In this bonus episode of the Best Fails podcast, host Alison Beckles sits down with occupational psychologist Christine Sutton to unpack failure, leadership, and the hidden pressures women face at the top.

The conversation exposed the systemic inequalities embedded in workplace culture and the very different way failure is experienced—and internalised—by women. Together, Alison and Christine explore the “glass cliff”phenomenon, where women are more likely to be handed high-risk leadership roles in times of crisis, only to shoulder disproportionate blame when things go wrong. They discuss the emotional toll this takes, its impact on career trajectories, and why psychological safety is not a “nice to have” but aleadership essential.

The episode closes with a call to action: the importance of reflection, strong support networks, and organisationalresponsibility in creating fairer, safer environments for women in leadership.

Honest, insightful, and deeply relevant, this conversation challenges how we think about failure—and who is allowed to fail.Check out our show notes for more information about the episode, including information about our guests: https://mybestfails.com/Follow the podcast: https://www.instagram.com/bestfailspodcast/Follow our work: https://www.instagram.com/clarenneconsulting/