The Reality of Business

Hosted by Bob Morrell and Jeremy Blake

Business Management

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Facebook Instagram

Episodes

103

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-GB

About the show

Welcome to The Reality of Business , the go-to podcast for insights, stories, and straight-talking advice on all things business. With over two decades of running Reality Training , Bob & Jeremy have coached thousands, spoken at global conferences, and worked with businesses of all sizes - from start-ups to household names. Their experience, paired with their unique storytelling style, makes this podcast a must-listen for anyone looking to sell smarter, lead better, and think differently about business. What You’ll Get 🎙️ Expert insights & strategies to transform your approach 😂 Honest, light-hearted discussions - no corporate jargon, just real talk 💡 Lessons from global business leaders & industry disruptors 🌍 Stories from working with world-renowned brands Launched in June 2021 as Bob & Jeremy’s Conflab , the show has evolved into The Reality of Business , delivering thought-provoking discussions, entertaining banter, and actionable takeaways to help you navigate the challenges of modern business. Why Listen? 📈 Want to sell more and manage better? We’ve got you. 💬 Looking for fresh perspectives on leadership & sales? You’re in the right place. 🎧 Need an engaging listen while you work, commute, or unwind? We’re here for that too. 🔗 Discover more about Reality Training & our work with global businesses: www.realitytraining.com 🎵 Original music by Charlie Morrell. If you enjoy the show, leave a rating and review - we’d love to hear your thoughts! 🚀 Listen now & rethink the way you do business.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 20, 2026Episode 914 min

How to Interview Better (Part 2): The Questions Every Candidate Should Ask

Part 2 of a two-part series on interviews. In this episode, Bob and Jeremy turn the tables and look at interviews from the candidate’s perspective. Most people spend their time preparing answers. But the questions you ask can be just as important. Bob and Jeremy share practical interview questions to ask employers, explain how to take a more active role in the conversation, and explore why a job interview should be a two-way process. After all, you’re not just trying to impress the employer – you’re deciding whether the role, the culture and the people are right for you too. You’ll hear: Questions to ask an employer in a job interview How to understand a company’s culture and management style What to ask about success, challenges and opportunities in the role Why onboarding matters before you accept a job How sales candidates can stand out with thoughtful questions Why honesty is often a better strategy than trying to give the ‘perfect’ answer Whether you’re preparing for your first job interview, changing careers or interviewing for your next sales role, you’ll come away with practical ideas to help you ask better questions, have better conversations and decide whether the opportunity is the right fit for you. To find out more about our work and to see what we could do to help your organisation, visit www.realitytraining.com .

August 6, 2026Episode 819 min

How to Interview Better (Part 1): The Questions Every Employer Should Ask

Part 1 of a two-part series on interviews. In this episode, Bob and Jeremy explore how employers can run better interviews by asking questions that reveal far more than the usual clichés. They discuss why some of the most common interview questions have outlived their usefulness, what to ask instead, and how to have conversations that reveal how candidates think, prepare, solve problems and approach their work. You’ll also hear: The interview questions employers should stop asking How to spot candidates who’ve genuinely prepared Questions that reveal curiosity, judgement and commercial thinking Why time management matters in every role What makes sales interviews different And a simple closing technique every salesperson should know Whether you’re hiring your next employee or preparing to interview sales candidates, you’ll come away with practical ideas to help you ask better questions, have better conversations and make better hiring decisions. Next time, we switch to the candidate’s side of the interview table, exploring how to prepare, the questions every interviewee should ask, and the small things that can make a big difference when you’re trying to land the job. To find out more about our work and to see what we could do to help your organisation, visit www.realitytraining.com .

July 23, 2026Episode 728 min

Glengarry Glen Ross: The Greatest Sales Play Ever Written?

Glengarry Glen Ross has long been regarded as one of the greatest plays ever written about selling. After seeing the new all-female production at London’s Old Vic, Bob and Jeremy discuss whether it works, how the play has stood the test of time, and why salespeople are still talking about it more than 40 years after it was written. They explore the famous characters, the pressure of selling, David Mamet’s distinctive dialogue, how the world of sales has changed since the 1980s, and what today’s salespeople can still take from the play. To find out more about our work and to see what we could do to help your organisation, visit www.realitytraining.com .

May 21, 2026Episode 632 min

AI & Customer Experience: Why Human Skills Matter More Now

Bob and Jeremy share what they learned at a three-day London customer experience (CX) conference and why AI now sits inside almost every customer journey. As AI takes care of more of the routine work, the human conversations left behind are often the difficult ones – emotional complaints, complex problems, retention calls and moments where judgement still matters. Bob and Jeremy also challenge some of the thinking currently shaping contact centres, customer experience and customer service strategy. Across the episode they discuss: Why AI and customer experience are now impossible to separate The rise of AI agents supporting both customers and frontline teams How far conversational AI can realistically go Why Net Promoter Score (NPS) is becoming less trustworthy Using AI to analyse customer conversations instead of relying on surveys The gap between AI demos and what companies are actually implementing Why human roles are shifting towards more emotional, high-stakes conversations The importance of smooth AI-to-human handovers The cost, complexity and training challenges behind AI adoption Where the line currently sits between automation and human judgement And why customer service conversations are becoming more important commercially too If you work in customer experience, contact centres, customer service, sales leadership or CX strategy, this episode will give you plenty to think about. To find out more about our work and to see what we could do to help your organisation, visit www.realitytraining.com .

April 20, 2026Episode 521 min

Contact Centres: The Brand & Customer Lifetime Value

What role should contact centres play in your business? In this episode – the final part of our recent contact centre series – Bob & Jeremy look at how contact centres are evolving from cost centres into drivers of customer experience, sales and retention. As AI and automation handle more routine enquiries, the value of human interaction is shifting towards higher-quality, more complex conversations. They explore how brands can improve customer lifetime value, move beyond cost-per-call thinking, and use contact centres to build stronger, longer-lasting customer relationships. There’s also a look at hybrid teams, global talent, and why companies that connect the full customer journey are better placed to compete. To find out more about our work and to see what we could do to help your organisation, visit www.realitytraining.com .

April 6, 2026Episode 416 min

Contact Centres: The Future Team Leader - CX & Performance Coach

What does a contact centre team leader need to focus on today? In this episode - the second part of our contact centre series - Bob and Jeremy explore how contact centre leadership is evolving. As AI and automation take on more of the reporting and admin, team leaders are being asked to focus more on coaching, performance management and customer experience. They discuss common challenges in contact centres, from stepping into a team leader role and managing former peers, to balancing targets, quality and employee wellbeing. There’s also a practical look at hybrid and remote teams, omni-channel working, and how strong coaching skills can improve performance across contact centre teams. To find out more about our work and to see what we could do to help your organisation, visit www.realitytraining.com .

March 23, 2026Episode 321 min

Contact Centres: The Future - How AI is Reshaping & Elevating Human Skills

What does the future of contact centres look like for the people on the frontline? In this episode – the first in our three-part contact centre series – Bob and Jeremy look at how AI is changing the role of contact centre agents and customer experience teams. As AI handles more routine calls and admin, human conversations are becoming more complex, emotional and valuable. Bob and Jeremy discuss why skills like empathy, problem solving, listening and confidence across different channels matter more than ever. They also explore omni-channel service, remote working, and why AI is more likely to change the job than remove it. To find out more about our work and to see what we could do to help your organisation, visit www.realitytraining.com .

March 9, 2026Episode 236 min

Incentives, Rewards & Motivation

Why do some people push harder at work while others just do the minimum? In this episode of The Reality of Business, Bob and Jeremy look at how incentives, rewards and recognition really affect employee motivation. They talk about the difference between incentives and perks, why some bonus and commission schemes work while others backfire, and how things like fairness, culture and recognition shape workplace performance. Using examples from real sales environments, they explore the psychology behind incentives, employee engagement and productivity. If you manage a team, design incentive schemes, or care about workplace motivation, this conversation will give you plenty to think about. To find out more about our work and to see what we could do to help your organisation, visit www.realitytraining.com .

February 9, 2026Episode 123 min

Business Language, Political Spin & the Loss of Plain Speaking

We’ve all sat in meetings where a lot of word are used, and nothing really gets said. In this episode, Bob and Jeremy talk about the language that’s crept into politics and management over the years. The phrases that sound confident and purposeful but often dodge the issue or leave everyone none the wiser. Why do we accept that certain areas of work and public life are packed with oddly chosen terms that make our skin crawl or test our patience? And at what point did we lose the habit of just saying what we mean, simply and directly? From political staples like “tough decisions” and “the national interest” to workplace favourites such “let’s take this offline” or “have you got the bandwidth?”, we look at what these phrases are really doing. Not just how annoying they are but how they affect leadership, trust, decision-making and everyday communication at work. We also talk about standards. What comes as standard in the way your organisation communicates? Could your people explain what those phrases actually mean? And would things improve if clearer language became the norm rather than the exception? If you’ve ever left a conversation feeling confused, irritated, or quietly switched off, this episode will strike a chord. This podcast comes from Reality Training. For the last 25 years, we’ve transformed the customer interactions of many leading UK businesses and developed thousands of managers to be better at what they do. To find out more about our work and to see what we could do to help your organisation, visit www.realitytraining.com .

January 12, 2026Episode 2029 min

Standards Have Slipped: Why Leadership Needs to Step Up

Standards are essential for successful, growing brands. But here’s the real question: what are your standards? Can your people clearly explain them? Do they know what ‘good’ looks like day to day? And are those standards actually being maintained or quietly ignored? In this episode of The Reality of Business, Bob and Jeremy talk honestly about why standards have slipped across sales, service and leadership and why this is a leadership issue, not a people problem. They explore how ‘expectations’ have replaced standards, why remote and hybrid working has made things harder to spot and enforce and how flexible management can drift into avoiding accountability altogether. You’ll also hear why: Standards need to be visible, not just written down Leaders must enforce them, not hope for the best Metrics without behaviour attached can do more harm than good Customers now expect more than many organisations are delivering Most importantly, they ask the question many businesses avoid: where do we start? If you care about quality, consistency and protecting your brand as you grow, this episode will give you plenty to think about and act on. To find out more about our work and to see what we could do to help your organisation, visit www.realitytraining.com .