The Sisterhood Paradox - Why Women Bully Women

Leading You

This is a must-listen episode - compelling, confronting, and deeply necessary.

In this powerful conversation, I’m joined by Vanessa Vershaw, a workplace psychologist and trusted advisor to executives and decision-makers across ASX 20 and Fortune 100 companies. Vanessa is a fierce advocate for gender equality and social justice, recently representing the APAC region at the 2025 World Woman Foundation in Davos, and recipient of the Momentum Trailblazer of the Year Award.

Together, we unpack the uncomfortable and often silenced issue of workplace bullying —particularly the kind that exists between women. Vanessa brings real insight into why bullying thrives even in the most progressive organisations, how silence and systems protect harmful behaviour, and what leaders must do to stop enabling it.

If you care about culture, integrity, and psychological safety in the workplace—you need to hear this.

What We Cover in This Episode

• What workplace bullying really looks like today – beyond the obvious
• Why bullying is often ignored, minimised, or denied by senior leaders
• How HR processes can retraumatise instead of protect
• The emotional cost of staying silent vs. speaking up
• Why high-performing environments aren’t always safe environments
• The difference between performative leadership and real accountability
• What true leadership looks like when the stakes are high

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
02:15 – Vanessa’s journey and global impact
06:30 – What workplace bullying looks like today
12:00 – Power, silence, and systemic issues
18:40 – When HR protects the system, not the people
25:00 – The cost of speaking up
33:00 – What real leadership and accountability require
42:15 – Final reflections

If this episode stirred something in you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. The silence around bullying helps no one—and change starts when we choose to speak up.

LINKS

Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

Connect with Vanessa:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-vershaw/
Website: https://www.vanessavershaw.com/
Book: https://www.vanessavershaw.com/the-sisterhood-paradox-1

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