This week, Julia is joined by Naz all the way from Pakistan. With the Expedition in Pakistan in full swing, we thought it was the perfect time to get back to the basics. More often then not, we tend to forget that a large part of the struggle when leading is breaking out of and rising above the shackles of the status quo. Naz shares with us her journey of a vibrant career. She reflects on how in her early years she placed a self imposed pressure of having to constantly prove herself and lead the way one was "supposed to". But over the years she discovered her own way of leading that was authentic and honest, one that challenged the pressures of leading like everybody else. She reminds us that when one is truly authentic it is the most comfortable feeling!About the Guest: Naz Khan is the Principal Country Officer in Pakistan for the International Finance Corporation.

The Women in Business Expedition is underway in Pakistan and we couldn't be more delighted! This week Julia speaks to Simi, a much requested guest from our expedition members in Pakistan, about the 4 Es, which ones resonate with her the most. Simi discusses how her understanding of 'motherness' has been deeply shaped by her grandfather and how she uses this essence to guide intergenerational team. She encourages women to embrace their woman-ness, to find strength in their femininity and be truly authentic. She speaks of a unique framing of equality as not an equality of sameness but an equality of difference. While she advocates for women to use tools from their cultural contexts in the form of the sacred, she equally emphasises the need to jettison the patriarchal trapping we may fall prey to, for example, the pressures woman face from their in-laws and extended family in the South Asian Context. With her years of experience across two continent, Simi brings to life the wisdom of lived experience and the fire to you people seek to bring change in the World.About the Guest:Simi Kamal is Chairperson of the Hisaar Foundation, Pakistan. Educated at the University of Cambridge, she has 37 years of experience in the water sector, environment, climate change, food security, women’s empowerment, gender equality, inclusive development and poverty alleviation.

In this episode of the Podcast Julia is joined by Cynthia, who shares her insights on leading framed by her experience as a photographer. Landscape photography has taught her the importance of capturing the moment and turning up fully present - lessons she applies to leadership. Cynthia shared a wonderful phrase - 'do it afraid', reminding us that as a leader it is important to act and instil confidence and courage in your team. This episode urges us to pause our busy lives and be present with our whole selves as individuals and as leaders.About the Guest:  Cynthia is a professional contemplative photographer. She is a former editor of Hearst and Conde Nast publications. Cynthia has worked with some of the most world-renowned photographers. A global traveler, she has explored numerous spiritual sites with curiosity and interest. Her work reflects the intersection of the spiritual and the natural worlds. 

In this week's episode, Julia is joined by Dorothy, an International basketball referee. As a referee, one is surrounded by the constant chatter of critique, the pressure to make decisions on the spot and the need to continuously work with new teams. Dorothy shares with us how she has learned to listen to feedback, and filter it out, taking only what is useful and constructive. She reminds us that it is important to construct feedback so that it is useful and respectful to the person receiving it. How do you make a decision when you have limited information? What do you do to bring your best self to the 'game'? About the Guest: Dorothy Okatch is an International Basketball Referee and the National Coordinator of Palms for Life Fund, an organization that aims to take developmental projects to the Remote Area Communities in Botswana in the fields of health and education.

This week Julia is joined by Polly, a footballer and now an executive in the world of football to talk to us about the importance of 'losing well'. As a sportsperson and a leader she shares how she consciously worked to maintain a balanced understanding of winning and losing, reminding herself to never go too high with the highs or too low with the lows. Not only has this allowed her to be a reliable teammate and leader, but it has also enabled her to bounce back from each loss and learn from them. She reminds us to keep our eye on the ball - to focus on the lessons learnt, rather than getting lost in the outcome itself.About the Guest: Polly Bancroft is the Head of Women's Football at Manchester United. She oversees the strategic direction, operations, and performance of the women's first team and academy. Polly has over 10 years of experience in executive roles in five distinct high-profile UK and European football organisations. She also serves as a Technical Committee member at the Association of Sporting Directors and a former Trustee at Albion in the Community.

