The Right Work

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Listen for inspiration, ideas and tools to help you find #TheRightWork. Most people, if they’re honest, feel unsatisfied with their jobs. Lots of people don’t know what they want to do with their lives, or how to get there, especially at an uncertain time like this. We talk to people with unique perspectives and ideas on finding #TheRightWork. We extract their most useful insights, practical tools and best advice. Join us as we ask big but important questions like: How do you find the right work for you? Is it realistic to try and find ‘the right work’ in a post-Covid world? How do you know what ‘the right work’ looks like?

Arjun Sahdev and Andy Grey


    • Mar 4, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 38m AVG DURATION
    • 33 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Right Work

    S3 Ep 6. Why the relationship between who we are and the work we do matters with Elizabeth Oldfield (Consultant and coach; Host, The Sacred Podcast; former Director, Theos Think Tank)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2023 45:49


    Elizabeth Oldfield is a people-focused consultant, chair, facilitator and presenter. Elizabeth is the former director of the think tank Theos, and is host of The Sacred podcast, where she has delved into the fundamental values of guests including Richard Ayoade, Prue Leith and Omid Djalili. Elizabeth had such a wise, reflective and authentic conversation with us. We explored questions like:- How can we connect with our most fundamental interests and values?- Is it ever ok to do work that doesn't align with your values?- What kind of person should become a leader?Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram – and please leave us a review!

    S3 Ep 5. Lessons on how to rebuild a career with Sarah Southern (Comedian, businesswoman and former Conservative Party staffer)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2023 48:15


    Sarah Southern spent a number of years working in politics, including for the Conservative Party. However, she had to reevaluate and start again after her career suffered a devastating blow. Nowadays Sarah is a stand-up comedian, businesswoman and career coach.We learnt so much from Sarah's rollercoaster of a journey, exploring questions like:- What are the more subtle signs to look out for that you're in the wrong job?- What are her best tips for entering the world of politics?- How do you tackle doubts about career decisions you've made?Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram – and please leave us a review!

    6 minutes with: Dougal Shaw (Creator, BBC CEO Secrets)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2023 6:45


    In our second 6 minutes episode, Arjun and Andy speak to Dougal Shaw, creator of the BBC's CEO Secrets video series, and author of the recently published CEO Secrets book. Hear Dougal's reflections on the right work based on his conversations with over 350 CEOs, from startup founders to household names like Sir James Dyson and Steven Bartlett.Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

    S3 Ep 4. Why now is the time to re-evaluate your work with Josie Cox (Business journalist and author)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2022 40:51


    Josie Cox is a journalist, editor, and broadcaster with a particular interest in business, workplace culture and equality. She trained at Reuters, and has been published in major outlets including the BBC, Forbes and the New Statesman.We explored some really important questions with Josie, like:- Why is now an ideal time to reevaluate what work really means for us?- What questions should we ask ourselves to understand whether we're doing the right work?- How has the pandemic exposed and worsened gender inequality in work, and how can we tackle that?Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, and please rate and review us on Apple and Spotify as it helps others to find the show.

    6 minutes with: Oliver Burkeman (Author, Four Thousand Weeks)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2022 6:43


    Welcome to 6 minutes – our brand new segment of The Right Work!In the time it takes you to get dressed or drink your morning coffee, you can hear insights, tools and advice from leading thinkers on how to find the right work.In our first 6 minutes episode, Arjun speaks to Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. Hear Oliver's insights on what the right work looks like and how to find it.Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

    S3 Ep 3. Labour's former Deputy Leader on building a new career after politics with Tom Watson (Author, consultant and former MP)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2022 50:11


    Tom Watson is the former Deputy Leader of the UK's Labour Party. He was a Member of Parliament for almost 20 years, serving in senior roles in both government and opposition, and is being appointed to the House of Lords.We explore his career after leaving politics, including his roles as Chair of UK Music, author of Lose Weight 4 Life and other books, and founder of Downsizing Media.We picked Tom's brains about this fascinating trajectory, and discussed questions like:- How did he adjust to leaving such a high-profile career, which for many people is so closely linked to their status and identity?- How can policymakers, employers and individuals best respond to changes in technology and society, and the impact these will have on the world of work?- How can people practically make space for, and find work in, their multiple passions and interests?Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, and please rate and review us on Apple and Spotify as it helps others to find the show.

