Imagine your business is weeks from collapse. You sit down for a crisis meeting with your team, anxious about the future.

That’s what happened to my guest on this week’s Fearless Forward podcast, Think Productive founder Graham Allcott, when Covid wiped out most of the company’s face-to-face work.

And with one simple question his MD Elena Kerrigan changed everything:

“What’s going well right now?” she asked.

Graham’s initial inner response, he admits, was far from polite.

Yet from that small ritual came an idea that saved the business. They realised they’d all been working from home for years. They already had what people needed.

Graham calls it a tiny act of kindness. And his latest book Kind is the one he wants to be remembered for. He believes that kindness is how good work gets done.

The research he gathered for the book supports his belief. Kindness builds empathy, empathy builds trust, and trust creates psychological safety: in Amy Edmondson’s terms, the sense that “it’s safe to take an interpersonal risk”.

So why is kindness not more mainstream?

Three ideas from our conversation have stayed with me:

1. Busyness is the biggest source of accidental unkindness. When we feel there isn’t enough time, money or energy, a friend, colleague, or family member who needs a few minutes of our attention becomes an interruption. Graham calls this a scarcity mindset, and he sees it as rooted in fear.
2. There are no kind people, only kind acts. Kindness is less a character trait, and more a practice. The good thing is that practices can be learned.
3. Leaders can build vessels for kindness. At Think Productive, a bowl of toy giraffes sits on the meeting table. When someone sticks their neck out, a colleague hands them one.

And a personal reflection from me: Graham can’t remember which colleague spotted the idea that saved his business, but he does remember how the meeting began.

That’s the quiet power of kindness. It may not look like the thing that made the difference, yet it’s often what made the difference possible.

Highlights:

• [00:00:29] Introduction to Graham Allcott
• [00:01:39] Kindness as Productivity's Rocket Fuel
• [00:03:32] The Science Behind Kindness
• [00:04:52] Google's Study on Team Success
• [00:06:46] Defining Psychological Safety
• [00:09:33] Fostering Psychological Safety in Meetings
• [00:13:36] The Giraffe Symbol
• [00:15:54] Kindness Starts With You
• [00:18:52] Fear, Scarcity, and Abundance
• [00:22:16] Graham's Personal Motivation
• [00:23:37] The Gift of Interdependence
• [00:26:42] Overcoming Fear with Kindness
• [00:30:42] Kindness as a Conscious Practice
• [00:34:42] Graham's Biggest Fear
• [00:36:57] Lessons from a Crisis
• [00:40:58] The Meaning of "Fearless Forward"
• [00:43:19] Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Links:

• Think Productive (website)
• Graham Allcott (website)
• Graham on LinkedIn

"Death involves everyone," says Ivor Williams. “Design accordingly.”

This line from my conversation with this week’s Fearless Forward guest sums up his life’s work.

Many wisdom traditions and indigenous cultures treat awareness of mortality as a way into deeper consciousness. In the West, we tend to do the opposite: often pushing the subject away until it becomes urgent. But by that time it may be too late to do and say things that really matter.

Ivor is a death care design consultant offering us a different way of looking at our own mortality. As he sees it, mortality awareness is a uniquely human trait which can sharpen our appreciation of life and help us live with more intention and joy.

His own path to this work was far from linear. After art college, he spent ten years on a wide range of design projects and won multiple awards. Then a year-long residency for young creatives at a design research centre in Italy changed the direction of his career.

Working on experimental projects about death and dying, he found his vocation. He went on to found one of the first design studios dedicated to rethinking how we experience the end of life.

In the twelve years since, his work has included long-term projects with hospices and co-founding Humane Engineering, a tech-for-good mental health start-up. Its app, Cove, was one of the first available on the UK’s National Health Service and has been used worldwide.

But our conversation, as you might expect, is less about his achievements and more about the person behind them. We talk about how Ivor’s own life has shaped his work, and what led him to create Mortals, an online community and group programme.

Facing mortality alone can feel overwhelming. Mortals offers a safe space to explore it together, as a way of living more fully.

If you’re curious to learn more about this enlivening perspective on death, I’d encourage you to listen in.

