Let's Talk Leadership with Banangkur: Recent Episodes
Banangkur Mustafa
In producing this podcast, I always look for women leaders who have an inspiring leadership story to tell – and for us all to learn from.
As you might have gathered if you’re a regular listener, I’ve had the pleasure of talking to many who are Certified Masters of The Leadership Challenge. In fact, my first guest was fellow-Canadian and Certified Master, Kelly Ann McKnight.
Today I’m so pleased to be talking to another Certified Master, Brittney Majka.
Brittney is taking her expertise as a Certified Master to a whole new and exciting level. She has recently begun her PhD research focused on two areas I’m passionate about. The first of these is of course leadership. And the second is parenting.
Of course, parents are leaders ! I’m excited to learn how she’s making the connection between The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership – and parenting. And this becomes her PhD thesis.
Even if you’re not a parent – or a woman - I’m sure you’re going to enjoy this important conversation on parenting and leadership. LEADSEWRSHIP
Let’s go to Texas today !
And let’s talk to Meredith Garcia who is developing 3,000 leaders.
Well, not all by herself – at least, I don't think so.
Meredith had a solid corporate career and then successfully ran her own business for a number of years.
But the attraction of an offer to return to work in a large state government authority in her home state of Texas – and developing leaders - was an offer she couldn’t refuse.
Three thousand ? I want to find out how she did that !
So let’s talk to Meredith
Let’s talk about love.
Jim Kouzes, the co-author of The Leadership Challenge, signs his emails ‘Love ‘em and lead em’.
Helena Clayton is my special guest today. So why the reference to Jim Kouzes and ‘Love ‘em and lead ‘em ? ?
Helena is UK-based and has developed leaders for some of the UK’s largest companies for well over 25 years, delivering leadership programs and leadership coaching.
Now in all that time she must have impacted thousands of leaders.
Oh – so where does love come in ? Helena believes in the power of love in leadership.
And I want to know more !
So let’s talk leadership - and love - with Helena Clayton.
My guest this week has just received an award for 30 years service in the Department of Social Service in the state of Texas.
More specifically, her work has been in the critically important area of Protective Services.
Lawandra Smith is passionate about developing leaders who work in this area of government helping families and people at risk.
So passionate is she that two years ago she became a Certified Master of The Leadership Challenge to be able to take her development of others to another level.
And her passion and sense of purpose drove out of early retirement to continue to make a difference on the department she loves.
I'm so pleased to introduce Lawandra Smith
I’m really excited to be starting my podcast journey for 2024 with a woman who I think is truly remarkable.
The role that she has, literally impacts on the lives and more specifically the health of just over 6 million people.
Dr Heidi Miller is the Chief Medical Officer for the state of Missouri …. in the US, of course. The CMO of any state or government has to manage the multiple interests and pressures which come from so many - from government, to all the states healthcare practitioners and organizations, pharmaceutical companies and of course her primary clients, the citizens of Missouri. She even makes time to conduct regular consultations in her clinic.
I can assure you, a role like this requires not only extensive medical expertise across the entire spectrum of medical attention but also great understanding and demonstration of … you guessed it - leadership.
Dr Heidi Miller is a graduate of Harvard Medical school and has been a committed leader for many years, well before taking on the role of CMO.
Let’s find out more about her amazing leadership journey .
My guest this week comes with a passion for developing leaders. And to deliver the best results she can, not only does she have a PhD with the focus being on leadership, but she has 23 certifications – and growing – on behavior, personality and leadership which she uses as necessary to get the best results with individual leaders.
Dr Rachel Monteverdi is also a Certified Master of The Leadership Challenge.
Dynamic, passionate and committed are three words I could use to describe Dr Rachel.
But you decide for yourself. Either way, I know, like me, you’re going to learn so much from her in this conversation.
So let’s say Hi to Dr Rachel
This week - a ‘first’. This is the first time in forty podcasts that I’ve invited a guest back.
And yes, this is podcast 40 in my journey having conversations with inspiring woman leaders.
Last year Elise Sinha joined me, and we talked about the inspiring leadership she and other dedicated healthcare executives delivered to get us through the Covid crisis.
Now Elise is a very busy leadership coach. I recently read a blog she wrote about Vulnerability – the Untapped Leadership Superpower.
I needed to know more.
So this week let’s say ‘welcome back’ - and Hi to Elise.
If you’re a regular listener to my podcasts, I’m sure you’ll know that I’m a great supporter of anything which can help women in the workplace,
That means anything which can help their careers, their empowerment, their leadership development – and even their most important role, being a mom.
My guest today is Rowen Nadia Astrom.
Rowen had a career in corporate communication, branding and marketing and now has her own company doing just that – and more.
As a new mom, Rowen identified critical issues – even obstacles - for women who wanted to return to their careers after maternity leave or any other prolonged absence from the workplace.
Even after a short period away for maternity leave, women can have doubts about work performance, a loss of confidence, and other maybe subtle workplace issues - apart from the major concern of being away from her beautiful child.
As a mom of a young child, I can relate to all of that.
Rowen has set up an online platform to help women return to work after a prolonged absence for whatever the reason – and I know I’m going to learn a lot about this help which is now available for women.
In my last podcast, I was really pleased to be talking to an experienced and very successful woman from Bahrain, Khulood Al Qattan.
But there are always young women who are setting themselves up for a successful, long-term leadership journey.
Sometimes in the corporate context, they’re labeled ‘emerging leaders’.
My guest this week is a perfect candidate for that description – and in addition, she’s from Dubai, where women leaders are now reaching high-profile, significant leadership roles.
Alia Al Ali is a young woman who is already being noticed for her leadership skills.
In our conversation I want to find what lead her to becoming recognized as an exemplary leader, what she’s learned about leadership and where she sees her leadership journey taking her.
My guest today is living proof that determination and commitment brings huge rewards.
She began her career in the customer service area of a bank, and after various positions in that bank, joined another bank as general manager…, then another as CEO of an investment bank twelve months later.
Khulood Al Qattan is from Bahrain. At the peak of her banking career she was appointed as the first female board member of Bahrain’s national telecommunications company, Batelco and she served on the board of several international companies.
But after a successful career in investment banking, how can she make the transition to international telecommunications ?
And here's another change of direction – and a great honor - recently, she was appointed by His Majesty, the King of Bahrain as Vice Chairman of the national Municipal Council.
Above all, she has some strong views on leadership which I believe are the reasons she‘s been so successful.
I have a very special guest this week. I say ‘very special’ because of what she’s been through and what she’s now doing with the experience of what she’s been through.
Angie Chaplin had a 20 year career in HR and capacity management. Among her many qualifications in the area of human behavior, she’s a Certified Master of The Leadership Challenge.
And she was Professor of Strategic Communication & Leadership at Seton Hall University.
Her company is called, appropriately, Mindful Leadership and she brings the power of mindfulness to leaders and organizations She also focuses on the importance of mental health in the workplace – and that’s important for all of us.
Just a few years ago, Angie suffered an alcohol-use disorder which became life threatening.
Now she’s on her journey of recovery and she’s agreed to share that with us – as well as the important leadership work she’s doing, developing others.
I know this is going to be a powerful, and I’m sure inspiring conversation.
Today, we’re going back to Bahrain. I’ve said before this maybe a small country, but it punches above its weight.
And the women there are amazing. I’ve had two inspiring guests from Bahrain recently: Sonja Janahi and Dina Bseisu.
My guest today is Eman Dea’bil. Eman is passionate about women becoming outstanding leaders. She’s a highly qualified project manager and is pushing for more women to become project managers.
She’s also researching the impact of women in the boardroom. I’m sure you won’t be surprised that the impact is positive ! But it's just not happening enough.
But we’ll let Eman explain that.
I’ve always said my podcasts are ‘conversations with inspiring leaders from around the world’.
In the podcast before last we were in Nepal. The one before this, in Bahrain and now the US – Los Angeles.
My guest this is Michele Kawamoto Perry. Michele has been involved in leadership development for over 20 years. She’s a Certified Master of The Leadership Challenge, among the other qualifications she has acquired over the years to help leaders and organizations be more successful.
She has a qualification from Cornell University in Diversity and Inclusion.
And she’s a certified Sommelier. So I’m sure we’ll talk wine.
Like me, Michele is passionate about developing women leaders.
This week we’re going back to Bahrain to meet a truly remarkable woman.
A former banker dealing with private clients for 20 years, my guest had what she calls a ‘life changing’ event. She describes one particular day as the most important day of her life.
My inspiring guest this week is Dina Bseisu.
Dina is Palestinian – but she only lived there until she was four, as her family left there as refugees and moved to Bahrain.
Obviously, her Palestinian heritage is so much a part of who she became.
I’ll let her tell you what happened on that particular day that changed her life – but what it was is something that I believe more woman should talk about.
The result of that day, in her case, lead to the establishment of a foundation which has provided help to over 25,000 women who have been marginalized as a result of conflict and continues to do so today and has changed their lives.
Let me introduce you the amazing Dina Bseisu.
If you’re a regular listening to my podcast, you’ll know that the focus is on inspiring leaders for around the world and usually the focus is on inspiring women leaders. Today the leader I’m talking to is certainly inspiring – and it’s a man.
Bhupendra Ghimiri or as most people call him Bhupi, is from Nepal.
Bhupi began his career as a teacher but soon realized there was a need to improve the lives of the people of Nepal in so many ways.
He established a foundation which he calls Volunteers Initiative Nepal or VIN for short.
Bhupi’s life purpose now is improving the lives of his fellow Nepalese.
I was introduced to Bhupi through an earlier guest on my podcast, Diann Grimm. Diann established early education programs with the help of Bhupi - now there are over 50 schools in Nepal with early education classes, which is the foundation of effective learning for children..
But Bhupi is operating in a much wider area. His story is one of struggle and determination and he now has a clear vision to improve the lives of Nepalese.
I am really looking forward to talking to him about his wonderful journey.
I always love to talk to women who are innovative and who become successful in the process. Isn't that what leaders do ?
My guest this week is Hope Zvara and she is certainly innovative and successful.
Hope was introduced to yoga to help her with some issues she was having.
She became so involved that she then became a yoga teacher and set up her own yoga school to teach others.
But then something happened which means she is now making a difference to the well-being and therefore the lives of truckers across the US.
Yes, truck drivers, you know, the ones that do the long-haul transport where they’re sitting in the cabin of their truck, driving for hours.
Hope had a brilliant business idea to improve the wellness of truck drivers. She calls it cMotherTrucker Yoga.
And now she’s changing lives … just as leaders do. Hope has some clear ideas about how she’s leading and what she wants to do as a leader.
I know you’re going to enjoy my conversation with Hope.
This week my guest is a woman who, like me, left Bangladesh to begin a new phase of her life in another country.
Ayesha Bibha is an Australian Bangladeshi thought leader in the neuroscience of leadership.
She has experience designing and delivering learning solutions to develop global corporate, non-profit, and academic leadership capabilities.
For over 17 years, she walked an ambitious path as a mom, educator, L&D consultant, facilitator, performance coach, mentor, and advisor. Ayesha is a TEDx speaker,
She is the author of author of Mindspeed, she’s an affiliate professor at the University of Denver, mentor in Inspiring Rare Birds and founder of Mindspeed Academy.
And she’s an expert on using neuroscience based-strategy for leadership.
I’m fascinated to learn about the impact of the work she has done on neuroscience and leadership.
Just occasionally in my podcast, I move away from having an inspiring woman as my guest. But always the focus is leadership.
This week, my guest is one of the most highly recognized people in the area of leadership and leadership development – globally. Forty years of evidence-based research and seven editions of the book he co-authored, certainly has him as the most highly recognized in this area.
I am honored that this week my guest is Jim Kouzes.
