Big Careers, Small Children

Big Careers, Small Children

Leaders Plus

Big 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...

(C-Suite Series) Jane Hollinshead - How to Navigate a Squiggly Career and Find Success on Your Own Terms

(C-Suite Series) Jane Hollinshead - How to Navigate a Squiggly Career and Find Success on Your Own Terms

In this episode of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Jane Hollinshead, Chief People Officer at Canary Wharf Group, about her squiggly career journey and how she navigated career changes, flexible working, and leadership progression while raising a family.Jane shares her experience of being one of the first part-time lawyers in the 1990s, how she approached career transitions with confidence, and why she believes more professionals should embrace career phases

Feb 13, • 37:42

(C-Suite Series) Heather Black - How Upskilling Can Unlock a Flexible and Fulfilling Career

(C-Suite Series) Heather Black - How Upskilling Can Unlock a Flexible and Fulfilling Career

In this episode of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Heather Black, Founder and CEO of Supermums. Heather is passionate about helping parents build flexible, fulfilling, and well-paid careers after parenthood.She shares her own journey of transitioning into tech, how she launched Supermums to support others, and why upskilling can be a game-changer for working parents looking for more career flexibility.Together, they explore:How Heather transitioned into tech

Feb 6, • 36:12

(C-Suite Series) Sylwia Wolos - Leaders Plus Senior Leader Mentor on How to Thrive in a C-Suite Role While Raising a Family

(C-Suite Series) Sylwia Wolos - Leaders Plus Senior Leader Mentor on How to Thrive in a C-Suite Role While Raising a Family

In this episode of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Sylwia Wołos, Chief Strategy Officer at Ground Truth Intelligence and a Senior Leader Mentor on the Leaders Plus Fellowship Programme.Sylwia shares her inspiring journey of building a successful career in the demanding field of risk management and compliance while raising three children. She discusses the challenges of navigating the C-suite as a working parent, tackling gender inequality in senior leadershi

Jan 30, • 42:10

(C-Suite Series) Verena Hefti MBE - Celebrating 200 Episodes: The Journey of Leaders Plus and How to Navigate Career Progression for Working Parents

(C-Suite Series) Verena Hefti MBE - Celebrating 200 Episodes: The Journey of Leaders Plus and How to Navigate Career Progression for Working Parents

In this special 200th episode of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast, our Programme and Impact Manager, Helen Fraser, takes the interviewer’s seat to chat with Leaders Plus Founder and CEO, Verena Hefti MBE. Verena reflects on the journey of starting Leaders Plus, the lessons learned from interviewing 199 inspiring guests, and the challenges and triumphs of combining an ambitious career with family life.In this candid conversation, Verena shares how her own experiences of returning to work a

Jan 23, • 39:34

(C-Suite Series) Elizabeth Willetts - How to Break the Glass Ceiling While Juggling Career Ambitions and Parenthood

(C-Suite Series) Elizabeth Willetts - How to Break the Glass Ceiling While Juggling Career Ambitions and Parenthood

Are you ready to redefine career success while raising a family?In the first episode of the C-Suite series, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Elizabeth Willetts, Founder of Investing in Women and author of the upcoming book Flex: Smart Strategies to Build A Successful Career Around Your Life. With over 17 years of recruitment experience, Elizabeth is passionate about empowering professionals to find fulfilling, flexible, and part-time work that fits their lives, and helps close the gender pay gap.Eli

Jan 16, • 44:13

BITE-SIZED: Verena Hefti MBE - Balancing the Holiday Mental Load

BITE-SIZED: Verena Hefti MBE - Balancing the Holiday Mental Load

For the first time, our CEO, Verena Hefti MBE, takes the mic solo in this special, bite-sized episode of the Leaders Plus: Big Careers, Small Children podcast.As the season draws to a close, Verena shares heartfelt reflections on balancing the magical yet demanding holiday period, offering powerful strategies for:Prioritising yourself amidst the chaosCreating a meaningful holiday without burning outSharing family responsibilities equitablyDrawing on gold nuggets from past episodes and her own ex

Dec 5, 2024 • 19:06

Dr. Whitney Casares - Why Self-Care for Parents is Key to Thriving at Work and Home

Dr. Whitney Casares - Why Self-Care for Parents is Key to Thriving at Work and Home

Can prioritising yourself make you a better parent and professional? In this episode, Verena Hefti MBE speaks with Dr. Whitney Casares, paediatrician and author of Doing It All: Stop Over-Functioning and Become the Mom and Person You're Meant to Be to explore why self-care isn’t a luxury but a lifeline for working parents. Drawing from her expertise as a paediatrician, Dr. Whitney emphasises that putting your own well-being first is the key to raising happy, healthy children - especially those w

Nov 28, 2024 • 45:24

Brigid Schulte - Overcoming Overwork with Strategies for a Balanced Life

Brigid Schulte - Overcoming Overwork with Strategies for a Balanced Life

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 practica

Nov 21, 2024 • 48:58

Carin-Isabel Knoop - Control Isn’t Everything: Embracing Kindness in Life, Parenting, and Leadership

Carin-Isabel Knoop - Control Isn’t Everything: Embracing Kindness in Life, Parenting, and Leadership

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 a

Nov 14, 2024 • 46:29

Tom Shaw - How to Create Counterbalance in Your Life & Career

Tom Shaw - How to Create Counterbalance in Your Life & Career

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

Oct 24, 2024 • 54:27

Sally Hamm & Matt Hamm - How to Communicate With Each Other as a Dual Career Couple

Sally Hamm & Matt Hamm - How to Communicate With Each Other as a Dual Career Couple

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 adv

Oct 17, 2024 • 45:09

Brad Johnson & David G. Smith - How to be a Great Ally in the Workplace

Brad Johnson & David G. Smith - How to be a Great Ally in the Workplace

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-or

Oct 10, 2024 • 48:51

{CEO Series} Tiffany Sauder - How to Harness the Incredible Power of Networking

{CEO Series} Tiffany Sauder - How to Harness the Incredible Power of Networking

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 Tiff

Oct 3, 2024 • 40:46

[Future of Work] Tatiana Pignon - Does the Four Day Week Really Work?

[Future of Work] Tatiana Pignon - Does the Four Day Week Really Work?

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

Sep 26, 2024 • 40:36

{CEO Series} Polly Neate - How to Find Purpose in Your Work

{CEO Series} Polly Neate - How to Find Purpose in Your Work

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 Serie

Sep 19, 2024 • 44:07

Emily Wilton & Jo Goring - How Job Sharing Benefits Organisations & What Job Sharing Can Teach You About Leadership

Emily Wilton & Jo Goring - How Job Sharing Benefits Organisations & What Job Sharing Can Teach You About Leadership

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

Sep 12, 2024 • 43:17

Ferzana Bham & Bethany Pearson - How to Self-Promote at Work & Build Relationships

Ferzana Bham & Bethany Pearson - How to Self-Promote at Work & Build Relationships

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 effectiv

Sep 5, 2024 • 49:07

Nathalie Holdstock - How to Thrive as a Shift Worker When You're a Parent of Young Children

Nathalie Holdstock - How to Thrive as a Shift Worker When You're a Parent of Young Children

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. Th

Jul 25, 2024 • 39:59

[Future of Work] Lucy Kemp - How AI Will Impact the Future of Work & How to Prevent Women From Leaving the Workforce

[Future of Work] Lucy Kemp - How AI Will Impact the Future of Work & How to Prevent Women From Leaving the Workforce

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 wo

Jul 18, 2024 • 42:42

Nicky Lowe - How to Avoid Burnout as a Working Parent

Nicky Lowe - How to Avoid Burnout as a Working Parent

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 re

Jul 11, 2024 • 32:22

Helen Balcome & Kate Groom - How to Implement Outcome-based Management

Helen Balcome & Kate Groom - How to Implement Outcome-based Management

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, en

Jul 4, 2024 • 38:39

Gethin Nadin - How to Build Better Employee Experiences for Working Parents & Ensuring the Voice in Your Head Speaks Kindly

Gethin Nadin - How to Build Better Employee Experiences for Working Parents & Ensuring the Voice in Your Head Speaks Kindly

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, inclu

Jun 27, 2024 • 41:14

Dr. Malissa Clark - How to Set Boundaries as a Workaholic & Learn to be More Present as a Parent

Dr. Malissa Clark - How to Set Boundaries as a Workaholic & Learn to be More Present as a Parent

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

Jun 20, 2024 • 45:50

Paul J. Sullivan - How to Become a Lead Dad & Parent Out Loudly

Paul J. Sullivan - How to Become a Lead Dad & Parent Out Loudly

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 shar

Jun 13, 2024 • 34:19

Dr. Sonia Damle - How to Navigate Shift Work as a Parent & the Benefits of Self-Rostering in the NHS & Beyond

Dr. Sonia Damle - How to Navigate Shift Work as a Parent & the Benefits of Self-Rostering in the NHS & Beyond

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 c

Jun 6, 2024 • 30:25

[Future of Work] Lizzie Penny & Alex Hirst - How Workstyle (Rather Than Flexible Working) Could Change the Way You Work Forever

[Future of Work] Lizzie Penny & Alex Hirst - How Workstyle (Rather Than Flexible Working) Could Change the Way You Work Forever

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 w

May 23, 2024 • 43:39

[Future of Work] Denise Wilson OBE - How the UK is Working to Achieve Gender Balance at Board Level & What Still Needs to Change

[Future of Work] Denise Wilson OBE - How the UK is Working to Achieve Gender Balance at Board Level & What Still Needs to Change

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

May 16, 2024 • 45:29

[Future of Work] Bruce Daisley - How to Reduce the Number of Meetings in Your Workplace & Change the Organisational Culture

[Future of Work] Bruce Daisley - How to Reduce the Number of Meetings in Your Workplace & Change the Organisational Culture

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 t

May 9, 2024 • 47:45

Rosie Hewat - How to Handle the Call Back to the Office & Tips on Requesting Flexible Working

Rosie Hewat - How to Handle the Call Back to the Office & Tips on Requesting Flexible Working

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 t

May 2, 2024 • 38:36

Elizabeth Willetts - How to Get Your Flexible Working Request Approved & Why the Future of Work is Hybrid

Elizabeth Willetts - How to Get Your Flexible Working Request Approved & Why the Future of Work is Hybrid

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 No

Apr 25, 2024 • 33:36

Charlotte Boujassy - How to Let Go of the Pressure of Being a Perfect Parent & Progress Your Career

Charlotte Boujassy - How to Let Go of the Pressure of Being a Perfect Parent & Progress Your Career

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 c

Apr 18, 2024 • 40:21

Thorey V. Proppe - How Data Can Improve DEI Policies & Help Close the Gender Pay Gap

Thorey V. Proppe - How Data Can Improve DEI Policies & Help Close the Gender Pay Gap

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:

Apr 11, 2024 • 39:13

Brita Fernandez Schmidt - How to Learn to Trust Your Intuition & Manage Your Fears

Brita Fernandez Schmidt - How to Learn to Trust Your Intuition & Manage Your Fears

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

Apr 4, 2024 • 38:35

Lea Henry - How to Manage Perfectionism When Combining a Big Career & Young Children

Lea Henry - How to Manage Perfectionism When Combining a Big Career & Young Children

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

Mar 28, 2024 • 38:45

Polly Ogden Duffy - How to Progress a Senior Career in a Male-Dominated Industry & Work Flexibly

Polly Ogden Duffy - How to Progress a Senior Career in a Male-Dominated Industry & Work Flexibly

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 progress

Mar 21, 2024 • 38:36

Dr. Ana Catalano Weeks - Managing Mental Load While Balancing Career and Parenthood

Dr. Ana Catalano Weeks - Managing Mental Load While Balancing Career and Parenthood

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 men

Mar 14, 2024 • 38:36

Jane Green - How to Approach Your Employer for Reduced Working Days and Tips on Transitioning to a Flexible Role

Jane Green - How to Approach Your Employer for Reduced Working Days and Tips on Transitioning to a Flexible Role

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

Mar 7, 2024 • 42:30

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

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

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

Feb 29, 2024 • 31:50

{CEO Series} Sam Butters - The Benefits of being a Co-CEO & How to Navigate Morning Sickness in a Senior Role

{CEO Series} Sam Butters - The Benefits of being a Co-CEO & How to Navigate Morning Sickness in a Senior Role

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

Feb 22, 2024 • 49:45

Rachel Allison - Tips for Managing Your Personal Brand & How to Build a PR Agency as a New Mother

Rachel Allison - Tips for Managing Your Personal Brand & How to Build a PR Agency as a New Mother

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

Feb 15, 2024 • 42:19

Ellen Taaffe - How to Overcome Perfectionism & Master Self Promotion, Plus How to Support More Women into Senior Leadership Positions

Ellen Taaffe - How to Overcome Perfectionism & Master Self Promotion, Plus How to Support More Women into Senior Leadership Positions

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.

