People Soup

By People Soup

A podcast exploring work, leadership, and being human through real conversations — grounded in behavioural science and full of practical ideas you can apply straight away.... more

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FAQs about People Soup:

How many episodes does People Soup have?

The podcast currently has 251 episodes available.

People Soup episodes:

June 01, 2026Why good leaders go off track - A People Soup special #1
Why do good people do things they later regret?
It's a question that's fascinated me for years.
Before I became a coach, studied organisational psychology, or discovered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), I spent years in HR leadership. One of my roles was leading the Conduct and Discipline Team in a large government department in the UK Civil Service. In that job I became increasingly curious about what really drives human behaviour.
In this special solo episode, I share my working hypothesis about leadership:
Under pressure, leaders often default to behaviours designed to reduce discomfort rather than create impact.
I explore six common patterns of psychologically inflexible leadership and introduce my leadership framework, built around three core skills topped and tailed by the Pause and the Review Loop:
Pause
Awareness
Authentic Action
Adaptability
and the Review Loop.

Along the way, I share stories from my own leadership journey, including:
What I learned from conduct and discipline cases
A memorable disagreement with a tech startup founder about the value of pausing
The conversation with my husband that changed what I paid attention to
Lessons from coaching senior leaders through moments of challenge and transition
Why authenticity became such an important part of my leadership philosophy

This episode is both a reflection on leadership and an invitation to consider what might be running you when pressure shows up.
In this episode
Why leaders are not exempt from being human
Six common ways leaders can drift off course
Why the pause is a leadership superpower
The importance of awareness and noticing what matters
Values, authenticity and courageous action
Adapting without abandoning yourself
Why reflection turns experience into wisdom
What ACT has taught me about leadership and human behaviour

Key quote
"Pressure doesn't reveal who we are. Pressure reveals what's running us."
Reflection question
When pressure rises, what patterns show up most often for you?
Resources
You can find an illustration of my ACT-based Leadership Framework in the show notes.
People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.
If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.
Leadership beyond autopilot - The McIntosh ACT Leadership Framework

Visit Ross' Website.
Connect with Ross on LinkedIn
People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life
He's now also on Bluesky
The People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE
...more
14min
May 29, 2026Quick Spoon: Leadership starts feeling difficult
In this Quick Spoon, Ross explores the fourth skill in the McIntosh Leadership Framework: Adaptability.
Inspired by a candid reflection from Gabriella Braun, this episode explores what happens when leadership becomes uncertain, messy, political, and deeply human.
So many leadership books promise certainty, control, and easy answers.
But real leadership often starts feeling difficult at exactly the moment complexity arrives.
Ross reflects on what leaders can do when pressure rises, certainty disappears, and their usual ways of coping stop working.
And he shares one practical question that can help turn pressure into purposeful action.
In this Quick Spoon
🥄 Why leadership becomes harder under uncertainty
🥄 What happens when leaders grip tighter under pressure
🥄 The hidden link between rigidity and reduced impact
🥄 A practical reflection question to try this week
Key reflection
“Who do I want to be in this moment?”
People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.
If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.
Leadership beyond autopilot - The McIntosh ACT Leadership Framework

Visit Ross' Website.
Connect with Ross on LinkedIn
People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life
He's now also on Bluesky
The People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE
...more
2min
May 27, 2026Quick Spoon: What's love got to do with it?
In this Quick Spoon, Ross explores the third skill in the McIntosh Leadership Framework: Authentic Action.
Inspired by a powerful insight from Gabriella Braun, this episode looks at the tension leaders face between acting from fear… or acting from what matters most.
Gabriella describes how every workplace contains both constructive and destructive forces — and how leadership often involves helping people move towards the constructive side.
Ross reflects on what this can mean in practice during difficult conversations, moments of tension, and everyday leadership decisions.
Because authentic leadership isn’t about avoiding discomfort.
It’s about acting with clarity, courage, and humanity.
In this Quick Spoon
🥄 Why leadership is more than decision-making
🥄 The difference between acting from fear and acting from values
🥄 Why love and courage belong in leadership conversations
🥄 A practical reflection to try before your next difficult conversation
Key reflection
“What would love and courage look like here?”
People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.
If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.
Leadership beyond autopilot - The McIntosh ACT Leadership Framework

Visit Ross' Website.
Connect with Ross on LinkedIn
People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life
He's now also on Bluesky
The People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE
...more
2min
May 25, 2026Quick Spoon: I always had an eye looking in
In this Quick Spoon, Ross explores the second skill in the McIntosh Leadership Framework: Awareness.
Inspired by a reflection from Gabriella Braun, this episode looks at the leadership power of noticing what’s happening beneath the surface — in ourselves, in teams, and in the wider system around us.
So often, leaders feel pressure to speak quickly, solve problems, and drive action.
But what if better leadership sometimes starts with noticing more… and saying less?
Ross shares a practical experiment to help leaders develop awareness in meetings, conversations, and everyday workplace dynamics.
In this Quick Spoon
🥄 Why awareness is a core leadership skill
🥄 The hidden dynamics we often miss in meetings
🥄 How curiosity can change a room
🥄 A practical experiment to try this week
Key reflection
“You can’t lead beyond what you notice.”
People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.
If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.
Leadership beyond autopilot - The McIntosh ACT Leadership Framework

