#KatieTalks

In this Covid19 period of significant change, how we work and connect with each other, both within and outside our organisations, is critical to the success of the strategy. 
 
My guest today is Jon Burgess a thought leader in people advocacy and collaboration.  Jon is also a guest lecturer at Harvard Business School.  This podcast is a conversation about connectedness.  Jon's great passion is helping leaders and organisations to develop and maintain a competitive advantage through a deeper approach to relationship building. 
 
Since the world and business landscape have changed so dramatically, Jon has been engaged by organisations globally, who have started reinvesting in greater connectivity during, for post COVID, both within and outside their organisation.
 
Our podcast includes some additional expertise from Deloitte chairperson Tom Imbesi and Senior Deloitte Partner Grant Hyde. 
 
Grant. Partner Deloitte.         https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/profiles/grant-hyde.html 
Tom. Chairman Deloitte.       
https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/profiles/tom-imbesi.html
Jon. Founder, Kwan              
https://www.kwan.com.au/people
 
 
We examine blind spots and how an organisation determines that their leaders and teams have the connectedness required, with relevant people around them to deliver on the organisation’s strategy.
 
Katie Talks is hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on Twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.
 
Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

My guest today is Richard Yetsenga Chief Economist and Head of Research at ANZ Bank.  This was always going to be interesting, throw into the mix a slightly tumultuous global pandemic and voila you have a great conversation.
We discuss Richard’s approach* to using Twitter in terms of the way that he publishes and influences dialogue. It was also interesting to hear that Twitter has been a key source of information for him as Covid19 evolves at a rapid pace. Central to this discussion is the importance of trustworthy content and we talk in detail about this critical issue. 
The ability to stay informed about news across the globe is vital for Richard and it’s always interesting to hear how influential time poor people do this. We discuss ‘reading aggressively’ and his go to publications.
We also talk about the fact the Alanis Morissette has a lot to answer following a study that Richard describes which charts song lyrics from the 1990s to now show a steady move from focus on love to more around hate. Isn’t it ironic?! 
Katie Talks is hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on Twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.
*You can follow Richard at @ricyet.
 
Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

My guest today is Bronwyn Bate - CEO and Founder of Mettle Women, a social entrepreneur turning empathy into action.   This is a remarkable influencer story.  As a (former) court reporter Bronwyn met lots of inspiring women but realised that when domestic violence victims don't have financial independence, 52% who have escaped dangerous situations return to the system. 
Bronwyn made good use of her communications background and recognised that an important mechanism for success would be to get women into work.  And so harnessing the power of a conscious consumer, she founded Mettle Women Inc a social enterprise which creates sustainable employment paths for survivors of domestic and family violence. 
I came across Mettle on Twitter in the lead up to Christmas and loved the concept, including the fact that many of their products are made by small local Western Australian organisations.
The ingenuity of Mettle Gifts has been recognised by Marie Claire magazine, whose April Australian edition will feature Bronwyn and her team.  You can read more and shop at https://www.mettlegifts.com/
Katie Talks is hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.
 
Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

Katie Talks is back for 2020 and my first guest is an interesting one.  Graeme Bowman is well known as a keynote speaker, writer, corporate comedian and hoax speaker.  Graeme uses his 34 years' experience in the arts to raise consciousness around the ways that systematic patriarchy plays out within male dominated organisations. 
You may wonder what a self-professed 'old straight white male' can do about this. I did too, listen for some fresh perspectives.
Hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.
 
Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

This episode of #KatieTalks is an interview with organisational psychologist, aka Cultural Change Whisperer, Board Capability advisor and beekeeper Stella Voules.
 
If you're interested in culture this is the podcast for you.
 
We cover a range of fascinating topics including the way that leadership has evolved over the last decade, with a significant increase in access (to leaders) and transparency.  Stella talks about how this started in Silicon Valley with a firm antiestablishment movement which can be witnessed well beyond the corporate world.  We talk about how this as created a shift in power dynamics, with employees having more of a voice than ever before.We explore the opportunities in all this for leaders and employers, citing Edelman Trust Barometer findings that people trust their employer much more than government or the media. 
 
We hear why Stella is such a big fan of futurists and about highly innovative organisations that employ them, without a position description and give them three months to explore the organisation and determine where they can have the most impact!
 
Another interesting topic is why when founding JOST, Stella and her business partner ignored advice that they appoint one CEO rather than both act as co-CEO, and why this is proving to be a highly successful approach.
 
Hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on twitter or Katie@bennett-stenton.com.
 
Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

This episode of #KatieTalks delves into some interesting themes with Recruiter, Coach and Professional Services Trainer Katherine Mountford, including how pivotal LinkedIn should be in building one's personal brand and eminence.  We build on this theme exploring a recent blog that Katherine wrote after she interviewed a senior leader who said that they 'don't do digital'.  It elicited some pretty strong feedback on both sides,
Katherine has a number of tips (six in fact) for professionals looking to move from one industry to another which is something that this interviewer recently did.
We also explore the concept of a balanced life and Katherine talks us through her personal check list to manage energy levels and the demands of a new consultancy with her many other passions.
This is an upbeat, interesting listen and you'll be sure to finish feeling ready to incorporate a few clever tips into the way that you work. 
Hosted by Katie Bennett-Stenton, who you can find at @KatiebMarketing on twitter or katie@bennett-stenton.com.
Disclaimer this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.

