SisterSmart Leadership

How can we change the gender balance in traditionally male dominated fields? The tech industry is one that's been known to be male dominated. I have a lot of clients in the tech industry, and some of them feel very daunted by this problem, often wondering if they'll ever get a chance to get the recognition they deserve. So I'm so excited to have this conversation with a leader in tech that's been a change agent in this way, and to learn more about what's happened to help her be more successful in her career. 01:41 — What Sumi did to bring more gender balance to the leadership team at Microsoft 09:59 — The role Sumi's network has played in her ability to develop a high-performing team 12:32 — How she has navigated to senior leadership levels in a competitive industry 16:20 — The biggest changes she's had to navigate to succeed in a senior leadership role

Mid-career women often have an allergic reaction to how to build their network. They don't want to feel cheesy, sleazy, or like they're only out for themselves. They've seen others doing this and they don't want to be perceived in the same way. But the problem with this is it holds them back in their careers because your network is more important the higher your rise.In this episode, Jill shares how you can balance giving and taking so you can build a strategic network with people you enjoy spending time with. She'll share how she's created a reputation as someone people can count on and who they turn to when they need an expert.So if you've been resisting the whole idea of networking or feel lost on how to do it in a way that doesn't just feel like you're taking, taking, taking, this episode's for you!Tune in to hear: 01:48 — Givers vs. Takers: How to find the right balance when networking 02:50 — What to do when it feels like you don't have anything to offer others09:26 — Who you want to focus on networking with—Register for the Free Executive Presence for Women Masterclass: The 3 keys to Increase Authority and Influence, happening live on Thursday, August 8 at 12 PST. A replay will be available for those that register! https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAkdOsrDItGdHchQv1BXFozsGRUjL74xlK#/registration —

You've likely heard the saying, “you can't control the situation, but you can control how you react to the situation.” That can be easier said than done, but that's exactly the skill great leaders are able to develop.Our client, Wendy, was initially a little resistant to the mindset work, but when she was laid off from a role she didn't enjoy, she used that time to reflect on her unique strengths and skills that helped her land the new role she's in now.As she transitioned into the new role, she focused on three mindsets that have helped her not only succeed in her role even when there's conflict and challenges, but also enjoy it because her emotional response is much more balanced. If you find yourself feeling frustrated by challenges or situations in your role, tune in to hear the mindsets Wendy has developed and how they've supported her!02:20 — The mindset shift Wendy had after losing her job that helped her turn a setback into an opportunity to create a career she loves 10:28 — The importance of choosing an aligned coaching program so you're surrounded the right types of leader to build your network 12:48 — One of the most important things you need to embrace if you want to evolve as a leader 15:49 — How practicing this one skill with yourself supports you in leading others more effectively

Every leader with an eye on a senior role needs to understand how to find a mentor. When you seek out the right mentors, they become an advantage that will help you rise into senior leadership roles more quickly and easily. In this episode, Jill and SisterSmart Career Success Coach, Sarah, share how to determine what you want to get out of a mentorship, find the mentors that are right for you, and nurture those relationships to position yourself in the best way.They also share a few of the traps you'll want to avoid in a mentor relationship so you can ensure the relationship is beneficial for both you and them. 01:08 — It's your job as the mentee to find your mentor 02:51 — How to identify what you need and want out of a mentor07:51 — Why you want to start with an informal relationship rather than jumping into a mentorship 10:43 — How to have the conversations to get what you'd like out of the mentorship14:20 — Understand what isn't appropriate or ideal to bring to your mentor 16:22 — How to become the mentee that your mentor loves to support—

Everyone's heard the phrase, your network is your net worth. Then why do so few mid-career women have the robust network that will get them into senior management? According to McKinsey, even female CEOs have networks that are several times smaller than their male colleagues and the numbers get even worse the farther down the ladder you go. So if men have this all figured out, why is this still something that women shy away from? In this episode, Jill explores the misconceptions that women have about networking and why a personal board of directors can accelerate the path for every woman who wants to rise up into senior management.She shares about the essential mindset shifts that you need to take to be able to go from nay to yay when it comes to this important work and she will help you design your own personal board of directors to save you from going to networking events and having to talk to a room full of strangers or tooting your horn around the company. 02:39 — Your "good work" isn't enough to secure a promotion into senior management05:12 — How to design your personal advisory board so you know what seats you'd like to fill06:57 — The types of people you can consider having on your personal board of directorsBook Your Free Growth Accelerator Call: https://calendly.com/sistersmart/leader— —

What happens when you have a failure? Like when you make a mistake at work — big or small — or you get rejected for something that you thought was a sure thing. It's tempting to hide away or play small after a failure has happened. Sometimes people let it derail them or even end their career. But what happens when you use failure to propel you forward? That's what Jessica Bacall, editor of two top 10 books, Mistakes I Made at Work and The Rejection That Changed My Life, explored in her books and her work as the director of Reflective Journaling at Smith College, in Northampton, MassachusettsTo be a successful leader doesn't mean avoiding mistakes or failures, but rather to expect them, prepare for them, and use them to build your resiliency. Tune in to hear how you can apply Jessica's research to your own life and career. 01:25 — How recognizing that failure or rejection is inevitable helps you neutralize your thoughts around it04:14 — How recognizing that failure or rejection is inevitable helps you neutralize your thoughts around it07:12 — How to navigate a recent failure or rejection without getting caught up in it10:59 — Understand the differences between how men and women handle mistakes and failures16:05 — How you can increase your resilience ahead of having a failure so that you're prepared when it inevitably happens

