The Essence of Teamwork, with Nick Pope

In this episode of the Interbeing podcast, Naomi and Kyra are joined by Nick Pope, a speaker, facilitator, and coach with extensive experience working with executive teams globally. Nick shares insights from his new book 'Are You a Team or a Meeting?' discussing themes of teamwork, prioritisation, and the significance of purpose in teams. He provides valuable advice on transforming meetings into effective teams, emphasising the importance of humanity, cultural diversity, and shared purpose. The discussion also touches on overcoming challenges like exhaustion, the desire to be 'right,' and making space for genuine, productive collaboration.

00:00 Welcome to Interbeing
02:01 Introducing Our Guest: Nick Pope
07:04 Challenges Teams Face: Exhaustion and ‘Rightitis’
15:19 The Importance of Team Purpose
19:05 Practical Tips for School Leaders
26:52 Creating a Culture of Dialogue and Decision-Making
27:34 Managing Team Turnover and Long-Term Purpose
29:52 The Impact of Cultural Diversity on Team Performance
37:46 Addressing Lone Wolf Syndrome in Teams
38:37 The Role of Leaders in Shaping Team Culture
44:18 Final Thoughts and Reflections on Team Dynamics

Nick Pope’s expertise bridges the space between science and practice. As a scientist, his academic research focuses on the six conditions which create high performing executive teams. As a practitioner, for over two decades he has developed global leaders for some of the world’s most dynamic organisations, including Unilever, Nike, AstraZeneca, Lloyds, Rio Tinto, and Gucci. Engaging, pragmatic, and highly adaptable to the needs of a group, Nick is able to draw from his extensive expertise of working with over 1,000 teams in more than 50 countries from 15 different sectors. He is also visiting faculty on several international leadership programmes, and a sought after executive coach.
His forthcoming book “Are you a Team or a Meeting?” will be published by The Economist in Spring 2026.

Nick is based in Sydney with his wife and children. A keen adventurer, he loves exploring wild new places, especially ancient forests and mountains. He also loves music and is a drummer and DJ. Nick is determined to make the most of life and has gained a deep sense of perspective having lost a number of close friends and family members early in life. He is a founder and trustee of the HKM Foundation, a registered charity that provides music therapy for terminally ill children.

You can find us on Linkedin at
Matt Hall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-hall-msb/
Naomi Ward: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-ward-098a1535/

Interbeing is made by Making Stuff Better https://makingstuffbetter.com/ and produced by Emily Crosby Media https://emilycrosbymedia.com/