“Sympathy is rushing to turn the light on into someone’s darkness so that we feel better, whereas empathy is being prepared to sit with somebody in their darkness and connect with them and just be there for them.”

In this episode, I’m joined by June Hogan. June helps organisations to do redundancy and layoffs well! So of course I’m a fan. It’s never easy or simple when companies have to let people go, but it can be done well, and with empathy and fairness. This is what June’s work is all about.

We talk about the difference between empathy and sympathy when you are leading change, or letting your team go. How organisations can do redundancies well.

And June shares her story of embracing life-changing moments, sitting with the discomfort of the unknown, and discovering that transformation can often be waiting on the other side of uncertainty.

Our conversation is all about what it means to open new doors in your life and career. Whether you’re facing redundancy, longing for something different, or simply rethinking your relationship with work, we dig into the messy, honest reality of change. June shares the wisdom she's gained from not just walking through her own doors, but from supporting others.

The highlights:

04:09 From HR to Coach: June’s pivot

11:32 Finding your niche after redundancy

14:16 The myth of having it all figured out (and why it’s okay to be “messy”)

17:46 Re-thinking identity, self-worth, and shame after losing your job

18:49 The overlooked emotional toll of delivering bad news at work

23:50 Sympathy vs. Empathy (and how to truly support people in tough moments)

32:35 The pace of change: why redundancy and layoffs feel more sudden than ever

36:07 The double-edged sword of too much (or too little) warning

43:28 How to give yourself permission to “pause” and feel during change

Things that help June navigate change:

Soundtrack: “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake (yes, the Trolls movie one).

Books: The Gifts of Imperfection and Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown

One piece of advice: “Just acknowledge how you’re feeling, don’t rush it, and give yourself permission to take time and reach out to others. Slowing down doesn’t mean standing still. It’s about bringing self-awareness to what’s really happening, so you can move forward on your own terms.”

About June Hogan

June understands the emotional and practical challenges of both delivering and receiving difficult news. Having experienced redundancy herself, twice, she appreciates how tough that journey can be. After redundancy, she took a career break overseas and pursued professional coach training. She found the experience life-changing and returned to the UK with a clear vision: to launch her own outplacement firm. Wildwood Coaching was founded in 2019.

Her specialism in outplacement support reflects a combination of personal experience, professional coaching qualifications, and core values. June has built a trusted team of experienced, qualified associates who share a commitment to a person-centred and empathetic approach.

Website: www.wildwoodcoaching.co.uk

Work with Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training.

Work with Eleanor 121 as your coach, when you are starting something new, to develop the idea, to create the idea, to get it launched.

Book in a Change Mastery for teams session - when your team is navigating change.

Book in a 90 minute workshop - to think through change at work.

Join the Another Door Opens 5 Step Programme - a course and community to guide you through the mess of change to find calm, joy and opportunity.

Buy the Book - Another Door Opens - 5 steps to navigating change.

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: www.another-door-opens.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

"You can have a bad day, some days, that's fine. But then at some point, you've got to go, all right, I've got to take a little bit of responsibility now and get on with this."

In this ‘epic’ (long!) episode, I sit down with Chris Hirst, author known for his “no bullsh*t” approach to leadership and work. We go deep, wide and around the block talking about the realities and myths of career progression, change, redundancy, and what it really means to be a leader.

Chris shares transformative moments in his career, including going to Harvard and facing redundancy, and how these experiences shaped his perspective on success, self-identity, and responsibility.

If you’re questioning your next step, looking for the truth about modern leadership, or searching for practical wisdom on navigating the world of work, this will give you plenty to reflect on (and maybe even prompt some action).

The highlights:

05:04 Chris’s “door closing” moments: Harvard revelations and sudden redundancy

08:24 Why losing your job is so disorientating and what nobody tells you about structure

13:25 The underrated power of curiosity (and why not having answers is okay)

20:12 Doing “everything right”…and still struggling (it’s not just you)

25:58 Why the biggest barrier to your own success is (usually) you

28:26 The pivotal experience that changed Chris’s self-narrative forever

33:11 Why moments of struggle aren’t wrong, they’re just life

38:06 The real reason vulnerability is hard at work (and that awkward HR conversation)

01:01:06 Finding comfort in what you’re good at, not just escaping to something new

The things that help Chris navigate change:

Activities: Playing tennis and writing

Books: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré; Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel, and Citizens by Simon Schama.

One piece of advice:

“Nobody’s coming to save you. Ultimately, the thing that’s either going to move you forward or get in your way, is you. Take ownership, even just 1% more.”

