How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty

In this episode, we interview Shea Bentley, a father of three children under five. Along with his wife they have leaned into conversations with their employers to ensure they can manage their caregiving responsibilities. Shea was very generous in sharing what works for his family and what his family’s priorities are, including:The power of asking for the hours you need from your employer. Even if it feels scary. The importance of a family routine at home and communication.Talking with other Dads around how they have a career and a family. The pressures that Dad feel to be there for everything, to be a good worker and to continue to get promotions.The experience of taking parental leave and how hard it was. An idea for solving the problems that school holidays can create. Making school holidays and work line up better!Connect with EmmaThis podcast was funded by Works for Everyone, a business based in NZ and operating globally that supports working parents to stay in the leadership pipeline through coaching, workshops, and keynote speaking. Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She launched the NZ Part Time Power List in 2024 as she wanted to shine a light on individuals that are building their career through part time roles, rather than side stepping it. She is alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme and a proud Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan). To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nzhttps://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

In this episode, we interview Joe Consedine. Joe is a former Director of Champions for Change with Global Women where he worked with New Zealand’s leading 80 Chief Executives and Board Chairs on scaled Diversity Equity and Inclusion strategies for Aotearoa, New Zealand.Prior to Champions for Change Joe was the New Zealand General Manger for Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand where he led the development of the accounting profession’s first ever inclusion strategy, developed a playbook on the gender pay gap with a reach of over 850k and was recognised by the NZ Minister for Women.Joe is also the co-founder of Mobilise – New Zealand’s first dedicated leadership development and allyship program specifically for men and is currently working with ANZ, New Zealand as head of Equity Diversity and Inclusion. Joe is a member of the Gender at Work advisory board and is a mentor in the Big Buddy programme.Our conversation is powerful and full of gems from both a DEI practitioner and a working dad perspective. The power of his parents and how they influenced his definition of privilege and how privilege comes with responsibility. His experience as being the lead caregiver for his daughter while she was younger.Having tough real conversations with your partner.The importance of Ko wai au? Ko wai koe? Ko wai tātou? / Who am I? Who are you? Who are we?How individuals can have an impact on changing the system.Redefining what it means to be a man – and how this can unlock men to give more to the world.Connect with EmmaThis podcast was funded by Works for Everyone, a business based in NZ and operating globally that supports working parents to stay in the leadership pipeline through coaching, workshops, and keynote speaking. Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She launched the NZ Part Time Power List in 2024 as she wanted to shine a light on individuals that are building their career through part time roles, rather than side stepping it. She is alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme and a proud Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan). To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nzhttps://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

In this episode, we interview Sam Cunnington Waugh. Sam is a father to an almost 5 month old boy Felix, and a 5 year old daughter Rhea, who has recently started school. He is a Brit, married to a kiwi Bella and they moved over to Aotearoa from London in 2021, during the tail end of the pandemic. Sam works in government, currently at a crown entity, but has had a varied history in different government departments across the UK and now NZ. He is aspiring to middle management and not totally sure how he feels about that!He’s a keen musician (having played drums with the London based band Zola Blood) and is now teaching himself classical guitar. He also loves tennis and has been playing regularly with his club since moving here, although this has taken a bit of a backseat since Felix was born. Baking sourdough is his other hobby (acquired during the pandemic like so many others) that keeps him on a level, and literally puts bread on the table.They have a good support network, particularly through Bella’s mum who lives very close. Auntie Karen has a great relationship with Rhea and often does school pick ups and play dates. That with support from other school parents, both Bella and Sam would say it really does take a village. Our conversation was full of rich insights and reflections from Sam on his experience as a working dad and if you’ve lived in the UK, you will identify with many of his observations about arriving in NZ. Our conversation includes the topics of:How reasoning with a three-year-old helps your negotiation skills when working with the Exec Team.How time takes on a different meaning when you become a parent and you often lament where all the time goes.The importance of communicating with your partner on what you need. His experience of parental leave in the UK. The pressures in his career since becoming a parent and the importance of asking for help – even if it feels uncomfortable.Switching up the workplace so that more proactive conversations are had with returning Dads and making it easy for them to ask for what they need in terms of flexible working. Connect with EmmaThis podcast was funded by Works for Everyone, a business based in NZ and operating globally that supports working parents to stay in the leadership pipeline through coaching, workshops, and keynote speaking. Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She launched the NZ Part Time Power List in 2024 as she wanted to shine a light on individuals that are building their career through part time roles, rather than side stepping it. She is alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme and a proud Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan). To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nzhttps://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

In this episode, we interview Sean Keaney. Sean, CEO of FCB Wellington, isn't your average ad exec. He's a seasoned veteran, having cut his teeth in the good old days of direct mail, and has since tackled campaigns for a diverse range of clients, from banks to power companies, retirement villages to consumer electronics giants.But Sean's passion lies beyond the bottom line. He's a champion for important causes, bringing his strategic mind to issues like mental health, alcohol moderation, family violence, and safety across the board - road, water, fire, you name it.He's also a strong advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) within FCB Aotearoa, leading the agency's whanaungatanga program. He also represents FCB on the Global Women - Champions for Change group, demonstrating his commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable industry.When he's not strategising campaigns, Sean's a devoted family man. He's married to Melanie, a soon-to-be Clinical Psychologist (just two weeks away!), and they share their Brooklyn home with three daughters - Lucia (13) and the mischievous twins Marnie and Cece (11) - and two furry companions, Honey and Minnie.So, what's the secret to Sean's success? It's simple: a genuine desire to make a difference, a knack for finding the right message, and a healthy dose of humour to keep things interesting. He's proof that advertising can be both impactful and entertaining, and that a career in the industry can be as fulfilling as it is challenging.DISCLAIMER: Emma asked Sean for an updated bio, so he threw some prompts into AI. The result makes him sound way better and way cheesier than he actually is.Our conversation blended Sean’s experience as a dad and also his experience as a CEO & senior leader in the advertising industry. I actually worked with Sean in another life so it was a beautiful way to re-connect and to listen to his powerful reflections about being a working dad. How family trumps work – and how leaving loudly is one way that we can bring this to life.The change in thinking around WFH and the fallout that could happen from it. His leadership approach to managing client demands and parent’s caregiving needs.How he and his partner manage work and a family. The reflection of how traditional parenting roles can emerge without really thinking about it – and the work it takes to disrupt it.How he loves getting emails from Dads on his team saying that they can’t come to work because their child is unwell.Normalising working dads being parents and having needs.Connect with EmmaThis podcast was funded by Works for Everyone, a business based in NZ and operating globally that supports working parents to stay in the leadership pipeline through coaching, workshops, and keynote speaking. Your host, Emma Mclean, is a mother of three teenagers, an Executive Coach and the Founder of Works for Everyone. Following a successful 25-year career in corporate marketing, Emma launched her business in 2019 to put a care wrap around working parents at the hardest time in their career. She launched the NZ Part Time Power List in 2024 as she wanted to shine a light on individuals that are building their career through part time roles, rather than side stepping it. She is alumni of the 2021 NZ Leadership Programme and a proud Swiftie (a lifelong Taylor Swift fan). To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nz