Leading You

In this episode of Leading You…

I’m talking about something I’m hearing more and more… age.

Not ageing itself, but the story people start telling themselves about what it means.
“I’m too old.” “They’ll choose someone younger.” “I feel invisible.”

Most people aren’t being told they’re past it. They’re deciding that themselves.

And once that story takes hold, it changes how you show up. You hesitate, hold back, and start questioning whether you belong in rooms you absolutely belong in.

This episode brings it back to what actually matters… your value, your positioning, and your relevance.

Because experience plus self-belief plus relevance equals authority.

In this episode, I explore:

• Why age becomes a problem when it turns into identity
• How that thinking impacts confidence, behaviour and visibility
• Why ageism is real, but you still can’t hand over your power
• The difference between capability and relevance
• How to reposition yourself for what’s next

 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome
00:26 Why age feels bigger than it should
02:31 The age story trap
04:26 Ageism and ownership
07:59 Relevance over age
09:55 Future relevance
11:03 Mindset shifts
13:45 Authority
14:46 Final thoughts
16:07 Close

 

Links:
Learn more about my group coaching program here

Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Leading You, Julie Hyde is joined by memory expert and Australian memory champion Tansel Ali for a fascinating conversation about memory, focus and mental performance in a world full of distractions.

What makes Tansel’s story so powerful is that he didn’t begin with a brilliant memory. In fact, he believed the opposite. For years he saw himself as someone who constantly forgot things, struggled to retain information and relied on Post-it notes just to stay organised.

Then everything changed.

After discovering memory techniques through a friend, Tansel began deliberately training his brain. That journey led him to extraordinary achievements, including memorising two full Yellow Pages directories in just 24 days. It sounds impossible, yet his story is a reminder that the brain is far more trainable than most people realise.

In this conversation we go beyond memory techniques. We explore how memory training strengthens focus, improves communication and supports clearer thinking, something that matters enormously for leaders navigating complex and fast-moving environments.

We also talk about cognitive overload, a challenge so many leaders face today. Moving from meeting to meeting, decision to decision, conversation to conversation without pause can leave the brain scattered and exhausted. Tansel explains why this doesn’t just feel draining. It actively weakens recall, focus and mental clarity.

Another important theme in this episode is the role of AI and technology. Tools like AI can support our thinking, but they should never replace it. As Tansel explains, if we outsource too much of our thinking and remembering to technology, we risk weakening the very skills that help us lead well.

We also dive into practical ideas, including simple strategies to remember names, prepare your brain before meetings and reduce the mental clutter that drains focus and energy.

If you have ever felt mentally overloaded, distracted or forgetful, this episode will challenge how you think about memory and give you practical ways to sharpen your mind.

In this episode we explore

• How Tansel Ali went from believing he had a bad memory to becoming a memory champion
  • Why memory is far more trainable than most people think
  • How memory training improves focus, learning and communication
  • What cognitive overload does to leaders and why so many people feel mentally exhausted
  • How to think about AI without outsourcing your own thinking

 

Timestamps

00:00 Focus Memory Hack
00:22 Podcast Intro
01:30 From “Bad Memory” to Memory Champion
02:48 Discovering Memory Techniques
05:00 Benefits of Memory Training
08:05 AI and Technology Trade-offs
11:59 Authentic Leadership and Mental Clarity
14:31 Cognitive Overload
17:09 Remembering Names
20:40 Sharpening the Mind
23:16 Switching Off at Night
26:29 Final Takeaways

 

Links:
Learn more about my group coaching program here

 

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Leading You, Julie Hyde challenges the common advice given to women in leadership to “speak up more” and “be more visible”.

While it sounds empowering, Julie explains why speaking up on its own is not a strategy and how, without clarity and positioning, visibility can actually weaken your influence rather than strengthen it.

Drawing on years of working with capable professionals in leadership and business, Julie explores the difference between participation and contribution, why relevance matters more than volume, and how anchoring yourself to your values and future direction gives your voice real authority.

If you want your voice to carry weight, not just volume, this episode will help you think differently about influence, positioning and leadership presence.

What We Cover in This Episode

• Why speaking up without a strategy can make you reactive rather than powerful
  • The difference between participating and contributing
  • Why relevance matters more than volume in today’s workplace
  • How anchoring yourself to your values changes the authority of your voice
  • Why positioning, not performance, determines influence
  • Three powerful reflection questions to ask before you speak
  • How clarity strengthens leadership presence

 

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Leading You
00:49 Why the “speak up more” advice is incomplete
02:37 Why clarity matters more than visibility
03:55 Relevance and real value in today’s workplace
05:31 What are you actually known for?
06:51 Leadership in the AI era
07:47 Anchoring your identity as a leader
09:32 Why positioning builds authority
12:08 Three reflection questions before you speak
13:34 Why clarity beats volume
14:24 Final reflection
15:06 Rate, review and closing

 

Links:
Learn more about my group coaching program here

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Resilience is often described as strength. But real resilience is far less polished.