Are you afraid of taking risks because you don't know how to bounce back from failure? You're likely nervous that if you fail, you'll be “marked” forever or side-tracked for a promotion because of it. This is a common fear that women can hold, and for good reason. Women are criticized for not taking enough risks and being held back from further success because of it. A lot of this has to do with the way that we are raised, because there can be little latitude for anything besides perfection.This follows us into our careers, creating more caution than we need. But it's not true. Women can fail and recover from it. This episode, we are talking about how to prepare for the inevitable failure that you will face if you're going to be a senior leader and we'll talk about how to bounce back once you've had a failure. Maybe you've had a failure that you're still recovering from, or maybe you've kept yourself safely secure until now. Either way, you're going to want to listen to develop this skill set. 02:34 — How to socialize the risk you're considering taking so you have allies in case a failure happens 04:42 — Why it's important to not hide failures 05:38 — Take a no excuses, 100% ownership approach to cover yourself politically—

Your mental skills are likely what's holding you back from being a senior leader. Our inner emotional life is like a governor for our success, and we need to work through our mindset limitations to avoid getting stuck behind outdated ways of thinking. Our growth gets stunted and our potential gets cut off unless we work to expand our mindset into new territory.The mental game is every bit as important as being good at your technical skills when it comes to moving up the ladder, and it gets more important the higher you go.In this episode, Jill shares the 3 areas of mental skills you need to develop in order to earn a senior-level position and thrive in it without burnout or overwhelm. 02:24 — Uncover your limiting self-beliefs and learn how to rework your neural pathways 07:50 — How your imposter syndrome is self-sabotaging your career and how to feel worthy of your next step just as you are right now12:00 — How to let go of rumination and worry so you can lead with a clear mind

Senior and executive leadership roles bring more responsibility, but that doesn't have to mean taking on more work and sacrificing your personal time or well-being in the process.In fact, prioritizing work-life balance and self-care becomes more critical as you rise through the ranks because you need the capacity to navigate more challenging situations, lead more people, and make more prominent decisions. When Nadia joined the Sisters In Leadership program, she wanted to gain clarity on where she wanted to be 3 roles from now and what opportunities she would need to take to bring that vision to life.Throughout her time in the program, she learned that it was not only possible for her to continue rising in her career without sacrificing balance — but required. If you've been working hard to prove yourself, sacrificing family time or time off to get to the next level, tune into this episode to hear: 03:34 — Why you need to be the one actively shaping the trajectory of your career to end up in senior or executive roles you want 06:19 — Using a personal strategy retreat to prioritize self-care as a way to further her career10:08 — How Nadia used her 360 feedback from her company to shift her way of working to align more with her family life 14:27 — The differences between your corporate program vs. private coaching19:18 — How to gain clarity on where you want to be 3 roles from now and how to get there33:37 — Where to find mentors and sponsors and how to be a great mentee

You need to get comfortable with failure to be a successful leader and rise into more senior roles. We all make mistakes and we all have failures, even big ones.Women often take failures hard and it can be debilitating and even derail your career if you don't recover effectively from it.In this episode, you'll understand why you need to be failing if you want to earn senior leadership roles and how you can overcome failures — big or small — when they inevitably so you can learn from them and be a better leader because of them. 03:01 — Why you need to get comfortable with failure if you want to rise up as a leader 04:24 — How our brains learn more from experience than success07:36 — How to reflect on failure to learn from it rather than dwell on it—

As women, we easily fall into the mentality of “we have to do it all.” But we can't rise up without the right support. (Or if you somehow muster up the determination to do so, you'll end up burned out and unsatisfied pretty quickly juggling all those responsibilities).In this episode, Chumi Khurana, vice president of sales and marketing at J& J Oncology, joins Jill to share how she leaned on support systems from getting started in her career all the way up into senior leadership. She shares insights about how our workforce is changing to benefit different working styles, the importance of support and the different shapes it can take, and how you don't have to fit the mold to earn a promotion. 04:48 — How one woman's encouragement inspired Chumi to go into pharmaceutical sales 10:05 — How you can find your own authentic leadership approach without feeling like you have to conform to a mold13:44 — Why making the decision to go part-time to start a family children doesn't have to be a career setback and how we as leaders can find solutions for ourselves or our team16:44 — How you can build the support to raise your family and thrive in your career without having to “do it all”

