Three months ago I had my Jerry Maguire moment. You know the scene — when he walks and asks, "Who is with me?"
That was me when I left my role. In truth, the break had been years in the making.
I had watched an organisation I once felt proud of become something I no longer recognised.
I didn't leave because I stopped caring about the work, the people, or our customers.
I left because I could no longer believe in one set of values while being asked to operate another.
For me, work has always meant public service and excellence.
Excellence for customers. Excellence for employees. Because the two are inseparable.
The people closest to customers understand what works. They have the insight, the passion and they care.
When organisations involve employees in shaping policy, defining standards, and delivering services, excellence follows.
That used to be the norm — groups of people coming together to solve problems, improve standards, and to make services better.
Then something changed.
The parachuting-in of consultants started, and organisations changed fundamentally.
Ownership, engagement, and empowerment diminished — to the detriment of everyone except the consultants.
Lived experience was replaced by frameworks.
Copy-and-paste ideas replaced real understanding.
Too often Senior Leadership appeared either unable or unwilling to change course, drifting ever further away from the everyday reality of the people doing the work.
Trust and engagement withered.
Compliance replaced doing the right thing.
Reporting replaced discussion and insight.
Process replaced care.
Around me I heard disquiet — but no-one felt safe enough to speak up — and those that did, including myself, got sidelined or worse.
So I left — not to walk away but to try a different approach.
To give people the tools, support, confidence and space to create a better work experience. To realise their values and feelings are valid and they are not alone.
HCBU exists to put people — human, creative, bold, and unique people — back at the heart of organisations.
Organisations —
Where employees are creators, not passive recipients.
Where customers and communities help shape services.
Where humanity, creativity, boldness, and uniqueness are encouraged — not suppressed.
I believe this reset must happen both bottom-up and top-down.
With AI accelerating, reliance on consultants growing, quiet quitting rising, initiatives failing, productivity flatlining, and funding restricted, the need has never been more urgent.
If you feel comfortable with the current direction of travel, HCBU probably isn't for you.
But if you are an individual, team, senior manager, or business owner who believes we are stuck in a doom loop and you want a reset with humanity, creativity, boldness and uniqueness at its core — please come have a look at HCBU.
If what HCBU stands for resonates with you, I'd love to hear your story and to work with you to create the work life you deserve.