    S3 Ep 2. How to have a better relationship with work with Dr Tracy Brower (Sociologist, Speaker & Author, The Secrets to Happiness at Work)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2022 44:59


    Dr Tracy Brower is a sociologist studying work life fulfilment and happiness. She's Vice President of Workplace Insight at Steelcase, and the author of The Secrets to Happiness at Work and Bring Work to Life by Bringing Life to Work, as well as a number of articles.Tracy gave us some fascinating and evidence-based insights on questions like:- What are the ingredients for feeling a sense of purpose in your work?- What's the evidence that empathy actually makes a difference at work? And how do we identify a genuinely empathetic culture?- Is happiness at work too idealistic? And if not, how do we create the conditions for it?Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

    S3 Ep 1. Creating a career niche with Matt Forde (TV impressionist and comedian; host of The Political Party podcast)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2022 55:14


    Welcome to season 3! We're kicking off with none other than Matt Forde – stand-up comedian, television impressionist and satirist. He's the voice of Donald Trump, Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson on Spitting Image, and has interviewed senior politicians and former Prime Ministers on his podcast, The Political Party. He's also the author of widely acclaimed book Politically Homeless. Before creating a full-time career in comedy and media, he was an organiser for the Labour Party. We were excited to delve into Matt's career and explore questions like:- What can we learn from how Matt created his own niche of comedy, politics and football?- What do you do when the reality of your dream job doesn't live up to expectations?- How can people who don't have family or friend connections get into industries like politics or the arts?Note: We recorded this episode long before Boris Johnson's resignation – hence some of the references in the show!Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, and please rate and review us on Apple and Spotify as it helps others to find the show.

    S2 Ep 12. Discovering how big the world of work is with Anastasia de Waal (Director, I Can Be)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2022 39:10


    Anastasia de Waal is Director of I Can Be, a charity that brings 7–8 year old girls into the world of work to broaden their horizons. She was previously a primary school teacher and Deputy Director of the think tank Civitas.We heard Anastasia's insights on questions like:- How can people identify their strongest interests?- What are the obstacles to children growing up to find fulfilling work?- How can families and society have better conversations about work?Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

    S2 Ep 11. How to work and lead authentically with Sir David Haslam (Chair, Young Lives vs Cancer; former GP and Chair of NICE)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2022 38:26


    Sir David Haslam is Chair of Young Lives vs Cancer, Senior Adviser at Kaleidoscope Health and Care, and a Non-Executive Director at Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust.David has had a fascinating and varied career. He was a GP for 36 years, and has written a number of books on parenting, as well as presenting TV shows on the topic. He has held a number of senior posts in health and care, including Chair of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and President of the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal College of GPs (RCGP).We explored questions like:- How can someone climb the career leader while staying true to their values?- How can people carve out a niche for their creative pursuits?- Is it better to be a generalist or a specialist in today's job market?Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

    S2 Ep 10. How personality and social media shape our careers with Ian MacRae (Workplace psychologist and author, Dark Social)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2022 39:52


    Ian MacRae is a workplace psychologist and author of six books, including Dark Social: Understanding the Darker Side of Work, Personality and Social Media, and High Potential. We spoke about some fascinating questions, such as:- How can better understanding our personalities help us make smarter career choices?- Why is planning for promotions a possible trap that can stop us finding the right work?- What are the best and worst ways to use social media to find fulfilment in our work?Ian also mentioned his High Potential website and the Dark Side Personality Test.Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

    S2 Ep 9. What to do when you're unhappy at work with Samantha Clarke (Author, Love It or Leave It and Lecturer, The School of Life)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2022 47:47