Jim and his co-author, Barry Posner have influenced the development of literally millions of leaders around the world. How many people can genuinely claim that?
Their book, The Leadership Challenge has long been regarded as being in the top five leadership books of all time. And not many books make it to seven editions.
I have so many questions for Jim and I’m excited to have him with me this week,
This week, I’m so pleased to be talking to the first woman leader I’ve had on my podcast who is from Bahrain.
Bahrain is a small country in the Arabian Gulf – and boy, does it ‘punch above it’s weight’.
Small in size maybe but as you’ll hear in this podcast, amazing and exciting things are happening there.
I’m so pleased to be talking to Sonya Janahi.
Sonia had a very successful career in large organizations - until she decided to set out on her own.
She’s the CEO of a number of companies, she’s on the Board of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce AND the International Labor Organization. Her reputation and her impact as a leader goes well beyond Bahrain and is having a positive effect globally.
And she’s a mother.
Of course, my podcast is about leadership.
And we know that leadership is important. We know leadership is needed in government, in organizations – large and small, in education, the military… and more, right ?
But what about art ?
Yes, of course.
My guest today is Alia Lootah. Alia is a prominent artist in the United Arab Emirates – and she is certainly a leader in the world of fine art - not only in the UAE but internationally. So much so, that the French Government recognized her contribution to the art scene by awarding her a French knighthood.
Alia helped set up The Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi and she continues to make a difference not only with her art but in promoting art for others to enjoy and learn from.
I'm sure, like me, you'll be inspired by what she has achieved and her commitment to her passion.
I am so pleased to introduce Alia Lootah.
This week is going to be a little different … well, perhaps a lot different.
On my podcast journey so far, I’ve had the pleasure to share with you conversations I’ve had with truly inspiring women.
This week, I thought I’d take a look back and share with you excerpts from some of those conversations. I know, in selecting them for this, I learned more from each of them – and I hope you will, too.
The guests I’ve chosen are five very different women, from five different parts of the world.
First Kelly Ann McKnight, from Canada was my very first guest and I'm pleased to introduce her again.
Then Annabel Harper. Annabel is a very experienced leadership coach with so much experience in the Middle East that she authored the book Shujaa'ah - Bold Leadership for Women of the Middle East.
Next is Cheryl Gray, Certified Master of The Leadership Challenge. She has so much to share with women, with her corporate experience and now coaching and developing leaders.
Dr Harum Makaya is an amazing woman from Sudan and now works with the World Bank in Washington.
Finally, Itella Ali. She's a dear friend who's also from Bangladesh. What a career she has had, having worked for the UN, the BBC and now is in Canada.
I'll introduce you to each one before we hear from them.
So let's get started.
This week we’re going to Saudi Arabia again.
I’m really pleased that inspiring woman leaders are now emerging from Saudi. My guest this week is the second woman I’ve talked to from Saudi – and I’m sure there will be many more.
Eman Alhajji was awarded her PhD from KAUST, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in 2022. She describes herself as a ‘child of KAUST’ as she was identified as a potential student when she was in high school.
One of Eman’s passions – as well as leadership, of course - is sustainability. In 2021, she identified what she saw as the interest of young people in Saudi in sustainability.
She then set up the foundation she calls Saudi Youth for Sustainability.
We usually associate Saudi with oil - as it’s one of the major exporters of oil to the world.
But now, driven by Eman and her foundation, the youth of the Kingdom are becoming advocates for sustainability. And I believe that is not only exciting but inspiring as she’s potentially changing Saudi … and even the world.
We know that ‘titles’ and ‘positions’ don’t make a leader.
My guest this week is certainly a leader. And when it comes to titles and positions... well, there’s a list of them she can claim : she’s a university professor, she’s Chair of the Faculty, she has a PhD, she’s a Certified Master of The Leadership Challenge.
And there’s one more – she’s a mother of nine children. Yes, nine !
I don't know which is more impressive. I’m a mother of a three and a half year old daughter and I know the pressure and demands on my time as a wife and working mother – and I can’t believe how my guest can do all this.
