Julie Bishop is the best leader the Australian liberal party never had. Now she's transformed into an even better version of herself.

Many male politicians just can’t move on. Think about it: Barnaby Joyce, Tony Abbott, Mark Latham… even Kevin Rudd, all struggled after losing their leadership roles, lingering loudly around Canberra like attention-seeking toddlers at Questacon.

Female politicians – not so much. Julia Gillard walked away from a long career in Federal Parliament and has continued to move ever forward. And more recently, Julie Bishop who left Canberra in April this year (doesn’t THAT seem like a lifetime ago?) has simply never looked back. Even post-politics, she is still managing to outperform her male colleagues.

For many Australians, Julie Bishop was the best leader the Liberal Party never had, serving as deputy to three Prime Ministers as well as becoming our first female Foreign Affairs minister. But she always had us guessing, with her icy gaze that became a meme all of it’s own, her stylish flare that had her branded as the federal Minister for Fashion and her impenetrable demeanour. What is Julie Bishop really about?

We ran into her a couple of months ago and could not believe the transformation. Six months on, she is revelling in the freedom of her new gigs, while simultaneously serving up an important lesson to her male counterparts about female resilience and reinvention. We simply HAD to invite her to be a guest on our Finding Fearless with marie claire podcast, a platform where women get to talk about overcoming fears and adversity to find a new purpose.

From confessing to her hidden talents, to revealing her favourite go-to karaoke song, to her take on how to be the boss – “The most assertive person in the room isn’t necessarily the best person to lead your team” – Julie Bishop’s Third Act is proving to be more and more telling. Listen in below, or on your podcast platform of choice, to see for yourself.