https://www.thompsonharrison.com For thriving leaders, teams, and organisations. Welcome to our most recent podcast series, Collective Intelligence. At a moment when the shape of work is being redrawn, we seek to explore the magic that happens when groups perform at more than the sum of their parts, a theme we researched extensively in our book, The Social Brain, The Psychology of Successful Groups. Our podcast guests are all adept at this magical mathematics of connection. Business en Tue, 05 Jan 2021 16:52:25 +0200 Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:02:14 +0200 30 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss iono.fm 2.5.2.0 Solid Gold Podcasts #BeHeard no Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey Yearly feeds@iono.fm (Feed Manager) https://cdn.iono.fm/files/p1036/logo_6002_20250910_162327_1400.jpeg https://www.thompsonharrison.com For thriving leaders, teams, and organisations. Solid Gold Podcasts #BeHeard episodic Solid Gold Podcasts #BeHeard info@solidgold.co.za false GB https://iono.fm/e/1641615 https://iono.fm/e/1641615
What happens when convenience quietly replaces connection?

In our first episode of 2026, Sam Rockey speaks with Charl Bassil, the BBC’s first Chief Brand Officer, about what’s changed in the way we live, work, and belong. Charl argues we haven’t lost our need for connection — we’ve just been seduced by frictionless alternatives: streaming, scrolling, hyper-personalised feeds, and “social” platforms that deliver media with only a thin trace of social.

Together they explore the BBC’s public-service role in a fragmented world — truth with no agenda, backing homegrown creativity, and bringing people together — and why shared cultural moments still matter for social cohesion. Charl also shares lessons from iconic global brands on balancing short-term growth with long-term brand equity, the power of aligning values with commercial reality, and why “care” and “kindness” aren’t soft words — they’re strategic.

Plus: a moving story of how Charl built a Lebanese community in Cape Town from scratch, and the leadership principle at the heart of it all: don’t wait to be invited — create the party. Charl Bassil on The Leadership Enigma Podcast: Branding the Iconic · Charl Bassil on The Lead Creative: Banning Campaigns and Reimagining Brands · Bridging the Gap with Charl Bassil · Connect with Charl Bassil · Absolut Vodka music video: Khuli Chana: One Source · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Mon, 02 Feb 2026 13:40:00 +0200 0 0 Why We're Losing Each Other (and How We Come Back Together) | Charl Bassil 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 37:25 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1623227 https://iono.fm/e/1623227
“Bring back the real. Bring back the mess. Bring back the colour. When people are allowed to be human, performance doesn’t drop — it rises.”

Antoinette Moriarty, of the Law Society of Ireland, joins Sam Rockey to chat about the forces reshaping legal work: the lure of certainty versus the reality of complexity, AI’s threat-and-opportunity, and identity shifts within a status-driven profession.

Drawing on psychotherapy, group analysis, and her “This Is Absurd” festival, Antoinette reframes overwhelm as a signal — not a failure — to rebuild community, language, and leadership in law. They talk existentialists, Sisyphus and making meaning amid geopolitical flux, polarisation, and the “anti-fact” moment. Antoinette argues for richer language — kindness, compassion, forgiveness — precisely where business jargon falls short, and shows how leaders can hold ambiguity without rushing to premature certainty.

From celebrating the profession’s ethical role to designing joyful, cross-disciplinary gatherings, this conversation offers concrete ways to reduce isolation, renew purpose and restore courage in a system that often asks the impossible.

Practical, humane, and hopeful — this episode maps how lawyers can thrive without losing what makes the law matter. Connect with Antoinette on LinkedIn · Law Society of Ireland website · Justice Matters newsletter · Gazette magazine · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Fri, 28 Nov 2025 09:44:00 +0200 0 0 This Is Absurd (And That's OK) | Antoinette Moriarty 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 43:53 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1613094 https://iono.fm/e/1613094
Whether you’re leading a team, building community, or simply craving deeper human connection, this conversation offers insights into building more connected, compassionate, and creative teams.

What if our social lives are as vital to our health as sleep or exercise?

In this episode of Collective Intelligence, Tracey Camilleri speaks with acclaimed science writer David Robson — author of The Intelligence Trap, The Expectation Effect, and The Laws of Connection — about the growing research around social health and its profound implications for how we live and work.

Together they explore how our connections shape not just our happiness but our physiology and longevity, and why modern work culture still undervalues this essential “third pillar” of wellbeing.

"Time spent forging bonds with others isn’t time away from work — it is the work.”

David explains the neuroscience of crating a shared reality — how two brains literally sync when people truly connect — and the traps that hold us back, from the “liking gap” that makes us underestimate how much others enjoy our company, to the fear of asking for help.

Tracey and David also bring in practical wisdom: how to become better conversationalists, how to give feedback that lands, how to bridge divides in a polarised world, and why singing, eating, or even walking together can spark what sociologist Émile Durkheim called 'collective effervescence' — that free energy of genuine belonging.

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The Collective Intelligence podcast is hosted by Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey, founders and directors of Thompson Harrison.
Contact details in the Links section below. David Robson on LinkedIn · David Robson's website · David's newsletter: 60-Second Psychology · The Laws of Connection book on Amazon · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:30:00 +0200 0 0 Laws of Connection: Building Relationships One Conversation at a Time | David Robson 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 43:26 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1575354?v=1 https://iono.fm/e/1575354?v=1
In this deeply thoughtful episode, Sam Rockey is joined by Dr. James Mountford — leadership expert, editor-in-chief of BMJ Leader, and former NHS doctor — to reflect on what it means to lead with purpose, kindness, and clarity in moments of crisis. Drawing on his experience launching London’s Nightingale Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, James shares leadership lessons forged in extreme uncertainty: the power of psychological safety, the value of fast learning cycles, and why kindness is anything but soft.

From field hospitals to AI coaching, the conversation explores how we scale compassion, build collective intelligence, and remember what truly matters in a world that’s always changing.

“Kindness is not the opposite of strength. It’s the foundation of trust, speed, and transformation.”

Whether you’re a leader in healthcare, business, or beyond, this episode is a moving reminder that what makes us human is what makes us great. Follow James on LinkedIn · Douglas Knowledge Partners website · HBR article - 10 Leadership Lessons from Covid Field Hospitals · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Tue, 22 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0200 0 0 Kindness, Crisis & Collective Wisdom: Leading Through the Unknown | Dr James Mountford 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 45:27 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1553769 https://iono.fm/e/1553769
In this rich and provocative conversation, Tracey Camilleri welcomes best-selling author, entrepreneur, and professor Margaret Heffernan to talk about her latest book, Embracing Uncertainty: How Writers, Musicians, and Artists Thrive in an Unpredictable World.

Together they explore how creativity — long undervalued in our data-obsessed, STEM-centric culture — might just be the most essential leadership skill of all. From the dangers of over-measuring what matters, to what leaders can learn from poets, painters, and protest artists, Margaret makes a compelling case for rediscovering the human capacity for imagination and curiosity in uncertain times.

Expect insights on:
• Why “efficiency” may be your organisation’s biggest weakness
• What drawing someone’s face can teach you about leadership
• How to stop being a “dancing bear” in your own life
• The deep social intelligence embedded in the arts
• And why we should beware the seductive illusion of certainty

This is a conversation about reclaiming our agency, attention, and creative courage — in work, in leadership, and in life.

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The Collective Intelligence podcast is hosted by Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey, founders and directors of Thompson Harrison.

Contact details in the Links section below. Embracing Uncertainty book · Margaret Heffernan's website · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Thu, 08 May 2025 10:01:00 +0200 0 0 Dancing with Uncertainty: Creativity, Leadership & the Power of Art | Margaret Heffernan 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 35:23 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1524543 https://iono.fm/e/1524543
How do we create truly connected, thriving teams in an increasingly hybrid world?

Join Tracey Camilleri and Robin Dunbar, co-authors of The Social Brain: The Psychology of Successful Groups, as they delve into the science of social connection and organisational dynamics.

In this thought-provoking episode, Robin Dunbar shares the fascinating origins of the Dunbar Number — 150, the optimal group size for human connection — and explains how group size impacts everything from information flow to organisational success. Together, they explore:

• Why face-to-face interactions still matter in a virtual world
• How organisations can design social strategies to foster trust and collaboration
• The psychological and physical health benefits of strong social bonds

Whether you’re a leader, an HR professional, or simply curious about how relationships shape our workplaces, this conversation offers actionable insights for building better teams and rethinking hybrid work strategies.

