In this extended listener Q&A episode, Michelle Redfern, Susan Colantuono, and Mel Butcher respond to real questions submitted by women navigating career progression, power, and risk inside organisations.
Rather than quick tips, this episode focuses on judgment and context, including when to move up, when to move sideways, and how to avoid career damage before it happens.
The questions explored include:
How to decide whether moving into management is the right next step, or whether a lateral or stretch move makes more sense
How to prepare properly for conversations about promotion, pay, and benefits so they are not a surprise
When mentoring should be part of leadership responsibility and when it becomes paid coaching
How women can set clear boundaries around unpaid labour and expertise
What questions to ask in interviews to identify narcissistic or unsafe leaders before accepting a role
The discussion is practical, candid, and grounded in lived leadership experience. This episode is particularly useful for women at transition points who want to make deliberate, informed decisions rather than defaulting to expectation or pressure.
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