I’m so pleased to introduce this week’s guest you to - Jeanie McHugo.
Jeanie is truly inspiring … and yes, she’s a leader. I want to talk to her about leadership in healthcare, in academia … and being a woman and mother.
So much a part of my passion for talking to women leaders around the world, is how much these women are making a real difference in the lives of others.
And, yes. leaders make a difference.
I’m so pleased to be talking to Sharmin Shams – or as her friends call her - Moonmoon.
Moonmoon is focused on improving the lives of women in Bangladesh. Not only as she was growing, up but in her career as a journalist she was aware of the significant gender disparity and the difficulties that women face. She’s journalist, writer and a documentary filmmaker and her work is directed at helping change attitudes towards women – and then directly to help the lives of women - in Bangladesh.
Moonmoon is one of the co-founders of Shantibari, a pioneering and much needed organization providing for women's welfare in Bangladesh and is helping women improve their wellbeing and their lives overall.
Right now, two events are very much in the headlines. The first is one which we’ve discussed before on my podcast – the climate change and sustainability.
The second is the situation in Ukraine. My special guest today is directly dealing with both of those critical issues. So much so, that she chose to leave her home country not long after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Angelina Davydova is a journalist who became a climate change activist, writing and speaking about this critically important subject. She was born in the Russian city of St Petersburg and over the years of spreading the word about climate change, has travelled extensively in the West.
Because of her work as an activist, she was forced to decide where she should live so that she could continue to speak and continue her important work as a journalist.
The decision she made meant she had to leave her Russian home earlier this year.
So on a sunny autumn day today in Berlin, she’s joining me to talk about her journey and the challenges she’s faced.
This week we’re going Washington State in the US to talk to Hannah Aoyagi.
Hannah is critically involved in a subject which is vital for all of us – ecology and sustainability.
This is a passion she developed as a girl when she did a school project related to sustainability. We never can tell where those school projects can lead.
Hannah has a Ph.D. in Environmental Health, Science, and Policy from the University of California Irvine.
Now her leadership and her commitment to the environment are making a difference in
Washington State’s Department of Ecology.
She has eight years of experience with The Leadership Challenge and is currently in the Certified-Master-in-Training program.
I’m pleased to say that this is number 20 in my podcast series. I’m looking forward to a long weekly journey and I really hope you come with me.
Again, as I’ve done before, this week I’m visiting the country of my heritage and my special guest is my niece Esrat Karim.
Esrat is truly making a significant difference to the lives of so many people in Bangladesh. So let me explain.
After completing her Master’s degree in the US, Esrat returned to Bangladesh to set up the Amal Foundation.
Through her work with the Foundation, she and her staff of over thirty, are transforming the lives of Bangladeshi girls.
Transforming ? Yes ! Because of the poor conditions in which some families are in rural areas, parents have often had to marry-off their teenage daughters, many in their early teens. To reduce this forced marriage, Esrat set up a scheme which provides sustainable help to the family and guarantees the girls will not be married until they wish to marry.
I’m proud to introduce Esrat … let’s get started.
We all have challenges as leaders. That’s what leadership is about, isn’t it ?
But what if the challenge has the name ‘Pandemic’ and you have a senior position as a leader in a large hospital group ?
My guest today is Elise Sinha. After beginning her career as a respiratory clinician, more senior roles were offered to Elise, probably in recognition of her performance as a leader.
And yes, she was at the forefront of leading during the pandemic.
With her significant leadership experience, the pandemic, like for every healthcare worker, was a challenge, and one which was changing almost minute by minute – and I intend to find out about the challenges she faced and what she learned during that extremely difficult time.
Elise is passionate about developing other leaders, especially women leaders.
Today I’m very pleased to be talking with Professor Araceli Martinez Ortiz of the University of Texas San Antonio.
After a number of years in the corporate world as an engineer and often wearing a hard-hat, she completed her PhD and moved into academia.
