Now We’re Talking cover art

Now We’re Talking

Now We’re Talking

Written by: Sarah Rozenthuler
Listen for free

Conversations that explore what it takes to talk about what really matters so that leaders can create positive change in their organisations and the wider world.Copyright 2024 All rights reserved. Economics
Episodes
  • Episode 12: Coaching Conversations as a Leader

    Episode 12: Coaching Conversations as a Leader
    Nov 24 2025

    Sarah and Paul discuss the emerging trend of creating a coaching culture in an organisation and how a leader can bring a coaching approach to their conversations.

    In this episode we cover (1) coaching as a leader and why leaders need to go deeper into introspective work, so that they understand fully how they show up within the workplace, the impact they have on their immediate team, and sometimes an entire organisation; (2) the difference that it makes when you're able to notice the assumptions you're making, put those to one side and bring to the conversation your curiosity instead; (3) the shift in the identity of a leader, from somebody who needs to know all the answers to the idea of leader as coach, somebody who draws out the wisdom and the intelligence of the people around them; (4) the small changes you could make to a conversation that would bring a coaching approach such as phrases to use and questions to ask; and finally (5) the difference it makes when we bring our compassion to a conversation, particularly when the pressure is on and the stakes go up: compassion for self, but also compassion for others. We discuss how we can shift into a more spacious way of operating and of talking, so that instead of falling into the trap of reactive behaviour, we can tap into deeper resources, deeper parts of ourselves and have a positive impact in the conversation and upon the people we lead and indeed, across the organisation as a whole.

    About Paul Williamson

    Paul is Group Head of Talent Development at ATG Entertainment, Regional Chair (Great Britain) at the Association for Coaching and an accredited Executive Coach.

    Paul has nearly 30 years experience working for ATG entertainment, the world's largest live entertainment group, where he's been a senior leader in sales, ticketing and HR, as well as in learning and development and talent development. Paul is also the author of the chapter, ‘Who Are You’ in the book ‘Coaching as a Leader’ (2025) edited by Jen Kidby and published by Kogan Page Publishing and the Association for Coaching (AC.)

    Check out Paul’s LinkedIn profile here.

    Find out more about ‘Coaching as a Leader’ here.
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • Episode 11: The Power of a Bold Idea

    Episode 11: The Power of a Bold Idea
    Sep 18 2025
    Sarah and Mandar discuss his transformational journey from being a petroleum engineer and a 17-year career at Shell to becoming a peace activist teaching meditation and self-care practices. In the conversation we cover (1) Mandar's work integrating meditation and breathing techniques into the corporate world, under the banner of 'innovation', starting with the creation of the "Aware" employee network at Shell and later transitioning to teaching meditation to thousands of leaders across multiple continents; (2) Mandar's peace-building initiatives, including a business model for healthcare clinics and a program training former gang members in meditation; and (3) the importance of businesses engaging in peace promotion such as working with the UN peacebuilding office. About Mandar Apte Mandar Apte is Executive Director at Cities4Peace, a documentary film maker and teacher of meditation. Having worked at Shell for nearly 18 years, Mandar draws upon his work of creating and managing Shell's GameChanger social innovation program to show how companies can create shared value through having a social impact. Mandar is a thought leader in social innovation, leadership development, and intrapreneurship, and has presented masterclasses on these topics at conferences and Business Schools including Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and London Business School. In his consulting and coaching work, Mandar also leverages nearly two decades of studying, practicing, and teaching meditation to thousands of leaders across four continents (including over 2000 colleagues while at Shell). Mandar strongly believes that a focus on daily "inner recalibration" can transform our leadership vision, potential, and impact. For more about Mandar’s work, please visit: www.mandarapte.net https://www.mandarapte.net/film/ https://www.mandarapte.net/purpose-innovation-lab/ Periodically Mandar teaches meditation-based leadership workshops online. Find out more: https://www.mandarapte.net/mindful-leadership/ More about this episode Here's a summary of the main points: From Shell to Peace Activism Sarah and Mandar discussed Mandar's journey from a 17-year career at Shell to becoming a peace activist. Mandar shared a pivotal moment in 2001 when he was chased by villagers in Nigeria while working for Shell, which led him to explore meditation and self-care. This experience, along with his realization that corporate life could not provide the healing he needed, inspired Mandar to pursue a path of peace activism. Meditation and Breath Science Journey Mandar shared his personal journey with meditation and its impact on managing stress and negative thoughts, comparing it to erasing marks on a blackboard. He discussed his experience working at Shell and how he felt compelled to bring inner transformation approaches to leadership, particularly after facing a traumatic incident in Nigeria. Mandar explained his discovery of the breath science, which teaches that emotions have distinct breathing patterns and can be managed through conscious breathing techniques, allowing one to respond rather than react to situations. Corporate Meditation: A Leadership Journey Mandar shared his journey of integrating meditation and breathing techniques into the corporate world, starting with the creation of the "Aware" employee network at Shell in 2004. He described how he transitioned from designing petroleum engineering pipelines to becoming a meditation teacher, leveraging his passion to help colleagues at Shell and even American soldiers. Mandar highlighted the importance of authentic leadership in recognizing and encouraging employees' passions, which he demonstrated by teaching meditation to 2,000 Shell staff across multiple countries. He emphasized the concept of shared value, showing how engaging employees' passions can create meaningful contributions to the workplace. Truck Stop Healthcare Business Model Mandar shared a business model for establishing primary healthcare clinics at truck stops, which would provide telemedicine services and create jobs for local healthcare providers while offering value to truck drivers and nearby communities. The model would be funded by insurance companies and could potentially partner with CVS to host minute clinics, with Shell sponsoring the initiative as part of their game changer program for shared value innovations. Mandar reflected on his 4-year career at Shell, where he managed the Aware program, which successfully sustained for 20 years by maintaining an inclusive, democratized approach that allowed employees to share their passions through various activities beyond meditation, including cooking and poetry classes. Business Case for Peacebuilding Initiatives Mandar shared his experience developing a business case for peacebuilding initiatives, particularly in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region, where violence leads to significant revenue losses for oil companies. He discovered that traditional ...
    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • Episode 10: How To Get On With Anyone

    Episode 10: How To Get On With Anyone
    Jul 31 2025

    In this episode, Sarah and Catherine Stothart discuss (1) how understanding a framework of four interaction styles helps you communicate with people whose personality or approach is very different to you own (whether at work or in your personal life); (2) how you can flex your style enabling you to build rapport, collaborate effectively and communicate even when the stakes go up; (3) some real-life stories of leaders and managers who adapted their communication style successfully and (4) top tips for hybrid working in teams so that communication stays strong and everyone feels valued in an inclusive working environment.

    About Catherine Stothart

    Catherine is a Leadership Coach with 30 years’ experience of leadership development in top multinational companies, including Airbus, Google and Audi. Her best-selling first book, How to Get On with Anyone, (2018, Pearson) is a practical guide to understanding others and communicating with confidence and charisma and is now out in a second edition, with new chapters on leadership and communicating inclusively and extra sections on virtual communication. Catherine’s third book, Motivation: The Ultimate Guide to Leading your Team, (2023, Routledge), is ideal for anyone who wants to know how to motivate their teams, improve their wellbeing, and feel motivated themselves. Catherine established Essenwood Consulting in 2004, after working for Ford Motor Company, Mercury Communications and ICL in senior Human Resource and Learning & Development roles for 16 years.

    For more information, go to:

    https://essenwood.co.uk
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet