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The Diverse Minds Podcast

The Diverse Minds Podcast

Written by: Leyla Okhai
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About this listen
 The podcast that talks about race equality and wellbeing for a busy modern world through inspiring stories, interviews and case studies. Brought to you by Leyla Okhai, CEO of Diverse Minds UK and former Head of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Centre at Imperial College London. We provide insights from diverse thought leaders in race equality, wellbeing and mental health to increase your understanding and enable you to make positive changes in your life with ease.Leyla Okhai Economics Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Self-Help Success
Episodes
  • #318 What exactly is workplace mediation?

    #318 What exactly is workplace mediation?
    Nov 10 2026
    Welcome to the 318th episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast! In this episode, I’m diving deep into workplace mediation—what it actually is, what it’s not, and why it matters.With workplace conflict costing UK employers an estimated £28.5 billion per year, proper mediation could transform how organisations handle disputes.In this episode, you'll discover the PIN model, real conflict scenarios, and why trained mediators make all the difference.In today’s show on What exactly is workplace mediation?00:59 What workplace conflict looks like when things go wrong between colleagues.01:46 Why people use the word mediation when they mean something completely different.04:25 What mediation actually is according to the UK government definition and how it works.07:03 Why we should care about workplace mediation.15:13 How the Total Conflict Mediation (TCM) process works.Quotes On What exactly is workplace mediation?Mediation is when an independent and impartial trained third party discusses a problem to try and find a solution.Workplace conflict costing UK employers an estimated 28.5 billion per year works out to over 1,000 pounds per employee.If someone’s forced into mediation under duress, it’s not mediation because there’s already a huge power imbalance.The mediator’s job is to help people in the room hear each other, often for the first time in months.When a system is broken, people absorb the impact until they can’t anymore.stk-4da79ac {margin-bottom:8px !important;}Resources for What exactly is workplace mediation?Solve A Workplace DisputeACAS Launches New Strategy As Polling Shows Over 2 In 5 Workers Say Workplace Conflict Is RisingThe Ultimate Guide to Conflict Resolution at Work (2026)The P.I.N. Framework for Mastering Conflict ResolutionEpisode 317: The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Your Middle ManagersJoin my Mailing List and receive a white paper on mental health and inclusion hereCheck out my TEDx talk: The Connection between Culture, Race and Mental HealthLeave me a message on my SpeakPipe.stk-ec55c3e {margin-bottom:0px !important;} Work with meHave a look at my online work-life balance course on Thinkific. You can access it here: http://bit.ly/DMMHPONCOne-hour focused Sessions £250 1-2-1Power Hour Sessions for OrganisationsComplete the form to discuss your training needs: https://forms.gle/hgnYtmTu33Zeem489Check out my coaching FAQs or learn more about how 1:1 coaching can support your wellbeing. Subscribe to the podcast If you enjoyed this episode, then consider subscribing on Apple podcast, Spotify or wherever you access your podcasts from.If you enjoyed it, why not leave a review?You can also connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.Remember to tune in next week, where I’ll bring you more insights on mental health and inclusion.
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    21 mins
  • #317 Caught in the Middle: The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Your Middle Managers

