Can we truly have thriving careers without sacrificing family life?In this episode, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Brigid Schulte, author of Overworked: Transforming the Daily Grind in the Quest for a Better Life, about the pervasive issue of overwork and its impact on individuals and families. Brigid emphasises the importance of redefining what success looks like in the workplace, advocating for a shift from measuring productivity by hours spent to valuing meaningful output. They discuss practical steps for individuals to take, even in unsupportive environments, highlighting the need for boundaries and prioritising what truly matters. The episode offers insights into how both personal choices and organisational changes can foster a healthier work-life balance, ultimately benefiting everyone involved.We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Brigid's book Overworked is now available in bookshops and via Amazon.Connect with Brigid on LinkedIn.In this episode you will learn:Work culture often rewards overwork and long hours, negatively impacting family time and well-being.Individuals should define their values and prioritise what truly matters to them at work.Leadership beliefs significantly shape workplace culture, influencing policies around work-life balance.Organisations should measure success not just by output, but also by employee well-being.Small changes at work, like asking for flexible hours, can lead to significant personal benefits.Creating a supportive work environment requires collaboration with employees to understand their needs.Our multi-award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowships support parents committed to career growth while enjoying family life. Expertly designed to keep parents on the leadership path, our programme tackles gender pay gap issues and empowers parents to thrive. Learn more here: Leaders Plus Fellowship. Find out more about the work of Leaders Plus by signing up to our Newsletter.More BCSC episodes we think you'll love:Dr. Malissa Clark - How to Set Boundaries as a Workaholic & Learn to be More Present as a ParentJane Green - How to Approach Your Employer for Reduced Working Days and Tips on Transitioning to a Flexible Role

Trigger warning: miscarriage Today, Verena welcomes Carin-Isabel Knoop for an especially thought-provoking podcast episode on embracing kindness in life, parenting and leadership. Very apt, given earlier this week, we celebrated #WorldKindnessDay.Carin is the Executive Director of the Harvard Business School Case Research and Writing Group and was previously a consultant at McKinsey and Price Waterhouse Coopers. The conversation includes reflections on managing as a solo parent whilst pursuing an ambitious career, learning to let go of control, filling support gaps, and considering how we can all contribute to more compassionate workplaces.Carin and Verena also have a moving discussion about supporting someone through pregnancy loss.We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Read Carin and Verena's 2024 Mother's Day proclamation.Learn more about Compassionate Management of Mental Health in the Modern Workplace.Follow Carin on Medium.Find support during miscarriage via The Miscarriage Association.Interested in progressing your career after having children? The award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship is specifically designed for working parents with management responsibilities who want to progress their careers and reach their full potential professionally. Find out more.

Can you build a successful career without sacrificing your well-being? This week, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Tom Shaw, author of Counterbalance: How to Build Your Career Without Ruining Your Life and a Senior Leader Mentor at Leaders Plus.Tom talks about counterbalance and why it's important to be intentional about what matters most.Together, Tom and Verena explore making difficult decisions, reducing burnout, and thriving in your career without compromising your life. Tom also shares the key attributes for combining career, family and our personal lives, so we can create a truly fulfilling life whilst also protecting our wellbeing.We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Tom's book Counterbalance is now available in bookshops and via Amazon.Connect with Tom on LinkedIn.If you are looking to progress your career after having children then the award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship is specifically designed for working parents with management responsibilities, who want to progress their careers and reach their full potential professionally. Find out more.

When you're a dual career couple, it can be tricky to coordinate schedules and balance work and family life.This week, Verena Hefti MBE is joined by married couple Sally Hamm and Matt Hamm, Occupational Medicine Physicians (who worked together as Air Force Flight Surgeons), who share four children alongside their busy senior careers.Sally and Matt open up about how they have evolved their thinking around combining raising their family and progressing their careers. The couple share practical advice on how they prioritise what they say yes to and strategies for communicating with your partner to ensure you truly share the load.We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Connect with Sally and Matt on LinkedIn.Find resources for dual career couples, including our free couples checklist, on the Leaders Plus website: www.leadersplus.org/resources/couplesIf you are looking to progress your career after having children, then the award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship is specifically designed for working parents with management responsibilities who want to progress their careers and reach their full potential professionally. Find out more.

In this episode, Verena discusses the importance of allyship in the workplace.She is joined by Brad Johnson and David G. Smith, authors of the book: Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace.As well as discussing what men can do to support their female colleagues, Brad and David discuss ways we can all support members of minorities in order to help everyone thrive professionally.We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Good Guys is out on the 13th of October, pre-order hereVisit Workplace Allies at www.workplaceallies.comInterested to join our Leaders Plus ESG peer support network? Get in touchIf you are looking to progress your career after having children then the award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship is specifically designed for working parents with management responsibilities, who want to progress their careers and reach their full potential professionally. Find out more.

In this episode, Verena is joined by Tiffany Sauder, CEO of Element Three and mother of four.Tiffany breaks down some of the key factors which have led to her inspiring success. From prioritising what really matters to the power of networking, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking for tangible career and family advice.We hope you enjoy the conversation.This episode is part of our CEO Series, spotlighting parents with young children who hold a CEO role.Show Notes:Connect with Tiffany on LinkedInFind out more about Element Three.A senior-level career doesn’t have to come at the expense of being a present parent. If you are interested in progressing your senior job and balancing your family life, take a look at our Senior Director's Fellowship: www.leadersplus.org/seniorleadersplusfellowship

Is the four day working week the future of work, or a luxurious dream?In this episode of Big Careers, Small Children, Verena is joined by Tatiana Pignon, Head of Development at The Autonomy Institute, an independent research organisation that focuses on the future of the working world.In this intriguing conversation, Tatianna discusses Autonomy's fascinating research on the shorter working week and the elements of their discoveries that you could apply in your organisation. We hope you enjoy the conversation.This episode is part of the future of work series, where we explore how work will change in the future to help everyone thrive and progress their careers equitably regardless of circumstances. Show Notes:Connect with Tatianna on LinkedInFind out more about The Autonomy InstituteWe know how difficult it can be to balance an ambitious career with raising a family especially if you’ve taken time off to focus on your children or opted for a lower grade role to accommodate the demands of family life. That's why we created the Future Leader's Programme.If you are interested in progressing your career and nurturing your family at the same time, take a look at The Future Leader's Programme: https://www.leadersplus.org/futureleadersplus

In a bid to make a difference and bring more purpose to her work, Polly Neate left her successful career in journalism and joined the charity sector. Nearly twenty years later, she is CEO of one of the largest charities in the UK, Shelter, and a proud mother of two grown up women.In this podcast, Polly discusses her fascinating journey, the sacrifices she has had to make, and why finding purpose in your work is so important.We hope you enjoy the conversation.This episode is part of our CEO Series, spotlighting parents with young children who hold a CEO role.Show Notes:Connect with Polly on LinkedInFind out more about ShelterA senior-level career doesn’t have to come at the expense of being a present parent. If you are interested in progressing your senior job and balancing your family life, take a look at our Senior Director's Fellowship: https://www.leadersplus.org/seniorleadersplusfellowship

Job sharing is a powerful tool for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace and has several benefits for both the organisation and their employees.Joining us on Big Careers, Small Children this week are successful job-sharing duo Emily Wilton and Jo Goring, two senior leaders at the UK's largest animal welfare charity, the RSPCA.Emily and Jo share how they make their job share (which they explain is actually a job split) work so successfully, including why communication is key. They offer practical advice on approaching your employer about a potential job share - spoiler: be brave and go for it!They also discuss why they believe it's vital to be loud and proud about job sharing and how splitting senior roles and designing them part-time can be especially beneficial to organisations.We hope you enjoy the conversation.

How can you self promote at work and invest time in building relationships as a busy working parent?Today on the podcast Verena Hefti MBE welcomes Ferzana Bham & Bethany Pearson from PR Mums.PR Mums is a community-led platform which offers former PRs (many of whom have left the workforce after having children) a pathway back into the industry.Ferzana and Bethany share their expert advice and practical tips on self promotion, including how to forge relationships when you're time poor and effectively promote your achievements whatever your industry, especially when it might not come naturally to you.We hope you enjoy the conversation.PR Mums are working to establish an industry-wide model of best practice for parental policy – for the benefit of all current and future mothers and fathers; our children; and our parents. If you work in PR, please spare five minutes to complete this survey.Show Notes:Find out more about PR Mums: www.pr-mums.comFor more information on the Leaders Plus Fellowship head to www.leadersplus.org/fellowship

