Big Careers, Small Children

Our guest this week is an expert in utilising the power of persuasion to get what you want. Vanessa Bohns is a social psychologist and associate professor of organisational behaviour at Cornell University, New York. She is also the author of a thought-provoking new book You Have More Influence Than You Think. In the book, Vanessa draws from her original research to illustrate exactly why we might fail to recognise the influence we have, and how that lack of awareness can lead us to miss opportunities or accidentally misuse our power. We discuss the 3 things you can do to help you hear yes for a work request (such as asking for flexible working) and why the research actually shows you're more likely to hear a positive response than you might think.Our discussion also covers:What you can do to increase the chance of hearing YESDealing with rejection and re-framing noWhy human connection is so integral to decision makingHow to stop people-pleasing and learn to say no Why organisations need to be mindful of their people who are working remotely so their voices are included Why as a leader it’s critical to still listen to other ideas Why expressing compliments and gratitude is so powerful Vanessa's book You Have More Influence Than You Think is available via her website vanessabohns.com. Connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn and Twitter. Find out more about the work of Leaders Plus, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme and our latest events by signing up to receive our emails at leadersplus.org.uk/newsletter. Show Notes:[BOOK] Zoe Chance - Influence is Your Super Power Listen now in iTunes | Listen now on SpotifyAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Today's podcast guest is Claire Ferreira, an NLP Coach and the Founder of Mums in Marketing, a free community connecting "women who do marketing and raise humans".Verena and Claire compare notes about how to create a peer support community with impact (like Mums in Marketing and the Leaders Plus Fellowship) and why this is so incredibly important for working parents. There is also a powerful two-way conversation about losing confidence at work after having children, imposter syndrome and mental health. Verena and Claire share practical advice on how to overcome challenges, including silencing your internal doubter when asking to be paid fairly.In this episode...Imposter syndrome - how it might show up and strategies that may be helpful Mental health challenges and how having children can be a seismic shift for someParenting without family support nearbyHow to stop comparing yourself to othersThe magic sauce when it comes to creating a powerful, transformative community Enjoy this week's discussion and as always please let us know your thoughts @leaders_plus.Find out more about the brilliant Mums in Marketing community at www.mumsinmarketing.netConnect with Claire Ferreira on LinkedIn here. Find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme and our latest events by signing up to receive our emails at leadersplus.org.uk/newsletter. Please remember to rate, review, subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Show Notes:If you are struggling with your mental health please reach out for help. The NHS have useful information here. [BOOK] The book mentioned was 'Connect' by Carole Robin. You can pick up a copy here.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Our guest this week is Dr. Heejung Chung, Professor of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Kent and the author of the excellent and thought-provoking book The Flexibility Paradox.Heejung Chung offers a completely fresh perspective on flexible working and whilst she acknowledges it as a great solution to our work-life balance challenges, she also believes it can lead to us exploiting ourselves much more than if we worked a normal working pattern. Heejung shares with us what she has learned about avoiding exploitation when you work flexibly. How she practically manages to do a busy demanding academic job in 9-5 hours, including how she was promoted to Professor. We discuss:How flexible working patterns can lead to self-exploitation Stigmatised views of flexible working, including flexible working stigmaWhy well-balanced workers make the best workers Assumptions about working mothers What can businesses do - range of new policy innovations Why every organisation should report on flexible working requests Why companies should showcase c-suite examples of flexible working How research has shaped Professor Heejung’s own work pattern Why you need to have difficult conversations with your partner (if you have one)Dr. Chung's book The Flexiblity Paradox is available from 04 March 2022. Find out more here.Follow Heejung on Twitter @HeejungChungFollow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme and our latest events. The application deadline for the Fellowship is 01 March 22. Please remember to rate, review, subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Show notes:[BOOK] Alex Pang - Rest Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Our guest today is Jane Galloway, Head of Flexible Working for NHS England and the Founder of the brilliant Quiet the Hive, a community that helps women identify the life they want and arms them with the tools and confidence to go get it. Jane is incredibly passionate that flexible working should be for all and she shares fantastic advice that will be very helpful if you're looking to make a change to your working pattern, whether you're working in the NHS or for any other organisation.But what happens if your manager or senior leaders within your organisation don't share your vision for flexibility? Jane shares with us how best to position your request and advocate for change in the workplace.There's also a brilliant conversation about silencing your inner critic, why finding your tribe will truly help you progress your career, and (following discussion around some beautiful and memorable earrings) why we shouldn't save our favourite clothes for best. Our chat also includes: Why Jane has chosen to set up her own company alongside working for the NHS and bringing up her two childrenHow to position your flexible working request in the NHS (or any other organisation)How to deal with individuals who are against flexible workingWhy we need more work-life harmony How to silence your inner criticWhy it's critical you find your tribeWhy you shouldn't save things 'for best'During the episode, we mention a Flexible Working Guide which you can download via the Leaders Plus website. Access the guide here.Connect with Jane on LinkedIn here and find out more about her work supporting women with Quiet the Hive.Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme and our latest events. The application deadline for the Fellowship is 01 March 22. Please remember to rate, review, subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Our guest today is Chief Executive of The Supreme Court, Vicky Fox.A mum of 3 boys (now young adults), Vicky has made some tough decisions for her career and family life. Including putting her career progression on hold and making the brave decision to leave a specialist career whilst her children were younger before reigniting her work ambitions with a new role later on in her career. Vicky is an incredible role model and her approach to life is honest and refreshing. Particularly when discussing prioritising her sons and how she will always take their calls during work meetings if they need her. The discussion includes:Making brave career decisionsWhy family will always come first Working part-time in a senior positionImposter syndrome and why everyone has itHow to become a CEOThe skills you need when going for the most senior positionsPeople pleasing and how to combat itBalancing the mental load and the power of structured conversationsPerfectionism and being kind to yourself We hope you enjoy this week's conversation.Connect with Vicky on LinkedIn here and find out more about the work of The Supreme Court.Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme and our latest events.Please remember to rate, review, subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

My guest today is Jane Beeston, Chief People Officer for Colart (the global market leader for art materials) and mother to two grown up boys. Becoming a Chief People Officer is the pinnacle of a career in Human Resources and Jane shares with us how being a parent has positively impacted her senior leadership career trajectory, including how having children has allowed her to bring her whole self to work and contributed to her personal development and growth. This conversation is especially interesting because Jane practices what she preaches having responsibility for peoples work place and she shares with us how she makes those decisions at Colart.We also discuss:How being a parent positively impacted Jane's careerImposter syndrome and how to overcome itHow to build your confidence at workBringing your whole self to work Speaking without emotion about pay risesMoving to China for her career Why Colart are champions of flexible workingJane was one of the earliest champions of our social enterprise and is passionate about supporting leaders with babies to progress their careers. We hope you enjoy the discussion and find the advice shared valuable. Connect with Jane on LinkedIn here and find out more about the work of Colart. Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme and our latest events.Please remember to rate, review, subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Our guest this week is Elliott Rae, the Founder of Music Football Fatherhood, a support forum often referred to as 'Mumsnet for Dads' and author of the best-selling book, “Dad - Untold Stories of Fatherhood, Love, Mental Health and Masculinity. Elliott left his senior career in the civil service following the traumatic birth of his daughter and is a passionate advocate of men's mental health. His own experience of PTSD inspired him to write the book, Dad, in which Elliott and 19 other dads open up about their honest experiences of fatherhood.We discuss:Dads' mental health and recognising the signs you need helpHow to achieve true equal parentingWhy you need to have open conversations about parenting before becoming a parentToxic masculinity and positive masculinity Eliott will be presenting the BBCOne show 'Becoming Dad' on Wed 26 Jan 22 at 7.30pm, as part of the #WeAreEngland series. Do tune in or look out for it on iPlayer. Connect with Elliott on LinkedIn and on Twitter at @iamElliottRaePlus head to www.musicfootballfatherhood.com to buy the book and access more resources. Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme and our latest events.Please remember to rate, review, subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

"Most people know what the concept of job sharing is but many don't know how it works in practice." Our guests this week on the Big Careers, Small Children podcast are Hannah Hall-Turner and Rachel Maguire, otherwise known as The Job Share Pair.Having successfully job shared together in their HR Director role at a Fortune 500 firm they are now on a mission to make job sharing an accessible option for all.Rachel and Hannah talk really honestly about the pro's and con's of job sharing, detailing everything you need to know before embarking on one. The conversation is packed with so much practical advice and links to useful resource wherever you are in the process.So whether you're considering finding a job share partner, are already job sharing and want tips to improve the relationship or if you're an employer wondering what the benefit would be to your organisation, listen to this episode to learn: How to find your perfect job share partnerThe characteristics you might need to be successful at job sharing If you need to be close friends with your job sharing partner for your job share to workThe best way to structure your working week with your partnerThe tools Hannah and Rachel use to revolutionise their handoversWhether job sharers should expect to take a pay cutHow to convince your organisation that job sharing worksThe latest stats around job sharing successThe resources that can support you in your job shareWe hope you enjoy the conversation.Follow The Job Share Pair on Instagram and on LinkedIn.Other resources mentioned in this episode for job sharers:RoleshareFlexible Working PeopleDaisy ChainInvesting in Women Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme and our latest events.Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

