Season 3 Episode 30: With Ceri Newton-Sargunar Ever wondered why your team’s brilliant technical expert turns into a bumbling fool the second they’re promoted? Or why your boss would rather launch a doomed rocket than admit a mistake? Welcome to the brutal, biological truth: status is the invisible force driving every decision, conflict, and ego in your workplace. In this eye-opening episode, Jimmy and James are joined by Ceri Newton-Sargunar—neuroscientist, chaos theorist, and self-proclaimed "ologist"—to dissect how our primal need for status (success, power, or virtue) shapes behaviour, from boardroom power plays to the quiet despair of middle managers. Ceri reveals why even flat … [Read more...]
Is Conflict Our Greatest Natural Resource?
Season 3 – Episode 012: With Charles Irvine This episode introduces special guest Charles Irvine, who proposes a provocative idea: Conflict is our greatest natural resource. Key Discussion Points The Problem with Denial: Jimmy, James and Charles discuss how much time, energy, and resource people dedicate to denying the existence of conflict or avoiding it, leading to a "long tail of conflict" through rumination and anxiety. The Water Analogy: Charles uses the analogy of water—an essential resource that can nurture or destroy—to explain that, while conflict can be destructive, it must be channelled and worked with rather than demonised or avoided. Conflict vs. Consensus: James raises the … [Read more...]
How to Make Difficult Conversations Easy
Season 3 – Episode 7: With Amanda Gilbert In this episode of "A Job Done Well," James Lawther and Jimmy Barber are joined by learning and development expert Amanda Gilbert to tackle a topic we all face but often dread: difficult conversations at work (and beyond).After a quick catch-up (including university choices and Jimmy’s book recommendation for every man who has a mother), the team discuss why tough conversations feel so challenging—and how we can handle them better. Amanda introduces the "Ladder of Inference" model, helping us see how our assumptions and stories can unnecessarily escalate situations (including James’ run-in with a taxi driver!). Amanda shows how quickly we can jump … [Read more...]
You Can’t Avoid Them: How to Deal With Difficult People Without Losing It
Season 3 – Episode 2: Don't Be One of Them Difficult people aren’t just frustrating—they’re exhausting. And most advice on dealing with them doesn’t actually work in real life. In this week's episode, hosts James Lawther and Jimmy Barber discuss strategies for dealing with difficult people at work. We all know them – those you dread interacting with – maybe they don't listen, or they snipe from the sidelines. Perhaps they ignore you, or nothing ever sticks to them when things go wrong. Regardless of who they are, James and Jimmy discuss how to deal with them effectively – both in the moment and over the long term, if their behaviour is systemic. James and Jimmy also challenge … [Read more...]
Power Dynamics
Season 2 – Episode 29: Understanding Leadership and Power at Work This week, we delve into the intricacies of leadership power and its impact on workplace dynamics. We explore power’s misuse and ethical implications, highlighted by current events and personal experiences. We also share our 'research' and insights - all aimed to encourage self-awareness for leaders to wield their power conscientiously and effectively for positive outcomes. You can also see if you are more intelligent than James by benchmarking your scores on LinkedIn puzzle games! Transcript 0:13 Hello, I'm James. Hi, I'm Jimmy and welcome to a Job Done Well, a podcast that helps you improve your … [Read more...]