The Inspiring Journey of Ranya Akacha: From Entrepreneur to Corporate to Empowering Entrepreneurs
Have you ever considered the true cost of being an entrepreneur?
Small business owners often face immense challenges, spending countless hours running their businesses, leading to stress and limited family time.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), only 62.2% of businesses that were operating in June 2017 were still active four years later. Additionally, non-employing businesses and micro-businesses have lower survival rates compared to larger firms. Just under 56% and 68% (respectively) survived from June 2010 to June 2014.
The demands of managing daily operations, financial pressures, and the responsibility of sustaining growth can lead to significant stress and limited personal time. For many, the dream of entrepreneurship quickly turns into a relentless grind, impacting both their personal well-being and family life.
In a recent interview on The Uncharted Leader Podcast, Ranya Akacha, Founder of Real Business Matters, shared her remarkable journey from owning a beauty salon while still at university, and running several businesses before turning to a high-flying corporate career and eventually becoming a successful entrepreneur dedicated to helping business owners achieve their dreams.
Ranya’s journey is a powerful reminder that with purpose, resilience, and effective leadership, entrepreneurs can build a successful businesses while living a fulfilling life. Her story inspires business owners to align their work with their values, embrace challenges, delegate effectively, trust their instincts, and celebrate their achievements. For aspiring entrepreneurs and emerging leaders Ranya’s experiences offer valuable lessons in creating a balanced, impactful, and thriving career.
Finding Your Purpose: Why Does Your Business Exist?
Ranya's journey began with a clear purpose: to empower business owners to create their ideal roles and support structures so they can enjoy their business and do what they love. Her consulting firm, Real Business Matters, exists to help stressed-out business owners grow their businesses, achieve work-life balance, and live the life they desire. This purpose stems from Ranya's personal experiences and her desire to see others succeed while maintaining their well-being.
For any business, having a defined purpose is crucial. It not only guides your decisions but also inspires your team and attracts customers who resonate with your values. Ranya's purpose-driven approach demonstrates that understanding why your business exists, who you serve, the problem you’re solving, and the most important value you deliver is foundational to long-term success.
Achievements and Impact: From Motherhood to Entrepreneurship
One of Ranya's greatest accomplishments is becoming a mother. This milestone shifted her perspective, making her realize there is more to life than a corporate career. After her second child, she chose not to return to corporate life, opting instead to run her own consulting business while enjoying the flexibility to spend time with her family.
Ranya's story highlights the impact of aligning your professional life with your personal values and goals. It underscores the importance of creating a business model that allows for a healthy work-life balance, proving that success doesn't have to come at the expense of personal fulfilment.
Leadership and Delegation: Empowering Your Team
A key lesson Ranya learned in her journey is the importance of delegation. She realized that to grow her business and maintain her well-being, she needed to trust others and delegate tasks. This allowed her to focus on what she loves most – supporting small business owners and family-owned businesses.
Effective leadership involves empowering your team, providing them with the right tools and motivation, and fostering a collaborative environment. Ranya's approach to leadership – focusing on solutions, avoiding blame, and celebrating wins – is a blueprint for creating a positive and productive workplace.
Trusting Your Gut and Seeking Support
Throughout her career, Ranya has emphasized the importance of trusting your gut and seeking support. Whether it’s finding the right people for your organization or navigating business challenges, intuition and external advice play crucial roles. Ranya’s success is partly due to her ability to trust her instincts and seek guidance from mentors, peers, and networking groups.
Celebrating Wins and Collaboration
Finally, Ranya believes in the power of celebrating wins, no matter how small. This practice keeps motivation high and fosters a sense of accomplishment within the team. Collaboration and a leader’s role in propelling the success of their team are central to her management philosophy.
“A leader is someone who looks after their team and ensures they have the right support, tools and motivation to reach their full potential. It is someone that is solution focused and doesn’t finger point, or blame” - Ranya
Ignite Your Passion and Amplify the Impact You Have in the World!
