Oakleaf Partnership

In this month's episode, Amy Morris - Managing Director, sits down with Ize Idemudia, Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, to explore her extraordinary journey to success.

Ize's career began with a different path. Her leap into banking opened doors to a diverse, global environment that broadened her perspective. 

Growing up, Ize was instilled with the belief that unwavering hard work could lead to boundless achievements. Yet, she soon discovered that dedication alone wasn't sufficient. She underscores the importance of intentional career choices and the need to periodically revisit personal principles. One of the vital lessons from Ize's journey is the emphasis on valuing experiences over promotions. She encourages fellow professionals not only to aim for climbing the corporate ladder but to embrace the rich experiences offered throughout their careers.

For Ize, the pivotal moment arrived with motherhood. It reinforced the significance of embracing one's own voice and contributing her unique perspective to the workplace.

The HR Pulse Podcast is hosted by Lauren Hewlett - Senior Manager (North), and Alex Wright - Manager (North), who leads our senior permanent hiring.

In this episode, we speak to Louise McCarthy-Teague, Head of Talent & Wellbeing at Thomsons Solicitors. Louise's HR career began at 17 years old in the public sector before securing a significant role in retail. Her career has taken her far and wide including the Middle East. She delves into her experiences and thoughts in the constantly changing landscape of HR. Louise emphasises the importance of having the creative freedom to truly be oneself.

Louise also speaks passionately about her robust strategy in the workplace for mental well-being, supporting staff and families, and recognising that one size does not fit all.

We are delighted to share our newest conversation with Kellie Nedelcoux, founder of Career and Parenthood. Kellie's journey from HR to coaching, driven by her newfound passion for parenting, offers valuable insights. In this discussion, she shares her experiences as a working mother, emphasizing how coaching can help parents maintain fulfilling careers.

In the latest episode of Oakleaf's Women in Leadership podcast, we are thrilled to present Amy Morris, the UK Managing Director, in a conversation with Kellie Nedelcoux, the visionary founder of Career and Parenthood. Kellie began her professional journey in Human Resources, but it was after the birth of her child that she discovered her true calling: coaching, with a particular emphasis on supporting parents.

Our conversation with Kellie adeptly navigates through her life experiences, bridging the worlds of a working mother and a dedicated coach. Throughout our discussion, Kellie delves into key themes that are crucial to help individuals successfully balance their careers and parenthood.

We discuss the importance of recognising your priorities while still maintaining long-term ambitions, and we highlight the significance of organisation and incorporating flexibility into tight schedules. Tune in for an insightful discussion on achieving a harmonious and fulfilling life as a working parent.

In this episode of Oakleaf's Women in Leadership podcast, Amy Morris, UK Managing Director, engages in an honest conversation with Rachel Wellen, Head of EMEA Employee Relations, at J.P. Morgan.

Rachel's career has been shaped by her work ethic and willingness to explore new opportunities, embracing her role as a generalist. However, she faced one of her earliest challenges during her university years, learning the lesson of avoiding complacency. Motherhood brought its own set of complexities, navigating maternity leave and learning where her boundaries lay. Rachel successfully rebuilt her confidence during a team transition, drawing support from her network and recognising the value of connections.

Leadership is in Rachel’s veins, gaining inspiration from her grandmother. Her natural inclination to improve things and take on new projects has earned her recognition and fresh opportunities. Authenticity plays a pivotal role in Rachel's success, and she actively seeks feedback to maintain confidence in her true self. She gratefully acknowledges the significant sponsorship and support she has received from her leaders at work and her family throughout her professional journey.

Amy Morris, UK Managing Director, recently spoke with Rhonda Martin, Client Engagement Director, about her remarkable career journey and insights. Rhonda's approach focuses on broad skills rather than a traditional path. She discussed the evolving challenges faced by women, being different from when she began. Rhonda's unwavering ambition drives her to work with the best in her field. Overcoming initial barriers as a PA, her experience navigating politics and building relationships with seniors proved invaluable. Rhonda's effectiveness as a number two and her reflections on changing definitions of success were notable. 

