Big Careers, Small Children
278 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingBig Careers Small Children helps ambitious parents progress careers they love whilst being present with their children. Through honest and informal conversation, senior leaders divulge what they have learnt on their own journey of combining big careers with young children to our host Verena Hefti MBE. Expect lots of aha moments, inspiration, fresh ideas, and practical support, so you can move forward in your career in a way that works for you and your family.This podcast is hosted by our social enterprise Leaders Plus. We believe that no parent should have to choose between progressing the career they love and enjoying their young children. Through the Big Careers, Small Children podcast and our award-winning Fellowship Programme, we have supported thousands of Leaders with young children to make brave decisions about their future. We unapologetically help more mums (and dads with significant caring responsibilities) to get to senior leadership positions, because only by helping parents to progress their career can we have true gender equality at the top and address the gender pay gap.Be part of our positive movement for change and sign up to receive our informative monthly emails at www.leadersplus.org.uk/newsletterWe hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and invite you to follow us on social media @leaders_plus #BigCareersSmallChildren
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Episodes
Elizabeth Willetts - How to Get Your Flexible Working Request Approved & Why the Future of Work is Hybrid
April 25, 2024 05:15 - 33 minutes - 46.1 MBWhat do the people who get flexible working requests approved have in common? Today we welcome Elizabeth (Liz) Willetts, CEO and Founder of Investing in Women to the podcast to discuss her work advocating for the power of part-time and flexible working. Liz shares her top tips for getting your flexible working request approved, including when it is best to mention flexible working during interview stages. Plus, why Liz believes the future of work is hybrid. We hope you enjoy the conversa...
Charlotte Boujassy - How to Let Go of the Pressure of Being a Perfect Parent & Progress Your Career
April 18, 2024 05:00 - 40 minutes - 55.3 MBDo you ever feel under pressure to be the perfect parent? Verena Hefti MBE chats with Charlotte Boujassy, Director of Talent & Leadership Development Europe for a Japanese pharmaceutical company. They discuss why it's so important to talk loudly about working flexibly at a senior level, how to deal with the pressure of perfectionism when you're a working parent and progressing your career after you have children. Born in France, for the past 10 years, Charlotte has lived and worked in Mun...
Thorey V. Proppe - How Data Can Improve DEI Policies & Help Close the Gender Pay Gap
April 11, 2024 04:45 - 39 minutes - 53.8 MBToday we welcome to the podcast Thorey V. Proppe, the CEO and founder of Alda, an Icelandic tech company which developed DEI software for workplaces globally. Iceland consistently ranks among the highest countries in the world for gender equality. Thorey shares: What is working for gender equality right now in Iceland What we can learn from this success to implement in other countries Why data is the best way to improve DEI policies and help close the gender pay gap Enjoy the conversat...
Brita Fernandez Schmidt - How to Learn to Trust Your Intuition & Manage Your Fears
April 04, 2024 05:15 - 38 minutes - 52.9 MBToday we're joined by Brita Fernandez Schmidt, transformational coach and author of the brilliant book Fears to Fierce. Brita has spent 25 years championing women's rights across the world, and strongly believes that every woman has a fierce power to fulfill her own dreams. We discussed how we can learn to trust our own intuition, be intentional with our actions and manage our fears. Enjoy the conversation. Show notes: Find out more about Brita and her book Fears to Fierce Listen to ...
Lea Henry - How to Manage Perfectionism When Combining a Big Career & Young Children
March 28, 2024 04:15 - 38 minutes - 53.2 MBThis week we welcome Lea Henry, co-founder of the award-winning creative childcare agency CocoRio. Together with her business partner Corinna Bordoli, Lea co-founded CocoRio because she worried about the quality of childcare available. As she couldn’t keep her kids with her 24/7, she wanted to ensure their overall development and emotional well-being would be catered for. Lea shares practical advice on how she manages the competing demands of a baby, a toddler and a growing business. A co...
Polly Ogden Duffy - How to Progress a Senior Career in a Male-Dominated Industry & Work Flexibly
March 21, 2024 04:45 - 38 minutes - 52.9 MBHow can women thrive in a traditionally male-dominated work environment? Today we welcome to the podcast Polly Ogden Duffy, Managing Director at prime sales and lettings agency John D Wood & Co. London. Polly, who is married with two children, is passionate that women CAN have it all and shares why she believes being ambitious as a working mother is no bad thing. Having worked her whole career in a traditionally male-dominated environment, Polly shares the advice she would give other wome...
