Welcome to women at the top of telecoms and tech, I am your host, I am Nicholas gorko. And I am the coach that works with organisations to help them to get more women into those most senior roles through retaining, recruiting, and developing talent, and all of that with the intent of those women then driving more positive change to create those inclusive cultures are safe and fair to all. So welcome to today’s show. So this is following on from my announcement that the podcast will be closing on our 100th episode. So we are now on Countdown to that. It felt like this needed to be an occasion that was marked and recognise because the podcast has been an incredible part of my business, something that I committed to, as I changed my business to focus solely on leadership, coaching and working with women in the corporate world, and helping organisations to create that more inclusive culture. And something that’s been a real consistent as my life has changed a lot, I’m moved back to Cornwall, back to my house that I lived in, before I met my husband, who is now my husband, after a two year delay wedding, and just lots of changes my business as well. So it’s been a real consistent point in my life. So I wanted to mark that just by first of all, just announcing that the podcast was closing, which we did on the last episode. But today, it’s the first of four mini episodes, shorter episodes where I’m going to be induced introducing the topics and the areas that we’re going to be covering on the new podcast. And then we’ll also have a episode that’s going to take snippets and the best bits from the interviews and the solo podcasts that I’ve done. And then finally, we’re going to introduce the new podcasts. So today, I’m just going to be introducing you to one of the one of the pillars that I will be talking about pillars of content I will be talking about in the new podcast, and also the content that I’ll be sharing on my social media as well. I see this, when I talk about what I do and my mission. So I talk about my mission is very much around helping organisations help more women to those most senior positions, to get to really drive positive change to create those more inclusive cultures that safe and fair for all. So within that, in my mind, there’s always been two areas of work. And two kind of two roads to travel down if you like for organisations to really get to the point where they have gender roles, gender parity, and the first part of that is always very much focused on the women in organisations. And it’s focused on helping them develop their skills, develop their confidence, so that they can be the ones that are really owning their career really driving it not just waiting for something to happen. But be very clear on their magic, what they do that has this huge impact, and really start to own that. And that’s all about helping these women to develop confidence and skills, but above anything, this really really, truly deep understanding of who they are. So that’s all great, though. But if we really develop all those skills and support these women to really step into who they are that if it isn’t that culture change within the organisation, they’re still going to have that same frustration, they’re still going to be talked over meetings, they’re still going to be passed over promotion, because they’ve just had a baby, they’re still going to be when they walk into the room, their most senior still could be an assumption that they’re the one that going to take the notes. So it’s really, really important to backup that brilliant work with these incredible women that the real Trailblazer than the changemakers with really driving down the second road which is focused on the organisation itself. So focus on the structure of support for women at different life stages, for example, that focuses on how are different pockets of individual groups in the organisation being supported. So what are the employee resources groups and the employee action community? What’s the shape of that? And how is that supporting different inclusive groups across the organisation? And also within the organisation also identifying where there’s a real need to change experience a lived experience and treatment that men and women have. So for example, is it still the language that a man is young and ambitious, but a woman is young and an experience? Or a man is very driven and passionate where as a woman is inconsistent and potentially temperamental or over emotional is another one that uses that what’s what’s the language use? When we describe men versus women, for example. So those two strands of work, so the focus on empowering and developing the women in the organisations, and really helping them to get to the next level, so women that are ready for promotion, women that are the real bright stars of the future, but then also the second strand of work to really support that is to change, just to really consciously shift the culture to one that is more inclusive, that is about accepting someone as who they are as a human, really caring and creating that connection across the organisation. So very much a Brene. Brown, or describes a daring style leadership, which is more of a coaching type culture, which is where the leaders are open to be question that the leaders are about, they’re really there to support create and connection across their teams and across the business. They’re all about also about caring about each other, and not just about what’s been delivered, but the actual person themselves, and really fostering that culture. But the the example being set by those at the very most senior level, and the C suite. So today, I’m gonna be talking about just the first focus of these within these two different strands of work. And the first focus there is very much on just to helping women to really fulfil their absolute potential, and just helping them to have the tools to lead themselves but also to lead change. So and what I see in organisations again, and again, and the women that I work with specialist, one to one clients, the most senior women, they have their job role the day to day role. So they have what’s expected them to have their objectives. And they have, what they’re focused on delivering through their teams and their areas of business and their divisions. But then they also have that