The Fulfilled Leader with Jean Balfour

In this episode of The Fulfilled Leader, Jean is joined by senior HR leaders Vanessa Iloste and Vanessa Teo, co-hosts of the Career Transitions podcast. Together, they share insights from five seasons of conversations with leaders and experts on navigating the uncertainty of change.We explore the habits that help leaders thrive in transitions, from listening and observing first, to building trust one step at a time. Vanessa and Vanessa also reflect on the challenges of cross-cultural moves, the importance of empathy in the future of work, and strategies for reinventing yourself without losing confidence.Whether you’re stepping into a new role, changing industries, or simply rethinking your career, this conversation will help you approach transitions with curiosity, courage, and humanity.Career Transitions on SpotifyCareer Transitions Podcast on AppleCareer Transitions Podcast on LinkedInVanessa Teo on LinkedInVanessa Iloste on LinkedIn Sign up to my weekly newsletter. Book a free strategy call: https://calendly.com/jean-balfour/30min Learn more about my work: https://jeanbalfour.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanbalfour/

Explore the intriguing concept of your 'future self' and how it affects your decisions today. Discover why envisioning your future in the first person can drive action and empathy for your aspirations. Learn how pursuing your passions with discipline is key to becoming the leader you're meant to be. Visualization techniques and small daily actions can bridge the gap between who you are now and who you want to become. Plus, tips on observing inspiring leaders and even writing a retirement letter to connect with your future identity!

In this episode of The Fulfilled Leader, Jean revisits a powerful and often misunderstood topic - ambition. Prompted by recent coaching conversations and personal reflections, she challenges conventional notions of ambition and invites you to rethink what it really means for you.Jean explores how ambition isn't just about promotions, titles, or relentless striving. It's about discovering what you truly desire to achieve - whether that’s launching a passion project, being fully present with your family, or becoming exceptional at what you do now. With rich storytelling from her own journey - from a young teacher in New Zealand to founder and coach, Jean shows how ambition evolves with us.This episode is an invitation to reclaim your ambition and align it with your values, season of life, and deeper sense of purpose.💡 What You’ll LearnWhy ambition is often misunderstood - and why it’s time to redefine it.How early experiences and societal messages shape your beliefs about ambition.The difference between internal ambition and external expectations.Why ambition has seasons - and how to navigate those transitions with self-trust.What to do when your ambition hits a roadblock or feels unachievable.How to explore your own ambition with honesty, curiosity, and compassion. Sign up to my weekly newsletter. Book a free strategy call: https://calendly.com/jean-balfour/30min Learn more about my work: https://jeanbalfour.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanbalfour/

How does our early life shape the leaders we become? What role does fear play in our ambition? And how can we lead with more wholeness and warmth -  especially when work feels hard?In this episode of The Fulfilled Leader, I’m joined by psychologist and executive coach Dr. Jonathan Marshall for a deeply thoughtful and expansive conversation about the inner world of leaders.Jonathan supports high performers who look like they're thriving on the outside but feel stretched and burnt out underneath. His work brings together leadership development, psychological depth, and meaningful change - and in this conversation, he shares some of the powerful patterns he sees in the leaders he works with.We talk about:How childhood experiences and attachment styles influence our leadershipThe role of fear in driving performance - and what happens when we heal itWhy likability matters more than we think in leadershipThe importance of self-awareness and working with our narcissismAnd how we can create warmth and emotional inclusion in our teamsJonathan also shares stories from his rich and varied background - including the time he helped change how we think about email “attachments” in the early days of Yahoo Mail, and what it was like moving from clinical psychology into leadership coaching at Harvard Business School.This episode is full of both insight and heart. Jonathan invites us to reflect more deeply on who we are as leaders - and reminds us that the more whole we become, the more powerfully we can lead.Follow Jonathan on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/1marshall/Jonathan's website: https://www.marshall.com.sg/ Sign up to my weekly newsletter. Book a free strategy call: https://calendly.com/jean-balfour/30min Learn more about my work: https://jeanbalfour.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanbalfour/

How many times today have you been triggered? A sharp email, an offhand comment, a meeting that left you spiralling. Sometimes it’s a small internal shift, sometimes it leads to a reaction we regret.In this episode, I explore what it really means to be triggered at work - why it happens, how it affects us, and most importantly, what we can do about it. I share personal stories, emotional regulation models, and a toolkit of strategies to help you return to calm, grounded leadership in the heat of the moment.Whether you’re navigating team dynamics, difficult feedback, or simply the daily tension of leadership, this episode offers compassion, perspective, and practical ways to strengthen your emotional resilience.In this episode, you’ll learn:What it really means to be triggered at work  - and how to spot itCommon workplace triggers (some might surprise you)How your nervous system and ego states influence your reactionsThe role of values, unconscious memory, and emotional patternsPractical, in-the-moment strategies to pause and resetReflective practices to learn from difficult moments without shameWhy self-compassion is the most powerful tool of allTakeaway: Being triggered is part of being human  -  and part of being a leader. With the right tools, awareness, and kindness to yourself, you can turn these moments into powerful growth opportunities. Sign up to my weekly newsletter. Book a free strategy call: https://calendly.com/jean-balfour/30min Learn more about my work: https://jeanbalfour.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanbalfour/

