People Soup

Hi there and a very warm welcome to Season 6 Episode 47 of People Soup.

Listening is one of the most powerful communication skills at work — yet it’s often the one we practice least.

What happens when someone really listens to you at work?

In this episode of People Soup, Ross McIntosh talks with Miranda Birch — former BBC journalist and founder of The Richest Conversations — about the power of listening and why better conversations can transform how we work together.

Drawing on her career in broadcasting and interviewing, Miranda shares what journalism can teach us about communication at work, leadership conversations, and creating the space where people feel heard and understood.

Ross and Miranda explore:

1. Why deep listening is becoming a rare skill at work
2. How great interviewers build trust and rapport quickly
3. What leaders can learn from broadcast journalism techniques
4. The connection between conversations, confidence, and wellbeing
5. How simple moments of connection — even saying hello — can have a powerful impact.

You’ll also hear Miranda’s reflections on growing up surrounded by radio, her journey into the BBC, and how curiosity and listening shaped her approach to storytelling.

If you’re interested in better communication at work, leadership skills, coaching conversations, or workplace wellbeing, this episode is packed with insights you can use straight away.

So get a brew on, settle in, and enjoy part one of Ross’s conversation with Miranda Birch.

People Soup is a podcast that mixes stories, science and a sprinkle of daftness to explore what helps people thrive at work and beyond. Drawing on behavioural science — especially Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — Ross shares practical ideas to help you build a better work life.

• Connect with Miranda on LinkedIn
• The Richest Conversations – Helping your organisation to make more impact, through the voices of its founders, teams and clients

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.

Hi there and a very warm welcome to Season 6 Episode 46 of People Soup, it's Ross McIntosh here.

This week it’s a cuppa soup - a short episode and I’m going to update you on our new free club - that anyone can join - it’s called The Friday Towards Move Club.

The Friday Towards Move Club is beautifully simple.

Each Friday, we make one small move towards something that matters to us.

1. Not a grand transformation.
2. Not a productivity hack.
3. Not a life overhaul.

Just one small, intentional step in the direction of our values.

It might take two minutes.

It might take five.

It might feel tiny from the outside.

But psychologically? It’s powerful.

Because every towards move is a vote for the kind of person we want to be.

For those of you who are new to People Soup - welcome - it's great to have you here - I aim to provide you with ingredients for a better work life from behavioural science and beyond. For those of you who are regular P Soupers - thanks for tuning in - we love it that you're part of our community.

There is a transcript for each episode. There is a caveat - this transcript is largely generated by Artificial Intelligence, I have corrected many errors but I won't have captured them all! You can also find the shownotes by clicking on notes then keep scrolling for all the useful links.

• People Soup | LinkedIn

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.

Hi there and a very warm welcome to Season 6 Episode 45 of People Soup, it's Ross McIntosh here.

This week it’s a cuppa soup - a short episode and I’m going to introduce you to a new club - that anyone can join (and it's free) - it’s called the Friday Towards Move Club. Consider this episode as its soft launch.

So what’s the idea? It’s something small and lovely I want to share with you.

It’s not perfectly crafted or developed - I’m keen to share it and see how the idea evolves.

In one of my small group coaching sessions recently, we decided we’d finish each week by sharing one tiny thing — just one — that we’ve done on a Friday - each week.

We call it a Towards Move - some of you might be familiar with that language - from the ACT Matrix.

1. Not a big life overhaul.
2. Not a productivity hack.
3. Not a “new me” declaration.

Just a small action that moves us towards something that matters.

A towards move has three qualities:

1. It’s connected to something meaningful.
2. It’s small enough to actually do.
3. And it’s done on purpose.

That’s it.

It might be:

1. Sending one honest message.
2. Stepping outside for five minutes of air.
3. Writing the first paragraph.
4. Leaving work on time.
5. Saying no.
6. Saying yes.
7. Listening to a piece of music.
8. Getting your sports bag ready.

And here’s the important bit — I encourage people to make it almost laughably small.

Because when it’s small, it’s doable.

When it’s doable, it builds trust with yourself.

And when you build trust with yourself — that changes things.

What I loved in the supervision group was this:

When we shared our Friday Towards Move, something shifted.

1. There was encouragement.
2. There was gentle accountability.
3. There was warmth.
4. There was witnessing.
5. Nobody judged.
6. Nobody optimised it.
7. Nobody made it bigger.

We just said:

“That matters. Go for it.”

So I’m launching something simple:

The Friday Towards Move Club.

A gentle online space.

Which will appear on LinkedIn and Instagram on Friday.

Where each Friday, I’ll share one small towards move.

You can post yours.

Or you can observe.

Or you can simply borrow courage from someone else.

Because sometimes we don’t need pressure.

We need presence.

A towards move isn’t about fixing yourself.

It’s about expressing what matters to you — in motion.

So here’s my invitation:

Before this Friday ends —

What’s one small move you could make?

And what makes it meaningful?

Make it 50% smaller than you think it should be.

And if you’d like to share it, you can add it in the comments under my post - or create a new post.

Use the hashtag:

#FridayTowardsMove

Small.

Meaningful.

Shared.

That’s the club. That’s the idea.

Let’s see what happens. It’s a People Soup ritual in the making.

For those of you who are new to People Soup - welcome - it's great to have you here - I aim to provide you with ingredients for a better work life from behavioural science and beyond. For those of you who are regular P Soupers - thanks for tuning in - we love it that you're part of our community.

• People Soup | LinkedIn
• Ross on Instagram

There is a transcript for each episode. There is a caveat - this transcript is largely generated by Artificial Intelligence, I have corrected many errors but I won't have captured them all! You can also find the shownotes by clicking on notes then keep scrolling for all the useful links.

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.

Hi there and a very warm welcome to Season 6 Episode 44 of People Soup, it's Ross McIntosh here.

This episode, is the second part of my conversation with Yass Rad. Yass is the founder of We Were Unpublished, a part-time consultant at Affinity Health at Work, and a PhD student researching perfectionism in the workplace and ACT interventions for well-being at City St. George's University of London. We discuss Yass’ systematic review of workplace acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and how interventions change psychological flexibility subprocesses. Yass also introduces her new platform, We Were Unpublished, a website for practitioners and students to share unpublished applied psychology research via short, accessible submissions and a supportive community.

For those of you who are new to People Soup - welcome - it's great to have you here - I aim to provide you with ingredients for a better work life from behavioural science and beyond. For those of you who are regular P Soupers - thanks for tuning in - we love it that you're part of our community.

• Connect with Yass on linkedIn
• We Were Unpublished.
• Yass Rad - Art, research and more
• Leading with purpose with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting

There is a transcript for each episode. There is a caveat - this transcript is largely generated by Artificial Intelligence, I have corrected many errors but I won't have captured them all! You can also find the shownotes by clicking on notes then keep scrolling for all the useful links.

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.

Hi there and a very warm welcome to Season 6 Episode 43 of People Soup, it's Ross McIntosh here.

In this episode, I welcome Yass Rad to People Soup. Yass is the founder of 'We Were Unpublished', a part-time consultant at Affinity Health at Work, and a PhD student researching perfectionism in the workplace and ACT interventions for well-being at City St. George's, University of London. You'll hear Yass shares pivotal moments from her academic and career journey, discussing her unique combination of interests in psychology and art. She reflects on her early work experiences, the challenges she faced, and how they led her back to academia. The conversation touches on her personal values, her creative pursuits, and her current research involving a four-week online ACT training program for individuals struggling with perfectionism. In fact - there's an opportunity for you to take part in the current research, so if you feel you have perfectionistic tendencies you might want to get involved.

For those of you who are new to People Soup - welcome - it's great to have you here - I aim to provide you with ingredients for a better work life from behavioural science and beyond. For those of you who are regular P Soupers - thanks for tuning in - we love it that you're part of our community.

• Connect with Yass on linkedIn
• We Were Unpublished.
• Yass Rad - Art, research and more
• Building better teams with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting
• Leading with purpose with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting

There is a transcript for each episode. There is a caveat - this transcript is largely generated by Artificial Intelligence, I have corrected many errors but I won't have captured them all! You can also find the shownotes by clicking on notes then keep scrolling for all the useful links.

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.

Hi there and a very warm welcome to Season 6 Episode 42 of People Soup, it's Ross McIntosh here.

In this episode I welcome back friend of the show - Dr Joe Oliver - and together we discuss how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can help us navigate life transitions. We draw upon our own experiences of moving to a new country to reflect on the processes at play, exploring what helped us, as well as the surprises.

For those of you who are new to People Soup - welcome - it's great to have you here - I aim to provide you with ingredients for a better work life from behavioural science and beyond. For those of you who are regular P Soupers - thanks for tuning in - we love it that you're part of our community.

• Contextual Consulting - Acceptance & Commitment Therapy Specialists
• Building better teams with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting
• Leading with purpose with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting

There is a transcript for each episode. There is a caveat - this transcript is largely generated by Artificial Intelligence, I have corrected many errors but I won't have captured them all! You can also find the shownotes by clicking on notes then keep scrolling for all the useful links.

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.

Hi there and a very warm welcome to Season 6 Episode 41 of People Soup, it's Ross McIntosh here.

In this episode I continue my chat with Dr. Ben Sedley, a clinical psychologist, author, and speaker.

We delve into his book - 'Holding the Heavy Stuff - Making Space for Critical Thoughts and Painful Emotions.

The conversation covers the book's structure, featuring chapters on presence, compassion, curiosity, purpose, and support, and explores how it aims to serve individuals navigating life's pressures in work, relationships, leisure, and health. Ben discusses the motivation behind writing a relatable guide that is accessible to those who may not typically pick up self-help books. I share my review and highlight the value of Ben's empathetic and jargon-free writing style. We also touch upon practical applications of self-compassion in the workplace and personal life, underscoring the importance of being kind to oneself. The episode emphasizes the broader impact of the book, the collaborative efforts involved in its creation, and the journey of publishing and promoting it.

