier

Ooooooooooooooo A GUEST!

Bobby and Bridge are joined by Steve White - NED, Executive Coach, Board Advisor and Deputy Chair of BLESMA (the Armed Forces Charity for Limbless Veterans) as they chat about living and learning through their decades in Leadership Roles. What would they go back and tell their 20 something versions? What have they learnt along the way?

And whilst Steve wanted to be introduced as “once a tw*t always a tw*t”, he’s anything but. Full on human being who cares deeply for others whilst keeping things light and full of cheeky banter.

About Steve: Steve is currently the Chairman at Moat Homes Limited, a Board Member for Orwell Housing Association and Deputy Chair for BLESMA (Armed Forces Charity for Limbless Veterans) and most importantly.... he was once Bobby's Boss. Steve was part of the first all-amputee team to swim the English Channel in 2014 and recently became the first amputee to swim the 14 km across Lake Geneva. If you would like to donate to BLESMA, the JustGiving page is in the links below

Links

Our Amazing Guest! Steve White

Caitlin Moran : All About Women 2021 Menopause, Drugs and Me

Brene Brown

Simon Sinek

Military Charity for Limbless Veterans - Blesma

Steve's Lake Geneva Swim Just Giving page