Recent Epsiodes

Episode 6 – Julie Thompson, Director of Talent Development, Serendis Leadership

How can our mentors help us break free from limiting beliefs and see the world in new ways?

This question is the core of Maud’s conversation with Julie Thompson, Director of Talent Development at Serendis Leadership, who is “living the dream” with her role in shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

The impact that a great mentor has on their mentee stems from understanding that the world is not black and white. The “a-ha” moment comes when both can challenge deeply ingrained perspectives that shape our worldviews. How? For one, helping mentees find their own answers means asking yourself, as the mentor: “What makes you think that what you are about to say is more important than what I am about to think?”

Julie also shares her story of going to school with Jamie Oliver – a man who by his own admission had trouble learning but has gone on to change the world, having found mentors that unlocked his talents. We can all learn something from Julie’s take on Oliver, and where Julie and Maud ultimately land on the most transformative thing a mentor can do for their mentee.

Episode 4 – Brett Himbury, Non-Executive Director and Senior Adviser

“Shut up and just ask a question.” While this sounds confronting, encouraging a response with the right question might be the biggest lesson that a person can learn from the experience of mentoring? Especially at senior leadership levels.

Maud Lindley deep dives with Brett Himbury, former CEO of IFM Investors, to explore mentor listening, the art of sitting back and relaxing as a mentor, and hash out what “purpose” means in leadership. They look at how a strong sense of mission can shape decisions, even under intense pressure. Brett reveals a critical moment for him when his own mentor, Gary Weaver, inspired him to focus on understanding a person’s motivations as a pathway to understanding them as a whole.

Together, Maud and Brett unpack the power of informal mentoring moments, which can leave a lasting mark on careers. They also explore how mentoring can serve as a vital data source –an excellent opportunity for senior leaders to gain access to ideas they otherwise wouldn’t have. They also dig into Brett’s personal discovery of unconscious biases present in workplace dynamics, and how he came to understand why advocacy for diversity and inclusion in finance was so critical.

Episode 3 – Ingrid Massey, Head of P&C, CBRE

Does empathy matter for a mentor? Can it be taught? Or is empathy something some people are born with and others are not.

Maud welcomes Ingrid Massey, Chief People Officer at CBRE Australia, to tackle these questions and more, seeking the answers in Massey’s own career which took her from advertising to being a senior HR executive with a global remit.

Together they chart out the difference between sympathy and empathy, explore whether empathy exists on a spectrum, share approaches for building empathy enforcing processes that can strengthen the empathic muscle across people and organisations –shaping truly effective programs.

They follow the empathy thread to critical insights like how to bridge the gap between generations when mentoring; the challenge of mentoring highly ambitious people whose ultimate goals are still many steps and years away, and the secrets to balancing empathy with business acument to make it your superpower.

Episode 2 – Justin Clarke, Executive Coach and Non-Executive Director

Is what you think you want, worth wanting? Tough questions like this could revolutionise your life or the life of those you mentor –but they’ve got to be asked in the right context and by the right person. Luckily there’s help aplenty in this episode of Mentoring Unlocked.

Maud sits down with Justin Clark, a legend in the executive coaching and technology space to unpack three decades of experience at the upper echelons of human enablement. Get ready for a master class in the art of mentoring and the joy of giving back and potent lessons like:

• the “mini me” mentor trap and how to avoid it
• Justin’s “departure airport” touchstone for mentor mentee alignment
• why its imperative that leaders today must be good mentors

And how trust is the magic wand that opens the feedback loop between mentor and mentee, allowing the kind of insights and growth to flow that will amaze even the most seasoned corporate warrior.

Episode 1 – Jonathan Englert, Founder, Andiron Group

What does it take to go from dreams of writing a book to actually becoming a published author? Is there one secret that could make this journey not only possible, but much easier? Maud learns the answer is a resounding yes –and it begins with understanding the difference between a role model and a mentor.

In this inaugural episode of Mentoring Unlocked, we sit down with book author and technology communicator, Jonathan Englert, for a wide-ranging heart-to-heart about some hard won lessons from the writing life.

From early misfires in finding a mentor to the life-changing implications of a series of rich conversations, there are plenty of eye-opening takeaways here. Learn about the addictive “magic” of mentoring others, the challenges of finding a mentor in “unique” careers and how to overcome them, breakthrough career wisdom Jonathan got from the co-inventor of Wi-Fi; and how the right kind of mentoring can counter cognitive bias and even free you from obstacles in your life and career.