Best Andrew MacAskill Podcasts (2025)

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Ending Career-Based Misery with Andrew MacAskill 6:16

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14d ago6:16

6:16

This week, we're with Andrew MacAskill, who's on a mission to end career-based misery. He reveals a stark truth: Europe has the lowest engagement scores globally, yet the fewest people looking for a new role. We discuss the cost of this "stuck" workforce—lost productivity and apathy. Andrew highlights the "Moral Factors" (meaning, impact, leadershi…

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Regenerative Performance: Why You Can't Pour from an Empty Cup with Dr James Hewitt 53:17

16h ago53:17

53:17

In a world of 'hustle culture' and burnout, what if the secret to elite performance isn't grinding harder, but recovering smarter? 🤯 We're joined by James Hewitt, a human performance scientist and former professional athlete. He's here to challenge everything we think we know about productivity and wellbeing. This isn't about working more. It's abo…

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Decoding Your Brain: The Science of Benevolence with Mark Dean 50:27

7d ago50:27

50:27

This week, we're joined by Mark Dean, a brilliant brain and mind scientist on a mission to end mental ill-health in the workplace. We dive into the fascinating science behind benevolence—not just as a moral virtue, but as a strategic business driver. Mark shares his powerful insights on how we can use our brains to achieve happiness, even when faci…

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Collabureaucracy: Why Your Meetings Are Killing Productivity with Dr. Carrie Goucher 6:15

21d ago6:15

6:15

What if the biggest drain on your business isn't competition, but your calendar? 🤯 We're with the brilliant Dr. Carrie Goucher, who reveals why our meeting culture is a relic of the industrial era. Dr. Goucher introduces a powerful new term: 'collabureaucracy'—the needless collaboration and bureaucracy that bogs us down. The numbers are stark: most…

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Global Alert: Workplace Happiness Down 6% with Tony Latter 4:51

28d ago4:51

4:51

This week, with Tony Latter, we reveal vital new data: cultural assessment scores are down 6% globally in the last year. Happiness and engagement are both falling. Trust is eroding, driven by a shocking 10% drop in employees feeling listened to. We'll unpack the critical distinction of "we listened, we did" to rebuild trust. Plus, get an exclusive …

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Beyond the Spreadsheet: HR's Human Superpower with Toby Hough 11:18

1M ago11:18

11:18

In a world obsessed with data, what if HR's true superpower isn't crunching numbers, but something far more intuitive and impactful? This week, we're with the brilliant Toby, who just delivered a powerful message at our annual conference. For too long, HR has been told to "be more data-driven." But Toby challenges this notion head-on, arguing that …

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108. Connection and Community w/ Natalie Lim 44:17

1M ago44:17

44:17

Natalie Lim is back with her debut poetry collection, Elegy for Opportunity! Andrew talks about capturing connection in poems. It's a great reunion! -- Natalie Lim (she/her) is a Chinese-Canadian poet living on the unceded, traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Peoples (Vancouver, BC). She is the author of a full-leng…

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Cultivating Confidence: Your Untapped Performance Driver with Anaïs Nebel 7:49

1M ago7:49

7:49

This week, we're joined by the brilliant Anaïs Nebel, an expert passionate about cultivating confidence as a true performance driver. Forget confidence as just a buzzword for younger generations on TikTok; Anaïs brings the evidence for its tangible impact directly into the boardroom. We dive into a critical, yet often unasked, question: How many of…

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What if everything you thought about disengagement was wrong? With Dr. Siobhan Renshaw 33:08

2M ago33:08

33:08

We’ve seen disengagement as a simple lack of productivity. But what if it’s a profound, internal psychological experience? In this conversation, Matt Phelan talks with Dr. Siobhan Renshaw, an organisational psychologist. Her research redefines disengagement, revealing it as an emotionally charged response to perceived vulnerability, deeply linked t…

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The business and societal case for happiness with Oxford professor 48:42

2M ago48:42

48:42

What if the most powerful metric for your business, and indeed society, isn't what you think? This week, we're honoured to host Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve – a leading authority in economics and behavioural science from the University of Oxford. As the driving force behind Oxford's Wellbeing Research Centre and a key figure in the World Happines…

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Ep 100: Unlocking Mental Fitness & High-Performance Leadership with Anna Mosley 56:12