Dr. Ana Catalano Weeks - Managing Mental Load While Balancing Career and Parenthood
March 14, 2024 04:45 - 38 minutes - 52.9 MBToday on the podcast, Verena Hefti MBE chats with Dr Ana Catalano Weeks, Senior Lecturer at the University of Bath Dr. Ana shares her experience of how mental load can be gendered and emphasises that creating awareness is a part of the solution. In this conversation, we delve into the dynamics of heterosexual couples and the evolving landscape of childcare responsibilities. Despite men's increasing involvement in practical child-rearing tasks over the decades, women still bear the brunt of...
Jane Green - How to Approach Your Employer for Reduced Working Days and Tips on Transitioning to a Flexible Role
March 07, 2024 05:00 - 42 minutes - 58.3 MBToday on the podcast, Verena Hefti MBE chats with Jane Green, Leaders Plus Mentor and Former EY Partner. Jane's approach to balancing work and parenthood in an era where flexible-working was rare, can well be considered as a reforming move in the UK workplace. From pioneering a flexible work model in the 1990s at EY to now mentoring on the Leaders Plus Fellowship, Jane helps working parents to explore a working pattern that best suits their career ambitions and family life. From her exper...
Heather Taylor - How to Accelerate Your Career Whilst Balancing Life as a Parent, Learning to Takes Risks & Life on the Board of Pregnant Then Screwed
February 29, 2024 05:00 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBToday on the podcast Verena Hefti MBE chats with Heather Taylor, Director of Finance and Resources for Trust for London and Trustee and Treasurer at charity Pregnant Then Screwed. Heather is an Alumni of the Leaders Plus Fellowship (having completed the very first cohort of the programme) and advocates for flexible and reduced working days to increase productivity in the workplace. As a mother to two under-6, Heather shares her journey of transitioning into a 4-day work model which helped ...
{CEO Series} Sam Butters - The Benefits of being a Co-CEO & How to Navigate Morning Sickness in a Senior Role
February 22, 2024 04:30 - 49 minutes - 68.2 MBIn this episode, Verena Hefti MBE chats with Sam Butters, Co-CEO of charity the Fair Education Alliance, a coalition of 250 organisations tackling educational inequality. Verena and Sam discuss the multiple benefits of having Co-CEO’s and why this isn’t necessarily the same as a traditional job share. Sam, who is a big advocate of work-life fluidity, describes how being a Co-CEO aligns perfectly when you’re a working parent, likening it to a long-term partnership akin to a marriage, with...
Rachel Allison - Tips for Managing Your Personal Brand & How to Build a PR Agency as a New Mother
February 15, 2024 04:15 - 42 minutes - 58 MBWhat is the secret to other people talking positively about you at work? Today on the podcast Verena Hefti MBE chats with Rachel Allison, founder of the PR agency Axe + Saw. Rachel is someone who regularly advocates for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in her work and she is passionate about running a progressive, purpose-driven agency. As a mother to a 6-month-old daughter, Rachel shares her freshest thinking on running an agency whilst raising a young family, including why a 4-day workin...
Ellen Taaffe - How to Overcome Perfectionism & Master Self Promotion, Plus How to Support More Women into Senior Leadership Positions
February 08, 2024 04:45 - 43 minutes - 39.5 MBHow can women unblock the obstacles in their path and open the door to opportunities to reach more senior leadership levels? Today on the podcast, Verena Hefti MBE chats with Ellen Taaffe, author of a thought-provoking new book entitled, 'The Mirrored Door: Break Through the Hidden Barrier That Locks Successful Women in Place'. For many women, at some point in their career, they may encounter the 'mirrored door.' The place where, when presented with opportunities, they reflect inward and h...