Connect with Ranya on LinkedIn and check out her free business assessment at Real Business Matters.
Book a call with Kylee and ask about how the Emerging Leaders Program can help you unleash your hidden potential to lead with purpose and achieve unprecedented growth, while allowing greater clarity, confidence and satisfaction to arise.
Subscribe and follow The Uncharted Leader Podcast on Apple and Spotify
Podcast proudly presented by The Performance Code
The Power of Personal Branding with Wendy Pavey, Founder of Your Executive Brand
Have you ever wondered why some professionals effortlessly attract the perfect job opportunities while others struggle to be noticed?
In today's competitive job market, personal branding is not just a buzzword; it's a crucial strategy for career advancement, especially for emerging leaders. Building a robust personal brand can set you apart, highlighting your unique value and making you the go-to person in your field.
Consider this: according to a LinkedIn survey, 70% of professionals believe that personal branding is essential for career success, yet only 50% feel confident about their personal brand. This gap underscores the importance of understanding and effectively implementing personal branding strategies.
For emerging leaders, who are often navigating the complexities of new roles and greater responsibilities, a strong personal brand can be a game-changer. It can enhance your visibility, credibility, and influence within your industry, making it easier to attract opportunities, forge meaningful connections, and establish yourself as a thought leader.
Wendy Pavey is a recognised authority in the field of personal branding, a vital concept for anyone looking to advance their career. Through her work, Wendy helps individuals craft and communicate the most compelling stories of their careers, aiming to attract their ideal roles. Her approach emphasizes the necessity of forethought and meticulous planning in career development, steering away from the reliance on serendipity.
Wendy's purpose is clear: to elevate transformative leaders into pinnacle roles within major organisations. She recognises that many individuals with immense potential struggle to communicate their value effectively, leading to missed opportunities and feelings of unfulfilment.
Wendy's observations reveal a common pattern: quiet achievers often get overlooked, wrongly attributing their lack of visibility to their abilities rather than their personal branding efforts.
She tackles this issue head-on through her books, which are designed to address the problem areas she's identified. Wendy understands that personal branding is not just about showcasing achievements; it's about owning your narrative and confidently communicating your value proposition. Her expertise in this area empowers individuals to take control of their careers, ensuring that their potential is realized and their contributions recognised.
In a recent conversation with Kylee Stone, Wendy discussed the significant role personal branding and self-promotion play in career advancement. They underscored the importance of differentiating oneself by clearly articulating values, experiences, and successes. They also delved into the common fear of appearing boastful and the importance of striking a balance in self-promotion.
Wendy's insights are particularly relevant for those navigating career transitions, such as moving towards a portfolio career, which she explores in depth in her new book, "Advancing Your Advisory Career."
A key highlight from Wendy's approach is her ExecutiveCadence™ model, which she has developed to guide individuals in their personal branding efforts. This model focuses on several crucial elements: value, experience, skills, successes, difference, and purpose. By honing in on these areas, individuals can create a robust personal brand that stands out in the competitive job market.
One of the biggest obstacles Wendy faced in her journey was recognising herself as a leader. Despite running her own businesses for 25 years, she initially neglected self-leadership, prioritising work over her well-being.
She learned the importance of self-care and boundaries, implementing practices that foster both personal and professional growth.
Wendy believes that career detours and setbacks can be turned into assets. Reflecting on the lessons learned from these experiences and demonstrating growth and improvement can significantly enhance one's personal brand. "We all make mistakes. I mean, I could give you a catalog of my mistakes," she admits, highlighting the universal nature of professional missteps and the importance of resilience and adaptability.
The conversation with Kylee also touched on the concept of leadership, which Wendy defines as holding an expansive vision, aligning others with that vision, and inspiring them to make a difference. She emphasizes that effective leadership and a strong personal brand go hand in hand, as both require authenticity, visibility, and a clear articulation of purpose.
