Refreshing Leadership with Maya - Career, Leadership & Life Design

Maya Gudka
  • 5.0 (50)
  • CAREERS
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Hello there High Achiever! You're not alone. Here's the inside track on: - Career clarity for ambitious leaders who’ve outgrown their current role or story - Life design and work-life balance for high performers who don’t want to burn out - The “unwritten rules” of progression to C-Suite or Dream Role - Purpose, identity and dharma – when success on paper stops being enough - How the top 1% of leaders think about time, energy, money and long-term impact Because inside the Exec Coaching room is where the real, edgy conversations on leadership are happening!

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    How to Actually Prioritise (When Everything Feels Important)

    If you asked what the easiest way is to “have it all”, the answer in this episode might surprise you. It’s not working harder. It’s not better organisation. It’s fierce prioritisation. In this episode Maya explores the mindset shift that allows high achievers to focus their energy on the work that truly matters, without increasing their workload. While organisation helps create structure, prioritisation is what ensures your time and energy go toward the activities that actually move the needle. For many leaders, this requires letting go of habits that look productive but don’t create meaningful progress. Drawing on research, coaching insights, and personal experiences, including lessons from her time studying economics at Cambridge, Maya shares how deliberate prioritisation can produce far greater results than simply trying to do everything. What You’ll Learn Why fierce prioritisation is the real key to achieving more without working harder The difference between being organised and being strategically focused Why many capable professionals spend the majority of their time on low-impact work Why prioritisation sometimes means allowing other areas of life to look imperfect Practical strategies for making difficult prioritisation decisions As usual, connect with Maya at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayagudka/ And subscribe to her YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@MayaGudka?sub_confirmation=1 For all other info, visit the website www.mayagudka.com

    18 min

  2. 5 DAYS AGO

    Why You Need a 10-Year Vision (Not a 10-Year Plan)

    If you’ve ever felt stuck between career options, overwhelmed by demands, or unsure which opportunities to pursue, this episode will help you zoom out and see the bigger picture. Most ambitious professionals think about the next promotion, the next role, or the next opportunity. But what if the real breakthrough comes from thinking much further ahead? In this episode Maya shares a powerful framework used inside her Vision Code programme that helps high achievers design their career and life from the top down. Instead of planning from your current situation upward, Maya explains how developing a 10-year vision unlocks clarity, better decision-making, and far greater long-term potential. In this episode you’ll learn: Why thinking only about your next career step can limit your potential How creating a 10-year vision helps uncover opportunities you might otherwise miss The difference between bottom-up career planning vs top-down vision planning Why we overestimate what we can do in a day but underestimate what we can do in 10 years How a long-term vision makes career decisions faster and clearer How moments of envy or comparison can actually reveal clues about your deeper goals As usual, connect with Maya at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayagudka/ And subscribe to her YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@MayaGudka?sub_confirmation=1 For all other info, visit the website www.mayagudka.com  And as mentioned in the episode, check out her recommendations: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayagudka/details/recommendations

    22 min

  3. 5 DAYS AGO

    Work-Life Balance Isn’t One Perfect Day — It’s a System You Build Over Time

    “Work-life balance” is one of the most overused phrases in modern careers. Instead of treating balance as something you stumble across on a good week, this episode shows how to design it intentionally through structure, support, and mindset. In this episode, Maya breaks down the systematic building blocks behind real work-life balance, and why surface-level advice like “set boundaries” or “switch off earlier” rarely solves the real problem. In this episode you’ll hear: • Why boundaries alone rarely fix the real work-life balance problem • Why defining your own version of success changes how balance becomes possible • Why trying to move too many priorities forward at once kills balance • Why the right scaffolding typically matters more than mindset Learn more about Maya’s Life Work Design Programme https://www.mayagudka.com/lifework-design  As usual, connect with Maya at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayagudka/ And subscribe to her YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@MayaGudka?sub_confirmation=1 For all other info, visit the website www.mayagudka.com

    14 min

  4. 5 DAYS AGO

    Build or Optimise: Knowing What Phase You Are In Changes Everything

    As we move into the second quarter of the year, it’s a powerful moment to pause and ask: What is actually working? And what might need to change? In this episode Maya reflects on a theme that emerged during the first quarter of the year: the difference between build phases and optimisation phases in both careers and life. Many high achievers spend years in build mode,  launching projects, changing roles, developing expertise, raising families, and creating new opportunities. But there comes a point where growth isn’t about adding more. It’s about refining what already exists. This episode explores how recognising the phase you’re in can change the way you approach your work, your goals, and your energy. What You Will Learn The difference between build phases and optimisation phases in career and life Why building something new requires far more energy than refining something existing How organisational theory explains the balance between exploration and optimisation Why build phases often take longer than expected The hidden power of optimising systems, habits, and processes that already work How to identify whether you’re currently in a build season or an optimisation season As usual, connect with Maya at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayagudka/ And subscribe to her YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@MayaGudka?sub_confirmation=1 For all other info, visit the website www.mayagudka.com