Whether you received your promotion recently or you want one in the next few months, have you ever felt like you didn't really deserve it? This is a common feeling that leaders have,While men certainly feel this way at times, the problem tends to be bigger for women and underrepresented groups because this feeling of being an imposter can come from feeling like an outsider. Plus, women often have to raise their hand to be considered for leadership positions, feel like they shouldn't need to do that, especially when their male counterparts might be selected without having to speak up at all. In this episode, Jill and SisterSmart coach, Sarah, talk about psychological hacks that you can use to overcome this feeling of not being good enough. This is something that almost every leader faces at some point in their career and it's important to learn how to feel secure in your role and like you deserve the step up. 01:21 — What the "upper limit" phenomenon is and how it self-sabotage us in our careers 03:19 — The 4 feelings or mental stories you might have when you're hitting your upper limit08:03 — How to bring awareness to which saboteurs are at play in this situation and how to learn from them instead of feeling controlled by them16:19 — 3 simple psychological hacks that you can use to overcome this feeling of not being good enough—

Do you ever feel like all the eyes are on you and you have more and more fear of making mistakes as a leader and pressure to work harder? The higher you go, the higher this pressure becomes, especially for women due to gender bias and socialization.Many leaders in this situation just work harder and harder, without it ever feeling like enough. This might get you to the director level because of your performance, but it won't help you get into leadership levels. That's because the best leaders know that one person can only do so much and there's a time when we have to let go. But how do you find that line where you can confidently feel like you've done enough without overextending to try to get everything right? Tune in to learn: 01:52 — 5 influences that lead women to take on more work and put more pressure on themselves to “get it all right” 05:00 — The 3 habits women leaders tend to fall into that sabotage their ability to rise into the leadership levels 09:46 — How you can identify and practice letting go of your work so you can embrace less, more meaningful contributions—

As ambitious leaders rising up in our careers, it's inevitable to encounter career setbacks along the way. Sometimes you have to restart your career because you had kids or you moved to another country. Or maybe you've done everything right and that promotion you were looking for doesn't pan out or you get laid off right on your way up the ladder. Many leaders let these kinds of situations get them down. But if you can learn how to use your career setback to your advantage, you might find it to be more beneficial than the linear path you originally envisioned. Our client, Sally, immigrated from China to the U.S. and had to restart her career with no connections, and with English being her second language. She was also laid off at a role she loved. But by seeing the silver lining in getting laid off, she landed a role at a prominent tech company, increased her salary substantially, and earned benefits she didn't have previously. Whether you're facing a setback right now or wanna be prepared for the time when the inevitable happens, you'll find inspiration in her story.01:51 — What it was like to immigrate from China to the U.S. and start from zero in her career 09:57 — Getting promoted isn't just about performance and what you also need to think about17:36 — How Sally handled getting laid off and used it to land a new, more aligned role with a major salary increase, additional benefits, and more room to grow

An employee is only as good as their team.There have been studies that show this. So why is the team dynamic so important?No one gets to the top alone. Even in roles that might seem like they're solo endeavors like sales. We feed off one another and we have a human need to belong to a larger group. And when these interpersonal dynamics are missing, we simply cannot be our best selves. In this episode, you'll discover the most overlooked element of leadership and how you can use it to create a high-performing team. You'll also learn how it can go wrong so you can avoid common pitfalls. 01:39 — Why leaders aren't creating as much psychological safety as they think they are 02:26 — How psychological safety improves your team's performance05:34 — Why you need psychological safety in both high risk and routine situations08:17 — How do you develop psychological safety? 10:53 — Signs that your team doesn't have as much psychological safety as you think

If you want to improve your ability to create stronger relationships, not only with your team but also with your peers and senior leaders, you're going to want to listen to this episode because we are going to let you in on the secret to how your physiology could actually be holding you back from being the best that you can be.In this episode, SisterSmart coach, Sara Spencer joins Jill to share the latest in neuroscience to help you open up your conversations in order to come to decisions quicker, problem solve more effectively, and discover those new innovations that are going to change how you lead. Understanding the neuroscience concepts in this episode is what will impact your performance and your team's performance more than any other leadership skill!You won't want to miss: 01:15 — What the primitive mind is and how it's activated04:20 — How to tell when someone is in fight or flight mode05:07 — What the human brain is and how to activate it for a higher performing team 09:24 — How you can instantly shift into your human brain

Understanding how to develop your conversation skills for work is one of the skills that will allow you to confidently navigate any situation you encounter as a leader. So many conversations don't go anywhere or worse — they create a negative situation between two people or different factions. These types of situations are exactly what can get your team stuck or underperforming.In this episode, you'll learn how to create teams that are fast, innovative, and interdependent. You'll discover the five conversation killers that you'll want to stay away from and three secrets that are key to building teams with true collaboration and co-creation. Through your conversation skills, you can create collaborations where people open up with their ideas and concerns, and they're motivated to reach their goals. This allows your team to perform better when working independently and with other departments, which is an essential leadership skill you'll need to rise into your next role. 03:24 — Subtle ways we can unintentionally make other people feel threatened and what to notice to tell if someone is in that state 05:20 — How to switch from convincing to collaborating to get buy in on ideas06:51 — How to best ensure everyone feels heard and valued when they interact with you07:57— The most important conversation skill top leaders focus on at every level of their career09:21 — Why you need to rebuild trust when it is broken10:16 — 3 secrets of conversation skills that create a safe and productive environment for your team to collaborate —

