More Than a Lumpy Jumper

In this episode, Bobby and Bridge are pulling at the threads of what leadership really looks like. Not the glossy, top-floor kind, but the kind that happens in the messy middle.

Being in the Weave explores how leadership shows up without titles, how power flows in every direction, and why being quietly influential might just be your superpower.

Expect laughs, truths, and a bit of mayhem (including a lost spreadsheet and a quilt metaphor you didn’t know you needed).

If you’re a middle-sitter, an edge-walker, or someone who just gets stuff done, this one’s for you.

Give and Take | Adam Grant | BooksRebel Ideas | Matthew Syed | Books

You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader | Mark Sanborn | Books

Six Ways To Lead Even When You Aren't In A Leadership Position

What if the voice in your head wasn’t running the show?

In this episode, award-winning coach and founder of Quiet the Hive, Jane Galloway, joins Bobby to explore the power of questions over should’s, statements, and stuckness. From NHS leadership to poetry and post-it notes, it’s a conversation full of honesty, humour, and permission tolive your one wild and precious life a little braver.

Links

Jane (Bellamy) Galloway | LinkedIn

Elizabeth Gilbert | Big Magic | Books

Tara Mohr | Playing Big | Books

23 Powerful Michael Jordan Quotes on Failure: Fuel for Success.

What does it really mean to lead from below the neck?

In this funny, thoughtful, and occasionally inappropriate episode (sorry, Richard Strozzi-Heckler), Bobby and Bridgetexplore what it actually takes to lead with the body, not just the brain.

From control habits and emotional spirals to guinea pig impressions and the rhythm of excitement (yes, that kind), this episode is a gently clumsy invitation to pause, breathe, and reconnect.

If you've ever felt like a walking head or a premature fixer, this one's for you.

Links

The Leadership Dojo | Richard Strozzi-Heckler | Books

Your body language shapes who you are | Amy Cuddy 2020 | TEDx

Strozzi Institute for Somatics

The Art Of Leading With Intuition: Why Gut Feeling Is Your Best Ally

Podcast - On Being with Krista Tippett – Interviews with Bessel van der Kolk, Resmaa Menakem

Podcast - Coaching for Leaders – Episodes on embodied leadership and presence

Podcast - Unlocking Us with Brené Brown – Episodes on vulnerability and grounded confidence

Maybe you’re not broken. Maybe you’re just shedding a little.

In one of our most delightfully random (yet sneakily profound) episodes, we explore what it means to outgrow old roles, identities, and expectations - in leadership and life. From liminal interludes to caterpillar wisdom, we talk transformation, coaching, and why sometimes, performance reviews need a total reboot.

Warning: contains butterflies, bureaucracy, and bread!

LinksAct Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader | Herminia Ibarra | Books

Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes | William Bridges | Books

Hagitude | Sharon Blackie | Books

Herminia Ibarra | The Authenticity Paradox | TEDtalk

The 5 Levels of Leadership | Maxwell LeadershipTop 5 Best John Maxwell Books for Leaders

What happens when everything’s shifting, and you’re still expected to lead? In this episode, Bobby and Bridge dive intothe beautiful chaos of change. From being called a chaos pixie to learning how to hold space without fixing, this is a raw, real, and occasionally sweary look at change from the inside out. Expect giggles, grounded wisdom, and the kind ofhonesty you won’t find in your average change handbook.

Bridges Transition Model - William Bridges Associates

Bridges' Transition Model for Change: A Simple Summary - The World of Work Project

The Change Curve: A Simple Summary - The World of Work Project

Your Boss Thrives on Chaos. Here’s How to Protect Your Energy.

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What does it mean to be at your learning edge?
This throwback to Season 2 is full of wobbles, wisdom, and wonderfully weird metaphors (yes, there’s a goose, a javelin, and a cheeky nod to S&M). In this solo re-run, Bobby explores how learning is more than just knowledge - it's a messy, brave experiment in how we show up, stretch ourselves, and sometimes fall flat.

And yes, this is the second ball dropped. No guest. No noble excuse. Just Bobby, a mic, and a beautifully imperfect adventure in learning.

References:

Visual Facilitation with - Jon McNestrie | LinkedInFind a Visual Facilitation course - Northern Shore Consulting

So Bridge dropped the ball and didn't manage to record with a guest this week (and she didn't tell Bobby who is going to be mad!) so in an effort to mitigate the damage (you can tell she works in humanitarian security now ;-) ) she decided to share a past episode "Coping with Overwhelm" which she thought was apt. There are loads of gems in this episode from very early on in the MTALJ journey, most of which Bridge is putting to good use while bullets and bombs and peacocks are flying. Even if you're an avid fan there's still lots to revisit and if you're new then you get to hear some of the back catalogue that you may not have had a chance to catch up on

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)

This week, Bobby chats with the wonderful Mandy McDowall - Headteacher of not one, but two primary schools.

What starts as playful banter about being “roped in” quickly unfolds into a rich, honest conversation about leadership in education, emotional regulation, the blur between managing and leading, and why schooling your face might just be the survival skill we all need.

Hooked early on by the camaraderie and humour of MTALJ, Mandy brings warmth, insight, and a touch of her South African roots to this episode.

Come for the headteacher chat, stay for the mic-drop moment: “It’s okay to take risks.”

Mandy McDowall |LinkedIn

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5fgBE43A70qeGPEyObD7Of?si=a6S2ccJtRlq6dr7RB6HnKg

It's time for guests with gifts as Bobby and Bridge take a short break. This week we've invited back the inimitable Wendy Faux to the show. Wendy is a Military veteran and reservist, an artistic innovator, the curator of "Not just a Wife" photography exhibition and the creator of the show's logo. She loves the concept of bringing your true self to your leadership but hates the title "authentic" and she chats with Bridge about why differences are so important. She audaciously suggests that Matthew Syed could challenge Saint Simon Sinek to the top leadership spot with his book 'Rebel Ideas' and is totally to blame for Bridge's bad language in the episode.

Links

Not just a wife

Rebel Ideas Matthew Syed

Saint Simon Sinek

The Bren!

MTALJ Being your authentic self