About Chris Hirst:

With more than a decade of experience in Global and UK CEO positions, Chris is widely recognised as an innovative and inspirational leader with a proven track record of successful business transformation guiding businesses to record growth and lasting repetitional change. He is the author of the best-selling and award winning book No Bullsh*t Leadership and No Bullsh*t Change.

His new book, Indispensable:The No Bullsh*t Guide to Career Success is for anyone who wants to build a better career, on their own terms.

Connect with Chris:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hirst-4b77882/

Website: chrishirst.com

About your host Eleanor Tweddell:

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and author of Another Door Opens - 5 steps for navigating change in life and at work.

Connect with Eleanor:

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: www.another-door-opens.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

“I want to frame my journey to be an example, to be a road map, to hand the baton to somebody else, to the next generation.”

In this episode, Marie-Ange Eyoum Tagne, PhD, a product leader, and technologist, shares the inspiration behind her new memoir “For Such a Time Like This”.

From her childhood in Cameroon, dreaming of going to the moon, to leading teams at Meta, Amazon and Yahoo, Marie-Ange’s journey is a powerful testament to following your heart, staying strong, even when everything around you suggests you should be doing something completely different.

Marie-Ange includes a brilliant framework , PURPOSE, to help others navigate challenges. Her book is an incredible memoir about her life, but also a great inspiration and lessons for those following her path.

Here are the highlights:

03:49 Closing a door in tech and how it opened a door to writing

07:34 Why technology is in her DNA, and what’s next

13:00 That vivid childhood moment of ambition

19:46 “Pioneer, not troublemaker” the importance of being a trailblazer

28:13 The meaning behind her book, “For Such a Time Like This”.

32:14 Using the “PURPOSE” framework to help others

41:01 A tribute to her mother, and three generations of women breaking barriers.

Things that helped Marie-Ange navigate change:

Music: “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran

Book: The Bible

One piece of advice:

“Take risk. Take more risk. Don't be afraid to fail. If you never fail, it means you never tried. Every experience prepares you for such a time like this.”

About Dr. Marie-Ange Eyoum Tagne, PhD

Dr. Marie-Ange Eyoum Tagne is a global technology executive, product strategist, coach, mentor and speaker whose journey from hardship to hope has inspired audiences around the world. She has a deep passion to empower the next generation of leaders, especially women and underrepresented minorities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering Mathematics) fields. Born and raised in Cameroon (Central Africa), she came to the U.S. as an international student as a teenager and has since built a thriving career in Silicon Valley while raising a family and serving on multiple boards. A passionate advocate for faith-work integration, Marie-Ange speaks widely on leadership, resilience, and legacy.

She holds a doctorate degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from University of California, Berkeley. And has spent over two decades in product management building consumer electronics products that have impacted the lives of billions of users around the world at big tech companies such as Meta, Amazon, Yahoo, and Intel. She is passionate about redefining success and dismantling barriers. She uses her story to ignite purpose and faith in others.

Connect with Marie-Ange:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-ange-eyoum-tagne/

About your host Eleanor Tweddell:

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door Opens - a 5 step programme to navigate change and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Connect with Eleanor:

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: www.another-door-opens.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

“There has to be a different way for me to use my magic in the world. My magic can't keep mopping up messes that are created by ridiculous decisions like this.”

When HR Director Emma Djemil hit a moment of ‘enough is enough’ she knew it was time for her skills, energy, passions to be directed elsewhere.

Stuck cleaning up the messes of others, she knew it was time for a big change. In this episode, Emma talks about what it really takes to walk away from a toxic job, where to find the drive for something new, and why humour is such a powerful tool for getting through it all.

Emma shares her honest story about leaving corporate life, how she discovered her own voice online, and what helped her put herself first.

Here are the highlights:

04:00 Emma’s “closing door” moment – when enough was enough

08:10 From rage to purpose: the real reasons that ignite career change

17:25 The myth of imposter syndrome

24:30 Why your uniqueness is your superpower

26:04 Not everyone has to be “your people” (and why that’s liberating)

33:00 Humour as resilience: using comedy to survive (and thrive)

The things that helped Emma navigate change:

Music: “Salute” by Little Mix (and some Erasure for that retro energy!)

Book: “The Fix: Overcome the Invisible Barriers That Are Holding Women Back at Work” by Dr. Michelle King

One piece of advice:

“Be willing to try and have faith you’ll be okay, whatever the outcome. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.”

About Emma:

As the Founder of The HR Club (a no-BS community of over 100 women) and creator of The HR Big Meet (an annual conference that actually focuses on women’s wellbeing instead of just adding “resilience” to their to-do list), Emma is on a mission to make work suck less.

