Extra Shot of Leadership

Have you ever felt like your life and leadership compass needed recalibrating? Many leaders often contemplate a reset in January as they begin a new year while others may choose the fall when the school year begins again. Don't worry if you missed those two opportunities, because the best time for a reset is when the time is right...for you! It may be when your daily schedule is packed full with meetings, projects, after school activities, dinners, vacations, hobbies, and everything else you have said “yes, sure, no problem” to, or possibly during a life altering event. What matters most isn't the time of year, but the time spent reflecting on where you are spending your energy and what truly matters. This week Kim and Pepper get back to their love of podcasting and roll on with episode #101. They discuss their hiatus from the show as well as what they did with their time while the record button was on PAUSE. They each share some personal stories of why they needed a reset and how it has impacted their life, their focus, and their leadership. When was your last leadership reset and what were the outcomes from your time of reflection? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

What can you accomplish with a continuous learning mindset? The answers to this question are absolutely endless! Anyone with an ongoing and self-driven pursuit of knowledge can build, create, or attain just about anything they set their mind to. Apply this thinking to leadership and leaders can soar to a level of leadership where the sky is the limit for what they can accomplish both personally and with their teams. Cue the confetti cannons! This week Kim and Pepper celebrate their 100th episode of Extra Shot of Leadership. They reminisce about their early episodes and the things they have each learned over the past 3 years. They discuss their thoughts on lifelong learning and tie the conversation back to leaders that have their minds set on excellence. What's your take on lifelong learning and what type of learning are you focused on now? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Great leaders rarely exist just by natural ability. Many great leaders have built their skills and reputation by way of feedback. Not the fluffy feedback but the tough stuff. The kind of feedback that can be painful to hear and can often leave a person feeling angry, confused, or frustrated. Just because they are a leader doesn't mean they won't struggle with the news or have to dig deep to listen, learn and take action. This week Kim and Pepper discuss the tough stuff. Pepper shares a personal story of tough feedback she received, how she got past the shock and into action, and how the feedback has helped her improve relationships, deliverables, and perceptions of others. What is the toughest feedback you have received and how has it helped you become a better leader? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Leaders with a continuous improvement mindset can drive their teams to accomplish great things. But what happens to leaders and teams when the leader is always striving for more? As they encourage their teams to do more and be more, what other message are they sending, and what are they giving up by chasing more? This week Kim and Pepper reflect on their definition of success and discuss their thoughts and challenges with a life focused on more, more, more. They each share some 'aha' moments then tie the conversation to leadership and the potential issues leaders and teams with the same mindset could experience. How are you managing “the more”? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Excellence in leadership can be reached with time and a conscious effort spent on skill improvement. This improvement requires an understanding of leadership skills, identification of personal strengths and opportunities, and a willingness to continue to grow. Let's just assume for a minute that you know or have googled top leadership skills, and you are willing to continuously grow. Now, what's the best way to assess your strengths and opportunities? This week Kim and Pepper discuss the assessment tools that have helped them grow through their years of leadership. They share insight on the one tool they value the most and their personal stories of how the tool has helped them improve both personally and professionally. The best news is Pepper's tool proves to be free and simple! Have you assessed your leadership skills lately? What is your favorite assessment tool? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Good employees make mistakes and great leaders allow them to. If this statement is true, then how do leaders allow these learning opportunities without putting their organization's and personal reputation in jeopardy? This week Kim and Pepper discuss their thoughts on the value of failures. They share how they set boundaries around failures, manage them when they happen, use them as learning opportunities, and most importantly. recover from them quickly. What are your tips for managing failures? Share them with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

When do you begin the discussion of leadership with your kids? Is there a specific age that you begin discussing topics like influence, leadership presence, and decision making? Kids of all ages have many opportunities through school, extracurricular activities, and sports to begin thinking about the type of leader they want to be. If you don't engage them in a leadership discussion, who will? This week Kim and Pepper share their thoughts on leadership and kids, when to start engaging your kids on being a leader and discussing what type of leader do they want to be. They also discuss how decision making and leadership connect and share practical ways to getting the topic of leadership introduced to kids. Are you discussing leadership with your kids? How do you engage your kids? Share your approach with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Learning new words is good for the brain and a larger vocabulary. They can enhance a conversation or a book, or even a great podcast, but do we really need to create new words for leadership terms that already exist? What's the added value of the new word if it has the same meaning as a leadership term that already exists? This week Kim and Pepper discuss the term inclusive leadership. They break down the definition, the meaning, and their thoughts on the value of this leadership style. Are their new words that are adding value to your leadership growth? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Are your shoes right for this meeting? Should you even be in this meeting? How much thought have you put into why you are showing up and how you are showing up? These are some things to consider if you want your leadership presence to work for you rather than against you. As busy leaders, it is important to maximize the opportunities we have with our teams to ensure our message is what is needed and is well received. This week Kim and Pepper discuss their different points of view on leadership presence. They each provide a few things to consider ensuring your leadership presence is primed, aligned, and appropriate for your moment of influence. Has your leadership presence been working for you or against you? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Quick, tell us 5 things you are really good at. What is taking so long? Many of us can be quick to point out our list of personal flaws, but then stutter a bit when it comes to verbalizing the things we do really well. If this sounds like you, tune in to this episode! This week Kim and Pepper discuss a skills inventory and who they may have allowed to identify their unique personal strengths. They each share their thoughts on the benefits of creating a skills inventory for yourself and the value this could bring to an organization if leaders could teach their team members to do the same. Who have you let identify the strengths and the skills you bring to the table? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Health and leadership go hand in hand. Would you agree with this statement? While good health may or may not make (or break) a good leader, it does contribute to their ability to think clearly, make sound decisions, multitask, and connect with others for a sustained period of time. While these are critical attributes for leaders, the more personal behaviors that enhance these qualities are often ignored. This week Kim and Pepper take on a new topic of leadership heath. They each share their current experiences with health and nutrition and how this is impacting their work and personal lives. Their discussion about protein, muscle strength, quality sleep and fitness apps may have you thinking you found a fitness podcast, but don't worry…they tie it back to leadership at the end of the show. What are you doing to stay fit for leadership? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com Products mentioned in this episode: - Lose It! - app to track your protein intake. https://www.losit.com/ - Orgain Protein - to enhance your protein intake. https://orgain.com/collections/protein-powder

Are your team members scrambling to get their work done at the last minute? Are they unable to complete their assignments on time? If your answer is yes, it may be time to do a temperature check on priorities and alignment. Without clear priorities, a team can struggle to spend their time effectively because everything seems equally important. This week Kim and Pepper share their strategies for determining priority work as well as the key communications that get their leadership, teams, and customers aligned. They also discuss the nuances of negotiating with customers and the added benefits of organizational alignment. Is your organization completely aligned on the priorities this year? Share your story with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Hey Leaders, it's 2023! How you doing? Are you up for it? Feeling good about it? If you are not feeling it, how can you get yourself in a better place to engage in areas that really matter? This week Pepper and Kim have an open conversation about how they are feeling about 2023 and what they are doing to get their priorities straight, gain clarity and motivation, and get their brains engaged at work. Get ready to get pumped! What is motivating you this year? Share your story with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com Five Minute Journal discussed in episode.

Much like the ripples created by tossing a pebble into a pond, influence energizes an organization. The good news is you don't need a C-suite office to get the job done. With a certain level of understanding and skill, influence that inspires others to change their thoughts, behaviors and actions can come from any level of an organization. This week Kim and Pepper start a discussion on influence. They each provide their thoughts on the elements of influence that can positively impact change as well as problems that can arise when specific elements are disconnected from the people they are trying to engage. What has been your best experience with influencing others? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Do we really need an extravagant experience like a ropes course to build cohesion and the comradery within a team? The purpose of a team building event is to get team members away from their work and provide an opportunity to foster personal relationships. Leaders with heavy workloads, tight budgets, and demands for work-life balance may find themselves searching for ways to accomplish the same goal but keep it fast, cheap, and easy. This week Kim and Pepper break down the mechanics of a recent team event that was super simple but big on impact. They each share their thoughts on things to consider for team events, why it is important, and how they judge their success. What's your favorite event for building team comradery? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Trust. It's a big deal. And it why we just can't let this topic go without one last trustbuster that can get a leader and their team in the ditch. Taking credit for the work of others may seem like a no-brainer buster but there is an art to helping your team members to stand in the spotlight. This week Kim and Pepper share their thoughts on how to let others take center stage as well as some things to consider to increase trust with individual team members. Tune in for an extra shot on trust and our shortest episode to date. Share your trust busting and trust building ideas with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

With trust being a huge component of leadership and team success, it is just too early to stop the conversation. In the last episode Kim and Pepper discussed how indecision and unpredictability experienced over time can erode the trust between leaders and their teams. While these actions made the list for obvious trust busters, this week they are digging into two actions that are a little less obvious, micromanaging and favoritism. They discuss what this may look like in a team setting and provide helpful guidance to leaders needing turn the ship around. Have you ever unintentionally busted trust with your team? What tips would you share for rebounding from the uh oh? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com.

Trust. It's one of the most critical elements of success for a leader and the team they manage. If you can build an environment of trust you will experience a team that is more energetic, more engaged, and more productive, but bust it one too many times and you will experience the reverse. This week Kim and Pepper discuss two big trust busters for leaders. They share the impact of the busters as well as tips to self-manage this potential issue. What's on your list of trust busters? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

If people delivered better presentations, we wouldn't be bored in meetings. Do you agree with that statement? It's hard not to, and there have actually been a few studies that align with this thought. According to Poll Anywhere, a whopping 91% of working professionals admit to daydreaming during presentations, and 39% of them confess to actually falling asleep. With that in mind, creating a dynamic presentation that can grab and hold the attention of the audience is essential. This week Kim and Pepper discuss the topic of dynamic presentations. They each provide their top tips for presenters to effectively engage their audience and accomplish their objective. What are your top presentation tips? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Great communication can have a profound effect on the success of a leader as well as the success of their team and their organization. But great communication requires flexibility. Leaders need not only understand communication styles, but they must also adjust their own communication style to the preferences of their boss, their teams, their colleagues and customers. Leaders who learn to adjust their communication style will increase their ability to convey ideas, motivate, persuade, and gain alignment which will also maximize their impact in their organization. This week Kim and Pepper discuss the various aspects of communications styles. They each share their thoughts on what leaders should know when it comes to the preferences of others. What are your thoughts on communication styles? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com.

Have you heard of the great resignation? Have you seen it? If you are paying attention to business news, you will see numerous articles about the high numbers of people leaving their current jobs. But why? What is causing all this movement? According to a recent study by McKinsey and Company, the reason the majority of people (41%) are making their exit is lack of career development/advancement. Ouch! This week Kim and Pepper discuss the issue of lack of career development. They share their thoughts on where leaders may be missing the mark on developing members of their team, and who should be getting involved in the conversation. How do you ensure your employees feel valued, challenged and are continuously growing in their role? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

If you are truly interested in becoming a good leader, you'll want to consider your feedback skills and strategy. Providing regular feedback is one of the most powerful leadership tools for boosting employee performance, learning, and growth. Master the art of feedback, and there is a good chance that many other things will fall into place. Things like employee engagement, job satisfaction, moral, and stronger relationships. This week Kim and Pepper discuss their perspectives and experiences with feedback. They share how they use it, when they give it and when they don't, as well as several things they consider to make their feedback most effective. Have you mastered the art of feedback. Share your best tips with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com.

Conflict doesn't need to be negative. It can be productive and create solutions to unresolved problems. To engage in productive conflict, teams must get better at having uncomfortable conversations rather than avoiding the tension. This week, Kim and Pepper share an uncommon approach to solving unresolved team problems – by creating the “Problem Meeting.” They discuss the issues leading up to the new meeting format, benefits of the meeting, and a few unexpected benefits. What is your approach when managing team issues? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Warning… potential hazards ahead! You have just been promoted into your first supervisory role of managing people…and quite possibly people who were once your former peers or friends. What could possibly go wrong? This week Kim and Pepper discuss the danger zone for newly promoted supervisors. They each share their number 1 tip of what NOT to do as well as the impact these mistakes can have on the newly acquired team. What's your number 1 tip to keep a newly promoted supervisor out of the ditch? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Do you find your schedule crammed with meetings? Are you often the last one at the office? Are you feeling swamped in your leadership role? If so, you may want to check your delegation skills. Perfecting the art of delegation won't create more hours in a day, but it should free up some time for leaders to focus on the big picture of the business and while also developing a well-rounded team. This week Kim and Pepper discuss their thoughts on delegation. They share their experiences, their processes, and the implications to the leader and the team when leaders keep too many tasks for themselves. What are your delegation tips for leaders? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

To follow up or not to follow up…that is the question. There are many times when leaders have what they consider to be a successful development conversation with an employee, only to find out the employee never took action on their recommendations. So now what? Do you chase them down for a follow-up conversation or let it go? This week Kim and Pepper discuss their different approaches to follow-up coaching conversations. They each share their typical approach to these conversations, who should own the responsibility for action, and the reasoning behind their decisions. What is your approach to follow-up conversations? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

We continue our discussion on informal coaching with a role play between a boss and employee. This week, the employee wants a promotion and is following up with the boss on the way to a meeting. When leaders spend a few minutes coaching their teams, they unlock their team's potential and empower them to determine what success looks like. One important learning from this episode is that coaching allows the employee to better understand themselves by gaining clarity into what they want and are willing to do for career growth. Are you building your coaching skills? Do you consider yourself to be effective in coaching your team? If so, share your best resource with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

The role of a coach has a high value with winning sports teams, but it is a valuable skill that is often overlooked in the workplace. Many leaders can get bogged down with overseeing day to day tasks and project work and lose sight of their responsibility to coach and mentor. When leaders learn to coach effectively, they can maximize employee potential and put their teams in a position to grow and help their organization succeed. But how do we keep this coaching thing simple? This week Kim and Pepper role play a coaching moment and share their thoughts on how to keep the conversation short, informational, and effective. Pepper provides her perspective on asking questions to build relationships, gain insight, and guide team members to expand their own thinking. What are your best coaching tips? Share them with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Leadership roles can be rewarding and draining at the same time. We can feel the highs when we are winning, but the lows can creep in with daily grind of overwhelming demands, conflict, or lack of support. These lows can diminish our sense of well-being and capacity to care for ourselves, our teams, and others. Remembering that our mind is our most powerful and unique leadership resource, it is important to find simple ways to keep it revived and refreshed so that we can continue to lead with gusto! This week Kim and Pepper discuss the brain drain and share their top 5 insights that help them revive, refresh, and recharge their minds. What's your number 1 tip for leaders who need a little refresh? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

And just like that, the first quarter of the year has passed. Has your team made progress on your vison and goals for the year? If not, you may want to check your messaging. A strong and consistent message is key for moving the needle forward. It can help a team stay focused and find ways to incorporate the leader's vision into their daily work tasks. This week Kim and Pepper discuss their thoughts on leadership messaging. They share the importance of the message, a practical tool for crafting it, and how to incorporate it into normal ongoing conversations for maximum impact. Have you honed your leadership message for 2022? Share it with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

I've worn the same pants every day for a week. Is that ok? What if I wear a uniform? What if I don't have a big clothing budget? With so many questions, the show must go on. This week Kim and Pepper continue their discussion about dressing for work. They provide some things to consider when wearing informs as well as tips for building a wardrobe when you are working within a budget. What are your top wardrobe tips? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Are you looking to increase your leadership presence? There are many attributes of a leader that can take years to hone and master, however there are a few things you can actually change in a much shorter time frame. Clothing, grooming, and personal appearance won't improve the strength of a leader, but they can help with how you are perceived. If you look like a strong leader in your dress and physical appearance even before you are one, people will perceive you as such sooner. This week Kim and Pepper discuss the importance of how leaders show up for work. They discuss perceptions, judgements, and cultural norms and things to consider as you take a look in the mirror before leaving for work. What are your thoughts on a leader's physical presence? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Reading. It's a great way for leaders to gain insight into other people's experiences, stay up to date on business trends, and get new ideas for honing specific leadership skills. This week Kim and Pepper share what's on their reading list. The books span a wide range of genres from the obvious…leadership, to the not so obvious…books for kids. They discuss what they are enjoying about each book and the impact it is having on their lives. What is at the top of your reading list. Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

