Beyond Potential
Beyond Potential is a podcast about maximizing performance for individuals, teams, and organizations. Hosted by Tom Emery of HEX and Tom Mason of Potentia, it offers insights and expertise from diverse guests. The show aims to help CEOs, senior leaders, and aspiring professionals become more effective and happier in their roles. Listeners can expect a mix of observations, stories, and practical advice.
Episodes
Ep 111: Can you see your own ego? - with guest Eric Kaufmann
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery flies solo and is joined by Eric Kaufmann, author, executive coach, a thought leader and creator of the term “ego myopia”, to explore the number one barrier to executive effectiveness: not being able to see and regulate your ego patterns in real time.
Eric explains why ego isn’t the enemy, but an outdated ego model can hold even the most capable leade
Ep 110: From the racetrack to company culture - with guest Emma Smith
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Emma Smith, an independent HR consultant who has spent part of her career in senior HR and people roles at Red Bull and McLaren Racing, to explore what really builds a high-performance culture.
Emma explains why culture isn't an end state you arrive at, but something lived through everyday experience, "the how versus the wh
Ep 109: Understanding the imposter phenomenon - with guest Kate Atkin
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Kate Atkin, author of The Imposter Phenomenon: Why You Feel Like a Fraud and What to Do About It, to explore why "imposter syndrome" isn't actually the right term, and what's really going on when we don't believe we deserve our own success.
Kate explains the difference between phenomenon and syndrome, why imposter feelings
Ep 108: Are you ready to future-proof your leadership? - with guest Dr Rosie Ward
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery is joined by Dr Rosie Ward, coach, speaker, founder and CEO of Salveo Partners and author of Future-Proofing Leadership, to explore why even the highest-achieving leaders get in their own way.
Rosie shares the research behind her book, which identified seven "faulty programs," that quietly sabotage leadership behaviour from beneath the surface. She ex
Ep 107: The emotional demands of leadership - with guest Dina Smith
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tomas Mason are joined by executive coach, author, and speaker Dina Smith to explore the emotional realities of leadership.
Drawing on the ideas from her book Emotionally Charged, Dina explains why the emotional demands placed on leaders have grown significantly in recent years and why managing emotions has become an essential leadership skill.
To
Ep 106: What does it take to be a great mentor? - with guest Stephen Baxter
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason flies solo and is joined by Stephen Baxter, executive coach, mentor, and founder of Nine Dots Coaching and host of the peer-to-peer leadership group LeadersLab, to explore what it really takes to be a great mentor.
Stephen shares his journey from co-founding and exiting a financial planning business to building a coaching practice from scratch, includ
Ep 105: How can we be really productive? - with guest Grace Marshall
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Grace Marshall, productivity expert, speaker, and author, to explore what it really means to be productive.
Grace explains the difference between feeling productive and actually being productive, why attention and emotion management matter as much as time management, and why chasing "efficiency" can quietly stop us from inn
Ep 104: Meaning, myths, and burnout at work - with guests Leanne and Al Elliott
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Al and Leanne Elliott, co-founders of Oblong HQ and hosts of The Truth, Lies and Work podcast, to explore what's really driving disengagement, burnout and bad hiring decisions in today's workplace.
They discuss the change from work as a means to financial security to work as a source of meaning, and why "job hugging" doesn'
Ep 103: Our biggest plans yet - with co-hosts Tom Mason and Tom Emery
For the final part of our 100th episode celebration, George Bettany looks ahead with Tom Emery and Tom Mason at what's next for Beyond Potential, and for the industry they work in.
They tackle two big questions from past guests: Dr Amanda Potter asks about the greatest risk AI poses to small talent consulting firms, and Zach Mercurio asks which single component of their leadership development mode
Ep 102: They asked us anything - with co-hosts Tom Mason and Tom Emery
For Part 2 of our 100th episode celebration, we handed the questions over to you, or rather, to some of our past guests.
George Bettany puts questions from Dave Stachowiak, Tom Henschel, Emma Lloyd, Andy Poole, and Gary Armstrong to Tom Emery and Tom Mason, covering everything from what they've changed their minds on since episode one, to how their coaching has evolved, to the belief they each ha
Ep 101: Would we do it again? - with co-hosts Tom Mason and Tom Emery
After celebrating 100 episodes, Tom Emery and Tom Mason sit down with George Bettany, who takes over hosting duties to look back at where it all began.
They reflect on how they met, the almost-title "Two Toms, One Mic," and the early days of tripping over questions and recording intros a dozen times. George digs into the highs, the challenges, and the lessons learned along the way, including the s
Ep 100: Leadership has changed - with guest Jo Smedley
In this special milestone episode, Tom Emery and Tom Mason celebrate 100 episodes of Beyond Potential by welcoming back their very first guest, Jo Smedley, coach and workplace culture expert.
Jo reflects on what's changed since her original appearance on episode two, and why, despite all the noise around AI, the real shift she's seeing in organisations is around human connection. She explores the
Ep 99: Developing a global mindset - with guests Steve and Bryan McKinney
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom and Tomas are joined by Steve and Brian McKinney, authors of Global Mindset: A Guide for Cross-Cultural Leadership, to explore what it really takes to lead effectively across cultures.
They discuss why global leadership requires more than simply understanding different countries and customs, and how curiosity, humility and adaptability can help leaders see
Ep 98: Changing culture, one conversation at a time - with guest Gustavo Razzetti
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tomas Emery are joined by culture change instigator, author, speaker, and CEO of Fearless Culture Gustavo Razzetti to explore how the conversations we have, or avoid, shape organisational culture.
Drawing on the ideas from his latest book, Forward Talk, Gustavo discusses the concept of conversational debt and explains why so many leadership chall
Ep 97: From engineering to empowering others - with guest Kathy Morrissey
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by coach, mentor and leadership expert Kathy Morrissey.
After a successful career spanning engineering, sustainability and executive leadership within the aviation industry, Kathy shares why she chose to dedicate her work to developing leaders and supporting women to thrive in their careers.
The conversation explores leadershi
Ep 96: Breaking the coaching code - with guest Karen Foy
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by coach, mentor and author Karen Foy.
Drawing on a career that has spanned nursing, psychology, the NHS and coaching, Karen reflects on her journey and explains why she believes many coaches and leaders hold themselves back by trying too hard to follow the rules.
Together, they explore authenticity, storytelling, curiosity an
Ep 95: What really drives happiness at work? - with guest Dr Badri Bajaj
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Dr Badri Bajaj, global speaker, author on professional coach.
Badri shares his personal journey from exploring different career paths to finding his purpose in teaching, coaching, and positive psychology. The conversation explores what truly drives happiness, why modern life often reduces peace and presence, and how leaders
Ep 94: The conversations that unlock team performance - with guest Brady Wilson
In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Brady Wilson, author, leadership thought leader and co-founder of Juice Inc., to explore how conversation can be used more intentionally to unlock performance, trust and collaboration in teams.
Brady shares insights from his work in leadership development, including why organisations struggle to have honest conv
Ep 93: Leadership, silence, and the hidden risks in organisations - with guest Margaret Heffernan
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tomas Mason are joined by author, professor and eminent philosopher Margaret Heffernan. Drawing on a career spanning the BBC, technology start-ups, academia and bestselling books, Margaret explores why capable people and successful organisations often miss or ignore the warning signs that are directly in front of them.
The conversation focuses on
Ep 92: The inner work behind great leadership - with guest Max Klau
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Max Klau, founder of the Centre for Courageous Wholeness, for a powerful conversation on servant leadership, shadow work, self-awareness, and the future of leadership development.
Together, they explore why every leader has both “light” and “shadow”, how unconscious behaviours shape teams and organisations, and why leadersh
Ep 91: Inclusive leadership in action - with guest Jonathan Stutz
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tomas Mason and Tom Emery are joined by Jonathan Stutz, founder and president of Global Diversity Partners and an inclusion expert.
Drawing on his extensive experience at Microsoft, Amazon, and beyond, Jonathan explores what it really takes to build inclusive environments where people can thrive. The conversation dives into practical leadership behaviours, from
Ep 90: Coaching, therapy and the leadership potholes we keep hitting - with guest Tom Henschel
What’s the difference between coaching and therapy? Why do so many leaders struggle to speak up, set boundaries, and prepare with intention?
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery and Tom Mason welcome back executive coach and host of The Look & Sound of Leadership podcast, Tom Henschel, for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation on leadership, coaching, self-awareness, and communi
Ep 89: The leadership time trap - with guest Adam Finch
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tom Emery are joined by Adam Finch, a high-performing coach and founder of 'That Training Guy'.
Adam shares his journey into leadership and development, from delivering sofas and studying for his CIPD in the evenings, through to leading L&D teams and building his own coaching and team development business.
The conversation explores the growing
Ep 88: The future(s) of work - with guest Perry Timms
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason is joined by Perry Timms, founder of PTHR, global speaker and author.
Perry shares his perspective on how leaders are approaching the future of work, and where many are getting it wrong. The conversation explores the tendency to look for a single answer, when in reality there are multiple possible futures, each shaped by different choices and conditio
Ep 87: The human edge in leadership - with guest Jacob Morgan
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason is joined by futurist, author and speaker Jacob Morgan.
Jacob shares his perspective on how leadership is evolving in the context of AI, and why organisations risk losing critical thinking as these tools become more widely adopted. The conversation introduces the concept of “human prompting” - the ability for leaders to ask better questions and draw o
Ep 86: The art of listening - with guest Andrew McMasters
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tom Emery are joined by Andrew McMasters, actor, facilitator and author of Listening Without Agenda.
Andrew shares how his background in theatre shaped his approach to leadership development, and why the skills used on stage translate directly into how leaders show up in organisations. At the centre of the conversation is one core idea: listening
Ep 85: Leading from within - with guest Margaret Andrews
In this episode of Beyond Potential, the two Toms are joined by Margaret Andrews, professional speaker, Harvard instructor, academic leader, and author of Manage Yourself to Lead Others.
Margaret shares how a pivotal moment of feedback early in her leadership journey led her to question how self-aware she really was, and ultimately shaped her work around leadership development. Drawing on her expe
Ep 84: How pressure shapes leadership behaviour - with guest Sabina Nawaz
In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, the two Toms sit down with CEO, coach, leadership expert, and author of You’re the Boss, Sabina Nawaz, to explore how pressure changes leadership behaviour.
Drawing on her experience at Microsoft and over two decades coaching senior executives, Sabina shares how even the most capable leaders can begin to act differently under pressure, often without
Ep 83: Finding your own pace in leadership - with guest Nicola Merritt
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tom Emery sit down with Nicola Merritt, Founder and CEO of Cortus Advisory Group, to explore a career shaped by ambition, curiosity, and bold decision-making.
From setting her sights on a career at KPMG at just 14 years old to ultimately launching her own business during the uncertainty of COVID, Nicola’s journey is one of continuous evolution. Wh
Ep 82: Blind spots in leadership - with guest Marty Dubin
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Mason and Tom Emery are joined by Martin Dubin - clinical psychologist, serial entrepreneur, business coach, and author of Blindspotting.
Marty shares his journey from clinical psychology to scaling and selling a business, and how those experiences shaped his perspective on leadership. At the centre of the conversation is the idea of “blind spots”, the thin
Ep 81: Unlocking productivity and kind leadership - with guest Graham Allcott
In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Emery and Tom Mason are joined by Graham Allcott, founder of Think Productive and author of How to Be a Productivity Ninja and Kind: The quiet power of kindness at work.
Drawing on his journey from leading national charities to building a global productivity consultancy, Graham shares how his experiences sparked a deep interest in productivity,
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 bestselle
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 buzz
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, t
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 pod
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 peo
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
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 insigh
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 gre
Ep 72: HEX behind the scenes: the power of partnership - with guest George Bettany
In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom Mason and Tom Emery are joined by George Bettany to explore the power of partnership in leadership and business.
What began as a run coaching relationship through MARA (founded by George) evolved into a trusted partnership built on shared values, complementary strengths, and a common mission: unlocking human potential and helping people perfor
Ep 71: How will 2026 reward or punish leaders? - A Toms Talk episode
In this Toms Talk episode of Beyond Potential, Tomas and Tom dive into a bold question: How will 2026 reward or punish leaders?
