#KatieTalks

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

How To Have More Energy
This is the first in a 6 part series looking at various facets of wellness.  It's a topic that has come up in conversation on a number of my recent podcasts and feedback suggests that people don't feel especially comfortable talking about it at work.  So we're doing just that! 
First in the series is a fascinating conversation with Sean Hall whom you may well know from his Tedx talk about How To Have More Energy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPp6RovIvxs
 
Sean is the Founder of Energx.  This is one of the most inspiring conversations that I've had this year and I talk to lots of interesting people!  You'll learn what life hacking is and how very easily you can increase your energy 30%.  I challenge you to introduce me to a person who doesn't find that appealing.
 
Sean talks us through the energy crisis indicators including:
·        A lack of meaning in what we're doing, or a lack of purpose
·        Feeling overwhelmed
·        Negative self-talk
·        Waking up tired
·        Emotional regulation, being stressed and irritated at little things
·        Feeling disconnected, lonely, isolated
 
More importantly we talk about solutions to these issues.  This is a long listen but I promise it's worth the time.

This episode is an interview with Rob Steers, Head of Digital and Partner at Step Change. Any conversation with Rob is interesting and I come away a bit smarter, this one is no exception.
 
Some of our topics include:
·        The blurring of personal and professional lives (and why this is a good thing)
·        Increasing transparency in terms of where money is coming from on social media
·        Evolving personal control over how owns your data and content
·        Rob's predictions about blockchain facilitating what we're doing on social media

Mat Dunckley, National Business Editor The Age and Sydney Morning Herald is in the podcast studio with me this week.  This is a really interesting, far reaching conversation with somebody who plays a large role in shaping Australia's business news.  Topics include:
 
·        Global regulators looking at social media giants
·        Gender imbalance in the media and whether enough is done to improve the ledger
·        Consciously try to even the ledger
·        Mistakes that corporates and C Suite make when dealing with the media
·        The fact that about half his team are women, they write roughly half the stories and receive more than half traffic online
·        Some funny anecdotes from press conferences including Tony Blair + Julia Gillard
 
This is a long one, but Mat has a lot to say and it's worth the investment in time!

An inspiring and high energy start to the week releasing a podcast with the delightful and clever Katherine Mountford.  We discussed a number of topics and observations on business including career building and a favourite of mine, authenticity.

Are you a leader or professional  yearning to increase your influence, learn how to do it in 90 minutes a week?
Influencer and social oracle Amanda Gome is trusted by Australia's biggest corporates and organisations to transform their communications focusing on digital and social media.  This CEO of Notable Media and former Head of Digital and Social at ANZ Bank shares frank tips and advice.
If you're serious about business, this is not to be missed wisdom.

Welcome back to #KatieTalks for 2019.  There are heaps of great interviews in store for you this year, but to get started is an interview that will make you sit back and think about whether you really are committed to developing great relationships with colleagues and clients.
Senior Deloitte Partner Grant Hyde talks about two interesting themes, developing seriously incredible client service and authentic team leadership.  I have long been inspired by Grant's different and honed approach to building relationships, prepare to challenge your thinking.
Later in the episode we get into Grant's other true passion - his son's music pursuits and band #Syde.  But before that prepare for some really interesting content.
Thanks for listening, if you enjoy the episode please subscribe, write an awesome review (which helps other clever readers find our thought provoking content with a twist) on iTunes and tell your people about us.

This week's podcast is with digital and social oracle Bec Dyce.
We explore a range of topics including how social companies are responding to issues surrounding fake news as well as some of the reasons that Bec has chosen a career that focuses on social. I learn something every time that I speak with Bec, you're going to really enjoy this discussion.
Fully disclosure, this podcast series has benefited from the deep expertise of my friend and colleague Bec.