You don't have to be an expert in everything to be an outstanding leader; but you do need the right mindset.

Today, you'll hear from Fay Wallis, host of the HR Coffee Time podcast.

A show dedicated to helping HR professionals grow their confidence, influence and leadership impact.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

1. What makes HR Coffee Time unique and why it resonates with HR professionals

2. Common challenges HR and people leaders face as they move into senior roles

3. The myths and misconceptions holding HR professionals back from leadership positions

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Key Takeaways from This Episode:

1. 1. You don't have to be an expert in everything.

      • "They'll hold themselves back from doing it, or if they get the role, they'll go into a bit of a tailspin of panic."

   2. You may have to implement decisions that you fundamentally disagree with.

      • "They can't publicly say, 'Okay everyone, it's back to the office. I completely disagree with the CEO and the rest of the senior leadership team...'"

   3. I want to help HR professionals feel confident stepping into Chief People Officer roles.

      • "There's a lot of mystery around the role, and that, of course, equals fear around the role."

Check out these resources:

• HR Coffee Time Episodes:

  • Episode 115: Why negotiation skills can help your HR career & how to develop them, with Simon Duncan

  • Episode 35: Helping teams thrive with personal user manuals

  • Episode 144: A new chapter for HR Coffee Time – here's what's happening

• Book mentioned: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

• Websites:

  • Main site: https://brightskyhr.co.uk/
  • The Essential HR Planner: https://essentialhrplanner.co.uk/
  • Reach out directly to Fay Wallis if you'd like a copy of her personal user manual.
  • Connect with Fay on LinkedIn: Fay Wallis

I want to acknowledge the uncomfortable truth. You're heading into 2026 (or whatever next year is depending on when you're tuning in) with questions, uncertainty and if you're honest ….. fatigue.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

1. 3 Insights I Couldn't Ignore

2. Understanding Your Narrative Arc

3. The Importance of Evidence-Based Inclusion and Consistency

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Key Takeaways from This Episode:

1. Your plan for next year is a logical step from what you've been doing

   • "Your body of work, however large or however small is going to reveal insights about your preferences, your successes and therefore what you should do next."

2. You need a method to keep you focussed

   • "The only reason we gather evidence is to support or undermine claims, assumptions and hypotheses."

3. Being consistent will make you remarkable

   • "They weren't the most knowledgeable. They weren't the loudest. They were the ones who stayed consistent."

Check out these resources:

• Dr. Jonathan's Thesis – See show notes for link to p166 and Appendix 3, outlining the process of reviewing and analysing work.

• Ask Dr Jonathan – An AI-powered version of the podcast and inclusion strategies.

I want to acknowledge the elephant in the room. You are under considerable pressure to engage in flags, food and fun.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

1. Why you need to fight the urge for Flags, Food and Fun

2. Why Leaders Keep Falling Into This Trap

3. What to do instead using Evidence Based Inclusion

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Key Takeaways from This Episode:

1. Flags, Food and Fun is not the work.

   • "This is Tokenism pretending to be Diversity."

2. You need measurable results

   • "People who think like this are focused on outputs… instead of outcomes."

3. You need a method.

   • "Evidence Based Inclusion... makes you immune to Flags, Food and Fun."

Check out these resources

How Employee Resource Groups Will Create Diverse and Inclusive Business Opportunities In The Future [Interview with Fernando Serpa]

I'm so Excited to share a huge update with you. This is the biggest thing I can do to help you on your inclusion journey.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

1. The inclusion problems you're facing and how to solve them using evidence

2. Why I created the Ask Dr Jonathan beta tool (and what it can do for you)

3. How I used my own method to test, validate, and build a breakthrough solution

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Key Takeaways from This Episode:

1. I've made a huge breakthrough that will benefit you
   • "Someone designed an inclusion strategy in less than an hour.."
2. I'm showing you that the methods I use work
   • "I created a hypothesis. I tested the hypothesis."
3. This isn't just an update; it's documented evidence
   • "This gave me evidence that it was a problem worth solving."

Check out these resources (if applicable): Join the waitlist for the Ask Dr Jonathan Pro version.

