This week's episode is on the “Let Them” theory. A controversial theory, which can be summarised as a mindset and boundary-setting approach that encourages emotional freedom and letting go of control over how others behave.

At the core of this idea is that you can’t control other people's emotions, so you shouldn’t worry about it. In this episode, Annie and Bec give their hot take on:

 * What are the positives of this theory? When is it helpful
 * Is this just giving up, and giving up influence?
 * What would happen if we stopped engaging with complex issues at work
 * How “doing hard things” is part of work, and this theory does encourages being passive
 * The benefits of productive rage
 * Is “caring a little less” better advice for women than men?
 * How this helps people pleasers

Enjoying this content? Please rate and subscribe on your preferred platform, and let us know what you think!

Recommendations from this episode:

 * Shameless Media - Mel Robbins and the church of “Let Them” [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/mel-robbins-and-the-church-of-let-them/id1352875216?i=1000699123974]
 * Mel Robbins, The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can’t Stop Talking About [https://www.melrobbins.com/book/the-let-them-theory/]

S3E3 The Career Coven: The "Let Them" Theory

In episode 2 of season 3, we cover the long awaited topic of burnout. This is potentially Annie’s favourite thing to talk about, as she considers herself often close to a burnout episode (and this is not a point of pride).

This episode covers:

 * The 3 dimensions of burnout
 * The “double shift” that women do at work, and at home
 * Annie’s personal experience of burnout
 * How burnout changes your brain, and how your brain recovers
 * The importance of social connections in the recovery from burnout
 * How to prevent burnout
 * When burnout means you should leave your job

Also learn about Annie’s hen-do, Bec’s view on sound baths and whether she will step into a renovation project or not.

Enjoying this content? Please rate and subscribe on your preferred platform, and let us know what you think!

Recommendations from this episode:

 * Christina Maslach, The Maslach Burnout Inventory – emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment.
 * Arianna Huffington, Advocates for microsteps [https://thriveglobal.com/articles/arianna-huffington-no-phone-bedroom-sleep-recharge-thrive-role-model] in her work at Thrive Global to counter burnout.
 * McKinsey & LeanIn.Org [http://leanin.org/], Women in the Workplace 2023 [https://womenintheworkplace.com/]

S3, E2 The Career Coven: Burnout

We’re starting season 3 of the Career Coven strong, with an episode on having a personal career advisory board. Get the expert take on the value of career advisory boards and learn about how we’ve both approached having career advisors around us.

This episode covers:

 * Why women need a personal advisory board
 * How important advisory boards can be in periods of transition (e.g. return to work, navigating maternity leave, changing roles or organisations)
 * How to choose your board members, and how to balance them
 * How to ask someone to be on your board
 * How to maintain relationships with advisors
 * Who is on our own advisory boards (beyond just each other).

Also get the massive life updates from Annie and Bec after a bit of a break in the pod...

Enjoying this content? Please rate and subscribe on your preferred platform, and let us know what you think!

Recommendations from this episode:

 * Jan Torrisi-Mokwa, Building Career Equity [https://www.amazon.com/Building-Career-Equity-Jan-Torrisi-Mokwa/dp/0983189676]
 * Herminia Ibarra, How to do sposorship right [https://herminiaibarra.com/how-to-do-sponsorship-right/] (2022)
 * Tara Mohr, Playing Big:  For Women Who Want to Speak Up, Stand Out and Lead [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Playing-Big-practical-guide-brilliant/dp/0099591529/ref=asc_df_0099591529?mcid=4b195716fab7359ab095d3e7554d362f&th=1&psc=1&hvocijid=3617108633627327215-0099591529-&hvexpln=74&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3617108633627327215&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9222618&hvtargid=pla-2281435177378&psc=1&gad_source=1] (2015)
 * Rakshitha Arni Ravishankar [https://hbr.org/search?term=Rakshitha%20Arni%20Ravishankar], Finding The Right Mentor, Harvard Business Review [https://hbr.org/2023/10/finding-the-right-mentor-our-favorite-reads] (2023)

S3, E1 The Career Coven: Personal Advisory Boards

In the last episode of season 2, Bec and Annie discuss the skill of negotiation. Bec has a strong belief that everything in life is about negotiation, and this is one of her favourite skills to practice. Annie tends to rush negotiations, and push for outcomes, something which is a development area.

