Episodes
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by coach, mentor and leadership expert Kathy Morrissey.
After a successful career spanning engineering, sustainability and executive leadership within the aviation industry, Kathy shares why she chose to dedicate her work to developing leaders and supporting women to thrive in their careers.
The conversation explores leadership transitions, imposter syndrome, confidence, volunteering and the importance of creating workplaces where people feel they belong. Kathy also shares the inspiring work of Smart Works, a charity helping unemployed women regain confidence, prepare for interviews and return to employment.
Whether you're leading a team, navigating a career change or looking to make a greater impact through your leadership, this episode is full of practical insight and thoughtful reflection.
Connect with Kathy on LinkedIn
Email - [email protected]
Discover Purple Brilliance
Learn more about Smart Works
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by coach, mentor and author Karen Foy.
Drawing on a career that has spanned nursing, psychology, the NHS and coaching, Karen reflects on her journey and explains why she believes many coaches and leaders hold themselves back by trying too hard to follow the rules.
Together, they explore authenticity, storytelling, curiosity and the power of meaningful conversations. Karen shares the thinking behind her book Breaking the Coaching Code, why listening remains one of the most powerful skills we possess, and how leaders can create greater impact through clarity, compassion, curiosity and courage.
This episode is for anyone interested in leadership, coaching and the art of connecting with others.
Connect with Karen
Karen's book: Breaking the Coaching Code
Explore the Coach Tribe: www.thecoachtribe.com
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Dr Badri Bajaj, global speaker, author on professional coach.
Badri shares his personal journey from exploring different career paths to finding his purpose in teaching, coaching, and positive psychology. The conversation explores what truly drives happiness, why modern life often reduces peace and presence, and how leaders can better support wellbeing in themselves and their teams.
Badri offers a grounded perspective on happiness, connection, and the importance of human conversation in leadership.
The discussion also explores practical ways leaders can create happier environments, from simply asking better questions to increasing connection, reflection, and time in nature.
A thoughtful and reflective conversation on happiness, leadership, and what it really means to live and work well.
Connect with Badri on LinkedIn
Badri's books: Happiness A to Z and Mosaic Leadership
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In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Brady Wilson, author, leadership thought leader and co-founder of Juice Inc., to explore how conversation can be used more intentionally to unlock performance, trust and collaboration in teams.
Brady shares insights from his work in leadership development, including why organisations struggle to have honest conversations, how conflict avoidance and over-agreeability can limit performance, and why shifting from “preferences” to “needs” can transform how teams operate.
The discussion explores the role of challenge, psychological safety, and intentional dialogue in building healthier organisational cultures. Brady also introduces practical tools and interventions that help leaders reduce tension, improve collaboration, and surface the conversations that too often go unsaid.
A practical and energetic conversation on leadership, communication, and the hidden dynamics that shape team performance.
Find out more about Juice Inc.
Brady's latest book: The Power of Conversation
Connect on LinkedIn
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tomas Mason are joined by author, professor and eminent philosopher Margaret Heffernan. Drawing on a career spanning the BBC, technology start-ups, academia and bestselling books, Margaret explores why capable people and successful organisations often miss or ignore the warning signs that are directly in front of them.
The conversation focuses on her influential book Wilful Blindness and unpacks the human behaviours that drive poor decision-making, organisational silence and ethical failure. Margaret explains how exhaustion, conformity, hierarchy and excessive competition can all reduce a leader’s ability to see clearly, and why speaking up in organisations is far rarer than most leaders assume.
She also shares practical ways leaders can design environments where people are more likely to challenge, think clearly and raise concerns early.
A powerful and practical discussion for anyone interested in leadership, culture and how organisations can avoid repeating the same avoidable mistakes.
Connect with Margaret:Website: Margaret HeffernanSubstack: Available via www.mheffernan.com
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Max Klau, founder of the Centre for Courageous Wholeness, for a powerful conversation on servant leadership, shadow work, self-awareness, and the future of leadership development.
Together, they explore why every leader has both “light” and “shadow”, how unconscious behaviours shape teams and organisations, and why leadership growth starts with inner development, not just external performance.
Max shares insights from his work developing servant leaders across education, politics, and coaching, including the impact of helping leaders confront the gap between who they aspire to be and how they actually show up under pressure.