    12 min

  5. 16 MAR

    Why You’re Overworked (But Not Advancing in your Career)

    Feeling overworked, undervalued, or like you’re constantly firefighting? You’re not alone and it’s not about ambition or poor time management. In this episode, Maya breaks down three hidden reasons high achievers get overloaded: weak or unspoken boundaries, over-investing in effort while under-investing in visibility and influence, and operating without a clear personal vision (so you default to everyone else’s priorities). You’ll leave with practical scripts, mindset resets, and a simple way to reallocate time toward the work that actually moves your career forward. You’ll Learn How to say no (or “not now”) without damaging relationshipsWhy visibility and stakeholder buy-in should be 50% of the job (and how to plan for it)The difference between promotable and non-promotable tasks — and how to ask for clarityHow a clear North Star stops you from becoming everyone else’s problem-solverA weekly reset to protect your time, team, and energy Results from participants of Vision Unblocked: https://www.mayagudka.com/vision-unblocked  As usual, connect with Maya at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayagudka/ And subscribe to her YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@MayaGudka?sub_confirmation=1 For all other info, visit the website www.mayagudka.com

    14 min

  6. 9 MAR

    The Psychology of Colour in the Workplace with Shirley Phillips

    In Part 2 of this conversation with Shirley Phillips from House of Colour, we move beyond colour palettes and into something deeper: How your wardrobe supports leadership transitions, authority, authenticity — and promotion. This episode explores how visual presence shapes perception in the workplace, particularly during: promotions, career pivots, returning from leave and navigating underrepresentation If Part 1 introduced the science of colour, Part 2 explores the psychology. What You’ll Learn Why leadership presence is more visual than most professionals realise The psychology behind first impressions (and the “5% rule”) How colour and style can support authority without sacrificing authenticity Why underrepresented professionals may need to be intentional about visual cues What “clothing personality” means (Natural, Classic, Dramatic, Gamine, Ingenue, Romantic) How to align your off-duty and on-duty identity Why many professionals unknowingly wear a “mask” to work To find out more about Maya you can connect with her at www.mayagudka.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayagudka/ And subscribe to her YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@MayaGudka?sub_confirmation=1

    18 min

  7. 2 MAR

    Own Your Personal Brand Through Colour Analysis with Shirley Phillips

    Most high achievers obsess over performance, delivery, and strategic thinking. But what about the visual signal you send before you even speak? In this episode, Maya sits down with Shirley Phillips of House of Colour to explore how colour analysis and personal style influence confidence, credibility, and executive presence. It’s about identity. It’s about leadership. And it’s about showing up as the most authentic version of yourself -  rather than dressing by accident. What you’ll learn How your wardrobe is already communicating your personal brand Why colour analysis isn’t superficial Why the wrong colours can make you look tired, harsh or even “sinister” Dressing for a role vs dressing as yourself Building a sustainable, joyful wardrobe As usual, connect with Maya at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayagudka/ And subscribe to her YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@MayaGudka?sub_confirmation=1 For all other info, visit the website www.mayagudka.com

    37 min

  8. 23 FEB

    The 1% Approach to Spending — For Your Version of Wealth

    What if the problem isn’t how much you spend, but where you spend it? In this episode, Maya introduces the concept of Money Dials, a powerful framework popularised by Ramit Sethi, and explores how it can help high achievers spend with confidence, clarity, and intention . Rather than obsessing over budgets or cutting back everywhere, Money Dials help you identify the specific areas of life where spending genuinely adds value and where it doesn’t. Once you know your dials, you can turn them up unapologetically and cut back mercilessly on the rest, without guilt or resentment. Maya shares her own biggest money dial (convenience), explains why this framework is especially helpful for high performers, and introduces a coaching twist: combining money dials to get the greatest return on your spending. What You’ll Learn What Money Dials are — and why they matter more than budgeting The 10 most common money dials (including convenience, freedom, relationships, and health)Why some spending feels expansive while other spending feels drainingHow your money choices reflect what you truly value (even when you don’t realise it)How combining money dials leads to elite level decisionsThis episode is especially relevant if you often feel conflicted about spending money despite earning well and you want to align your finances with the life you’re building. To find out more about Maya you can connect with her at www.mayagudka.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayagudka/ And subscribe to her YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@MayaGudka?sub_confirmation=1

    11 min
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5
out of 5
50 Ratings

About

Hello there High Achiever! You're not alone. Here's the inside track on: - Career clarity for ambitious leaders who’ve outgrown their current role or story - Life design and work-life balance for high performers who don’t want to burn out - The “unwritten rules” of progression to C-Suite or Dream Role - Purpose, identity and dharma – when success on paper stops being enough - How the top 1% of leaders think about time, energy, money and long-term impact Because inside the Exec Coaching room is where the real, edgy conversations on leadership are happening!

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