The Heard Space: Recent Episodes
Elloa Phoenix Barbour
All day, every day, people are having conversations. The Heard Space is a show where we create space for voices, issues and conversations that really matter.
On Season 1, host Elloa Barbour and her guests get to grips with the topics that need more airtime, such as workplace burnout, masculinity, what's really going on between people at work, the untold stories of entrepreneurship, working with trauma, death and children, and the future of leadership.
"There is power, liberation, and beauty when we stop to see, and trust what is inside."
These are the words that Troy Bronsink opens his About page with on his website. They are not just words; my experience of talking to him are that they form the foundation of how he approahces life. In this rich, exploratory conversation - the final interview of Season 1 of this show – Troy brings these words to life. We start with slowing down, noticing what is happening within and between us, two people sitting in our homes on different continents.
Troy is a faciltator and transformational coach who takes contemplative approaches to building belonging in businesses and movements. He founded The Hive, a centre for art, action and contemplation in Cincinnati, Ohio, and listening to him, I felt I was in the presence of hard-won wisdom.
In this conversation we explore:
- Why it felt important to spend the time together talking, and what we each needed to name in order to be able to be present
- How to ground into the present moment (a live practice rather than a theoretical explanation!)
- What it means to stay connected to ourselves whilst also unblending from the parts of ourselves that it isn't helpful to have 'in charge'
- Hope, community and the power of relationships that are worth repairing.
This is such a beautiful end to a series of conversatios that have stretched, inspired and affected me. I hope they've done the same for you.
Connect with Troy here:
On LinkedIn
On his website
On Instagram
Find out about The Hive here, including their online classes and courses
Meg Wheatley's work is here (her work is also in episode 3 with Helena Clayton)
As always, if you find this show valuable, please rate, review or share it with someone you know. You can reach me on theheardspace@gmail.com
When you think about your life - about the doors that opened, the ones that didn't, the opportunities you took and the ones that you didn't – how do you make sense of how and why those opportunities came your way?
When it comes to women "succeeding" in the workplace, and I use the term with speech marks deliberately, it's clear that organisations have a lot to learn and do differently. Women sit at just 12% of the boardrooms globallyand for women of colour, the picture is even bleaker, with just 5.7% of Fortune 500 seats in the US being held by women of colour.
Today's guest, Jane Sassienie, looked around her at the women who took up roles like this, alongside other senior leadership roles in organsiations, and asked one question: how did she get there? Through her research, conducted at Bridge Partnership in partnership with WeAreLeftfield, a design-thinking consultancy, Jane spent years exploring what enables women to thrive whilst staying true to who they are amidst a status quo that typically sets them up not to.
In today's conversation, we discuss:
- The thinking and experiences behind the research, including her frustration at being asked by organisations to teach women 'how to be more assertive'
- Jane's fascination with the idea of pre-menstrual ecstacy, and how this ultimately led her to thinking about women's experiences in the workplace
- Why being a women involves being in a process of continual change
- What organisations and leaders in them can do to create the conditions where women can thrive.
I really believe in the idea that a rising tide lifts all boats, and because of that, I think that this episode is for everyone, regardless of your sex or gender. If you have or have ever had a woman in your life (and let's face it, who hasn't!), then this is a must-listen.
Resources
Download How Did She Get There?
Find out more about Jane and WeAreLeftfield here
Connect wth Jane on LinkedIn
Find out more about the Bridge Institute's amazing systemic work here
The Deloitte study on women in boardrooms
Women of colour in the boardroom
If you find this show a helpful or stimulating listen, please rate or review in your podcast app. It really helps spread the word about the show. Email Elloa on theheardspace@gmail.com or connect with her on LinkedIn here
Have you ever wondered how differently your life might have unfolded if you had made different choices, had different mentors or influences, or been given a different type of support?