On this episode of #KatieTalks is story teller and content maestro Neil Glaser. 
We are living in an era when business is firmly changing its approach to creating content.  We are embracing a move away from enormous reports that senior leaders don't have time to read and embracing shorter, bite sized snackable, easy to consume.  In this new more client centric world I couldn't think of a better person to interview than Deloitte's Head of Editorial, industry speaker and former serial co-collaborator Neil Glaser.  
Neil shares his top five tips for creating compelling content that will help you to improve your own writing, in whatever form that takes.  He also shares some interesting statistics including the fact that poor business writing costs around $400 billion dollar per annum.
My favourite tip (a difficult choice) was to make every word count, Neil tells us that writers often have compulsion towards very lengthy content.  This was superbly illustrated by our narrator who tells of a bet that Ernest Hemmingway's friends placed as to who could write a cutting story in only 6 words:
For sale, baby shoes, never worn. 
You won’t be surprised to hear that Mr Hemmingway won.
Disclaimer, this podcast is a personal project, not associated with my professional role.
You can contact me at Katie@bennett-stenton.com or @Katiebmarketing on twitter

This episode of Katie Talks is an interview with Megumi Miki, Founder of Quietly Powerful + Author, Speaker and Facilitator in Leadership/Culture/Diversity. 
Creating context for this interview is a quote from the current MI6 chief who revealed that he searches specifically for recruits who do not shout loud and show off but who have had to fight to get on in life. 
The title of Megumi's first book is 'Start Inspiring, Stop Driving' and this is a fascinating conversation about a move from an extended consulting project, existing on two or three hours of sleep a night and having a client who was early starter with 6.30am meetings.  Megumi talks me through her evolution from there through to being a sought after, highly influential presenter and consultant. 
This conversation includes a number of lessons learned around running one's life based on other people's expectations and maintaining passion and connecting with other people. 
I greatly enjoyed our conversation and I'm confident that you will too. 
You can contact me at Katie@bennett-stenton.com or @Katiebmarketing on twitter 

On this episode of #KatieTalks is the formidable Emily Bates - Marketing Director | CMO |Visionary Leader Brand Specialist | CXO and Non-Executive Director.
I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with a fellow marketer and it confirmed that doing the Australian Institute of Company Director course is something that  I will do.  Emily spoke about the tremendous amount of value that marketers can contribute to a board.  We brings customer centric thinking and help to ensure better outcomes by keeping customers at the centre of decision making.
Don't be satisfied with average - think really big and then make it happen.  What could we possibly do that would make it awesome!
Emily shares the Best piece of (business) advice that she ever received which was from creative maestro Todd Sampson.  This stresses the importance of crafting a problem statement before you even think about the creative solution and has deeply informed her career.
We also discuss Emily's work on the board of Dress for Success, empowering many women with interview clothing and employment workshops and supporting them to provide for their families.   They are also in need of more corporate sponsors if any listeners are in a position to help.
 
You can contact me at Katie@bennett-stenton.com or @Katiebmarketing on twitter

On this episode of #KatieTalks is Andy Evans, reformed lawyer and CEO of Star of the South, Australia’s first offshore wind farm, which is being proposed off the south coast of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia.  If successful the project will provide  18% of Victoria's power.
Andy is incredibly frank about his grappling with the fact that his career was not fulfilling him and the steps that he took to create a professional focus that was much more purposeful - which includes combining renewable energy and wine!
We also talk about how enriching to relationships it can be if you  share your vulnerability and the fact that people bond with you if you are authentic on this front.
Andy also shares a very personal story from when he lost his Dad at a young age and a friend's father shared something with him that continues to inspire him regularly.
You can contact me at Katie@bennett-stenton.com or @Katiebmarketing on twitter

On this episode of #KatieTalks is the highly esteemed Natasha Norton.  Natasha is CEO of Accuteque, NED, Diversity Champion, Sports Tragic, Australian LGBTI Awards Finalist and Telstra Business Womens' Awards Finalist.
 
We cover a lot of interesting topics including the enormous benefits of diversity in all its forms, why sometimes being a good leader is about pushing your team forward to take charge and the how important it is to operate outside your comfort zone.
 
We also discuss Soul Machines* a venture set up by an Academy Award winner to create a more human experience with machines.  I found our conversation about the founder's move from Hollywood to the corporate world to be fascinating.
 
I was surprised to learn that Natasha is an introvert, she shares some great suggestions on walking into a large room for people she doesn't know. 
 
You can contact me at Katie@bennett-stenton.com or @Katiebmarketing on twitter
 
*Note Natasha is not associated with Soul Machines, merely really interested

This week I interview one of my favourite Deloitte partners, Vera Ou-Young.  Vera is the  National Leader of the Deloitte Chinese Services Group which has responsibility for facilitating strong relationships with clients who work across both Australia and China. 
Vera speaks seven (!) languages and shares some interesting thoughts about creating legacy and why mentoring the next generations of leaders, especially women is so important to her.
My favourite part of this interview is Vera sharing some of the ways that she maintains a strong mindset, including the fact that she has a fortnightly routine of picking out and celebrating a success.  Listen in to hear the full story, it's fantastic.
You can contact me at Katie@bennett-stenton.com