Setting SMART goals can lead you to feel like you're on a “goal treadmill.”Set a goal. Check it off. Set another one. Repeat.This usually results in goals that are good for the company, but not necessarily good for you. Many women we've talked to who set SMART goals share they end up feeling unfulfilled and not in alignment with their purpose. In this episode, Jill and SisterSmart Coach Lisa Kollish, guide you through how to think differently about setting goals so they're both in alignment with your organization and your own desires in order for you to feel motivated to do what it takes to accomplish them. We want you to set goals, not just for your work, but for your whole life. 02:07 — How to find your intersection between personal and professional fulfillment 05:26 — The crucial piece that's missing from the SMART goals10:13 — What Means Goals are and why they're "SMARTER" goals14:46 — Who do you need to become to accomplish your goals? 15:54 — Envisioning your future self 19:44 — How to create new habits to support your goals

It's been proven that companies prosper more when diversity increases and we improve gender balance. Yet the workplace is the same experience for all women. In fact, white women are at a distinct advantage in terms of promotions, pay, and dealing with microaggressions.When we can understand how our experience is similar and different from women of color, we can work together towards a future where all women can rise to create a truly diverse workplace that creates prosperity for all. Jill is joined in this episode by Mariah Johnson, who is an equity consultant with an emphasis on intersectionality of gender and race, and Ashley Cisneros Ritter, who is the Practice Director at Chicago Career Consulting and also the Associate Dean at the School of Business at North Park University, where she has also taught gender studies. Together they explore how women leaders can recognize and reflect on the intersections of gender, race, class, language, education and more to spot opportunities to lead in new ways that create new norms in the workplace so all women have more opportunities to rise up and find fulfillment at every level. 05:25 — How women carry the burden of unpaid labor and how to spot it to prevent it 09:25 — How to identify where patriarchal norms are at play and begin to shift the standard away from those working styles 20:32 — How women can let go of the mental burden we tend to carry so we can be present for ourselves and our family27:27 — What intersectionality is, how it can create additional imbalances in the workplace, and how we can recognize and address it (especially if you're a white woman)

It can feel difficult to set boundaries with your coworkers, but learning how to say no at work without making enemies is the very thing that will make you more successful — not saying “yes” to everything. When you set boundaries at work, the way you spend your time, your money, your energy will all become in line with what you really want and you'll experience how saying “no” helped you go farther and faster towards your goals. If you're tired of always bumping up against burnout, feeling anxious, tired, and stressed, and maybe even a little resentful because you never get time for yourself, you are going to want to stay tuned.Sandy Reynolds, who is an expert in leadership development, joins us in this episode to share how to say no in a way that's freeing rather than detrimental to your career. By the end of the episode, you'll have several structures in place to help you put careful consideration to the things that are going onto your plate and how you can be comfortable with disappointing others, without sabotaging your career. When you get this piece right, your career will take off.03:25 — The outside influences that make it challenging for women to say no12:24 — Why disagreeing doesn't affect your relationships with others as much as you think it does 14:32 — The costs we pay when we "want to be liked"17:37 — How to build the habit of saying "no" when you need to20:48 — Example scenarios and phrasing you can use to say no in a way that will be well-received

If you're like most people, you've taken career opportunities as they've come rather than intentionally thought about how to develop your career plan to get you where you want to go and what you'll need to get there before setting your goals.When you simply take opportunities as they come, you can end up in a place that you never wanted to be by the end of your career, and it's disheartening to think that you worked so hard only to end up in a place that's unfulfilling because it's not aligned with your values and your skill set.In this episode, Jill and Sister Smart coach, Sara Spencer, take you through the 12-step process to map out your career trajectory so you can align with where you'd like to go and what steps and resources you need to get there. 01:46 — The key first steps of planning your career trajectory to align with your values and skills05:19 — 6 elements to consider what you need to make your plan possible 08:35 — How to identify the milestones you need for the next 1-3 years to bring your vision for your career to life

For most women leaders, learning how to stop working too much is one of the most difficult tasks they face in their career. There are social and psychological reasons that you stay stuck in a busyness trap unless you understand these influences and create a plan about how to work through them.If you've ever struggled with feeling like you have too much on your plate, wondering why you can't get more budget or the headcount to be successful, or even feeling like you don't want the promotion because you'd have new responsibilities that would be too overwhelming to take on, tune in to hear the roadmap on how to get out of working so much and how to work smarter.01:01 — 3 unhelpful habits that are common among women, which keep us doing more and more without reaping the benefits of our efforts06:53 — How the busyness trap is affecting our ability to succeed and what you need to let go of 09:20 — Develop a plan to let go of what you need to (even if they're important and you feel you have to be the one to do them) 10:42 — How to discern you're "vital few" 12:41 — Using a personal strategy retreat to change your current responsibilities and boundariesMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: How Women Rise by Sally Hagelson and Marshall Goldsmith Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg Mckeown—

When you're feeling burned out at work, the initial thought tends to be, “If only the company would change their behavior, then I could change my own behavior.”But recovering from work burnout is an inside job.SisterSmart client, Jenny, found herself completely burned out, so when she eventually got a new dream job, she wanted to approach it differently to make sure that wouldn't happen again. Tune in to hear how she changed her working style to recover from work burnout and how she went from overworking to becoming an effective leader.02:30 — The realization that burnout was her doing, not the companies she worked for 06:47 — The changes that lead to overcoming perfectionism15:59 — How executive presence improves when you have capacity to balance emotions through challenges18:42 — What Jenny uses daily to operate as an effective leader28:34 — How to know what to work on and what not to 35:06 — What it looks like to lean into a feminine style of leadership