Drawing on real client experiences, current workplace trends and their own leadership reflections, they explore the five critical shifts leaders need to embrace in the year ahead.
From moving beyond control toward stronger judgment, to protecting energy over time, to lean
Ep 70: Mindset for 2026 - A Toms Talk episode
In this Toms Talk episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, Tom and Tomas dive into the power of mindset as we head toward 2026. Drawing on research from Dr. Ellen Langer, lessons from Viktor Frankl, and real-world leadership coaching, they explore how mindset influences resilience, performance, and personal wellbeing.
From proactive habits to managing triggers, from letting go of control to refram
Ep 69: The craft of coaching: skills, standards & real impact - with guest Dr Sam Humphrey
In this episode of the Beyond Potential podcast, the two Tom's sit down with Dr Sam Humphrey, CEO and founder of Grit, and one of the most influential voices in the coaching profession. Sam shares her journey from the early “Wild West” days of coaching to becoming a leading figure in shaping standards, supervision and ethical practice across the industry.
It’s an honest and insightful conversation
Ep 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
Ep 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 impact
Ep 66: Taking ownership: the power of personal agency - A Toms Talk episode
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 belief
Ep 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
Ep 64: Strategic visionary: move beyond firefighting to connect all the dots - A Tom's Talk episode
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 pe
Ep 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 me
Ep 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 expl
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 qu
Ep 60: Become the impact maker your organisation needs
In the fifth episode of our seven-part mini-series exploring Beyond Potential's leadership model, we're discussing the importance of impact makers within organisations.
Most people are busy, but busy is not the same as impactful. In fact, some of the busiest people - those running from meeting to meeting - are not impactful at all.
Impact makers don't just show up; they use initiative to move thin
Ep 59: How presence and practice unlock performance - with guest George Bettany
In this episode, the Beyond Potential team were joined by entrepreneur and MARA founder, George Bettany, to discuss the connection between presence and performance.
He shared his journey from footballer through to performance coach, including his experiences building coaching and mentoring businesses, Sanctus and MARA.
George reveals how stepping away from Sanctus allowed him space to reconnect wi
Ep 58: Boosting performance as an influence architect
Continuing our bonus mini-series on the Beyond Potential leadership model, in this episode, we discuss what it means to boost performance as an influence architect.
An influence architect uses trust to move the needle on performance. By influencing those above and around them, they improve the performance of themselves, their team, and the business.
But being an influence architect isn't about bei
Ep: 57 Mindful vs. mindless - A Tom's talk episode
This week, Tom and Tom sit down and discuss intentional mindful leadership vs automatic behaviours, processes and actions. They explore different scenarios where top leaders stop, take a step back and act with intention rather than autopilot.
Do you take the time to make your team feel valued or like they matter? Do you ensure that the objective of every meeting is clear from the beginning? Do you
Ep 56: The importance of being a culture catalyst
In this bonus episode, Tom Emery and Tom Mason turn their attention to the 'Culture Catalyst', a vital element of the Beyond Potential leadership model. This is picking up from episode 46, where they talked about the role of the 'Insightful Navigator'.
Culture often feels like an intangible concept, but as the Toms explore, it’s the invisible hand that shapes behaviours, performance, and how teams
Ep 55: the Toms talk progress and celebrate successes - a Toms Talk episode
In this reflective episode, Tom Mason and Tom Emery take listeners on a journey through the summer months.
They discuss the energy and resolutions that come with September, share personal and professional updates, and highlight standout guests and episodes. The hosts also offer a behind-the-scenes look at their evolving leadership brand, Beyond Potential, and their respective businesses, Potentia
Ep 54: Building a culture of experimentation - with guest Tom Holliss
In this episode of Beyond Potential, the team is joined by Tom Holliss, Chief People Officer at consumer insights platform, Zappi.
Tom shared his experience working for a scale-up and how they manage the constant pace of change by building a culture of experimentation. He discussed key disruptors in the tech industry, including the opportunities and challenges associated with using AI to scale and
Ep 53: Leading with purpose in a fast paced world: Launching The Sustain Collective - with guest Leanne Spencer
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery is sitting on the other side of the mic with guest Leanne Spencer to introduce their new initiative: The Sustain Collective.
