About.
Hi, and welcome. I’ve been a VP in HR and Software Engineering, as well as a career coach, communication trainer and various other roles in business.
I deconstruct work and share what I learn with you through this site.
By day I consult in HR, Management and Leadership typically around Releasing Business Agility – and always with a focus on communication. In fact, communication has been my training, education and core focus for, what feels like, my entire life.
I often say that 99% of problems in work are because of poor communication – so I start there when I work with clients – and I share a lot of communication related ideas in my newsletter.
If you’d like to work with me – then check out my offerings. I have written several books and I create regular videos and blog posts too. I also send a weekly newsletter.
You can find me on Instagram.
How I can help you.
If you’re looking to accelerate your career, learn how to work more effectively and efficiently (not harder) then I can help. If you wish to advance your communication skills, become more confident and assertive and develop this Super Power in work – then I am sure i can help.
If you run a business and wish to have me study your challenges, coach managers, bring some HR goodness or help you release business agility – then I am sure I can help too.
I cover these main areas:
- Releasing Business Agility
- Communication Behaviours
- Behaviours and Culture
- Systems Thinking
- Continuous Improvement
I write a lot about how to lead a good (work) life by bringing all of these ideas, concepts, behaviours and skills to life.
Mission.
We spend around 90,000 hours of our lives at work. My mission is to help you make the most of these hours, have a career and body of work you are proud of and to cultivate great workplaces.
Values.
The values that I aspire to with Cultivated Management …
Creativity – the topics of work, management, leadership etc can be dull. Very dull. But there are creative ways to solve problems, communicate about these topics and design our careers. No point in being boring if there’s a creative way to move ahead.
Humour and Playfulness – tied to the above – there’s fun to be had. After all, if we’re not having fun with it – we should be done with it.
Appreciation of Excellence – there is excellence all around. We often just need to learn to see it – and then appreciate it.
Do no Harm – the advice and support I provide through Cultivated Management should lead to no harm if you implement it. There’s some shady advice out there from people who are simply spouting theory – my advice is grounded in evidence.
Critical Thinking – I am not one to take theories on face value. I apply a critical eye to that which we often call normal in work. This can result in content that may jar with your thinking – but I back it all up through research and experience
Inclusivity – I am HR qualified and spent years as a VP in HR – I am therefore keen to ensure my work is accessible and relevant to a diverse audience. I make content for people from all walks of life – everyone.
Curiosity – at the heart of all I do is curiosity. Is there a better way to do something? How does this thing work? How can we get better? Curiosity ripples through all that I share and do.
Accuracy – I show you how I do my work, how I come to my conclusions and how I form these ideas I share. I use data where data exists. I aim to be accurate in all that I share.
Other Projects
The Parent Brain Podcast
A podcast for parents. Food for your parent brain.
This project has gnawed away at me for about 11 years now. I’ve sat on the domain name for all that time and never quite found what this brand / idea was supposed to be.
But I spent some time pondering and it’s going to be a podcast. 50 episodes and then review. Pivot if needed, continue if it’s working. And even if nothing comes of it – at least I will have created something I’m proud of.
Launching July 2022. Head on over and sign up the mailing list to find out when it goes live!
Stationery Freaks Podcast
I co-host a podcast about stationery! Yes, the potential that good analogue stationery can bring to our lives.
We wax lyrical about the potential – and how to unleash it – with stationery. Sounds odd but we started this as a ramble chat and quickly realised there were plenty of freaks like us out there!
Photography
Photography has long been a passion of mine, as such I am practicing each and every day to be a better photographer; to tell better stories through photos; and to learn how choosing what to focus on bleeds into my world as a manager, leader and consultant. I even did a video about how the art of photography is the art of leadership.
If photography interests you, I share my photos over on Insta.
Cultivated Charity
I believe ALL organisations exist to serve the greater purpose of society – even the ones that seem a little shady. As society changes so do the kinds of businesses that survive and thrive. We’re seeing a more social and corporate responsible society demand more from the companies that serve them. Good.
Companies don’t exist in a bubble either. They often have HQ or offices, or their employees live and work in various places across the world. I believe strongly that companies should therefore give back to the close society or community they are part of.
Sustainable – One of my main goals in 2022 is to become more sustainable in energy use, natural resource uses and ensure I try my hardest not to consume more than I need to. I’m only a one-person band but I can still do my part.
Charity – I believe very strongly that every person (and animal) has the right to the best quality of life they can, even if that life may be short.
That’s why I donate 5% of all revenue from my products and affiliate links to charity.
2.5% always goes to Naomi House – a hospice in Winchester for life limited children and their parents.
The other 2.5% goes to a different charity each year.
- 2015 – Unicef (complete)
- 2016 – Pencils of Promise (complete)
- 2017 – Saving Linnea (complete)
- 2018 – WWF (complete)
- 2019 – Naomi House (complete) – Full 5% this year.
- 2020 – British Heart Foundation (complete)
- 2021 – Finalising the charity – likely Shelter Box
- 2022 – Looking for suggestions