Dr Ortiz holds the Microsoft President's Endowed Professorship at UTSA and is Professor pf Biomedical Engineering & Chemical Engineering/Interdisciplinary Learning & Teaching.
She is a NASA MSI Faculty Fellow IPA. And I promise to ask her what that means.
As a Latino woman who was brought up in the US and is now a distinguished academic, Professor Ortiz has a passion for developing innovative STEM education access for female students and is breaking barriers for woman in the field of engineering and leadership.
I’m very pleased this week to be talking to someone who has a very high profile in the country of my heritage – Bangladesh.
Dr Abdun Noor Tushar is a physician by profession and a media person by passion.
And he’s a champion debater and public speaker.
He describes himself as an activist for women’s empowerment. He has had a very diverse career and has made a significant difference in Bangladesh – for many thousands of people.
He has been a very strong supporter of women’s education opportunities and of course in the workforce – and whatever they choose to do. He has always believed there should be no barriers for women.
I’ve known Abdun Noor for many years and I’m honored to call him a friend.
Today I’m looking forward to hearing his views on women in leadership in Bangladesh.
My guest this week is really making a difference at such an early time in her career.
Dr Haleema Alamri is from Saudi Arabia. She competed her Master’s degree in Canada, then her PhD at the prestigious science university in Saudi, the King Abdulla University of Science and Technology – or KAUST. KAUST is where some of the brightest science students from around the world complete their PhD studies.
Dr Haleema was then offered an opportunity to do post-doctoral studies at Harvard.
While at KAUST, she had already established her interest in leadership. She did a Leadership Challenge workshop and then followed that up with other leadership learning opportunities during her time at Harvard.
Saudi now is undergoing some huge changes which bring opportunities for women in the Kingdom and Dr Haleema is very much a part of that.
So – a highly respected scientist, a committed leader and a woman – in Saudi. This is very impressive.
I’ve titled this Podcast is inspiring Woman Scientist and Inspiring Leader in Saudi Arabia.
Welcome to with this week’s Podcast - Let’s Talk Leadership with Banangkur.
I’m sure you know there is a growing number of women leaders with a diverse background who are increasingly making a significant difference in the world – and that’s exciting.
My guest this week fits exactly into that. Sudanese heritage, a black Muslim woman with a PhD in international law from Cambridge University in the UK.
She’s working with the World Bank in Washington.
Oh and did I say she’s down to earth and very humble.
I am so please to be talking to Harum Mukhaya this week and I know you’re going to enjoy our conversation.
My title for this podcast is Inspiring Leadership Journey From Sudan to the World Bank in Washington
I always love to talk with women who are making a real difference in leadership.
That’s certainly the case with my guest this week.
Annabel Harper is an executive leadership consultant and coach from the UK.
And she has authored a book on women’s leadership in the Middle East.
So she must be an expert !
Annabel’s book is called Shujaa-ah. So what does Shujaa-ah mean ? I’ll have to ask her.
And just before we had this conversation, Annabel had an amazing trek in the Artic region in Svalbard with a group of women leaders.
For three of those days she was crossing the ice on a sled with her team of huskies !
I am excited to learn all about her wonderful expedition – and also what she has to say about women leaders in the Middle East
Let’s talk to Annabel.
Who would have thought that leadership behaviors can be a powerful way for sales professionals, especially in the B2B area, to significantly increase sales ?
This week I’m talking to Deb Calvert. Deb was a very successful sales trainer and then moved into leadership training as well. It was when she became a Certified Master of The Leadership Challenge that she made a strong connection between leadership behaviors and selling.
Deb put her idea to the authors of The Leadership Challenge, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner.
As a result, Deb, Jim and Barry co-authored the book Stop Selling and Start Leading.
So – selling and leadership. How did this come about ? And is it really effective ?
Let’s talk to the expert.
This week I’m talking to Diann Grimm who retired after 35 years as a teacher in San Francisco, and considered volunteering at the local library once a week.
