The Fulfilled Leader with Jean Balfour

After 30 years of consulting to organisations, developing leaders and coaching - there are a few core beliefs Jean has come to believe about what makes for a happy and successful working life. In this episode she introduces her top 11 ways to think about work to create a fulfilling work life.  You can contact Jean via LinkedIn to share the beliefs you hold about how to be happy and successful at w...

There is so much talk about how we should be authentic at work at the moment. But what if we don’t want to be? And what if being authentic is not the right thing to do? Jean Balfour shares in this podcast how it is important to ‘bring ourselves to work’ - however, sometimes it may be better for us to not share all, to be less vulnerable and to manage our authenticity to match our context.  Listen...

What contributes to workplace happiness? How does compassionate leadership enhance team communication and clarity? How can team members proactively give feedback and uphold accountability for our growth and commitments? Tune in to our episode of "Making Sense of Work" featuring Helen Sanderson, a renowned consultant and coach in well-being and self-management as she discusses various app...

Each of us is on our path to achieving whatever we want to achieve, Inherently, we yearn for someone who holds unwavering belief in our capabilities. And employees can easily sense if their leader is invested in them. People want to be in a place where their leader believes that they can change, that they can evolve, and that they can grow.  Join us for an enlightening episode of "The Impact...

Ever found yourself being unkind to yourself because of perfectionism? The endless self-criticism and worry and overthinking, tied to perfectionism only waste our precious time and energy. And may stop us from brining our best at work. In this episode, Jean Balfour will be revealing some effective strategies we can embrace to conquer this destructive perfectionistic mindset. Book recommendation: T...

Do you dream of pursuing a completely different career path but fear of taking the leap? Join us this week on "Making Sense of Work" as we sit down with Vanessa Teo, Director of Strategy Planning (Commercial) at AbbVie.  Vanessa's journey is a tale of bold career moves, as she transitioned from HR to the commercial side of the industry.  Discover how Vanessa's unique perspectiv...

Are you a people pleaser? Many people feel that they are better off keeping others happy - but it can have an impact on us in the long run. People pleasers bring big strengths to work - often being people who can bring harmony to situations and being a great team player.  But this can often happen at their own expense. In this podcast Jean defines how she sees people pleasing and offers practical...

What part of work gives you the most energy and zest for life?  From meaningful connections, mentoring students, and the thrill of tackling challenging projects, explore the diverse dimensions of work that fill you with boundless energy. In this episode of Making Sense of Work, be inspired by Ronald Tay, Talent & Diversity Leader and adjunct lecturer at Singapore Management University as he ex...

It can be really hard to do today the things that will help us to create our Future Self. In this episode Jean shares recent insights she's had into how we can create our Future Selves and Follow our Bliss today - making it more likely that we will achieve our  goals and dreams of the future. Jean Balfour IG: @jean.balfour LI: @jeanbalfour Your Future Self - Hal Hershfield - https://www.halhe...

There are currently five generations in the workplace. How do we make it work? How can we tune into the issues facing organisations and work effectively together? In our latest episode of Making Sense of Work, join Vivek Iyyani, a renowned Millennial Specialist and Keynote Speaker at Millennial Minds as he sheds light on how leaders can harmonise the five diverse generations in today's workpl...

To truly change the culture at a workplace, we must embark on an inner journey of self-transformation, and mindfulness. As the saying goes, "If you want to change the world, first change yourself." But how can we cultivate self-kindness, self-compassion, and self-empathetic awareness so that these qualities can radiate toward others? In order for empathy to flow from the top down, it is...

Don't miss the newest episode of Making Sense of Work, featuring Lipika Subbiah, Global Coaching Enablement Lead at LinkedIn's Center of Excellence and a certified ICF coach. She provides valuable insights into the transformative effects of building a coaching culture from the ground up.  Jean and Lipika discuss:  The impact of coaching culture within LinkedIn  How current research shows...