Feb 8, 2024 • 43:09

Daniel Astarita - How to Combine IVF, Fatherhood & a Senior Leadership Career

Daniel Astarita - How to Combine IVF, Fatherhood & a Senior Leadership Career

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.Application

Feb 1, 2024 • 40:50

Sonia Sudhakar - How to Improve Confidence & Resilience as a Senior Leader & Getting to a Director Level Role

Sonia Sudhakar - How to Improve Confidence & Resilience as a Senior Leader & Getting to a Director Level Role

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-winni

Jan 25, 2024 • 42:38

{CEO Series} Natasha Porter OBE - Why Being a CEO is One of the Best Jobs to Combine a Big Career and Small Children

{CEO Series} Natasha Porter OBE - Why Being a CEO is One of the Best Jobs to Combine a Big Career and Small Children

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 combi

Jan 18, 2024 • 49:14

Big Careers, Small Children - A Podcast for Ambitious Parents Progressing Senior Careers

Big Careers, Small Children - A Podcast for Ambitious Parents Progressing Senior Careers

Big 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 e

Jan 17, 2024 • 1:39

Dr. Amy Diehl & Dr. Leanne Dzubinski - Shattering the Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work

Dr. Amy Diehl & Dr. Leanne Dzubinski - Shattering the Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work

“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 a

Jan 11, 2024 • 43:17

Jessica Calarco - Why Women Have Become a Social Safety Net & What Needs to Change

Jessica Calarco - Why Women Have Become a Social Safety Net & What Needs to Change

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 Ame

Jan 4, 2024 • 28:07

🎧 Throwback: Dr Martha Deiros Collado on Being Present With Your Children & Dealing With Feelings Of Guilt

🎧 Throwback: Dr Martha Deiros Collado on Being Present With Your Children & Dealing With Feelings Of Guilt

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

Dec 28, 2023 • 41:29

Brian Ballantyne - Working Fatherhood: Expectations of Masculinity & Whether Training Can Change Behaviour

Brian Ballantyne - Working Fatherhood: Expectations of Masculinity & Whether Training Can Change Behaviour

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

Dec 21, 2023 • 45:48

{CEO SERIES} Charlotte Hill OBE - Being a CEO & Enjoying Your Young Children

{CEO SERIES} Charlotte Hill OBE - Being a CEO & Enjoying Your Young Children

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

Dec 14, 2023 • 37:36

Rosie McLeod - Career Progression Gaps: Research Findings on Parents' Career Ambitions & How Employers Can Retain & Support Them

Rosie McLeod - Career Progression Gaps: Research Findings on Parents' Career Ambitions & How Employers Can Retain & Support Them

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 Pr

Dec 7, 2023 • 36:36

Janet Daby MP -How to Combine a Senior Career as an MP With Young Children

Janet Daby MP -How to Combine a Senior Career as an MP With Young Children

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.j

Nov 30, 2023 • 46:48

Melissa Blisset - Gender Pay Gap: How Individuals & Employers Can Work to Close It

Melissa Blisset - Gender Pay Gap: How Individuals & Employers Can Work to Close It

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 r

Nov 23, 2023 • 45:40

Paul Morgan-Bentley - Equal Parenting & How Sharing the Load Can Help Career Progression

Paul Morgan-Bentley - Equal Parenting & How Sharing the Load Can Help Career Progression

“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 i

Nov 16, 2023 • 43:42

🎧 #Throwback: Mary Ann Sieghart on the Authority Gap

🎧 #Throwback: Mary Ann Sieghart on the Authority Gap

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 aro

Nov 9, 2023 • 42:21

{CEO Series} Matthew Hayes - How to Combine CEO Life With Parenting Young Children

{CEO Series} Matthew Hayes - How to Combine CEO Life With Parenting Young Children

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 episo

Nov 2, 2023 • 46:28

{CEO Series} Laura Citron - Why the CEO Role is Perfect for Working Parents

{CEO Series} Laura Citron - Why the CEO Role is Perfect for Working Parents

Applications 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 upward career m

Oct 26, 2023 • 45:15

{CEO Series} Michelle Harrison - Does Society Think That Men & Women Are Equally Suitable to Lead? Findings from the Reykjavik Index.

{CEO Series} Michelle Harrison - Does Society Think That Men & Women Are Equally Suitable to Lead? Findings from the Reykjavik Index.

Applications 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 five years

Oct 19, 2023 • 54:21

Dr Jasmin Islam - How to Set Boundaries & Ask for What You Need When Balancing Career & Family

Dr Jasmin Islam - How to Set Boundaries & Ask for What You Need When Balancing Career & Family

Applications 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 what she's l

Oct 13, 2023 • 40:52

Kate Smith - How Small Steps Can Lead to Big Changes & Bringing Your Authentic Self to Work

Kate Smith - How Small Steps Can Lead to Big Changes & Bringing Your Authentic Self to Work

Applications 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 includes:How s

Oct 5, 2023 • 53:23

⚡️Monday Motivation: Alex Pang on Implementing a 4 Day Week

⚡️Monday Motivation: Alex Pang on Implementing a 4 Day Week

At 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 of Big Care

Oct 2, 2023 • 7:26

Dominic Holmes - How to Resize a Client Facing Role from 5 to 4 Days

Dominic Holmes - How to Resize a Client Facing Role from 5 to 4 Days

Applications 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 workloadWhy delegating is crucialHow to set firm boundaries with your time Why he's bee

Sep 28, 2023 • 36:57

⚡️ Monday Motivation: Jennifer Petriglieri - How to Work With Your Partner to Increase the Chances of Career Success

⚡️ Monday Motivation: Jennifer Petriglieri - How to Work With Your Partner to Increase the Chances of Career Success

At 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 listen to

Sep 25, 2023 • 2:43

Helen Gillett - How to Build a Board Career

Helen Gillett - How to Build a Board Career

“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 involvesHow to get a Non-Executive Director positionWhat being on a board actually meansHow you can successfully work your networkHow you can combine a Non-Executive Director role when you're a parent of young childrenWe hope you enjoy the conversation.Show Notes:Listen to Bruc

Sep 21, 2023 • 38:09

⚡️ Monday Motivation: Vanessa Bohns - How to Increase Your Chances of a Yes

⚡️ Monday Motivation: Vanessa Bohns - How to Increase Your Chances of a Yes

At 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're negotia

Sep 18, 2023 • 2:35

Lydia Leipert & Rebecca Zöller - How to Make Job Sharing Work

Lydia Leipert & Rebecca Zöller - How to Make Job Sharing Work

“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 in a job

Sep 14, 2023 • 37:44

⚡️ Monday Motivation: Anita Kerwin-Nye - How to Combine a Big Career & Small Children

⚡️ Monday Motivation: Anita Kerwin-Nye - How to Combine a Big Career & Small Children

At 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 Anita's con

Sep 11, 2023 • 3:15

Drake Peabody - How to Network to Support Your Career Development

Drake Peabody - How to Network to Support Your Career Development

“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 world.Born

Sep 7, 2023 • 43:52

Karen Dillon - Overcoming Microstress: How Little Things Can Pile Up & Create Big Problems & What to Do About It

Karen Dillon - Overcoming Microstress: How Little Things Can Pile Up & Create Big Problems & What to Do About It

Ever 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 expert in dea

Aug 31, 2023 • 49:16

🎧 Throwback: Dr Jennifer Petriglieri on How Dual Career Couples Make it Work

🎧 Throwback: Dr Jennifer Petriglieri on How Dual Career Couples Make it Work

Over 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 types of cou

Aug 24, 2023 • 51:33

🎧 Throwback: Fiona McDonnel on Finding a Work/Life Rhythm

🎧 Throwback: Fiona McDonnel on Finding a Work/Life Rhythm

Over 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 and progress y

Aug 17, 2023 • 48:28

🎧 Throwback: Nick Wilkie on Taking Career Breaks as a CEO

🎧 Throwback: Nick Wilkie on Taking Career Breaks as a CEO

Over 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 he retu

Aug 10, 2023 • 42:15

🎧 Throwback: Lucy Walker on How to Become a Non-Executive Director

🎧 Throwback: Lucy Walker on How to Become a Non-Executive Director

Over 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 LucyWomen on Boards: www.womenonboards.netNurole: www.nurole.com Dynamic Boards: www.dynamicboards.co.ukFi

Aug 3, 2023 • 33:06

🎧 Throwback Episode: Mother Pukka on Flexible Working

🎧 Throwback Episode: Mother Pukka on Flexible Working

Over 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 Anna the la

Jul 27, 2023 • 39:24

Ashley Quinto Powell - Practical Strategies for Selling Yourself When You're a Busy Working Parent

Ashley Quinto Powell - Practical Strategies for Selling Yourself When You're a Busy Working Parent

“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 their career

Jul 13, 2023 • 37:07

Children Starting School? Practical Tips for Ambitious Working Parents

Children Starting School? Practical Tips for Ambitious Working Parents

“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 child starts s

Jul 6, 2023 • 47:41

Polly MacKenzie - How to Drive Change & Create Powerful Policies for Working Parents

Polly MacKenzie - How to Drive Change & Create Powerful Policies for Working Parents

"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 alongside Mar

Jun 29, 2023 • 37:27

Christian Uhle - How to Find Meaning in Both Life & Work

Christian Uhle - How to Find Meaning in Both Life & Work

“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 about Christian's

Jun 22, 2023 • 57:36

Ann Crumley - Compassionate Leadership & Being Human at Work & How Being a Working Parent Has Changed in the Last 30 Years

Ann Crumley - Compassionate Leadership & Being Human at Work & How Being a Working Parent Has Changed in the Last 30 Years

“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 firstWhat has changed for working parents in the last 30 years, particularly in the NHSHow to approach difficult conversati

Jun 15, 2023 • 47:48

Helen Gillett - How to Move a Full Time Job to 3 or 4 Days Without Exhausting Yourself in the Process & Choosing Work Purposefully

Helen Gillett - How to Move a Full Time Job to 3 or 4 Days Without Exhausting Yourself in the Process & Choosing Work Purposefully

Is it possible to move a full time job down to 3 or 4 days without exhausting yourself in the process?In this episode, Leaders Plus Senior Leader Mentor Helen Gillett shares her experience of successfully resizing jobs and finding purposeful work. Following an award-winning career as a leader in the utilities and wellbeing sector, Helen has now entered a phase of portfolio non-executive and advisory work. Helen and Verena discuss:Moving a full time job to 3 or 4 days without exhausting yourselfW

Jun 8, 2023 • 47:02

John Higgins - Unlocking the Power of Silence: Creating Inclusive Workplaces and Balancing Work-Life Dynamics

John Higgins - Unlocking the Power of Silence: Creating Inclusive Workplaces and Balancing Work-Life Dynamics

Can silence be a powerful tool in the workplace?Join us as we explore this intriguing concept with this week's guest, John Higgins, an academic researcher and expert on speaking truth to power and workplace activism. In this episode, John shares with Verena how embracing silence can help us build connections, understand others' stories, and foster a more inclusive environment.They also discuss the importance of changing norms for working parents and recognising the consequences of privilege in t

May 25, 2023 • 46:36

Helen Stenhouse & Alison Hilton (People Puzzles) - What Really Holds Employers Back From Offering Flexibility at Work & What Can Be Done About It

Helen Stenhouse & Alison Hilton (People Puzzles) - What Really Holds Employers Back From Offering Flexibility at Work & What Can Be Done About It

What stops employers from offering true flexibility at work and how can we drive change in this area? Our guests today are Helen Stenhouse and Alison Hilton from the HR company People Puzzles. Together with host Verena Hefti MBE they discuss:How organisations could offer the same flexibility as freelance life Why trust is at the centre of flexible workingWhy organisations need to focus on outcomes and not working hours The importance of creating work environments where people don’t burn themselv

May 18, 2023 • 41:10

Tobi Asare - How to Negotiate a Pay Rise & Avoid the Part-Time Penalty & Practical Tips to Show Your Value at Work

Tobi Asare - How to Negotiate a Pay Rise & Avoid the Part-Time Penalty & Practical Tips to Show Your Value at Work

“You should always be thinking that you need to be fairly compensated for the value you are bringing.”This week we welcome Tobi Asare, Founder of the online platform for working mothers My Bump Pay.As the first woman in her office location to go through the maternity leave process, Tobi found herself on a steep learning curve and became interested in how mums go on to build successful careers amidst the barriers that surround working mothers.Tobi and Verena discuss:Negotiating for a pay rise (es

May 10, 2023 • 41:26

Jessica Heagren - The Careers After Babies Report & Why Businesses Are Not Holding On To Talented Women After They Have Children

Jessica Heagren - The Careers After Babies Report & Why Businesses Are Not Holding On To Talented Women After They Have Children

“If the [careers after babies] report did one thing it proved that 85% of us can’t make full time working in the office work alongside having young children.”This week our guest is Jessica Heagren, ex Financial Services Director, mother of four and the CEO and Founder of That Works For Me, a platform connecting skilled professionals with flexible work.Jessica is also the author of the groundbreaking Careers After Babies Report which presents stark research on what really happens to women's caree

May 3, 2023 • 45:57

Compilation Episode – Practical Tips for Parents Working in the NHS

Compilation Episode – Practical Tips for Parents Working in the NHS

There’s no doubt that the NHS is a unique and highly pressurised work environment.To celebrate the launch of applications opening for our award-winning NHS Fellowship Programme we have handpicked some of the most thought provoking discussions from previous podcast episodes.Each clip features an inspiring NHS Leader who has combined or is currently combining a big career with raising small children.Topics covered include:Advice on returning to workDriving change and the gender pay gap in the NHSP

Apr 26, 2023 • 50:07

Graihagh Crawshaw-Sadler - Negotiating Flexible Working During the Recruitment Process & Managing Emails On Your Day Off

Graihagh Crawshaw-Sadler - Negotiating Flexible Working During the Recruitment Process & Managing Emails On Your Day Off

“This time around I was really clear from the start with the recruiter that I can only consider this if the way in which I’m currently working  compressed hours can continue.”Our guest today is Graihagh Crawshaw-Sadler, the CEO of children's charity Bookmark and mum to 3 small children.Graihagh works flexibly 4 days a week as the charity CEO and she shares with Verena how she negotiated for flexible working during the recruitment process, including why she strongly believes being a working paren

Apr 12, 2023 • 46:24

EMPLOYER CHANGE MAKERS: Emma Codd, Global Inclusion Leader, Deloitte, on DEI Strategy & Implementing Culture Change That Works

EMPLOYER CHANGE MAKERS: Emma Codd, Global Inclusion Leader, Deloitte, on DEI Strategy & Implementing Culture Change That Works

