More Than a Lumpy Jumper

This episode Bobby and Bridge are joined by 2 wise women from Ireland - Elaine and Katie who together form the Wise Water Academy. The chat this week focuses on the environment part of the wheel (are we still calling it that?) and how the environment particularly water has such a fundamental impact on our mental health and wellbeing, our connectedness, and our sense of self. There are couple of diversions into knee sliding, slut dropping and whether Bobby could be tamed with a water pistol. It's a deep dive (see what I did there?) into our visceral and sometimes mystical connection to water and how we can all benefit from a little blue or green in our lives.LinksWise Water AcademyWorld Water DayShin Rin Yoku aka Forest Bathing (no nudity necessary!)Wallace J Nichols Blue MindThe River BlackwaterWicklow MountainsBraiding Sweetgrass - Robin KimmererIsak Dinesen

Neena Sims from Third Space coaching joins us for a deep dive into self-development. Should we be striving for perfection (that perfect 10) or is balance more important? What does that even look like, is it the same for everyone - does it have to be a competition (I'm looking at you Bobby and Bridge)? We delve into chaos theory, some dodgy innuendos and some truly atrocious Danny Dyer impressions. Despite the antics of the dangerous duo, Neena maintains her composure throughout (well almost) and brings thoughtful insights into our "journeys" (I know Bobby hates that word) towards balance and self-discovery⁠Third Space - Janeena SimsDanny DyerChaos Making a New Science - James GleickChaos and fractals

Community isn’t something that just happens, it’s something we consciously create.In this episode, Bobby and Bridge explore the “Community and Giving” segment of the Wheel of Life with Fahmeda Naheed; activist, researcher, broadcaster, and founder of the Irish Pakistani Community of Cork.From fusion cooking to intercultural dialogue, poetry to radio, Fahmeeda brings wisdom, warmth, and courage to what it means to belong. Together we explore how community startswithin, in the courage to nurture ourselves, connect with others, and co-create spaces where everyone is seen, valued, and heard.“Change often starts with one person - but real transformation leaves no one behind.”Tune in for a conversation about belonging, creativity, and the ripple effects of giving.Fahmeda Naheed | LinkedInCORK CITY LIBRARIES BLOG: Cork in Verse | Ana Spehar interviews Fahmeda...Let’s Integrate – Cork City Community RadioRumi: 'There is an invisible strength within us | The Socratic MethodPalaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life | Eric Klinenberg | Amazon.com.

Episode 5 – Being WorthyWhat’s your money story and how does it shape your sense of worth, freedom, and belonging? In this conversation, Philip Gardner shares a rare dual lens: from senior commercial leadership in hospitality to sitting across the table from real people making real-life financial choices. We explore “enoughness,” the courage to ask for help, pricing your value, and why planning isn’t a spreadsheet, it’s a practice. Expect gentle provocation, practical nudges, and a fresh take on how money connects to community, contribution, and the way we show up for each other. If you’ve ever felt late to the game or shy about talking money, this one’s for you. Philip Gardner | LinkedInThe Psychology of Money | Morgan Housel | Amazon.co.uk

Joy isn’t frivolous. It’s fuel.In this episode, Suffolk-based artist and creativity enabler Sam Barnes joins us to explore joy as the heartbeat of a balanced life, how creativity quiets the noise, grounds the body, and reconnects us with what’s real.We talk about art as a form of mindfulness, the ways play and purpose intertwine, and how unlocking creativity often starts with something as simple as picking up a pen or painting withcoffee.Whether you think you’re “creative” or not, this episode will remind you how to lift the lid, just a little, on the joy waiting beneath the surface.“Joy isn’t something to postpone until the work is done. It’s fuel for the journey.”Samantha Barnes - Artfully Minded Artist 10 Ways That ‘Doing Art’ Helps Us — Samantha BarnesThe Science of Beauty: Neuroaesthetics in Art and Design – ArtRKLPaintings in Hospitals | art for health and wellbeing