Have you ever struggled with your emotions at work? In our uber analytical organisations welcoming emotions can feel very risky. The challenge is that for all of us emotions are a normal part of our lived experience - including our working experience. In this episode Jean provides perspectives on how to welcome our emotions and see them as a valuable tool.  Susan David  - https://www.susandavid.co...

We have a unique opportunity to coach and mentor our children toward success, happiness, and personal growth. Tune in to the latest episode of Making Sense of Work as Chris Avis, Educational Psychologist and Faculty member of Bailey Balfour delve into techniques, and insights that can empower you to become an effective parental coach.  Meet Chris Avis Chris studied psychology at Bristol University...

What is your approach to learning something new? Are you able to adopt a growth mindset and approach it with excitement and opportunity? Or do you see it as a challenge which feels too difficult? In the latest episode of Making Sense of Work, Jean shares the idea behind a Growth Mindset and how to build one. Book recommendation : Mindset - Carol Dweck https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Caro...

How do we navigate change in a way that's good for people? Tune in to the latest episode of Making Sense of Work as Uen-Li, Downstream Chief of Staff at Shell, reveals creative approaches for coping with uncertainty within large organisations.  Jean and Uen-Li discuss:  Strategies for leading through change The intersection of creativity and working in an engineering company Gaining global re...

Have you noticed yourself feeling a bit afraid recently or perhaps worrying more or generally being really affected by the doom and gloom news that we are surrounded by in our media? In this episode of making sense of work, Jean shares ideas for how we can overcome the paralysis that fear brings and move towards courage and calm.  You can find the 4-fold breathing meditation with Danielle Van de V...

How well do you perform under pressure? Join Mylène Baxter, executive coach and equestrian psychologist in this latest episode of Making Sense of Work.  She shares psychological commonalities between competitive horseback riding and leadership in the workplace and also the factors that affect one’s confidence, motivation, and capacity to perform effectively when confronted with pressure.   Jean an...

You are not alone if you are struggling with workplace-related anxiety and stress. In this episode, Nick Jonsson, author of "Executive Loneliness: The 5 Pathways To Overcoming Isolation, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression," discusses the widespread issue of workplace-driven anxiety and stress.  He shares his personal experience with anxiety and addiction and advocates for health strategies...

Networking - Some people go “bring it on” but many people shrink and hope the whole concept goes away.  However, networking is an important aspect of personal and professional growth if we approach it the right way.  When we view networking as a way to serve others, rather than focusing solely on ourselves, it becomes more meaningful. True networking is not based on greed but on generosity. Real n...

Have you ever been fascinated by human behavior and pondered over the challenges people face, and how you can genuinely support them, witness positive changes in their lives, and make a difference?  Meet Carole Lewis - an Executive Communications Coach and Bailey Balfour's faculty trainer. In this episode, she shares her passion for coaching, from her journey of starting from scratch, and rel...

When do you get your best work done? There are some who argue that, in order to succeed in today's economy, we must possess the ability to produce elite level work quickly and efficiently. Others suggest that it's important to recognize when we're feeling overwhelmed and to prioritize mindful work during designated periods. In this particular episode, Jean Balfour offers her perspec...

What is the true meaning of "reinvent"? How can we shift our perspective to view career displacement as a positive opportunity? What steps can we take to cultivate fulfilling careers? Join Adeline Tiah, Business Executive, Leadership & REINVENT Coach, Author, and Lecturer in the latest episode of Making Sense of work. Jean and Adeline discuss:  When do we need to take risks in our ca...

Resilience isn't just about persevering until we reach our breaking point. Sometimes, it's about taking a break and incorporating enjoyable activities, then it can be the perfect way to enhance our resilience. Join Imogen Maresch, speaker, coach, and faculty member of Bailey Balfour's Certification programme in the latest episode of Making Sense of work.  Jean and Imogen discuss:  W...

Leading a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant challenge for many leaders. By prioritizing relationships and creating a supportive workplace culture, Mairead McCormick has demonstrated her commitment to effective leadership during these challenging times.  Join Mairead McCormick, the CEO of Kent Community Health, NHS in the latest episode of Making Sense of work.  Jean and...