SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE with Vinay Kumar

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Meet Ash Seddeek, a globally recognized executive coach and change leadership advisor with over 15 years of experience helping leaders drive transformation through compelling communication and strategic influence. Ash has coached senior teams at Cisco, Uber, Google, Boston Scientific, San Francisco International Airport and Doosan Bobcat. A former leader at Deloitte, Oracle, and Cisco, Ash blends deep expertise in executive presence, strategic facilitation, and change sponsorship. Ash is also an Amazon bestselling author and creator of leadership frameworks such as Chief Excitement Officers (CExOs) and Exponential Value Moments (EVMs) through which he equips leaders to lead with clarity, align stakeholders, and inspire action. Ash is a two-time Fulbright Scholar, linguist, AI fintech inventor, and entrepreneur. Ash is currently also working on a passionate AI startup Intelligent Context AI. Hit play for the lowdown! 

[4:26s] Fulbright Scholar to Leadership Communication Coach

[6:48s] The Top 1 % for Sales Leadership 

[9:36s] Strategic Communication in Leadership 

[16:10s] On his book ‘Meaning: How Leaders Create Meaning and Clarity During Times of Crisis and Opportunity’ 

[19:33s] What makes a great coachee

[31:48s] On AI in the world of coaching

[41:46s] On his Intelligence Context AI launch plans

RWL Read: ‘Meaning: How Leaders Create Meaning and Clarity During Times of Crisis and Opportunity’ by Ash Sedeek and Leslie Rubin; ’The Path of Least Resistance’ by Robert Fritz

RWL Listen: Jim Rohn Motivation 

Connect with Ash on LinkedIn or email him at [email protected] 

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What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected]

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This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

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Meet Laura Best, keynote speaker who helps global brands like US Bank activate passion as a science-back method to drive energy, motivation, engagement and performance in their people. She is the bestselling author of Born to Buzz and the founder of Passion Collective- a group of thousands seeking to embed more passion into their daily working lives. Today, Laura advises some of the world’s biggest passion-driven brands across sectors. 

Hit play for the lowdown! 

[2:54s] History to PR: Laura’s genesis story

[5:25s] What first sparked ‘Born to Buzz’ 

[12:09s] Passion-led jobs versus passion-less ones

[19:47s] Purpose versus Passion

[32:55s] The generational aspect of purpose-at-work

[36:21s] Laura’s top tips for organizations to cultivate passion 

[45:45s] Laura’s top tips for you to avoid burnout 

RWL: Read: Laura’s book Born to Buzz: How to Spark Your Passions (Without Quitting It All)  

Laura’s recommendation to read: ‘Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics’ by Dan Harris

Connect with Laura on LinkedIn 

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What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected]

Subscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  

This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

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We are thrilled to bring you this special collaboration with the chart-topping podcast that unravels the impact of organization culture on the workplace, 'Culture Matters with Subbu Kalpathi' - where it's Vinay on the hot seat for a change!   

On this Culture Matters episode 'The Leader as a Facilitator', Vinay and Subbu explore facilitation not just as a skill, but as a fundamental shift in how leadership shows up today. In a world where knowledge is abundant and easily accessible, the role of the leader is evolving, from being the one with answers to the one who creates the conditions for better answers to emerge.

Hit play to get the full lowdown.

RWL: Vinay's recommendation for you to LISTEN to Culture Matters where Learning Leadership and OD expert Subbu talks to leading academics, researchers, authors, corporate leaders, consultants and SMEs on organizational culture. From harnessing the science of happiness at work to innovations such as the 4-day workweek, Culture Matters will challenge the way you think about your people strategy for the new world of work. 

Connect with Subbu on LinkedIn 

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What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected]

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Best known for his work in organizational development (OD) spanning over three decades, Dr. Douglas O’Loughlin won over our listeners when he first came on this podcast four years ago. The episode was among our top listened episodes of all time! And today, the OD OG, the guru of OD is back to share from his treasure trove of insights and knowledge, and his belief that organizations and communities can be life-giving spaces for each and all.

Originally from the US, Douglas has been living in Singapore since 1993, where he is the Principal of The Dao of Thriving, as well as being an Associate Consultant with Civil Service College, and has done projects in more than 20 countries. Douglas has co-founded several OD Networks, written numerous articles and blogs, spoken at global conferences, is a TEDx speaker, and has also written the books ‘ANDlightenment: Polarity Thinking from Self to Society’ and ‘Facilitating Transformation’.

