At work. In our communities. In meetings, classrooms and relationships.

But what actually makes a conversation feel safe — and does safe necessarily mean comfortable?

In this episode of The Third Conversation, Fern Hughes is joined by Kirsty Lewis, Dr Claire Stewart-Hall and Sanjit Chudha to explore what happens beneath the surface when we decide whether it feels safe enough to speak honestly.

Together they explore purpose, listening, trust, power, identity, leadership and the conditions we create around difficult conversations.

Kirsty asks whether people understand why they are in the room in the first place — drawing on the idea that “purpose is your bouncer” — while Claire challenges the language of safety itself by asking a deceptively important question: “Safe for whom?” 

In this conversation:

• What makes us decide whether or not to speak
• Why clarity and purpose matter before a conversation even begins
• Whether “safe” and “comfortable” are actually the same thing
• How power, identity and lived experience change how the same space can feel
• The importance of listening and being able to bring your whole self into a conversation
• Why difficult conversations don't necessarily need to be comfortable to be worthwhile
• What leaders and facilitators can do to create better conditions for honest conversation

Continue the Conversation

Rather than simply asking whether a space is safe, perhaps there is another question worth asking:

Who feels safe here — and what are the conditions making that possible?

Or complete the sentence:

“I know a conversation is safe when…”

Continue the conversation, explore the episode and find the reflection questions and resources through the blog on the website. 

The Third Conversation — The conversations that change us rarely happen first.

Hosted by Fern Hughes
Produced by 3LB Consultancy

Support the show

Created and hosted by: Fern Hughes, 3LB Consultancy
Edited and produced by: Seb Alexander
Music: Toby Green

The Third Conversation is a podcast and community project from 3LB Consultancy.

@thethirdconversation

But what if confidence is much less fixed than that?

In the first conversation of Season One, Fern Hughes is joined by Gavin Strange, Seb Alexander and Angela De Silva to explore confidence from the inside out — how it grows, disappears, changes with context and is shaped by the people and environments around us.

Together they explore creativity, work, imposter syndrome, anxiety, courage, mistakes, feedback, comparison and the confidence to try something before you know whether you'll be good at it.

In this conversation:

• Why confidence isn't binary
• Confidence vs comfort, courage and self-worth
• How repetition can build confidence
• Imposter syndrome and wondering how you ended up in the room
• The importance of supportive people and environments
• Making mistakes and “happy failing”
• Social media, comparison and perceived confidence
• Why confidence doesn't always have to look loud

Continue the Conversation

Where do you feel most confident — and what helps you feel that way?

Or complete the sentence:

“Confidence is…”

Continue the conversation, explore the episode and find the reflection questions and resources:

Continue the Conversation

Episode Partner

This episode of The Third Conversation is sponsored by MUTI Live — training for people and teams across the creative and live events industries, helping people build skills, confidence and sustainable careers.

Find out more about MUTI Live 

The Third Conversation — The conversations that change us rarely happen first.

Hosted by Fern Hughes
Produced by 3LB Consultancy

Support the show

Created and hosted by: Fern Hughes, 3LB Consultancy
Edited and produced by: Seb Alexander
Music: Toby Green

The Third Conversation is a podcast and community project from 3LB Consultancy.

@thethirdconversation

A podcast built around one simple idea:

The conversations that change us rarely happen first.

In this short introductory episode, host Fern Hughes shares where The Third Conversation came from, why she believes we need more space for meaningful human conversations, and what you can expect from Season One.

This isn't an interview podcast, and nobody comes to the table to have all the answers.

Each episode begins with one question and brings together different people, perspectives, professional experiences and lived experiences to see where the conversation takes us.

Across Season One, we'll explore confidence, belonging, success, hope, parenting, money, identity, inclusion, grief, community, men's experiences, our changing bodies and, ultimately, what really matters.

Some conversations are thoughtful. Some are funny. Some are uncomfortable. Some go somewhere completely unexpected.

That's rather the point.

The Third Conversation officially launches on 30 September 2026, with a new conversation released every Wednesday.

Join The Conversation

The Third Conversation is about more than listening.

Join The Conversation Starter for new episodes, thoughtful reflections, recommended reading, watching and listening, upcoming events and opportunities to get involved.

Join The Conversation Starter: https://thethirdconversation3lb.kit.com/4b06fd692f 

Season One begins with:

What Does Confidence Actually Look Like?

With Seb Alexander, Gavin Strange and Angela Da Silva, available 30 September 2026.

The Third Conversation is a podcast and community project from 3LB Consultancy, created and hosted by Fern Hughes.

The conversations that change us rarely happen first.

Support the show

Created and hosted by: Fern Hughes, 3LB Consultancy
Edited and produced by: Seb Alexander
Music: Toby Green

The Third Conversation is a podcast and community project from 3LB Consultancy.

@thethirdconversation