How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty

Happy Holidays and welcome to my Limited Edition Summer Series! This summer, I’m bringing you this limited-edition mini-series designed to help you reconnect with you. These episodes are all about reflection, self-leadership and setting yourself up for a year that feels intentional, not accidental.In this episode, I explore change. Why we crave it, why we resist it, and how meaningful change actually happens.Drawing on my own life transformation over the past five years, I share the pivotal moments that helped me radically reshape my career, health, relationships, and sense of self.From writing my own obituary (yes, really), to confronting the question “What do you want?”, to learning how to hear my inner voice again after years of putting everyone else first, this episode is a compassionate guide for anyone who knows something needs to shift but doesn’t yet know what or how.Rather than offering quick fixes or prescriptive answers, I invite you to slow down, remove distractions, try new things, and surround yourself with people who truly believe in you.It’s an episode about trusting yourself, getting curious, and remembering that real change comes from listening inward, not outsourcing your life decisions to someone else.If you’re standing at the edge of change, this conversation will meet you there.In This Episode, You’ll Learn:· Why change feels hard even when we know we need it· My personal story of intentional life change over five years· The powerful exercise of writing your own obituary (and why it works)· What your 95-year-old self can teach you about what matters now· The deceptively simple but life-changing question: “What do you want?”· How I realised I’d lost touch with my own inner voice· Why removing distractions is essential for clarity· How doing different things creates different thoughts· Why you can’t think your way into change. You have to act· The role of coaching, therapy, and support during major life transitions· Why believing people who believe in you can change everythingConnect with EmmaThis podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping." To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nz https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

Happy Holidays and welcome to my Limited Edition Summer Series! Over the next five weeks, I’ll be bringing you this limited-edition mini-series designed to help you reconnect with you. These episodes are all about reflection, self-leadership and setting yourself up for a year that feels intentional, not accidental.Across the series, I’ll share tools I’ve used for years as an executive coach and working parent, along with some of my own personal stories and lessons. Think of it as your summer reset: gentle, grounding, spacious, and totally centred around what you want from 2026.In this first episode of the Summer Series, I introduce you to The Gloria’s: a simple, energising, macro-level planning ritual I’ve used for the past five years to close out the old year and get intentional about the new one.Part reflection exercise, part dance party, part coaching session, The Gloria’s is all about stepping back from the day-to-day noise and asking yourself the big questions:· What am I proud of from this year?· What did I learn about myself?· What do I want to be proud of next year?· And what’s my Word of the Year to guide me?I walk you through the process step by step, sharing how I use music, movement, post-it notes, colour, and conversation to help this yearly ritual come alive and why doing it with a partner or friend can make it even more powerful.You’ll finish this episode feeling clearer, lighter, and ready to create a one-page plan for 2026 that keeps you grounded and focused on what truly matters.In This Episode, You’ll Learn:What “The Gloria’s” is and how it became my annual reset ritualWhy reflecting on pride, lessons and intentions mattersHow to create your own one-page plan for 2026The power of movement and music in sparking clearer thinkingWhy your “Word of the Year” works as an anchor for decision-makingHow to turn insights into systems… not just goalsWhy doing this exercise with a partner deepens clarity and accountabilityListen to Gloria by Laura Branigan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNEb2k_EmMg Connect with EmmaThis podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family. As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping."To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

It’s Good to Talk: Redefining Fatherhood and Success with Art Green

03/12/2025 | 38 mins.

In this episode of It’s Good To Talk, I chat with Art Green, dad of three, entrepreneur, and one of New Zealand’s most recognisable modern fathers.Art shares his journey from rural small-town kid to The Bachelor NZ, to building businesses, becoming a husband, and now raising three young children with his wife, Matilda.But what makes this chat so powerful is Art’s vulnerability and intention as a parent. He speaks candidly about identity shifts, redefining success, the pressure men feel to earn, the struggle to let go of career expectations, and the mindset work required to be a truly present dad.We dig into the realities of parenting in 2025, from mental load and gender roles, to finding time for yourself, decision fatigue, exercise as therapy, and the simple truth that everything is a phase.This episode is validating, thoughtful, funny, and deeply human. A must-listen for any parent (mum or dad) trying to find their footing in the chaos of early family life.We speak about:· Art’s honest journey into fatherhood and why he’s redefining what success looks like· How exercise, community and presence help him stay mentally healthy· Why dads need space, support and permission to be active caregivers· The ongoing challenge of balancing work, identity and family· How shifting from “earning” to “parenting” changed Art’s mindset· Gender roles: what’s changing, what isn’t, and why it still matters· The realities of decision fatigue, sleep deprivation and the seasons of parenting· Why grandparents, community and shared caregiving make all the difference· The advice Art would give to the version of himself before kids (“Everything is a phase”)Connect with EmmaThis podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping." To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nz https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

In this episode, I chat with Georgie Dent, one of Australia’s leading voices on gender equality, parental support, early childhood education, and the motherhood penalty. As CEO of The Parenthood, Georgie has spent years campaigning for a system that recognises, values, and properly supports the work of caregiving.Georgie shares her own lived experience, from her early career as a lawyer and journalist, to navigating severe burnout, to becoming a fierce advocate for parents and families across Australia.We unpack the structural drivers of the motherhood penalty, the economic impact of underfunded childcare systems, the cultural narratives that hold women back, and the practical policy changes that could transform families’ lives across Australasia.If you care about gender equity, the future of work, or raising children in a society that genuinely supports families, this conversation is essential listening.We speak about:· Georgie’s journey from lawyer to journalist to national advocate· The reality of burnout and why workplaces still misunderstand it· How The Parenthood is driving major policy reform across Australia· Why early childhood education should be treated as essential infrastructure· How the motherhood penalty affects families economically, emotionally and generationally· What governments must fix, and what businesses can do right now· Why fathers and partners are a crucial part of the solution· The cultural narratives that shame mothers (and how to rewrite them)· Practical change parents can push for in their own workplaces and communitiesConnect with GeorgieThe Parenthood: https://www.theparenthood.org.au/Connect with EmmaThis podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping." To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nz https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/

In this episode of It’s Good To Talk, I chat to Danielle Chew, a senior leader at ANZ and co-chair of the ANZ Whānau Network, an employee-led group transforming the experience of working parents inside one of Aotearoa’s biggest organisations.Danielle shares her personal story of navigating motherhood, senior leadership, part-time work, caring responsibilities, and the very real juggle so many parents face. She opens up about raising two young daughters, becoming a primary carer for her grandmother, and the moment she realised workplaces must change if parents are going to thrive.Together, we unpack the realities of flexible work, parental leave, the “line manager lottery,” why dads need to be part of the conversation, and the huge role organisational culture plays in either empowering or burning out working parents.It’s an honest, practical and uplifting episode for any parent trying to make work and life fit together and for any leader committed to doing better.We speak about:· How Danielle built a senior career at ANZ while working part-time· The family and cultural experiences that fuelled her passion for supporting working parents· Why she founded the ANZ Whānau Network and how it’s driving strategic change· The barriers parents face inside large organisations and how to shift them· The “line manager lottery” and why leadership capability matters more than policy· Why parental leave for dads and secondary carers is essential for equity· How flexible work, part-time roles and good job design keep women in the workforce· Why most people are caregivers and why caregiving is not a niche issue· The conversations every working parent needs to have with their partner, leader and themselvesConnect with EmmaThis podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family.As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping." To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] www.worksforeveryone.co.nz https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/