Send us Fan Mail

Welcome back to the She Leads Because She Can Podcast, where we amplify the voices of female leaders around the world. The brand-new season starts with an honest and open conversation about leadership.

In this episode, Sue and Caz reflect on their own experiences of leading, the challenges, the lessons, the moments that have shaped them, and, perhaps most importantly, what they wish they had known earlier.

They revisit some of the comments, questions and insights shared by their guests in previous episodes and consider what they have shared about leadership, people and themselves.

This is a conversation about the reality of leadership, not just the successes, but the uncertainty, challenges and learning that happen along the way.

And there’s more…

They have some exciting news to share at the end of the episode, but you will need to listen all the way through to find out what it is!

We hope you enjoy the podcast and please let us know what resonates with you. If you would like to join us on the Podcast then please contact us through social media. Remember to give us a five star rating and leave a review so we can continue to amplify the voices of female leaders around the world.

Send us Fan Mail

Aging Well — Redefining Careers Beyond 50

In this episode, Caz and Sue explore what it means to build a fulfilling career path into your 50s and beyond, especially for leaders who aren't ready to slow down. They challenge the assumption that later-career professionals should be scaling back, arguing instead that this stage of life often brings greater capacity, creativity, and value to contribute to the education sector.

The conversation doesn't shy away from the real barriers — both guests speak candidly about the embedded biases they've encountered toward older professionals within the system. But rather than dwelling on those obstacles, Caz and Sue share how they've carved out new, energizing paths forward: retraining in new areas, launching their own businesses, collaborating on school-based projects, and partnering with schools to support improvement efforts.

Their message is clear — a long career in school leadership doesn't have to end at a certain age. With the right mindset and opportunities, it can continue for as long as you want or need it to.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we sit down with Leisa Grace Wilson to explore the leaps of faith that have shaped her life and career. From her bold decision to relocate to the UAE, to stepping away from school leadership to pursue her passion for journalism, Leisa has consistently chosen courage over comfort — and she's refreshingly candid about how she does it.

Leisa opens up about her approach to self-doubt, sharing the self-talk strategies she uses to quiet her inner critics: facing negative thoughts head-on with facts, and making a deliberate, intentional choice to be brave. Her philosophy? Do it anyway — and if it doesn't work out, you'll figure it out from there.

She also gets honest about what truly challenges her in her work: people who aren't upfront about what's really happening on the ground. Authenticity and straight-talking matter deeply to her. Leisa also speaks passionately about women supporting women, framing it as a reciprocal relationship and urging listeners to be the person who gives someone else that important push when you can see their potential — even before they can.

Leisa leaves us with three pieces of advice to carry into our own lives:

1. Try lots of different things — you never know what will stick.
2. Everyone starts as an amateur — commit to consistent practice and you will improve.
3. Only what YOU think of yourself matters — the most important opinion is your own.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we sit down with Rachael Wilding, an experienced international school leader who has made the bold transition from working within school communities to forging her own path as an entrepreneur. In her most recent role as Director of Edsidera — a global extra-curricular awards company — Rachael is channelling her passion for education into something with worldwide reach and impact.

Rachael speaks candidly about what entrepreneurship really demands: self-motivation, grit, and the determination to keep going, even when the road gets tough. She emphasises the importance of building a strong support network and talks about the belief in herself that has been central to her journey. Her message to listeners is refreshingly direct — go for it.

Drawing on Joanna Povall's recently published book Kind Leadership, Rachael explores the many parallels she sees between its ideas and her own philosophy on leading schools and organisations. She believes the CHASE principles outlined in the book — modelled and actively taught — are essential for creating healthy environments where both students and adults can truly thrive.

Rachael closes the episode with three pieces of advice:

1. Build your network — the right people around you make all the difference.
2. Don't be afraid to talk about your struggles and failures — honesty and vulnerability are strengths, not weaknesses.
3. Enjoy the journey — say yes more, and back yourself.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we sit down with Mary Rose Connolly, founder and consultant at POSA Consulting, to explore her unique approach to school leadership and pastoral care. Mary describes her work as a “travelling pastoral system” — bringing tailored support, belief, and structure directly into schools. Her philosophy centres on one core conviction: that the right support for students and staff is not a luxury, but the very engine of school success.

Wellbeing as a Driver of Standards

Mary challenges the idea that wellbeing and high standards are in tension. For her, wellbeing is a driver of standards — it flourishes when an organisation knows its values, understands why it holds them, and can clearly articulate how those values translate into success. Crucially, she pushes back against vague wellbeing initiatives, arguing that lasting change requires clear, measurable outcomes. Without them, even well-intentioned efforts fade away.

Kind Leadership: Leading with Heart and Head

A central theme of the conversation is Mary’s advocacy for Kind Leadership — a philosophy of leading with your heart whilst holding yourself to account with your head. Far from being a soft option, she sees kindness as a genuine strength: something that can be woven into every interaction and every moment in the workplace and in life. Kind Leadership, in her view, is entirely compatible with being fiercely relentless in driving excellence — the two are not opposites, but partners.

Three Guiding Principles

Mary leaves listeners with three principles to carry into their schools and lives:

• Look out for each other — build a culture of genuine care and collective responsibility.

• Listen to each other — real listening is an act of leadership in itself.

• If you can’t change something, change how you see it — a quiet but powerful reminder that perspective is always within our control.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we sit down with Joanna Povall, author of the newly published book Kind Leadership, to explore what it truly means to lead with empathy, honesty, and impact. Far from being a sign of weakness, Joanna makes a compelling case that kind leadership is in fact the most human — and most effective — way to lead within any organisation.

Joanna opens by sharing the core questions she found herself returning to again and again in her work with leaders: How do we communicate with compassion under pressure? How do we lead with empathy while still upholding high standards? And how do we hold people accountable without damaging their self-esteem? These questions became the foundation for her approach to kind leadership.

At the heart of the conversation is the CHASE framework — a practical guide that keeps leaders honest with themselves and others. Joanna breaks it down: Communication with kindness forms the foundation, Honesty provides the structure, and Accountability is the glue that holds it all together. Self-esteem is the fourth pillar, and Joanna speaks powerfully about why nurturing it in schools is so important — arguing that when self-esteem is strengthened, cultures are created where emotional honesty feels safe and joy can flourish. She speaks candidly about the damage that shame can cause to growth and development, and urges us to eliminate it from our schools entirely.

The final element of the CHASE framework is Ego. Joanna shares her own honest experiences of managing her ego in leadership, describing it as an ongoing practice — one she believes all leaders should be actively and continuously working on.

Joanna also offers a helpful overview of key research in the field before turning to what she is most passionate about: the practical application of kind leadership within schools, which forms the heart of her book.

This is a conversation that is honest, grounded, and deeply practical. Whether you are a school leader, a teacher, or anyone who leads people, Joanna offers real and actionable ways to bring kindness into every interaction, decision, and moment of presence.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we hear from Kay Yang, a Chinese national whose journey from the north to the south of China, and ultimately into school leadership in Shanghai, has shaped a deeply reflective and culturally-informed approach to leading in international education.

Kay shares her personal educational story and how it ignited a passion for fostering mutual understanding within culturally diverse teams. She explores the unique dynamics that emerge when people from different cultural backgrounds work together, and how intentional conversation and a genuine desire to understand one another can transform a mixed-culture team into something far greater than the sum of its parts.

A powerful thread running through this conversation is Kay's sense of responsibility as a role model. She speaks with confidence and conviction about the value that women of Chinese heritage bring to the international school sector — how their presence bridges cultures, and how their insight enables the creation of structures and systems that are more contextually relevant and authentic to the communities they serve.

Kay also looks ahead. Having recently concluded her time at Wellington College Shanghai, she is stepping into a broader role with a clear sense of purpose: to work alongside bilingual middle leaders in international schools, empowering them to bring the full richness of their cultural and linguistic identities into their leadership practice.

This is a conversation about belonging, bridge-building, and the quiet power of leading from a place of integrated identity.

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Overview

In this episode, we hear from endurance sportswoman Paula Ralph, who completed a remarkable solo, unsupported cycle ride of 12,290 km from Cape Town, South Africa to Nordkapp, Norway — crossing 17 countries in just 126 days.

Growing Up: Hardship and Survival

Paula speaks candidly about a difficult childhood in South Africa, growing up in a family heavily affected by death and hardship. Her early adult years were spent in survival mode — focused on getting through each day rather than truly living a fulfilling life.

Finding Purpose: The Decision to Ride

Driven by a determination to find deeper meaning in life, Paula explains how her sporting journey led her to a bold decision: to undertake the long-distance cycle ride entirely alone. The challenge became a vehicle for self-discovery and transformation.

Lessons from the Road

The journey taught Paula powerful life lessons that she shares openly in this episode:

• Building resilience, adaptability and self-belief through the toughest physical and mental challenges.

• Learning to ask for help — leaning on the kindness and expertise of strangers along the way.

• The power of a great coach: how her coach became her greatest cheerleader, lifting her through the darkest moments.

• Coping with pain and adversity by taking it one day at a time and choosing to smile through the struggle.

Advice for Educators and School Leaders

Paula closes the episode with three key messages for those working with young people:

• Listen carefully to young people — make sure they are truly heard and have a voice.

• Ask them lots of questions — show genuine interest in their lives and how they see the world.

• Ask them: "How can I help you achieve your goals?"