FT Listen to Lucy

Follow FT Listen to Lucy
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Financial Times management columnist Lucy Kellaway pokes fun at management fads and jargon, and celebrates the ups and downs of office life.

Financial Times


    • Jul 25, 2017 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 5m AVG DURATION
    • 441 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from FT Listen to Lucy with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from FT Listen to Lucy

    FT readers, I will miss you most of all

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2017 4:46


    After 32 years, you are still an enigma, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    How I lost my 25-year battle against corporate claptrap

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2017 5:54


    The exponential rise of guff in business shows no sign of abating, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Apple's new grandiose office is for grown -ups

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2017 5:00


    Apple's $5bn headquarters is the world’s most expensive office and Steve Jobs' last posthumous hurrah, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Don't listen to prigs: profanity is glorious

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2017 4:53


    Shock over swear words exposes some misplaced prudery, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Let's have more 'womanterruption'

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2017 4:30


    Interruptions help cut short boring discussions. So instead of making men interrupt less, women should be made to do it more, argues Lucy Kellaway. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Why the most successful people just say no

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2017 4:58


    The main difference between yes and no is that one is easy and the other hard, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Paul Romer’s ‘and’ quota is a false economy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2017 4:50


    It was wrong to punish someone who tried to get his colleagues to write text that people might conceivably want to read, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    You heard it here first: hold fast to your antiques

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2017 4:41


    The tables are turning on Ikea and the fashion for Skandi tat, says Lucy Kellaway. Image credit: Chris Tosic See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Amy the robot wants my job, but she's no match for me

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2017 4:22


    Voice bot Experimental Amy might represent serious competition if what she produced was halfway decent, but it isn't, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    To say older workers lack energy is ageist and wrong

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2017 4:30


    Modern fiftysomethings are perky, well-rested and free from domestic ties, says Lucy Kellaway. Image credit: Chris Tosic See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    There is nothing cute about innumeracy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2017 4:53


    Abbott’s difficulty with a simple sum is evidence of a troubling assumption, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Mondelez serves up 10 business clichés in one sentence

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2017 5:00


    ‘Breakthrough’ is so stale it makes me almost feel sorry for the author, says Lucy Kellaway. Image credit: Chris Tosic See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    My speech was a car crash because I am too confident

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2017 4:44


    Good intentions led to a tour de force of clangers, says Lucy Kellaway. Image credit: Chris Tosic See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Cheap ways to prevent executive burnout

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2017 5:05


    Expensive ‘holistic’ leadership programmes do not solve anything, says Lucy Kellaway. Image credit: Chris Tosic See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    A masterclass in calling bullshit

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2017 4:59


    Puffed-up nonsense has been deemed worthy of academic study, says Lucy Kellaway. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    The dedicated office chatters are being forced out

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2017 4:43


    Everyone will tell you they are too busy to talk — but it is not true, says Lucy Kellaway. Image credit: Chris Tosic See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Codes of conduct breach the principles of common sense

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2017 4:47


    Like most humans, I am not naturally drawn to small print, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Robert Kelly’s children remind us how pompous we are at work

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2017 4:53


    Viral video of domestic mishap shows the artificiality of the professional self, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    How I help my children navigate their incredible life journeys

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2017 5:02


    Unlike Angela Ahrendts, I am not ‘on 24/7’, say Lucy Kellaway. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Why do we let Warren Buffett get away with sexism?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2017 4:49


    The Sage of Omaha tells old and unfunny jokes without recrimination, says Lucy Kellaway. Picture credit: Chris Tosic See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Death can bring your career back to life

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2017 4:45


    A disrupter of habit, it stops the living in their tracks, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Should you ever trade on past glories?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2017 4:45


    Telling others what you did before can be a sign of mediocrity, says Lucy Kellaway. Illustration by Chris Tosic See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Sexy and super bland: the rise of the office uniform

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2017 5:08


    What people wear to work at investment banks, management consultancies and top law firms is ridiculous. Individualism is to be avoided at all costs, says Lucy Kellaway. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    How to ask for what you want — and get it every time

