TIE Unearthed

In an industry often dominated by relentless pursuit of profit and growth, Coffee and TV charts a different course, prioritising a deep-seated belief in the power of nurturing a supportive, family-like environment.

Since its inception, this unique company has steadfastly refused to follow the conventional path laid out by corporations driven by financial metrics, choosing instead to grow at a pace dictated by artists and creative minds.

And the result?

Not only being a highly sought after creative studio to work at, but also being a profitable multi-million pound b-corp business.

What is their secret sauce?

Today Derek Moore, CEO of Coffee and TV, tells us.

We learn about their commitment to being a force for good and how they have created an electrifying atmosphere that transcends the traditional employer-employee dynamic, leading to ground-breaking creativity and innovation.

So throw on those running shoes, or find that favourite beverage, and here is Derek.

Please don’t forget to let us know what you think of this episode, leave a review and subscribe.

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If you would like to pre-order Return on Humanity: Leadership lessons from all corners of the earth, you can do that ⁠here⁠.

Here are the ads he refers to on the podcast:

https://coffeeand.tv/work/no-room-for-racism/

https://coffeeand.tv/work/spring-2024/

https://coffeeand.tv/work/meta-for-work/

Did you know that 90% of the world’s money is controlled and invested by white men?

Did you also know that when women are at the table, investment returns are proven to be higher?

This is a conversation that will bring to life how portfolios can predictably outperform the market.

It also shines a spotlight on a truly broken system.

Recognising the stark disconnect between philanthropic grant dollars and how the rest of foundation assets are invested, Ruth Shaber wanted to do things differently with the Tara Health Foundation.

Their bold intention was to utilise all capital, not just grant money, towards driving their social purpose of improving the lives of women and girls.

This was about being 100% mission aligned.

BUT, this was just the beginning of this journey. What they discovered next was not only fascinating, but game changing.

It was also the catalyst to Ruth co-writing The XX Edge: Unlocking Higher Returns and Lower Risk.

Ruth Shaber is the founder and president of Tara Health Foundation, a philanthropic investment group that uses evidence-informed programs to promote women's well-being and opportunities.

She is also on a mission to increase the assets managed by gender-diverse and racially-diverse teams to 33 percent by 2033.

Today we hear about all of this.

It's a conversation packed full of proof points, stats and solid arguments that gender-diverse teams significantly outperform the market – predictably.

If you invest money – then you need to listen to this episode.

What was once considered radical is now a beacon of hope for a more inclusive and equitable future.

So throw on those running shoes, or grab your favourite beverage, and here is Ruth.

Please don’t forget to let us know what you think of this episode, leave a review and subscribe.

If you would like to be reminded of future podcasts and other inspiring stories from TIE, join our newsletter ⁠here

If you would like to pre-order Return on Humanity: Leadership lessons from all corners of the earth, you can do that ⁠here⁠.

If you would like to buy Ruth’s book The XX Edge, you can do that ⁠here⁠.

For more insights into Ruth Shaber’s work and the Tara Health Foundation, you can visit their website here.

This is a story that starts with a rogue trader.

And then moves to what happens when you truly empathise with the other side of an equation.

Today I speak with Christian Hunt, the founder of Human Risk, a Behavioural Science led Consulting and Training Firm, specialising in the fields of Ethics and Compliance. And Author of Humanizing Rules.

After Christian started to “eat his regulatory cooking” after implementing it at the financial services firm UBS, his life took an interesting turn.

He started to focus entirely on people’s behaviour, on what makes them tick, and what gets them doing the things they shouldn’t, and neglect to do the things they should.

In this episode we talk about Danny Boyle and the Olympics, and how his opening show was a powerful example of how to get people to do things you want them to do.

Christian talks about how to get the best out of people.

We hear how the airline industry can teach us a lot about compliance.

And then Christian brings to life how the move from authoritarian leadership to a more empowering style of leadership, although the way forward, poses more organisational risk.

