Steve Hearsum joins Mick to explore why organisations and leaders repeatedly reach for silver bullet solutions, despite knowing they don't work. Steve unpacks the powerful forces of shame, anxiety, and what he calls 'functional collusion' that drive our collective search for certainty in an uncertain world. This conversation reveals the uncomfortable truths about why change fails and what practices we actually need to develop instead.

## Key Topics

• Why we collude in seeking silver bullet solutions despite knowing they don't work

• The role of shame and anxiety in organisational decision-making

• Functional collusion and unconscious patterns that maintain dysfunctional systems

• The difference between learning for certificates versus learning for practice

• Power dynamics and complicity in organisational hierarchies

• Why embracing ambivalence and absurdity might be the signal we're missing

## Where to Listen

- Website: https://thewaggleroom.com

- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWaggleRoom

- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/TheWaggleRoom

- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-waggle-room/id1879089102

- Substack: https://substack.com/@mickbrian

## Guest Info

Steve Hearsum is a consultant, executive coach, supervisor and author specialising in organisational change and leadership practices. His book explores why silver bullet solutions persist.

- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stevehearsum

- Company: edgeandstretch.com

- Personal: hearsum.com