PayPal Launches New Podcast Spotlighting Real-life Challenges Faced by Women in the Workplace
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PayPal is delighted to bring you Looking Up: A podcast created by Unity, a community of women and allies at PayPal working together to advance female equity and diversity.
Launched in celebration of Women’s History month, this podcast spotlights real-life challenges faced by women in the workplace and offers proven techniques to help ambitious women overcome obstacles and advance their careers. Hosted by New York Times best-selling author, educator and coach Rachel Simmons, alongside PayPal's very own Kelly Abraham, the 8-episode podcast features guest speakers with refreshing philosophies and tactical advice on women's leadership and professional advancement.
All episodes are available currently on Spotify and Google, with Apple coming soon. To further support learning about these important topics in women’s leadership development, we’ve also created discussion guides for each episode. See below for an overview of the season and discussion guides.
Enjoy!
Looking Up: A Unity Podcast - Episodes
| Episode One |
How to be Brave - Discussion Guide
Being brave isn’t something that just happens to us; it requires learning and practicing a set of skills that everyone can improve at over time. Rachel and Kelly look at the research on what makes us brave in the face of uncertainty, and the powerful role privilege plays in who gets to take a risk |
| Episode Two |
How to Quit Overthinking - Discussion Guide
Overthinking—repetitive, negative thoughts that focus on the cause or effect of our distress—leads to depression, decreased motivation and lower confidence. Kelly and Rachel unpack why women are significantly more likely to overthink, and share the actions and distractions that are our best bets to beat it. |
| Episode Three |
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome - Discussion Guide
No matter how hard some of us work, or how much we achieve, we live with the nagging feeling that we aren’t qualified for our positions. Why? Kelly and Rachel take on imposter syndrome, unpacking what causes it and the ways imposter thoughts can shape our behavior in lasting ways. |
| Episode Four |
The Promise of Self Compassion - Discussion Guide
Why are we so much kinder to others than to ourselves? Why do so many of us turn to self-criticism as a source of motivation? Kelly and Rachel unpack the research on self-compassion, which consistently shows that being an ally to yourself during times of suffering can make you more resilient, engaged and brave. |
| Episode Five |
How Sponsorship Moves the Dial for Women
Research shows that sponsorship accelerates the careers of senior leaders, yet women consistently get less of it. PayPal CFO John Rainey and VP of Business Operations Martha Cass take us inside their sponsor-protégé relationship and examine how it has enhanced both of their careers. |
| Episode Six |
Failing Well - Discussion Guide
Kelly and Rachel speak with Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and the first Indian-American woman to run for Congress. Reshma tells the moving story of how failure set her free from life as a pleaser, and shares strategies from her bestselling book, Brave Not Perfect: How Celebrating Imperfection Helps You Live Your Best, Most Joyful Life. |
| Episode Seven |
Sharing Our Strengths - Discussion Guide
Why do so many women avoid sharing their strengths, and why do they respond to compliments by putting themselves down? Kelly and Rachel turn the clock back to the earliest days of grade school, when many girls learn to be modest and boys learn to be outspoken. |
| Episode Eight |
Caregiving in a Pandemic - Discussion Guide
Author and workplace expert Lauren Smith Brody makes an unexpected argument about our lives as caregivers in a pandemic: we’ve been forced to rebuild the way we work and live in ground shaking ways—just as many of us did when we first became parents. |
- Martha Cass and Olivia Micallef, PayPal Unity Global Co-Chairs