Bec talks through how she prepares for negotiations, so that she feels confident and calm in her position. She outlines how firm but fair is often the best approach to negotiations - as in the majority of cases you’re negotiating with people who you will work with again. Annie talks girl math - how to get to an hourly rate which does not undervalue yourself.

This episode covers:

 * What makes a ‘good negotiation’
 * The importance of knowing when to walk away
 * Playing a few steps ahead
 * Accidentally negotiating well
 * Not rushing negotiations
 * How it’s easier to negotiate on behalf of other people, and that you can ask for help
 * When to have a break in a negotiation

Enjoying this content? Please rate and subscribe on your preferred platform, and let us know what you think! hello@careercoven.com

Recommendations from this episode:

 * Venture Deals [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Venture-Deals-Smarter-Lawyer-Capitalist/dp/1119594820/ref=asc_df_1119594820/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=597877400562199837&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045894&hvtargid=pla-2281435179578&psc=1&mcid=62ee080c63ab3f69abaef9c4c1884765&th=1&psc=1&hvocijid=597877400562199837-1119594820-&hvexpln=74&gad_source=1], Feld and Mendelson. A good book for if you are preparing to raise money for a business. 
 * Accelerate Law. [https://www.acceleratelaw.co.uk/] Annie's Lawyer Simon who is amazing for startups. 

S2, E10 The Career Coven: Negotiation

This week’s episode is a risky experiment. Bec and Annie decided to put their chat to the test - by interviewing two people they’ve recently managed about what they’re really like. Annie interviews Francesca Ward, who Bec is currently managing. Francesca has done not one but two jobs with Bec - so knows her like the back of her hand. Bec has a chat with Dani Conlon, who was part of the team which Annie managed most recently. Dani doesn’t hold back - highlighting that Annie’s a ‘horse girl’…

We’ve learned a lot about each other through this conversation. We hope you find it as fun as we found recording it.

Enjoying this content? Please rate and subscribe on your preferred platform, and let us know what you think! hello@careercoven.com

S2, E9 The Career Coven: The Ultimate 360 with Francesca Ward & Dani Conlon

In this week’s episode, Annie speaks to Clare Mullen. Clare is the Chief People Officer at the health-tech startup Scan.com [http://scan.com/]. She works across the UK and the US to build that team. Annie and Bec decided, having an expert in interviewing on the show, we should probably focus on how to get a job from the perspective of someone who has really seen it all… over 20,000 interviews.

Listen in to hear a discussion about:

 * The top 3 most common problems you see in first interviews from the hirers perspective (and how to avoid them)
 * Tips for an amazing first interview from a hirer’s perspective
 * What candidates should be trying to find out from their future employer, as they progress through interview rounds
 * How to standout in interviews, in a good way
 * How Clare approached building her own career, including being a freelancer and then going into a full time role
 * Tips for starting freelancing

Enjoying this content? Please rate and subscribe on your preferred platform, and let us know what you think! hello@careercoven.com

S2, E8 The Career Coven: Hiring & Careers with Clare Mullen

In this week’s episode Bec and Annie talk through self development, and how they’ve both approached building their careers. Whilst Bec has taken a very structured and deliberate approach to building her career, Annie’s career moves have been more opportunistic and often led by passion and gut instinct. Bec has a 3 year life plan, that helps her focus in on her progression and goals. They discuss the merits of both different approaches.

Listen to this episode to hear more about:

 * Resources we recommend to think about career progression and structure
 * The roles we’ve both learned the most in
 * How coaching has supported us both at different times
 * The difference between coaching and mentoring
 * Top 5 tips for career building

Enjoying this content? Please rate and subscribe on your preferred platform, and let us know what you think! hello@careercoven.com

Recommendations from this episode:

 * Designing Your Life [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Designing-Your-Life-Perfect-Career/dp/1784701173/], Burnett and Evans

S2, E7 The Career Coven: Career Planning & Self-Development

This weeks episode is all about coaching. Both Annie and Bec have benefitted from coaching at different points in their career. They’ve also spoken about coaching at various points across season 1 and 2 of the Career Coven. In this weeks episode Bec speaks to Annie’s former coach - Seb Agertoft.

