Rethinking Leadership with Bob Edwards and Georgina Poole

Strategic Leadership Lessons from Bob Edwards on Georgina Poole’s “Leading Safely” Podcast 

In a recent episode of Leading Safely, host Georgina Poole sat down with Bob Edwards for a candid conversation that blended personal stories with strategic insights leaders can put into action. Bob, widely recognised for his work in human and organisational performance (HOP), unpacked how leadership decisions, humility, and curiosity shape safer, stronger workplaces.

The discussion felt deeply reflective, the kind where hard-earned lessons and unfiltered insights come through. For leaders serious about making an impact, the takeaways are gold.

Leadership is a Practice, Not just a Title 

Bob didn’t sugarcoat how much the sudden move to virtual work during COVID threw him. “I actually call it the computer hole… I hate it,” he admitted. Instead of forcing himself to become a polished, on-screen presenter when it didn’t feel like ‘him’, he leaned on his colleague Andrea Baker whose knack for virtual delivery kept things engaging and organised. 

That decision says a lot about what leadership really is. It’s not about holding the title or knowing all the answers, but recognising when someone else’s strengths outshine yours and making space for them to lead. Bob didn’t lose authority by stepping back, he gained credibility, and the team gained results. 

The Power of Humility and Partnership 

Georgina and Bob’s conversation kept circling back to trust and partnership.  

“When we train in person, either one of us takes the lead. But when we’re in the virtual world, I would just chime in with stuff and try to be clever and she was so organised.”  

Bob said of working with Andrea. 

It’s an approach that requires humility, recognising where someone else’s strengths eclipse your own and then letting them lead. While leaders often feel pressure to have all the answers, Bob’s career shows that asking questions and drawing on others’ expertise can lead to stronger outcomes. 

Listening is More Than Hearing 

In HOP, active listening sits at the centre of high-performing cultures. The quiet details in an incident report, the throwaway line during a toolbox talk, the unfiltered comment over coffee, these moments are often dismissed as background noise. Bob’s perspective flips that on its head. They’re the breadcrumbs that reveal how work is really done, where risks are hiding, and where the system is quietly eroding. Leaders who notice and act on them are the ones who shape resilient, adaptive organisations. 

Curiosity as a Leadership Tool 

Curiosity threaded its way through the entire conversation. Georgina reflected on the shift that happens when leaders start asking better questions, not just the easy ones, but the ones that challenge assumptions. Bob summed it up simply:

“Be more curious, not judgemental.” 

Curiosity changes the chemistry of a conversation. It keeps the other person talking when they might otherwise shut down. It pulls new information to the surface and sometimes the kind you didn’t know to look for. In high-stakes work environments, it can expose risks early. And in human-focused moments, it builds the trust and psychological safety that keep people engaged. 

Building Cultures Where People Speak Up 

Georgina and Bob were frank about the realities of fear and silence inside organisations. Speaking up is rarely the default. Bob emphasized the importance of leaders creating environments where honesty is encouraged and not penalized. This approach fosters a culture where individuals feel safe to share concerns and insights, leading to more resilient and adaptive organizations.

Creating a speak-up culture means changing more than policies. You have to start changing reactions. Leaders have to prove, over and over, that honesty won’t be punished, concerns must be met with visible action, and when someone takes the risk to be candid, they should walk away certain it was worth it. 

Shifting from Blame to Learning 

Blame is quick and deceptively satisfying. Bob emphasized that instead of asking who’s at fault, the more important question is: “Why did this make sense at the time?”

Many leaders treat conversations as problems to solve or boxes to tick, but Bob saw them as a rich, untapped source of intelligence. 

That question reframes the entire conversation. Asking this question pushes leaders beyond the individual mistake and into the deeper work of examining design, processes, and context. System thinking sharpens accountability. The aim isn’t to excuse errors but to build the kind of resilience that stops them repeating. As Bob said:

“Blame does not fix the problem…if the same errors keep happening, then the problem isn’t solved.”

Reflections on Leadership Conversations

The conversation on the Leading Safely podcast showcased why reflective leadership conversations matter. Georgina drew out Bob’s reflections with empathy and curiosity, and Bob shared not just wins but challenges and mistakes.

For leaders, investing time in meaningful discussions, formal or informal, is one of the most effective ways to build capability, retain top talent, and ensure culture outlasts tenure.

Listen, Reflect, Apply 

The beauty of Georgina’s conversation with Bob is that it leaves you with both inspiration and practical steps: 

• Be honest about your own strengths and weaknesses. 
• Lead with curiosity, not judgement. 
• Replace blame with learning. 
• Create environments where it’s safe to speak up. 
• Mentor intentionally, even when it’s not “your job.” 

Bob’s approach to leadership centers on curiosity and frontline engagement. Georgina shared her own insight on engaging the frontline:

“The only way to get buy-in and engagement is to ask them… what can we do to make it fun and engaging for them?”

He points to real innovation coming directly from those doing the work:  

“That [tear-away glove] idea came from a worker. And once again, they did it together, not to each other or for each other.”  

For Bob, leadership is about creating space to listen and understand:  

“Somebody said to me, ‘Bob, it seems like you’re on their side.’ That is absolutely a compliment, because it means people on the frontline identify with me.”

Bob and Georgina agreed that meaningful change doesn’t require grand gestures – small, thoughtful actions often create the biggest impact:

“I have so many examples of learning teams where it did not cost a fortune… sometimes all it takes is bringing people together and listening.”

If you haven’t yet listened to the full episode, it’s worth setting aside the time. Beyond the leadership insights, you’ll hear two experienced professionals navigating the realities of organisational life with humour, humility, and a genuine desire to see people succeed. 

Catch up on Georgina Poole’s fresh take on safety in our blogs People Aren’t the Problem, They’re the Solution and Beyond the Blame Game, where she flips the script on blame and shows how focusing on systems and human insight drives real change.

Go further and watch our recent webinar Are You Measuring the Metrics That Matter?, where Georgina challenges the numbers leaders rely on and reveal how measuring what really matters can transform safety outcomes.