In essence, Wendy Pavey's expertise in personal branding provides a roadmap for professionals looking to advance their careers. By emphasizing forethought, planning, and the strategic articulation of one's unique value, she empowers individuals to shape their career trajectories actively rather than passively waiting for opportunities to come their way. Her insights offer valuable guidance for anyone aiming to stand out and succeed in their professional journey
“A leader is someone who can hold an expansive vision and align others to achieve that vision.”
The Value of Coaching in Leadership: A Conversation with Clifford Morgan, Organisational Psychologist and Leadership Expert
In the vast landscape of leadership, where the terrain is constantly evolving and challenges loom at every turn, the value of coaching stands as an indomitable beacon guiding leaders towards success.
Clifford Morgan, an organisational psychologist and author of "The Coaching Leader," is a luminary in this realm, bringing a unique perspective shaped by over 17 years of service with the Royal Australian Air Force.
Morgan's journey, spanning from military command to executive coaching, epitomises the transformative power of coaching in leadership. His clientele, ranging from CEOs to Commonwealth Games hopefuls, underscores the universality of coaching as a catalyst for personal and professional growth.
In our deep dive into coaching as a cornerstone of effective leadership, Morgan unveils invaluable insights that resonate deeply with leaders across industries. One such gem is the significance of asking questions as a means to foster leadership development. By posing thought-provoking queries, leaders can nurture introspection, stimulate insight, and ignite motivation within their teams.
Moreover, Morgan emphasizes the importance of maintaining a long-term perspective in decision-making. In the fast-paced milieu of modern workplaces, where immediacy often trumps deliberation, leaders must resist the allure of short-term gains and cultivate a strategic vision that transcends transient challenges.
However, perhaps the most compelling narrative shared by Morgan is the imperative to intercept deviations from expectations before they escalate into irreparable consequences. Drawing from his rich tapestry of experiences, including a riveting tale that vividly illustrates this principle, Morgan underscores the critical role of proactive intervention in preserving organizational integrity and efficacy.
Beneath the surface of Morgan's discourse lies a profound truth: leadership is not merely about driving performance; it's about nurturing potential and fostering a culture of continuous development.
In an era plagued by training deficits and skill gaps, coaching emerges as the antidote, empowering leaders to transcend limitations and unleash the full potential of their teams.
Indeed, the essence of leadership lies in creating more leaders. By equipping individuals with the mindset, skill set, and practice of coaching, leaders not only catalyze organizational success but also cultivate a legacy of empowerment and growth.
As we reflect on Morgan's illuminating insights, let us heed the call to embrace coaching as a cornerstone of leadership excellence. Let us aspire to not only drive performance but also to unlock the latent potential within ourselves and those we lead. For in the journey towards greatness, coaching is the compass that guides us towards our true north.
“A leader is someone who influences others to create the change necessary to achieve agreed goals” - Clifford
Highlights:
Coaching is essential to overcome challenges and bring out the best in your teams.
Leaders face challenges such as a lack of training, lack of experience, and a lack of skill development in developing people.
Common frustrations for leaders include team members not showing initiative and constantly relying on them to solve problems.
A great coaching leader has a mindset, skill set, and practice of coaching.
Asking good questions is a fundamental coaching skill that encourages people to think, develop insight, and become more motivated and productive.
Leadership is about creating more leaders and developing capability alongside driving performance.
Ignite Your Passion and Amplify the Impact You Have in the World!
Connect with Clifford on LinkedIn and a copy of The Coaching Leader.
Book a call with Kylee and ask about how the Emerging Leaders Program can help you unleash your hidden potential and achieve unprecedented growth while allowing greater clarity, confidence and satisfaction to arise.
Subscribe and follow The Uncharted Leader Podcast on Apple and Spotify
Podcast proudly presented by The Performance Code
The Leadership Compass with Michelle Redfern, Gender Equality Advisor and Founder or Advancing Women
Michelle Redfern, Founder of Advancing Women
How can we continue to accept the status quo when it will take over a century to achieve gender parity in leadership roles?
Despite significant strides toward gender equality over the past few decades, the leadership gender gap remains a critical issue. Statistics highlight the urgency: women hold just 29% of senior management roles globally, a figure that has seen only marginal improvement in recent years.
