Have you ever experienced the feeling of not being included in a work discussion, or been reluctant to speak up in a meeting out of fear that what you say might negatively influence how others perceive your competence, and possibly risk humiliation, shame, or embarrassment? These are all examples of not feeling psychological safety, a term coined by organisational behavioural scientist, Amy Edmondson, and defined as: “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking“ Through our work supporting organisations to build innovative and collaborative cultures where everyone belongs, we know…
Ellie Somers
Hi there, While we believe that you can create change in your life at any time of year, the start of a new year often prompts us to consider our goals, resolutions and intentions for the next 12 months. Writing down our goals and outlining a plan on how to achieve them gives us direction and a sure path to follow. Knowing the what, why, and how for your goals makes pursuing them less overwhelming as this provides greater clarity on exactly where you need to focus your time and energy. You only need to do a quick google search…
Hey there, Welcome to our final Inkling TV for the year, and what a year 2019 has been! Many of us are now just a day or two away from wrapping up work and then it’s straight into wrapping up gifts and spending time with family and friends over the holiday season. It’s said to be the most wonderful time of the year, but for many, it can also be the most stressful. In our final Inkling TV for 2019, our CEO Soph shares with you her tips for how we can all better manage ourselves and our energy this…
Hi there, Today we wanted to introduce you to the amazingly talented Sarah, an inspiring woman who decided to take action and make changes in her career and life that she would have never thought possible. Public speaking is something Sarah could never in a million years have imagined she’d be able to enjoy, let alone do. As she progressed her career within the engineering industry, Sarah knew that she needed to start owning her expert and sharing her knowledge, talent and passion with others in her sector, particularly with other rising female leaders. Sarah’s main challenges before attending Speakeasy…
Hey there, Have you ever been stuck in a meeting or watching someone present and the speaker starts going into incredible detail – detail you’re not even the slightest bit interested in and is so minute that you actually end up forgetting what the point of their presentation is? Think about how listening to a presentation like this makes you feel – motivated, inspired, even the least bit interested? Our guess is probably not! The issue with presentations that share an over the top amount of detail is that your audience will disengage quickly, and often as the…
Hey there. You know that feeling you get in the morning when you have to drag yourself out of bed, tiredness coursing through your body, standing in the hot shower visualising that first cup of coffee? That one you get when your pushing through the crowds on the bus or train into work, head down in your phone mindlessly scrolling through picture perfect shots of someone you don’t even know standing on a Mexican beach looking like they have all the fun. Or how about that feeling when you get another email, WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger notification pops up…
Hey there, The process of changing is an active one. It asks something of you. You don’t get to sit back and let stuff happen. Implementing change requires you to roll your sleeves up, get your focus hat on and make a commitment to yourself – and often to others – to see that change through. In today’s episode, Inkling Co-Founder & Chief Awakening Officer Dr. Gemma Munro shares 4 super simple tips that you can start using today to increase your chances of making change stick! If you want to learn more practical tools and techniques to…
Hey there, Meet Carolyn. Carolyn came to Ignite feeling like she was lacking direction and left with an incredibly liberating new way of thinking about herself, her strengths and her goals. We caught up with the wonderful Carolyn at the end of Ignite to ask her about her transformation. This is her story. If you’re ready to ignite your career and learn how to maximise your natural strengths, Ignite is the program for you. Our hugely popular and transformative 2 day program is happening in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and London this October. Ignite will help you to develop an authentic…
Hi there, In today’s workplace, we are all having to do more with less. It’s one of the most common pieces of feedback we receive from individuals and organisations we work with. We’re more stressed, less centred, and struggling to keep up with an almost constant rate of change. In this weeks episode of Inkling TV, Inkling Co-Founder and Chief Awakening Officer Dr. Gemma Munro discusses the reasons why so many of us feel stuck in this ‘perfect storm’ of stress, and shares a powerful question and action that you can start using each day to help you maintain your well-being and focus. We…
