About Time - with Chris Nichols

Peter was a colleague in Ashridge Consulting, who subsequently did his doctoral work at the Tavistock NHS Trust. Peter is a massively experienced and skilled group consultant, and in this episode he talks about his doctorate (fascinating work embedded in a leadership team at a time of a shift, from an era of plenty to times of difficulty). It’s a consulting story of great relevance to all of us now, as the world, or at least many parts of it, move into more strained and stretching times.Peter is a generous teller of the story, sharing much about himself and why this work matters to him.

In this episode I talk to James Aldridge about his work as an artist. James was a long time friend and colleague of our mutual friend, artist, Dr Chris Seeley. In this episode James talks about how they first met, it involved art and socks. James also talks about his work, in community art making and in his own practice and how it helps to build awareness and connection to place and to the living world. He talks particularly about his Queer Rivers work, which is a powerful and wonderful (and now long lasting) exploration.A delightful conversation bringing to life James’ work and its importance.

Dr Eve Poole is a speaker, writer, Chair and Chief Executive, and an old friend. We worked together at Ashridge for many years.These days she is based in Edinburgh and has worked as a Chair and Chief Executive of several fascinating organisations from Gordonstoun School to the Church Estates Commission. She is one of the few people I know who has been immortalised as an oil painting, and who is a regular guest on BBC Scotland.In this episode she shares some of her stories, and speaks about what inspires her to do the work she does. Time with Eve is always time well spent, and this episode is a lovely exploration of some worlds most of us don’t get to see. 

I’ve known Giles Hutchins for a long time. When we first met, Giles was in the process of leaving his mainstream consulting role to become a freelance writer and speaker. He moved to Devon, and we had many opportunities to walk on the moor and talk about our mutual work (at the time I ran the sustainability MSc at Ashridge and also taught at Schumacher College).In the years since, Giles has become one of the leading authors in the field of regenerative and future fit business. He is an acknowledged expert and speaker, and now hosts life changing gatherings on his farm.He tells some of this story, and speaks about his own origins and influences in this episode. It’s a wonderful and rich conversation.

Stephen Gould was the MD of family brewer and pub owner Everards for many years, and I first met him through my work with the ALMR (the pub and hospitality trade body, known these days as Hospitality UK). Stephen these days is a non-exec, being Deputy Chair of Everards and serving on several other boards. He has always been a purpose led leader, based on his christian faith, and also an inherent belief in the importance of people and trust. In this episode we talk about that way of leading, and about how it enabled the re-invention of a heritage brewing company into a place based community offering, linking commercial success to partnership and place. It’s a fascinating story.

I’ve known Dr Victoria Hurth for a long time. When we met she was doing her PhD at Exeter. She’s subsequently been a full time academic, and more recently has moved into freelance “pracademic” roles. I’ve always been blown away by her capacity to handle massive creative and organisational workloads. She’s a teacher, a writer and a convener / collaborator on the globe governance stage.In this episode we talk about the roots and origins of her work, and what keeps her going. We talk about her work on the new ISO, and her forthcoming book Beyond Profit. It’s a fascinating conversation and I hope you enjoy it.Here are a couple of links to some of Victorias work:Book: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13085230/  ISO: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13091442/

Rob Hopkins is something of a legend for his work in creating the Transitions Town movement. But there’s much more to know. In recent times his focus has been on the power of imagination and creativity. He has written two books on this, and is a powerful workshop facilitator and speaker.In this episode I was delighted to ask Rob to talk about some of his roots and influences, and to share some of his hopes for the future of the work.

Jean Boulton is the real deal when it comes to working with complexity. She’s got a PhD in quantum physics, an MBA, and an MPhil from Bath University – entitled The Complexity Turn: Narrative, Science and Utility. She’s written a lot, including two major books about complexity in organisations, and in wider life. Jean is a terrific teacher and communicator, and makes it possible for people outside the science field to understand some of the most difficult concepts that are becoming essential elements of organisational understanding.In this conversation we talk about Jean’s work, particularly her latest book The Dao of Complexity, about using it in practice, and about Jean’s life journey that brought her to writing such an exciting and pivotal book.

I first met Dr Fiona Tilley (or just Tilley, as I know her) as a participant on the Schumacher College Certificate in Education for Sustainability, a course I taught alongside Toni Spencer and Karen Blincoe many years ago.Tilley arrived having stepped away from her role as a business school academic. She has a doctorate and a CV full of publications and research. And when she arrived, she’d run out of road within the confines of business school academic roles. She was looking for something that gave her space for a deeper exploration.This conversation explores the place of space and facilitation in transformative learning, both from Tilley’s experience of that pivotal time in her life, and from her subsequent work as one of the most experienced facilitators of deep explorative journeys, taking people deep into renewed relationships with themselves and the wider living world.

Bill Critchley was Chris Nichols teacher on the Ashridge MSc in Organisational Consulting and Change, and for many years a colleague in Ashridge Consulting. In this episode Chris invites Bill to share some of his life story - including the influences that shaped his work and the challenges and triumphs of bringing a gestalt perspective into the work of a business school. It’s a wonderful and rich conversation delving into a pivotal period in the development of a truly radical consulting practice that ran itself according to the principles it taught and espoused. It’s both a piece of oral history of the field, and a totally contemporary take on what matters in organisations today.