3M ago56:12

56:12

In this powerful episode of the Purpose-Led Leadership Podcast, I sit down with high-performance coach and international speaker Anna Mosley, founder of the 80% Growth Academy, to explore what it truly means to be mentally fit as a leader in today’s fast-paced world. Anna shares her raw and inspiring journey from burnout in the corporate world to h…

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Ep 99: How Roheel Ahmad Bootstrapped a £25M Business... Then Bet It All on AI 1:06:20

3M ago1:06:20

1:06:20

In this powerhouse episode of the Purpose-Led Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Roheel Ahmad, co-founder of Forsyth Barnes and the visionary behind Imagine AI - a cutting-edge recruitment technology built to disrupt the traditional CRM/ATS space. From humble beginnings and being sacked from his first job, to scaling a bootstrapped global recruitm…

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Gross National Happiness with Tiffany St James 40:15

3M ago40:15

40:15

What if the metrics we're obsessing over in business are fundamentally flawed? What if true progress lies in something far more nuanced than just the bottom line? We had a truly fascinating conversation that stretched from the digital foundations of government to the radical pursuit of happiness in a nation's DNA. Our guest is the brilliant Tiffany…

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Fueling passion & performance at work with Zoe Rumford 33:30

4M ago33:30

33:30

What ignites the spark in your team? How do you balance commercial needs with the well-being of your people? In this episode, Zoe Rumford, a seasoned Chief People Officer, shares her wisdom on cultivating a culture of clarity, kindness, and unstoppable passion. Explore: Zoe's journey from advisory roles to leading global teams. Discover: Practical …

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107. Finding Useful Feedback w/ Tolu Oloruntoba 56:25

4M ago56:25

56:25

Tolu Oloruntoba returns to chat about his third poetry collection, Unravel. Andrew asks about getting "good" feedback. It's a "good" one! -- Tolu Oloruntoba was born in Ibadan, Nigeria, where he studied and practiced medicine. He is the author of three collections of poetry, The Junta of Happenstance, winner of the Canadian Griffin Poetry Prize and…

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Can a lawyer be happy? With Chris Morse 42:13

4M ago42:13

42:13

Can Lawyers Be Happy? The insightful Chris Morse joins us to dissect the wellbeing of legal professionals. High pressure, long hours – can happiness thrive? And crucially, what's the business impact if it doesn't? Forget fluffy notions. We're talking tangible results. Happy people = boosted productivity, sharper innovation, and stronger retention. …

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Energetic connections with Andrea Callender 53:40

4M ago53:40

53:40

Ever felt that spark of pure happiness, that feeling you wish you could bottle? This week on the Happiness Index Podcast, Matt chats with the brilliant Andrea Callender, Inclusion & Diversity Director at Alexander McQueen, about chasing and recreating those very moments. What if happiness isn't just fleeting? What if understanding those peak experi…

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Cultivating Curiosity and Connection with Hannah Thompson 34:42

4M ago34:42

34:42

La Fosse CPO Hannah Thompson joins Matt Phelan on the Happiness Index Podcast! They explore the power of curiosity in HR, the vital link between employee experience and business success, and the unique impact of employee ownership. Get actionable insights on fostering employee voice, building trust, and levelling up your HR career.…

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Ep 98: The Power of Control in Recruitment with Jeremy Snell 1:17:45

4M ago1:17:45

1:17:45

The Power of Control in Recruitment with Jeremy Snell Is recruitment broken—or just in desperate need of a mindset shift? In this episode, we dive into the evolving world of recruitment with Jeremy Snell, creator of the 4D Recruitment Method, who’s redefining how we approach candidates, communication, and culture in the industry. Jeremy shares his …

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106. Towards a Final Form w/ Marc Perez 53:13

4M ago53:13

53:13

Marc Perez comes on the show to talk about chapbooks, form, and his debut full-length poetry collection, Dayo. Andrew asks about finding the right form for your poem. It's a great time! -- Chapbook launch info: Featuring Marc Perez , Andrew French, and Kevin Spenst! See you on Saturday, April 19, 5pm at the Teck Gallery SFU Harbour Centre, Vancouve…

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Ep 97: Ending Career Misery: The Future of Recruitment with Andrew MacAskill 1:06:57