Hi there! Gem here. I have a story to share with you that – truth be told – makes me feel a little vulnerable and wobbly. Last year I went through a bit of a tough time in my career. I learned a lot, especially when it comes to consistently ensuring you’re creating a career that feels meaningful and fulfilling. Today, you get to learn from my mistakes! In this episode of InklingTV, I’m sharing my three somewhat unexpected tips to build a career you’re passionate about … and how to keep doing this as the years go on. Watch…
Hello, Welcome to our first email for 2019! We hope you had a wonderful break over the holiday period, and are coming into the new year feeling excited and refreshed. While we believe that you can create change in your life at any time of year, the start of a new year often prompts us to consider our goals, and how we would like our lives to be different in twelve months’ time. You’re probably hearing the phrase “new year, new you” a lot, but we’d like to change that to “new year, best you” because we don’t think that you…
Hey there! Welcome to our final blog for the year, and what a year it has been! At Inkling, you will know that our philosophy is to lean into discomfort in order to grow, and we have certainly done that in 2018. Please join us as we reflect on our journey over the last twelve months. We worked with 2000+ people around the world in our life-changing programs – from Sydney to San Francisco to London The team took 250+ flights to deliver our programs and workshops Our participants and clients gave us a net promoter score of 91.3 (an NPS above 70…
Hey folks, Gem here. In this episode of InklingTV I’m going to teach you 6 words that I have found incredibly useful to manage conflict and have those difficult conversations. I also have a story about Soph and me and how these 6 little words helped us to move past a big, grumpy misunderstanding! I hope they help you as much as they helped us. With love, Gem SPEAKEASY – LAST CHANCE Our final round of Speakeasy for 2018 began this week in Adelaide. We still have a handful of spots available in Sydney (20-21 Nov) and Melbourne (27-28 Nov), so…
Hi there, It’s time to get real. Be honest; how often do you sit in meetings, with a suggestion or idea on your mind, and never quite find the right time to speak up? Have you ever been offered a speaking opportunity that would be a great career move, but start sweating at the thought of standing up in front of a crowd? If these scenarios sound familiar, you’re not alone. We see thousands of people who are not living up to their true potential, and are having a limited impact and influence at work simply because they lack the…
Today we come to you with a super quick blog to share some exciting news….drum roll please!
Over the last few years, a strange thing has started happening to me. I keep meeting people who make me want to grab them by both arms and yell delightedly in their slightly bemused faces “Oh, it’s YOU! I’VE FOUND YOU!”. In short, I have started to find my tribe. Or they have started to find me.
Do you find yourself focussing a lot of time and energy on everything that’s missing from your life? With thoughts running through your head like “Why don’t I have a better job?”, “Why didn’t I get that promotion?”, “Why don’t I have more money?” or “Why don’t I have a loving relationship?”, and the list goes on and on.
Today Gem has a juicy video to share with you on the theme of playing bigger in the world. It’s no coincidence we are talking about playing bigger because today we are announcing Inkling Women’s launch into the United Kingdom with our first Speakeasy program in London. We are beyond excited!
This might be something that you reflect on often, or perhaps the concept of legacy is one that is new to you. Getting clear on your legacy is important because it brings meaning and direction to your work, and helps you, as a leader, to set the tone for the culture within your organisation.
It’s not just young women establishing their careers who need help to meet their potential. Female executives also require programs to unlock their capabilities, self-belief and leadership skills.
A few weeks ago, I shared with you my top tips for attracting and selecting the right talent to your organisation, today, I’m going share the second part in this series.
Today I have a question for you…are you passionate about your work?
I hope you are! But if you’re feeling defeated, bored, unfulfilled, or just over your work situation; you are FAR from alone.
Through our workshops we meet so many women who struggle to allow their true selves to be seen in the workplace. There is a real fear of being excluded, judged, seeming weak or unprofessional, and ultimately of being deemed incapable of their job.
In business today, your people are what gives you an edge over the competition, so it is more important than ever to make sure you are attracting the right people.
The ongoing investment in unconscious bias training as the way to address the gender gap frustrates my colleagues and me, for two reasons…
We know from working with thousands of amazing women that a big part of inspiring women to step, speak up and lead is helping them to understand their strengths. Strengths are your secret weapon to a having a fulfilling and successful career!
Today we are launching #WeTwo, a powerful movement that shines a light on stories of men and women working “two-gether” to encourage each other to step up, speak up, lead, and become champions of change in the workplace.