Alarmingly, the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2023 estimates it will take 132 years to achieve full gender parity at the current rate of progress. These numbers reflect deep-rooted systemic barriers that continue to hinder women's advancement in leadership positions.
The persistence of this gap underscores the importance of ongoing efforts to address gender inequality. Diverse leadership teams are proven to drive better business outcomes, yet women, especially women of color, remain significantly underrepresented in executive roles. The slow pace of change calls for renewed focus and innovative strategies to dismantle these barriers, making the work of advocates like Michelle Redfern more crucial than ever.
In a recent interview on The Uncharted Leader podcast, Gender Equality Advisor Michelle Redfern shared her unwavering commitment to closing the global leadership gender gap and creating a level playing field for women and girls. With a career dedicated to advocating for gender equality, Michelle's journey began with a profound awareness of the injustices women face in the professional world and a fervent desire to drive change.
Michelle's mission is deeply personal. She has navigated the complexities of balancing work and family responsibilities and has faced frustration with the slow pace of progress in achieving gender equality. These experiences fuelled her determination to advocate for systemic change and to assist women in overcoming the barriers within corporate structures. She identifies key issues such as the lack of progressive policies, the need for inclusive leadership training, and the necessity of redistributing workloads to promote flexibility and equity in the workplace.
Her inaugural book, The Leadership Compass, serves as a crucial guide for women aspiring to leadership roles. It provides practical advice on building confidence and navigating one's leadership journey.
As Michelle candidly shares, "I want to share my epic fails with women and say try to avoid this because this is what happened to me, his is what I learned."
A central theme in Michelle's advocacy is the concept of knowing one's unique value proposition and being clear about your core competencies. She believes that recognising and leveraging these strengths are fundamental to inclusive leadership.
While Michelle collaborates closely with CEOs to foster inclusive workplaces, ensuring that diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral to organisational culture, her passion extends beyond corporate boardroom. She is a staunch advocate for women in sports, championing their representation and participation both on and off the field.
Michelle's call to action is clear: it's not just about helping women navigate the existing system, it’s about advocating for a system that better supports gender equality. Her belief that "fake it till you make it is really bullshit advice" resonates as she champions authenticity and self-awareness in leadership.
In her own words, "Angry women will change the world."
Michelle Redfern is indeed a “human GPS”, a compass guiding women through the often challenging landscape of leadership. Her insights and strategies provide a roadmap for women to not only succeed but also to drive systemic change, ensuring a more equitable future for all.
Tune into the podcast to hear more about Michelle's inspiring journey, her actionable advice and vision for a world where leadership is truly inclusive.
Key Takeaways
The system needs to change to promote gender equality, including the implementation of progressive policies and inclusive leadership training.
Flexibility and equity are crucial in the workplace, and organisations should redistribute workloads and normalise men's involvement in caregiving.
Michelle's book, The Leadership Compass, serves as a guide for women to build confidence and navigate their own leadership journeys. Self-leadership and vulnerability are essential in leadership.
Knowing one's unique value proposition and core competencies is crucial.
“A leader is someone who can lead themselves, others and organisations to reach their full potential””
Ignite Your Passion and Amplify the Impact You Have in the World!
Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn and get a copy of The Leadership Compass here.
Book a call with Kylee and ask her about how the Emerging Leaders Program can help you unleash your hidden potential to lead with purpose and achieve unprecedented growth.
Subscribe and follow The Uncharted Leader Podcast on Apple and Spotify
Podcast proudly presented by The Performance Code
The Lost Art of Play with Madeleine Jaine Lobsey, Neurodiverse Leadership Expert and Founder of Wondiverse
Madeleine Jaine Lobsey, Founder Wondiverse
An Exclusive Interview with Madeleine Jaine Lobsey
In an era where diversity and inclusion are gaining recognition as essential pillars of progress, the spotlight on neurodiversity is brighter than ever.
What exactly is neurodiversity?
