From Boardroom to Babies and Back Again: The Hidden Cost of Unsupported Returns to Work
Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast Show
Release Date: 06/11/2025
Lessons from the Lionesses: The Elite Playbook for Sustainable Success
Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast Show
What if you could borrow the psychology behind elite sporting success and use it to lead, perform, and thrive as a working mum? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Kate Hays, Head of Women’s Performance Psychology at the Football Association, working closely with Serena Wiegman and the England women’s national football team. Kate pulls back the curtain on what performance psychology really looks like when the stakes are high and how those same principles apply to leadership, teamwork, and the daily reality of ambitious working motherhood. She shares what truly drives sustained elite...
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Mining for the Gold: My Three Biggest Life Lessons from 2025
Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast Show
In this end-of-year reflection, I share three life lessons from 2025 and invite you to mine for the gold in your own year as you step into what’s next with clarity, courage, and ease. More details: Love the Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast? Let’s take the conversation further. - designed to support you in leading with confidence and living with intention.
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Decoding Your Purpose: How Losing My Mum Taught Me How to Live
Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast Show
What if the hardest moments in your life were actually clues to your purpose? In this episode, Nicky explores how we can “decode” our purpose by looking back at the meaning markers in our story - the losses, turning points and everyday moments that quietly show us what really matters. You’ll learn a simple way to reflect on your own experiences, spot the patterns in what you care about, and take one small step towards a life that feels more aligned, alive and truly yours. More details: Love the Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast? Let’s take the conversation...
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Soft Strength & High Performance for Women with Elite Sports Physio Gemma Jefferson
Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast Show
What if elite sports performance could help you thrive as a high-achieving woman? In this episode, I chat with Gemma Jefferson, a physiotherapist with over 14 years of experience working with Paralympic athletes and elite sportspeople. Now, Gemma is bringing the same principles of peak performance to help women like you balance career and motherhood without burning out. We dive into how to tap into soft strength, use breathwork, and move with intention - even if you've only got 5 minutes. Get ready for a new way to perform at your best, without the pressure to go harder. More...
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Confidently Humble: A Leader’s Guide to Starting Again
Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast Show
Ever had life bring you to your knees in that quiet, private way that makes you feel deeply human? I'm in that season. In this episode I share the health news I’m navigating and the leadership reset it sparked: why going back to basics isn’t a setback, how to be confidently humble, and the seven foundations I’m using to rebuild in body and leadership. If you’re facing uncertainty - career, health, motherhood - this is a gentle, practical companion for beginning again. If this episode shifted how you’ll handle your next tough conversation, share it with a fellow working mum leader...
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When Brilliant Women Hit Broken Systems: Introducing the Empow-Her® Collective
Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast Show
In this special conversation, Nicky welcomes friends and co-founders Clare Radford and Harri Demetrios to introduce the Empow-Her Collective - a new, research-led collaboration reshaping how senior women are supported in leadership. Together, they unpack why “fixing women” misses the point, the systemic patterns that stall brilliant careers, and how psychologically safe, evidence-based development can create real change. You’ll hear the origin story, the themes they’re already seeing in their study, and how you can lend your voice. If you’ve ever felt like you’re leading with one...
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Cultures That Care: The Mental Load as a Leadership Issue interview with Mille Holst Barry and Jeremy Casupanan from UKG
Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast Show
The mental load isn’t just yours to carry - it’s a leadership issue. Learn how cultures that care can ease the juggle at work and at home. In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of a global speaker series we delivered to our client, UKG, to explore why the mental load isn’t just a personal struggle - it’s a leadership issue. Together we unpack how invisible responsibilities at home and at work impact wellbeing, retention, and culture, and why building ‘cultures that care’ matters for every organisation. Joining me to share the story are two inspiring UKG leaders who...
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Conversations That Save Lives - And Your Next Meeting, Interview with Nigel Taberner
Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast Show
What if the most powerful negotiation skill isn’t talking…but listening like a life depends on it? In this jaw-dropping episode, I speak with former hostage negotiator Nigel Taberner, who’s attended over 130 high-risk incidents without a loss of life. Nigel dismantles the myths (no Jedi mind tricks here) and shows how the exact skills used in armed sieges translate to leading teams, navigating conflict, and yes, parenting a strong-willed tween. You’ll hear how negotiators influence when there’s nothing to trade, why echoing works better than endless questioning, and the simple...
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The Mental Load Is Breaking Us - Here’s How We Fix It - interview with Kate Mangino
Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast Show
If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying the invisible weight of running both your home and your career, you’re not alone. The mental load - the relentless planning, remembering, and anticipating that keeps family life moving - falls disproportionately on women, and it’s leaving many of us exhausted, resentful, and stretched too thin. In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Dr. Kate Mangino, gender expert and author of Equal Partners, to uncover the truth about the mental load: what it really is, why it matters, and how we can begin to share it more equally at home. This isn’t...
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Back-to-School: Easing the Transition for Working Parents & the Line Managers Who Support Them
Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast Show
The school gates are calling and for working parents, that means more than buying new shoes. In this episode, I share practical, research-backed strategies to ease the back-to-school juggle, plus a powerful guide for line managers on how to support parents in their teams without losing productivity. Whether you’re navigating uniforms and lunchboxes or leading a team through this transition, you’ll walk away with tips you can use today to make September smoother, saner, and stronger. More details: Love the Wisdom For Working Mums Podcast? Let’s take the conversation...
info_outlineReturning to work after having a baby is one of the most emotionally charged transitions a woman can face, and it’s one that too often goes unsupported. In this powerful episode, I am joined by business psychologist and founder of & Culture Consulting, Clare Radford, to explore the findings from her groundbreaking report, How to Support Returning Parents: From Boardroom to Babies and Back Again.
With insights drawn from nearly 400 personal stories, Clare shines a light on the unseen struggles faced by women returning from maternity leave, and what businesses must do to keep their top talent from quietly slipping away. Together, we dive into the emotional toll, the hidden biases, and the practical steps needed to build a workplace where working parents can thrive.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
The emotional and psychological impact of returning to work as a parent
Why ambition doesn’t disappear with parenthood, and what organisations are missing
The five game-changing strategies every employer should implement
How self-advocacy can transform a return-to-work experience
The cost to businesses and society of getting this wrong, and the ROI of getting it right
Whether you’re a working mum preparing to return to work, an HR leader wanting to improve retention, or someone passionate about creating more humane workplaces, this episode is essential listening.
You can listen to the episode here or via itunes or spotify. Or you can find it on most other podcast platforms and apps.
Could you do me a huge favour and share this episode with two or three working mums that pop into your head as you listen? My mission is to support as many working mums on their journey as possible, and so I’d be so grateful if you supported them by offering this free podcast. I hope it’s been helpful to you, and if so, I hope you pass that on.
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