For this final week of reflections on our MTALJ library Bridge is thinking about love in the run up to Valentine's Day. Why do we often struggle to talk about leadership in terms of love when all of the actions of a good leadership are really the manifestation of love? - patience,care, kindness, humility, emotional balance, and honesty. While the general advice on speaking is to avoid politics and religion there's a little hint of both, but the focus is all on love with not a chocolate or a cupid in sight.LinksCorinthians 13 v4-7Love and Leadership - NCO JournalServant Leadership - James C Hunter

This week Bridge is reflecting on blame and accountability. How blame can undermine teams, trust, innovation, problem-solving and avoiding making the same mistakes again. It's a ranty episode because lessons learned episodes that are simply blame exercises are a bug bear of both Bobby and Bridge. Both Bobby and Bridge admit they they are recovering blamers but they are in the good company of St Brene Brown. However with a little mindfulness and reflection it is possible to change your mindset from blame to reframe, focus on facts rather than fault and systemic causes rather then pointing the finger at people. If you want to improve your team's approach to lessons learned come and join us for Being Blame Free with Accountability.

This week on More Than a Lumpy Jumper, Bridge revisits the “Being a stand for self-compassion ,” from June 2024. Self-compassion isn't selfish and it isn't a luxury. It's actually part of your job as a leader to ensure you have the resilience to be the leader your team need during a crisis. Check out the self-compassion guru Kristin Neff and Bobby's resilience practices and remember that you need to be reflective and proactive to be able to start being compassionate with your self. You ready to treat yourself with the same kindness, consideration and care that you would a dear friend? Have a listen Links Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff: Join the Community Now

This week on More Than a Lumpy Jumper, Bobby revisits the mini-episode, “Cultivating Play and Rest… but Mostly Play,” from Christmas 2023. Inspired by Brené Brown’s work and the National Institute of Play, she reflects on why play is essential for creativity, problem-solving, and leadership, how to rediscover play as adults (hint: it’s not lost, just forgotten!) and the fascinating “Play Personalities” and what they reveal about how we lead and connect. Play isn’t a luxury—it’s the key to joy, alignment, and even better leadership. Ready to bring more play into your life? Take a listen to this mini of a mini now!  Links The Gifts of Imperfection: 10th Anniversary Edition: Brené Brown Infographic for the 10 Guideposts for Wholehearted Living by Brene Brown Stuart Brown: Play is more than just fun | TED Talk The Importance of Play for Adults - National Institute for Play The 8 Play Personalities that illustrate how we have fun Hook - Food Fight Scene

Bobby revisits one of the most popular topics: Being a Dynamic Team Leader. Reflecting on hers and Bridge’s original conversation, she dives into; How leaders can recalibrate team dynamics and tackle those "elephants in the room," the importance of healthy conflict and why leaning into discomfort matters, insights from Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team and how to build trust from the ground up. As well as some practical tips for more effective meetings and onboarding processes.  If you're looking for actionable insights and a fresh perspective on team leadership, this mini episode is for you alongside the original.  Links 8 Alternatives to Having a Meeting (lianedavey.com) The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: Patrick Lencioni (Amazon.co.uk) A summary of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team : Executive Agenda Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Adjourning Tuckman Model | PM Study Circle

Season 5 of More Than a Lumpy Jumper kicks off with a trip down memory lane as Bobby revisits the very first episode, “Being in the Conversation.”  Here she reflects on how far she and Bridge had come since those raw, unpolished beginnings, key lessons on communication, connection, and vulnerability and the ripple effect of starting something imperfectly and letting it grow. Whether you’ve been with them from the start or are just joining, this is a great place to start.

Time for another “Guest Gifts” with Bobby at the mic! Pull up a chair (and maybe a crash helmet) as Lizzie Beuzeval and Sara Scott join Bobby for an unfiltered chat about juggling life, work, family, and everything in between. These multitasking marvels share their wisdom on finding flow, saying no (or not yet), and redefining what it means to truly thrive—without dropping too many plates (or whole dinner services!) along the way. We dive into the freedom of setting boundaries, and the challenge of finding those elusive 15 minutes of "me time." From navigating the fine line between perfectionism and play to embracing the art of uni-tasking, Lizzie and Sara offer sharp insights and relatable stories. Oh, and there is also some talk of fancy-dress shenanigans and a black Sharpie of doom. Listen in to find out more! Tune in for a glorious celebration of life's chaos, with plenty of relatable stories and laughter to keep your plates spinning—and your sanity just about intact! Links   Sara (Hamerton) Scott | LinkedIn  Lizzie Beuzeval | LinkedIn  Simon Sinek - Together is Better (Amazon)  Karen M. Blackwell | LinkedIn  The Uni-tasking Revolution - Sarah Furness (Amazon)  Four Thousand Weeks - Oliver Burkeman (Amazon)  Right Kind of Wrong - Amy C. Edmondson (Amazon)  Being Guilt Free with a No  Coping with Overwhelm  Being a Brand  Being a Sparkling Introvert  Cultivating Play and Rest but mostly Play 

And now it’s the Bobster’s turn to be in the driving seat for "Guest Gifts," hanging out with dedicated listeners.Welcome to a powerhouse of self-discovery and connection as Aime Rushton and Ali Spooner join Bobby for a raw, real, and riotously funny conversation. These two phenomenal women tackle big themes—belonging, community, finding your voice, and navigating the complex dance of introversion and extroversion—all with a hefty dose of humour and heart.From untethered moments of loss to the joy of finding their tribes, Amy and Ali reflect on what it means to truly know yourself and be seen. We dig deep into the myth of "faking it till you make it," the power of authentic connection, and yes, the occasional need to “thwang it out” (you'll have to listen to get it!).Whether you're building your community, stepping into your space, or just figuring out how to sing from your belly, this episode invites you to pause, reflect, and laugh your way to a deeper understanding of yourself and others.Press play and join the conversation that feels like a warm hug from your tribe—minus the toxic cocktails

This is Bridge's last week in the driving seat of guests gifts and she is joined by Leina Ibnouf, a Sudanese Irish community activist and John 'Willy' Williams a military veteran, 7 Signal Regiment survivor and scrum master (which apparently has nothing to do with rugby). They discuss why they listen to the podcast, their favourite episodes with a focus on curiosity, the pain of not belonging, and how somehow Bobby and Bridge have become role models (yes seriously!) despite their tendency to be a bit sweary. It's a really honest, vulnerable and heartfelt episode so come and join for some real chat. Links John Williams Leina Ibnouf Ellie Middleton - autism advocate AkiDwA - Network of Migrant Women in Ireland What is a Scrum Master?

It's the in between seasons bit! So we get to hang out with some of our lovely listeners. This week it's Lucie Barker and Murray Smith fellow soldiers who share a love of messing about in boats. We get to chat about their favourite episodes as well as motherhood, cat parenting and why self-reflection is important but only to a point. Links Learn to Sail from Princess to Pirate Lucie's Etsy Shop Inside the mind of a master procrastinator - Tim Urban Ted Cutts - try something new for 30 days