“If someone offers you an opportunity, yes think about it, but do it. Know that you can do it.”Welcome to this bonus Employer Change Maker episode of Big Careers, Small Children.Today we welcome Emma Codd, a Partner and Global Inclusion Leader for Deloitte, a leading professional services firm.As Global Inclusion Leader Emma was responsible for devising and rolling out Deloitte's DEI strategy globally, spanning 160 countries around the world.Emma shares why she is so passionate about diversity a

Mar 29, 2023 • 42:59

Geraldine Butler-Wright - How to Job Hunt Using Your Network & Making Those First 100 Days in a New Role Count Whilst Making Time for Self-Care

Geraldine Butler-Wright - How to Job Hunt Using Your Network & Making Those First 100 Days in a New Role Count Whilst Making Time for Self-Care

“If you’re a new parent thinking about going back to work and doing a job search, do have a think about searching for companies that are more remote first as it will make your life easier.”Today we welcome back Geraldine Butler-Wright to the podcast to discuss job hunting whilst on maternity leave. Geraldine recently returned to work from her own second maternity leave having accepted an exciting new role as Chief People and Culture Officer at the live streaming platform, StreamElements.Verena a

Mar 22, 2023 • 45:36

Deborah Grayson Riegel & Sophie Riegel - Strategies for Overcoming Guilt & Over Thinking as a Working Parent & How to Ask for Help

Deborah Grayson Riegel & Sophie Riegel - Strategies for Overcoming Guilt & Over Thinking as a Working Parent & How to Ask for Help

“I had an awesome role model for how I want to work and the work-life balance I want.”  Sophie Riegel It's our first mother-daughter interview this week on Big Careers, Small Children and we're delighted to welcome Deborah Grayson Riegel and her daughter Sophie to the podcast.Deborah is a keynote speaker and consultant who teaches leadership communication for Wharton Business School and Columbia Business School. She regularly contributes to Harvard Business Review, Inc., Psychology Today, Forbes

Mar 15, 2023 • 45:08

EMPLOYER CHANGE MAKERS: Dr Claartje Vinkenburg on Diversity & Inclusion in Careers

EMPLOYER CHANGE MAKERS: Dr Claartje Vinkenburg on Diversity & Inclusion in Careers

“When it comes to diversity and inclusion a lot of organisations are managing recruitment and selection rather well. Promoting for diversity is a whole other issue.”Dr Claartje Vinkenburg is an expert on gender diversity in careers. In this special employer change maker episode of Big Careers, Small Children she joins Verena Hefti MBE to discuss the most recent research on career development in the context of promoting gender equality.Their discussion includes:How organisations can ensure that n

Mar 8, 2023 • 50:53

Dax Grant - Humanizing Business & Leading Positive Change

Dax Grant - Humanizing Business & Leading Positive Change

"I worked for someone many years ago who said "You can look out the window or you can look in the mirror". I think it's really important to keep looking in the mirror every day and making sure you're role-modelling as much as you can.”In this episode, Verena speaks with Dax Grant, CEO Global Transform, Forbes Technology CouncilDax is a lead global authority on entrepreneurial c-suite leadership, a renowned Woman in Technology, accomplished keynote speaker and societal voice. Listed within the Gl

Mar 1, 2023 • 37:45

Adirupa Sengupta - Leading Across Boundaries, Finding Your Purpose & Travelling Internationally for Work When You Have a Young Family

Adirupa Sengupta - Leading Across Boundaries, Finding Your Purpose & Travelling Internationally for Work When You Have a Young Family

“The thing that bridges the gap between the choice I made and the connection I feel with the organisation - in order to give my best self to work - is purpose.”Today we welcome Adirupa Sengupta, Group CEO of Common Purpose, an incredible charity that runs leadership-development programmes around the world. Adirupa (Adi) has extensive experience working across different countries, cities and cultures to help leaders learn to cross boundaries in order to tackle complex problems. We discuss:What Ad

Feb 22, 2023 • 48:06

Catherine Muge and Dr Tom Bashford - How to Navigate Shared Parental Leave as a Dual Career Couple

Catherine Muge and Dr Tom Bashford - How to Navigate Shared Parental Leave as a Dual Career Couple

Apply today: Cross-Sector Fellowship applications close on 7th March 2023"Our family is a mutual enterprise, it's a project we manage together, and it has to be given time and resource. We have to really clearly communicate that between us: is everyone happy with the time and resource that is going into that mutual project? "Joining Verena on the podcast this week are Catherine Muge and Dr Tom Bashford. Catherine is Director of Partnership Intelligence at UNICEF UK and Tom is Assistant Professor

Feb 15, 2023 • 56:45

Geraldine Butler-Wright - Thinking About a Career Change?

Geraldine Butler-Wright - Thinking About a Career Change?

Thinking about a career change?Today we are revisiting one of our most popular podcast episodes featuring Chief People & Culture Officer Geraldine Butler-Wright.Geraldine has juggled multiple senior leadership roles and navigated big career changes (including cross-sector), she is an advocate of finding a job that ignites our true passion. In this episode, she shares fantastic tips for working parents thinking about a career change.The discussion includes:Why it's important to find organisations

Feb 8, 2023 • 45:45

Verena Hefti MBE & Jemma Biteye - Practical Tips for Working Parents: Equal Career Progression

Verena Hefti MBE & Jemma Biteye - Practical Tips for Working Parents: Equal Career Progression

The tables have turned in this week's episode.Host Verena Hefti MBE (CEO and Founder of social enterprise Leaders Plus) is interviewed by Leaders Plus Fellow Jemma Biteye on the practical ways to support equal career progression for working parents.Jemma and Verena discuss:what led to Verena setting up Leaders Plus to support parents progressing senior careershow to network when you don't have timeways to deal with heavy workloadpractical ways companies and individuals can support equal career p

Feb 1, 2023 • 33:01

Apply Now for the Leaders Plus Fellowship

Apply Now for the Leaders Plus Fellowship

A special update for any listeners with a baby or a child between the ages of 0-11. We're creating a world where nobody needs to choose between becoming a CEO and raising young children.The Leaders Plus Fellowship is a targeted 9-month career development programme designed to support working parents to progress ambitious careers in a way that works for their family. Fellows have access to a dedicated Senior Leader Mentor plus high-quality resources to manage the practical challenges of juggling

Jan 31, 2023 • 2:26

Joanna Santinon - How to Navigate a Demanding Career & IVF

Joanna Santinon - How to Navigate a Demanding Career & IVF

“Until you’re trying you just don’t look into fertility and you don’t understand where the fertility cliffs are and where the drop-offs start to happen.”Our guest today is Joanna Santinon, EY Ambassador, Non-Executive Director and Charity Trustee.Joanna bravely shares her personal fertility journey, including how she combined multiple rounds of IVF treatment alongside her demanding career as a partner at Ernst & Young. We discuss:What to know before you embark on IVFWhy compartmentalising really

Jan 25, 2023 • 41:28

Laura Harrison & Rajani Rao: What it Takes to Make a Mentoring Relationship Transformational

Laura Harrison & Rajani Rao: What it Takes to Make a Mentoring Relationship Transformational

“Before Laura I really sat there waiting for opportunities. After Laura’s mentoring session that changed for me. I would actually go out and find them.”To celebrate International Mentoring Day (17 January 2023) we speak to Consultant Laura Harrison, a Senior Leader Mentor on the Leaders Plus Fellowship Programme, and her Mentee, Leaders Plus Fellow and U-Blox Principal Engineer Rajani Rao to find out what made their relationship so successful.We discuss:what it takes to make a mentoring relation

Jan 17, 2023 • 43:21

Tina Miller - How to Share Primary Caring Responsibilities Equally & Addressing the Issue of Female Dominated Caring

Tina Miller - How to Share Primary Caring Responsibilities Equally & Addressing the Issue of Female Dominated Caring

“The norm now in the UK is that we have working families but we don’t have a society that supports that.”Can a primary caring responsibility be equally shared between mothers and fathers? Our guest today is Tina Miller, Professor of Sociology at Oxford Brookes University and an expert in caring.Professor Miller shares how the responsibility for orchestrating the care of children often falls to mothers, and how, over time, this pattern becomes etched into the very fabric of family life. We discus

Jan 11, 2023 • 38:13

Wendy K Smith - Both/And Thinking - Why We Don't Need to Choose Between Two Things We Love

Wendy K Smith - Both/And Thinking - Why We Don't Need to Choose Between Two Things We Love

“If we shift our thinking to a both/and approach it enables us to open up all kinds of different possibilities and to use these tensions as a source of creativity.”Today we are delighted to welcome Wendy K Smith to the podcast. Wendy is the Emma Smith Morris Professor of Management and academic director of the Women's Leadership Initiative at the University of Delaware's Lerner College of Business & Economics.  Wendy is also the co-author of the brilliant book Both/And Thinking, which challenges

Jan 4, 2023 • 50:01

Anita Nowak - How Can We Leverage Empathy for Personal, Organisational & Social Change

Anita Nowak - How Can We Leverage Empathy for Personal, Organisational & Social Change

“If you are high performance you need empathy in your workplace!”Our guest today is Anita Nowak, an expert in empathy and author of the forthcoming book Purposeful Empathy: Tapping Our Hidden Superpower for Personal, Organisational, and Social Change.Anita is passionate about mentoring the next generation of changemakers and teaches leadership, ethics in management, and social entrepreneurship and innovation at McGill University.In this episode, we dive into empathy - a skill that post-pandemic

Dec 21, 2022 • 47:49

Michelle Bradley - How to Overcome Burnout as a Busy Working Mother & Leading an Organisation with Empathy

Michelle Bradley - How to Overcome Burnout as a Busy Working Mother & Leading an Organisation with Empathy

“In our office, we don’t talk about work-life balance we talk about home-life balance.”Our guest today is Michelle Bradley, CEO of The Parent Rooms, a perinatal mental health charity where parents can access support and friendship who are based in Northern Ireland.Michelle launched The Parents Rooms after struggling with postnatal depression and feeling isolated and alone in the early years of parenthood. She shares with us everything she has learned as a courageous leader with a big career and

Dec 14, 2022 • 40:22

Alex Budak - How to Have a Changemaker Mindset & Lead Change for Working Parents in Your Organisation

Alex Budak - How to Have a Changemaker Mindset & Lead Change for Working Parents in Your Organisation

“Instead of waiting for someone else, we can each try and lead change from where we are.”Our guest today is Alex Budak, a social entrepreneur, UC Berkeley Haas faculty member, speaker and the author of the empowering book  Becoming a Changemaker. Alex believes anyone has the potential to lead change positive change. He talks us through his practical guide to becoming a changemaker, no matter where you are in an organisation.Including:The personality traits people who drive positive change have i

Dec 7, 2022 • 46:02

Lou Conran - How to Deal With a Termination for Medical Reasons & Cope With Loss When You Also Need to Work

Lou Conran - How to Deal With a Termination for Medical Reasons & Cope With Loss When You Also Need to Work

TW: TFMR“Emma is very much part of the family, that was very important to me. I am a mother, I do have a child.”Today we welcome critically acclaimed comedian, writer and performer, Lou Conran. Lou had a termination for medical reasons  (TFMR) after finding out her daughter Emma had a rare medical condition which meant she would be unable to survive.  She bravely shares her personal story, including how she dealt with needing to keep earning money (as a comedian) in the midst of this heartbreaki

Nov 30, 2022 • 44:58

Dr Martha Deiros Collado - How to Be Present With Your Children at Home & Not Feel Guilty About Leaving Them When at Work

Dr Martha Deiros Collado - How to Be Present With Your Children at Home & Not Feel Guilty About Leaving Them When at Work

“It’s good for our children to see mothers as not just a parent but so much more than that. There are different facets to our identity and it’s healthy for kids to witness that.”Our guest today is 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

Nov 23, 2022 • 40:52

Dr. Beth A Livingston - Shared Sisterhood: How to Take Collective Action for Racial & Gender Equity at Work, Plus Tips on Spousal Negotiation

Dr. Beth A Livingston - Shared Sisterhood: How to Take Collective Action for Racial & Gender Equity at Work, Plus Tips on Spousal Negotiation

Gender equity can't happen without racial equity. We need Shared Sisterhood.Our guest today is Dr Beth A. Livingston, Associate Professor in Management and Entrepreneurship at the University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business. Beth's research interests lie primarily in gender, diversity, and the management of work and family. Her best-selling book, Shared Sisterhood is a blueprint for taking collective action for racial and gender equity in the workplace.Shared Sisterhood outlines how individ

Nov 16, 2022 • 46:55

Angela McConville - Motherhood, Leadership & the Importance of Seeking Progress Not Perfection

Angela McConville - Motherhood, Leadership & the Importance of Seeking Progress Not Perfection

“Progress, not perfection. That’s a bit of a mantra for our leadership team.”Our guest today is Angela McConville , CEO of the National Childbirth Trust (NCT), the UK’s largest charity for pregnancy, birth and early parenthood. Angela shares her honest reflections on motherhood, leadership and the importance of seeking progress not perfection. The conversation includes:Being an authentic leaderThe importance of realistic role modelsThe organisations who are supporting parents brilliantlyWhy it's

Nov 9, 2022 • 41:09

Veronica Hope Hailey - How to Build Trust At Work, Especially When Working Flexibly

Veronica Hope Hailey - How to Build Trust At Work, Especially When Working Flexibly

"Trust arrives on foot but leaves on horseback."Our guest today is Veronica Hope Hailey, Emeritus Professor at the School of Management, University of Bath, expert on trust and organisational change and mother to 5 daughters. During the COVID-19 pandemic Veronica published two fascinating reports (Responsible Business in Crisis – Rebuilding Cultures of Trust) which featured over 100 interviews with CEOs, CFOs, CMOs and HRDs on their experience of leading through the first 2 years of the Pandemic

