E6 | Why Great Leaders Embrace Imperfection | Elaine Lowe

In this episode we explore how leaders at UNICEF adopt a coaching mindset to develop people and drive impact. We focus on career-centered learning, 360° feedback, and coaching that normalizes mistakes as learning opportunities. Elaine shares vivid examples—leaders who rotate drivers to build inclusion, reps who empower staff to decide, and managers who model humility and growth. We discuss practical tensions (time, emergencies, hybrid work) and concrete habits leaders use to coach under pressure: candid feedback, developmental conversations, and small, regular investments in staff growth.

We host Elaine Lowe, Chief of Global Talent Development at UNICEF (Istanbul). Elaine holds a master’s from the London School of Economics and a BA from the University of the West Indies. She has led performance, career and leadership strategies across UNICEF and the FAO, centering career development in learning. Elaine is passionate about empowering diverse teams, role-modeling inclusive leadership, and building sustainable organizational capacity so leaders can do more with less while growing their people.

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