Being Connected explores what it means to feel part of something bigger than ourselves, whether that’s faith,nature, community, or the quiet we make on purpose. Bobby and Bridge’s guest, Alison Riley (minister, mentor, mountain-lover), reflects on awe, grief, ritual, and why connection is a team sport as much as a solo practice. We talk aboutprayer (in many forms), the medicine of green and blue spaces, words that shape our days, and simple ways to return when we wobble.No dogma. Just curiosity, story, and practice. From the practices that keep us grounded to the impacts connection has on leading, relationship building, resilience, and creativity, this conversation offers practical ways to notice and nurture the threads that bind us.Sacred Instructions | Sherri Mitchell | BooksRadical Candor | Kim Scott | Books

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place youhave to live” – Jim RohnThis week we start the Wheel of Life with a foundation that could be suggested as underpinning the rest: your body. Our guest, James Llewellyn, co-founder of The Evolution Project, shares his personal story behind 3,000+ client transformations and why movement, nutrition, and mindset can turn the lights back on. We talk panic to purpose, self-sabotage, “good enough” days, stress, hormones, and why clean, consistent basics beat heroic bursts.If your Wheel feels wobbly, begin here. Small steps create momentum; energy, clarity, and the small shifts that change everything. About the Evolution Project and Co-Founder James LlewelynJames Llewellyn | LinkedIn The Power of Now | Eckhard Tolle | BooksThe Untethered Soul | Michael Singer | BooksThe Surrender Experiment | Michael Singer | BooksAtomic Habits | James Clear | BooksDark Side of the Light Chasers | Debbie Ford | Books

This season of More Than a Lumpy Jumper takes a journey around the Wheel of Life - a coaching tool that helps us notice the different parts of life that shape our sense of balance. In this opening episode, Bobby and Bridge reflect on their own Wheels: where they’re thriving, where they’re stretched thin, and what they hope to learn from the guests joining them in the weeks ahead. It’s an honest, practical starting point for a season of conversations that explore health, money, work, love, spirituality, and more.Join us as we sketch out the Wheel, ask what balance really looks like, and begin to notice where small shifts can make the biggest difference.Wheel of Life | Evaluate Your Life Balance in 12 Key Areas

Join Bobby and Bridge as they unpack workplace emotions with their usual no-holds-barred frankness.In this season-six finale, they question whether emotions belong in a locked box or if acknowledging them isessential to effective leadership. What happens when your emotional-self shows up at work, intentionally, vulnerably, fully human?Expect a candid, juicy conversation about emotional agility, leadership limits, and the fine line between expressing feeling and being overwhelmed. If you’re curious about how emotions can be a superpower rather than a liability in leadership, this episode is for you.Hit play and let the two Bs guide you through embracing what’s real … no filters, no pretending.Susan David: The gift and power of emotional courage | TED TalkNo Hard Feelings | Liz Fosslien & Mollie West Duffy | BooksEmotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change and Thrive in Work and Life | Susan David | Books Inside Out | Pixar | Accepting all Emotions including Sadness is part of your Mental Health  Brene Brown | The Power of Vulnerability | TED TalkAtlas of the Heart | Brene Brown | Amazon

Urgent. Important. Overdue. All of it… NOW?!If your to-do list is longer than your arm and every task feels like a fire, this episode is for you.Bobby is joined by career and HR coach Faye Wallis, creator of the “Essential HR Planner”, for a conversation about how we untangle the noise and refocus with purpose. They dive into practical tools, productivity myths, people-pleasing traps, and the pressure to keep doing all the things. Spoiler: you don’t have to.This is your permission slip to stop glorifying busy and start leading with clarity instead. Fay Wallis | LinkedInEat That Frog! | Brian Tracy | BooksTranquillity By Tuesday | Laura Vanderkam | BooksHow to gain control of your free time | Laura Vanderkam | TED - YouTubeThe Four Tendencies | Gretchen Rubin | BooksThe Four Styles of Self-Motivation with Gretchen Rubin | YouTubeThe Four Tendencies Quiz | Gretchen Rubin