The conversation also explores:
Why self-awareness alone isn’t enoughHow shadow shows up in leadership and organisational cultureThe relationship between coaching, integrity, and emotional responsibilityWhy AI is making inner development more important than everHow leaders can build habits of reflection without overcomplicating the processA thought-provoking episode for leaders, coaches, and anyone interested in conscious leadership and personal growth.
Connect with Max on LinkedIn
Find out more about the Centre for Courageous Wholeness
Max's book: Developing Servant Leaders at Scale
Find out more about Max
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tomas Mason and Tom Emery are joined by Jonathan Stutz, founder and president of Global Diversity Partners and an inclusion expert.
Drawing on his extensive experience at Microsoft, Amazon, and beyond, Jonathan explores what it really takes to build inclusive environments where people can thrive. The conversation dives into practical leadership behaviours, from daily habits and one-to-one conversations to hiring practices and speaking up when it matters most.
Together, they discuss how leaders can move beyond surface-level inclusion to develop deeper awareness, stronger judgement, and more intentional decision-making. It’s a grounded, insightful conversation about leadership, accountability, and the small practices that shape culture over time.
A practical and thought-provoking episode for anyone interested in leadership, culture, and better ways of working.
Find out more: Global Diversity Partners
Reach Jonathan at: [email protected]
Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn
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What’s the difference between coaching and therapy? Why do so many leaders struggle to speak up, set boundaries, and prepare with intention?
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason welcome back executive coach and host of The Look & Sound of Leadership podcast, Tom Henschel, for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation on leadership, coaching, self-awareness, and communication.
Together, they explore why preparation matters more than leaders realise, the growing challenge of speaking up and being heard, and how leaders can give feedback without judgement. The conversation dives into emotional responsibility, deep listening, leadership authenticity, and the pressure many leaders feel to “fix” every problem around them.
A standout moment is Tom Henschel’s brilliant analogy comparing therapy to repairing potholes in the road, while coaching helps people learn how to drive around them. It’s a simple but powerful way of understanding the role coaching can play in leadership development.
The episode also takes an unexpected turn into gardening, California wildflowers, and the importance of slowing down and staying curious.
A thoughtful, practical, and deeply human conversation for leaders, coaches, and anyone interested in personal growth.
Find Tom on LinkedIn.
Listen to The Look & Sound of Leadership Podcast: episode #246 Coaching versus Therapy.
Download the Giving Upward Feedback PDF.
Link to the Wildflower Hotline
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tom Emery are joined by Adam Finch, a high-performing coach and founder of 'That Training Guy'.
Adam shares his journey into leadership and development, from delivering sofas and studying for his CIPD in the evenings, through to leading L&D teams and building his own coaching and team development business.
The conversation explores the growing pressure leaders face in modern organisations, particularly the impact of constant meetings, operational demands and lack of space for meaningful development. Adam reflects on why leaders often become stuck in the day-to-day, and how this can unintentionally limit the growth and confidence of their teams.
The episode also focuses on the importance of team development and why organisations often prioritise developing individual leaders while overlooking the collective performance of teams. Adam shares his perspective on mindset change, high-performing team cultures and the role self-awareness plays in leadership effectiveness.
A practical and honest conversation about leadership, development and creating environments where teams can thrive together.
Connect with Adam on LinkedIn
'That Training Guy' - LinkedIn page
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason is joined by Perry Timms, founder of PTHR, global speaker and author.
Perry shares his perspective on how leaders are approaching the future of work, and where many are getting it wrong. The conversation explores the tendency to look for a single answer, when in reality there are multiple possible futures, each shaped by different choices and conditions.
The discussion focuses on the shift from traditional job structures towards more dynamic, human-centred ways of working, where skills, capability and energy take precedence over rigid roles. Perry also highlights the increasing complexity leaders face, balancing legacy systems with emerging ways of working, and why this requires a different mindset.
A key theme throughout is the changing role of the leader, moving away from having the answers, towards creating the conditions where answers can emerge from across the organisation.
This episode offers a practical perspective on how leaders can navigate uncertainty and rethink how work is designed.
Follow Perry on LinkedIn
Discover Perry's books and substack
Visit PTHR
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason is joined by futurist, author and speaker Jacob Morgan.
Jacob shares his perspective on how leadership is evolving in the context of AI, and why organisations risk losing critical thinking as these tools become more widely adopted. The conversation introduces the concept of “human prompting” - the ability for leaders to ask better questions and draw out human insight, rather than relying on AI-generated responses.
The discussion explores how companies are approaching AI, where many are getting it wrong, and the growing gap between adoption and understanding. Jacob also reflects on the future of leadership, and why human skills such as judgment, discernment and communication will become more valuable as AI continues to advance.
This episode offers a clear and practical perspective on how leaders can adapt, and why the future of work will place greater emphasis on what makes us human.
Explore more from Jacob
Reach Jacob on email - [email protected]
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tom Emery are joined by Andrew McMasters, actor, facilitator and author of Listening Without Agenda.
Andrew shares how his background in theatre shaped his approach to leadership development, and why the skills used on stage translate directly into how leaders show up in organisations. At the centre of the conversation is one core idea: listening is not just about hearing words, but about making people feel heard.
The discussion explores how self-orientation gets in the way of effective listening, why leaders often default to solutions too quickly, and how small shifts in attention can change the dynamic of a conversation. Andrew also shares practical ways to stay present, manage distraction, and create the conditions for more meaningful communication.
This episode offers a clear and practical perspective on leadership, grounded in one essential capability: the ability to listen without agenda.
Discover more of Andrew's work
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, the two Toms are joined by Margaret Andrews, professional speaker, Harvard instructor, academic leader, and author of Manage Yourself to Lead Others.
Margaret shares how a pivotal moment of feedback early in her leadership journey led her to question how self-aware she really was, and ultimately shaped her work around leadership development. Drawing on her experience across business and academia, she explains why understanding yourself is the foundation of effective leadership.
The conversation explores how leaders can build greater self-awareness, why interpersonal skills matter more than technical expertise as you progress, and how feedback and reflection can unlock meaningful change. Margaret also introduces a set of powerful questions designed to help leaders better understand their values, behaviours and impact on others.
This episode offers a clear and practical perspective on leadership, centred on one core idea: you cannot lead others effectively until you understand yourself.
Connect with Margaret on LinkedIn
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In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, the two Toms sit down with CEO, coach, leadership expert, and author of You’re the Boss, Sabina Nawaz, to explore how pressure changes leadership behaviour.
Drawing on her experience at Microsoft and over two decades coaching senior executives, Sabina shares how even the most capable leaders can begin to act differently under pressure, often without realising the impact it has on their teams.
A key part of the conversation is the idea of “blank space”, intentionally creating time to step away from the noise and think more clearly. Sabina explains why this practice is essential for better decision-making, stronger relationships, and more effective leadership.
The episode also explores practical ways to lead with greater awareness, including how to delegate more effectively, avoid common leadership traps, and create space for others to contribute. It’s a thoughtful and grounded conversation for anyone looking to lead with more clarity, consistency, and impact.
Check out Sabina's website
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tom Emery sit down with Nicola Merritt, Founder and CEO of Cortus Advisory Group, to explore a career shaped by ambition, curiosity, and bold decision-making.
From setting her sights on a career at KPMG at just 14 years old to ultimately launching her own business during the uncertainty of COVID, Nicola’s journey is one of continuous evolution. What began as a moment of clarity on a 5K run quickly turned into the creation of a fast-growing advisory firm built on strong values, clear vision, and a commitment to doing things differently.
Throughout the conversation, Nicola reflects on the realities of stepping away from a successful corporate career and into entrepreneurship, sharing honest insights into the challenges of scaling a business and transitioning from being a technical expert to becoming a leader. She speaks openly about redefining her sense of purpose, learning to build trust and culture, and what it takes to attract and develop high-performing teams.
The episode also explores the personal side of leadership. Nicola discusses how she manages pressure, builds resilience, and stays present in a fast-paced environment, as well as the importance of creating balance and defining success on her own terms rather than following external expectations.
This is a thoughtful and inspiring conversation for anyone navigating leadership, growth, or the decision to step into something new.
Connect with Nicola on LinkedIn
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In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tom Emery are joined by Martin Dubin - clinical psychologist, serial entrepreneur, business coach, and author of Blindspotting.
