Episode 84 - Emotion at Work in Poetry and Business

Long time listeners may well know Phil has a penchant for poetry and the episodes guest leads with it in the work they do. Creator of the Poetry in Business conference and seizing a gap in the market to create the conference she would want to go to, Kate Jenkinson is the guest for this podcast episode. With over 25 years’ experience as an HR director and a lifelong passion for development, Kate brings a unique perspective on how poetry can transform the workplace.

The conversation begins with an evocative opening about sunsets, leading into Kate’s reflections on poetry as a form of creative recovery from the efficiency-driven world of corporate life. She shares her journey of weaving poetry into business, the resistance she’s faced, and the communities she’s built along the way.

Together, Phil and Kate explore the emotional power of poetry, its role in meaning-making, and its potential to unlock creativity, connection, and wellbeing at work. Kate also shares her pride in a deeply personal collaboration with her daughter, her vision for the future of business poets, and practical steps for listeners to “find their poetry.”

The episode closes with Kate performing her poem Hope, a moving reminder of poetry’s ability to inspire resilience and renewal.

🌅 Opening and Poetic Beginnings (00:09 – 06:30)

Light-hearted opening question: Kate shares her love of sunsets and their colours as a poetic metaphor for hope

Reads a snippet of her poem Hope, written during the pandemic to inspire resilience

Agreement to close the episode with the full poem

🖋️ Poetry as Creative Recovery (06:31 – 15:30)

Kate describes poetry as her way of processing workplace emotions and staying well

Poetry offered her a counterbalance to efficiency-driven corporate environments

Neurodiversity and sensitivity shaped her creative needs and love of wordplay