5M ago1:06:57

1:06:57

What if your job isn’t the problem—but your mindset is? In a world where unfulfilling careers are the norm, Andrew MacAskill is on a mission to end career-based misery—and reshape how we think about leadership, recruitment, and purpose at work. In this episode, Andrew joins me to tackle the real challenges facing today’s recruitment professionals a…

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The inclusion Journey with Mo Kanjilal 28:42

5M ago28:42

28:42

Entrepreneur Matt Phelan sits down with multi-award-winning diversity and inclusion expert Mo Kanjilal to discuss her book the Inclusion Journey and what is next up on the journey. About Mo Kanjilal Co-Creator of multi-award-winning diversity and inclusion company, Watch This Sp_ce. TedX speaker, Non-Exec Director, Trustee, writer, and campaigner f…

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Ep 96: The Most Hated Salesperson: A New Perspective with Benjamin Dennehy 1:22:47

5M ago1:22:47

1:22:47

Is your sales approach costing you deals? Are you too soft on prospects when you should be closing? In this episode, I sit down with Benjamin Dennehy—dubbed the UK’s Most Hated Salesperson—to strip away the fluff and expose what truly works in sales and recruitment. Love him or hate him, Benjamin’s approach is bold, direct, and brutally effective. …

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Curiosity and Employee Engagement with Anne Burt 41:34

5M ago41:34

41:34

Matt Phelan Co-Founder of The Happiness Index sits down with Anne Burt the head of Employee Engagement at DEFRA to discuss Employee Engagement in the workplace. Matt asks Anne the following questions What makes you happy? Tell us about your career Why do employees act the way they do? What factors influence employee engagement scores? How can we fo…

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Ep 95: Creating Winning Recruitment Cultures with Alex Elliott 1:21:45

5M ago1:21:45

1:21:45

What does it take to build and scale a thriving recruitment business? Emotional intelligence, effective communication and a singular vision all play a key role. In this episode, I am joined by Alex Elliott, founder of Liquid Personnel, to uncover the key principles that drive high-performing recruitment teams. From hiring standards and team dynamic…

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105. Getting Uncomfortable in Your Poems w/ MA|DE (Mark Laliberte and Jade Wallace) 59:24

5M ago59:24

59:24

MA|DE (Mark Laliberte & Jade Wallace) pop by to talk about their debut collaborative full-length poetry collection, ZZOO. Andrew tries to wrap their head around writing with another person. It's a fun one! -- Subscribe to get Andrew's 3rd chapbook, Buoyhood, at this link and come to the launch alongside chapbooks from Marc Perez and Kevin Spenst! A…

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Employee Value Proposition with Stephanie Sampiere 46:50

6M ago46:50

46:50

Workplace Happiness expert Matt Phelan and Global Communications and HR Leader Stephanie Sampiere sit down to discuss the DNA of the workplace culture and how that manifests in a healthy EVP. About Stephanie Sampiere Accomplished global communications, people, change and culture strategist who partners with executives to lead employee communication…

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The 4 enablers of Employee Engagement with Jo Dodds 42:51

6M ago42:51

42:51

Matt Phelan sits down to discuss with Jo Dodds her career and work with Engage for Success. Jo defines the 4 enablers of Employee Engagement and how you can use them to drive employee engagement. The Four Enablers of Engagement are 1) Strategic Narrative · 2) Organisational Integrity · 3) Engaging Managers · 4) Employee Voice. Matt asks Jo the foll…

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104. Is Your Book Too Long? (w/ Annick MacAskill) 58:57

6M ago58:57

58:57

Annick MacAskill is back to talk compiling her latest collection, Votive (Gaspereau Press). Andrew asks about book length and queer poems. It's a good one! -- Annick MacAskill is the author of four full-length books of poetry, including Shadow Blight (Gaspereau Press, 2022), which won the Governor General's Award. Her most recent collection is Voti…

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"Could've been an email" with Dr Carrie Goucher 45:14

6M ago45:14

45:14

About this episode Matt Phelan and Dr Carrie Goucher discuss the fascinating world of meeting culture, how it evolved, why it is a problem and how we can fix it. About Dr Carrie Goucher Dr Carrie Goucher is a leading expert on fixing broken collaboration and helping organisations move faster by rethinking how they meet, decide and execute. With a P…