Highlights:

• [00:00:16] Introduction to Ivor Williams
• [00:02:14] Mortality Awareness and Joyful Living
• [00:03:58] The "Mortals" Program
• [00:06:40] The Vividness of Life Near Death
• [00:07:50] Ivor's Journey and Upbringing
• [00:09:58] Early Experiences with Loss
• [00:12:48] Turning Towards Grief
• [00:13:57] The Aftermath of a Friend's Death
• [00:17:41] Following Feelings and Intuition
• [00:21:25] Designing for Palliative Care
• [00:25:26] The Power of Group Work
• [00:27:26] Leaving Nothing on the Table
• [00:29:14] Intergenerational Trauma and Family History
• [00:33:20] The Concept of "Living Practice"
• [00:36:24] Self-Care and Finding Rejuvenation
• [00:38:45] What "Fearless Forward" Means
• [00:39:58] Episode Outro and Reflection

Links:

• Mortals Community
• Ivor on LinkedIn

Imagine a nine-year old girl writing and directing her first play. Even at this young age, she has a natural inclination to lead.

An extrovert, she’s also highly sensitive. And this trait, while often misunderstood by others, becomes a cornerstone of her self-awareness. Over time, her hypersensitivity becomes a guide to what feels right for her.

The little girl grows into a remarkable woman whose career journey crosses continents and industries, and takes her from her native Nigeria to a new home in Scotland - via a series of bold reinventions: entrepreneur, strategic marketing consultant, author, certified coach, inspirational speaker, and now Chancellor of the University of the West of Scotland and CEO of Somebody Cares Scotland.

This is the brief history of the amazing Dr Yekemi Otaru - my guest on this week’s Fearless Forward podcast.

How she came to be the CEO of Somebody Cares Scotland — an award-winning charity that alleviates hardship by providing free food, furniture and essential household items to people moving into empty homes — is itself an extraordinary story.

Serendipity brought her to the role. Self-trust propels her forward.

For Yekemi, self-trust is built through experience, reflection, and the courage to recognise fear — without letting it stop you from doing what you really want to.

“It’s about trusting that you can adapt, learn, and find your way — even when the path is unclear.”

She listens to others carefully and asks for input; but may still make a decision not everyone likes.

Because in leadership and in life, self-trust is about ceasing to defer to other people’s opinions, and instead paying attention to what feels true to you and what drains you; to where you’re just performing and where you’re actually in flow.

To be the leader, parent, partner, friend you want to be, self-trust is essential.

As you step into your day, take a moment to ask yourself:

• Where might I be allowing my choices to be shaped by other people’s wishes?
• Am I giving myself permission to explore the paths that align with what I truly want and need?

Highlights:

• [00:00:19] Introduction to Dr. Yekemi Otaru
• [00:02:30] Who Are You?
• [00:07:04] The Journey of Self-Understanding
• [00:11:29] Self-Trust in Leadership
• [00:17:20] A Leader's Evolving Approach
• [00:22:45] A New Chapter in the Third Sector
• [00:28:15] The Work of Somebody Cares
• [00:34:27] Expanding the Charity's Impact
• [00:37:15] A Key Career Lesson: Overcoming Fear
• [00:41:02] What Fearless Forward Means
• [00:42:42] Episode Wrap-up

Links

• Somebody Cares Scotland
• Dr. Yekemi Otaru on Wikipedia
• Dr. Yekemi Otaru on LinkedIn

Fear fascinates me. It’s ever-present, but rarely obvious. It’s behind every knee-jerk reaction to a stressful event. And, ultimately, it’s what makes us human.

So I particularly enjoyed recording this week’s episode of the Fearless Forward podcast with author and productivity expert Grace Marshall.

Our conversation centres on the hidden force she calls high functioning fear. We explore how fear often masquerades as relentless busyness, overstretching, or people-pleasing - especially among high achievers.

Grace shares practical ways to notice and name these patterns. Here are two:

1. Curiosity is key. Pausing, noticing what you’re feeling and asking “What’s really going on?” What is this feeling (of frustration, disappointment, anxiety etc.) telling me? You can’t make the feeling go away. But by consciously recognising what’s really going on, you open your mind to possibility and connection, especially in stressful moments.

2. Not all struggle needs fixing. Instead of looking for the “light at the end of the tunnel”, better to be more present in the tunnel and shine a light on the hidden treasure it may hold. In other words, the very struggle you’re experiencing might be concealing helpful clues to what you really need.

