Sparks

In this episode of Sparks, Milly sits down with Phoebe Shaw from Give a Grad a Go to unpack what diversity and inclusion really means in hiring today.

From unconscious bias to impactful (and affordable) initiatives, they explore where the industry is falling short—and where it's heading next.

Whether you’re hiring your first team member or shaping company-wide policy, this conversation will leave you with fresh insights and some big questions to take back to the boardroom.Tune in for a fresh look at how CSR can actually shape team culture — and why it’s worth prioritising, even when resources are tight.See what we do best:https://www.cegos.co.uk/Interested in sparking something with [email protected] with us on LinkedIn:Milly Gladstone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-gladstone/Phoebe Shaw: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebe-shaw-3188ab198/00:00 - welcome to sparks04:44 where are biggest points of bias showing up in the hiring process?08:39 what does inclusivity look like in hiring?11:52 what does the D&I training cover at Give a Grad a Go?14:36 Some key stats19:45 How can employers continue to be inclusive23:17 some low cost, high impact equality initiatives for hiring

In this episode of Sparks, Milly is joined by one of our learning consultants, Blair, and client delivery & HR manager Sharon for a conversation about all things CSR. From how to avoid the dreaded tick-box approach, to what really gets a team engaged and energised, they share insights from leading our own team's CSR initiatives. Whether you're just starting your CSR journey or trying to get buy-in across the business, this episode's packed with honest reflections, practical advice, and a few unexpected takeaways.Tune in for a fresh look at how CSR can actually shape team culture — and why it’s worth prioritising, even when resources are tight.See what we do best:https://www.cegos.co.uk/Interested in sparking something with [email protected] with us on LinkedIn:Milly Gladstone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-gladstone/Blair Wagner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairrwagner/03:52 CSR can feel like a tick box sometimes06:01 Your team needs to feel involved13:18 How can CSR be part of team culture and morale?16:16 A CSR project that’s energised our team20:15 What are the biggest challenges you face when trying to get people too buy into your CSR initiatives22:01 How do you measure the impact of initiatives?26:58 Why should other businesses consider making CSR a priority, even if they’re limited on their resources?28:24 Advice to people beginning their CSR journey

On this episode of Sparks, we're exploring a topic that's shaping the future of work: employee fulfilment. This week, Milly is joined by Grace French, where they challenge the old standard of "employee engagement" and unpack why fulfilment is the new gold standard. They explore the biggest misconceptions leaders have, the power of being intentional, and who is doing it right. Tune in to find out if fulfilment is another buzzword or the blueprint for success, and hear our advice for both managers and employees on how to drive real, lasting change.Connect with us on LinkedInMilly Gladstone https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-gladstone/Grace French https://www.linkedin.com/in/graceelizabethfrench/?originalSubdomain=ukSee what we do best:https://www.cegos.uk/Want to spark something with [email protected] Welcome to sparks02:49 Employee engagement used to be the gold standard06:21 how do you measure fulfilment?09:09 What are some of the biggest misconceptions leaders have?16:28 Who’s doing employee fulfilment well?23:11 Do you think employee fulfilment is a manager’s responsibility?30:21 Is there risk of it becoming a buzzword?35:19 Advice to managers36:19 Advice to employees

In this episode of Sparks, Milly invites Hannah Frame from BAE systems to speak about the messy, rewarding, and surprising journey of learning to love management. From asking for support as a new manager to figuring out how to delegate, they share honest reflections and practical takeaways. We also dive into fresh insights from Cegos’ International Barometer on leadership trends across the globe. If you're stepping into a management role, or are still adjusting to one, this episode is for you. See what we do best:https://www.cegos.co.uk/Interested in sparking something with [email protected] with us on LinkedIn:Milly Gladstone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-gladstone/Hannah Frame: https://www.linkedin.com/in/framehannah/0:00 welcome to sparks5:33 Asking for support as a new manager7:01 How did you adjust to quickly becoming a manager?18:29 Learning to delegate24:38 Learning to love management28:23 Insights from Cegos’ International Barometer38:51 Advice to people about to step into the role

Feeling the weight of management? In this episode of Sparks, a podcast by Cegos, Milly is joined by Emilie West, where they dive into a growing workplace challenge - management fatigue. They get into what it looks like, why it’s on the rise, and how leaders can start to navigate it. As part of our mini-series on management and leadership, we’re unpacking the not-so-obvious signs of burnout, the reality of ‘quiet quitting’, and whether your work persona is helping or hindering your energy.

Whether you’re a seasoned manager or new to the role, this episode's here to spark a fresh perspective.

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Milly Gladstone https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-gladstone/

Emilie West https://www.linkedin.com/in/emiliewest/

See what we do best: https://www.cegos.uk/

Want to spark something with us?

[email protected]

00:00 Welcome to sparks

07:48 Handling responsibility

12:26 Advice to new managers

16:27 The rise of quiet quitting and finding your routine

22:25 The signs of fatigue

34:43 Tips for lessening the fatigue

39:51 Work personas

In this episode of Sparks, our host Milly Gladstone is joined by Emily Link, a Director here at Cegos, and Lizzie Finch, one of our Marketing Executives, to dive into the leadership style of the Lionesses' manager Sarina Wiegman. In this episode, our team unpack what makes her such a standout figure in women’s football. From the way she builds trust with players to how she keeps the game fun under pressure, we explore the mindset behind the lionesses manager, during one of the biggest matches of her career. What really went down at half time? And how does a leader know whether to step in or step back? Listen in to hear our own team’s thoughts on one of the biggest matches of the year.