Our lives are mysterious things. They unfold, often in ways we cannot predict or imagine. Quoting the poet Tomas Tranströmer, Cheryl Strayed once wrote that “Every life ‘has a sister ship,’ one that follows ‘quite another route’ than the one we ended up taking. We want it to be otherwise, but it cannot be: the people we might have been live a different, phantom life than the people we are…” She goes on to say that we’ll never know about this sister life, full of all the things that could have been.
The trajectory our lives take, and the forces and factors that influence them, is the subject of this week’s conversation with the phenomenal Andrez Harriott. As the founder and CEO of The Liminality Group, Andrez’s work centres on changing the trajectory of the lives of children who are most at risk of becoming involved in criminality whilst working with those currently in the system. He is also a member of the British R&B band, Damage, who have sold over 2 million singles and albums worldwide.
This, quite frankly, is an unmissable episode. One that will make you think differently about how we perceive and make sense of children who offend and the responsibility we all have to support them to be able to make different choices.
In this episode, Andrez and Elloa discuss:
- The work of The Liminality Group, including why Andrez and his team take 10 boys to Scotland and the Lake District in a tour bus
- How his experience of being in Damage, a band that's sold 2 million singles and albums, influences his work with children at risk of criminality
- His experience of coming into this work with a 'hero mindset' and what changed for him
- What he sees as the primary task of the prison system
- How he contains the emotions this kind of work brings up, and how he practices and models self-care
- The degree to which he has hope.
Find out more about Andrez's work and The Liminality Group here:
Connect with Andrez on LinkedIn
The Liminality Group's website (currently under construction)
TLG on Instagram
Microscope Consultancy on Instagram
Brathay Lodge in The Lake District
Adverse Childhood Experiences - see here, for example
Enjoying The Heard Space? Please rate and review the show in your podcast/listening app of choice.
Email Elloa: theheardspace@gmail.com
Connect with Elloa on LinkedIn.
In a recent open mic performance, today's guest Paul Brown said, "I love to really connect with people. I understand that new kitchens are important... and it's good to share that, but I like to know what's really going on."
This episode of The Heard Space is about the journey of discovery about what's really going on when we turn our attention inwards to do the inner work. Paul's work as The Shamanic Coach is about supporting people (through a combination of coaching and mentoring) on a spiritual journey to navigate the physical world. He questions the labels of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ or 'negative' emotions, creating space for people to learn once again how to feel, honour and express what’s happening in the body.
Paul is wise, funny and down to earth, and this conversation explores:
- How he discovered that there's more to life than beer and football
- What led him to Vipassana meditation and why he's such a fan of something that he openly admits is hard
- His mindset and approach for connecting with emotions as a man
- What's behind our reluctance and fear of owning our skills and talents (the golden shadow)
- Why taking big action is the key to behavioural flexibility.
Plus, if you recognise a certain poem in the episode title, you'll be pleased to hear we have a reading of Rumi's one and only The Guest House.
Find our more about Paul, his work as the Shamanic Coach, and the forthcoming Twin Broski podcast here:
Paul's website: http://www.theshamaniccoach.com/ Marrron's open mic set The Twin Broski podcast on TikTok The Twin Broski podcast on Instagram And... here's Elloa's new book, Can I Give You Some Feedback? A Practical Guide on Giving and Receiving Better Feedback If you're enjoying The Heard Space, why not subscribe so you never miss an episode? We'd also love you to rate, review or share the show with someone you think would enjoy it. Reach out to Elloa anytime on theheardspace@gmail.com
There are times in life when our bodies, our minds and the events we experience bring us to our knees, changing the course our life is taking. Perhaps because of a loss or ending, perhaps because something inside us knows that we are living out of integrity, perhaps because of a new beginning. When those seasons come, we have a choice: we can bury our heads in the sand and push on, or we can surrender and allow ourselves to be changed and transformed.
