A Conversation with Alun Bedding and Emma May

**Why You Should Listen **

You want to grow into a leadership role as a statistician
You’re looking to improve communication and influence
You want to better understand emotional intelligence in practice
You aim to build trust and psychological safety within your team
You want actionable leadership strategies you can apply immediately

**What You Will Learn in This Episode **

Why emotional intelligence is critical for leadership effectiveness
How to recognize and manage your own emotional responses
The importance of psychological safety and how to create it
Why coaching is more effective than giving answers
How trust underpins influence and team performance
The role of growth mindset in continuous development
Practical communication techniques including the power of silence

**Episode Highlights ** [00:02:00] A non-linear path into statistics Emma shares how she “fell into” statistics and discovered her passion for people development.

[00:04:00] Beyond technical expertise Why communication, emotional intelligence, and leadership skills are essential complements to technical knowledge.

[00:06:00] Emotional intelligence and career success How EQ contributes significantly to leadership effectiveness and workplace performance.

[00:07:00] Understanding emotions in practice Recognizing and managing emotions both your own and others’.

[00:10:00] The role of instinct vs rational thinking How immediate emotional reactions influence behavior and decision-making.

[00:12:00] Creating psychological safety in teams Using structured agreements to foster openness and trust.

[00:18:00] Speaking up and being brave Why courage is essential for maintaining trust and integrity.

[00:22:00] From advising to coaching Shifting from giving solutions to asking the right questions.

[00:25:00] Leadership as partnership Working collaboratively rather than solving problems alone.

[00:28:00] Trust as the foundation of leadership Why trust is essential for influence and effectiveness.

[00:30:00] Developing a growth mindset Learning from feedback and reframing failure as progress.

[00:34:00] The value of humility in leadership Why saying “I don’t know” can strengthen credibility.

[00:36:00] One key leadership habit curiosity Asking questions and actively listening to understand others.

[00:37:00] The power of silence How creating space in conversations leads to deeper insights.

About the Guest

Emma May Emma May is a statistician and leadership coach with a strong focus on professional development. Her work centers on helping individuals build the human skills such as emotional intelligence, communication, and trust that complement technical expertise and enable long-term career success.