The Fulfilled Leader with Jean Balfour

Joanna Lee Miller made a radical career change. In 2017 she took a year sabbatical to study painting in Florence - fully intending to return to her corporate career. Nearly 4 years later she is a professional artist alongside working as a career coach and change consultant. In this high energy conversation Jo shares her story about making this move from corporate life to artist life and portfolio career. We talk aboutHow important relationships are in building a successful careerThe importance of sponsorshipThe struggle of how to decide to move out of corporate lifeHow a coach helped her to make the decision to follow her dreamHow to hold the tension between her art and her corporate work and coaching Joanna Lee Miller is an organizational change and transformation expert driving effective and lasting change for companies at the local to the multinational level across all industries. Jo is also a career advancement coach and is a professional landscape painter. She began her career with Deloitte consulting in change management communications talent management and culture transformation. She then moved into HR, working as HR director at American express in New York, London, and Singapore. While in Singapore, Jo decided to shift gears completely, moving from here to Florence, Italy, to train as a professional artist at the Florence academy of Art.Jo's three years of highly technical training followed the traditional academic methods of the 19th century European Ateliers. She's now back in South Africa, her home country, where she's focusing on her three different yet interconnected careers, change management, consultant, career advancement, coaching and landscape painter.You can find Joanna here:joannaleemiller.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-miller-517b38/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannaleemiller/@joannaleemillerKim Myerson: https://www.kmyerson.com/Alice Toich: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/alice_toich/?hl=enLindsey Coen Fernandez: lindsey@withu.orgThe Artist’s way  - Julia Cameron - https://juliacameronlive.com/Emotional Agility - Susan David - https://www.susandavid.com/https://www.instagram.com/susandavid_phd/https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanadavidphd/ 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/

We often hear about leaders that they are charismatic or lack charisma. However both research and experience doesn’t point to charisma being a required attribute of effective leadership. In this episode I explore what we really mean by charisma and how we can demonstrate effective and authentic leadership without feeling we need to be something we may not be. You can find Jean here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanbalfour/Instagram: - @jean.bafourPodcast episodes which relate to this episode:Episode 5 - Finding your Authentic Voice with Serena Evanshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-5-finding-your-authentic-voice-with-serena-evans/id1598286690?i=1000552761679Episode 8  - Political Savvy  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-8-nine-ways-to-be-politically-savvy-at-work/id1598286690?i=1000555074458 Episode 13 -  Managing Uphttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-13-the-tricky-business-of-managing-up/id1598286690?i=1000558934024Episode 14 - Strategic Thinking with Stacy McCarthyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-14-developing-strategic-thinking-with-stacy-mccarthy/id1598286690?i=1000559663696Jim Collins - Level 5 Leadershiphttps://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/level-five-leadership.htmlToo Much Charisma Can Make Leaders Look Less Effectivehttps://hbr.org/2017/09/too-much-charisma-can-make-leaders-look-less-effectiveAmy Cuddyhttps://www.amycuddy.com/ 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/

Jean is joined by Dr Wayne Mullen.Jean and Wayne talk aboutHow to create culture in a virtual world in a 100% virtual organisationHow diverse leaders bring the critical skills needed for the future in organisationsThe double whammy for women as leadersAuthenticity and leadershipWayne runs Mollitiam, a consultancy business, and is the Chief People Officer at Xapo Bank. His previous roles included Chief People Officer and Chief of Staff at Quartz Enterprises, Director of Global Leadership and Capability at King (the Candy Crush people), Global Head of Leadership and Organisational Development at VTB Capital, and Head of Leadership and Development for Standard Bank’s international investment banking business.   He holds an MSc in Organisational Behaviour (Occupational Psychology), an EMBA, and a Doctorate in Leadership and Organisational Development (awarded the Ken Goulding Prize for Research Excellence).  His doctoral research focused on the experiences and development needs of minority leaders. He has many other qualifications including being an executive coach.He has contributed chapters to two books – The Tavistock Institute’s ‘Dynamics at Boardroom Level’ and Springer Nature’s book ‘Management for Professionals: Global Diversity Management’.  Wayne is a Visiting Professor of Diversity, Leadership and Organisational Development at Middlesex University and a trustee of Ben Cohen’s Standup Foundation.You can find Wayne herehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/waynemullen/https://www.xapo.com/https://standupfoundation-uk.org/Dynamics at Board Levelhttps://www.routledge.com/Dynamics-at-Boardroom-Level-A-Tavistock-Primer-for-Leaders-Coaches-and/Brissett-Sher-Smith/p/book/9780367540777Global Diversity Managementhttps://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-19523-6Time to Think - Nancy Klinehttps://www.timetothink.com/The Promise of Giants - John Amaechihttps://www.amazon.com/Promises-Giants-John-Amaechi-ebook/dp/B08YYGNLTC 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/

What does ambition really mean? This discussion challenges the conventional view of ambition as solely about climbing the corporate ladder. It emphasizes a broader understanding that includes personal goals and family care. Listeners are encouraged to explore their own motivations and redefine ambition to align with their values. Personal anecdotes highlight that true fulfillment comes from pursuing ambitions that resonate with individual aspirations instead of societal pressures.

In this enlightening discussion, Vanessa Iloste, HR VP of Sephora Asia and veteran of LVMH with over 21 years of experience, shares invaluable insights on navigating career conversations. She emphasizes how crises, like the pandemic, can be transformative learning opportunities for HR. Vanessa advocates for curiosity in career paths and the importance of discussing compensation openly with leaders. With a focus on empathy in leadership, she inspires individuals to take ownership of their career journeys and navigate their professional growth confidently.

