Silent Discrimination: The Inequality You’re Not Supposed to Notice

February 25, 2026.Reading time 10 minutes.

Not all discrimination is loud. Sometimes it isn’t shouting, slurs or outright refusal.Sometimes it’s quiet. Polite. Subtle. And that’s what makes it so damaging. Silent discrimination is the kind that hides behind “process”, “policy”, “culture” and “business decisions” – while still pushing certain people further to the margins. And it happens every day. What Does […]

Surviving, Not Thriving: When Life Becomes About Getting Through the Day

February 12, 2026.Reading time 7 minutes.

We hear it everywhere: “Stay positive.”“Be grateful.”“Focus on growth.”“Manifest abundance.” But for a lot of people, life isn’t about thriving. It’s about surviving. And there’s a big difference. What Survival Mode Really Looks Like Survival mode isn’t dramatic. It’s quiet. Constant. Draining. It looks like: You’re not planning five years ahead. You’re planning how to […]

Challenge, Barriers, Solutions and Boobs. #cipdACE17

November 9, 2017.Reading time 7 minutes.

Day 2 of the CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition in Manchester. I started by attending The Big Conversation, hosted by CIPD Manchester branch, Rachael Burnham and Gem Dale featuring Gary Cookson and supported by Mark Hendy. Creating the culture of trust in organisations that we need. How do we do this? What are the barriers? Phil […]

When it feels right, do it.

January 20, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

I am about to take a leap, quite a massive one from my perspective, into an industry I don’t yet know. There has always been self-doubt, it will never go away, no matter how much I am assured, encouraged or supported. Doubt about me, my ability, my potential and my capacity to understand will always […]

How different it could have been.

December 6, 2016.Reading time 9 minutes.

Life is good. I mean really good. For the first time in my professional career I have a better working life than I could ever have dreamed. This afternoon, I had the very great pleasure of sharing a part of me with a room full of CIPD Steps Ahead Mentors in Manchester. I have the […]

Forget all the reasons why it won’t work and believe in the one reason why it will

January 25, 2016.Reading time 4 minutes.

For years, I have lacked confidence. In myself and in my ability to do what I do, specifically, how I do it. I always thought I were odd because I do not see the world in the same way in which others do. I didn’t get the point of school because I wasn’t being taught […]