Why Not? & What If?

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Tis our Christmas Eve special — and we’re diving into the stuff HR teams never forget… even when they try.

Siobhán shares anonymised “HR nightmares at Christmas” stories that range from jaw-dropping (a motorboating incident with a very questionable defence) to the painfully familiar (people passed out in toilets, tears in the loo, and the post-party investigations nobody wants). 

We also get into the messy reality of workplace hookups, the risks around power dynamics and consent, what happens when partners are invited, and why “what happens at the Christmas party” very often doesn’t stay there.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of sexual harassment/misconduct scenarios, alcohol, and workplace investigations. 

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— we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

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HR gets labelled “the police” at Christmas parties… and somehow also “the fun sponges”. 

In this episode, Andy and Siobhán talk about the reality of attending work socials when you’re the person everyone assumes will step in, calm things down, and clean up the aftermath — even though HR aren’t there to break up fights, and definitely shouldn’t be expected to put themselves in harm’s way. 

We get into the awkward moments (“Careful what you say… HR’s here”), the pressure of holding company confidences when everyone’s had a few, and why some HR pros choose to leave early… or skip the whole thing entirely. 

Plus: the different “tiers” of Christmas dos, why HR often prefer lunches, and a film recommendation that flips the “fun sponge” stereotype on its head.

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It’s the first of our three-part Christmas mini-series — and we’re starting with the one everyone thinks they already knows: how to survive the work Christmas party.

Andy and Siobhán share a “top 10 (plus a few)” set of common-sense rules for employees (and partners) that keeps the night fun… without it turning into a disciplinary, a PR disaster, or a proper horror story. We cover why a Christmas party still counts as a work event, the risks that come with booze (including the open bar Olympics), why “dancing on tables” can have real-world consequences, and the modern minefield of phones, photos, and sharing things that should never leave the room.

There’s also a brutally practical section on getting home safely (don’t “rely on vibes”), plus a few tales that preview what’s coming in our final Christmas Eve episode: anonymous stories of Christmas parties that went wildly off-piste. 

Got a story or a view? Email [email protected]
— we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

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In Part 2 of our conversation with Channel 4’s Hunted hunter Paul Cashmore, we step away from the TV screens and go deep into the work that really lights him up – mental and physical health, NLP and full-body nervous system reset.

If Part 1 was about fame, ego and being “the guy off the telly”, this episode is where it all gets practical. Paul opens up about burnout, chronic stress and the moment his body literally forced him to stop. He shares how meditation, martial arts, Buddhist philosophy and neuroscience collided to shape his approach as a performance coach – and why so many clients now know him as the “NLP Ninja”.

We get into:

• What it actually means to reset your nervous system (and why most of us are stuck in permanent fight-or-flight)
• The link between stress, gut health, eczema, pain, fatigue and exhaustion
• Why your thoughts can create symptoms – and how they can also help release them
• The simple Venn diagram Paul uses with clients: past, environment, movement and nutrition
• How he blends NLP, coaching, PT and sound frequencies to help people let go of anxiety, trauma and old stories
• The deceptively simple question he always starts with: “What do you want?”

Paul also talks about being a “human guinea pig” for everything he teaches, why science-backed “woo” can be life-changing, and how tiny habits and small wins can start to pull you out of overwhelm.

👉 New here? This is Part 2 of Paul’s story – so if you haven’t already, go back to Part 1 to hear the journey from police officer to Hunted hunter and the hidden cost of being in the public eye.

Connect with Paul:
Website: paulcashmore.co.uk
Email: [email protected]

If you know someone who’s burnt out, wired, stuck in their own head or constantly in “go mode”, share this episode with them – it might be the nudge they need to hit reset.

Got a story or a view? Email [email protected]
– we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

Got a story or a view? Email [email protected]
— we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

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We got caught – properly.

In this episode of Why Not? & What If?, Siobhán Godden and Andy Cracknell sit down with someone most of us know as “that bloke off the telly” – Paul Cashmore, one of the original Hunters from Channel 4’s hit series Hunted and Celebrity Hunted.

But this isn’t just fan chat. It’s the story of what happens behind the persona – and what being in the public eye really does to how we see ourselves and each other.