It seems like every woman we talk to is taking on more responsibility at work and working harder and harder in hopes of getting a promotion. They keep their head down and wait for their work to speak for them, except this isn't how it works. This only leads you to burnout. If you're tired of doing more and more and not getting the promotion you're looking for, you're going to want to stay tuned because in this episode we're going to be talking about why this doesn't work and what you can do instead.00:49 — The trap women leaders tend to struggle with more than the men do 02:26 — How doing less can actually lead to a promotion04:06 — The problem with taking on more responsibility at work08:52 — How to stop taking on more work and act like a senior leader11:06 — What women need to let go of if they're going to start operating at the executive level—

Very few people reach the highest positions in their career, and even fewer women achieve that feat. But Beth DiPaolo, one of Fortune's Most Powerful Women and the Women Business Leaders in Healthcare, has risen all the way to serve on the Group Operating Council as the Global Head of the Professional Scientific Services, Eurofins, a leader in testing for life with over 60,000 employees in 60 countries. She's here to share the 4 most important C's that have helped her achieve such notable success in her career so you hear first-hand what it takes to reach that level. 02:42 — What do you want to contribute and what are you contributing? 04:01 — Why you can't reach high levels without coaches and mentors 06:17 — The most important thing you need as a leader10:37 — You can't have the capacity to lead if self care isn't part of your strategy14:14 — How you develop your credibility and influence in an organization16:39 — How to overcome imposter syndrome and become confident in your ideas and contribution20:39 — The importance of "choosing your people" and having the right people in your circle of influence24:26 — An action that many leaders overlook that can make a difference in themselves and their team

How can you tell if you possess the qualities of executive presence? If you have ever felt like your ideas aren't being taken seriously or that you aren't being heard when you speak up in meetings, you might be lacking executive presence. Executive presence is all about having influence — it's that something special about you that tells people that you're in charge. It's often hard to define and even harder to develop as a result.  Our clients have often heard that they need to develop executive presence, but their manager can't describe it, and they don't know what they would be doing differently if they had it.At SisterSmart, we use an approach from Bates Communications. Their model is backed by research from over 20 years of experience of coaching the world's top executives on executive presence. They use 15 facets to describe executive presence, and we've broken down these 15 facets into five qualities that we coach our clients on, which is what Jill and Sarah are sharing in this episode.00:17 — What is executive presence? 01:38 — 5 qualities of executive presence13:35 — 3 shifts you can make with your executive presence this week—Fall is a great time to start a leadership program. It sets you up for your review cycle and will help you make 2024 the best year it can be. If you're ready to grow and up level and gain the confidence you need, our Sisters in Leadership Community can help. I'm excited to announce that we're running a special this fall if you register before October 26. We have six spots available to all start together. There is a benefit to having a group to start with because it gives you momentum from the start - and it's just a lot more fun! You also get an extra private session, which our clients find most valuable. If you've been on the fence, this is the time to take a look and see if the program is the right support for you to get to the next level.Let's talk about how it could work in YOUR situation. Book a call at sistersmart.com/insightBook your call! —✈️FREE PASSPORT TO PROMOTION PRIVATE PODCAST: 7 STEPS TO GET PROMOTED FROM DIRECTOR TO VP Get access to the Passport to Promotion Private Podcast ——

If you're overwhelmed or burned out in your current role, you might not feel ready to go for a promotion. This is what our client Nicolle was experiencing before she started working with us. She wasn't sure if she was ready for the next level up and was feeling anxious and burnt out as she tried to prepare herself for a promotion.In this episode, Nicolle shares how she gained the skills she needed to gain clarity what she could contribute to the company, improve her executive presence, and develop her team so she could delegate more, which helped her overcome the anxiety she was feeling and allowed her to feel fully confident in her stepping into a new leadership role.01:09 — How burnout and fear lead Nicolle to make a change in how she developed her career 03:10 — The role of “knowing yourself better” in becoming a better leader and creating a career that's more aligned 05:09 — How being a woman in leadership added challenges07:13 — How emotional balance and executive presence made transitioning into a new role easier10:17 — Building a team and making changes to a team 13:10 — Prioritizing yourself as a leader and creating space for development so you can lead a team better19:21 — How to bring out your feminine leadership skills

Most women don't fully know what executive presence is and how they need to develop it to advance in their careers.   And since it's hard to explain, managers can have a challenging time helping them to understand what it is and specifically what they need to change.  Women also don't fit into traditional male leadership models, so it can be hard for people to understand what feminine executive presence looks like, even if they might understand it a little better from a traditional male model.In this episode, Jill shares exactly what executive presence is and specifically how it's different for women. She highlights many of the double-binds women leaders can experience with executive presence and offers insight for how to begin shifting the way you show up based on these key differences.01:32 — What is executive presence? 02:20 — The biggest misconception about executive presence 03:29 —

If you're a female leader in the corporate world, you have undoubtedly noticed that things are different for you than they seem to be for men — it's not your imagination. There's social science that explains how we got here and how we can move forward into a new future. Mary Shapiro, a Fellow at Simmons Institute for Inclusive Leadership, is a leading expert on gender in the workplace and she joins us in this episode to discuss the research and science behind leadership, how it's different for women, and the ways in which women need to lead differently in order to bring their natural strengths to the workplace. 01:41 — What executive presence looks like specifically for women 09:42 — The traits of leaders and how women can tap into masculine and feminine traits to describe themselves 25:09 — How to navigate the established culture of leadership within your organization

How do you know if you should stay at your current job and try to work things out when things aren't quite working the way you want them to, or whether it's time to move on to another role?This is the exact same question that our client Charissa was facing when she joined the Sisters in Leadership Program.Tune in to hear how Charissa gained the clarity to know whether it was time to leave or stay, how she got her dream job, and the surprising things that she found once she got there.03:16 — Transitioning from a role of 14 years to crafting a new position with more influence07:05 — How to develop new skills as a leader for a new role 09:59 — How working with your saboteurs can help you find more satisfaction in your career 13:34 — Focusing on your strengths and leadership style rather than fitting into the company's leadership culture that doesn't align 17:07 — The difference between learning leadership skills versus uncovering your authentic leadership style as an individual ABOUT CHARISSA Charissa is an AEC business leader committed to driving measurable growth and development through creative strategy, industry knowledge and relationship building. As Strategic Growth and Development Director, Charissa leads the development and execution of her firm's strategic initiatives, growth objectives, and new business and expansion opportunities working closely with leadership across the organization.—Fall is a great time to start a leadership program. It sets you up for your review cycle and will help you make 2024 the best year it can be. If you're ready to grow and up level and gain the confidence you need, our Sisters in Leadership Community can help. I'm excited to announce that we're running a special this fall if you register before October 26. We have six spots available to all start together. There is a benefit to having a group to start with because it gives you momentum from the start - and it's just a lot more fun! You also get an extra private session, which our clients find most valuable. If you've been on the fence, this is the time to take a look and see if the program is the right support for you to get to the next level.Let's talk about how it could work in YOUR situation. Book a call at sistersmart.com/insightBook your call! —✈️FREE PASSPORT TO PROMOTION PRIVATE PODCAST: 7 STEPS TO GET PROMOTED FROM DIRECTOR TO VP Get access to the Passport to Promotion Private Podcast ——

Leadership experts like me will tell you that one of the most important skills as you rise up into senior leadership is self-awareness. Yet, how much time have you actually spent getting to know yourself? For most of us, we really haven't spent that much time. If we want to play to our strengths, we have to get to know ourselves better than we do now. In this episode, you'll learn the 12 tools of self-awareness that will help you know your genius better. You'll hear how other leaders use this knowledge to build their confidence and ability to interact with their team members. By the end of the episode, you'll understand the different layers of your genius so you can start integrating them into your work. 01:35 — Why self-reflection isn't the best way to identify your genius 02:19 — Uncover your unrealized strengths so you can build those up even more04:35 — Get to know your unique personality and how to use it in your career06:45 — Why knowing your Saboteurs is crucial for being a great leader at every level 10:11 — Where your values can come into play 10:41 — What to consider to identify your secret sauceMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE• StrengthFinders 2.0 Assessment: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/252137/home.aspx • Take Personality Tests: https://www.truity.com/ • Get To Know Your Saboteurs: https://www.positiveintelligence.com/saboteurs/ • Do What You Are: https://a.co/d/1wfN0za—Fall is a great time to start a leadership program. It sets you up for your review cycle and will help you make 2024 the best year it can be. If you're ready to grow and up level and gain the confidence you need, our Sisters in Leadership Community can help. I'm excited to announce that we're running a special this fall if you register before October 26. We have six spots available to all start together. There is a benefit to having a group to start with because it gives you momentum from the start - and it's just a lot more fun! You also get an extra private session, which our clients find most valuable. If you've been on the fence, this is the time to take a look and see if the program is the right support for you to get to the next level.Let's talk about how it could work in YOUR situation. Book a call at sistersmart.com/insightBook your call! ✈️FREE PASSPORT TO PROMOTION PRIVATE PODCAST: 7 STEPS TO GET PROMOTED FROM DIRECTOR TO VP Get access to the Passport to Promotion Private Podcast ——

“Turn your career weaknesses into strengths,” is common advice you can find when you're trying to move up in your career. But it's that very advice to focus on your career weaknesses — rather than your strengths — that keeps many women stuck in their careers, unable to earn that next-level title (and the salary to go with it).Here, Jill and Sara, a SisterSmart Career Success Coach, share why you shouldn't focus your energy on fixing your weaknesses, what to do when you can avoid your weaknesses in your role, and how to leverage your strengths to be the perfect-fit candidate for your next role or promotion. 01:30 — How to identify your biggest career and leadership strengths 04:14 — 4 categories of your strengths to look at05:32 — What if you can't avoid your weaknesses? 08:05 — How to use your Strength Finder results to create strengths you're known for 09:20 — How you can shift from “do you like me” and “am I good enough for this role” to what you can contribute to the company in that role13:01 — Ways to build “scaffolding” to support your weaknesses without trying to “fix” them 15:57 — Why it's important to own your weaknesses in front of other people 16:22 — How you can own your strengths if you lack confidence at work MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE• Zone of Brilliance Exercise: • Strength Finders Assessment: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/254033/strengthsfinder.aspx—Fall is a great time to start a leadership program. It sets you up for your review cycle and will help you make 2024 the best year it can be. If you're ready to grow and up level and gain the confidence you need, our Sisters in Leadership Community can help. I'm excited to announce that we're running a special this fall if you register before October 26. We have six spots available to all start together. There is a benefit to having a group to start with because it gives you momentum from the start - and it's just a lot more fun! You also get an extra private session, which our clients find most valuable. If you've been on the fence, this is the time to take a look and see if the program is the right support for you to get to the next level.Let's talk about how it could work in YOUR situation. Book a call at sistersmart.com/insightBook your call! —✈️FREE PASSPORT TO PROMOTION PRIVATE PODCAST: 7 STEPS TO GET PROMOTED FROM DIRECTOR TO VP Get access to the Passport to Promotion Private Podcast ——

If you've ever felt a lack of confidence at work, you've likely come across the advice, “fake it ‘til you make it.”That hasn't worked for you, has it? That's because, for many women leaders, confidence doesn't work that way. Women want to feel confident first from the inside before they can show it on the outside. So that advice that usually works for men often falls flat for women.In this episode, Jill shares a seven-step framework for how to build confidence at work from a well-rounded perspective so you can feel that confidence from the inside. You'll be given a few simple exercises that you can apply this week. 00:50 — How your lack of confidence at work subtly affects the way you show up in your role01:43 — How to understand your zone of brilliance 02:41 — Everyone experiences imposter syndrome — you simply need to learn to recognize it and learn to combat it 03:30 — How to relieve the pressure that's on your shoulders and gain more confidence at work 04:23 — Learn how to analyze risk so you can feel confident with your recommendations and choices 05:31 — Cultivating resiliency will allow you to bounce back from failure 06:32 — Tap into the different aspects of your “why” to ground your work07:24 — Build a group of “fans” to lean on and uplift your confidence10:57 — A lack of confidence at work can follow you at any level

How do you get established in a new department at your company? Meet Monica, a client of the Sisters in Leadership program who works for a large pharmaceutical company and transitioned to a new department. She shares how she's been able to quickly gain recognition, establish relationships, and gain influence in a brand-new department so she can be seen as the next person to be promoted.Tune in to hear how you can gain influence whether you're in a new department, leading a new team, or working at a new company. 01:12 — Making the decision to work with an executive coach 03:53 — How investing in yourself influences your success 11:12 — How to view feedback as a gift and use it to advance your career 14:39 — Developing the ability to work with senior leaders with varying personalities 17:44 — Prioritizing emotional balance builds resiliency 22:29 — How to use a personal strategy retreat to create alignment 23:29 — Navigating executive coaching as a woman of color26:53 — How conversational intelligence supports you in navigating different personalities and working styles MEET MONICA Monica works at the intersection of groundbreaking Pharma/Biotech research and addressing the challenges (and opportunities) that come with successfully getting new products into competitive global markets. Seeing the improvement in the lives of patients is what she enjoys most. She's led teams to further this mission at companies like Daiichi Sankyo, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, and Boehringer Ingelheim over the past 18 years.—Fall is a great time to start a leadership program. It sets you up for your review cycle and will help you make 2024 the best year it can be. If you're ready to grow and up level and gain the confidence you need, our Sisters in Leadership Community can help. I'm excited to announce that we're running a special this fall if you register before October 26. We have six spots available to all start together. There is a benefit to having a group to start with because it gives you momentum from the start - and it's just a lot more fun! You also get an extra private session, which our clients find most valuable. If you've been on the fence, this is the time to take a look and see if the program is the right support for you to get to the next level.Let's talk about how it could work in YOUR situation. Book a call at sistersmart.com/insightBook your call! —✈️FREE PASSPORT TO PROMOTION PRIVATE PODCAST: 7 STEPS TO GET PROMOTED FROM DIRECTOR TO VP Get access to the Passport to Promotion Private Podcast ——

Do you feel like you have all the right skills to lead at a higher level, but you don't know what's missing for how to get promoted from director to vice president? Working with hundreds of clients, Jill has identified seven steps as the missing pieces that are keeping women stuck in the leadership pipeline, which she shares in this episode. You'll also hear how these seven steps supported real women leaders just like you in making shifts in their career and leadership that ultimately lead to their career advancement so you can understand exactly how and why these seven steps work. 02:19 — How to develop your emotional balance (and why that's an important first step)03:19 — Getting clear on your zone of brilliance and actually using it in your day-to-day4:04 — Your executive presence underpins everything you do as a leader07:09 — What it takes to earn trust as a leader from your team, peers, and senior leadership08:07 — Why taking risks is crucial to your career growth09:16 — ​​Who to have in your network to help you rise up the ladder11:30 — 3 pieces to reflect on to map your career path and gain clarity on where you'd like to go and how to get there—Fall is a great time to start a leadership program. It sets you up for your review cycle and will help you make 2024 the best year it can be. If you're ready to grow and up level and gain the confidence you need, our Sisters in Leadership Community can help. I'm excited to announce that we're running a special this fall if you register before October 26. We have six spots available to all start together. There is a benefit to having a group to start with because it gives you momentum from the start - and it's just a lot more fun! You also get an extra private session, which our clients find most valuable. If you've been on the fence, this is the time to take a look and see if the program is the right support for you to get to the next level.Let's talk about how it could work in YOUR situation. Book a call at sistersmart.com/insightBook your call! —✈️FREE PASSPORT TO PROMOTION PRIVATE PODCAST: 7 STEPS TO GET PROMOTED FROM DIRECTOR TO VP Get access to the Passport to Promotion Private Podcast ——

It can be demoralizing when you're not getting promoted when you feel like you've earned it. When you asked for a promotion, they say, “You're great at what you do. Why would you want to do something else?” “Oh, you don't have enough executive presence.” We don't have the budget for that.” Or, “If I promoted you, I would have to promote everyone else at that level.”There are so many lame excuses but the bottom line is you aren't being seen as the leader that is at the next level. In this episode, Jill and SisterSmart Career Success Coach, Sara Spencer, share what to do when you didn't get the promotion you were hoping — plus how to keep your mindset strong so you can work through this. They also discuss a few key factors to consider to know whether it's best to stay or leave. 01:16 — The mistake many women leaders make after they're not getting promoted02:45 — How to reset your mindset so you don't get stuck in this setback 04:40 — A better way to ask for valuable feedback than the traditional 360 review06:45 — The importance of mentorship and what an effective mentor relationship looks like10:24 — How to make your brilliance more visible without feeling like you're “bragging” 12:44 — How do you know when it's time to move on or stay at your current company?19:53 — 3 shifts you can take with you today to help you navigate not getting promoted and put yourself in a better position for the next round of reviews

Do you find yourself asking, “Why am I not getting promoted at work?” even though you're a valuable leader? It took Jill Avey ten years of trial and error to finally get promoted from director to VP in her career. Years later, Jill is now a career success coach, and she now understands exactly what was holding her back and helps women make that move in just one year, not ten. In this episode, Jill shares what you need to be able to move up in your career, even if you've been stuck for a while, that she's gathered from working with hundreds of clients. She also reflects on the seven pitfalls she made that kept her stuck in her career for so long so you can identify these are what is keeping you stuck as well. Plus, you'll receive three simple ideas for you to reflect on to begin the process that will support you in the next step of your career.01:17 — The four essential pieces you need in place to succeed at any stage in your career 03:56 — Why Jill left her career and became a leadership coach 06:05 — Not understanding the strengths the value we bring to our organization 07:08 — It's easy to focus on the wrong aspects of executive presence08:02 — You have to develop your own self-image09:45 — Our emotions are an equally important aspect of our career10:04 — Understanding the difference between being liked and being trusted 11:44 — The importance of leading with feminine energy 12:55 — Women advance their careers with support — not alone 13:13 — What do you truly want out of your career? 14:06 — Who benefits from your full potential?—Fall is a great time to start a leadership program. It sets you up for your review cycle and will help you make 2024 the best year it can be. If you're ready to grow and up level and gain the confidence you need, our Sisters in Leadership Community can help. I'm excited to announce that we're running a special this fall if you register before October 26. We have six spots available to all start together. There is a benefit to having a group to start with because it gives you momentum from the start - and it's just a lot more fun! You also get an extra private session, which our clients find most valuable. If you've been on the fence, this is the time to take a look and see if the program is the right support for you to get to the next level.Let's talk about how it could work in YOUR situation. Book a call at sistersmart.com/insightBook your call! —✈️FREE PASSPORT TO PROMOTION PRIVATE PODCAST: 7 STEPS TO GET PROMOTED FROM DIRECTOR TO VP Get access to the Passport to Promotion Private Podcast ——

Are you a woman in leadership who is tired of feeling stuck in your career? Like your work isn't getting the recognition it deserves? Like your voice doesn't have the influence it needs to contribute to better solutions? Like no matter what you do, you can't get promoted?While these challenges don't discriminate against gender, women need different solutions to overcome them. It's not enough for women to simply get leadership training and career advice. They need to learn how to lead with their feminine energy and use it as their biggest advantage. On this show, career success coach Jill Avey and her guests explore how women can rise from director to vice president and beyond by fully leaning into their feminine energy as their biggest advantage. In each episode, you'll understand how women need to lead differently and how by doing so, women leaders gain influence and respect among their colleagues, restore balance to their role, and receive the recognition and promotions they deserve. Each episode will highlight real-life stories, offer practical advice, and the science of feminine leadership so you can see how women are rising up as far as they want to go, without playing by the old rules that built these male-dominated industries and systems.It took Jill 10 years to get promoted from director to vice president. She's here to extend her hand to other women leaders to move past that rung of the ladder in months — or even weeks — instead of years — so we can create more gender balance within leadership positions and feel the effects of women's influence on the world. Jill is the founder of SisterSmart where she offers group and private coaching to help her clients find deep fulfillment in their careers, both personally and financially. You can learn more at sistersmart.com