In this episode of Leading You, Julie Hyde sits down with Australian entrepreneur, author, and founder of Runway Room, Alex Fevola, for a powerful and deeply grounded conversation about rebuilding when life changes overnight.

At 22, Alex became a young mum. Weeks later, she lost her partner. On the same day, she experienced a medical emergency that resulted in major surgery and waking with a colostomy. It is an extraordinary chapter of loss, trauma, and shock, but this conversation is not about drama. It is about what happens next.

Alex speaks honestly about grief, journalling, hope, and the truth behind the question, “How did you cope?” There was no magic trick. There was support, feeling what needed to be felt, and choosing, when she could, to move forward.

From there, the episode moves into entrepreneurship. How working with women in hair and makeup became a source of independence and purpose. How spotting a gap in the market led to the creation of Runway Room. And what it really takes to build a beauty brand in a competitive industry without cutting corners on ethics or performance.

This is a conversation about tenacity over talent. About long-term thinking. About authenticity in a filtered world. And about leading yourself through seasons you never planned for.

If you are navigating change, building something meaningful, or rebuilding after disruption, this episode will resonate.

Key Themes

• Resilience beyond clichés
• Navigating grief and medical trauma
• Journalling as a tool for processing
• Choosing hope without denying pain
• Building purpose through meaningful work
• The founding of Runway Room
• Ethical product development and long-term growth
• Tenacity in competitive markets
• Authenticity in the age of filters and AI
• Believing in your capability as a woman in business

 

Time Stamps

00:00 Opening mindset moment
00:05 Meet Alex Fevola
01:30 Young motherhood, loss and medical trauma
04:42 Why she wrote Silver Linings
06:54 Coping tools, hope and not getting stuck
09:44 Sponsor message
10:49 Rebuilding through beauty and independence
12:33 The Runway Room concept
17:06 Product development and clean formulas
19:18 Tenacity, patience and long-term growth
21:06 Authenticity in the public eye
24:48 Final message to women and closing

 

Links:
Learn more about my group coaching program here

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

 

Connect with Alex:
Website: https://www.runwayroom.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexfevolamakeup/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-fevola-159aa529/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Leading You, Julie Hyde continues the conversation on leadership identity and explores one of the most important shifts high-performing women must make. Moving from being the dependable Achiever or Go-To to becoming the trusted Authority.

Many capable women are rewarded for being reliable, responsive, and indispensable. But over time, these identities can quietly limit influence, visibility, and progression. In today’s fast-changing workplace shaped by AI, restructures, and leaner teams, relevance is everything.

Julie shares a powerful client story of a high-performing leader returning from maternity leave who found herself misaligned and overlooked despite strong results. Nothing changed externally until she shifted internally. Within three months of repositioning herself, she was promoted.

This episode introduces three forward-facing identities that support long-term leadership influence: the Author, the Anchor, and the Authority. It also unpacks why women delay this shift and what courage really looks like in practice.

If you’re performing well but sensing friction, exhaustion, or stagnation, this episode will help you reflect on who you’re being rewarded for being and who you need to become next.

Key Themes

• The difference between being needed and being respected
• Why old leadership identities stop working
• Identity alignment and relevance in an AI-driven workplace
• The Author, Anchor, and Authority identities
• Letting go of external validation
• Why courage is the tipping point
• Positioning yourself for future opportunities

 

Time Stamps

00:00 Welcome and episode context
01:18 From being needed to being respected
02:13 Client story. Return-to-work repositioning
04:58 Courage and releasing old validation
06:04 Why relevance matters now
07:53 The three identity levels explained
07:56 The Author. Owning your narrative
09:30 The Anchor. Emotional steadiness
11:08 The Authority. Trusted judgement
12:10 What changes when you lead as Authority
13:13 Why women delay the shift
15:10 Tools and support
16:47 Final reflections and wrap-up

 

Links:
Learn more about my group coaching program here
Access the Turning Point Diagnostic here

 

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this solo episode of Leading You, Julie Hyde speaks directly to a pattern she is seeing again and again, particularly among high-performing women. Capable, committed leaders who start the year with strong intentions, only to find themselves slipping back into old habits that no longer serve where they want to go.

Julie explores why this isn’t a motivation problem or a confidence gap. It’s often an identity issue. Many women continue to lead from roles that once kept them safe, successful, and rewarded, but now quietly limit their influence and growth.

In a rapidly changing environment shaped by AI, restructures, and leaner organisations, being reliable, helpful, and endlessly available no longer guarantees visibility or progression. In some cases, it keeps leaders overextended, overlooked, and misaligned.

