Beyond The Water Cooler · 2026-06-18 · 41 min
Too often, organisations react to signs of stress or slipping performance in management by rolling out the usual training. But what if the real issue lies deeper? Dan Northover , CEO at Handcrafted , joined me for a frank conversation about supporting and developing managers in a way that actually addresses what’s needed on the ground. At Handcrafted, they paused before jumping to training and instead created space for managers to reflect on what their roles actually require, how they feel, and what their teams need from them. That process revealed that while staff were thriving, their managers were absorbing most of the stress - an unsustainable situation for any organisation serious about high-performing teams. We explore why collecting real feedback at every level matters and how honest conversations create the conditions for thriving, not just for the team but, critically, for those leading them. Dan is refreshingly open about his own learning curve as a leader and why vulnerability matters at the top.
Why Performance Lives in an Ecosystem45 / 100Trading Places: Battling with Business: The Leadership RevolutionWhat If Every Workplace Started With a Check-In? - Mel JonesAI at Work: Stop Filling the Space - Start Rethinking Roles - Jon Matthews, The Career Innovation CompanyWhy Skills Gaps Keep Growing and What Leaders Miss - Charlotte Harris, Nicholsons