Maria Arpa MBE engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Adrian Pagdin, a leadership development expert with a rich background in hospitality and coaching. Adrian shares his transformative journey at Unilever, where he was deeply involved in promoting a purpose-led culture. He reflects on the challenges he faced when a personality clash disrupted his previously harmonious work environment, leading to feelings of burnout and confusion. The discussion delves into the complexities of workplace conflict, the importance of authenticity, and the power of resilience. Adrian emphasises the significance of self-awareness and the choice to respond with gratitude and compassion, ultimately highlighting the mantra "I am enough" as a guiding principle for personal growth and fulfillment. Listeners are invited to explore Adrian's insights further through his work at Purpose Interaction, including retreats aimed at fostering meaningful connections and sustainable happiness.

Key Takeaways

1. The Importance of Purpose: Engaging with purpose in the workplace can lead to personal transformation and a deeper understanding of one's impact on the world. The experience of participating in a purpose workshop can help individuals redefine their roles beyond job titles.

2. Navigating Conflict: Conflict in the workplace can be destabilizing, especially when it involves questioning one's integrity and intentions. It's crucial to create an environment where individuals feel safe to express themselves and where failure is seen as a part of growth.

3. Resilience and Authenticity: Resilience is not just about bouncing back from adversity; it also involves maintaining authenticity in challenging situations. The ability to choose how to respond to conflict and adversity is essential for personal growth.

4. Community and Connection: Sustainable happiness and energy come from community, meaningful connections, and contributing to something larger than oneself. Neglecting these aspects can lead to burnout and a loss of purpose.

5. Self-Acceptance: Embracing the idea that "I am enough" is vital for personal development. Recognizing one's authenticity and valuing oneself can lead to a more fulfilling life, free from the pressure of comparing oneself to others.

Related links

Website

https://mariaarpa.com/

Workplace Consultancy

https://workplacehuddle.com/

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@MariaArpaMBE

Adrian's Website: http://adrianpagdin.com/

Adrian's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianpagdin/?originalSubdomain=uk 

Host BIO

Maria founded the Centre for Peaceful Solutions in response to the fatal shooting of a 7 year old in her neighbourhood. She developed a model of conflict resolution for violent crime using her brainchild, the Dialogue Road Map (DRM).  

Over 30 years she has mediated everything from threat to life gang disputes to high stakes business deals gone wrong, Maria empowers people to resolve conflict without reliance on experts. So she trains violent prisoners to be facilitators, leaders to be effective communicators, teenagers to be peer mediators and neighbours to be tenant listeners within their respective communities.

The DRM has applications in all aspects of life and is used for resolving conflict, repairing harm, decision making and healing at an individual and group level. It challenges people to live in harmony with their values. In 2020 Maria received an MBE from the Queen for services to mediation.