At its core, neurodiversity acknowledges and celebrates the natural variation in human cognition and neurological makeup. It encompasses individuals with conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and more, reframing these differences as valuable assets rather than deficits.
With an ever-growing population of individuals identifying as neurodivergent, it's crucial to recognise the significance of their perspectives and contributions. In Australia alone, at least 1 in 40 Australians are Autistic and an estimated 30 to 40% of the population identify as neurodivergent. Globally, the numbers are as high as 10-20% 1 in 7 people are neurodivergent.
As we navigate the intricacies of the human mind, understanding and embracing neurodiversity becomes paramount. In a recent interview, we had the privilege of conversing with Madeleine Jaine Lobsey, a leading advocate and expert in the field of neurodiverse leadership, exploring the transformative power of neurodiversity and its implications for society, education, and the workplace.
“A leader is someone who is courageous, loves deeply, embraces themselves and others, and is committed to personal and collective growth”
Madeleine, a highly sought-after leader and facilitator of transformational leadership for over 20 years with Landmark Worldwide, has been instrumental to individuals and organisations dramatically expanding the difference they make across every sector and industry, including Members of Federal Parliament, senior educators, Award winning artists and CEOs, Olympians, founders of not for profits and leaders in science.
In 2020, after a personal diagnosis of Autism and ADHD, Madeleine fully immersed herself in the not for profit, social enterprise and disability sector with a commitment to creating a world where neurodivergent individuals work and play together.
She is a thought leader, speaker and facilitator in the sector, forming partnerships and projects with Australia’s leading neurodivergent organisations and a direct partnership with LEGO Australia. Dedicated to expanding the offerings to the neurodivergent community, Madeleine fulfilled her childhood dream of creating an organisation for all and formed Wondiverse.
In today’s conversation Madeleine shares her personal journey of discovering her own neurodivergence and how it led her to become an advocate for neurodivergent people in leadership. She shares about the need for more representation of neurodivergent individuals in leadership positions, the importance of creating a sense of belonging in our work and communities, the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals, the significance of play and the wonderful work of Wondiverse to create environments that feel like home.
Takeaways from today’s conversation…
Passion for leadership can lead to a mission to make a difference in a specific area
Discovering one's neurodivergent identity can be validating and empowering
Social isolation is a significant issue for autistic individuals
Allowing people to be themselves is crucial for their well-being and success
Neurodivergent individuals face barriers to leadership due to societal expectations There is often a gap between leaders' perception of their leadership skills and employees' perception of their leaders' skills.
Creating a sense of belonging in organizations is crucial for employee engagement and satisfaction.
Neurodivergent individuals face unique challenges in the workplace, and organizations need to create inclusive environments for them.
Play, validation, and listening are essential elements of effective leadership.
A leader is someone who is courageous, loves deeply, embraces themselves and others, and is committed to personal and collective growth.
Ignite Your Passion and Amplify the Impact You Have in the World!
Connect with Madeleine on LinkedIn and learn more about Neurodiversity Events, Training and Leadership on their wonderful Wondiverse website and Instagram.
Book a call with Kylee and ask about how the Emerging Leaders Program can help you unleash your potential to transform the way we live, lead and succeed with purpose.
Subscribe and follow The Uncharted Leader Podcast on Apple and Spotify
Podcast proudly presented by The Performance Code
Breaking Stereotypes with Dr Morley Muse, CoFounder of iSTEM and Women's Agenda STEM Winner
Credit: Image courtesy of University of South Wales
When you tell companies to employ women, it almost seems like charity.
While it sounds like a denegrading thing to say, with very little change when it comes to the statistics of women in leadership and parity in pay, it’s comments like this that help shake and wake us up.
A story on the lack of parity in pay hit the front cover of the AFR last week. Economics correspondence Michael Read wrote an insightful and somewhat alarming report on ‘The Gender Pay Gap”.
There are so many alarm-bells, but rather than give you our opinion, how about you read the article and listen to this week’s interview with gender equity expert Dr Morley Muse.
