Join us in this inspiring episode where Thilo shares the transformative journey of establishing the Inclusion Factory in China, a venture aimed at empowering people with disabilities through scalable, innovative employment practices. Discover how social purpose can drive business success and societal change.In this episode, we discuss:

• The origin story of the Inclusion Factory and why China was chosen as the location
• How German businesses in China collaborated to create sustainable social projects
• The importance of self-confidence in empowering employees with disabilities
• Practical strategies for scaling inclusive initiatives across industries
• The role of documentation, automation, and innovation in inclusion efforts
• Real stories of individuals who experienced life-changing confidence and independence
• The potential of AI to either hinder or enable inclusive workplaces

Join Our Community:

If this conversation sparked something in you, there's a space where conversations like this happen every month.

Purposeful Futures is a values-led leadership community run by Linda and Aga; a vibrant community of people who believe that how we lead and how we live are the same question. Each month, we go deep on a topic that matters: purpose, identity, courage, belonging, and more. It's not a webinar. It's not a course. It's a genuine conversation with people who show up to think together.

25 CHF a month. No commitment. Come for one session and see.

👉 Join here: ⁠⁠https://go.touchingdistance.com/purposeful-futures-membership⁠⁠

Connect: If something landed for you in this episode, a moment you recognised yourself in, a question it stirred, something you want to sit with, we'd love to hear from you.

Find ⁠⁠⁠us on LInkedin: Aga, Linda and Thilo or drop a comment wherever you're listening.

What does it truly mean to live and lead with purpose? In this episode, Thilo Köppe shares his journey from early childhood compassion to leading purpose-driven transformation in global companies. Discover how authenticity, storytelling and strategic alignment turn purpose from a statement into an organizational DNA. Main insights include:

• Purpose is a strategic driver that goes beyond profit, emphasizing societal and environmental responsibility.
• Early childhood experiences can shape lifelong purpose and responsibility.
• Authenticity and consistency are key to embedding purpose deeply within an organization.
• Successful purpose integration requires clarity, strong storytelling and value chain alignment.
• Genuine purpose builds loyalty, supports premium pricing, and enhances reputation.
• Regulations like CSRD and supply chain laws can be leveraged for meaningful transformation, not just compliance.
• The importance of ecosystems and stakeholder engagement in purpose-driven initiatives.
• How purpose influences employee confidence, societal impact, and long-term sustainability.

Join Our Community:

If this conversation sparked something in you, there's a space where conversations like this happen every month.

Purposeful Futures is a values-led leadership community run by Linda and Aga; a vibrant community of people who believe that how we lead and how we live are the same question. Each month, we go deep on a topic that matters: purpose, identity, courage, belonging, and more. It's not a webinar. It's not a course. It's a genuine conversation with people who show up to think together.

25 CHF a month. No commitment. Come for one session and see.

👉 Join here: ⁠https://go.touchingdistance.com/purposeful-futures-membership⁠

Connect: If something landed for you in this episode, a moment you recognised yourself in, a question it stirred, something you want to sit with, we'd love to hear from you.

Find ⁠us on LInkedin: Aga, Linda and Thilo or drop a comment wherever you're listening.

Summary: What would you have loved to know as a child that you know now?

For Linda, the answer came quickly: the language. The language to name what she was feeling. The language to ask for what she needed. The language to understand that being emotional wasn't a flaw, it was information.

In this conversation, Linda and Charlotte Balfour-Poole explore what happens when we have words for what we feel, and what we lose when we don't. They talk about raising children with emotional maturity in a turbulent world, what it means to lead with care and compassion, and why naming our emotions might be one of the most powerful things we can do, at any age.

This one gets personal. We hope something in it lands for you.

About Charlotte: Charlotte is a leadership coach and consultant who works with people and organisations to lead with more courage and compassion. She brings warmth, rigour, and a rare ability to hold space for the conversations that actually matter.

Connect with Charlotte on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-balfour-poole/

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:52 Raising children with emotional maturity

07:39 Values, kindness, and what schools get right

09:12 The cost of "don't be so emotional"

11:45 The language to say what you need

13:31 Linda's story: her dad, her sister, and the words that changed things

17:55 What children show us about how we want to be

22:46 Leading with values, what it really means

27:48 When a whole team burns out

33:52 What was your biggest failure?