Welcome back to The Fulfilled Leader! In this second refreshed episode, we’re diving deep into a subject that so often surfaces in coaching sessions - organizational politics.For many leaders, politics at work can feel murky, manipulative, or downright toxic. It’s something we often wish would just go away. And yet, it’s a reality in every workplace. In this episode, I offer a fresh perspective: what if we replaced the idea of organizational politics with relational savvy?💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:Why all organizations are inherently political, and why ignoring this can stall your career.How to engage in politics ethically and effectively, without compromising your values.The difference between Fox-like, Sheep-like, and Wise Owl behavior at work.Why relational savvy is a leadership superpower.My two personal stories of getting it wrong - and what they taught me about political maturity.A 9-part strategy to help you build influence, understand power, and drive impact without playing dirty. Sign up to my weekly newsletter. Book a free strategy call: https://calendly.com/jean-balfour/30min Learn more about my work: https://jeanbalfour.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanbalfour/

Are you feeling stuck in your work or leadership, wishing for a breakthrough moment that never seems to come?In this reflective and encouraging episode, Jean shares a personal story that begins with a jigsaw puzzle and unfolds into a powerful reminder: meaningful change often doesn’t arrive in sweeping transformations. but in slow, steady, sometimes invisible steps forward.Drawing inspiration from her own creative process and insights from James Clear and Martha Beck, Jean invites you to think differently about your journey. Whether you’re seeking more fulfillment, navigating challenging relationships, or hoping for career growth, she offers a simple yet profound shift: focus on your inputs, not just the outcomes.This episode is an invitation to:Rethink how real change happens - in your leadership, career, and life.Identify the areas where you're frustrated or feeling stuck.Explore how 1% improvements or "one-degree turns" can get you back on track.Embrace the power of small, sustainable actions each day.Key Takeaway: You don’t need a grand plan or a giant leap. Just one piece at a time. That’s how transformation begins.We'd love to know: What small shift will you make today? Sign up to my weekly newsletter. Book a free strategy call: https://calendly.com/jean-balfour/30min Learn more about my work: https://jeanbalfour.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanbalfour/

After four years and over a hundred episodes, I’m taking a moment to revisit some of the most loved conversations on this podcast. And what better place to start than the very first topic we ever explored  -purpose.This refreshed episode of Finding Your Purpose brings new insights, reflections, and practical strategies to help you reconnect with what truly matters in your work and leadership.I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of purpose, both as a coach and in my own journey through leadership, burnout, and back to alignment. For many of us, work is a central part of our lives, and we long to feel fulfilled and grounded in what we do. And yet, finding our purpose, and staying aligned with it, isn’t always simple.In this episode, I’ll take you through:Why purpose matters for our energy, wellbeing and leadershipMy own story of misalignment, burnout, and rediscoveryHow to know when you’re “in your lane”  and what it feels like when you’re notPractical exercises to help you explore your purpose and reconnect with what energises youWays to find moments of alignment, even if your current role isn’t quite rightWhether you're early in your career, in a moment of transition, or just feeling a little out of sync - this conversation is for you. It’s for the leaders, the coaches, the caregivers, and the quietly curious - all of us trying to find our way back to what matters most.Let’s get back in our lane. Sign up to my weekly newsletter. Book a free strategy call: https://calendly.com/jean-balfour/30min Learn more about my work: https://jeanbalfour.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanbalfour/

Why do so many smart, capable people hold themselves back from stepping into their potential? In this episode, I’m joined by leadership expert, bestselling author, and global speaker Dr Margie Warrell to explore the essential role of courage in navigating today’s uncertain world.Margie shares her personal journey from rural Australia to global leadership advisor, and how her lifelong relationship with fear and self-doubt led her to develop a framework for courageous living.Whether you’re facing a career crossroads, struggling with self-doubt, or simply feeling stuck, this conversation will inspire you to take braver action — even in the midst of fear.Margie is an award-winning author of six books, including her latest: The Courage Gap: 5 Steps to Braver Action. With a PhD in Human Development and a Master’s in Leadership & Organisational Change, she combines research and lived experience to empower people to step through fear and into their potential.A sought-after speaker, media contributor, and women’s leadership advocate, Margie has lived and worked across four continents and brings deep wisdom, compassion, and clarity to the topic of courage.In this episode we cover The surprising way Margie defines courage (hint: it’s not about being fearless)Why fear is wired into us – and how understanding the brain helps us move through itMargie’s powerful formula for courageHow to take charge of your self-talk and inner narrativesAn overview of the 5 steps to closing the courage gap:Intention – focusing on what you want, not what you fearBelief – rewriting limiting stories about your capabilitiesConnection – regulating your nervous system and leaning on communityAction – embracing discomfort as a path to growthLearning – mining failure for gold, not shameHow to create a culture of courage in the workplace and at homeMargie’s Website: https://margiewarrell.com/Book: The Courage Gap: 5 Steps to Braver ActionFree Courage Gap Assessment: Take it hereLive Brave Podcast with MargieFollow Margie on LinkedIn Sign up to my weekly newsletter. Book a free strategy call: https://calendly.com/jean-balfour/30min Learn more about my work: https://jeanbalfour.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanbalfour/

In a heartfelt celebration, the host reflects on the journey of podcasting through 100 milestones. Key lessons on leadership stem from leveraging journaling as a transformative tool. Discover how engaging in what energizes you can combat burnout and self-doubt. Insights on managing imposter syndrome highlight the importance of showing up, even without feedback. The transformative power of journaling is explored with practical tips and exercises to unlock clarity and creativity, encouraging listeners to embrace their own journaling journey.