The HR Uprising Podcast

Episodios

• Harnessing the Power of Disability with Chris Jay 06.07.2026 25m

  Lucinda talks with Chris Jay, CEO of Bascule Disability Training, about transforming workplace cultures around disability. Chris draws from his personal experiences as a wheelchair user managing anxiety and depression to challenge negative stereotypes and explain how organisations can authentically support neurodiverse and disabled employees. By focusing on outcome-based performance rather than rigid traditional processes, Chris sheds light on why accessible recruitment, open communication, and proactive adjustments ultimately boost overall productivity and benefit everyone in the organisation. KEY TAKEAWAYS Effective training must shift disability awareness away from being just an HR compliance issue and toward being an inclusive cultural norm that boosts overall productivity. The majority of discrimination stems from societal ignorance and a lack of understanding, rather than malice, making proper education vital. True inclusion means organisations proactively ask prospective and current employees about their needed adjustments rather than forcing individuals to self-disclose under fear of bias. Modern businesses should evaluate employees by the quality of their work output and outcomes rather than micromanaging the specific physical locations or processes used to complete it. BEST MOMENTS "Sixty-seven percent of the British population feel uncomfortable talking to people with disabilities, so in my view, the drawbridge is up. My job is to bring it back down." "We can never train people to deal with every possible permutation of disability... Our job is to create a culture where it's okay to talk about your needs." "The psychological difference of the business going out to you first and saying, 'Hey, we're an inclusive organisation. How can we help you perform at your best?'—that really is everything I believe in." "Look at the outcome of the work and not the process that gets the work done." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT CHRIS LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-jay-bascule/ CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Passion to Performance with Laura Best 22.06.2026 38m

  Author, keynote speaker, and Passion Collective community founder Laura Best shares her personal journey from corporate burnout to becoming a leading expert on the power of passion in the workplace. Moving beyond simple definitions of engagement and purpose, Laura introduces the academic framework of the Dualistic Model of Passion, distinguishing between healthy harmonious passion and destructive obsessive passion.  She offers practical advice on how to stop running on pure grind, look past rigid corporate purpose statements, and intentionally sprinkle small, self-affirming sparks of personal passion back into their weekly routines. KEY TAKEAWAYS While purpose gets you out of bed in the morning, passion is the energy that drives and sustains you through the mundane tasks of the workday. Authentic workplace satisfaction relies on cultivating harmonious passion which encourages connection, curiosity, and autonomy rather than destructive, obsessive passion that damages health and relationships. Professionals often focus on what they want to acquire (titles, offices, status) instead of defining how they actually want to feel in their careers. You don't need to overhaul your entire life to fight disconnection; intentionally scheduling just one hour a week to dabble in something you love can dramatically revitalise your well-being. BEST MOMENTS “I had the career that I always really wanted and that I'd built and sacrificed for. And yet, I got to this point where I literally felt like I was flatlining inside." "Purpose can be a grounding, noble thing that we've got, but passion is truly the motivational force that can propel us forwards, upwards, sideways." "Your goal should be based on what you want to acquire versus, how do you want to feel?" "My word is 'fizzy' this sense of fizziness when I'm doing something that I love. And I know it sounds silly and stupid, but I don't care because when I focus on the fact that when I feel this way. I'm actually helping myself and helping other people." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT LAURA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauracbest/ Passion Collective Website: https://www.passioncollective.co/ Passion Collective Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passioncollective/ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Beating Imposter Syndrome in High Performers with Laura Ogilvie-Jones 08.06.2026 32m

