"Sadly, this is what we are seeing in young girls and children today - a complete dependence on external validation and affirmation."

Jane Dutton was in conversation with human potential and parenting expert, Nikki Bush.

Would your daughter rather be hot than smart? If she does, it's probably because the first comment she hears when she meets people concern her looks, her hair and what she is wearing. Let's not forget the social media generation is all about posting the perfect look and getting likes and follows because of it. Girls are being trained to look for external affirmation and validation from all quarters and we need to make sure we see girls and women as way more than just their outward appearance. Seek to discover the essence of every human being you encounter, woman or man, girl or boy. This is who they are, what makes them tick, what they value, what interests them, what they are good at, their opinions, their experiences and so much more. "Hello you beautiful woman!" can refer to way more than just a body, but to an entire being who is made up of so many different and interesting facets.

Can it be another way? This has been my most thought-provoking question of the year and it has yielded interesting answers. It’s so easy to get trapped in your own corner of the world, the way you see things, and sometimes that can be unbelievably limiting. This thought is key to my podcast conversation around diversity, inclusion and equality.

Leveraging difference is a critical key in building a strong business today. Every member of a team brings uniqueness in some form or another. How are you harnessing and leveraging difference and overcoming unconscious bias (we all have it).

In this Win @ Work and Life podcast episode I chat to Dharshni Padaychee, Transformation, Inclusion and Equality Lead at Rand Merchant Bank. I have worked with Dharshni and her team over a number of years and I always keep a look out for her posts on LinkedIn which showcase so much innovation in the diversity, inclusion and equality space. You will hear from the conversation, how passionate Dharshni is about her field and why she chose to shift her focus from accountancy to people.

When you become a parent in the workplace there's a lot of fear and stigma around what will this mean for your career and for your progress, especially for women. "Will I be able to continue to do my job? Will I be overlooked for promotions? What will happen to my career aspirations? Will I be a good enough parent? How can I do it all and still stay sane?" These are just some of the questions that come to mind. Parental transition coaching provides business continuity and talent retention long into the future, and is a must for organisations that invest in their people. Maternity and paternity coaching are the new kids on the block in the diversity and inclusion space. They are a real thing that is having really positive impact, according to my podcast guest, Gillian Cederwall. Gillian is an executive coach and director of Great Expectations, a transitions coaching company with blue chip clients who swear by the impact that these programmes have had on their talent retention pipeline. This conversation covers:

• Why becoming a parent shouldn't mean the end of your career advancement
• Why maternity and paternity coaching is so important
• Why such coaching is important each time you have a baby and as your children change ages and stages
• Helping moms and dads maintain their career aspirations
• How employers can invest in their talent pipeline with transition coaching
• Creating harmony between balance, challenge and authenticity and how this changes over time
• Relational, practical and emotional shifts that come with parenting

Quotes from Gillian Cederwall "The shift to motherhood is the biggest pinch point in a female's career, and this is a very transformational phase for her.... she's gone from focused career woman to working mom with expanded responsibilities. And you've got to get your head around that." "Research shows that the line manager influences whether she stays or goes 50:50, which is huge in terms of her successful return." "By owning the conversation a woman has with her line manager, owning her exit and owning her reentry, it really is subtly influencing the culture for working parents for the better. " Mums and dads, I would love to hear what has worked for you in terms of transitioning into parenthood and back to work again. Some of my clients had babies during lockdown and felt very fortunate that both parents were working from home at the time and could both participate in raising their children day and night, not missing out on any milestones. Drop me an email to info@nikkibush.com