Nov 2, 2022 • 45:00

Bonus Episode: Finding a High Quality Mentor

Bonus Episode: Finding a High Quality Mentor

In this special episode to celebrate #NationalMentoringDay Verena Hefti MBE shares her experience of finding a high quality Mentor to help guide your senior career, including where to find one, how to approach the conversation and what to do when it just isn't working out.Access an inspirational Mentor, a network of like-minded parents and world-class training via our award-winning Fellowship. Register interest now.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we sen

Oct 27, 2022 • 12:18

Dhivya O'Connor - What it Takes to Become a Charity CEO When You're a Parent, Moving from the Corporate to the Charity Sector & How to Find an Excellent Mentor

Dhivya O'Connor - What it Takes to Become a Charity CEO When You're a Parent, Moving from the Corporate to the Charity Sector & How to Find an Excellent Mentor

Our guest today is charity CEO Dhivya O'Connor.Dhivya is currently Interim CEO of the youth mentoring charity, The Girls’ Network and has previously served in the CEO role for organisations including United World Schools, Chartered Institute of Fundraising and Children with Cancer UK.  She is also a Senior Leader Mentor on the Leaders Plus Fellowship Programme, supporting women returning to work after having children, in progressing their careers.Prior to joining the third sector, she held vario

Oct 26, 2022 • 40:03

Clarissa Ward - Reporting From the Front Line When You Have Children, Making Peace With the Mother You Are Not & Embracing the Mother You Are

Clarissa Ward - Reporting From the Front Line When You Have Children, Making Peace With the Mother You Are Not & Embracing the Mother You Are

“You try to learn to make peace with the mother you are not and embrace the mother that you are.”Our guest today is Clarissa Ward, a multi-award-winning war reporter and CNN's Chief International Correspondent.For over 15 years Clarissa has been reporting from front lines around the world, including Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine.Her incredible memoir ‘On All Fronts: The Education of a Journalist’ is a captivating read and details Clarissa’s life in journalism covering conflicts.Now a moth

Oct 19, 2022 • 39:44

Prof. Roz Shafran - How to Cope When Your Child is Unwell, Has Additional Needs or is Going Through a Challenging Time

Prof. Roz Shafran - How to Cope When Your Child is Unwell, Has Additional Needs or is Going Through a Challenging Time

I don’t think anybody’s life is quite as smooth sailing as social media would have us believe.”This week in support of World Mental Health Day (Monday 10 October) we welcome Clinical Psychologist Professor Roz Shafran, co-author of the brilliant book “How to Cope When Your Child Can’t”.Parenthood can often be far from smooth sailing, especially if your child is unwell, experiencing challenges or has additional needs. So how can parents juggling work and raising their family ensure they look afte

Oct 10, 2022 • 39:44

Dr Lisa Grover - How to Prepare for Pay Negotiations, Including Tips on How & Where to Research & Utilising Your Networks

Dr Lisa Grover - How to Prepare for Pay Negotiations, Including Tips on How & Where to Research & Utilising Your Networks

"In practice there’s always a bit of wriggle room for individual discussions and individual negotiations about pay."This week we are joined by pay expert, lecturer, HR leader and Leaders Plus Fellowship Alumni Dr Lisa Grover.Lisa is a Senior Lecturer in Degree Apprenticeships at the University of Exeter Business School and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to practical advice on  preparing for negotiations on pay.Our conversation includes:Tips on preparing well for pay negotiationsHer exper

Oct 5, 2022 • 40:43

Lucy McAuliffe - Progressing Your Career When You Have Premature Twins, Moving from 2 to 3 Children & Dealing With Assumptions When in a Same-Sex Couple

Lucy McAuliffe - Progressing Your Career When You Have Premature Twins, Moving from 2 to 3 Children & Dealing With Assumptions When in a Same-Sex Couple

How can you juggle your senior career when your children are born prematurely?Our guest this week is Lucy McAuliffe, Stations and Security Director at Network Rail and parent to 5-year-old twins and a 16-month toddler. Lucy and her wife's twins arrived 8 weeks earlier than planned, not long after Lucy had started a new senior position. She shares: The reality of having premature childrenWhy the discretionary support you're given at work can make all the difference Advice on moving from 2 to 3 ch

Sep 28, 2022 • 33:40

Kate Jarman - Building a Movement for Change in Flexible Working & Being Your Authentic Self at Work

Kate Jarman - Building a Movement for Change in Flexible Working & Being Your Authentic Self at Work

"We’ve been working with NHS England who last year made a huge policy shift in the NHS to make flexible working a day one employment right and to make roles flexible by default."Joining us for the 100th episode of Big Careers, Small Children is change-maker Kate Jarman, co-founder of Flex NHS and Director of Corporate Affairs at Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.Kate founded Flex NHS alongside Asha Cowey in 2018 with the mission to make flexible working more accessible to th

Sep 21, 2022 • 39:03

A Message for Any Listeners Working in the NHS

A Message for Any Listeners Working in the NHS

A special update for any listeners working in the NHS.  Too often, parents feel they must choose between an ambitious career and enjoying their young children. As part of the 6-month Leaders Plus NHS Foundation Fellowship, you get expert career development support, group coaching, a supportive network of peers and practical support to overcome work/life hurdles. It has been described by some NHS Fellows as, “life-transforming!”The Fellowship is accessible to clinical and non-clinical colleagues

Sep 16, 2022 • 3:05

Dr. Christian Busch - How to Create Your Own Good Luck & Cultivate Serendipity

Dr. Christian Busch - How to Create Your Own Good Luck & Cultivate Serendipity

What if being lucky wasn’t just by chance but a skill that you could master? Our guest this week is Dr. Christian Busch, the best-selling author of Connect the Dots: The Art and Science of Creating Good Luck and a Professor at New York University.Christian has spent years exploring the connection between chance encounters and new professional opportunities and has fantastic insights on how we can all leverage luck to our advantage.There were so many lightbulb moments during the discussion and pl

Sep 15, 2022 • 38:09

Nadia Bunyan - How to Progress Your Career Internally, Choose Your Employer Wisely & Balance International Travel Whilst Raising a Family

Nadia Bunyan - How to Progress Your Career Internally, Choose Your Employer Wisely & Balance International Travel Whilst Raising a Family

How can you secure an internal promotion without working all hours and putting your hand up for every task?Our guest today is Nadia Bunyan, HR Director at Global Witness, an international NGO that works to break the links between natural resource exploitation, conflict, poverty, corruption, and human rights abuses worldwide.Nadia shares fantastic advice on progressing your career internally, including the three things any parent who is trying to be promoted within their organisation can do today

Sep 7, 2022 • 37:05

Compilation Episode - Letting Go of Working Parent Guilt

Compilation Episode - Letting Go of Working Parent Guilt

Many listeners have told us that guilt is a challenge you're struggling with, particularly working parent guilt. This week on Big Careers, Small Children we are revisiting some of the best tips shared by our previous guests around guilt and learning to let it go.Featured:Wendy Merricks, CEO Jumar (Series 6, Episode 91)Michelle Mitchell OBE, CEO Cancer Research UK (Series 4, Episode 52)Laura Harrison, Co-founder Human Change Agency (Series 2, Episode 15)Lucy Duszczak, Senior Online Sales & Digita

Aug 31, 2022 • 22:44

Kami Norland - How to Lead With Compassion, Build Trust & Create Compassionate Organisations

Kami Norland - How to Lead With Compassion, Build Trust & Create Compassionate Organisations

What does it mean to be a compassionate leader and how can it benefit organisations?Kami Norland is a national and international speaker, facilitator and CEO of Integrative Re-Sources.In this episode, we chat about compassionate leadership and how it’s not only possible but essential to create compassionate organisations.Kami reminds us that we aren't just an employee but an individual bringing our whole selves to work. She shares her expert advice on:What it means to be a compassionate leaderWh

Aug 24, 2022 • 34:24

Karen Squires - From Hairdresser to A&E Consultant: Progressing a Career in Emergency Medicine Whilst Raising a Young Family

Karen Squires - From Hairdresser to A&E Consultant: Progressing a Career in Emergency Medicine Whilst Raising a Young Family

Ever felt like you're not living up to your full potential and wished you could change your career? Karen Squires is an A&E Consultant at the Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, but her career actually started in hairdressing. After re-evaluating her life in her mid-20s and feeling that she wasn't reaching her true potential, Karen made the brave decision to take a leap and pursue a career in medicine. In this chat with Verena Hefti MBE, Karen shares how she trusted her gut instinct to fol

Aug 17, 2022 • 39:22

Compilation Episode: The Best Tips for Working Couples

Compilation Episode: The Best Tips for Working Couples

Not everyone is in a relationship but those that are can spend a considerable amount of time trying to negotiate two big careers alongside raising young children and the commitments this entails.This week on Big Careers, Small Children we are revisiting some of the best advice previous guests have shared around making dual career couples work. Featured:Nick Wilkie, Former CEO of the NCT (Series 1, Episode 5)Dr. Jennifer Petriglieri, Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour INSEAD (Series

Aug 10, 2022 • 26:52

Alice Kan - Directing the AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Roll Out Whilst Balancing Family Commitments

Alice Kan - Directing the AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Roll Out Whilst Balancing Family Commitments

Today's guest knows a thing or two about working under huge pressure after being headhunted by Wockhardt UK to direct the development of the manufacturing process and facility to produce the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. Alice Kan is the Pharmaceutical Director at Kan Do Ventures and one of the UK's Top 50 Women in Engineering. In this episode,  Alice shares what she has learned from managing the vaccine roll out whilst balancing her family commitments, including raising two teenage children.A "

Aug 3, 2022 • 39:35

Nicky Kendrick - How to Lead by Example Progressing Your Career Whilst Having Children, Plus Tips on Being the First Person to Negotiate a Job Share

Nicky Kendrick - How to Lead by Example Progressing Your Career Whilst Having Children, Plus Tips on Being the First Person to Negotiate a Job Share

Are you confident sharing your authentic self at work? Including being open about having children?Nicky Kendrick is Head of Own at Ford Motor Company and was able to successfully negotiate a job share at a senior level. In this episode of Big Careers, Small Children Nicky shares why it's important for her to lead by example and role model being a parent who works (rather than a working parent) to others in her team. She discusses:Tips for negotiating a job share within your company, especially i

Jul 28, 2022 • 40:11

Wendy Merricks - How to Work Full Time When You're a Parent & Not Feel Guilty, Why Small Steps Can Get You to the Big Positions & How to Have Self Belief When Under Pressure

Wendy Merricks - How to Work Full Time When You're a Parent & Not Feel Guilty, Why Small Steps Can Get You to the Big Positions & How to Have Self Belief When Under Pressure

"Children are not going to come to any harm because you work full time," says our guest today Wendy Merricks.Wendy is the CEO and Founder of Jumar, a group of companies in the IT sector and a Senior Leader Mentor on the Leaders Plus Fellowship Programme.Growing up in inner-city Birmingham in a working-class family, Wendy has worked hard to get to the most senior positions, always believing that she was capable of anything she put her mind to. A mother of two boys (now in their 20s) born in quick

Jul 20, 2022 • 47:21

Guy Duncan Neale - How to Have a Big Career, Be Present With Your Kids & Work Regular Hours

Guy Duncan Neale - How to Have a Big Career, Be Present With Your Kids & Work Regular Hours

Can you work as a senior leader in a fast-paced industry like banking and set boundaries around your working hours? Our guest today is proof you can.Guy Duncan Neale is Head of Global Internal Audit Transformation at HSBC and leads a team of international senior internal auditors within the bank.Following a cancer diagnosis, Guy reflected on the priorities in his life and decided he would limit his working hours to ensure he could be present with his family. He is a real change-maker and is voca

Jul 13, 2022 • 33:32

Suzy Reading - Self Care for Busy Working Parents, How to Make Self Care a Daily Practice & Tips for Boosting Your Energy During Moments of Overwhelm

Suzy Reading - Self Care for Busy Working Parents, How to Make Self Care a Daily Practice & Tips for Boosting Your Energy During Moments of Overwhelm

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your conflicting priorities?Our guest today is Suzy Reading, a Chartered Psychologist, author and specialist in self care and well being.Suzy knows the science behind well being and shares how, as busy working parents, we can look after ourselves when under pressure without feeling like it's something else we need to tick on our to-do list.We discuss:Why self care is actually health careHow to practically put yourself first (or at least make sure it's you as well!