  Lucinda welcomes career and leadership coach Laura Ogilvie-Jones to explore the rising corporate phenomenon of "comparativitis" where high-performing, senior professionals secretly lose confidence due to the pressures of social media, rapid technological change, and AI.  Laura shares her insightful, values-driven coaching methods such as the North Arrow and Buzz Sheets to reveal how HR professionals can spot warning signs of fading confidence and foster environments of vulnerability to help leaders rebuild their self-assurance. KEY TAKEAWAYS High performers often project a polished professional image externally while secretly battling severe imposter syndrome and eroding confidence underneath. Constant bombardment from social media platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram pressures professionals to compare themselves to others, leading to self-doubt and second-guessing. True, sustainable leadership confidence is built not by maintaining a flawless, numeric-driven facade, but by embracing emotional intelligence, vulnerability, and self-awareness. HR can identify leaders struggling with confidence by watching for noticeable behaviour changes, such as withdrawal from opportunities, overthinking, or uncharacteristic defensiveness. BEST MOMENTS "They may well appear very confident externally... but actually underneath they might be struggling, and they might be losing confidence and having wobbles, having doubts, but they don't feel able to verbalise that." "The word I often use with my clients to talk about is 'comparativitis'. We are absolutely bombarded with images, news, communication about other people and what they're doing and how amazing they are." "When I'm working with someone one-to-one, it's the first time they've ever actually been honest, vulnerable, and authentic about what is actually going on and how they're actually feeling." "If you don't have that self-awareness, you're just, you know, blissfully carrying on." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Fractional HR Consulting with Sharon Green 25.05.2026 33m

  Lucinda talks to HR transformation specialist Sharon Green to demystify the evolving world of independent people professionals. Sharon draws on her extensive 20-year career to clearly distinguish between traditional interim management and the emerging trend of fractional HR, which offers scalable, long-term strategic leadership for growing businesses that don't yet need a full-time executive.  Packed with practical advice, the conversation explores the mindset, adaptability, and relationship-building skills required to thrive as a solo practitioner in a changing corporate landscape. KEY TAKEAWAYS While interim roles are typically full-time, project-driven, or coverage-based for a finite period, fractional roles provide ongoing, long-term strategic leadership on a part-time basis tailored to a company's growth stage. Succeeding as an independent consultant requires a high tolerance for ambiguity, as practitioners must frequently step into unfamiliar corporate cultures and hit the ground running without formal onboarding. The value of a senior interim or fractional professional lies less in highly specialised industry knowledge and more in transferable leadership skills and the ability to view business challenges from an objective, outside perspective. Managing the exit phase of a consultancy contract with a thorough handover is just as critical as the onboarding phase to ensure long-term trust and sustainable change for the client. BEST MOMENTS "You're not really leveraging off your domain knowledge... it's more about the transferable skills and experience that you bring to that organisation and the outside-in perspective." "Clients aren't paying to manage you... they're paying for you to manage the work that they are engaging you to deliver." "Doing a good job at the ending is just as important as doing that good job right at the start to build those trusting relationships." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT SHARON LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharongreenchiara/ Chiara Consulting Website: http://chiaraconsultancy.co.uk/ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Rethinking Employer Brand in 2026 with John Tarrant 11.05.2026 34m

  Lucinda talks to John Tarrant, Managing Partner at DNA, to dissect the critical role of the Employee Value Proposition (EVP) in 2026. Moving far beyond simple marketing imagery, John explains how modern EVP must be an authentic statement of intent that bridges the gap between leadership perception and the daily reality of the workforce.  From navigating the post-COVID trust deficit to leveraging AI for data analysis without losing the human touch, this conversation provides a strategic seven-step roadmap for organisations looking to reduce attrition, slash recruitment costs, and build a truly distinct employer brand. KEY TAKEAWAYS A successful EVP is not just about pretty pictures or marketing; it must be a distinct, authentic, and compelling reflection of the actual internal employee experience. Strategic EVP development requires a deep-dive discovery phase to identify and fix the disconnect between senior leadership’s vision and the reality of employees on the ground. Implementing a robust EVP is a business investment rather than a cost, capable of significantly reducing early attrition and decreasing the cost-per-hire through improved employer reputation. While AI can efficiently analyse large data sets and streamline admin tasks, it cannot manufacture an authentic brand; over-reliance on AI-generated content risks creating a generic, unbalanced narrative. BEST MOMENTS “We’ve defined an EVP as the statement of intent as to what you stand for as an employer." "If the rate of change in the external market is greater than that within the organisation, the end is nigh." "Your EVP's got to be distinct. It’s got to be authentic, and it’s got to be compelling, because this thing is going to have to work hard for you." "You’re not really in control of that narrative now, so you have to take control" VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT JOHN John LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-tarrant-494363a/ DNA Website: https://www.wearedna.co.uk/ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Thriving Talent with Aoife O'Brien 27.04.2026 43m

  Lucinda reunites with leadership and culture specialist Aoife O’Brien to explore how organisational thinking has shifted over the last five years.  Moving beyond the foundational concept of "belonging," Aoife introduces her Thriving Talent framework—a holistic temple model built upon psychological safety and supported by three critical pillars: Workplace Culture, Individual Drivers, and Organisational Capabilities.  They dive deep into the nuances of psychological safety, the dangers of toxic cultures, and the essential role of self-awareness in leadership. KEY TAKEAWAYS Organisational success is structured like a temple: Psychological Safety is the foundation, Culture, Drivers, and Capabilities are the pillars, and Leadership is the capstone that holds it all together. True psychological safety is not about being nice or avoiding conflict; it is the ability to engage in candid, constructive conflict and admit failure without fear of retribution. While 95% of people believe they are self-aware, research suggests the actual figure is closer to 15%. Effective leadership requires bridging this gap by seeking external feedback to understand the impact we have on others. A toxic culture often stems from a mismatch between stated values and actual behaviours (how people are rewarded or treated). Authenticity requires total alignment between the two. BEST MOMENTS "Psychological safety is not the answer to everything; it is the means to the end." "Silence is a clear sign that you have not created psychological safety." "We don’t set out to create a toxic work environment; it just accidentally happens. But it takes acknowledging the elephant in the room to change it." "Leadership starts with leading ourselves first before we ever think about leading other people." VALUABLE RESOURCES Download the Burke Litwin Model of Change Resource The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT AOIFE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ Thriving Talent: https://thrivingtalentbook.com/ Aoife's Previous Episode 107: Belonging at Work ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• HR Compliance in an AI World with John Rood 13.04.2026 32m

  Lucinda explores the critical intersection of AI governance and compliance within modern organisations with special guest John Rude, founder of Perceptual, who emphasises that as major regulations like the EU AI Act emerge, AI oversight must transition from a niche IT concern to a cross-functional responsibility involving HR, legal, and executive leadership.  They discuss how high-risk applications, such as recruitment and performance management, require robust documentation and ethical frameworks to mitigate bias and liability, providing a wake up call to action for businesses to implement internal AI policies and tiered literacy training to navigate the rapid evolution of technology safely and strategically. KEY TAKEAWAYS Organisations must prepare for the EU AI Act, which is set to establish a global standard similar to GDPR. It categorises AI uses by risk, with high-risk areas requiring extensive documentation and management systems. While AI governance often lands on the desks of HR or IT, it must be an organisation-wide effort. Restricting governance to a single department can lead to "Shadow AI," where employees use tools without oversight, increasing liability and bias risks. Effective governance requires a tiered approach to training. Executives need to understand strategic risk, middle managers need function-specific context, and all employees require a baseline of AI literacy to avoid basic security pitfalls. The absolute minimum requirement for any organisation today is an Internal AI Use Policy. This document acts as the first line of defence, defining how employees can and cannot interact with AI tools to protect company assets. BEST MOMENTS "If we say governance just belongs only in HR, or only in information security, or only in IT, it doesn't end up working... the policies we create to put governance into place have to filter throughout the entire organisation."  "The EU often times sets a global standard based both on their desire to act quickly on new items... and the expansiveness with which they're willing to regulate."  "It's the potential risk to individuals to over-benefit some and disadvantage the disadvantaged... it’s that kind of impact on humans if not used with great ethics."  "Every organisation needs an internal AI use policy, and if you don't have it, that really is in my mind like an emergency." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together.
• Measuring Inclusion with Paolo Gaudiano 30.03.2026 37m

  Lucinda talks to Paolo Gaudiano, a scientist and entrepreneur who applies computer simulations and analytics to the field of DEI.  Paolo challenges traditional diversity initiatives that focus solely on demographic quotas, arguing instead for a data-driven focus on inclusion. By linking specific workplace problems, such as exclusion from meetings or career development disparities, to tangible financial losses like decreased productivity and increased attrition, he provides HR leaders with a powerful framework to align people strategies with the organisation’s bottom line KEY TAKEAWAYS Focusing on inclusion is more effective than focusing on diversity because it addresses the root causes of attrition rather than just chasing demographic quotas. HR leaders can build a stronger business case for DEI by quantifying how poor employee experiences lead to visible losses in productivity and increased turnover costs. True meritocracy is achieved only when an organisation ensures that career outcomes like promotions and bonuses are decoupled from an employee's identity. Instead of starting with identity groups, organisations should identify their biggest operational problems and fix them, which naturally benefits underrepresented groups the most. BEST MOMENTS "The problem is not so much that we're not hiring enough people... it's a problem that these people are more likely to leave because we're not treating them the same way as other employees." "I want to get to the point where the HR leaders are able to use these simple concepts... to measure the right metrics and to be able to link them to the financial KPIs." "It's easy to have a complicated idea, but it's very, very hard to have a simple idea." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT PAOLO LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pgaudiano/ Book: https://measuringinclusion.com/book Aleria Website: http://www.aleria.tech/paolo-gaudiano ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Preventing Harassment with Dr Enya Doyle 16.03.2026 40m

  Lucinda welcomes Dr. Enya Doyle, known as the "harassment doctor," to discuss effective strategies for preventing harassment in the workplace.  Dr. Doyle shares her background in academic research, particularly her PhD on sexism in classical music, and emphasises the importance of recognising and addressing harassment in all organisational settings, especially in smaller businesses where HR resources may be limited.  The conversation explores the significance of awareness, the role of leadership in fostering a respectful culture, and practical steps for HR professionals to take, including the need for tailored policies and the value of open communication KEY TAKEAWAYS It's crucial for HR professionals, especially in smaller organisations, to recognise that harassment can occur anywhere, regardless of the size or culture of the workplace. Silence or lack of reports does not mean that harassment is not happening. Organisations should regularly examine their cultural norms and practices. Questions like "What would be considered normal behaviour here?" can help identify potentially harmful practices that may be overlooked. Policies on harassment should reflect the reality of the workplace and be tailored to the specific industry. Generic, cookie-cutter policies are ineffective if they do not address the unique circumstances of the organisation. Training should not be limited to e-learning; instead, it should involve interactive discussions and real-life examples.  BEST MOMENTS "It's really important... just because you are a HR department of one doesn't mean that people, individual bad actors or systems aren't going to create an environment where people are going to bully or harass their colleagues." "If you were to receive a phone call from the police to say that one of your employees had been arrested for sexual assault, who do you not be surprised about?" "Please don't make your entire harassment prevention strategy e-learning. If you do absolutely nothing else that I've said, please do not make that your entire strategy because it won't work." "Curiosity is key. The one piece of advice that I always give... is ask one more question. Just be curious." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Helping The Squeezed Middle Manager with Gary Cookson 02.03.2026 29m

  Lucinda welcomes special guest Gary Cookson, an expert in leadership development and author of the upcoming book, The Squeezed Middle, to talk about the evolving and often invisible role of middle managers, who act as vital buffers and translators between senior strategy and frontline execution.  They explore how modern shifts like hybrid work, AI integration, and a greater organisational focus on individual well-being have transformed the middle management profile from a process-driven role into one defined by "learnership," high emotional intelligence, and lateral influence. KEY TAKEAWAYS Middle managers are the "value zone" of an organisation where abstract strategy is translated into practical reality and organisational culture is truly embodied through daily interactions. Remote and hybrid work have moved management from sensory observation (eyes and ears) to digital data processing, requiring managers to master asynchronous communication and new ways of gathering information. There is an increasing demand for managers to treat employees as unique individuals rather than a collective group, necessitating high interpersonal skills and the ability to navigate individual well-being and career aspirations. With the rapid onset of technologies like AI, managers are no longer expected to have all the answers; instead, they must model "learnership" by being open to unlearning old habits. BEST MOMENTS "If you want to know the true value of a middle manager, get rid of them. See what doesn’t happen as a result, and see what does that they're not there to stop happening." "Strategy becomes reality, plans become real... it's a very misunderstood and often quite intangible role." "It’s never important to have all the right answers; it’s more important to have all the right questions." "You can't expect people to just swim when you throw them in the water for the first time... if you throw somebody in the water for the first time and they drown, that's on you, not on them." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT GARY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garycookson/ Pre-order 'The Squeezed Middle': https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/isbn/9783111713748/html ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Leading with Heart with Roxanne Hobbs 16.02.2026 26m

  Lucinda is in discussion with Roxanne Hobbs, founder of the Hobbs Consultancy, about the importance of leading with heart in the workplace.  They look at how empathetic leadership can foster inclusive and high-performing cultures, and Roxanne shares her journey from the advertising industry to advocating for women in leadership, highlighting the significance of balancing empathy with accountability.  They explore the complexities of modern leadership, emphasising the need for leaders to embrace both emotional intelligence and performance-driven strategies. KEY TAKEAWAYS And empathy-led approach fosters a more inclusive and high-performing workplace culture. The model consists of three pillars: Connection (empathy and accountability), Authenticity (vulnerability and boundaries), and Consciousness (self-awareness and decisiveness). Leaders should strive to balance these elements to enhance their effectiveness. Leaders need to engage in personal work to overcome past experiences and fears that may hinder their ability to lead with heart A holistic approach helps identify underlying cultural issues and promotes sustainable performance. BEST MOMENTS "I want people to lead with heart, but I can't possibly say that out loud in the workplace. And he said, why not?" "If you're using fear to push people harder, there's only so far you can go with that before people will completely disengage." "The strength lies in the “and”. It's about being empathetic first and holding you accountable." "It's not something extra, it's not something that costs money, but it's how can people really just consider it." VALUABLE RESOURCES Leading with Heart Whitepaper: https://thehobbsconsultancy.com/leading-with-heart-whitepaper/ The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Authentic Communication with Sally Pritchett 02.02.2026 28m

  Lucinda discusses the critical importance of employee communication with Sally Pritchett, CEO of Something Big, a creative communications agency.  Sally shares her insights on the evolving landscape of workplace communication, the challenges of information overload and the changing expectations of employees who seek transparency and authenticity from their leaders. They also explore the significance of trust in organisations, the need for two-way dialogue rather than one-sided communication, and the role of HR in fostering a culture of engagement KEY TAKEAWAYS Effective employee communication is crucial in today's workplace, where employees expect to be engaged and informed about the organisation's purpose and values, rather than just being told what to do. Transparency and authenticity in communication are essential for fostering trust between leaders and employees. Leaders should acknowledge uncertainties and focus on the organisation's core values to provide stability during challenging times. Organisations should prioritise genuine conversations over monologue-style communication. Engaging employees in dialogue can lead to better understanding and collaboration, rather than simply broadcasting messages. The choice of language in communication can significantly impact employee perception. Using inclusive and relatable language helps employees feel acknowledged and valued, while jargon or corporate speak can create disconnect and distrust. BEST MOMENTS "We need to bring people on the journey. They don't just come because we gave them a job and we're paying them at the end of the month." "I think the best thing [leaders] can do is to say, we don't have a crystal ball. We don't have the answers to what the future looks like." "If you keep telling your kids to stop bickering, what you get is more bickering. Look at what is the main conversation going on in your business." "Treating employees like adults is an absolute must, in my opinion. I think that's often where we fail." VALUABLE RESOURCES Something Big - https://somethingbig.co.uk/our-story/ The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT SALLY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/somethingbig/ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Blue Monday - Suicide Prevention with Jessi Beyer 19.01.2026 49m