    Samantha Clarke is a Happiness Consultant and Global Changemaker. She's also the author of Love It or Leave It: How to Be Happy at Work, a lecturer at The School of Life and Simon Sinek Inc, and a TEDx speaker. Samantha's mission is to build robust changemakers out of the next generation of leaders. We spoke about questions like:Is happiness at work always necessary - and how do we find it?How can job titles stop us from finding the right work?Where do you start with crafting a portfolio career, and how do you manage it?Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

    S2 Ep 8. How to escape from the wrong job to find meaningful work with Dom Jackman (Co-founder, Escape the City)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2022 46:00


    Dom Jackman is co-founder of Escape the City, a global community of over 500,000 people which helps people quit their corporate jobs and find work that matters. Dom embarked on this venture after leaving management consultancy in 2010.Dom is an expert in finding meaningful work, so we asked him questions like:  What does ‘meaningful work' actually mean?When someone's feeling unfulfilled at work, how can they find others who are feeling the same way?How do you overcome the mental barriers to accepting that the work you're doing isn't right for you?Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

    S2 Ep 7. Finding work you love: the do's and don'ts with John Lees (Career strategist and author, How to Get a Job You Love)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2022 42:53


    John Lees is a careers coach, strategist and author of a number of bestselling books, including How to Get a Job You Love. This episode is packed with practical tips on questions like:Should you sacrifice work that pays well to find fulfilment?How can people get support from their employers to pursue work they love?What's the difference between the perfect job and the right work?Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

    S2 Ep 6. Navigating careers when you're young and disadvantaged with Jack Parsons (UK's Chief Youth Officer & CEO, The Youth Group)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2022 37:35


    Jack Parsons is CEO of The Youth Group, which provides young people with the tools they need to get ahead and grow in work. He's an award-winning entrepreneur and speaker on youth, and has interviewed figures such as Rishi Sunak (which we find out more about in the episode!)This time, it was our turn to interview Jack. We explored his powerful personal story, and talked about questions like: How do you strike the right balance between making money and living your values?How can young people from disadvantaged backgrounds overcome barriers to finding the right work?Is there such a thing as a dream job – and how would we know we'd found it?Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. (Please note there are brief references to abuse between 14:08 and 14:18). 

    S2 Ep 5. How behavioural science can help you find the right work with Dr Grace Lordan (Author, 'Think Big' & Associate Professor, LSE)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2022 41:07


    Prof Grace Lordan is Author of Think Big, Associate Professor in Behavioural Science & Founder and Director of The Inclusion Initiative at the LSE. Check out Grace's website, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.Grace used her behavioural science expertise to answer important questions, such as:How can someone in an established career get new skills and experiences in a different area?What role can inclusive leadership play in shaping the future of work?How can people overcome the psychological barriers like fear of failure or imposter syndrome to help them find the right work?Follow The Right Work on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.#TheRightWork #Careers #BehaviouralScience #Inclusion #SelfBelief #ImposterSyndrome

    S2 Ep 4. Why the kind of organisation you work for matters with Rich Taunt (Social enterprise founder and former civil servant)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2021 38:30


    Rich Taunt is part of Kaleidoscope Health and Care, a not-for-profit consultancy which he founded. It's a teal organisation that has worked with NHS England, government departments and major charities, and which values kindness above all else. Rich was previously a senior civil servant and think tank director.We discussed a huge range of questions with Rich, including:How much should we be hedging risks to find the right work?Is there really a clear line between work and life in today's world?How can people explore not just what doing the right work looks like, but what kind of organisation they should be doing it for?Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.#TheRightWork #CareersWithPurpose #ReinventingOrganisations #TealOrganisations #Kindness #SelfManagement

    S2 Ep 3. What the right work means for different generations with Dr Eliza Filby (Generations expert and historian)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2021 37:48


    Dr Eliza Filby is an expert writer and speaker on generations, and the impact of changing behaviours and values on society. She also hosts the It's All Relative podcast.We explored big questions with Eliza about how generational differences are changing what the right work looks like. We asked Eliza questions like:How are newer generations changing the world of work, and how can older generations adapt?What advice did she have for people who feel like their first or even second career choices aren't right for them? How has Covid changed what the right work looks like?Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.#TheRightWork #CareersWithPurpose #Generations #GenerationGap