Today's guest is Sarah Spencer, and in this conversation, she shares some of the experiences that brought her to the brink and beyond, to a season of reimagining who she is, what her work in the world would be, and what her life was going to become. This exploration led her to the work she does now, and to her compelling perspective on why we urgently need to reimagine how we need to be next, individually and collectively.
Sarah is passionate about people and wants to live in a world where we normalise conversations about mental health and wellbeing at work, to give people permission to not be okay and to show up to each other with more compassion, empathy and humanity.
In this conversation, host Elloa and Sarah explore:
- Why Sarah does not think of her role at work when asked, 'Who are you?'
- The experiences that led to her career and life changing course***
- Why we urgently need to reimagine what workplaces are, what they're for, and what every single one of us can do to bring more humanity into our organisations
- Whether there is more uncertainty in a post-lockdown world and how the new generation of people coming into the workforce are interrupting business as usual
- Why we need to be less hamster and more meerkat – and how to do it day-to-day
- The problem with busyness and the power of choice
- Self-sacrifice and burnout
- And why having better conversations and paying attention to the human condition are key to transforming organisations.
***Please note: we discuss failed IUI, IVF and adoption in this episode as well as workplace bullying. Take care of yourself if these are delicate subjects for you.
Sarah is the Leadership Development and Wellbeing Lead at WaterAid. Connect with her on LinkedIn here.
Resources
Gallup's global engagement stats
Quiet quitting
For support with infant loss, you may wish to reach out to Lighthouse Therapy Services (this is a personal recommendation by Elloa) or Fertility Network UK.
The Heard Space is hosted by Elloa Phoenix Barbour. Connect with Elloa on LinkedIn or email theheardspace@gmail.com. If you are enjoying the show, please share it with a friend!
"Periods are rubbish. No, really. Did you know that the average period uses 22 disposable sanitary products per period? And they all end up in landfill (or even worse, on our beaches)."
So starts the website for Wear 'Em Out, founded by this week's guest, Lauren Derrett. Wear 'Em Out manufactures reuseable, efficient and eco-friendly pads for when you period. They're made in the UK and are super stylish – and have been named a top eco-period brand by Stylist magazine.
Lauren is extremely honest, real and as far from preachy as you can get (*note: there's some swearing in this episode). She calls out the big names in the feminine/sanitary products industry in a way that might make you rethink the way you spend your money.
In this conversation, she and host Elloa get to grips with:
- The reality of founding and growing a business (I love Lauren's honesty and think you will too)
- Imposter syndrome and why so much of running a business is about mindset
- Being trolled
- The changing nature of social media
- Why Lauren decided to step back from being the face of her business
- Why women and people who period have been given a dud deal when it comes to period products
- The need to normalise conversations about periods and menopause
- The power of making tiny changes (in mindset and lifestyle choices)
- Being deliberately inclusive around language
Find out more about Lauren and Wear 'Em Out here:
The website
The Why
Lauren's LinkedIn
Lauren's headshots by Kika Mitchell Photography
Other resources
Lauren also mentions the following:
Filter Free - Real Life Stories by Real Life Women
Sally Beaton's Women with Sparkle
A look at carcinogens in 'feminine hygiene' products
Enjoying the show? Please rate and subscribe as it really helps spread the word. Connect with Elloa on LinkedIn or over at her website.
Is there a business case for love? Does love need to be productised or deliver an ROI in order to be valued in the world of work? And what exactly does love mean in today's complex, fragmented world?
These are just some of the questions this week's guest, Helena Clayton, explores with host Elloa Barbour. Helena is a highly experienced coach, facilitator and consultant specialising in leadership development to help people and organisations change and grow. She works with various approaches including systems mapping, shadow work and a focus on love.
In this episode, Helena and Elloa discuss:
- Helena’s career story
- What successful consulting depends on
- The origin story for Helena’s research and work on love
- The ups and downs of the creative process
- What love looks like in the world today
- How can love be useful for this really complex, messy time
- How a significant loss influenced her work
- What is means to work in a systemic way
- What systemic constellations involve and why they’re useful (they're so good - check them out!)
