Executive Excellence

In this riveting episode of the Emerging Excellence Podcast, we're joined by the trailblazing Luke Mathers, renowned speaker, author, and mindset coach. Known for guiding leaders, elite athletes, and Olympians, Luke brings his expertise on harnessing the power of stress to our podcast.Embark on a transformative journey as we discuss the role of books as mentors and the crucial importance of authenticity in personal and professional spheres. Luke offers unique insights into 'filling your gaps' – a compelling approach to personal development and growth.Dive deep into the concept of 'Leading Yourself First' as we explore the powerful connection between embracing stress and leading effectively. Listen as we tackle our intricate relationships with our phones and the impact they have on our well-being and productivity.In a society that often perceives stress as the enemy, Luke enlightens us on the art of leveraging it as a tool for success. We close out the conversation with a look at rituals – their significance, benefits, and how to cultivate them for better living.This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for anyone seeking to transform stress from a foe into a powerful ally. Tune in and redefine your relationship with stress today!To learn more about Luke's work, connect with him on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-mathers-speaker

In this insightful episode of the Emerging Excellence Podcast, we plunge into the captivating world of decision-making. Join us as we untangle the often complex dance between head and heart, discussing when to favour logic over emotion, and vice versa.Felicity and Brett reflect on lessons learned from past decisions, highlighting the importance of retrospection in continual growth. They distinguish between personal and business perspectives in decision-making, how to skilfully navigate between the two and how to trust your instincts and stand by your decisions with confidence. They also connect the dots between present choices and long-term goals, and delve into the delicate equilibrium between granting freedom and providing guidance in team decision-making.Whether you're at the helm of an organisation, leading a team, or striving for personal improvement, this episode will equip you with strategies and insights to make decisions that drive success. Tune in and amplify your decision-making prowess!

In this powerful episode of the Emerging Excellence Podcast, we navigate the intriguing and often misunderstood concept of "Managing Up". Felicity and Brett dissect the subtle differences between upward delegation and managing up, and provide insights into how leaders feel when they're on the receiving end of this management style.Join us as we delve into the role of self-awareness in managing up effectively, and how this self-knowledge can empower individuals to take ownership of decisions. We explore the method of training your team to engage you only on matters relevant to you, promoting a more focused and efficient workflow.Our conversation further explores the motivations behind soliciting input from our superiors, and how this can enhance both professional growth and organisational development. We also highlight the importance of approaching this practice with curiosity rather than judgement.Whether you're an aspiring leader seeking strategies to work better with your superiors or an experienced manager aiming to understand the dynamics of upward management, this episode is a vital resource. Tune in and learn how to master the art and science of Managing Up, and leverage it to foster an environment of growth, responsibility, and excellence!

Join us for another inspiring episode of the Emerging Excellence Podcast as we explore the transformative power of mentoring. In this insightful discussion, we delve into the dynamics of mentoring relationships, what defines a good mentoring relationship, and the lessons learned from experiences that didn't quite work out.Felicity and Brett shed light on the distinctions between mentoring, advising, sponsoring, and coaching, providing clarity on when each approach is most effective. We also tackle the question of bias in mentorship, examining whether it's possible to have a mentor from within your own company.Discover the optimal timing to seek a mentor and gain valuable insights as they share personal stories of finding their own first mentors. Additionally, we delve into the fascinating concept of reverse mentoring and its potential benefits for both senior and junior professionals.If you're seeking guidance on advancing your career, cultivating meaningful professional relationships, and unlocking your full potential, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to gain valuable wisdom on the role of mentoring in personal and professional growth.

Join Felicity and Brett for an engaging conversation on the power of feedback in leadership. In this episode of the Emerging Excellence Podcast, they explore the importance of giving and receiving feedback for personal and professional growth, insights on how to give good feedback, the feedback loop, performance reviews, and when to praise or castigate. They also discuss the importance of self-reflection and goal-setting in leadership and how feedback can help us improve.Tune in to learn how to create a culture of feedback in the workplace and how to use feedback to become a better leader. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to enhance their leadership skills and cultivate a growth mindset.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Alarna Lane-Mullins, Executive Director at the Public Sector Commission, as we explore how organizations can make it valuable for their employees to stay. In this episode of the Emerging Excellence Podcast, we delve into the importance of employee engagement and retention, the concept of an employee value proposition (EVP), and how it can shape the overall employee experience. We also discuss the role of people, process, and technology in building a robust EVP and explore the employee lifecycle from attraction to retention. Alarna shares her expertise on how leaders can recover from mistakes and create a workplace culture that fosters loyalty and commitment. Tune in to learn how to retain top talent and create a workplace where everyone thrives!Connect with Alarna on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alarna-lane-mullins-369a7555

In a world where we're constantly told to do more and be more, Sheridan Stewart offers a refreshing perspective. Join us on the Emerging Excellence Podcast as Sheridan shares her personal journey of burnout and how a 90-day challenge to spend less became a journey of self-discovery towards contentment. From surrendering to the essentials to choosing to make lasting change, Sheridan's story is both inspiring and practical. Tune in to learn how to prioritize calm, self-care, and what really matters in life.To grab a copy of Sheridan's book, head to this link:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Am-Enough-90-day-challenge-contentment/dp/0711278571

