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Episode Description

In this episode of the Women Emerging Podcast, host Julia Middleton speaks with Dr. Samia Latif and Saba Almubaslat about an often-overlooked aspect of leadership—mothering teenagers. While many see it as a challenge, these two women share how it has shaped them into stronger, more adaptable leaders.

Saba reflects on how parenting transformed her leadership, admitting that, despite reading leadership books, it was her teenage sons who truly made her change. She says, “I thought I was there to teach my sons but rapidly realised how much they were teaching me, and this translated directly and forcefully to my leadership.”

Samia and Saba explore how motherhood builds patience, emotional intelligence, and resilience—qualities essential in leading teams and navigating complex professional environments.
This episode is a must-listen for leaders and parents alike, offering fresh perspectives on how personal experiences shape professional growth.

About the Guests

Samia Latif

Dr. Samia Latif is a Consultant in Communicable Disease Control and Global Public Health at the UK Health Security Agency. She is a strong advocate for race equality and women’s leadership in global health.

Saba Al Mubaslat

Saba Almubaslat is the Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Office at the Ford Foundation. With extensive experience in humanitarian work, she has held leadership roles in organisations such as the Asfari Foundation.

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.