Sharon Critchlow: High Heels, Human Connection, & The Work Mask We All Wear
“You don’t have to dress smart to be smart.”
In this episode, Chris and Mike are joined by Sharon Critchlow — founder of Discover Your Bounce, non-exec director, author, speaker, and recovering high-heel wearer — to unpack what it really means to show up as your full self at work. From smart suits and smart minds to burnout, wellbeing, and EQ in leadership, Sharon shares her journey from corporate finance to coaching teams on how to thrive (without shouting). They dive into her own experiences with chronic illness and recovery, how she turned life lessons into leadership tools, and why community is more than just a buzzword — it might be the thing that keeps you going.
Together, they question outdated dress codes, challenge rigid office cultures, and reflect on how we can create workplaces that work with people, not against them. From why counting to ten can make you a better boss to the art of asking better questions, this episode is packed with insight, heart, and the occasional laugh about folk music festivals. Plus, Mike shares a dog hip replacement update, and Chris considers cycling through the entire Tour de France just to watch TV guilt-free. Standard stuff, really.
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Author
“Chris Argent isn’t here to play by finance’s old rulebook - he’s here to rewrite it.” From challenging outdated corporate thinking to rallying finance leaders around a more connected, adaptable future, the founder of GENCFO is leading a quiet revolution in how CFOs and finance leadership work, think, and influence. Chris Argent, founder of GENCFO, is a finance leader redefining the role beyond business partnering. A self-described “reluctant accountant,” he’s built a global community for progressive accounting and finance leaders who value connection over competition and action over tradition. Chris believes the greatest risk to the profession is clinging to outdated norms, and that mindset and adaptability outpace any technological change. His work champions leaders who turn new ideas into real-world change, blending people-centred strategies with new ways of working and technology. In conversations, he challenges, provokes, and inspires - proving that the future of finance belongs to those ready to lead it together.