--Connect with us on Linkedin

Milly Gladstone https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-gladstone/

Emily Link https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-link-b576a246/

Lizzie Finch https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzie-finch-818578210/

See what we do best:https://www.cegos.uk/Want to spark something with us?

[email protected]

00:00 welcome to sparks

02:45 what do we know about Sarina's leadership style?

06:54 How she builds relationships with her team players9:52 Keeping the game fun

17:22 What was she doing in the lead up to the game?

21:59 Instilling a sense of purpose in the team

28:30 What was said at half time

32:31 when to jump in to help as a manager?

In this episode of Sparks, Milly kicks off a powerful conversation on what it really means to lead when things aren't going to plan. Part of our mini-series on leadership and management, this one dives into the tough stuff—how to navigate failure, rebuild trust, and keep people motivated when success feels out of reach. It's real, it's reflective, and it's packed with insights that will stick with you long after the episode ends. Whether you're leading a team or leading yourself, this one's for you.

Connect with us on Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-gladstone/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=uk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-h-32a1127b/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-rourke-fiol-b5203426b/

Interested in sparking something with us? Get in touch at [email protected]

00.00 welcome to sparks

04:49 Sometimes we actually might not know where we're not succeeding until it's too late.

05:13 How do we get out of a difficult situation to make sure that we ultimately succeed?08:43 How did you measure success?

12:34 How do you lead with emotion, taking into account people’s personal lives?

17:26 Have you ever had to rebuild trust or confidence in your leadership after a rough setback?

32:56 What do you do when you’re not succeeding because of an individual’s actions?

38:33 How do you manage up?

In this Sparks episode, Milly Gladstone speaks with Jonna Sercombe and Louise Connors about what it’s really like to lead big, complex change—like a major acquisition and rebrand.

Drawing on their recent experience leading our own merger, they delve into how these shifts are often planned quietly in the background, why timing your message matters, and how being real and grounded can make all the difference.

In this episode, you’ll hear why small wins keep people motivated, how emotions can actually be strengths in leadership, and why ongoing support is key.

Their big message? Change isn’t a one-off—it’s something we learn to live and lead through.Watch now to hear the valuable insights and strategies drawn from recent firsthand experience of our own leaders.--See what we do best:https://www.cegos.uk/Want to spark something with [email protected] with us on LinkedIn:Milly Gladstone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-gladstone/Jonna Sercombe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnasercombe/Louise Connors: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-connors-89302111a/0:00 Welcome to Sparks1:19 We’ve been through some big changes8:18 Should you process change before you lead it?13:54 Which models of change do we use?21:49 Why patience is so important22:52 Are people really resistant to change?29:03 What can we learn from horses?!32:25 Change for changes sake?36:00 Should we praise early adopters of change?40:00 How do we handle emotions during change?47:50 The end

In this episode of Sparks, Milly is joined by Cameron Swan and Nathan Rager for a conversation that digs into the real differences between managing a team and managing a business and how to handle that shift. As part of our Leadership and Management mini series, we explore how to lead when the stakes are high, when to step in (and when not to), and what it actually means to empower people to fail. Cameron and Nathan also share a few candid moments from their own journeys—and some advice that might just change how you approach your next big decision.Watch now to find out why a pre-mortem might be more useful than a post-mortem, and what’s worth adding to your reading list.--See what we do best:https://www.cegos.uk/Want to spark something with [email protected] with us on LinkedIn:Milly Gladstone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-gladstone/Cameron Swan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronswan-/Nathan Rager: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanrager/00:00 Hello and welcome to Sparks01:13 On the episode today - Cameron Swan and Nathan Rager05:49 The difference between managing team and managing a business09:55 Pre-mortem vs post-mortem11:01 How do we know when to intervene?22:32 How do we empower people to risk failure?26:27 Have Cameron and Nathan had failure moments?38:29 Advice for managers handling strategic decisions44:32 Book club - what can I read on this topic?

How much damage can a lack of alignment do to a workplace without anyone even realising it?

In this episode of Sparks, Milly, Jonna, and Emily get under the surface of a hidden saboteur that’s holding back countless teams — and it’s not what you think. Alignment isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a key ingredient for collaboration, creativity, and productivity.

We explore what alignment really means, who’s responsible for creating it, and how team size, roles, and responsibilities all affect it. From surprising lessons at BMW to discovering the difference between healthy and harmful challenge, we lift the lid on a workplace issue that’s often ignored.

Whether you lead a team or you’re a team member experiencing confusion first-hand, this episode is a must-listen if you want to spot, resolve, and avoid the hidden saboteur that’s slowing you down.

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See what we do best:

https://www.cegos.co.uk/

Want to spark something with [email protected]

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Milly Gladstone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-gladstone/

Jonna Sercombe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnasercombe/

Emily Larson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larson-emily/

00:00 Welcome to Sparks

00:37 Who’s on the podcast today?

02:38 What is alignment?

08:52 How do we get alignment?

12:20 Who’s responsible for creating alignment?

14:09 When is challenge good and for how long?

18:26 How does team size affect alignment?

20:38 Does alignment have a place amongst creative teams?23:18 Jonna’s drawing again!

26:26 Lessons from BMW

30:23 How to handle misalignment

34:18 What causes misalignment

39:50 Is it ever ok not to be aligned?

46:00 Why is L&D like a midwife?

47:30 Is there a better word for alignment?