Mark Cuddigan joins Charlie Coode to discuss organisational trust and bringing the heart back into business
Mark Cuddigan describes the cultural transformation he has led at THIS since joining as CEO, where he was brought in with a clear mandate from the founders: rebuild the culture, restore trust and bring the heart back into the business.
He reflects on his 12 years at Ella's Kitchen, where he progressed from sales director to CEO, and talks about the moments that reshaped his understanding of what culture management actually requires.
Mark also shares his perspective on one of the most challenging aspects of organisational culture: how transparency and trust can erode faster than most leaders realise, and why the behaviours that matter most are the ones leaders model every day.
The conversation with Charlie Coode covers the fragility of workplace culture, the role of measurement in culture management and why organisations that treat trust as measurable, rather than assumed, are better positioned to sustain high performance.
Podcast Chapters
00:00:00 Welcome to the episode
00:01:17 - Introduction to Mark's career
00:03:03 - Overview of THIS and the plant-based protein industry
00:08:05 - Challenges of cultural transformation in a high-growth business
00:32:17 - Experiences of shifting the focus onto culture at Ella's Kitchen
00:37:56 - Reflections on the fragility of culture and how quickly it can change
00:45:15 - Trust as a measurable behaviour: biannual surveys and leadership commitments
00:52:16 - Leadership lessons for culture builders: from measurement to culture management
00:57:39 - Mark's mindset throughout leadership: purpose, potential and growth
01:06:08 - Mark's leadership journey encapsulated in one message: culture follows behaviour
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