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Setting Up for Success

Setting Up for Success

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 In this episode, Anna, Stuart, and guest Gareth Evans tackle a challenge that will resonate with anyone stepping into a big new role, especially those leading change:

“Dear Aunty Treacle, I’ve recently accepted a Health and Safety Director role in a new company, and I’m a mix of excited and terrified. The mission is to move health and safety from compliance to care. Any advice on what I should be focusing on to make a real difference?”

Gareth shares lessons from his own experience leading in global, fast-moving organisations, offering insight into what really matters in those first few months. Spoiler: it’s less about action and more about connection, curiosity, and courage.

Together, they explore how to lead with intention, manage the pressure to perform, and move from compliance to care in a way that’s meaningful and sustainable.

Key Topics Covered:
  • Why your first priority isn’t action, it’s listening
  • “Connect before you direct”- how relationships build results
  • The bathtub analogy - building stock with your allies before making withdrawals
  • Mapping your stakeholders: power, influence, and the unexpected allies
  • The myth of the perfect plan - why failure is part of learning
  • Adding less, subtracting more - cutting the clutter to focus your energy
  • Becoming the conductor - making the shift from doer to strategic leader
  • Trust, adaptation, and building a team that can run without you
  • Reconnecting with your why - care and compassion at the heart of leadership
🔗 Resources to Explore:
  • Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows – essential reading on complexity and change
  • The “Nando’s Scale” – a relatable model to gauge and warm up stakeholder relationships
  • Stakeholder mapping frameworks to identify influence beyond job titles
  • 4D Site Engagement Tool – Done, Different, Difficult, Dangerous
  • Subtraction as a strategy – why doing less can achieve more
  • Reflection questions for new leaders:
    • What am I assuming?
    • Who do I need to build trust with?
    • What does this business really need from me right now?
💬 We'd Love Your Feedback!

Are you in a new role or planning a big step? What resonated with you from this episode?
Share your stories, reflections, or future questions at ask@auntytreacle.com or tag us on socials. We’d love to hear how you're getting unstuck.

Next Episode Teaser:
🌟 Is Safety Still For Me?

Join us and guest Steph Camm as we explore what it means to face a career crossroad. Whether you're working in health and safety or questioning your broader professional path, this is a compassionate, clear-eyed look at how to move forward when purpose feels out of reach.
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