For those of you who are new to People Soup - welcome - it's great to have you here - I aim to provide you with ingredients for a better work life from behavioural science and beyond. For those of you who are regular P Soupers - thanks for tuning in - we love it that you're part of our community.

• Ben on facebook
• Follow Ben on Instagam
• Ben Sedley, Clinical Psychologist, Author + Speaker
• Building better teams with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting
• Leading with purpose with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting

There is a transcript for each episode. There is a caveat - this transcript is largely generated by Artificial Intelligence, I have corrected many errors but I won't have captured them all! You can also find the shownotes by clicking on notes then keep scrolling for all the useful links.

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.

Hi there and a very warm welcome to Season 6 Episode 40 of People Soup, it's Ross McIntosh here.

In this episode you'll meet Dr. Ben Sedley, a clinical psychologist, author, and speaker, and he shares insights from his extensive career in mental health. He discusses his journey from studying psychology to helping people of all ages cope with life's challenges through self-compassion and ACT. He talks a bit about his books, including 'Stuff That Sucks' for teenagers, 'Stuff that's Loud (A teen's guide to unspiralling when OCD gets noisy' and 'Holding the Heavy Stuff' for adults, offering practical advice for mental health. Additionally, he recounts his days in a band formed with fellow psychologist and friend of the show, Dr Joe Oliver. The episode also delves into the importance of treating OCD seriously, the power of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), and Ben's personal values and experiences.

For those of you who are new to People Soup - welcome - it's great to have you here - I aim to provide you with ingredients for a better work life from behavioural science and beyond. For those of you who are regular P Soupers - thanks for tuning in - we love it that you're part of our community.

• Ben on facebook
• Follow Ben on Instagam
• Ben Sedley, Clinical Psychologist, Author + Speaker
• Building better teams with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting
• Leading with purpose with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting
• Ross McIntosh - 30 minute multipurpose | TidyCal

There is a transcript for each episode. There is a caveat - this transcript is largely generated by Artificial Intelligence, I have corrected many errors but I won't have captured them all! You can also find the shownotes by clicking on notes then keep scrolling for all the useful links.

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.

Hi there and a very warm welcome to Season 6 Episode 39 of People Soup, it's Ross McIntosh here.

It's the second part of our festive special (better late than never!) with Dr Ben Askew we continue our exploration of behaviour change using the film Frozen. In this episode, we focus particularly on the song 'Let It Go.' We discuss Elsa's use of isolation as a maladaptive coping strategy, contrasting it with her eventual journey towards psychological flexibility and authentic self-expression. The conversation also touches on broader themes of love and vulnerability, and how these elements connect to leadership and personal growth. I share a potentially parallel story from his coaching experience, highlighting similar challenges faced by a senior leader in a global organization. The episode underscores the nuances of away moves, the importance of flexibility, and the deep, thoughtful storytelling behind Disney movies.

For those of you who are new to People Soup - welcome - it's great to have you here - I aim to provide you with ingredients for a better work life from behavioural science and beyond. For those of you who are regular P Soupers - thanks for tuning in - we love it that you're part of our community.

• The ACT for Acting youtube chanel
• Ben on Instagram
• Ben's website - The Working Action Group
• Building better teams with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting
• Leading with purpose with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting
• Ross McIntosh - 30 minute multipurpose | TidyCal

There is a transcript for each episode. There is a caveat - this transcript is largely generated by Artificial Intelligence, I have corrected many errors but I won't have captured them all! You can also find the shownotes by clicking on notes then keep scrolling for all the useful links.

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.

Hi there and a very warm welcome to Season 6 Episode 38 of People Soup, it's Ross McIntosh here.

In this episode we welcome the return of Dr Ben Askew to People Soup and this is our two part festive special where we delve into the challenges of behaviour change using the film Frozen. We analyse Elsa's fear-driven isolation and Ana's craving for connection, highlighting both rigid and naive approaches to love and relationships. Throughout the conversation, we draw parallels to real-life leadership challenges and the importance of understanding and flexibility. There is some of my singing involved in this episode, which I added in post production. Those who appreciate a fine set of pipes - might want to skip those bits.

For those of you who are new to People Soup - welcome - it's great to have you here - I aim to provide you with ingredients for a better work life from behavioural science and beyond. For those of you who are regular P Soupers - thanks for tuning in - we love it that you're part of our community.

• The ACT for Acting youtube chanel
• Ben on Instagram
• Ben's website - The Working Action Group
• Building better teams with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting
• Leading with purpose with Ross McIntosh - Contextual Consulting
• Ross McIntosh - 30 minute multipurpose | TidyCal
• Updated (Nov 2025) ACT in the Workplace Supervision | Ross McIntosh
• 🌍 Impact Partners Wanted | Ross McIntosh

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.