At the end of the episode I asked Grace the question I put to all my podcast guests: “What does Fearless Forward mean to you?” Here’s her reply:

If fear can hide inside apparent competence, then a lot of what we reward in working life may not always be as healthy as it looks.

Performance and visible results matter, but so does genuine wellbeing. Without the latter, the former is not sustainable.

Where might fear be showing up in your work or life? And how could you reframe your relationship with it?

Listen to this episode for some powerful insights.

Highlights:

[00:00:21] Explaining high-functioning fear
[00:05:51] Flight and freeze responses explained
[00:08:06] Finding power in stillness
[00:12:04] Understanding the role of fear
[00:15:59] Recognising and managing fear response
[00:17:51] Discovering high-functioning fear
[00:20:55] Handling adult tantrums with care
[00:23:51] Naming emotions for presence
[00:28:24] Quick, handy time management tips
[00:33:38] Rethinking Struggles as Growth
[00:34:47] Finding growth in struggle
[00:41:26] Understanding fear and alternative stories
[00:44:03] Seeing struggle as a catalyst
[00:48:44] Setting up a live demonstration
[00:49:36] Event mix-up with client
[00:55:04] Embracing ongoing growth mindset
[00:57:05] Recognising hidden fear at work

Links:

• Grace Marshall's website
• Grace Marshall on LinkedIn

If the life you’ve built for yourself falls apart, no amount of discipline or achievement or ‘pushing on through’ can save it.

You’re in a moment of truth. What’s needed is for you to face the fact that the only way out of this is in.

In other words, resolution cannot be found by changing your external situation, but by turning your focus inward to explore your own self.

Daily Telegraph Business Leader of the Year Award winner and former CEO Ray Martin learnt all this the hard way. In a short space of time his marriage ended, he lost his business partner, and his father became ill and died.

In our conversation on this week’s Fearless Forward podcast Ray describes how he felt.

“Within three or four months, everything that I knew to be my life, that gave it the shape and identity and form it had, just disappeared. I was the most lost and broken I'd ever been.”

We explore how a 6-month sabbatical became a 14-year journey through 28 countries: a quest to find out what living his life true to himself - and not as others expected him to - might look and feel like.

“Ray the businessman is the character I've been playing. It's not me.“

He became a blogger, a meditator, a coach, a marathon runner, and a charity fundraiser. But the biggest personal shift came through meditation.

Consistent practice gave him space to notice his thoughts, his habits, his fears, and to understand how they’d been driving his choices. He became more intentional and built stronger connections with the people and things that truly mattered to him.

If you’re curious about what it really means to live and lead with freedom - to be, as Ray puts it, "the source of your own creation" - listen in here.

And perhaps ask yourself this: where in my own life might I be performing a version of myself that it’s time to let go of?

This episode will help you:

• Shift from an "outside-in" perspective to an "inside-out" mindset by recognising your personal agency over how you respond to life's external events.
• Break away from living an "off-the-shelf" life dictated by societal expectations and realign your daily choices with your authentic values.
• Cultivate greater self-awareness through mindfulness to observe the mind's patterns, break cycles of constant craving, and drive your happiness from within.

Highlights:

• [00:00:22] Introduction to Ray Martin
• [00:02:11] You Are the Source of Your Own Creation
• [00:04:35] The Pivotal Moment of Suffering
• [00:06:13] The First Vipassana Meditation Retreat
• [00:08:46] Taking Responsibility for Your Thinking
• [00:10:02] Living an "Off the Shelf" Life Story
• [00:12:09] The Austere Experience of the Retreat
• [00:17:10] A Unique Visa Dilemma
• [00:19:34] Finding a Community in Chiang Mai
• [00:24:23] Bringing Mindfulness to the Business World
• [00:28:12] From Getting to Giving
• [00:29:26] Running the New York Marathon
• [00:32:38] Creating a Foundation
• [00:33:56] Returning to the Business World
• [00:35:16] Asking the Universe for Help
• [00:42:40] When the Universe Responds Unexpectedly
• [00:50:14] Letting Go of a Character
• [00:52:57] What "Fearless Forward" Means to Ray

Links:

• Ray's LinkedIn
• Ray's book and website

We’re all afraid of something. But what if we let our fear guide us to what really matters?

When we take the time to understand the source of the fear, we can also tune into what it’s asking of us.

