In this episode of the Lead to Soar podcast, Michelle Redfern explores the concept of learning conversations and their role in career and leadership development. Michelle shares how mastering the art of these informal but intentional discussions can significantly enhance your leadership journey.

Key Discussion Points:

What are Learning Conversations?

Michelle defines learning conversations as informal, intentional dialogues with someone whose experience can help broaden your perspective. Unlike traditional mentoring, learning conversations are more flexible and less structured, focusing on real-time knowledge sharing and feedback.

Why Learning Conversations Matter for Leaders

Research from Dan Pink emphasizes that asking smart, open-ended questions invites deeper engagement and leads to more meaningful learning experiences. Learning conversations allow leaders to develop cognitive diversity by connecting with people who have different lived experiences. This helps you become a more adaptable and agile leader.

Practical Steps to Initiate Learning Conversations

Michelle shares actionable advice on how to start a learning conversation:

1. Identify your goals or challenges.

2. Reflect on who in your network might offer valuable insights.

3. Frame your request thoughtfully to respect the other person’s time and expertise.

4. Focus on active listening and mutual benefit during the conversation.

The Coffee Experiment

Michelle challenges listeners to try The Coffee Experiment by reaching out to someone in their network for an informal conversation. This simple yet powerful strategy can help you test ideas, seek feedback, and develop deeper professional relationships.

The Role of Confidence in Learning Conversations

Michelle emphasises that asking for a learning conversation demonstrates leadership qualities such as self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and a willingness to grow. For women in particular, engaging in these conversations is a way to build confidence and navigate workplace challenges.

Resources Mentioned:

Dan Pink’s work on the power of questions in leadership (e.g., To Sell is Human)

Holly Ransom’s Love Mondays newsletter on learning conversations

Actionable Challenge:

This week, try The Coffee Experiment. Reach out to someone in your network for a 30-minute conversation focused on learning from their experience. Frame your request thoughtfully, listen actively, and reflect on what you gain from the conversation.

We’d love to hear how you’re using learning conversations in your leadership journey. Share your experiences with us.

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In this episode, Michelle Redfern discusses the Hour of Power, a weekly group coaching call within the Lead to Soar network. This session provides a safe and consistent space for women to share their career challenges and insights, offering practical advice, support, and a strategic network that empowers women to thrive. Michelle highlights the importance of psychological safety, the value of women supporting each other in their careers, and the real-world outcomes participants experience through Hour of Power.

Key Takeaways:

What is Hour of Power?

Hour of Power is a weekly, one-hour online session where Lead to Soar members come together to share challenges, receive support, and engage in meaningful, action-oriented discussions. It's a safe space where women can show up, whether in strength or vulnerability, to receive practical and constructive advice.

Consistency and Psychological Safety:

The power of Hour of Power lies in its consistency and the psychological safety it provides. One participant describes it as, "The consistency of the experience and the psychological safety of the space. I can turn up in my robustness or my vulnerability, and both are met with honest, practical, and kind reflection." This safe, non-judgmental space enables women to explore career challenges and take meaningful risks.

The Power of Women Supporting Women:

Research, such as McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace report, highlights the importance of strong professional networks in advancing women’s careers. In Hour of Power, women support each other strategically, providing mentorship, sponsorship, and emotional support. One member noted, "Even if you don’t feel confident or want to talk, there is so much gold in this hour. The key takeaways are always—you are far from alone, the knowledge bank is next level, and the women in this community always help."

Real-World Impact:

Participants in Hour of Power have shared numerous success stories, from landing remote roles to negotiating promotions. As one participant said, "Hour of Power is my energy boost and a chance to engage my brain with brilliant, intelligent, supportive women." The session offers both tangible takeaways and a renewed sense of motivation and community.

Call to Action for Leaders:

Michelle challenges leaders to create similar safe spaces in their workplaces, ensuring that underrepresented and marginalised individuals have the opportunity to share their ideas and concerns. These spaces foster innovation, growth, and progress for both individuals and organisations.

Resources Mentioned:

Harvard Business Review: The Key to Inclusive Leadership

McKinsey & Company: Women in the Workplace 2023

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In this solo episode, Michelle tackles a deeply challenging issue many women face: hostile workplaces. From subtle microaggressions to outright discrimination, hostile environments can undermine confidence, drain emotional energy, and hinder career progression. Michelle breaks down practical strategies to protect yourself, build resilience, and, if necessary, find your way out. This episode is filled with actionable advice on how to survive and thrive even in the most difficult work environments.

Key Takeaways:

1. Understand What a Hostile Workplace Is: Hostile environments are more than just overt harassment—they include subtle behaviours like exclusion, being passed over for key projects, or being assigned non-promotable tasks.

2. Build a Network: Don't isolate yourself. Find allies and accomplices both inside and outside your workplace who can offer support and validation.

3. Document Everything: Keep detailed records of hostile behaviours, including dates, times, what was said, and how it made you feel. This can serve as crucial evidence if you need to escalate the issue.

4. Know Your Rights: Familiarise yourself with workplace policies and legal protections like the Respect @ Work legislation in Australia. Know what resources and recourse are available to you.

5. Develop Emotional Resilience: Take care of your mental and physical health by practising self-care, and don’t hesitate to seek professional support if needed.

6. Evaluate Your Options: If the hostility continues, decide whether escalating the issue or leaving the organisation is the best path for you. Be prepared with an exit strategy.

7. Prepare for an Exit: Continuously network and keep your LinkedIn updated. Having options and an exit strategy will empower you, even if you don’t immediately leave.

Additional Resources:

Respect @ Work Legislation (Australia)

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In this episode of Lead to Soar, hosts Michelle Redfern and Mel Butcher tackle the crucial topic of taking risks in your career. From deciding whether to apply for new roles to managing toxic work environments, the conversation covers practical strategies for assessing risks, taking bold steps, and learning from past decisions.

Michelle introduces the concept of a "risk matrix" to help you evaluate career moves, while Mel shares personal insights on making big life changes. The episode also explores overcoming the fear of rejection, managing workplace politics, and becoming proactive in your career growth.

Episode Highlights:

- Risk-taking in career moves: Michelle encourages women to take risks by applying for new opportunities without overthinking or creating problems that haven't arisen yet.

“If something’s piqued your interest, why wouldn’t you explore it? You don’t have a decision to make until a new offer is on the table.” 

- The risk matrix: Michelle shares a simple framework for evaluating risks based on probability and impact, applicable to both business and personal career decisions.

Example: The risk of losing your job may be low, but the impact could be high, so always be prepared with updated CVs, LinkedIn profiles, and professional networks.

Managing toxic workplaces: Both hosts discuss strategies for handling toxic bosses and environments, including the importance of having a support network and proactive mitigation strategies.

Taking career risks as opportunities: Instead of avoiding risk, view new job opportunities as a chance to build networks, explore roles, and raise your profile—without the fear of “what if.”

Risk vs. reward in networking: Mel and Michelle emphasise the importance of strategic networking, both for career advancement and to help others, highlighting the reciprocity and generosity required in building professional relationships.

“Don’t wait for someone to invite you—create your own table.” 

Learning from failure: The episode explores how we can make good decisions that don’t always lead to good outcomes, and how reflecting on those experiences fosters growth.

“We can’t do life over, but we can stop, breathe, reflect, and ask: What did I learn from that situation?” 

Leadership Call to Action:

Apply for opportunities, even if unsure: Don’t hesitate to apply for a role that interests you. You’re not obligated to make a final decision until an offer is in hand.

Use a risk matrix for career decisions: Evaluate risks using a simple matrix based on probability and impact, and mitigate risks with strategies like maintaining an updated CV and strong professional networks.

Strategic networking: Be proactive in your networking efforts. Reach out to industry professionals, create opportunities to connect, and offer value in return.

Take calculated risks: Whether it’s applying for a new job, starting a conversation with a recruiter, or advocating for yourself in a difficult work environment, weigh the risks vs. the rewards. Remember, staying in the comfort zone carries its own risks.

Mitigate the impact of toxic work environments: If you’re dealing with a toxic boss or workplace, build a support system and have a clear strategy to protect your well-being while working through the situation.

Download the Risk Matrix for Career Decisions

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In this episode of Lead to Soar, Michelle Redfern and Mel Butcher take on one of the most persistent and damaging stories in women’s leadership: the so-called “Queen Bee.”

This is not an episode about labelling women as the problem.

It’s about examining why women in power are judged through a different moral lens, why survival behaviours are framed as character flaws, and why organisations are far more comfortable blaming individual women than redesigning broken systems.

Drawing on listener questions, lived experience, and feminist analysis, Michelle and Mel unpack how the “Queen Bee” narrative emerged, why it sticks, and who it really serves.

They challenge the expectation that women leaders must be endlessly generous, emotionally available, and self-sacrificing in ways men are never required to be. They also interrogate the cultural scripts that celebrate men for ambition while punishing women for the same behaviour.

This conversation is candid, reflective, and intentionally uncomfortable at times. It explores how scarcity, bias, and institutional design shape behaviour at the top, and why blaming women distracts from the real work of changing how leadership systems operate.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Why “Queen Bee Syndrome” is a misleading and lazy diagnosis

How gendered double standards distort how leadership behaviour is judged

Why women are expected to fix systems they did not design

How survival strategies get reframed as moral failure

What it costs women when organisations personalise systemic problems

A reframing for leaders and organisations:

If you want more women supporting women, stop rewarding scarcity, competition, and assimilation.

If you want ethical leadership, stop holding women to higher behavioural standards than men.

If you want change, redesign the system instead of blaming individuals inside it.

This episode is for women who’ve been harmed by these narratives, and for leaders who are ready to question why they persist.

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Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern are discussing growth leadership on today’s episode. They explore the idea that every employee, regardless of department or career stage, plays a critical role in driving their organisation's growth. Growth is not limited to revenue and sales—it extends to overall impact, customer satisfaction, and internal efficiency. The episode also emphasises 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 organisational strategy is essential for contributing to growth.

Episode Highlights:

Growth Leadership for Everyone: All organisations 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 how their role fits into the broader organisational goals. Knowing the organisation'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 organisation'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 organisation’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 organisation’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 organisational 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 curiosity about organisational objectives and ask 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:

Prioritise 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 organisation’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 developing a strong communication strategy that aligns everyone with the company’s vision and goals.

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

Read The Leadership Compass to discover more

Why You Must Know Your Positional Purpose

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In this episode of the Lead to Soar podcast, host Michelle Redfern welcomes back Noa Rein, an organisational 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 during career transitions. Noa shares her expert insights on how individuals, especially women, can recognise 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 recognise you're in transition. It's often marked by feelings of being stuck or lost, or by external events such as 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.

Recognising Misalignment in Your Career:

Noa emphasises 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 moving forward and embracing 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

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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 organisations 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 leadership skill sets.

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 organisational 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 organisation’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 recognise 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 women's family responsibilities and career mobility.

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

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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?

The Ambition Penalty

The Leadership Compass

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In this episode, Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern discuss how leaders can learn to provide better feedback, with a keen focus on 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 importance 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 all managers are trained to provide equitable, constructive feedback, free of bias.

Create Clear Success Criteria: Define and communicate them at the start 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 behaviours and outcomes, not on personality traits.

Textio Research:

The Leadership Compass

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