Edgy Ideas

Caroline is Professor of Culture and Psychoanalysis and in this podcast she shares her thoughts on a wide range of topics. She shares reflections on how our engagement with social media shapes our emotional and relational lives, and how psychoanalysis can help us untangle ourselves from the pervasive media and culture that we can't escape. Our cell phones are not only objects and tools that we use, but they are both intimately close to our bodies, and they are objects we internalise, taking emotional, affective space in our lives.    Caroline discusses how 'not being able to breathe' has become a metaphor for our time. George Floyd and Black Lives Matter, "I cant breath",  climate crisis with pollution and fires choking cities, the Covid pandemic and millions of respiratory deaths, and the suffocating ideology of neo-liberalism that closes down other spaces, are all part of our emotional, cognitive and physical experience of living today.  Simon and Caroline discuss cinema and much more in this fascinating podcast.    Bio  Caroline is Professor of Culture and Psychoanalysis at Roehampton University, where she is based until the end of July 2021. She's also a practising member of the Analytic Coaching Network. She trained as an organisational consultant at the Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust. Underlying all her endeavours is a profound fascination with psychoanalysis, which she first encountered as an undergraduate studying languages. Caroline established and co-directed the Media and the Inner World research network between 2009-13, and now co-edits a book series on the theme of popular culture and psychoanalysis for Routledge. She is a widely published author of books and journal articles, a Founding Scholar of the British Psychoanalytic Council, and a former editor of the journal, Free Associations. Outside work she cheers on Liverpool FC through their highs and lows, and makes the most of living close to a beach with an art installation called Another Place. This conjuncture of art on the border between land and sea fuels the imagination and soothes the soul. For more information, see www.carobainbridge.co.uk 

Mark is a pioneer in the field of neuroscience founding the term Neuropsychoanalysis.  In this very rich discussion Mark shares his insights into ‘where the brain meets the mind’.   Previously the neuroscience focus was to study the brain in terms of cognition and behaviour, yet Mark saw that this missed out on what is really astonishing about the brain, that it is an organ of feeling, emotion and subjectivity.  Marks research is extensive, and the application to organisations and leadership is discussed in this podcast.  For example, through his research he shares his findings of how our brains are conditioned towards play in groups, as well as competition.  Play and hierarchy are both part of the same behavioural pattern, where an essential part of play is to act out group dominance.  However Mark describes the 60-40 rule, if an individual dominates play for more than 60% of the time, the play ends- it’s not fun anymore! If we look at leadership through this lens, we see how leaders who are too dominant and too controlling soon lose their followership. Mark’s latest book with excellent reviews is  Hidden Spring A journey to the source of consciousness   BIO Mark Solms is a South African psychoanalyst and neuropsychologist.  He pioneers psychoanalytic methods in contemporary neuroscience founding the International Neuropsychoanalysis Society in 2000.  He holds many roles including the Chair of Neuropsychology at the University of Cape Town , Founding President of the South African Psychoanalytical Association. and Director of the Neuropsychoanalysis Foundation in New York.  In his free time Mark is a passionate wine maker, co-owning a vineyard cooperative. 

David Armstrong is a thought leader and inspiration to many working in the field of psychoanalysis and organisations. In this podcast David shares his experiences of working with pioneers in the field after joining the Tavistock Institute in 1959. David describes how alive the Tavistock project was in its early days.  Innovations coming from the Tavistock Clinic through infant observation, attachment theory and the work of Menzies-Lythe and Ronnie Laing among many others. And from the Tavistock Institute through Eric Miller, Eric Trist and A.K. Rice and colleagues. David shares his experience of attending Wilfred Bion’s study group and how he became engaged in psychoanalytic work led by the Tavistock Clinic.  He shares how the work in the Institute had a radical and political edge.  ‘Democratising the workplace’ was and is, one of David’s inspirations in this field, and remains vital today.   David discusses the question, ‘what is a psychoanalytic approach to organisations’, and highlights the importance of the action-research approach, which he feels has become marginalised, as a drift towards external consultancy now dominates the psychoanalytic-systems approach.  David discusses the mutual interaction between the external and internal world as key to his work, and how there has been a shift from working with the Organisation-in-the-mind, to Networks-in-the-mind.  In this wide-ranging discussion, David shares his interest in how religious dissenting traditions such as Methodism also influenced the psychoanalytic-organisational field, bringing social change and the group to the fore.    Bio David Armstrong  David studied philosophy at Oxford University then trained as a psychologist in Cambridge University and has worked in action research and organisational consultancy for over 60 years. He joined the Tavistock Institute working alongside some of the pioneers in the field.  David went on to work in the Grubb Institute and Tavistock Consultancy Service.  David has worked in this field with senior executives and executive teams in business, government, health and education in the UK and worldwide.  His experience includes working with executives in pharmaceuticals, investment banking, NHS trusts, local government, higher education, prison governors and for senior civil servants. He is a leading thinker in the domain of psychoanalysis and organisations, bringing insights and sharing experiences that have inspired the wider field.   David is a distinguished member of ISPSO. David is author of Organization in the Mind: Psychoanalysis,Group Relations and Organizational Consultancy, edited by Robert French. 

