Lead to Soar

In Part II, Mel and Suzanne move from principles to practice, focusing on what inclusive language looks like when you’re leading teams, setting standards, and holding power. They explore why inclusive language efforts often trigger backlash, how leaders confuse discomfort with danger, and what actually builds credibility when language norms are shifting. Suzanne challenges the idea that leaders ne...

In Part I of this two-part conversation, Mel Butcher speaks with linguistic anthropologist Suzanne Wertheim , author of The Inclusive Language Field Guide , about why language has become such a flashpoint at work — and why most organisations are handling it badly. In fast-moving, polarised workplaces, many leaders feel anxious about language. They worry about saying the wrong thing, being seen as...

In this episode of Lead to Soar , Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern examine one of the most entrenched and least challenged barriers to women’s leadership: benevolent bias. Unlike overt sexism, benevolent bias often presents as kindness, protection, or concern. It sounds supportive. It feels polite. And it quietly limits women’s authority, decision-making power, and credibility at work. Mel and Mic...

Kathryn Elliott, an alcohol mindset coach, joins Michelle for this episode about alcohol and the workplace. Now, we know what you're thinking, alcohol and leadership? What's the connection? Stick with us because we're diving deep into drinking culture, workplace dynamics, and how it intersects with leadership. Kath opens up about her own journey with alcohol and how it affected her life and career...

Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern tackle a critical leadership skill that is often misunderstood and badly taught: strategic communication. This is not about presentation polish or finding your “authentic voice.” It’s about learning to communicate in the language decision-makers listen for: business outcomes, priorities, trade-offs, and impact. Michelle and Mel explore why talented women are freque...

(TW: Rape, Assault) Join us in this eye-opening episode, where Mel and Michelle delve into the complex and prevalent issues around sexism, gender bias, sexual assault, and the need for better workplaces for women. Our hosts debunk misconceptions, provide pertinent statistics, and shed light on the subtle and overt forms of discrimination and harassment women face daily. The discussion sparks criti...

In this episode of Lead to Soar , Michelle Redfern is joined by Karen Percy, journalist, media and communications expert, and trauma trainer, to discuss what trauma-informed leadership actually means at work—and what it does not. This is not about turning managers into therapists. It’s about leadership responsibility. Michelle and Karen explore how trauma shows up in workplaces, why leaders often...

In this episode of Lead to Soar , Michelle Redfern is joined by journalist and media trainer Karen Percy to discuss why media and communication training is a strategic career investment for ambitious women—not a nice-to-have. This conversation goes beyond interviews and press appearances. Michelle and Karen examine how women are judged on communication, how authority is granted or withheld through...

As women move into more senior roles and their teams and tasks become more extensive and complex, they must adjust and evolve their leadership style to have the desired impact on the business (achieving and sustaining extraordinary outcomes) For some women, moving to a ‘leader of leaders’ role is pivotal in their leadership journey. It can mean less time for what they used to do a lot of, and what...

“Be yourself” is some of the laziest career advice women are given. And in many workplaces, it’s actively harmful. In this episode of Lead to Soar , we challenge the idea that leadership success comes from staying within a fixed notion of who you already are. We explain why effective leadership requires deliberate skill development, judgement, and adaptability—and why women are often penalised whe...

Despite advances made by women in the workplace, pay inequity and underrepresentation in top positions are still a reality. Unfortunately, the situation looks worse for older women, who face the double whammy of gendered ageism. As a woman over 50, you may be wondering if there is anything you can do to face down diminished responsibilities, decreasing visibility, and the looming spectre of being...

The Glass Cliff describes a well-documented pattern in leadership appointments: women are more likely to be promoted into senior roles during periods of crisis, instability, or high risk, when the chance of failure is already elevated. In this episode of Lead to Soar , Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern explain what the Glass Cliff is, where the concept comes from, and why it continues to shape wome...

Mel and Michelle discuss how some powerful leaders are demanding that people return to the office now that the global pandemic is over. We shine a light on what we think are outdated views and leadership philosophies, and provide advice to leaders about the risks of mandating that team members are shackled to the office. Leave a comment If this episode was useful, there are three simple ways to go...

