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Lorna and Lottie interview Mark Cloutier - global CEO and Chairman and all round wisest of sages. In this, part one of two, they ask Mark how he reconciles personal values of trust and treating people how you'd want to be treated with the hair raising ride that is leading global financial services firms through large scale change. What Mark doesn't know about growing, transforming, scaling and selling complex businesses isn't worth knowing. So his insights on how all this is done via compassion, communication and trust are well worth tuning in to.

The findings of the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer should be a wake up call to all leaders. Here are some stark stats for you: 70% of us are hesitant or unwilling to trust someone different from us.Only 32% believe the next generation will be better off. The gap between high and low income groups in terms of how much trust they have in institutions has nearly tripled in the last decade. Lorna and Lottie pick out the key findings on the report so you don't have to. And they explain what you need to do to ensure your organisation's culture is in step with what your people now expect from their place of work and its people. They find that while the political, social and technological landscape continues to throw almighty curveballs, there's plenty of room for optimism and positive, practical steps that leaders can take to ensure their organisation doesn't get left behind.

Are you struggling to cut through the comms noise and drive employee engagement in your organisation? Perhaps storytelling is the secret weapon you didn't know you needed. In this episode, Lorna and Lottie talk to Sam Bleazard, Head of Employer Brand & Storytelling at Fortnum & Mason who knows a thing or two about finding the nugget of gold in the stories you need to be telling inside and outside your organisation. Listen on to find out: Why do stories connect and cut through in a way that information doesn’t? What makes a story land? Enjoy!

Fresh from running a session with a group of people leaders inside an organisation that’s been acquired unexpectedly, Lorna and Lottie talk about uncertainty. Again - because it’s not going anywhere. Often when employees are asked how they are feeling during these periods, the answers are very human - from feeling distracted and uneasy to cautiously optimistic. Aimed at all people leading an organisation or team through change, Lottie and Lorna urge you not to fall into the trap of interpreting these wobbles as weakness or resistance. Most reactions to change are perfectly normal. Based on solid neuroscience, they advocate for compassionate and stable leadership with seven conditions that make a measurable improvement to how your team performs without losing the plot. Download the related thought paper here.

We get it. Communicating within your organisation is tough enough sometimes even when all your staff and colleagues are desk-based. It gets even more difficult when some colleagues, or perhaps most, are not desk-based. Email? Too long; didn't read. Try the intranet? What's my password again? Carrier pigeon? Considering it... What you need is a clear communications plan and rationale that meets your staff and colleagues where they are. We brought along Woodreed founder and 7Seas Advisory Board member, Jo Moffatt, to give you the inside track on how to reach your deskless people, or as Lottie puts it 'reach the unreachable' (ouija board not necessary).

The second of two instalments of the Deep C Dive with the charismatic and insightful CEO of Pier Health, Brandie Deignan (catch episode 45 for the first if you missed it).Here, we ask Brandie the big questions about her leadership style and what that means for organisational culture. How do you deal with imposter syndrome/phenomenon? How do you make your difference your superpower? What's the right way to approach working in places where people don't look or sound like you? Watch on to find out!

We are honoured that Brandie Deignan took some time out from performing as CEO of Pier Health to talk to us on the Deep C Dive! In this first of two episodes, she shares her career path with us and highlights the crucial importance of role models and mentors in that story along with learnings that you can apply right now.

In this festive edition of the Deep C Dive, Lorna and Lottie (along with Woodreed founder Jo Moffat and Studio Manager Alex) share what workplace phenomena they'd like to see the back of in 2026. You may find it curious to advocate for ranting in a season famed for being of good cheer. However, research (probably) shows that in order to show up as our best and most-positive selves, getting your frustrations out in a safe way actually makes that so much easier. And so here it is... Walk The Plank 2025. Enjoy!

What do we mean when we talk about culture in an organisational context? Should we also be talking about organisational climate? And why should we care about it? If you find yourself fatigued by the frequent headlines about 'toxic culture', this is the detox you need. Lottie and Lorna get to grips with this too-often-nebulous concept to help you make real, lasting, and positive change in your organisation.

How do you create opportunity, for yourself and others, out of adversity and challenge? Joyce Idoniboye (CPO of Oxfam) knows a thing or two about this - and much else! We had the pleasure to spend an hour talking to her about her journey from foster care, to working night shifts in hotels to becoming a leader within one of the most recognisable and important charities in the world.

What are the principles and lessons you can draw on when going through a period of change in your organisation? Lorna and Lottie share their insights - not only gleaned from years of professional practice and study but also the very recent period of change they themselves have been through as Woodreed transforms into 7 Seas. References: Kim Scott 'Radical Candor': https://www.radicalcandor.com/ Ruby Wax on Being Busy: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ruby-wax/ruby-wax-being-busy_b_5067889.html Beyoncé's new house: https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/england/cotswolds/wiggington-cotswolds-beyonce-jayz-b2827532.html Remington advert: https://youtu.be/D47nzAU4PHo?si=3iy8Wqw02Wcv1VW1 Google's Project Aristotle: https://psychsafety.com/googles-project-aristotle/ Tuckman's Model of Team Development: https://instituteprojectmanagement.com/blog/the-5-stages-of-team-development/ Edwina Dunn (The Power of 2): https://www.edwinadunn.com/

Lorna and Lottie riff on the importance, power and potential of employee voice (one of Engage for Success's four enablers of engagement). Listen to learn why involving your people in solving your organisation's challenges is the answer. How we apply the principles of employee voice in the way we work, ways to make sure it lands, and why leaders often avoid it (even though they shouldn't!) References Google's Project Aristotle: https://rework.withgoogle.com/intl/en/guides/understanding-team-effectiveness

Have Lorna and Lottie branched out into poultry farming? Not quite. Get your channel and content ducks in a row with fresh insights and ideas around how to meet your people where they are. If you're finding it difficult, or downright impossible, to land messages with your teams then this is the episode for you. You'll never want to send another email again.

Death by powerpoint, building structures out of spaghetti, and drenching employees in the Thames. These are just some of the things organisations try when attempting to get their teams inspired on the too-often-dreaded company away day. Lorna and Lottie get under the hood of how to create amazing team days. Lottie applies lessons from the world of communications to give you 3 principles you can apply immediately and Lorna takes her cues from the world of theatre to make your presentations unforgettable (in a good way). If you're struggling to get your employees engaged with your organisation's mission, feeling energised and more collaborative, this episode is a must-listen for you. Two authors referenced: Vanessa Van Edwards - Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication (2022) Amy Cuddy - Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges (2015)

As we enter the new year, Lorna and Lottie use the opportunity to cast an occasionally irreverent but always insightful eye back on the business-world phenomena of 2024 that they definitely don't want to see again in 2025.  What would you put on your Get in the Bin list?