People Soup

What if your next holiday wasn't simply time away from work — but an opportunity to reconnect with what matters?

In this solo episode, Ross explores why recovery is much more than rest. Drawing on behavioural science, the Job Demands-Resources Model and research into leisure time recovery, he shares a fresh perspective on why holidays can help us rebuild one of our most important leadership capacities: our psychological flexibility.

Ross introduces the holiday matrix—a simple coaching tool to help you recover with intention rather than drift through your break on autopilot.

Whether you're travelling abroad, enjoying a staycation or simply taking a few days away from work, this episode offers practical ideas to help you return feeling more present, curious and connected.

In this episode, Ross explores:

• Why leaders can become less psychologically flexible when they're under sustained pressure or exhausted
• What the Job Demands-Resources Model tells us about recovery
• The four key ingredients of leisure time recovery:
• Psychological detachment
• Relaxation
• Mastery
• Control
• Why curiosity might be one of the first signs that you're genuinely switching off
• How to use the Holiday Matrix to recover on purpose
• Simple daily practices to help you reconnect with what matters

Three invitations for your next holiday

✔ Create a simple ritual that marks the beginning of your break.

✔ Take one photograph each day of something you only noticed because you slowed down.

✔ Choose a song that becomes the soundtrack to your holiday—and let it remind you how you want to show up during this precious time.

Reflection question

Which side of the Matrix deserves more of your attention and energy on this holiday?

Resources mentioned

• Job Demands-Resources Model
• Leisure Time Recovery research (including the work of Sabine Sonnentag and colleagues)
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• The McIntosh ACT Leadership Framework

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider following People Soup, leaving a rating or review, or sharing it with someone who might find it useful.

Every recommendation helps more people discover practical, evidence-based conversations about work, leadership and being human.

• Download the holiday matrix here

Here's the People Soup Website.

And you can subscribe to the People Soup YouTube Channel here.

Visit Ross' Website.

Connect with Ross on LinkedIn

People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life.

Most of us have a way of managing our time.

A diary.

A calendar.

A to-do list.

But how often do we give the same attention to our energy?

In this Quick Spoon, chartered coaching psychologist Dr Rose Aghdami shares a simple but powerful idea: if we think of energy as a limited resource, perhaps it deserves managing just as carefully as our time.

This Quick Spoon is taken from my full conversation with Dr Rose Aghdami, author of How to FUEL Your Resilience.

If you'd like to hear the complete conversation, you'll find it wherever you listen to People Soup.

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider following People Soup, leaving a rating or review, or sharing it with someone who might find it useful.

Every recommendation helps more people discover practical, evidence-based conversations about work, leadership and being human.

• Resilience starts with staying human – People Soup – Apple Podcasts
• Connect with Rose on Linkedin
• The Book — Dr Rose Aghdami
• Rose's website

Here's the People Soup Website.

And you can subscribe to the People Soup YouTube Channel here.

Visit Ross' Website.

Connect with Ross on LinkedIn

People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life.

Sometimes the signs that we're running low on resilience aren't dramatic.

• We're still turning up.
• Still getting through the to-do list.
• Still appearing to cope.

But underneath, something feels different.

In this Quick Spoon, chartered coaching psychologist Dr Rose Aghdami shares some of the subtle warning signs that we might be running on empty, and invites us to ask a simple but powerful question:

Am I thriving, or am I simply surviving?

This Quick Spoon is taken from my full conversation with Dr Rose Aghdami, author of How to FUEL Your Resilience.

If you'd like to hear the complete conversation, you'll find it wherever you listen to People Soup.

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider following People Soup, leaving a rating or review, or sharing it with someone who might find it useful.

Every recommendation helps more people discover practical, evidence-based conversations about work, leadership and being human.

• Resilience starts with staying human – People Soup – Apple Podcasts
• Connect with Rose on Linkedin
• The Book — Dr Rose Aghdami
• Rose's website

Here's the People Soup Website.

And you can subscribe to the People Soup YouTube Channel here.

Visit Ross' Website.

Connect with Ross on LinkedIn

People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life.

Sometimes the questions that shape our careers don't come from research papers or textbooks.

They come from the people we meet.

In this Quick Spoon, chartered coaching psychologist Dr Rose Aghdami shares the client conversation that transformed the direction of her work.

