Reaching Minds - ‘Thoughts for your Life Journey’

In this episode of Reaching Minds: Thoughts for Your Life Journey, I’m joined by Claudia Crawley, executive coach, mentor and award-winning author of Undeterred. Together, we explore how our relationship with risk, failure and fear can either limit our growth or become a catalyst for meaningful development.

Claudia shares insights from her coaching work with women navigating leadership, visibility and progression, particularly Black and Brown women working within systems not designed with them in mind. We talk openly about fear of failure, imposter syndrome, mental saboteurs and the internal narratives that quietly hold people back from stepping into their full potential.

This conversation also examines the wider organisational and societal context, including race and gender equity, allyship, code-switching, and the emotional labour of navigating professional spaces. Claudia introduces the success equation explored in Undeterred: determination, resilience, resistance, purpose and reinvention, and how these qualities support women to stay anchored in who they are while moving forward with clarity and confidence.

This episode is an invitation to reflect on your own relationship with risk and to consider what it means to become undeterred, not by ignoring fear, but by choosing growth anyway.

If this conversation resonates, I’d love to hear from you.
Explore more episodes and resources at www.nitasharma.com

In this episode of Reaching Minds: Thoughts for Your Life Journey, I’m joined by my colleague and friend Jackee Holder to explore the transformative power of journaling as a reflective practice and life companion.
Journaling is often seen as a simple habit, yet in this conversation we uncover how expressive and reflective writing can become a profound tool for healing, self-understanding and personal growth. Jackie shares her own lifelong relationship with journaling, tracing it back to childhood, and reflects on how writing has helped her navigate trauma, creativity, leadership and identity.
Together, we explore how journaling helps us work beneath the surface, giving voice to what sits in the subconscious, allowing unprocessed emotions to be acknowledged, and supporting healthier endings, clarity and renewal. We discuss how journaling doesn’t require perfect language or polished sentences, and how drawing, poetry, letters and colour can all become meaningful forms of expression.
This episode also looks at journaling in professional contexts, particularly in leadership, coaching and organisational life, where reflective writing can help people slow down, make meaning, and show up with greater presence and compassion.
As we look ahead to 2026, Jackie also shares what she is being called to create next, including new work through the School of Journaling and a forthcoming book.
This is a thoughtful, generous and deeply human conversation for anyone curious about reflection, creativity and the power of writing to support a more conscious life.

In this special 52nd episode of Reaching Minds: Thoughts for Your Life Journey, I take a moment to pause, reflect and look back on the conversations that have shaped the podcast over the last year and a half. Joining me is Heather Kelly, who has been a valued part of the journey, co-hosting episodes and supporting the growth of the podcast behind the scenes.
Together, we explore the origins of Reaching Minds - beginning with the very first episode on endings - and the fears, hesitations and unexpected encouragement that helped bring this podcast to life. We talk about the guests who have inspired me, the topics that sparked curiosity, and the global perspectives that have enriched these conversations.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
What motivated me to start the podcast

How intuition guides the themes and guests I choose

Reflections on memorable episodes, including the surprising popularity of the one on shame

What podcasting has taught me about authenticity, courage and curiosity

How I see the next phase of Reaching Minds unfolding

This episode is both a celebration and a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who has listened, shared and grown with me. I hope these reflections offer you insight, inspiration and a moment to pause in your own journey.

Explore more episodes and resources at: www.nitasharma.com

Welcome to Reaching Minds: Thoughts for Your Life Journey.

In today’s episode, we explore the discipline and philosophy of Action Learning Questions - what they are, why they matter, and how this approach helps individuals and organisations navigate challenges that don’t have straightforward answers.
Action learning was originally shaped by Reg Revans and grew out of scientific inquiry, experimentation, and a willingness to work from a place of “not knowing”. Today, the methodology remains highly relevant. We live in a world saturated with quick fixes and instant expertise, yet many of the issues leaders face are not puzzles with predefined solutions. They are complex, multi-layered problems influenced by social, technical, economic and cultural realities.
To help us unpack this, I’m joined by Dr Richard Hale, co-founder of Know Will Do Action Learning Network and creator of the Action Learning Question approach. Richard has spent more than 25 years developing and implementing this methodology for governments, global organisations, and business schools. He has published widely in the fields of learning relationships, coaching, mentoring and organisational development, and brings a rich historical and practical perspective to this conversation.
Together, we look at:
Why action learning is essential for tackling today’s intractable problems

The difference between puzzles and problems

The courage required to say “I don’t know” in professional settings

The value of multiple truths and diverse perspectives

The role of knowledge mapping (sky, ground, underground)

How organisations such as the Civil Service have used Action Learning Questions to drive real change

The personal capabilities people develop through this work, including deeper listening, reflective practice and working constructively with uncertainty

Why sponsorship and alignment with real business challenges are vital for success

Richard also shares the evolution of the Postgraduate Certificate in Action Learning Facilitation, a unique qualification accredited through York St John University, and the importance of creating facilitators who can mobilise, catalyse and sustain learning across organisational systems.
This is a rich, reflective and practical conversation for anyone working in leadership, coaching, development, systems change or organisational transformation.

Welcome to this episode of Reaching Minds: Thoughts for Your Life Journey. Today, we will be exploring what happens when leaders overuse their strengths, and how personality and persona shape that dynamic—and what the impact of this can have on self and on others. We also look into of leaders recognising when they overuse their strengths, potentially leading to negative consequences 
About Joseph Ogbonna
Joining me today is my very good colleague, Joseph Ogbonna. Joseph is a leadership and executive coach, a PCC with the ICF, and an FRSA. He treasures wisdom and has expertise in mind-shift strategic thinking. Joseph also has a special interest in African affairs and the movement of our bodies. Joseph, welcome—and thank you for being here.
Questions we pose in the podcast:
What do we mean by strength? 

We often talk about ‘playing to our strengths’—but Joseph, what do we actually mean when we say a strength can be overused?

What are the positive trait (e.g., confidence, empathy, drive) becomes a liability when over-relied upon

How does someone’s personality influence the kinds of strengths they lean on—and overuse?

Mention assessments (like MBTI, Big Five, Enneagram) if useful

How do you see persona shaping a leader’s behaviour over time?”

What do you think the real consequences are—on individuals, teams, or culture—when leaders don’t notice they’re overusing a strength?”

So how do we help leaders become more aware of when a strength is becoming a liability? What tools or practices help here?”

Joseph, have you ever found yourself overusing a strength—even with the best intentions? What did that teach you?

To our listeners—what’s one strength you might be overusing right now? And what would it look like to lead with more balance and intention?”

Resources:
https://www.talentsage.com/our-tools/the-5step-profile-report-tool/
https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/286556/ndys.aspx 
https://www.hogandarkside.com/
https://inemmo.com/lumina-learning-psychometrics/lumina-spark-self-awareness-growth/
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/oct/09/book-authenticity-jodi-ann-burey