Beyond Potential

Ep 80: The daily questions that transform leadership - with guest Lisa Broderick

In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Lisa Broderick, a seasoned c-suite executive, corporate board member and non-profit founder with more than three decades of leadership experience across diverse industries.

Lisa is the co-author of Permanence, written with renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith, and the author of the international bestseller All the Time in the World. Drawing on her experience advising CEOs, boards and senior leaders, Lisa shares insights into why organisations rarely fail because of bad ideas, but instead struggle when leaders lose alignment under pressure.

Together, they explore the research behind Permanence and the surprisingly powerful practice of asking yourself a simple set of reflective questions each day. Lisa explains how daily reflection builds accountability, drives behavioural change, and helps leaders stay focused on what truly matters in environments defined by pressure, speed and complexity.

They also discuss the role of systems thinking in leadership, why external validation can become a trap for high performers, and how small, consistent behaviours shape long-term success.

A thought-provoking conversation for leaders looking to turn insight into action and build leadership habits that create lasting impact.

Find out more about Lisa Broderick's work

Lisa's books - Permanence and All the Time in the World

Ep 79: Revisiting psychological safety - a Toms Talk episode

In this Toms Talk episode of Beyond Potential, the two Toms revisit one of leadership’s most talked-about concepts: psychological safety.

Grounded in the research of Amy Edmondson, psychological safety has become embedded in modern leadership language. It appears in strategy documents, leadership frameworks and company values. But as its popularity has grown, so has the risk that it becomes a buzzword rather than a lived reality.

In this conversation, the two Toms explore what psychological safety really looks like under pressure. They discuss why it is often misunderstood as “being nice,” why high standards and high safety are not opposites, and how leaders’ stress responses can unintentionally erode the very culture they are trying to build.

Drawing on insights from The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and Radical Candor, they unpack the relationship between trust, challenge and performance, and why emotional maturity is at the heart of it all.

If you’re leading in a complex, high-pressure environment and want to create genuine psychological safety, this episode will give you practical reflections to act on.

Related Beyond Potential episodes:
Our conversations with Tom Henschel on culture and feedback, and with Amanda Potter, expand on many of the themes explored here.

 

Ep 78: Rethinking best practice in HR - with guests Sue O'Callaghan and Dean Corbett

In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Emery flies solo and is joined by Sue O'Callaghan and Dean Corbett, co-hosts of the HR Unfiltered podcast and founders of SO PEOPLE.

Drawing on over 20 years’ experience each in HR and operational leadership, Sue and Dean share their perspectives on how HR can move beyond policy-led practice to drive meaningful organisational impact. Together, they explore the realities of applying people strategy in complex business environments, the importance of balancing commercial priorities with employee experience, and why understanding operations is critical to effective leadership.

They also reflect on their own journeys through corporate HR, what led them to launch HR Unfiltered, and how their work through So People supports organisations to rethink how leadership, coaching and people strategy come together to support performance, accountability and growth.

A practical conversation for leaders looking to rethink how HR best practice translates into meaningful impact across their organisation.

Find out more about SO PEOPLE.

Follow Sue on LinkedIn

Follow Dean on LinkedIn

Ep 77: Reflecting on the Beyond Potential journey - A Toms Talk episode

In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Emery and Tom Mason take a step back to reflect on the journey so far.

From the early days of recording the very first episode to building a platform that shares insights from real leadership challenges faced by clients every day, this Toms Talk explores why Beyond Potential was created and what it’s really all about.

They discuss:

• How the podcast has evolved since episode one

• Why leaders are increasingly turning to podcasts as a learning tool

• The role of honest conversations in leadership development

• Insights gained from working with leaders across the UK and beyond

• Exciting upcoming guests from both the UK and US

If you're passionate about leadership, growth, and unlocking potential, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the thinking behind Beyond Potential and where it's heading next.

If you'd like to suggest a future podcast guest or put yourself forward, we would love to hear from you: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfWNcuAGIzUtjDcY3jzWdlqrMSav0tEUCxgfTLYuy2-HEtk6Q/viewform?usp=header

Ep 76: A catch-up on leadership, coaching & what's next - a Toms Talk episode

In this Toms Talk episode of Beyond Potential, the two Toms come together for a reflective catch-up, covering what’s been on their minds, what they’re noticing in their work, and what feels increasingly important in leadership right now.

They revisit insights from recent guest conversations, including Zach Mercurio’s work on mattering, and explore a common leadership challenge: what if helping people feel valued doesn’t come naturally to you? Through practical examples, they discuss how routines, contracting, curiosity and feedback can help leaders build meaningful connection, even when it feels uncomfortable.

The conversation also turns to the evolving nature of coaching. both Toms reflect on whether traditional coaching is always enough for senior leaders, and why thinking partnerships, deeper upfront work and community are becoming increasingly important in lonely, high-pressure roles.

The episode also links to Toms upcoming free webinar on stepping up to the C-suite, exploring the mindset, behaviours and presence required to lead effectively at the most senior levels. You can sign up for free: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/-RqMVT_BS4mQzEW688-fww

A thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about leadership, presence, community, and why sometimes slowing down is exactly what helps you move forward.

Ep 75: Creating meaningful work through mattering - with guest Zach Mercurio

In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by author, speaker, facilitator, and researcher, Zach Mercurio.

Drawing on decades of qualitative research, Zach explores why feeling seen, heard, valued and needed is at the heart of meaningful work and why no wellbeing initiative, engagement survey or leadership framework can replace the impact of everyday human interactions.

Together, they discuss:

• why “mattering” is a missing ingredient in modern organisations
• how leadership behaviours shape energy, motivation and wellbeing
• the danger of transactional leadership and checklist culture
• why leadership should be treated as an occupation, not a promotion
• simple, practical ways leaders can help people feel they truly matter

A powerful conversation for leaders who want to move beyond programmes and create cultures where people and performance, genuinely thrive.

Follow Zach on LinkedIn

Explore more of Zach's work

The Power of Mattering

The Invisible Leader

Ep 74: Redefining success in leadership - with guest Michelle Moore

In this solo-hosted episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Emery is joined by award-winning leadership coach, speaker and author Michelle Moore.

Together they explore how leadership mistakes can become defining moments, why marginal gains matter, and how redefining success unlocks real potential.

Drawing on her background as an elite athlete and senior leader, Michelle shares powerful insights from her book Real Wins on conscious leadership, resilience and self-awareness.

This episode is thoughtful, honest and packed with practical insight for leaders, coaches and anyone interested in reaching their full potential, personally and professionally.

Find out more about Michelle's work

Follow Michelle on LinkedIn

Real Wins by Michelle Moore

Michelle's LinkedIn Learning course

 

Ep 73: The power of storytelling in leadership - with guest Andy Poole

Storytelling isn’t about performance, it’s about connection.

In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Andy Poole, Co-Founder of Zest, joins Tomas to explore how leaders can use storytelling to build trust, communicate more effectively, and inspire action. From sharing mistakes and vulnerability to knowing when not to tell a story, Andy offers grounded, experience-led insights into what great leadership communication really looks like.

This episode is ideal for leaders who want to be more authentic, engaging, and impactful, without feeling like they need to “perform”.

Follow Andy on LinkedIn and you can find out more about Zest here: www.zest-learning.com