Why Men "win" at Work and what we can do about it

IN CONVERSATION with Ann Olivarius - Writing the Script of Your Life

Ann believes “we are all responsible for writing the scripts of our own lives” and that taking the time to understand and work on ‘what is my script today and what’s it going to look like in 10 years -time’? - helps achieve happiness.

IN CONVERSATION with Ann Olivarius - Glass Ceiling

Is there still a glass ceiling for women?

Ann Olivarius, powerful champion of women’s rights, ground-breaking feminist lawyer, and philanthropist, strongly believes the glass ceiling is still in place - and that women still struggle to influence the workplace, shape cultures and impact leadership to change Systemic behaviours.

She questions whether we have really moved that far in the last twenty years and whether women are truly heard and their contribution as valued as that of their male counterparts. She believes women must be greater activists in order to shape the contemporary businesses of the future and this starts within our own homes – making positive changes and influencing the people closest to us first. The ripple effect can be powerful.

“No doubt a few have gotten through (to the top) but it hasn’t changed or progressed as much as I thought it would or should. I thought if you worked hard enough as a woman and were focused and the world was yours – that was such a naive view – no matter how hard you work or how good you are, how excellent you are in mind and spirit and integrity there are still blockages”.

IN CONVERSATION with Jenni Murray

When I saw a new book out called ‘Fat Cow, Fat Chance’ and it was by Jenni Murray, I knew I had to take notice!

The journalist and broadcaster who presented BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour until last year, manages to pull off both an intimate portrayal of a women challenged by a body shape that has yoyo’d throughout her life and a very informative look at why diets don’t work.

Whilst the book is about the science and psychology of body shape it’s also an intimate perspective on the relationship we have with our bodies  - the continual dieting, trying keeping weight off and people not realising that body shaming is not just incredibly cruel, but it just doesn’t work.

I love that it's a mix of very personal story that I think many of us, if not all at some point in our lives, can relate to and really useful technical information about eating habits

Shocked into doing something by a comment her son made about her mobility, Jenni decided to stop hiding away her size and putting on an Oscar performance that size didn’t matter, and went in search of a solution.

Cleona Lira talks with Erika about sustainable investing

Why are we women less likely to believe we can be wealthy and yet at the same time we can be more successful as investors

And given our reticence, why are more women engaging in sustainable investing?

Cleona Lira a Financial Adviser specialising in building investment portfolios for women shares her perspectives on:

• Why women are more affected by climate change and therefore can benefit more from the impact of sustainable investing
• How ‘being stewards of the earth’ connects us more to the sustainable principles
• The barriers to us taking the first step; fear of making mistakes, shame around having more money than others, confusion around the financial process
• The virtue of patience and not over controlling the process - women tend to trust more which can reap greater rewards over the long term

I felt a strong alignment between our own coaching ethos and the approach Cleona takes, particularly around the deep listening and non-violent communication which really helps to get the ‘why’ someone wants to invest and their deep beliefs around money.

At a time when so many of us are working towards ‘planet positive’ it feels like a great time to be thinking about this topic. And perhaps as important - to ensure we get to feel more empowered and confident about the role money plays in helping us live life to the full💃

And for more information on Cleona’s approach to financial planning: https://www.cleonalira.co.uk

Please note: This interview reflects personal opinion & should never be considered as Financial advice.

Curiosity, flexibility and open mindedness - the key pillars for great performance and good mental health

As a clinical psychologist Dr Lara Pence has spend the last decade working with elite athletes, business leaders and individuals as they peel back their outer shell, cast aside unhealthy patterns that are keeping them stuck and unfulfilled and begin to build a new more resilient and adventurous sense of self. 

But be warned, says Dr Pence, this isn't easy.  This straight talking mind doctor is out to call out the "quick fix" approach where people try to hot-wire inspiration, motivation and momentum without first putting in the hard work to understand who they really are. 

Curiosity, says says, is the super power that can lead us all to a better, richer, more authentic life.

Lots of tips here about how to live better and improve mental and physical performance