About Time - with Chris Nichols
Episodes
The Karen Blincoe One: Sustaining deep work over time
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I worked with Karen Blincoe when she led Schumacher College at Dartington, Devon. Karen invited me to join her, and Programme Director Toni Spencer, i...
The Tricia Riddell One: Neuroscience - beyond the hype and myth
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Patricia Riddell is a neuroscientist. She teaches and consults widely, and is a coach and author too. She spends a lot of her time dispellin...
The Isabel Carlisle one: Placing bioregions centrally in thinking and action
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I first met Isabel when she came on a certificate programme at the legendary Schumacher College, where I was teaching with Chris Seeley and Toni Spenc...
The Barbara Banda One: Brilliant work with brilliant energy
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I have known Professor Barbara Banda for many years - since we worked together at Ashridge (we started around the same time and had many opportunities...
The Charlotte Calkin One: The power and joy of restorative work
27 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I first met Charlie Calkin a few years back working on a project together, and I was simply bowled over by how good she is. Charlie is one of the lead...
The Sarah Williams One: Challenging the boundaries of tradition
27 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I came across Professor Sarah Williams through social media, when she posted a comment about her aspiration that the international strategy of BNU (Bu...
The Laura Peters One: Leading in the arts, leading as an art
27 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I only recently met Professor Laura Peters. We met when I heard about her move to West Dean, and knew I had to invite Laura onto the series because of...
The Margaret Gearty One: From microprocessors to eco-poetry
27 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I worked with Dr Margaret Gearty on the wonderful MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility when it moved from Bath to Ashridge, and I have respected a...
The Miles Cherry One: the power of acting for business
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve known Miles Cherry for a long time. He’s the founder of React, Acting for Business, and I started working with Miles and his team of actors d...
The Derek Walker One: Looking out for generations as yet unborn
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Derek Walker has a job he loves and a role that is as rare as it is vital and radical. He’s the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, with the ...
The Beccy Speight One: on leading one of Europe’s largest nature focused charities
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve know Beccy Speight since her time at the National Trust. Since then she’s been CEO of The Woodland Trust and now leads the RSPB - one of the ...
The Peter Reason One: Life as inquiry
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve rarely worked with Peter Reason, but his work has been hugely influential on me and my life. As one of the pioneers of participatory methods o...
The Abbot Christopher Jamison one: contemporary lessons and ancient ways
13 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I first met Abbot Christopher during the pandemic when he asked me to facilitate a conversation for a group of monks. It turned out to be one of those...
The Narendra Laljani one: life and learning from a master of strategy
13 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’m thrilled to release this episode of About Time with Narendra Laljani. Narendra was a continuous influence during my years at Ashridge. It’s fa...
The David Petley One: Academic leadership and learning from landslides
13 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dave Petley is VC of Hull, and alongside his leadership role he maintains an active academic life in the field of landslides. He’s about to move - t...
The Megan Reitz One - Spacious work
13 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve worked with Megan for years: we ran a brilliant simulation together and that experience was a period of growth and exploration for both of us. ...
The Steve Chapman One: the wisdom of trying stuff and seeing what happens
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I love Steve’s work. He’s an artist, a workshop creator, a facilitator and so much more.I’ve known Steve for his constant exploring of new edges...
The Jon Alexander One: The next edge
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jon Alexander is author of the book Citizens (https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/citizens-jon-alexander/7315064?ean=9781912454884) - a book that has capt...
The Rob Sexton One - Farming and food with nature at its heart
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rob Sexton is CEO of Yeo Valley, the west country based organic food producer, a family business based on sites near to its roots on a Somerset farm. ...
The Damien Page One: A new role pursued with a lifelong purpose
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve been a follower of Buckingham New University’s VC Damian Page ever since I started to see his crystal clear and provocative posts about leade...
The Sue Pritchard One: Shifting the story on food and farming
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sue Pritchard is a farmer in Monmouthshire, and she also Chairs the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission - which has moved from being a temporary ...
The Elizabeth McManus One: On practice, depth and poetry
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve known Elizabeth for some years, ever since we met working as collaborators on a joint Oxford Group - GameShift project. Elizabeth is a superb d...
The Andres Roberts One: Creating a global fellowship
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Andres was one of my students on the Ashridge MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility. He has since gone on to create the Bi-leadership Fellowship, w...
The Cedi Frederick one: Addressing health inequalities by joining up systems
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cedi Frederick is one of my inspirations. I first met Cedi on a Chief Executives programme run by ACEVO at Ashridge 20+ years ago. Since then Cedi has...
The Peter Shepherd One: Of groups and large families
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Peter was a colleague in Ashridge Consulting, who subsequently did his doctoral work at the Tavistock NHS Trust. Peter is a massively experienced and...