Hit play for the lowdown! 

[3:35s] What has changed in OD since 2022

[12:00s] OD in the age of AI

[20:45s] Common OD challenges today 

[32:13s] His work on Polarity Thinking 

[40:25s] OD in the near future 

[45:00s] Top tips for OD practitioners

RWL: Read: ‘OD for the Accidental Practitioner’ by Larry Kokkelenbeeg and Regan Miller; Douglas’ books ‘ANDlightenment: Polarity Thinking from Self to Society’ and ‘Facilitating Transformation

Connect with Douglas on LinkedIn 

Connect with Vinay on X and LinkedIn 

What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected]

Subscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  

This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

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From AI’s explosive rise to climate disruption and escalating geopolitical strain, history is hitting a tipping point today. Amidst all this, Alain Bejjani offers a striking counterpoint: however fast and complex the world feels today, it is the slowest and simplest it will ever be again.

In his soon to be released book ‘Next: Leading Through the New Realities’, Bejjani invites leaders to take a clear-eyed view of how to live and lead through major transformation and turbulence. 

Alain is the former CEO of the major retail group, Majid Al Futtaim, responsible for one of the world’s largest shopping complexes, ‘Mall of the Emirates’ in Dubai, and during his tenure, he led Majid Al Futtaim 50,000 employees across 17 countries, producing $9.5 billion in revenue. 

He is a globally recognized business leader, investor, and strategist with more than two decades of experience driving cross-border growth across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. 

Applying the invaluable lessons he has learned from growing up in war-torn Beirut to decades leading through major change, Alain explores how leaders can navigate the storms to come – and those presently – in the book. 

Hit play for the lowdown! 

[4:21s] Alain’s origins story  

[11:07s] Leading a multi-billion-dollar company: Insights, Learning, Challenges

[32:50s] Genesis of ‘Next: Leading Through The New Realities’ 

[36:10s] Top leadership traits to lead in new and fast-changing realities

RWL: Alain’s book ‘Next: Leading Through The New Realities’  - link to order to be updated shortly as soon as the book is released. 

Connect with Alain on LinkedIn and Instagram

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What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected]

Subscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  

This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

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In this Shiny Happy People special, we bring you a deeply insightful conversation mapping the fast-growing landscape of GCCs in the Philippines – with Natalie ‘Nats’ Lim-Ang. A Board Trustee with the Global Capability Center Council (GC3) in the Philippines since 2019, Nats brings in a unique perspective as a pioneer of the Manila Shared Services Center who has closely witnessed, and been a part of, the growth of GCCs in the Philippines. 

[4:27s] Her journey into the shared services industry 

[06:53s] Growth and evolution of GCCs in the Philippines 

[15:44s] Geographical growth spread of GCCs across the Philippines 

[18:32s] GCC talent in the Philippines: Opportunities and challenges

[26:55s] Top three challenges for GCCs in the Philippines today

[30:05s] Growth of global leadership roles in GCCs in the Philippines 

[35:17s] Role of the Global Capability Center Council (GC3)  

[42:21s] Future outlook for GCCs in The Philippines

Find more about GC3 at www.giccphilippines.com  

Connect with Nats on LinkedIn

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What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected]

Subscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  

This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

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“Prepare for a disaster, and you'll never experience one.” Between setting the world record for 28 hours of nonstop CPR, building emergency shelters with LEGO blocks, and evacuating 240 cats in 90 minutes, Patrick Hardy aka Disaster Patrick’s mission is to push the edge of what’s possible in preparing for disaster. Not your typical disaster expert, keynote speaker and author of the book ‘Design Any Disaster’ , Patrick brings in real, actionable insights from the forefront of the world’s toughest disaster challenges. 

Patrick’s 20 years of hands-on experience and crisis-related certifications have translated into universal techniques of personal leadership which make it possible for people from any background regardless of life situation or even disability to become elite disaster responders. His lessons keep people safe, focused, and ready to face any crisis head-on. Hit play for his lowdown on how you can go disaster-free in life if you prepare for it right! 

[03:08s] Patrick’s genesis story 

[06:30s] Disaster management by corporates versus by communities versus by individuals

[17:51s] On his book ‘Design Any Disaster’ and preparing for a disaster

[29:34s] Readiness of disaster management organizations today

[40:32s] Wishlist for disaster management: “Prepare for a disaster, and you'll never experience one.”

