The Admin Avenues Podcast

What if the biggest thing holding back your career isn't your ability, but your ability to recognise and communicate your own value?In this episode of The Admin Avenues Podcast, Candice Burningham is joined by Megan Corfield, corporate and leadership strategist, experienced C-suite executive, board chair and Founder of Glass Ladder.With more than 25 years of executive leadership experience, Megan has seen firsthand why so many talented professionals, particularly women, struggle to recognise their strengths, advocate for themselves and position themselves for career progression.And for administrative professionals, this conversation couldn't be more relevant.From the invisible work that keeps executives and organisations running smoothly to the challenge of talking about your achievements without feeling like you're bragging, Candice and Megan explore why being brilliant at your job isn't enough if nobody understands the value you bring.They discuss how to identify your unique strengths, build a professional brand, communicate your impact rather than simply listing your tasks, and overcome the self-doubt that can hold you back.Megan also shares practical strategies for using the Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment, developing a personal brand around three defining words, building a strategic professional network and keeping a record of your achievements.And yes, they talk about AI, too! Including how administrative professionals can use tools such as Copilot and ChatGPT to uncover contributions they may have overlooked and demonstrate their value in an increasingly competitive job market.This episode is also a preview of Megan's closing keynote, "Own Your Edge: Recognising and Communicating Your Professional Value," at the 2026 Admin Avenues Brisbane Conference.In this episode, we explore:Why hard work alone isn't enough: The difference between being great at your job and positioning yourself for your next opportunity.The invisible value of administrative professionals: How strategic judgement, relationships and proactive problem-solving contribute to business success.Tasks versus impact: Why saying "I manage diaries" doesn't communicate the same value as explaining how you maximise an executive's time.Owning your strengths: How to identify what makes you unique and stop focusing so heavily on your weaknesses.Building your professional brand: Why everyone has a reputation, whether they're actively managing it or not.Overcoming imposter syndrome: Practical ways to recognise your inner critic and distinguish feelings from facts.The danger of always raising the bar: Why high achievers need to acknowledge and celebrate their successes to help prevent burnout.Strategic networking: How the relationships you build can create opportunities for you, your executive and your organisation.AI and career development: Using technology to document achievements, identify your impact and prepare for performance reviews.Advocating for yourself: How to communicate your contribution confidently without feeling uncomfortable about self-promotion.Megan's key message"Stop thinking about your weaknesses, lean into your strengths. If you amplify your strengths, you'll get way more of a return on your energy and on your career."To get your last minute ticket to the Brisbane Admin Avenues Conference to see Megan in action click here: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/the-2026-admin-avenues-conf-brisbane Connect with Megan on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-corfield-570b6829/ To learn more about Megan's work helping women recognise their value and progress into leadershiprp via Glass Ladder - go to the website here: https://glassladder.com.au/ And to find out more about Gallup CliftonStrengths testing to discover your unique strengths and how to use them to build your professional brand. - click here: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/252137/home.aspx If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone in your circle who would find these conversations valuable. 

AI is rapidly becoming part of the modern workplace, but learning to work with it isn’t always as simple as adopting another new tool.For administrative professionals whose careers have been built on expertise, accuracy, judgement, relationships and attention to detail, AI can feel exciting, overwhelming and, at times, threatening. How do you embrace its potential without outsourcing the human intelligence that makes you so valuable?In this episode of The Admin Avenues Podcast, Candice Burningham speaks with leadership and neuroscience expert Kristen Hansen about what happens in our brains when we encounter significant change, uncertainty and new technology.Kristen explains why resistance to AI doesn’t mean someone is incapable or unwilling to adapt. Often, it is the brain responding exactly as it was designed to respond when something feels unfamiliar or unpredictable.Together, Candice and Kristen explore how administrative professionals can move through resistance and self-doubt, reduce cognitive overload and gradually build confidence with AI - without feeling pressured to become an expert overnight.They also discuss why human capabilities such as emotional intelligence, judgement, organisational knowledge, relationships and contextual understanding will become even more valuable as AI grows more capable.In this episode:Why AI can trigger such a strong emotional responseWhat happens in the brain during periods of change and uncertaintyThe difference between thoughtful caution and fear-based avoidanceWhy becoming a beginner again can feel particularly uncomfortable for experienced adminsHow perfectionism and high standards can make experimenting with AI more difficultWhy women may experience greater self-doubt or hesitation when adopting AIWhat cognitive load is and how to recognise when it has become too highHow AI can reduce repetitive work without replacing critical thinkingThe tasks administrative professionals can begin exploring with AIWhy context, judgement and human oversight remain essentialHow to build trust in AI through gradual, low-risk experimentationPractical ways to develop confidence without trying to learn every tool at onceThe uniquely human capabilities admins should continue investing inWhy administrative professionals could become important leaders of AI adoptionThe answer isn’t to hand all our thinking over to technology—and it isn’t to ignore AI and hope it disappears.The opportunity is to create a genuine power partnership: using AI to support productivity and reduce cognitive load while continuing to apply the judgement, emotional intelligence, relationships and organisational understanding that administrative professionals bring to the workplace.Kristen Hansen will present her keynote, The Power Partnership: Combining AI and Human Intelligence for Better Workplace Outcomes, at all three 2026 Admin Avenues Conferences:Sydney — Monday, 12 October 2026 at Doltone House Hyde ParkBrisbane — Monday, 26 October 2026 at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition CentreIf AI has left you feeling curious, uncertain, overwhelmed or under pressure to catch up, this conversation will remind you that you don’t need to master everything immediately. You simply need to start learning how to work with it- one practical step at a time.Find out more and secure your ticket to an Admin Avenues conference to see Kristen in action click here: www.adminavenues.comConnect with Kristen on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenlouishansen/ To find out more about EnHansen Performance - go to their website here: https://enhansenperformance.com.au If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review and share it with a someone in your circle who would find this chat as fascinating as I did!

Most of us already know what would help.We know we need to start the task, have the difficult conversation, make the decision or take the next step, but we still aren’t doing it.Instead, we get caught in overwhelm, overthinking, procrastination or the belief that we need to feel motivated before we can begin.In this episode of The Admin Avenues Podcast, Candice is joined by global motivational speaker, TEDx speaker, award-winning author and creator of the Two Minute Method™, Lizzie Williamson.Known as “The Excuse Buster from Down Under”, Lizzie helps people stop waiting for the perfect moment and start taking action - even when they don’t feel ready.Lizzie explains why capable, high-performing people can still feel completely stuck, particularly when they spend their days managing competing priorities and creating momentum for everyone else.She also shares how making the first action small enough to begin can help us move through procrastination, perfectionism and fear - without needing to overhaul our entire lives or working habits.In this episode, we discuss:Why capable people still become stuckThe difference between genuinely needing rest and avoiding discomfortWhy overthinking can feel like productivityWhether confidence comes before action or because of itHow reactive working environments affect our own prioritiesThe mental energy consumed by unfinished tasksWhy trying to change everything at once rarely worksWhat makes two minutes so powerfulHow to identify a useful two-minute actionUsing the method for difficult conversations, boundaries and salary discussionsHow movement can shift our physical and emotional stateRecognising and challenging the “excuse voice”Taking action while still feeling uncertain, tired or afraidHow perfectionists can start small without lowering their standardsRebuilding trust in ourselves through consistent small actionsUsing the method to introduce workplace change, technology and AIHow admins can help executives take action on something they have been avoidingLizzie also guides listeners through a practical two-minute challenge that can be used immediately to shift their energy or begin something they have been putting off.Lizzie will deliver the closing keynote, Just 2 Minutes: What to Do When You Feel Stuck, at the 2026 Admin Avenues Sydney Conference.After a full day of learning, conversations and new ideas, Lizzie’s session will leave attendees feeling energised, connected and ready to take action.Come prepared to move, participate and discover what can change when you stop waiting to feel ready and simply begin.2026 Admin Avenues Sydney ConferenceMonday, 12 October 2026Doltone House Hyde Park, SydneyLearn more and secure your ticket here: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/the-2026-admin-avenues-conf-syd Connect with Lizzie on LinkedIn here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzie-williamson/ Check out Lizzie’s Website here: https://www.lizziewilliamson.com/ If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love you to subscribe, leave a review and share it with another admin professional.And remember - when something feels too big, you don’t necessarily need more motivation. You may simply need to make the first action smaller!

Great teamwork doesn’t happen by chance. It is built through shared experiences, genuine connection and creating opportunities for people to engage beyond their usual roles and routines.In this episode of The Admin Avenues Podcast, Candice is joined by leading corporate team-building expert Will Mason, the driving force behind Beyond the Boardroom, Pinnacle Team Events and Corporate Volunteering Australia.With more than 20 years of experience designing and delivering purposeful corporate experiences across Australia, Will has worked with teams of every size- from intimate leadership groups to large-scale events involving more than 1,000 participants.Will shares why some of the most powerful workplace connections happen in the moments between the agenda: during a shared challenge, an unexpected laugh or a spontaneous conversation.Together, Candice and Will explore what separates a meaningful team experience from forced fun, how to create activities that are genuinely inclusive and what administrative professionals should consider when they are asked to organise the next team day, conference or workplace event.In this episode, we discuss:Why great teamwork is never accidentalHow shared experiences help build trust and stronger relationshipsWhy face-to-face connection matters in a hybrid working worldThe difference between purposeful team building and simply filling timeHow to engage different personalities and participation stylesCreating inclusive experiences for different ages, cultures, abilities and confidence levelsThe questions admins should ask before planning a team activityWhat information to provide when engaging a team-building companyCommon mistakes organisations make when choosing team activitiesHow small, intentional actions can help employees feel more connectedWill also gives us a preview of what attendees can expect when Beyond the Boardroom and Pinnacle Team Events kickstart each of the 2026 Admin Avenues Conferences with a high-impact icebreaker.And if the thought of conference participation makes you nervous, don’t worry - Will explains how his team creates experiences that feel welcoming, comfortable and enjoyable for everyone.Beyond the Boardroom and Pinnacle Team Events are proud National Sponsors of the 2026 Admin Avenues Conference Series in Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane. Connect with Will Mason on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-mason-18952844/ Check out these amazing businessesBeyond the Boardroom:https://www.beyondtheboardroom.com.au/Pinnacle Team Events:https://www.pinnacleteamevents.com.au/Corporate Volunteering Australia:https://www.corporatevolunteering.com.au/AND of course discover the 2026 Admin Avenues Conference Series and secure your ticket:https://adminavenues.com/ If you’re joining us at an Admin Avenues Conference, arrive ready to move, laugh and meet some new people - because Will and his team will make sure there is plenty of energy and connection in the room from the very beginning.

Why Some EAs Are Becoming More Valuable While Others Are Becoming Easier to Replace with Rachael BonettiThe executive assistant profession is changing faster than ever.Artificial intelligence is transforming the way work gets done. Organisations are restructuring, expectations are shifting and executives are looking for different kinds of support than they were just a few years ago.So, what separates the executive assistants who are becoming increasingly trusted, influential and indispensable from those whose roles are becoming more transactional?In this episode of The Admin Avenues Podcast, Candice Burningham sits down with leadership strategist and executive advisor Rachael Bonetti to explore one of the biggest conversations shaping the future of the profession.Together, they unpack why this shift isn't about working harder or doing more, but about understanding where value is changing and making intentional choices about where to invest your time, skills and energy.Whether you're an Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant, Office Manager or administrative professional, this conversation will challenge the way you think about your role - and help you prepare for what's next.In this episode, you'll discover:Why the executive support profession is entering a new eraThe changing expectations executives have of their EAsHow AI is influencing the profession - and why it isn't the whole storyThe common traits shared by EAs who are expanding their influenceWhy effort alone is no longer enough to stand outPractical ways to position yourself for long-term career growth and relevanceWhat attendees can expect from Rachael's keynote and interactive masterclass at the 2026 Admin Avenues Conference SeriesJoin Rachael Bonetti live at the 2026 Admin Avenues Conference SeriesRachael will present her keynote "Why Some EAs Are Becoming More Valuable While Others Are Becoming Easier to Replace" at all three Admin Avenues conferences in Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane.For those wanting to go beyond the keynote, she'll also facilitate The New Value Equation Masterclass the following day in each city - an interactive workshop designed to help participants identify where they create value today, understand how value is shifting, complete a personal value audit and leave with a practical action plan for future career growth.If you're serious about staying relevant, increasing your influence and future-proofing your career, these sessions are not to be missed.Find out more and secure your ticket at: www.adminavenues.comConnect with Rachael Bonetti on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-bonetti-4b46561a Learn more about Rachael’s services here: https://www.rachaelbonetti.com If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love you to subscribe, leave a review and share it with another admin professional who's ready to embrace the future of the profession.