Welcome back to The Executive Coach Podcast, where we help high achievers move beyond box-ticking busyness and into careers that feel spacious, fulfilling, and exciting to wake up to.



In today’s episode, I’m diving into a bold but essential truth:



Senior-level promotions aren’t earned - they’re negotiated.



This insight struck a nerve when I first shared it on social media, and for good reason. If you’ve been working tirelessly, delivering results, and still feel overlooked this episode is for you.



I share behind-the-scenes stories from my own career and from recent client breakthroughs to show how promotions really happen at the top.



We’ll explore:



Why relying on merit alone can stall your progress



The role of strategic sponsorship and visibility



How executive presence is often code for "playing the game"



Why trust, timing, and negotiation matter more than you think



The questions you must ask if you're not advancing



You’ll also hear the hard-won lessons that helped me and my clients, move into senior leadership by design, not default.



💡 If you’ve ever felt like you're doing everything right and still being passed over, this episode will shift your mindset and your strategy.



👉 Unwritten Rules of Career Success Program can be found here https://www.mayagudka.com/unwritten-rules – Learn how to build influence, identify sponsors, and make your promotion inevitable.

Promotions Are Negotiated, Not Earned: How High Achievers Really Get Ahead

Do you ever feel like you’re working hard, doing all the right things, even exceeding expectations and yet, somehow, you still feel behind?



Maybe colleagues are being promoted, someone just landed a board role, or LinkedIn is buzzing with achievements that make you question your own progress. You’re not underperforming… but something still feels off.



In this episode, Maya Gudka breaks down:



✨ 3 hidden reasons high achievers feel behind



✨ Why not having a personal vision leaves you vulnerable to comparison



✨ How being strategically bad at some things is the key to growth



✨ Practical questions to help you reset and refocus on your path



This is not about hustling harder or fixing yourself overnight, it’s an invitation to prune back, clarify your vision, and create success that feels expansive and meaningful.



💡 Want to take this further?



Check out Maya’s Vision Unblocked here

https://www.mayagudka.com/vision-unblocked

Why You're Feeling Behind as a High Achiever (And How to Fix It)

Maya Gudka shares how to reset your morning routine for success—without the guilt, the 12-step rituals, or the 5AM alarms.✨ Whether your mornings start with a school run, Zoom call, or you’re just wondering where your coffee mug went—this is for you.

You’ll learn:

✅ The only two things your morning really needs (backed by science)

❌ The one habit you can drop—and even benefit more by doing it later

☀️ Why daylight and gentle movement are non-negotiables for your energy

🧠 How to tap into your "deep work" brain before distractions set in

☕ A surprising tip to pair your morning coffee with productivity

📓 Why reflective journaling might actually belong in the evening

This is not about doing more—it’s about doing what works. Maya also shares how she’s personally adjusting her own mornings for better flow (even with a busy family life!).🟡

Ready to reclaim your mornings with clarity and calm?

Check out Maya's Vision Unblocked program – a 3-day audio micro-course designed for busy professionals ready to reconnect with their long-term goals: https://www.mayagudka.com/vision-unblocked

The Simplest Morning Routine Reset (Back to School Edition)

💡 What You’ll Get from This Episode (Top Takeaways)

 1. What Dharma means — beyond “finding your purpose,”

 2. How to lead for the long haul — why urgency can trigger action, but Dharma sustains it.

 3. Transmuting grief and moral pain into creative clarity — how to let the world’s suffering shape, not shatter, your sense of purpose.

 4. The difference between support and creation — and why both are valid expressions of leadership.

 5. Why your small steps matter — examples of quiet forms of resistance.

What's your Dharma? Transmuting Pain Into Spiritual Purpose

💬 About This Episode:
In this deeply personal episode, executive coach Maya Gudka is joined by leadership and purpose expert Fiona English to explore how to lead with empathy, purpose, and emotional resilience during times of global suffering and moral pain.

If you've ever felt emotionally overwhelmed by world events-this conversation is for you.

We talk about how to stay spiritually grounded, lead through grief, and stay emotionally engaged without spiraling or shutting down. At the heart of this episode is the concept of dharma—a deeper, more personal sense of purpose that helps you keep showing up, even when the world feels broken.

Whether you’re a coach, leader, activist, or simply someone trying to respond to injustice in a meaningful way—this episode offers language, tools, and clarity.

