The Power of Structure, Mentoring, and Routine in Modern Work

Ed Johnson explores the empowering role of routine, candidly unpacking the interplay between structure, personal accountability, and inclusive design to help individuals and organisations thrive in a rapidly evolving workplace landscape.

In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood welcomes Ed Johnson to explore how routine and structure can empower both individuals and organisations. The conversation uncovers the principles behind fostering accountability and cultivating organisational culture, particularly as Ed reflects on his journey as a tech entrepreneur. Together, they examine the nuances of scaling software businesses, nurturing remote teams, and spearheading inclusive workplace behaviours. Joanne and Ed discuss the psychology of mentoring, honesty in leadership, and the practicalities of evolving work habits in a world shaped by technology and flexible working patterns.

Ed is a tech entrepreneur, CEO, and co-founder of URoutine, with a notable track record in digital mentoring through his previous venture PushFar. He is driven by a commitment to create systems that enable people to thrive through purposeful structure and inclusive design. Ed’s experience encompasses growing software-as-a-service businesses, leading fully virtual teams prior to the pandemic, and shaping user-centric platforms that address both individual and collective growth. His expertise lies in leveraging technology to bridge the gap between ambition and action, translating personal and professional goals into tangible routines while fostering a culture rooted in trust and transparency.

Joanne and Ed delve into the challenges of scaling expectations without sacrificing flexibility, highlighting how honest feedback, clarity of purpose, and emotional intelligence are vital for both leaders and mentors. They explore how technology—including artificial intelligence—can be harnessed as a force for good while still retaining the human touch essential for belonging and motivation. The discussion widens to address changing societal demographics, the rise of freelance and gig economies, and the evolving definition of success and fulfilment at work.

This episode’s key takeaway is the transformative power of routine when paired with honesty, accountability, and inclusive culture. Listeners will find inspiration to rethink how habits, structure, and digital tools can be used to empower themselves and their teams, while still preserving the essential human connections that drive collective progress.

 

Published: 02.10.2025

Recorded: 03.04.2025

Duration: 0:54:20

 

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Clips and Timestamps

Viral Topic: The Challenges of Customising SaaS for Diverse Clients: “building software that can be customised to all of them becomes quite tricky and quite a challenge.”

— Ed Johnson [00:08:23 → 00:08:31 ]

The Best Company to Work For: “but wherever you go in your career, the one objective I would have is for you to always look back on your time at that company, at our company, he said, and know that you enjoyed your time there and feel like it was the best company you’d ever worked for.”

— Ed Johnson [00:11:49 → 00:12:07 ]

Viral Topic: The Secret to Scaling Team Culture

“I think when you’ve got that Mutual respect and mutual understanding from the employer to the employee and vice versa, then it can scale.”

— Ed Johnson [00:15:29 → 00:15:35 ]

Viral Topic: The True Measure of Productivity

“I think where some organisations get it wrong is they align productivity to the number of hours worked and they think the more hours you work, the more productive you are.”

— Ed Johnson [00:16:29 → 00:17:26 ]

The Importance of Workplace Clarity: “I’m not saying I want to be micromanaged but I would like a bit of structure and I’m working from home so I know I’ve got a call at 9am but well, I can roll out of bed at 5 to 9 and then I’ll be on that call from 9 till 9:30 and then what? I’ll check my emails and actually they probably want to be a bit more productive. They want to have that clarity but don’t really know what they’re doing or will think, okay, I’ve got five things to do, I don’t really know how I’m going to do them.”

— Ed Johnson [00:19:02 → 00:19:31 ]

The Drive to Keep Creating: “I get immense satisfaction at the end of the day when I reflect on the day from knowing I’ve done good work or created something or worked hard on something, even if it hasn’t gone right, I’ll think, well, at least I’ve spent 8 hours doing something as opposed to 8 hours reading a book and staring out of the window.”

— Ed Johnson [00:26:00 → 00:26:17 ]

Rediscovering Authenticity After Corporate Growth: “So actually I’m now really enjoying having that time back again, feeling able to be myself again, where I’m creating something new and fresh and I suppose I am being more human about it but not thinking too much about it, which is probably why it’s coming across as more human.”

— Ed Johnson [00:32:25 → 00:32:44 ]

Viral Topic: The Human Touch in a Digital World: “So I think being human is really important and I think the way you do that is by talking to people. I know it sounds obvious, but not letting AI take over those conversations.”

— Ed Johnson [00:34:55 → 00:35:06 ]

Viral Topic: The Power of Social Accountability: “But the psychology of accountability is when we start telling other people what we want to achieve, There’s a lot more of a chance that we will.”

— Ed Johnson [00:39:04 → 00:39:05 ]

The Future of Work and Technology: “I think that flexible working will continue and organisations I would hope will be better at dealing with that and across the board, better at dealing with that.”

— Ed Johnson [00:46:40 → 00:46:52 ]

Definition of Terms Used

What is a Shadow Board?

• Definition: A shadow board is an informal or less formal advisory group, typically comprised of employees or external advisers, who provide input and challenge traditional management thinking without having formal decision-making power.


• Relevance: In start-ups or rapidly scaling businesses, shadow boards offer early-stage founders or leaders diverse perspectives and strategic guidance before a formal board of directors is established.


• Examples: Founders informally consulting experienced business contacts, mentors, or supportive peers to critique decisions and suggest direction in place of an official board.


• Related Terms: Advisory Board, Board of Directors, Business Coaches, Governance Structures


• Common Misconceptions: Shadow boards are often mistakenly considered limp or invisible versions of formal boards, but in practice, they can exert strong influence and foster innovation behind the scenes.

What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?

• Definition: Software as a Service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which applications are hosted by a third-party provider and made available to customers over the internet, usually via subscription.


• Relevance: SaaS allowed Ed Johnson’s mentoring platform to scale rapidly, delivering mentoring solutions to multiple clients without needing extensive bespoke development or on-premises installation.


• Examples: Cloud-based mentoring platforms, email marketing tools, or virtual HR software like Pushfar, which clients access through a web browser.


• Related Terms: Cloud Computing, Platform as a Service (PaaS), Customisation, Scalability


• Common Misconceptions: A common misconception is that SaaS platforms are inflexible or cannot be customised, while in reality, many offer robust configuration options within certain technical boundaries.

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