Career Stories

The Career Library
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The podcast that shares other people's career stories, to help you with yours. Career Stories is a podcast for people who want a better working life. Hosted by Dr Luella Forbes - consultant, researcher and founder of The Career Library. Each episode features an honest conversation with a leader, entrepreneur or expert about the real story behind their career: the transitions, the setbacks, the decisions that didn't go to plan, and the lessons that shaped where they ended up. Every month, Luella is joined by Associate Professor Michelle Gander (Murdoch Business School), an experienced leader and specialist in career development and organisational careers, to unpack the themes from that month's episodes and offer practical, evidence-based advice. Whether you're navigating a career crossroads, leading through change, or simply trying to build a working life that fits — Career Stories gives you the real picture, from people who've been there. Topics include: leadership, organisational change, career development, women at work, management, workplace culture, career transitions, and what it really takes to build a meaningful career.

  1. 5d ago

    The Career Nobody Grows Up Wanting - Glen Moloney

    "You make your luck, take some risks, have a go." Did you know what you wanted to be when you left school? Most of us didn't, and plenty of the most interesting careers are ones nobody ever told us existed. Procurement is one of them. It's the work behind the poles, wires and contracts that keep the lights on, yet almost nobody grows up dreaming of doing it. In this episode, Dr Luella Forbes reconnects with Glen Moloney, General Manager of Procurement and Supply at one of Queensland's largest energy providers, who she met during their MBA. Glen unpacks what procurement actually involves, from sourcing and negotiating contracts to managing the supply of everything a big energy network needs, and why commercial acumen and storytelling are so important in the role. He shares a career built by saying yes: a TNT scholarship that took him to the UK, a visa mix-up in Amsterdam he calls "a comedy of errors", helping set up the procurement arm for the Ford Mazda joint venture in Nanjing, China, and building a centralised procurement function at Virgin Australia before running Virgin Cargo. Along the way he reflects on transferable skills, why the right environment changes everything, leading people through change, and the values that have guided every big decision. In this episode: 00:00:40 - What a general manager of procurement and supply actually does00:03:57 - Supplying infrastructure across a state the size of Queensland, from poles and wires to vegetation clearing00:08:23 - The skills procurement needs: commercial acumen, contract know-how and storytelling00:16:47 - How AI is reshaping procurement and where humans stay in the loop00:19:12 - "Nobody grows up wanting to be a chief procurement officer" and how Glen picked his degree00:21:37 - A TNT scholarship and six months studying in the UK00:26:07 - Moving to Amsterdam and an unexpected visa story00:28:02 - Helping set up procurement for the Ford Mazda joint venture in Nanjing, China, and what it taught him about culture00:33:44 - Moving to Brisbane and taking transferable skills into financial services at Suncorp00:37:15 - Joining Virgin Australia to build a centralised procurement function00:41:15 - Same skills, different environment: why support and mandate change everything00:43:04 - Leading people through change with honesty and time to decide00:47:09 - Airport negotiations and running Virgin Cargo, a full-circle moment00:49:12 - COVID, stepping away and knowing when you've given all you can00:50:28 - Looking after himself: the gym, Pilates and learning to meditate00:57:39 - The best career advice Glen ever received00:58:35 - What Glen is proudest of, and why it isn't about his career Resources mentioned: Melbourne Meditation Centre - https://melbournemeditationcentre.com.au/Connect with Glen on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-moloney-bb95a89/?isSelfProfile=false New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion episode at the end of the month. We would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you would like Luella and Michelle to answer to stories@the-career-library.com. Support this podcast by becoming a member and get access to bonus episodes containing work related advice from Luella, Michelle and expert guests as well as a monthly newsletter with access to tools and guidance from this week's advice episode. Join here Connect & Subscribe Subscribe to Career Stories wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow Career Stories on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Career Stories is brought to you by The Career Library.