Traditional goal-setting advice is built around achievement, optimisation, and constant striving. But what if that model is part of the problem, especially for women navigating complex systems that were not designed with them in mind? In this episode of Lead to Soar , Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern are joined by Tara McMullin , author of What Works , to discuss a fundamentally different approach...

Women are rewarded for being responsive, available, and endlessly capable. Reflection rarely makes the list. Yet the absence of reflection is one of the reasons so many women find themselves overextended, misaligned, or stuck in roles that don’t actually advance their careers. In this episode of Lead to Soar , Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern make the case for reflective practice as a critical car...

Bonnie Marcus  is an executive coach and speaker. Her mission is to help women proudly own their talent and ambition. She is the author of two books,  The Politics of Promotion , and  Not Done Yet!: How Women Over 50 Regain Their Confidence and Claim Workplace Power . In this episode, Bonnie joins us for a discussion on her first book, The Politics of Promotion, which is all about how women can na...

How does she do it? Do you know what strategy is? Do you know why the strategy is set? Do you know why boards are interested in strategy? Can you describe the relationship between strategy and business outcomes? Being able to answer all these questions means you're likely to have strategic acumen. In this episode,  Helga Svendsen FAICD  and Michelle Redfern discuss Helga's experience from both sid...

This milestone episode marks 100 episodes of the Lead to Soar podcast and offers a candid reflection on what we’ve learned about women, work, leadership, and power. Michelle Redfern and Mel Butcher are joined by Lead to Soar Network co-hosts Amal Yusuf and Susan Colantuono to reflect on the themes that have shaped the podcast so far and the advice women actually need if they want to progress in sy...

If this episode was useful, there are three simple ways to go further: Subscribe on Substack This is now the home of the Lead to Soar podcast. Subscribers get new episodes, curated guidance from the back catalogue, and written insights to help you navigate leadership and career decisions with sound judgement. Explore the Lead to Soar Network Lead to Soar is a leadership development network for amb...

In this episode, Michelle Redfern is joined by Melanie Ho , author of Beyond Leaning In , for a grounded, unsentimental conversation about why decades of advice telling women to adapt, hustle harder, or fix themselves has failed. Melanie shares the thinking behind her book and her work as a visual storytelling artist, which centres women’s lived experience at work rather than corporate myth-making...

Do you hesitate before speaking up at work because you’re unsure how it will land? Do “unwritten rules” seem to apply differently to women? Does the culture quietly punish honesty, boundaries, or ambition? If this feels familiar, the issue may not be you. It may be the workplace. In this solo episode, Michelle Redfern outlines five clear, recurring signs that a workplace is not working for women....

“Menopausal women are the fastest-growing workforce demographic.” (Office for National Statistics, UK) Yet most workplaces are still designed as if this reality does not exist. In this episode, Michelle Redfern is joined by Natalie Moore , workplace wellbeing expert and Lead to Soar member, to examine what menopause and perimenopause actually mean for women at work—and what leaders must do differe...

Women are often praised for being loyal at work. Loyal to their team. Loyal to their manager. Loyal to the organisation. But loyalty is not a neutral virtue in career progression, and for women, it is frequently misunderstood, misused, and unrewarded. In this episode, Mel Butcher and Michelle Redfern examine how loyalty operates differently in men’s and women’s careers, and why staying put, stayin...

Hiring is one of the most misunderstood and poorly executed processes in organisations, and women pay a disproportionate price for it. In this episode, Mel Butcher is joined by Barbara Bruno, recruitment expert and founder of Good as Gold Training, for a clear-eyed conversation about how recruiting actually works, what leaders consistently get wrong, and how women can position themselves more stra...

In this episode of Lead to Soar , Michelle Redfern and Mel Butcher are joined by board director Marlene Elliott for a grounded conversation about power, credibility, and what actually matters in senior leadership and boardroom environments. Marlene shares her perspective on a pattern many women experience but rarely name: the pressure to be agreeable, likeable, or “the cool kid,” even in settings...