The Collective Intelligence podcast is hosted by Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey, founders and directors of Thompson Harrison. Contact details in the links section below. Fractal structure of human & primate social networks optimises into flow · Connect with Robin on LinkedIn · More about the Social Brain book here · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Mon, 10 Feb 2025 06:00:00 +0200 0 0 The Social Brain: Cracking the Code of Human Connection | Robin Dunbar 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 47:05 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1518024 https://iono.fm/e/1518024
Join Sam Rockey in a captivating conversation with comedian, leader, and educator John Vlismas as they explore the profound intersections of comedy, leadership, and personal growth. In this episode, John shares his transformative journey from a high-energy entertainer seeking adoration to a reflective performer embracing vulnerability, presence, and connection.

Dive into topics like the art of audience connection, the shift from exhaustion-driven work ethics to a Buddhist-inspired balance, and the role of gossip in comedy and society. With humour and insight, John discusses generational responsibility, planting seeds for the future, and how leaders can integrate stillness and self-knowledge into their practices.

This is more than a conversation, it's an invitation to think deeply about how we connect, laugh, and grow, both on stage and in life. Perfect for anyone curious about the fusion of art, wisdom, and leadership.

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The Collective Intelligence podcast is hosted by Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey, founders and directors of Thompson Harrison. Contact details in the links section below. Connect with John on LinkedIn · OGO Creative website · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Wed, 15 Jan 2025 11:00:00 +0200 0 0 Laughter is the Best Medicine: the Link Between Comedy and Leadership | John Vlismas 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 29:47 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1506171 https://iono.fm/e/1506171
In this inspiring episode, we enter the unique world of job sharing with Annelies Look and Chris White-Horne, who together hold the role of Deputy CEO and Chief Delivery Officer at the UK Space Agency.

They share how job sharing in such high-level roles has transformed their work-life balance, allowing them to pursue professional excellence while maintaining a healthy personal life. Chris and Annelies reveal how their complementary strengths, likened to a Venn diagram, create a powerful leadership dynamic, where collaboration leads to better decision-making and greater resilience.

Key takeaways:
• Collective Intelligence: Two leaders working together means combining diverse skills and perspectives to offer more than one person ever could.
• Work-Life Balance: Job sharing has allowed both to avoid burnout, maintain other passions, and refresh their thinking.
• Retention: The government, by being flexible in the structuring of roles, has retained skills and expertise that might otherwise have been lost.

The Collective Intelligence podcast is hosted by Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey, founders and directors of Thompson Harrison. Contact details in the links section. UK Space Agency website · Connect with Annelies on LinkedIn · Connect with Chris on LinkedIn · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Tue, 26 Nov 2024 11:00:00 +0200 0 0 Two Heads are Better than One: The Case for Job-sharing Leadership | Annelies Look and Chris White-Horne 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 23:09 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1492701 https://iono.fm/e/1492701
This conversation is with Karen Silverman, founder and CEO of Cantellus Group, a global company focused on helping leaders to do the hard work of bringing AI into organisations effectively and responsibly. Karen warns against the wishful thinking that AI will have all the answers and that it will arrive fit for use, like a document management system. Instead, how well it will work is dependent on how well it is used.

So, as leaders we must double down on the human capabilities and skills needed to understand and interpret how to use the outputs of these new technologies effectively. AI will open up new, more dynamic dimensions of experience that will enhance the way we learn and teach, how we entertain, and how we understand complex mechanisms with infinite variables – like economies, or the human body.

In this more blended world, we must not assume that the responsibility for its positive deployment will be taken care of elsewhere. We have to do the work in our families, our organisations, and societies to ensure that the future involving the collective intelligence of AI’s and human beings is an exciting one.

