

The Being Human Podcast with Richard Atherton
Richard Atherton
Being Human is for people who want go deep on what it means to be a human making a difference. We’ll discover how to be better humans at work and in life. We’ll explore leadership, relationships and how to make changes in ourselves and our environments. Nothing will be off limits. Welcome.
Episodes
Mentioned books

57 snips
Oct 25, 2018 • 1h 33min
#31 The Complexity Challenge - with Chris Mowles
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A talk with leading complexity researcher Professor Chris Mowles. We explore:
- 'Complex responsive processes' and how they can help us comprehend organisations
- Why understanding deep-seated fears and anxieties are so important when working with groups
- The absurdity of the Blair's government's Head of Deliverology
- How the practice of free-flowing conversation between nurses dramatically cut patient falls in the NHS
- What annoys him about "learning take-aways"
- How Systems Thinking can be so unhelpful
- Chris' critique of Dave Snowden's Cynefin complexity framework
Links:
Chris' blog: https://complexityandmanagement.wordpress.com/
Hertforshire Business School: https://www.herts.ac.uk/study/schools-of-study/business
Complexity and IST Study (pre-print version): https://bit.ly/2PYN7VB
Being Human is brought to you by coaching and consulting practice FirstHuman. For more FirstHuman's offerings, head to firsthuman.com.

Oct 18, 2018 • 1h 10min
#30 Finding Flow - with Fin Goulding
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A conversation with Aviva's International CIO and author Fin Goulding. We talk:
- Taking Agile out of technology teams and into the wider business
- The genesis of his book Flow whilst working at the major European bookmaker Paddy Power
- Having his suit "surgically removed" when moving from banking to tech culture
- The hardcore economic benefits of visualising work
- Why physical architecture matters
- How to make Agile work with remote teams
- How leaders have to change to enable Flow
Links
- Fin's personal site: https://goulding.io/
- The Flow Academy - https://www.flow-academy.org/
- The Flow book: https://amzn.to/2RM1cqZ
Being Human is brought to you by coaching and consulting practice FirstHuman. For more FirstHuman's offerings, head to firsthuman.com.

Oct 11, 2018 • 1h 44min
#29 Bucketlist Business Planning - with Jack Hubbard
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In this Alpine chat with CEO, rapper, poet and snowboarder Jack Hubbard, we talk:
- His life in the French Alps as the ultimate remote-working CEO
- His "try all of them" strategy of starting a business whilst working as a chef
- The turning point of the death of his brother in India
- His radical approach of encouraging his employees to follow their inside or outside the company
- How he "gets out of the way" as a CEO
For more on Jack's work check out:
https://www.propellernet.co.uk/ - Jack's company
http://www.dreamvalleyprojects.co.uk/ - Join Jack in Dream Valley
https://coveragebook.com/ - The start-up he sponsored
Being Human is brought to you by coaching and consulting practice FirstHuman. For more FirstHuman's offerings, head to firsthuman.com.

Oct 4, 2018 • 50min
#28 Your Store Of Will - with Roy Baumeister
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A conversation with social psychologist and author Roy Baumeister, where we discuss:
- How self-control is one the best predictors of performance in many areas of life
- How you glucose level might account for far more than you think
- The importance of "precommitments" for self control
- Why you should never have difficult conversations in the evening
- The differences between "Eastern" and "Western" styles of thinking
- How unresolved trauma may prevent us from maintaining self-control
For more on Roy's work check out : http://www.roybaumeister.com/
Being Human is brought to you by coaching and consulting practice FirstHuman. For more FirstHuman's offerings, head to firsthuman.com.

Sep 27, 2018 • 1h 11min
#27 Organisational Mastery - with Luis Gonçalves
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A conversation with Agile Thought Leader Luis Gonçalves, where we discuss:
- How he got started writing his first book on retrospectives
- How not to facilitate a retrospective
- Why people ignore the executive leadership in Agile transformations at their peril
- His forthcoming book Organisational Mastery aimed at the whole enterprise
- Luis' issue with the "fluffy side" on Agile
- His take on working in Germany
- The importance of giving back
Links and references:
- Organisational Mastery: https://www.organisationalmastery.com/
- Luis' blog: https://luis-goncalves.com/blog/
- Luis' book on Agile Retrospectives: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1304789624/ref=rdr_ext_tmb
- Jeff Pattern on product management: https://jpattonassociates.com/
Being Human is brought to you by coaching and consulting practice FirstHuman. For more FirstHuman's offerings, head to firsthuman.com.

Sep 20, 2018 • 1h 9min
#26 Enter The Intrapreneur - with Gib Bulloch
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A conversation with author and speaker Gib Bulloch, where we discuss:
- His journey creating a ground-breaking "not-for-loss" arm within consulting giant Accenture
- His burnout, breakdown and ultimate recovery
- The challenges of being purpose-led within a traditional corporate culture
- What it means to be an Intrapeneur
- Leaving Accenture and reflections on The Hero’s Journey
Being Human is brought to you by coaching and consulting practice FirstHuman. For more FirstHuman's offerings, head to firsthuman.com.

Sep 14, 2018 • 1h 18min
#25 It‘s The Flow That Counts - with Johanna Rothman
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A conversation with with author and Agile luminary, Johanna Rothman. We discuss:
- Her latest nonfiction work
- The problem with our old ideas of 'resource efficiency' - and why 'flow efficiency' is more useful
- The issue with the idea of 'performance' for knowledge workers
- 'Swarming and mobbing'
- Her first-hand experience of gender pay disparity
- Why timely feedback matters
- Her issue with the title "ScrumMaster"
- Her take on leadership
Being Human is brought to you by coaching and consulting practice FirstHuman. For more FirstHuman's offerings, head to firsthuman.com.

Sep 6, 2018 • 1h 41min
#24 Traffic Control For The Mind - With Shashin Shah
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A conversation with OnePoint Consulting CEO Shashin Shah. In this wide ranging and rich dialogue, we explore:
- His company's "Traffic Control" meditation practice for the office
- "Eyes open" Raja yoga on which it is based
- The importance of (very) early morning practice
- His journey from being forced out of Uganda at gunpoint to founding his company sought out by one of the largest tech companies
- Dealing with bullies
- The transition from a corporate life to one with tuned with his inner objectives
- The importance of * NOT * having a pension
- His advice for a meaningful life
- His unashamed belief in past lives and the importance of being the same on the outside and the inside
Being Human is brought to you by coaching and consulting practice FirstHuman. For more FirstHuman's offerings, head to firsthuman.com.

Aug 30, 2018 • 1h 23min
#23 Leaving Facebook - with Kent Beck
Programmer Kent Beck discusses the 3X product lifecycle framework, the state of the Agile industry, leaving Facebook, improving Facebook's culture, and the importance of social skills and emotional control.

Aug 23, 2018 • 46min
#22 Selling Boldly - with Alex Goldfayn
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A conversation with author of "Selling Boldly", Alex Goldfayn. We discuss:
- How an understanding of positive psychology is so important for anyone involved in sales
- The issue with personal affirmations
- The fact our culture hates a braggard and how to handle that
- And finally.. the importance of the old-fashioned phone call
If you're in any way involved in the sales process, you're going to love this episode. Enjoy!
Being Human is brought to you by coaching and consulting practice FirstHuman. For more FirstHuman's offerings, head to firsthuman.com.