Julie introduces three common identities she sees women cycling through: the Self Editor, the Achiever, and the Go-To. Each is socially rewarded, professionally reinforced, and emotionally difficult to release, even when it’s clear they’ve been outgrown.

This episode also unpacks the early signs of misalignment, why burnout is often about identity rather than workload, and how to begin shifting how you show up through intentional reflection and boundary-setting.

If you’ve felt frustrated, stuck, or quietly exhausted despite performing well, this conversation will help you name what’s happening and consider what needs to change next.

Conversation Talking Points

• Why capable leaders still hit invisible ceilings
• The link between identity, safety, and professional reward
• How old patterns resurface when pressure rises
• The Self Editor, the Achiever, and the Go-To identities
• Why being indispensable doesn’t equal being positioned
• Early signs of misalignment and internal friction
• Burnout as a signal of identity strain
• Introducing the Identity Audit
• Shifting from performance to intentional leadership

 

Links:
Learn more about my group coaching program here
Access the Turning Point Diagnostic here

 

 

Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Leading You, Julie Hyde is joined by Bridget Bell, celebrity stylist, personal stylist, and founder of Style Ambition, for a warm and honest conversation about confidence, identity, and the emotional side of getting dressed.

With more than two decades in the fashion and television industry and over 150 celebrity shoots behind her, Bridget brings deep experience and relatability to the topic of personal style. Her work goes far beyond clothes. It’s about helping women feel seen, comfortable, and confident in who they are right now.

Julie and Bridget explore how style often becomes tangled with self-doubt, body changes, and life transitions. They talk about why so many women hide behind “safe” outfits, hold onto clothes that no longer fit their lives, and delay investing in themselves until they feel “ready”.

This conversation unpacks how thoughtful dressing can become a form of self-leadership. From capsule wardrobes and proportion to fit, colour, and illusion dressing, Bridget shares practical insight alongside deeply human reflections on ageing, weight fluctuation, and visibility.

If you’ve ever stood in front of your wardrobe feeling frustrated, disconnected, or unsure of yourself, this episode will help you rethink style as a source of ease, confidence, and self-respect.

Conversation Talking Points

• Why style feels emotionally vulnerable for many women
• Moving from fashion design into personal and TV styling
• The psychology of “safe” clothes and hiding in black
• Dressing the body you have, not the one you’re waiting for
• How wardrobes reflect identity and self-belief
• Capsule wardrobes that actually work in real life
• Proportion, fit, and illusion dressing
• Vulnerability, social media, and building confidence publicly
• Style as an expression of self-leadership

Time Stamps

00:00 Welcome and introduction
01:10 Meet Bridget Bell
03:00 From fashion design to styling
06:40 Television and celebrity work
09:20 Style and vulnerability in leadership
12:15 Creating a safe styling experience
14:40 The “when I lose weight” mindset
17:30 Dressing the body you have today
19:50 Confidence and transformation
22:30 Vulnerability on Instagram
25:15 Proportion and illusion dressing
28:40 Why clothes go unworn
30:10 Building a functional capsule wardrobe
33:20 Sizing, tailoring, and fit
35:40 Celebrating 20 years in styling
38:10 Final reflections
39:30 Closing

 

Links
Learn more about my group coaching program here

 

Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

 

Connect with Bridget:
Website: https://styleambition.com.au/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridgetbellstylist/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Leading You, Julie Hyde is joined by Jaqui Lane, business historian, author, and founder of The Book Advisor, for a grounded conversation about why writing a book remains one of the most powerful ways to build thought leadership and credibility.

With more than 20 years in publishing and over 400 business books behind her, Jaqui brings rare clarity to what actually stops capable leaders from writing. It’s not confidence. It’s not talent. It’s a lack of structure, direction, and understanding who the book is really for.

Julie and Jaqui explore the shift that happens when you stop writing for yourself and start writing for your audience. They talk about the fears that surface when people consider writing, the myths that keep books stuck in drawers, and the mistakes that cost time, energy, and momentum.

This conversation also unpacks why a book is more than a personal milestone. It’s a strategic asset. One that can articulate your thinking, open doors, and position you as a trusted authority long after the writing is finished.

If you’ve ever felt the pull to write a book, questioned whether you have something worth saying, or wondered if a book still matters in today’s content-heavy world, this episode will give you clarity and perspective without overwhelm.

