ISG Digital Dish

Remember the days when it would take weeks, or even months, to get your results from medical tests? When a routine hospital checkup would take up the best part of a day? When doctors could be seen carrying great wads of paper notes as they made their patient rounds? It wasn't that long ago, but due to the pressures of COVID-19 and recent technological advancements, the healthcare industry is undergoing a profound revolution. From telemedicine to cutting-edge innovations in diagnostics and treatment and the use of robotics and automation in surgery, technology is fostering a new era of personalized medicine. It's an era centered around improving accessibility, efficiency and patient-centered care.     One woman at the forefront of this technological revolution is Keerthi Harikrishnan, an expert in healthcare and life sciences with Persistent Systems. She joins our Digital Dish hosts to discuss some of the ways that emerging technology and data analytics are improving healthcare outcomes for both patients and medics. Listen in as Keerthi discusses her fascinating journey, from her passion for researching heart disease and lung cancer, to her current role at Persistent where she leverages the latest technologies to advance the understanding of human diseases. As a woman who has built a successful career in both science and tech, she shares some valuable advice and lessons learned for other women navigating careers in these fields.

When you're looking to buy a luxury product, how do you choose which product you buy? Today, consumers are faced with an unprecedented abundance of choices, and their expectations are in a perpetual flux. This constantly shifting consumer landscape presents a formidable challenge for retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands seeking to build a devoted following. Digital technologies, such as the metaverse, force brands to reevaluate their business strategies to ensure they stay relevant in a multi-brand-loyal world. This rings especially true for some of the long-established luxury brands whose consumers have distinct and often demanding expectations of their retail experiences. What strategies can these brands employ to consistently raise the bar, thereby ensuring they secure loyalty and the largest share of their purchasing choices? Join us for this episode as we explore how digital is impacting the world of luxury brands. Our guest Anika Sharma, General Manager & Global Client Partner at LTIMindtree, who works with large-scale CPG and retail clients. She has a deep passion for elevating cherished brands that evoke a sense of well-being in their customers. Our discussion revolves around the pivotal role played by digital technology and human-centric approaches in enabling brands to adapt and thrive within the ever-evolving consumer landscape. How can the metaverse emerge as a transformative catalyst for brands and consumers, altering the dynamics of their interactions in profound ways?

As the modern workplace is disrupted time and time again, employees struggle to establish a sense of purpose and contentment in their work. With more people working remotely, the lines between professional and personal life have blurred, making it harder to set boundaries and find balance. And a multi-generational workforce with different needs and expectations makes fostering a sense of belonging even more challenging for employers.  To discuss these challenges, our host Lois Coatney speaks to Stephanie Marcon, director of ISG's Experience Assessment Center. Their conversation focuses on the different ways employers can boost employee experiences, encourage healthy relationships and create an environment that supports well-being and productivity. Plus, get tips on how you can prioritize time for self-care and get the best out of your work relationships. Tune in!

The technology industry is undoubtedly one of the fastest-paced and most innovative sectors to work in, and India has rapidly established itself as a leading global technology hub. In this episode of ISG's Digital Dish, we shine a spotlight on the role of women in tech in India. Guest host and Chief Data and Analytics Officer at ISG, Kathy Rudy speaks to Namratha Dharshan, Chief Business Leader for ISG Research, about her experiences in the industry. Together they discuss how the industry has evolved for women in India over the past decade. Namratha gives her views on the current gender gap and how companies in India can support and encourage women leaders to thrive in the tech industry. They also explore how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted women in tech and created a boom in entrepreneurship. 