There is talk of the importance of experimenting, we hear where AI fits into all of this and the importance of thinking about the overall employee experience.

He then leaves us with not only his most important philosophy, but also two great songs that bring to life his thinking.

I promise you – this podcast about compliance is anything but boring. Even though it is rooted in one of the most boring subjects of all time! 😊

So throw on those running shoes, or grab your favourite beverage, and here is the very entertaining Christian.

Please don’t forget to let us know what you think of this episode, leave a review and subscribe.

If you would like to be reminded of future podcasts and other inspiring stories from TIE, join our newsletter here.

If you would like to pre-order Return on Humanity: Leadership lessons from all corners of the earth, you can do that here.

If you would like to buy Christian’s book Human Rules, you can do that here.

Here are the songs he references on the show:

Higher by The Saturdays

Spotify Link:

"I'm doing nothing 'Cause then at least I'm doing nothing wrong"

Elegantly Wasted by INXS

Spotify Link:

When someone has lived around the world as a young person, what sort of job do they go into as an adult?

And what happens when someone sees something that then impacts them on a visceral level?

Today I speak with Lucy McCray, CEO at the Freedom Story. The Freedom Story is an organization that works to prevent child trafficking in Northern Thailand.

As a child growing up, Lucy became very aware of inequality, the raw reality for people experiencing poverty, and how where someone is born can dictate one’s life path.

These realisations started to shape her life’s purpose.

She talks about her move to Thailand, where she started to understand what statelessness means, and the implications of someone not having citizenship in any country in the world.

We hear about the real reason for people being trafficked, what prevents trafficking from happening and how to prevent abuse and exploitation from taking place.

Lucy talks about pity-based marketing versus stories that are more dignified for everyone.

And then we move to the shocking truth of well-known brands who have been caught having child trafficking in their supply chains.

Lucy tells us about a brand-new form of trafficking, which when you hear it, will realise you are exposed to it almost daily.

And then how creating unlikely partnerships is providing a powerful anti-trafficking solution. It’s fascinating.

This conversation proves that together we are stronger. And by thinking out of the box and giving people agency, you can scale impact.

This is a podcast rooted in hope. Showing the power of purpose. And that when you tap into human assets, anything is possible.

So grab that favourite beverage or throw on those running shoes, and here is Lucy.

Please don’t forget to let us know what you think of this episode, leave a review and subscribe.

If you would like to be reminded of future podcasts and other inspiring stories from TIE, join our newsletter here.

If you would like to pre-order Return on Humanity: Leadership lessons from all corners of the earth, you can do that here.

Where should we first look to find solutions to a problem?

What is one of the most effective ways to unleash a person’s potential?

What happens when benchmarks disappear and new normals are created?

Today’s episode is going to show you just what is possible when the right conditions are created for people to thrive.

Barbara Soalheiro is the founder of Mesa Company and the creator of Mesa Method. Mesa is a team based work system designed to solve complex challenges by unleashing human potential to process more and execute faster.

We talk about the power of building a team based on having every bit of knowledge and skill needed to solve a specific problem. And then how time constraints being at the core of the team design make it possible for people to come up with extraordinary, paradigm changing, tangible solutions.

Barbara’s company, Mesa, is all about creating a new timespace where solutions to big problems are built. She tell us how it works, what's they've done, and why it's so powerful.

Why people need to work at a place where they feel they are always learning, as well as truly accomplishing something, for them to blossom.

And Barbara explains her vendetta against collaboration. As she says, “the more you focus on it, the less you get of it”.

This is all about real solutions. Changing paradigms. And not following any predesigned formulas.

The energy is electric on this episode, and I certainly left the conversation feeling ever more inspired to just get things done. I hope you feel that too.

So grab that favourite beverage or throw on those running shoes, and here is Barbara.

Please don’t forget to let us know what you think of this episode, leave a review and subscribe.

To learn more about Mesa Company click here.

If you would like to be reminded of future podcasts and other inspiring stories from TIE, join our newsletter here.