Daniel Astarita - How to Combine IVF, Fatherhood & a Senior Leadership Career
February 01, 2024 04:45 - 40 minutes - 56 MBOur guest today is Daniel Astarita, Managing Director of Kesslers, London. Daniel is a proud IVF Dad and shares his experience of balancing a demanding career whilst going through IVF treatment. As a Managing Director, Daniel has practical advice on what he has learned from combining a leadership career with young children. Daniel is also passionate about leading an inclusive manufacturing business and shares his experience of positively changing workplace culture. Enjoy the conversation...
Sonia Sudhakar - How to Improve Confidence & Resilience as a Senior Leader & Getting to a Director Level Role
January 25, 2024 04:30 - 42 minutes - 58.5 MBAs part of #MentoringMonth Verena Hefti MBE speaks to Leaders Plus Fellowship Mentor Sonia Sudhakar about improving confidence and resilience as a senior leader and how to get to a Director level role. Sonia is the MD of Marketing and Digital at The Royal Mail Group and lives in London with her partner and son. She shares the advice she gives to all her Mentee's and how having her son has changed her approach to work. We hope you enjoy the conversation. Applications are now open for the...
{CEO Series} Natasha Porter OBE - Why Being a CEO is One of the Best Jobs to Combine a Big Career and Small Children
January 18, 2024 04:00 - 49 minutes - 67.5 MBThis week Verena Hefti MBE is joined by Natasha Porter OBE, the CEO and Founder of the charity Unlocked Graduates, who recruit, train and challenge outstanding individuals to lead prisoner rehabilitation. Natasha has two young children and gave birth to her eldest child just as Unlocked Graduates launched. On the podcast, Natasha shares the reality of being a CEO, setting up an organisation and giving birth just after launch. Natasha firmly believes that being a CEO is one of the best job...
Big Careers, Small Children - A Podcast for Ambitious Parents Progressing Senior Careers
January 17, 2024 20:57 - 1 minute - 1.64 MBBig Careers Small Children helps ambitious parents progress careers they love whilst being present with their children. Through honest and informal conversation, senior leaders divulge what they have learnt on their own journey of combining big careers with young children to our host Verena Hefti MBE. Expect lots of aha moments, inspiration, fresh ideas, and practical support, so you can move forward in your career in a way that works for you and your family. This podcast is hosted by ou...
Dr. Amy Diehl & Dr. Leanne Dzubinski - Shattering the Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work
January 11, 2024 04:15 - 43 minutes - 59.4 MB“Our organisations have mostly been built by men, for men, with men’s lifestyle patterns in mind.” Gender bias is a powerful force that holds women back in the workplace and prevents them from achieving their full potential. This week on the podcast Verena Hefti MBE chats to Dr. Amy Diehl and Dr. Leanne Dzubinski, authors of a revealing new book which outlines the six barriers still holding women back at work and why this is an organisational rather than an individual problem. On the podc...
Jessica Calarco - Why Women Have Become a Social Safety Net & What Needs to Change
January 04, 2024 04:45 - 28 minutes - 38.6 MBThis week Verena Hefti MBE chats with Jessica Calarco, a Sociologist and Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, about women's role as a social safety net and what needs to change. Jessica is a leading expert on inequalities in family life and education and is the author of the forthcoming book Holding It Together - How Women Became America's Safety Net. Show Notes: Visit Jessica's website: www.jessicacalarco.com Pre-order Jessica's book Holding It Together - How Wome...
🎧 Throwback: Dr Martha Deiros Collado on Being Present With Your Children & Dealing With Feelings Of Guilt
December 28, 2023 04:15 - 41 minutes - 57 MBOur host Verena Hefti MBE is taking a short break from podcast recording this Christmas week. Instead, we revisit one of our most popular episodes featuring Dr Martha Deiros Collado, a clinical psychologist specialising in family therapy and host of the brilliant podcast Talking Sense with Dr Martha. Leaders Plus Fellows tell us time and time again that they struggle with worrying about their children when they are at work and thinking about work when they are with the children. So how ca...
Brian Ballantyne - Working Fatherhood: Expectations of Masculinity & Whether Training Can Change Behaviour
December 21, 2023 04:30 - 45 minutes - 62.9 MBThis week Verena Hefti MBE chats with Brian Ballantyne, author of the book "Confessions of a Working Father" and co-founder of Men for Inclusion. They discuss the challenges Brian has faced as a working father in a senior role, expectations of masculinity and whether training can really help change behaviour. Plus Brian shares three practical ways anyone can be an ally and advocate for working parents. Show Notes: Connect with Brian on LinkedIn Find out more about Confessions of a Worki...