According to Dr Muse, “research shows that having gender diversity would increase your profits by 25 percent and if add an intersectional like race or ethnic diversity it would increase your profits by 33 percent”
In today’s episode of The Uncharted Leader, host Kylee Stone talks with Dr. Morley Muse, Chemical, Environmental and Renewable Energy Engineer and CoFounder of iSTEM about breaking stereotypes, the importance of strength and vulnerability in leadership, revolutionising recruitment with AI and a humanistic approach to gender parity.
“A leader is someone who is not afraid of being vulnerable and knows that they do not need to have all the answers but can bring together a team to create the answers together.”
An activist for equality in STEM, Dr Muse shares her story of breaking stereotypes, the need to nurture strength and vulnerability in leadership and our collective responsibility to create a diverse and inclusive society.
In 2022 she was the winner of Women’s Agenda awards for the Emerging Leader in STEM category, a finalist in the Victoria University Alumni Rising Star Awards and in 2023 she was a finalist in the Recalibrate Gender Equity Awards.
Credit: Image courtesy of ProBono Australia
A few of the many highlights of today’s conversation…
💡 The Retention Gap for Women in STEM
💡 The iSTEM Co. Movement Revolutionising Recruitment with AI
💡 Women’s Agenda Emerging Leaders Award
💡 Overcoming Obstacles and Breaking Stereotypes
💡 Inclusive Leadership and Humanism
Ignite Your Passion and Amplify the Impact You Have in the World!
Connect with Dr Morley Muse on LinkedIn and learn more iSTEM by visiting their website iSTEM.com and follow them on LinkedIN
Book a call with Kylee and ask about the Emerging Leaders Program to ignite your passion, grow your influence and amplify the impact you have to lead and succeed with purpose.
Podcast proudly presented by The Performance Code
Dr Morley’s mission is to solve the under-representation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by tackling 5 fundamental areas: Education, Employment, Retention, Leadership and Entrepreneurship.
What is one of the biggest challenges you overcame?
As a woman navigating the challenging landscape of STEM from a minority background, my journey has been a rollercoaster of personal and professional trials. The hurdles became mountains, especially when life dealt me a heartbreaking blow – losing my eldest sister while I was seven months pregnant with my second son.
The weight of this loss was amplified by the fact that I had already experienced the profound absence of my mother 11 years prior, just before embarking on my journey to Australia. I began my Ph.D. a mere three weeks after welcoming my first son into the world. I thought that was the pinnacle of difficulty, but little did I know that three years into my academic pursuit, I would face an even greater challenge.
In the midst of wrapping up my experiments, tragedy struck again as I lost my eldest sister, a dedicated pediatric doctor in Nigeria. Summoning every ounce of courage, I pressed forward. However, as I neared the finish line, just two months before my thesis was due, during COVID, I lost my second sister. It felt as though the ground beneath me was being continuously pulled away.
Yet, amid this seemingly endless darkness, what fueled my perseverance was nothing but HOPE.
I painted a vivid mental image of a seed buried beneath the soil. The experience of being planted is one of heat and darkness, an almost suffocating and seemingly hopeless ordeal. Yet, with the right amount of sunlight and water, that seed doesn't actively do anything but wait. And one day, it finds itself breaking through the surface, reaching toward the light. This mental picture became my lifeline, a symbol of the hope that I, too, would sprout again.
Another visual anchor that kept me afloat was the image of a flowing stream. Water, when stagnant, becomes stale and lifeless in a container. But once it's set in motion, coursing through the twists and turns, it undergoes a process of purification. I held onto this image, reminding myself that, like the stream, I needed to keep moving forward, navigating the challenges to find clarity and renewal.
In the face of unimaginable loss and adversity, it was the power of hope and the resilience of nature's metaphors that carried me through, propelling me to emerge stronger and more determined than ever before.
What does success mean to you?
When the STEM ecosystem is reflective of the true diversity of our society, achieving gender parity and representation of ALL women in STEM including women from DIVERSE backgrounds.