The Collective Intelligence podcast is hosted by Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey, founders and directors of Thompson Harrison. Contact details in the links section. Karen's website - Cantellus Group · Connect with Karen on LinkedIn · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Wed, 23 Oct 2024 06:00:00 +0200 0 0 AI Readiness: A Practice, Not a Project | Karen Silverman 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 18:05 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1259676 https://iono.fm/e/1259676
In this conversation, we explore what’s working, why and where there is pushback. What are some of the simple things that organisations are doing that make a difference? Reima reflects on the fear of getting things wrong, especially when it comes to language and the need to gather hard data to support changes in the system.

Finally, she sees real-world person-to-person connection as the new frontier for great organisations – and brands - where the creation of a sense of belonging makes perfect commercial sense as well.

Reima Shakeir is a lecturer at Wharton School of Business and Stern School of Business. Dr. Shakeir teaches Organizational Communication and Business and Society courses at NYU’s Stern School of Business. She also teaches research methodologies as part of the CLO (Chief Learning Officer) executive doctorate program at the University of Pennsylvania. Reima is also a Lecturer at Wharton and a partner at DEI Ready.
Research Interests include:
Impact Entrepreneurship and Inclusive Economy, Authentic Leadership, Diversity in the Business World, Equity in Higher Education, Impact Investing, Women and Identity Performance in the Public Space, Minority Women’s Lived Experiences in the Corporate World, Gender Studies, and Organizational Sociology. Connect with Reima on LinkedIn · Visit Thompson Harrison's website · Pre-order our book The Social Brain. Publication date: February 2023 · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Mon, 05 Dec 2022 09:10:00 +0200 0 0 The New Frontier for Great Organisations | Reima Shakeir 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 26:50 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1182760 https://iono.fm/e/1182760
What is charisma, how does it benefit leaders, and how can it be toxic?

Why do people follow charismatic leaders, even when it might not be good for them?

Why should leaders develop an inspirational leadership style rather than relying on charisma?

Jon Stokes is interested in how charismatic leadership can be toxic and the effect that it has on followers. He explores how leaders can inspire growth rather than dependence. He is an a an Associate Fellow at Oxford University's Said Business School and a founder of Stokes Jolly, a leadership consulting and advisory firm. He teaches and writes extensively about leadership, and coaches CEOs and their leadership teams.

Email Jon for a copy of his recent paper on charismatic leadership

mailto:js@stokesjolly.com Learn more about Jon and his work on the Stokes Jolly website · To learn more about toxic leadership · Connect with Gavin · Thompson Harrison - Helping Leaders Do What Matters Most · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Thu, 12 May 2022 16:06:00 +0200 0 0 Toxic Charisma | Jon Stokes 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 37:26 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1180091 https://iono.fm/e/1180091 Connect with Robert · Connect with Sam · Connect with Tracey · Thompson Harrison - Helping Leaders Do What Matters Most · For more on Robert and his work · For more on the work of Prof Paul Gilbert mentioned in the podcast. · For an understanding of the power dynamics playing out in your organisation · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram]]> Business Fri, 06 May 2022 08:25:00 +0200 0 0 The Dynamics of Power | Robert Rowland Smith 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 27:17 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1164495 https://iono.fm/e/1164495
Guest: Bryce Goodman, Chief Strategist for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at the Department of Defense’s Innovation Unit.

Bryce works at the intersection of developing technologies and emerging societal needs. In this wide-ranging conversation he considers the governance challenges for business leaders as they strive to limit unintended consequences and operate responsible AI systems. He celebrates the work of interdisciplinary teams who bring a range of perspectives and skills to framing the problems to be solved: too often these questions are kicked down the line to programmers and engineers. Bryce is interested not only in the ethics of emerging tech but also in its ethical use – here he tells us how machine learning is being used to prevent illegal fishing, to monitor the health of coral reefs – and most delightful of all – to track the ‘voice’ patterns of whales to understand their grammar and dialect and finally, perhaps, to be able to talk back to them. The Ceti Project: Tracking the communication patterns of whales · The US Defense innovation Unit: tracking illegal ocean fishing · Defense Innovation Unit: Responsible AI Guidelines · Connect with Bryce · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Fri, 11 Mar 2022 11:11:00 +0200 0 0 AI, Ethics, Oceans, The Metaverse, and Talking with Whales | Bryce Goodman 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 27:12 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1151292 https://iono.fm/e/1151292
Ramatu Abdulkadir (Public Health Supply Chain Expert) is someone who well understands the challenges of getting in-date medicines to the right people at the right time in a pandemic.

She has spent a lifetime grappling at the hard edge of an under-invested in healthcare system in Nigeria.

She compares healthcare to the seamlessness, rigour and innovation of the manufacturing industry - this comparison came home to her as she visited a totally automated forklift factory and returned to ‘still the same old thing’ in a healthcare system that has hardly altered its methods during her whole career. It’s a magical conversation – quite literally so, as she describes how she was able to ‘turn waste into money’.

She is an optimist and a staunch believer in investing in the education of a new generation of supply chain experts to lead change into the future: 17 of her mentees graduated as supply chain experts at the end of 2021.

‘We’re just getting started!’, she says.

Ramatu is a seasoned Public Servant and a recognized expert in Public Health Supply Chain Management systems. As the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Health Supplies Management Agency (KADHSMA), Ramatu led the transformation of Kaduna State Health Supply Chain systems serving over 10 Million People of the State. In addition, Ramatu coordinated and supervised the upgrading of the first government-owned and operated Pharma-grade warehouse valued at around NGN 250 Million. Connect with Ramatu Abdulkadir · Ramatu's Website · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Wed, 02 Feb 2022 06:39:00 +0200 0 0 Weaving Supply Chain Magic | Ramatu Abdulkadir 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 20:02 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1124275 https://iono.fm/e/1124275
Enaam Ahmed Ali is a development economist, intrapreneur, innovation manager, activist, and UN Women Representative 2022 for The Netherlands. Everything she does revolves around making people, organizations, and the planet better. Visit Enaam's website · The Dutch UN Women Website · The Dutch Council of Women · Connect with Enaam · Thompson Harrison, one of London's leading bespoke leadership development consulting firms. · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Tue, 09 Nov 2021 14:37:00 +0200 0 0 A Call to Radical Pragmatism | Enaam Ahmed-Ali 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 24:07 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1122677 https://iono.fm/e/1122677
Guest: Thami Schweichler (Makers Unite)

In this episode Tracey Camilleri talks to Thami Schweichler, the inspirational founder of Makers Unite, a sustainable clothing manufacturer based in the Netherlands that uses design as the mechanism to connect refugees with local people, businesses and ultimately with opportunity. The starting point for Makers Unite was to provide an environmental and social solution to the problem of exclusion - a 'win, win, win' model as he describes it. An inveterate optimist, Thami believes that everyone has a talent but that they deserve opportunity in order for that talent to flourish. He is in the business of creating those opportunities. He tells powerful stories of what has been achieved since the inception of Makers Unite by the newcomers he has had the privilege to meet and work with along the way. Changing the World is a Phone Call Away - Ted Amsterdam 2020, T Schweichler · Here is the link to Makers Unite · Connect with Thami · Thompson Harrison, one of London's leading bespoke leadership development consulting firms. · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Thu, 04 Nov 2021 14:45:00 +0200 0 0 The Optimism Addict - a Conversation with Thami Schweichler 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 25:29 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1078077 https://iono.fm/e/1078077
With our Guest, Shruthi Vijayakumar.

In this episode Shruthi shares her own story of courage and change. As a young change-maker, Shruthi's work focuses on re-imagining how society can be designed to ensure a positive social impact for all.

Drawing on ancient wisdom and challenging commonly held assumptions and belief systems - Shruthi shares helpful insights and experience that leaders can use to refocus their own personal purpose.

Shruthi leaves us with a challenge on how to focus on the interconnectedness between all people, all nature and all living beings. If we look at the world from a point of interconnectedness rather than separation - then there is a chance of thriving for all. Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Tue, 27 Jul 2021 12:48:00 +0200 0 0 Re-imagining Leadership | Shruthi Vijayakumar 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 33:46 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1012414 https://iono.fm/e/1012414
Dr. Alistair Mokoena (Google South Africa Country Director)

In this episode, Sam Rockey picks up on a conversation she started with Dr. Alistair Mokoena fifteen years ago that inspired her own work.

Drawing on his experience working for some of the leading companies in the world (Cadbury, Mondelez, Unilever, SABMiller, FCB and Ogilvy among them) as well as his academic focus, Ally shares his process for ongoing learning and reminds us that 'leaders who don't read, shouldn't lead.'

