Welcome to the season finale of The PIVOT Leadership Podcast’s first season – and what a journey it’s been to get here!

We’ve been exploring the nuances of leadership, the science behind it, and how the pillars of PIVOT can transform workplaces. In this episode, I’m going to revisit key moments from past episodes and celebrate the brilliant guests who shared their insights and wisdom.

I’ll also be chatting about the exciting celebrations we’ll be having as my business, Choose to Grow, goes into its tenth year. There’s a lot of things planned for next year, so keep an eye out for ways in which you can be involved and learn more about PIVOT leadership.

To wrap up the season, I’ll give you ten actionable tips you can take into 2025 to enhance your leadership skills.

Thank you for your awesome support, stay tuned for season 2 – it's going to be even bigger!

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-j-chandler-ctg/

Instagram: @pivotleadershipwithemma

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PIVOTwithCTG

Choose to Grow: https://www.choosetogrow.co.uk/

Find out your PIVOT score: https://learntopivot.scoreapp.com/

What is performance management and why is it important?

In this episode, I’m joined by Louise Kennedy. Louise is the owner and director of the multi-award winning North East HR Consultancy Oculus HR.

The Sunderland-based organisation provides tailored HR solutions for many of the region’s most reputable brands, across all sizes and sectors, giving enterprises the confidence to manage their people. Established in 2013, Oculus HR offers companies a range of services including outsourced HR support and training.

Tune in to find out how performance management can enhance team productivity, engagement, and success. Louise also shares experiences of when performance management has helped employees optimise their performance and gives practical tips and tricks on how you can implement better performance management into your organisation.

Connect with Louise:

Oculus HR: https://oculus-hr.co.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-thompson-4935795/

Podcast: https://oculus-hr.co.uk/podcasts/

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-j-chandler-ctg/

Instagram: @pivotleadershipwithemma

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PIVOTwithCTG

Choose to Grow: https://www.choosetogrow.co.uk/

Find out your PIVOT score: https://learntopivot.scoreapp.com/

How do we build an engaged and inclusive workforce?

On this episode, I’ve invited Craig Thompson, founder of Vibrant, to chat about his holistic approach to maximising employee engagement and how inclusivity supports an engaged workforce. Craig founded Vibrant in 2015 to address the frustrations and challenges of the modern workplace. With experience across industries, roles, and four countries, Craig witnessed broken systems within workplaces that affected both employees and employers.

He believes work can be a force for good, benefiting businesses through stronger performance, retention, and profitability, while providing employees with stability, connection, confidence, and purpose. Through Vibrant, Craig is dedicated to creating better work experiences that drive success for companies and fulfillment for individuals.

We cover the reasons that Craig created Vibrant, the journey he went on to get to where he is now, what he believes is key to building an engaged workforce, and what leaders need to look out for to ensure they're nurturing a committed and focused team.

Connect with Craig:

Vibrant Talent: https://vibranttalent.co.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-thompson-4935795/

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-j-chandler-ctg/

Instagram: @pivotleadershipwithemma

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PIVOTwithCTG

Choose to Grow: https://www.choosetogrow.co.uk/

Find out your PIVOT score: https://learntopivot.scoreapp.com/

How can line managers build trust with women in their workplace?

25% of women experience domestic abuse at some point in their lives. I’ve invited Natalie Collins onto the podcast to chat about what we can do in the workforce to recognise this, and how leaders can build trust with the women in their team so that they feel comfortable to seek help.

Natalie is a gender justice specialist, speaker, and author dedicated to addressing issues of gender inequality, domestic abuse, and power dynamics. With over a decade of experience, she has developed programs like the Own My Life Course, empowering women affected by abuse, and has consulted with organisations on creating safer, more equitable environments. Through her work, Natalie aims to create better understanding and inspire change for a more just and inclusive society.

In this episode, we discuss Natalie’s work, and why it is so important at every level. We’ll also discuss how leaders can build trust with the women in their workplace to ensure they feel safe, and how corporates can use Natalie’s training in different ways to empower women.

Connect with Natalie:

Own my Life: https://www.ownmylifecourse.org/

Website: https://www.nataliecollins.info/

Abuse is a Verb Book: https://www.ownmylifecourse.org/product-page/abuse-is-a-verb-paperback

Out of Control Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Control-Couples-Conflict-Capacity/dp/0281078904

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-j-chandler-ctg/

Instagram: @pivotleadershipwithemma

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PIVOTwithCTG

Choose to Grow: https://www.choosetogrow.co.uk/

Find out your PIVOT score: https://learntopivot.scoreapp.com/

How do we address men’s mental health and make sure men are optimised in the workplace?

In this episode, I’m joined by Andrew Pain. Andrew is a TEDx and CPD accredited, mental health/wellbeing speaker, serving diverse organisations, from Specsavers to Lidl, University of Liverpool to The Coal Authority etc. He's a podcaster whose podcast, 'Men on Show', celebrates the stories and work of every-day male heroes in order to inspire the next generation of men. He's also an award-winning campaigner for men and boys, leading in his work on burnout, men's mental health and community building.

