The Plumm Pod

• The Fatal Mistake in Every Failing Strategy: Are You Doing This Too?

  Every failed strategy starts with one blind spot: the lack of curiosity.In this thought-provoking episode, we explore the power of curiosity as the foundation of successful people strategy. This isn’t just about business, it’s about the decisions that define us as leaders.Our guest Kenny Temowo shares a piercing insight: if you’re not asking why, you’re already behind. Through a candid conversation, we unravel why making hard choices in leadership starts with understanding what makes your organisation different and why most get it wrong.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why curiosity is the non-negotiable starting point of all great strategyHow leaders should approach hard decisions through contextual insightThe overlooked “Z” that makes or breaks your business directionWhy saying no is more important than saying yes in strategyIf you’ve ever questioned your strategic decisions or want to lead with greater intention, this is the episode to start with.Subscribe for more episodes that challenge the way you think.🔔 Don’t forget to share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.Chapters:00:00:00 – The Hidden Power of CuriosityWhy every strategy starts with asking the right questions00:01:02 – Strategy Is About Saying NoUnderstanding the difficult trade-offs behind every big decision00:02:10 – What’s Your ‘Z’?The one overlooked factor that defines your entire approach00:03:20 – Getting Strategy Right Starts HereHow self-awareness and context build winning strategies

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• I Didn't Fit the Mold – So I Became the Blueprint

  She didn’t fit the mould, so she became the blueprint.Keeran Gunnoo is a powerhouse in personal and corporate employer branding, shaping narratives for some of the world’s most recognisable companies, including LinkedIn, Unilever and Flow. In this raw and empowering conversation, she shares how she built a career that broke every rule and why it worked.From being headhunted by LinkedIn before people knew what LinkedIn was, to being complimented by Barack Obama on her Louboutins, Keeran’s story is as inspiring as it is unconventional.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why squiggly careers aren’t chaotic, they’re strategicHow your reputation is your brand (especially when you're not in the room)The uncomfortable truths about diversity, employer branding and internal commsHow to build a career and life that align with your values, not societal norms✨ Subscribe to The Plumm Pod for more honest conversations about HR, wellbeing and careers that don’t follow the script.⏱️ Chapters 00:00:00 – Intro: She Became the Blueprint00:01:04 – HR was never the plan00:02:10 – From cold calls to leadership: the Essex charisma advantage00:03:27 – Getting headhunted by LinkedIn before it was big00:04:58 – Meeting Obama & the power of great shoes00:06:04 – Unilever hired her without an interview00:07:19 – Becoming a Strategic Career Architect00:08:31 – Reporting to Chanel’s future CEO00:10:33 – The importance of working for brands you believe in00:11:51 – Flow, reproductive health, and brand affinity00:13:00 – What a squiggly career really means00:14:44 – Breaking ceilings: race, gender & neurodiversity00:17:20 – Ditching the fairytale career path00:20:20 – Culture add, not culture fit00:21:51 – Why Gen Z are changing career norms00:23:01 – Internal bias, ATSs, and being mistaken for a man00:24:58 – Writing job ads that actually speak to humans00:26:17 – Helping companies overcome DEI friction00:27:59 – The truth behind Glassdoor reviews00:29:49 – Who owns comms: HR vs. Marketing00:33:42 – Creating Unilever’s first editorial team00:35:11 – Data, communication, and internal trust00:37:47 – Taking Unilever from #24 to #7 on Glassdoor00:39:07 – EVP: What’s in it for me?00:40:35 – Stuck? Give yourself a performance review00:41:39 – Self-belief and your personal brand00:42:50 – Audit your energy—don’t stay where you can’t shine00:43:59 – Final message: If they’re not advocating for you, go

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• Jessica

  Jessi

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• The HR Role Everyone’s Ignoring Until It’s Too Late

  What if HR wasn’t just support... but your biggest brand asset?In today’s episode, we sit down with Jessie, People Director at one of the UK’s most innovative creative agencies, to uncover how HR can redefine brand strategy from the inside out.Jessie shares her journey from hairdressing to HR leadership, and how she’s tearing up the traditional rulebook to build a people-first workplace rooted in trust, creativity, and culture.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why onboarding is your most powerful brand momentHow to turn your team into your greatest advocatesThe secret to getting buy-in from senior leadershipWhy Gen Z are changing everything about workplace cultureThis isn’t compliance. This is creativity. This is culture.And it’s time HR took its seat at the table.👉 If this inspired you, share it with someone who needs to hear it and don’t forget to subscribe.Chapters 00:00:00 – The Hairdresser Who Became HR00:01:45 – Learning the Hard Way in the NHS00:04:10 – HR IS Brand Strategy00:05:00 – Bringing Company Values to Life00:07:35 – Listening: The Most Underrated Strategy00:09:05 – Building a Culture That Retains00:11:20 – Why Only 31% Align With Company Values00:13:00 – Recognition That Actually Works00:14:45 – From Team Members to Brand Ambassadors00:16:10 – Designing Culture for Gen Z00:18:40 – Human-First HR Strategy00:20:40 – How to Start Thinking Creatively00:22:00 – The Power of Diverse Teams00:24:00 – Why Candidates Choose You00:26:40 – What Gen Z Really Want at Work00:28:30 – Managers Are the Secret Weapon00:30:00 – Getting Senior Leadership Buy-In00:32:40 – What I’d Tell My Younger Self

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• The TRUTH About Why Managers Burn Out And How To Fix It

  They’re the most powerful people in your company… and the most overlooked. In this episode, we sit down with Chelsea, Head of People at Tomorrow, whose approach to middle management has transformed team performance and culture. From scaling challenges to personal breakthroughs, Chelsea reveals what most leaders get wrong about middle managers and what to do about it. Here’s what you’ll learn Why middle managers shape your company culture more than your CEO The real reason managers burn out (and how to stop it) How Tomorrow built one of the UK’s top workplaces by focusing on its “squeezed middle” The three powerful qualities Chelsea looks for when identifying future leaders This isn’t theory. It’s a masterclass in the people strategy most companies ignore, until it’s too late. 👉 Subscribe for more honest, unfiltered conversations with the people rewriting the rules of work. Chapters 00:00:00 – From Retail Floors to Head of People00:03:16 – Learning Business From the Inside Out00:05:13 – Why Middle Managers Hold the Power00:07:10 – The Hidden Cost of Neglecting Managers00:09:01 – Embedding Culture Through the Squeezed Middle00:10:32 – From High Turnover to Top 10 Workplace00:12:18 – The Mistakes We Made Scaling00:13:51 – The Power of Monthly Reflection00:15:36 – Fixing Feedback and Growth Conversations00:16:55 – Why Radical HR Experiments Sometimes Fail00:18:53 – Becoming a Manager is a Career Change00:20:41 – No Training for Micro-Moments00:22:33 – Avoiding Burnout Through Small Wins00:24:25 – Building Great Leaders from Within00:26:09 – The Three C’s of Great Management00:27:44 – Creating Paths Beyond Management00:29:35 – Essential Skills, Not Soft Skills00:31:00 – Growth Plans That Actually Grow People00:33:03 – Making Purpose Tangible00:34:43 – The Manager’s Impact on Retention00:36:33 – Advice to Her Younger Self

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