Stop Comparing Your Inclusion Journey to Online Strangers

It's really harming you. I think you need to stop.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

1. Stop Comparing Your Inclusion Journey to Online Strangers

2. The Proxy Problem of Diversity and Inclusion

3. Choosing Wisely Who You Compare Yourself To

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Key Takeaways from This Episode:

1. Stop Comparing Your Inclusion Journey to Online Strangers

   • "They were comparing themselves, their work, their inclusion journey to Random People On The Internet"

2. Don't use false proxies to fake evidence for yourself

   • "Are gala dinners a proxy for an inclusive workplace"

3. Choose wisely who you decide is worthy of comparison

   • "Did it ever occur to you that you get to choose who you compare yourself to"

Check out these resources:

The Benchmarking Mistake That's Holding Back Your Inclusion Work

The Proxy Problem of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

If you need encouragement on your inclusion journey this message is for you. You're finding this because you need it.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

1. Why you should keep going on your inclusion journey
2. Why you don't need a big budget to make a difference
3. How to stay focused and avoid distractions on your inclusion journey

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Key Takeaways from This Episode:

1. You're doing better than you think you are.
   • "You're the one trying to build a culture that often fights back."
2. You don't need a big budget.
   • "They're too busy doing what looks boring in photos and videos."
3. You're not alone
   • "I'm on a mission to help a million people like you to make your workplace inclusive."

How Automating Feedback Kills Inclusion

Everyone's talking a lot about Artificial Intelligence at work. The promise is things will get better but I've spoken to a leader who said then when it comes to trust. It makes things worse. For inclusion.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

1. How Automating Feedback Kills Inclusion

2. The Feedback Fallacy and Why It's a Problem

3. Social Exchange Theory and Its Role in Building Inclusive Workplaces

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Key Takeaways from This Episode:

1. Automating feedback destroys trust.

   • "Last week I spoke to an HR leader in an education business who said: 'AI shouldn't be taking the feedback responsibility away from managers. Managers need to learn how to write good feedback.'"

2. Feedback is a social exchange, not a software task.

   • "If someone gives you feedback, if you are open to feedback from that person. It's likely that you trust that person. It's likely that they earned that trust."

3. Trust is the foundation of inclusion.

   • "The first thing is to earn trust. This means you must... but it also means creating an environment where people can trust each other. We find this takes place via social exchanges."

Check out these resources (if applicable):

3 Frameworks I Use To Build Inclusive Workplaces

To create an inclusive workplace you may need to stop from time to time. Maybe it's time for you to take a break.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

1. Why you may need to take a break from inclusion
2. Why charismatic voices with narrow experience can be harmful
3. How taking a break can improve your motivation and clarity

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Key Takeaways from This Episode:

Take a break if you need it.

"If you need to take a short break to realise that, then by all means do it."

A break is not quitting.

"I wasn't quitting. I wasn't burned out. What I did switch off was paying attention to all the noise that you find on social media."

You've got more control than you think?

"The basics of high impact inclusion work are within your control."

Inclusion work is often unsustainable for 1 simple reason. It never makes it into the portfolio of projects that matter to the business.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

1. [The Portfolio Problem of Diversity and Inclusion]

2. [How inclusion can contribute to performance, accountability, and sustainability]

3. [Three practical ways to build a business case for inclusion]

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Key Takeaways from This Episode:

1. If it's not in the portfolio, it's not protected.

   • "They don't get tracked. They don't get funded. And they don't survive."

2. Clear business cases travel further than clever ones.

   • "You're not trying to sound impressive. You're trying to make sense."

3. Inclusion isn't a favour — it's a function.

   • "Does it help us deliver results?"

Diversity and Inclusion faces a chicken and egg problem.

Leaders want evidence before they act.

But the evidence only appears after they act.

Key Topics Covered in This Episode:

1. The Chicken and Egg Problem of Diversity and Inclusion

2. Why Organisational Evidence Matters More Than External Reports

3. How to Use the Feasibility Filter to Build Internal Credibility

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Key Takeaways from This Episode:

1. The only way to create proof is to act first.

   • "They want evidence that inclusion works without doing the work that creates the evidence."

2. Building your evidence is better than borrowing rand evidence.

   • "If you want credibility, you don't have to borrow it from people you don't trust."

3. The chicken and egg problem isn't solved by reports. It's solved by results.

   • "Most of that research is correlation, not causation."

Check out these resources (if applicable):

Everything You Need To Know About The Famous McKinsey Report 'Why Diversity Matters' [Report Breakdown]