The Cherryleaf Podcast

About The Cherryleaf Podcast

Cherryleaf’s podcast on technical writing and becoming a better business communicator. www.cherryleaf.com

Publisher

Cherryleaf

Category

technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Oct 2018

Latest episode

21 Jun 2026

Latest episodes

123 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Jun 2026

   167. Compassionate compliance: how leaders can manage regulation without micromanaging

   In this episode, Ellis Pratt talks with Ben French, leadership development consultant and business coach, about compassionate compliance: how leaders can use policies, procedures, and regulation to protect their people and meet legal obligations without creating a culture of surveillance, bureaucracy, or micromanagement. Drawing on their shared experience of helping organisations develop clearer policies and ways of working, Ben and Ellis explore why compliance so often feels like the enemy of good work. They discuss the points at which organisations typically start to struggle with compliance, especially as they grow, prepare for investment, face audit requirements, or need to satisfy external regulators and funders. They also look at how policies can support better decision-making, why simplification is often more effective than adding more rules, and how leaders can balance oversight with autonomy so people still feel trusted to do their jobs. Topics covered include: Why growing organisations often experience friction around compliance and decision-making How external scrutiny from investors, auditors, regulators, or funders can change the way organisations manage risk The difference between information that satisfies auditors and guidance that helps staff do the work How over-policing processes can damage morale, slow down decisions, and reduce ownership Why compassionate compliance means leaders absorbing risk rather than simply passing it down to frontline staff The role of policy in setting boundaries while still allowing people to use judgement How AI creates new challenges around responsibility, decision-making, and “cognitive surrender” Why good policies should be living documents that are reviewed, simplified, and pruned over time Ben also shares examples from organisations that have struggled with overly complex compliance processes, and discusses where leaders should start when they inherit a broken compliance culture: listening to staff, identifying legal requirements, understanding what assurance the board really needs, removing unnecessary rules, and prioritising work based on risk. Find out more about Ben French at ben-french.com Visit Cherryleaf at cherryleaf.com

2. 

   20 May 2026

   166. From founder-led to process-driven: how to build a culture that scales

   In this episode, Ginny Critcher talks with Ben French, leadership development consultant and business coach, about what it really takes to transition an organisation from founder-led to a more structured, process-driven way of working. Drawing on their shared experience working with a global football organisation, Ben and Ginny explore the tension between preserving the culture that made a company successful and introducing the processes needed to help it grow — or survive contraction. They discuss when organisations typically need to make this shift, why getting the calibration of process right matters as much as having process at all, and how documenting culture and policy are really the same thing. Topics covered include: - Why organisations of around 10–30 people often hit a tipping point - The challenge of adapting central frameworks to work across different countries and cultures - How external consultants can help organisations ask the right questions — not just do the work - The role of decision-making clarity in shaping culture - How to communicate that policy is always a work in progress Ben also shares what he’s been working on since, including a project with the British government focused on embedding new behaviours as different parts of the Foreign Office come together. Find out more about Ben French at https://www.ben-french.com Visit Cherryleaf at https://www.cherryleaf.com

3. 

   16 Feb 2026

   165. M&A integration blueprint: Why procedures matter more than you think

   When two companies merge, the announcement typically focuses on synergies, market share, and shareholder value. What gets far less attention, until it becomes a problem, is the intricate work of actually integrating two distinct organisations into a functioning whole. At the heart of this challenge lies something seemingly mundane but absolutely critical: policies and procedures. The integration blueprint for any merger or acquisition must address not only systems and structures, and also the fundamental question of how work gets done. It’s here, in the weeds of operational detail, that many integrations stumble. See also our blog post https://www.cherryleaf.com/2026/02/ma-integration-blueprint-why-procedures-matter-more-than-you-think/

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

83,860

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 50 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

56

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

32

Contact The Cherryleaf Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.