More about Dr Morley.
Among her various work and accolades are: being a past ambassador for CSIRO's Innovation Catalyst Global, a board director with Women in STEMM Australia, an Advisory Group Member of the Elevate: Boosting Women in STEM Program with the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering and a RISE Expert panel member with Diversity Council Australia (DCA), Settlement Services International (SSI) and Chief Executive Women (CEW). She works closely with Science Technology Australia (STA) and sits on STA’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee. She is also a mentor for senior and executive women in STEM with STA on their Superstars of STEM Program. In addition, Dr Muse is a member of the Energy Reference Group with Jemena Energy, providing expert advice on the energy transition, tariffs, and electricity price reset for Jemena Energy and its customers.
She was the winner of the 2022 Women’s Agenda awards for the Emerging Leader in STEM category and was named a finalist for the 2022 Victoria University Alumni Awards under the ’Rising Star category’. Her most recent recognition is being a finalist for the 2023 Recalibrate Gender Equity Awards.
As the co-founder of iSTEM Co, a research, consulting, and talent-sourcing business that enables employment for women in STEM, Morley continues to encourage women, including women from diverse backgrounds to further their careers in STEM.
iSTEM Co. was nominated as a finalist for the 2022 Women in Digital awards and was a Merit award winner at the 2023 Tech Diversity awards for the business category. This year, the iSTEM Group launched DEIR, a recruit-tech platform that eliminates recruitment bias for women in STEM. DEIR has also received recognition in STEM and has won two prestigious awards including the Lift Women Social Impact Award in 2022 and the “Equity in Innovation Award” at the 2023 Burning Hereos Competition.
The Catalyst of Meaningful Change with Dr Manasi Murthy Mittinty, Physician Scientist and Award Winning Emerging Leader
Did you know that chronic pain affects a significant number of individuals in the workplace, exerting a profound impact on their well-being and overall productivity?
Recognising and understanding chronic health conditions, including pain, is paramount for employers and organisational leaders. Chronic pain, often invisible and challenging to quantify, can manifest in various forms, from musculoskeletal disorders to neuropathic conditions, migraines and chronic fatigue to auto-immune conditions, impacting employees across diverse demographics.
By fostering a workplace culture that prioritises an understanding of chronic health, leaders can create an environment where employees feel supported and valued. This understanding is essential not only for mitigating the personal suffering of those with chronic pain but also for maintaining a thriving and resilient workforce.
Individuals experiencing chronic pain may encounter obstacles in performing their duties, leading to reduced productivity and increased absenteeism. Acknowledging these challenges enables leaders to implement supportive measures, such as flexible work arrangements, ergonomic adjustments, and access to pain management resources.
Furthermore, a comprehensive understanding of chronic health conditions promotes diversity and inclusion, breaking down stigmas associated with invisible illnesses. By addressing chronic pain in the workplace, leaders contribute to a holistic approach to employee well-being, resulting in increased job satisfaction, higher morale, and a positive organizational culture that attracts and retains top talent.
Ultimately, embracing the complexities of chronic health in the workplace is not just a compassionate endeavour but also a strategic investment in the long-term success and sustainability of the organization.
In the latest episode of The Uncharted Leader, host Kylee Stone explores the challenges faced by First Nations people in managing chronic pain and the importance of cultural context in understanding pain with Dr. Manasi Murthy Mittinty, a physician scientist at the Flinders University with a MD (Medicine, Dean’s medal) a PhD (Medicine) and Advanced Global Clinical Scholar Research Fellow with Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Manasi, a recipient of prestigious awards including the 2023 Finalist Australian Stellar South Asian Women, Harvard Mobility Grant (2023), Women’s Agenda Emerging Leader in Health Award (2022) and the Australian Government Funded Endeavour Postdoctoral fellowship (2018), shares her personal experience with pain and trauma and highlights the need for self-compassion, preventative measures and supportive environments in chronic pain management.