    S2 Ep 2. Why smart people make bad career decisions with David Robson (Author, The Intelligence Trap)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2021 39:59


    David Robson is an award-winning science writer, and author of The Intelligence Trap: Revolutionise your thinking and make wiser decisions. He's also written an upcoming book, The Expectation Effect.We had a fascinating conversation with David about both his career, and some of the mistakes smart people make that stop them finding the right work. We asked him questions like:What are the traps that stop us thinking creatively about what the right work is for us?How might focusing on promotion or traditional ideas of career development stop us finding work that fulfils us?Is ‘finding your passion' a realistic route to success in work?Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

    S2 Ep 1. Getting ready for the changing world of work with Claudia Harris OBE (CEO, Makers)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2021 36:44


    Welcome to the first episode of season 2! Claudia is Chief Executive Officer of Makers, which aspires to create a new generation of tech talent that's ready for the world of work. Before that she was CEO of the Careers & Enterprise Company, a partner at McKinsey, and worked in PM Tony Blair's Health Delivery Unit.Claudia gives some fascinating insights and advice on questions like:What can we learn from how CEOs approach their jobs, for finding the right work for ourselves?How can we get exposure to the different options and opportunities available to us?What's her advice to people who are worried about switching careers and how that will be perceived?Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. #youth #careers #futureofwork #inequalities #pandemic

    S1 Ep 12. How to make a career out of saving the planet with Mark Corbett (Environmental entrepreneur; CEO, Thrust Carbon)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2021 38:29


    Mark is the co-founder of Thrust Carbon, a social enterprise which builds technology that enables companies to offer green products, and to operate sustainably. Before founding his previous company, Mark was Operations Director of Enactus, which runs social development programmes for entrepreneurial students.Mark shared his answers to some big questions: How do you use networking to help you find the right work, when you don't like networking? When's the right time to start a business? How do you discover the issues you truly care about? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

    S1 Ep 11. How 'taking the first step' can transform your career with Nik Milanovic (Fintech leader; Head of Strategy at Google Pay)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2021 39:07


    Nik Milanovic is Head of Business Development and Strategy at Google Pay, where he channels his passions for financial wellbeing and equality. His career has taken him from Philosophy at Stanford, to consulting, to strategic partnerships at Funding Circle. Nik also advises budding Fintech startups and writes about the field for Techcrunch and at www.thisweekinfintech.com.  We talk about some challenging questions with Nik. Does starting out with a safer job allow you to take risks later on, or do you just end up never taking those risks? Should you identify your passion and then go and work on it? How does a specialist go out and find the right work for them? Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review; and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

    S1 Ep 10. Combining your passions to find the right work with Sallyann Keizer (Media producer & non-profit founder)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2021 40:35


    Sallyann Keizer is an Emmy and Bafta award winning producer. She juggles life as Managing Director of Sixth Sense Media, and founder of two not-for-profit organisations: Happynesshub, and Bow Wowza, channelling her passions for mental health, children and dogs. Find out how Sallyann has navigated her many and varied interests, and what she learnt from experiencing tough personal tragedy. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

    S1 Ep 9. How to start a business you really care about with Adi Kasliwal (Health tech entrepreneur)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2021 40:42


    Adi Kasliwal is the co-founder of Personal Alarm Watch, which connects people to a 24/7 monitoring service. He was previously co-founder of Speakset, which connected people to healthcare professionals through a TV. Find out how one conversation with a friend changed the course of his career, and what he's learned from the mistakes he's made on his journey to success. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.  

    S1 Ep 8. Finding the golden thread in your career with Tom Lansdowne (Growth & innovation leader)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2021 41:28


    Tom Lansdowne is Proposition and Innovation Lead at Butternut Box, which produces and delivers fresh dog food. Find out how Tom went from traditional roles in banking and consulting to founding his own startup and eventually joining Butternut Box; as well as his advice on how he's found the 'golden thread' in his career. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

    S1 Ep 7. Putting your happiness over others' expectations with Stacy Thomson (Performance coach & clinician)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2021 39:33


    Stacy Thomson is the founder of The Performance Club, a consultancy with the mission of assisting organisations to enhance the well-being, mental health, and performance of their employees. Find out what Stacy learned from studying Leisure and Tourism, running a bar, and becoming a psychiatric nurse. Hear her wisdom on how to avoid putting other people's expectations over our own happiness when pursuing the right work for us. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.   

