A creative problem solver who loves to help others connect, the Director reflects on her time at Re_Set so far, and the things she looks forward to
I’m happiest when I’m problem solving. Trying to understand how things work, and why, has always served me well – from my time spent studying management at Warwick University to my roles at Accenture, boutique consultancy BTS, and mental health startup Oxehealth.
I chose Re_Set because of the impact we can make on the world. Since I joined in September 2020, we’ve worked with clients including Tesco, Primark and M&S on some amazing strategy and action work. It’s exciting to be in a room with leaders, and to see the positive changes that their businesses make because of our conversations. I also enjoy being part of a startup, as this means I’m able to shape Re_Set’s culture, team, and approach.
Working for a B Corp keeps us honest. It enables us to hold ourselves to being different and authentic as a company. Having access to the B Corp community of interesting and like-minded people is also cool.
“I love getting groups of people together to co-create solutions to big hairy questions.”
Emma Nineham, Director, Re_Set
My at-work superpower is being a connector. I enjoy helping people work through tough situations and helping them to recognise and celebrate when they do great things (which happens a lot here). I also like developing an understanding of how people tick and how we can work together.
I hate to be bored. That’s why Re_Set is the ideal environment for me, as we’re always working on new projects. To get the best out of me, I expect people to be fair and open. If I feel those things are lacking in a work situation, I can quickly get frustrated – so I like to hold myself and others to living those values as much as possible.
I’m proud of our recent ‘unknown unknowns’ work with Tesco. Here we introduced the client to some of the most interesting innovations in the world – to inspire their thinking as they explored ways to future proof the organisation. Being able to do this for a business with so much influence on our day-to-day lives was exciting. The Group Innovation team were really open to our ideas and it was a fantastic way to showcase the value of Re_Set combined with our innovation intelligence hub, Springwise.
In a meeting, you can count on me to bring the creative thinking. I’m full of ideas and approaches for working through challenges. I also love any opportunity to plan a workshop as I love getting groups of people together to co-create solutions to big hairy questions.
“If you want to get into consulting, be curious. If you always want to understand ‘why’ then consulting is the job for you.”
Emma Nineham, Director, Re_Set
Clients should come to me if they need help with people-led change and embedding purpose within organisations. Most people are unengaged at work. Given we spend so much of our lives here this makes me so sad. But it’s great to see younger generations take a stand and demand more from the places they work. My skill is helping businesses find ways to engage their employees again.
In 2022, I predict we’ll see more organisations putting purpose at the centre of what they do. Almost every conversation we have with leaders right now, no matter the topic, seems to come back to why the organisation exists and how to put purpose front and centre to engage all stakeholders.
If you want to get into consulting, be curious. If you always want to understand ‘why’ then consulting is the job for you. That, and being prepared to be an expert in 10 different things in one day!
Being an introvert doesn’t necessarily mean you’re quiet. That’s what I’ve learnt from reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. It’s a terrific book about introverts and extroverts and has shifted my perspective on what it means to be one or the other. The author explores what we can learn from each other and how to get the best out of ourselves by understanding where we get our energy.
Getting to work with a bright, fun team is what gets me out of bed in the morning. We have some cool projects at Re_Set, which is always fun. Then when it gets to the weekend, my perfect day involves a run or walk outside in the sunshine, followed by food at a delicious new restaurant while catching up with friends.
Emma is a Director at Re_Set. Want to talk to her about people-led change and purpose? Email her. Meet the rest of the Re_Set team here
