Lead to Soar

Mel and Michelle have an unfiltered chat about a challenging and often uncomfortable topic—bad behaviour among senior women in leadership, particularly the so-called "Queen Bee" syndrome. Drawing on listener questions and their personal experiences, they tackle the issue of women who pull up the ladder after achieving success, refusing to mentor or support other women. The discussion also explores the societal expectations of women in power, double standards, and how leadership behaviours are judged differently for men and women.

This episode is less formal, featuring a conversational and reflective tone as Michelle and Mel "shoot the shit" over a glass of wine (Mel) and coffee (Michelle). Together, they explore the complexities of navigating toxic leadership from senior women and offer advice on coping with and addressing these situations.

Highlights:

Quote Reflection: Madeleine Albright's famous quote,"There's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women," sparks a debate on whether this mindset perpetuates unfair expectations of women in leadership.

Queen Bee Syndrome: Discussion on women in power who refuse to mentor or sponsor other women, often stemming from their struggles to the top.

Double Standards: Women are often held to a higher standard than men when it comes to leadership behaviour. Men are seen as assertive, while women displaying the same traits are labelled aggressive or unlikeable.

Personal Experiences: Your hosts share their own encounters with toxic female leaders and the lasting impact they can have on careers and workplace dynamics.

Resisting Change: Exploring the psychological and systemic resistance to change within organisations and why some women leaders might cling to outdated or damaging behaviours.

Navigating Toxic Leaders: Advice on survival and strategising in workplaces where senior women engage in bullying or unsupportive behaviour, emphasising self-awareness and knowing when to draw personal boundaries.

Leadership Call to Action:

Acknowledge the Behaviour: Recognise when a senior leader's behaviour is inappropriate or damaging. Acknowledging this to yourself or a trusted colleague is the first step toward dealing with it.

Surround Yourself with Allies: Build a support network of people who can help you navigate difficult workplace dynamics. Find mentors and colleagues who uplift you.

Set Boundaries: Learn where your personal boundaries lie. If you cannot address the behaviour directly or leave the situation, create coping strategies to protect your mental and emotional health.

Document Everything: Keep detailed records of incidents and interactions involving toxic behaviour. This documentation can serve as a tool for reflection or as evidence if needed.

Know Your Outcome: Evaluate what you want to achieve before taking action. Do you want to report the behaviour, move to another role, or make it through the current situation? This will guide your decisions.

Seek External Support: Engage with networks like Lead to Soar that offer a safe space to discuss these challenges and provide guidance for navigating workplace obstacles.

This episode is a must-listen for women who have encountered challenging dynamics with senior women colleagues. It encourages reflection on how we judge leadership behaviours and emphasises the importance of women supporting women in the workplace.

Explore the Lead to Soar network for more strategies and insights on navigating toxic workplace environments or dealing with difficult colleagues.

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Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern are discussing growth leadership on todays episode. They explore the idea that every employee, regardless of their department or career stage, plays a critical role in driving the growth of their organization. Growth is not limited to revenue and sales—it extends to overall impact, customer satisfaction, and internal efficiency. The episode also emphasizes that leadership manifests at all levels, from early career professionals to C-suite executives. Michelle shares insights on how understanding the business of the business and aligning with organizational strategy is essential for contributing to growth.

Episode Highlights:

Growth Leadership for Everyone: All organizations aim to grow, and this responsibility isn't limited to those in sales or customer-facing roles. Every employee contributes to this growth.

Understanding BQ (Business Intelligence): Early career professionals should focus on understanding how their role fits into the broader organizational goals. Knowing the organization's growth strategy is essential.

Positional Purpose: Each role within a company has a purpose that ties back to the strategic objectives. Michelle stresses the importance of knowing how your role contributes to the organization's success.

Collaboration and Team Contribution: Leadership is not just about doing your job, it's about helping others and collaborating effectively to ensure the team succeeds together.

Curiosity and Engagement: Being curious about the organization’s objectives and asking thoughtful questions can help employees align their work with the business’s overall goals. Managers are encouraged to foster curiosity in their teams.

Middle and Senior Management's Role: These managers are responsible for translating the organization’s strategy into action. They must ensure their teams understand how their daily work contributes to the company’s larger objectives.

Executive Leadership: For executives, growth leadership involves setting the vision, aligning resources, and ensuring the company’s strategy is clear at all levels.

Culture and Communication: Effective leaders create environments that are transparent, encourage collaboration, and enable employees to contribute to organizational goals.

Leadership Call to Action:

For Early Career Professionals:

Understand the business of the business—learn about your company’s growth strategy and how your role contributes.

Develop a curiosity about organizational objectives and ask questions about how your work ties to the company's strategic goals.

Be proactive in sharing knowledge and collaborating with your peers to uplift the team’s performance.

For Middle and Senior Managers:

Prioritize strategic alignment by translating the company's goals into clear, actionable steps for your team.

Ensure everyone in your team understands how their work impacts the organization’s broader objectives and that they’re rowing in the same direction.

Remove barriers and provide enablers that help your team thrive and contribute to growth.

For Executives:

Focus on creating a strong communication strategy that ensures everyone is aligned with the company’s vision and goals.

Build a culture where employees feel empowered to innovate, solve problems, and contribute to the organization’s growth in unexpected ways.

Read The Leadership Compass to discover more www.michelleredfern.com/books

Why You Must Know Your Positional Purpose: https://www.bebusinesssavvy.com/podcasts/be-business-savvy-create-a-career-that-soars/episodes/2148419633

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In this episode of the Lead to Soar podcast, host Michelle Redfern welcomes back Noa Rein, an organizational psychologist and HR advisor, to discuss navigating career crossroads. Together, they explore the concept of being the main character in your career story and the challenges of decision-making when faced with career transitions. Noa shares her expert insights on how individuals, especially women, can recognize when they are at a career crossroads, the emotions and fears that often accompany it, and how to take control of the narrative of their career. They also discuss the power of imagination, the importance of reflection, and practical tools to help people move forward with agency.

Episode Highlights:

What is a Career Crossroad?

Noa defines a career crossroad as the moment when you recognize you're in transition. It's often marked by feelings of being stuck or lost, or external events like redundancy. While change can feel overwhelming, it's crucial to see it as an opportunity for growth.

Internal vs. External Crossroads:

Career transitions can be internally generated (e.g., feeling unfulfilled) or externally imposed (e.g., being laid off). Both require self-awareness and reflection to navigate.

Recognizing Misalignment in Your Career:

Noa emphasizes that feelings of “meh” or dissatisfaction can indicate a deeper misalignment between who you are now and what you're doing. These feelings are key signals that it's time for change.

The Role of Imagination and Exploration:

Career exploration begins with curiosity. Noa encourages using imagination to explore new possibilities without the immediate pressure to act. Asking questions like "What am I longing for?" can spark powerful insights.

Agency in Career Transitions:

Both Michelle and Noa discuss how understanding that you are the author of your own career story gives you agency. Reflecting on your experiences and considering alternative paths can empower you to make deliberate career decisions.

Letting Go of the Past:

One of the hardest parts of navigating a career crossroads is letting go of past investments, both emotional and professional. But letting go is essential to move forward and embrace new opportunities.

Leadership Call to Action:

1. Reflect on Your Current Path: Take a moment to assess your career satisfaction. Are you feeling aligned with your current work, or is there a “meh” sensation creeping in? Make time for self-reflection.

2. Give Yourself Permission to Explore: Use your imagination to consider new possibilities without the pressure to act right away. What are you longing for in your career? Begin by allowing yourself to dream.

3. Find Your Spark: Identify small moments or thoughts that stand out to you, like a spark on a blank page. Let those moments guide you toward deeper exploration.

4. Practice Self-Compassion: As you navigate career transitions, show yourself kindness. Let go of the narrative that you need to have everything figured out immediately. Progress, not perfection, is key.

5. Seek Support: Whether through a mentor, coach, or peer network like Lead to Soar, find a buddy who can support you through your transition. Remember, no one navigates their career alone.

Connect with Noa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noaerein/?originalSubdomain=au or at Career Science: https://www.careerscience.com.au/index.html

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In this episode of the Lead to Soar podcast, Michelle Redfern and Mel Butcher discuss the persistent workplace gender gap, its causes, and actionable steps to close it. The conversation covers the current state of gender disparity in leadership roles, the impact on women's economic potential, and strategies for organizations and managers to foster gender equity. They also highlight the importance of business intelligence (BQ) skills for women and discuss resources like the Lead to Soar Summit and Michelle's book, "The Leadership Compass."

Episode Highlights

Current State of the Gender Gap: Women have lower workforce participation, higher unemployment, and hold fewer leadership positions globally.

Economic Impact: The gender wage gap leads to significantly lower retirement savings for women, contributing to higher rates of poverty among older women.

Causes of the Gender Gap:

Corporate Systems: Policies and practices that inadvertently hold women back.

Managers' Mindsets: Unexamined biases affecting decisions about women's advancement.

Women’s Skills: Lack of exposure to critical business, strategic, and financial acumen (BQ).

Actions for Leaders and Managers:

Develop a Gender Equity Strategy: Include DEI accountability and skill sets in leadership.

Implement Transparent Performance Evaluations: Ensure women are evaluated on performance, not personality.

Support Working Families: Promote shared caregiving responsibilities.

Invest in Women's Professional Development: Focus on building BQ skills.

The Importance of Strategic Networking: Aligning networking efforts with personal and organizational goals for effective career advancement.

Lead to Soar Summit: An event offering workshops, keynote speakers, and panels with C-suite women to help women develop leadership skills and build strategic networks.

Leadership Call to Action

Diagnose the Current State: Understand your organization’s leadership gender gap through diagnostics and lived experiences.

Define Goals and Design a Blueprint: Set clear goals for gender equity and create a detailed plan to achieve them.

Develop DEI Accountability: Build DEI skill sets in leaders and ensure they are held accountable for gender equity.

Evaluate and Adjust Managerial Practices: Train managers to recognize and correct biases and to actively support women’s career advancement.

Invest in BQ Skill Development: Provide women with opportunities to build and demonstrate business, strategic, and financial acumen.

Promote Inclusive Workplaces: Develop policies that support family responsibilities and career mobility for women.

Encourage Strategic Networking: Help women build networks aligned with their career goals and organizational objectives.

Join the Leadership Summits: Participate in events like the Lead to Soar Summit to gain insights and actionable strategies for closing the leadership gender gap.

Lead to Soar is a multi-platform resource for ambitious women on a leadership journey and for organisations serious about closing the leadership gender gap.

We support women and organisations in 5 ways;

The Lead to Network: https://leadtosoar.network/landing

The Lead to Soar Podcast: https://shows.acast.com/lead-to-soar

The Lead to Soar Summit: https://www.leadtosoar.com/summit

Women’s Leadership Programs: https://www.michelleredfern.com/advancing-women-in-business-sport

DEI Consulting & Advisory: https://www.michelleredfern.com/consulting

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In this episode, Mel and Michelle tackle the pervasive issue of imposter syndrome, particularly how it affects women in the workplace. They challenge the traditional views of imposter syndrome, suggesting it is often a result of systemic biases rather than individual shortcomings. The discussion emphasizes the importance of recognizing and addressing these biases to support women's career advancement. They also provide insights into how women can navigate these challenges and how organizations can create more inclusive policies.

Episode Highlights:

Rethinking Imposter Syndrome: Imposter syndrome is often career gaslighting, a symptom of a system not designed for women's success.

Double Bind for Women: Women are punished for traits celebrated in men, such as assertiveness and ambition, leading to a confidence gap.

Systemic Biases:

Confidence vs. Competence: Society often rewards confident and charismatic individuals over competent ones.

Perceived Ambition: Women are frequently perceived as less ambitious due to biases, impacting their career progression.

Inclusive Policies and Practices:

Gender Equity in Succession Planning: Ensure a balanced representation in succession plans with clear development paths.

Manager Training: Equip managers with the skills to be inclusive and provide equitable feedback and opportunities.

Leadership Call to Action:

Challenge Assumptions: Do not assume a woman’s ambition or capabilities based on her demeanor or past biases.

Support Career Advancement: Have open conversations about career aspirations and provide clear development plans.

Implement Inclusive Policies: Ensure that policies and practices support gender equity, such as balanced succession planning.

Train for Inclusivity: Regularly train managers on diversity, equity, and inclusion to foster an environment where all team members can thrive.

Encourage Visibility: Help women increase their visibility and demonstrate their competencies through strategic mentoring and opportunities.

References:

Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? https://youtu.be/zeAEFEXvcBg?si=9QKmezoOUzLCsyS1

The Ambition Penalty: https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/ambition-penalty

The Leadership Compass: https://www.michelleredfern.com/books

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In this episode, Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern discuss the opportunity for leaders to learn how to provide better feedback, with a keen focus on the gender differences in feedback reception. They discuss the importance of specific, clear, and timely feedback to foster growth and avoid the pitfalls of vague critiques. Additionally, they explore the systemic biases women face, particularly in performance reviews, and offer practical strategies for managers to provide equitable and constructive feedback. The episode also touches on the often detrimental "compliment sandwich" method and the significance of avoiding personality-based feedback.

Episode Highlights:

Importance of Actionable Feedback: Feedback should be specific, timely, and clear, focusing on measurable actions rather than vague or personality-based comments.

Gender Bias in Feedback: Women often receive more personality-based and less actionable feedback compared to men, which can hinder their career progression.

Effective Feedback Structure:

Communicate Expectations: Clearly outline what is expected and why it is important.

Check for Understanding: Ensure the recipient fully understands the feedback and the expected outcomes.

Follow-up for Compliance: Regularly check in to monitor progress and offer support.

Pitfalls of the Compliment Sandwich: Research shows that sandwiching critical feedback between compliments is ineffective and can be confusing.

Feedback Example:

Ineffective: "Great job, but you need to improve your performance."

Effective: "Your facilitation in the client meeting was excellent because it included everyone and generated great ideas. This reassured our client about the project's progress."

Leadership Call to Action:

Provide Specific Feedback: Avoid general comments. Instead, give detailed, actionable feedback that outlines what was done well and what can be improved.

Train Managers: Ensure that all managers are trained to give equitable and constructive feedback, avoiding biases.

Create Clear Success Criteria: Define and communicate clear success criteria at the beginning of any project or performance period.

Seek Feedback Actively: Encourage team members to ask for specific feedback on their performance and career progression.

Avoid Personality Critiques: Focus feedback on behaviors and outcomes, not on personality traits.

Textio Research: https://textio.com/feedback-bias-2023

The Leadership Compass: https://www.michelleredfern.com/books

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Episode Summary:

In this episode of Lead to Soar, Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern discuss the power of LinkedIn as a strategic tool for professional women. They explore the common hesitations women face in using LinkedIn and provide actionable advice on how to effectively utilize the platform to enhance career opportunities, build networks, and establish a strong professional brand.

Episode Highlights:

Hesitations Women Face on LinkedIn:

- Lack of time and prioritization.

- Uncertainty about how to use the platform effectively.

- Feelings of shyness or being overwhelmed by the information available.

Addressing the 'Busy' Mindset:

- "Busy" often signals being overwhelmed or using it as an ego boost.

- The importance of examining what "busy" means and how it impacts professional growth.

Importance of LinkedIn:

- LinkedIn is a powerful tool for visibility, networking, and staying connected to the business world.

- It offers a platform to showcase expertise, connect with broader networks, and access opportunities like speaking engagements and job offers.

Practical Steps for LinkedIn Engagement:

- Allocate at least 15 minutes a week to engage on LinkedIn.

- Start by liking and commenting on posts from respected professionals.

- Ensure your LinkedIn profile is complete and up-to-date with a professional photo, clear headline, and detailed "About" section.

Creating and Sharing Content:

- Share interesting articles, industry insights, and thought-provoking content.

- Repost others' content with your own comments to add value and build connections.

- Express your opinions and expertise confidently to build your personal brand.

Diversifying Your Network:

- Engage with diverse voices and amplify the expertise of women, people of color, and underrepresented groups on LinkedIn.

Leadership Call to Action:

Allocate Time for LinkedIn:

Dedicate at least 15 minutes a week to strategic networking on LinkedIn.

Engage with Content:

Start by liking and commenting on posts from industry leaders and respected professionals.

Optimize Your Profile:

Update your LinkedIn profile with a professional photo, clear headline, and detailed "About" section to effectively represent your professional brand.

Share Valuable Content:

Post interesting articles, insights, and thought leadership content relevant to your industry.

Repost others' content with your comments to add value and build connections.

Diversify Your Network:

Engage with and amplify the voices of women, people of color, and underrepresented groups on LinkedIn.

Special Resource:

Michelle has created a comprehensive "how-to" resource for LinkedIn. This includes step-by-step guidance on auditing and refreshing your LinkedIn profile, tips for using LinkedIn effectively, and additional podcast recommendations on strategic networking.

Access this resource

The Leadership Compass

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In this episode, Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern continue their Career Compass series by discussing the importance of creating clear career paths within organisations. They explore how managers can understand their team members' career aspirations and the strategic benefits of having robust internal mobility programs. The conversation emphasises the need for leaders to foster employee growth and engagement through visible and accessible career development opportunities.

Episode Highlights:

Career Conversations: Regular career conversations between managers and their team members are essential to understanding their strengths and aspirations.

Intrinsic Motivation: How aligning employees' intrinsic motivations with their work leads to higher productivity and engagement.

Career Path Visuals: Examples of visual career paths, like the career tree in a contact centre, help employees see potential growth opportunities within the organisation.

Internal Mobility Programs: Practical examples of successful internal mobility programs include career weeks and inside-first hiring policies.

Manager Accountability: The need for managers to actively engage in their team members' career development and be accountable for talent retention and growth.

Leadership Call to Action:

Engage in Career Conversations: Managers should regularly discuss career aspirations and development plans with their team members.

Create Visual Career Paths: Develop and publicise visual career path graphics to help employees understand potential growth opportunities.

Implement Internal Mobility Programs: Establish structured internal mobility programs that prioritise internal candidates for new roles and provide visibility into career opportunities.

Train and Hold Managers Accountable: Ensure managers are trained in talent management and accountable for their team members' development and retention.

Lead to Soar is a multi-platform resource for ambitious women on a leadership journey and for organisations serious about closing the leadership gender gap.

We support women and organisations in 5 ways;

The Lead to Network

The Lead to Soar Podcast

The Lead to Soar Summit

Women’s Leadership Programs

DEI Consulting & Advisory

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Lead to Soar, hosts Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern discuss the critical topic of navigating career advice for women aiming for CEO roles. The conversation highlights the disparity in career advice, which focuses heavily on emotional intelligence (EQ) over business intelligence (BQ) and the importance of developing BQ skills for career advancement. They share insights from successful women CEOs like Nickie Gibson and emphasise the need for actionable advice that prepares women for executive leadership roles.

Episode Highlights:

Career Advice Landscape: We discuss the disproportionate focus on EQ in career advice for women and the significant gap in advice on BQ.

Nickie Gibson's Insights: Nikki Gibson (formerly Nickie Scriven), a successful CEO, provided great insights for Michelle's book, The Leadership Compass. Nickie's advice emphasises the importance of BQ skills such as strategic thinking, business growth, and leadership.

Business Intelligence (BQ): Michelle explains BQ in leadership and its critical role in advancing to senior executive and C-suite roles.

Challenges for Ambitious Women: Addressing societal biases against ambitious women and the "ambition penalty" they face in their careers.

Actionable Advice for Women and Managers: Practical steps for women to develop BQ skills and advice for managers to support the career development of women on their teams.

Leadership Call to Action:

Audit Development Programs: Ensure that women-focused programs include substantial business strategic and financial acumen content.

Train Managers: Educate managers on how to coach and develop women in BQ skills and understand the impact of gender dynamics on talent management.

Encourage Self-Development: Women should take charge of their development, seek out resources like the Lead to Soar Network, and attend events like the Lead to Soar Summit.

Lead to Soar is a multi-platform resource for ambitious women on a leadership journey and for organisations serious about closing the leadership gender gap.

We support women and organisations in 5 ways:

The Lead to Network

The Lead to Soar Podcast

The Lead to Soar Summit

Women’s Leadership Programs

DEI Consulting & Advisory

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern discuss into a phenomenon hindering women's career progression. They discuss the scenario where managers, mentors, or sponsors fail to recognize the current abilities and potential of women, instead seeing them as they were in the past. This "frozen in time" perception can prevent deserving women from being considered for advancement. The hosts explore strategies women can use to overcome this barrier and offer advice to managers and mentors on how to better support their team members and mentees.

Episode Highlights:

Phenomenon Overview: Managers seeing women as their old selves rather than recognizing their current abilities and contributions.

Impact: This perception can hinder career advancement, causing distress and frustration.

Strategic Advice for Women:

Diverse Personal Board of Advisors: Establish a diverse network both inside and outside your organization.

Regular Updates: Keep your advisors informed about your achievements and career progression.

LinkedIn Utilization: Actively use LinkedIn to share your work and expertise.

Demonstrate Business Intelligence: Showcase your skills and contributions regularly.

Managerial Responsibilities:

Regular Conversations: Conduct frequent one-on-ones to understand team members' skills, strengths, and aspirations.

Talent Profiles: Maintain updated profiles of team members to recognize their growth and potential.

Strategic Engagement: Align team members' capabilities with organizational goals.

Mentoring Strategies:

Strategic Questions: Ask questions that push mentees to think about their business understanding and career aspirations.

Stretch and Challenge: Encourage mentees to step out of their comfort zones and demonstrate their abilities.

Sponsorship Potential: Be prepared to leverage your social and political capital to support mentees.

Leadership Call to Action:

Women:

Build Your Network: Develop a personal board of advisors from diverse backgrounds and keep them updated.

Use LinkedIn: Regularly share your professional achievements and insights on LinkedIn.

Boast and Demonstrate: Confidently showcase your accomplishments and the impact of your work.

Managers:

Know Your Team: Have regular, meaningful conversations with your team members about their career goals.

Develop Talent: Create and maintain talent profiles to help guide your team's growth and align their skills with organizational needs.

Mentors:

Ask Strategic Questions: Challenge your mentees with questions that promote growth and strategic thinking.

Encourage Demonstration: Push mentees to actively demonstrate their capabilities and readiness for new opportunities.

Be Prepared to Sponsor: When mentees show growth and capability, advocate for them and help them advance.

Lead to Soar is a multi-platform resource for ambitious women on a leadership journey and for organisations serious about closing the leadership gender gap.

We support women and organisations in 5 ways;

The Lead to Network

The Lead to Soar Podcast

The Lead to Soar Summit

Women’s Leadership Programs: https://www.michelleredfern.com/advancing-women-in-business-sport

DEI Consulting & Advisory: https://www.michelleredfern.com/consulting

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