Angelika Love's Conversations

In this episode, social psychologist Angelika Love speaks to four athletes-turned-coaches about building high-performing teams and developing the next generation of team players: 

Together with Angelika, her guests explore what their international sporting and coaching careers have taught them about setting teams up for success in highly competitive environments -- lessons on coachability, self-awareness and vulnerability that translate across disciplines and might enrich our thinking on teams everywhere.

Ali Can ist der Leiter des Vielrespektzentrums in Essen, einer interkulturellen Begegnungsstätte, Arbeitsplatz für Organisationen, die sich für Vielfalt und Respekt einsetzen, und Raum des Mit- und Nebeneinanders unterschiedlicher Denk- und Glaubensrichtungen. Er ist in Deutschland als Autor des Buches "Mehr als eine Heimat" und als Sozialaktivist bekannt, der sich mit Aktionen wie der "Hotline für besorgte Bürger" und dem MeTwo-Hashtag für wertschätzenden interkulturellen Austausch und soziale Integration einsetzt. In diesem Gespräch erzählt Ali von der Haltung, mit der er sich gegen Rassismus und Diskriminierung in Deutschland stark macht, den Plänen, die er für das Vielrespektzentrum hat, und davon, wie wir alle eine konstruktivere Streitkultur pflegen können. 

In this bonus episode, social psychologist Angelika Love speaks to co-founder and co-CEO of the leadership consultancy Amicus, General Sir Peter Wall. Peter discusses the importance of productive conflict in the workplace, the potential and challenge of increasing team diversity, and what his experience as Head of the British Army has taught him about leading remote teams through crises. This episode looks at diversity and cohesion from a slightly different angle, exploring the workplace as a significant realm of 'society' and leadership as a determining factor of team performance.

Social psychologist Angelika Love speaks with Dr Justine Huxley, CEO of the St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace. Justine shares how facing social and economic breakdown can help us discover our deepest sense of purpose and freedom and, importantly, generate action to build more resilient communities. She also shares how she was drawn to this work after starting her career on the trading floor of an investment bank and how Sufism relates to her work on fostering community cohesion.

Social psychologist Angelika Love speaks to founder and CEO of UpSkill Digital, Gori Yahaya, about digital inclusion. Gori also shares what he has learned about more inclusive career progression for People of Colour from the advancement of women in the workplace, what diversity and inclusion initiatives should bear in mind, and why both diversity and digital skills have become exceedingly pressing concerns during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Social psychologist Angelika Love speaks with return-guest to the show and Chief Executive of a maternal health clinic in India, Aneel Brar. Aneel co-founded the Mata Jai Kaur clinic to provide free health care for women who would otherwise have no access to medical support throughout their pregnancies. He shares how the clinic is increasingly integrating mental health support into their services, how the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting his work, and reflects on the significance of the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Social psychologist Angelika Love speaks with Dr Sabina Alkire, Director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. Sabina is a world-leading expert on poverty and the co-developer of the multidimensional poverty index, which measures poverty by considering several dimensions of people's lived experiences at once. Sabina discusses the economics of poverty, how research can contribute to poverty reduction, and how the Covid-19 pandemic is related to poverty around the world.

Social psychologist Angelika Love talks to Dr Alice Curry, award-winning founder and CEO of Lantana Publishing, a diverse and inclusive publishing house for children’s books in the UK. In this episode, Angelika and Alice discuss the power of children’s literature, how important it is for children to see themselves in the books they read, and what stands in the way of a more inclusive publishing industry. Alice also shares the daily struggles and pleasures of being an entrepreneur, what she has learned about building and leading a diverse team, and how Lantana Publishing is responding to the Covid-19 crisis.

Social psychologist Angelika Love speaks with Julie Siddiqi, a gender equality campaigner who focuses on interfaith relationships in the UK. Julie is dedicated to inspiring Muslim women to participate at all levels of society,  challenge patriarchal structures, and strive for better representation across the media. Julie and Angelika discuss some of the most pronounced rifts in society, including islamophobia and anti-semitism, how women are challenging the status-quo, and interfaith initiatives led by Julie that are building much-needed bridges.

Social psychologist Angelika Love speaks to the Chief Executive of the educational foundation Cumberland Lodge, Canon Dr Ed Newell. Ed leads an organisation dedicated to facilitating productive debate on big societal questions. Ed and Angelika discuss how to disagree well, whether everyone should really be entitled to their own viewpoint, and what we can learn from Ed's work on ethical investment banking.