  Lucinda welcomes suicide prevention expert, Jessi Beyer, to discuss the critical yet often overlooked topic of suicide prevention in the workplace.  Jessi shares her personal journey into this field, stemming from a life-changing experience in high school, and emphasises the importance of equipping non-mental health professionals, particularly HR practitioners, with the tools to recognise and respond to signs of distress among colleagues. The conversation also introduces the LIFE model—Listen, Inquire, Form a safety plan, and Eliminate lethal means—as a practical framework for supporting individuals in crisis. KEY TAKEAWAYS The LIFE model consists of four key steps: Listen, Inquire, Form a safety plan, and Eliminate lethal means. This framework helps non-mental health professionals effectively support individuals in crisis. Dramatic changes in behaviour, appearance, and substance use can indicate someone is struggling. It's important to be aware of these signs and to actively check in with colleagues who may be exhibiting such changes. Effective communication is crucial in supporting someone in distress. Key skills include reflection, minimal encouragers, mirroring, open-ended questions, summary statements, and the use of silence to create a safe space for sharing. In high-stress situations, such as someone threatening self-harm, the focus should be on slowing down the conversation, building rapport, and listening actively, while also ensuring that professional help is called. BEST MOMENTS "It's those people that are kind of those frontline supports, it's friends, it's family members, it's colleagues that are going to be the people that recognise suicidal ideation first."  "If you can do those four things, you will be able to handle and de-escalate the vast majority of suicidal or mental health crises that you might encounter in your workplace."  "One of the biggest risk factors for suicide is feeling like you don't have people around you."  "If you can combine some of those statistics of like, it's here and it's costing us something, sometimes that's enough to change the tides in an organisation that doesn't think they need to care about mental health." VALUABLE RESOURCES Jessi Beyer - https://jessibeyerinternational.com/ The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT JESSI Website: https://jessibeyerinternational.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessierinbeyer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjessibeyer/ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Ban the Boozy Christmas Party! with Tabbin Almond 01.12.2025 39m

  Lucinda welcomes Tabbin Almond, author of "Bottling Up Trouble," to discuss the impact of alcohol in the workplace.  As the holiday season approaches, they explore the cultural norms surrounding drinking, particularly in corporate settings, and the challenges faced by individuals struggling with alcohol use. Tabbin shares a personal journey to becoming alcohol-free and highlights the stigma that prevents many from seeking help. KEY TAKEAWAYS There is a pressing need to change workplace cultures that encourage excessive drinking, as many individuals feel pressured to conform to alcohol-related social norms, which can lead to serious personal and professional issues. Individuals struggling with alcohol use often feel shame and stigma, making it difficult for them to seek help. Coaching can provide a supportive environment where they can regain control and learn to live alcohol-free Younger generations, particularly Gen Z, are drinking less and are more aware of mental health issues. As they rise to senior positions, they are likely to influence workplace cultures towards healthier practices Organisations should prioritise inclusivity at events, such as Christmas parties, by providing a wide range of appealing non-alcoholic options and ensuring that alcohol does not dominate the event's focus BEST MOMENTS "There's so much shame and stigma around having a problem with alcohol that they can't ask for help. They fear that if they say they've got a problem, they will be branded forevermore." "The younger generation are much more aware of their mental health and proactive in looking after it. They understand that alcohol can never relieve depression or stress; it can only make them worse." "We need to change the culture. We're encouraged to drink by society, but if someone gets into trouble, it's only the individual's fault." "Think before automatically using alcohol to help people bond at work. Be more creative and ask, 'Isn't there something better we could do?'" VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT TABBIN LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-tabbin-almond/ Wine to Water Coaching - https://www.winetowatercoaching.com/ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Discover Compliance Culture: Our New Spinoff Podcast For Compliance Professionals 19.11.2025 5m

  Stop treating compliance and HR as an administrative balancing act and find clarity. Join Lucinda on Compliance Culture as she explores why organisational culture is the key to embedding compliance in practice - moving beyond the just avoiding fines attitude to achieve better outcomes for customers, employees, and organisations. Introducing the launch of our brand new spinoff podcast : Compliance Culture. This show is designed specifically for compliance professionals who want to explore trending topics like Consumer Duty and SMCR, but from a more human perspective. We'll be talking to industry experts and real-world professionals so you can relate, gain practical knowledge, and discover tools to make working in compliance easier and more impactful. Important: The HR Uprising podcast isn't going anyway! We will continue as normal with the additional of this new show. Compliance culture is added content we just couldn't keep to ourselves, the conversations were too good not to share. Search for Compliance Culture on your favourite podcast platform, subscribe and give us a rating today! Find Us On Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music And Beyond... Contact Methods Actus - Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | X The HR Uprising - Join The HR Uprising LinkedIn Community Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | X
• Protecting Employee Data Building a Culture of Compliance with Sarah Hodgkin-Bates 17.11.2025 39m

