Welcome to the first podcast episode of 2026, and we are starting with how we mean to continue with bold action. This episode is about momentum, clarity and creating a fast, intentional start to the year.

This is your invitation to move from thinking to actively working and delivering on your leadership goals. Drawing on chapter one of my bestselling book, Become a Global Leader, I guide you through a series of practical exercises designed to help you think bigger, get clearer on what you want, and move from reflection into bold action.

If you want to have greater impact this year, this episode will help you move beyond safe, short-term goals and reconnect you with the leadership future you dream of.

We cover:

• How to shift from achievable, short-term goals to defining the bigger vision
• How to define what becoming a global leader really means to you
• Why understanding your motivation is critical when the journey gets challenging
• How to translate this into powerful leadership goals for 2026 without staying in your comfort zone
• Practical ways to make your leadership goals visible, front of mind and build momentum throughout the year

Your next steps

If you want support turning this reflection into action, I am offering a limited number of 2026 Clarity Action calls.

These are 20-minute focused conversations designed to help you gain perspective, identify your next steps and move forward with intention to make your goals a reality.

Book by 23rd January 2026 by messaging me directly on LinkedIn, Victoria Rennoldson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson

Resources:

• Listen to Episode 159 'Reflecting on 2025: Your Leadership Review': https://culturecuppa.com/podcasts/reflecting-on-2025-your-leadership-review/

• Buy my new book, Become a Global Leader:https://culturecuppa.com/book/

• Follow me on LinkedIn for more strategies, skills and tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson

Leadership trends, advocating for women leaders and raising your personal profile.

As we approach the start of 2026, in this podcast episode, I'm joined by Vanessa Dal Busco, Chair of the Institute of Directors Glass Ceiling Group, and a passionate advocate for women in leadership.

Vanessa shares her insights on the challenges female leaders face, the importance of personal branding, and practical strategies to raise your profile, exploring how engagement, purpose, and authenticity can transform your professional presence.

Plus, Vanessa also shares her perspectives on leadership trends, the role of AI and cybersecurity in shaping the future of business.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How the Institute of Directors and the Glass Ceiling Group are driving change and creating opportunities for female leaders
• The importance of raising your personal profile and practical ways to do it
• How to use LinkedIn effectively to engage authentically and amplify your influence
• The power of networking, speaking engagements, and media exposure to grow your personal brand
• Emerging leadership trends she sees for 2026

Vanessa encourages anyone looking to raise their personal or company profile to take that first step and experiment, whether through LinkedIn, networking, speaking engagements, or media opportunities.

How visible is your professional profile right now, and how could increasing it open up new opportunities in 2026?

Resources:

• Buy my new book, Become a Global Leader:https://culturecuppa.com/book/
• Follow me on LinkedIn for more strategies, skills and tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson
• Connect with Vanessa Dal Busco on LinkedIn to explore how she can help you or your organisation to elevate your profile and impact: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessadalbusco

In this latest podcast episode, I'm joined by Julia Bend, Executive Career Transition Coach and founder of Premier Coaching, and we focus on the emotional reality of organisational change, why it so often can feel personal even when it isn't, and what it truly takes to manage yourself well through transition.

Julia also shares her SPEAR Framework, a clear and human approach that guides you from self-awareness through to purposeful action and thoughtful review.

After 27 years in the transport and IT sector, Julia shifted into retraining and rebuilding her career. She now supports professionals to realign their work with their values and strengths, whether they are stepping into leadership or rethinking their next chapter.

This is a grounded, energising and practical discussion for anyone navigating uncertainty or sensing that change is calling.

What you will learn

• Why organisational change can feel personal, even when it's driven by business needs
• How to recognise the early signals that your role or environment is no longer a fit
• When and how to create clarity in bitesize chunks
• How Julia's SPEAR Framework supports career transition
• How to manage change when it's thrust upon you
• Why the right support network makes all the difference

Resources:

• Buy my new book, Become a Global Leader: https://culturecuppa.com/book/
• Follow me on LinkedIn for more strategies, skills and tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson
• Connect with Julia Bend on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliabend
• Follow Julia Bend on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia_premier_coaching/
• Visit Julia Bend's website: https://premier-coaching.co.uk/
• Tune in to her podcast, The Secrets of Learning and Development, which she co-hosts with Valerie Merrill.

As we edge towards the end of 2025, this podcast episode is your invitation to pause, reflect and look back at the year that was. Whether you've experienced exciting progress, tough challenges or a sense of being in limbo in your career, this reflection is critical to acknowledging and accepting it all, helping you close out the year and get ready for what's next.

I share practical clarity exercises to support your leadership review, including insights and activations inside the first chapter of my new book, Become a Global Leader.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

• Why reviewing your year helps you enter 2026 with clarity, confidence and self-belief.
• How to recognise meaningful progress, even when the year didn't go as planned.
• Why understanding your talent and strengths is essential for your leadership growth.
• How reconnecting with your unique value builds the foundations for the year ahead.

Today marks part 1 of a 2-part series, with January's episode focused on giving you the momentum you need for a strong start to 2026.

Your Next Steps

If you're ready to step into 2026 with intention and momentum, now is the perfect time to get clarity on your leadership and career strategies and actions. Here's how I can help you with that:

• Get your copy of my bestselling book, Become a Global Leader, and fully explore the 4 pillars to develop and grow your global leadership communication.
• Share this episode with somebody who is also committed to growing their leadership in 2026.
• Connect with me on LinkedIn and share what was most valuable from this episode.

Thank you for listening, for connecting and for being part of this community.

Resources:

• Buy my new book, Become a Global Leader: https://culturecuppa.com/book/
• Follow me on LinkedIn for more strategies, skills and tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson

In today's episode, I'm joined by Enfys Maloney, business expert, speaker, and seven-time award-winning sales trainer, trusted by hundreds of ambitious businesses.

At the heart of this episode is the idea that strong communication and leadership are built by design and intention, not by accident. Quality conversations happen when you approach them with curiosity, intention and a readiness to move beyond the predictable.

Enfys talks honestly about what leaders need, whether they are running a business, heading up a team or building their influence.

Enfys also shares why leadership can feel lonely at times, and how dedicated CEO spaces offer a vital environment for problem-solving, perspective and mutual support.

Finally, we dive into visibility, a topic that resonates across every industry. Enfys talks candidly about the fear of being seen, and why visibility becomes far easier once you're anchored in your purpose.

Enfys is a dynamic speaker and trusted mentor, recognised for her high-impact, confidence-led approach that helps individuals radically improve their sales, comfortably, confidently, and on repeat.

What you will learn:

• Why so many business conversations feel shallow
• How to move from polite exchanges to genuinely engaging dialogue
• What transforms a conversation from surface-level small talk into something genuinely useful and engaging
• How curiosity, thoughtful questions and a willingness to be bold improve the quality of your interactions
• Why leaders at every level need confidential, high-calibre spaces to think, reflect and share challenges
• How leaning into visibility supports your impact and why starting small creates long-term confidence

Resources:

• Buy Victoria Rennoldson's new book, Become a Global Leader: https://culturecuppa.com/book/
• Follow Victoria Rennoldson on LinkedIn for more strategies, skills and tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson
• Find our more about Enfys Maloney here: https://www.salestrainingwithenfys.co.uk/
• Connect with Enfys on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/withenfys
• Connect with Enfys on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salestraining_with_enfys/
• Sample Enfys' sales training for yourself: grab her free mini-training Money Left on the Table, a 15-minute exercise to help you uncover hidden sales opportunities in your business and start turning conversations into clients fast. http://salestrainingwithenfys.co.uk/Money-Left-On-The-Table

In this podcast episode, I'm celebrating a very special moment: my book, Become a Global Leader, launched last week and has already become a best-seller in Career Advancement and Professional Development! This episode focuses on the final and, in my view, most important pillar of my book: Connecting across Cultures with Cultural Intelligence.

In today's world, AI and technical skills and fluency are of course vital, but what truly sets great global leaders apart is the ability to connect with others, communicate genuinely in conversations that show their human side, and connect in meaningful relationships across cultural boundaries. This episode explores why human connection is a superpower, the challenge in communication overload and collaboration tools, and highlights the key skills that make a real impact in connection.

What you will learn in this episode:

• Why connecting with others, human to human, is a fundamental leadership superpower.
• How Cultural Intelligence can help you go beyond awareness to action.
• The reason why non-verbal communication can amplify your communication and impact, even virtually.
• Why genuine conversations are not only good for people, but also drive results.

How intentional are you with the way you connect with people?

Where could cultural intelligence help you connect better with your team?

If you haven't got your copy of my book, Become a Global Leader, now is the time. It's packed with practical strategies and activation exercises designed to elevate your visibility, influence, impact and connection globally. Get your copy here https://culturecuppa.com/book/

I'd also love to hear how this episode and the book resonate with you. Reach out to me on LinkedIn at Victoria Rennoldson, or leave a review on Amazon to help others discover the book.

Resources:

• Buy my new book, Become a Global Leader:https://culturecuppa.com/book/
• Follow me on LinkedIn for more strategies, skills and tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson

In this podcast, we continue our series exploring the pillars of my new book, Become a Global Leader. Today we focus on a capability that every global leader should master if they want real impact in their career and leadership growth: bridge challenging conversations.

Challenging conversations appear in every organisation, every industry and every team. What distinguishes a global leader with strong communication skills and cultural intelligence is how to navigate these situations.

In this episode, I guide you through the foundations you need before stepping onto the challenging conversation bridge, my framework to resolve conflict, including designing purposeful conversations, understanding the cultural angles in disagreements and turning up your empathy radar so you can move away from division and towards solutions.

You'll also hear why openness must come first in any difficult dialogue, how to ladder up to a common goal to reduce friction and create alignment and why adopting an innovation mindset helps you move from conflict to future-focused collaboration. We then explore Listening 101, a practical approach to intelligent listening that supports better leader communication, how to refocus when you're distracted and how to get others' attention when they are not listening to you. Finally, we look at communicating boundaries, why saying no is hard and how to say it clearly and assertively without damaging relationships, especially in culturally diverse settings.

In this episode:

• The elements needed to bridge challenging conversations
• Designing conversations with cultural intelligence
• Why empathy is a foundation for productive dialogue
• Establish openness to dialogue to reduce resistance
• Ways to align around a shared objective
• The innovation mindset that unlocks solutions
• Intelligent listening strategies for stronger communication

Reflection Questions:

1. Where could the challenging conversation bridge help you right now in your interactions?

2. Which situation could benefit from intelligent listening strategies?

I always enjoy hearing what resonates with you, so feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and share your reflections!

If you haven't yet got your copy of my new book, Become a Global Leader, you can find it at http://www.culturecuppa.com/book - plus access the free book resources that accompany the book.

And if you're already reading it and finding it valuable, I would love for you to share your Amazon review- thank you!

https://mybook.to/GlobalLeader

Resources:

• Buy my new book, Become a Global Leader: https://culturecuppa.com/book/
• Follow me on LinkedIn for more strategies, skills and tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson

There are moments in every leader's journey when reflection meets action, and for me, that moment is now.

Today, on publication day for my book, Become a Global Leader, I sit down with my friend, Enfys Maloney, to talk about the leadership stories and learnings behind the book, the lessons I've learned along the way, and what true leadership really looks like behind the scenes.

In this podcast episode, the tables are turned, and Enfys interviews me, exploring not only the themes of the book, but also what it means to lead, to grow, and to find your voice as a global leader.

We look at the skills, mindset, and strategies required to step confidently into leadership, wherever you are in your career, and what comes next after the book!

What you will learn in this episode:

• Behind the scenes of the book
• Why this book, and why now
• What does it mean to be a Global Leader today
• My personal highs and lows while writing
• How this book will help you
• What's next!

Your next steps:

Buy your copy today, Become a Global Leader. Kindle edition at the SPECIAL LAUNCH PRICE of £1.99 for TODAY, Monday only: https://mybook.to/GlobalLeader

Resources:

• Buy the book: https://culturecuppa.com/book/
• Follow me on LinkedIn for more strategies, skills and tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson
• A huge thank you to Enfys Maloney for interviewing me for this episode, find more about her and her services here: https://www.salestrainingwithenfys.co.uk/