This week Verena Hefti, FRSA is joined by the brilliant Gabriel Davies, a mother of two and a Commercial Director at the global green energy company Ørsted, working in the leadership team responsible for building the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Gabriel is also an inaugural Fellow on the award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowship Programme.This week our discussion focuses on ambition and why this shouldn’t be a dirty word but in fact is something to be celebrated by working parents. Gabriel shares honest reflections on how to thrive in a male dominated environment like engineering. Plus practical tips for anyone considering setting up a gender inclusion network at their organisation – including why men are integral to any conversations around gender equality.There are also plenty of helpful suggestions from Gabriel’s own experience returning to work from two maternity leaves, including what she did differently the second time around.It’s a really inspiring conversation filled with so many useful tips – we hope you find it useful.Connect with Gabriel on LinkedIn here.Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme here. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Our guest today is Sharath Jeevan, an expert when it comes to motivation and purpose and the best-selling author of Intrinsic, a practical guide to re-igniting the inner-drive (or intrinsic motivation) in our lives.Sharath is also the Executive Chairman of Intrinsic Labs, supporting organisations all around the world to solve deep motivational challenges.Previously Sharath founded and led STiR Education to re-ignite the motivation of 200,000 teachers, 35,000 schools and 7 million children in emerging countries.During the Pandemic many working parents have questioned how they spend their time and are seeking more purpose in their working life. So during our discussion Sharath shares with us:Whether it's essential to leave the 'rat race' to find deeper fulfilment How we can achieve more lasting happiness and success in our careersThe difference between mastery and autonomyHow all individuals need to work on their personal mission statements Why parenting models now need to change We hope you find our conversation useful and insightful.You can connect with Sharath via Twitter @sharathjeevan_ or LinkedIn. His book Intrinsic is available now.Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme here. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Finding a career that also brings meaning to your life is a priority for many working parents so this week we are diving back through the archives to bring you the very best tips from our previous podcast guests.For many Christmas is a time of reflection and an opportunity to sharpen your vision, these thought provoking snippets will help inspire you to make your purpose a reality. You will hear from:Dr Geraldine Strathdee OBE (the former National Clinical Director of Mental Health for NHS England) shares with us the importance of having purpose in your work, including how if we are to do amazing things we need to surround ourselves with inspiring people.Kath Austin (Entrepreneur, CEO & Founder, BeeBee & Leaf) shares quite honestly the highs and lows of taking the business from her kitchen table to shop shelves and why you should absolutely dream big.Reverend Carla Maurer (Swiss Church in London) discusses developing purpose, how to set boundaries and offers top tips for prioritising yourself.We hope you enjoy the episode. We will take a short break over Christmas and will return on Wednesday 05 January.Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme here. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Something a little different for this week's podcast. We are diving into the archives to bring you some of the very best tips around managing workload and supporting your mental health and wellbeing from popular previous episodes.Laura Harrison (Co-Founder of The Human Change Agency and a Leaders Plus Mentor) has excellent advice on managing your workload when you move from full time to part time hours, including sharing actionable tips on how you can make changes to your working hours that work best for you and your company. Poppy Jaman OBE (CEO, City Mental Health Alliance) is a mover and shaker when it comes to mental health and the fact that we are now talking openly about mental health issues at work is strongly influenced by her incredible work. Poppy shares with us the best piece of advice she was given and it may surprise you!Dr Suhana Ahmed (Consultant Psychiatrist, Old Age at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust) is another pioneer in the area of mental health and has been in the thick of things during the COVID-19 crisis leading an NHS psychiatric inpatient ward where patients had caught COVID. Suhana shares with us how she led a team during such a challenging time, including the things she learned during the experience that have made her a better leader.Finally we revisit a powerful panel discussion dedicated to the topic of workload and managing expectations. Panellists Susannah Hardyman (CEO, Action Tutoring) and Vicky Fox (CEO, The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom) have practical advice on managing workload whilst progressing an ambitious career alongside bringing up children.With special thanks again to our fantastic podcast guests:Dr Suhana Ahmed - Consultant Psychiatrist, Old Age at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS TrustVicky Fox - CEO, The Supreme Court of the United KingdomSusannah Hardyman - CEO, Action TutoringLaura Harrison - Co-Founder at The Human Change AgencyPoppy Jaman OBE - CEO, City Mental Health Alliance To download our practical workbook on setting boundaries head to our website www.leadersplus.org.uk/boundaries/ Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme here. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefitAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Having a baby is a huge transition for any couple and navigating life as a new family can be particularly challenging. This week's guest, Catherine O'Brien, is an expert in relationships. As a marriage and family therapist and the author of the brilliant book Happy With Baby she shares with new parents the advice she wishes she could have had as a parent, whilst giving practical tips on how to keep your relationship afloat after starting a family. Our discussion includes:How to make time for each other when leaving the house for a date night isn't an optionWhen it's time to seek outside support from counselling How to make sure you're present with your partnerWays to share the mental loadHow to ask for help so that your partner hears you Enjoy this week’s inspiring episode and if you’d like to connect with Catherine you can head to www.happywithbaby.com for more details about her work, including where to buy her wonderful book.Head to www.leadersplus.org.uk/couples for more resources, including a checklist of 10 questions all couples should answer before returning from Maternity Leave, Shared Parental Leave or Adoption Leave.Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme, which includes a session for couples. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefitAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Joining Verena Hefti in this episode of Big Careers, Small Children is Fiona McDonnell, an author and business leader with more than 30 years' experience in senior management at global companies like Kellogg's, Nike and Amazon. Having regularly mentored others and as a regular speaker on the topic of careers, Fiona recently published her debut book Two Mirrors and a Cheetah: Think Differently, Own Your Career & Succeed by Being Yourself which offers inspiring, insightful and practical advice to bring career fulfilment.Verena and Fiona discuss:How to identify your purpose and progress your careerRecognise and successfully navigate changeDeal with challenges like a ‘bad’ managerDefine your own work-life rhythmEnjoy this week’s inspiring episode and if you’d like to connect with Fiona you can find her on LinkedIn here.Find out more about Fiona's career, including details of where you can purchase her brilliant book via her website www.fionamcdonnell.com.Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme here. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Hopefully none of our listeners have ever had to deal with sexist, racist or power play incidents at work. But if you had, would you know how to take them to HR?On this episode of the Big Careers, Small Children Podcast (formerly Leaders With Babies) Verena chats with Sylvia Opara, the Group Head of Human Resources at Alandale Group of Companies. As a senior HR leader in the male dominated construction industry, Sylvia shares with us her tips for dealing with inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. Plus, why she champions women in the construction industry and how we should applaud the recent progress that has been made in the sector. Sylvia is also a mum of 4 and recently returned to work for the 4th time. She shares how she has managed to pursue her career aspirations and progress her leadership roles whilst also juggling a large family.They also discuss:Why the best career choice you can make is the partner you chooseWhat Sylvia has learned about negotiationSylvia's top 3 tips for progressing your senior career whilst wanting a big family Enjoy this week’s inspiring episode and if you’d like to connect with Sylvia you can find her on LinkedIn here.Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme here. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Show Notes:The Authority Gap - Mary Ann SieghartAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