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Psychological Safety & High Performance with Richard Reid 46:47

6M ago46:47

46:47

Matt Phelan co-founder of The Happiness Index sits down with Richard Reid a Behavioural Psychologist and Psychotherapist to discuss the importance of Psychological Safety in modern leadership. Richard in his own words As a seasoned executive coach, psychologist, and consultant with decades of experience, I am committed to working with senior leader…

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103. "Best Canadian Poetry 2025" w/ ed. Aislinn Hunter & 4 Included Poets 52:13

7M ago52:13

52:13

Aislinn Hunter joins Andrew to talk about editing Best Canadian Poetry 2025. Four featured poets read their poems from the anthology. Andrew asks about the monumental task of editing BCP25 and poetry more generally. It’s a fun one! -- Aislinn Hunter is an award-winning novelist and poet and the author of eight highly acclaimed books including the n…

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102. When is a Poem Finished? w/ Rob Madden 53:20

8M ago53:20

53:20

Rob Madden joins Andrew to discuss grief and masculinity, writing alongside photography, and his chapbook second hand smoke (Pinhole Poetry, 2024). It’s a rich discussion! -- Rob Madden is a writer living on the traditional and unceded territories of the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations in the City of North Vancouver, BC. His chapbook second han…

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101. Bird Books and Building a Collection w/ Anita Lahey (LIVE!) 46:07

9M ago46:07

46:07

Anita Lahey drops by to record an episode, live at the Fraser Valley Writer’s Festival! Andrew asks about birds, finding anthology editors, and Anita’s latest poetry collection, While Supplies Last. It's a fun lil’ convo! -- Anita Lahey’s latest poetry collection, While Supplies Last, was published by Véhicule Press in 2023. She’s also co-author, w…

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Measuring HR and creating impact with Chief People Officer Kevin Green 48:02

9M ago48:02

48:02

Chief People Office Kevin Green discusses how listening and acting on feedback improved Employee Engagement and saved First Bus £10,000,000 per year. Kevin answers the following questions; Tell us about your career in HR?Why do you think HR gets over complicated?What do you mean by measuring HR?Do you have any good stats from First Bus you can shar…

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What will the workforce and workplace of the future be like? With Chief People Officer Chloe Cameron 42:52

9M ago42:52

42:52

Chief People Officer Chloe Cameron and Matt Phelan discuss the workforce and workplace of the future. Matt asks Chloe the following questions What do you mean by workforce and workplace?What is our relationship with work?4 generations in the workplace, how will that work?Discuss technology in the workplace and how it will impact work in the future?…

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Integrating Business with Emotions with Susan Ní Chríodáin 41:52

9M ago41:52

41:52

Susan Ní Chríodáin the author of Leading Beyond the Numbers joins us to discuss her book and work focused on Integrating Business with Emotions. Susan answers the following questions; What makes you happy? Why did you write Leading Beyond the Numbers? What are the key lessons you want a reader to take away? How can someone listening, go back to the…

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AI and the future of work with Mirela Oana 31:28

9M ago31:28

31:28

HR expert Mirela Oana joins the podcast to discuss the impact of AI on the future of work. Mirela answers these questions What makes you happy? Definition of what we mean by AI? Which of the drivers of happiness and engagement will AI be able to help most on, which ones the least Any practical examples of how businesses can help people feel more sa…

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100. A Poetry Celebration! w/ Estlin McPhee, Kyle McKillop, Jane Shi, and Rob Taylor 1:08:36

9M ago1:08:36

1:08:36

The 100th episode(!) of Page Fright, in which Andrew hosts a live reading featuring four poets (Estlin McPhee, Kyle McKillop, Jane Shi, and Rob Taylor) at Massy Arts Society to celebrate 5 years and 100 episodes of poetry interviews! The poets share their writing with the audience, and Andrew gets overwhelmed! -- Estlin McPhee is a writer and libra…

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99. Poetry as Utopia w/ Lauren Peat 50:31

10M ago50:31

50:31

Lauren Peat comes onto the show to talk about her first poetry chapbook, Future Tense. Andrew asks about ending poems with questions. It's a curious chat! -- DETAILS: Lauren's Vancouver chapbook launch, hosted by Andrew! --Lauren Peat is a writer, translator, and teacher. Her poems and translations have appeared in journals such as Arc Poetry Magaz…

