Lead to Soar: Career Advice and Guidance for Ambitious Women Leaders

Competence alone doesn’t create credibility. Michelle and Mel reveal why visibility and credibility must work together if you want to be chosen for high-value work. They share how to talk about your achievements without the cringe, use language that lands with decision-makers, and demonstrate leadership that moves the business forward.

Hope is not a strategy. Michelle and Mel show you how to define your full potential, state your ambition with a business lens, and build a roadmap that aligns your moves to revenue, margin, and growth outcomes. Practical prompts and language you can use this week.

In this episode of Lead to Soar, Michelle Redfern and Mel Butcher tackle a quiet but costly leadership issue: the boss who’s “too nice to lead.” They’re kind, approachable, and well-intentioned—but decisions stall, standards slip, and teams burn out.You’ll learn how to recognise this pattern, manage up with evidence and courage, and raise the standard without burning out or doing their job for them. Michelle also unpacks why organisations keep rewarding comfort over competence, and what real leadership development should look like.

Why being busy and obedient is a poor strategy for ambitious women. Michelle and Mel share why obedience isn’t leadership, how to ditch non-promotable tasks, and why radical accountability drives career growth.

In this episode of the Lead to Soar podcast, co-founder Michelle Redfern takes listeners inside the Lead to Soar Network. She explains what actually happens inside: weekly Hour of Power group coaching, monthly themes and challenges, and a highly curated leadership library she calls the “Leadership MBA.”Listeners also hear from member Tam Nguyen, who shares how her confidence, perspective, and practical leadership toolkit have grown through the community.The Lead to Soar Network is for women (inclusive of cisgender, trans, gender-diverse, and non-binary people who want a women-only space) who are ambitious for themselves, their teams, and their organisations. It is deliberately not social media—there are no algorithms, no noise, and no toxic commentary. In six years, the community has required zero moderation of posts or comments, making it a psychologically safe and outcomes-focused space.What Listeners Will Learn• Why the Lead to Soar Network exists and who it serves (early-career, mid-career, and senior women).• How the Hour of Power works—and why real-time, real-world coaching accelerates leadership.• The monthly rhythm: theme, challenge (Stop-Breathe-Reflect), and member discussions.• How to link work to reputation and credibility as a leader.• Why a women-only space matters for psychological safety and accelerated growth.• What a 30-day guest pass includes.• Membership options and value for both individuals and organisations.Featured Guest: Tam Nguyen, who  "helps organisations realise their financial and long-term growth objectives by being a trusted commercial partner.”Tam describes how the network has sharpened her leadership lens—from practical career moves and risk management to building confidence through competence and results.Want a guest pass? Contact us.

This episode addresses a recurring issue in the Lead to Soar Network: what do you do when your boss—or their boss—is disinterested, disengaged, or outright hostile?Michelle and Mel respond to a recent message from a long-time Network member who was given two options by her boss: accept a demotion or take a redundancy package. Her crime? Delivering measurable, high-value outcomes. The insult? This same leader had previously blocked her advancement.What unfolds in this episode is not a one-off grievance; it’s a structural, widespread issue. And it’s one that too many women are forced to survive in silence.This is a conversation about:• Surviving bad leadership when you can’t just quit• The tactical and strategic moves women can make in hostile environments• What good leadership should look like—and why too many workplaces are still failing• How we move from endurance to systemic changeWhat You’ll Hear:• Why disengaged, indifferent, or hostile bosses aren’t rare—they’re rampant• What it really means when your value is ignored, diminished, or co-opted• The mental gymnastics women perform to stay afloat in disrespectful environments• How to protect your leadership credibility even when others won’t• Tactical survival tips for navigating a disrespectful boss or power imbalance• The long game: document your value, find your sponsors, and position yourself for the next move• Why organisational leaders need to stop rewarding poor leadership and start practicing radical accountabilityFor Women Listening:You’re not imagining it. And you’re not overreacting.If your boss (or their boss) treats you with indifference, hostility, or disrespect, this episode gives you language, strategy, and validation. You don’t have to shrink, and you don’t have to tolerate being sidelined.For Leaders Listening:Disrespectful leadership is not a personality flaw, it’s a performance issue. If you’re allowing it to persist, you are part of the problem.Take Action:• Join the Lead to Soar Network to be in a room full of women who get it, and are changing it. leadtosoar.network/landing• Read The Leadership Compass for a practical map to reclaim your power and career direction www.michelleredfern.com/books