We are very excited to welcome you to the Big Careers, Small Children Podcast and our first episode under our new name! (Formerly the Leaders With Babies Podcast) Joining Verena this week is Senior Executive Coach and expert on all things pay, Claudia T Miller. Thursday 18 November 2021 is Equal Pay Day here in the UK, the day in the year where women effectively stop earning relative to men because of the Gender Pay Gap.It may not shock you to learn that women earn (and particularly women in senior roles) about 15% less than their male counterparts. Whilst the Gender Pay Gap is complex and doesn't exist solely because women aren't asking for a pay rise, women do need to be bold and push against injustice in the system. In this episode Claudia gives extremely practical tips on how to get the pay rise you deserve. Enjoy this week’s inspiring episode and if you’d like to find out more about Claudia's work head to her website www.claudiatmiller.com. Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus and find out more about our work, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme here. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.#EqualPayDay Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Exciting news as the Leaders With Babies podcast is changing its name! You may have heard me to discuss on previous episodes that I've been considering changing the name of our 5 star rated podcast. I love the name Leaders With Babies but I worried it held us back from reaching even more parents. I've really appreciated all of the input from you the listeners on the name and I have taken all of the feedback you've shared onboard. Many of you have been in touch directly, voted online in the social media polls or even brainstormed ideas to send to me - a huge thank you to you all. During the process one name really stood out to me, plus it topped our online poll. So this morning I'd love to introduce you to the (drum roll)... Big Careers, Small Children podcast.I think this name really encapsulates the ambition of the podcast. It's for parents and leaders who want big things in their careers, without making any compromises about enjoying their young families. I hope you love our new name as much as I do. As I've mentioned before, the content and format of the podcast will remain exactly the same and each week we will continue to bring advice and practical tips to support parents who want to combine ambitious career aspiration with young children. Our next episode will be released this week and is all about equal pay, so do stay tuned and look out for that.Thanks again for all your support - Verena Hefti, CEO & Founder of Leaders Plus Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Does your career make you feel alive? Our guest today believes it is critical that we find a job that ignites our passion and shares fantastic tips for working parents looking to change their career. Geraldine Butler-Wright juggles multiple senior leadership roles. As Chief People & Culture Officer for Healthily she is on a mission to help a billion people find their health through self care. She is also a Trustee, Advisor and Strategic Advisor and for the past year has been a Senior Leader Mentor on our award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowship Programme. Geraldine is also a mum to a little girl and will welcome her second child in early 2022. Having successfully navigated several career changes in her leadership career (including moving across sectors) Geraldine is an absolute goldmine of advice when it comes to ensuring your skills are transferable from job to job and this episode is a must listen for anyone who is thinking about a career change. Our discussion includes:Why it's important to find organisations who welcome fluidity in getting things doneWhy just saying 'yes' might be the best decision you ever make How to learn to sell yourself to a potential new employerHow to choose the right company for youHow to improve and then highlight your transferable skillsGeraldine's best advice for moving to an organisation with purposeEnjoy this week's inspiring episode and if you'd like to you can connect with Geraldine on LinkedIn here.Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus #LeadersWithBabiesFind out more about Leaders Plus, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme here. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Who makes up your professional network and how different to you are they? Why do you need a diverse network and what's the best strategy to ensure you get one? Plus, what's the best networking advice if you find this skill doesn't come naturally to you? I am delighted to welcome back to the podcast Lee Higgins, the co-founder of DIVERSE TALENT netWORKS and a thought leader who has decades of experience working as a headhunter for senior leadership roles.Lee is particularly passionate about diversity and inclusion and he is an expert when it comes to creating professional relationships with people who are not like you. In order to progress your career (and in order to get the things you need e.g. flexible working) you need to have cultivated relationships with senior people in your organisation and Lee has lots of practical advice to share on how to do this. If (like myself and Lee) you find networking doesn't always come naturally to you then you'll really benefit from the tips Lee shares. Including: How to create relationships with people who are not exactly like you Why most people find networking difficult Why tone of voice and delivery are your secret weaponsThe best advice Lee has ever been given about networking Why we need to make time for networking Why you should connect with people who have different perspectives How to practically network via LinkedInLee's top 3 tips for diverse networking If you'd like to get in touch with Lee directly then you can connect with him on LinkedIn here. Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus #LeadersWithBabies Find out more about Leaders Plus, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme here. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Carole Robin Ph.D is Co-Founder of Leaders in Tech, a development program for leaders of tech companies. She also taught the legendary Interpersonal Dynamics (aka Touchy Feely) course at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and is the co-author of the highly acclaimed Connect: Building Exceptional Relationships with Family, Friends and Colleagues. The book contains the lessons of "Touchy Feely" that thousands of students and executives have consistently described for decades as life changing.Here she talks to Verena Hefti, Leaders Plus CEO and Founder about how to build exceptional relationships. They discuss:- Productive conflict and how to challenge mental models- How disclosure is the building block for developing relationships- The 15% disclosure rule which will help you step put of your comfort zone- Building relationships with people who are different to youAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Flora Letanka is Executive Director for Network Development at Teach First, the largest educational charity in the UK. She is in charge of mobilising high-impact networks of Teach First alumni, schools and others, to ensure that every child gets an outstanding education.She is also a mum to three young children.Here she speaks to Verena Hefti, Leaders Plus CEO and Founder, about being an Exec Director whilst having young children.She discusses:- How to remain visible whilst on maternity leave and keep progressing your career- Working with your maternity cover to ensure the best outcomes- What is needed for an Exec Director role- Failures and challenges she has experienced- Parental guiltAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Dr. Michael Baran is a social scientist and Senior Partner at inQUEST Consulting. He draws on his own research in cultural anthropology and cognitive psychology to inform his current diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work–his speaking engagements, writings, consulting, leadership development, workshop facilitation, and digital products. In addition to his inQUEST work, Dr. Baran has taught courses at Harvard University and the University of Michigan. He has directed projects aimed at reducing racial disparities in education, health, housing, and criminal justice at the FrameWorks Institute and the American Institutes of Research. He is also the coauthor of the recently launched book Subtle Acts of Exclusion: How to Understand, Identify, and Stop Microaggressions, cited in Forbes as one of the “11 Books To Read If You Want To Be A More Inclusive Leader.” Here he talks to Leaders Plus CEO and Founder, Verena Hefti, about tackling subtle acts of exclusion. We discuss:- What are subtle acts of exclusion, otherwise known as micro aggressions- How to have productive conversations about subtle acts of exclusion to ensure you feel heard- Practical tips to being more inclusiveAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Katie is one of the UK’s leading Performance Psychologists, working behind the scenes and on the big stage with some of the world’s best athletes, leaders and organisations. Here she speaks to Verena Hefti, Leaders Plus CEO and Founder, about how to achieve exceptional performance in challenging circumstances. Katie and Verena discuss the impact of guilt, how lack of sleep affects performance, negative self talk and redefining success. Katie also offers her top tips for success.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

