What The Fear?!

Is there space to think, breathe, or connect in your workday? In this episode, I talk with leadership thinker and mindfulness researcher Megan Reitz about the tension between doing and being – and how fear, power and pressure keep us stuck in overdrive.Megan is an Associate Fellow at Oxford’s Saïd Business School and co-author of Speak Up and Speak Out, Listen Up. Her latest research explores spaciousness - a different kind of attention that opens up creativity, connection and compassion. Together

What if leadership isn’t about the hero – but the ecosystem? In this conversation, I talk with leadership coach and TED Fellow David McQueen about fear, ego, and why we need systemic leadership now more than ever. David is an international speaker, business advisor and author of The BRAVE Leader: More Courage, Less Fear, Better Decisions for Inclusive Leadership. His work spans global corporations, nonprofits and public sector organisations – helping leaders make braver, more inclusive decisions in

How do we lead when we don’t have the answers? In this episode I chat with Rob Poynton to explore how fear and uncertainty can lead to presence, creativity and connection. Rob teaches improvisation at Oxford’s Saïd Business School and works with leaders around the world to help them navigate complexity, uncertainty and change with curiosity rather than control. We explore how improvisational principles like pausing, presence and “yes, and…” offer practical ways to meet fear, navigate change and

How does fear quietly shape our workplace culture – and our careers? In this episode I chat with Dr. Margaret Heffernan about the cost of silence, the roots of organisational fear, and what it really takes to lead – and learn – in times of complexity, uncertainty and change. Most of us think of fear as something loud – panic, paralysis, confrontation. But Margaret invites us to notice the subtler ways it shows up: in hesitation, conformity, and doing what’s expected instead of what’s needed. Drawing

What does neuroscience tell us about trust, fear, and how we work together? In this episode I chat with Dr. Paul Zak to explore how the brain responds to fear and stress – and what that means for leadership, teamwork and performance at work. A pioneer in the neuroscience of trust, Paul shares insights from two decades of research into what drives collaboration, motivation and emotional fitness in the workplace. From high-stakes trading floors to Silicon Valley, he reveals why fear is a poor

How does fear show up in conflict at work - and what can we do about it? In this episode I’m joined by author and workplace dynamics expert Amy Gallo to explore how fear fuels everything from avoidance to artificial harmony - and how we can work through it with curiosity, courage and emotional intelligence. Amy is known for her work on communication, difficult conversations and healthy workplace relationships. She shares insights from her bestselling book Getting Along and her years of experience

What The Fear?! is a brand new podcast with award-winning author and productivity expert Grace Marshall. We’re diving into High Functioning Fear® - the kind that hides in busyness, overthinking, people-pleasing, perfectionism and relentless productivity. The fear that shapes how we work, lead, and live, often without ever looking like fear. Each episode, Grace sits down with researchers, thinkers and practitioners for honest conversations about fear, courage, and being human at work. Subscribe now