When leaders have the ability to focus their own attention, they can lead their teams to achieve new heights. Their ability to filter out distractions and zero in on specific aspects of their business and personal leadership, can help them align and focus a team to improve efficiency, productivity, skill sets, and team moral. This week Kim and Pepper share what they are focused on in 2022. They discuss an inward focus on their leadership as well as their outward focus on their teams and their business. Where is your leadership focus and how will it help achieve new heights this year? Share your story with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Reset buttons, sometimes they are the only option for getting our electronics back to working properly. The same is true for our work and personal lives. Taking time to do a reset can get our bodies and brains back to optimal performance. This week Kim and Pepper discuss their hiatus from the podcast and what they did with their time off. They share their stories of how a reset has impacted their personal life, their feelings about work, and their leadership. Books mentioned in this episode: 40 Day Sugar Fast https://www.wendyspeake.com/sugar Burn The Fat Feed the Muscle https://www.burnthefatfeedthemuscle.com 75 Hard https://andyfrisella.com/pages/75hard-info When was the last time you took some time to pause and reset? What did you reset and how did it help you optimize areas of your life? Share your story with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

It's not the gifts that we will remember most, but the traditions and time spent with special people that make the biggest impressions. As we begin to prepare for Christmas day, remember why we celebrate and hold on tight to the memories made with family, friends, and colleagues. This week Kim and Pepper take a trip down memory lane as they recall their most cherished holiday memories and let us in on a few of their favorites at home and at work. Amid the hustle and bustle, the eats and the treats, take time to remember the real spirit of the season. Merry Christmas from Extra Shot of Leadership.

Building deep relationships is top leadership skill. While many leaders work hard to create personal bonds with their team members it is natural for some relationships to become deeper than others. So how do you navigate the relationships to ensure that these relationships don't lead to an unhealthy team environment? This week Kim and Pepper share their thoughts on employee relationships. They discuss how they build the relationships, the pitfalls of favorites, and tips for ensuring boss/friend relationships don't have negative effects on team members. Do you have a special bond with one of your employees? How have you navigated the relationship? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Thanksgiving. It is that time of year where we purposely push the pause button to take a little extra time to reflect on what we are grateful for, the things that bring us joy, and how we will spend the extra time away from work. Finding a way to express the things you are most thankful for is an important part of the celebration. This week Kim and Pepper skip the leadership conversations and take time to reflect on the things they are most thankful for, and what they are looking forward to during this special holiday. What are you most thankful for this year and how will you celebrate with your family, friends, and colleagues? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

It is nearly impossible to have everyone like you but as a leader it is a bit concerning when it is someone on your team. Sometimes it is just a personality clash between you and a specific employee, but as the numbers grow it may be time to reflect on the root of the issue. This week Kim and Pepper discuss the reasons someone on the team may not like you, as well as their personal experiences in navigating this situation. Have you been there? How did you work through it? Share your experiences with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Feedback, here are the stats: Nearly 60% of us want it, more than 75% of us believe that it is valuable, yet less than 30% are receiving it on a regular basis. Say what?? A few well-spoken words coming from the right person at the right time can truly change the trajectory of your career. This week Kim and Pepper discuss the best feedback they have ever received, how it helped their performance, and how they have used it to help others. What is the best feedback you've been given and how did it help you? Share your story with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

"Surprise, you're fired!" Is it really a surprise? Or are there a few signs that you're heading down the bumpy road of getting fired? These warning signs can be subtle and build over time. The signs can also be very clear that you need to make a hard left with your current performance. This week Kim and Pepper discuss the signs that will help you determine whether you're overthinking and worrying needlessly or are truly on a path to getting fired. We also share our tips for rebounding, if you really want to stay with the organization. Have you ever been fired? What signs have you experienced? Share your story with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