{CEO SERIES} Charlotte Hill OBE - Being a CEO & Enjoying Your Young Children
December 14, 2023 04:30 - 37 minutes - 51.6 MBToday Verena Hefti MBE is joined by Charlotte Hill OBE, the CEO of The Felix Project, a London charity fighting hunger and food waste. Charlotte is a mother to two young children and is passionate that it's absolutely possible to work in a senior position and raise children. On the podcast, she shares why it's incredibly worth it and how she practically makes it work, including how she sets boundaries when going to things like late-night networking events. Charlotte is also extremely open...
Rosie McLeod - Career Progression Gaps: Research Findings on Parents' Career Ambitions & How Employers Can Retain & Support Them
December 07, 2023 04:15 - 36 minutes - 50.3 MBWhat's holding parents' career progression back and how can employers retain and support them? In summer 2023, the Big Parent Career Choices Survey was completed by nearly 900 working parents. It found that 86% of parents want to progress their careers in the next five years, with 51% wanting to progress in the next two years. It also found what is holding them back... On this week's podcast Verena Hefti MBE and Social Researcher Rosie McLeod discuss the survey findings from the brand new...
Janet Daby MP -How to Combine a Senior Career as an MP With Young Children
November 30, 2023 04:15 - 46 minutes - 64.3 MBThis week Janet Daby MP (Member of Parliament for Lewisham East) joins Verena Hefti MBE to discuss how she combines a big career with young children. Janet, who is a mother of 2, shares how she balances frequent evening commitments as an MP with being a present parent and what she has learned about dealing with feelings of guilt. There are lots of practical tips for anyone balancing a senior career whilst raising a family. We hope you enjoy the conversation. Show Notes: Visit Janet's we...
Melissa Blisset - Gender Pay Gap: How Individuals & Employers Can Work to Close It
November 23, 2023 04:45 - 45 minutes - 41.9 MBWhat is the root cause of the gender pay gap? What can we do as both individuals and employers to help close it? Following Equal Pay Day 2023 (the day in the year when - based on the gender pay gap - women overall in the UK stop being paid compared to men), Verena Hefti MBE is joined by financial wellbeing and pay gap analytics expert Melissa Blissett from UK Consultancy Barnett Waddingham to discuss the gender pay gap. The most recent Office of National Statistics Gender Pay Gap in the UK...
Paul Morgan-Bentley - Equal Parenting & How Sharing the Load Can Help Career Progression
November 16, 2023 08:07 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MB“If we’re going to talk a good game about equality at work that also means men taking on childcare responsibilities.” Ahead of International Men's Day (19/11) Paul Morgan-Bentley, Head of Investigations at The Times and author of the brilliant book The Equal Parent joins Verena Hefti MBE. Paul is an advocate for men properly sharing responsibility for caring for their children. He shares what he and his husband Robin have gained from parenting their son Solly equally and how this has po...
🎧 #Throwback: Mary Ann Sieghart on the Authority Gap
November 09, 2023 04:47 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MBOur host Verena Hefti MBE is taking a short break from podcast recording this week. Instead, we revisit one of our most popular episodes featuring former The Times Senior Editor Mary Ann Sieghart. Mary Ann is the author of a really intriguing book, The Authority Gap, which analyses why women are taken less seriously than men and what we can do about it. The discussion includes: Why men and women can say the exact same thing yet it’s perceived differently A look at the latest evidence an...
{CEO Series} Matthew Hayes - How to Combine CEO Life With Parenting Young Children
November 02, 2023 05:00 - 46 minutes - 63.7 MBCan you work in the top positions and still be there for school pick up? Today Verena Hefti MBE is joined by Matthew Hayes, the Vice President & Managing Director of Technology From Sage. Matthew is a father to two young daughters and is combining a big career with raising small children. In the episode, he shares how he balances life in a very senior role (alongside working on a start-up) and is present with his daughters, including working flexibly and being there for school drop-offs....