Then she had a ‘light-bulb’ moment. Her vision and her leadership-without-a-title started a journey which took her halfway around the world to Nepal. In the past ten years, she has changed the lives of thousands of children who now attend world-class pre-school in Nepal – where pre-school classes didn't exist before.
Diann is a wonderful example of how leaders can change the world – without having a title.
I was so looking forward to talking to Diann because of what she has achieved for over 5,000 children in Nepal. As a mother, I know the value of early childhood development and for children who previously didn't have this opportunity, their ongoing education would be given an enormous boost.
This week I’m talking to a woman whose journey took her from a ‘conventional’ career to developing leaders through her Leadership program.
Lianne Bridges is her name. She was very successful, and had experience in large corporate organizations, and a mother of two small children - but then a significant life-event was a catalyst for her to make a very successful change, using her skills and experience – and her passion - to help other leaders become even more successful.
Her transformation program is unique and powerful.
And at the core of the work she does is her book, Love Will Keep Us Alive.
I’m so looking forward to talking to Lianne – we have a lot to talk about.
We’re now in double figures – this is Podcast number 10.
This week another man is my guest, with his perspective on leadership and woman leaders and the challenges they face.
His name is Maruf Kabir.
I’ve known Maruf for a number of years and I’m so pleased to have him join me as we can discuss leadership in the country where I grew up and worked and where, of course, I still have very strong connections.
Maruf has some very impressive achievements. He’s been managing director of his own communication strategy company for over 20 years.
He’s chairman of the Institute of Culture and Theatre.
He’s also an actor, director and playwright. He lectures at two universities – in journalism and in film and television.
So let’s go to Dhaka in Bangladesh, as I introduce – Maruf Kabir.
I have one word to describe my guest this week : dynamic.
Well, I could think of more, of course, but Ittela Ali certainly is dynamic.
Her leadership journey takes her from Bangladesh where she worked with multi-national advertising company, to the BBC, the United Nations and now to Canada.
And along the way, she became a wife and a mother of two small children.
Ittela has developed some very practical leadership strategies and a defined leadership philosophy.
She has some very clear observations of working in different cultures and how women’s leadership is important wherever you are, whichever culture.
In fact, Ittela has some very clear ideas on many things which are important to us as women leaders.
So - let’s talk to my friend Ittela Ali.
Hi, this is Banangkur Mustafa, with this week’s Podcast - Let’s Talk Leadership with Banangkur.
This is now the eighth week of my journey to talk with women leaders from around the world.
So - another inspiring woman this week ?
No. I’ve decided to listen to a man’s perspective on leadership and on women leaders.
I invited this week’s guest because of his passion and focus on leadership and his considerable experience working with and developing women leaders.
His name? Dan Schwab.
Dan is one of the longest serving Certified Masters of The Leadership Challenge. He began working with the authors of The Leadership Challenge in 1987.
He’s delivered hundreds of Leadership Challenge workshops and has extensive coaching experience.
Dan brings a humane approach to improving human performance in the workplace and the world.
This is now the sixth week of my journey to talk with women leaders from around the world.
And this week, my global quest takes us to Greece.
In today’s Podcast, I’m talking with Donna Poulidis.
Donna’s mission is to provide wellness strategies and healing therapies including yoga and Rapid Transformation Therapy (also known RTT) to improve the lives of women.
And in the interest of full disclosure, I’ve known Donna for a number of years and like so many women, I’ve been guided by her strategies for achieving wellness through yoga and meditation.
I first met Donna when she was running a successful therapy center in Toronto.
As you will hear, Donna was drawn back to the country of her heritage, Greece, where she now lives with her son.
And as you’ll find out, even though Donna lives in Greece she has an online presence and YouTube channel and her clients are from around the globe.
This is now the sixth week of my journey to talk with women leaders from around the world.
I hope you’ve been with me since the start but if you haven’t, you can always catch up on the previous podcasts. And the best way to do that is to go to my website -www.leadershipwithbanangkur.com
There's a page on the website called Leader Profiles. You can find out more about these wonderful leaders – and there’s a link to each podcast.
