Get Curious Before You Get Critical – with Siobhán Sheridan

Leaving school at 15, Siobhán Sheridan CBE has forged a remarkable career through grit, learning, and deep curiosity. Now Chief People Officer at the Financial Conduct Authority, she brings decades of experience across the financial sector, Civil Service, and Defence, specialising in organisational and cultural change.

In this episode, Lindsay MacDuff, the Culture Colonel, sits down with Siobhán for an inspiring and wide-ranging conversation about leading with empathy, changing behaviours in male-dominated environments, and how culture is shaped not by words, but by actions.

Siobhán shares her guiding principle - “get curious before you get critical” - and reflects on how curiosity can help transform organisations and people alike.

Together, they explore topics like mental fitness, rest, perimenopause, wellbeing, confidence, and the role creativity plays in staying grounded - whether through poetry or knitting.

Siobhán’s insights remind us that leadership is as much about showing up authentically as it is about setting strategy.

We’d love to hear your thoughts at [email protected]

Thank you for listening and take care until next time!

Quotations:

“In a conversation does somebody want to be heard, held or helped.” – Charles Duhigg

“Statistics are human beings with the tears wiped dry.” – Anon

“The deepest longing of the human soul is to be seen.” – John O’Donohue

Book Referenced:

May Contain Lies by Alex Edmans

Follow Siobhan:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhan-sheridan-cbe-8342101/

Follow Lindsay:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lindsay-macduff

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaymacduff/

BFBS Creative is an award-winning, non-profit, creative agency. We specialise in helping the Armed Forces, Defence and government tell their story.

If you want to learn more about us – visit our website: https://creative.bfbs.com/

Email The Culture Colonel at: [email protected]

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