REWIND: Julia Gillard, our first and only female Prime Minister
Apr 21, 2025
31:42
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Quick takeaways
Julia Gillard emphasizes the importance of empathy and expert-driven leadership during crises, contrasting successful female leaders against traditional male approaches.
The podcast discusses the challenges of internalized misogyny among women in leadership, highlighting the need for solidarity to overcome societal barriers.
Deep dives
Leadership Challenges During the Pandemic
The discussion highlights the contrasting leadership styles seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on male leaders like Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro. Their traditional, blustering approaches are criticized for failing to address the seriousness of the health crisis effectively. In contrast, female leaders are recognized for their combination of empathy and strength, which has resonated with the public during difficult times. Julia Gillard emphasizes the need for competent, expert-driven leadership, noting that the pandemic clarified the importance of factual and evidence-based decision-making.
Gender Dynamics in Leadership
Julia Gillard and Jamila Rizvi explore the complexities of gender dynamics within political and professional environments, touching on the internalized misogyny women sometimes display toward each other. The conversation reflects on the pressures female leaders face, where they are often judged harshly for their leadership styles, needing to balance empathy with assertiveness. Gillard mentions that women in power can both support and undermine each other due to societal conditioning and the competitive nature for limited positions. Discussion includes strategies to overcome these barriers, proposed to foster inclusivity amongst women leaders rather than seeing each other as competitors.
The Future of Gender Equality Post-Pandemic
The potential impact of the pandemic on gender equality is a significant concern, particularly regarding the economic setbacks affecting women's employment. Gillard points out that the recession has disproportionately affected women, urging the need for businesses to continue pushing for diversity and gender equality during tough times. She highlights that the shift to remote and flexible work could provide an opportunity to re-evaluate traditional workplace dynamics favorably for women's careers. Ultimately, the conversation stresses that a gender-equal society benefits everyone, advocating for broadening perspectives in leadership to include diverse voices for improved decision-making.
In this special election rewind we are joined by Julia Gillard, the 27th Prime Minister of Australia and our first and only female in the top job.
In this chat with Jamila Rizvi from 2020, Julia unpacks her famous misogyny speech of 2012, how ultra macho leadership styles are letting us down during the pandemic, and her book Women in Leadership.
