Why Not? & What If?
Why Not? & What If? is a podcast about life, work, well-being – and the beautiful chaos in between.
Hosted by Andy Cracknell, a creative whirlwind and disruptor of dull thinking, and Siobhán Godden, the HR consultant and coach who listens through the noise to what really matters. Think of Siobhán as the calm to Andy’s creative storm.
Each episode dives into the messy, magical intersection of life, work, leadership and all the bits we’re not supposed to talk about – from gender equality, working parenthood and career “wounds”, to neurodiversity, burnout, leadership energy and HR headaches.
Expect candid conversations, uncomfortable truths, inappropriate laughter and the occasional alpaca – plus practical ideas you can actually use.
If you’re a leader, HR / People professional, working parent, neurodivergent human (or simply someone wondering “is it just me?”) – Why Not? & What If? is your space to think out loud, challenge the usual way of doing things and imagine what else might be possible.
Episodes
18 episodes
Christmas Eve Special: HR Christmas Nightmares!
Tis our Christmas Eve special — and we’re diving into the stuff HR teams never forget… even when they try. Siobhán shares anonymised “HR nightmares at Christmas” stories that range from jaw-dropping (a motorboating incident wit...
Christmas Special 2: HR’s Christmas Party Dilemma: Boundaries, Booze & Being Blamed
HR gets labelled “the police” at Christmas parties… and somehow also “the fun sponges”. In this episode, Andy and Siobhán talk about the reality of attending work socials when you’re the person everyone assumes will step in, calm th...
Christmas Special 1: Christmas Party Survival Guide: 10 Tips to Keep Your Job (and Your Dignity)
It’s the first of our three-part Christmas mini-series — and we’re starting with the one everyone thinks they already knows: how to survive the work Christmas party.Andy and Siobhán share a “top 10 (plus a few)” set of common-se...
S2E6 - Beyond Hunted: Burnout, Gut Health & the Mind–Body Reset with Paul Cashmore (Part 2)
In Part 2 of our conversation with Channel 4’s Hunted hunter Paul Cashmore, we step away from the TV screens and go deep into the work that really lights him up – mental and physical health, NLP and full-body nervous system rese...
S2E5 – Paul Cashmore from Channel 4’s Hunted: Fame, Ego and the Man Behind the Hunter (Part 1)
We got caught – properly.In this episode of Why Not? & What If?, Siobhán Godden and Andy Cracknell sit down with someone most of us know as “that bloke off the telly” – Paul Cashmore, one of the original Hunters from ...
S2E4 - HR Is Dead (Kind Of): Wrestling, Stand-Up Comedy & Blowing Up Bullsh*t Training with Toby Kheng
HR is supposed to care about people.So why does so much of it feel like policy updates, tick-box training and vibes of “please sign to say you’ve read this”?In this episode of Why Not and What If, Siobhán Godden and Andy ...
S2E3 - Lonely at the Top: C-Suite Leadership Energy, Psychological Safety & Coaching That Actually Helps
C-suite roles are supposed to be the pinnacle of a career… so why do so many senior leaders feel exhausted, isolated and secretly wondering if they’re “doing leadership wrong”?In this episode of Why Not and What If, Siobhán Godd...
S2E2 - ADHD, Microtraumas & Neuro-Inclusion at Work (with Chris Hood, Neurobridge)
In this episode of Why Not and What If, hosts Siobhan Godden and Andy Cracknell sit down with Chris Hood, Head of Coaching and Community at Neurobridge, for a refreshingly honest conversation about neurod...
S2E1 - Flags, Echo Chambers & World Peace (Kind Of): Social Media, Identity & Staying Sane
Season 2 kicks off with a bang. Andy and Siobhán dive headfirst into a conversation that starts with echo chambers on social media and spirals (in true Why Not & What If fashion) into flags, racism, homelessness, ADHD, Covid resets...
S1E9 - Catcalls, Kilts & “LinkedIn Isn’t Tinder”: What Walking a Mile in Her Shoes Really Looks Like
In this messy-but-necessary conversation, Siobhán and Andy dig into the everyday reality women face from catcalling and “optics” to objectification at work and what men can actually do about it. We talk intent vs impact, ho...
S1E8 - Out of Control? Neurodiversity, Overdiagnosis & Workplaces That Need to Change
Andy and Siobhan dive into the noisy debate about neurodiversity, ADHD and mental health labels. Andy shares a very personal story of receiving conflicting opinions about ADHD and how many “ADHD traits” can also look like burnout. Together they...
S1E7 - My Awesome Mind: Neurodiversity, Parenting & Ripping Up the Education Rulebook
In this powerful episode, Andy and Siobhán sit down with Yasmin Wells (yasmin@apricity.solutions / www.apricity.solutions) to explore the extraordinary story of her nine-year-old son, Alex, who wrote a book called My Awesome Mind.<...
S1E6 - From Rock Bottom to Alpaca Dreams: Reinventing Life, Work & Identity
What happens when everything you’ve built suddenly collapses?In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Why Not? & What If?, Andy and Siobhán welcome their first guest – “Farmer John.”John’s consultancy business ...
S1E5 - Morals vs Rules: Turning Your Wounds into the Work You Do
What if the thing that hurt you most is also the thing that pulled you into the work you do now?In this episode of Why Not and What If?, Siobhán and Andy dive into why we choose the careers we do – especially in the help...
S1E4 - From Nappies to Networking: The Guilt, Grit and Growth of Working Mums
Working mums shouldn’t have to choose between nappies or networking – but it often feels like they do.In this episode of Why Not and What If?, HR consultant and coach Siobhán Godden and marketing & communicatio...
S1E3 - Women, Work & the Hidden Cost of Being Heard
What actually happens in a woman’s body when she tries to “step up” and be more assertive at work?In this episode of Why Not and What If, Siobhán and Andy kick off a mini-series inspired by listener Jasmine in Melbourne – a social...
S1E2 - Names, Identity & Patriarchy: Why Surnames Still Matter
Why do we still expect families to share one surname – and why is it usually his?In this episode of Why Not and What If?, HR consultant and coach Siobhán Godden and marketing & communications consultant Andy Crackn...
S1E1 - Letting Go: Founder Syndrome & the Art of Delegation
Founder-CEOs, SME owners and senior leaders who struggle to let go of the day-to-day, this one’s for you.In this episode of Why Not and What If?, HR consultant and coach Siobhán Godden and marketing & communications c...