What if your most powerful leadership tool wasn’t in your head, but in your rhythm?In this episode, Bobby is joined by wellness educator and inclusion specialist, Samantha Garstin (aka the Period Princess!) to explore what it means to lead in sync with the natural cycles of energy, focus, and capacity, whether those are hormonal, seasonal, emotional, or simply human. The conversation is vast, including talking about the effects of hustle culture, burnout, and the boldness of listening to your body. If you’ve ever found yourself running on empty and wondering what’s wrong with me, this conversation might just be your turning point. It really is a conversation for everyone.Samantha Garstin - WebsiteSamantha Garstin🩸Period Princess 👸 | LinkedInA Guide to Cyclical Living4 ways to practise cyclical living when you're overwhelmedWild Power | Alexandra Pope, Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer | BooksSecond Spring | Kate Codrington | BooksMoon Time: Living in Flow with your Cycle | Lucy Pearce | BooksPeriod Repair Manual | Lara Briden ND | BooksHormone Repair Manual | Lara Briden ND | BooksJuly Full Moon: Spiritual Meaning for the Buck Moon | The Pagan Grimoire

From nappy changes to boardroom changes… what if parenting was the best leadership training you never knew you were in?This week on More Than a Lumpy Jumper, Bobby is joined by Charlie Lyons - coach, HR pro, and mum of two, to explore what happens when the worlds of parenting and leadershipcollide. They will be talking about burnout, overwhelm, micro-moments of sanity, and how learning to lead well often starts at home.If you’ve ever felt like you’re dropping balls in every part of life or wondering why the parenting manual and the leadership books both feel like a lie, this episode will meet you right where you are.Big-hearted, deeply honest, and full of permission to stop pretending we’ve got it all figured out.Charlie Lyons | LinkedInParenting Without a Map: A Sto…–Made Possible by Parenthood – Apple PodcastsMotherhood: Facing and Finding Yourself | Lisa Marchiano | BooksTime to Think: Listening to Ignite the Human Mind | Nancy Kline | Books

What if the most powerful thing a leader can say is: “I don’t know”?In this episode, Bobby and Bridge dive into the discomfort, courage, and wisdom of not having all the answers. From military mess-ups to organisational mayhem, we explore what happens when leaders drop the act, make space for others, and lead with honest uncertainty, not panic, not performance.Sometimes not knowing is the start of something braver.Dare to Lead | Brene Brown | BooksThe Power of Vulnerability | Brené Brown | TED TalkMargaret Heffernan: Dare to disagree | TED TalkCreativity, Inc | Ed Catmull | BooksA true leader can say I don't know - St Simon SinekThe power of I don't know

“No More Pencil Skirts and Other Leadership Metaphors”From soufflés to swans, corn beef to cognitive diversity, this episode is a deliciously metaphor-filled conversation with neurodiversity advocate Hayley Brackley. Bobby and Hayley explore why real leadership means shedding the need to be perfect, embracing messiness, and daring to dance (or not) in your comfiest metaphorical harem pants.A must-listen for anyone tired of the one-size-fits-all model of work and ready to design for the edges.Links Hayley Brackley | LinkedIn

What does it really take to feel safe enough to speak up at work?In this powerful episode of More Than a Lumpy Jumper, we dive into psychological safety - what it is, why it matters, and what happens when it’s missing. Joining Bobby are two brilliant guests: Ali Spooner and Naomi Withers, who bring honesty, humour, and real-life insight from lived experience, psychology, leadership, and loss.From people-pleasing to power dynamics, team trust to trauma triggers, this conversation doesn’t shy away from the messy stuff. If you've ever sat in a meeting biting your tongue, or wondered whether you’re the only one feeling unsafe, this one’s for you. Ali Spooner | LinkedInNaomi (Ordinary 🚫) Withers | LinkedInDavid Rock's SCARF Model: Social Threats in the World of Work - The World of Work ProjectThe Fearless Organization Summary - Amy Edmondson | 12min Blog

