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5 questions to ask your partner before you apply for senior leadership

You've been thinking about that VP role for months. You know you could do it. You know you want it. But every time you imagine the conversation with your partner, your stomach tightens.
So instead of being direct, you test the water. "There might be a restructure coming up." "Do you think I could do an AP role?"
Here's what I know from progressing through senior leadership whilst being the primary parent: avoiding this conversation doesn't make it easier.
If you're serious about stepping up, you need five specific conversations with your partner. Not vague "are you okay with this?" chats. Proper, uncomfortable, necessary conversations that test whether what you need and what they're willing to give actually match.

Many women in FE avoid networking because it feels like cold calling or awkward breakfasts at dawn, but building your network is really about meaningful connections. Here’s how to grow a strong, genuine network that supports your move into senior leadership, without the hard sell.

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The 5 emergencies that never happened – what I learnt as a single mum in senior leadership

When I was a single mum working in Further Education, I almost didn’t apply for a senior leadership role because I was convinced family life and leadership couldn’t mix. I imagined endless crises, guilt, and judgement. The reality turned out to be very different — and taught me that the biggest barriers weren’t practical at all, they were the stories I was telling myself.

Reinventing your career. Image of lots of pebbles with a question mark in the middle

Reinventing your career: Building on what you already have

When we talk about reinventing your career, it’s easy to think it means starting over. But reinvention is rarely about wiping the slate clean. Looking back at my three careers – catering, further education, and now coaching – I can see the same thread running through them all. Reinvention is really about building on what you already have.

Hanging circle of iron with flowers with a background of the sky depicting a wheel.

How I Used the Wheel of Life to Sort Myself Out

You don’t have to fix every part of your life at once. Real change happens when you focus on one area at a time. I used the Wheel of Life to take stock, chose where to start, and over five years transformed my health, relationships, business, and finances. This simple exercise can help you see what matters most and decide your next step.

Stop telling, start asking. How to help your team solve their own problems. Image of sign with the word ASK in red

Stop telling, start asking

If you want a confident, independent team, stop jumping in with the answers. This article explores why stepping back and asking better questions is one of the simplest and most effective shifts you can make as a leader – and how to start doing it. Includes a free download of powerful questions you can use in everyday work conversations.