Most of us would like to think of ourselves as high performers. Yet we can often have the wrong idea about what performance means. Work is not performance. Performance is not activity. Being busy is not performance. Performance is not the amount of activity, and just being smart is not performance either. True performance is

Last year, we launched a podcast ‘Finding Your EPIC®’ to complement our Elevate programme, which has supported emerging female leaders for eight years. The podcast’s goal was for senior women to share the moments they discovered their superpowers. These stories were meant to inspire other women to tap into their own strengths and use them effectively

In the realm of corporate career advancement, women often find themselves lagging behind their male counterparts. Among the various explanations offered for this phenomenon, one frequently cited reason is the supposed lack of confidence among women. In my 15 years of coaching senior women, I’ve encountered numerous instances where women have been criticised for actions

In our day-to-day lives, we are mainly engaged in two fundamental activities: problem-solving and collaborating with others. The latter presents a challenge that permeates every level of an organisation. According to a recent McKinsey survey involving 100 CEOs, senior-level executives struggle with effectively engaging with their board members and establishing connections with stakeholders. Meanwhile, for

Approximately a decade ago, Hewlett-Packard conducted an internal study revealing that men tend to apply for a job when they meet approximately 60% of the qualifications, whereas women typically apply only if they meet 100% of the requirements1. This statistic was widely circulated, leading to the conclusion that women need to have more confidence in

When I started my investment banking career in the early 90s, I participated in a six-week graduate course in New York, where approximately 100 graduates from around the world underwent extensive and rigorous training. Interestingly, not a single hour of the programme was dedicated to what has since been referred to as ‘soft’ skills and

By Jacqueline Frost with Jane Karczewki In this week’s episode of Finding Your EPIC, host Jacqueline Frost sits down with Jane Karczewki, Head of Investor’s Business Development at Societe Generale. With a career spanning 30 years in banking, Jane’s journey is nothing short of epic. They discuss agility, adaptability, visibility and navigating career choices. For

By Jacqueline Frost with Emma McGinty In the last episode of Finding Your EPIC, in 2023, host Jacqueline Frost sits down with Emma McGinty, Strategic Partnerships Lead at Google. They discuss Emma’s superpower, why success has nothing to do with luck, and a simple way we can all develop more resilience.  For the full conversation,

As we wrap up the Truly Effective series with a focus on leadership, a key question emerges: What skill must we hone to become truly effective leaders?  Think about this: a significant portion of our daily tasks can be put into two main areas. Firstly, we are consistently engaged in problem-solving. Whether it’s devising innovative

By Jacqueline Frost with Ghenwa Habbal In this week’s episode of Finding Your EPIC, host Jacqueline Frost sits down with Ghenwa Habbal, author, coach, and Regional Talent Management Lead at Ford Middle East & Africa. They discuss overcoming adversity, the importance of self love and critical thinking, and finding inspiration from people around us. For

By Jacqueline Frost with Natasha Berry In this week’s episode of Finding Your EPIC, host Jacqueline Frost sits down with Natasha Berry, Vice President, Global Inclusive Culture, Diversity, and Equity at Smith+Nephew. They discuss how we can overcome imposter syndrome and self-doubt, the relationship between performance and self-confidence, and the importance of surrounding ourselves with

In both professional and personal spheres, the ability to persuade effectively is critical. Many individuals mistakenly believe that the success of their ideas depends solely on the quality of the idea itself, but in reality, persuasion is a complex process. When their ideas are met with less enthusiasm than expected, it’s easy to jump to