The Happy Manifesto

In this episode, Alisa Sydow, Associate Professor at ESCP Business School, and Thinkers 50 Radar for 2025. Alisa shares her journey researching entrepreneurship in Africa, focusing on empowering female founders and local artisans in Kenya. She discusses the challenges of building authentic, culturally-rooted businesses and the importance of storytelling and branding for “Made in Kenya” products. Alisa also introduces her mentorship initiative, Numpy, supporting women entrepreneurs in the Global South. The conversation highlights the power of cultural pride, community, and authentic leadership in driving social impact through entrepreneurship.

Alisa's tips for a happy workplace:

1. Be authentic; embrace conflict
2. Diversity can bring surprise
3. Be open

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• ESCP Business School
• Happy Workplace

DJ, from Happy, shares his wisdom with us today about the evolving role of AI in work and life in 2025.

Sharing insights on using AI as a “co-thinker” to boost creativity and critical thinking, you'll hear practical examples, from DJ, Maureen, and Henry, of AI effectiveness in the workplace, with examples, as we address data security, ethical use, and the importance of verifying the output of AI.

DJ highlights the balance between human skills and AI, the value of clear workplace AI policies, and how to explore AI with curiosity, creativity, and caution.

DJ's tips for a happy workplace:

• Have good AI policies (people are going to be using it)
• Encourage everyone in the organisation to use AI as a co-thinker (to upskill everyone)
• Have fun with AI

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Happy Workplace

What are you prepared to do, to get the thing you want?

Heather R. Younger, a TEDx speaker, author, and leadership expert, chats with our hosts, Henry and Maureen, discussing self-leadership and its vital role in effective leadership.

Heather shares her personal journey, including a pivotal realisation about prioritising her own well-being, and offers practical self-leadership habits. You'll hear how caring leadership can boost productivity and recounts a story of compassionate leadership during her layoff experience.

Our conversation covers overcoming imposter syndrome, building workplace trust, and fostering team bonds. Heather’s insights reveal that leading oneself with empathy and clarity is foundational to creating resilient, joyful workplaces.

Heather's tips for a happy workplace:

• Make sure that you have leaders taking care of themselves
• Make sure that you're listening in all the right ways
• Make sure that you promote 'team': accomplishments and productivity of teams

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Heather's book The Art of Caring Leadership
• Happy Workplace

Debby Penton is the CEO of Wildfire, a B2B PR consultancy recognised for its outstanding workplace culture and employee ownership.

In today's chat with Henry and Maureen, Debby shares insights on building a happy, inclusive, and high-performing team through autonomy, flexible work, and clear values.

Our discussion covers Wildfire’s creative campaigns, B-corp certification, apprenticeship programs, and commitment to employee well-being.

You'll hear personal stories and practical advice revealing how investing in people and a sense of purpose can drive business success.

Debby's tips for a happy workplace:

• Make sure people have some sense of control over their destiny
• Invest in people: training and development
• Help people feel they are a part of something (and leave for home on time!)

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Public Relations and Communications Association
• Happy Workplace

Today, Elaine Lin Hering, bestselling author and expert on speak-up cultures, joins Henry and Maureen for an insightful conversation on creating a happier workplace.

Elaine reveals insights from her global work on “unlearning silence” in workplaces, explaining how silence is often learned from childhood and reinforced by leadership and cultural norms.

Elaine also shares practical strategies for fostering genuine speak-up cultures and the importance of recognising systemic silencing, with actionable steps leaders can take to create more inclusive, human-centered, and joyful work environments.

In this conversation, you'll hear new ways, ideas, and opportunities to develop your leadership skills and approach.

Elaine's tips for a happy workplace:

• Acknowledge that people are human and let them be human
• Make the full range of emotions acceptable in the workplace
• Work is not everything - we all have lives outside of work
• Honour the gifts and skills in the workplace - there needs to be trust

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Happy Workplace

NK Chaudhary (NKC) shares his journey from humble beginnings to building a global social enterprise that empowers over 40,000 artisans, many from marginalised communities.