In this episode Felicity is joined by Matt Harrison and Jess Rawlings from University of Melbourne, and co-founders of Next Level Collaboration. Jess Rawlings, the CEO, is a speech pathologist, while Matt comes from an educational background. Both guests are passionate about gaming and neurodiversity, and have used their unique experiences to create an inclusive and innovative approach to support neurodivergent individuals. Listen as they discuss their personal experiences with gaming, the role of gaming in fostering social connections, and the importance of focusing on strengths when evaluating and hiring individuals. They also explore the future of gaming and technology in creating more accessible and inclusive environments for neurodivergent communities. Tune in for an insightful conversation on how embracing neurodiversity and the gaming world can propel your business forward.

In this decade we will close the gender pay gap. That's the bold prediction (backed up by data) of our special guest Simon Kuestenmacher, Expert Demographer, and Professional Speaker on this episode. But how is this possible?In this episode, we dive into three key areas that are essential for creating a more equitable and diverse workplace: closing the gender pay gap, leveraging technology to empower young people, and how senior leaders can enable diversity in their workplace.First, we discuss the urgent need to close the gender pay gap, which has persisted for far too long despite efforts to address it. Kuestenmacher shares his insights on the steps that leaders can take to ensure that women are paid fairly and equitably, and how this will benefit not only women, but also the organizations they work for.Next, we explore the ways in which technology is transforming the world of work, and how young people can use these tools to their advantage. From online learning to remote work, we examine the ways in which technology is enabling new forms of work and learning, and how young people can prepare themselves for the jobs of the future.Finally, we delve into the importance of creating a diverse workforce, and the role that senior leaders can play in fostering a culture of inclusion. We take a look at the steps leaders can take to attract and retain a diverse range of employees.Join us as we explore these important topics and offer practical advice and insights for leaders who want to create a more equitable, innovative, and diverse workplace.

Felicity Furey and Brett, the CEO of QLeave, are discussing talent pipelining and succession planning. This episode revolves around the role of a leader and how they can leave an organization in a better place than they found it. Developing a clear talent management strategy is critical in today's competitive hiring landscape and will lay the foundation for attracting, retaining and enhancing your workforce.

If you are leading a team, evaluating your teams capability is essential. This week, Felicity & Brett dive into how do evaluate discuss the question of whether or not teams are ready for leadership roles and responsibilities. Furey mentioned that this is a question CEOs often worry about, and Bassett agreed that it can keep him up at night. He believes in evaluating team performance on an ongoing basis and bases his evaluation on the outcome of large projects and crises. Bassett encourages leaders to think of this question in a positive sense, and to use it as a way to motivate themselves and their teams. Overall, the two discussed the importance of proper preparation and training for teams in order to ensure their success.Brett believes that if something goes well, the team should get the credit and if something goes wrong, it is the leader's fault. He has found this to be true in his experience in various organizations. His belief is that the leader should take responsibility for the team's performance, looking at what is missing or what could make a difference. He encourages leaders to be empowered and to give their team enough space to grow and succeed. Brett views leadership as a responsibility and a reflection of how well a team performs.The conversation between Brett and the other person focused on the difference between sports and business when it comes to performance and leadership. They discussed how, in sports, the board or fans look to the captain on the field when a team isn't performing well, while in business, it is harder to set goals. They agreed that culture starts at the top and if the culture is not good, it will pervade the team. The other person shared their experience of being an emerging leader and wanting to control things, while Brett shared his experience of failing as a leader of a team. They concluded that rescuing can stop growth within the team and that the leader needs to be accountable for stepping away or bringing somebody else in. Felicity shared her personal experience of giving volunteers too much freedom and it ended up leading to them all quitting. He learned from this that the team was capable and that the leader needs to have a balance of giving the vision and some boundaries, while also giving them freedom.Brett discussed an important lesson he learned early on in his career: the importance of reflection. He takes 30 minutes on Friday afternoons to assess how he and his team have performed and write down his thoughts. He also discussed how a leader can contribute to the downfall of a team by not encouraging a safe space for conflict. He explained how creating an environment where people feel comfortable expressing different opinions and challenging each other in a respectful way is key for a high performing team.

In this first ever episode of Emerging Excellence we take a look at what it’s REALLY like to be a leader. We explore How to Best Support Emerging Leaders in the Changing Workplace, and what we can do to help develop work cultures which sing. SUMMARY In this conversation, Brett and Felicity discuss the concept of leadership and what it means to be a leader. Felicity shares her experience of unexpectedly taking on a leadership role when she was in her twenties, and how it was much more challenging than she expected. Brett shares his perspective on leadership, saying that he never wanted to be a leader when he was in the police, and that he never thought he had what it takes to be a leader. They discuss the importance of understanding what it takes to be a leader, as a leader is not just a level or a role. They also discuss the importance of mindset, training, and mentors in developing leadership skills.