Marty shares his journey from clinical psychology to scaling and selling a business, and how those experiences shaped his perspective on leadership. At the centre of the conversation is the idea of “blind spots”, the things we don't see about ourselves that can ultimately hold us back. Often, these blind spots are tied to our greatest strengths, which, when overplayed, can start to work against us.
In this episode, we explore:
Why even high-performing leaders get stuck
How strengths can become liabilities over time
What it takes to recognise when your usual approach isn’t working
Practical ways to uncover and address your blind spots
A thoughtful and practical conversation for anyone looking to improve their leadership and understand the impact they have on others.
More of Marty's work
Marty's book - Blindspotting
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In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Graham Allcott, founder of Think Productive and author of How to Be a Productivity Ninja and Kind: The quiet power of kindness at work.
Drawing on his journey from leading national charities to building a global productivity consultancy, Graham shares how his experiences sparked a deep interest in productivity, focus and turning ideas into action.
Together, they explore what productivity really means in today’s fast-paced working world. Graham explains why productivity is not about doing more, but about creating space for what truly matters. He also shares practical insights on managing information overload, developing a trusted “second brain”, and protecting time for quality thinking.
They also discuss the link between kindness, trust and psychological safety in high-performing teams, and why clarity is essential for effective leadership.
A thoughtful conversation for leaders looking to improve focus, performance and team culture.
Find out more about Graham's work
Graham’s books – How to Be a Productivity Ninja and Kind: The quiet power of kindness at work
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In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Lisa Broderick, a seasoned c-suite executive, corporate board member and non-profit founder with more than three decades of leadership experience across diverse industries.
Lisa is the co-author of Permanence, written with renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith, and the author of the international bestseller All the Time in the World. Drawing on her experience advising CEOs, boards and senior leaders, Lisa shares insights into why organisations rarely fail because of bad ideas, but instead struggle when leaders lose alignment under pressure.
Together, they explore the research behind Permanence and the surprisingly powerful practice of asking yourself a simple set of reflective questions each day. Lisa explains how daily reflection builds accountability, drives behavioural change, and helps leaders stay focused on what truly matters in environments defined by pressure, speed and complexity.
They also discuss the role of systems thinking in leadership, why external validation can become a trap for high performers, and how small, consistent behaviours shape long-term success.
A thought-provoking conversation for leaders looking to turn insight into action and build leadership habits that create lasting impact.
Find out more about Lisa Broderick's work
Lisa's books - Permanence and All the Time in the World
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In this Toms Talk episode of Beyond Potential, the two Toms revisit one of leadership’s most talked-about concepts: psychological safety.
Grounded in the research of Amy Edmondson, psychological safety has become embedded in modern leadership language. It appears in strategy documents, leadership frameworks and company values. But as its popularity has grown, so has the risk that it becomes a buzzword rather than a lived reality.
In this conversation, the two Toms explore what psychological safety really looks like under pressure. They discuss why it is often misunderstood as “being nice,” why high standards and high safety are not opposites, and how leaders’ stress responses can unintentionally erode the very culture they are trying to build.
Drawing on insights from The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and Radical Candor, they unpack the relationship between trust, challenge and performance, and why emotional maturity is at the heart of it all.
If you’re leading in a complex, high-pressure environment and want to create genuine psychological safety, this episode will give you practical reflections to act on.
Related Beyond Potential episodes:Our conversations with Tom Henschel on culture and feedback, and with Amanda Potter, expand on many of the themes explored here.
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In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Emery flies solo and is joined by Sue O'Callaghan and Dean Corbett, co-hosts of the HR Unfiltered podcast and founders of SO PEOPLE.
Drawing on over 20 years’ experience each in HR and operational leadership, Sue and Dean share their perspectives on how HR can move beyond policy-led practice to drive meaningful organisational impact. Together, they explore the realities of applying people strategy in complex business environments, the importance of balancing commercial priorities with employee experience, and why understanding operations is critical to effective leadership.
They also reflect on their own journeys through corporate HR, what led them to launch HR Unfiltered, and how their work through So People supports organisations to rethink how leadership, coaching and people strategy come together to support performance, accountability and growth.
A practical conversation for leaders looking to rethink how HR best practice translates into meaningful impact across their organisation.
Find out more about SO PEOPLE.
Follow Sue on LinkedIn
Follow Dean on LinkedIn
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