From a 15-year-old kid who just wanted to be on TV, to a police officer writing scripts in his spare time, to finally landing his dream on Channel 4 at 40, Paul shares the near-misses, rejections and sheer refusal to give up that got him there.

Along the way, we dig into:

• What fame, ego and social media really do to your sense of self
• How the “Hunter” persona was created – and the human being underneath it
• When self-care and fitness tip into obsession and harm
• Why teenagers now feel celebrity-level pressure without celebrity-level support
• The power of authenticity – and why it might be the highest “vibration” of all
• Paul’s simple first step if you’re on the edge of stress or anxiety: reach out

We also meet the calmer side of the man behind the Hunter: the grounded, quietly powerful energy that makes Paul such an effective coach – and, as Andy dubs him, the “NLP Ninja”.

👀 This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation with Paul. In Part 2, we go deeper into his work in mental and physical health, NLP and performance coaching – and the tools he uses to help people reset, rebuild and move forward.

🔗 Connect with Paul
Web: www.paulcashmore.co.uk
Email: [email protected]

💬 Got a story or a view on fame, ego or mental health? Email [email protected]
– we might do a follow-up episode with your take.

If you’re a Hunted fan, a coach, or someone who’s ever wondered what chasing external validation is doing to your head and heart – this one’s for you.

Got a story or a view? Email [email protected]
— we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

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HR is supposed to care about people.

So why does so much of it feel like policy updates, tick-box training and vibes of “please sign to say you’ve read this”?

In this episode of Why Not and What If, Siobhán Godden and Andy Cracknell sit down with HR disruptor, stand-up comic and former chef-turned-wrestler Toby Kheng (Founder of Freeformers) to ask a very simple question:

If HR vanished tomorrow... would anyone actually notice?

Together they dive into a very spicy mix of:

• Why traditional HR and L&D are obsessed with knowledge retention instead of real behaviour change
• The brutal truth about sexual harassment training, policy updates and why none of it shifts culture on its own
• How behavioural economics and human-centred design can transform employee experience far more than another LMS login 
• What wrestling and stand-up comedy can teach leaders about performance, feedback and genuine stakes
• Why so many HR teams are quietly de-skilling themselves by leaning on AI for everything
• The danger of L&D arrogance: “we’ll just build our own presentation skills course”
• How leaders destroy their own credibility with robotic comms and why humility, self-awareness and a bit of self-deprecation land so much better

Toby shares how learning stand-up and stepping into the wrestling ring gave him more powerful lessons than any corporate programme, and why he and his co-founder Emily are rebuilding the employer–employee relationship from the ground up through Freeformers. 

Siobhán brings the HR realism (and the 2am wake-ups over clients’ people problems), while Andy owns his history of being “told off by HR” and why he still believes tone of voice, values and culture cannot be imposed from the top.

If you work in HR, L&D, people, internal comms or leadership and you suspect a lot of what you’re “supposed” to do is nonsense, this one might hit a nerve in the best possible way.

Connect with Toby & Freeformers

• Freeformers website: search “Freeformers employee experience” or visit freeformers.com
• Toby on LinkedIn: search “Toby Kheng Freeformers”

Got a topic you want us to dive into?
Email us at [email protected] – your ideas genuinely fuel this chaos.

If this episode made you think, laugh or rage-text your HR WhatsApp group, hit follow/subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who still thinks “updating the policy” is a culture strategy.

Got a story or a view? Email [email protected]
— we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

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C-suite roles are supposed to be the pinnacle of a career… so why do so many senior leaders feel exhausted, isolated and secretly wondering if they’re “doing leadership wrong”?

In this episode of Why Not and What If, Siobhán Godden and Andy Cracknell sit down with change maker consultant Simon Phillips to unpack leadership energy – and why understanding your natural impact style can be the difference between burnout and genuinely loving your work.

Together they explore:

• Why your energy patterns as a leader matter more than your job title
• How tools like The GC Index® and Simon’s Change Leader Code reveal where you really add value
• The hidden loneliness epidemic at C-suite level – and how psychological safety, coaching and honest conversations can change everything
• Why “being nice” isn’t the same as being kind – and how real Playmaker energy often means inviting healthy conflict
• The dangers of hiring and promoting on skills alone, without understanding proclivities and energy
• How the Young People Index is helping teenagers make better choices about study, careers and self-worth
• The link between game changer energy and ADHD, and what that means for how we design work and support people

Andy also shares how discovering his own GC Index profile literally changed the course of his career (and quite possibly saved his life), and Siobhán lifts the lid on why so many senior HR and people leaders quietly lie awake at 2am worrying about their people.

If you’re a leader, HR/People professional, coach or just someone who feels like work is draining more than it gives, this one’s for you.

🔗 Connect with Simon

• Explore the Change Leader Code: changeleadercode.com
• Find Simon on LinkedIn: search “Simon Phillips Change Leader Code”

💌 Got a topic you want us to dive into?
 Email us at [email protected]
and tell us what’s keeping you up at night.

If this episode made you think, laugh or rage-text your mates, hit follow/subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear they’re not the only “lonely leader” in the room.

Got a story or a view? Email [email protected]
— we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

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In this episode of Why Not and What If, hosts Siobhan Godden and Andy Cracknell sit down with Chris Hood, Head of Coaching and Community at Neurobridge, for a refreshingly honest conversation about neurodiversity — what it really means, why it matters, and how understanding it can reshape how we see ourselves and others.

Chris opens up about his own ADHD diagnosis, sharing how it shaped his mental health, self-esteem, and identity. Together, they explore the misconceptions, microtraumas, and stigma that often accompany neurodivergence, particularly for women, who are frequently underdiagnosed or misunderstood.

This episode goes beyond discussing ADHD. It is a call to compassion, curiosity, and kindness. When we understand the different ways people think, we do not just create better workplaces; we create a better world.

Key takeaways:

• ADHD and neurodiversity often intersect with mental health challenges
• Early diagnosis and support can change lives
• Self-esteem is a silent struggle for many neurodivergent individuals
• Diversity of thought drives innovation and empathy

Tune in for a conversation that is both insightful and heartening, reminding us that everyone’s mind works differently, and that is exactly how it should be.

Got a story or a view? Email [email protected]
— we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

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Season 2 kicks off with a bang. Andy and Siobhán dive headfirst into a conversation that starts with echo chambers on social media and spirals (in true Why Not & What If fashion) into flags, racism, homelessness, ADHD, Covid resets, world peace, and why assumptions make an ass out of you and me.

From Andy’s raw story of being homeless in the French Alps to the uncomfortable reality of St George’s flags and what they’ve come to represent, this episode asks: how do we disagree without dehumanising? What’s the intent behind the symbols we see? And are we evolving fast enough for the world we’ve created?

It’s messy. It’s challenging. It’s occasionally unhinged. And it’s exactly why you came back for Season 2.

💬 Got a view, or a topic you want us to dive into? Email us at [email protected]
.

Got a story or a view? Email [email protected]
— we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.

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In this messy-but-necessary conversation, Siobhán and Andy dig into the everyday reality women face from catcalling and “optics” to objectification at work and what men can actually do about it. 

We talk intent vs impact, how social media blurs the lines between professional and personal, and why “LinkedIn isn’t Tinder.” Plus: the “kilt test,” power dressing as armour, and how to start noticing what you’ve been conditioned to miss.

If this episode is your pill from The Matrix, swallow it then share it with a mate.

Referenced in the episode:

• Charlotte Delsignore — Open letter to men: a raw, unsparing inventory of the everyday safety calculations women make.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/charlotte-delsignore-career-coach_men-you-have-no-idea-what-its-like-to-be-activity-7295752586882666496-OJTQ

• Charlotte Delsignore — Follow-up post: deepens the list and doubles down on the ask for men to notice, intervene, and hold each other to account.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/charlotte-delsignore-career-coach_men-you-have-no-idea-what-its-like-to-be-activity-7292090363631063040-5MwC

• Bryan Maguire — “LinkedIn isn’t Tinder”: calling out objectifying comments under women’s professional posts and reminding us what the platform is for.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bryan-maguire_ive-noticed-something-recently-that-doesn-activity-7362448994075041795-5HhN

• Caitlin O’Ryan — Spoken-word reel: a visceral piece on being seen, the grey areas around attention and consent, and the “spotlight vs shadow” feeling many women describe.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DA81XIgo0Wn/?igsh=MTh4amMyeWhzbm1ueA==

Got a story or a view? Email [email protected]
— we might do a follow-up episode with your takes.