As we move to a different phase of Covid many organisations are moving back to working in the office.But this is proving challenging. Many individuals are not keen to go back full time and many leaders are not sure if hybrid working can work!In this episode Jean explores ways to help hybrid working to be successful. She talks about how we need to overcome 'Operational Distance' and 'Affinity Distance' and how we can build a case for creating the working patterns that work best for us.Information relating to Karen Sobel-Lojeskihttps://hbr.org/2015/04/the-subtle-ways-our-screens-are-pushing-us-apartThe Power of Virtual Distancehttps://www.amazon.com/Power-Virtual-Distance-Productivity-Happiness/dp/1119608597Looking to work with a coach. You can find Jean here. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanbalfour/https://jeanbalfour.com/ 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 this episode Jean is joined by Tamara Singh. Jean and Tamara talk aboutCreative ways to build a portfolio careerHer experience of COP 26Regenerative systems and sustainabilityHow to make hybrid working workWhat a climate hackathon is and why the green economy is importantTamara spends time considering global systems and the nudges that may help to render them more sustainable, She does this drawing on her expertise in Financial Systems, Digital and Sustainability.  She enjoys a portfolio career which allows her to devote her energy to her profession and her passions.Tamara built her career across energy, financial services and fund management, governing trading floors in London, New York and Asia Pacific. Having earned her stripes at Centrica Plc, BP Oil International, Deutsche Bank and Macquarie Bank, she returned home to Singapore in 2012.On home ground, Tamara served Westpac Banking Corporation and then her country working for GIC. Whilst supporting GIC’s mandate for Singapore, she contributed to digital transformation and sustainability initiatives, building relationships across the financial ecosystem worldwide. This ignited her to structure a portfolio career centred on enabling sustainable organisations to scale, while championing impactful change. At present, Tamara works at all levels across industries to both better the finance ecosystem and to further enterprises through sustainable business practices. She holds Board positions with Conjunct Consulting, South East Asia’s first social change consultancy, and the People Centered Internet.  She also coaches leaders of organisations and advises start-ups navigating sustainability and scale. As her linked in profiles states she is a proud mama of her two young sons – who she is devoted to, and who have stretched her out of her comfort zone and into efforts to master ball sports and patience.She recharges through appreciating food and drink in excellent company, then exercising and dieting in solitude.You can find Tamara here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamarasingh/Other organisations Tamara is connected with:https://peoplecentered.net/https://conjunctconsulting.org/Books Tamara mentioned:Sarah Ichioka and Michael Pawlynhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Flourish-Design-Paradigms-Planetary-Emergency-ebook/dp/B09MWMDJCC/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1648804025&sr=8-1Invisible Womenhttps://carolinecriadoperez.com/book/invisible-women/Herminia Ibarra -The Authenticity Paradoxhttps://hbr.org/2015/01/the-authenticity-paradoxHerminia Ibarra - Working Identityhttps://store.hbr.org/product/working-identity-unconventional-strategies-for-reinventing-your-career/4139Anne-Marie Slaughterhttps://en.wikipedia.org 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 importance of self-reflection and planning in your career journey. Discover how to prioritize personal goals over societal expectations, and learn about the non-linear nature of career paths. Uncover a three-stage process for effective career planning that involves reflecting on your past, assessing your present, and envisioning your future. Align your personal values with your career choices to boost job satisfaction, with practical strategies for developing a fulfilling professional life.

For some of us strategic thinking comes naturally - for others it is something we have to learn. In this episode Jean Balfour is joined by Stacy McCarthy. Stacy is a business advisor, executive coach and board member.Stacy McCarthy has spent a lot of her career developing strategy for one of the world's big brands. In this podcast she and Jean Balfour talk about The importance of stepping out of your comfort zone in your careerThe connection between purpose, values and resilienceHow to plan time for strategic thinkingWays to ‘triage’ your time and what you prioritiseHow to link global and regional strategies and to influence bothLeading large teamsHow do empower people to take risksStacy has over 25 years of experience across a really broad range of things. She has worked as an international executive, a military officer, and as a board director. Her career has had her living and working in nine countries where she led regional infrastructure operations for a fortune 500 company from across the Asian and India, Middle East and Africa regions. In the Asian region, she transformed the team into an energised high performance organisation that supported 22% growth in the region with a reduction in operating costs whilst achieving 91% employee engagement score. She's led strategic planning for a defence business helping to identify and make a large shift in product lines and capabilities. She's also been an investment banker, a professional staffer on the US Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and was a commander in the U S Navy with two command tours.You can find Stacy at Aesara Partners and on Linkedin.https://www.aesarapartners.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-mccarthy-pcc-gaicd-1ab96a5/Cal Newport’s Workhttps://www.calnewport.comMichael Porterhttps://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6532https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/407999.Competitive_StrategyPeter Schwartz - The Art of the Long Viewhttps://www.amazon.com/Art-Long-View-Planning-Uncertain/dp/0385267320The Economisthttps://www.economist.com/Wired Magazinehttps://www.wired.com/The Artist’s Wayhttps://juliacameronlive.com/ 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/

What is it about managing up that seems so challenging?Some people do it with ease, but most of us have difficulty with it at some stage in our career. There's a good reason for this. We were often raised not to promote ourselves, or to respect the hierarchy.The challenge is that if we don’t build good relationships up as well as down the line, then we may miss out on opportunities for new roles or even promotion. In this podcast episode Jean willIn this episode Jean shares Insights into why we find this so difficultHow we can shift our mindset  Practical ways to manage upwards without compromising our values. Looking for a coach - you can find Jean herehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanbalfour/https://baileybalfour.com/If you would like a regular update on podcast episodes you can sign up to Jean’s email list.https://jeanbalfour.com/Caroline Webb - How to Have a Good dayhttps://carolinewebb.co/ 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/