People Soup

Sometimes the people closest to us can see things we've become blind to.In this Quick Spoon, Ross reflects on a powerful moment from his conversation with organisational psychologist Dr Joanne Gray.After years in a demanding corporate role, Joe made the decision to leave. When she shared the news with her Dad, his response was immediate:"Thank God for that."Those four words revealed something important. While Joe had been pushing on, those closest to her had already noticed the impact that work was having on her wellbeing.This Quick Spoon explores perspective, self-awareness, and the value of having people in our lives who are willing to tell us the truth when we need to hear it.Something to reflect uponWho are the people in your life who tell you the truth when you need to hear it?And when was the last time you listened?Listen to the Full EpisodePowering Workplace Proactivity with Dr Joanne GrayPeople Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.Full episode - Powering workplace proactivity with Dr Joe Gray – on Apple PodcastsFind Joe on InstagramThe Progress Lab | We’re on a mission to make workplaces work better, helping people & organisations unleash their potential.Connect with Joe on LinkedInJoe's website - Powering ProactivityJoe's Book - Powering Workplace ProactivityVisit Ross' Website.Connect with Ross on LinkedInPeople Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian lifeHe's now also on BlueskyThe People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE

What happens when success no longer feels quite right?In this episode of People Soup, Ross speaks with organisational psychologist, consultant and author Dr Joanne Gray.Joe shares the story of a major career transition that took her from a senior corporate leadership role into the world of business psychology and consulting. Along the way, she reflects on the warning signs she experienced, the role of values in shaping career decisions, and the moment she realised something had to change.The conversation then explores Joe's work on workplace proactivity – what it really means, why organisations often struggle to create the conditions for it, and how leaders can unintentionally shut it down.You'll also hear a simple and practical framework that can help us think about taking action when something matters.In this episodeJoanne's journey from corporate leadership to organisational psychologyRecognising the signs of exhaustion and burnoutWhat happens when workplace culture no longer aligns with your valuesWhy proactivity is more than simply being helpfulThe difference between reactive and proactive workWhy proactivity can sometimes become another workplace demandThe Can Do, Reason To, Energised To frameworkLeadership, psychological safety and fairnessJoanne's walk-on music choiceA question to reflect onWhen you're considering a change, taking initiative or speaking up, ask yourself:Can I do it?Do I have a reason to do it?Do I have the energy to do it?Walk-on MusicEverybody's Free (To Feel Good) – RozallaPeople Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.Find Joe on InstagramThe Progress Lab | We’re on a mission to make workplaces work better, helping people & organisations unleash their potential.Connect with Joe on LinkedInJoe's Book - Powering Workplace ProactivityVisit Ross' Website.Connect with Ross on LinkedInPeople Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian lifeHe's now also on BlueskyThe People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE

Every workplace seems to have one.The difficult colleague.The challenging client.The person who pushes your buttons before they’ve even opened their mouth.In this Quick Spoon from my conversation with Dr Eric Goodman, we explore a different way of responding to difficult people at work.Not by excusing behaviour.Not by pretending it’s easy.But by asking a different question:What if compassion reduced your suffering… not just theirs?A practical reflection on threat responses, workplace relationships, and how seeing people differently might change the impact they have on us.People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.Eric's WebsiteVisit Ross' Website.Connect with Ross on LinkedInPeople Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian lifeHe's now also on BlueskyThe People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE

What do you do when anxiety shows up… right when something matters?A networking event.A room full of strangers.A voice in your head saying:“Your Spanish isn’t good enough.”In this Quick Spoon, I share a very real moment from a networking event for psychologists in Seville—where social anxiety showed up… and so did the urge to run.But instead of waiting to feel confident…I tried something smaller.Something more workable.Speak to three people.That was the goal.Not confidence.Not perfection.Just one small, values-based action.A practical reflection on anxiety, workable goals, and taking action—even when your mind is telling you otherwise.People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.Visit Ross' Website.Connect with Ross on LinkedInPeople Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian lifeHe's now also on BlueskyThe People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE

What if the goal was never to become stress-free?Or anxiety-free.Or grief-free.In this Quick Spoon from my conversation with Dr Eric Goodman, we challenge a myth that many of us still buy into:That difficult emotions are somehow a sign that something’s gone wrong.Eric offers a different perspective:Painful emotions aren’t a design flaw.They’re part of being human.And the real skill may not be fighting what we feel…but learning how to notice it with a little more awareness—and a little more compassion.People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.If you’re enjoying People Soup, hit follow so you don’t miss future episodes.Eric's WebsiteVisit Ross' Website.Connect with Ross on LinkedInPeople Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian lifeHe's now also on BlueskyThe People Soup Website on CAPTIVATE