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Episode 5

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Published on:

7th Apr 2026

Quick Spoon: Values over fear

You don’t need fear to disappear before you act.

In this Quick Spoon, Jill Stoddard shares what it looks like to take action in the presence of fear — guided by your values.

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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He's now also on Bluesky

Dr Jill Stoddard

Jill's Website.

Jill's Books.

Jill's TEDx Talk - How to Succeed in Every Moment Even When You're Failing

Connect with Jill on LinkedIn.

Transcript

Values Over Fear

Jill: [:

Speaker 4: Hi there, and welcome to People Soup, quick Spoon, real conversations about work leadership and being human grounded in behavioral science. With practical ideas you can actually use. I'm Ross Macintosh and here's your quick spoon.

Jill: And if you have a message to share that helps even one person, that's consistent with your professional mission. So you got to get out there and do it. And it was like the combination of those two things that I just saw. That was it. I got in touch with my values, and I decided to, bring all of that fear and insecurity and everything else, and I bought a bright red blouse and leopard print shoes because I wasn't going to hide behind my insecurity about my appearance, and I did the talk in the presence of I'm not ready, I'm terrified, I don't have a message worth sharing, you know, all the zillions of insecure thoughts that, that were there.

I [:

Oh, I'm getting choked up just talking about it. And I am so glad I did it. And I think, you know, what people get when they live their values is like, yeah, you have to feel scared because you're doing something that you care about and the stakes feel high. But you also get to feel this incredible sense of vitality and meaining and pride and all sorts of other things that you don't get if you avoid it.

this landed for you, please [:

And if you'd like the full conversation with Dr. Jill s You'll find it wherever you get your podcasts.

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About the Podcast

People Soup
Real conversations about work, leadership and being human.
A podcast exploring work, leadership, and being human through real conversations - grounded in behavioural science and full of practical ideas you can apply straight away.

The name People Soup was inspired by a quote from the psychologist 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 can be found in the way 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 can't remove the complexity, but it can help us work with it. It offers practical ingredients, useful tools and simple ways of thinking 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.

Work is rarely tidy. It's a soup rather than a recipe. We don't get to choose every ingredient, but we can learn how to work skilfully with what's already in the pot.

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.