A fear of loss might be telling us to appreciate our friends and loved-ones. A fear of loneliness in old age might be encouraging us to cultivate closer connections now. A fear of change might be pointing to a need for more adventure in our life.

And a fear of regret? For my guest on this week’s Fearless Forward podcast, Happy Startup School co-founder Laurence McCahill, that fear is a driving force.

For Laurence, the very thought of wasting talent, an idea, a dream, or a relationship - drives him to do the opposite.

In my conversation with Laurence, I explore where all this comes from. The early-life and intergenerational influences that have guided his purpose and direction. Living most of those years above a pub - various pubs - in North London. And his father’s struggles with alcoholism.

Laurence grew up in a world full of warmth, music and belonging – and with conflict and addiction. The former helped him navigate the latter, and they still do.

Looking back on his relationship with his father, he’s taking forward not a polished lesson, but a practice of noticing what he’s inherited, keeping what feels true, and trying not to pass on what caused harm.

All this and more has informed Laurence’s need to build community - through the Happy Startup School he co-founded 14 years ago with his childhood friend Carlos Saba. Together they create spaces where people can feel more at home, be themselves, and be curious and open-minded.

If you’re looking for a story that’s inspiring and deeply human, I hope you'll give this episode a listen.

This episode will help you:

• Hear how to prioritise long-term happiness, purpose, and genuine human connection over traditional corporate metrics when building a meaningful business.
• Discover how to create safe, human-centric environments that foster authentic relationships, trust, and organic collaboration among like-minded leaders.
• Learn to cultivate self-acceptance and trust in your own value so you can lead authentically without trying to fit into rigid industry expectations.

Highlights:

• [00:00:34] Introducing Laurence McCahill
• [00:01:55] Growing Up in a Pub
• [00:03:52] Navigating Conflict and a Father's Temper
• [00:04:40] Early Career Disconnect
• [00:07:25] A Father's Influence and Irish Heritage
• [00:09:12] Understanding His Father's Struggles
• [00:12:36] Compassion and Hindsight
• [00:14:25] Conversations About the Past
• [00:18:10] Parenting with Conscious Intention
• [00:22:31] Creating Experiences Over Owning Things
• [00:25:28] The "Anti-Career" and Finding Purpose
• [00:28:46] The Problem with Traditional Networking
• [00:31:32] The Birth of the Happy Startup School
• [00:35:02] The Ongoing Quest for Happiness
• [00:39:08] The Joy and Frustration of Building Community
• [00:40:14] The Power of Trust
• [00:42:57] Facing the Fear of Loss and Regret
• [00:46:12] The Gift of Being Yourself
• [00:50:21] What "Fearless Forward" Means

Links:

• Laurence's LinkedIn
• Website: The Happy Startup School
• TED talk: The Art of Being Yourself by Caroline McHugh

For this week’s Fearless Forward podcast guest, an early career setback became a gift. Having convinced herself she wasn’t good enough to teach, she lost faith in her own worth. It took the right conversations with the right people for her to see this wasn’t true.

Today, Esther Taylor is the CEO of the Lady Macadam Breast Cancer Trust. Historically, Lady Macadam was a pioneer in providing mammograms. But as the NHS improved its services and the charity’s equipment aged, Esther noticed a critical gap in the NHS’ capacity for ongoing emotional and practical support.

By listening to her nurses and the community, Esther identified where they could make the most difference.

“If I see a gap I try to fill it.” She says.

Inspired by a visit to a London charity, Esther and her team have transformed Lady Macadam’s headquarters into a welcoming sanctuary for breast cancer patients. The charity offers holistic services — Pilates, reflexology, nutritional advice, immediate counselling — and advocacy for patients struggling to access timely care.

It has become a lifeline for hundreds of families.

In our conversation we explore Esther’s experience of self-doubt, leadership, and impact. She also talks candidly about the challenges of balancing her CEO role with “mum guilt”, and the effects of menopause on her energy levels — just as her career ambitions are soaring.

Esther champions a culture of flexibility and understanding that recognises the real-life needs of her staff. Her perspective on leading with empathy and vulnerability speaks to the power of creating a supportive work environment where people can thrive both personally and professionally.

Listen to this episode for inspiration and actionable advice from a genuine leader who walks her talk.