This week Julia is joined by her daughter Kate, CEO of the Wren Project. Kate shares her journey leading with an auto-immune disease and explores the way it has shaped how she leads. In this episode Kate discusses the importance of compartmentalising and the power of authenticity in order to build what she calls a 'truthful' team. When dealing with a chronic illness as a leader, how do you know when to listen to your body, and when do you ignore it and push ahead? She reminds us that there are many ways to lead. Tune in to know more.About the Guest: Kate Middleton is Founder and CEO of the Wren Project, an organisation that provides one-on-one listening support for people living with an auto-immune disease.

In this week's episode, Julia is joined by Nandita as she shares what Directing Films has taught her about leading. As a director, she tells us that one must have the the ability to have your feet planted firmly on on the ground, working with teams across departments while also being able to carry the vision of the bigger picture simultaneously. While leading large teams it is important to be technically sound, but also know how to manage people and their emotions. How do you create a democratic atmosphere, where all voices are heard and yet cultivate the confidence and strength to be able to take the final call? Leading can often be a lonely pursuit, and learning to be comfortable with the voices in your head will allow you to learn when to let go and when to stick to what you firmly believe. This episode is a peak into how to lead large and diverse teams to bring out the full potential of a creative collaborative task or project.About the Guest: Nandita Das is a critically acclaimed Actor, Director Writer and Activist from India.

In this week's episode of the podcast, Julia is joined by Heather who reminds us that leadership is all around us. There is so much to learn by looking outside of ourselves and opening up to the possibility of the many models of leadership that exist in nature. As and intuitive coach and animal communicator Heather brings to us messages from our furry and feathered friends on how they interact with one another and understand leading. The instinctive sense of responsibility and ability to take the lead when needed and follow when necessary, to support someone just by being present, or to hold each other accountable for ones own actions, are a few of the many things things that Heather has learnt from animals over the years.About the Guest: Heather Shea is an intuitive coach and animal communicator with over 30 years of executive leadership experience coaching throughout six continents delivering effective results for Fortune 100 CEOs, world leaders, executive teams, and household names in politics and entertainment.

What happens behind closed doors of a Board meeting often remains a mystery - a Chief Executive therefore learns on the job when working for a Board. In this episode of the podcast Julia is joined by Bhagyashri who brings with her some solid advice on how to work for a Board. She presents the predicament most Chief Executive's experience, a rather lonely existence, caught between the Board and your own 'Top Team'! There is so much at stake with each and every decision, and it is a Chief Executive's responsibility to be articulate assertive, and open to feedback from both the Board and their 'Top Team' for an outcome that is in the best interest of the organisation. It is a difficult task, but also one that is deeply rewarding!About the Guest: Bhagyashri Dengle is an experienced leader who works in the non-profit sector with extensive experience in institution building, strategy development, program design, advocacy, corporate social responsibility, governance and building strong teams.

In the words of Albert Camus, "(...)good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence, if they lack understanding". In this week's episode, Julia is joined by Unjela as she reminds us that while it is important to be an empathetic leader, it is equally important to never overstep even with the best of intentions. In times of crisis, where there is a split second to make a key discussion, she reminds us to question our need as leader to be the one to fix it! Sometimes, even with the best of intentions, this urge may lead us to crossing a line. The added layer of navigating diverse cultural contexts and degrees of appropriateness in a globalised world can put even the most experienced leaders in a fix. Tune in for all this and much more! About the Guest: Unjela Kaleem has 20+ years of experience as a senior leader across Oceania, Europe, Africa, MENA, and Asia in strategic communications, stakeholder engagement and public affairs with diverse organizations such as Nestle, UN Office of Project Services (UNOPS), The World Bank, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (IFPMA), SITA aero, Overseas Investors Chamber (OICCI), Dow Jones newswires, and the BBC. She was also the first female CEO of an international chamber of commerce in Asia.