Professor Kate Kenny is a leading expert in the field of Whistleblowing.  In this podcast Kate draws on psychosocial approaches to take a fresh look at Whistleblowing.   Whistle-blowers are consistently treated by the media and public as traitors or hero’s. Take Edward Snowden, for some he is a courageous hero who sacrificed his career and put himself in danger for ‘truth-telling’, for others he is a traitor for giving away secrets to enemies of the state.  Kate builds a broader case that situates whistle-blowers in their organisational and social context. In this fascinating conversation Kate discusses how whistleblowing is an organisational phenomenon and how group and social dynamics influence how whistle-blowers act, and how they are responded to.  Many organisations respond positively to whistle-blowers yet some continue to enact 'whistleblower retaliation'.   Kate also discusses the importance of organisations more generally, and how they impact on our psychic and emotional lives, individually and collectively.     Bio Kate Kenny is Professor of Business and Society at NUI Galway.  She has held research fellowships at the Edmond J. Safra Lab at Harvard University and Cambridge's Judge Business School.  Her research focuses on organization studies, specifically political and psychosocial approaches. She has researched whistleblowing in organisations since 2010. Along with numerous articles in peer review journals on this topic, she has published two books on whistleblowing: Whistleblowing: Toward a new theory (Harvard University Press, 2019) and The Whistleblowing Guide (Wiley Business, 2019, with Wim Vandekerckhove and Marianna Fotaki). She has written and contributed to articles in the Financial Times, the Irish Times, the Guardian among others.  Her work has been cited in the UK House of Commons, Ireland’s parliament and in policy documents at EU level.  Kate’s recent book ‘Whistleblowing: Toward a New Theory’ (Harvard University Press, 2019)  adopts a psychosocial framing to whistleblowing. Her book ‘The Whistleblowing Guide’ (Wiley, 2019) with Professors Wim Vandekerckhove and Professor Marianna Fotaki is aimed at practicing managers, coaches and others working in this space. The Psychosocial and Organization Studies (Palgrave, 2014 with Professor Marianna Fotaki) is an edited collection of contributions from experts in this field. Watch an interview with Kate and Chris Smalls, Amazon whistleblower mentioned in the discussion.  Short pieces on Covid-19, healthcare and whistleblowing (as mentioned), featured in the The Conversation and RTE Brainstorm  Reports, videos and research from Professor Kenny are all on www.whistleblowingimpact.org

In this episode Daniel shares his research and experience of credentialing and accreditation in coaching.  His findings ask many questions about the credibility of practices, often delivered by self-appointed regulation bodies, some that make a lot of money from the process.  Daniel identifies eight consumer types of coaches in relation to accreditation and credentialing:  The Enthusiast, Complier, Susceptible, Pragmatist, Procrastinator, Agnostic, Ideologue and Inquirer; each seeking or resisting accreditation and credential for different reasons.  Daniel and Simon discuss the importance of critical thinking to question these credentialing norms, and how the practice of attaining accreditation is often a process more aligned with audit culture and collecting a number of hours in training and practice with very little quality control on what happens in those hours.  An important podcast for coaches, trainers and HR and managers purchasing coaching.    Bio  After thirty years experience of coaching and business consulting that became increasingly  globalised in nature, Daniel returned to the UK from South Africa in 2005, to complete a PhD and to teach and research in a variety of Higher Education Institutions.  In 2006 Daniel founded the Critical Coaching Research Group, which he continues to lead to this day. His preferred research idiom is narrative practice; in the past two years he has authored two satirical novels set in the coaching world, and is in the process of writing a series of ‘plays for voices.’

In this episode Lynne shares her personal leadership journey and thoughts on women's leadership. Lynne was born into a working-class community, and travelled a long and fascinating journey to the top of the educational establishment.  Lynne draws on two defining influences that have shaped her work, feminism and spirituality.  Lynne now runs her own leadership programme based on Goddess spirituality.  She believes that creating a separate and sacred space outside of mainstream leadership development allows for counter-cultural innovations to emerge that can challenge the patriarchal thinking that continues to define leadership practice.  Lynne is an inspirational leader and speaker and I hope you enjoy this podcast. BIO Lynne was born into a working-class mining community, and had a successful mainstream career in FE as a lecturer and college Principal. She has been a national education influencer, becoming CEO of a national institute and working at Prime ministerial level with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. Lynne has received many awards and was given a CBE in 2002.  Throughout her journey spirituality has been core to her being.  Lynne is now a Priestess and Founder of the Goddess Luminary Wheel leadership development programme. She is an elder who coaches individuals and teams in a range of organisations, especially charities. Her work on spirituality in the workplace received international recognition with books and articles written on her unusual contribution.  Lynne has a Doctorate in spiritual leadership, has published 3 poetry collections and her new book Leading through the Goddess will be published later this year. 

