Meet the team: Jo Reid
We're continuing to grow at Culture Impact, and as part of that, we're expanding our Business Development Team. This month we've welcomed Jo Reid as Business Transformation Consultant, who will work with Fraser to support HR leaders and executives in identifying and addressing their organisational challenges.
Jo brings a wealth of consulting experience with her from past businesses, including Capgemini, Seetec, and B-skill, but has also been on the other side of the conversation as Regional L&D Lead within the public sector at DWP.
Jo's passion and energy for supporting leaders through transformation and development align perfectly with our goals, and we're delighted to have her on board as we scale our mission at Culture Impact.
If you are yet to meet with Jo, you can start to get to know her through our short Q&A with her, below...
What led you to your background in change and transformation?
I’ve always been drawn to the psychology of change and the impact that has on people. Why we act the way we act, why we do what we do, or even say what we say. Taking steering from my background in L&D, and knowing it takes far more than training to change how a person thinks or behaves, I’ve experienced, firsthand, the barriers and roadblocks associated with change, and I’ve always been fascinated by the topic of enablement.
How do you enable people to change, not through coercion but by their own free will, making the conscious decision to put one foot in front of the other and actually want to change things about themselves to improve and grow? It’s utterly fascinating to me, understanding what a person might be feeling or experiencing when a change is announced or expected, through to the delight of a happier and more fulfilled person during or at the end of a period of change. I could talk about it for hours!
What are you most passionate about when it comes to working with leaders and developing organisational culture?
In one word…. People! My entire career is centred around helping people to grow, progress, achieve - firstly across higher education, helping individuals and teams develop their expertise, skills, confidence etc., to working within alliance partnerships, helping move businesses forward, and working with teams to create more harmony and alignment, or even working with my local MP tackling youth unemployment.
It all comes back to human connection and a deep desire to help advance individuals, teams and businesses. With business leaders that means listening, really listening to understand what they’re really trying to achieve, and what’s getting in the way, I’m proud to say this has been a significant at the core of how I’ve worked throughout my career.
What’s one thing you think organisations should be paying more attention to?
With AI and other technologies catapulting businesses into a significant period of change, I think it’s critical for leaders to understand the conditions their culture is creating. When something is failing or stalling, it’s human nature to look at an individual or a team as the problem, but this is rarely the real problem. Every business has a culture, but it’s not always the one written in the values that are up on the wall.
Understand what’s really driving behaviour and fix the cause, not the symptoms. As technology evolves, we must remember to ensure that our culture moves at the same pace.
Every business has a culture, good, bad, or indifferent, but is the culture on the ground the same as the one leaders think they have? Understanding this early is an opportunity to bridge the gap or keep on track depending on the outcomes of the diagnostic.
What’s a book, podcast, or thinker that has influenced your work?
Without sounding contrived or egotistical, this is less an early influence and more a reinforced affirmation. I only discovered Wallace D. Wattles and his work a few years ago, well into my career, and it was still a revelation.
He’d put words to a way of working I’d been living by all along. Two concepts that really resonated:
The Advancing Man: Someone who forms a clear mental image of success, acts with purpose and faith, and keeps progressing in life. I’ve always been an advocate of lifelong learning, with a curiosity for what’s possible when you put your mind to it.
Being a Person of Increase: Wattles teaches that we should bring a positive, expanding influence into the lives of others. Individuals who radiate purpose, encouragement, and constructive energy help those around them to grow in personal, professional, and social contexts. Increase is something we pursue together, not just for ourselves.
What’s a surprising fact about you?
Just last year, and as skipper of the vessel, I sailed a 37ft yacht and crew from Ceuta to Gibraltar at night. It was part of my skipper training, and completely out of my comfort zone. At times I asked myself why on earth I’d chosen it! But alongside snowboarding, wakeboarding, skateboarding and singing on stage at the Royal Albert Hall, during my years as a semi-professional singer, it was the most challenging adventure to date, and an accomplishment I can draw on for years to come.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
Anything with a bit of adventure and a lot of fresh air! Snowboarding and skiing in winter, wakeboarding, foiling, and boating in summer: that’s where I’m happiest.
I love nothing more than a trip away to explore somewhere new, always learning something along the way. It’s how I reset.
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