Have you ever been cut off in traffic and then spent the rest of your drive absolutely simmering? Or maybe a client has sent you a nasty email and it’s ruined your whole day? This is a sign that you’re getting stuck with negative emotions, and the good news is we are here to help!
Today we wanted to share something with you that is hot off the press…our 5 Tips for Being an Engaging Public Speaker!
We are so excited to embrace 2018 and all it has to offer, and hope you are ready to do the same!
So you’ve recovered from the food coma, the bin is full of wrapping paper, and you are pleased to know that you won’t be hearing Jingle Bell Rock again for a good eleven months. Your mind drifts to New Year’s Eve, and you begin to mull over potential resolutions, and wonder what next year might hold.
Well here we are, our final blog to you for 2017, and what a year it has been! Grab a cuppa and join us in reflecting on our journey over the last twelve months.
Can you indulge me for a minute? I’d love you to ask yourself a simple question.
Next year is going to be the biggest year yet for Inkling, with public workshops running across FIVE Australian cities. Read more to view our 2018 Public Program Calendar!
Life can be full of disappointments; relationships fail, jobs don’t work out, plans fall through, bosses give negative feedback.
This is something that I have personally struggled with for many years! I was always seeking greater work/life balance.
Do you find yourself needing the approval of others? Gem will share 3 tips to help you to reduce the worry and create the freedom you deserve.
Do you ever tell yourself stories that hold you back? When you are grumpy or stuck in a funk, ask yourself: What story am I telling myself here? And what story COULD I tell myself instead?
Empathy is an integral part of becoming a great leader. In this episode of InklingTV, I share with you how empathy benefits the bottom line, and my tips for how to build empathy in the workplace.
Do you feel like you need to achieve more and have more, and that this will bring you greater satisfaction in life? What if this was a myth?
How to avoid the common pitfalls of a mentoring relationship, Gemma’s top tips to choose the right mentor, and how maximise the relationship to make it incredibly worthwhile for you and your mentor.
During the month of May, the Inkling Women team are focussing on health and wellbeing. This weeks homeplay is to practice some breathing techniques each morning and every hour during the day. Check out today’s blog post for three techniques to reduce tension, change your mood and increase your productivity…
In this episode of InklingTV I’ll share the Kerry Effect, a practical technique you can implement yourself, and introduce to your team, to help delegate like a pro!
Have you ever felt ‘icky’ when having to give someone feedback? Avoided it all together? Or have you tried but completely stuffed it up? Are you too soft? Too brash?
If you would like to better understand how to improve your natural talents, or to help someone who is not confident in their strengths, tune in below for three tips that will help.
In the latest episode of Inkling TV I share some research on the two behaviour patterns that emerge when we are stressed. Tune in to identify which pattern you adopt and how to get yourself out of a negative stress reaction.
At a time when gender equality is becoming a major qualifier of success for Australian companies, do women have to work harder to have their views heard? Here is an assertion that I hear from many Australian leaders, both male and female: Women need to speak up more at work. I am not saying there is no truth to this statement. I know many women who, like me, have spent their days beavering away at their to-do lists, assuming that their excellent work will speak for itself. But the idea that women need to speak up more at work ignores…
Today we are thrilled to be sitting down with Gemma Munro. She is the CEO Of Inkling Women. Gemma has a PhD in performance psychology and many years of experience working with leaders to discover their purpose, maximise their strengths and build careers that are as enjoyable as they are successful. THE BEST PART OF MY JOB IS… I have three! First and foremost, Inkling Women is driven by our belief that the world will be a much better place when 50 per cent of the most important decisions for our planet are made by women. Our mission is to inspire…
Tune in this week to learn some of the tips that I have used over the years to get me through the times I felt nervous, but wanted to have incredible presence. My ‘fake it till you make it’ tips, if you will.