Key Takeaways
Emerging leaders are not necessarily young or inexperienced, but individuals who have a passion and purpose to make an impact.
Understanding the cultural context is crucial in managing chronic pain, especially for First Nations people.
Preventive measures, such as good sleep, exercise, and self-care, can help individuals live with chronic pain in a meaningful way.
Supportive relationships and environments play a significant role in coping with chronic pain and mental health challenges.
Ignite Your Passion and Amplify the Impact You Have in the World!
Connect with Dr Manasi Murthy Mittinty on LinkedIn and learn more about her groundbreaking research at the Intersection of Chronic Pain and Mental Health.
Follow The Uncharted Leader on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.
Book a call with Kylee and ask about the Emerging Leaders Program to ignite your passion, grow your influence and amplify the impact you have to lead and succeed with purpose.
Podcast proudly presented by The Performance Code
The Active Workday Advantage with Lizzie Williamson, Founder of Two Minute Moves
How are you feeling right now? Are you fit, strong, healthy, full of energy and vitality? What about mentally? Are you calm, confident, happy, motivated and fully engaged in your work?
If the answer is no (or not really), you’re not alone.
95% of HR leaders report burnout is sabotaging the workforce; 69% of leaders are seriously considering quitting for a job that better supports their wellbeing; and 9 out of 10 Australians are not resilient - a level needed to be confident, happy, calm, successful in achieving your goals and avoiding the effects of stress, depression, anxiety and mental health issues.
According to founder and author of Two Minute Moves, Lizzie Williamson, “Moments of movement are all that’s needed to recalibrate, evaluate and adjust our approach to challenges”.
Dubbed ‘the excuse-buster from Down-Under’, Lizzie is passionate about trying to make it easier for people to move. Why?
“Movement is powerful for what it does to our bodies, brains and our spirit. We can use it to transform the way we think, the way we feel” and as Lizzie points out as her most recent discovery, “it can transform the way we work and the way we lead”
Exercise can feel really hard, and sometimes impossible, to do. Whether it’s the way you feel, too tired or exhausted, or it’s a lack of spare time, your energy levels, motivation, the weather or workload, Lizzie Williamson has found a way to make the seemingly impossible, possible.
“I always thought if someone was struggling with their mental health, they ‘just needed to exercise’. Why weren’t they doing it? It would make them feel better. It was only when I experienced depression after my second baby was born that I understood it wasn’t that simple” says Lizzie (loaded with compassion and appreciation).
Lizzie has just released her second book The Active Workday Advantage: Unlock your most energised, engaged and happy self at work. Loaded with every possible solution to every possible obstacle, this book is guaranteed to get you moving and energised.
Through her fun, interactive keynotes, workshops and videos, Lizzie motivates workforces around the world to integrate micro movements into their day so they can be their most engaged, energised and happiest selves.
She’s got hundreds-of-thousands attendees around the world stretching, moving and dancing at conferences featuring President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Arianna Huffington and the Dalia Lama.
Download The Uncharted Leader podcast for Lizzie’s inspirational and highly energising tips on how you can get yourself (and your teams) moving no matter what obstacles you’re facing.
Key takeaways:
Swap out two letters in the word ‘exercise’ so it becomes ‘energise’
The myth of motivation - it's a lot easier than you think
Fast facts on the impact of micro movements to decrease fatigue, improve mood and increase strength
Sneaky ways to move without any noticing (while you're at your desk)
Hacks for reducing stress or tension before a difficult conversation
Listen to the conversation on iTunes and tell us what you think by giving a rating and writing a review :))
Ignite Your Passion and Amplify the Impact You Have in the World!
Follow Lizzie Williamson on Instagram, get a copy of The Active Workday Advantage: Unlock your most energised, engaged and happy self at work on Amazon, and download The Energise With Lizzie Podcast.
Follow The Uncharted Leader on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.
Book a call with Kylee and ask about the Emerging Leaders Program to ignite your passion, grow your influence and amplify the impact you have to lead and succeed with purpose.
Podcast proudly presented by The Performance Code