In this episode of The Impact Room, Michelle Ansell talks with Elke Edwards, founder of Ivy House and ElkeEdwards.com, one of the UK’s most respected leadership experts.

Elke shares why leadership is facing a global reset, and why today’s leaders must shift from learning strategies to building strength. She discusses how emotional resilience, ownership, and wisdom are the new essentials for thriving in an era of constant change.

Discover:

• The one mindset shift that transforms leaders from overwhelmed to empowered.

• What’s missing from most corporate leadership programmes.

• How to cultivate calm, creativity and courage in uncertainty.

• The next generation’s new rules for leadership and learning.

“We can’t control what’s coming next, but we can control the state we lead from.” Elke Edwards

We’ve spent billions teaching people how to lead from strategy, but not how to lead from strength. The future belongs to leaders who know who they are, take ownership, and operate from wisdom, not overwhelm. Listen to this inspiring conversation that is challenging a broken system and redefining leadership for the modern world and tomorrow, find out how you can start leading better, being your true self today.

Find our more of follow Elke Edwards here: https://elkeedwards.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elkeedwards

Elke is also the author of The Friday Question, where she asks one question a week, to help you rise above the noise of your life, take a pause, and find the life you really want. https://elkeedwards.com/friday-question/

Elkes Book Extraordinary - How to Lead a Bigger Braver More Meaningful Life https://amzn.eu/d/5XmC0zT

Learn more from Douglas Jackson - www.douglas-jackson.com

If you would prefer to watch this full episode you can do that here.

In this episode of The Impact Room, Michelle Ansell is joined by Carolyn Blunt, Managing Director of Talent Solutions at Sedgwick, to explore the evolving world of leadership development, inclusion, and talent sustainability.

Carolyn shares her journey from contact centre L&D specialist to leadership advisor and explains why closing the gender gap isn’t just about fairness, it’s about business performance.

Carolyn shares her experience, journey and also some of the initiatives they are developing, to unpack how women can build confidence, develop strategic skills, and break through career ceilings, and how organisations can rethink their approach to learning to create environments where every leader can thrive.

This conversation covers:

• Women in leadership: why representation still matters and how to accelerate progress.

• The importance of mentoring, coaching, and community.

• How confidence, mindset, and self-talk can transform career trajectories.

• The future of learning and how technology can support leadership development.

If you’re passionate about leadership, talent, leadership across insurance and the future of work, this is a must-listen episode.

Follow Carolyn here: (27) Carolyn Blunt FCIPD | LinkedIn

Learn more about Sedgwick Talent Solutions here.

Building future-ready teams for the insurance industry

Sedgwick talent solutions offer flexible, fully integrated resourcing and education expertise tailored for the insurance sector.

Douglas Jackson are an independent boutique Recruitment Consultancy and Executive Search helping Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) organisations hire exceptional leaders who make a lasting impact. Helping organisations, scale, overcome obstacles and transform.

#diversity #leadership #femaleleaders #thrivingleaders #performance #futurereadypipelines #leadershipdevelopment #sedwicktalentsolutions #sedgwick #carolynblunt #douglasjackson

In this powerful episode of The Impact Room, Michelle Ansell sits down with the remarkable Donna Scully, Joint Owner and Director of Carpenters Group, one of the UK’s leading providers of legal and insurance services.

From the tenement streets of inner-city Dublin to the top of the UK legal sector, Donna’s story is one of courage, resilience, and unapologetic ambition. Leaving school at 16 with just GCSEs, she defied the odds and proved that social mobility isn’t just possible, it’s essential for building truly inclusive businesses and leadership teams that reflect the real world.

With refreshing honesty, Donna speaks about:

• Her working-class upbringing and the battles she faced navigating professional spaces.

• How she built her career without the “right” background or connections.

• Why we must rethink traditional hiring, qualification pathways, and what "professionalism" really looks like.

• How kindness, integrity and hard work still matter in today’s cutthroat business world.

💥 Donna's Quote: "I'm the social mobility poster girl. I’m grateful for every opportunity, and I’ve worked hard because I know how lucky I am – but it shouldn’t be about luck."

This episode is a must-watch for business leaders, HR professionals, educators, and anyone passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion. Donna’s journey challenges us to see people’s potential beyond their postcode or qualifications and to rebuild access routes into business with heart, fairness, and intention.

💡 The Impact Room is brought to you by Douglas Jackson, a founder led, independent boutique recruitment consultant and Executive Search firm. We help organisations hire more impactful, diverse leaders who stay longer and succeed.

👉 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/6DAPJ9scVRc

Follow Donna here: (35) Donna Scully | LinkedIn

Learn more about Carpenters Group https://www.carpentersgroup.co.uk/

Learn more about Douglas Jackson and the regulated sectors we serve including, Banking, Financial Services and Insurance here. https://www.douglas-jackson.com/practice-areas-douglas-jackson-executive-search/

#TheImpactRoom #DonnaScully #SocialMobility #WomenInBusiness #LeadershipWithHeart #DiversityandInclusion #KindnessInLeadership #CareerInspiration #LegalLeadership #DouglasJackson