Visit Ross' Website.
Connect with Ross on LinkedIn
People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life
He's now also on Bluesky
The People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE
...more
2min
May 22, 2026 Quick Spoon: Why did I react like that?
In this Quick Spoon, Ross explores the first skill in the McIntosh Leadership Framework: Pause.
Inspired by a powerful reflection from Gabriella Braun, this episode looks at those moments when our reactions feel immediate, emotional, and difficult to control.
Why does one comment roll off our backs… while another lingers all day?
And what might change if, instead of reacting automatically, we paused long enough to notice what’s happening inside us?
Ross shares a simple practical experiment to help leaders interrupt autopilot, create choice, and respond with greater awareness and intention.
In this Quick Spoon
🥄 Why our reactions at work can feel instant
🥄 The leadership power of pausing before reacting
🥄 How to interrupt autopilot and habitual responses
🥄 A simple reflection question to try this week
Key reflection
“Between stimulus and response… that’s where your leadership lives.”
People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.
If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.
Visit Ross' Website.
Connect with Ross on LinkedIn
People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life
He's now also on Bluesky
The People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE
...more
2min
May 20, 2026Quick Spoon: That difficult person at work
Every workplace seems to have one.
The difficult colleague.
The challenging client.
The person who pushes your buttons before they’ve even opened their mouth.
In this Quick Spoon from my conversation with Dr Eric Goodman, we explore a different way of responding to difficult people at work.
Not by excusing behaviour.
Not by pretending it’s easy.
But by asking a different question:
What if compassion reduced your suffering… not just theirs?
A practical reflection on threat responses, workplace relationships, and how seeing people differently might change the impact they have on us.
People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.
If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.
Eric's Website

Visit Ross' Website.
Connect with Ross on LinkedIn
People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life
He's now also on Bluesky
The People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE
...more
2min
May 18, 2026Why work feels so personal with Gabriella Braun
In this episode of People Soup, Ross is joined by consultant, psychoanalytic thinker, and author Gabriella Braun for a deeply human conversation about why work can feel so personal.
Drawing on her remarkable book All That We Are, Gabriella explores what really happens beneath the surface in teams, organisations, and leadership.
Together, Ross and Gabriella explore:
Why we can’t simply “leave our emotions at home”
How Gabriella’s experience as the child of immigrants shaped her ability to observe human systems
The leadership experience that left her “floundering”… and sparked a lifelong curiosity about organisational life
Why so many workplaces are carrying hidden distress
What leaders learned about vulnerability during COVID
Why psychoanalytic thinking has so much to offer the workplace
The deeply personal writing journey behind All That We Are
Why leaders may be helping their organisations choose between constructive and destructive forces every single day

And finally…
Why love may have a lot more to do with leadership than we often admit.
Originally released in 2023. Reimagined and re-edited for the new People Soup format in 2026.
People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.
If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.
Connect with Gabriella on LinkedIn
Gabriella Braun's website

Visit Ross' Website.
Connect with Ross on LinkedIn
People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life
He's now also on Bluesky
The People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE
...more
22min
May 15, 2026 Quick Spoon: Speak to three people
What do you do when anxiety shows up… right when something matters?
A networking event.
A room full of strangers.
A voice in your head saying:
“Your Spanish isn’t good enough.”
In this Quick Spoon, I share a very real moment from a networking event for psychologists in Seville—where social anxiety showed up… and so did the urge to run.
But instead of waiting to feel confident…
I tried something smaller.
Something more workable.
Speak to three people.
That was the goal.
Not confidence.
Not perfection.
Just one small, values-based action.
A practical reflection on anxiety, workable goals, and taking action—even when your mind is telling you otherwise.
People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.
If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.
Visit Ross' Website.
Connect with Ross on LinkedIn
People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life
He's now also on Bluesky
The People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE
...more
2min
May 13, 2026Quick Spoon: If I was at my absolute best...
What do you do in those moments when emotions are running high?
An awkward conversation.
A difficult email.
A family disagreement.
A colleague who’s pushing your buttons.
In this Quick Spoon from my conversation with Dr Eric Goodman, we explore one simple question that can create a little more space… and a little more choice:
“If I was at my absolute best right now… what would I want to do?”
Not…
What do I feel like doing?
Not…
What would be easiest?
But…
What would my best self choose?
A practical reflection on values, choice, and how to respond—rather than simply react—when things get challenging.
People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.
If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.
Eric's Website

Visit Ross' Website.
Connect with Ross on LinkedIn
People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life
He's now also on Bluesky
The People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE
...more
2min
May 11, 2026Quick Spoon: Pain is part of being human
What if the goal was never to become stress-free?
Or anxiety-free.
Or grief-free.
In this Quick Spoon from my conversation with Dr Eric Goodman, we challenge a myth that many of us still buy into:
That difficult emotions are somehow a sign that something’s gone wrong.
Eric offers a different perspective:
Painful emotions aren’t a design flaw.
They’re part of being human.
And the real skill may not be fighting what we feel…but learning how to notice it with a little more awareness—and a little more compassion.
People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.
If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.
Eric's Website

Visit Ross' Website.
Connect with Ross on LinkedIn
People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life
He's now also on Bluesky
The People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE
...more
2min

FAQs about People Soup:

How many episodes does People Soup have?

The podcast currently has 251 episodes available.

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