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The 2nd Annual Employee Happiness Conference with Pat Phelan 20:16

10M ago20:16

20:16

Patrick Phelan interviews Matthew Phelan on what The Happiness Index has planned for their 2nd Employee Happiness Conference in London, UK. Podcast discount If you use the code MattP when signing up for this event it will give you a 30% discount You can sign up here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/employee-happiness-annual-conference-tickets-888246929477…

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98. A Decade of Chapbooks w/ Jim Johnstone 1:02:05

10M ago1:02:05

1:02:05

Jim Johnstone joins the show to discuss his new poetry anthology celebrating 10 years of Anstruther Press, The Anstruther Reader. Andrew asks about chapbooks, full-lengths, and turning off "editor brain." It's an informative chat! -- REGISTER: PAGE FRIGHT LIVE! AT THE FRASER VALLEY WRITER'S FESTIVAL --Jim Johnstone is a Toronto-based poet, editor, …

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97. Cosmic Love Poems w/ Manahil Bandukwala 49:12

11M ago49:12

49:12

Manahil Bandukwala pops into the Zoom studio to talk about her second poetry collection, Heliotropia. Andrew admits to never seeing Star Trek and plans to jump in midway through, just to understand a poem. It's an episode blooming with great poems! -- Manahil Bandukwala is a writer and visual artist based in Ottawa and Mississauga, Ontario. She is …

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A review of the last podcast episode with Matt Stannard and Sharon Kennedy 23:52

11M ago23:52

23:52

Matt P, Matt S and Sharon discuss the previous episode (please scroll back) that was 100% AI generated. Matt shared his observations that: - The AI consumed over 100 research studies but didn’t reference them all. - This tech could be a really useful learning aid if audio is your preference. For example you could take any document, upload it and li…

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96. Having Fun in Your Poems w/ Natasha Ramoutar 59:25

11M ago59:25

59:25

Natasha Ramoutar is back to talk about her new poetry collection, Baby Cerberus. Andrew emphasizes the fun they've had writing lately. It's truly a fun one! -- Natasha Ramoutar is a writer of Indo-Guyanese descent from Toronto. Her debut collection of poetry, Bittersweet, published in 2020 by Mawenzi House, was shortlisted for the Gerald Lampert Me…

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AI takes over the podcast to discuss Employee Happiness and Performance Research 7:29

11M ago7:29

7:29

As an experiment I just fed all the publicly available Employee Happiness research papers focused on Performance from the last 10 years into Google AI. I then used that AI to turn the findings into a podcast. The entire process took 2 mins max. Have a listen and let me know what you think... Scary? Useful? Am I out of a job? Better than my normal e…

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95. Queer Longing w/ Amanda Merpaw 53:42

12M ago53:42

53:42

Amanda Merpaw drops in to talk about her debut poetry collection, Most of All the Wanting. Andrew asks about poetry as a queer art form. It's a great time! -- Attend Page Fright: A Poetry Reading & Celebration (Sept 20 6-8pm at Massy Arts Society in Vancouver) --Amanda Merpaw (she/her) is a writer, editor, and translator. She is the author of the c…

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Board Readiness and Strategic Leadership with Don Haut 48:30

12M ago48:30

48:30

Series #2, Episode #2 Summary: In this episode of the Exceptional Leaders podcast, host Andrew MacAskill interviews Don Haut, an experienced executive and board member in the life sciences industry. Don shares his career journey, starting as a scientist before moving into business roles across various sectors, including biotech, medical devices, an…

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94. Movement Poems w/ Hannah Siden 49:57

1y ago49:57

49:57

Hannah Siden zooms in to discuss writing tips and movement poetry! Andrew talks about moving from the journal to a computer and back again. It's a fun chat! -- Hannah Siden is a writer and filmmaker living on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations (Vancouver, BC). Her poetry has been published in PRISM Interna…

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Board Readiness and Leadership Transformation with Sarena Lin 46:08

1y ago46:08

46:08

Series #2, Episode #1 In this episode of the Exceptional Leaders podcast, host Andrew MacAskill interviews Sarena Lin, an experienced board member with a rich consulting and life sciences background. Sarena shares her journey from McKinsey to serving on various boards, including Siemens Healthineers. She provides valuable insights on board readines…