Together, we’ll discuss the crucial work Andrew does within organisations to support men’s mental health and how to optimise their potential in the workplace. He’ll share the journey that brought him into this work, his insights into what truly supports men’s wellbeing, and his strategies for creating a more supportive environment.

Tune in as Andrew challenges common misconceptions about men’s mental health, sheds light on the “testosterone crisis,” and explores a holistic approach to mental wellbeing for men.

Connect with Andrew:

Website: https://www.andrewpain.co.uk/

Podcast: https://www.andrewpain.co.uk/podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewpain/

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-j-chandler-ctg/

Instagram: @pivotleadershipwithemma

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PIVOTwithCTG

Choose to Grow: https://www.choosetogrow.co.uk/

Find out your PIVOT score: https://learntopivot.scoreapp.com/

How can leaders welcome and thrive with neurodiversiy in the workplace?

In this episode, I’m joined by Hayley Brackley. Hayley is a neurodiversity coach, trainer, and keynote speaker on a mission to transform workplaces through neuroinclusion. Diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia 22 years ago, and recently discovering she is autistic, her lived experience drives her passion at Great Minds Don't.

Hayley empowers neurodivergent individuals, delivers impactful training for teams and leaders, and shares her story to promote understanding and inclusion. Her work includes coaching, awareness training, and upskilling managers to create workplaces where everyone can thrive, regardless of how their brain works.

Tune in to find out more about how neurodiversity can affect people in the workplace and what leaders and colleagues can do to ensure that everyone can work in an optimal way and feel safe at work.

Connect with Hayley:

Website: https://www.greatmindsdont.co.uk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayley-brackley/

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-j-chandler-ctg/

Instagram: @pivotleadershipwithemma

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PIVOTwithCTG

Choose to Grow: https://www.choosetogrow.co.uk/

Find out your PIVOT score: https://learntopivot.scoreapp.com/

How can we optimise our teams when they’re going through difficult personal times?

I’ve invited Hannah Harvey onto the podcast to discuss how to support people going through divorce in the workplace. The UK divorce rate reveals that approximately 42% of marriages end in divorce, which makes up a huge amount of our workforce. But how should we, as leaders and colleagues, ensure that people’s work is still optimised during this time?

Hannah Harvey is an author, experienced Mentor, Yoga Instructor, and Podcast Host of ‘Happily Ever After,’ addressing issues from addiction to mental health. Previously, Hannah created content for major brands through her 'Mums Days' blog, including John Lewis, Tesco, and Argos.

In her book, How to Divorce Sober, she not only talks about managing the emotional and practical aspects of divorce, but also how to approach it in a healthy and mindful way. In this episode, we'll explore how leaders can better support employees going through divorce and create a resilient and compassionate workplace. Hannah will be sharing her top tips on what leaders can do to help optimise team members during what is a really difficult time for people to go through.

Connect with Hannah:

Website: https://www.hannahharvey.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahharveyuk?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Divorce-Sober-Hannah-Harvey/dp/1399996053

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-j-chandler-ctg/

Instagram: @pivotleadershipwithemma

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PIVOTwithCTG

Choose to Grow: https://www.choosetogrow.co.uk/

Find out your PIVOT score: https://learntopivot.scoreapp.com/

Why is trust crucial in leadership?

Miranda Jenkins joins me in this episode to chat about how to build and maintain trust in the ever-evolving work environment. Miranda began her career working in retail and was soon leading teams and heavily immersed in operational management roles. Discovering how to optimise performance and recognising her passion for developing people so that they can reach their potential led her to make a sideways career move to start her first training business at 29; Skills to Go.

Since that time, Skills to Go has evolved to become a well-established and respected provider of skills solutions for organisations in this country and beyond. Miranda’s work has seen her supporting business start-ups, designing and delivering engaging programmes of development for leaders and managers as well as using the latest findings from neuroscience to coach individuals through challenges or transitions.

In this episode, Miranda shares her insights on why trust is foundational to effective leadership and why it's more important than ever right now. We’ll delve into innovative, neuroscience-based strategies that Miranda uses to build trust, leadership engagement, and team wellbeing and discover why it’s so important to lead with your head, heart and gut.

Connect with Miranda:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirandajenkins/

Website: https://www.skillstogo.co.uk/

Connect with me:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-j-chandler-ctg/

Instagram: @pivotleadershipwithemma

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PIVOTwithCTG

Choose to Grow: https://www.choosetogrow.co.uk/

Find out your PIVOT score: https://learntopivot.scoreapp.com/

References:

Frances Frei, Begin with Trust (The Trust Triangle) - https://hbr.org/2020/05/begin-with-trust

BANI - https://www.impactinternational.com/insights/bani-what-it-and-how-can-it-help-us

MBit book - mbraining.com