Remote working, hustle culture and the AI boom have all contributed to an increased pace in today's working world. For many, including senior HR leaders, this results in feelings of constant firefighting and reactivity, instead
Ep 52: Turning upward feedback into a learning conversation - with guest Tom Henschel
In this episode, we're joined by the brilliant Tom Henschel, Executive Coach and host of 'The Look & Sound of Leadership' Podcast.
Tom took us on a tour of his career journey, from acting, through teaching, to coaching, and the transferable skills between the roles. He told us how his podcast began - right back in 2008 - when someone told him he had a great voice for audio, and he went from ha
Ep 51: The secrets of successful virtual communication - with guest Andrew Brodsky
In this episode of Beyond Potential, we're joined by Management Professor and author Andrew Brodsky, as he reveals the secrets to successful virtual communication.
Citing research and tips from his book, 'Ping', Andrew left no stone unturned when it came to advice on virtual communication, including choosing the best channel, agreeing an appropriate frequency, and how to decide when is a good time
Ep 50: How to successfully integrate AI into your business - with guest Felix Mitchell
This week, we're joined by Felix Mitchell, Founder and Co-CEO of Instant Impact, and host of the We Need to Talk About HR podcast.
Felix spoke to us about the work he and his team do at Instant Impact to support organisations with talent acquisition through their advanced tech stack and specialist recruiters. He discusses the new, and fast-growing, transformation side of the business, an area foc
Ep 49: Why 'Activators' continue to succeed - with guest Matt Dixon
We welcome sales expert Matt Dixon to Beyond Potential. Co-author of multiple bestselling books, including The Challenger Sale, The Challenger Customer, The Effortless Experience and The JOLT Effect, he joined us to discuss the research from his new book, The Activator Advantage.
Using findings from a comprehensive study of almost 3,000 service partners, Matt discussed the five types of partners f
Ep 48: Leading through uncertainty and embracing what’s next
In this mid-year episode of Beyond Potential, Tom and Tom take stock of 2025 so far – a year that’s already brought its fair share of economic uncertainty, rapid organisational change, and shifting leadership dynamics. From the continued integration of AI to the ongoing tension around hybrid working, leaders are navigating change, uncertainty and more.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Amidst the c
Ep 47: Unlearning the rules and rewriting your life’s BluePrint
This week, Tom and Tom are joined by coach and author Wyndham James to explore the deeply personal journey of finding and living the life you truly want. Drawing from his debut non-fiction book Find Your Freedom: It's Time To Write Your Own BluePrint, Wyndham shares his powerful story of being trapped in the wrong career for two decades, the shame that kept him stuck, and the emotional reckoning t
Ep 46: The role of the insightful navigator in leadership
This is the second episode in our seven-part mini-series exploring our leadership model.
In it, we focus on the role of the insightful navigator. Referring to your internal compass, the insightful navigator is guided by your purpose, which acts as your north star when making decisions about where to focus your time and energy. (Check out the previous episode for tips on identifying your purpose).
Ep 45: Discovering your leadership purpose
In the first of a seven-part series exploring our leadership model, we discuss the importance of discovering your leadership purpose.
Without a clear purpose, it's difficult to lead effectively. In this episode, we cover ways you can identify your purpose.
We discuss the power of insightful questions - like 'how do you want others to experience you?' and 'how do you want to move forward?' - and re
Ep 44: Celebrating one year of Beyond Potential
We're celebrating one year of Beyond Potential.
In this episode, we discuss the journey we've had so far after 44 episodes. We reflect on how much we've enjoyed the last year, how the experience differed from our expectations, and the many things we've learned along the way - including the art of asking good interview questions.
We've welcomed fantastic guests onto the podcast in the last 12 month
Ep 43: The next chapter: expanding Beyond Potential
We have big news to share. What began as a podcast between two friends has grown into a bold new venture. Beyond Potential is now a leadership development and executive education firm dedicated to shaping the next generation of business leaders.