Balancing work and life, she prioritised friendships, hobbies, and finding her voice amidst adversity. Rhonda embraced rejection as an opportunity, reframed her skills for problem-solving, and admired leaders like Jacinda Ardern, emphasising compassion, self-awareness, and courage. She also stressed the importance of appreciating the journey, acknowledging no one has all the answers. 

The conversation between Amy and Rhonda showcased Rhonda's incredible career trajectory and the valuable lessons she learned along the way. Her story serves as an inspiration to others, highlighting the importance of embracing challenges, finding one's voice, and continuously evolving in the ever-changing professional landscape.

In this episode of Oakleaf’s Women in Leadership podcast, Amy Morris - UK Managing Director, speaks to Megan Phelps who herself states that she has had a different journey! Megan, EMEA Director of Talent at Edelman, shares her powerful story of self-discovery showing true vulnerability when explaining how a diagnosis given when she was 15 has allowed her to connect more in the workplace. Her career demonstrates that it isn’t about where you have worked but who you have worked with and the need to look in the mirror every day.

Similarly to Uma Cresswell, she believes in the power of storytelling and challenges us to speak not only ours but share the stories of others. Whilst cycling is clearly a passion connecting Megan to her father, she also uses writing to create her own space and flow with her fantastic blog 2022 Letters.

This episode is so much about connecting, not only with your colleagues but more importantly with yourself. Listen in to hear about Megan’s inspirational story.

Here you can find the links to Megan's blog posts:

‘As a young girl, I always had the aspiration of being the lead role on stage – I got the lead roles…they were male roles that I had to play as a woman.’ 

After meeting Jess at a networking event last year - Amy Morris, UK Managing Director, is delighted to share Jess Suffolk’s story. Jessica-Leigh Suffolk is the founder of Alula Coaching, a career development and mentoring consultancy, with a particular focus on women.

In this conversation, we uncover Jess’s passion for creativity and making things fun. She tells us about how she has been intentional with her career and life decisions meaning she has managed to weave in everything that she loves and that she believes in. We talk about using energy in the right way, not ignoring the power of silence and space, and her excitement and inspiration for the next generation. 

Whilst she might not have that Oscar that she once dreamt of, her story will no doubt inspire many to take risks, be more present, and visible and live to their own personal values and hopefully that is award enough.

On Women’s International Day Amy Morris, UK Managing Director spoke to Meena Anand, CEO and Founder of The Careers Company. After a successful global career in the Financial Services sector, Meena made the conscious decision to move out of the corporate world and set up her own business, The Career Company. Meena shares where her journey started and the three areas of challenge that she has experienced: Identity, Education and Social Mobility. We hear how her confidence originates from connecting with others and making the most of opportunities that are presented - 'Planned Happenstance’. 

It's refreshing to hear of her phenomenal bosses who supported her through her fertility journey and gave her a platform to flourish. It can’t be a coincidence that Meena now focuses on challenging Directors to ensure that career conversations always happen through her organisation The Career Company. To hear more about Meena’s journey please listen in. 

The Careers Company

www.thecareerscompany.com

To celebrate International Women’s Day, here are my ‘best bits’ from the Women in Leadership podcast that I started this year. It’s been an incredible experience, both overcoming my initial insecurities, but also to hear amazing and inspiring stories from my guests. Whilst it was really hard to pick, the themes that have made the most impact on me have been when we have discussed - Using Your Authentic Voice, Allyship and The Reality of Overcoming Hurdles.

Thank you to everyone who has listened so far, it is always great to see and hear your comments, and an even bigger thank you to Katherine Sherwood, Zoe Walters, Nicky Acuna Ocana, Uma Cresswell and Helen Hodgkinson for sharing your stories.

Amy Morris, UK Managing Director, talks to Emma-Jayne Broadway, founder of Talent Partnership Consulting. Emma has grown her career in businesses such as EY, Microsoft and Coca-Cola finding her passion for creating inclusive cultures through all elements of talent, from attraction and engagement through to development and retention.

We hear Emma talk about how recruitment is too often just a transactional process where the value to individualism can get lost. In Emma’s opinion businesses need to start waking up to this to be able to create truly inclusive environments allowing people to thrive. Emma also talks of some hugely inspiring women who she has been fortunate to work with and how they have created their own paths in seemingly male dominated environments.

To hear more please listen to Emma’s story.