214. Choosing to Lead with Love, Energy, Hope and Enthusiasm

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In this special episode, recorded on her birthday, Julia takes the hot seat while Folawe interviews her. They reflect on how Julia’s understanding of leading has evolved and what feels more important now than ever. Julia speaks about becoming clearer over time that leading must be done in your own way, and with a combination of love, energy, hope, and enthusiasm, even when the world feels uncertain and the work feels difficult.

The conversation challenges many of the assumptions often associated with leadership. Julia questions the language that surrounds it, particularly words that are widely used but rarely examined, and reflects on the importance of going beyond labels to understand what leading actually looks and feels like in practice.

A central theme in the episode is the realisation that many women have been leading for far longer than they recognise. Through her work with Women Emerging, Julia has seen women shift from hesitation to ownership,recognising that leading is not something they need to become, but something they are already doing.

She also speaks candidly about the reality of leading. It is not always rewarding, and it is rarely easy. It involves mistakes, self-doubt, and moments of getting things wrong and learning to continue regardless.

The conversation explores how Julia’s thinking has deepened over time, from relying primarily on intellect to recognising the importance of instinct, the body, and the rhythms of nature in shaping how we lead.

The episode closes with a powerful reflection: women are often conditioned to believe they are not enough. But leading begins when that narrative is challenged, when we recognise that we are already enough to begin, even if we are not perfect.

About the Guest:

Folawe Omikunle

Folawe Omikunle is a social entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in education, international development, non-profit leadership, and sustainability. A Tutu Fellow and finalist for the Africa Education Medal, she has been recognised as one of Nigeria’s most inspiring women. Folawe serves on multiple boards and is deeply committed to unlocking Africa’s potential through investments in human capital.

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.