✅ How to navigate polarizing conversations without losing connection (and why this is essential for real-life impact)
✅ When to speak, when to listen, and how to lead with empathy—not moral superiority
✅ How to stay emotionally engaged and well—without shutting down or becoming overwhelmed by the pain
✅ Practical ways to align your voice and values—without burning out or burning bridges
✅ The hidden costs of social media activism—and how to reconnect with grounded, real-life leadership

 * Start Conversations – Bystanders No More
   A free guide for talking to friends and family about difficult global events:
   👉 https://www.bystandersnomore.com/take-action/start-conversations/

 * The Soft Power of Silence
   Fiona’s article on choosing when—and how—to use your voice:
   👉 https://fionaenglish.substack.com/p/the-soft-power-of-silence [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/soft-power-silence-expression-fiona-english/]



#executivecoach #dharma #leadership #grief #emotionalresilience #spiritualpurpose #moralinjury #coachingpsychology #socialimpact #coachingforchange #fionaenglish #mayagudka



Self-leadership in a Time of Suffering (when the world feels heartbreaking)

Welcome to another episode in the Career Reboot Series – your curated companion for morning coffee this month. These short, thoughtful episodes are designed to keep you motivated, strategic, and energized as we ease towards the summer holidays.

In this episode, we're diving into a key question I often ask my clients:👉 How much of your calendar is actually under your control?

Whether you’re leading a team or navigating complex cross-functional demands, this episode will help you reframe your relationship with time, meetings, and the all-important blank space that fuels your impact.

Grab your free ⁠Career Blind Spots Scorecard⁠ [https://www.mayagudka.com/careerblindspotschecklist] to reflect as you listen along.

Check out the ⁠Life Work Design Blueprint here [https://www.mayagudka.com/lifework-design]

3 Ways to Cut the Number of Meetings in Your Diary (Strategies That Actually Work for My Clients) | July Career Series

Welcome to the Career Reboot Series! This month, start your mornings with a curated lineup of episodes designed to keep you motivated, strategic, and energized in your career—especially if you’re counting down to summer break.

To make the most of this series, be sure to grab my Career Blind Spots Scorecard, available in the show notes. It’s a great tool to help you gain clarity and stay on track.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into lateral moves—what they are, how they fit into your career growth, and whether they’re the right choice for you. If you’ve been considering a lateral move, I’ve got three key insights to help guide your decision-making.

Personally, I love lateral moves! They add excitement, open up new opportunities, and allow you to explore different aspects of your work. But to make the most of them, it’s essential to approach them strategically.

The first and most important question to ask yourself is: What is your bigger vision? A strong career path isn’t just about climbing upwards—it’s about making intentional choices that align with your long-term goals. I encourage you to reflect on your 10-year vision, challenge yourself, and ensure your next steps are both exciting and achievable.

Let’s get started!



Your Resources are linked below

Career Blindspots Checklist [https://www.mayagudka.com/careerblindspotschecklist]

Vision Builder Programme [https://www.mayagudka.com/vision-builder]

Masterclass Replay [https://www.mayagudka.com/freemasterclass]

3 Ways To Use Lateral Career moves To Boost Your Career | July Career Series

Welcome back to the Executive Coach Podcast and part two of my conversation with Kemi Lawson. Today we dived into the fascinating story of her career transition. After a successful 15-year corporate career, Kemi made the bold decision to leave and pursue her passion for creativity and business.

In today’s episode, we explore the challenges she faced in the corporate world, including the systemic biases and struggles as a Black woman in the UK workplace. Kemi shares her journey of stepping away from the corporate grind, creating her own path, and starting her own business, The Cornrow.

We also discuss the mindset shifts she’s had to make in the process, the importance of confidence, and the impact of movements like Black Lives Matter on her entrepreneurial journey.

Key Takeaways:

 * Push and Pull Factors of Career Transition: Kemi shares the personal and professional motivations that led her to leave her corporate job. The pull of her creativity and desire to share her heritage, coupled with the push of dissatisfaction in a corporate environment full of systemic challenges, led her to create her own path.

 * Challenges Faced as a Black Woman in Corporate: Kemi opens up about the obstacles she faced as one of the few Black women in senior roles within corporate spaces. She discusses the difficulty of accessing mentorship, informal networks, and being surrounded by a lack of diversity in leadership.

 * The Importance of Changing the System: Kemi shares her reflections on how institutions need to evolve to be more inclusive and supportive of diverse employees, especially for those who aren’t part of the traditional “prototype” of a white, middle-class, cisgender male.

