Is being ‘nice’ at work doing more harm than good?

Many of us equate niceness with being a good leader. But we suggest that when we soften messages, it is more about avoiding discomfort and tiptoeing around conflict.

We explore why ‘being nice’ can often lead to unclear expectations, unspoken issues, and missed opportunities for growth, both for individuals and the organisation as a whole.

Instead of chasing niceness, we suggest aiming for kindness, which requires clarity, courage, and putting the other person’s development above your own comfort.

Drawing on Kim Scott’s Radical Candor model, we discuss how to balance care with challenge, how to give feedback that lands, and why 15 seconds of discomfort is often all it takes to make a real difference.

If you're leading a team or shaping culture, this episode will help you understand why niceness can get in the way of effective leadership, and what to do instead.

We offer practical tips for building a feedback culture, reframing discomfort, and communicating with compassion and courage.

Key points discussed

• The difference between being ‘nice’ and being kind
• Why discomfort often signals a moment of real leadership
• The Radical Candor model: care personally, challenge directly
• Why giving feedback isn’t about you - it’s about their growth
• How to normalise feedback through culture and habit
• Top tips for handling courageous conversations effectively

Key takeaway

Being nice can feel safe, but it often masks avoidance. True kindness means stepping into discomfort, offering clarity, and prioritising growth over harmony.

Courageous conversations aren’t easy - but they are essential.

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast. 

If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show.Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.

If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:

www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)

www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

If you’re wondering why the number of women in senior roles remains low despite all the progress we think we’ve made, this episode unpacks what’s really going on beneath the surface.

We talk to Geraldine Gallacher - CEO, coach, author and president of the City Women’s Network - about the deep-rooted systems that continue to hold women back in leadership. She shares her wealth of knowledge, and explains the causes she sees as key to understand and address - systemic bias, cultural norms and unspoken expectations.

We explore how leadership still tends to favour agentic qualities like dominance and decisiveness, generally associated with men, and often sidelines qualities more valued by employees, such as collaborative and inclusive behaviours.

We also talk about how women are judged more harshly for the same behaviours that are seen as strong in men, and why many women struggle to find visible role models who lead in a way they can relate to.

Geraldine shares some practical points, to help organisations continue to address this ongoing challenge.

Key Points Discussed

• Leadership is still widely associated with agentic rather than collaborative styles
• Many women blame themselves for a lack of progress rather than recognising systemic bias
• Flexible working policies exist but workplace culture has not caught up
• Young women may not notice bias until they are more advanced in their careers
• There is still a lack of relatable female role models in leadership
• Men are also penalised when they deviate from traditional norms, especially in parenting
• Women’s development programmes can help open eyes to what is systemic rather than personal

Key Takeaway

The issue is not with women. It is with the structures that still reward one narrow idea of leadership. Until organisations stop gendering leadership traits and take systemic action, progress will remain stuck.

If you liked this, you might like these related episodes:

S4 07 - How to be a More Strategic HR Leader?

S2 08 - The Key to Confident Leadership

S2 01 -Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

About Geraldine Gallacher

Geraldine is a pioneer in coaching setting up The Executive Coaching Consultancy in 1994 and qualifying as a Master Coach with the Association of Coaching early in its inception.

In 2005 she had something of an epiphany when she started to question why she was coaching so many men and not women. This led to her writing her book Coaching Women, Changing the System not the Person and launching her own podcast Shifting the Needle where the needle she’s referring to is the number of women leaders in business. 

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast. 

If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show. Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.

If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:

www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)

www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

Pay transparency is no longer just a nice-to-have. We explore why it’s fast becoming a legal and cultural expectation.

We talk about the EU Pay Transparency Directive, what it requires, and why even UK-based organisations can’t ignore it.

Gemma explains the four core areas of the directive: recruitment transparency, clear pay structures and progression criteria, employees’ new rights to pay information, and enhanced gender pay gap reporting requirements.

You will learn why simply publishing salaries isn’t enough. You’ll need robust job architecture, fair progression frameworks, and the ability to explain pay decisions in clear, accessible terms. We discuss how greater transparency can strengthen trust, but also the risks if outliers and inconsistencies aren’t identified and addressed.

You’ll leave with practical steps to assess your organisation’s readiness, from putting salaries in job ads to internal pay equity reviews, plus a roadmap for compliance by June 2026.

Whether you have EU-based employees or not, market shifts mean transparency will soon be the norm.

Key points discussed

• • Why the EU Pay Transparency Directive matters beyond the EU
  • Four core requirements: recruitment transparency, pay structures, employee pay rights, detailed reporting
  • How cultural expectations are shifting towards greater pay transparency
  • Risks of ignoring preparation, including outliers and employee dissatisfaction
  • Importance of job architecture and clear progression criteria
  • Practical resources for June 2026 compliance

Key takeaway

Pay transparency isn’t just about putting pay ranges in job ads. It requires solid structures, clear processes, and cultural readiness. Acting now will protect trust, compliance, and competitive hiring strength.

For a deeper dive, download Gemma’s free Readiness Checklist and EU Pay Transparency Guide.

And if you liked this episode, try:

S4.02 – Are performance ratings still fit for purpose?

S4.03 – Is it time to redefine performance?

Guide  – How to link pay to performance

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast. 

If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show. Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.

If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:

www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)

www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

Tired of being told to “be more strategic” with no real guidance on what that means?

Chief People Officer Indy Lachhar shares her real-world perspective on how HR can think and act more strategically without relying on textbook definitions or theory.

She reframes strategy as a daily mindset, focusing on staying aligned to the real goals of the business, building trusted relationships, and focusing on the few things that really drive value. This last one involves getting better at saying no.

We explore how asking better questions, not jumping to solutions, and holding firm on what matters helps HR shift from task delivery to value creation. Indy also shares her weekly reflection habit, how she approaches saying no, and the shift from delivering initiatives to shaping impact.

If you're in HR and want to feel more confident and focused and operate with more impact,  this conversation covers helpful tips and techniques to ask great questions and adopt a strategic mindset.

Key Points Discussed

• Strategy starts with aligning people work to business outcomes, not building plans
• HR must listen well, and ask better questions to uncover what really matters
• Relationships are the foundation of strategic influence
• Focus on 3–5 things that truly drive value, not long to-do lists
• HR's unique visibility gives it powerful insight into what drives performance
• Strategic clarity often means saying no to the wrong work
• Reflection helps you show up with purpose and intention each week

Key Takeaway

Being strategic in HR isn’t about theory or a one-off activity. It’s a daily habit about aligning with business goals, listening with intent, asking better questions, and choosing what truly creates value.

If you liked this, you might like these related episodes:

S4 01 - What does it mean to think strategically at work?

S1 10 - How to align your strategy to business goals

S1 07 -Taking HR from Reactive to Transformational

About Indy Lachhar

Indy Lachhar is Chief People Officer at Robert Walters Group, where she leads the global people strategy and a team of 140 HR professionals across 30 markets. With a strong track record in leadership development, organisational culture and talent transformation, she champions a people-first approach grounded in authenticity, care and entrepreneurial spirit.

Indy has held senior HR roles across the Group, shaping initiatives that embed inclusive leadership, psychological safety and long-term talent development. She brings a strategic lens to the CPO role, aligning people practices with business growth while elevating HR as a critical partner in driving organisational success.

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast. 

If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show.Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.

If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:

www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)

www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

Is hybrid working better than being fully remote or fully in-office? Frankly, that's the wrong question.

This episode explores how decisions about work location are often based on personal opinion rather than data, and why that leads to poor outcomes.

Dr Gemma Dale shares insights from her academic research, showing how deeply held beliefs about productivity and presence still drive leadership behaviour. Many organisations still lack a clear definition of what good performance actually means. Instead, they default to outdated assumptions, such as equating visibility with effectiveness. We explore why so many hybrid models fall short, often because they were never properly designed to support new ways of working.

And we talk about experience bias, and how senior leaders often unconsciously shape policy based on what worked for them in the past. We also highlight the need for organisations to stop searching for a single right answer, and instead look at what works in their own context, based on real data.

This is a call to think more clearly about how work gets done and to build working models that are intentional, flexible and fit for the future.

Key Points Discussed:

• • The influence of experience bias in leadership decision-making
  • How visibility is often mistaken for performance
  • The missing piece: a clear definition of performance
  • The problem with one-size-fits-all approaches to flexible work
  • The value employees place on autonomy and flexibility
  • Why many hybrid models fail without proper design
  • The role of HR in challenging assumptions with evidence

Key Takeaway:

The real question is not where work should happen, but how people can work at their best. Strategic leaders need to focus on performance, purpose and evidence, not outdated habits or loud opinions.

Some research listeners might find helpful (not all mentioned in the episode)

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/uk-workers-increasingly-rejecting-return-to-office-mandates-study-finds

https://www.publicfirst.co.uk/hybrid-work-commission-report.html

Some of Dr Gemma Dale's books:

Flexible Working

How to Manage Remotely

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast. 

If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show.Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.

If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:

www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)

www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

The year 2030 may feel like the distant future, but it's just five years away, and the skills we need by then are already shifting.

Drawing on the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, we explore which capabilities will matter most for individuals, teams, and organisations.

Unsurprisingly, AI and big data dominate the list, but what stood out to us was how essential human-centred skills, like resilience, flexibility, curiosity and emotional intelligence, are set to surge in importance.

These so-called “soft skills” are not easy; they’re hard to teach, hard to measure, and hard to master. But they are crucial. We discuss what this means for leaders, HR teams and individuals - whether it’s how we train, how we recruit, or how we think about our own career development.

We also explore how skills like systems thinking, motivation, and social influence connect to broader strategic leadership, especially in a volatile, uncertain world.

This episode is a useful evidence-backed prompt to rethink how we value and develop the less tangible, yet deeply impactful, skills that will define success in the decade ahead.

Key Points Discussed:

• The most in-demand skills by 2030 from the WEF Future of Jobs Report
• Why “soft skills” are in fact hard, and increasingly essential
• The rise of resilience, agility, and self-efficacy as strategic capabilities
• Why curiosity may be the most underrated leadership trait
• The need for a T-Shaped approach - breadth, not just depth
• The concept of a Renaissance mindset and its relevance in the AI era
• How leaders can support team development in a rapidly changing world
• The implications for recruitment, L&D and individual career planning

Key Takeaway:

AI and tech skills will be crucial, but so will human skills. Strategic leaders must rethink how they prioritise, train, and support so-called “soft skills” such as resilience, curiosity and agility.

Link to World Economic Forum Report (go to page 41 for the matrix we talk about)

https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast. 

If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show.Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.

If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:

www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)

www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

AI is already reshaping work, and HR has a perfect opportunity to take the lead.

In this episode, we speak with Naureen Hussain, a privacy, data governance and responsible AI specialist, to explore how HR can lead the AI revolution. We talk about why HR can and should be a core voice in shaping organisational AI strategy, and how to practically assess the impact of AI across roles, talent development and recruitment.

Naureen shares how HR’s unique organisational perspective makes it well-placed to act as a leader and a critical friend in AI adoption, identifying not just where efficiencies can be gained, but where governance, fairness and trust must be embedded. From mapping hidden AI in current systems to testing small, focused use cases, we cover the building blocks for a proactive AI approach in HR.

We also explore why governance isn’t a blocker, but a strategic enabler that helps HR leaders stay ahead of disruption.

If you’re wondering how to start shaping an AI-enabled future of work, this conversation is packed with insight.

Key Points Discussed:

• Why HR must shape, not follow, the organisation's AI strategy

• How to map AI impact across job roles and reskilling needs

• Identifying “hidden AI” already in HR systems and tools

• Practical first steps: start small, go deep, stay focused

• The role of governance in enabling safe, strategic AI adoption

• How AI adoption intersects with DEI, trust and transparency

• Why HR's panoramic view makes it essential to AI leadership

• The risks of blind trust in tech, and how to avoid them

Key Takeaway:

AI is not really a tech issue, it's a people issue. HR leaders must step up, ask better questions, and shape strategic AI adoption with purpose, clarity and care.

About Naureen Hussain

With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of data, law, technology and business transformation, Naureen Hussain is a trusted adviser in responsible AI, data governance and privacy. Through her consultancy, Luminate Advisers, she works closely with business leaders to connect strategic goals with safe, inclusive and practical AI adoption. From stress-testing strategies to aligning governance with real-world challenges, she supports clients to lead confidently, not just compliantly, in an AI-driven world.

She has a deep understanding of the HR world, having supported HR teams as an employment lawyer for many years. She has worked directly with C-suite leaders across sectors, led complex cross-functional teams, driven risk and compliance transformation in challenging environments, and helped global brands like Virgin Media O2 and Huawei accelerate responsibly.

You'll find the cheat sheet she referred to on her website here.

And feel free to contact her directly if you want to know more about the research she mentioned.

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast. 

If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show.Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.

If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:

www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)

www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

Performance is a word we throw around easily in work and HR conversations, but do we actually agree on what it means?

In this episode we challenge the assumptions and complexity behind a term we think we all understand. Starting with the uncomfortable truth that most organisations operate without a shared definition. And we explore the consequences of trying to reward or manager performance without this clarity.

We introduce a four-part model of performance, developed by Gemma though real-life client experience.

We discuss how performance is dynamic, nuanced and influenced by context, and how conflating its component parts can often lead to flawed pay and promotion decisions.

Key Points Discussed

• Why “performance” is often poorly defined in organisations
• Four key dimensions of performance: effort, behaviours, skills, outcomes
• Separating performance dimensions to improve reward and promotion clarity
• Why impact and added value might deserve their own dimensions
• The link between performance frameworks and fairer, strategic reward systems

Key Takeaway

Performance isn't one thing. It's a multi-dimensional, evolving concept. Without a shared definition, we risk managing and rewarding it in ways that are biased, inconsistent or unhelpful. A clearer, more structured view helps leaders to make better strategic decisions.

Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast. If you enjoyed the show, please give is 5 stars! It will help others find the show.