In this episode, Bobby and Bridge are pulling at the threads of what leadership really looks like. Not the glossy, top-floor kind, but the kind that happens in the messy middle. Being in the Weave explores how leadership shows up without titles, how power flows in every direction, and why being quietly influential might just be your superpower. Expect laughs, truths, and a bit of mayhem (including a lost spreadsheet and a quilt metaphor you didn’t know you needed). If you’re a middle-sitter, an edge-walker, or someone who just gets stuff done, this one’s for you.Give and Take | Adam Grant | BooksRebel Ideas | Matthew Syed | BooksYou Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader | Mark Sanborn | BooksSix Ways To Lead Even When You Aren't In A Leadership Position

What if the voice in your head wasn’t running the show? In this episode, award-winning coach and founder of Quiet the Hive, Jane Galloway, joins Bobby to explore the power of questions over should’s, statements, and stuckness. From NHS leadership to poetry and post-it notes, it’s a conversation full of honesty, humour, and permission tolive your one wild and precious life a little braver.LinksJane (Bellamy) Galloway | LinkedInElizabeth Gilbert | Big Magic | BooksTara Mohr | Playing Big | Books23 Powerful Michael Jordan Quotes on Failure: Fuel for Success.

What does it really mean to lead from below the neck?In this funny, thoughtful, and occasionally inappropriate episode (sorry, Richard Strozzi-Heckler), Bobby and Bridgetexplore what it actually takes to lead with the body, not just the brain. From control habits and emotional spirals to guinea pig impressions and the rhythm of excitement (yes, that kind), this episode is a gently clumsy invitation to pause, breathe, and reconnect.If you've ever felt like a walking head or a premature fixer, this one's for you.LinksThe Leadership Dojo | Richard Strozzi-Heckler | BooksYour body language shapes who you are | Amy Cuddy 2020 | TEDxStrozzi Institute for SomaticsThe Art Of Leading With Intuition: Why Gut Feeling Is Your Best AllyPodcast - On Being with Krista Tippett – Interviews with Bessel van der Kolk, Resmaa MenakemPodcast - Coaching for Leaders – Episodes on embodied leadership and presencePodcast - Unlocking Us with Brené Brown – Episodes on vulnerability and grounded confidence

Maybe you’re not broken. Maybe you’re just shedding a little. In one of our most delightfully random (yet sneakily profound) episodes, we explore what it means to outgrow old roles, identities, and expectations - in leadership and life. From liminal interludes to caterpillar wisdom, we talk transformation, coaching, and why sometimes, performance reviews need a total reboot.Warning: contains butterflies, bureaucracy, and bread! LinksAct Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader | Herminia Ibarra | BooksTransitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes | William Bridges | BooksHagitude | Sharon Blackie | BooksHerminia Ibarra | The Authenticity Paradox | TEDtalkThe 5 Levels of Leadership | Maxwell LeadershipTop 5 Best John Maxwell Books for Leaders

What happens when everything’s shifting, and you’re still expected to lead? In this episode, Bobby and Bridge dive intothe beautiful chaos of change. From being called a chaos pixie to learning how to hold space without fixing, this is a raw, real, and occasionally sweary look at change from the inside out. Expect giggles, grounded wisdom, and the kind ofhonesty you won’t find in your average change handbook.Bridges Transition Model - William Bridges AssociatesBridges' Transition Model for Change: A Simple Summary - The World of Work ProjectThe Change Curve: A Simple Summary - The World of Work ProjectYour Boss Thrives on Chaos. Here’s How to Protect Your Energy.