what I call the job plus part of that experience, which is where as the most senior women, they’re very much an example of just the potential. And they’re very, they’re a very strong force for positive change, because these are women that have succeeded, despite the challenges they face, despite the sexism, the misogyny, the comments, the judgments, they’ve done it anyway. So these women’s, these women are very much unicorns, they are spreading managing in the organisation, they are giving hope they offer real a sense of light, a sense of power. And a real sense of even as the only woman in the room, they are someone that is really looked up to and really respected and recognise. And they are unicorns, because there’s so few of them in male dominated organisations and industries. So these are creatures that we need to protect, we need to support, and we need to make sure that we’re creating more unicorns through your organisation. So that first area of focus is all about women leading change. So there’s two different parts of this, that I’m going to be talking about. And the first part is really the toolkit that a woman will need to develop to get to the most senior levels, not only to get there, and I’ve worked with a lot of women who’ve got there, but I work with women that also they want to stay there, or they want to go even further. So it’s about helping these brilliant women to have confidence that is not is unshakable, or even if you have a moment where it is shaken that you can you come back to that sense of who you are. So it’s about creating a real steely, strong inner confidence. It’s also about making sure that you identify and support your own needs, so that you’ve got your structure, you’ll feel good foundations that are your oxygen leadership mask, so that you can be really resilient, you can be really consistent for your team, especially in times of restructure and change. It’s also about helping you to develop your own leadership, identity and brands. So this isn’t about just being like everyone else. It’s not about adapting or the masculine traits that you might see that easily recognise. It’s not about having to be someone that just steps past everyone else treats them unfairly. It’s not about being a woman, that is a yes woman. It’s about none of those things. It’s about creating a really a really strong sense of your, your own leadership identity and your brand. So that as you’re stepping into being that leader, and then you’re stepping into the next level of getting, you’re doing that based on being who you are. So it’s beyond authentic in my mind, and there’s a lot of talk about authentic leadership and I think that’s a great but it’s almost to me, if you’re having to work at it and consciously really be authentic, then is it being authentic, because for me authentic is a lot more simple than that being authentic is having this deep understanding of yourself, and then showing up with all of that whatever that brings with it. and being really, really true and honest about who you are, about what you want, and really being unapologetic for owning your skills, and having real ambition and real drive and not needing to apologise for that. So focusing on that leadership identity, then we also look at finding your purpose. So as a woman in an organisation, you might have got to a point where you feel a bit lost or you feel a bit stuck. And finding your purpose helps you to light that fire again, it helps you to get back to why have you gone through all of the challenges, you’ve gone through all of the hard times in your career, to get to this level, rather than that to say, I don’t know why I’m doing this, we can help you to reconnect to that. So you’ve got that real passion that shines through. So you’ve got that resilience on the days, it’s really hard. So you’ve got that bounce back ability, when something has just really gone against you. And you’re just finding it incredibly difficult. And to make sure that you’re calling people out that are talking over you in a meeting, or to remind it’s not appropriate to be asked to be taken notes, because you’re the only woman in the room when it’s an exec board meeting. So it’s really about that deep knowing yourself to then create that leadership identity. And then also looking at purpose for relationships. So how do you build a network and a set of relationships that are going to help your career to really thrive, and help you to get to that most senior level, so looking at things like your development and stakeholder map, but looking at it from the perspective of what feels good. So it’s not about yourself, promoting from an icky, uncomfortable point of view, how to do it in a way that feels good, is setting up relationships that work both ways. So again, you’ve got that care, you’ve got that sense of collaboration. And those purposeful relationships is exactly that it’s purposeful, there’s a good intention behind it, for you for the organisation, and how to structure that and how to make sure that’s something that you’re really, really strong at. And then finally, we also look at, we’re going to help you really to create your future because it can become really easy to get stuck in the day to day when you’re busy. When you have wanting to balance with your family outside of work. Make some time for your hobbies and passions, heaven forbid you actually managed to do that. But we know that roles, most of those very senior roles quite often happen. It ebbs and flows. And there’s a lot of time that you need to give it a lot of energy. So it’s really about making sure checking on the check that of your life that you’re in front of different tools and frameworks, but then also looking at what does that mean for your career? Where does your career sit within that so the two are aligned rather than pulling against each other. So for example, if you’re a newer mum, it might be that it’s okay to have the job that you have for a year. Whereas if you’re someone where your children might be a bit older, and you feel like actually I’ve got a couple of last big jobs, me pushing on for that, and knowing that you’ve got the energy and time to do that. So those are sort of things we’re going to be talking about. But I also just wanted to mention the way that we are going to be talking about them. Because I obviously I’m on