Richard is a thought leader who looks at organisational life through the lens of irony and absurdity.    In this discussion with Simon, he shares his thoughts on the need to support those ironists who bring something special and vitally important to organisational life.   He shares his research that revealed 4 types of ironist, the Apollonion ironist who sits like a God looking down, commenting from a distance, the Sarcastic ironist, who retreats to the sidelines to poke fun at the absurd enthusiasms of others, the Trickster ironist who intervenes with humour, wit and thought to make things happen and to reveal and bridge gaps, and the Wise ironist who pulls the strings from the background and predicts what will happen.   These ironists and liminal thinkers can be either a force for dysfunction or for development. Richard believes it is our task to find these organisational people,  and make the space to guide their work towards well-being and development.    Enjoy the listen!   Bio  Richard’s work focuses on the dimensions of high performance during long-term organisational transformations, in which volatility, uncertainty complexity and ambiguity are inherent to the business environment.   Described as “full of daring and imagination” and “touchstone for the future of management and organisation”, his research examines ways in which plural and diverse ideas emerge in individuals, teams and cultures; how criticality and creativity are communicated to more powerful others; and how you can develop the capacity for this across an organisation. 

Lauren identifies as a queer creative.  Growing  up as straight female, Lauren embraced her Queerness at the age of 27.  Since then professionally and in her personal life she is devoted to exploring life outside the Eurocentric norm and how this impacts on herself and others.  In this discussion Simon and Lauren explore how queer and non-binary ideas and practices meet resistance and why this is.  They also discuss how Queer culture provides new hope, offering liberation for those adopting queer and non-binary ways-of-being and also for wider society.   Breaking the binaries that entrap us, emancipates all of us from the bondage of conformity.  It breaks through us and them dynamics enabling difference and diversity to flourish ..... enjoy this exploration of Queerness!    Bio  Lauren has a Bachelor's degree in International Security and Conflict Resolution and a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She grew up in Southern California and currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she works in mental health.  For the past five years, she has actively been pursuing the study of group dynamics doing work as a Co-Creator for Group Relations International and as a member of the A.K. Rice Institute.  Lauren loves riding and competing on American Quarter Horses and is currently a World Finalist (Top 15 in the World) in multiple events. 

This conversation draws on Trevor's experience and passion of living in the Kruger National Park South Africa.  Trevor brings his coaching and therapeutic background to inform his consultancy and coaching at work.  Unusually he brings a particular edge to this organisational work that comes from his engagement with the natural world.  Trevor recently completed his 'tracker training" and shares how his experiences of vulnerability when confronting an angry bull elephant, can be translated to how we can use our vulnerability at work. Central to his thinking is what he has learnt in the bush about 'Situational Awareness', and how this insight is essential to the work of organisational coaches and leaders, if we are to lead system-change effectively.  Bio Trevor Hough is a Clinical psychologist, Analytic-Network Certified executive coach and organisation development consultant, previously he was an analytic psychotherapist. Trevor grew up as a nomad living all over the world and through this developed a keen interest in understanding diverse cultures. He consults to diverse global companies and has a particular interest in the finance sector. Outside of his consulting work Trevor’s great passion is being out in nature. He has trained as a field and trails guide in the African bush and is in his element when out tracking animals on foot. He has been living and working in the Greater Kruger National park since the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown. 

Gianpiero is an internationally renowned thinker in the field of leadership and learning in the workplace. He brings a clinical lens to his research and teaching, which he begun acquiring while training as a medical doctor and a psychiatrist, and refined in two decades of coaching, consulting, teaching, and researching people’s working lives.  At the heart of this conversation is the idea that humanising organisations requires revisiting our conceptions of leadership. ‘Caring,’ Gianpiero argues, needs to be put at the core of leadership thinking and practice, rather than kept at its periphery. He shares the idea that ‘we often make an instrumental argument for making humanistic organisations, and every time we do that, humanism dies from 100 cuts”.   Gianpiero invites us to consider how the current challenges that many organizations experience, such as a struggle with innovation or inclusion, might be side effects of our devotion to dehumanized models of organizing.  The notion of alignment, for example, often serves as a cover for the pursuit of conformity, which in turn undermines the desire for diversity. Among other wide-ranging topics, our conversation reflects on identity and what it means to be cosmopolitan in world that is struggling with helping people belong to a place and also be engaged world citizens. Enjoy this wonderful podcast!  Bio Gianpiero is associate professor of organizational behaviour at INSEAD. His award-winning research and teaching focus on what it means, and what it takes, to become a leader. He is particularly interested in the development and exercise of leadership in the age of "nomadic professionalism," in which people have deep bonds to work but loose affiliations to institutions, and authenticity and mobility have replaced loyalty and advancement as hallmarks of virtue and success.  Gianpiero's research has appeared in leading academic journals such as the Administrative Science Quarterly , Academy of Management Annals , Academy of Management Learning & Education.  He also writes essays regularly for the Harvard Business Review and Sloan Management Review. His work has been featured in a range of media including the BBC , Financial Times , The Economist , The Guardian , New York Times , Wall Street Journal , Washington Post , Quartz , Vox , Le Figaro and El Pais , and he is listed among the 50 most influential management thinkers in the world by Thinkers50 .