Podcasts about career advancement

Something we love about working in the salon industry is that our careers are customizable. Want to work just one day a week? Specialize in blonding? Just do cuts?  Split your time between two locations? Have back-to-back clients or work some down time into your schedule? All of these things are possible. Coming out of cosmetology school, Kacie Mundell knew she wanted the opportunity to grow and learn more advanced color techniques, and she wanted to have fun at work. First she got an entry-level job at a Summit salon company with a strong mentorship program that shared her values. Then the rest was up to her. Less than a year and two promotions later, Kacie's a level 2 stylist at her salon company.  In this episode, Kacie chats with host Blake Reed Evans about the combination of guts, mentorship, relationship-building, and careful financial planning that got her where she is, and keeps her on the rise. At the time of this recording in 2021, Kacie Mundell was a stylist and color and blonde specialist at Herdis the Salon in Northampton, Massachusetts, and at Parker on Main in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Now she's an indepedent stylist in West Springfield, MA, specializing blonding and vivids. SUMM IT UP is produced by Andrea Muraskin, with editorial support from Tim Fisk. Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon.Follow guest Kacie Mundell on Instagram @kaciedoeshair_Follow host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans. His DM's are always open!  Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon, and on TikTok at SummitSalon. SUMM IT UP is now on YouTube! Watch extended cuts of our interviews at www.youtube.com/@summitunlockedFind host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans and on TikTok at blakereedevans. His DM's are always open! You can email Blake at bevans@summitsalon.com. Visit us at SummitSalon.com to connect with others in the industry.

Are you tired of being talked over, cut off, or interrupted in meetings and not knowing how to respond without sounding rude, emotional, or aggressive? In this episode of Speak Your Mind Unapologetically, you'll learn exactly what to say and how to say it when someone interrupts you at work, whether it's a peer, a manager, a client, or someone you lead. We'll cover: The top mistakes to avoid when you're interrupted (passive, passive-aggressive, and aggressive responses that backfire) 8 proven elements of a confident, respectful, and effective response Word-for-word scripts you can use immediately How to build the courage and confidence to speak up, even if it feels risky  Whether you're in a high-stakes meeting or a casual conversation, these strategies will help you stop getting steamrolled and start commanding the room with clarity and calm authority. If you've ever wondered, “How do I speak up without sounding defensive?”, this episode is for you.   ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':  https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, ‘Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership' where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: info@assertiveway.com or ivnacuri@assertiveway.com Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2   ✅ Support The Podcast Rate the podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915

Send us a textEver shared a brilliant idea in a meeting only to watch a colleague get all the credit when they "suddenly" present the same concept weeks later? You're not alone, and you're about to learn exactly how to stop this career-damaging cycle.In this episode of Communicate to Lead, leadership expert Kele Belton reveals her proven I.D.E.A. Method. This strategic framework ensures that your ideas are heard, remembered, and, most importantly, credited to you. This isn't about being pushy or self-promotional; it's about being strategic with your intellectual contributions so you get the recognition and career advancement you deserve.What you'll learn:Why great ideas fall into the "invisible idea trap" and how to avoid itThe complete I.D.E.A. Method: Introduce with Intention, Document Strategically, Expand Your Influence, Advocate Consistently"Confident Idea Anchoring" techniques that make your ideas memorableStrategic documentation approaches that create an undeniable paper trailNatural ways to expand your influence without seeming self-promotionalA simple monthly tracking system to stay on top of your intellectual contributionsExact email templates and meeting scripts you can use immediatelyConnect with Kele for more leadership insights: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/ Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com ____________________________________________________Templates for "Introduce with Intention"Meeting Template:"I have an idea, I'm calling [YOUR MEMORABLE NAME]. It addresses [THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM] and could potentially [THE SPECIFIC BENEFIT]. I'd like to take the lead on developing this further and present a detailed plan by [YOUR TIMELINE]."Email Introduction Template:"Hi [NAME], I've been thinking about [THE CHALLENGE] and developed what I'm calling [YOUR APPROACH NAME]. I believe this could [YOUR SPECIFIC BENEFIT]. I'd love to schedule time to walk you through my initial thinking and discuss next steps."Templates for "Document Strategically"Follow-Up Email Template:Subject line: "Following up on [YOUR IDEA NAME] from today's meeting"Email body: "Hi [TEAM OR MANAGER NAME],Following up on today's meeting, I wanted to capture the key points of the [YOUR IDEA NAME] concept I proposed:Core Concept: [One sentence summary of your idea]Business Impact: [The specific benefit or ROI you mentioned]Next Steps I'm Proposing: [What you want to do next]Timeline: [When you can deliver more details]I'm excited to develop this further and will send a detailed proposal by [your specific date].Best regards, [Your name]"Templates for "Expand Your Influence"Leadership Visibility Template:"[MANAGER'S NAME], I've been developing the [YOUR IDEA NAME] concept we discussed, and I think it could have a significant impact on [relevant business priority]. Would you be open to me presenting this to [leadership team or broader audience] to get their input and buy-in?"Templates for "Advocate Consistently"Progress Check-In Template:"Hi [NAME], I wanted to check in on the [YOUR IDEA NAME] proposal I shared. I've been conducting additional research on [specific aspect] and would like to share what I've discovered. What's the best way to move this forward?"Off

