Her Ambitious Career
Ever wish you had the insight, strategies and encouragement of an executive coach, with over 14 years experience, coming straight to you every single week? That’s exactly what you’ll get when you tune into 'Her Ambitious Career', with your host and personal brand expert, Rebecca Allen! What you'll get from Rebecca: Step-by-step, practical strategies to help you build your executive profile, manage up and establish yourself as that sought out expert. Set yourself up on the fast track to senior leadership. Articulate your value with confidence. Be more influential. This podcast is here to help you take the guesswork (and...
Ep 231 - Empowering Voices of Asian Women: Communicating with Impact and Confidence, with guest Natalie Wong
Today we are talking about what leaders can do to foster deeper inclusion and empower Asian women in their teams.
My guest today is Natalie Wong, an experienced HR professional with 25 years experience with a passion for seeing more Asian women progress in their careers.
Natalie is sharing practical advice to outline how may women are juggling multiple identities at once at work and the impact that can have on them, whether those identities are about ethnicity, gender, or otherwise.
We are talking a lot about the default communication styles of m...
Ep 230 - How to Build Trust in Your Team - By Assuming Their Competence
Productivity, competence and trust are all intertwined And today, we are exploring how essential it is for a leader to identify where people are strong, rather than to assume they will fail.
It is easy to slip into negative habits that erode trust in the team. Habits such as:
Excluding people from decision makingTalking over themNot delegating and micromanagingDelegating only low-impact tasksTelling people how to do thingsAssuming they will fail or make a mess of thingsToday we are taking a step back and looking at the power of the question:
"...
Ep 229 - The Value of Having an Independent Coach Outside of Work, with coaching client Jen Snaith
As Rebecca's client Jen nears the end of her coaching program, she opens up about her coaching experience, what she learned and the benefits of working with Rebecca.
What is a career and leadership coaching session like?What outcomes might a client get out of a coaching session, or program?Is coaching worth the investment?These are just some of the questions Rebecca's client Jen is talking about in today's episode.
If you have ever been curious about how a career and leadership coach could partner with you to help you realise new l...
Ep 228 - The Primary Role of a Leader: To Develop Others
In today's episode we are exploring the primary role of a team leader and I am sharing some of the coaching questions I might ask a leader to help them develop team capability.
Today we’re talking about a question every corporate leader eventually faces:
“What is my primary role as a team leader?”
Is it simply to deliver results?Is it to control outcomes?Or to take responsibility when things go wrong ?Or, is leadership actually about developing people so the team can consistently perform at a higher level and behave autono...Ep 227 - Beating AI: A Recruiter’s Guide to Standing Out, with guest Jonathan Foxley, Fox Talent
Have you ever had a proactive recruiter on your team, advocating for you in the background? Today I am talking with Jonathan Foxley about how to stand out in an increasingly competitive recruitment market.
In this practical episode, experienced recruiter Jonathan Foxley and I are talking about a range of different topics including:
1. Getting hired in today's market
2. The impact of AI on your application and how to circumnavigate that
3. Real-world stories about how candidates have stood out amongst a sea of candidates
4. The critical advantage having...
Ep 226 - Why Some New Leaders Fail to Build Team Engagement
Today we’re talking about a situation that comes up sometimes in leadership coaching engagements - a newly appointed leader who inherits an existing team and then struggles to establish credibility.
This is one of the reasons organisations bring me in as a leadership coach. On paper, promoting this person to leader makes sense. The leader is capable, experienced, technically strong, maybe high-performing in previous roles.
But then they step into a new leadership position with an inherited team… and things start to wobble.
Maybe the team doesn’t fully buy in. Mo...
Ep 225 - Why Authenticity Wins in Sales: A Conversation with D'Leanne Lewis, Laing & Simmons
Leadership. Sales. Marketing. Work-life balance. Let's learn it all from D'Leanne Lewis.
My guest today is Dleanne Lewis a Principal Real estate agent of Laing & Simmons in Double Bay, Sydney. D'Leanne is responsible for the sale of some of Sydney's most prestigious properties. She has won multiple awards for her work and commercial impact and was also one of the agents featured in Luxe Listings Sydney, a high-end real estate reality show which premiered in 2021 on Amazon and aired for 3 seasons.
In today’s conversation D'Leanne is talking about her early career, how she...
Ep 224 - Are You Promotable? How to Make it Easy for Your Boss to Say 'YES!'