Shift work can be especially challenging when you're a parent to young children.This week on the podcast our Leaders Plus Fellow Nathalie Holdstock, a Senior Sister and Emergency Nurse Practitioner, shares how she navigates working shifts in the NHS whilst raising two small children.Nathalie shares practical tips for other shift workers, including why it's important to ask for what you need and what others who don't work shifts can learn from the experience.We hope you enjoy the conversation. The Leaders Plus podcast will now be on a short break over the summer holidays returning on Thursday 5th September.Show Notes:Find out more about the Leaders Plus NHS Fellowship

Why are so many women over the age of 38 leaving the workforce and what can we do about it?Our guest today to discuss the future of work is employee experience, culture and communications expert Lucy Kemp.Lucy shares how AI is impacting the workplace and gives practical advice for anyone just getting started with adopting AI to support their work in future.We delve into why workplaces have historically been designed by men for men and what this means for women. We also look at the data around women leaving the workforce after the age of 38 and what we can do to stop this, including why we need to support Gen Z women to thrive in the workplace.Enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Find out more about Kemp & CoFind out more about accessing a Mentor via the Leaders Plus FellowshipThis episode is part of the future of work series, where we explore how work will change in the future to help everyone thrive and progress their careers equitably regardless of circumstances.

Are you feeling overwhelmed and burnt out?This week on the podcast Executive Coach and Founder of Wisdom for Working Mums Nicky Lowe shares practical advice on dealing with and preventing burnout as a busy working parent juggling both career and family. Burnout is something Nicky has experienced first-hand following her return to work after the birth of her first child. She shares her own story, plus how to identify if you are struggling with burnout and fantastic tips on how you can begin to recover and learn to reimagine your approach to career and parenthood.Enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Listen to more from Nicky on her Wisdom for Working Mums podcastDownload our free setting boundaries workbook

How can we move to more outcome-based work cultures and how best can managers support this?Outcome-based leadership relates to delivering results and achieving specific, measurable goals rather than being hyper-focused on time spent at your desk. It can enable employees and teams to work more autonomously and flexibly.Our guests today Helen Balcome and Kate Groom, founders of The Health Kollective, believe that work can be and should be a positive force that complements everything else we do, enabling people, teams and businesses the freedom to thrive. They believe that outcome-based management is key to this. On the show, they share how organisations can move to a more outcome-based way of working, how to manage a team based on output rather than time practically and why senior leaders should be first to model this behaviour. Plus, why you should have both 'to-do' and 'woo-hoo' lists. We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Find out more about The Health KollectiveFind out more about the Leaders Plus Fellowship

 Verena welcomes Gethin Nadin, an expert in workplace wellbeing and one of HRs most influential thinkers to discuss how to build better employee experiences for working parents.Wellbeing for working parents is a hot topics and Gethin shares insights from his research, including why organisations who prioritise employee health and wellbeing and put people over policy are often more successful and crucially, profitable. Gethin also shares the importance of taking charge of our own wellbeing, including speaking kindly to ourselves and being our own biggest supporters.Show Notes:Read Gethin's book, A Work in Progress (available on Amazon)Read our blog, why supporting workplaces is a wellbeing issue: www.leadersplus.org/supporting-parents-wellbeing 

Do you struggle to set boundaries around work? Have you ever wondered if you're a workaholic? Would you like to be more present when you're spending time with your children?Our guest today is Dr. Malissa Clark, Associate Professor of Industrial Organizational Psychology at the University of Georgia and author of the book "Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture is Bad for Business and How to Fix It."Malissa outlines exactly what workaholism is and shares why having a 'type A' personality or identifying as a perfectionist is highly correlated with workaholism.The good news is there are lots of helpful things we can do to set healthy boundaries and start addressing the negative ways this could be impacting our lives.Malissa shares practical advice and tips, including how to learn to be more present as a parent when you are juggling so many different responsibilities.Show Notes:Find out more about Malissa Clark, including her book Never Not Working.Download the Leaders Plus Setting Boundaries WorkbookBook: The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying (Bronnie Ware) Read the Havard Business Review Study on Why Some Men Pretend to Work 80 Hour Weeks.

Ahead of Father's Day in the UK, Verena chats to New York Times columnist and founder of The Company of Dads, Paul J. Sullivan.Through The Company of Dads online platform, Paul has created a thriving and inclusive community for 'lead dads' and is challenging traditional norms of what it means to be a father.Lead dads are fully engaged in raising their children, supporting their partner and working to keep the house together and typically work a more flexible schedule than their partner.Paul shares how he became a lead dad, why he is passionate about parenting out loudly and why it's so important to parent through your calendar (e.g. be honest about why you're leaving work and diarise it) because of the profoundly positive impact this can have at your organisation.We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Find out more about The Company of Dads.Find out more about the award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowships.