  Lucinda speaks with data protection expert Sarah Hodgkin-Bates about the critical overlap between HR and compliance, specifically regarding the handling of employee personal data.  They examine the importance of setting a company culture of transparency and cooperation by properly managing data protection, and discuss the legal frameworks governing data (GDPR/Data Protection Act 2018), how to manage access to different types of employee records (e.g., payroll vs. disciplinary), and the challenges organisations face with complex areas like Subject Access Requests (SARs) and the proper retention of sensitive data. KEY TAKEAWAYS Being transparent about how employee data is used, often via separate employee privacy notices, builds a positive, co-operative company culture and a better employee brand. A core principle of data protection is to minimise access. Access should only be given to individuals who strictly need it for their job or role (e.g., payroll staff, but not the whole accounts team). Subject Access Requests (SARs) are often raised during complaints to create stress. Organisations must have a clear procedure and recognise that a SAR must be fulfilled within one month, as failure to comply could lead to regulatory body involvement. Data protection classifies certain types of personal data (like protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 or biometric data from CCTV) as 'special category data,' requiring elevated security measures like encryption and limited access. BEST MOMENTS "If you get your data protection right, you are creating a spirit of transparency and cooperation." "A basic principle of data protection is to minimise access. So you would only give access to people that strictly need it for their job or role." "Subject Access Requests... are usually raised because someone has a complaint or a grievance and they're looking to gather evidence or to create stress and hassle." "If you are challenged by an employee, you must be able to give them an open and honest answer about how you're using your data and why you're using it." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT SARAH LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-hodgkin-bates-35a035177/ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• FutureX Leaders with Kate Fletcher 03.11.2025 25m

  Lucinda speaks with Kate Fletcher, founder of FutureX Leaders, about the evolving landscape of leadership and the emotional challenges leaders face today.  They discuss the findings of recent research highlighting that a significant number of leaders feel pressured to perform rather than be their authentic selves, leading to emotional exhaustion, and highlight the importance of intentional leadership practices and the value of community in navigating the complexities of modern organisational life KEY TAKEAWAYS A significant number of leaders (90%) feel pressured to perform rather than be their authentic selves, leading to emotional exhaustion for nearly 70% of them. This highlights the need for better support systems for leaders to manage their emotional well-being. There is a growing recognition that leadership must evolve to be more human-centric, focusing on adaptability, emotional fluency, and psychological safety. This shift is essential for leaders to navigate the complexities and uncertainties of today's business environment. FutureX Leaders emphasises the value of peer support and connection. Regular interactions within peer cohorts foster trust, belonging, and accountability, allowing leaders to share experiences, solve problems collaboratively, and learn from one another. Traditional classroom-based leadership training is deemed ineffective. FutureX Leaders advocates for a more practical approach, where leaders engage in real-time learning and practice, enabling them to apply concepts directly to their work environments. BEST MOMENTS "90% of leaders feel the pressure to perform rather than actually show up as who they really are." “What we need is a real shift towards much more human leadership... about adaptability, emotional fluency, psychological safety." "Classroom-based leadership development just doesn't work. People need something frequent, regular, that's about the practice of leadership." "If you are exhausted at work, then that actually feeds over into your home life as well." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT KATE LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/katefletcher-ceo-mentor/ Substack - https://substack.com/@thekatefletcher ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• 5x5 Leadership - with Matthew Adam 20.10.2025 26m

  Lucinda is joined by special guest Matthew Adam, to look at the concept of systemic psychotherapy, exploring how its principles, rooted in understanding the interconnected nature of relationships within a system, are highly relevant to organisational leadership.  Using a 5x5 model framework—which balances five essential team functions against five common team dysfunctions—they examine the active, proactive process required to foster a healthy, high-performing organisational culture. KEY TAKEAWAYS Systemic psychotherapy focuses on relationships and the interconnected nature of elements within a system, similar to how an ecosystem or a family operates, and this thinking is highly applicable to improving organisational systems. The 5x5 model addresses the "five dysfunctions of a team" by balancing them against five essential team functions, providing an active, hands-on framework for improving team dynamics and performance. Working on the model creates a positive, multi-modal, and circulatory impact across the organisation, meaning that strengthening one area simultaneously enhances all other areas due to the interconnected nature of the system. The starting point for implementing the model is encouraging a reflective space where leaders address questions about how they can improve and what they would like to do differently, moving from a problem-saturated focus to a strength-based position. BEST MOMENTS "Systemic psychotherapy is really about relationships. It's about how do we understand the interconnected nature of the elements that comprise a system and how they interact with each other." “Dysfunction doesn't have to mean dysfunctional" "Working on one particular area, you're positively impacting all of the others simultaneously." "We sometimes have to define our structure so that not only are we addressing team dynamic, but we're also introducing agility and flexibility." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠Mastering Motivation with Rob Lion (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT MATTHEW LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-adam1/ 5x5 Website - http://www.the5x5model.com/ For Consulting - http://www.systemicsolutionsconsulting.co.uk/ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• Tap Into Your Allyship Power - with Julie Kratz 06.10.2025 34m