Today I am going to help you get that promotion. Because today, we are challenging the assumption that your boss is rooting for you...
Wake up! I mean that in the kindest possible way. :)
Assuming your boss is currently consumed with all the reasons s/he should promote you is a massive mistake. Because here's the thing: perhaps they are looking for all the reasons not to.
In this episode I am sharing three reasons your boss won't promote you. This 12 minute clip could be all you need to shake things...
Ep 223 - Why NGOs Attract Top Talent, with guest Nicole Yade, WAGEC
Today I had the privilege of interviewing Nicole Yade, CEO of WAGEC (Women and Girls' Emergency Centres) established to support women and their children, seeking support from situations of domestic violence.
Australia continues to struggle with a national crisis in terms of violence against women with 1 in 4 women having experienced violence from an intimate partner since the age of 15 and nearly 9 in 10 hospitalisations for assault by a partner – were for females (Source: AIHW).
Today, Nicole Yade is sharing insight from her diverse role as CEO at WAGEC and how she needs a multitude of...
Ep 222 - 3 Powerful Questions to Unlock Your True Potential
Today I am giving you an insight into a real client coaching session by sharing 3 powerful questions that I use with clients to help unlock their potential.
There are many different kinds of coaching question. And I have seen, over the decade I have been coaching, that a single question might be all that's needed to unlock a client's pain or 'stuckness' - and help them move forwards to achieve new goals.
Today I am exploring questions that might help you break a negative belief pattern; that will help you see your 'reality...
Ep 221 - Hear From My Client Gill - How Coaching Helped Her Get Promoted (Twice) in 3 Months
Today I have a real treat for you - I am interviewing my client Gill who is sharing her experiences working with me on her career.
Today I am interviewing my client Gill about what she loved (and found surprising) about her coaching journey, what she learned and the game-changing impact coaching has had on her - and her career.
Gill, explaining what she got most from her coaching program:
"Coaching has helped me get clear on what I want from my career next and become clear on the v...
Ep 220 - 3 Blind Spots Holding Leaders Back
If you’re interested in being an effective leader that means also investing in understanding your own blind spots. In this ep, I am talking about 3 common blind spots that hold leaders back.
Technically blind spots are beliefs, attitudes and behaviours that you are unaware of.
In actual fact you might be aware of them, but to date haven’t wanted to acknowledge them, or haven’t known how to address them.
Leading without addressing your blind spots can cause all sorts of problems:
You might be unaware of your...Ep 219 - From Bias to Equality: The CEO's Critical Role, with guest Sandra D'Souza
Today we are talking about the critical role of the CEO in embedding equitable practices in their organisations. I am talking with expert Sandra D'Souza, who is sharing research insights from her book, "From Bias to Equality". Join us!
My guest today is Sandra D'Souza, author of the book, 'From Bias to Equality: How business leaders can drive innovation, success and profitability by embracing true gender balance' and Founder of Women's Business Networking group Ellect.
Her book, From Bias To Equality provides actionable insights from successful business leaders who have achieved g...
Ep 218 - 5 Questions Leaders Can Ask to Promote Psychological Safety in Teams
Psychological safety is necessary and important for many reasons. Most notably, when people feel psychologically safe, they’ll feel more secure and perform better. Today I am sharing 5 simple questions you can ask, to help build psychological safety in your team.
As a leader, you want to be supporting your team however you can.
One easy way to do this is to create a culture of psychological safety in your team, where people feel safe to:
* Ask questions
* Admit their own mistakes
* Challenge existing ideas or present the...
Ep 217 - 3 Steps To Initiate A Direct Conversation & Get A Fresh Outcome
The time has come to have a direct conversation with a peer, client or team member and you know you've been avoiding it. In this episode, I am teaching a simple 3-step process to help you confidently maintain a direct, courageous conversation and get a mutually beneficial result.
3 ways to be sure you're avoiding having a direct conversation:
You're attributing negative meaning to this conversation, before you've even had it, i.e. 'This is going to be difficult', or 'They'll think badly about me.'You're avoiding having a face to face conversation, defaulting to...Ep 216 - Step Up & Show Up! Learn How to Write a Personal Manifesto for 2026
A personal manifesto helps you set your intent for the year ahead. Want to learn how to write yours?
Today I am sharing a lot of different ideas to help you write yourself a clear mission statement, or personal manifesto, for the year ahead.
