I had an honest and energising chat with Kate Russell on The Huddle Leadership Podcast about the ways gender bias quietly persists in our workplacesโand what we can actually do about it. Tune in here.
I had the absolute pleasure of joining Dionne Payn (PhD) on the ๐๐ช๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐บ ๐๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ podcast, and let me tell youโthis woman is a force for good.
Dionne isnโt just talking about financial empowerment for women; sheโs actively reshaping the landscape. As the CEO of ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ, sheโs on a mission to create real, lasting impactโleveraging ethical investments to empower women and girls, drive social change, and build a more equitable future. Her work is not just inspiring; itโs transformational. I do love a woman who makes stuff happen!
I had the pleasure of joining Helga Svendsenโs podcast to dive into one of my favorite topics: Influence with Impact.
In the boardroom (or anywhere, really), influence isnโt just about making noiseโitโs about understanding whoโs in the room, what matters to them, and why. As I like to say, influence is just good communication on steroids!
In our chat we covered the subtle yet powerful art of connecting with decision-makers and peers alikeโbecause sometimes, influence has to happen without the power of a title. Itโs all about those informal, meaningful connections that really move the needle.
Letโs talk about team communication.
Itโs not enough THAT we talk to each other, itโs also HOW we talk to each other that counts. And to get better at that we need to reflect, review and refine the process of our discussions, not just the content of them.
Itโs like trying to get better at piano by playing for 10,000 hours without review or adjustment. The 10,000 hours of playing bad piano wonโt make you an expert, but 10,000 hours that is constantly reviewed, refine and adjusted, definitely will.
Ed Frauenheim's insights about masculinity during our Spotlighting Success Webinar, really resonated with the work I do in gender equality. Women AND men are all limited by the stereotypes that dictate our cultural norms in society. Women as โniceโ and emotional care takers and home makers and men as โstrongโ and stoic bread winners and financial providers.
Effective communication is the cornerstone of career successโฆ ESPECIALLY if you are a technical expert.
In the workplace, your ability to convey ideas, listen actively, and build relationships is paramount. Clear and compelling communication not only helps you articulate your vision but also fosters understanding, trust, and teamwork. It's the key to closing deals, inspiring colleagues, and advancing your professional journey.
Clear communication is simple. Well, it sounds simple when you get it right. But itโs not always simple to get it right.
And therein lies the ultimate rubโฆ
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐จ๐๐ญ๐๐ง ๐ก๐๐ซ๐. Harder than expected.
Gender equity is a tricky topic. Leaders know the conversation is important, but healthy discussion can be mired by political correctness, knee jerk responses or a hesitancy to engage at all.
We need to shift the focus from women, to the workforce, without blaming or ostracising men in the process.
In this interview, the critical role leaders play in shifting our systems, and what we can each do individually, and collectively, to shift the dial on gender equity once and for all.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง? Powerplays are the special strategies used to win a game. When it comes to game of work, winning the game of equality, requires power plays from both men and women.
What does a conversation between two communication enthusiasts sound like?
Full!
Add to the agenda the specific ways men and women communicate and you get an extra level of nuance to play with.
This is what happened when I was interviewed by the delightful Christina Canters on her podcast Stand Out Get Noticed.
During our discussion, we delved into the obstacles that women encounter in the workplace particularly from a communication perspective.
Why are mothers treated differently to fathers? Whatโs the real cost of being a mother? And is it possible to have a successful career and a happy family, all without guilt? Iโm glad you asked. I wondered the same things, then wrote an article about it.
What happens when you put two passionate, curious, and accomplished women together on a podcastโฆ who happen to be long-term friends?
All of it happens!
Being interviewed by my good friend and founder of the Board Coaching Institute, Sally Parrish, was a rare treat. Given our work together over the years it made for a raw, honest and surprising conversation about gender equality and the concepts in my new book, The Gender Penalty. She pulls no punches in her interviews!
