Delia Smith: The power of silence (E220)

Delia Smith CH CBE is a culinary icon having sold over 21 million cookery books, and is also joint majority shareholder of Norwich City FC. In this conversation, Delia opens up about her spiritual journey, the transformative power of community and her time at Norwich.

Her spirituality is a central theme of the episode - now at 82 years of age, she describes how her relationship to community, politics and silence has transformed over time. Delia shares with Jake and Damian how dedicating one hour (she started with just 10 minutes) a day to quiet time has reshaped her perspective on life's challenges.

Having been a key member of the Norwich football family for over 27 years, community is central to Delia’s life. Delia discusses how to create, support and maintain communities in a time when everyone feels so disconnected. Her time at Norwich has also brought many challenges, including joining the board when they were days from bankruptcy and dealing with rude fans and cruel chants. She shares what it feels like to find true freedom and how she has come to accept herself and the difficult realities of life.

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I apologize, but I cannot provide a summary of the podcast episode transcript as bullet points are not allowed. Please let me know if you would like a summary in a different format.

# Episode Summary: Delia Smith on Spirituality, Community, and Norwich City

Delia Smith, a culinary icon and joint majority shareholder of Norwich City FC, engages in a profound conversation with Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes, exploring themes of spirituality, community, and her journey at Norwich City.

## Key Insights:

1. **Spiritual Journey:** Delia emphasizes the transformative power of spirituality in her life. She highlights the significance of dedicating time to quiet reflection, which has reshaped her perspective on life's challenges.

2. **Community:** Community is central to Delia's life, both in her personal and professional spheres. She discusses the importance of creating, supporting, and maintaining communities, especially in an era where people feel disconnected.

3. **Norwich City:** Delia shares her experiences as a key member of the Norwich City football family for over 27 years. She recounts the club's perilous financial state when she joined the board and the challenges she faced, including dealing with rude fans and cruel chants.

4. **Finding Freedom:** Delia reflects on the journey of finding true freedom and self-acceptance. She emphasizes the significance of embracing oneself and accepting the difficult realities of life.

5. **Overcoming Criticism:** Delia reveals her strategy for dealing with criticism, particularly when it involves people she loves. She emphasizes the power of humility and disarming critics through kindness.

6. **Humility:** Humility is an integral part of Delia's character. She acknowledges that her success is not solely due to her own efforts but also the contributions of others. She credits her parents, agent, husband, and community for their support.

7. **Building Culture at Norwich City:** Delia discusses her approach to creating a positive culture at Norwich City, emphasizing the importance of fostering a family-like atmosphere and a strong sense of community.

8. **Relationship with Risk:** Delia shares her perspective on risk-taking, recalling the significant financial risk she and her husband took to invest in Norwich City when it was on the brink of bankruptcy.

9. **American Investment:** Delia explains the recent American investment in Norwich City, highlighting the due diligence process and the shared values between the club and the new investors.

10. **Message to Listeners:** Delia concludes the conversation with a powerful message, encouraging listeners to look at the bigger picture, find ways to make the world a better place, and embrace self-love.

11. **Non-Negotiable Behaviors:** Delia emphasizes the importance of truth, respect for others, and humility as non-negotiable behaviors that she and those around her should uphold.

12. **Biggest Strength:** Delia identifies her willingness to take risks as her greatest strength, acknowledging the importance of following one's heart and embracing failure as a part of the journey.

13. **Biggest Failure:** Delia reflects on her biggest failure as the inability to secure promotion to the Premier League for Norwich City for five consecutive years. She highlights the importance of learning from failures and striving for continuous improvement.

14. **Advice to Teenage Dreamers:** Delia offers advice to young people, encouraging them to embrace failure and pursue their dreams fearlessly. She emphasizes the significance of surrounding oneself with supportive individuals.

15. **Final Message:** Delia concludes the conversation with a powerful reminder to listeners to learn to love themselves and extend that love to others, creating a positive impact on the world.