Resources mentioned:

• Bessel van der Kolk: The Body Keeps the Score: https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748
• John Adair's Action-Centred Leadership Model: https://www.businessballs.com/leadership-styles/action-centred-leadership-john-adair/

Join Our Community:

If this conversation sparked something in you, there's a space where conversations like this happen every month.

Purposeful Futures is a values-led leadership community run by Linda and Aga; a vibrant community of people who believe that how we lead and how we live are the same question. Each month, we go deep on a topic that matters: purpose, identity, courage, belonging, and more. It's not a webinar. It's not a course. It's a genuine conversation with people who show up to think together.

25 CHF a month. No commitment. Come for one session and see.

👉 Join here: https://go.touchingdistance.com/purposeful-futures-membership

Connect: If something landed for you in this episode, a moment you recognised yourself in, a question it stirred, something you want to sit with, we'd love to hear from you.

Find Linda on LinkedIn or drop a comment wherever you're listening.

In this episode, Aga sits down with Lisa Saper to explore what success really means beyond external markers like money or titles. They delve into how staying authentic, aligned with personal values, and embracing life's trade-offs shape genuine fulfillment.

Key topics:

• The evolving concept of success across different life stages
• Leaving a positive impact on the world as a marker of success
• The importance of authenticity and staying true to your values
• Navigating organizational pressures and maintaining integrity
• Lessons learned from challenging moments, including conflicts over decisions
• The impact of self-awareness, humor, and authenticity in leadership
• The price and benefits of remaining true to oneself in a corporate environment
• Advice for those questioning their path and values
• How personal style and values influence career satisfaction and relationships

Connect with us:

Linda LinkedIn

Aga Linkedin

• Purposeful Futures Group

In this episode, we explore how misalignments between humanitarian principles and business objectives can lead to ethical failures, especially when systems do not integrate accountability and governance properly. Linda and Aga discuss real-world challenges in cross-sectoral delivery models, focusing on ethical red lines, systemic gaps, and the importance of shared responsibility.

Key Topics:

• How governance and escalation gaps compromise ethical standards in humanitarian-biz collaborations
• The significance of principles like humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence in delivery models
• Systemic barriers to recognizing and escalating ethical concerns under pressure
• The impact of distance and lack of ownership on ethical decision-making
• Risks to civilians that are often underestimated in delivery systems
• The importance of accountability flows and stakeholder inclusion to prevent harm
• Practical safeguards: ethics reviews, stop-work authority, and board oversight
• The necessity of integrating ethical responsibility across sectors for responsible humanitarian work

If you'd like to join a community of like-minded people outside of LinkedIn for conversations our workplace can't hold, then join us as a ⁠Purposeful Futures

In this episode, Linda and Aga delve into the uncomfortable question of whether individuals are living within a lie, drawing parallels from Mark Carney's speech at Davos. They explore the concept of resilience, authenticity, and the importance of aligning personal values with actions.

The discussion emphasises the need for value-based realism in a fast-paced corporate culture and the courage required to follow one's inner compass despite societal pressures.

Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction and Context

05:49 Resilience and Authenticity in Leadership

09:25 The Corporate Purpose Dilemma

12:08 Value-Based Realism vs. Performance Metrics

15:50 The Challenge of Living Your Values

If you'd like to join a community of like-minded people outside of LinkedIn for conversations our workplace can't hold, then join us as a Founding Member here!

In this episode, Aga and Linda delve into the concept of purpose as an evolving journey rather than a fixed destination.

They explore how our understanding of purpose can shift and grow over time, influenced by our experiences and reflections. Central to this discussion is the role of values in shaping our sense of purpose. Aga and Linda emphasise that by aligning our actions with our core values, we can find deeper meaning and direction in our lives.

Throughout the conversation, they highlight the importance of recognising purpose in everyday moments. It's often in the small, seemingly mundane experiences that we can uncover profound insights about what truly matters to us. By paying attention to these moments, we can cultivate a more intentional and fulfilling life.