    #317 Caught in the Middle: The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Your Middle Managers
    Oct 27 2026
    Welcome to the 317th episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast! In this episode, I'm exploring a topic very close to my heart: Caught in the Middle: The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Your Middle Managers.Specifically, why middle managers seem to get squeezed from all sides while senior C-suite leaders absorb all the coaching and development resources.In today’s show on Caught in the Middle: The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Your Middle Managers01:12 - Defining the middle manager and their role as a critical communication pivot point.02:00 - Why the middle management role has rapidly expanded due to hybrid work, AI, and leaner operating models.03:48 - Key data from Gallup on manager burnout, declining engagement, and why managers account for 70% of variance in team engagement.07:05 - What "ignoring" your middle managers actually looks like in practice.10:30 - Practical solutions to support, develop, and rehumanize the role of middle managers.Quotes on Caught in the Middle: The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Your Middle ManagersMiddle managers act as critical pivot points that link and filter communication between leadership and the wider workforce.Managers account for around 70% of the variance in team engagement.Stop promoting people into management as a reward or as a bonus for being good at something else without consulting them and without giving them support.Technical stars can progress without being reluctant managers if they have the right support.We need to make sure humans supporting humans are supported..stk-4da79ac {margin-bottom:8px !important;}Resources for Caught in the Middle: The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Your Middle ManagersEpisode #316: How and Why Workplace Systems Break PeopleWhy Middle Manager Burnout is Becoming a Structural Business RiskState of the Global Workplace 2026Join my Mailing List and receive a white paper on mental health and inclusion hereCheck out my TEDx talk: The Connection between Culture, Race and Mental HealthLeave me a message on my SpeakPipe.stk-ec55c3e {margin-bottom:0px !important;} Work with meHave a look at my online work-life balance course on Thinkific. You can access it here: http://bit.ly/DMMHPONCOne-hour focused Sessions £250 1-2-1Power Hour Sessions for OrganisationsComplete the form to discuss your training needs: https://forms.gle/hgnYtmTu33Zeem489Check out my coaching FAQs or learn more about how 1:1 coaching can support your wellbeing. Subscribe to the podcast If you enjoyed this episode, then consider subscribing on Apple podcast, Spotify or wherever you access your podcasts from.If you enjoyed it, why not leave a review?You can also connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.Remember to tune in next week, where I’ll bring you more insights on mental health and inclusion.
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    18 mins
  • #316 How and Why Workplace Systems Break People

    #316 How and Why Workplace Systems Break People
    Oct 13 2026
    Welcome to the 316th episode of the award-winning Diverse Minds podcast! In this episode, I'm exploring workplace systems and asking: Are your policies and processes breaking your people?Drawing from Hilary Cottam's book Radical Help, I examine how rigid, outdated systems create chronic stress, burnout, and disengagement, and what you can actually do to redesign them for the people in them.In today’s show on How and Why Workplace Systems Break People01:08 Why workplaces feel like the Wild West right now with unethical practices and no accountability.02:28 What workplace systems actually are beyond textbook definitions.06:20 How outdated or rigid work designs lead to chronic stress, high turnover, and disengagement.08:00 Why global employee engagement has hit its lowest point in a decade.15:24 Some practical steps to start fixing broken systems.Quotes on How and Why Workplace Systems Break PeopleEvery system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.When a system is broken, people absorb the impact until they can't anymore.Systems teach people how to behave, whether that's for the better or for the worse.Employees will bear the stress of meeting targets but may not have the autonomy and agency to fix broken processes.Looking at a system can be much more important than looking at individuals because systems can enable individuals to behave poorly or positively. Resources for How and Why Workplace Systems Break PeopleAnne Kimsey, Prosci LinkedIn post on broken systemsFollow Anne Kimsey, ProsciTo Fix Broken Work Systems, You Need to ResetStop fixing your people. Fix your systemsEpisode #107: Book Review Culture Map by Erin MeyerBonus Episode: Why Resilience Isn’t A Sticking PlasterEpisode #315: The Pay Transparency Panic: Moving from reporting on Pay Gaps to ActionJoin my Mailing List and receive a white paper on mental health and inclusion hereCheck out my TEDx talk: The Connection between Culture, Race and Mental HealthLeave me a message on my SpeakPipeWork with meHave a look at my online work-life balance course on Thinkific. You can access it here: http://bit.ly/DMMHPONCOne-hour focused Sessions £250 1-2-1Power Hour Sessions for OrganisationsComplete the form to discuss your training needs: https://forms.gle/hgnYtmTu33Zeem489Check out my coaching FAQs or learn more about how 1:1 coaching can support your wellbeing. Subscribe to the podcast If you enjoyed this episode, then consider subscribing on Apple podcast, Spotify or wherever you access your podcasts from.If you enjoyed it, why not leave a review?You can also connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.Remember to tune in next week, where I’ll bring you more insights on mental health and inclusion.
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    23 mins
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