If you would like to pre-order Return on Humanity: Leadership lessons from all corners of the earth, you can do that here.

If you would like to learn more about TIE Leadership, check out our site here.

What is the power of giving someone a taste of possibility? 

How has the advertising industry been incentivised to make ads that shatter gender stereotypes?

And why is it so important to see your life and the world from a different perspective?

Today I talk with my friend Senta Slingerland, who used to be the Director of Brand Strategy at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, is the creator of See It Be It, a programme for the advancement of female creative leaders, and initiator of Cannes Chimera, a collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help NGOs receive creative mentorship.

We hear about her time with the Brazilian innovation company Mesa that solves big problems for companies such as Google, Coca-Cola and Samsung in only 5 days by putting big thinkers around a table who have the relevant skills and knowledge to find powerful solutions to things. 

She tells us of the time she worked with a cyborg – and how it got her seeing the world differently. 

And she talks of the work she’s doing as co-founder of FALA, a company that trades in purposeful inspiration and counts Coca-Cola, Yara International, Bloomberg, Accenture Song and Twitch as its clients.

Senta’s career has been focused on pushing people to see themselves and their jobs differently, and today’s conversation gets us seeing the power of changing perspectives.

We talk about ambition and what it means to different generations. 

She tells us what 83% of millennial and Gen Z’s admire in their bosses. 

And we hear about what happens when we give something language.

After listening to today’s episode you will feel as though you have taken your mind for a walk. So grab that favourite beverage or throw on those running shoes, and here is Senta. 

And please don’t forget to let us know what you think of this episode, leave a review and subscribe.

If you would like to be reminded of future podcasts and other inspiring stories from TIE, join our newsletter here.  

If you would like to pre-order Return on Humanity: Leadership lessons from all corners of the earth, you can do that here.

What is the role of business in society?

How can people’s perception with that then impact their experience at work? 

How does it then impact how a business shows up when it relates to all of its stakeholders and its long-term success?

Today we do a deep dive into all of this with Sarah Gillard, using examples from her 27-year career in fast-paced commercial environments at some of the UK’s largest retail companies. 

In this milestone episode, Sarah Gillard talks about her time as Director of Purpose and Special Projects at the John Lewis Partnership where she was responsible for re-articulating and embedding the purpose of John Lewis so that it continues to be a source of inspiration, innovation, and strategic differentiation.

Sarah compares her time working with the Arcadia group, a UK retail network with a very intense focus on short-term shareholder profit, against her time with the John Lewis Partnership, which is the UK’s largest co-owned business. John Lewis has 70,000 people working for the company, and everyone are co-owners. 

We talk about how these different approaches to doing business then impact the experience inside an organisation and what that does to people, strategy and relationships with supplies and customers. 

We hear how John Lewis was a massive social experiment to see what happens when a business sees its role in society differently.

And we hear about the partnership’s journey over the past 100 years.

We then talk about Sarah’s current role as CEO of Blueprint for Better Business, a charity that helps businesses to be inspired and guided by a purpose that benefits society and respects people and planet. 

How does an organisation move from thinking of itself as a profit maximising machine to thinking of itself as a human system in service of society? 

And how does that transition happen?

Knowing that this is such a decisive decade, and that the role that business needs to play now is more important than ever to shape our future, we hear about how she is working with businesses to be a part of the solution. 

Sarah leaves us with two beautiful quotes which sum up this episode:

Antoine de Saint-Exupery:

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the people to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea”.

Arthur Ashe:

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

If you want to better understand the return on being more human, this episode is a must listen. So throw on those running shoes, or grab that favourite beverage, and enjoy this conversation with Sarah.

And please don’t forget to let us know what you think of this episode, leave a review and subscribe.

If you would like to be reminded of future podcasts and other inspiring stories from TIE, join our newsletter here.  

If you would like to pre-order my book Return on Humanity: Leadership lessons from all corners of the earth, you can do that here.

What does it mean to create an environment for success at a company?  

How do companies often get it wrong?

What happens and what does that look like? 

Psychological safety is a key ingredient for businesses and teams to be able to improve, innovate and progress.

People need to feel free to speak honestly and feel supported enough to come up with new ideas; without that freedom, new innovative solutions and problem solving is less likely to happen. 

And that is exactly what we’re going to be talking about today.

Dr Amanda Potter is an award-winning Chartered Psychologist, Leadership/ Executive Coach and a Certified Principal Business Psychologist with over 25 years' experience.

She has been working with C-suite and senior executives to enable them to drive strategic success – and today she shares her stories and knowledge of working in the area of talent strategy. We hear about her experience which is rooted in leadership in crisis, resilience, Psychological Safety and belonging.

Amanda will tell us about the neuroscience of resilience and positivity and how that impacts cultures at organisations.  

She'll let us in on some tips on how we can all just simply feel better.

And she tells us about the contributors to low psych safety, the watch outs, and what different types of organisations need to look out for.

I ask her for insights on the difference in the various cultures that her company works with, but also the difference between sectors. Amanda’s reflection on psych safety in a culture like the police force is really interesting. 

She then leaves us with some top tips on what to do to create more connection between team members - and you'll even get a great exercise that you can use for future team events.

Many of us know the importance of creating connection, trust and safe spaces to work - but knowing this is one thing. Being able to do it is another.

If you’re keen to dig deeper on all of this, please join me for this fascinating conversation with Amanda. So grab that favourite beverage or throw on those running shoes, and here is Dr Amanda Potter. 

Please don’t forget to let us know what you think of this episode, leave a review and subscribe.

If you would like to be reminded of future podcasts and other inspiring stories from TIE, join our newsletter here.  

If you would like to pre-order my book Return on Humanity: Leadership lessons from all corners of the earth, you can do that here.

If you would like to listen to the Chief Psychology Officer Podcast by Dr Amanda Potter, you can listen here.

There is a problem in the communications and creative industries that few people are doing anything about. 

It has to do with a senior ceiling that marginalised communities face when it comes to senior roles. There is a drain of really talented people that are leaving because they just don’t see a path for their progression in these companies.

It not only doesn’t have to be that way, but business is worse off if this is allowed to happen.

Today, Nazia Du Bois, former Global Head of Rare with Google, is going to bring all of this to life for us.

Nazia is a multiple award-winning agency founder, creative strategy leader, and industry DEI champion. She most recently led Google's global DEI program, Rare with Google, aimed at raising diversity in the creative industries. Before that, she was Global Brand Strategy Director at Netflix, working on representation and global brand equity. 

Prior to going in-house, Nazia founded Ricebowl Strategy, which developed award-winning global brand positioning platforms for Spotify, Harry's and Popeyes amongst others. She was the founding global CSO of DAVID in Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Miami, as well as founding Ogilvy's Islamic Branding practice.

Nazia has been named one of the top 5 most awarded planning directors in the world.

She is from Bangladesh and holds two degrees from Oxford.

Today you’ll hear stories from her time at Netflix and how being in LA when the social justice movement kicked off in the wake of the tragic murder of George Floyd then paved the way to the next stage of her career. 

We hear about the strategies that Google used to create more creative diversity at senior leavels of the company, with a view to change the culture of the organisation.

Nazia shares some profound thinking from top thought leaders driving the inclusion revolution and what needs to happen to hold onto the senior talent from marginalised cultures.

And then tells us what she learned about diversity and inclusion from being part of the mass layoffs at Google in 2023. 

Nazia then leaves us with an important piece of advice that all of us can take to heart.

This episode will leave you with lots to ponder on, so throw on those running shoes or grab that favourite beverage, and here is Nazia. 

And please don’t forget to let us know what you think of this episode, leave a review and subscribe.

If you would like to be reminded of future podcasts and other inspiring stories from TIE, join our newsletter here. 

If you would like to pre-order Return on Humanity: Leadership lessons from all corners of the earth, you can do that here.