This episode is for people who are either thinking about getting a coach or are interested in becoming a coach. By the way - Annie highly recommends working with Seb (the best coach she’s worked with in terms of outcomes).

This episode covers:

 * Seb’s personal journey to coaching
 * What coaching is
 * How there are different styles of coaching
 * The difference between coaching and mentoring

Enjoying this content? Please rate and subscribe on your preferred platform, and let us know what you think! hello@careercoven.com

https://www.sebagertoft.com/

S2, E6 The Career Coven: Coaching with Seb Agertoft

In this week’s episode of the Career Coven Bec and Annie answer a series of questions from the listeners. They cover:

 * Is there a dream job for everyone?
 * How to balance finding your ‘dream job’ with working where you are now?
 * Should we all be purpose driven in our jobs?
 * How can you change culture in a highly political organisation?
 * What to do when you’re managing engineers that don’t like to change their behaviour…

And much more….

Enjoying this content? Please rate and subscribe on your preferred platform, and let us know what you think! hello@careercoven.com

Recommendations from this episode:

 * Designing Your Life [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Designing-Your-Life-Perfect-Career/dp/1784701173/], Burnett and Evans
 * Sir Wobbles [https://www.instagram.com/sirwobbles/?hl=en] wombat rescue Instagram account
 * 5 Dysfunctions of a team [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-Five-Dysfunctions-Team-Facilitators/dp/B079X8ZBR4/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=164156882394&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.YpZeR3nWpqf6lo6YoDz4TUnltlKewgUJIw1eotb-nYwX30TAsTNSFa-k-rO1VNtO9ohkprziMBjoFn_7T2FmePnFabVPK9kK4ivxJkweof7RUQIABEs5pJSonno6LJOkE6vVpS0i7fRhIQMVK_eoDX2_8OnfhKpNLHMMyu0OH3_Sh5APKaneELxAmEiwADKonf_ha2pTfvUEz6PBYGIqyOLtrQ463v5FgaeZyXN9rbU.xyru2qxO_MYPpl5yCkThRmWPzusayWHzrBoD11--tQw&dib_tag=se&gad_source=1&hvadid=696769354718&hvdev=c&hvexpln=69&hvlocphy=9045894&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=4887579906989738938--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4887579906989738938&hvtargid=kwd-433598645&hydadcr=24431_2302447&keywords=5+dysfunctions+of+a+team&qid=1725813126&sr=8-1], Lencioni and Leffert

S2, E5 [Bonus!] The Career Coven: Listener Questions

In this week’s episode, Annie speaks to Lizzi Amartey. Lizzi is the Head of People at the UK non-profit Founders Pledge. Lizzi has worked across the globe in HR, and is passion about how to build diversity into teams. Annie and Bec decided that given Lizzi’s incredible background, we should focus the chat on how to build diverse and high performing teams.

Listen in to hear a discussion about:

 * Is there a ‘right’ construction of a team?
 * What most often goes wrong when trying to build a team
 * How to remove ‘bad apples’ from the team
 * How to hold an organisation to account for diverse hiring
 * Tips for hiring diversely
 * How to ask about diversity in a job interview process

Enjoying this content? Please rate and subscribe on your preferred platform, and let us know what you think! hello@careercoven.com

Recommendations from this episode:

 * Hire slow, fire fast [https://hbr.org/2014/03/hire-slow-fire-fast]
 * CultureAmp - Empower Diverse Teams [https://www.cultureamp.com/blog/empower-diverse-teams]
 * BambooHR- How to recruit a diverse team [https://www.bamboohr.com/blog/how-to-recruit-a-diverse-workforce]
 * CIPD - inclusive employers [https://www.cipd.org/en/knowledge/guides/inclusive-employers/]

S2, E4 The Career Coven: Building a Great Team with Lizzi Amartey

The career podcast for women giving group whatsapp vibes. For women who want to learn strategies to take them to the next level their career - and also to have a bit of a laugh along the way.

Bec and Annie share a passion for women, and an interest in self development. However, they’ve both had really different careers and learned different things along the way.

Bec’s a corporate machine, and Annie’s a startup queen. In the career coven they share and compare experiences - learning from each other along the way. Expect topics like confidence, managing up and boundaries to be discussed (usually over a glass of wine).

Rebecca Ellul

Shows