Check out our previous episodes and remember to subscribe so you don’t miss our future shows.

If you have any questions or want to discuss anything, we’d love to hear from you:

www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (for Gemma)

www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (for Fi)

Performance ratings spark strong views – some see them as essential for clarity and motivation, others as outdated, divisive, and unhelpful. In this episode, we go beyond the usual debate to ask whether ratings can still play a constructive role in modern performance management, or whether they need a complete rethink.

We’re joined by Anna Rasmussen, CEO and Founder of OpenBlend, who brings over a decade of experience helping organisations build people-first performance cultures. Anna suggests ratings alone are not the problem – it’s how they're used. When treated as a once-a-year judgement with no context, they can disempower. But when paired with continuous performance conversations and effective employee–manager 1:1s, they become a valuable tool that not only supports development and accountability, but actually drives performance.

We explore how to align performance conversations with the employee journey, how to equip managers with the mindset, skillset and toolset to succeed, and why ratings are becoming more popular again – not to measure performance, but to drive it. We also touch on the impact of linking ratings to pay and the need for fairness, trust, and clear expectations throughout the year.

This episode is essential listening for leaders and HR professionals questioning whether to scrap ratings, or simply use them better.

Key Points Discussed

• Why many organisations are returning to performance ratings, but using them differently
• The risk of ratings being a ‘dumping ground’ for poor performance management
• How to design better performance conversations from day one of the employee journey
• The link (or lack of link) between ratings and pay – and what really drives fairness
• The importance of ongoing dialogue over one-off appraisals
• Empowering employees by making performance conversations more transparent and timely
• How manager capability is central to making the system work
• A practical framework: mindset, skillset and toolset for managers

Key Takeaway

It’s not the rating that’s the issue – it’s the absence of regular, meaningful conversations that disempowers employees. Performance design must start on day one and be owned every day, not just at year-end.

About Anna Rasmussen

Anna is the CEO and Founder of OpenBlend. With over 17 years of experience in leading and coaching teams, managers, and organisations, she’s passionate about unlocking human potential. Her mission is simple: to upskill and empower managers to lead highly effective, coaching-led 1:1 conversations that drive performance and people development.

OpenBlend is a performance platform designed to enable meaningful 1:1 conversations between managers and their teams. It boosts performance, supports employee development, and helps organisations build people-first cultures. Working across a wide range of industries and sectors, OpenBlend helps organisations attract, engage, motivate, and retain their talent, and build high-performing teams.

www.OpenBlend.com

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast. If you enjoyed the show, please give us 5 stars! It will help others to find the show. And don't forget to check out previous episodes, and subscribe for more insightful discussions and practical advice on becoming a more naturally strategic leader.

If you have questions about anything we've been talking about, or need guidance on strategic leadership, we'd love to hear from you.

Feel free to contact us via www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (Gemma) or www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (Fiona). Your queries could inspire future episodes to help you become a more strategic leader.

Strategic thinking isn’t about having the strongest opinion in the room – it’s about knowing how to take a step back and ask better questions. In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to move from personal opinion to a more strategic viewpoint, especially when you're dealing with big, complex topics that people often feel strongly about.

We explore a simple approach: start by getting some perspective (take the balcony view rather than getting stuck on the dance floor), stay open to other possibilities (two things can be true at once), and always come back to context – what problem are we actually trying to solve?

We’ve both seen this in action and we talk about tangible examples, such as designing a bonus scheme and everyone comes to the table with strong preferences, on we have tackled these situations and how the approach we suggest can really help. It creates space to listen, explore alternatives, and let go of the idea that there’s one perfect answer.

You don’t need to have all the answers to be strategic. But you do need to stay curious, ask the right questions, and be willing to think differently.

This episode sets the tone for the rest of the series, where we’ll explore big hairy questions, and how to navigate these more strategically.

Key Points Discussed

• Why strong opinions can hinder strategic clarity
• The importance of moving from opinion to strategic viewpoint
• The “balcony vs dance floor” metaphor for gaining perspective
• How curiosity unlocks better thinking in group discussions
• The danger of seeking to “win” over others in strategic debate
• The value of considering context over personal preference
• Using the “disagree and commit” mindset in leadership
• The three-part strategic approach: Perspective, Alternatives, Context

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of The Strategic Leader podcast. If you enjoyed the show, please give us 5 stars! It will help others to find the show. And don't forget to check out previous episodes, and subscribe for more insightful discussions and practical advice on becoming a more naturally strategic leader.

If you have questions about anything we've been talking about, or need guidance on strategic leadership, we'd love to hear from you.

Feel free to contact us via www.gemmabullivant.co.uk (Gemma) or www.wearegoodthinking.co.uk (Fiona). Your queries could inspire future episodes to help you become a more strategic leader.