Find out more about Helena and her work here:
https://helenaclayton.co.uk/
Leadership and love: the future of the heart of work
Helena's podcast, Leading from Love
Connect with Helena on LinkedIn or Twitter
In this episode, Helena references:
Debra Meyerson's work on tempered radicals
Steve Hearsum – the Trojan Mouse
Joanna Macy’s work on active hope
Margaret Wheatley
Jem Bendell – deep adaptation
Bert Hellinger's Systemic Constellations
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Find Elloa on LinkedIn, on her website, or email her at theheardspace@gmail.com
Human beings – and the organisations we work in – can be perplexing. Things happen on a regular basis that make us go, ‘Really?!’ , alongside the projects and milestones we feel proud of. Today’s guest, Gabriella Braun, sees that this is because we do not leave parts of ourselves behind when we go to work. We bring all that we are.
In this episode, Elloa speaks with Gabriella Braun, Director of Working Well, a consultancy to organisations, and the author of ‘All That We Are: Uncovering the hidden truths behind our behaviour at work.’ This is a conversation for leaders and managers, as well as anyone coaching or consulting to organisations.
The conversation explores:
- Seeing emotions as a source of information in the workplace
- Why knowing yourself well enough is vital to being helpful as a leader, consultant or coach
- What it means to work with the unconscious
- Her book, ‘All That We Are’
- How we can put up collective barriers and barricades
- Difference and diversity
- The story of the incredible West-Eastern Divan Orchestra
- The extent to which Gabriella has hope.
Find out more about Gabriella here:
Working Well, Gabriella’s consultancy practice
All That We Are – a must-read for consultants, coaches and leaders everywhere
Gabriella’s LinkedIn profile
This conversation was recorded in Autumn 2022. Headshot of Gabriella by Donna Ford.
Have questions or thoughts about The Heard Space? Email Elloa on theheardspace@gmail.com
You can also connect with Elloa on LinkedIn.
Have you ever looked at people doing humanitarian work and wondered, 'How do they do it?' It's no secret that to work in the aid sector is to become immersed in some of the most confronting, difficult situations that people find themselves in around the world.
In this episode, host Elloa speaks to Dr Gemma Houldey, a facilitator and wellbeing advisor in the aid sector, and author of 'The Vulnerable Humanitarian: Ending Burnout in the Aid Sector'.
The conversation explores:
- Burnout and recovery: why they're so prevalent, why there isn't one definition of burnout, and what organisations need to think about to better support their people
- Some of Gemma's experiences of living and working in northern Uganda and Palestine
- Why radical culture change is needed if we're going to create genuinely inclusive organisations
- How to challenge the systems we live and work in so they work for everyone, not just the few
- The role of collective reflection, space, silence and other keys to creating a regenerative culture.
Gemma offers various services, including a book circle to explore the themes in The Vulnerable Humanitarian, staff care strategy development, one-to-one mentoring and group coaching. Find out more about Gemma here:
Buy The Vulnerable Humanitarian here
https://gemmahouldey.com/
The book circle
Gemma's LinkedIn profile
This conversation was recorded in autumn 2022.
Have questions or thoughts about The Heard Space? Email Elloa on theheardspace@gmail.com or head to epbconsulting.co.uk
Connect with Elloa on LinkedIn.
Welcome to The Heard Space, the show where we create space for the conversations, ideas and voices that deserve and need more airtime – conversations about leadership and love, about working with trauma and death, about the realities of running your own business, and about what it means to be human in such chaotic and uncertain times. Many times, these stories and experiences go unheard, and if we're going to find a way forward, it's vital that we understand where we are.
Join host Elloa in the inaugural episode as she shares where the idea for this show came from, why it has a slightly strange name, and what you can expect.
Connect with Elloa on LinkedIn or over at her website.