Just for a moment, imagine a world where 50 per cent of leadership roles worldwide were held by women. A surfeit of research suggests that gender-equal leadership would result in significantly greater collaboration, compassion, innovation, performance and sustainability. There would be more listening and less posturing. More participation and less hierarchy. Better long-term decision-making, reduced turnover and far greater employee engagement. We know that followers want more female leaders – or, at the very least, leaders who bring a more feminine approach to their leadership style. In a study of 64,000 people in 13 countries, two thirds of respondents suggested that…
As Hillary Clinton becomes the first woman in U.S. history to win the nomination of a major political party, it’s worth asking where is the glass ceiling? In June this year, Hillary Clinton became the first woman in US history to win the nomination of a major political party, putting, in her words, “the biggest crack in the glass ceiling yet”. If she goes on to become President, she will join Theresa May and Angela Merkel as three female leaders of the G8. In the same month as the Democratic National Convention, I met several young women who told me…
In the next two episodes of Inkling TV I share our top tips to build POWERFUL presence so you can fulfill your potential in situations where you want to have impact.
Are you suffering from Rushing Woman’s Syndrome? Do some of the following ring true for you: > Feeling tired all the time > Craving sweets in the afternoon > Feeling like you can never get through your to do list > Needing caffeine to wake up and alcohol to wind down In this episode of Inkling TV you’ll learn how to identify some of the underlying causes of Rushing Women’s Syndrome and a few tips to help overcome it. Twinkling of the week: “You do not need to do more, be more or have more. You are fine just as…
It’s completely natural to feel frustration and anger towards others, but it is never a positive thing to bring your anger to a situation. In this episode of InklingTV, Soph shares her strategies for handling anger and maintaining your integrity.
As someone who runs a business aimed at increasing the representation of women at leadership level, I am very familiar with the most common reactions that people have to the topic of gender diversity. In this episode, I discuss the six reactions, and share my responses to them.
To ensure women in leadership flourish you must focus on creating leaders with the willingness and skills to create inclusive teams. As the CEO of a business whose mission is to ensure that 50% of leadership roles worldwide are held by women, I have a large stake in ensuring women in leadership flourish. I also have a clear understanding of what works—and the mistakes organisations are making—in the bid to ensure gender diversity in the workplace. The biggest mistake I see involves frittering around the edges of policy and strategy, without making any concerted effort to develop and grow your…
Inkling Women offers programs that help women build the confidence and capability to step into more senior roles in business. It offers free video training, as well as leadership and coaching programs for current and aspiring female leaders. ShortPress sat down with the company’s award-winning founder and CEO, Dr Gemma Munro. ShortPress: Describe your small business in less than 50 words. Inkling Women: Inkling Women inspires women to lead. We provide Australia’s best leadership coaching programs for women, and we work with executive teams to ensure they are creating an environment in which both women and men can thrive. SP:…
I grew up as a perpetual people pleaser; always wanting others to like me, wanting others to be happy and never wanting others to feel put out. Not surprisingly, I rarely got my own needs met.
Ask the right questions to get at the heart of what motivates your team. I recently ran a workshop with 15 high potential female leaders in financial services. Many of the 15 were struggling with their teams. They wanted to be leading teams that were motivated, capable and committed. Instead, their days were spent convincing staff to take responsibility for KPIs. I was told that it felt like pulling teeth. I gave these women one of my main tips for building a motivated team: Treat your team members like rubber bands—stretch them until they’re almost at breaking point. As you…
DR Gemma Munro from Adelaide-based training provider Inkling Women is ready to conquer America. Inkling Women has just been selected to take part in elevate61, a program to help Australian entrepreneurs fast track their growth into the US market. The Eastwood-based training provider, specialising in gender diversity, was one of 11 Australian businesses hand-picked for the accelerator program run by KPMG and Advance. Dr Munro will take part in a three-day workshop in Sydney in April to undergo mentoring and coaching on how to pitch to investors in the US market. This is followed by a 10-day intensive session in…
Are you putting too much pressure on yourself to be all things to all people? Find out how to tap into the power of authentic leadership. One of the biggest mistakes I see leaders make is pretending that there is a sudden and all-pervasive need to be all things to all people. If I had a dollar for every time I have met a beige, boring and (on the surface) seemingly perfect executive, I’d be a rather rich woman. Perfection is not the aim of leadership. In fact, perfection drives followers away, and doesn’t encourage them to progress in their…
No matter how confident we are, we have all fought against the limits we unconsciously place on our own success. It’s time to move past self-sabotage. If I had to name the one thing that holds leaders back most, I would choose self-sabotage. No matter how outwardly confident we are, we have all fought against the limits we unconsciously place on our own success. To others, we may appear to launch fearlessly into new ventures. Internally, though, we often struggle with beliefs that suggest we only deserve this much money, this much happiness, this much recognition. And when we experience…
There was once a time when the greatest threat to feminism came from the entrenched patriarchal society in which women lived. Today, however, it seems the feminist movement is most at risk from a much more unlikely source: women. In particular a young, vocal and growing movement, insistent on disowning feminism as unnecessary and antiquated. Sarah Hausler investigates. In the past year the #womenagainstfeminism hashtag has exploded. This is thanks, in most part, to the Women Against Feminism Tumblr page, where young women post images of themselves holding placards bearing statements such as “I don’t need feminism because I can…
In this episode of Inkling TV I talk about a phenomenon that I see holding us back from living courageous and authentic lives. Yes my friends, I am referring to the ‘what will “Everybody” think’ story.
