Learn With Leena
By Leena Nair
Learn With LeenaOct 09, 2019
[Bonus] Leena Nair on the Change Makers podcast
Another bonus episode this week. This time it's Leena's interview on the Change Maker's podcast, hosted by Michael Hayman.
This episode details Leena's path to becoming Unilever's first female and youngest-ever CHRO and her perspective for the Future Of Work. It also includes Leena's BIG mistake after the birth of her first baby – and what it taught her about the importance of leadership.
Subscribe to the Change Makers Podcast here: https://changemakers.works/podcasts
Follow Leena: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nairleena/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeenaNairHR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leenanairhr/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/leenanair
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClHuT662il6ZwWrPXjZdfsw
How Blockchain can turn farmers into entrepreneurs
My guest for this episode is Genevieve Leveille, the founder of AgriLedger, a startup working with farmers in Haiti to change the way produce is sold.
NB: This interview was recorded back before the pandemic, back in 2019. Genevieve sent through an update letting me know that AgriLedger’s Haiti project went live in May 2020. ‘During the Pandemic, we were able to demonstrate a gain of over 750% for the farmers compared to the local price, she said.’]
Follow Leena: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nairleena/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeenaNairHR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leenanairhr/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/leenanair
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClHuT662il6ZwWrPXjZdfsw
[Bonus] Leena Nair on The Centre for Army Leadership Podcast
Another bonus episode! This time Leena was on the Centre for Army Leadership Podcast. Leena's thoughts on a future-fit leadership, hierarchies, the importance of finding your purpose in life (and pursuing it even if those around you doubt you), and how working on your own “inner game” is vital to success are all in this episode of the Centre for Army Leadership podcast.
Subscribe to the Centre for Army Leadership Podcast here https://www.podbean.com/pu/pbblog-fey3w-94e30c
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Revolutionising Reward with Ken Charman, CEO of uFlexReward
For this episode of Learn With Leena, I caught up with Ken Charman, Chief Executive Officer for uFlexReward at Unilever to talk about the genesis of uFlex Rewards, to find out what drove Ken to get involved, and to hear about how the company has just received the seal of approval from Microsoft.
We discuss global markets, internal goals and what keeps us motivated to work hard. Business is an exciting place to be right now and in this discussion we highlight many of the ways in which Unilever is pioneering the way for other global multinationals.
Follow Leena: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nairleena/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeenaNairHR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leenanairhr/
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/leenanair
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClHuT662il6ZwWrPXjZdfsw
[Bonus] Leena on the Startup Grind Podcast with Chris Joannou
This episode is an interview Leena recorded for the Startup Grind Podcast titled "50/50 Gender Balance Across Global Leadership". In it, Leena and Chris discuss Unilever’s new social commitments, including a commitment to pay living wage across its whole supply chain.
Startup Grind is the world’s largest community of startups, founders, innovators, and creators. They like-minded yet diverse individuals together to connect, learn, teach, help, build, and belong. They do this daily through their local events, flagship conferences, startup program, partnerships, and online media + content - collectively reaching over 3.5 million individuals worldwide.
You can subscribe to their podcast here: https://podcast.startupgrind.com/
How World Eat for Good Day can change the way we think about food
Did you know most humans eat just 12 crops and 5 animal species?
I caught up with April Adams-Redmond, Unilever's Global VP Knorr, about the new Knorr campaign “Eat for Good” day, which wants to change our eating habits for good.
It was so great to hear about this brilliant campaign – and to take some inspiration for mixing up my own recipes!
What's it like being CHRO of one of the biggest businesses in the world?
Especially during a global pandemic.
I was interviewed by the Anish Singh and Rachael Hennin from our Unilever Australia and New Zealand team for their Heart 2 Heart Leadership journey podcast series last year. It was great to talk about some of the challenges we have faced and share how our teams have exceeded my expectations during what has been for so many a difficult, emotionally draining, bewildering year.
NOTE: We do discuss the sad losses of life we have had at Unilever between 24:00mins to 24.40. If you are grieving a loved one, or taking care of your mental wellbeing, please do approach with caution.
You can watch this interview over on my Instagram or YouTube channels.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nairleena/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeenaNairHR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leenanairhr/
How to Be More Pirate with Sam Conniff Allende
Leena caught up with entrepreneur and author of Be More Pirate, Sam Conniff Allende to talk about how businesses like Unilever can be more pirate.
Sam is the founder of Livity, a social enterprise and youth-led creative network. His new book, "How to be More Pirate", is out now.
Follow Leena:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nairleena/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeenaNairHR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leenanairhr/
Watch the interview (with added outtakes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-eJIoDkgcI&t=3s
NB. This interview was done long before Covid-19 and the lockdown.
Reimagining how people work: A Unilever Case Study
A new series of my #LearnWithLeena podcast begins today!
This week: How does a company as big as Unilever reimagine its ways of working?
Unilever has long been a company that embraces agile ways of working, even before Covid-19 struck. But we always want to keep pushing to try new, more innovative ways for teams to work.
This interview with our Benelux Refreshments team from last year gives an insight into what happens when you fully embrace agile methodologies to change how you work together.
Paternity Leave and the case for getting more dads on board
If we want true gender equality, we have to make it easier for dads to share the parental duties.
In this episode of Learn With Leena, I spoke to David Tregidgo. David is our People Analytics and Employee Insights Director at Unilever
Recently, David decided to take an eight-month shared paternal leave to focus on his family and support the birth of his daughter.
You can read more about David and our conversation in my Learn With Leena newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/learn-with-leena-6503687640133431296
To watch a video version of this interview, you can subscribe to my channel on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bN6K1k0KAp0
How do we face the world's biggest challenges? With author Nina Montgomery
When Nina Mongomery was 25 the company she worked for shut down. She lost her job. Unemployed and studying for her PhD, Nina realised she had an opportunity. She reached out to countless leaders via LinkedIn, and many of them responded, which led to two books: Perspectives on Purpose and Perspectives on Impact. I was so lucky to have time with Nina via Skype.
For subtitled version, head to Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNz3lOyZsL8
Hattie and Edward - micro-behaviours
As part of my #YearofLearning challenge I met with Hattie and Edward who talked to me about micro-behaviours and the moments when we all have the opportunity to make an important decision
A novel way to find talent for your business. In conversation with Unilever Bangladesh Employer Brand team
Unilever CHRO Leena Nair talks to the Employer Brand Team from Bangladesh who are using their Biz Maestros competition to build a talent pipeline find Unilever's Future Leaders League competitors.
Tasmia Nova (Unilever Brand Lead, Unilever Bangladesh) and Shahrin Ali (Employer Brand Executive, Unilever Bangladesh) talked about Biz Maestros, a business competition that is helping Unilever build its Employer Brand and talent pipeline, whilst also benefiting young entrepreneurs and leaders.
Subscribe for more #LearnWithLeena interviews and content. Learn With Leena from Unilever CHRO is part of a series.
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The Plastic Problem. Exploring new technologies with Niall Dunne
In this week's Learn With Leena we're talking plastic. I sat down with Niall Dunne, Chief Executive Officer of Polymateria, who is developing a new standard in biodegradable and compostable plastics to help nature deal with plastic pollution. It wasn't all plastic polymers – Niall also had some brilliant business advice on how to build a truly purposeful organisation.
For more notes on our conversation: go here
Mentioned by Niall:
Lisa MacCallum is a former Nike vice president, co-author of Inspired INC. and Founder of Inspired Companies.
Jeremy Heimens and Henry Timms, authors of New Power. I spoke to Jeremy a while back
Companies can do more for mental health - In conversation with Geoff McDonald
Geoff McDonald talks to Leena about how companies could and should be doing more to protect the mental wellbeing of their people.
Geoff McDonald was once Global VP of Human Resources with us here at Unilever. But after being diagnosed with anxiety-fuelled depression, he discovered a new purpose: ending the stigma of depression and anxiety in the workplace. He now works as a global advocate, campaigner and consultant.
Things have changed since Geoff was at Unilever. Every year we take more and more positive actions towards building a workplace that supports and nurtures mental health. I've talked before about the things we are doing at Unilever to put Mental Health at the forefront ("Why we take mental health seriously at Unilever"), including our Wellbeing app and the Unilever Employee Assistance programme which ensures all our employees are “1 Chat, 1 Call or 1 Click” from the support they need.
But there is always more to be done, which is why I was so thrilled to spend time with Geoff for a Learn With Leena session. I hope you enjoy our conversation!
Geoff's tips for coping with anxiety.Learn to identify when you think you might be heading for anxiety or depression and start to manage it early. Build certain things into your day:
Recovery. Every two hours have a break between meetings to recover. Let yourself sit quietly and recouperate.
Connection. Learn to reconnect fully with people. Make time to reconnect with nature. Don’t let your phone manage you.
Mindfulness. Feel the soles of your feet on the floor. Feel the water in the shower. Take little moments and make them mindful.
Purpose. Find your purpose and follow it!
CAN-DO attitude.Geoff also follows a Can-do approach to mental health:
Connect. Take time for those you love.
Action. When you feel anxiety or depression creeping up, start doing the thing
Nice - just be nice to people!
Discover. Be curious
Observe Take time to simply observe.
Further reading:
Leena meets the Unilever Employer Brand Team UK and Ireland
I sat down with our Unilever UK and Ireland Employer Brand team to discuss their purpose, their experience of what young people are looking for in a career and how we can attract the next generation of talent to our business.
How to build a happier, more human workplace - in conversation with Jason Stockwood
How do we build a truly human organisation?
I sat down with Jason Stockwood, author of Reboot, whose book offers "a blueprint for happy, human business in the digital age" to talk about how we can seize this opportunity to build a better business and a better world – with a more human, people-led approach.