In this episode Verena Hefti, CEO and Founder of Leaders Plus, talks to three Leaders Plus Fellows about their honest reflections on career and ambitions, including failures and setting boundaries. They cover how to manage your own wellbeing whilst holding down a job and having children. They also discuss the value of the Leaders Plus Fellowship and how it has benefited them.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Reverend Carla Maurer, from The Swiss Church London, discusses developing purpose, how to set boundaries and offers top tips for prioritising yourself. Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Verena Hefti, CEO and Founder of Leaders Plus, gives a preview for the new series of the award-winning Leaders With Babies Podcast.Our next podcast is an interview with Reverend Carla Maurer, Minister of The Swiss Church in London, in which we talk about purpose and setting boundaries. Coming up later this season we speak to an Executive Director in the largest education charity in the UK about how she moved to that job when she had children under two. We also speak to Carole Robin Ph.D, author of the book Connect, which focuses on building exceptional relationships with family, friends and colleagues. Carole was the Dorothy J. King Lecturer in Leadership at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, and we talk to her about about how to create deep meaningful relationships at work and beyond. Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Welcome back to Series 5 of the Leaders With Babies Podcast.In this episode Verena Hefti, Founder and CEO of Leaders Plus, discusses her experience of being on maternity leave with her third child, whilst running a social enterprise. Verena is interviewed by Kirstie Brewer, a journalist at the BBC and a Leaders Plus Fellow.Kirstie asks some interesting questions about maternity leave and how you can make it a productive time and plan your return to work. We discuss:The challenges of maternity leave and how to manage it whilst having older childrenWays in which you can prioritise your own wellbeingHow you can communicate with your partner before and during maternity leave, to ensure it runs as smoothly as possibleHow to plan your return to work and how maternity leave can make you a better leaderVerena's number one tip for transitioning from maternity leave back into workFollow Verena on Twitter at @vhefti and Leaders Plus @leaders_plus.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Are you interested in becoming a Non-Executive Director (NED)? Do you know what the role involves and where to find the best opportunities? On this week’s Leaders With Babies podcast Verena chats to Non-Executive Director and Leaders Plus Fellow Lucy Walker about why you should consider becoming an NED, diversity on boards, plus Lucy's journey combining two young kids with a board career.Lucy shares her tips including:Why it can help to be a Trustee firstPractical things Lucy did to make her applications stand outHow to structure your CV specifically for a NED roleWhere to look for the best quality roles 2 things anyone keen to become an NED can do today in just 10 minutes Connect with Lucy on LinkedIn here or visit her company’s website www.aminsights.com.Useful Resources Mentioned by LucyWomen on Boards: www.womenonboards.netNurole: www.nurole.com Dynamic Boards: www.dynamicboards.co.uk First Flight Non-Executive Directors: www.firstflightnonexec.com Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

To celebrate International Women's Day #IWD2021 we have a special podcast takeover episode from our inspirational Leaders Plus Fellows. BBC journalist and Leaders Plus Fellow Kirstie Brewer interviews BBC Three and BBC News Assistant Editor Kim Rowell about taking maternity leave, returning to work, and "things I'd tell my pregnant self".They discuss why kindness - or more importantly fairness - underpins Kim's leadership style. How she has successfully navigated redundancy and why all the best things have happened in Kim's career since giving birth to her daughter. Follow Kim on Twitter @KimRowellTVFollow Kirstie on Twitter @KirstieJBrewerWith special thanks to the following Leaders Plus Fellows for producing this episode:Kirstie Brewer, Journalist at BBC News Melanie Sethi, Senior Internal Communications Manager, BTVictoria Moore, Transformation Lead, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Dr Katie Badcock, Health Policy and Improvement Fellow, The Shelford Group This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Listen now in iTunes | Listen now on SpotifyAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

What if people were truly at the center of organisations? How might a flexible working request work differently if processes didn't hold us back? Our guest today is Michele Zanini, the co-author of the bestselling book Humanocracy, which sets out a passionate, data-driven argument for excising bureaucracy and replacing it with something better. Michele is passionate about building organisations that are fit for the future. He shares with us the simple steps we can each take to make our workplaces less bureaucratic and more human-centered.Follow Michele on Twitter @MicheleZaniniBuy a copy of Humanocracy on Amazon here.Find out more about Michele's work, including his course 'Hack My Org' which is free with the purchase of the book at www.humanocracy.com. This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Listen now in iTunes | Listen now on SpotifyAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

