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Episode Notes

In this episode we chat with two singer-song-writers, Keppie Coutts and Ben Romalis about gender issues within the music industry, and the impact the music industry has on gender perspectives.

We share insights into some of the everyday microaggressions, and the gendered, racial and age-related obstacles encountered by artists.

We discuss how ‘networks’, and the lack of representation particularly in positions of power and influence in the industry work to exclude anybody who isn’t a white man.

We discuss gendered stigmas attached to instruments and different genres, before finally taking a deeper look at song lyrics – from Blurred Lines, to grapevines, and the zig a zig ahs.

Guest Keppie Coutts

Keppie Coutts is a Sydney-based singer-songwriter, who also teaches contemporary songwriting in universities – currently for the Berklee College of Music Online, The Australian College of the Arts, and the Sydney Conservatorium’s Open Academy, as well as being the co-founder of the YouTube channel, How To Write Songs.

Her most recent release was an album of songs premiered inside an audiobook published by Penguin Random House, called MOTHERTONGUES – and is one of the first audiobooks in the world to contain a full album of original songs.

Keppie received her formal training as a musician at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where, in 2005, she was one of 4 females in a guitar department of almost 1000 students. Keppie also worked for several years as the Program Coordinator in the Office for Cultural Diversity at the Berklee College of Music after she graduated, where she was involved in conversations daily about race, gender, age, ability and other aspects of diversity that impacted inclusion, representation, and power inside the college, and the music industry at large.

Guest Ben Romalis

Ben is currently a lecturer at JMC Academy, where he lectures in song writing and composition for screen and music production. He’s a content creator and has released two full length independent albums under his own name. 

He founded Silamor Studios in 2014, which is a boutique studio specialising in composition, audio recording, and video production, and he continues to write and release music under the pseudonym of Silamor. 

Ben is a founding member of the alternative folk outfit Green Mohair Suits, who have four albums, and toured extensively throughout Australia and the United States.

In addition to holding a Bachelor of Contemporary Music from Southern Cross University and a postgraduate diploma in Composition for Film and Television, he has toured with the Australian cricket team as chief performance analyst and he’s recently moved into freelance business coaching and works closely with the organisation HUB – Humans United by Business. 

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Episode Notes

In this episode, we chat with Dominque Powrie, Managing Director of DDI, about gender equality and leadership.

We chat about what makes for great leaders, and how we should be identifying talent, whilst exploring why the best leaders may not necessarily be the ones who end up in leadership roles.

We discuss why we still have a way to go to ensure equality in representation of all genders at senior leadership, and how the inherent biases still permeate our processes.

Finally, we share practical ways that executives can be allies, mentors, and sponsors, and the significant impact that we can all have to ensure fairer outcomes.

Guest

Dominique Powrie, Managing Director of Development Dimensions International (DDI).

She started her career at DDI as a leadership development consultant, working as an executive coach as well as a facilitator before moving into business development where she managed key client accounts which included top 100 ASX listed companies.

Dominique is passionate about empowering leaders in the face of complexity they experience every day and she also heads up the women in leadership practice at DDI Australia, where she collaborates with organisations and industry associations to design and deliver keynote speeches, conference presentations and workshops, with the aim of uplifting and supporting the success of female leaders and their sponsors.

You can connect with Dominique via LinkedIn

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Episode Notes

In this episode we chat with Dr Stephen Weller, Chief Operating Officer at Australian Catholic University, to discuss gender inequality within the tertiary education sector.

We explore the importance of diverse representation in decision making, governance and policy making, and how change is taking longer than it should be.

We examine some of the underlying issues associated with casualisation, flexibility and academic promotions, and how these are providing significant barriers to achieving gender equality.

Guest

Dr Stephen Weller, Chief Operating Officer at Australian Catholic University.

Dr Weller comes with quite extensive experience across tertiary education management, having worked for UWS, UTS, UQ, Victoria University, and James Cook University.

Doctor Stephen Weller, also holds a PhD in organisational justice from Victoria University. 

In addition to that, he’s got a Bachelor of Business Administration, a Master of Commerce in employment relations, and a Bachelor of Arts, Government, and Public Administration. 

He’s also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Chair of the Board of Higher Education Services.

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Episode Notes

In this episode we chat with the founder of Accidental Counsellor, Cutty Felton, about mental health, suicide prevention and how to give support to those around us. 

We discuss how certain pressures associated with gender can impact our mental health, how trendy ‘resilience’ training may not actually be the best approach, as well as some straightforward and effective tips for helping other people through difficult times and personal crises.

Guest

Cutty Felton, CEO and the founder of Accidental Counsellor.

Cutty delivers keynote addresses, consults with mentors, and trains people who are engaged with colleagues and clients in distress or in vulnerable situations, and she’s also developed and produced her own highly acclaimed version of the Accidental Counsellor.

Including a distinct approach to crisis communication in the corporate space. As well as a unique framework for difficult conversations by profession, Cutty, is actually a solicitor and practised for approximately 10 years.

Over that time, however, she felt the need to contribute more directly to the community, and in 2013 she joined Lifeline, initially as a trained volunteer telephone crisis supporter on life lines 131114 suicide prevention and crisis intervention service.

Subsequently, she headed up the corporate and community training for Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury for four years.

 If you  would like to learn more about Cutty please visit her website:
http://www.accidental-counsellor.com/about

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Episode Notes

In this episode we chat with Principal Recruitment Consultant, Kayla Hoye about gender equality within recruitment and selection practices.

We look at the unconscious discounting that frequently occurs and disadvantages female candidates.

We discuss the effectiveness of blind resumes, the gender language of advertisements, the composition of selection panels, and approaches to reference checking, in order to provide practical strategies for hiring managers to take greater ownership over the inclusivity of the process.

You don’t need to wait for People & Culture before you can start fixing the problem.

Guest

Kayla Hoye is currently the principal consultant at HR Partners.

She brings extensive recruitment and HR experience, and she’s managed teams of recruitment consultants, and worked across a variety of industries and organisations to fill roles at all levels of seniority.

You can contact, or follow, Kayla over on LinkedIn 

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Episode Notes

In this episode we chat with Golnar Adl, Performance and Reward Manager about key gender equality measures, and pay and performance outcomes.

Golnar helps us to understand the gender pay gap and the historical reasons for this inequality.

We discuss the flaws within performance and remuneration reviews that contribute to greater gender inequality. And what leaders and organisations could be doing to firstly not make the problem worse, and then secondly provide greater transparency and accountability. 

Guest

Golnar Adl is the performance and reward manager at Building Capacity. 

Golnar has worked in performance in reward for almost two decades and she is particularly passionate about addressing biases within remuneration.

Through her work as a contractor, she’s worked very extensively with organisations across Asia PAC, North America, Middle East, and Europe advising them on performance and reward strategies, as well as operationalising their HR plan, and looking at employee experience.

She also brings a wealth of experience across industries, including tertiary education, finance, technology, media, and legal.

If you’d like to learn more you can connect with Golnar via her LinkedIn profile or email her at Building Capacity.