What sort of leader do you want to be?How will you show up?What transformation will you make, both personally and to the business?By the end of today's 14 minute episode you'll have all the inspo you need to write a motivating and energising personal manifesto to help y...
Ep 215 - How to Take On a Board Role Earlier In Your Career, with guest Claire Braund OAM
If you're worried you're too young, or don't offer enough value, to be an impactful Board member, think again!
My guest today is Claire Braund OAM, Executive Director and co-founder of Women on Boards. In this episode, Claire is sharing a raft of valuable insight into how to get yourself ready for a Board application. There is no such as thing as 'too early' to join a Board: the key is to prepare well. Claire is talking about how to define your value proposition, key skills and experience; how to identify your first Board opportunity; d...
Ep 214 - A Simple Word: Your North Star to Guide Your Success in 2026
Move over New Year's Resolutions! I've got a simple alternative that will knock resolutions into touch!
Today is all about simplicity. In this quick 10 minute episode I am guiding you through some simple words that you can use to help you make better decisions for yourself and your career next year.
Words like 'Courage'; ' Grace'; 'Boundaries'... what do you need most in 2026?
Links:
Book a free 15-minute Career Strategy Call with Rebecca - make sure you create the opportunities you want from your career in 2026
Ep 213 - REST! The Power of The Pause
It's December and, after a busy year, it's time to rest! Today we are exploring the power of bite-sized daily rest and it's positive impact on you, your life and your leadership.
Today I am talking about the value of rest. Stillness isn't about weakness, it's that opportunity to be introspective and be more objective which ultimately allows you to be more productive! I am sharing some simple prompts today to help you push back, say no, re-prioritise or simply make more space and time for you.
Links:<...
Ep 212 - Leadership in Antarctica, with guest Jess Styles
Have you ever spent over a fortnight in Antarctica? Jess Styles recounts a fabulous experience with Homeward Bound doing exactly that!
My guest today is Jess Styles who earlier this year spent 16 days on a ship in Antarctica with 120 other women leaders in STEM. Not only did she learn a lot about leadership, ice and penguins... she had the opportunity to self-reflect and heal having undergone cancer treatment only months before. Join Jess and me for this fascinating reflection.
Jess, on what she learned:
"In Antarctica, we s...
Ep 211 - Know Your Impact! 3 Simple Steps to Review Your Year
Today I am sharing a simple 3-step process to help you take stock of everything you have achieved in 2025.
I work with a lot of clients throughout the year and one skill I find a lot of people don't exercise is that of reviewing their progress.
In our coaching programs, we are big on recapping, reviewing and acknowledging the impact we are making... because if you don't, you can easily fall into the self-doubt trap wondering whether you're adding any value at all! And I don't want that for you!
By t...
Ep 210 - Sales Secrets: How to Sell Yourself into a More Senior Role, with guest Susan Englehutt
If you want to be successful in an upcoming interview, or internal opportunity for promotion, knowing more about sales could be the differentiator!
My guest today is sales expert Susan Englehutt, Founder of The Way Buyers Buy. Sandra is looking today at how to apply sales techniques to your own process as you look to sell YOU... and it makes for an interesting conversation!
In the next 20 minutes, we are exploring the difference between Why, How and What buyers and how to present yourself as the potential solution to your hiring manager's problems!
...Ep 209 - 7 Surprising Time Management Habits That Will Change Your Life
Today we are looking at the humble topic of time management!
Are you running on fumes?
Do you need some new ways to manage your time more effectively?
Join me as we explore 7 fresh and exciting ways to manage your time that put you firmly in charge of your calendar, energy and SANITY!
Rebecca on making a real impact:
"To-do lists are my nemesis! Not everything on your to-do list is equal. Review the stuff on your to-do list and decide which of the tasks wi...
Ep 208 - Transparency: What Women Want From Their Job Search, with guest Gemma Lloyd, WORK180
WORK180 is taking the mystery out of your job search - because you deserve to know how equitable an organisation really is, before you apply for roles.
My guest today is Gemma Lloyd CEO and co-founder of WORK180, a specialised jobsite used by over 1.5m women globally to find roles that align with their core values. WORK180 champions workplace transparency and publishes data regarding pay gap, workplace benefits and leadership equity.
In this episode, Gemma:
Explains key findings from WORK180's annual What Women Want report...Ep 207 - 7 Consistent Challenges Resulting in Leadership Fatigue
Leaders are running on fumes. There are plenty of reasons why plenty of leaders are feeling fatigued right now. In this ep, I am exploring my observations of the issues many clients are struggling with and some ideas to combat it.
We are talking about:
Navigating constant change and tech moving faster than policy or skill developmentDilemmas surrounding forging team connection and collaboration The increased need for 'ambiguity tolerance'Making time to be strategic and not getting caught up in the detailCommunicating clearly and consistentlyFocusing on EQ skills and resilienceManging diverse expectationsAnd maintaining an authentic l...Ep 206 - Safety at Work Isn't Optional: What 6 Women Need to Truly Thrive
What does it mean to 'feel safe' at work? I interviewed 6 different women to find out!
In today's episode I am exploring the complexities around feeling safe at work. I have spoken to six different women in their 30s and 40s, from a range of different industries, to understand better how they define the concept of 'safety'.
Feeling safe and feeling free go hand in hand. Because if we’re not safe to speak, lead, challenge, or just exist — then we’re not free to succeed.
To deliver at your best, both for...
Ep 205 - Fast-Track Your Path to the C-Suite with Broader Career Experiences, with guest Tanya Graham
Chasing a C-level role? Today we explore what sorts of skills and broad experiences to gain in your career if you want to land a seat in the C-suite.
My guest today is Tanya Graham, Group Executive Digital & Transformation at icare.
In this episode, Tanya:
Talks about her career journey from operations and manufacturing, through to consulting, tech and digital, healthcare, and strategic transformation How moving from UK to Australia provided fresh, varied experience and broadened her networking and industry opportunityHow transformation has underpinned every role Tanya has taken on throughout her car...Ep 204 - 3 Quick Self-Kind Activities for High-Achievers: Self-Kindness is Forgiving Your Mistakes As You Achieve
Women everywhere are exhausted. High-achievers tend to push themselves harder and harder, shaming themselves as they do it. But what if you could be successful whilst also giving yourself grace? How much more enjoyable would celebrating those successes be?
In today’s episode, I am sharing 3 simple, 5-minute exercises with you to help you be more self-compassionate.
Something Rebecca said today:
" You can be extremely successful whilst also being gentle with yourself. And you'll enjoy your achievements so much more if you haven't shamed yourself on the way to ge...
Ep 203 - Women's 7 Most Common Career Frustrations & 3 Steps to Get Unstuck
Frustration leads to inertia and anger and can derail your career. As a Career & Leadership Coach, clients share their frustrations with me daily and I'm here today to let you know you aren't alone in feeling frustrated... and that there is plenty you can do to regain control.
In today's episode, I am exploring 7 of the most common FRUSTRATIONS clients come to me with surrounding their careers.
We are talking about:
Not getting ahead, despite achieving great results (and working so hard)Not making the impact you want to (either down to a...Ep 202 - The Mental Impact of Sexism on Women
Today I am exploring the concepts of traditional and subtle sexism, based on research conducted by psychologists Michelle K. Ryan and Miriam K. Zehnter, the emotional impact sexism has on women and the impact it has on them at work.
Have you ever been on the receiving end of a sexist comment, or behaviour? One that left you feeling humiliated, angry or feeling like you’ve nowhere to go? Has there been a longer term emotional impact on you too?
In today's episode, we ar...
Ep 201 - How to Dress for the Role You Want: Intentional Style for Career Success
Whether you're preparing for a promotion, a high-stakes meeting, or wanting to step into that next-level version of you, your styling can have a huge impact on fast tracking that success.
My guest today is Lucy Owens, CEO of Style Rises. Today we are talking about how to find your authentic style to support your success in your career.
We are talking about:
The common styling challenges women have in their 40s and onwardsBody changes and styleSuits, the colour black and using colour to build authority Professional dress codes for wo...Ep 200 - Celebrating My Fabulous Clients' Wins (& Hitting Our 200th Episode!)
I am super excited because this is our 200th episode and what better way to celebrate this milestone, than to hear from four of my clients and their career successes as a result of working with me!
Today I am absolutely delighted to introduce you to Gill, Jen, Jaime and Isabel, four fabulous clients of mine who have taken control of their careers and been rewarded with some phenomenal results, like:
Senior leadership promotionsSuccessful salary negotiationsExpanded confidence communicating and influencing senior leaders Defining their value propositions to their organisations and stepping upBuilding visibility and cr...Ep 199 - Leadership Fundamentals (Part 3): Adaptability & Resilience
Leadership isn't always about setting big picture strategy and chairing Town Hall meetings: it's also about taking leadership micro-steps and getting the basics right.