So much is made of the thrills of leadership. So much so that, every now and then, I’ve spoken to women who don’t have leadership aspirations – and who feel like there is something wrong with them as a result.
By Gemma Munro I have been reflecting on the concept of courage a lot lately. I was in London a week ago, eating fresh raspberries and drinking hot apple cider from Borough Markets when I looked up and saw this sign on a crumbling old building. TAKE COURAGE, it told me. I had just got to the end of a number of weeks where courage had been needed – in spades. And those weeks were scary, yes, but absolutely exhilarating. I’d pitched big ideas. Written big articles. Been interviewed for big awards. Flown in big planes. Celebrated the end of…
Do you have a nasty voice in your head that says mean and destructive things to you? Does this voice hold you back; convince you that terrible things are going to happen; tell you that you are not enough, never will be enough and that ultimately you are going to die old and alone?
Inkling Women rated #2 for encouraging female professionals in Australia. 10. Australian Centre for Leadership for Women The Australian Centre for Leadership for Women (ACLW), a virtual Centre was founded by Dr Diann Rodgers-Healey in 2000 to assist emerging and established women leaders and advance gender equality outcomes. ACLW has been the focal point of significant achievements, including the establishment of national awards recognising women’s advancement in workplaces and communities, research and extensive writing on key issues, submissions related to gender equality legislation, empowerment of women and women’s groups through coaching, mentoring, strategic facilitation, and giving women a platform to…
Even though women’s rights have improved since a few generations back, the gender pay gap is still very real. For a variety of reasons, on average, women earn far less than men – $298.10 per week less – and the national gender pay gap is currently 18.8%1. Whilst closing the gender pay gap is a complex issue requiring a multi-faceted approach from a wide range of stakeholders, including employers, there are some positive actions you can take to help ensure you are getting paid what you should be. Here, Dr Gemma Munro, career coach and CEO of Inkling Women –…
She may not look like it, but Gemma Munro is one of “Tony’s tradies”. Ms Munro would like to take advantage of the government’s new incentive for small businesses to spend up on equipment, by buying a car for at least one of her nine employees at her growing business mentoring company, Inkling Women. “It’s something I’m absolutely considering, even for team members as part of their salary package,” Ms Munro said. “For us it’s a little bonus to help with expenses. We’ve doubled almost every year since we started in 2011 and it’s almost a reward to help our…
What’s holding women back from the very top job? Organisations will be more profitable, more engaged and more productive when the most important decisions. What’s holding women back from the very top job? Organisations will be more profitable, more engaged, and more productive when the most important decisions are made by an equal proportion of men and women. This is the driver behind the work that my business does with CEOs, leadership teams, and high-potential womenand the data backs us up. Extensive global research shows that organisations with the highest proportion of women on their boards significantly outperform others in…
Gemma Munro has set up a business mentoring women in business and leadership. Picture: Kelly Barnes Source: News Limited WOMEN have to let go of the need to be liked, because it is stifling their careers and standing in the way of their goals, says leadership consultant Gemma Munro. Munro, 36, runs consultancy company Inkling Women, specialising in training and workshops to help women gain confidence and take control of their careers. Business is booming, with more organisations wanting to help their female staff grow in confidence, stand up for leadership roles and ensure they are heard. “If women are…