In this Lead to Soar Network session, Michelle Redfern breaks down why strategic networking isn’t just a nice-to-have for ambitious women—it’s non-negotiable if you want influence, visibility, and advancement. Michelle shares practical tips, real talk about the barriers women face, and why “drinking from the fire hydrant” (aka, her sessions) is exactly what’s needed to shift from endless busywork to genuine leadership presence.What You’ll Learn in This Episode• Why traditional networking advice fails women• The difference between busywork and strategic visibility• How to audit your own network using Michelle’s Leadership Compass tool• Simple steps to map, upgrade, and activate your leadership network• How to move from “nice, dependable” to “visible, credible, promotable”• Michelle’s story: building a life and network by design (with a shout-out to Bali & Kerry Ashbrook)Resources Mentioned• The Leadership Compass: Michelle’s essential guide for women who want more than ‘networking for networking’s sake’ www.michelleredfern.com/books• Exclusive resource for Lead to Soar members: Strategic Network Mapping Tool (from Michelle’s book) 

In this Lead to Soar webinar episode, Michelle Redfern delivers a focused and strategic workshop on the art and necessity of speaking up and standing out as a woman in the workplace. Drawing on research, lived experience, and her work with women leaders globally, Michelle uncovers the systemic challenges women face when advocating for themselves and why remaining silent comes at a cost.Listeners will gain a clear understanding of how societal expectations, rigid gender norms, and workplace culture create barriers to visibility—and what to do about it. Michelle shares practical strategies to communicate with credibility, use the language of power, and be recognised as a valued contributor and leader.Episode Highlights• Why “imposter syndrome” isn’t the real issue: Michelle challenges the common narrative and reframes it as a systemic problem rooted in workplace inequality.• The Ambition Penalty and the Double Bind: Learn how stereotypes about women being either competent or likable create a lose-lose situation—and how to navigate it.• Three Truth Bombs for Women in Leadership:1. Good work alone is rarely enough to get ahead.2. There’s no perfect time to self-promote—create the moment.3. Others are speaking up—and they’re being noticed.• Strategic moments to speak up: From one-on-one meetings to skip-levels and industry events, Michelle details when and how to speak up with purpose.• Using the Language of Power: Swap vague or emotional language for direct, results-driven statements that resonate with decision-makers.• Real examples, real scripts: Michelle shares how she learned to talk about her own leadership impact—and how you can too.• Resource spotlight: No Ceiling, No Walls by Susan Colantuono—recommended reading for mastering the language of business and leadership.• Key Quote:“We pay our leaders to have an opinion. Speak up when you see opportunities, risks, or better ways to get results.”Leadership Call to Action1. Start using the language of power: Frame your accomplishments around business impact. Practice describing what you do in terms that highlight outcomes and value.2. Claim your role as a leader: You’re not just a team player—you are driving results. Stop waiting to be noticed. Step forward with intention.3. Prepare for key conversations: When meeting with your boss or senior leaders, have a clear agenda that includes what’s going well, what could improve, and what support you need.4. Be visible in the right rooms: Speak up in meetings, conferences, and town halls. Introduce yourself, ask insightful questions, and show your alignment with the organisation’s goals.5. Support other women: Share this episode with a colleague, and create space for other women to speak and be heard.6. Join the Lead to Soar Network: Access coaching, tools, and peer support designed to help women lead strategically and advance their careers on their own terms.Listen to this episode if:• You’ve been told to “raise your profile” but aren’t sure how• You want to build strategic visibility without compromising your values• You’re ready to speak with influence and lead with clarityResources Mentioned• Book: No Ceiling, No Walls by Susan Colantuono• Book: The Leadership Compass by Michelle Redfern• Lead to Soar Network: leadtosoar.network – For members-only content, coaching, and peer connection• Podcast Archive: Access re-released episodes grouped by theme for easy navigation