And, of course, please leave your comments when you’re on the website. I’d love to hear from you.
In today’s Podcast, I’m talking with Amy Leneker. Amy was achieving great things in the corporate world and after 20 years, she set up her own company – just before the pandemic!
She shares with me the challenges she faced when she made that big leap.
Developing teams and leaders has been a passion for Amy, as you’ll hear. And her business is not only successful, but growing.
I really enjoyed talking with Amy, we had a lot of fun - and as you’ll hear, we both learned a lot.
Hi.
If this is the first time you’re joining me, welcome. My purpose with these podcasts is to share with you conversations I’m having with women leaders. On this journey, I’m learning so much – and I hope you do, too.
If you’ve been following the podcasts, welcome back you’re obviously learning like me. I’m so pleased to have you with for this podcast.
And I hope you've subscribed so don’t miss any.
In this podcast, I’m talking with a wonderful woman who is a successful leadership coach, facilitator and author - with another book due for release this year.
Cheryl Gray started her career in the corporate world.
But for some years - in her own business - she’ been making a significant difference as she develops others.
Oh, and the books ? The first one is ‘In Support of Myself’, a fantastic resource for women. And the second one ? Well, we’ll find out about that when I talk to her.
So let’s get started.
One of the most amazing aspects - I think - of what I do on my leadership Podcast journey, is to be introduced to wonderful women leaders with a diverse leadership path.
Music teacher. Choir leader. Superintendent of Schools for Albany, capital city of New York, gaining her PhD, and now developing other leaders.
“You’ve got to talk to Dr V.” I was told.
I soon found out that this was Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard.
In a word, her story is ‘impressive’. Just as her name is.
We say all women are leaders And yet some might say “But she’s a music teacher. How can she be a leader ?”
Of course, being a music teacher, still involves leadership.
In Marguerite’s case, she took leadership to another level and she completed her PhD along the way.
She continues making significant difference as a leader and is helping others to become leaders while also focussing on diversity and inclusion.
Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard – what a great leadership story!
Local government is an area where there is a strong presence of women. Maybe this is because women often have a commitment, a need to help the community they live in.
And local government is very much about supporting where we live, our communities, the place where our children grow up. It’s likely a place where we have the strongest friendships and its very much about our lifestyle.
Gwen Voelpel is one such leader. She loves her work in local government. She loves it so much that she returned from a position in the corporate world because local government is where her heart is.
She even describes herself as a municipal junkie.
Gwen spent time developing leaders through facilitating leadership programs and coaching men and women.
Now the city of SeaTac in Washington State has a dedicated Deputy City Manager who just happens to be a woman and a wonderful leader.
But let’s hear all that and more from Gwen Voelpel
Have you ever felt “I can’t do this” ? “This is beyond my skills level. What if they find out I can’t do this “?
My conversation this week is with a woman, of course - and a mother - born in Hawaii of Japanese and Hawaiian parents who became the first woman of Japanese descent to become a mayor of a city in the US.
And she never believed that she could do that.
JoAnne Yukimura. She has a wonderful, engaging, and even inspiring story of growing up on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, the daughter of social worker parents, she studied law at Stanford but then knew she had to return to Hawaii and herself commit to public service.
Her journey took her, after a couple of attempts, to become a city counsellor. She then realized that to make any real impact, she needed to become Mayor.
And she did.
This is her inspiring story.
I’m delighted to have as my first guest, a woman who has been making a huge difference by developing other leaders, especially women.
And like me, she’s a Canadian.
Kelly Ann McKnight has a long track record developing women leaders. She’s a Certified Master of what is regarded as one of the world’s most widely recognized leadership development programs, The Leadership Challenge.
She’s been facilitating leadership development programs and coaching leaders – at all levels – for… many years.
Kelly Ann was so interested in how we all - and especially women - deal with adversity and how to improve resilience that she became an expert on this important subject and she authored the book, The Resilience Way. We all need to understand resilience and I recommend her book to you. She also developed an online training course specifically focusing on resilience.