Fur-Lined Ruts and the Freedom to Fail: Richard Cooper on Leadership that Liberates

In this candid and insightful episode of our Ordinary Extraordinary Leaders podcast, Mike Hickman, Leadership and Development Training Manager at Community First Yorkshire, sits down with Richard Cooper, Chief Executive of the Harrogate Homeless Project and long-time leadership steering group member. Richard unpacks a leadership philosophy that embraces accountability, encourages failure as fuel for growth, and challenges hierarchical decision-making.

Together, they explore how to create a culture of courageous responsibility, and why sometimes the kindest act is nudging someone out of a comfortable “fur-lined rut.” Listeners will walk away with practical strategies - from transforming one-to-ones into empowering development conversations, to fostering collective ownership of organisational contracts and change.