This episode will help you:

• Reframe the concept of fear and the unknown from a threat into an exciting opportunity for personal growth and development.
• Understand how practicing vulnerability and flexibility can foster a supportive, trusting culture that gives your team permission to share their own struggles.
• Learn to navigate the physical and mental demands of midlife while continuing to confidently grow and launch your career ambitions.
• Evaluate how to manage full-time professional demands alongside family responsibilities and friendships without losing yourself to guilt or exhaustion.

Highlights

• [00:00:00] Introduction to Esther Taylor and the Lady Macadam Trust
• [00:02:02] Esther's First Three Years as CEO
• [00:02:45] Shifting the Charity's Focus
• [00:07:40] The Importance of Advocacy
• [00:09:31] Rebuilding the Charity's Profile
• [00:11:41] Creative Fundraising: The Selfie Factory
• [00:15:25] Lessons from Creative Fundraising
• [00:16:41] A Collaborative Leadership Style
• [00:17:28] Overcoming Early Career Setbacks
• [00:21:38] A "Can-Do" Attitude to New Opportunities
• [00:25:05] Finding Her Place in the Charity Sector
• [00:27:43] The Fear of Not Doing a Good Enough Job
• [00:29:16] Balancing Work, Family, and Friendships
• [00:32:34] The Importance of Showing Appreciation
• [00:35:07] Navigating Midlife and Career Ambitions
• [00:37:56] The Physical Challenges of Menopause
• [00:40:11] Being a Vulnerable and Flexible Leader
• [00:44:12] What "Fearless Forward" Means

Links:

• Esther's website
• Esther on LinkedIn

For many of us, losing a large chunk of our memory sounds terrifying. But for renowned leadership coach and author Ian Day, it has proven to be a gift.

Back in 2017, during a regular gym session, Ian suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. He was clinically dead for 20 minutes. And with a survival rate of just 10%, he was lucky to pull through.

But the experience left him with a serious brain injury. He had to relearn everything - how to walk, talk, and even recognise his own family.

In my conversation with Ian on this week’s Fearless Forward podcast we explore how this life-altering event transformed his approach to leadership, coaching, and life itself.

With little memory of his former self, recent life events, or what’s happening in the future, Ian’s recovery has been about on learning to live in the present.

While he may not remember the details of a day out with his wife, he does retain the feeling of joy it brought him.

And therein lies the gift: with no past weight and no future anxiety, Ian lives life almost entirely in the now.

----

For his work as a leadership coach, however, and as an Associate Professor and Course Director for Warwick University’s postgraduate coaching courses, not being able to rely on his memory felt daunting:

Over time though, Ian has turned this constraint into his greatest strength: by focusing on being present, listening deeply, and helping his clients find their own answers.

Success is no longer measured in mastery, knowledge, or being the expert in the room. It’s experienced through presence, curiosity, and enabling others.

This experience has deeply informed his latest book, The Coaching Leader, which advocates for humble, people-centred leadership in today's complex world.

True leadership, says Ian, is about creating space for others to thrive - by listening, asking questions, and trusting your team.

This episode will help you:

• Discover how you can transition your leadership style from a technical expert who provides answers into a humble guide who leverages team expertise.
• Understand how to foster deeper, more meaningful coaching conversations by focusing entirely on active listening and radical presence rather than forcing the sense-making.
• Learn to cultivate greater professional freedom and joy by relinquishing the overbearing sense of responsibility for solving other people's developmental problems.

Highlights

• [00:02:33] Introduction to Ian Day's Story
• [00:05:08] Coming Back from the Dead
• [00:07:44] The Reality of Survival
• [00:10:08] The Unseen Scar
• [00:11:37] Relearning Life with a Beginner's Mind
• [00:13:57] The Fear of Losing His Career
• [00:16:27] Adapting to a New Reality
• [00:19:48] A New Approach to Coaching
• [00:21:47] The Freedom of Letting Go
• [00:23:24] Teaching Through Coaching
• [00:25:16] The Gift of Being Present
• [00:28:16] Thriving After Trauma
• [00:30:49] Writing a Book as a Symbol of Recovery
• [00:34:34] The Coaching Leader Philosophy
• [00:39:51] What's Next?
• [00:41:00] The Meaning of "Fearless Forward"

Links:

• Connect with Ian on LinkedIn
• Ian's profile as Associate Professor, Warwick University, U.K.
• Ian's book - The Coaching Leader