We are so excited to share this episode of Leaders With Babies with you as our guest this week is the extremely inspiring Michelle Mitchell OBE.Michelle became Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK in 2018, the world’s leading charitable funder of Cancer research. She's also a mum to two pre-teen children. Michelle has been a real trail blazer for parents who are in high level senior leadership roles. Throughout her own career she has always done things a little differently to help balance work and family, and she's always been a big supporter of working flexibly. During our discussion we cover:Sleep deprivation and how hard this can be in the early stages of motherhoodWhy you shouldn’t compare yourself to anyone elseWhy Michelle is such a big supporter of working flexibly in senior roles Why having purpose in all you do is so important What Cancer Research UK are doing to support employees with work and home life balanceWhy we need more role models from diverse backgrounds in senior leadership rolesWe hope you'll find our conversation thought provoking, especially if you’re considering your own career development and the practicalities of managing a really high powered job whilst also wanting to be present with your children.You can follow Michelle on Twitter @Michelle_CRUK and Leaders Plus at @Leaders_Plus Find out more about the brilliant work of Cancer Research UK at www.cancerresearchuk.org This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Listen now in iTunes | Listen now on SpotifyAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Our guest today is the record breaking ultra runner, small animal vet, research scientist and mother of two Jasmin Paris. Jasmin completely changed expectations of what is possible for new mums when she won the gruelling 268-mile Montane Spine race shortly after welcoming her first child. An incredible achievement, especially as she was stopping at the race break points to express milk for her young daughter along the way. During our chat Jasmin shares with us:How running makes her happy and why she should never have to apologise for thatHow having children has helped her focus more and has contributed to her success as a runnerThe reality of training for competitive racing alongside working as a vet and bringing up her childrenWhy following your passion is so importantJasmin is an incredible role model for many parents and a perfect example of how you can combine ambitious goals with having children.We hope you enjoy our conversation.You can follow Jasmin on Twitter @JasminKParisRead her brilliant blog here: http://jasminfellrunner.blogspot.com Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Are you thinking about applying for a new senior leadership or director level role? Listen to this episode of Leaders With Babies first! Our guest today is Lee Higgins, who is part of the senior leadership team at the recruitment firm Falcon Brook Search and who has decades of experience working as a headhunter for senior leadership roles.Lee is particularly passionate about diversity and inclusion and he heads up their AVID Leaders programme, which works with AVID (Authentic, Vulnerable, Inclusive and Diverse) leaders to change the way organisations approach diversity and inclusion.In this episode he shares with us:When and how you should raise the question about working flexibly when going for a senior leadership roleHow to successfully diversify your own network and why this is so importantHow to demonstrate your commitment when returning to work after having a baby Why we must confront the elephants in the room and challenge assumptions like you may be less committed to your work because of your childcare commitmentsWhy you need to bring your whole self to workThe 10-minute tips for utilising LinkedIn and your own networks that can really help with your own job searchIf you'd like to get in touch with Lee then you can connect with Lee on LinkedIn here. Follow Leaders Plus on Twitter @leaders_plus #LeadersWithBabies Find out more about Leaders Plus, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programme here. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Listen now in iTunes | Listen now on SpotifyAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Exactly how do you progress your career whilst working in a part-time role? What do the most successful working parents do to ensure they are strategic about their career progression?Leaders With Babies is back with series 4 and our guest this week is the author, psychologist, coach, and founder of Talent Keep Specialists, Jessica Chivers. Jessica is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to progressing your career after maternity or parental leave and she has written a fantastic book about supporting mothers at work. We talk about the practical steps you can take to progress your career, especially if you're in a part-time role. Why working part-time doesn’t mean you're part ambitious or part committed. Jessica shares what her most successful coaching clients have done differently, plus the helpful tips that you can apply to your own career (even if time is limited) so your work set up really works for you.Plus, why Wednesday, not Friday, might just be the best day of the week to take off work for anyone working part-time and why Calendly is a fantastic tool for scheduling quick conversations. Useful Links From This EpisodeConnect with Leaders Plus on social media @leaders_plusConnect with Jessica on Twitter @jesschivers The book mentioned by Jessica is 'Busy' by Tony CrabbePlease remember to rate, review, and subscribe and share with any friends, family, or colleagues who may benefit.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Something a little different for the final episode of Season 3 as the tables have turned and I have found myself answering the questions instead of asking them!Kirstie Brewer, a journalist at the BBC and a Leaders Plus Fellow, interviews me, Verena Hefti, the host of this podcast and the founder of Leaders Plus. I share my personal story of combining a senior leadership career with young children and why I set up the award-winning social enterprise Leaders Plus. Kirstie asks fantastic questions and it was really interesting for me to be able to reflect on the journey so far.We discuss:The reality of starting a social enterprise while bringing up two babiesWhy I didn't push out my ambition along with my baby What it's like to leave a stable job to become a pregnant entrepreneurImposter syndrome and how I deal with itSetting priorities and ensuring the long term goals remain in sightHaving a third baby and why this will enable me to step back and think more strategically Follow Verena on Twitter at @vhefti and Leaders Plus @leaders_plus.This is the final episode in this season but Leaders With Babies will be back again in the New Year with some fantastic new guests. In the meantime, if you've enjoyed listening, please do rate and review us on iTunes and tell 5 of your friends about the podcast, it really helps more people to find us. This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

This week on Leaders With Babies we welcome entrepreneur and inspirational speaker Lauren Currie OBE to the podcast. Lauren is the founder of both UPFRONT, a business committed to elevating and encouraging new voices on and off public stages and enhancing the visibility and confidence of women, and Stride, an app that is committed to democratising leadership development for the workforces of the future. She is also the chairperson of Pregnant Then Screwed.Lauren and I discovered a shared interest - visibility. We discuss:Just how do you make sure you are noticed after you return to work from maternity or parental leave? How can you be seen as an important contributor even when you’re not physically present in the office?What are the simple things you can do now that take just 10 minutes a day to increase your visibility?Lauren is incredibly passionate about finding a way to make yourself seen and heard that's entirely manageable for you, and she shares so much practical advice that you can apply to your own career today. We hope you enjoy this week's episode.Connect with Lauren on Twitter @_LaurenCurrie_ and Leaders Plus @leaders_plus.Visit Lauren's website at laurencurrie.coPlease do take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast and even better, share it with 3 friends, it really helps more people to find us.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Listen now in iTunes | Listen now on SpotifyAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Is your child about to start school? Are you nervous about how you'll manage this important transition, alongside juggling work?In this special episode of the Leaders With Babies podcast Verena speaks to three Leaders Plus Fellows for their advice on managing the transition to Primary School. Including how to effectively communicate with your employer and partner, as well as other practical tips from parents who have been through it themselves.Our guests Dr Suhana Ahmed - Consultant Psychiatrist (NHS), Lucy Duszczak - Digital Marketing Manager (YHA), and Elvira Klimova - Senior Psychiatric Nurse (NHS), have all successfully navigated the transition to Primary School whilst balancing work and family life. They share:the best advice they received for a smooth transitionhow they practically made it work when their child was in the September 'settling in' periodstrategies for communicating your needs to your employer and your partnerPlease do take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast and even better, share it with 3 friends, it really helps more people to find us.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Listen now in iTunes | Listen now on SpotifyAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Our guest this week is the inspirational Dr Funke Abimbola MBE, a multi-award winning lawyer, C-suite advisor, public speaker, TV contributor, diversity leader, as well as the Chief Executive Officer at the Austen Bronte Consultancy.Dr Abimbola was one of the initial speakers at the 2018 Leaders Plus House of Commons launch event, where she spoke in front of 40 babies and 60 leaders sharing her experience of being a mum whilst at the same time being a General Counsel, the most senior lawyer in a law firm. She champions diversity at work and is very honest about race and her experience of being at the receiving end of unconscious bias, including how she challenges this without losing too much energy. On this week's podcast she shares her thoughts on:dealing with microaggressions in the workplace and being unfairly judged by othersrace: what white people don't know about race, and how to be a good allyhow to engage people who may have stereotypes against you (e.g unconscious bias and always being mistaken for the secretary)her own inspirational story of becoming a Ted Talker and expert public speakerDr Abimbola was incredibly honest during our chat and we really hope you enjoy this week's conversation. Follow Dr Abimbola on Twitter @champ1diversity and Leaders Plus @leaders_plus.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Listen now in iTunes | Listen now on SpotifyAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

