Refreshing Leadership with Maya - Career, Leadership & Life Design

Personal relationships rarely make it onto a leadership development programme. And yet, as Maya sees regularly in her coaching work, what's happening at home has a profound impact on what's happening at work. In this episode - the first of two conversations - Maya is joined by executive relationship strategist Katarina Polonska to explore the relationships outside work that shape so much o...

As we reach the midpoint of the year, Maya shares her end-of-June review - a series of personal reflection questions designed to help you recalibrate before the second half of the year begins. Maya works through the questions throughout the episode, reflecting on what's gone well, what she worried about that turned out not to matter, and what she wants the rest of the year to look like. You’ll...

You might already be pretty good when it comes to your food habits. But do you know what's actually working - and what could give them a refresh without a huge amount of extra effort? In part two of this conversation with Adam Kingl, co-author of Executive Eats: The Cookbook for a Better Working Life, Maya and Adam get into the practicalities. Whether you're in the office, working from hom...

What if food could do more than just fuel you - what if it could change how effective your leadership is? Adam Kingl joins Maya to talk about his new book, Executive Eats: The Cookbook for a Better Working Life - a first in the cookbook world. It speaks to something both Maya and Adam encounter regularly in their work with leaders: not enough energy, focus that isn't where it needs to be, and...

Organisations all over the world are having the same conversation right now - ‘how do we use AI fast enough to stay competitive without creating complete chaos?’ In this second conversation with AI governance and cybersecurity expert Dr Adeel Shaikh Muhammad, Maya explores the risks that leaders and teams are underestimating and discusses whether we should be wary or optimistic about the future of...

AI is provoking all sorts of reactions right now - fear, excitement, overwhelm, scepticism. But Maya argues we're asking the wrong questions. Instead of debating whether AI is good or bad, what if we asked what excellent actually looks like? In this episode - the first of two conversations - Maya is joined by AI governance and cybersecurity expert Dr Adeel Shaikh Muhammad. Together they explor...

What do you do when you’re putting effort into a meaningful goal, but there’s no visible sign that anything is happening? If you’re in the ‘messy middle’ phase of a career change, business journey, fitness goal, or personal transformation, this episode from Maya Gudka will help you to stay committed to your goals when progress feels invisible and motivation dips.  You’ll discover / learn: Why SMAR...

We've all experienced the never-ending to-do list that keeps you busy - too busy to dedicate time to the needle-moving, strategic work.  In this episode, Maya shares four practical ways to declutter your work to-do list, drawing on what has actually worked for her clients inside organisations. If you’re a reliable high achiever who consistently delivers on everything asked of you - this episod...

We've all been in that meeting where one person dominates the conversation and you can feel the rest of the group disengaging - but nobody quite knows how to interrupt. A listener wrote in asking exactly how to handle this, particularly when hierarchy is involved. In this episode, Maya walks through a set of practical tools, from setting things up before the meeting begins, to what to actually...

We know that goals can create focus, momentum and progress. But what happens when that same focus starts to narrow your thinking or drain your energy? Rather than pushing harder or resetting everything, Maya explores a different approach - stepping back just enough to reconnect with your goals in a way that refreshes you. Ambition isn’t abandoned - instead you’ll hear when to ease off, when to rel...

We know that our physical environment influences our focus, productivity and energy. Our subconscious is constantly responding to our environment, even when we don’t actively realise. But what are the easiest and most doable steps we can take to improve our current set up? Rather than simply discussing a list of nice-to-haves, Maya shares a real, honest “scorecard” of what she’s actually implement...

When you look at your calendar for the week ahead, do you feel energised or overwhelmed? For many high achievers, the calendar becomes something they react to rather than something they design, And even before the week begins, it can often feel like it’s already out of your control. In this episode Maya  introduces a powerful concept: Calendar Architecture. A strategic way of structuring your time...