A great relationship with your boss can make the most stressful workdays easier, while on the flipside, having a boss that doesn't like you can make even the best days miserable. So what can you do about the latter? Should you stay and fight for a better relationship or pull the rip cord and eject? This week Kim and Pepper share their experiences and ideas for what to do when you have boss doesn't like you. Have you ever been there? What did you do? Share your story with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Many eager employees have their sights set on a promotion. The question is how do they get there? Organizations will typically choose one of two strategies for promoting their employees: seniority or performance. Which of these is best? And why? This week Kim and Pepper discuss the pros, cons, and tips for choosing and communicating a promotion strategy. What is your measuring stick promoting team members? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

No title? No problem! Informal leaders have the ability to influence and impact the bottom line of an organization without a leadership title on the org chart. While they don't control who reports to them, informal leaders can still influence those around them and prepare themselves for a smooth transition into leadership when the promotion opportunity arrives. This week Kim and Pepper discuss the importance of informal leaders and provide practical tips for employees and supervisors to hone the skills necessary for informal leadership. How do you develop informal leaders on your team? Share your thoughts with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Crying, it is a natural result of various emotions. We spend nearly one third of our lifetime at work so it shouldn't really come as a surprise that nearly half of us have (or will) at some point shed a few tears while on the job. The question is, is it appropriate? This week Kim and Pepper discuss their thoughts on letting the tears flow at work. If it is ok, when it can be overlooked, and a few tips for recovery. What are your thoughts on waterworks in the workplace? Share them with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

What separates good leaders from extraordinary leaders is often their ability to perform in high pressure situations. Two leaders with very similar skills can perform drastically different when faced with high-pressure situations. The key difference between those who succeed and those who don't is often between the ears. This week Kim and Pepper continue their discussion about mental toughness and why it's important and how leadership is impacted when leaders crumble under pressure. Missed part 1 of the discussion? Check out our August 18 episode: Simple Strategies to Stay Strong When the Hits Keep Coming. What is your strategy for staying mentally tough? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Reflection and reminiscing can be great for growth but lingering too long can cause you to lose the momentum of forward progress. This week Kim and Pepper take one last look at their year end review then get on with the discussion of plans and ideas for growing XSOL in year #2. What things are you looking forward to for your future? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Get your party hats on and get ready for the smash cake. XSOL is turning 1. This week Kim and Pepper celebrate their 1 year anniversary with the XSOL podcast. They will take a trip down memory lane to reflect on their most and least favorite episodes, their best musical moments, and their biggest takeaway from the journey. Stay tuned to the end to hear a cut from a lost episode that never made it to production. What has been your favorite XSOL episode? Share it with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Did you miss a major meeting with an executive, accidentally hit “Reply All” on an email rant, or cost the company a significant financial loss? Are you wondering if it's time to dust off the resume and prepare for your next career move? This week Kim and Pepper discuss the road to recovery after a major screw up at work. They share their thoughts on when a recovery is possible and tips for getting back on track quickly. What's your best recovery tip? Share with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Many people start their road to success with the great intention and ambition, yet over time, the daily grind, setbacks, and opposition can take a toll on their mental strength. So why do some people continue to push toward their personal goals year after year while others throw in the towel? Recent studies show that mental toughness is a critical key for success. This week Kim and Pepper share their personal stories and strategies for staying mentally tough, as well as some insight on where their tough game started. What's your mental toughness story? Share it with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com

Woohoo!! You've just promoted a high performing team member and it's time for a celebration. But wait, uh-oh, someone else on the team is unhappy about this big decision. What now? Will they get over it? Does the celebration continue? This week Kim and Pepper answer a listener email with this very question. They share their thoughts on how to deal with the unhappy team member and provide ideas for leaders who want to avoid this “uh-oh” in the future. What advice would you give? Share thoughts and leadership questions with us at HeyThere@ExtraShotOfLeadership.com