Off the top of your head podcast - Ep 9: Dara Nasr

Ep 9: Dara Nasr

03/18/20 • 35 min

Simon Blake OBE returns for a second series of Just About Coping.
This series we're looking look at a new campaign by MHFA England; My Whole Self. To create mentally healthy workplaces, people need to feel safe to be their ‘whole self’ at work. So how can we create workforces, wherever that may be, where everyone has the freedom to do this? To find out, Simon has gathered leaders from across the worlds of business, sport, and more...
Our first guest is Dara Nasr. Dara is the Managing Director of Twitter UK, where he has been since 2012. With approximately 200 staff, Twitter UK is the only office outside of the US with multiple disciplines including Engineering, Sales, Partnerships, Comms & Marketing. Before that he was at Google, Eurosport, and Flextech TV.

Social media was a theme throughout the first series, so Dara was the perfect person to chat with to kick off the second series. Among many things, Simon and Dara spoke about:

Why happy workplaces make the best workplaces and the family feel at Twitter
How to navigate through difficult times as a team and the power of authentic leadership
Whether it's best to have a 'work' social media profile, or not
The importance of respecting diversity, differing opinions and boundaries
Pranking your children and Dara's dog Dave who is by all accounts a 'good lad'

We hope you enjoy the news series and can celebrate My Whole Self Day (18 March) with us!
As always, we'd love to know what you think. If you could take a moment to rate and review wherever you get your podcasts we would very much appreciate your feedback. You can do this on most platforms including:

Don't forget to get involved on social media using #JACPodcast and check out all the My Whole Self fun on our website.
More on Dara: twitter.com/daranasrDara's work with the Media Trust: mediatrust.org/about-us/impact-stories/what-happened-when-dara-met-andre/
More on Simon: twitter.com/SimonablakeSimon Blake OBE is the Chief Executive of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England. His mission is to improve the mental health of the nation and help build an inclusive and society where attitudes and behaviours around mental health are normalised. Simon received an OBE in 2011, is Deputy Chair at Stonewall, and enjoys running, equestrian eventing, and walks with his dog.
More on #JACPodcast:
MHFA England: mhfaengland.org
Email: [email protected]
More on #MyWholeSelf: mhfaengland.org/my-whole-self/

Social media was a theme throughout the first series, so Dara was the perfect person to chat with to kick off the second series. Among many things, Simon and Dara spoke about:

Why happy workplaces make the best workplaces and the family feel at Twitter
How to navigate through difficult times as a team and the power of authentic leadership
Whether it's best to have a 'work' social media profile, or not
The importance of respecting diversity, differing opinions and boundaries
Pranking your children and Dara's dog Dave who is by all accounts a 'good lad'

Previous Episode

Series Two trailer: My Whole Self

Simon Blake OBE returns for a second series of Just About Coping with more discussion of self-care, workplace wellbeing, and the future of mental health.
This series will look at a new campaign by MHFA England; My Whole Self. To create mentally healthy workplaces, people need to feel safe to be their ‘whole self’ at work. When people can be their whole self, they are empowered to think bigger, bolder, and work more effectively together, whether in person or virtually.
So how can we create workplaces where everyone has the freedom to do this? And what's the impact on our mental health when we are able to be authentic? Simon has gathered leaders from across the worlds of business, sport, and more, to try and answer these questions.
The new series launches on Wednesday 18 March with Managing Director of Twitter UK, Dara Nasr. Wherever you are working, you can also join us in celebrating My Whole Self Day. Find out more about the campaign here: mhfaengland.org/my-whole-self
Happy listening, and thanks for coping with us!
More on Simon: twitter.com/SimonablakeSimon Blake OBE is the Chief Executive of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England. His mission is to improve the mental health of the nation and help build an inclusive and society where attitudes and behaviours around mental health are normalised. Simon received an OBE in 2011, is Deputy Chair at Stonewall, and enjoys running, equestrian eventing, and walks with his dog.
mhfaengland.org

Next Episode

Ep 10: Nat Kilsby

Simon Blake OBE returns for a second series of Just About Coping.
This series we're looking look at a new campaign by MHFA England; My Whole Self. To create mentally healthy workplaces, people need to feel safe to be their ‘whole self’ at work. So how can we create workforces, wherever that may be, where everyone has the freedom to do this? To find out, Simon has gathered leaders from across the worlds of business, sport, and more...
Today we hear from Nat Kilsby, a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs with years of experience in financial engineering and technology. Nat is also gender-fluid, meaning sometimes they present male and sometimes they present female. After hearing Nat's moving story at our My Whole Self event at the House of Lords back in February, we had to get them on the podcast to hear more.
Simon and Nat chatted about;

Complex gender identity and the relationship with wellbeing
Feelings, and learning that they are not good or bad, they just are
Treating life as an experiment and how Nat helps empower people at work by embracing fluidity
The importance of pronouns and why Nat uses they, them and theirs

Nat embodies the essence of bringing your whole self to work and it was fascinating to hear how intrinsically their identity, performance at work, and happiness were linked.
As always, we'd love to know what you think. If you could take a moment to rate and review wherever you get your podcasts we would very much appreciate your feedback. You can do this on most platforms including:

Don't forget to get involved on social media using #JACPodcast and check out all the My Whole Self fun on our website.
More on Nat: goldmansachs.com/careers/blog/posts/letter-to-my-younger-self-nat-kilsby
More on Simon: twitter.com/SimonablakeSimon Blake OBE is the Chief Executive of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England. His mission is to improve the mental health of the nation and help build an inclusive and society where attitudes and behaviours around mental health are normalised. Simon received an OBE in 2011, is Deputy Chair at Stonewall, and enjoys running, equestrian eventing, and walks with his dog.
More on #JACPodcast:
MHFA England: mhfaengland.org
Email: [email protected]
More on #MyWholeSelf: mhfaengland.org/my-whole-self/

Off the top of your head podcast - Ep 9: Dara Nasr

Transcript

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Aziz sees you for nothing. You see, it's just okay. I'm Simon Blake, and this is just about coping. Siri's, too, before we start. If you haven't had the trailer for this, Siri's, please do give it a listen. It's a nice introduction toe are my whole self campaign, which is the