Show Notes
In this episode of the Positive Habits Podcast, I’m joined by career coach and diversity & inclusion expert Sally for a brilliant conversation about women, careers, confidence and the power of backing yourself. After more than 20 years in the corporate world, Sally had reached the room she'd worked so hard to get into only to realise it wasn't where she wanted to be. She took the leap, left corporate life and built a career helping other women accelerate their careers, navigate change and create work that actually works for them.
We talk about why so many capable women believe they have a confidence problem, when there is often something much deeper going on - from self-worth and self-advocacy to workplace culture and the environments we're trying to succeed in.
We also explore that mid-career moment when you've seemingly done everything "right" - built the career, earned the salary, reached the title but still find yourself asking: Is this it?
Sally shares a simple but powerful piece of advice if something in your life or career feels off: Don't suppress it. Get curious.
We talk about using journaling to imagine what you actually want your life and work to look and feel like, why investing in yourself can be such a powerful move, and why growth inevitably requires us to get uncomfortable.
And, of course, I ask Sally about her number one positive habit. Which I thought would be exercise, but it was something quite different.
In this episode we talk about:
Why Sally walked away from a 20+ year corporate career The barriers still preventing women from progressing at work Why a "lack of confidence" might not actually be the problem The importance of investing in yourself Why discomfort is part of growth The mid-career "Is this it?" moment Using journaling to get curious about what you really want The importance of female communities and support
If something doesn't feel right, don't ignore it. Give yourself 10 minutes with a notebook and ask:
What do I want my life to feel like?
You don't need to have all the answers. Just give yourself the space to start listening.
ABOUT THE GUEST
Sally Spicer is the Founder of Talent Included and a career and business coach who helps ambitious people navigate pivotal moments in their careers and businesses. Drawing on more than 20 years' experience across recruitment, talent, inclusion and leadership, she helps people step out of delivery mode, recognise the value and potential they already have, and make more intentional decisions about what comes next. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallyspicer/
About Kat, Human Performance Expert
I help organisations build future-ready, high-performing teams equipped with the skills, habits and behaviours to perform in a rapidly changing world. www.katthorne.com
More from The Positive Habits Podcast
What happens when you take a team of lawyers out of the office and put them in a freezing cold lake together? In this episode, I’m joined by Sarah Whitemore and Catriona Ralls from Warner Goodman - lawyers, colleagues and regular members of our Women Who PLNGE community. We explore the power of human connection - at work and in life and how shared experiences, vulnerability and simple positive habits have helped strengthen their team culture and the relationships they build with their clients. But we also go deeper into relationships, counselling, community, cold-water swimming, the expectations we place on others and taking responsibility for our own happiness. We explore: Why human connection matters at work How vulnerability and shared experiences can strengthen teams Why relationships can be a competitive advantage The power of community and taking responsibility for our own happiness Small positive habits that help us feel and perform at our best And we finish with an important reminder: Stop searching for the red flags and start searching for the glimmers. The small moments of good are everywhere. Sometimes we just need to get better at noticing them. ABOUT THE GUESTS Sarah is Creator of Peace of Mind - the fixed-fee employment law service Sarah founded 20 years ago to make legal advice accessible, proactive and human. She has grown it from a solopreneur's idea into a 12-strong specialist team supporting 475+ organisations and delivering Peace of Mind to employers across the south coast and beyond. Catriona is an Associate Solicitor and Legal Advisor within the Peace of Mind Team at Warner Goodman. ABOUT HOST KAT, HUMAN PERFORMANCE EXPERT I help organisations build future-ready, high-performing teams equipped with the skills, habits and behaviours to perform in a rapidly changing world. www.katthorne.com
Cold Water Isn't the Transformation. It's the Teacher. In this solo episode, Kat explores why deliberately choosing discomfort can change the way you respond to every challenge life throws at you.
How many opportunities have you talked yourself out of because of a thought that wasn't actually true?
We spend so much of our lives taking care of everyone else. Our work. Our families. Our responsibilities.