  Lucinda is joined by allyship expert Julie Kratz, who discusses her research on why people with power often disengage from conversations about diversity and inclusion, feeling either "threatened" or "irrelevant."  Together they explore her latest book, which outlines a "use fear as fuel" strategy and introduces a framework for building allyship programs. Julie stresses that everyone has power and a social responsibility to champion inclusion, arguing that strong allyship is less about transactional "doing" and more about building meaningful relationships that lead to personal fulfilment, better team dynamics, and positive organisational change. KEY TAKEAWAYS Many people in positions of power, particularly white men, do not believe conversations about diversity and inclusion are meant to include them, often fuelled by fears of status loss, irrelevance, or the belief that allyship offers "all risk, no reward." Everyone has power, and the first step to becoming an effective ally is to build a strong "allyship why" rooted in the understanding that humans are a social species whose survival and happiness depend on collaboration and helping one another. Effective allyship involves moving beyond individual action to creating systemic change, which includes building highly customised allyship programs that focus on key behaviours like modeling and storytelling to make inclusive practices contagious. Organisations need to focus on building inclusive policies (e.g., caregiving leave, pay equity) and objective hiring and promotion processes to minimise bias, as people are often judged on potential (if they resemble current leadership) or actual performance (if they are different). BEST MOMENTS "The first step that I offer is really building your allyship why. Like why do you want to be helpful to other people?" "Power's not bad, it's what you do with it that matters. And so don't you want to be on the good side of history, like don't you want to be the one that's standing up to social issues, even if it doesn't impact you?" "The more you are look and act like the C-suite leader, that again is predominantly white male, the more you have proxy to power." "Modelling plus storytelling. So I can model the behaviour, and you could be like, 'Yeah, that's great for Julie, but that doesn't really work for me and my style.' But what if I told you a story in addition to that, that you could kind of see yourself in?" VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT JULIE Her LinkedIn- ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliekratz/⁠ The Next Pivot Point Website - ⁠https://www.nextpivotpoint.com/ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
• High Performance HR - Cultural Mapping And Development 22.09.2025 27m

  Lucinda looks at the critical role of organisational culture in driving high performance and compliance, emphasising that culture, often defined as "the way we do things around here," significantly influences employee engagement, behaviour, and decision-making.  She also discusses practical tools for mapping and diagnosing culture, such as Cameron and Quinn's cultural diagnostics and the cultural web, while highlighting the importance of psychological safety in fostering a learning environment KEY TAKEAWAYS Tools such as Cameron and Quinn's cultural diagnostics and the cultural web can help organisations assess their current culture and identify areas for improvement Creating a culture of psychological safety is vital for effective learning and development. Employees should feel comfortable making mistakes, asking questions, and providing feedback without fear of negative consequences. Leaders play a critical role in shaping organisational culture. Their behaviours and values set the tone for the entire organisation. It is important for leaders to model the desired behaviours and encourage ethical decision-making. Compliance is increasingly viewed as a cultural issue rather than just a regulatory requirement. Organisations should embed compliance values into everyday processes and decision-making to ensure that employees understand the importance of compliance beyond mere tick-box exercises. BEST MOMENTS "Culture is so hard to define. It defines how our people show up. It defines what they prioritise, how aligned their actions are, the values they promote." "If we want to drive high performance, we are either pushing against the tide or we're going with it. And the tide in this case is culture." "Psychological safety was the top factor in terms of generating high performance teams." "Culture makes a massive difference. It’s not just about compliance; it’s about whether the people follow things." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up’ together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/