In this episode of Work’s Not Working… Let’s Fix It!, Siân Harrington sits down with Steven D’Souza – award-winning educator, executive coach and senior partner at Korn Ferry – to explore a question few leaders dare to ask: what if the problem isn’t our systems or strategies… but ourselves?

Because as Steven explains, every leader carries a “shadow” – the unseen habits, fears and defences that quietly shape decisions, relationships and culture. When ignored, these shadows can derail even the smartest leaders. When understood, they can become a source of wisdom, empathy and real change.

Drawing on psychology, biology, culture and meaning, Steven reveals how our past shows up in the present – from childhood messages that still drive our behaviour, to toxic corporate patterns that reward overconfidence and silence feedback.

Together, we unpack:

• Why strength under stress so often becomes a weakness in disguise
• How organisational cultures create their own “blind spots” and ethical drift
• What leaders can do to confront their shadow and build healthier, more human workplaces.

Key Takeaways

• Every leader has a shadow – the part they suppress or deny – and it always shows up at work.
• Most derailment isn’t about incompetence but about unexamined patterns under stress.
• Toxic culture thrives when leaders reward results and ignore behaviour.
• Emotional literacy, self-awareness and courage to receive feedback are core leadership skills.
• The future of leadership isn’t perfection – it’s wholeness: knowing both your shadow and your light.

Whether you’re a CEO, manager or HR leader this episode will change how you think about leadership maturity and what it really means to be whole at work.

Interested in insights about people leadership, HR and the future of work?
Seize and shape the future of work with The People Space, a leading digital HR magazine for forward-thinking leaders. We empower you to put people at the heart of work, navigating the evolving intersection of technology, business and human insight. Join us in building a future where people and machines collaborate for a more human-centric workplace

• Sign up for our free fortnightly newsletter on the future of work, human-centric organisations and people-first leadership
• Follow Siân on LinkedIn
• Are you an HR professional seeking to raise your profile or thinking of becoming an independent consultant? I can help!
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In this episode of Work’s Not Working… Let’s Fix It!, Siân Harrington sits down with Michael Moran, founder of 10Eighty, career coach, former CEO and author of Going Portfolio, to explore why the ‘job for life’ is over and what comes next.

Michael argues that clinging to one job as a source of security is no longer realistic and may even put us at risk. Instead, the future of work is portfolio: combining paid projects, community contribution and personal time to build freedom, purpose and resilience.

From redundancy to burnout, from generative AI to cost-of-living pressures, more of us are working in multiple ways to make careers add up. And yet most organisations remain slow to adapt, risking talent, innovation and wellbeing.

In this candid and practical episode Michael shares:

• Why job security is a myth today and how real security comes from designing your own path
• How portfolio careers are reshaping wellbeing, purpose and engagement at every stage of life
• The three practical steps you can take now to start building a sustainable multi-strand career.

Whether you’re an HR leader rethinking talent models, a manager considering your next move, or simply someone who feels one job isn’t giving you enough this episode will spark new thinking about what work can be.

💡 Key Takeaways

• The ‘job for life’ is gone. Portfolio careers are the rising alternative.
• Employers who ignore this trend risk losing top talent, innovation and agility.
• Security today comes from skills, networks and self-investment.
• Portfolio work can boost wellbeing but only with planning and discipline.
• Three essentials: plan ahead, invest in yourself and build your network.

Interested in insights about people leadership, HR and the future of work?
Seize and shape the future of work with The People Space, a leading digital HR magazine for forward-thinking leaders. We empower you to put people at the heart of work, navigating the evolving intersection of technology, business and human insight. Join us in building a future where people and machines collaborate for a more human-centric workplace

• Sign up for our free fortnightly newsletter on the future of work, human-centric organisations and people-first leadership
• Follow Siân on LinkedIn
• Are you an HR professional seeking to raise your profile or thinking of becoming an independent consultant? I can help!
• HR vendor or consultant? Check out how I can help you reach senior HR leaders
• Follow The People Space on Facebook

In this episode of Work’s Not Working… Let’s Fix It!, Siân Harrington sits down with Farley Thomas, former global MD at HSBC, CEO coach and co-founder of leadership edtech firm Manageable, to flip the script on leadership.

What if the biggest lever for performance isn’t the CEO’s vision but the team manager’s next conversation?

Farley argues that while organisations obsess over strategy, status and C-suite charisma, they’re missing what really drives culture, engagement and results: everyday conversations. intentional, human dialogue.

In this refreshingly honest and practical episode Farley shares:

• Why “fetishising” top leaders blinds us to where the real action happens
• How undertrained managers quietly shape, or sabotage, engagement
• Why conversations are culture and how to make them count
• And how his five-part CLICK framework helps turn accidental managers into confident conversation leaders

Whether you’re a burned-out middle manager, a CEO wondering why change isn’t sticking or an HR leader tired of empty engagement plans this one will shift your lens and spark some powerful new thinking.

Key Takeaways

• Most performance doesn’t come from the top. It comes from how line managers lead daily conversations.
• The “fetishisation” of the C-suite is part of the problem. Status isn’t the same as influence.
• 80% of first-time managers get no training. This is not just a gap but a performance risk.
• Culture is just a series of conversations. It’s all about how people talk at work.
• The CLICK model is a simple but powerful tool: Connect, Landscape, Insight, Challenge, Key points.
• Exploration and curiosity are the missing muscles. Most managers jump to answers rather than better questions.
• Blanket mandates don’t fix hybrid work. The fix lies in team-level agency and better conversations.
• Conversations are becoming harder and more vital. In a world of Slack, AI and burnout the human touch matters more than ever.
• Packed with stories, practical tools and research-backed insights. A must-listen for people leaders at every level.

Interested in insights about people leadership, HR and the future of work?
Seize and shape the future of work with The People Space, a leading digital HR magazine for forward-thinking leaders. We empower you to put people at the heart of work, navigating the evolving intersection of technology, business and human insight. Join us in building a future where people and machines collaborate for a more human-centric workplace

• Sign up for our free fortnightly newsletter on the future of work, human-centric organisations and people-first leadership
• Follow Siân on LinkedIn
• Are you an HR professional seeking to raise your profile or thinking of becoming an independent consultant? I can help!
• HR vendor or consultant? Check out how I can help you reach senior HR leaders
• Follow The People Space on Facebook