{CEO Series} Laura Citron - Why the CEO Role is Perfect for Working Parents
October 26, 2023 04:00 - 45 minutes - 41.4 MBApplications to the Leaders Plus Fellowship close on 29 October. Download Application Pack. How do you know when you're ready to become a CEO? In this episode we are joined by Laura Citron, CEO of London & Partners, London's business growth and destination agency. Laura was appointed Chief Executive Officer whilst pregnant and shares why the CEO role is actually perfect for working parents. Wondering if you're ready to become a CEO? Laura shares her advice for anyone considering an upw...
{CEO Series} Michelle Harrison - Does Society Think That Men & Women Are Equally Suitable to Lead? Findings from the Reykjavik Index.
October 19, 2023 04:30 - 54 minutes - 74.6 MBApplications to the Leaders Plus Fellowship close on 29 October 2023. Download Application Pack. Does Society Think That Men and Women are Equally Suitable to Lead? Today we are joined by Michelle Harrison, Global CEO of Kantar Public. Launched in 2018, The Reykjavik Index for Leadership measures and tracks progress in society’s perceptions of women and men’s suitability to lead across the G7 nations, as well as Australia, Iceland, Indonesia, Poland, Singapore, Spain and Thailand. After...
Dr Jasmin Islam - How to Set Boundaries & Ask for What You Need When Balancing Career & Family
October 13, 2023 05:00 - 40 minutes - 56.1 MBApplications to the Leaders Plus Fellowship close on 29 October 2023. Download Application Pack. “Give yourself the permission to be brave” Today we welcome Consultant Dr Jasmin Islam to the podcast. Jasmin balances two big roles alongside raising small children and splits her working hours between Kings College Hospital NHS & Clinical Public Health, United Kingdom Health Security Agency in London. Having recently returned from her second maternity leave, Jasmin joins Verena to discuss ...
Kate Smith - How Small Steps Can Lead to Big Changes & Bringing Your Authentic Self to Work
October 05, 2023 04:45 - 53 minutes - 73.3 MBApplications to the Leaders Plus Fellowship close on 29 October. Download Application Pack. “Have kind conversations with yourself - we are often our own harshest critics when we should be our own best supporter.” We interview the brilliant Kate Smith (Executive Director, Consulting - CBRE UK) about what she has learned from dealing with her own assumptions about herself and where she stands on whether you should adapt at work to emulate the stereotypical male leaders. The discussion incl...
⚡️Monday Motivation: Alex Pang on Implementing a 4 Day Week
October 02, 2023 04:45 - 7 minutes - 10.2 MBAt Big Careers, Small Children we are driving change for ambitious working parents. This #MondayMotivation bonus snippet from a previous episode shares a practical action you can implement this week to help you combine a big career with small children successfully. Advice today from Author and Researcher Alex Pang who shares practical suggestions on how you could begin implementing a 4 day working week. If you'd like to listen to Alex's conversation in full then head back to episode 32 o...
Dominic Holmes - How to Resize a Client Facing Role from 5 to 4 Days
September 28, 2023 04:15 - 36 minutes - 33.9 MBApplications to the Leaders Plus Fellowship close on 29 October. Download Application Pack. “I can honestly say I’ve been more successful on 4 days a week than 5 days a week.” It's a pleasure to welcome back Dominic Holmes to the podcast. Dominic is a Partner at the law firm Mischon De Reya and has successfully resized his client facing role from 5 days a week to 4 days. He shares: How he successfully reduced his workload Why delegating is crucial How to set firm boundaries with your...
⚡️ Monday Motivation: Jennifer Petriglieri - How to Work With Your Partner to Increase the Chances of Career Success
September 25, 2023 04:45 - 2 minutes - 3.73 MBAt Big Careers, Small Children we are driving change for ambitious working parents. This #MondayMotivation bonus snippet from a previous episode shares a practical action you can implement this week to help you combine a big career with small children successfully. Advice today from Dr Jennifer Petriglieri (Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD) who shares how to work with your partner (if you have one) to increase both your chances of career success. If you'd like to...
Helen Gillett - How to Build a Board Career
September 21, 2023 04:45 - 38 minutes - 52.4 MB“You will have transferable skills - it’s just a question of identifying what they are.” Today we welcome back Independent Non-Executive Director Helen Gillett to the podcast. Helen shares: What a Non-Executive Director role involves How to get a Non-Executive Director position What being on a board actually means How you can successfully work your network How you can combine a Non-Executive Director role when you're a parent of young children We hope you enjoy the conversation. Sho...