Key Moments:

01:13 - Noticing existing patterns
02:03 - Purpose from daily moments
03:19 - Purpose in challenging situations
04:16 - Purpose during crises
05:25 - Hidden clues to purpose
06:43 - Purpose across sectors
07:12 - Purpose at any age
08:15 - Reflection prompts
09:24 - Daily practices for purpose
10:34 - Closing thoughts

Connect with Aga and Linda:

- Aga: LinkedIn

- Linda: LinkedIn

Free Values Reflection Worksheet

In this episode of the Purposeful Futures podcast, Aga is joined by Araceli Canedo Bebbington, executive coach, entrepreneur, and board member of EMCC Global, to discuss the significance of purpose and values in navigating tough choices.

Araceli shares her personal journey of discovering her purpose through a leadership training program, emphasising how it has become her inner compass for decision-making in both her professional and personal life. She reflects on her extensive experience in the financial sector and how it shaped her coaching philosophy, particularly in helping others embrace change and make courageous decisions aligned with their values.

Throughout the conversation, Araceli provides insights into the challenges leaders face when making tough decisions, such as layoffs, and the importance of integrity and transparency in those moments. The episode concludes with Araceli highlighting the courage it takes to stay true to one's values, ultimately leading to greater self-respect and fulfilment.

Key Moments:

• 00:00 Introduction to Purpose and Values
• 02:09 Navigating Tough Choices with Integrity
• 03:57 The Role of Values in Leadership
• 06:24 Challenges to Inner Compass
• 09:26 Coaching Insights on Purpose and Values
• 14:57 Key Takeaways and Closing Thoughts

Purpose can feel like a heavy question, something we’re supposed to figure out, define once, and get “right.”In this episode, Linda and Aga take the pressure off.

They talk about purpose as something lived rather than declared, something that shows up quietly in everyday moments, especially during uncertainty, transition, and challenge. Drawing on personal experiences from restructures, humanitarian work, corporate environments, and life stages, they explore how purpose often reveals itself through values, patterns, and how we show up for others.

This conversation is for anyone who feels tired of reinvention culture, unsure about their next step, or quietly questioning whether it’s “too late” to reconnect with what matters.

Key Moments

01:47 – Why constant restarting is exhausting How “new plans” and forced resets drain energy rather than create clarity.

02:46 – Naming purpose after you’ve lived it Why insight often comes after experience, not before.

04:45 – Shared values and recognising yourself in others How connection and resonance can reveal what truly matters to you.

05:55 – Choosing differently doesn’t mean lacking purpose Reframing success when passion-led leaps aren’t realistic or desired.

09:55 – Letting go of the ‘ideal future self’ Focusing on what matters now, in this phase of life.

Resources & Links

• Free Values Reflection Worksheet
  

Purposeful Futures Community Membership – join the conversation and share what you’re noticing

Why does purpose at work often sound right, but feel so difficult to live day to day?

In this first episode of Purposeful Futures, Linda and Aga explore what happens when leaders from corporate and humanitarian worlds realise they’re wrestling with the same questions about purpose, belonging, and leadership. Through honest stories from crisis response and corporate life, they reflect on why connection matters more than control, and why purpose isn’t something you declare, but something you practice.

What you’ll hear (and why it matters):

• Why caring about purpose doesn’t always make work feel meaningful

• What leadership in crisis reveals about trust, care, and human connection

• The gap between purpose on the wall and how work actually feels

• Why leaders across very different sectors face the same frustrations

• What it means to lead in a way that feels human, even when systems fall short

Key Moments:

[00:00] “I care about purpose… so why does work still feel off?” Why leaders in different worlds feel the same quiet disconnect

[01:20] When connection matters more than control

A humanitarian leadership story that changes how we think about care and performance

[04:10] When everything looks good on the outside, but doesn’t feel right on the inside The reality behind polished purpose and “painting the grass green”

[11:22] Realising you’re not the problem, the system is

Why corporate and humanitarian leaders struggle with the same tensions

[16:56] Purpose isn’t a slogan. It’s how you show up.

What leading with purpose really means, and an invitation to stay connected

Resources & Links

• Join the our Purposeful Futures community: https://go.touchingdistance.com/purposeful-futures-membership

• Follow the hosts on LinkedIn for future episodes and reflections

Linda: www.linkedin.com/in/linda-steinbock-a8554930

Aga: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agnieszka-pociecha/ 

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