Closing the NextGen Gap

NextGens are ready to grow, and they want to build their careers within our industry. But in return, they expect organisations to genuinely invest in them.In this episode, Allyson and Sarah unpack brand-new research from the LEAD Network on NextGen talent, highlighting the gap between high ambition and a perceived lack of career progression. They explore what younger employees say they actually need to thrive, while confronting the biases and ageism that still dictate who gets opportunity. Plus, employer branding expert Mariya Ilieva joins the conversation to share practical insights from Lidl Bulgaria, revealing how they tackle talent shortages through creative apprenticeships, youth engagement initiatives, and early career mentoring.Read the full report: LEAD Network NextGen Research 2026: At the Intersection of Gender and GenerationPodcast producer: Julien Manuguerra-Patten Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded live in front of an audience at the 2026 LEAD Conference in Dublin, Allyson and Sarah throw out the traditional script for an open, unfiltered ‘Ask Me Anything’ session. This episode tackles the friction points that leaders and teams encounter daily across retail, FMCG, and consumer goods.From the myth of pure meritocracy to intersectionality, this is a completely unscripted conversation. With the audience pulling up a chair to the table, Allyson and Sarah lean into the uncomfortable truths for real talk on what it actually takes to drive inclusion when the stakes are high. Please see below for some relevant resources in relation to today's episode.Recorded on the 7th of October 2026.Podcast producer: Julien Manuguerra-PattenResources:Videos & Podcasts:Emmanuel Acho Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man (2020) Video series can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@emmanuelacho/videosKimberle Crenshaw’s TedTalk “The Urgency of Intersectionality” (2018). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akOe5-UsQ2o She also hosts the podcast Intersectionality Matters!#RaceAnd video series https://colorlines.com/articles/our-new-video-series-raceand-captures-essence-intersectionalityBooks:Layla F. Saad, Me and White Supremacy (2020)Academic Articles & Research:Rosette & Livingston (2012), “Failure is not an option for Black women: Effects of organizational performance on leaders with single versus dual-subordinate identities,” Journal of Experimental Social PsychologyTravis, D. J., Thorpe-Moscon, J., & McCluney, C. (2016). Emotional tax: How Black women and men pay more at work and how leaders can take action. Catalyst. https://www.catalyst.org/insights/2016/emotional-tax-how-black-women-and-men-pay-more-at-work-and-how-leaders-can-take-action Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Sarah McGowan and Allyson Zimmermann unpack LEAD Network's new report, Built for All: Rethinking Career Advancement in Retail and CPG, developed in partnership with Shape Talent. The report explores the key barriers to career advancement across the industry, highlighting findings such as women's greater concern about how they are perceived in meetings, the feelings of guilt and fear that can accompany requests for pay increases, and the ongoing tension between career progression and caregiving responsibilities.Alongside the report, LEAD Network has also published a solutions playbook designed to help organisations address these systemic challenges. The playbook is available to LEAD Network members and member companies here. You can also access the full report hereWith Sharon Peake, fournder and CEO of Shape Talent. Podcast producer: Julien Manuguerra-Patten Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Allyson Zimmermann brings you key insights from our 2025 conference in Milan, exploring what inclusive leadership really looks like in today’s environment.Featuring insights from Paolo Grue, President and CEO of Procter & Gamble Italy; Begoña Jiménez, CVP Global Laundry, Henkel Consumer Brands; Francesco Del Porto, President, Italy Region, and Global Chief Customer Officer, Barilla Group; Amri B. Johnson, CEO of Inclusive Wins; Jérôme Garbi, Global Cheese CO & CEO for EMEAO, Bel Group; Mariama Conteh, Senior Inclusion & Diversity, Mars UK; and Charlotte Exell, Group Online Director, Morrisons.Podcast producer: Julien Manuguerra-Patten Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Allyson Zimmermann and Sarah McGowan challenge the common idea that courage in leadership has to be bold and visible. Instead, they argue that real courage is often quiet, relational, and easy to overlook. But crucially, the episode doesn’t just redefine courage; it offers clear, actionable ways to practise it.With Begoña Jiménez, Global Corporate Vice President at Henkel.References:Brescoll, V. L. (2011). Who takes the floor and why: Gender, power, and volubility in organizations. Administrative Science Quarterly, 56(4), 622–641. https://doi.org/10.1177/0001839212439994Detert, J. R. (2018). Cultivating everyday courage. Harvard Business Review, 96(6), 128–135.https://hbr.org/2018/11/cultivating-everyday-courageDetert, J. R., & Bruno, E. A. (2017). Workplace courage: Review, synthesis, and future agenda for a complex construct. Academy of Management Annals, 11(2), 593–639. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2015.0155Grant, A. M. (2013). Rocking the boat but keeping it steady: The role of emotion regulation in employee voice. Academy of Management Journal, 56(6), 1703–1723. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2011.0035Harbour, M., & Kisfalvi, V. (2014). In the eye of the beholder: An exploration of managerial courage. Journal of Business Ethics, 119(4), 493–515. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1835-7Howard, M. C., & Fox, F. R. (2020). Does gender have a significant relationship with social courage? Test of dual sequentially mediated pathways. Personality and Individual Differences, 159, 109904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.109904Kennedy, J. A., Kray, L. J., & Ku, G. (2017). A social-cognitive approach to understanding gender differences in negotiator ethics: The role of moral identity. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 138, 28–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2016.11.003Ogunfowora, B., Maerz, A., & Varty, C. T. (2021). How do leaders foster morally courageous behavior in employees? Leader role modeling, moral ownership, and felt obligation. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 42(4), 483-503.Tremmel, M., & Wahl, I. (2023). Gender stereotypes in leadership: Analyzing the content and evaluation of stereotypes about typical, male, and female leaders. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1034258. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1034258Tkachenko, O. (2018). Courage in the workplace: The effects of organizational level and gender on the relationship between behavioral courage and job performance. https://doi.org/10.1017/JMO.2018.12 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Sarah McGowan and Allyson Zimmermann sit down for a real, open conversation about menopause at work; a topic that’s still too often left out of DEI discussions. Millions of women in mid to late career face the complex transition of perimenopause and menopause, often dealing with symptoms in silence due to stigma. Allyson and Sarah explore the real impacts of menopause on women's careers and businesses and share their own experiences.With Clarice Pinto, CEO of PausetivCatherine Mulhall, ReckittNóirín Ní Laocha, MusgraveThanks to the panellists who participated to our discussion in Milan on Smashing the Stigma of Menopause in the Worplace - Nóirín Ní Laocha, Catherine Mulhall, Rose Cox, Nadia Zagui and John Bradbury. Please note: this conversation reflects personal and professional experiences of individuals, not medical guidance. Menopause is different for everyone, and listeners should seek advice from qualified healthcare professionals for individual concerns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For decades, the “business case” for diversity, equity, and inclusion has shaped the conversation. The data is clear: diverse organizations often outperform their peers; but despite this, progress hasn’t always matched the promise.So in this episode, Allyson Zimmermann and Sarah McGowan go beyond the numbers. Instead of asking whether DEI works - we know it does! - we’re asking why it works. What are the mechanisms that make DEI effective? What actually happens inside diverse teams that leads to better performance, sharper decisions, and stronger leadership? To explore this, we turn to academic research that doesn’t often make its way into boardrooms but offers powerful insights for leaders and HR professionals in consumer goods, retail, and beyond.🔗 References mentioned in this episode:Katherine W. Phillips (2019), Diversity Makes Better Teams – NYU talk on YouTubeHoobler, J. M., Masterson, C. R., Nkomo, S. M., & Michel, E. J. (2018). The business case for women leaders: Meta-analysis, research critique, and path forward. Journal of Management. Thanks to New York University (NYU), the Center for Workplace Excellence at the University of South Australia and Professor Jenny Hubler for providing content and insights that helped shape this episode. Podcast producer: Julien Manuguerra-Patten Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it really mean to be an ally at work? Not in theory, but in the everyday decisions leaders make?In this episode, hosts Allyson Zimmermann and Sarah McGowan take us inside All In, a hands-on learning experience designed for leaders in the retail and consumer goods industry. Built to go beyond awareness, All In helps leaders turn inclusion into action - in hiring, in meetings, in feedback, and in the small, daily moments that shape workplace culture.We speak with Andrea Aranguren, one of the architects of the programme, and hear from Marc-Emmanuel Tisseron, Country Director Benelux at Lindt & Sprüngli , who took part in All In as a pilot participant.You're interested in All In? Visit our website and join the movement.Thanks to Andrea Aranguren and Marc-Emmanuel Tisseron. We also want to acknowledge the work of the entire LEAD Network team in the creation of this programme, especially Catherine Bullen, Dorrottya Gil-Zallay, Jodeine Wheatcroft, Tetyana Kretova, Ashley Jones, Karen Miller, and Sam Tunney.  Our podcast producer is Julien Manuguerra-Patten.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is a continuation of our previous conversation on belonging and psychological safety with neuroscientist Dr. Marcia Goddard. In this second part, we hear from Nisha Rajamohan Coughlan, DEI Leader for EMEA at Cargill, and Dunke Afe, Non-Executive Director at BlackRock.Get ready to take notes—they explore how psychological safety intersects with DEI, why it’s essential for high-performing teams, and what it looks like in practice. From personal stories to actionable advice, they offer clear insights for leaders, individuals, and teams looking to create safer, more inclusive workplaces.Producer - Julien Manuguerra-Patten Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it really take for people to do their best work? In this episode, hosts Allyson Zimmermann and Sarah McGowan dive into two often-overlooked but mission-critical ingredients in high-performing workplaces: belonging and psychological safety. You’ll hear why these aren’t just warm-and-fuzzy HR concepts but measurable drivers of performance, wellbeing, innovation, and retention. With insights from neuroscience from Dr Marcia Goddard, organisational research and lived experience, this conversation explores what it feels like to work in a safe environment and how to build one.With contributions from: Dr. Marcia Goddard – Neuroscientist, business consultant and keynote speaker at our Budapest conferenceDunke Afe – Non-Executive Director at BlackRock Nisha Rajamohan Coughlan – DEI Leader EMEA at Cargill Podcast producer - Julien Manuguerra-PattenResources & Mentions:BetterUp Research on Belonging & PerformanceUCLA Study by Eisenberger & Lieberman on Social PainProject Aristotle by GoogleWork from Amy Edmondson 🎧 Subscribe to catch the full conversation with Dunke and Nisha in our next episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.