  2. Sep 29

    Pigeonholed at Work? How to Get Work Famous - Leanne Hughes

    "It's about being famous for your ideas and for your contribution." Ever felt like you're doing great work but nobody's noticing? Or that people only see you as "the IT person" or "the change person" when you know you can do so much more? You're not alone, and the good news is you don't have to wait for someone to tap you on the shoulder. In this bonus episode, Luella sits down with Leanne Hughes to get practical about her new book, Work Fame. Forget paparazzi and red carpets. This is about building a reputation that attracts the good stuff: cool projects, great people, promotions and more money, all without the ego or the cringe of self-promotion. In this episode Following on from Leanne's main episode, this conversation is all about the how. Leanne shares her three spotlights for getting work famous, why a CV is really a list of things you don't want to do anymore, and how to break out of being typecast. Luella and Leanne dig into why times of change are the best moment to step up, how to stay visible when you work remotely, how leaders can help their teams shine, and the simple "walk of fame" practice you can try tomorrow. Timestamps 00:39 What work fame really means (and what it doesn't) 01:47 Deciding what you want to be famous for 03:47 Breaking out of being pigeonholed 07:03 Why no one cares about your career as much as you do 08:19 Seeing a gap and filling it: tell people, then do it 10:21 Why change is the best time to step up 17:16 The three spotlights: contribution, conversations and coverage 18:54 Talking about your wins without feeling boastful 22:13 When the most dependable people get loaded up with more work 25:59 Building visibility when you work remotely 29:52 How leaders can help their team get work famous 31:29 One thing to try tomorrow: the walk of fame 36:04 The hierarchy in your own head 37:44 The story you tell yourself about who you want to be Resources Work Fame by Leanne Hughes, out now wherever you get your books here Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn here New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion episode at the end of the month. We would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you would like Luella and Michelle to answer to stories@the-career-library.com. Support this podcast by becoming a member and get access to bonus episodes containing work related advice from Luella, Michelle and expert guests as well as a monthly newsletter with access to tools and guidance from this week's advice episode. Join here Connect & Subscribe Subscribe to Career Stories wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow Career Stories on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Career Stories is brought to you by The Career Library.

  3. Sep 22

    Privilege in the Workplace and Comparing Yourself to Others

    What does privilege in the workplace really look like? In this September Career Advice episode, Dr Luella Forbes and Associate Professor Michelle Gander unpack networks, money, time and access, why privilege is so hard to talk about, what you can do with it whether you have a lot of it or a little, and why comparing yourself to others rarely tells the full story. Ever scroll past someone who seems miles ahead of you and wonder what you're doing wrong? This month, Luella and Michelle unpack why the answer is often about starting points, not effort. "You actually can't compare yourself either way, right? Good or bad. Because you actually have no idea about where people have started from." Michelle Gander Episode highlights: 00:00 - Introduction 01:30 - What Luella and Michelle have been up to, from a career workshop at Flinders University to a Brisbane trip 06:09 - Luella's storytelling for change talk and how you can join 07:34 - Recapping Angela Bliss, Sally Richardson and Leanne Hughes 10:17 - Why privilege? What sparked the topic 11:21 - What privilege means, from nepotism to meritocracy 13:20 - Networks, money and time: the hidden advantages in careers 16:34 - Class, schooling and the idea of "inheritocracy" 20:26 - The equity picture: why the right help looks different for everyone 22:01 - Layers of privilege and intersectionality 24:25 - Why representation matters and "you can't be what you can't see" 27:32 - Looking at inputs as well as outputs, and the privilege walk exercise 32:08 - Networking in smaller cities and what it means for new graduates 33:53 - Working with what you've got, and borrowing influence 36:29 - Building inclusive workplaces and giving everyone the same chance to plan for change 41:25 - Comparison and starting points: why it's not worth measuring yourself against others 43:44 - Finding a role model instead 44:31 - Book of the month: Work Fame by Leanne Hughes Resources and links Episodes mentioned: Angela Bliss: youtu.be/SqOnFnxltww Sally Richardson: youtu.be/REvc2Toutps Leanne Hughes: youtu.be/EHJzjVbxhRc Elizabeth Shaw on diversity and inclusion: youtu.be/cZ34gflZiYY Fadzi Whande on diversity and inclusion at the UN: youtu.be/m0M4m1CIr0Q Books mentioned: Work Fame by Leanne Hughes Inheritocracy by Eliza Filby Luella's Storytelling for Change webinar, 7 October: luellaforbes.com/webinar-storytelling All opinions are the guest's own. New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion on what we've heard in the last week of the month. We'd love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you'd like Luella and Michelle to answer at stories@luellaforbes.com. Career Stories is hosted by Dr Luella Forbes, who works with organisations on leadership, change and storytelling. To find out how she can support your leaders and teams, visit luellaforbes.com/services More about the podcast: luellaforbes.com/career-stories Watch Career Stories on YouTube, and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. Help other people find this podcast by subscribing in your podcast app and leaving a review.

  4. Sep 15

    How to Get Noticed at Work: Leanne Hughes on Work Fame

    How do you get noticed at work without waiting for luck? Speaker and author Leanne Hughes shares the mindset behind her new book, Work Fame, and the career that took her from Wicked Campers to running her own consulting business. Everyone tells you their big break was luck. It wasn't. It was a habit of showing up with your head up instead of your AirPods in. This week Luella sits down with thought leader, speaker and author Leanne Hughes to unpack the real story behind her new book, Work Fame - out 30 September. Forget the highlight reel of stages and airports. Leanne breaks down what actually got her noticed in a big organisation, and why the same mindset now powers her solo consulting business. From a childhood dream of playing netball for Australia to a corporate role that inspired an entire book, Leanne's career story is a masterclass in creating your own momentum instead of waiting for a conveyor belt to move you. She and Luella talk through the reality of solopreneurship, the "walk of fame vs walk of tame" concept at the heart of her book, why being hard to explain might be your biggest asset in the age of AI, and the Canada workshop disaster that accidentally launched her first podcast. "I think the world doesn't reward intent, you know? It rewards action." Leanne Hughes Episode highlights: 00:00 - Introduction 00:36 - The reality of being a "thought leader" - what Leanne's week actually looks like behind the Instagram highlights 05:01 - Why being "unexplainable" is a strength, not a weakness, in the age of AI 10:38 - The idea behind Work Fame and how one piece of blunt career advice sparked it 13:36 - The "walk of fame vs walk of tame" - the mindset shift behind getting noticed 18:20 - Her formative years at Wicked Campers and the "seek forgiveness, not permission" lesson 24:38 - The workshop that went wrong in Canada - and accidentally launched her first podcast 34:03 - What success actually looks like to Leanne (and why she talks openly about money) 37:59 - Quickfire round - coffee order, WFH vs office, and the best career advice she's ever received Resources: Leanne Hughes Linked In - linkedin.com/in/leannehughes Work Fame by Leanne Hughes: getworkfame.com Leanne's Work Fame newsletter on Substack: workfa.me Tim Ferriss's fear-setting exercise Jim Rohn's advice: work harder on yourself than you do on your job Episodes mentioned: Bethan Winn on critical thinking in the age of AI: youtu.be/lEr0Onb4qQw Dr Mia Carbon: youtu.be/0cEmeCbQpXk Elizabeth Shaw on sponsorship: youtu.be/cZ34gflZiYY All Career Advice and guest episodes: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ2uiJbm7wluvT39bLBd7ZKMU1US0Qonf All opinions are the guest's own. New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion on what we've heard in the last week of the month. We'd love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you'd like Luella and Michelle to answer at stories@luellaforbes.com. Career Stories is hosted by Dr Luella Forbes, who works with organisations on leadership, change and storytelling. To find out how she can support your leaders and teams, visit luellaforbes.com/services More about the podcast: luellaforbes.com/career-stories Watch Career Stories on YouTube, and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. Help other people find this podcast by subscribing in your podcast app and leaving a review.

  5. Sep 8

    What Is Corporate Affairs? From Law to the UN with Sally Richardson

    Most people think corporate affairs means writing press releases. Sally Richardson's version of the job means coordinating with state governments during a live incident, running on what she calls the "no surprises doctrine," and keeping 3,500+ staff aligned when a transport network is in the headlines. Her path there wasn't linear. A commercial lawyer who moved to New York for what was meant to be one year and became ten, did a masters at Columbia, then joined Australia's diplomatic mission to the UN - working the campaign that got Australia elected to the Security Council, then serving on it herself. She came home, worked in Victorian state government, then jumped to Tennis Australia just months before COVID, ending up deep in the biosecurity and border coordination that got the Australian Open delivered safely. Corporate affairs at Yarra Trams, then Keolis, followed. In this episode, Sally Richardson, Chief of Corporate Affairs at Keolis, joins Luella to unpack what corporate affairs actually involves, how a "no surprises" relationship with government clients holds up under pressure, and how staying open to unplanned opportunities took her from law to the UN to national transport leadership. "Sitting behind the nameplate and thinking what an extraordinary privilege to represent Australia on that world stage." Sally Richardson Episode highlights: 00:00 - Introduction 01:48 - What Corporate Affairs actually covers at a national transport operator 13:18 - Wanting to be a paediatrician, coming from a family of lawyers, and Arts/Law at Monash 15:50 - Starting out as a graduate lawyer 16:47 - Moving to New York for one year and staying ten 19:52 - Joining Australia's Mission to the UN and the Security Council campaign 29:26 - Luella's Aristotle framework on trust, and doing what you say you'll do 31:59 - Joining Tennis Australia weeks before COVID, and delivering the AO through border restrictions 40:56 - The strengths behind her career, and how she looks after her wellbeing 47:52 - The best career advice she's been given: be open to opportunities 48:53 - Her proudest career moment Resources & links: Sally’s LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/sallyweston All opinions are the guest's own. New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion on what we've heard in the last week of the month. We'd love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you'd like Luella and Michelle to answer at stories@luellaforbes.com. Career Stories is hosted by Dr Luella Forbes, who works with organisations on leadership, change and storytelling. To find out how she can support your leaders and teams, visit luellaforbes.com/services More about the podcast: luellaforbes.com/career-stories Watch Career Stories on YouTube, and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. Help other people find this podcast by subscribing in your podcast app and leaving a review.

  6. Sep 1

    What Is Behavioural Science? Angela Bliss on Her Career at NAB

    In this episode, Dr Luella Forbes talks to Angela Bliss, Head of Behavioural Science at NAB, about a career that's moved through art history, gallery direction, web design and freelance consulting before landing in a discipline built on one idea: it's easier to change someone's environment than to change their behaviour. They cover why personality predicts behaviour better than demographics, the very ordinary origin of her career (she wanted to be a police officer at eight), and the hardest lesson of her career - learning that being right isn't the same as being heard. Ever gone from being the outside expert everyone wanted in the room to being the person who actually has to live with the decision - and noticed people stopped listening to the exact same advice? "I was telling them that their baby was ugly and that's the last thing they wanted to hear." Angela Bliss In this episode: 00:00 - Introducing Angela Bliss, Head of Behavioural Science at NAB. 00:47 - What behavioural science actually means, and the ATM story that explains it best. 06:15 - Why personality traits predict behaviour better than demographics. 08:29 - Studying behavioural science at the London School of Economics. 13:25 - Childhood ambition: wanting to join the Queensland police at age eight, and the winding path through Japan, London and art gallery direction that followed. 19:35 - Reimagining a NAB bank branch as a design studio. 22:01 - Leaving NAB, going freelance, and being invited back to work on romance scams. 25:04 - The hardest period of her career: moving from consultant to insider, and why the same advice landed differently once she was "inside." 29:23 - Wellbeing, upbringing, and how both shaped her approach to career. 31:11 - Quick-fire round and the best career advice she's ever received. Resources & links: Angela Bliss on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/angela-bliss-behavioural-design Take the Big Five personality test: openpsychometrics.org/tests/IPIP-BFFM All opinions are the guest's own. New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion on what we've heard in the last week of the month. We'd love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you'd like Luella and Michelle to answer at stories@luellaforbes.com. Career Stories is hosted by Dr Luella Forbes, who works with organisations on leadership, change and storytelling. To find out how she can support your leaders and teams, visit luellaforbes.com/services More about the podcast: luellaforbes.com/career-stories Watch Career Stories on YouTube, and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. Help other people find this podcast by subscribing in your podcast app and leaving a review.

  7. Aug 25

    Read Your Own Leadership Habits Before Your Team Does at Work

    "On their worst day, the shadow kind of looms over everybody and stops them being able to do what they need to." Ever walked into a meeting already flat, distracted, or just not yourself - and wondered afterwards why the room felt off? Turns out your team feels it too. And there's a name for it. In this month's Career Advice episode, Dr Luella Forbes and Associate Professor Michelle Gander unpack the "leadership shadow" - the idea that what you say, measure, prioritise and how you act on your best and worst days shapes your team far more than you realise. Sparked by a listener email and a comment from August guest Ron Christianson, it's a practical framework for turning self-awareness into better leadership, plus a look at why big organisations seem to grow leaders differently, and Luella's exciting news about a brand new chapter in her own career. In this episode: 00:00 - Michelle's quiet winter of reading (including her ongoing octopus obsession) and Luella's trip to Melbourne. 03:23 - Luella shares the new change leadership services she's launching today - training for middle managers and senior leaders, keynote sessions, and a methodology built from her doctoral research. Full details below. 07:06 - Quick take-aways from Ron Christianson, Asha Bhat and Janette O'Neill's episodes. 08:45 - What McDonald's, Mars and Mercedes get right about talent development - and what gets lost for people who've only ever worked in one place. 20:22 - A personal story about applying for - and not getting an interview for - a role, and what it revealed about how leaders are chosen. 24:48 - Luella breaks down the four-part framework - what you say, measure, prioritise and how you act - and why your bad day doesn't have to become your team's bad day. 32:29 - Michelle shares an example of a leader whose emotional, honest town hall speech landed better than a polished one would have. Resources mentioned: Dr Luella Forbes' new services - Lead Better Change at The NarratologistGravitas by Dr Louise Mahler All opinions are the guest's own. New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion on what we've heard in the last week of the month. We'd love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you'd like Luella and Michelle to answer at stories@luellaforbes.com. Career Stories is hosted by Dr Luella Forbes, who works with organisations on leadership, change and storytelling. To find out how she can support your leaders and teams, visit luellaforbes.com/services More about the podcast: luellaforbes.com/career-stories Watch Career Stories on YouTube, and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. Help other people find this podcast by subscribing in your podcast app and leaving a review.

  8. Aug 18

    A C-Suite View on Adaptability Over Resilience with Janette O'Neill

    "I think what I'm most proud of is the relationships that I've built along the way." -  Janette O'Neill She built a global sustainability function from the ground up, led people and culture transformation across Australia, the UK and Ireland, and was named interim Chief HR Officer for North America right as Covid upended everything about the role. Thirty years in, people still ask her the same question: how do you actually make sustainability work inside a business, instead of it just being a slogan on a slide. Along the way there's a New York apartment lined up in the West Village, a view of the Chrysler Building, and Billy Joel tickets for Madison Square Garden - and then, as she puts it, "the Covid happened." Janette O'Neill is a former Global Head of Sustainability at QBE, with a career spanning strategy consulting, culture and HR transformation, and sustainability leadership across Andersen Consulting, PwC, NAB and QBE in Australia, the UK, Ireland and the US. In this conversation, Janette talks with Dr Luella Forbes about how she built a global sustainability function from scratch, her interim posting to New York and the Covid timing that upended it, what she's learned about resilience versus adaptability, and what it's like navigating a workplace that assumes childless employees have nothing else pulling at their time. Timestamps 00:01:06 - Meet Janette: Global Head of Sustainability at QBE 00:03:09 - A Deliberate Pause: Stepping Away On Her Own Terms 00:09:10 - Decoding Sustainability: Beyond the Paper Cups 00:13:44 - AI's Hidden Cost: Convenience vs Consequence 00:16:19 - From Art Curator to Andersen Consulting: How It All Started 00:32:07 - The New York Dream That Covid Cancelled 00:35:14 - Redefining Resilience: Why Adaptability Wins 00:38:54 - Success, Wellbeing and Life Without Kids at Work 00:44:34 - Quickfire Round 00:45:42 - What She's Proudest Of Resources Mentioned: Janette O’Neills LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janette-o-neill-a60343/ All opinions are the guest's own. New episodes on a Wednesday, with interviews with leaders or experts every week and a monthly discussion on what we've heard in the last week of the month. We'd love to hear from you. Share your thoughts on recent episodes or questions you'd like Luella and Michelle to answer at stories@luellaforbes.com. Career Stories is hosted by Dr Luella Forbes, who works with organisations on leadership, change and storytelling. To find out how she can support your leaders and teams, visit luellaforbes.com/services More about the podcast: luellaforbes.com/career-stories Watch Career Stories on YouTube, and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn. Help other people find this podcast by subscribing in your podcast app and leaving a review.

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The podcast that shares other people's career stories, to help you with yours. Career Stories is a podcast for people who want a better working life. Hosted by Dr Luella Forbes - consultant, researcher and founder of The Career Library. Each episode features an honest conversation with a leader, entrepreneur or expert about the real story behind their career: the transitions, the setbacks, the decisions that didn't go to plan, and the lessons that shaped where they ended up. Every month, Luella is joined by Associate Professor Michelle Gander (Murdoch Business School), an experienced leader and specialist in career development and organisational careers, to unpack the themes from that month's episodes and offer practical, evidence-based advice. Whether you're navigating a career crossroads, leading through change, or simply trying to build a working life that fits — Career Stories gives you the real picture, from people who've been there. Topics include: leadership, organisational change, career development, women at work, management, workplace culture, career transitions, and what it really takes to build a meaningful career.

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  • Creator
    The Career Library
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ©The Career Library, 2026
  • Show Website
    Career Stories