After hearing a client ask, "So you mean work can make you ill?", Rose found herself asking another question:

If work can contribute to poor mental health, could it also become a place where people thrive?

This Quick Spoon is taken from my full conversation with Dr Rose Aghdami, author of How to FUEL Your Resilience.

If you'd like to hear the complete conversation, you'll find it wherever you listen to People Soup.

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider following People Soup, leaving a rating or review, or sharing it with someone who might find it useful.

Every recommendation helps more people discover practical, evidence-based conversations about work, leadership and being human.

• Resilience starts with staying human – People Soup – Apple Podcasts
• Connect with Rose on Linkedin
• The Book — Dr Rose Aghdami
• Rose's website

Here's the People Soup Website.

And you can subscribe to the People Soup YouTube Channel here.

Visit Ross' Website.

Connect with Ross on LinkedIn

People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life.

What does resilience really mean?

For many of us, the word has become associated with pushing through, staying strong and simply carrying on, whatever life throws at us.

In this Quick Spoon, chartered coaching psychologist Dr Rose Aghdami offers a different perspective.

Rather than seeing resilience as suppressing difficult emotions, Rose suggests that resilience starts with acknowledging them. Feeling worried, overwhelmed or vulnerable doesn't mean you've failed—it means you're human.

This Quick Spoon is taken from my full conversation with Dr Rose Aghdami, author of How to FUEL Your Resilience.

If you'd like to hear the complete conversation, you'll find it wherever you listen to People Soup.

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider following People Soup, leaving a rating or review, or sharing it with someone who might find it useful.

Every recommendation helps more people discover practical, evidence-based conversations about work, leadership and being human.

• Resilience starts with staying human – People Soup – Apple Podcasts
• Connect with Rose on Linkedin
• The Book — Dr Rose Aghdami
• Rose's website

Here's the People Soup Website.

And you can subscribe to the People Soup YouTube Channel here.

Visit Ross' Website.

Connect with Ross on LinkedIn

People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life.

What does resilience really mean?

For many people, the word has become associated with simply pushing through, coping no matter what, or carrying on regardless. But what if resilience isn't about becoming tougher at all?

In this episode I'm joined by chartered coaching psychologist Dr Rose Aghdami, author of How to FUEL Your Resilience.

Together we explore why resilience has developed such a mixed reputation at work, how one conversation with a client changed the direction of Rose's career, and why staying human might be the most resilient thing we can do.

Rose also introduces her practical 'FUEL' model and shares simple ways to recognise when we're running on empty, protect our energy, and respond more intentionally when work and life become challenging.

In this episode we explore:

• Why resilience sometimes gets a bad reputation
• The client conversation that changed Rose's career
• Why resilience starts with staying human
• The FUEL model for building resilience
• Recognising the signs you're running on empty
• Why managing your energy matters just as much as managing your time
• Practical ideas you can try this week

About Rose

Dr Rose Aghdami is a chartered coaching psychologist, speaker and author specialising in resilience, wellbeing and professional performance. She works with individuals and organisations to help people thrive in demanding environments.

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider following People Soup, leaving a rating or review, or sharing it with someone who might find it useful.

Every recommendation helps more people discover practical, evidence-based conversations about work, leadership and being human.

• Connect with Rose on Linkedin
• The Book — Dr Rose Aghdami
• Rose's website

Here's the People Soup Website.

And you can subscribe to the People Soup YouTube Channel here.

Visit Ross' Website.

Connect with Ross on LinkedIn

People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life.

We often assume that if we're not taking action, the problem must be motivation.

But what if there's more to it than that?

In this Quick Spoon, Ross reflects on a practical framework shared by organisational psychologist Dr Joe Gray, based on the work of Professor Sharon Parker.

Before judging ourselves for not following through, Joe suggests asking three simple questions:

• Can I do it?
• Do I have a reason to do it?
• Do I have the energy to do it?

Together, they offer a more compassionate and practical way of understanding what's getting in the way.

Something to Reflect On

Think about one thing you've been putting off.

Then ask yourself:

• Can I do it?
• Do I have a reason to do it?
• Do I have the energy to do it?

Which answer reveals the real barrier?

Listen to the Full Episode

Powering Workplace Proactivity with Dr Joanne Gray

What does it really mean to be proactive?