It is easy to imagine that post Covid-19 the flexible working argument is solved, however many line managers, senior leaders and employers still have deep-rooted fears around losing control or a perceived lack of performance.So how can we change their minds? What are the right arguments to help them to think differently?Our guest today is HR Director James Lloyd and he is incredibly honest (which makes for a really thought provoking conversation) about the fact that initially, he inwardly cringed when he was presented with flexible working requests. He very quickly did a 180 on this when he started his own family and it’s incredibly interesting to hear more about how he changed his views, and actually, how we can deal with some of the more outdated views on flexible working generally.James shares some of the persuasive arguments and practical tips that will help working parents secure the right flexible working arrangements, plus his expert advice on choosing employers who prioritise diverse working arrangements during this episode.We hope you enjoy our conversation. If you’d like to get involved in the discussion then you can tag us on LinkedIn or via Twitter @leaders_plus.Please do take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast and even better, share it with 3 friends, it really helps more people to find us.Finally, our FREE negotiating flexible working for senior roles framework is also available by clicking here. We produced this resource especially for senior leaders and it will give you a solid, step-by-step guide for making a successful flexible working request in a senior role.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Listen now in iTunes | Listen now on SpotifyAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Sometimes you need more than a career mentor, you need a sponsor!In this episode of Leaders With Babies, we focus on finding a sponsor and why exactly they are so crucial for your career.So what is a sponsor? A sponsor is a senior leader who advocates for you, believes in you, and champions you at work and the evidence is very clear that having a sponsor makes a massive difference for the career progression of parents. Plus, it's also very helpful for when you need to have those tough conversations around flexible working.I chat with Leaders Plus Mentors Fiona Jackson and Radhika Bajaj to hear their real-life experience of finding a sponsor and how it benefitted their careers. Fiona is an award-winning expert in diversity and inclusion and Radhika is an experienced recruitment specialist team leader and both managed to find senior leaders to champion them early on in their career as working parents.They share practical advice on how parents - especially mothers - can find, manage, and leverage a sponsor to help progress their careers.We hope you enjoy our conversation.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

This week we are delighted to welcome back HR Director and Leaders Plus Mentor Laura Harrison to the podcast. Laura, who previously featured on episode 13 (sharing with us her thoughts on flexible working and building relationships, do check it out if you haven't already), joins us again to look in detail at part time working for senior roles and offer practical advice for listeners keen to cut down their hours.Just how can we make working part-time work effectively? Ensuring we're not working full time hours for less pay, leaving us resentful and exhausted!How can we successfully reduce both our tasks and responsibilities to make dropping down to 4, or 3 days achievable?Laura shares her freshest thinking on part time working, and is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to the actionable steps you need to take to ensure you can make the change you want work best for you and the company. We hope you enjoy our conversation.Please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast, it really helps more people to find us.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Listen now in iTunes | Listen now on SpotifyAre you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Our guest this week is Becky Maxwell, a part-time Emergency Medicine Consultant and Clinical Chair of the Division of Diagnostics and Therapies at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, as well as the Co-Chair of RCEMLearning (the Royal College of Emergency Medicine e-learning website).Becky shares really honestly the reality of juggling her portfolio career in emergency medicine alongside raising her two-year-old son. Including her advice for leading in a crisis, managing uncertainty, looking after our mental health, and, crucially, influencing senior leaders so that supporting working parents is a top priority. She also shares her decision-making process when it came to applying for senior roles as a new mum. This is a must-listen not only for any parent working in emergency medicine but also for anyone who is juggling their career and parenthood and looking to take the next step in their career.You can follow Becky on Twitter here. And Leaders Plus at leaders_plus.We hope you enjoy our conversation. Please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast, it really helps more people to find us.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Our guest this week is Lori Mihalich-Levin, a US-based lawyer, author, and the founder of Mindful Return, which supports parents on their return to work after having children. When Lori Mihalich-Levin returned to work as a lawyer after having her second child, the stresses of her job combined with the demands of taking care of a baby and a toddler initially proved overwhelming. Determined to channel her experience into something positive, she created Mindful Return to help other parents transition back to work more smoothly. In this week's episode, Lori explains how busy working parents can begin to introduce mindfulness into their day to help them avoid overwhelm. Lori also shares practical advice on how we can better cope with important life transitions, like returning to work after having a baby.We hope you enjoy our conversation. Please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast, it really helps more people to find us.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Our guest this week is the writer, tv presenter, and author of the new book “Solo: How to Work Alone and Not Lose Your Mind,’ Rebecca Seal.Rebecca chats with us about how to thrive when working from home, including how to set boundaries successfully and why working long hours actually damages your productivity.She shares the latest research on how best to lead your team remotely, plus why it's essential that all parents get enough recovery time from work AND from parenting.You can buy Rebecca's book 'Solo: How to Work Alone and Not Lose Your Mind' from all good book stores or by clicking here.Please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast, it really helps more people to find us.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Our guest this week is a trailblazer in the legal profession who has proven that it's absolutely possible to work part-time in a senior role.Chris Bryant is a partner at the international law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, where he has a busy role focusing on Antitrust and Competiton, alongside heading up the firms Brexit task force. He does all of this in 3 days per week, something that is still uncommon in the legal sector. So how exactly does he make it work as a partner in a law firm on a 3-day working week? Chris explains how he effectively sets boundaries so that he never has to miss his daughter's Monkey Music class, plus how he has evolved as a leader since working part-time.Chris also shares some practical advice around preparing to request more flexible working patterns, as well as insights on negotiating pay in a part-time role and learning to say 'no' when it's really necessary.It's a really inspiring discussion which we hope you will enjoy. Please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast, it really helps more people to find us.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Our guest this week is the political activist Sophie Walker, the founding leader of the UK's Women's Equality Party and the current CEO of the Young Women’s Trust, who do brilliant work supporting young women across the UK.Sophie is a powerful change-maker and force for good and in this episode, we discuss how to drive change in the face of adversity and how we can all turn angry energy into real, tangible change. She shares why hope is "the ultimate act of defiance" when it comes to activism, what men can do to further gender equality at work, and why if you're struggling as a working mother, then the problem is never you and always the structural inequality you're faced with.Her book, Five Rules for Rebellion gives advice on how to incorporate activism into our lives, it's available to purchase here. Please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast, it really helps more people to find us.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown, please forgive the poor audio quality. Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