    S1 Ep 6. How to be bold in finding meaningful work with Tom Edkins (Filmmaker)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2021 39:07


    Tom Edkins is a filmmaker and scriptwriter. After graduating from Oxford with a degree in English, Tom took the courageous decision to dive into independent filmmaking and has been working in that world ever since. Tom has discovered a particular passion in creating heartfelt films about stories that matter, with sincerity and honesty.Find out how Tom balances pragmatism with creativity in his career, how a particularly big setback helped him learn more about the work he wanted to do and why being an employee first and a creative second, just wasn't an option for him.Follow us:https://twitter.com/TheRightWork   https://www.instagram.com/therightwork/  https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-right-work-podcast  

    S1 Ep 5. How to know your worth and sell yourself at work with Stef Sword-Williams (Founder, F*ck Being Humble)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2021 41:31


    Stefanie Sword-Williams is the founder and author of F*ck Being Humble, a global online community, events series and book that's on a mission to help people be unapologetically proud of their achievements. Find out how Stef's struggles with self-confidence while working in advertising led her to start a side hustle that became her full-time job. Note: contains explicit language.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

    S1 Ep 4. Why it's OK to quit a great opportunity with Bhav Radia (Head of Cancer Academy Learning Lab, Guy's & St Thomas NHS' Foundation Trust)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2021 35:42


    Bhav Radia is Head of the Learning Lab at Guy's Cancer Academy, part of Guy's at St Thomas' NHS Trust. Find out why he quit a fully funded PhD at Oxford to find the right work for him.   Follow us on https://twitter.com/TheRightWork   https://www.instagram.com/therightwork/  https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-right-work-podcast  

    S1 Ep 3. How to find work you love and pay the bills with Yewande Faloyin (CEO, OTITO; alumnus of Morgan Stanley and McKinsey)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2021 41:50


    Yewande Faloyin is the founder and CEO of OTITO, a leadership coaching and consultancy business. Find out why she left behind top jobs at Morgan Stanley and McKinsey to pursue the right work for her. We talk about why Yewande decided to quit without planning her next steps; why doing the right work doesn't have to mean financial struggle; and how you can use past jobs to help you find the right work faster.Follow us :https://twitter.com/TheRightWork   https://www.instagram.com/therightwork/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-right-work-podcast

    S1 Ep 2. Rethinking success and failure in your career with Dr Nick Taylor (CEO, Unmind)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2021 38:07


    Dr Nick Taylor's career journey has entailed classical music, clinical psychology and founding Unmind – an international workplace mental health company. Nick talks to us about he dealt with moving back in with his parents and becoming a student again in his 20s; trying to avoid failure; and the importance of vulnerability.  Follow us : https://twitter.com/TheRightWork   https://www.instagram.com/therightwork/  https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-right-work-podcast

    S1 Ep 1. How to know what you truly want from your work with Radhika Sanghani (Journalist & Author, '30 Things I Love About Myself')

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2021 37:51


    Our first ever guest is Radhika Sanghani – a journalist whose interests have also led her to write two novels, start the global #SideProfileSelfie campaign, train as a yoga teacher and write comedy.  Radhika tells us why trying things out is better than waiting for the perfect career; how some of her toughest work challenges taught her more about herself; and the difference between work you're scared of and work that isn't right for you.  Follow us:https://twitter.com/TheRightWork  https://www.instagram.com/therightwork/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-right-work-podcast

    Introducing The Right Work

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2021 3:45


    We're Arjun and Andy, and in this short conversation we talk about why we started this podcast, who it's for and what we talk about with our guests.Listen for inspiration, ideas and tools to help you find #TheRightWork.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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