RWL: Read Patrick’s book ‘Design Any Disaster’  

Find out more about Patrick’s work at www.disasterpatrick.com

Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn

Connect with Vinay on X and LinkedIn 

What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected]

Subscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  

This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

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We are in the ‘Intelligence Age’ and the ‘humans versus AI’ debates are everywhere. So, we thought we’d bring in an AI futurist and a leading voice in AI, digital transformation, and how AI will shape business, education and society. Meet Steve Brown, entrepreneur and former Google DeepMind and Intel executive who has helped brands like Bank of America, Lenovo, Nespresso, Cameco, and Intuit prepare for what he calls The Intelligence Age. 

Drawing upon his decades of experience in artificial intelligence and high tech to help leaders build winning AI strategies that fuel innovation, boost performance, and drive growth, Steve succinctly explains the radical global transformation with AI, in his book: ’The AI Ultimatum: Preparing for a World of Intelligent Machines and Radical Transformation’

Hit play for Steve’s take on the AI ultimatum and key takeaways from his book. 

[2:46s] Genesis of Steve as an AI futurist

[10:09s] On ‘The AI Ultimatum: Preparing for a World of Intelligent Machines and Radical Transformation’

[22:08s] On AI innovation, ethical AI, regulations 

[36:16s] Top 3 future trends in AI

RWL: Steve’s book ’The AI Ultimatum: Preparing for a World of Intelligent Machines and Radical Transformation’

Connect with Steve on LinkedIn

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What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected]

Subscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  

This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

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Have you heard of part-time C-Suite leaders? Meet Sara Daw, our guest this episode, who is a leading voice on the future of executive work and a pioneer of the fractional leadership movement. She heads The CFO Centre & The Liberti Group, the world’s largest network of fractional leaders, where skilled C-Suite leaders work for businesses in a freelance role from a few hours a month to several days a week, instead of being a full-time hire.

Sara shares deep insights on why senior executives are moving to portfolio careers, and why more companies are hiring CFOs, CMOs, and other senior leaders for just a few days to several weeks instead of full-time. 

Sara is an award-winning global leader in fractional C-Suite talent and author of ‘Strategy and Leadership as Service’, the first research on applying the access economy to C-suite leadership, built on her research at Oxford University. She was named to the Independent’s E2E Female 100 Track in 2024 and 2025, recognising the UK’s fastest-growing female-led businesses.

[3:41s] Sara’s origin story - from Chemistry to Finance to Fractional Leadership

[6:56s] Tipping point for fractional leadership 

[15:22s] The fractional edge over a fulltime role

[28:35s] Fractional leadership in bigger organizations

[31:23s] On access economy and ‘Strategy and Leadership as Service’

RWL: Must-read Sara’s book ‘Strategy and Leadership as Service’

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn

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What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected]

Subscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  

This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

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Happy New Year to you and we are back with a cracker of an episode to kickstart 2026 with – featuring the OG, the guru of virtual facilitation, Cindy Huggett, CPTD. As a leading industry expert and 20+ year pioneer of virtual training, Cindy brings in vast experience partnering with global organizations on learning strategy and technology solutions. She has authored six acclaimed books, including ‘Virtual Training Tools and Templates: An Action Guide to Live Online Learning 2nd edition’, ‘Designing Virtual Learning for Application and Impact’, and ‘The Facilitator’s Guide to Immersive, Blended and Hybrid Learning’. 

Cindy partners with organizations to create training programs with lasting learning impact. She helps upskill trainers and designers, maximizes learning design, and facilitates actionable training and hybrid learning. A sought-after speaker, Cindy has taught thousands of people how to facilitate and present through cutting-edge workshops and presentations on topics related to leadership, learning, and technology. Based in Raleigh, NC, Cindy serves clients globally. 

[4:20s] Cindy’s origin story 

[9:35s] Evolution of virtual training from the 90s to today 

[16:04s] Evolution of the virtual learner expectations  

[29:04s] Tech of virtual facilitation right today 

[30:44s] Key essentials skills for virtual trainers today 

[37:34s] On hybrid, blended formats of facilitation: Successes and pitfalls  

[48:13s] On the future of virtual learning 

[52:12s] RWL: Must-read Cindy’s books: ‘Virtual Training Tools and Templates’, ‘Designing Virtual Learning for Application and Impact’, and ‘The Facilitator’s Guide to Immersive, Blended and Hybrid Learning’.

Connect with Cindy on LinkedIn

Connect with Vinay on X and LinkedIn 

What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! [email protected]

Subscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  

This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook