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Lunch with Leaders: Influence Extraordinary Authentic Women in STEM Careers for Empowerment

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by Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya | Authentic Influencer for Women Empowerment Experts

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59 episodes

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Podcast Overview

The Lunch with Leaders podcast helps women in STEM lead with authenticity and growth, create impact, & expand their influence. Hosted by Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya, TEDx speaker, leadership strategist, & Founder. Each week, Adaeze sits down with innovators, trailblazers, & leaders who are changing cultures and redefining leadership. Together, they share the stories, strategies, & mindsets that empower women in STEM to amplify their visibility, influence, and impact. If you are ready to lead boldly, elevate your influence, and join a global movement, this is your invitation… would you accept?

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12/9/2025

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Recent Episodes

June 25, 2026

Nikki Barua: How to Lead Hybrid Human-AI Teams - 058

In this episode of Lunch with Leaders<a href="⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adaeze-iloeje-udeogalanya⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">, host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya</a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkibarua/ " target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> interviews Nikki Barua</a>, an award-winning entrepreneur and AI transformation expert. Nikki dismantles the myth of the linear career path, arguing that in the AI age, the corporate ladder has been replaced by a molecular, agile structure. She introduces the "People Squared" movement and the FlipFactor diagnostic, which helps professionals identify their unique human "magic sauce" (creativity, judgment, accountability) while delegating routine tasks to AI. Nikki urges leaders to stop waiting for permission, embrace intentional reinvention, and learn to manage hybrid teams of both humans and AI agents.Nikki redefines modern leadership, stating that today's leaders must manage "hybrid teams" consisting of both human employees and AI agents (35:38). She challenges the traditional five-year career plan, advocating instead for a 10-year "North Star" focused on continuous learning, executed in agile 90-day cycles (30:46). A profound moment occurs when Nikki explains that resistance to AI isn't about the technology itself, but the fear of losing one's hard-earned identity and expertise (15:34). She also outlines the three pillars of intentional reinvention: curiosity, humility, and bravery (24:59). Socials:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkibarua/ " target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikkibarua/ </a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thenikkibarua/ " target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/thenikkibarua/ </a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thenikkibarua/ " target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.facebook.com/thenikkibarua/ </a><a href="https://www.nikkibarua.com/ " target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.nikkibarua.com/ </a> Who is this for?This episode is for ambitious professionals, corporate leaders, and women in STEM who recognize that the traditional corporate ladder has crumbled. It is for those seeking to transition from an "army of workers" to an agile, agentic leader who co-evolves with AI, rather than waiting for permission to adapt to the new hybrid human-machine workplace. Timestamps<ul><li>13:17 – The People Squared movement: Making humans exponentially capable.</li><li>15:34 – Why experienced leaders secretly resist AI transformation.</li><li>24:59 – The three steps to intentional reinvention.</li><li>30:46 – Why five-year plans are dead (and what to do instead).</li><li>35:38 – How to lead hybrid teams of humans and AI agents.</li><li>40:48 – The "Guardian Archetype": Why waiting for permission hurts your career. FAQs</li></ul><ul><li>What is the "People Squared" movement? It is Nikki Barua's framework for co-evolving with AI. It helps individuals identify their irreplaceable human skills and partner with AI to become exponentially more capable.</li><li>Why is the traditional corporate ladder obsolete? AI has shifted organizational design from rigid, hierarchical pyramids to agile, molecular teams of "builders" who must constantly adapt, making linear career paths impossible.</li><li>What is a hybrid team? In 2026, a hybrid team is comprised of both human employees and autonomous AI agents, all of whom need context, management, and accountability from a leader. Action Steps</li></ul><ol><li>Take the Diagnostic: Visit flipfactor.ai to discover your AI readiness archetype and understand where you currently stand.</li><li>Shift to 90-Day Cycles: Stop making rigid five-year plans. Establish a long-term "North Star" for learning, but execute your career goals in agile 90-day sprints.</li><li>Audit Your "Guardian" Tendencies: Are you waiting for your company to train you on AI? Stop being a bystander and start building hands-on skills today.</li><li>Identify Your Clone's Work: List the tasks you do the old-school way. Delegate those to AI so you can focus on high-judgment, high-creativity work.</li><li>Connect with the Guest: Follow Nikki Barua on LinkedIn and visit nikkibarua.com to join the Reinvention Roadmap.</li></ol>

June 18, 2026

The 3 Pillars of Career Advancement: Visibility, Sponsorship, Positioning - 057

In this solo episode of Lunch with Leaders<a href="⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adaeze-iloeje-udeogalanya⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">, host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya</a> delivers a wake-up call about the cost of "passive patience" in career advancement. She dismantles the myth that keeping your head down leads to success. Adaeze explains how waiting and procrastination widen the career gap, especially for women in STEM facing systemic hurdles like the "broken rung" and sponsorship gap. She challenges listeners to stop guessing about their standing and introduces the Leadership Edge Diagnostic tool to pinpoint gaps in visibility, sponsorship, and positioning.Key MomentsAdaeze challenges the belief that asking for help is a weakness, using the analogy of elite athletes relying on coaches (03:16). She emphasizes that systems working against women — the broken rung, the AI skills gap, the sponsorship gap — do not pause while women wait for their turn (06:05). She shares advice that the best time to look for a job (by building relationships) was seven years ago, noting 85% of jobs are secured through networking (09:12). Finally, Adaeze outlines a 15-minute audit focusing on visibility, sponsorship, and positioning, introducing a free diagnostic tool (15:06). Timestamps<ul><li>00:55 – If you do nothing, nothing changes.</li><li>02:18 – The danger of the "put your head down and work" myth.</li><li>03:16 – Why asking for help is not a weakness: The sports analogy.</li><li>05:23 – The cost of telling yourself "I have time."</li><li>06:05 – The systems working against you do not pause.</li><li>09:12 – Why the best time to look for a job was seven years ago.</li><li>11:57 – The "broken rung" and how it compounds.</li><li>15:06 – The 15-minute career audit: Visibility, Sponsorship, Positioning.</li><li>17:10 – Introducing the Leadership Edge Diagnostic.</li></ul> FAQs<ul><li>What is the "broken rung"? The initial step up to management where women are significantly underrepresented — a gap that compounds and worsens at every higher level of leadership.</li><li>Why isn't hard work enough to get promoted? Advancement relies heavily on visibility, relationships, and sponsorship. If decision-makers don't know your impact, hard work alone won't translate to promotion.</li><li>What is the Leadership Edge Diagnostic? A free, five-minute tool to help women measure their current standing in authority, influence, and positioning.</li></ul> Action Steps<ol><li>Stop Procrastinating: Recognize that waiting for the "right time" is an active decision that widens your career gap.</li><li>Audit Your Visibility: Ask yourself if the people who make decisions about your future actually know who you are and your impact.</li><li>Assess Your Sponsorship: Identify if you have someone with real influence advocating for you when you are not in the room.</li><li>Clarify Your Positioning: Stop guessing what it takes to get to the next level; explicitly find out the criteria for the role you want.</li><li>Take the Diagnostic: Visit link.africanwomeninstem.com/leadership to take the free Leadership Edge Diagnostic and email your results to Adaeze.</li></ol>African Women in STEM, career advancement, career gaps, leadership diagnostic, procrastination, sponsorship gap, women in STEM, women in leadership.<a href="⁠https://link.africanwomeninstem.com/authorityshiftassessment⁠">Leadership Edge Diagnostic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href=" ⁠https://link.africanwomeninstem.com/StrategyCall⁠">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href=" ⁠https://link.africanwomeninstem.com/StrategyCall⁠">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book a Strategy Call with ⁠⁠Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href="⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adaeze-iloeje-udeogalanya⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href="⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/african-women-in-stem/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow African Women in STEM on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/africanwomenin_stem/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow African Women in STEM on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/africanwomenin_stem/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href="⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://link.africanwomeninstem.com/MEMBERSHIP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the African Women in STEM Membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href="https://africanwomeninstem.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit the African Women in STEM Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> <a href="https://africanwomeninstem.com">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href="https://youtu.be/xYcVJJKBQrY">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TEDX Talk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>

June 16, 2026

Bradley Hunt: The Difference Between Managing and Leading - 056

In this episode of Lunch with Leaders<a href="⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adaeze-iloeje-udeogalanya⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">, host Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya</a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-hunt-77b9284/ " target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"> sits down with Bradley Hunt</a>, an executive coach and co-founder of <a href="https://whygroup.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">The Why Group</a>. They explore the distinction between management (assigned from above) and leadership (earned from below). Bradley shares insights on true succession planning, using a U.S. military command as a benchmark.He also champions The Leadership Challenge as the ultimate text for leaders, breaking down its five core practices: modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, enabling others to act, challenging the process, and encouraging the heart. Leadership vs. management, succession planning, The Leadership Challenge, organizational development, Bradley Hunt, Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya, culture codification. Key MomentsBradley clarifies the difference between management and leadership: management is assigned from above, while leadership is defined by those who follow you (07:31).He critiques superficial succession planning, contrasting "circling the org chart" with the military's proactive approach of naming a successor five months into a two-year post (11:22).He highlights the necessity of humility, noting that Level 5 leaders combine talent with deep humility (14:43).Finally, he outlines the five practices of exemplary leadership, arguing that every other theory fits within this framework (18:36). Who is this for?This episode is for corporate leaders, managers, and organizational development professionals seeking to transition from merely managing teams to truly leading them.It is for those who want to understand the difference between a managerial role and a leadership calling, and how to implement strategic succession planning in their organizations. Timestamps<ul><li>00:43 – Welcome to Launch with Leaders and guest introduction.</li><li>06:21 – What holds true about leadership across all industries?</li><li>07:31 – The difference between management (assigned) and leadership (earned).</li><li>08:26 – The problem with how most companies do succession planning.</li><li>11:22 – A masterclass in succession planning from the U.S. Military.</li><li>14:43 – Level 5 Leadership: The power of talent and humility.</li><li>18:36 – Why The Leadership Challenge is the ultimate leadership book.</li><li>19:02 – The 5 Practices of Exemplary Leadership explained. FAQs</li></ul><ul><li>What is the difference between a manager and a leader? A managerial role is assigned from above, while a leadership role comes from below (people choose to follow you).</li><li>What does effective succession planning look like? It is an active, organic process of grooming individuals for future roles long before a transition occurs, not just picking a name on an org chart.</li><li>What are the five practices of exemplary leadership? Modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, enabling others to act, challenging the process, and encouraging the heart. Action Steps</li></ul><ol><li>Audit Your Role: Ask yourself, "Are my team members following me because I am their boss, or because they believe in my leadership?"</li><li>Read the Foundational Text: Pick up a copy of The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner to understand the five core pillars of leadership.</li><li>Model the Way: Codify your culture and ensure your daily actions align with the values you expect from your team.</li><li>Enable Others to Act: Review your personal productivity. If you are doing emails on the couch every night, you are not creating space to groom your team.</li><li>Rethink Succession: Identify one person on your team you can actively start mentoring for the next level, regardless of current vacancies.</li></ol>

59 total episodes available

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What is Lunch with Leaders: Influence Extraordinary Authentic Women in STEM Careers for Empowerment?: The Lunch with Leaders podcast helps women in STEM lead with authenticity and growth, create impact, & expand their influence.

Hosted by Adaeze Iloeje-Udeogalanya, TEDx speaker, leadership strategist, & Founder.

Each week, Adaeze sits down with innovators, trailblazers, & leaders who are changing cultures and redefining leadership. Together, they share the stories, strategies, & mindsets that empower women in STEM to amplify their visibility, influence, and impact.

If you are ready to lead boldly, elevate your influence, and join a global movement, this is your invitation… would you accept?
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

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