 * Creating Your Own Table: Kemi discusses the empowering shift from striving to get a seat at someone else’s table to creating her own. She highlights how entrepreneurs can break free from traditional corporate structures and build their own business that aligns with their values.

 * The Role of Black Lives Matter in Entrepreneurship: Kemi explains how the Black Lives Matter movement provided a boost of confidence and support for starting her business. While the momentum has slowed, she discusses how it shaped her entrepreneurial mindset and helped her business gain visibility.

 * Mindset Shifts for Entrepreneurs: Kemi reflects on the important mindset shifts required to transition from the corporate world to running your own business. These shifts include embracing uncertainty, building confidence, and understanding the value of carving out your own path.

Connect with Kemi www.thecornrow.com

Connect with Maya www.mayagudka.com

Creating Your Own Table: A Career Transition Story with Kemi Lawson

Welcome to this special episode of the Executive Coach Podcast, where we’re diving into the power of home and its impact on your creativity, well-being, and work-life balance.

In this episode, I’m joined by the talented interiors influencer Kemi Lawson, one of my favourite mum friends, to discuss how to design a space that feels like a true reflection of who you are and what matters most to you.

If you're an ambitious leader balancing work and life, your home is more than just a place to drop your bags. It’s the place where your creativity flows, your family connects, and your story unfolds. But for many of us, it’s also where the clutter, chaos, and overwhelm can take over. Kemi shares practical, achievable tips for creating a home that feels good even in the midst of family life, how to find joy in your surroundings, and how to express yourself through your living space. Whether you're redesigning or simply tidying up, Kemi’s advice is designed to help you make your home a source of energy and inspiration.

Key Takeaways:

 * Home as the Beating Heart: For many successful, ambitious individuals, home isn't just about a place to relax—it’s a source of inspiration and creativity. Your home should reflect who you are, your values, and your family’s story.

 * Decluttering Isn’t the Only Answer: We often think clutter is the enemy of a well-designed home, but Kemi challenges this notion, showing how clutter can sometimes serve a functional or sentimental role in our lives. We talk about the balance between organization and the chaos that comes with family life.

 * Designing for Life’s Chaos: Kemi provides practical tips for designing a home that works for busy families while still feeling aesthetically pleasing. This includes everything from furniture choices to organizational systems that embrace the realities of daily life.

 * Practical Tips for Transformation: Whether you're looking to overhaul your space or just make small adjustments, Kemi breaks down achievable steps to make your home reflect your ambitions, without the overwhelm.

 * Fun as a Family Value: We even get into the fun stuff—like figuring out where to put the ping pong table if fun is a value for your family! Because, yes, your home should bring joy as well as order.



Connect with Kemi  www.thecornrow.com

Connect with Maya www.mayagudka.com

Designing Your Home to Reflect Your Life-Work Vision - With Kemi Lawson 

Link to the £33 Vision Unblocked: www.mayagudka.com/vision-unblocked



What if the best thing you could do for your business wasn’t setting more goals, but letting some of them go?

In this episode I’m walking you through three unexpected things that have actually been working for me lately—and spoiler alert: they’re not your typical “productivity hacks.” In fact, they might feel a little counterintuitive at first, but they’ve helped me reclaim a more ease-filled rhythm at work, uncover deeper clarity about my business direction, and move beyond relying on willpower alone.

We’re talking:

✨ Recognizing and respecting your natural seasons of work (yes, it’s a thing!)
✨ The power of going goal-free to create space for real breakthroughs
✨ Why relying solely on your own motivation might be the biggest bottleneck in your business—and how to change that

Plus, I’ll share how I finally stumbled across the perfect name for my company after seven years… but only once I stopped trying so hard to find it.

If you're ready to pause the hustle and lean into more intentional, sustainable ways of working, this episode will give you permission to think differently about productivity, success, and the systems you build around your business.



3 Shifts That help me Achieve my Vision when Motivation is Low (mid-year review)

For intelligent leaders wishing to step up, craft, or transition into their dream roles, without burning out. Instead of pushing ourselves harder, we take a step back, find the less trodden path, and invite spaciousness & intentionality into our work and lives. Hosted by Maya, MSc, MA (Cantab) Master Accredited Coach (EMCC), seen in HBR, Stylist, Psychologies Mag, top Academic Journals. Clients include Sony, London Business School & Legal & General. Career Growth. Positive Leadership. Work/life balance. Virtual Work. Executive Coaching. Get Promoted. Earn More.

Maya Gudka

Shows