START AN EXPEDITION

Episode Description

In this episode, Julia reflects on the shifting global dynamics affecting leadership. With her recovery from COVID as a backdrop, she examines how the world is increasingly resembling The Hunger Games, a dystopian reality where competition and survival dominate, especially for women in leadership.

Julia is joined by Sarah and Paula, two women working in vastly different sectors but united by a shared sense of the challenges facing today’s leaders. They explore how systems that were once designed for collective progress now often force women into competitive environments. The metaphor of The Hunger Games becomes a lens through which they discuss the societal pressures, divisions, and inequalities that women face globally.

The discussion also delves into the importance of leadership not just as an intellectual exercise but as a deeply physical and emotional experience. “Leadership is about connecting people, hearing their voices, and making those crucial connections,” Julia reflects.

This episode invites listeners to consider how leadership must evolve in response to a rapidly changing world, where collaboration, listening, and inclusivity are more important than ever. Tune in for a powerful exploration of the forces shaping leadership today and how women can lead through them with strength and vision.

About the Guests

Sarah Henry

Sarah Henry is president of the Global Center for Gender Equality; Sarah was the founding Executive Director and played a key role in building the organization’s world-class team and vision. She has more than 20 years of experience at the intersection of development, gender equality, global health, and organizational strategy.

Paula Marra

Paula Marra is a seasoned leader in agribusiness and social impact, with over 20 years at Grupo Los Grobo driving organizational transformation and strategic development. A passionate advocate for inclusive business models, she has served on the boards of key organizations like Universidad Torcuato Di Tella’s Inclusive Business Space and is a shareholder in Bioceres S.A., a biotech company. Combining expertise in agronomy and organizational studies, Paula is committed to fostering sustainable practices and empowering communities.

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.