How can you navigate shift work as a parent?This week we welcome Emergency Medicine Doctor Sonia Damle to the podcast. Sonia shares her experience of shift work and how to make it work alongside bringing up children. Sonia has lots of practical advice for other shift workers, including:why knowing what you want is vital to make it workhow utilising your support network can really make a differencehow self-rostering could be game changing in the NHS and beyond Plus, the skills and experience we can take from shift work (eg. compartmentalising) and apply to more traditional working hours.We hope you enjoy the conversation, do get in touch if you have any thoughts or feedback.Show Notes:Applications for the award-winning NHS Fellowship close 18 June. Find out more: www.leadersplus.org/nhsfellowshipAccess further resources for parents working in the NHS: www.leadersplus.org/resources/parental-leave-toolkits

Have you heard of workstyle? Today on the podcast we are delighted to welcome entrepreneurs and changemakers Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst. Together they came up with the concept of workstyle in response to their negative experiences of the traditional '9-5' working week. Workstyle is a new word to describe the complete freedom to choose when and where you work. It differs from flexible working for all, which Lizzie and Alex believe is not the right solution.They invite us to think about our own workstyle and how we can achieve what we need in a way that works for us. Plus, they share the evidence behind workstyle and why it works, including how it can level the playing field and help to create true inclusivity and accessibility in our society.We hope you enjoy this thought provoking conversation.This episode is part of the future of work series, where we explore how work will change in the future to help everyone thrive and progress their careers equitably regardless of circumstances.Show Notes:Find out more about Hoxby and the Workstyle RevolutionJoin the Workstyle Revolution Slack Community Find out more about the Leaders Plus Senior Directors Fellowship

We're delighted to welcome Denise Wilson OBE to the podcast. Denise is the former chief executive of the FTSE Women Leaders Review and has led the UK’s business task force to increase the number of women on boards and in leadership positions. She has made a significant contribution to gender equality in British business and is passionate about empowering women.We discuss:How the UK made such massive strides in closing the gender gap at board levelWhat still needs to change for gender equalityHow to get to an Exec Director positionWhy as a parent everything doesn’t need to be perfect but “good enough”We hope you enjoy the conversation.This episode is part of the future of work series, where we explore how work will change in the future to help everyone thrive and progress their careers equitably regardless of circumstances.Show Notes:Connect with Denise Wilson OBE on LinkedIn.Download the latest FTSE Women Leaders ReviewDownload the Leaders Plus Mental Load ChecklistFind out more about the Leaders Plus Senior Directors Fellowship

Would you like to reduce the number of meetings in your workplace?Joining us this week is workplace culture enthusiast Bruce Daisley. A former EMEA Vice President of Twitter, Bruce is now a best-selling author and hosts the podcast 'Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat', alongside helping organisations build energised and connected workplace cultures.In this episode, we discuss how you can positively change the workplace culture where you work. We share practical tips on reducing the number of meetings in the diary, the super powers of productivity and a look at the future of work, particularly in relation to artificial intelligence (AI).Enjoy this thought provoking conversation.This episode is part of the future of work series, where we explore how work will change in the future to help everyone thrive and progress their careers equitably regardless of circumstances.Show Notes:Find out more about Bruce Daisley via his website at www.brucedaisley.comDownload the Leaders Plus Career Progression Gaps: The Next Frontier report.Discover the Silent Meeting Manifesto

Has your employer recently called you back to the office?Our guest today is Rosie Hewat, Group Chief People Officer at fintech company Kuda.In 2024, many organisations have begun to pull their workers back to the office. As an experienced HR and people management professional and an advocate for flexible working, Rosie shares practical advice on how you can handle this request.Plus, listen for tips on requesting flexible working and what to do if your flexible working request is rejected.Enjoy the conversation.Show notes:Find out more about Rosie at www.rosiespeople.com Find out more about the award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowships www.leadersplus.org/fellowship

What 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 conversation.Show Notes:Connect with Liz on LinkedInFind out more about Investing in WomenListen to the Work it Like a Mum podcastApply now for the award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowship.

Do 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 Munich. She co-parents her two daughters alongside her now ex-husband.Enjoy the conversation.Show notes:Connect: Send Charlotte a message on LinkedInBook: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ckResearch: Kathleen McGinn - Kids of Working Moms Grow into Happy AdultsFellowship: Find out more about the Leaders Plus Fellowship

Today 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 IcelandWhat we can learn from this success to implement in other countriesWhy data is the best way to improve DEI policies and help close the gender pay gapEnjoy the conversation.Show notes:Find out more about the Alda DEI software at alda.coDownload the 22/23 Reykjavik Index for LeadershipListen to Michelle Harrison, CEO of Kantar discuss the 22/23 Reykjavic Index on Big Careers, Small ChildrenFind the Third Shift Book on AmazonAccess Mental Load resources from Leaders Plus

Today 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 Mary Ann Siegart on episode 81 of the Big Careers, Small Children podcastFind Gert Gigerenzer's book The Intelligence of Intuition

This 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 common theme during the discussion is perfectionism and letting go of the perfect time to do things. We discuss how to manage perfectionism and deal with feelings of guilt, plus why it's so important to set clear boundaries and tips on how to do it. We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show notes:Connect with Lea Henry on LinkedIn.Find out more about CocoRio: https://cocorio.co.uk Download the Career Progression Gaps report.Read the book: Surrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and in Life) by Thomas Erikson.

How 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 women progressing their career, including why you don't necessarily have to 'act like a man' to move into those senior positions.The property industry, as a whole, is not known for embracing flexible working, but Polly - who works compressed hours - is a huge advocate for working flexibly and encourages her team to bring their whole self to work. She shares how she makes this work.Finally, Polly shares her tips for surviving and thriving at work on very little sleep during those first few months of parenthood.We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show notes:Find out more about John D. Wood & Co. London.Find Polly on LinkedIn.Download the brochure for our award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowship.

Today on the podcast, Verena Hefti MBE chats with Dr Ana Catalano Weeks, Senior Lecturer at the University of BathDr. 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 the mental load. We also explore the stigma confronting both men and women within the framework of societal expectations surrounding parental roles.Backed by findings from her research, Dr Ana further shares her tips on managing parenthood as working parents. We hope you enjoy the conversation.A quick reminder that applications for our award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship will close on 20 March. Download the brochure.Show Notes:Access free Resources on Managing Mental Load.Download the Leaders Plus Career Progression Gaps report.Read more about Dr. Ana's work here.

Today 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 experience as a mum and now a grandmother, Jane shares her advice on approaching the employer for a flexible model and tips on transitioning to a reduced working-days role.We hope you enjoy the conversation.A quick reminder that applications for our award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship will close on 20 March. Download the brochure.Show Notes:Download the Leaders Plus Career Progression Gaps report.Mentioned in this episode:Cross Sector Fellowship

Today 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 her grow professionally while balancing her time with her children, plus her tips on applying for a full time role when wanting to work across 4 days.Ironically, her financial background does not stop Heather from having a risk-taking approach when it comes to accelerating her career as she discusses setting goals, networking, and more.Finally, Heather shares advice for anyone looking to take on a Trustee or board role and how to combine this with your day job.We hope you enjoy the conversation.A quick reminder that applications for our award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship will close on 20 March. Download the brochure.Show Notes:Get involved with Trust for London and Pregnant Then Screwed.Download the Leaders Plus Career Progression Gaps report.Mentioned in this episode:Cross Sector Fellowship

In 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 shared accountability and management responsibilities.For Sam (who is currently expecting her second child) pregnancy has come with its fair share of morning sickness and she discusses how she has navigated this whilst in a senior role involving lots of face-to-face meetings.We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Get involved with Sam’s charity via the website.Download the Leaders Plus Career Progression Gaps report.Applications are now open for the award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship. Download the brochure and apply by 20/03.

What 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 working week is key to their success.Rachel also shares her top tips on managing your own personal brand, including how to get others to advocate for you.We hope you enjoy the conversation.A quick reminder that applications for our award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship will close on 20 March. Download the brochure.Show Notes:Find out more about Axe + SawConnect with Rachel on LinkedIn.Mentioned in this episode:Cross Sector Fellowship

How 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 hesitate. Perhaps immobilised by a fear they are not ready or worthy enough to take action and move forward.Ellen shares how we can break through this and overcome the gendered expectations that many women internalise. Ellen also has lots of practical advice on overcoming perfectionism and getting more comfortable with self-promotion at work.We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Find out more about Ellen's book via her website.Download the Career Progression Gaps report.Applications are now open for the award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship. Download the brochure and apply by 20/03.Mentioned in this episode:Cross Sector Fellowship

Our 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.Applications are now open for the award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship. Download the brochure and apply by 20/03.

As 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 award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship. Download the brochure and apply by 20/03.Mentioned in this episode:Cross Sector Fellowship

This 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 jobs to combine a big career and small children due to the role's flexibility and autonomy and she explains how they make it work for their family and how you could too. We hope you enjoy the conversation.This episode is part of our CEO Series, spotlighting parents with young children who hold a CEO role.Show Notes:Book - 'Lean In: Women, Work & the Will to Lead' by Sheryl SandbergFind out more about the brilliant work of Unlocked Graduates at https://unlockedgrads.org.uk

“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 podcast, Amy and Leanne explain what these barriers are and how you can shatter them to eliminate bias in your workplace, whether you are a leader, an ally or an individual woman. We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Find out more about Amy and Leanne's book Glass Walls: Shattering the 6 Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work.Applications are now open for the award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship. Download the brochure and apply by 20/03.Mentioned in this episode:Cross Sector Fellowship

This 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.comPre-order Jessica's book Holding It Together - How Women Became America's Safety Net here.

Our 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 can working parents switch off and be truly present with their kids at home and vice versa, how can they go to work and not feel guilty about leaving their kids?Dr Martha shares fantastic, practical advice for working parents, including:3 things every parent can do today to be more present with their childrenWhy your child needs meaningful connection and not necessarily hours of your timeHow to be focused at work without feeling guiltyHow to make children understand that you have to and want to workWe hope you enjoy our conversation.To find out more about Dr Martha head to her website at www.drmarthapsychologist.comFind out more about the work of Leaders Plus, including details of our award-winning Fellowship Programmes and our latest events by signing up to receive our emails at leadersplus.org/newsletter.

This 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 LinkedInFind out more about Confessions of a Working FatherFind out more about Men for Inclusion

Today 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 about her own fertility struggles, detailing the challenges of being a CEO whilst going through IVF treatment and how now being a parent has made her a more thoughtful and inclusive leader.Finally, Charlotte shares her advice to anyone considering a CEO career, including why becoming a Trustee or board member can really help give you relevant experience.We hope you enjoy the conversation.This episode is part of our CEO Series, spotlighting parents with young children who hold a CEO role.Show Notes:Connect with Charlotte on LinkedInFind out more about The Felix Project

What'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 Career Progression Gaps: The Next Frontier report.Including:Their research together around working parents career progressionWhy so many working parents say they think that having children has held them back in their careersWhat the data tells us regarding why certain working parents are still progressing and how to replicate this for more working parentsWhat role employers can play and how they can best retain and support staff We hope you enjoy the podcast and please remember to rate review and subscribe.Show Notes:Download the Career Progression Gaps: The Next Frontier report now Book: What Works - Gender Equality by Design by Iris Bohnet Access the Fawcett Society data around The Ethnicity Pay PenaltyFind advice on negotiation in Big Careers, Small Children episode #22 with Paul Fisher.

This 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 website: www.janetdaby.orgFollow Janet on Twitter: @JanetDaby

What 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: 2023 report highlights that the pay gap is now 14.3%. Melissa shares why the data really needs a closer look and why, in her view, organisations are not yet doing enough to get to the bottom of what’s driving the pay gap in the first place.We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Read the ONS Gender Pay Gap in the UK: 2023 statistics (released 01/11/23)Read more about Equal Pay Day 2023

 “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 positively impacted their career progression.Paul also discusses the research for his book The Equal Parent and why it is not biologically determined that the mother should be the primary carer in a heterosexual relationship.We hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Find Paul's book The Equal Parent.Listen to episode 147 of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast discussing the Reykjavik Index for Leadership with Michelle Harrison.

Our 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 differentlyA look at the latest evidence and research around authority and genderWhat can we all do to deal with this authority gap in day-to-day lifeHow can we change things for future generationsMary Ann’s book The Authority Gap is available via her website maryannsieghart.com.Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe, it really makes a difference.

Can 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.This episode is packed with practical tips, including why Matthew believes being a CEO or Managing Director is possible when you have a family and what he has learned so far on his career journey.We hope you enjoy the conversation.This episode is part of our CEO Series, spotlighting parents with young children who hold a CEO role.Show Notes:Connect with Matthew Hayes on LinkedIn