Big Careers, Small Children Leaders Plus

Do you ever feel under pressure to be the perfect parent?
Verena Hefti MBE chats with Charlotte Boujassy, Director of Talent & Leadership Development Europe for a Japanese pharmaceutical company.
They discuss why it's so important to talk loudly about working flexibly at a senior level, how to deal with the pressure of perfectionism when you're a working parent and progressing your career after you have children.
Born in France, for the past 10 years, Charlotte has lived and worked in Munich. She co-parents her two daughters alongside her now ex-husband.
Enjoy the conversation.
Show notes:
Connect: Send Charlotte a message on LinkedInBook: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ckResearch: Kathleen McGinn - Kids of Working Moms Grow into Happy AdultsFellowship: Find out more about the Leaders Plus Fellowship

Today we welcome to the podcast Thorey V. Proppe, the CEO and founder of Alda, an Icelandic tech company which developed DEI software for workplaces globally.
Iceland consistently ranks among the highest countries in the world for gender equality.
Thorey shares:
What is working for gender equality right now in IcelandWhat we can learn from this success to implement in other countriesWhy data is the best way to improve DEI policies and help close the gender pay gap
Enjoy the conversation.
Show notes:
Find out more about the Alda DEI software at alda.coDownload the 22/23 Reykjavik Index for LeadershipListen to Michelle Harrison, CEO of Kantar discuss the 22/23 Reykjavic Index on Big Careers, Small ChildrenFind the Third Shift Book on AmazonAccess Mental Load resources from Leaders Plus

Today we're joined by Brita Fernandez Schmidt, transformational coach and author of the brilliant book Fears to Fierce. 
Brita has spent 25 years championing women's rights across the world, and strongly believes that every woman has a fierce power to fulfill her own dreams.
We discussed how we can learn to trust our own intuition, be intentional with our actions and manage our fears.
Enjoy the conversation.
Show notes:
Find out more about Brita and her book Fears to Fierce Listen to Mary Ann Siegart on episode 81 of the Big Careers, Small Children podcastFind Gert Gigerenzer's book The Intelligence of Intuition

This week we welcome Lea Henry, co-founder of the award-winning creative childcare agency CocoRio.
Together with her business partner Corinna Bordoli, Lea co-founded CocoRio because she worried about the quality of childcare available. As she couldn’t keep her kids with her 24/7, she wanted to ensure their overall development and emotional well-being would be catered for.
Lea shares practical advice on how she manages the competing demands of a baby, a toddler and a growing business.
A common theme during the discussion is perfectionism and letting go of the perfect time to do things. We discuss how to manage perfectionism and deal with feelings of guilt, plus why it's so important to set clear boundaries and tips on how to do it. 
We hope you enjoy the conversation.
Show notes:
Connect with Lea Henry on LinkedIn.Find out more about CocoRio: https://cocorio.co.uk Download the Career Progression Gaps report.Read the book: Surrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and in Life) by Thomas Erikson.

How can women thrive in a traditionally male-dominated work environment?
Today we welcome to the podcast Polly Ogden Duffy, Managing Director at prime sales and lettings agency John D Wood & Co. London.
Polly, who is married with two children, is passionate that women CAN have it all and shares why she believes being ambitious as a working mother is no bad thing.
Having worked her whole career in a traditionally male-dominated environment, Polly shares the advice she would give other women progressing their career, including why you don't necessarily have to 'act like a man' to move into those senior positions.
The property industry, as a whole, is not known for embracing flexible working, but Polly - who works compressed hours - is a huge advocate for working flexibly and encourages her team to bring their whole self to work. She shares how she makes this work.
Finally, Polly shares her tips for surviving and thriving at work on very little sleep during those first few months of parenthood.
We hope you enjoy the conversation.
Show notes:
Find out more about John D. Wood & Co. London.Find Polly on LinkedIn.Download the brochure for our award-winning Leaders Plus Fellowship.

Today on the podcast, Verena Hefti MBE chats with Dr Ana Catalano Weeks, Senior Lecturer at the University of Bath
Dr. Ana shares her experience of how mental load can be gendered and emphasises that creating awareness is a part of the solution.
In this conversation, we delve into the dynamics of heterosexual couples and the evolving landscape of childcare responsibilities. Despite men's increasing involvement in practical child-rearing tasks over the decades, women still bear the brunt of the mental load. We also explore the stigma confronting both men and women within the framework of societal expectations surrounding parental roles.
Backed by findings from her research, Dr Ana further shares her tips on managing parenthood as working parents. We hope you enjoy the conversation.
A quick reminder that applications for our award-winning Leaders Plus Cross-Sector Fellowship will close on 20 March. Download the brochure.

Show Notes:
Access free Resources on Managing Mental Load.
Download the Leaders Plus Career Progression Gaps report.
Read more about Dr. Ana's work here.