Technology plays a part in every aspect of our lives, so diversity in tech is critical – and can benefit both the tech industry and society at large. If you've ever helped a child go to a public restroom, you might have an understanding of what we mean. Whether it's the height of the sink, the toilet or the light switch, a child struggles to use many public facilities. This stems from a lack of diversity – if only one type of person is designing from their own experiences, society suffers. People can only extrapolate so much – we need diversity in tech (and in all fields) to account for diverse experiences of life. In this special episode of ISG's Digital Dish, we honor Black History Month and shine a light on what it's like to be a BIPOC woman in the tech industry. Missy Lawrence speaks to Tiera Gray, Vice President, Office of the CIO at Exelon. Tiera shares her insights and first-hand experience of the challenges and opportunities faced by many minorities in the industry today.  Plus, hear Tiera's valuable advice for girls and women wanting to carve out a fulfilling and rewarding career in the tech space. And find out why hair is a crucial part the conversation. Have you heard of the CROWN act? If not, we'll catch you up to speed in the post-interview debrief with hosts Lois Coatney and Jeanne Cuff.

Given recent global events and current economic disruption, change has never felt so constant and so urgent. It's safe to say that most organizations have embarked on at least one major digital transformation project in the last 36 months. With all these deep investments, it's alarming to learn that the vast majority of business transformations fail, according to research, even those with a change management program in place. Why are these programs falling short of achieving their business cases?       To get to the bottom of this question, we spoke to Ema Roloff, a digital transformation and change management expert, and, at the time of recording, Director with  Naviant*. In a conversation with Digital Dish host Missy Lawrence, Ema shared her definition of change management and the part it plays in combatting the number one reason many digital transformations fail. Listen in to hear why she believes a people-oriented approach is critical to making any transformation successful. And don't miss her top tips on creating an environment that will ensure your transformation program constantly maintains momentum. *Ema is now at the time of publication, a Director with EIS Group

Have you ever been hired or promoted into a new role where you feel like you have to be someone you're not? It's exhausting to constantly measure yourself against unrealistic expectations, to hold back from behaving authentically, or to emulate a leadership style that's counter to your preferred ways of working. And yet despite the downsides to productivity and morale, today, it's often a struggle to be true to yourself at work. In this special hour-length episode of the ISG Digital Dish, we continue to dive deep into the theme of being your authentic self.  What we've found: being authentically you is not only liberating; it can actually be a career accelerator. Coming off the back of a successful Women in Digital Awards program, Lois Coatney speaks to two inspirational women and digital leaders, Isabelle Roux-Chenu, Former Head of Group Commercial & Contract Management at Capgemini, and Sarah Urbanowicz, CIO at AECOM. Listen in to hear them share their experiences and advice on leading authentically – both how and why to be you at work.

Understanding your authentic self is one thing. Knowing how to position that authentic self professionally via a personal brand is another thing entirely, and it has never been more important to career growth than it is today. But both the understanding and the positioning can be incredibly challenging – you may find yourself struggling with where to start. That's why, in this episode of the ISG Digital Dish, host Missy Lawrence is interviewing Jennifer Galvin, Technology Alliances Lead at OutSystems, about her proven techniques for building a personal brand. To illustrate why she believes personal brand building is so critical to career success, Jennifer shares her own career path into tech and her personal challenges and wins along the way. Together with hosts Jeanne Cuff and Lois Coatney, we delve into why it is important to find and embrace your true identity and how you can use it to drive value and make an impact. And since both our hosts and our guest are all long-time tech industry veterans, we can't help but to make connections with tech topics including low-code, digital identity and access management. Tune in now!

In this episode of the Digital Dish, Missy Lawrence speaks to our guest Dr. Rebecca Harvey about several key issues affecting women today. They begin by discussing the lack of women in senior positions and why women are still missing out on promotions despite research that shows companies run by women and that include women in senior positions are more profitable. What are the pressures impacting women as they climb the career ladder? And how can women best equip themselves?  Dr. Rebecca Harvey offers insight into how meditation and mindfulness can combat stress and improve overall health and well-being. It might be easier than you think to master, so tune in to this episode to hear how!

Featuring: In a special segment, ISG Vice Chairman and President Todd Lavieri announces the inaugural ISG Women in Digital Awards ceremony. Learn more about how to participate here. Then, we move into our regular program: this time, Digital Dish host Jeanne Cuff  is speaking to Radhika Krishnan, Chief Product Officer, Hitachi Vantara. Radhika is passionate about promoting diversity in tech. Specifically, she has a lot to teach about the impact of biased AI in our daily lives, where software and technology are ubiquitous. But Radhika also makes time to discuss the importance of getting more girls and women into STEM fields and to share advice for those considering a career in tech.  After all, diversity is critical to countering bias. Radhika reminds us: without diverse leaders, developers and stakeholders, AI can and will only ever have one perspective. Listen in to find out what you should be doing to pre-empt or counter bias in your organizations' artificial intelligence programs – and to create a positive (rather than dystopian) outlook for the future of AI.

The path to career success is not a linear one, especially for women in tech. This episode of the ISG Digital Dish explores the power of following your passion, as well as some of the inherent challenges of working in this industry, where women are still hugely underrepresented. Taylor Card, Hannah Stapleton and Allie Woodcock join host Jeanne Cuff to share about their non-linear paths to their current digital careers. Together, they discuss what is needed to ensure women entering the technology industry thrive. What are the expectations of women in tech? And what does the digital future look like for them?

In this episode of the ISG Digital Dish, Jeanne Cuff and Lois Coatney interview their new co-host Missy Lawrence-Johnston. Missy is a Culture & Change Leadership expert with a passion for organizational effectiveness and human capital optimization. She shares her insights on why she believes companies should be examining their organizational cultures, values, empathy and diversity, post pandemic and in the context of the Great Resignation.   

In 2018, ISG Partner Lois Coatney launched the ISG Women in Digital program, now run by Kimberly Tobias. Her vision was to create a group dedicated to connecting, educating, empowering and recognizing women as they navigate the changing world of business and the IT industry and make the most of their futures. In this episode of the ISG Digital Dish, Lois, Kimberly and Jeanne Cuff are joined by Lisa Graver, who recently launched LTI's global Women in Tech program. With Missy Lawrence-Johnston facilitating the discussion, they chat about the ins and outs of setting up such a group. What issues need considering before starting out? What are the benefits for the women involved – and for the enterprise? How can men be involved? These are just some of the questions they cover in their conversation.

In recent months, much ink has been spilled over the rising numbers of people leaving their jobs. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the workplace and the global economy, the wave of resignations is just another sign of the change. The trend originated in the U.S. in early 2021 and has been reshaping the global labor market ever since. It has simply become impossible to ignore the statistics. Recent data shows that 4 million workers in the U.S. quit their jobs in April 2021, and another 4.4 million in September. Who is driving this shift? And why? Join Jeanne Cuff, Lois Coatney and Missy Lawrence-Johnston as they discuss some of the staggering statistics and fall out.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, IT industrialization was already revolutionizing the way we do business. The pandemic has only increased the need for enterprises to improve performance and efficiency to retain competitive advantage. Tune into this episode to learn how a resilient, reliable and optimized IT organization is key to improving service, productivity and overall agility. Joining host Jeanne Cuff to discuss this topic is Leslie Scott, VP & CIO, IT Enterprise Services at Stanley Black & Decker. Scott shares her experiences and lessons learned industrializing the delivery of IT services and managing a major transition – remotely – during the pandemic. Their conversation covers other current issues common to many global enterprises, including the supply chain crisis, staffing challenges and the future of the workplace.

The differences between men and women have been the subject of thorny debates for centuries. Still today, stories can be found in the media that vastly exaggerate these differences. Yet, much of modern research fails to support many of the gender-based stereotypes with which we are all familiar. Numerous studies have shown that the differences between men's and women's brains are far less profound than previously thought. If these differences are so slight, then do they really matter? And how do they impact women in the workplace?     Our guest on this episode of the ISG Digital Dish not only believes they matter, she believes they must be recognized and managed so women can thrive as leaders. Join host Jeanne Cuff as she talks to entrepreneur and executive coach Marsha Clark. Through her leadership and executive development programs, Clark has supported and empowered many women to achieve their full leadership potential. Listen in as Clark shares her insights about how women can bring their best, most authentic selves to the table. She also discusses her recently released book Embracing Your Power: A Woman's Path to Authentic Leadership and Meaningful Relationships. 

For many thousands of people across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic was a catalyst for starting their own business. Despite the huge risks associated with launching a new venture during a global crisis, the number of newly created businesses has increased significantly in recent months. Data from the United States Census Bureau show that in January 2021 new business creation applications increased 73% year over year. Women have been key contributors to the entrepreneurship boom. Many who lost their jobs when the virus took hold in 2020 started a business out of necessity. Others needed greater flexibility as they juggled careers with childcare and homeschooling responsibilities. A recent survey by Gusto shows that 49% of entrepreneurs in 2020 were women, up from just 27% in prior years. In this episode of the ISG Digital Dish, host Jeanne Cuff interviews Pam Kendall, founder of Qui Collection, a U.S.-based start-up fashion brand. Born from Kendall's lifelong passion for clothing and vintage fabric, the venture was launched just before the world was disrupted by the virus. ISG co-hosts Lois Coatney and Julie Fernandez join the discussion on how the pandemic has radically shifted the entrepreneurial environment. Today, it might be easier than ever to create a business, but our hosts firmly believe that a desire to make money is not enough for success. Entrepreneurs first and foremost need to be driven by a deep passion for their project.   

Over the past year, many working women have faced intense challenges brought on by the pandemic. This has been especially true for women who have been trying to balance their careers with the needs of young children. Working from home has certainly provided the flexibility to facilitate that balance, but it also has thrown its own challenges into the mix. As the lines between work life and personal life get blurrier, it is no wonder many women have been feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. What does this mean for women's professional development? How can women overcome the current challenges, gain the confidence they need to make their voices heard and continue to achieve?   Our guest on this episode of the ISG Digital Dish believes that women have much more power than they imagine. Listen in as host Jeanne Cuff talks to Maxine Nwaneri, a certified executive coach, best-selling author, international speaker and founder of The Future is Greater. Nwaneri shares her personal story of turning failures into successes, demonstrating that we can not only survive, but thrive in the face of challenge. She believes that, with the right mindset, anything can be achieved. Finding your inner wisdom and believing in yourself is the first step!       

The pandemic not only accelerated the trend to remote work but forever changed the way we think about working remotely. With more employees than ever before now regularly working from home, employers and business leaders are having to adapt their management styles to ensure they stay engaged with their teams, wherever they are based. How can managers successfully lead their teams into the post-pandemic future? And how can they overcome some of the challenges arising from the new hybrid work environment?   Our guest on this episode of the Digital Dish is Taruna Rai, Senior Director Information Technology at Relativity. She talks to host Jeanne Cuff about her experience of managing and transitioning a large, international team through a remote working environment during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Through their discussion, we learn how a balanced and flexible approach enabled Rai to create a positive work environment, promote innovation and empower her team to thrive. 

In an age shaped by technological advancement, it is alarming to see that girls are still vastly underrepresented in STEM subjects. U.S. data shows that 74 percent of middle school girls show an interest in STEM subjects and careers, yet only 0.4 percent choose to pursue these options in college. What is creating this disconnect between girls and STEM? One key element is the scarcity of relatable female role models in STEM fields, meaning that most girls likely lack inspiration and motivation to pursue these options. In this episode of the Digital Dish, host Jeanne Cuff talks to Madelyn Nelson, a platform software engineer at Sprout Social and instructor for the non-profit organization Girls Who Code. Listen in as they discuss the importance of improving access to STEM education for girls and women as a key part of closing the gender gap in technology. Nelson shares insights from her experience of teaching technology and offers advice to women who are thinking of getting involved but may be reluctant to take the leap. Co-hosts Lois Coatney and Julie Fernandez join the discussion on empowering girls and women to embrace and explore careers in technology.  

There has been much debate in the media about the challenges women encounter on re-entering the workplace after a career break – often after caring for older family members or having children. Over the past year, these challenges have been further highlighted for women. It’s been shown that women more than men have borne the brunt of childcare responsibilities during lockdowns and school closures – and many have partially or completely left the workforce. The good news for women who are returning to the workforce is that the global pandemic has paved the way for greater flexibility at work, which means the job market is becoming more accommodating to all kinds of people who want more flexible work lives. Our guest on this episode of the Digital Dish podcast is social entrepreneur, Lynn Houmdi, who is leading a program in the UK called “Making Work Work,” which supports women returning to the workplace after a career break.  The program provides a combination of leadership training, mentoring and post-program support to build the two things that Houmdi claims women feel they lack when re-entering the world of work after a career break: confidence and networks. Her own struggle to find a way of working that suited her after becoming a mother inspired her to develop the program. She explains that, after having left a high-flying career in the British civil service to pursue her social enterprise passions, she realized there was very little support for women who chose a nonlinear career path. Listen in to learn how women returners can capitalize on the changes to the world of work, ushered in by the global pandemic, to find more fulfilling and flexible employment. Houmdi’s own career story also provides an inspirational reference point for young women starting their professional journeys.

U.S. statistics show that around 50 percent of computer science graduates are women. Yet, when you look at the middle management layer in most IT organizations, women fill less than 20 percent of these positions. Leadership coach Mary Patry believes several factors are at play here. Aside from the unequal impact the global pandemic has had on women’s careers – they more often than men are the ones to put family first and sacrifice their own careers – Patry believes that women frequently struggle to find their “voice”, a fact that can hold them back from entering the executive layer of a business. This is despite many women being well equipped with the “soft” skills required for executive leadership – those that focus on people and process – as well as the “hard” technical skills of IT operations and middle management. It’s clear that leadership teams require diversity and a range of talents to succeed. Having women in executive leadership positions promises many demonstrable benefits that organizations can no longer afford to ignore. Patry’s mission is to help women navigate a route toward leadership. She focuses on helping them build the confidence they need to take a seat at the leadership table and guiding organizations on how to put in place structures specifically designed to support and grow female talent. Get comfy on the couch and listen in to this discussion about leadership development for women in technology.

The global pandemic transformed the world of work almost overnight. Face-to-face interaction has become a thing of the past in many industries – particularly service industries – for now at least. Recruitment has been especially turned upside down. Recruiters have had to find new ways to remotely assess candidates and make sure new hires are onboarded, settled and supported without the age-old reliance on in-person interaction. And as economies around the world pick up and companies begin to hire again, getting remote recruitment right will be more important than ever. In this episode of the Digital Dish, host Jeanne Cuff talks to recruitment expert, Julia Mititelu, Associate VP at Frank Recruitment Group. Together they discuss the ins and outs of a digital onboarding process in which you never physically meet your new hire. Key to this is frequent online catch-ups to ensure the recruit understands what they need to do to be successful in their new role. Isolation is a real challenge for remote workers, and this episode highlights how women can ensure they stay connected and feel included when taking up a new position. ISG Partner Julie Fernandez joins the discussion to offer her views on how employers can ensure a successful remote onboarding process. Watch her short video HR Market Pulse: Four Tips for Remote Onboarding for further insights. Listen in from one of the links below to hear this informative discussion about remote recruitment and onboarding in a post-pandemic world.

When Kayla Harrington, then student now Legal Research Assistant at Thomson Reuters, wrote a blog about inherent gender bias in society, she was clearly hoping to raise the profile of the issue. But she didn’t anticipate that her blog would gain the attention of her father Jeff Harrington, whose eyes were opened to the issues she raised, or that it would eventually lead to a discussion on the ISG Women in Digital podcast. At college, Kayla took a very academic approach to the issue of sexism and developed the belief that the world was changing and gender equality was improving. Upon graduating and entering the world of work, she realized there was still a long way to go to overcome what she terms “ambivalent sexism.” This is the subtle and generally accepted sexism that permeates both the language we use to talk about women and the way we interact with women across all walks of life. Join host Jeanne Cuff as she talks to the father-daughter duo about gender inclusivity and how companies today must go further than just ensuring equal representation of women in the workplace. They discuss how the global pandemic of 2020 has highlighted the struggle for many women managing both family and work. Statistics indicate that one million people have left the workforce this year and that 80 percent of them were women who felt unable to juggle both work and family commitments under the unprecedented circumstances. According to Jeff, this creates a great opportunity for change. Because the pandemic has brought work and family life closer to each other for both men and women, many men can appreciate in a new way the challenges working women have faced for generations. He believes this appreciation will bring understanding, greater inclusivity – and hopefully less inherent gender bias in the workplace. Listen in to hear the discussion.

With any corporate investment, there is always a careful balance between the cost to the organization and the benefit it brings. Right now, budgets are under huge pressure because of the unprecedented challenges of the global COVID pandemic, forcing companies to make difficult decisions about where to make cuts. At the same time, we’ve seen a huge jump in the volume and frequency of cyber attacks due to the increased numbers of employees working from home and accessing corporate systems over external networks. This is not the time to cut corners on information security.  Barbara Guerin, Chief Information Security Officer at Renown Health, joins host Jeanne Cuff in this month’s podcast episode to share her insight into how organizations can avoid information security breaches. According to Guerin, an effective cyber security and risk mitigation approach must start by gaining board engagement and include focusing on third-party governance and recognizing that humans are usually the weakest link in a corporate system. The importance of information security will only grow with increasing digitization of businesses. Women entering the IT job market can anticipate a wealth of job opportunities opening in this area. Those with analytical mindsets and a head for psychology and forensics will do well to consider this field!

The concept of agile in the technology product development field is not new. It originates back in the 1990s and, by the mid-2000s, had started to replace the more linear waterfall methodology of software development, particularly in newer tech firms where large software development practices simply weren’t available or affordable. This has, of course, impacted quality assurance (QA) and testing functions, which are integral to the product development lifecycle. In this episode, ISG’s Jeanne Cuff talks to Francine Jackson, QA expert at JPMorgan Chase & Co., about her experience in software development. They discuss how QA and testing leaders have had to adapt to more agile forms of software development and – to find success – foster a cultural change that aligns business and product development teams. Today, the QA and testing role continues to evolve with the application of automation technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence. Listen in as they talk about how automation can drive enhanced results in this field and how agile skillsets and structures are helping women step up and find a voice in this environment.

Over the coming years, the gig economy is predicted to grow at an unprecedented rate. This year, due to the global COVID pandemic and the subsequent economic disruption, we’ve seen a dramatic shift in the numbers of people seeking new, more flexible working models. In particular, 21 to 38-year-olds are turning to the gig economy as a way to take back control of their working lives, with flexibility being their new watchword. For many people, the traditional model of permanent employment with its relative security and associated benefits and bonuses is less important than the possibility of choosing how, when and where they work. And, if predictions prove correct, the tide is unlikely to turn back again; the gig economy will become part of our new working future. Against this backdrop, ISG’s Digital Dish host Jeanne Cufftalks to Felicia Jones, Director of HR Transformation at CapGemini, about how organizations must evolve the way they attract and retain talent, striking a new balance between the benefits they offer employees and the commitment they require. Co-hosts Lois Coatneyand Julie Fernandez join the discussion on how COVID has forced a sea-change in the employment landscape. Listen in as they debate the challenges and opportunities this new era of remote and flexible work will present the workforce.

Data is big and getting bigger, yet in some business areas it’s less well understood and used than in others. This seems to be the case for HR, where data is often viewed simply as a by-product of business activity rather than a valuable resource in its own right. Data can help us make sense of the world and drive business decisions, especially in times like now when our ability to understand the changing landscape of a pandemic is critical to survival. Getting a handle on data and what it’s telling us is often harder than people imagine, not least in the HR space where the data can be exceptionally complex. Human capital data holds a great deal of untapped potential, but it is rarely mined for its full value. The vision is to use data to change the way we work rather than just thinking about it as a tool to help us sell more products and services.  In this episode of the ISG Digital Dish podcast, host Jeanne Cuff talks to Caitlin Bigsby, Product Marketing Director at workforce analytics firm Visier Inc., about the need for a cultural shift when it comes to HR data analytics. According to Bigsby, HR leaders need to reframe the questions they are asking. Instead of asking “What are we collecting?” they should ask “What would it be valuable to know?”. Bigsby believes the gains will be great if HR organizations can focus on business outcomes rather than data inputs. Listen in to this much-needed conversation about all things “data”, from culture to skills to data’s role in helping drive strategic business decisions.

Despite what many people think, personality type is a more accurate indicator of how we handle change than age. Understanding our character and how we instinctively react to change, including the way it affects our confidence, our stress levels and our tolerance is especially important right now. The need for self-awareness has never been greater as we each grapple with a “new normal” and what it means for us. Being self-aware – and leading with that awareness of self – increases our ability to handle new situations, adapt to change and seek or even create new opportunities for ourselves. Tammie Pinkston, Director of Organizational Change Management at ISG, joins host Jeanne Cuff to explore the personal and professional change-related challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and how to handle the ongoing uncertainty. Listen in as they discuss what leading with self means and how doing so can help develop key leadership qualities.  

Should you follow your heart or your head when it comes to career decisions?  That’s one of the themes of the latest episode of the ISG Digital Dish podcast. Co-hosts Jeanne Cuff, Julie Fernandez and Lois Coatney discuss valuable guidance they’ve gathered along the way that can be applied in both professional and personal ways. Their guest this week, Maria Pardee, Vice President and General Manager at DXC Technology, shares her ideas about where women should focus at the start of their careers and about what developments in the digital workplace mean for all of us. Listen in as this dynamic group of women explores the importance of making and meeting commitments, building a personal “brand” and becoming the best version of yourself. 

In this special edition of the ISG Digital Dish, co-hosts Lois Coatney, Jeanne Cuff and Julie Fernandez, together with ISG colleague Catrin Podmore, discuss the challenges of working from home under lockdown. Problems with technology and equipment, home-schooling needs, ever-present family and bandwidth issues combine to create a unique and often difficult environment in which to work.  All are finding different ways to cope with unique situations at home and discovering that the worlds of work and home-life are converging more than ever. Jeanne also interviews Nichole Michaelson of performance coaching firm Vision Pursue, who offers insight into how we can all use mindfulness to improve our concentration and focus at work – now more than ever. She believes the way people think can make all the difference. Listen in to this COVID-19 special edition of the Digital Dish podcast to hear her advice on how to focus your mind to generate positive thoughts and outcomes during these difficult times. 

Welcome to the first episode of the ISG Smartalks™ podcast series "The Digital Dish". Join co-hosts Lois Coatney, Julie Fernandez and Jeanne Cuff as they explore what it means to be a woman in the world of digital business. In this episode, they discuss the power of leveraging digital technology within our roles, regardless of our business function. Jeanne also interviews Bridgit McMullen from Upfront Work, who offers valuable tips on how to plan your career by acting now to avoid future pitfalls. Listen in to their conversation as they explore several factors influencing long-term career success for women, including the importance of skill development and establishing networks that build critical social capital.