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Episode Description

In this episode, Julia Middleton is joined by Carolyn Regan explore the nuanced interplay between inclusive leadership and the necessity of setting boundaries. Carolyn shares her insights on fostering openness within teams while maintaining the essential limits that safeguard both leaders and their organizations.

She challenges the notion that inclusivity requires limitless accessibility, proposing instead that true inclusivity is achieved when leaders are clear about their boundaries. By embracing this balance, leaders can create environments where diverse perspectives are valued without compromising their well-being or effectiveness.

Carolyn discusses practical strategies for leaders to combine openness with boundary-setting, illustrating how this approach enhances team trust, promotes healthy work cultures, and drives organizational success.

A thought-provoking conversation that redefines the parameters of inclusive leadership and offers a fresh perspective on the importance of boundaries in fostering genuine inclusivity.

About the Guests

Carolyn Regan

Carolyn Regan CBE is a distinguished leader with over four decades of experience in public service. She served as Chief Executive of West London NHS Trust from 2015 until her retirement in December 2023. Under her leadership, the Trust achieved remarkable success, earning ‘Outstanding’ ratings in several areas by the Care Quality Commission. Carolyn has been a passionate advocate for tackling health inequalities and championing inclusivity and fairness within the healthcare sector. In recognition of her exceptional contributions, she was awarded a CBE in the King’s Birthday Honours. Carolyn now serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees at Waythrough, continuing her commitment to public service and leadership.

About the Host

Julia Middleton

Julia Middleton is the host of the Women Emerging podcast and a best-selling author of “If that’s leading, I’m in” as well as two previous books: “Leading beyond Authority” and “Cultural Intelligence”. She is deeply committed to helping people from all backgrounds to find their own approach to leading.

In 2020, Julia launched Women Emerging and in 2022 she lead an expedition of 24 women to find ‘an approach to leading that resonates with women’. She now leads expeditions with women all over the world based on 4Es methodology, discovered in the first expedition.

Prior to that, Julia was founder and, for over thirty years, Chief Executive of Common Purpose, which grew to become one of the biggest leadership development organisations in the world.
Julia is also an Ambassador for the Aurora Prize based in Armenia, on the boards of Alfanar Venture Philanthropy in the Arab World and Equality Now, which operates globally, and on the Advisory Councils of Fundacao Dom Cabral in Brazil and Synapse in Pakistan.

Born in London and brought up in New York, Julia was educated at French Lycées and graduated from the London School of Economics. She is married, with five children and lots of grandchildren.