social media for my business. But I also there’s a lot of people that I follow that I think are brilliant. But there’s also a lot of people that I see just trotting out the same old content and subjects again and again. So I am going to talk about things like what makes women at the very top unicorns, why are they unicorns? What makes them different? How to be a unicorn? Are you paid for being a unicorn? What comes with being unicorn? The fact that if we’re talking about imposter syndrome, not just talking about what it is, and how to get past it, but why we need to stop telling women they have impostor syndrome, because it’s not actually a thing. And we’ve just labelled it now it just sits with being part of being a woman at senior level or a woman in the world of work. Which is absolute, just an absolute crock of nonsense. Why do we need to stop underplaying soft skills? So women naturally, potentially have more kinship with those softer skills? But why they’re actually they’re more needed than ever in the world of work that we now have sacrifices women take to get the top. Yeah, what are those sacrifices, how to be heard in a room full of men that just just want to have their voice heard? And they’re just trying to get louder and louder? The price of perfectionism? Are you too nice. The Lie of multitasking. So there’s a lot of meaty subjects in that that I want to talk about. And in a way that has real punch at root has real impact that has a real has a real tone of honesty about her. And just to really bring out some subjects might be willing to talk about So what sort of sexism are women in the workplace facing? What are some common experiences that we faced or have faced or are facing and what assumptions are made about actually, you’re the woman the room so Can you take notes? Can you make the tea? Can you do the admin? The language that’s used? It’s different. So for women, you might be young and experienced for a man and might be young and ambitious. So why, why did that exist and the frameworks there, how to have more impact on your language. So stop saying things like apologising, saying sorry, at the beginning of email, or just making it seem like you’re not sure just for your language. And also just talking about owning your career. So not just waiting for something to happen, hoping for the next promotion, but then we’ll get clear what you want your next step to be, and then how to get that and owning it and holding it in your hands. And knowing that it’s all down to you, and you’ve got this far, and you can get to where you want to be. And you’re not just waiting for a white knight to come and save you. So that’s what I’m going to be talking about. And I’m really, really excited because like I said, I kind of have been in the online world for a long time. I’ve talked about a lot of these things for a long, long time. And I was struggling to know, they were still relevant. But I was just I felt just, I didn’t want my voice just to blend in with everyone else. And I didn’t want just to be the same, the same old things, try it out again. And again, because that, to me is an impactful, and it’s a bit it’s pointless. So for me, if we’re going to invest his time in sharing content, creating this new podcast, it needs to be with real impact, it needs to have a real standout quality to it. And it needs to have this tone of really blunt honesty about it at times. And just to show that actually I get it, I work with brilliant women day in day out that are facing the same struggles as you. And I’ve been that I’ve been in the corporate world. So actually I get what you’re feeling and what how things might be for you. So that’s the first area that we’re going to be focused on. And I’m really, really excited. And we’re just working on putting together content at the moment, you’ll start to see things like that coming out. And also we’ll be doing some polls on LinkedIn to get your get your input. But you can message me now, if you’ve heard this today, and actually is a subject that isn’t talked about. Or there’s something that you want to just really get some support in a different way, do drop me an email, because it’s something that I can cover on the podcast. So I would love to, or if it’s something you’re struggling with now and you’d like my support as a coach, all my contact details are in the show notes. So I do have space for a couple of one to one clients at the moment, which is quite rare. So if you would like to be one of those do drop me a message and we’ll go from there. But that’s it for today. So just really just to summarise, a part of what we’ll be focusing on with a new podcast and kind of new messaging is really around how to support women in need inclusively. So how do we support these brilliant women? Who are the unicorns? That the most senior women? How do we support them in their? What are they doing with their job plus, so what are they doing to support other people across the organisation? How do we make sure we they’ve got the energy and time to do that? How do we make sure they get to where they want to be in fulfil their potential, and then really helping you truly own your career and identify what your magic truly is. So that’s it for today. I’d love to know what you think. And I will speak to you on the next podcasts. Thank you, bye. Bye is Nick here. I just want to take a moment just to say thank you for listening. When I’m sat recording podcasts in the deepest depths of Cornwall, it’s incredible to think it is reaching women across the world in 30 different countries and we have 1000s of downloads a month. So thank you so much for being part of that. And being part of the audience means well to me. But I do want to grow this audience, I would love you to help me reach more women like you so that we can really drive positive change in the corporate world. So you can do that one of three ways. First of all, you can subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. It’s always a new episodes always delivered straight to your inbox. You can review the podcast and leave us a rating and the more ratings we have, we also got the podcast charts. And finally you can just share a favourite podcast with a peer with a colleague or on your social media. So I would love for you to do that. Thank you for all your help. I can’t wait for what’s next