Ally shares what makes great organisations survive and thrive and talks about the importance of organisations going back to first principles - they exist to solve a need, and serve communities. For big organisations to deliver they need to work in partnership with small enterprises - taking an ecosystem approach ensures ongoing relevance. He warns against the tyranny of complacency and extends that to his own daily practice of putting together research 'cheat sheets'.

Ally provides a lens to the future and where true innovation will be coming from in the next decade and encourages us all to look for ways to unleash potential.

The books Ally mentions in the podcast are written by Tshilidzi Marwala "Closing the Gap" and "Leading in the 21st Century". Connect with Alistair on LinkedIn · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:05:00 +0200 0 0 Lifelong Learning and Doing | Dr. Alistair Mokoena 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 32:00 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/1000322 https://iono.fm/e/1000322
In this episode Kathryn Bishop (Director of Oxford Said Business School's Women Transforming Leadership Programme and The Oxford Women's Leadership Development Programme) talks about her new book 'Make Your Own Map'. The book is designed as a practical strategy guide for aspiring women. Kathryn explains some of the tools that she uses to help women to navigate their way to more satisfying futures. In the conversation with Tracey Camilleri, they reflect amongst other things on imposter syndrome, the particular quality of all-female environments, the masculine/feminine continuum when it comes to leadership styles and questions like - why it is that female voices often go unheard? Kathryn balances research with stories of the real women she has worked with - as well as giving us some gems of practical wisdom - such as the joys of the 'Not to Do List'. Oxford Women's Leadership Development Programme · Women Transforming Leadership Programme (Oxford Said Business School) · Make Your Own Map by Kathryn Bishop · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Tue, 23 Feb 2021 06:38:00 +0200 0 0 The Joys of the 'Not to Do List' | Kathryn Bishop 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 27:05 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/990410 https://iono.fm/e/990410
In this podcast Tracey Camilleri and Samenua Sesher explore the power of art to renew, re-engage and reinvigorate, especially during times of trauma. As the Founder of the digital Museum of Colour, Samenua reflects on some of the creative journeys of her contributors – and on her own visceral reaction to the Pitt Rivers Museum of anthropology in Oxford. Informed by her 'Respect Due' Gallery , she invites us all to take time out to honour those who have influenced our lives, especially our elders. Samenua exhorts even those who don’t think of themselves as being ‘creative’ or those who don’t work in the creative industries to try the untried, to change up their ‘unofficial board of advisors’, to dare to follow their imaginations. At times like these, we need to stop playing it safe. Samenua brings a much needed playful, joyful optimism to bear on our sombre times, believing that the development of the vaccine has shown us that ‘we can do things faster than we think’. ‘Joy is a wonderful place to work from’, she declares and leaves us with her 2020 playlist which, she says, gladdens the heart.

Samenua Sesher is a culture management consultant, a coach, an unconscious bias trainer and the founder and director of the Museum of Colour, exploring the creative journeys of British people of colour. She has experience of delivering multi-million-pound programmes and has fed into national cultural policy; set up and run a local authority culture service and lectured.

She was a 2008/09 Clore Fellow and was awarded an OBE for Services to the Arts in spring 2018 from the New Year’s Honours List.

Samenua is a People's Palace Project (PPP) Associate, member of the Advisory Board for The Art of Cultural Exchange and the is on the faculty for Oxford Cultural Leaders.

All her work is underpinned by a passionate belief in the power of creativity to transform us, challenge us and help to improve our understanding of the world, its people and ourselves. Digital Museum of Colour · The Pitt Rivers Museum of Anthropology at Oxford · Samenua's Spotify playlist · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Thu, 21 Jan 2021 06:00:00 +0200 0 0 The Transforming Power of Creativity | Samenua Sesher 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 25:14 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/980621 https://iono.fm/e/980621
Dr. Ben Morgan

In this episode Tracey Camilleri talks to poet, academic, essayist and writer Ben Morgan looks under the bonnet at how language really works and why, when used well, it is effective. How has the recent outburst of joy around the vaccine and the US election been expressed? What is powerful about the way Joe Biden use language? What can we learn from the first lines of Hamlet? Why do certain metaphors work? What's the secret of getting the tone right? Why is Greta Thunberg such a skilful user of rhetoric? Join us for this enjoyable pick through the bones and muscles of the way we speak now.

Dr Ben Morgan is a writer, critic and tutor based in Oxford. He has published poetry widely, including a long sequence, 'Medea in Corinth' (Poetry Salzburg, 2018), which retells the Greek myth in modern forms. He is completing a book on Shakespeare and the idea of political justice for Princeton University Press. He also writes essays and reviews for a range of publications, as as teaching Shakespeare studies and English to undergraduates at Oxford and beyond, with a particular focus on visiting students. Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Sat, 14 Nov 2020 07:47:00 +0200 0 0 Reading Between the Lines | Ben Morgan 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 30:30 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/980622 https://iono.fm/e/980622
Dr Yoge Patel (Blue Bear Systems | CEO)

In this first of Series Two of our Ghost Lights Podcasts we focus on How to Begin.

Here we have the good fortune to talk to tech entrepreneur Dr Yoge Patel, CEO of Blue Bear Systems a UK leader in unmanned flight technology about how she began to grow her company.

She reflects on the developmental benefits of being in the middle of a family of 7 children and how that gave her with the opportunity to watch and listen as she was growing up – key capabilities for an entrepreneur.

In the conversation she reflects on a characteristic that unites all entrepreneurs – an impatient desire to change the status quo. Although she is a self-confessed ‘techie’, her approach to running a business has a solid human-based foundation, built on simple principles – or ‘mantras’ – and a non-hierarchical shared ethos.

Her secret of success?

Even after her mother told her as a child to ‘stop smiling, people will think you are simple’ – it is always to be herself, whether speaking to a cabinet minister or the youngest recruit in the office. She reflects on some of the advantages of the Covid lockdown amongst all the difficulty, ‘I love it when one of my most senior guys tells me that he has to break off a video call to put his two year old son to bed for a nap. We have won back time from our commute for our families.’

She is optimistic about the development of technology – believing that it must always contribute to broader societal value, always be a tool for the furtherance of mankind and that good emotional design is the foundation for good engineering. Connect with Yoge on LinkedIn · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Thu, 01 Oct 2020 16:02:00 +0200 0 0 An impatient desire to change the status quo | Dr Yoge Patel 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 29:43 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/980623 https://iono.fm/e/980623
In this wide ranging episode Tracey talks to Margaret Heffernan about the importance of paying attention to what is not being said - as well as learning to listen closely to others who have a very different perspective and experience of life. She ponders the limits and oversimplifying 'narrative tidiness' of stories told in the present about complex situations, as well as the blundering misuse of big data. She reflects on the inadequacy of what is still an essentially 19th century education system and the need for lifelong learning as we embark on Uncharted territory. She laments how many management processes seem designed precisely to constrain rather than enable experimentation, creativity and flexibility - the expression of our neuroplasticity.

Margaret refers back to her earlier book, 'How She Does It', as she talks about the different way in which women lead and establish systems in organisations. Thinking about an unknown future she hopes for a world where we can all be more curious, ask better questions, one where we are prepared to give up some of our comforts for the good of the next generation and, as leaders, tell the hard truths as we see them rather than settling for short term, easy lies that lead to the costly erosion of trust that we are currently living through. Engage with Margaret on her website · Connect with Margaret on LinkedIn · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Sat, 18 Jul 2020 08:59:00 +0200 0 0 At any Moment Everything can Change | Margaret Heffernan 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 34:35 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/980624 https://iono.fm/e/980624
Martin Kemp (Trinity College, Oxford | Emeritus Professor)

In this episode, Tracey Camilleri talks to Oxford art historian, author, academic and world expert on Leonardo da Vinci, Professor Martin Kemp. Originally trained as a scientist, Kemp speaks about the advantages of looking at the world through multiple lenses and disciplines. He considers the importance of authenticity and the crucial difference between fakes and the real thing. He reflects on the toppling of statues in response to Black Lives Matter (#BLM) and how some images, like that of Che Guevara, become icons. As an expert in looking and focused noticing, he discusses the current pandemic and how the virus is represented visually. Above all he reflects on the messiness of being human in a digital world of AI and computer simulation. Connect with Prof. Kemp on LinkedIn · Martin Kemp's website with links to his books, lectures and research · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Tue, 07 Jul 2020 09:25:00 +0200 0 0 Leonardo, Lock-down and Lateral Thinking | Martin Kemp 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 30:33 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/980625 https://iono.fm/e/980625
Sally Angel (Angelica Films | Creative Director)