Conversation Talking Points

• Why so many leaders want to write a book but never begin
• The difference between expertise and clarity
• Writing for your audience, not your ego
• Common myths that derail first-time authors
• How a book builds authority without self-promotion
• The rise of self-publishing and owning your IP
• Imposter syndrome, visibility, and fear of judgement
• Why writing a book changes the author as much as the reader

Time Stamps

00:00 Welcome and introduction
01:20 Meet Jaqui Lane and her publishing background
03:50 Why so many people want to write a book
06:30 What actually stops people from starting
09:10 Writing for your audience, not yourself
12:20 The biggest mistakes new authors make
15:40 How a book builds credibility and authority
18:50 Books as strategic business assets
22:30 Self-publishing, ownership, and industry shifts
26:40 Imposter syndrome and fear of visibility
30:20 Why writing a book changes the writer
34:10 What to do if you feel the nudge to write
37:40 Final reflections and where to find Jaqui
39:00 Outro and closing

 

Links:
Learn more about my group coaching program here

Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

 

Connect with Jaqui:
Website: https://thebookadviser.com.au/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebookadviser3764
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaquilane/

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Leading You, Julie Hyde is joined by Dr Paul Taylor for a grounded, practical conversation about a concept most people haven’t heard explained clearly. Hardiness.

We talk about resilience constantly, but Paul offers something sharper and more useful. Psycho-physiological hardiness is the ability to grow through stress, not just survive it. It’s about building a mind and body that can handle the real world, not the cushioned version many of us are living in.

Paul’s background is as credible as it gets. He’s a former Royal Navy air crew officer, trained in combat survival and resistance to interrogation, and holds postgraduate qualifications across psychology, exercise science, nutrition, and neuroscience. He’s also the author of Death by Comfort and his latest book, The Hardiness Effect.

This is a conversation about the cost of modern comfort, the way our stress tolerance is quietly shrinking, and why strength is built through challenge, recovery, and meaningful discomfort.

Julie and Paul explore the science behind why the right kind of stress can make us stronger, the difference between resilience and hardiness, and what leaders can do to build greater capacity in themselves, their teams, and the next generation.

If you’re heading into 2026 wanting to feel clearer, stronger, and more capable, this episode will challenge your thinking in the best possible way.

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction and welcome
01:10 Who is Dr Paul Taylor? Overview of his background
03:00 Combat survival and resistance-to-interrogation training
06:30 How that experience changed Paul’s perception of stress
08:10 The science of hormesis. Why stress can be good for us
10:40 Resilience vs hardiness. What’s the difference?
14:10 What the research says about people high in hardiness
16:40 Why Paul wrote The Hardiness Effect now
19:10 The state of physical and mental health in Australia
22:00 Mental health awareness and its unintended consequences
25:00 The key mindset shift. Life is hard, and that’s not a problem
28:00 Worthy opponents and Paul’s open-heart surgery story
33:00 Raising hardy kids in a world of comfort and convenience
37:10 What schools could be doing differently
40:00 The media, “crisis” language and our barometer of difficulty
43:00 Three practical ways to start building hardiness today
49:00 Final reflections and where to find Paul’s work
50:30 Outro and invitation to rate and review

Links:
Learn more about my group coaching program here

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

Connect with Dr Paul:
Website: https://www.paultaylor.biz/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paultaylor1971/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paultaylor.biz/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepaultaylorpodcast

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Leading You, Julie Hyde explores one of the most underestimated drivers of self-leadership and emotional stability. The first hour of your day.

This is not a conversation about rigid routines, early alarms, or aspirational morning habits that don’t survive real life. It’s a grounded look at how the way you begin your day quietly shapes your energy, focus, decision-making, and leadership identity.

Julie shares a personal moment when her own morning routine slipped and the subtle but noticeable impact it had. Feeling scattered, reactive, and overwhelmed without a clear reason, until she recognised what had shifted. Her mornings were no longer hers.

This episode invites reflection on how easily the first hour of the day is handed over to phones, calendars, and external demands. Julie reframes mornings not as productivity tools, but as a leadership anchor. A space to regulate your nervous system, reconnect with intention, and choose how you want to show up.

Rather than offering a rigid formula, the conversation centres on three simple choices that can change the tone of your day. Choices that are realistic, repeatable, and designed to work alongside busy lives and leadership responsibilities.

Conversation Talking Points

• Why the first hour of the day quietly sets the tone for everything that follows
• How early phone use shifts emotional state and focus
• The difference between goals, resolutions, and daily structure
• What happens when women lose the only quiet space they have
• A simple three-part way to think about mornings
• Emotional regulation and decision-making early in the day
• Identity, consistency, and why routines stick or fall away

 

Time Stamps

00:00 Welcome to the episode
01:00 Why resolutions don’t last
02:40 Goals versus routines
04:00 Why the first hour of the day matters
06:10 What most people do wrong in the morning
08:00 When my own routine slipped
11:30 How routines support emotional stability
13:10 The science behind calmer mornings
15:20 Protecting your mornings as a leader
17:00 The three core choices that shape your day
21:30 Making routines work in real life
24:20 Identity-based routines
26:00 Tracking how you feel, not perfection
27:40 The question that reframes your entire day
29:10 Closing

 

Links:

Learn more about my group coaching program here

 

Connect with Julie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.