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2017 4:43


    Start with please and thank you, then spoon on the flattery, says Lucy Kellaway. Image by Chris Tosic See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    I am a difficult person at work and proud of it

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2017 4:47


    In the workplace and in life, being troublesome can be useful, says Lucy Kellaway. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Why is work making us miserable?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2017 4:48


    Office life is better than ever before, but dissatisfaction is rising, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Writing clearly turns out to be not so easy after all

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2017 5:05


    When handing out my annual guff awards last week I said clear language in business was perfectly possible if you tried hard enough. I now find it’s not as simple as that, says Lucy Kellaway. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Lucy Kellaway’s jargon awards: corporate guff scales new heights

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2017 6:00


    Contenders for 2016’s gong ranged from euphemistic to ‘plain moronic’, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    I’m leaving to become a teacher and I want you to join me

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2016 4:33


    After 31 years at the Financial Times, Lucy Kellaway is leaving to set up Now Teach See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Skip the empathy, Mr Schultz, and focus on the coffee

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2016 4:55


    Starbucks boss has no business sending a missive to staff to tell them how to be. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    My tips for overcoming a fear of public speaking

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2016 4:47


    Remind yourself how awful most business leaders are: the bar is low, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Silicon Valley's corporate culture is ageist

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2016 5:00


    Faddish organisational trends that shut out older workers are in danger of spreading, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Obama is right: being early has everything going for it

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2016 4:34


    Time spent waiting is an opportunity to catch up with emails, reading and phone calls, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Feedback on your dinner party chat will do you good

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2016 4:22


    Just as with other skills, we benefit from clear and direct views that help us improve, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Unisex loos are no refuge for a gossip

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2016 4:40


    The rise of the gender-neutral toilet in the workplace is not an entirely good thing, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Lessons in clarity from the world’s grumpiest boss

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2016 4:48


    The Tiger Oil chief’s missives were rude, but his style was perfect, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    The bliss of being 396 miles from my lost smartphone

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2016 4:34


    The aftermath of leaving my iPhone in a Washington DC taxi was frightening, shaming, then liberating, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Wells Fargo’s wagonload of insincere regrets

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2016 5:07


    After being taken for a ride, customers should bridle at the guff in the bank's apology advert, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    The plague of compulsory creativity may be dying out

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2016 5:15


    Forget calling staff "imagineers" or "sandwich artists"; companies need more modest skills to evolve, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Why it is fine to be ignorant of your company’s profit

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2016 4:26


    Staff are more likely to be excited by a new vending machine and for good reason, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Poolside working is no longer a sign of importance

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2016 4:24


    Not being able to switch off is becoming seen for what it is — a sign of poor time management, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Millennials ought to ignore career advice from BCG boss

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2016 5:12


    Rich Lesser risks widening the gap between expectations and reality for twentysomethings, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Female CEOs are fascinating, as Marissa Mayer knows

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2016 4:55


    Despite the Yahoo chief’s ire, we will go on being interested until there are more women at the top. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Holidaying CEOs flaunt latest way to brag

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2016 5:04


    Now it is unacceptable to boast about spending, company bosses are turning to the summer reading list See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    My ambition to look more like Theresa May in meetings

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2016 5:10


    To appear exasperated but poised is as good as it gets, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Say ‘I quit’ with the perfect resignation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2016 5:46


    Your departure offers a rare chance to voice what you like while everyone is listening, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Carry on Post-Brexit, whether calm or not

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2016 5:14


    The 10 minutes I debated high heels on the radio were the sanest I have had since the referendum, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Why we are ruder at work than we are in the street

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2016 5:12


    I did not set out to be uncivil to my colleagues. This is just how office life has become, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    The extraordinary rhetoric of Sir Philip Green

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2016 5:33


    A hat trick of honesty, ignorance and blame: it is plain, simple — and insidious, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    We need smart products because we are stupid

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2016 5:16


    Clever technology is bad for our brains, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    The sham democracy of chief executives on Twitter

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2016 5:45


    A champion tweeter and receiver of thousands of likes may be the opposite of prolific, says Lucy Kellaway See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Claim FT Listen to Lucy

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel