
At the Coalface
At the Coalface is a series of conversations hosted by Philippe Rose.
Philippe's guests share stories about their life beyond the headlines of international affairs. They look for lessons learned about making an impact in the world as practitioners in diplomacy, international organisations, NGOs, journalism and the private sector.
Many of Philippe's guests are connected by their common experience of taking time away from work to attend Fletcher School's Global Master of Arts Programme.
At the Coalface
Alexandra Vitard - Meditations on privilege, women and living a purposeful life
In this episode, I speak with Alexandra Vitard. Alexandra talks about the influence her multicultural, globetrotting background had on her life, and what happened when she came face to face with the realisation of what living with privilege meant. She shares how she brought the insights and skills honed in her early career in government to women who needed them. She was inspired by Nasim Taleb’s ideas on the power of being anti-fragile (as opposed to being just resilient). Her encounter with stoicism helped cement the rules she aspired to follow in life: helping others, being truthful and speaking up. She reflects on how the little things we do can have a huge impact on the lives of others around us, providing the inspiration to break beyond imaginary mental barriers and to just dare.
Recorded on 6 October 2023.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/alexandravitard and on Instagram @alexandravitard.
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