Chatting with Henry and Maureen, NKC shares his commitment to dignity, inclusion, and love in business. He talks about his efforts to break caste barriers and his focus on self-management, mindfulness, and introspection.

We reflect on NKC’s inspiring leadership and the transformative impact of Jaipur Rugs, celebrating the creativity and empowerment of women artisans, as well as the deeper meaning woven into every rug.

NKC's tips for a happy workplace:

• We must love what we do
• Find harmony with self, those we work with, and our surroundings
• Be more mindful and present

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Happy Workplace

Dr. Srikumar Rao, TEDx speaker and creator of the pioneering course, Creativity and Personal Mastery, joins our hosts, Henry and Maureen, and shares how our internal mental chatter shapes our reality and can cause unnecessary suffering.

Drawing on the Buddha’s "parable of the second arrow" and other stories, Dr. Rao offers practical advice on observing thoughts, reframing challenges, and cultivating happiness in life and at the workplace.

You'll hear personal anecdotes, Srikumar's reflections on joy, and tips for feeding positivity in ourselves and others.

Srikumar's tips for a happy workplace:

• Observe your mental chatter
• Stop experiencing the tragedies that have never happened
• What can I do to help this person have a better experience of life

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Rao Institute
• Happy Workplace

In this episode, Pim de Morree from Corporate Rebels, shares his journey, from corporate frustration to pioneering self-managed workplaces worldwide.

Pim discusses with your hosts, Henry and Maureen, how he and his co-founder left traditional jobs to research and promote organisations with employee-focused, hierarchy-free cultures.

Pim explains Corporate Rebels’ evolution from blogging to investing in companies, radically transforming them through transparency, autonomy, and profit-sharing.

Today's conversation highlights the challenges and successes of these transformations, offering practical tips for happier workplaces while revealing the growing global movement toward more meaningful, people-centered work.

Pim's tips for a happy workplace:

• Kill middle management positions (distribute their roles)
• Sit down with the team and ask, "How can we free you up?"
• Ask individuals about their dreams, hopes, and fears

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Corporate Rebels
• Drive, book by Daniel Pink
• Happy Workplace

Samantha Green is the leader of a UK charity working on animal welfare in Sri Lanka.

In today's conversation, Samantha shares how the Level Seven Senior Leaders programme helped her shift from top-down leadership to empowering self-managed teams.

Samantha discusses her experience with cross-training staff, adopting 'Toyota-inspired' continuous improvement, and fostering a workplace of trust and transparency.

Samantha also emphasises the importance of local leadership and provides practical advice for fostering a happy and inclusive workplace.

You'll hear about the transformative impact of innovative leadership and investing in team development.

Samantha Green's tips for a happy workplace:

• Visualise everything - whiteboards and on the walls
• Trust people - give them control; not instructions
• Involve people in decisions that affect them

Sophie Bryan works at the deepest level of workplace culture: where energy, trust, & curiosity shape everything.

In today's episode, Maureen and Henry are joined by Sophie to explore how Montessori principles such as freedom, curiosity, and play can transform workplace culture.

Sophie shares stories from her HR career, advocating for employee autonomy, transparency, and coaching over traditional management.

Sophie also discusses the positive role of sexual energy in creativity, the importance of belonging and authenticity in the workplace, and how recognising individual contributions can boost engagement.

Her journey with dance underscores her value of joy outside work, rounding out a conversation on building happier and more innovative organisations.

Sophie's tips for a happy workplace:

• Transparency across the board. "Tell the goddamn truth!"
• Be respectful of belonging and authenticity
• Be aware of the impact and contribution you make as an organisation

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

• TED Talk by Sophie Bryan
• Thinking, Fast and Slow, book by Daniel Kahneman
• Happy Workplace Conference