Fast Track: Career conversations with Margie Hartley

Ep 90: Redefining the workplace

'Work will never be the same again.' The phrase has been a mantra over the last two years, but what does it really mean? Has work actually been redefined through disruption or are we overplaying the changes to the way we work and our environment? Margie Hartley talks to Joan Lurie, Developmental Psychologist at Orgonomix about how we might redefine the workplace when we return to the office, what the opportunities and potential pitfalls might be and how leaders and organisations can get unstuck and thrive in the complexity of the changing world of work.

Ep 89: Delivering Strong Presentations

The greatest fear at work is often presenting; presenting a view, presenting a deck, presenting on a panel. A great presentation often stays with the audience and is remembered with affection or interest, while a bad presentation leaves everyone slightly relieved it’s over and wishing they’d be able to have the time back. As we continue to find the balance between physical and virtual presentations, how can we make sure our presentations are the most effective they can be in delivering their point across while engaging the audience? Margie Hartley talks to Tony Bulmer, founder of The Bulmer Group and a Presentation Coach with over 30 years experience to identify the ins and outs of compelling public speaking and presentation style, understand what’s different now in the virtual world of presentations and how we can get joy from presenting.

Ep 88: The productivity trap

The term 'productivity' is well worn. Getting more done with less time and more efficiently sounds like a worthy goal. But is it just evil corporate-speak for squeezing more out of us all? Margie Hartley speaks with Australia’s leading productivity expert and author of The 1 Day Refund, Donna McGeorge to learn about the key principles of effectively using our time to make work enjoyable, how our productivity has changed in the last two years and the best way to manage our physical and emotional capacity.

Ep 87: The rollercoaster of returning to the office

With the current stop-start rhythm and momentum plus the uncertainty of returning to the office, there is a groundswell of people wondering how to ride this rollercoaster. How do we best deal with this ever-changing landscape in a practical way and make sense of our thinking and feelings? Margie Hartley talks to Jodi Oakman, Associate Professor of Public Health at La Trobe University about the relationship between work and our health and how to navigate uncertainty to best flourish.

Ep 86: The great resignation

'The Great Resignation' is a phrase being used a lot at the moment, referring to an exodus of talented people from their jobs, many rethinking their careers and either changing roles or choosing to stop working altogether. So what is the trend, what is happening to workers around the globe and what should we be doing about it? Margie Hartley speaks with Vice President of Research and Advisory for Gartner, Aaron McEwan about how the pandemic has reshaped society and our views towards work, and what we can learn from the trends to navigate the change and flourish.

Ep 85: Understanding Impostor syndrome

Hardly a week goes by without hearing or reading about the phenomenon of Imposter syndrome; the feeling of being a fraud or waiting to be 'found out' by the people around us. In fact 70% of people have felt like imposters at some stage in their career. So what is this syndrome and what happens to us when we experience it? Margie Hartley talks to author, Mindset and Performance coach and founder of Imposterhood Suzanne Mercier about how imposter syndrome manifests, why it occurs and what to do about it.

Ep 84: Stepping up to People Management

Do you remember the first time you had to lead and manage people? Organising and communicating with people who you're responsible for can be daunting at first; learning the difference between telling and asking, delegating and influencing and having tough conversations is just part of managing others well. Margie Hartley speaks with Chief Human Resources Officer of SEEK, Kathleen McCudden about stepping up to people management in order to lead effectively, the qualities that define a great manager and how to continue to grow and develop as a leader.

Ep 83: Starting a family and navigating work benefits

It’s rare to find people raving about the experience of starting a family and navigating work; the balancing act of getting enough time off while managing a professional career is often precarious. Australia's maternity and parental leave is still considered to be one of the least generous parental schemes in the world, so has it developed enough to really make a difference? Margie Hartley speaks to Head of HR for Asia Pacific Spotify, Michael Kim about the possibilities of making parental leave work for everyone, the philosophy that sits behind Spotify’s people-centric approach and what other businesses and employees should look for when creating or asking for family and parental leave benefits.

Ep 82: Demystifying finances in business

The way finances are managed is a constant issue for business, affecting everything from sales, marketing, human resources, research and development to production and procurement. So why does it feel like a mystery for so many of us who aren’t CFO’s and how can we demystify it? Margie Hartley talks with Michelle Kvello, Managing Director & CFO of Lantern Partners to find out how she helps businesses gain clarity around their finances and why it's so important to understand how business decisions are made internally in order to be commercially successful in any corporate role.

Ep 81: Languishing

In a period of such uncertainty and low control, a common phenomenon has arisen - a feeling of apathy, restlessness and a sense of monotony in the day to day, which filters through to our work life. Sociologists use the term languishing to refer to this psychological state which commonly manifests in trouble focusing, low motivation and lack of purpose. Margie Hartley speaks to psychologist and co-founder of Connect Psych services Dr Natalie Flatt Ph.D about why so many of us feel this way at the moment, what impact languishing is having on our brains and some practical tips we can put into practice to move from languishing to flourishing and thriving.