If you asked what the easiest way is to “have it all”, the answer in this episode might surprise you. It’s not working harder. It’s not better organisation. It’s fierce prioritisation. In this episode Maya explores the mindset shift that allows high achievers to focus their energy on the work that truly matters, without increasing their workload. While organisation helps create structure, prioriti...

If you’ve ever felt stuck between career options, overwhelmed by demands, or unsure which opportunities to pursue, this episode will help you zoom out and see the bigger picture. Most ambitious professionals think about the next promotion, the next role, or the next opportunity. But what if the real breakthrough comes from thinking much further ahead? In this episode Maya shares a powerful framewo...

“Work-life balance” is one of the most overused phrases in modern careers. Instead of treating balance as something you stumble across on a good week, this episode shows how to design it intentionally through structure, support, and mindset. In this episode, Maya breaks down the systematic building blocks behind real work-life balance, and why surface-level advice like “set boundaries” or “switch...

As we move into the second quarter of the year, it’s a powerful moment to pause and ask: What is actually working? And what might need to change? In this episode Maya reflects on a theme that emerged during the first quarter of the year: the difference between build phases and optimisation phases in both careers and life. Many high achievers spend years in build mode,  launching projects, changing...

Feeling overworked, undervalued, or like you’re constantly firefighting? You’re not alone and it’s not about ambition or poor time management. In this episode, Maya breaks down three hidden reasons high achievers get overloaded: weak or unspoken boundaries, over-investing in effort while under-investing in visibility and influence, and operating without a clear personal vision (so you default to e...

In Part 2 of this conversation with Shirley Phillips from House of Colour , we move beyond colour palettes and into something deeper: How your wardrobe supports leadership transitions, authority, authenticity — and promotion. This episode explores how visual presence shapes perception in the workplace, particularly during: promotions, career pivots, returning from leave and navigating underreprese...

Most high achievers obsess over performance, delivery, and strategic thinking. But what about the visual signal you send before you even speak? In this episode, Maya sits down with Shirley Phillips of House of Colour to explore how colour analysis and personal style influence confidence, credibility, and executive presence. It’s about identity. It’s about leadership. And it’s about showing up as t...

What if the problem isn’t how much you spend, but where you spend it? In this episode, Maya introduces the concept of Money Dials, a powerful framework popularised by Ramit Sethi, and explores how it can help high achievers spend with confidence, clarity, and intention . Rather than obsessing over budgets or cutting back everywhere, Money Dials help you identify the specific areas of life where sp...

Many high achievers are quietly working towards financial independence, whether they call it FIRE or not. But what happens when the goal becomes escaping work rather than designing a life you actually want to live? In this episode Maya breaks down the FIRE movement (Financial Independence, Retire Early) in a clear, grounded way without hype, extremes, or unrealistic assumptions. We explore what FI...

Do morning routines really work if you’re not naturally disciplined, consistent, or living a perfectly predictable life? In this episode Maya Gudka answers a listener question that captures why so many high achievers opt out of morning routines altogether and shows you a flexible, realistic alternative. Rather than rigid schedules or 5am starts, Maya explains how to design mornings around a few hi...

By February, the shine of New Year goals has usually worn off. Some things are working. Some things aren’t. And this is the moment where many high achievers either compound progress, or slowly disengage, telling themselves “it’s not working” or “I’m not working.” In this episode Maya Gudka explains why February is one of the most powerful months of the year for progress, and why this is the perfec...

If your iPhone camera roll feels overwhelming — too many screenshots, duplicate photos, long videos, and thousands of images you never look at — this episode is for you. In this episode, Maya shares a simple January routine for decluttering photos on your iPhone: a 5-minute daily photo delete habit that makes steady progress without turning into a huge digital clear-out. This isn’t organising for...

January is career-planning season and this year, those conversations are more urgent than ever. In this episode, Maya Gudka shares the three career strategies she is discussing most frequently with her clients right now, particularly in light of growing uncertainty around AI, automation, and the future of knowledge work. What You’ll Learn How to spot the parts of your work that energise you most W...