She could tell you about her 18 years in HR, her Certificate in Applied Neuroscience, or her accreditation as a Brain and Behaviour Change Practitioner, all of which are very serious and important. But what really matters is this: Emma helps women in leadership be sustainably unstoppable, so they can have maximum impact without burning out, selling their souls, or crying in the office toilets (we’ve all been there).

Slightly sweary, highly sarcastic, and allergic to corporate nonsense, Emma believes that no one should feel like they have to put on a “work version” of themselves to be taken seriously. Because the real you, the one who sings in the car, laughs at inappropriate moments, and maybe drops the occasional F-bomb, is exactly the leader the world needs.

She lives in Chartham, Kent, with her husband and their seven-year-old daughter, who reminds her daily that joy isn’t something you schedule, it’s something you demand, preferably while wearing a tiara.

Connect with Emma:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/emmadjemil

Find out more: beunstoppable.uk

About your host Eleanor Tweddell:

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and Get-Recommended.com and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Connect with Eleanor:

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: www.another-door-opens.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

“There were two significant moments, two significant doors. One was the thought of that's it. I'm dead. Door closed on everything. And the other moment was when the consultant said, you can have all this back. You've just got to work for it. Door open.”

In this episode, Mark Green, founder of Change Rebellion, shares his wild story of a door closing, nearly for good, and how it changed him and his perspective for life. It’s not just a story about navigating professional change; it’s about survival, resilience, and finding purpose.

When COVID hit his family in late 2020, Mark fell severely ill, resulting in him spending two months in an induced coma. He shares the raw reality of what it felt like to face death, the strange dreams and mental battles and how the moment a consultant offered hope became a literal “door opening” in his life. Mark’s recovery meant learning everything again. How to walk, talk, eat, and rebuild his strength.

Listen to this episode to be reminded about what really matters, and why sometimes, the only plan you need is to keep moving forward.

Here are the highlights:

03:39 The transformative power of a second chance

07:08 Life and dreams inside a coma

09:16 Recovery: learning to walk, talk, and live again

14:31 Mindset shifts: why perspective matters

20:46 Reimagining change management: keeping it human

23:22 The moment of decision: owning the pathway ahead

44:39 Focus on loved ones, find balance, and enjoy life without getting caught up in external issues.

The things that helped Mark navigate change:

Music: “Foreplay/Long Time” by Boston

One piece of advice: “Keep those nearest and dearest to you close. That’s all that matters and all that’s important. Try to have fun along the way, focus on what you can change, let go of the rest.”

About Mark

Mark Green, CEO of Change Rebellion, where change management is taken back to its roots in order to support workplace transformations - founded on empathy, honesty and transparency.

www.changerebllion.com

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/mark-green-changerebellion

About your host Eleanor Tweddell:

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and Get-Recommended.com and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Connect with Eleanor:

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: www.another-door-opens.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

“I think whenever you feel yourself being resistant, the challenge is to find acceptance. Because you have to accept something to shove that resistance out of the way. And once you've accepted it, you can move beyond it.”

In this episode, I’m speaking with Kreena Dhiman, a friend, and an incredible keynote speaker who leaves you feeling like you can achieve anything!

Kreena shares her story of unexpected redundancy after a decade in a successful accounting career, and how that shock forced her to confront not only her professional identity but also lifelong struggles, setbacks, and cultural expectations. And the need to get out there and gare her story to inspire others.

But this isn’t just a tale about job loss, it's a deeply personal story of navigating serious illness, infertility, family challenges, and grief, all while steadily building a foundation for a brave future on her own terms.

You will be nothing but charged to go out into the World, be bold and brave and rise after listening!

Here are the highlights:

10:31 Resilience: life's journey and key moments

14:35 Survival, infertility, and finding acceptance

17:15 Where does “drive” come from?

21:42 Journey to self beyond expectations

30:48 Pursue your dreams; life's too short.

35:43 Building resilience through everyday acts

The things that helped Kreena navigate change -

Book: Brown Girl Like Me by Jaspreet Kaur

Music: Brand New Me by Alicia Keys and Titanium by David Guette ft. Sia

The one piece of advice: “Words, hold on, pain ends, and it spells out HOPE. There's always hope. Hold onto it. Because it will get better.”

About Kreena:

Kreena is a keynote speaker about The Art of Being Brave. Adversity and failure are never our weakness, these are the experiences that lay the foundations from which we grow. Within each set back, lies the opportunity for resilience to rise, and it's resilience that allows us to survive and thrive in an ever changing world.​

Pain x Resistance = Suffering, but Pain x Acceptance = Growth

Kreena's charismatic presence captivates audiences, while her heartfelt vulnerability fosters deep, authentic connections. Through The Art of Being Brave she enables powerful storytelling and thought provoking insights. She engages, inspires, and challenges perspectives, leaving a lasting impact on every listener.

