Nasrin Oskui

Here's my 2024 LinkedIn Rewind: 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣ This year showed me that intentional change isn't just about making moves - it's about making meaning. I'm grateful to clients, colleagues, my coaches and mentors, and subscribers. Your trust and feedback has been powerful and humbling. From leading transformation at UK Dementia Research Institute to launching "What Kind of Future," every small step reinforced that sustainable change happens when we live and lead with purpose and heart. Key transformations this year: • Joined UKDRI as Chief People & Culture Officer, bringing intention to how we support groundbreaking dementia research • Launched "What Kind of Future" podcast, creating space for deeper conversations about leadership and transformation • Led CIPD Wessex Branch to increased engagement and community impact • Began Five Element Acupuncture studies, deepening understanding of balance in leadership • Served as UN Women UK Delegate at CSW68, championing inclusive leadership globally 🌟I was honoured to be nominated as Voice of a New Era of Leaders and winning the e2e Award of Excellence for my coaching. 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣ For me, it will be about deepening our impact at UKDRI while expanding conversations about intentional leadership through the I.F. Club community and podcast. And completing my five element studies. The future of leadership in our ever change world requires both institutional courage and personal transformation. **Thanks** To everyone choosing to build their future with intention - whether through research, community building, or personal growth - thank you for showing that meaningful change happens through knowing ourselves and our collective purpose. #IntentionalFuture #WhatKindOfFuture #Leadership Thanks CoAuthor; great memories! @coauthor Get your 2024 LinkedIn Rewind! Go to coauthor [dot] studio in your browser

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I'm Robin, and in this new series, ‘Why Use an Executive Coach’, I'll share how executive coaching can transform your leadership skills. I work with leading companies like Microsoft, Freshfields, and the NHS. My goal? To help leaders communicate better, find clarity in projects, and build confidence. Stay tuned to learn how coaching can help you become a stronger, more effective leader. #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipDevelopment #ProfessionalGrowth #LeadershipSkills #Management

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A conversation I was having yesterday reminded me of this brilliant visual by @lizandmollie. Change, growth and progress, whether personal, team or organisational has to be grounded in the willingness to reflect in a candid but not cruel way, at where you are now, and sit with that discomfort. Only then do the "atomic habits" (a great book by the way) of small incremental steps that come with time, consistency and patience, begin to have an impact. The biggest challenge is rarely how to get there, especially organisationally in terms of culture and inclusion. It's firstly are we willing to recognise where we are without blame or justification. Secondly, are we willing to make the small changes and not look for the magic silver bullet (that rarely exists). And lastly, are we willing to be consistent and patient to see the results rather than flit or revert to old behaviours. As a wise Greek proverb says, society grows when people plant trees in whose shade they won't sit under.

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2024 showed me that joy isn't just the opposite of burnout - it's the antidote. Whether teaching executives in London boardrooms or leading workshops in Sierra Leone, this year proved to me, that when we move differently, we think differently too. The real magic happens when we stop treating stress management like a checklist and start seeing it as a dance - fluid, responsive, and sometimes beautifully unpredictable. Here are some moments that made my heart sing, this year: • Watching the R.E.L.I.E.F. framework I developed transform how mid-level managers approach pressure • Teaching leaders at Hotel Barmoi and University of East London how to turn stress into strength • Bringing movement and joy into corporate burnout prevention • Being named a LinkedIn Top Voice in Stress Management But the real impact came through transformations: ↳ The young woman I helped beat her negative thoughts to help heal, experience gratitude, and grow a positive relationship with her daughter ↳ The manager who got his confidence back after years of stagnation since the pandemic knocked it out of him ↳ The team that reduced turnover by making psychological safety their priority ↳ The organisation that discovered how cultural understanding transforms workplace stress Three posts really resonated with you: "If this Christmas feels heavy, I see you" Because sometimes acknowledging the struggle is the first step to transformation https://lnkd.in/dHNRWkB7 "Striving for work-life balance may be driving you to burnout" Why finding your own rhythm matters more than perfect balance https://lnkd.in/dg8YCQ_9 "Emotions Are Intelligence Too" On trusting what our bodies tell us about stress https://lnkd.in/dhqNtrcK 2025 is looking transformative. I'll be launching "What a R.E.L.I.E.F." audiorooms, expanding workshops across UK and Sierra Leone, and I'm writing my first book on turning stress into strength. But I'm also continuing to show leaders that joy and high performance aren't opposites - they're partners in sustainable success. Stress doesn't have to define you. It can teach you, shape you, empower you. So let's make 2025 the year you find your own rhythm of resilience. Found this helpful? Save it 📌, follow 🔔, or share 🔄 For insights on: ✅ Burnout Prevention & Recovery ✅ Leadership in High-Pressure Roles ✅ Building Resilient Teams & Cultures Book a call: https://lnkd.in/daWf2HUC Or one of my offers: The Breakthrough Session (90 minutes | £250) - https://lnkd.in/dQNSzBUs The Reset Package (4 sessions | £800) - https://lnkd.in/drHF5RjJ The Transformation Program (12 sessions | £2,100) - https://lnkd.in/ddSG7MYD Get your 2024 #LinkedInRewind at https://lnkd.in/dXSWsJpD

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I’m here at the d&i Leaders (Diversity and Inclusion Leaders) Global Leaders Forum and loving it. Phenomenal people and important conversations. Come by and say hello if you’re here too! Anni Townend Lucy Kidd Collaboration Equation # diversity #equality #equity #inclusion #PowerEvolved #humancentricleadership #aleadershipevolved #workevolved

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45%* of women think about leaving work during their menopause transition, and it’s estimated that menopause costs female workers $17 billion each year in lost earnings and superannuation **. There’s more than enough reasons for workplaces to be addressing the impact of menopause & periods.  Here’s Monique Black keeping it real. She’s a doer, yet suddenly she found it hard to get out of bed. She’s had to change her ways of working because…brain fog. She had to be open with her team because it impacts them too. In her words “Being open and vulnerable at work can be really hard especially if you’re a leader, and in my personal experience women are really good at pretending they’re okay and powering through. But, WHY IS IT SO HARD? Periods, pregnancy, menopause are all part of the name natural cycle for 50% of the world’s population and without them 100% of the world won’t exist.” Thanks Mon for helping me prepare for something my body will go through (soon). I don’t want to suffer in silence. I want to work in a place where my leaders and colleagues understand how it impacts my work. Most of all want flexibility when I need it. Kim Lion Shantelle Chand Hayley Tropeano Abbie Ridge are all part of a movement to make this a reality for others like me and I am grateful to these teammates. #IPGMediabrands #CloserTogether #DEconstructed 

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October theory below - very interesting. And a wonderfully prickly horse chestnut close up. The colours of nature hold an inherent beauty that inspires us deeply—especially in autumn, when leaves transform into a vibrant tapestry of reds, oranges, and golds. This seasonal transition reflects a powerful phenomenon called “shedding.” Just as trees shed their leaves to conserve energy for winter, we, too, can benefit from letting go of what no longer serves us in our work and personal lives. Drawing from theories of psychological renewal and environmental psychology, shedding unnecessary aspects of our work or practices can lead to fresh insights, greater clarity, and renewed energy. Research has shown that spending time in nature, with its rich colours and dynamic changes, can positively impact our mental state and inspire change. Studies in colour psychology suggest that seeing warmer colours like red, orange, and yellow can elevate energy levels and enhance creativity, which we can channel into our work. Observing autumn’s colours offers a reminder of cyclical growth—just as nature prepares for a season of rest, shedding extraneous parts of our routine or workload allows us to conserve energy and refocus. One approach to shedding is influenced by Marie Kondo’s “Spark Joy” method, where we evaluate what brings us value and purpose. Applied to our work lives, this approach encourages us to review projects, habits, and even mindsets to determine their relevance. By keeping only what truly aligns with our goals, we create space for meaningful work and reduce cognitive overload. Research in cognitive psychology supports this—simplifying our environment and tasks reduces stress and improves mental clarity. Autumn’s shedding process also aligns with the concept of “essentialism,” proposed by Greg McKeown, which advocates focusing only on what is essential to make room for purposeful action. Similarly, Carl Jung’s theory of individuation speaks to shedding outdated versions of ourselves to align more closely with our authentic identity. When applied to the workplace, these concepts encourage us to release tasks or responsibilities that no longer resonate with our core purpose, allowing us to focus on work that genuinely fuels our passions. Incorporating seasonal cycles into our approach to work helps us adopt a more natural rhythm, reducing burnout and boosting resilience. Nature reminds us that sometimes less truly is more—letting go can open up space for growth, creativity, and inspiration, with each season offering its own unique insights for our professional and personal lives. #nature #closing #growth #reflection #leadership #shedding #octobertheory

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Women’s leadership shouldn’t just be for International Women’s Day… I wrote my latest blog for People Management magazine on what it means to be a female leader of a minority background and how you can help to be an ally to people like me, to make sure we have equity to the same opportunities as everyone else. Please take a read! Link to the full article is in the comments. #femaleleadership #diversityandinclusion #inclusiveleadership #leadershipcoaching

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Learning to say no effectively can transform your professional growth. It’s not about shutting down requests but navigating them thoughtfully: refining tasks, negotiating adjustments, or leveraging opportunities for growth. Boundaries done right can enhance trust and open doors. How do you handle requests that push your limits? #ProfessionalGrowth #EffectiveCommunication #SettingBoundaries

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Ever felt like you're in limbo, waiting for a "new normal" that just won’t arrive? In these unpredictable times, leaders are struggling to find their footing in what academics call liminal experiences—moments of transition where the familiar breaks, but nothing fully replaces it. The ground keeps shifting, and many are left wondering: How do we lead when everything feels uncertain? Here’s a starting point: 1. Ask the Big Questions: • What do you truly value? Reflect on what really matters and consider what’s worth holding onto. • Where does your organisation stand? Without clarity in purpose, it’s hard to inspire confidence. • How can you guide your team forward? Liminal times can invite experimentation and adaptability. 2. Focus on the Fundamentals: • Step back and take stock. Reaffirm your organisation’s purpose amidst the noise. • Strengthen ties. In tough times, collaboration and connection anchor us. • Hold fast and stay true. In rough seas, knowing your course is key. These steps can offer stability and focus, even when the future is unpredictable. To dive deeper into navigating these turbulent times, read the full article on Vistage.

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Four very different organisations that demonstrate that living and breathing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace is possible. Becky Norman, managing director at HRZone, summarises what they specifically do to practice DEI in this article. These organisations have been shortlisted for the #CulturePioneerAwards2024. The winner will be announced on 13 Nov at the Leadership Forum in Central London. Link to book ticket in article. Becky Norman Maddy Christopher HRZone TrainingZone #culturepioneerawards #workculture #DEI #diversity #equity #inclusion #culturechange #change #mentalhealth #safety #belonging #dignity

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No more crabs allowed. I was reading a beautiful book at the weekend written by Florence Given which already has explored many concepts that feed into society, societal pressures, attitudes that have been and are creating restrictions on impact and growth particularly in women and the impact that has on society. As someone who works with leadership teams, understanding the challenges that society faces, collectively and individually and why and what to do about it fascinates me. One concept Florence mentioned is the crabs in a bucket syndrome. When crabs are out at sea in their natural environment, they collaborate, they support and help each other. Whereas when they are put into a bucket, in a state of fear/ anxiety they’ll reach up and pull each other down. If they worked together then they would be able to escape, but they don’t. It’s a ‘if I’m not getting out, neither are you’ attitude‘. We see this in society, when people do things out of the norm, break the patterns and conditioning we are all programmed with, it challenges our own beliefs and subconsciously people can approach this to bring people back in line as it challenges them/ holds a mirror up to them. When we live in a world driven by fear, fear of missing out, fear of not being good enough, fear of not achieving what others are of course it goes on, and most people have experienced anxiety in some form great or small. That is the society we live in. You can seriously change the world by noticing this mentality and mindfully looking at others’ success as inspiration, not a threat. Celebrate their wins and use them as fuel for your own journey. Embrace a growth mindset where there's room for everyone to rise. Let go of the old habits of comparison, criticism, and negativity. Your growth is yours to own—and there’s plenty of space for everyone to succeed. I am a huge fan of collaboration. And have a strong network of other like minded individuals, that I have built over the years and we empower each other, lift each other up, celebrate successes and hold space to listen to challenges. Not everyone is so fortunate to have this. But you can create it! Anyone can create this in their lives. In empowering ourselves our colleagues, our friends and our acquaintances we build a better society, a better business, a better world. To uncover how you best make impact, and let go of anything that is holding you back from being your truest, most collaborative, non crab like version of yourself, feel free to hit me up for some inspiration and techniques to use. Tagging some of my lifelong collaborators who I know would always lift me out of a figurative bucket (and have done!) CJ Bedford Carrie Adams Nicola Sinclair White Carly McGrogan Carrie Alderson Kate Bagnall Sarah Cooper Franco DeMori James ➡️Financial Services Recruitment⬅️ Barden Victoria Hicks✨️Group CEO at Melo

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Saying no can feel risky, but when done tactfully, it can strengthen relationships, showcase your priorities, and even open new opportunities. This article shares 3 key strategies: ✅ Clarify requests to make better decisions. ✅ Negotiate terms to align with your capacity. ✅ Use opportunities to build skills or reset priorities. What’s your go-to approach for saying no effectively? #Leadership #Growthmindset #Businessowners

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Pride Month begins tomorrow, but the polarity around LGBTQ+ inclusion, in the workplace and beyond, seems never to have been greater. With their influence, reach, resources and durability, commercial organisations matter greatly as change agents for #inclusion. Their support is hugely powerful. But to realise its potential value, that support must be VISIBLE, SINCERE and SUSTAINED. The visibility criterion is met by multiple commercial organisations each June, by making a splashy visual show of support for #LGBTQ+ inclusion. But where that support appears neither sincere nor sustained, it merely serves to breed cynicism – that this is just a PR exercise in #pinkwashing – which is felt both within the walls of the organisation (by its staff) and beyond (by its customers). Being sincere requires organisations to walk the talk. But it need not rest solely on the principle of social justice – because, important though their support for that unquestionably is, for companies inclusion is about more than just that. It is also a business imperative. Understanding this requires them to embrace and celebrate inclusion of all points of difference (whether inherent, like LGBTQ+, or acquired, like unique work experience) as a strategically aligned priority. And it therefore also means visibly facing down those critics and conservative activists who claim that companies who “go woke, go broke” – in fact, as copious research (including recently by McKinsey & Company and Open For Business) shows unequivocally, inclusion is very much a booster for business success. The final requirement is that corporate support should be sustained, i.e. enduring and not variable. Hence, changing the corporate logo for #PrideMonth, but then doing little to support LGBTQ rights and inclusion for the rest of the year, fails the test. But so too does caving in to critics and resorting to what Fabrice C Houdart has aptly termed "pinkhushing", i.e. downplaying their support of LGBTQ+ inclusion for fear of being targeted by trolls – as happened to the likes of Budweiser and Target in the US during Pride Month last year, and in the UK to John Lewis during LGBTQ+ History Month earlier this year, of course. As I have said many times, this is the acid test for companies; kowtowing to reactionary tantrums is the opposite of true allyship. So, rather than shrink from criticism, companies should push back firmly. After all, with the LGBTQ+ population believed to have an annual purchasing power of USD 3.7 trillion, and with about one-quarter of Gen Z reportedly identifying as LGBTQ+, companies have plentiful practical incentives. So here is hoping that this June, and indeed all year, we see fewer instances of both pinkwashing and pinkhushing, and instead that companies choose to show their support for LGBTQ+ (and, in fact, ALL) inclusion – visibly, sincerely and consistently. Happy Pride Month, everyone! #DEI #InclusionMatters

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It was a great privilege to be part of The Women on Boards CIC® Women on Boards CIC® Think Tank, hosted at Barclays in Canary Wharf, is a significant event aimed at promoting gender diversity and inclusion in boardrooms. This think tank was led by the influential leaders Payal Walker and Sandra Wiggins, both of whom are known for their dedication to advancing women's representation in corporate governance. The Women on Boards CIC® Think Tank, chaired by Baroness Sandy Verma whose input was especially influential, delivering both insightful guidance and a powerful call to action aimed at enhancing opportunities and raising awareness to ensure fairness and equality for everyone. 2 big takeaways from this event is that we have to start from the grassroot level with regards too:- - Accountability - Educate Along with policy reforms, societal mindset change, targeted programs and conscious effort on the part of businesses and corporates to foster an inlcusive and equality based environment. Collaborative Partner: UN Women UK Support Partner : Barclays Eagle Labs #Research #Collaboration #GenderEquality

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What is the medicine for chaos? Join us as we speak with Maria Pouroullis Carpenter from South Africa as she shares her story of finding her way and how her personal journey of navigating tragedy helped her to find joy and purpose. Maria has had a diverse career spanning software development, management consulting, executive leadership, and entrepreneurship. Maria has spent her career creating an environment of expectation that cultivates a culture of results. She takes us on a journey of success, then burnout, then back to finding her true place of happiness and how that happened after she had children. The lessons they have taught her in being the leader she is meant to be. We discuss the challenges women face when they are conflicted with their masculine energy and the consequences when they are out of alignment with their feminine side. This showed clearly when she experienced burnout at such a young age. Then one of her 6 brothers was killed tragically, she felt like her world had ended, and not even love could bring her back for a while. Then she found plant medicine and mindfulness work bringing her back to the world and her family. In 2018 she was sought out to run a large tech team and was baffled as to why they had contacted her only to realize this was what she needed. Given her experiences with connecting her masculine and feminine, she was able to quickly realize some wins for the team and align the expectations with the results. She talks about getting clear with what you want and how to communicate that to others and align the team on a common vision. But you must emotionally connect and be engaged with that vision for it to come to fruition. Want to better understand your leadership, visit us at www.wilempowered.com and take our free leadership quiz.

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Let’s be real—saying “no” can feel uncomfortable, especially when you’re in a leadership role. You don’t want to seem inflexible, but you also can’t be everything to everyone. The truth is, setting boundaries isn’t about shutting people out; it’s about creating clarity and trust. Here's how to say "no" in a way that feels kind, firm, and guilt-free. What’s the hardest part about saying “no” for you as a leader—fear of how it’s received, guilt, or something else? How do you navigate those moments?

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