Future Women Leadership Series

Is caring about too many things a legitimate risk to your professional success? Or does it speak to a drive that will keep you engaged throughout your career?  Dr Anne Summers is a celebrated author, journalist and feminist leader. She played a pivotal role in the women’s movement, co-founding Australia’s first women’s refuge, Elsie, in the 1970s. She’s advised two Prime Ministers, and has written nine books to date. Dr Summers joins Helen McCabe to reflect on what continues to fuel her, as a woman who’s been told she’s “too driven” time and time again.  Liked this episode? Follow Too Much to hear more Become an FW member to join the movement and fast-track your professional development.  Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the unique challenges that come with managing cross-disciplinary teams?  As Australia’s Privacy Commissioner, Carly Kind is a leading authority on the intersection of technology and human rights. She was also the director of the Ada Lovelace Institute, an organisation dedicated to ensuring data and AI are employed ethically. In this episode, Kind shares her insights into ''Silicon Valley bros", cross-disciplinary teams and the ethical use of tech.  Join the movement to fast-track your professional development. Become an FW Diamond member today. Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you do when you're told you love your job too much?  Professor Georgina Long shot to national attention when she was named Australian of the Year. Her research on melanoma - known as Australia’s national cancer - has saved thousands of lives. In this episode, Professor Long joins Helen McCabe to reflect on the whirlwind that’s followed being named co-Australian of the Year, and she opens up about her life as a scientist who’s been told she’s “too passionate” one too many times.  Liked this episode? Follow Too Much to hear more Become an FW member to join the movement and fast-track your professional development. Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a leader, is there a point where you've learned all there is to learn? The answer - according to Susannah George - is no. The award-winning entrepreneur, producer, investor and director, who launched Urban List from her bedroom, shares how she accidentally launched one of Australia’s largest independent media brands, what it means to be a ‘wartime CEO’ and the loneliness that can so often come with leadership. Join the movement to fast-track your professional development. Become an FW Diamond member today. Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you the one who always says what everyone was thinking? Moana Kidd never imagined she’d be a Senior Constable with Victoria Police. As a woman of colour who’d been working in the arts, she was used to attending rallies - not patrolling them. But when an unexpected career shift led her to look for new work - she decided to become the change she wanted to see. In this week’s episode of Too Much, the Senior Constable joins Helen McCabe to discuss how she rose through the ranks despite at times being labelled  “too open”.  Liked this episode? Follow Too Much to hear more Become an FW member to join the movement and fast-track your professional development. Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chelsea Pottenger, founder of EQ Minds and an international speaker, shares her transformative journey from corporate life to mental health advocate. She discusses how personal struggles, like post-natal depression, inspired her to promote mindfulness for productivity. Pottenger emphasizes the importance of planning for setbacks, the role of empathy in recovery, and strategies for managing racing thoughts. She advocates for mental well-being as an essential investment, urging listeners to embrace their emotional journeys for a brighter future.

Have you ever felt like who you are was "too complex" for the field you work in?  Brooke Blurton is best known for being the first Black and bisexual woman on The Bachelorette. She’s also a youth worker, an author, a podcaster and a mental health advocate. In this episode, she joins Helen McCabe to reflect on how she's had a career dismissed by some as "too complex".  Liked this episode? Follow Too Much to hear more Become an FW member to join the movement and fast-track your professional development. Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the summer, we’re revisiting some of our favourite FW Leadership Series.  Award-winning journalist and former Executive Producer of ABC's Four Corners Sally Neighbour has pushed past doubts and fears to shed light on important stories. In this interview, host Helen McCabe and Sally Neighbour unpack whether fearlessness is something you can learn, or if it's innate in your character, as well as the importance of trusting your team as a leader.  Become an FW member to join the movement and fast-track your professional development. Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chanel Contos was just 21 years old when she launched an online petition that sparked a movement and propelled her into the global spotlight. Teach Us Consent triggered a national conversation and led to mandatory consent education in all Australian schools. In this episode, Contos joins Helen McCabe to reflect on the personal price of radical change, and the power that can come with being “too disruptive”. Liked this episode? Follow Too Much to hear more  Become an FW member to join the movement and fast-track your professional development. Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads Image credit: Maria Boyadgis for UNSW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When are you at your most productive? Managing Director for Google Australia & New Zealand Melanie Silva doesn’t just fill her days up with meetings, she instead makes space in her schedule for ‘big thinking days’ and time to find her ‘flow’. In this interview, host Helen McCabe and Melanie Silva unpack how being productive and being busy are not the same thing, as well as share tips on how to create space for productivity in your schedule.  Become an FW member to join the movement and fast-track your professional development. Keep up with @futurewomen on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Threads  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.