How do we bring back focus to what we CAN control? How do we find more presence and ultimately reduce the anxiety of the unknown in order to perform better in the corporate world? As 2020 continues to spin in circles of stress, Gaj Ravichandra and I talk about this and much more as we discuss optimal performance, team work and recovery in 2021, as well as how we reach our own definition of ‘peak’ in our careers. A fountain of wisdom and calm in the business world I loved hearing Gaj’s view and found the whole thing deeply refreshing. 

"Leaders are not born. They are made and then reborn with every experience they encounter!” – Gaj Ravichandra

Leaning on 20 years of experiences and a background in Organizational Psychology, Gaj focuses his work on developing mental toughness, resilience, achieving peak performance. You can connect further with Gaj at http://kompassconsultancy.com/our-team/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaj-ravichandra/ and on Instagram @gajravichandra

Amid deep social conflict all around the world, where do we really stand on equality, entrepreneurialism and education today? And what is the role of social media and technology in these times? Mark Sham talks to Mimi in this episode about how we adapt to change and inspire the youth and those that want to elevate their own journey in a different way. “We have had broken people raising broken people for a long time, now it’s time for us to find better versions of ourselves’ Mark Sham.

Mark is a passionate entrepreneur who speaks to audiences around the globe about being better prepared for the future. He runs a much loved social enterprise called Suits & Sneakers who are working on a new type of education system that young people can use at no cost. Mark believes wholeheartedly that “everyone deserves a shot at being somebody!”

Connect with Mark and hear more via https://marksham.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MarksMicrophone/

An evangelist for conscious business, Tom Fels is the Founder and CEO of Animarem, an advisory focused on transforming business as a force for good. He is a thought leader on how stakeholder capitalism is changing the world today and our conversation here covers purpose, people and profit and how these three commitments coincide for growth. We look at the role of business in shaping our world and how putting people first truly is good for the bottom line, as well as the global B Corp movement in Southern Africa, the data supporting conscientious business growth and how the circular economy is changing the face of the business world. 

"You start looking at how the landscape is changing, and the writing is on the wall." Tom Fels.

Connect with Tom and his transformation work at https://www.animarem.com/ or via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-fels-a3201252/?originalSubdomain=za

Kelly Lundberg is a business mentor and personal brand expert and we took this opportunity to uncover what she has learnt about self empathy, confidence and the ripple effect of helping each other as we move through phases of professional growth.  "What is obvious to you is amazing to other people!" Kelly Lundberg.

Tune in to hear more about Kelly's journey to successful entrepreneurship and business expansion, and how she has seen our ability to embrace authenticity directly drive us to exponential business growth and relevance.

Connect with Kelly and find out more about her work via: https://kellylundbergofficial.com/ and her instagram: @kellylundbergofficial

Nicola Kemp says it as it is. Having recently written a piece for Campaign UK titled “Mummy, what did you do in the great COVID crisis,” which sparked much discussion, Nicky and I talk about leadership and what she really thinks about empathy for women in the advertising industry. We discuss whether agencies have any idea what change and equity really means, how far we have come and how far we have to go.  Season 2 begins with a whole lot of honesty, a bag load of braveness and a true frankness that looks at things as they really are.

“For the creative and media industries, this headline and its implicit everyday sexism also serve as an urgent reminder of just how important inclusion is for organizations and brands that have such a pivotal role in setting the tone for the broader cultural debate.” Nicola Kemp, Campaign, August 2020.

This is a special edition podcast with a live reading fusing much of what I do on my breakfast show, Empathy for Breakfast (reading live) with my podcast.  Today I am sharing some words dedicated to Lebanon, to Beirut, and to all of those people part of the recovery since the explosion that quite literally blew our minds as well as their city. So often the spoken word can be more powerful than the written one so whilst this piece will appear in the media here I wanted to share a reading of it, from the heart, from me to you.  In times of recovery we are stronger together and this very short recording talks about the role of empathy in these times, about the powerful link between empathy and recovery and about our ability to rebuild our community together. 

Dear Beirut. May construction begin, may your city rise again and may empathy be the glue that pulls it back together.

All human beings deserve understanding and compassion and this starts with ourselves. It can sometimes though be easier to show empathy for others than it is for ourselves, so how do we create a balance that allows us to be our healthiest and happiest selves? Science and medical research has proven that there is a deep link between the mind and body and our ability to perform and thrive. Should it take falling ill with a disease like cancer to make us stop and take note? Almudena talks about personal transformation, daily routine and feeling well again, and the neuro-science behind connecting with ourselves and our minds. She also shares the tools she has mastered which we can all use on our road to health and wellness - and in Almu's case, recovery from cancer for the third time. This is an honest, raw and incredibly powerful conversation and one I am very grateful for having had. Thank you Almu!

Cal is a man with a 20+ year career in advertising and design and has founded Matchboxology, a human centred design company in South Africa. Cal and I discuss how empathy allows us to understand human beings and the communities we share.  We discuss curiosity and objectivity in deep and authentic listening, and how we might avoid judging people in the best of conversations. We also look at how we can create deeper insight and more impactful creativity and how the South African approach to 'ubuntu' is changing the way the local government needs to communicate with their population in Covid19 times. "Its only through empathy that we can find new solutions and encourage people to stay safe without violating who they are as an African community" 

You can connect with Cal via https://www.matchboxology.com/ on on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matchboxology_/

Cal's LinkedIn profile is: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cal-bruns-b071909/

Almudena and I are working on a two part series. The first focuses on leadership, culture and cohesion and draws from Almudena's 20+ year career in P&G and WPP, and more recently her work as the Founder of Unlimited Potential, a business focused on improving engagement and optimising our potential at work. This is an honest, upfront conversation and Almudena seems to offer a new piece of wisdom every minute. 

A Business Change Catalyst and Mind Mentor, Almu seamlessly brings together advice on culture, humanism in the work place and tips for manifesting change.  We talk about the need for leaders and companies to intentionally and passionately think about the new rewards system (that celebrates the new leaders that we need for the future), after years of measuring individual metrics. We touch on how rare it is to find organisations measuring collective or human behaviours that are capable of building strong, collaborative and innovative cultures.  And we ponder the fact that it is no wonder the workplace has gotten so harsh in recent years, infused by a deep level of individualism, given we haven't been implementing an approach to metrics that pushes exponential transformation at speed. "It's time to start thinking how we can drive faster change that is intentionally designed for those who are actively participating.  Hanging a mission statement on the walls will no longer cut it!"

"It's gonna get tough out there" - Almudena Gil, Business Change Catalyst and Mind Mentor.

You can connect further with Almu via the below links - she shares a host of inspiring and valuable content via LinkedIn so its definitely worth connecting!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/almudena-gil-a808096/

https://www.qualitymindglobal.com/

Recording Episode 4 was the highlight of my week.  Steve McGinnes is the author of Surfing the Asian Wave and is has the most fascinating opinions and experiences all across Asia when it comes to cultural connection and how we work better together. We discuss cultural differences, making friends in the workplace, and the how to choose the right outfit for your next black tie event (just for fun!) A brilliantly insightful set of opinions about relationships, teams, and how we can learn to see things differently to make the most of the big picture of global business. Has the East West balance already moved to the East? And if so, what does that mean for how we work? Tune in to find out more!

Buy Steve's book on Amazon here

And read more about him and his consultancy  and speaking work on his site or via LinkedIn