In this Quick Spoon, Ross reflects on a key insight from his conversation with business psychologist and author, Dr Joanne Gray.

Many organisations say they want proactive employees, but we often confuse proactivity with simply being helpful or saying yes to every request.

Jo explains that real proactivity is different. It's about spotting opportunities to improve things, taking initiative, and creating positive change before someone asks you to.

Ross explores the difference between reacting to what's already happening and making space to shape what happens next.

Something to Reflect On

Am I spending most of my time responding to what's already happening...

...or am I creating even a small amount of change for the future?

Listen to the Full Episode

Powering Workplace Proactivity with Dr Joanne Gray

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider following People Soup, leaving a rating or review, or sharing it with someone who might find it useful.

Every recommendation helps more people discover practical, evidence-based conversations about work, leadership and being human.

• Full episode - Powering workplace proactivity with Dr Joe Gray – on Apple Podcasts
• Find Joe on Instagram
• The Progress Lab | We’re on a mission to make workplaces work better, helping people & organisations unleash their potential.
• Connect with Joe on LinkedIn
• Joe's website - Powering Proactivity
• Joe's Book - Powering Workplace Proactivity

Here's the People Soup Website.

And you can subscribe to the People Soup YouTube Channel here.

Visit Ross' Website.

Connect with Ross on LinkedIn

People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life.

Sometimes the people closest to us can see things we've become blind to.

In this Quick Spoon, Ross reflects on a powerful moment from his conversation with organisational psychologist Dr Joanne Gray.

After years in a demanding corporate role, Joe made the decision to leave. When she shared the news with her Dad, his response was immediate:

"Thank God for that."

Those four words revealed something important. While Joe had been pushing on, those closest to her had already noticed the impact that work was having on her wellbeing.

This Quick Spoon explores perspective, self-awareness, and the value of having people in our lives who are willing to tell us the truth when we need to hear it.

Something to reflect upon

Who are the people in your life who tell you the truth when you need to hear it?

And when was the last time you listened?

Listen to the Full Episode

Powering Workplace Proactivity with Dr Joanne Gray

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider following People Soup, leaving a rating or review, or sharing it with someone who might find it useful.

Every recommendation helps more people discover practical, evidence-based conversations about work, leadership and being human.

• Full episode - Powering workplace proactivity with Dr Joe Gray – on Apple Podcasts
• Find Joe on Instagram
• The Progress Lab | We’re on a mission to make workplaces work better, helping people & organisations unleash their potential.
• Connect with Joe on LinkedIn
• Joe's website - Powering Proactivity
• Joe's Book - Powering Workplace Proactivity

Here's the People Soup Website.

And you can subscribe to the People Soup YouTube Channel here.

Visit Ross' Website.

Connect with Ross on LinkedIn

People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life.

What happens when your body starts telling you something you don't want to hear?

In this Quick Spoon, Ross reflects on a moment from his conversation with business psychologist, consultant and author, Dr Joe Gray.

While working in a demanding corporate role, Jo began experiencing a persistent "flicky eye". What seemed like a minor irritation turned out to be a sign that something deeper was going on.

It's a reminder that warning signs don't always arrive as a crisis. Sometimes they show up as tension, disrupted sleep, irritability, or a feeling of being permanently switched on.

Ross explores how easy it is to normalise these signals and offers a simple reflection to help us pay attention before small signs become bigger problems.

Something to Reflect On

What signal might your body be sending you that you've stopped paying attention to?

Listen to the Full Episode

Powering Workplace Proactivity with Dr Joanne Gray via the link below!

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider following People Soup, leaving a rating or review, or sharing it with someone who might find it useful.

Every recommendation helps more people discover practical, evidence-based conversations about work, leadership and being human.

• Full episode - Powering workplace proactivity with Dr Joe Gray – on Apple Podcasts
• Find Joe on Instagram
• The Progress Lab | We’re on a mission to make workplaces work better, helping people & organisations unleash their potential.
• Connect with Joe on LinkedIn
• Joe's website - Powering Proactivity
• Joe's Book - Powering Workplace Proactivity

Here's the People Soup Website.

And you can subscribe to the People Soup YouTube Channel here.

Visit Ross' Website.

Connect with Ross on LinkedIn

People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life.