Bringing together our collective expertise into one exciting brand, as Beyond Potential, Tom and Tom are partnering with organisations and leaders across
Ep 42: The journey to intentional leadership - with guest Dave Stachowiak
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom and Tom are joined by Dave Stachowiak, host of the hugely successful Coaching for Leaders podcast (with over 40 million downloads). For regular listeners, you’ll know just how much we admire Dave’s work; we’ve referenced him countless times on Beyond Potential, so having him as a guest on the show is quite the ‘pinch me’ moment.
From a shy introvert who d
Ep 41: How to navigate significant change
In this Toms Talk episode we focus on ways to manage big changes in your life and your career.
We discuss:
The emotional responses to change
How talking these feelings out can help you to process them
Ways to approach decision-making in a structured way
Have a listen for some practical steps you can take when faced with significant change.
Enjoy the episode!
Ep 40: The importance of finding meaning in your work - with guest Gary Armstrong
In this week's Beyond Potential episode, we interview Gary Armstrong, a coach and consultant specialising in leadership development.
Gary explains the concept of 'stuckness' - the ways individuals and teams can get stuck behaviourally and environmentally - and the importance of finding meaning and purpose in our work.
In this conversation, he shares insights on how coaching can help individuals n
Ep 39: The role of radical candour in driving growth - with guest Chris Marr
This week we're joined by the brilliant Chris Marr, The Authoritative Coach and the author of Become an Authoritative Coach: Stop people pleasing, challenge your clients, and be indispensable.
In this powerful episode of Beyond Potential, we unpack the real challenges of modern coaching. From the fine line between coaching and consulting to the role of radical candour in driving growth.
We talk c
Ep 38: Energy, introversion and authentic leadership - with guest Sarah Manley
In this energising episode of Beyond Potential, Tom Emery speaks with Sarah Manley, author, coach, and speaker, known as The Quiet Catalyst. Sarah shares her journey from high-powered roles in healthcare marketing to becoming a powerful voice for introverts in the workplace. Through life pivots, pandemic reflections, and the therapeutic process of writing her book 'Quiet Catalyst: The introvert's
Ep 37: Challenging the norm: How maverick leaders shape culture with guest Brian Gorman
In this episode of Beyond Potential, Tom E sits down with Brian Gorman, seasoned coach and champion of Maverick Leaders, for a conversation that’s both deeply insightful and refreshingly human. Brian unpacks the true drivers of organisational change—not strategy or structure, but people—and reveals why storytelling, rooted in neuroscience, is a vital leadership tool in today’s world.
Together, the
Episode 36: Is it April already? Looking back on a fun Q1
It's a Toms Talk episode this week as we look back at Q1 of 2025. It's shaping up to be quite a year!
We've both got lots to talk about, not only what we've been up to, but also what's been happening in the world.
It's an optimistic episode and we can't wait to share it with you.
Episode 35: Mastering leadership and strategy - with guest Liz Weber
This week we're joined all the way from the USA by the incredible Liz Weber. Liz Weber is CEO of Weber Business Services, advisers to business owners, leaders, and directors. We get Liz's unique insights on the intricacies of leadership, strategic planning, and organisational culture.
Liz shares her views on how to effectively guide businesses in creating dynamic strategic plans, the challenges le
Episode 34: The revolutionary OI-4C framework - your one-stop solution for challenging conversations
Do you find having challenging conversations just that - really challenging?
In this episode the Toms talk about HEX's revolutionary framework for having all sorts of conversations that feel a bit crunchy. It might be giving feedback, asking for help, calling out poor behaviours, or more positive things like giving impactful recognition.
Whatever you struggle with, there's something here for you.
Episode 33: Spark transformation through the power of insights
This week we're excited to be joined by the wonderful Helen Bailey.
Helen is the founder of Aviatrix, a strategic research consultancy specialising in turning insights into action.
In our conversation, we dive into the power of insights and how it can help businesses drive their performance and leaders to nurture success and fulfilment in life and work.
You can find out more about Helen via her L
Episode 32: AI - what's going on?
In this Toms Talk episode, we discuss what's going on with AI in the world of coaching, leadership, and the businesses and clients we're working with.
Is it something to be afraid of?
Is it something we can all be using more?
What's holding us back from really embracing AI for all our benefits?
We also give some advice from our own experiences.
Enjoy the episode.