In today’s episode, we are talking about the fact that adaptability and emotional resilience will be some of the most vital skills leaders will need this decade.
We are talking about:
The core of adaptability: having clear and flexible expectationsSupporting yourself and your team emotionally through changeLearning how to be 'light on your feet' to pivot and adapt more readilyMaking it psychologically safe for you and...Ep 198 - Leadership Fundamentals (Part 2): Communication & Accountability
Leadership isn't always about setting big picture strategy and chairing Town Hall meetings: it's also about taking leadership micro-steps and getting the basics right.
In today’s episode, we are talking about the essential value of effective communication and accountability.
We are talking about:
The Effective 4-Step Communication LoopHow to reinspire a teamThe value of over-communication The Communication-Assumption-TrapHow to motivate less motivated team membersAnd more!Something Rebecca said today:
"Your goal with your communication is not to share an instruction. Your...
Ep 197 - Leadership Fundamentals (Part 1): Integrity & Self-Awareness
Leadership isn't always about setting big picture strategy and chairing Town Hall meetings: it's also about taking leadership micro-steps and getting the basics right.
In today’s episode, we are talking about the importance of both integrity and self- awareness for leaders.
We are talking about:
Assessing your strengths and weaknessesBeing curious and actively asking for feedbackReviewing your impact on other peopleChallenging bias - both your own and from others Championing the fair treatment of everyoneAnd behavioural consistency to build trust... and so much more!Some...
Ep 196 - How to Confidently Make That Critical Shift to Strategic Leader, with guest Chris Lamb
Have you been told you 'need to be more strategic' but don't really know what that means, or how to deliver it?
My guest today is Chris Lamb, an accomplished Chief People Officer and board director. He has worked at the most senior levels in the public and private sectors in Asia Pacific, European and global roles.
In this episode, Chris explains:
How to make the shift from operational deliverer to strategic leaderWhat stops people from becoming more strategicThe critical value of getting a breadth of experiences in your career Overcoming any do...Ep 195 - The Top 5 Skills Employers Want Most This Decade Are Human-Centric
Data from the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Survey 2025 tells us that employers see human-centric skills as essential amidst rising technological advances. But what are those sought after skills?
Whilst technological literacy, data and AI skillsets are regarded as priorities and expected to grow rapidly, 2025 data is highlighting the top skills required by employers, both now and in the future, remain largely human-centric.
In this episode we are exploring exactly what those vital skills are and discussing organisations' desire to prioritise 'talent availability' by focusing more on diverse...
Ep 194 - Next-Level Interview Prep: How to Do Your Due Diligence & Assess Cultural Fit
Transparency is key for women seeking new roles, in terms of the opportunity, pay, benefits and flexibility. But how do you truly assess an organisation's cultural fit during a short, 60-minute interview?
Work180's 2025 What Women Want survey found "8/10 women said they’d avoid applying for a role if they were unable to see the company’s employee benefits and workplace policies upfront (a stat that has doubled in just one year)".
In this episode I aim to give you some ways to assess an organisation's cultural fit with your own needs and ambitio...
Ep 193 - Is Your Leadership Style Being Evaluated Unfairly?
Women are too often penalised, and prevented opportunities to progress to leadership, because their boss might lead (and deliver results) in a different way to them; this is bias.
In today's episode I am talking about the penalty, that women often unknowingly experience because of how their leadership style is evaluated. I am exploring:
What leadership evaluation bias isHow women can be judged on HOW they deliver rather than on the result itselfThe different approach a lot of women take when it comes to data mining and decision making and how that might differ f...Ep 192 - Know What Constitutes 'Sexual Harassment' at Work & The Action Victims Can Take, with guest Sarah Cappello
Many victims of sexual harassment stay silent and deal with the aftermath alone. In this vital conversation, we explore the breadth of action that constitutes 'sexual harassment' and advice on the first steps victims can take to move forwards.
My guest today is Sarah Cappello, Partner at Law Firm Hicksons Hunt & Hunt.
In this episode Sarah explains:
What constitutes 'sexual harassment' from a legal perspective; know your rightsThe range of sexual harassment events including physical contact; gestures; facial expressions; written or verbal comments The validity of events whether one-off, recurring, or un/w...