With an ability to blend wisdom, warmth, and wit, Kreena transforms complex life lessons into relatable, actionable takeaways.

Connect with Kreena:

Instagram: @kreenadhiman

Website: www.kreenadhiman.com

About your host Eleanor Tweddell:

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and Get-Recommended.com and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Connect with Eleanor:

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: eleanortweddell.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

“It was a phenomenal time looking back, of anxiety at the beginning and disbelief that this was going to do anything for us, to finally being acquired at the end of 2021 in a life changing deal.”

In this episode, I speak to David James about the reality of walking away from a, on paper, dream corporate role in search of something else.

David left the Walt Disney Company and joined the startup world, he shares the story of facing into the setbacks, the moments of wonderful serendipity, the moments of deep, dark doubt (my words, not David’s!).

We talk about the emotional highs and lows of career change, what it means to redefine success, and how sometimes, failure can lead to the most valuable opportunities.

If you're navigating change or just curious about what happens when you take a leap, this one’s for you.

Here are the highlights:

03:17 The quiet build-up to letting go

07:45 Push vs pull: What drives us to change

09:38 Starting a business from scratch

12:21 Facing failure head-on

16:14 The free fall: Losing identity after leaving corporate

22:01 A serendipitous conversation that changed everything

29:19 Finding your voice and your value in something new

33:10 Learning to focus on the real problem

40:54 Adjusting after the business was acquired

David’s ‘another door opens’ go-to list -

Book: Broken Open, How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow by Elizabeth Lesser

Music: Saint Cloud by Waxahachie

The one piece of advice: “Own your own narrative.”

More about David:

David James is the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning and a highly respected voice in the Learning & Development industry. With a focus on harnessing technology to drive impactful learning strategies, David is recognised as one of the top 10 global influencers in the L&D space. His expertise lies in helping organisations modernise their approach to workplace learning, ensuring measurable results and business alignment.

David is also the host of The Learning & Development Podcast, which has amassed over 500,000 downloads and ranks in the top 1% of podcasts globally. With nearly 30,000 LinkedIn followers, he continues to shape the conversation around L&D innovation and best practices, drawing on his deep experience, including his time as Director of Learning, Talent & Organisational Development at The Walt Disney Company.

Find out more: https://360learning.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/?originalSubdomain=uk

About your host Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and the author of Another Door Opens - Five steps to navigating change in work and life

Instagram:instagram/anotherdoor_opens

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: www.anotherdoor.co.uk

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

“What does success actually mean to me? Why did I quit my job really? How do I build this freedom, flexibility, fulfillment? How do I redefine it?”

In this episode, I talk to Anna Lundberg, an executive coach, business mentor and strategic adviser who challenges us to think about success and what it means to us. Anna shares her career change from corporate marketing to creating a business with more freedom and fulfillment. We explore the evolution of success, exploring unexpected paths and random connections that shape our careers and personal growth, like finding me on ChatGPT!

Here are the highlights:

03:50 The big door: Leaving corporate life and the journey since

05:06 Serendipitous lunch leading to new life paths

09:23 Embracing life changes and the idea of different life seasons

13:03 Shifting mindset from employee to entrepreneur

14:26 Moving into freelance consulting

26:25 Redefining personal career success and what truly matters

30:49 The ongoing journey - always a work in progress

The things that helped Anna navigate change -

Book: The Art of Non-conformity: Set Your Own Rules by Chris Guillebeau and "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield.

Music: Defying Gravity from the musical Wicked

The one piece of advice: " Take those little steps, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to find the right answer, and just have a bit of faith that something good will come of it.”

More about Anna:

Anna Lundberg is the founder of One Step Outside, where she helps professionals and entrepreneurs redefine success on their own terms. After stepping away from a successful corporate career, she built a business that gives her both financial stability and personal freedom - without following the traditional ‘hustle’ playbook. Through her Business Accelerator, strategic coaching, and thought leadership, she supports leaders in designing a business and career that aligns with their values, lifestyle, and ambitions. She is the author of Outside of the 9 to 5 and Leaving the Corporate 9 to 5, and the host of the Reimagining Success podcast.

Find out more: https://onestepoutside.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaselundberg/

About your host Eleanor

Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”

Eleanor is the founder of Another Door and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.

Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/

Website: eleanortweddell.com

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk