Ever sensed there’s something unspoken at work? Something everyone feels but no one names? In this episode of Headflex, co-hosts Rebecca Walker and Diane Williams sit down with guest Steve Hearsum to talk about exactly that: the tricky, uncomfortable stuff that quietly shapes how teams function but rarely makes it into the meeting room.

Steve’s a consultant, coach, and author of No Silver Bullet, a book that challenges the quick-fix culture many organisations rely on. Together, they talk about the kinds of issues that get ignored, why we avoid them, and what happens when we finally put them on the table. They talk honestly about what gets in the way of speaking up, and what can help people feel safer doing it, even when it’s messy or uncomfortable.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Introduction

04:56 Undiscussable topics

07:07 Why we staysSilent: Fear, shame, and the risk of speaking up

12:02 How to support but not fix situations

14:09 Why psychological safety isn’t optional

18:21 Belonging, exclusion, and dissent in organisations

20:06 The two key questions every team must answer

23:40 Final reflections: The power and risk of honest conversations

About Rebecca & Diane:

Rebecca Walker and Diane Williams, leadership coaches with over 20 years experience, are on a mission to de-bunk some of the myths and barriers surrounding coaching, making it accessible to all, with a touch of humour and a human approach.

Diane brings energy and enjoyment to her coaching. She offers you time and space to deepen your thinking, reflect on how you are working and bring impactful behavioural change. Diane also works with teams to help them develop and reach their collective potential.

Rebecca coaches teams, leaders and emerging leaders across many different sectors. She brings empathy with a healthy dose of challenge to help leaders navigate their style and impact. She also helps teams to thrive through building trust and deep collaboration.

Headflex will flex the subjects that commonly appear in their coaching sessions and challenge each other and their guests to answer thought provoking questions, unlock answers and shift perspectives.

Connect with us at Headflex:

Email: hello@headflex.co.uk.

Website: www.headflex.co.uk

Instagram: www.instagram.com/head.flex/

Connect with Rebecca Walker: www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccawalker13/

Connect with Diane Williams: www.linkedin.com/in/dianewilliams1

About Steve Hearsum

Steve Hearsum has worked for over 20 years as an organisational consultant, coach and more recently supervisor. He has a keen interest in the human side of change, which in recent years has grown into a fascination with how shame and anxiety drive behaviour in organisations, particularly at senior leadership levels. He supports and challenges clients to find their ‘edge and stretch’ when what they are after is more than simply ‘better sameness’, and has been described as ‘the right kind of fly in the ointment’.

His work focuses on building change capability in three main ways. helping leaders develop their practice in terms of how they show up and the impact they have; working with internal...

Have you ever caught yourself questioning whether you really deserve your achievements, or wondered if everyone else is just more capable than you? In this episode of Headflex, co-hosts Rebecca Walker and Diane Williams explore the many layers of imposter syndrome. Unpacking what it really is (and what it isn’t), how it shows up differently for each of us, and how even high achievers can be plagued by self-doubt. Through candid conversation and years of coaching experience, Rebecca and Diane explore the myths, triggers, and sometimes surprising ways imposter syndrome drives our behaviour.

Tune in to hear insights on why imposter feelings can be so hard to shake, how our upbringing and work cultures play a part, and what practical steps you can start taking today to dial down that critical inner voice.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Introduction

06:12 Comfortable in discomfort: unpacking the negativity

09:49 Exploring personal imposter syndrome

12:57 Turning down the volume on inner criticism

16:12 Reframing Feedback: From “Negative” to “Developmental”

17:45 How Focusing on Strengths Builds Capacity and Confidence

21:32 Notice. Reflect. Shift: Building Awareness Around Inner Dialogue

About Rebecca & Diane:

Rebecca Walker and Diane Williams, leadership coaches with over 20 years experience, are on a mission to de-bunk some of the myths and barriers surrounding coaching, making it accessible to all, with a touch of humour and a human approach.

Diane brings energy and enjoyment to her coaching. She offers you time and space to deepen your thinking, reflect on how you are working and bring impactful behavioural change. Diane also works with teams to help them develop and reach their collective potential.

Rebecca coaches teams, leaders and emerging leaders across many different sectors. She brings empathy with a healthy dose of challenge to help leaders navigate their style and impact. She also helps teams to thrive through building trust and deep collaboration.

Headflex will flex the subjects that commonly appear in their coaching sessions and challenge each other and their guests to answer thought provoking questions, unlock answers and shift perspectives.

Connect with us at Headflex:

Email: hello@headflex.co.uk.

Website: www.headflex.co.uk

Instagram: www.instagram.com/head.flex/

Connect with Rebecca Walker: www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccawalker13/

Connect with Diane Williams: www.linkedin.com/in/dianewilliams1

Produced by Winter Audio.

Ever catch yourself answering “just one more email” long after you should’ve logged off? In this episode of Headflex, Rebecca and Diane are talking about something that hits close to home for a lot of us, overworking. Why do we do it, even when we know it’s not sustainable? And how did burning the candle at both ends become such a badge of honour?

They share the habits, beliefs, and pressures that keep us stuck in hustle mode. From chasing deadlines to tying our worth to how busy we are, this conversation gets into how overworking quietly becomes the norm and what it’s actually costing us.

Whether you’re leading a team or just trying to make it through the week without burning out, this episode will give you space to pause, reflect, and think about what working “enough” really looks like.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Introduction

04:14 Blurred boundaries and self-expectations

07:36 Re-evaluating success and well-being

12:00 The mindful commute: how to end your day with intention

14:14 Culture check: do your habits help or hurt your team?

17:16 After-hours work and its impact on leadership.

About Rebecca & Diane:

Rebecca Walker and Diane Williams, leadership coaches with over 20 years experience, are on a mission to de-bunk some of the myths and barriers surrounding coaching, making it accessible to all, with a touch of humour and a human approach.

Diane brings energy and enjoyment to her coaching. She offers you time and space to deepen your thinking, reflect on how you are working and bring impactful behavioural change. Diane also works with teams to help them develop and reach their collective potential.

Rebecca coaches teams, leaders and emerging leaders across many different sectors. She brings empathy with a healthy dose of challenge to help leaders navigate their style and impact. She also helps teams to thrive through building trust and deep collaboration.

Headflex will flex the subjects that commonly appear in their coaching sessions and challenge each other and their guests to answer thought provoking questions, unlock answers and shift perspectives.

Connect with us at Headflex:

Email: hello@headflex.co.uk.

Website: www.headflex.co.uk

Instagram: www.instagram.com/head.flex/

Connect with Rebecca Walker: www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccawalker13/

Connect with Diane Williams: www.linkedin.com/in/dianewilliams1

Produced by Winter Audio.