Tea with the Queen

Emma McQueen

Emma McQueen has been supporting women from all backgrounds to achieve their full potential for more than 20 years. She's passionately committed to ensuring women have what they need to feel fulfilled and excited by their working lives. We all have it in us to achieve our full potential- sometimes we just need a bit of understanding, some practical and logical actions and a gentle nudge to get that momentum which leads to progress and progress which leads to fulfilment. Emma McQueen chats with a range of women in leadership and in business to explore the practicalities of how they feel energised by their work and their personal definitions of success. Join Emma for a tea as she and her guests chat success, failure and optimism, sharing the actionable, results-focused tips and strategies that got them to where they are today.

  1. How to Delegate Without Micromanaging: Stop Taking the "Monkey"

    1d ago

    How to Delegate Without Micromanaging: Stop Taking the "Monkey"

    If you’re burnt out as a leader, it’s probably not because you’re lazy or disorganised. It’s because you keep picking up “monkeys” that were never yours to carry, and you’ve slowly become the bottleneck while everyone else clocks out at 5. If you've been trying to figure out how to delegate without losing control or feeling like you're abandoning your team, this is for you. In this episode, I share the simple question that changes everything, plus the mindset shift that stops you rescuing and teaches you how to delegate effectively. It’s about keeping ownership where it belongs, while still supporting your team with clarity and rhythm so things actually move. We also talk about why being clear is kind, and how unclear expectations ruin your ability to learn how to delegate successfully, creating frustration, performance issues, and awkward conversations later. You’ll hear what intentional leadership looks like in real life, including the regular conversations that prevent surprises and help your team grow without drama. If you care deeply about your people but you’re tired of carrying everything, this one will land. What’s one monkey you’re ready to put down this week? CHAPTER MARKERS 00:00 How to Lead a Team: The Mindset Shift 01:02 Why Team Management Feels Hard (The Statistics) 02:06 Why Employee Underperformance Starts With Clarity 03:36 Who’s Got the Monkey? (The Secret to Delegation) 05:06 Why Leaders Take on Too Much Employee Work 06:02 How to Delegate Effectively: Next Move & Check-Ins 06:45 How to Do a Monkey Audit to Stop Micromanaging 07:58 The 3 Pillars of Successful Team Leadership 09:32 Balancing Employee Accountability With Empathetic Leadership 10:02 Fixing the Communication Gap in Small Business Management 11:20 How to Run a "Role and Relationship" Chat With Staff 12:45 Management Case Study: Fixing a Briefing Breakdown 15:50 The 5 Core Conversations Every Business Leader Needs 18:18 How to Give Employee Feedback With No Surprises 19:20 How Clear Communication and Delegation Reduces Burnout 20:10 How to Hold Your Team Accountable (Without Being Bossy) 22:10 Managing Employee Performance vs. Employee Behaviour 23:05 Leadership Case Study: Keeping Standards Clear 24:30 Learn How to Delegate Successfully This Week LINKS: BD Sprint: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/ Emma McQueen: Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/website For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/ August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/ June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/ The One Minute Manager: Ken Blanchard - https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-new-one-minute-manager-kenneth-h-blanchard/book/9780008128043.html?source=pla&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22225225579&gbraid=0AAAAA-Ia9hPa9Du3bsdeLnKB4aXR1albY&gclid=Cj0KCQjwz9_QBhD_ARIsADnSCfDBe0tdEa77zKd82Jh8HAZGD0SGbJAVd9s6LvfviAwUuctIAjiaJDgaAvD5EALw_wcB The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey: Ken Blanchard - https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-one-minute-manager-meets-the-monkey-kenneth-h-blanchard/book/9780007116980.html?source=pla&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22225225579&gbraid=0AAAAA-Ia9hPa9Du3bsdeLnKB4aXR1albY&gclid=Cj0KCQjwz9_QBhD_ARIsADnSCfDPC_OOYVydaSaMk624ZQuz2ZRTD56gYdL-zRLu0PHS_WIlt4vOaqkaAlLJEALw_wcB Mentioned in this episode: Style Bundle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/ Style Bundle Tracey Rudich - Intimo - Instagram

    30 min
  2. How to Avoid Making a Bad Hire

    May 24

    How to Avoid Making a Bad Hire

    Hiring is one of those business milestones that sounds simple until you’re the one doing it, and because most of us aren’t hiring every week, it’s easy to second guess yourself, delay it, or rush it when you’re already exhausted. In this episode, we’re talking about why so many women put hiring off for too long, what hiring fear really looks like in a growing business, and why “I’ll just keep doing it myself” quietly becomes the most expensive option. I’m sharing what I’ve learned from sitting on every side of the hiring table, from recruiter to HR Director to coach, and the patterns I see over and over when business owners start hiring. We’ll unpack the real cost of a bad hire (it’s not just money), and why messy hiring decisions tend to leak into your time, your energy, your confidence, and your team. You’ll also hear the simple hiring framework I come back to when I want hiring to feel calm and commercial: getting clear on what to delegate, writing a position description that actually attracts the right person, hiring for skill and will, and building a basic interview process and onboarding plan so you’re not winging it. If hiring has been sitting on your to do list for months, this is your nudge to stop overthinking and start getting clear. LINKS Emma McQueen: Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/website For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/ August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/ June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/ BD Sprint: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/ Mentioned in this episode: Style Bundle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/ Style Bundle Style Bundle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/

    29 min
  3. How Successful Entrepreneurs Escape The Productivity Trap

    May 17

    How Successful Entrepreneurs Escape The Productivity Trap

    Ever feel like you’re sprinting through the week, ticking every box, and still going nowhere? This episode is for the high-performing business women who are doing a lot, moving fast, and quietly feeling flat. This year I picked a word: intentional. Which sounds simple, until you realise it means slowing down long enough to hear yourself think, and pausing before you say yes just because you can. I’m sharing what I’m practising instead, like tiny moments of silence between meetings, quiet walks and sleeping on decisions so I stop reacting at lightning speed. It has changed how I lead my business. If you’ve been wondering how to escape the productivity trap, take one small step this week. Create one pocket of space, even five minutes, and notice what changes. Not in your to do list, in you. LINKS: BD Sprint: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/ Emma McQueen: Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/website For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/ August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/ June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/ Atomic Habits Book by James Clear: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits The Third Space: https://dradamfraser.com/speaking-content/the-third-space Mentioned in this episode: Style Bundle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/ Style Bundle Style Bundle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/

    19 min
  4. Why your Business Plan Keeps Falling Apart

    May 10

    Why your Business Plan Keeps Falling Apart

    This one’s for the business owners who keep buying the blueprint. The “proven” content plan or the foolproof sales script. The morning routine that apparently turns you into a millionaire by Thursday. You see it work for someone else and you think, cool, I’ll just do that. Easy. Except you try it and it feels like you’re wearing shoes that don’t fit. They look great on, and you technically can walk in them, but every step is uncomfortable, forced, and annoying. I’m sharing a few simple client examples that show how one small change in process can make content feel easy and sound like you again, plus how to use “forced vs flow” as data instead of a reason to beat yourself up. We’ll also unpack the sneaky danger of business “shoulds” and why doing less can sometimes create more traction. Listen in, then ask yourself this. What are you doing because it’s proven, even though it doesn’t suit you? And what would change if you gave yourself permission to do it your way instead? CHAPTER MARKERS 00:00 Stop Copying Playbooks 00:53 Content That Sounds Like You 02:24 Voice Notes and Better Inputs 03:25 Realistic Posting Commitments 05:29 Find Your Content Rhythm 07:00 Networking Your Way 10:30 Goals Money and Profit 13:44 Bigger Rooms Better Principles 15:38 Four Steps to Your Method 18:11 Build Your Own Business Strategy Blueprint LINKS: BD Sprint: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/ Emma McQueen: Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/website For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/ August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/ June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/ Mentioned in this episode: Style Bundle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/ Style Bundle Style Bundle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/

    22 min
  5. Your Mental Health is Your Business

    May 3

    Your Mental Health is Your Business

    This one’s personal. A “minor” ankle injury forced me to stop, and I didn’t realise how much I rely on my regulators (walking and running) to keep steady until it was suddenly gone. While I was benched, I also had a routine skin check, and it brought up more emotion than I expected after last year’s melanoma. I told myself it was fine, filed it away, and kept going. Then I jumped on a call with Serena, my sister and business manager, and one simple question opened the floodgates. In this episode, I’m talking about what happens when your “regulator” gets taken away, why stress can stack up quietly until you feel flat and heavy, and how to find your way back without needing some big dramatic reset. I’ll also give you a few questions to help you spot your early warning signs, protect the thing that keeps you well, and make sure you’ve got someone in your corner who won’t let “I’m fine” be the end of the conversation. LINKS Emma McQueen: Website: https://tea-with-the-queen.captivate.fm/website For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/ August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/ June Go-Getter Event in Melbourne: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-day/ Mentioned in this episode: Style Bundle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/ Style Bundle Style Bundle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/style_bundle/

    14 min
  6. Kindness Isn't Dead

    Apr 19

    Kindness Isn't Dead

    Everyday kindness has a way of finding you when you least expect it. In this episode, I’m sharing a story that wasn’t planned, but one that became a lesson I couldn’t keep to myself. A few weeks ago, I fell into a gap on a dark street and landed awkwardly on rocks… just hours before I was due to fly to Brisbane for our first Go-Getters Day. I still got on the plane (because sometimes you don’t get perfect conditions, you just keep moving). But what happened next surprised me: everyday kindness showed up everywhere. I was reminded that kindness is alive and well. It truly matters more than we realise. This episode is also a gentle nudge about support. So many women are high-functioning, capable, and used to pushing through… but there’s a point where “I can handle it” becomes “I refuse to be supported.” That might seem like a strength, but it’s actually just a habit. If you’ve been feeling stretched, tired, or like you’re carrying too much alone, let this be your reminder: you don’t have to do it all the hard way. Emma McQueen: BD Sprint: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/coaching-services/bd-sprint/ Website For a copy of Emma's book, 'Go-getter: Raise your mojo, shift your mindset and thrive' – https://emmamcqueen.com.au/want-more/emmas-book/ YouTube Channel August Go-Getter Event in Brisbane: https://emmamcqueen.com.au/events/go-getter-brisbane/ Mentioned in this episode: Tracey Rudich - Intimo - Instagram Tracey Rudich - Intimo - Instagram

    12 min

About

Emma McQueen has been supporting women from all backgrounds to achieve their full potential for more than 20 years. She's passionately committed to ensuring women have what they need to feel fulfilled and excited by their working lives. We all have it in us to achieve our full potential- sometimes we just need a bit of understanding, some practical and logical actions and a gentle nudge to get that momentum which leads to progress and progress which leads to fulfilment. Emma McQueen chats with a range of women in leadership and in business to explore the practicalities of how they feel energised by their work and their personal definitions of success. Join Emma for a tea as she and her guests chat success, failure and optimism, sharing the actionable, results-focused tips and strategies that got them to where they are today.

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