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Episode 30

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Published on:

29th May 2026

Quick Spoon: Leadership starts feeling difficult

In this Quick Spoon, Ross explores the fourth skill in the McIntosh Leadership Framework: Adaptability.

Inspired by a candid reflection from Gabriella Braun, this episode explores what happens when leadership becomes uncertain, messy, political, and deeply human.

So many leadership books promise certainty, control, and easy answers.

But real leadership often starts feeling difficult at exactly the moment complexity arrives.

Ross reflects on what leaders can do when pressure rises, certainty disappears, and their usual ways of coping stop working.

And he shares one practical question that can help turn pressure into purposeful action.

In this Quick Spoon

🥄 Why leadership becomes harder under uncertainty

🥄 What happens when leaders grip tighter under pressure

🥄 The hidden link between rigidity and reduced impact

🥄 A practical reflection question to try this week

Key reflection

“Who do I want to be in this moment?”

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

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People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life.

Transcript

[:

[00:00:15] I really floundered

[:

[00:00:40] And they didn't go. near t he really difficult people stuff. Hi there, and welcome to [00:00:50] People Soup Quick Spoon. Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human. I'm Ross McIntosh, and here's your quick spoon.

[:

[00:01:06] Leadership often starts feeling difficult right [00:01:10] around the moment it starts feeling uncertain and complex, messy, political, human. And in those moments, many leaders start gripping [00:01:20] tighter, trying harder, seeking certainty, And sometimes their behavior starts to tip into unhelpfulness, and their impact starts to shrink.

[:

[00:01:48] Until next time, take [00:01:50] care

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About the Podcast

People Soup
Real conversations about work, leadership and being human.
Grounded in behavioural science, each episode is packed with practical ideas you can put into practice straight away.

The name People Soup comes from a quote by Abraham Maslow:

"A first-rate soup is more creative than a second-rate painting."

I've always loved that idea. Creativity isn't confined to art. It shows up in how we live, work, lead and relate to one another.

Work can sometimes feel like a soup: a rich, sometimes bewildering mix of people, personalities, decisions, pressures, relationships and unexpected challenges. Every day we're trying to make sense of the ingredients we've been given.

Behavioural science doesn't remove the complexity, but it gives us practical ways to navigate it. It offers ideas, skills and evidence-based tools that help us respond more effectively—to ourselves, to other people and to the situations we face.

That's what People Soup is all about.

Through conversations, solo episodes and practical tools, People Soup explores how behavioural science—and particularly Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)—can help us lead, work and live with greater purpose, psychological flexibility and practical wisdom.

About your host

Profile picture for Ross McIntosh

Ross McIntosh

I'm Ross McIntosh, a business psychologist, coach and facilitator, with over 30 years' experience helping people thrive at work.

People Soup grew from a simple belief: work is an important part of life, but it doesn't have to come at the expense of our wellbeing, our relationships or our values.

Each episode explores the realities of work, leadership and being human through the lens of behavioural science. Sometimes that's a conversation with an inspiring guest. Sometimes it's a short "Quick Spoon" offering a practical idea you can put into practice straight away.

My work is grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), an evidence-based approach that helps people develop psychological flexibility: the ability to stay purposeful, adaptable and effective, even when life gets messy.

Whether you're leading a team, supporting others, or simply trying to navigate the pressures of modern work, my hope is that People Soup gives you practical tools, fresh perspectives and the confidence to take your next meaningful step.

A few things about me
Chartered Fellow of the CIPD.
Fellow of the Association for Coaching.
Research collaborator with City St George's, University of London.
Speaker, facilitator and leadership development consultant.
Founder and Host of the People Soup podcast.

When I'm not recording the podcast or working with clients, you'll usually find me reading, cycling, improving my Spanish, or enjoying life in southern Spain with my husband.