Jul 6, 2022 • 38:15

Dr. Christina Venzin - Coming Back From a Career Break, Progressing Your Career When Other People Tell You Not to & Why it's Okay to Change Your Priorities

Dr. Christina Venzin - Coming Back From a Career Break, Progressing Your Career When Other People Tell You Not to & Why it's Okay to Change Your Priorities

Do you ever worry about changing priorities during your career?Our guest today is Dr. Christina Venzin, a Senior Doctor, Coach and Gender Equality Change Maker.Christina makes no secret of the fact that when she first had children she thought her career would have to totally change. What she in fact discovered was that it's absolutely okay to evolve your priorities over time and come back to what you love.The discussion includes:Why it's absolutely okay to change priorities during your career Th

Jun 29, 2022 • 38:22

Welcome to Big Careers, Small Children

Welcome to Big Careers, Small Children

Big 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.Are you progressing a big career whil

Jun 27, 2022 • 1:41

Laurie Weingart - Learn How to Say No, Why Saying No is Crucial for Promotion & Tips for Identifying Your Non-Promotable Tasks

Laurie Weingart - Learn How to Say No, Why Saying No is Crucial for Promotion & Tips for Identifying Your Non-Promotable Tasks

Do you ever struggle with saying no at work?Our guest today is Laurie Weingart, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at Carnegie Mellon University and Co-Author of the brilliant book No Club: Putting a Stop to Women’s Dead-End Work, she is an expert at saying no. The No Club has a fascinating back story. It began when Laurie and a group of friends came together disheartened by the fact they were working harder than ever but still trailed far behind their male colleagues.Vowing to get their work

Jun 22, 2022 • 42:25

Ian Dinwiddy - Supporting Dads to Make Brave Decisions, Removing Barriers Around Shared Parental Leave & Why Gender Equality at Home Influences Work

Ian Dinwiddy - Supporting Dads to Make Brave Decisions, Removing Barriers Around Shared Parental Leave & Why Gender Equality at Home Influences Work

'Dadvocate' Ian Dinwiddy is the founder of Inspiring Dads, a platform designed to help dads balance the complexities of modern life and fatherhood.Management Consultant Ian and his partner Lisa (a lawyer) have made what some might view as bold decisions regarding their parenting setup. When their daughter Freya was born they took the decision that Ian would step back from his career to look after her and he has gone on to become the main carer for their two children. We discuss:How dads can be b

Jun 16, 2022 • 41:23

Steph Douglas - Growing a Successful Business as a Parent, Challenging Expectations, Safe Guarding Time to Think and Equality at Home

Steph Douglas - Growing a Successful Business as a Parent, Challenging Expectations, Safe Guarding Time to Think and Equality at Home

Steph Douglas is the inspirational Founder and CEO of the gifting company Don't Buy Her Flowers.Steph launched her business in 2014 after having her first baby and being inundated with bouquets. She joins Verena to talk candidly about growing a successful business, raising her family and challenging expectations, including at home. The conversation includes:Why and how to ensure you safeguard time to think when growing your businessHow parenthood can benefit you in business 'Feminine' business t

Jun 8, 2022 • 49:41

Lauren Seager-Smith FRSA - Practical Tips to Help With Bullying, the Dual Challenge of Caring for Kids & Older Parents & Why We All Need Circles of Support

Lauren Seager-Smith FRSA - Practical Tips to Help With Bullying, the Dual Challenge of Caring for Kids & Older Parents & Why We All Need Circles of Support

Our guest today is Lauren Seager-Smith FRSA, CEO of the bullying prevention charity Kidscape and a Mentor on the Leaders Plus Fellowship Programme.Lauren is one of a small but growing number of CEOs with younger children and she shares her experience of working in a senior position whilst juggling the reality of small kids.She has many years of experience providing expertise and guidance relating to all forms of bullying and in this episode she shares practical advice for dealing with bullying b

May 25, 2022 • 37:19

Amy Gibbs - Becoming a CEO, Working 4 Days a Week, Setting Boundaries & Prioritising Self Care

Amy Gibbs - Becoming a CEO, Working 4 Days a Week, Setting Boundaries & Prioritising Self Care

Joining us today is Leaders Plus Fellow Amy Gibbs. Amy is CEO of Birthrights, a powerful charity championing human rights in childbirth.Working part-time in a senior role is (sadly) still an exception and not the norm and Amy describes her journey to becoming a CEO and taking the top position, including how she makes her role work 4 days a week.Amy also shares her wonderfully honest reflections on setting boundaries, work-life balance and why it's essential we all prioritise a little more self-c

May 18, 2022 • 51:44

Carlotta Negri di Sanfront: Being Present With Your Kids When You Have a High Profile Career & Figuring Out When it is the Right Time to Have a Baby

Carlotta Negri di Sanfront: Being Present With Your Kids When You Have a High Profile Career & Figuring Out When it is the Right Time to Have a Baby

Our guest today is Carlotta Negri di Sanfront, Chief Product and Design Officer for giffgaff, the mobile network run by its members.Carlotta is wonderfully honest about her experience of starting a family at the peak of her career and talks openly about deciding to go for the role of Chief Product and Design Officer whilst 8 months pregnant. Our discussion includes:When is the right time to have a baby if you're progressing your careerReturning to work to a new senior position Juggling the menta

May 11, 2022 • 46:57

Mary Ann Sieghart - Why Women Are Still Taken Less Seriously Than Men & What to do About It

Mary Ann Sieghart - Why Women Are Still Taken Less Seriously Than Men & What to do About It

Welcome to series 6 of the Big Careers, Small Children (formerly Leaders With Babies) podcast.Our guest today is Mary Ann Sieghart.  Mary is a former The Times Senior Editor and more recently 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 is that men and women can say the exact same thing yet it's perceived differently?A look at the latest evidence and research around a

May 4, 2022 • 45:52

Professor Vanessa Bohns - How to Influence Others to Say Yes, Why You Have More Power Than You Think & Learning How to Reframe Rejection

Professor Vanessa Bohns - How to Influence Others to Say Yes, Why You Have More Power Than You Think & Learning How to Reframe Rejection

Our guest this week is an expert in utilising the power of persuasion to get what you want. Vanessa Bohns is a social psychologist and associate professor of organisational behaviour at Cornell University, New York. She is also the author of a thought-provoking new book You Have More Influence Than You Think. In the book, Vanessa draws from her original research to illustrate exactly why we might fail to recognise the influence we have, and how that lack of awareness can lead us to miss opportun

Mar 10, 2022 • 47:40

Claire Ferreira (Mums in Marketing) - Practical Steps for Beating Imposter Syndrome, How to be Paid What You're Worth & Why Community is Essential for Working Parents

Claire Ferreira (Mums in Marketing) - Practical Steps for Beating Imposter Syndrome, How to be Paid What You're Worth & Why Community is Essential for Working Parents

Today's podcast guest is Claire Ferreira, an NLP Coach and the Founder of Mums in Marketing, a free community connecting "women who do marketing and raise humans".Verena and Claire compare notes about how to create a peer support community with impact (like Mums in Marketing and the Leaders Plus Fellowship) and why this is so incredibly important for working parents. There is also a powerful two-way conversation about losing confidence at work after having children, imposter syndrome and mental

Mar 2, 2022 • 50:29

Dr. Heejung Chung - Why Flexible Working Can Lead to Exploitation, Especially for Women

Dr. Heejung Chung - Why Flexible Working Can Lead to Exploitation, Especially for Women

Our guest this week is Dr. Heejung Chung, Professor of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Kent and the author of the excellent and thought-provoking book The Flexibility Paradox.Heejung Chung offers a completely fresh perspective on flexible working and whilst she acknowledges it as a great solution to our work-life balance challenges, she also believes it can lead to us exploiting ourselves much more than if we worked a normal working pattern. Heejung shares with us what she has l

Feb 23, 2022 • 44:07

Jane Galloway - How to Successfully Request Flexible Working, Juggling Two Careers, Finding Your Tribe & Silencing Your Inner Critic

Jane Galloway - How to Successfully Request Flexible Working, Juggling Two Careers, Finding Your Tribe & Silencing Your Inner Critic

Our guest today is Jane Galloway, Head of Flexible Working for NHS England and the Founder of the brilliant Quiet the Hive, a community that helps women identify the life they want and arms them with the tools and confidence to go get it. Jane is incredibly passionate that flexible working should be for all and she shares fantastic advice that will be very helpful if you're looking to make a change to your working pattern, whether you're working in the NHS or for any other organisation.But what

Feb 16, 2022 • 42:31

Vicky Fox (The Supreme Court) - Becoming a CEO, Working Flexibly & Making Brave Career Decisions

Vicky Fox (The Supreme Court) - Becoming a CEO, Working Flexibly & Making Brave Career Decisions

Our guest today is Chief Executive of The Supreme Court, Vicky Fox.A mum of 3 boys (now young adults), Vicky has made some tough decisions for her career and family life. Including putting her career progression on hold and making the brave decision to leave a specialist career whilst her children were younger before reigniting her work ambitions with a new role later on in her career. Vicky is an incredible role model and her approach to life is honest and refreshing. Particularly when discussi

Feb 9, 2022 • 48:23

Jane Beeston (Colart) - How Being a Parent Positively Impacted My Senior Leadership Career, Imposter Syndrome & Bringing Your Whole Self to Work

Jane Beeston (Colart) - How Being a Parent Positively Impacted My Senior Leadership Career, Imposter Syndrome & Bringing Your Whole Self to Work

My guest today is Jane Beeston, Chief People Officer for Colart (the global market leader for art materials) and mother to two grown up boys. Becoming a Chief People Officer is the pinnacle of a career in Human Resources and Jane shares with us how being a parent has positively impacted her senior leadership career trajectory, including how having children has allowed her to bring her whole self to work and contributed to her personal development and growth.  This conversation is especially inte

Feb 2, 2022 • 44:27

Elliott Rae - Equal Parenting, Masculinity & Dads Mental Health

Elliott Rae - Equal Parenting, Masculinity & Dads Mental Health

Our guest this week is Elliott Rae, the Founder of Music Football Fatherhood, a support forum often referred to as 'Mumsnet for Dads' and author of the best-selling book, “Dad - Untold Stories of Fatherhood, Love, Mental Health and Masculinity. Elliott left his senior career in the civil service following the traumatic birth of his daughter and is a passionate advocate of men's mental health. His own experience of PTSD inspired him to write the book, Dad, in which Elliott and 19 other dads open

Jan 26, 2022 • 43:14

The Job Share Pair - Everything You Need to Know About Job Sharing

The Job Share Pair - Everything You Need to Know About Job Sharing

"Most people know what the concept of job sharing is but many don't know how it works in practice." Our guests this week on the Big Careers, Small Children podcast are Hannah Hall-Turner and Rachel Maguire, otherwise known as The Job Share Pair.Having successfully job shared together in their HR Director role at a Fortune 500 firm they are now on a mission to make job sharing an accessible option for all.Rachel and Hannah talk really honestly about the pro's and con's of job sharing, detailing e

Jan 19, 2022 • 49:56

Gabriel Davies - Why Ambition Shouldn't be a Dirty Word

Gabriel Davies - Why Ambition Shouldn't be a Dirty Word

This week Verena Hefti, FRSA is joined by the brilliant Gabriel Davies, a mother of two and a Commercial Director at the global green energy company Ørsted, working in the leadership team responsible for building the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Gabriel is also an inaugural Fellow on the award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowship Programme.This week our discussion focuses on ambition and why this shouldn’t be a dirty word but in fact is something to be celebrated by working parents. Gabriel sh

Jan 12, 2022 • 40:19

Sharath Jeevan - Finding Your Motivation and Inner Drive

Sharath Jeevan - Finding Your Motivation and Inner Drive

Our guest today is Sharath Jeevan, an expert when it comes to motivation and purpose and the best-selling author of Intrinsic, a practical guide to re-igniting the inner-drive (or intrinsic motivation) in our lives.Sharath is also the Executive Chairman of Intrinsic Labs,  supporting organisations all around the world to solve deep motivational challenges.Previously Sharath founded and led STiR Education to re-ignite the motivation of 200,000 teachers, 35,000 schools and 7 million children in em

Jan 5, 2022 • 42:50

Compilation Episode: Finding a Job With Purpose

Compilation Episode: Finding a Job With Purpose

Finding a career that also brings meaning to your life is a priority for many working parents so this week we are diving back through the archives to bring you the very best tips from our previous podcast guests.For many Christmas is a time of reflection and an opportunity to sharpen your vision, these thought provoking snippets will help inspire you to make your purpose a reality. You will hear from:Dr Geraldine Strathdee OBE  (the former National Clinical Director of Mental Health for NHS Engl

Dec 22, 2021 • 21:21

Compilation Episode: The Best Tips for Managing Workload, Mental Health and Well Being

Compilation Episode: The Best Tips for Managing Workload, Mental Health and Well Being

Something a little different for this week's podcast. We are diving into the archives to bring you some of the very best tips around managing workload and supporting your mental health and wellbeing from popular previous episodes.Laura Harrison (Co-Founder of The Human Change Agency and a Leaders Plus Mentor) has excellent advice on managing your workload when you move from full time to part time hours, including sharing actionable tips on how you can make changes to your working hours that work

Dec 15, 2021 • 34:45

Catherine O'Brien - Sharing the Mental Load & Finding Time For Your Partner

Catherine O'Brien - Sharing the Mental Load & Finding Time For Your Partner

Having a baby is a huge transition for any couple and navigating life as a new family can be particularly challenging. This week's guest, Catherine O'Brien, is an expert in relationships. As a marriage and family therapist and the author of the brilliant book Happy With Baby she shares with new parents the advice she wishes she could have had as a parent, whilst giving practical tips on how to keep your relationship afloat after starting a family. Our discussion includes:How to make time for eac

Dec 8, 2021 • 43:24

Fiona McDonnell - Defining Your Work/Life Rhythm, Dealing With a Bad Boss & Finding Purpose in Your Career

Fiona McDonnell - Defining Your Work/Life Rhythm, Dealing With a Bad Boss & Finding Purpose in Your Career

Joining Verena Hefti in this episode of Big Careers, Small Children is Fiona McDonnell, an author and business leader with more than 30 years' experience in senior management at global companies like Kellogg's, Nike and Amazon. Having regularly mentored others and as a regular speaker on the topic of careers, Fiona recently published her debut book Two Mirrors and a Cheetah: Think Differently, Own Your Career & Succeed by Being Yourself  which offers inspiring, insightful and practical advice to

Dec 1, 2021 • 51:20

Sylvia Opara - Dealing With Inappropriate Workplace Behaviour, Thriving in a Male Dominated Industry & Progressing Your Career When You Want a Big Family

Sylvia Opara - Dealing With Inappropriate Workplace Behaviour, Thriving in a Male Dominated Industry & Progressing Your Career When You Want a Big Family

Hopefully none of our listeners have ever had to deal with sexist, racist or power play incidents at work. But if you had, would you know how to take them to HR?On this episode of the Big Careers, Small Children Podcast (formerly Leaders With Babies) Verena chats with Sylvia Opara, the Group Head of Human Resources at Alandale Group of Companies. As a senior HR leader in the male dominated construction industry, Sylvia shares with us her tips for dealing with inappropriate behaviour in the workp

Nov 24, 2021 • 39:13

Claudia T Miller - Equal Pay & Practical Tips for Securing the Pay Rise You Deserve

Claudia T Miller - Equal Pay & Practical Tips for Securing the Pay Rise You Deserve

We are very excited to welcome you to the Big Careers, Small Children Podcast and our first episode under our new name! (Formerly the Leaders With Babies Podcast) Joining Verena this week is Senior Executive Coach and expert on all things pay, Claudia T Miller.  Thursday 18 November 2021 is Equal Pay Day here in the UK, the day in the year where women effectively stop earning relative to men because of the Gender Pay Gap.It may not shock you to learn that women earn (and particularly women in se

Nov 17, 2021 • 49:30

We're Changing Our Name!

We're Changing Our Name!

Exciting news as the Leaders With Babies podcast is changing its name! You may have heard me to discuss on previous episodes that I've been considering changing the name of our 5 star rated podcast. I love the name Leaders With Babies but I worried it held us back from reaching even more parents. I've really appreciated all of the input from you the listeners on the name and I have taken all of the feedback you've shared onboard. Many of you have been in touch directly, voted online in the socia

Nov 15, 2021 • 2:08

Geraldine Butler-Wright - Career Changes, Transferable Skills & Learning How to Sell Yourself

Geraldine Butler-Wright - Career Changes, Transferable Skills & Learning How to Sell Yourself

Does your career make you feel alive? Our guest today believes it is critical that we find a job that ignites our passion and shares fantastic tips for working parents looking to change their career. Geraldine Butler-Wright juggles multiple senior leadership roles. As Chief People & Culture Officer for Healthily she is on a mission to help a billion people find their health through self care. She is also a Trustee,  Advisor and Strategic Advisor and for the past year has been a Senior Leader Men

Nov 11, 2021 • 45:17

Lee Higgins - Diverse Networking: How to Ensure You Cultivate Connections Who Aren't Just Like You & How to Virtual Network Strategically

Lee Higgins - Diverse Networking: How to Ensure You Cultivate Connections Who Aren't Just Like You & How to Virtual Network Strategically

Who makes up your professional network and how different to you are they?  Why do you need a diverse network and what's the best strategy to ensure you get one? Plus, what's the best networking advice if you find this skill doesn't come naturally to you? I am delighted to welcome back to the podcast Lee Higgins, the co-founder of DIVERSE TALENT netWORKS and a thought leader who has decades of experience working as a headhunter for senior leadership roles.Lee is particularly passionate about dive

Nov 4, 2021 • 42:13

Carole Robin Ph.D - Building Exceptional Relationships

Carole Robin Ph.D - Building Exceptional Relationships

Carole Robin Ph.D is Co-Founder of Leaders in Tech, a development program for leaders of tech companies. She also taught the legendary Interpersonal Dynamics (aka Touchy Feely) course at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and is the co-author of the highly acclaimed Connect: Building Exceptional Relationships with Family, Friends and Colleagues. The book contains the lessons of "Touchy Feely" that thousands of students and executives have consistently described for decades as life changing

Oct 28, 2021 • 45:27

Flora Letanka - Being an Exec Director whilst having young children

Flora Letanka - Being an Exec Director whilst having young children

Flora Letanka is Executive Director for Network Development at Teach First, the largest educational charity in the UK. She is  in charge of mobilising high-impact networks of Teach First alumni, schools and others, to ensure that every child gets an outstanding education.She is also a mum to three young children.Here she speaks to Verena Hefti, Leaders Plus CEO and Founder, about being an Exec Director whilst having young children.She discusses:- How to remain visible whilst on maternity leave a

Oct 20, 2021 • 36:14

Michael Baran, Ph.D. - Tackling Subtle Acts of Exclusion

Michael Baran, Ph.D. - Tackling Subtle Acts of Exclusion

Dr. Michael Baran is a social scientist and Senior Partner at inQUEST Consulting. He draws on his own research in cultural anthropology and cognitive psychology to inform his current diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work–his speaking engagements, writings, consulting, leadership development, workshop facilitation, and digital products. In addition to his inQUEST work, Dr. Baran has taught courses at Harvard University and the University of Michigan. He has directed projects aimed at reduc

Oct 14, 2021 • 41:28

Katie Warringer- Exceptional Performance in Challenging Circumstances

Katie Warringer- Exceptional Performance in Challenging Circumstances

Katie is one of the UK’s leading Performance Psychologists, working behind the scenes and on the big stage with some of the world’s best athletes, leaders and organisations. Here she speaks to Verena Hefti, Leaders Plus CEO and Founder, about how to achieve exceptional performance in challenging circumstances. Katie and Verena discuss the impact of guilt, how lack of sleep affects performance, negative self talk and redefining success. Katie also offers her top tips for success.Are you progressi

Oct 7, 2021 • 36:54

Fellowship Live Podcast- Honest Reflections on Career Ambitions and Insight into the Fellowship

Fellowship Live Podcast- Honest Reflections on Career Ambitions and Insight into the Fellowship

In this episode Verena Hefti, CEO and Founder of Leaders Plus, talks to three Leaders Plus Fellows about their honest reflections on career and ambitions, including failures and setting boundaries.  They cover how to manage your own wellbeing whilst holding down a job and having children. They also discuss the value of the Leaders Plus Fellowship and how it has benefited them.Are you progressing a big career whilst raising small children? Each month we send out a helpful round-up email featuring

Sep 30, 2021 • 46:57

Reverend Carla Maurer - Finding Purpose and Setting Boundaries

Reverend Carla Maurer - Finding Purpose and Setting Boundaries

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

Sep 23, 2021 • 40:13

New Series Preview

New Series Preview

Verena Hefti, CEO and Founder of Leaders Plus, gives a preview for the new series of the award-winning Leaders With Babies Podcast.Our next podcast is an interview with Reverend Carla Maurer, Minister of The Swiss Church in London, in which we talk about purpose and setting boundaries. Coming up later this season we speak to an Executive Director in the largest education charity in the UK about how she moved to that job when she had children under two. We also speak to Carole Robin Ph.D,  author

Sep 15, 2021 • 4:16

Verena Hefti - Getting the Most Out of Maternity Leave

Verena Hefti - Getting the Most Out of Maternity Leave

Welcome back to Series 5 of the Leaders With Babies Podcast.In this episode Verena Hefti, Founder and CEO of Leaders Plus, discusses her experience of being on maternity leave with her third child, whilst running a social enterprise. Verena is interviewed by Kirstie Brewer, a journalist at the BBC and a Leaders Plus Fellow.Kirstie asks some interesting questions about maternity leave and how you can make it a productive time and plan your return to work. We discuss:The challenges of maternity le

Aug 25, 2021 • 29:18

Lucy Walker - How to Become a Non-Executive Director (NED) & Diversity on Boards

Lucy Walker - How to Become a Non-Executive Director (NED) & Diversity on Boards

Are you interested in becoming a Non-Executive Director (NED)? Do you know what the role involves and where to find the best opportunities? On this week’s Leaders With Babies podcast Verena chats to Non-Executive Director and Leaders Plus Fellow Lucy Walker about why you should consider becoming an NED, diversity on boards, plus Lucy's journey combining two young kids with a board career.Lucy shares her tips including:Why it can help to be a Trustee firstPractical things Lucy did to make her app

Mar 23, 2021 • 31:00

SPECIAL EPISODE #IWD2021: Kim Rowell - Returning to Work & Things I'd Tell My Pregnant Self

SPECIAL EPISODE #IWD2021: Kim Rowell - Returning to Work & Things I'd Tell My Pregnant Self

To celebrate International Women's Day #IWD2021 we have a special podcast takeover episode from our inspirational Leaders Plus Fellows. BBC journalist and Leaders Plus Fellow Kirstie Brewer interviews BBC Three and BBC News Assistant Editor Kim Rowell about taking maternity leave, returning to work, and "things I'd tell my pregnant self".They discuss why kindness - or more importantly fairness - underpins Kim's leadership style. How she has successfully navigated redundancy and why all the best

Mar 8, 2021 • 33:26

Michele Zanini - Making the Workplace More Human-Centred

Michele Zanini - Making the Workplace More Human-Centred

What if people were truly at the center of organisations? How might a flexible working request work differently if processes didn't hold us back? Our guest today is Michele Zanini, the co-author of the bestselling book Humanocracy, which sets out a passionate, data-driven argument for excising bureaucracy and replacing it with something better. Michele is passionate about building organisations that are fit for the future.  He shares with us the simple steps we can each take to make our workplac

Mar 2, 2021 • 53:58

Michelle Mitchell OBE - Being a Charity CEO While Raising a Family

Michelle Mitchell OBE - Being a Charity CEO While Raising a Family

We are so excited to share this episode of Leaders With Babies with you as our guest this week is the extremely inspiring Michelle Mitchell OBE.Michelle became Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK in 2018, the world’s leading charitable funder of  Cancer research. She's also a mum to two pre-teen children.  Michelle has been a real trail blazer for parents who are in high level senior leadership roles. Throughout her own career she has always done things a little differently to help balance wor

Feb 16, 2021 • 42:12

Jasmin Paris - Can You Perform Exceptionally Well When You Have a Baby? Breaking Records Whilst Being a Mother

Jasmin Paris - Can You Perform Exceptionally Well When You Have a Baby? Breaking Records Whilst Being a Mother

Our guest today is the record breaking ultra runner, small animal vet, research scientist and mother of two Jasmin Paris. Jasmin completely changed expectations of what is possible for new mums when she won the gruelling 268-mile Montane Spine race shortly after welcoming her first child. An incredible achievement, especially as she was stopping at the race break points to express milk for her young daughter along the way. During our chat Jasmin shares with us:How running makes her happy and why

Feb 2, 2021 • 36:59

Lee Higgins - Everything You Need to Know Before Applying for a Senior Leadership Role & The Importance of Diverse Recruitment

Lee Higgins - Everything You Need to Know Before Applying for a Senior Leadership Role & The Importance of Diverse Recruitment

Are you thinking about applying for a new senior leadership or director level role? Listen to this episode of Leaders With Babies first! Our guest today is Lee Higgins, who is part of the senior leadership team at the recruitment firm Falcon Brook Search and who has decades of experience working as a headhunter for senior leadership roles.Lee is particularly passionate about diversity and inclusion and he heads up their AVID Leaders programme, which works with AVID (Authentic, Vulnerable, Inclus

Jan 19, 2021 • 50:33

Jessica Chivers - Career Progression in Part-time Roles

Jessica Chivers - Career Progression in Part-time Roles

Exactly how do you progress your career whilst working in a part-time role? What do the most successful working parents do to ensure they are strategic about their career progression?Leaders With Babies is back with series 4 and our guest this week is the author, psychologist, coach, and founder of Talent Keep Specialists, Jessica Chivers. Jessica is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to progressing your career after maternity or parental leave and she has written a fantastic book about support

Jan 5, 2021 • 41:36

Verena Hefti - Starting an Award-Winning Social Enterprise Whilst Bringing Up Babies & Dealing With Imposter Syndrome

Verena Hefti - Starting an Award-Winning Social Enterprise Whilst Bringing Up Babies & Dealing With Imposter Syndrome

Something a little different for the final episode of Season 3 as the tables have turned and I have found myself answering the questions instead of asking them!Kirstie Brewer, a journalist at the BBC and a Leaders Plus Fellow, interviews me, Verena Hefti, the host of this podcast and the founder of Leaders Plus. I share my personal story of combining a senior leadership career with young children and why I set up the award-winning social enterprise Leaders Plus. Kirstie asks fantastic questions

Dec 15, 2020 • 39:40

Lauren Currie OBE - How to Increase Your Visibility at Work After Maternity or Parental Leave

Lauren Currie OBE - How to Increase Your Visibility at Work After Maternity or Parental Leave

This week on Leaders With Babies we welcome entrepreneur and inspirational speaker Lauren Currie OBE to the podcast. Lauren is the founder of both UPFRONT, a business committed to elevating and encouraging new voices on and off public stages and enhancing the visibility and confidence of women, and Stride, an app that is committed to democratising leadership development for the workforces of the future.  She is also the chairperson of Pregnant Then Screwed.Lauren and I discovered a shared intere

Dec 8, 2020 • 48:12

SPECIAL EPISODE: How to Prepare for the Primary School Transition

SPECIAL EPISODE: How to Prepare for the Primary School Transition

Is your child about to start school? Are you nervous about how you'll manage this important transition, alongside juggling work?In this special episode of the Leaders With Babies podcast Verena speaks to three Leaders Plus Fellows for their advice on managing the transition to Primary School. Including how to effectively communicate with your employer and partner, as well as other practical tips from parents who have been through it themselves.Our guests Dr Suhana Ahmed - Consultant Psychiatrist

Dec 1, 2020 • 42:11

Dr Funke Abimbola MBE - How to Be a Good Ally, Dealing With Microaggressions & Becoming an Expert Public Speaker

Dr Funke Abimbola MBE - How to Be a Good Ally, Dealing With Microaggressions & Becoming an Expert Public Speaker

Our guest this week is the inspirational Dr Funke Abimbola MBE, a multi-award winning lawyer, C-suite advisor, public speaker, TV contributor, diversity leader, as well as the Chief Executive Officer at the Austen Bronte Consultancy.Dr Abimbola was one of the initial speakers at the 2018 Leaders Plus House of Commons launch event, where she spoke in front of 40 babies and 60 leaders sharing her experience of being a mum whilst at the same time being a General Counsel, the most senior lawyer in a

Nov 24, 2020 • 46:30

James Lloyd - Changing People's Minds on Flexible Working

James Lloyd - Changing People's Minds on Flexible Working

It is easy to imagine that post Covid-19 the flexible working argument is solved, however many line managers, senior leaders and employers still have deep-rooted fears around losing control or a perceived lack of performance.So how can we change their minds? What are the right arguments to help them to think differently?Our guest today is HR Director James Lloyd and he is incredibly honest (which makes for a really thought provoking conversation) about the fact that initially, he inwardly cringe

Nov 17, 2020 • 34:28

Fiona Jackson & Radhika Bajaj - How to Find a Sponsor for Career Growth

Fiona Jackson & Radhika Bajaj - How to Find a Sponsor for Career Growth

Sometimes you need more than a career mentor, you need a sponsor!In this episode of Leaders With Babies, we focus on finding a sponsor and why exactly they are so crucial for your career.So what is a sponsor? A sponsor is a senior leader who advocates for you, believes in you, and champions you at work and the evidence is very clear that having a sponsor makes a massive difference for the career progression of parents. Plus, it's also very helpful for when you need to have those tough conversati

Nov 10, 2020 • 42:35

Laura Harrison - How to Work Part-Time in a Senior Role & Not Work Full-Time Anyway (Tips for Dropping Down to 3 or 4 Days)

Laura Harrison - How to Work Part-Time in a Senior Role & Not Work Full-Time Anyway (Tips for Dropping Down to 3 or 4 Days)

This week we are delighted to welcome back HR Director and Leaders Plus Mentor Laura Harrison to the podcast. Laura, who previously featured on episode 13  (sharing with us her thoughts on flexible working and building relationships, do check it out if you haven't already), joins us again to look in detail at part time working for senior roles and offer practical advice for listeners keen to cut down their hours.Just how can we make working part-time work effectively? Ensuring we're not working

Oct 27, 2020 • 34:29

Becky Maxwell - Working in Emergency Medicine, Leading in a Crisis & Managing Uncertainty

Becky Maxwell - Working in Emergency Medicine, Leading in a Crisis & Managing Uncertainty

Our guest this week is Becky Maxwell, a part-time Emergency Medicine Consultant and Clinical Chair of the Division of Diagnostics and Therapies at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, as well as the Co-Chair of RCEMLearning (the Royal College of Emergency Medicine e-learning website).Becky shares really honestly the reality of juggling her portfolio career in emergency medicine alongside raising her two-year-old son. Including her advice for leading in a crisis, mana

Oct 20, 2020 • 42:16

Lori Mihalich-Levin - Returning to Work Mindfully & Tips to Deal With Important Life Transitions

Lori Mihalich-Levin - Returning to Work Mindfully & Tips to Deal With Important Life Transitions

Our guest this week is Lori Mihalich-Levin, a US-based lawyer, author, and the founder of Mindful Return, which supports parents on their return to work after having children. When Lori Mihalich-Levin returned to work as a lawyer after having her second child, the stresses of her job combined with the demands of taking care of a baby and a toddler initially proved overwhelming. Determined to channel her experience into something positive, she created Mindful Return to help other parents transiti

Oct 13, 2020 • 35:05

Rebecca Seal - How to Work From Home and Not Lose Your Mind

Rebecca Seal - How to Work From Home and Not Lose Your Mind

Our guest this week is the writer, tv presenter, and author of the new book “Solo: How to Work Alone and Not Lose Your Mind,’ Rebecca Seal.Rebecca chats with us about how to thrive when working from home, including how to set boundaries successfully and why working long hours actually damages your productivity.She shares the latest research on how best to lead your team remotely, plus why it's essential that all parents get enough recovery time from work AND from parenting.You can buy Rebecca's

Oct 6, 2020 • 44:49

Chris Bryant - How to Work Part-Time in a Senior Role, Get Paid Fairly & Learn to Say No!

Chris Bryant - How to Work Part-Time in a Senior Role, Get Paid Fairly & Learn to Say No!

Our guest this week is a trailblazer in the legal profession who has proven that it's absolutely possible to work part-time in a senior role.Chris Bryant is a partner at the international law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, where he has a busy role focusing on Antitrust and Competiton, alongside heading up the firms Brexit task force. He does all of this in 3 days per week, something that is still uncommon in the legal sector. So how exactly does he make it work as a partner in a law firm on a

Sep 29, 2020 • 38:42

Sophie Walker - How to Drive Change in Your Workplace & Advice on Dealing With Structural Inequalities

Sophie Walker - How to Drive Change in Your Workplace & Advice on Dealing With Structural Inequalities

Our guest this week is the political activist  Sophie Walker, the founding leader of the UK's Women's Equality Party and the current CEO of the Young Women’s Trust, who do brilliant work supporting young women across the UK.Sophie is a powerful change-maker and force for good and in this episode, we discuss how to drive change in the face of adversity and how we can all turn angry energy into real, tangible change. She shares why hope is "the ultimate act of defiance" when it comes to activism,

Sep 22, 2020 • 32:12

Panel Discussion: Motherhood, Work & Identity - an Honest Conversation

Panel Discussion: Motherhood, Work & Identity - an Honest Conversation

This week on Leaders With Babies we're sharing something a little different - a recent panel discussion on motherhood, work, and identity.Lisa Ford, a Strategic Enablement Director of Nielsen, Jackie Mulryne, a partner at the law firm Arnold & Porter, and Toria Reid, an A&E Consultant at a busy Edinburgh hospital, are all Leaders Plus Fellows.In this honest discussion, they share openly their personal experiences of squaring their identity as women who are passionate about their work and their n

Sep 15, 2020 • 36:30

Professor Shani Orgad - Why Mothers Leave the Workforce & What We Can Learn From It & Making Structural Changes at Work

Professor Shani Orgad - Why Mothers Leave the Workforce & What We Can Learn From It & Making Structural Changes at Work

Recent figures have shown that significant numbers of highly educated women are leaving paid employment when they have children and our guest this week has written a brand new book examining the reasons why.Shani Orgad is Professor of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and on this week's podcast she shares her research and the real-life stories she has heard of women for whom work simply doesn't work anymore. Having interviewed a range of professional women who quit their

Sep 8, 2020 • 50:46

Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE - How to Deal With Microaggressions & Unconscious Bias at Work & Tips to Become a Key Person of Influence

Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE - How to Deal With Microaggressions & Unconscious Bias at Work & Tips to Become a Key Person of Influence

This week our guest is Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, the first female Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Hayaatun shares with us exactly what led to her being seen as a key person of influence, offering tips and practical steps for listeners on how you too can increase your visibility at work. It's clear she has worked incredibly hard to progress in her career and become a confident speaker, unafraid to use her voice to champion others, especially those from underrepresented groups i

Sep 1, 2020 • 46:18

Dom Holmes - How to Work Part-Time in a Senior Client Facing Role & How to Make Smart Career Choices Based on Your Values

Dom Holmes - How to Work Part-Time in a Senior Client Facing Role & How to Make Smart Career Choices Based on Your Values

My guest this week is Dom Holmes, Head of Employment Law, and a Partner at the International law firm Taylor Vinters. Dom is one of the few male partners in law to work part-time. As he and his team advise employers with extremely time-sensitive and complex employment issues, it is incredibly fascinating to hear how he manages to balance his incredibly busy role and parenthood, by working 4 days a week. There are lots of helpful reflections and practical tips in this conversation. Including use

Aug 25, 2020 • 41:57

Alex Pang - How to Get More Done By Working Less & Convincing Your Employer on the Benefits of a 4 Day Week

Alex Pang - How to Get More Done By Working Less & Convincing Your Employer on the Benefits of a 4 Day Week

Could a shorter 4-day working week or a shorter working day boost our productivity, improve our mental health, and increase our profitability?Our guest this week Alex Pang believes so. Alex is a former Silicon Valley tech-consultant and the author of an important new book titled 'Shorter', which is about how working less will revolutionise how companies get things done in the future.Writing from his own personal experience, Alex noticed during how on sabbatical from work he suddenly became so mu

Aug 18, 2020 • 47:05

Avivah Wittenberg-Cox {Part 2} - How to Increase Your Impact Without Increasing Your Workload & Why Your 40s & 50s Might be Your Best Decades at Work

Avivah Wittenberg-Cox {Part 2} - How to Increase Your Impact Without Increasing Your Workload & Why Your 40s & 50s Might be Your Best Decades at Work

This week we welcome back Avivah Wittenberg-Cox for Part 2 of her insightful discussion on gender balance and increasing your impact at work.Avivah is an author, speaker, and CEO of 20-first, a leading global gender-balance consultancy that works with multinational firms on modern leadership approaches, supporting them to be more gender-balanced.In this follow up episode Avivah shares how she deals with perfectionism and workload, why being lazy and having a high impact really aren’t mutually ex

Aug 11, 2020 • 23:09

Avivah Wittenberg-Cox {Part 1} – Gender Balance at Work: How to Convince Senior Leaders Who Don’t Care About Gender Equality to Take Action to Support Parents

Avivah Wittenberg-Cox {Part 1} – Gender Balance at Work: How to Convince Senior Leaders Who Don’t Care About Gender Equality to Take Action to Support Parents

This week on Leaders With Babies, Verena is joined by the author and acclaimed speaker Avivah Wittenberg-Cox to discuss influencing senior leaders on gender equality at work.Avivah is the CEO of 20-first, a leading global gender-balance consultancy that works with multi-national firms on modern leadership approaches, supporting them to be more gender-balanced.With so many important discussion points it was impossible to cut the conversation and not lose any of the brilliant insight, so instead,

Aug 4, 2020 • 26:37

Dr Maja Korica {Part 2} - How to Network Virtually & Increase Your Visibility With Senior Leaders

Dr Maja Korica {Part 2} - How to Network Virtually & Increase Your Visibility With Senior Leaders

This week we welcome back Dr Maja Korica, Associate Professor of Management and Organisation at Warwick Business School to the podcast.In a follow up to episode 28 of Leaders With Babies, Dr Korica delves even further into what it takes to get ahead at work in the context of the new socially distanced, virtual environment. Including the best way to establish trust online. In this episode, you'll learn how to apply key research on networking to ensure you make a positive impression in a virtual e

Jul 28, 2020 • 37:26

Dr Maja Korica {Part 1} - How to Get Senior Leaders to Really Listen, Finding a Sponsor & Tips for Career Progression

Dr Maja Korica {Part 1} - How to Get Senior Leaders to Really Listen, Finding a Sponsor & Tips for Career Progression

Our guest this week is Dr Maja Korica, Associate Professor of Management and Organisation at Warwick Business School. An anthropologist of the Business Elite, she researches how CEOs, Boards, and Senior Leaders really behave and why analysing in-depth the drivers behind their decision making processes. She was recognised by Thinkers50 in 2017 as "one of the management thinkers most likely to shape the future of how organisations are managed and led."In this episode, Dr Korica shares valuable ins

Jul 21, 2020 • 45:20

Dr Sue Black OBE - How to Shape the Career You Want, Tips to Get Promoted & Women in Tech

Dr Sue Black OBE - How to Shape the Career You Want, Tips to Get Promoted & Women in Tech

Our guest this week is Dr Sue Black OBE, Professor of Computer Science at Durham University. Sue is a passionate advocate for more women in tech and has spent the last 20 years campaigning for more recognition and support for women in computing. This led to her founding BCS Women the UK’s first online network for women in tech, and #techmums, a social enterprise that empowers mums and their families through technology.  On this week's Leaders With Babies episode, Sue shares her remarkable and of

Jul 14, 2020 • 50:08

Anita Kerwin-Nye - How to Know Your Worth, Challenge Prejudices & Lead Authentically & Why Chickens Are Critical To Lockdown

Anita Kerwin-Nye - How to Know Your Worth, Challenge Prejudices & Lead Authentically & Why Chickens Are Critical To Lockdown

This week Verena is joined by Anita Kerwin-Nye, Director of Strategy and Engagement at YHA.Anita is passionate about calling out inequality and has had an interesting and varied portfolio career in the charity and education sectors, moving effortlessly between consultancy and senior leadership roles.In this episode, she shares her expert advice on going freelance and charging what you're worth, as well as her best tips on how to lead authentically, particularly in the charity sector.There's a fr

Jul 7, 2020 • 39:38

Dr Jennifer Petriglieri - Surviving Lockdown! How Working Couples Can Thrive Whilst Juggling Careers & Home Schooling During Times of Crisis

Dr Jennifer Petriglieri - Surviving Lockdown! How Working Couples Can Thrive Whilst Juggling Careers & Home Schooling During Times of Crisis

The Coronavirus crisis and period of prolonged lockdown has posed some unique challenges for dual-career couples, many of whom are now juggling two busy workloads as well as homeschooling.To help couples manage their family's needs both at home and work and grow together during this stressful time we welcome back to the podcast Dr Jennifer Petriglieri. Jennifer is an Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD in France and the author of the brilliant book Couples That Work.Regular

Jun 30, 2020 • 39:19

Dr Suhana Ahmed: How to Lead in a Crisis & why Biscuits and Handcream are Essential

Dr Suhana Ahmed: How to Lead in a Crisis & why Biscuits and Handcream are Essential

It's fair to say our guest on this week's episode has been on the frontline of the fight against Covid-19.Dr. Suhana Ahmed is a Consultant Psychiatrist who leads an inpatient ward for the elderly. Sadly many of her patients have caught Covid-19, and some tragically have lost their battle.In this frank discussion, Dr. Ahmed shares how leading in a crisis such as the Coronavirus Pandemic has forever shaped her as a leader. The key learnings she has discovered during the past 8 weeks, as well the p

Jun 23, 2020 • 47:15

Prof Rosie Campbell: The Impact of Covid-19 on Parents, Gender Equality & Career Progression

Prof Rosie Campbell: The Impact of Covid-19 on Parents, Gender Equality & Career Progression

This week on Leaders With Babies Verena is joined by Professor Rosie Campbell, Professor of Politics and Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King's College London.Professor Campbell shares her insight on parenting whilst in a leadership role, plus we explore what the latest research tells us about career progression for women.There's also an important discussion on the impact of Covid-19 on gender equality at work, including the potential negative impact of Lockdown on wor

Jun 16, 2020 • 41:16

Paul Fisher: The Art of Negotiation: How to ask for a Pay Rise & Request Flexible Working

Paul Fisher: The Art of Negotiation: How to ask for a Pay Rise & Request Flexible Working

It's fair to say that Paul Fisher, Associate Fellow and Programme Director of the Oxford Programme on Negotiation at the Saïd Business School, is an expert when it comes to the art of negotiation and persuasion.Paul kindly shares his expertise when it comes to successful negotiation at work, including how best to structure your argument when requesting things like pay rises, flexible working, and training opportunities.He also shares the clear framework you can use to improve your chances of rec

Jun 9, 2020 • 45:36

Workload Management Panel Discussion - Strategies for Coping During Lockdown

Workload Management Panel Discussion - Strategies for Coping During Lockdown

Managing workloads in senior roles can be challenging at the best of times, but with the added stress of full-time childcare during the Coronavirus Pandemic lockdown, ALL parents are feeling the strain.To launch Series 3 of the Leaders With Babies Podcast we are sharing our recent panel discussion (hosted by Leaders Plus and Doyenne) where we discuss managing teams, managers, and home life during lockdown.Listen to a range of inspirational speakers who each have taken a different approach to man

May 28, 2020 • 53:24

Dr. Martha Deiros Collado - CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL: Talking to Children About Covid-19

Dr. Martha Deiros Collado - CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL: Talking to Children About Covid-19

This past week has been life-changing for all of us and like many other parents, we wish to ensure that our children do not bear any long term scars from this turbulent and unsettling period. On this week's podcast, we are doing something a little different and we are sharing the audio from our recent webinar with Dr. Martha Deiros Collado, which focused on talking to young children about Coronavirus. Dr. Martha is a clinical psychologist supporting children who go through severe illness and tra

Mar 22, 2020 • 1:28:24

Alexandra Marks CBE - Maternal Instinct, Societal Expectations & Balancing a Magic Circle Law Career With a Young Family

Alexandra Marks CBE - Maternal Instinct, Societal Expectations & Balancing a Magic Circle Law Career With a Young Family

Our guest this week is Alexandra Marks CBE, Deputy High Court Judge and Retired Partner at Linklaters LLP. In this powerful discussion, we look at maternal instinct and whether pursuing a career impacts your maternal bond with your children. We talk about social expectations of mother's, as well as the realities of being a female partner with children at one of the most prestigious law firms in the country.Plus, Alexandra shares the best advice she has ever received and her top tips for managing

Mar 17, 2020 • 42:39

Kath Austin - Starting Your Own Business & Developing a Strong Brand, Mum Guilt & Being a Present Parent

Kath Austin - Starting Your Own Business & Developing a Strong Brand, Mum Guilt & Being a Present Parent

On episode 18 of Leaders With Babies Verena is joined by fellow entrepreneur Kath Austin. Kath is the CEO and founder of the fast-growing, multi-award-winning company Bee Bee Wraps, who create sustainable, reusable beeswax food wraps.Kath is a mother of two and talks openly about what it takes to start your own business, including how she juggles her successful start-up with raising her girls. She shares the highs and lows of taking the business from her kitchen table to shop shelves, including

Mar 10, 2020 • 42:16

Sam Bethune - Setting Up HSBC's Flexible Working Network & Advice on Finding a Job Share

Sam Bethune - Setting Up HSBC's Flexible Working Network & Advice on Finding a Job Share

This week Verena chats to Sam Bethune who, along with her job share partner at the time, spearheaded the Flexible Working Network at HSBC. Sam (a previous Fellow of the Leaders Plus Fellowship Programme) shares her incredible story of how working in a job share at HSBC led to them setting up the flexible working culture at the organisation; including how the process actually emerged organically, how they were able to get senior leader buy-in and the exact steps they put in place to originally cr

Mar 3, 2020 • 37:33

Dr Jennifer Petriglieri - How Dual Career Couples Can Thrive at Home & Work & Top 3 Things to Strengthen the Positive Impact of Your Relationship on Your Career

Dr Jennifer Petriglieri - How Dual Career Couples Can Thrive at Home & Work & Top 3 Things to Strengthen the Positive Impact of Your Relationship on Your Career

This week Verena is joined by Dr Jennifer Petriglieri, an Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour at INSEAD in France and the author of the brilliant book Couples That Work, to discuss how dual-career couples can thrive in relationships, at home and in work.We know instinctively that being in a relationship can have a massive impact on your career progress and long-term happiness. In this episode of Leaders With Babies, we focus on how couples in ambitious careers can successfully tackle

Feb 11, 2020 • 50:51

Ruth & Colin Stuart - Combining Ambitious Careers, Sharing the Mental Load and Dealing With Challenges as a Couple

Ruth & Colin Stuart - Combining Ambitious Careers, Sharing the Mental Load and Dealing With Challenges as a Couple

This week on Leaders With Babies Verena is joined by our first ever couple, Ruth and Colin Stuart.Ruth and Colin (who are parents to a young daughter) both have successful leadership careers in their own right. Ruth as Head of Strategy Development at the CIPD (the main membership organisation for HR Directors) and Colin as a respected astronomy author and international speaker. In order to progress your career and get to the most senior jobs, it can be essential to have a supportive partner. In

Feb 4, 2020 • 50:31

Mother Pukka - Campaigning for Flexible Working, Miscarriage and the Realities of Working With Your Partner

Mother Pukka - Campaigning for Flexible Working, Miscarriage and the Realities of Working With Your Partner

This week Verena chats to the journalist, author, social media influencer and flexible working campaigner Anna Whitehouse - otherwise known as “Mother Pukka.” Using #flexappeal, Anna has been a pioneer in calling for flexible working for ALL and her mission is to help businesses breakdown the fear around flexible working.Anna shares how the #flexappeal campaign got started, plus some brilliant, real-life, flexible working examples from businesses such as BP, HSBC and Deloitte. Plus there is plen

Jan 28, 2020 • 39:53

Laura Harrison - Building Relationships When You Hate Networking, Negotiating Pay From a HR's Perspective & What Happens Behind Closed Doors When You Submit a Flexible Working Request

Laura Harrison - Building Relationships When You Hate Networking, Negotiating Pay From a HR's Perspective & What Happens Behind Closed Doors When You Submit a Flexible Working Request

Ever wondered what happens behind closed doors in HR when you submit a flexible working request?This week on Leaders With Babies, Verena is joined by Laura Harrison, a former HR Director who has worked for organisations including PwC, EY, Aviva and CIPD. Laura is a co-founder of the Human Change Agency and also a mentor on our Leaders Plus Fellowship Programme and is passionate about combining her love for her work with her love for her children. In this candid discussion, Laura shares her top t

Jan 21, 2020 • 52:23

Dr Geraldine Strathdee OBE - Mental Health, Having Purpose & the Importance of Being True to Your Values When Progressing Your Career

Dr Geraldine Strathdee OBE - Mental Health, Having Purpose & the Importance of Being True to Your Values When Progressing Your Career

This week on Leaders With Babies, Verena is joined by Dr Geraldine Strathdee OBE, the former National Clinical Director of Mental Health for NHS England. For over 20 years Geraldine has held senior roles in mental health policy, regulation and clinical management, at national and London regional levels. She advises internationally on mental health service design and quality improvement, all while working as a practising clinician and juggling her own children and now grandchildren.In this episod

Jan 14, 2020 • 45:55

Tim Allen - Taking Shared Parental Leave & How to Ensure You Don't Miss Out When it Comes to Appraisal

Tim Allen - Taking Shared Parental Leave & How to Ensure You Don't Miss Out When it Comes to Appraisal

In the first episode of Series 2 of the Leaders With Babies Podcast, Verena is joined by Tim Allen, a partner at PWC and a mentor on the Leaders Plus Fellowship.Tim is a pioneer in taking shared parental leave (SPL) and was one of the very first partners at PWC to take extended time off following the birth of his first daughter, Stella. There's important discussion on the practicalities of taking SPL when in a leadership position, including how to ensure you don't miss out when it comes to futur

Jan 7, 2020 • 37:31

Poppy Jaman OBE - Overcoming Workload Overwhelm, Managing Your Wellbeing & Mental Health

Poppy Jaman OBE - Overcoming Workload Overwhelm, Managing Your Wellbeing & Mental Health

This week in the tenth and final episode of Series One of Leaders With Babies, Verena talks to Poppy Jaman OBE, CEO and founding member of City Mental Health Alliance. Poppy openly shares her own struggle with post natal depression in her early 20's and how through that challenging period she founded and led one of the most successful and fastest growing mental health charities in the UK. There's important discussion on managing workload overwhelm as a leader with young children, plus why it is

Nov 26, 2019 • 47:45

Tanya Stevens - Advice on Flexible Working & Practical Tips When Applying for Senior Leadership Roles

Tanya Stevens - Advice on Flexible Working & Practical Tips When Applying for Senior Leadership Roles

Joining Verena this week is headhunter Tanya Stevens, who shares her practical tips for parents of young children who wish to apply for a senior leadership role either today or in the future. Tanya, who is principal headhunter at Society's global not-for-profit practice, has some brilliant advice on flexible working. Including the best time to mention flexible working when applying for a new position and the factors that really make a difference when it comes to interview. Plus there is discussi

Nov 19, 2019 • 35:32

Ufi Ibrahim - Senior Leadership & Single Parenthood

Ufi Ibrahim - Senior Leadership & Single Parenthood

This week Verena is joined by joined by Ufi Ibrahim, Chair of the Hotels Energy Board and former CEO of the British Hospitality Association, who has had an illustrious international senior leadership career in the hospitality and tourism industry. Ufi shares her experience navigating single parenthood at a young age; why she never stops studying and how she developed the resilience and ambition to succeed whilst raising her son and progressing her career. Plus there’s inspiring discussion on the

Nov 12, 2019 • 42:12

Susannah Hardyman - CEO Role in 4 Days & Miscarriage

Susannah Hardyman - CEO Role in 4 Days & Miscarriage

In episode 7 of Leaders With Babies, Verena is joined by Susannah Hardyman; CEO and Founder of the award-winning educational charity Action Tutoring and a Leaders Plus Fellow.There's powerful discussion around miscarriage, the best way to ask for a pay rise post-maternity leave, managing workload and how to make a busy CEO job work in 4 days. Susannah also shares the positive impact of the Leaders Plus Fellowship and coming to the realisation that there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to co

Nov 5, 2019 • 36:46

Prof Dame Jane Dacre - First Ever NHS Job Share & Gender Pay Gap Review

Prof Dame Jane Dacre - First Ever NHS Job Share & Gender Pay Gap Review

This week Verena Hefti is joined by Consultant Rheumatologist and former President of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), Prof Dame Jane Dacre. From working in one of the first-ever general medicine job shares to negotiating part-time work, in this insightful discussion, Prof Dame Dacre opens up about her experience juggling three small children with a very busy medical career. Including why hearing the words 'no, you can't' only spurred her career on further.There is also discussion on leade

Oct 29, 2019 • 46:26

Nick Wilkie - Career Breaks & Judgment of Parents

Nick Wilkie - Career Breaks & Judgment of Parents

Episode 5 of Leaders With Babies features Nick Wilkie, the first male Chief Executive appointed by the National Childbirth Trust (NCT), the UK's largest charity for parents.Born in Manchester and raised in the Peak District, Nick now lives in London and is a father of three young children. In this brilliant discussion, 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 h

Oct 22, 2019 • 42:06

Dame Helena Morrissey - Senior Leadership & Diversity

Dame Helena Morrissey - Senior Leadership & Diversity

In episode 4 of Leaders with Babies host Verena Hefti chats to the wonderfully inspiring Dame Helena Morrissey, a financier, author, wife and mother of nine. As well as being Head of Personal Investing at Legal & General, Helena is Chair of the Diversity Project and Founder of the 30% Club, a groundbreaking initiative to get 30% of boards female. She is also the author of the brilliant book A Good Time to be a Girl. In this insightful interview, Helena shares the highlights of her fascinating se

Oct 15, 2019 • 40:18

Elizabeth Emens - Managing Life Admin, Avoiding Overwhelm & Exhaustion

Elizabeth Emens - Managing Life Admin, Avoiding Overwhelm & Exhaustion

In episode 3 Verena Hefti talks to Professor of Law and author of the brilliant book ‘The Art of Life Admin’, Elizabeth Emens about managing the spiral of day-to-day tasks that can often overwhelm and exhaust us.  Elizabeth explains how lifelines are essential in helping us navigate parenthood and return back to our original intentions. She also shares practical tips on better managing our life admin, so that we can steal back time in our day to do the things that spark joy and help us achieve o

Oct 8, 2019 • 42:11

Hannah Essex - Making a Job Share Work

Hannah Essex - Making a Job Share Work

In Episode 2 of the Leaders with Babies Podcast CEO and founder of Leaders Plus, Verena Hefti interviews the brilliant Hannah Essex, Co-Executive Director at the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC), a position she job shares with Claire Walker. Hannah shares her positive experience job sharing with Claire at the BCC and her essential advice for anyone who is keen to explore job sharing at their company, as well as the practicalities of making a job share work.Plus as a busy mum of 3 Hannah opens u

Oct 1, 2019 • 45:15

Dr Susie Minson - NHS Leadership Career & Juggling a Young Family

Dr Susie Minson - NHS Leadership Career & Juggling a Young Family

In Episode 1 of the Leaders with Babies Podcast CEO and founder of Leaders Plus, Verena Hefti interviews the inspirational Dr. Susie Minson, a consultant paediatrician at the Royal London Children's Hospital and Clinical Lecturer at St Bartholomew's Hospital and The London Medical School. Susie is also a proud mum of 3 young children and a past Leaders Plus Fellow. In this frank and open discussion, Susie discusses her biggest learning points when it comes to combining her ambitious leadership c

Sep 24, 2019 • 52:18

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