Religious Cult to Workplace Culture Expert: Peter Greedy’s Journey Into Truth

In this episode, Fran sits down with Peter Greedy, an optometrist-turned-coach whose life took an extraordinary turn when he became part of the UK religious group Antioch in 1983.Peter spent 15 years inside its tightly controlled world, communal living, patriarchal teachings, no-dating rules, love-bombing, and an intense culture of obedience. He shares how he was first drawn in as a young man newly arrived in London, how members were recruited, and how allegations and internal handling of abuse shaped the community from within.A major organisational split in 1998 finally pushed Peter and his family out, leaving him to face the truth of what he’d been part of and who he was without it.But this isn’t just a story about leaving a cult. It’s about the patterns that follow us into the workplace.Now a researcher and PhD student in coaching psychology, Peter reveals the striking similarities between high-control religious groups and the way some leaders run teams, companies, and even sports organisations. He shares insights from his Workplace Culture Index, showing how culture is built (or broken) by behaviour, not branding.Together, we explore: • How coercive dynamics show up in everyday organisations • The power of emotional intelligence and psychological safety • Why questioning, critical thinking and connection are cultural lifelines • What recovering from a high-control system really looks like • How leaders can build cultures rooted in trust, belonging and humanityThis is a conversation about truth, autonomy, and the courage it takes to see what’s really going on — whether you’re in a church, a company, or a community.A powerful, eye-opening episode. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.About PeterI am passionate about and specialise in personal development, building high performing teams, enabling great leadership and optimising workplace culture. This is borne of significant lived experiences - being a religious cult member for 15 years (1983-1998), working in a corporate environment for 12 years, and an extensive career in primary healthcare meeting people from every walk of life. My career in optometry has spanned 40 years having entered City University Optometry School in 1984. Most of this time has been spent, either full time or part time, in primary healthcare. From 1996 to 2008 I worked for the global healthcare corporation, with roles in professional services, training, and IT. Since 2008 I have worked part time as a locum optometrist for a variety of practices, from high end independents to national chains. I am founder of Coaches and Mentors in Optics (CaMiO) a peer group collective of colleagues in the optical industry who provide coaching, mentoring and wellbeing services. I hold the following coaching accreditations: Accredited Professional Coach with the Association for Coaching, Integrative Coach, Ikigai Life Coach, Resilience Coach, and Belbin Team Roles Practitioner. I am currently studying for a PhD in Coaching Psychology. In my spare time I am an active member of the Events and CPD team for Gloucestershire Local Optical Committee. Otherwise, I am usually found at my home desk or out hiking somewhere. http://petergreedy.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/petergreedy/Send us Fan MailIf you have a story that you think would be good for the podcast, please do get in touch by emailing [email protected].