⚡️ Monday Motivation: Vanessa Bohns - How to Increase Your Chances of a Yes
September 18, 2023 04:45 - 2 minutes - 2.48 MBAt Big Careers, Small Children we are driving change for ambitious working parents. This #MondayMotivation bonus snippet from a previous episode shares a practical action you can implement this week to help you combine a big career with small children successfully. Advice today from Vanessa Bohns (Professor of Organisational Behavior, Cornell University) who shares how you can get to 'yes' in negotiations and why you have more influence than you might think. A very useful skill when you'...
Lydia Leipert & Rebecca Zöller - How to Make Job Sharing Work
September 14, 2023 04:45 - 37 minutes - 51.8 MB“With job sharing the company gets two people - two ideas, two heads, two brains.” Ours guests today Lydia Leipert and Rebecca Zöller job share a senior role at a Bavarian broadcaster and have even been nicknamed “Lydecca” by their colleagues. As they put it themselves - "between us we have 4 children, are 2 women and share 1 job". Lydia and Rebecca share the story of how they found each other, why job sharing can work so fantastically and how you can convince your employer to support you...
⚡️ Monday Motivation: Anita Kerwin-Nye - How to Combine a Big Career & Small Children
September 11, 2023 04:15 - 3 minutes - 4.53 MBAt Big Careers, Small Children we are driving change for ambitious working parents. This #MondayMotivation bonus snippet from a previous episode shares a practical action you can implement this week to help you progress your career in a way that works for your family. Advice from Anita Kerwin-Nye (Executive Director - YHA England & Wales) who shares the top three things she tells her own Mentees who are progressing their careers whilst raising young children. If you'd like to listen to A...
Drake Peabody - How to Network to Support Your Career Development
September 07, 2023 04:15 - 43 minutes - 60.2 MB“Some of those lightbulb moments have actually come from engaging with people that come from totally different backgrounds, or totally different industries or have totally different perspectives.” Today we welcome global finance leader Drake Peabody to Big Careers, Small Children. Drake is an alumnus of the Leaders Plus Fellowship and Director of Group FP&A at IHS Towers, one of the largest independent owners, operators and developers of shared telecommunications infrastructure in the wor...
Karen Dillon - Overcoming Microstress: How Little Things Can Pile Up & Create Big Problems & What to Do About It
August 31, 2023 04:45 - 49 minutes - 67.6 MBEver find yourself drowning in a sea of endless responsibilities? Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed and in need of some practical solutions? Perhaps you need to address the microstress in your life. Microstresses are the small moments of stress that have insidiously infiltrated both our work and personal lives with invisible but devastating effects. These seemingly harmless everyday occurrences can zap our energy levels and impact our performance. Our guest today is Karen Dillon, an...
🎧 Throwback: Dr Jennifer Petriglieri on How Dual Career Couples Make it Work
August 24, 2023 04:45 - 51 minutes - 70.8 MBOver the summer host Verena Hefti MBE is taking a short break from podcast recording and instead, we'll be sharing some of her personal favourite episodes. This week we are revisiting the 2020 episode recorded with Dr Jennifer Petriglieri, an expert on how dual career couples can thrive in relationships both at home and at work. Jennifer shares the concrete steps you can take today to strengthen the positive impact of your relationship on your career. Plus there’s a breakdown of the 3 ty...
🎧 Throwback: Fiona McDonnell on Finding a Work/Life Rhythm
August 17, 2023 04:30 - 48 minutes - 66.6 MBOver the summer host Verena Hefti MBE is taking a short break from podcast recording and instead, we'll be sharing some of her personal favourite episodes. This week we revisit the episode with author and business leader Fiona McDonnell. Fiona's debut book Two Mirrors and a Cheetah offers inspiration and practical advice on finding career fulfilment. Including how you can challenge assumptions and choices that hold you back. Listen to the episode to learn how to: Identify your purpose an...
🎧 Throwback: Nick Wilkie on Taking Career Breaks as a CEO
August 10, 2023 04:15 - 42 minutes - 58.1 MBOver the summer host Verena Hefti MBE is taking a short break from podcast recording and instead, we'll be sharing some of her personal favourite episodes. This week we revisit the 2019 episode with former National Childbirth Trust (NCT) CEO, Nick Wilkie. Nick talks candidly about stepping away from his Chief Executive position at the NCT to be a full-time parent, allowing his partner to return a full-time leadership position and how he will ensure that headhunters still remember him when ...
🎧 Throwback: Lucy Walker on How to Become a Non-Executive Director
August 03, 2023 04:15 - 33 minutes - 45.5 MBOver the summer host, Verena Hefti MBE is taking a short break from podcast recording and instead, we'll be sharing some of her personal favourite episodes. This week we invite you to revisit the episode with Leaders Plus Fellow Lucy Walker who talks through how she became a Non-Executive Director and how you can become one too. Connect with Lucy on LinkedIn here. Useful Resources Mentioned by Lucy Women on Boards: www.womenonboards.net Nurole: www.nurole.com Dynamic Boards: www.dynam...
🎧 Throwback Episode: Mother Pukka on Flexible Working
July 27, 2023 05:26 - 39 minutes - 54.1 MBOver the summer host, Verena Hefti MBE is taking a short break from interviewing to spend time with her family. We'll be revisiting some of the most popular episodes of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast for you to enjoy. This week we invite you to re-visit the 2020 episode with Anna Whitehouse (also known as Mother Pukka) who talks about setting up her flex appeal campaign and why she has pioneered change in flexible working. The wonderful news is since recording the podcast with A...
Ashley Quinto Powell - Practical Strategies for Selling Yourself When You're a Busy Working Parent
July 13, 2023 04:30 - 37 minutes - 51 MB“One of the most important things is to have people who will mention you in a room when you’re not there.” Our guest today is Ashley Quinto Powell, a serial entrepreneur and the author of Executive Motherhood: The Art of Having It All Without Doing It All. Ashley founded the Virtual Assistant Agency, myVA Rocks and has spoken about motherhood for TEDx and many others. So what are the practical strategies working parents can use to really sell themselves when they are busy progressing the...
Children Starting School? Practical Tips for Ambitious Working Parents
July 06, 2023 04:30 - 47 minutes - 65.4 MB“No person grows like the parent who is just about to start primary school.” Will your child start a new school this year? As exciting as the school transition is for you and your child the school journey can bring an extra set of challenges for working parents. This week Leaders Plus Fellows Rajani Rao and Temi Olusola share their personal experience of having a child begin their school journey and the practical tips they have learned along the way. Discover: How to thrive when your ...
Polly MacKenzie - How to Drive Change & Create Powerful Policies for Working Parents
June 29, 2023 04:45 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MB"I fundamentally believe we cannot have equality at work until we have equality at home." This week we welcome change maker Polly Mackenzie to the podcast. Driving change has been central to Polly's career which has spanned several high-profile roles. Polly was previously Director of Policy to then Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. After leaving Government, Polly established the operations of the Women’s Equality Party as well as founding the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute a...
Christian Uhle - How to Find Meaning in Both Life & Work
June 22, 2023 04:15 - 57 minutes - 79.1 MB“We all experience different types of meaning in our lives and we all have different sources of meaning in our lives.” If you feel you lack purpose, should you try to find the meaning of life? How can you increase the meaning you find in both life and work? Why are so many jobs unfulfilling and what practically can you do about it? Philosopher Christian Uhle joins Verena Hefti MBE for a frank discussion on meaning and how we can all increase the meaning in our lives. Find out more abou...
Ann Crumley - Compassionate Leadership & Being Human at Work & How Being a Working Parent Has Changed in the Last 30 Years
June 15, 2023 04:00 - 47 minutes - 33 MB“Compassionate leadership starts with the self.” As a leader how can you balance compassion for your colleagues with effectiveness in getting the job done? This week Verena is joined by the Assistant HR Director for NHS Ayrshire and Arryn, Ann Crumley, who has over 30 years of experience working in the NHS. They discuss: Why compassionate leadership starts with putting yourself first What has changed for working parents in the last 30 years, particularly in the NHS How to approach diff...