The James Aldridge One: Art and the living world
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I talk to James Aldridge about his work as an artist. James was a long time friend and colleague of our mutual friend, artist, Dr Chri...
The Eve Poole One: On spanning worlds and making a difference
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Eve Poole is a speaker, writer, Chair and Chief Executive, and an old friend. We worked together at Ashridge for many years.These days she is based...
The Giles Hutchins One: Putting future fitness at the heart of everything
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve known Giles Hutchins for a long time. When we first met, Giles was in the process of leaving his mainstream consulting role to become a freelan...
The Stephen Gould One: Heritage, renewal and the power of place-making
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Gould was the MD of family brewer and pub owner Everards for many years, and I first met him through my work with the ALMR (the pub and hospit...
The Victoria Hurth One: Purpose and governance
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve known Dr Victoria Hurth for a long time. When we met she was doing her PhD at Exeter. She’s subsequently been a full time academic, and more ...
The Rob Hopkins One: The power of imagination
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rob Hopkins is something of a legend for his work in creating the Transitions Town movement. But there’s much more to know. In recent times his focu...
The Jean Boulton One: Diving into the Dao of complexity
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jean Boulton is the real deal when it comes to working with complexity. She’s got a PhD in quantum physics, an MBA, and an MPhil from Bath Universit...
The Fiona Tilley One: Facilitating deep learning
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I first met Dr Fiona Tilley (or just Tilley, as I know her) as a participant on the Schumacher College Certificate in Education for Sustainability, a ...
The Bill Critchley One: A radical voice in organisational consulting
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bill Critchley was Chris Nichols teacher on the Ashridge MSc in Organisational Consulting and Change, and for many years a colleague in Ashridge Consu...
The Edward Peck One: Unleashing open strategy at Nottingham Trent University
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Edward Peck was Vice Chancellor of NTU for ten years, before standing down in July 2025 to become Chair of the office for Students. Edwards tenure saw...
The John Higgins One: Doing rigorous work on voice and space
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
John Higgins has been a friend and colleague for many years, and we are blessed that he is our research partner at GameShift. John has produced some...
Bonus episode! The Salt Path One: Chris Nichols and one very long and silent walk
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 2016, following a traumatic departure from work he loved, Chris Nichols took a long walk, covering the South West Coast Path as a solo silent walk ...
The Steve Clark One: Shifting the language of cancer
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Nichols first met Steve Clark at Anthropy 25 - a gathering of social change-makers at the Eden Project organised by John O’Brien. Chris was bl...
The Kai Peters One: Leading universities in a shifting world
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kai Peters was the CEO of Ashridge throughout much of Chris’ time there, and has since played a range of higher education leadership roles. In this ...
The Helena Clayton One: Working with love in organisations
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Helena Clayton is a coach, facilitator, writer and podcaster, whose work will be well known to many people in the organisational development and learn...
The Minni Jain One: Flow and the language of water
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Minni Jain is a pioneer in participative work around river restoration and in the indigenous wisdom around living waters. In this episode Chris and Mi...
The Phoebe Tickell One: On imagination activism and creating possibility
08 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Phoebe Tickell describes herself as a renegade scientist, systems thinker and social entrepreneur. Chris describes her as a world shifting human dynam...
The Mark Harmer One – The way of the frog and the sound of one tail wagging
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chris and Mark first met during the Ashridge MSc in Organisational Consulting, when Chris was struggling to find colleagues who could bear his love of...
The Roger Kneebone One: Surgery, improvisation and the infinite richness of knowing
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Chris Nichols talks to Professor Roger Kneebone, who has been a surgeon, a GP, a medical educator, a harpsicord player (and maker) an...
The Alex Steele One: Exploring organisations and leadership with the mind and heart of a jazz musician
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode finds Chris in conversation with his old friend and colleague Alex Steele. Alex is a professional jazz musician as well as being a visiti...
The Helen Sieroda One: Deep work, limitless possibility
19 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the About Time podcast, Chris Nichols is in conversation with Helen Sieroda, a leadership expert and coach. They discuss Helen'...
The Michael Chaskalson One: Wake Up!
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Chris spends time with long time colleague Michael Chaskalson, buddhist teacher and mindfulness practitioner. Michael is a writer, con...
The Geoff Mead One: The richness of story
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features Chris in conversation with author, educator and master story-teller Geoff Mead. Geoff and Chris have often worked together over ...
The Philippa Hardman One: A 20 year collaboration
14 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this first episode of the Project 65, About Time podcast, Chris Nichols and Philippa Hardman discuss their long-standing collaboration in strategy ...