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“Gayle is an author and speaker who has a timely message to help people navigate bad days with humour, humanity and tiny practical moves.”
I’m Dr Gayle Smerdon, author, speaker, workplace culture expert and recovering over-thinker. My work sits at the intersection of human behaviour, emotional intelligence, organisational life and the very real fact that some days simply go pear-shaped.
My book, The Bad Day Playbook: What to do when everything sucks, is a practical, funny and deeply human guide for getting through tough moments without pretending everything is fine. It helps people notice when they’re spiralling, gently take back a little agency, and choose one small action that can stop a bad moment from becoming a bad week.
I have a PhD in Sociology, a Graduate Diploma in Psychology, and years of experience in organisational development, leadership, learning and workplace culture. I speak and write about how people can stay human under pressure — at work, at home, and in the messy middle of life.
As a podcast guest, I bring warmth, humour, research-informed insight and very practical ideas your listeners can use straight away. I’m especially interested in conversations that are honest, useful and not drenched in toxic positivity. Because sometimes the goal isn’t to “thrive”. Sometimes it’s to get through Tuesday without emotionally stapling yourself to the carpet.
