Beyond Potential

Episode 68: The climate effect: everyday leadership that transforms organisations - with guests Miranda Cain, Rob Clarke and Sean Spurgin

This Beyond Potential podcast episode explores Elev-8’s central argument that the meaningful levers for change live at team level: while culture is an organisation’s broad personality, team climate is the day-to-day experience that determines whether people stay, perform and innovate.

Miranda Cain, Rob Clarke and Sean Spurgin draw on consulting work and the ideas in their book 'Dropping the C-Bomb: Why Team Climate Crushes Culture' to show how leaders can shape climate through proximity, consistent behaviours, early conversations and by removing everyday friction points.

They set out pragmatic tools from “illuminating awesome” (catching people doing things right) to shrinking change into tiny, repeatable actions and show how these simple habits produce measurable gains in engagement, customer outcomes and retention.

The episode makes a practical case: policies and big initiatives won’t stick unless leaders change what they do each day.

Episode 67: Emotional intelligence, gender balance & the reality of high-growth leadership - with guest Christina Lewis

In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tomas Mason sit down with Christina Lewis, founder of Herizon, and an expert in emotional intelligence and gender-balanced leadership in high-growth tech.

Christina’s career has been anything but linear. From widening access to higher education, to representing rider and driver communities across global tech platforms, to scaling operations impacting over a million drivers across 54 countries, her journey has shaped a unique perspective on how organisations grow, and how people thrive within them.

Together, they explore the pressures of high-growth environments, why emotional intelligence is a commercial advantage, and the truth behind gender representation in tech, including why thousands of women leave the sector each year, and why it’s not for the reasons most people assume.

The conversation dives into:

• Why “high growth” shouldn’t mean low emotional intelligence
• The hidden cost of losing women in tech and why the real issue isn’t childcare
• The structural and behavioural barriers stopping women from progressing
• Why leadership stereotypes create narrow definitions of success
• How culture, systems, and emotional intelligence work together not in isolation
• The role leaders play in shaping environments where diverse thinkers can thrive
• Why organisations must stop trying to “fix the individual” and start redesigning the system

Christina brings honesty, clarity and nuance, sharing personal stories, sharp insights, and a reminder that leadership and inclusion are not add-ons. They’re business-critical.

Episode 66: Taking ownership: the power of personal agency

In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason dive deep into the concept of personal agency, the ability to take ownership of your choices, behaviour, and direction.

They explore why so many leaders and teams get stuck waiting for circumstances to change, and how the most effective ones instead take deliberate, consistent action to shape their outcomes.

From breaking limiting beliefs and reframing self-talk, to the importance of routines, boundaries, and consistency, this episode offers practical ways to reclaim your sense of control, both at work and in life.

If you’ve ever felt like things are “happening to you” instead of “through you”, this conversation will help you reset, refocus, and act with intent.

🎧 Tune in for insights as Tom & Tom unpack what it really means to lead and live with agency.

Episode 65: Being strategic in life and leadership - with guest Charlie Curson

In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tom Emery sit down with strategist, leadership coach, and author Charlie Curson to explore what it really means to be strategic, not just at work, but across every part of your life.

Drawing on ideas from his soon to be released book ‘Be More Strategic: 12 essential practices to build the life and career you want’, Charlie unpacks how leaders can create clarity, make better decisions, and move from reacting to leading with intent.

They discuss how to:

• Turn reflection into practical action
• Develop a “strategic lens” to spot patterns and possibilities
• Balance short-term pressures with long-term perspective
• Build confidence through self-awareness and curiosity

It’s a conversation that challenges the idea of strategy as something abstract or corporate, showing instead how it’s a daily practice of awareness, courage, and purpose.

‘Be More Strategic: 12 essential practices to build the life and career you want’ – launches 6^th November find out more and sign up for the launch offer here: https://www.teammandarin.com/be-more-strategic-book

Episode 64: Strategic visionary: move beyond firefighting to connect all the dots

In this bonus episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason continue their bite-sized conversation around the Beyond Potential Leadership Framework, turning their focus to the traits and tools of a Strategic Visionary.

They unpack how leaders can move beyond firefighting and task management to see the bigger picture, connecting dots across markets, people, and purpose.

From widening your perspective and reflecting on your time, to linking every action back to your “why,” this episode offers practical ways to build clarity and foresight into your leadership.

If you'd like to take a look, the model is available at www.beyond-potential.co.uk 

Episode 63: What makes work meaningful? - with guest Wes Adams

In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Wes Adams, founder and CEO of SV Consulting Group and co-author of the book 'Meaningful Work'.

Wes shares powerful insights into how organisations can move beyond surface-level engagement and truly enable purpose in the workplace.

Drawing from his background in positive psychology, Wes introduces the three key drivers of meaningful work: community, contribution, and challenge. Wes explains how these elements can shape more human and purpose-led cultures.

From leadership behaviours to structural design, the conversation explores practical strategies for embedding meaning into everyday work.

Whether you're a leader, HR professional, or simply looking to connect more deeply with your work, this episode offers valuable perspectives and actionable ideas.

Episode 62: The commercial genius: how leaders balance people, purpose & performance

In this bonus episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tom Emery continue their bite-sized exploration of the Beyond Potential Leadership Framework, this time unpacking the concept of The Commercial Genius. If you want to take a look at the model you can do so at www.beyond-potential.co.uk

Being a commercial genius, is not about turning every leader into a finance expert. Instead, Tom Mason explores what it really means to think commercially as a leader: understanding where value is created, thinking across systems, beyond function and balancing the short and long term.

Together, the Toms discuss how understanding the value levers you can pull that will help you have a greater impact. Curiosity, confidence, and questioning can help leaders translate data into insight, make better decisions under pressure, and connect commercial sense with human impact.

If you’ve ever felt daunted by the ‘numbers side’ of leadership, this episode will help you reframe what being commercially minded truly means. How to strengthen that muscle to drive value without losing sight of people and purpose.

Ep 61: Leadership is a journey, not a destination - with guest Andrew Wallbridge

In this episode of Beyond Potential, host Tom Mason engages with leadership expert Andrew Walbridge, speaker author and global coach. In this inspiring episode Andrew shares his journey as a lifelong student of leadership and the inspiration behind his book, 'Leaders Labyrinth.'

The conversation delves into the complexities of leadership, the importance of finding one's voice, and the essential qualities of trustworthiness. Andrew emphasises the need for authenticity and emotional connection in leadership, offering practical tips for aspiring leaders to cultivate their unique voices and build trust within their teams.

The episode concludes with Andrew's insights on the significance of making one's voice heard in the pursuit of progress.

Follow Andrew on Linkedln