In this episode Sam Rockey is in conversation with Sally Angel, Creative Director of Angelica Films, psychotherapist, Emmy and BAFTA Award winning Documentary Film maker.

Sally shares why psychotherapy and documentary film making have much in common - namely how both are about seeking out the stories that need to be told. Sally shares her experience of working on her award winning documentaries including the Holocaust documentary 'Night Will Fall', the friendship documentary 'Nothing like a Dame' and the behind the scenes 'Inside the American Embassy'.

She discusses her process - a combination of curiousity, listening to people's stories and tuning in what is going on in the world. She shares her experience about seeking out powerful stories and how stories find you - finding the stories that 'grab you by the back of the neck.' Sally describes the yearning we have for stories - the epic and the intimate at the same time and describes herself as an emotional activist. Films evolve, they have their own way of going into the world - they will be received as they will be received.

The lesson for leaders? Listening to people in a deep way, seeking out the stories that are waiting to be told, not being attached to the outcome, honouring the individual and their generosity in sharing their own story. Sally leaves with leaders with some helpful tools including a 'Matrix of Trust'.

'In summary, story is probably the best way to get people's attention.' More information on Sally Angel and the work she does · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Fri, 26 Jun 2020 15:06:00 +0200 0 0 Listening out for the stories that need to be told - a film maker's view | Sally Angel 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 25:49 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/980626 https://iono.fm/e/980626
Robert Rowland Smith, Philosopher, Author, Commentator and Consultant

Robert turns to philosophy to help leaders make sense of the experience with the pandemic. Robert talks about fear and love, the philosophical nature of uncertainty, the idea that the virus is a mirror to humanity. He wonders if this unthinkable state has connections with the notion of the sublime. Wordsworth's description of a mountain in the Lake District in The Prelude is both terrifying and full of beauty. Thus, the virus too - it has unleashed illness, death, personal and collective trauma but also beauty - birdsong in the streets, crystalline air, kindness.

During the pandemic, being asked the question, "how are you?" has taken on more meaning than in more settled times. In the course of a single self-isolated day, people run the whole gamut of the emoji board from fear to love - fear for our financial futures, love for the people we work with and our families who we worry about. Fear and love are traditionally opposed but seem to live side by side in the shadow of the virus. It is interesting how rarely words like love are spoken of in the normal course of corporate life. Learn more about Robert Rowland Smith · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Tue, 12 May 2020 12:36:00 +0200 0 0 Leadership during the pandemic - a philosopher's perspective | Robert Rowland Smith 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 25:13 Collective Intelligence https://iono.fm/e/980627 https://iono.fm/e/980627
Robin Dunbar (Emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Psychology | Magdalen College, Oxford University)

In this first episode, Tracey Camilleri talks to Prof Robin Dunbar of "Dunbar number" * fame. He is Emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at Magdalen College, Oxford University. Robin brings his years of research and discovery about what make us human and how these insights can help leaders make better "human-shaped" decisions. The conversations ranges across topics from the importance of triggering the endorphin system - through mechanisms such as laughter - and its positive effect on productivity, to more pragmatic advice on how leaders can better facilitate virtual meetings and maintain the "musical flow" of conversation to arrive at more satisfaction and connection for their teams.

* Dunbar's number (150) is a suggested cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships - relationships in which an individual knows who each person is and how each person relates to every other person. Learn more about Robin Dunbar · Website · LinkedIn · Follow on Instagram · Connect with Tracey Camilleri on LinkedIn · Connect with Sam Rockey on LinkedIn]]> Business Thu, 30 Apr 2020 12:34:00 +0200 0 0 What makes us human? | Robin Dunbar 0 0 Tracey Camilleri and Sam Rockey full 25:27 Collective Intelligence