Yarns for the Soul
"Yarns" is a common way for New Zealanders to describe having a chat, a conversation. We might say 'I had a great yarn with Nicole the other day!'. For me, a yarn can go in many different directions, often including multiple tangents and side stories. It also involves having deeper discussions and diving into some vulnerability, before coming back up to a lighter level with some sarcasm or dark humour.
Yarns for the Soul was born out of a desire to champion more honest and vulnerable conversation (but also feel like you're sitting on a friend's couch with a cup of tea having a yarn with them- and that friend is me!).
I believe in the magic and power of story-telling, and everyone has stories that deserve to be shared with the world. We are all experts of our own lived experiences, and I hope by sharing these we can foster more curiosity and compassion for others and the world around us.
I yarn with my guests on a range of topics, often delving into subjects that are still considered socially taboo or not spoken about enough. In my mini-yarns, I also share parts of my own stories, and reflect on things that I'm learning while I continue to muddle my way forward and follow my nose!
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If you'd like to get in touch, or follow my journey, you can find me over in Instagram @yarnsforthesoulnicole. See you there!
Yarns for the Soul
Episode 46- Yarns on asking powerful questions, the art of facilitation, and awareness of privilege with Paul
What if the best way to lead wasn’t about having the right answers—but asking the right questions?
In this episode, I yarned with the ever-curious Paul McGregor, a leadership coach, author and MC based in Nelson, New Zealand. With a background in law, collaboration and engagement, Paul has carved out an unconventional path - one that wasn’t planned but was led by instinct, curiosity and a refusal to settle.
We unpack how he made some career choices based on joy, connection and purpose (and others based on fear and scarcity) - and what he had to let go of along the way. We also get into the art of facilitation, where Paul shares a surprising and valuable lesson for anybody in a leadership role.
Paul has a knack for asking the questions others avoid - the ones that cut through noise and get to what really matters. But what happens when those questions make people uncomfortable? And how does privilege shape the way we engage with leadership and workplace culture? We yarn about the tension between awareness and action, the challenges of acknowledging your privilege and how to talk about your work when it's not easily put into a known box like 'lawyer', 'doctor' or 'builder'.
Curious? Tune in to hear Paul’s take on leadership, impact and the conversations that move us forward.
If you would like to know more about the awesome mahi that Paul is doing, you can check out his website or follow him over on LinkedIn.
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If you enjoyed this episode and want to get in touch you can find me over on Instagram @yarnsforthesoulnicole- see you there!
