“In my family, working in business was not the desired outcome,” says Steve Cadigan, the self-styled talent hacker who now advises companies including the BBC, Google and Manchester United Football Club on their corporate culture.
The child of an episcopal priest and social worker, his parents had ambitions for him to work in a space that allowed him to do good for society and help others. “That's still in my DNA,” Cadigan says. “In my line of work I try to help others do better for themselves, their families and their organisation. It's similar to the work that my parents did, it's just in a different domain.”
Growing up, he was particularly influenced by listening to his father deliver sermons. “It definitely shaped me and my career arc,” he adds. “It really gave me an appreciation for the art of communication and the ability to connect with others, no matter their background.”