This week on Leaders With Babies we're sharing something a little different - a recent panel discussion on motherhood, work, and identity.Lisa Ford, a Strategic Enablement Director of Nielsen, Jackie Mulryne, a partner at the law firm Arnold & Porter, and Toria Reid, an A&E Consultant at a busy Edinburgh hospital, are all Leaders Plus Fellows.In this honest discussion, they share openly their personal experiences of squaring their identity as women who are passionate about their work and their new roles as mothers, and the impact this has had on their identity. Including, how they have tackled guilt and how they have adapted to change since becoming parents. All 3 have very different experiences but the conversation is hopefully both thought-provoking and enlightening. Enjoy this week's episode.Please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast, it really helps more people to find us.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown. Please forgive the poor audio quality. Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

Recent figures have shown that significant numbers of highly educated women are leaving paid employment when they have children and our guest this week has written a brand new book examining the reasons why.Shani Orgad is Professor of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and on this week's podcast she shares her research and the real-life stories she has heard of women for whom work simply doesn't work anymore. Having interviewed a range of professional women who quit their jobs after having children, Professor Orgad found that the decision to leave the workforce and become stay-at-home mothers was a decision they made as much as wives as mothers. If you're struggling with the demands of your career and your family then you aren't alone and Professor Orgad reassures us that the problem isn't you but is in fact the system, which she argues needs structural change from within.We discuss how to make changes within our organisations to enable more working mothers to stay in the jobs they love, plus practical things we can do when we feel overwhelmed by work and parenting.To find out more about Professor Shani Orgad's book Heading Home; Motherhood, Work, and the Failed Promise of Equality click here.Please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast, it really helps more people to find us.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

This week our guest is Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, the first female Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Hayaatun shares with us exactly what led to her being seen as a key person of influence, offering tips and practical steps for listeners on how you too can increase your visibility at work. It's clear she has worked incredibly hard to progress in her career and become a confident speaker, unafraid to use her voice to champion others, especially those from underrepresented groups in society. This passion for diversity and inclusion she has brought to the Royal Academy of Engineering.During this discussion, she is extremely honest about the microaggressions and unconscious biases she has sadly been at the receiving end of throughout her career. Offering useful advice for others on how she copes with this day-to-day and why it's important to challenge this kind of behaviour.She also shares openly what went through her head when she first went for the CEO role whilst her kids were still at Primary School, including how she makes things work for her young family. Finally, we learn why we should talk more about self-care and less about balance, which should involve relaxing with some trashy TV! This is certainly one of the most uplifting conversations we've had on the podcast and we really hope you enjoy the episode. Find out more about the #ThisIsEngineering campaign at www.thisisengineering.org.uk. Follow the Royal Academy of Engineering on Twitter @RAEngNews and Leaders Plus @leaders_plusPlease take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast, it really helps more people to find us.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.

My guest this week is Dom Holmes, Head of Employment Law, and a Partner at the International law firm Taylor Vinters. Dom is one of the few male partners in law to work part-time. As he and his team advise employers with extremely time-sensitive and complex employment issues, it is incredibly fascinating to hear how he manages to balance his incredibly busy role and parenthood, by working 4 days a week. There are lots of helpful reflections and practical tips in this conversation. Including useful tips for ensuring you don't simply end up doing 5 days' work but on 4 days' pay and a glimpse into how Dom structures his day, manages his time and sets his priorities so that he's effective both at home and at work. Dom also shares the quick 10-minute task you can do this week if you're keen to explore flexible working for your leadership role which will be incredibly useful for anyone looking to move part-time. Dom is extremely passionate that you can be a really good and effective parent and have a really rewarding career. He also feels strongly about encouraging more open discussion for parents (male or female) who wish to explore flexible working in a leadership role.A thread that runs through our discussion is how important it is to think about and identify your own personal values when crafting your vision for home life and your career and this is something that will really resonate. Enjoy this week's episode. Follow Dom on Twitter @DomHolmes147 and Leaders Plus @leaders_plus.Dom is also a mentor on our Leaders Plus Fellowship Programme.Please take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to our podcast, it really helps more people to find us.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring useful info and brave new ideas for ambitious mums and dads. Sign up now.Applications are now open for our NHS FellowshipOur FMLM accredited NHS Fellowship is a career development programme for working parents in the NHS who want to lead positive change. Apply by 11/07. Find out more.