How to Effectively Market High-Value Offers in a Long Sales CycleEpisode Summary:In this episode, Donna Peterson, President of World Innovators, shares practical strategies for marketing offers with longer decision timelines and higher price points.Whether you're promoting an executive education program, industrial equipment, or a multi-thousand-dollar event registration, Donna explains why relationship-building across multiple touchpoints is essential. The conversation focuses on how to educate prospects in advance, use consistent messaging across email, postal, banner, and phone outreach, and apply AI tools like ChatGPT and Descript to support your efforts.This episode is for leaders who want to create thoughtful campaigns that align with how people actually buy.“Give people the information they're searching for before they ask — that's how you earn the meeting and build long-term trust.” – Donna PetersonWhat You'll Learn:Why long sales cycles require an education-first approachHow to structure a multi-channel campaign that builds familiarity and trustWays to use AI tools to increase consistency and save timeThe value of including traditional channels like postal and phoneWhy helpful, relevant messaging leads to stronger engagementEpisode Breakdown:00:00 – Introduction: Understanding long sales cycles00:52 – Clarifying buyer needs and timing01:42 – Marketing strategies that align with how people buy02:32 – Using AI to support marketing and sales efforts04:02 – Leading with education to guide prospects05:38 – Benefits of a multi-channel strategy08:49 – Importance of timing and thoughtful follow-up11:10 – How traditional channels support digital outreach17:36 – Using personal touches to deepen relationships23:34 – Closing thoughts: Focus on relevance and consistencyWant to Discuss Your Approach?If you'd like to talk about your specific offer and what we have seen work, schedule a Complementary 30 minute call with Donna Peterson -https://meetings.hubspot.com/dpeterson/time-to-talk

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brenda Johnson. CEO of Collaborative Training Company (CTC)

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brenda Johnson. CEO of Collaborative Training Company (CTC)

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brenda Johnson. CEO of Collaborative Training Company (CTC)

Are you your own best advocate? In this episode, Laura Colón, VP of Sales and Alliances at Vonage, shares her personal journey of overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome, self-promoting both internally and externally, and building a personal brand to advance her career.  02:07 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome 04:15 Embracing a Growth Mindset 05:48 Building a Personal Brand for Career Advancement 11:54 Leverating Mentorship and Sponsorship for Growth 16:58 Self-Promotion Strategies  27:04 Career Sacrifices and Defining Moments 28:35 Communicating Your Value  31:24 Handling Pushback and Disagreements 35:20 Encouraging a Speak Up Team Culture  41:03 Life-changing Skill of Saying No  46:04 Open to Work: Beyond the Label Podcast 52:09 Final Thoughts and Takeaways   ✅ Free Newsletter:  https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/   ✅ Connect with Laura Colón https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauralynncolon/  Open to Work: Beyond the Label podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/open-to-work-beyond-the-label/id1809899342    ✅ Take the Quiz 'Do You Speak Like a High-Impact Leader?':  https://myassertiveway.outgrow.us/highimpactleader    ✅ Listen on the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast on Apple Itunes:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915      ✅ Listen on Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/show/6L1myPkiJXYf5SGrublYz2   ✅ Order our book, ‘Unapologetic Voice: 101 Real-World Strategies for Brave Self Advocacy & Bold Leadership' where each strategy is also a real story: https://www.amazon.com/Unapologetic-Voice-Real-World-Strategies-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CW2X4WWL/   ✅ Follow the show host, Ivna Curi, on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2/     ✅ Request A Customized Workshop For Your Team And Company:   http://assertiveway.com/workshops Contact me: info@assertiveway.com or ivnacuri@assertiveway.com Contact me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivna-curi-mba-67083b2   ✅ Support The Podcast Rate the podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915

Host Ruben Britt from the Rowan University Office of Career Advancement speaks to life coach, counselor, speaker, and author Valari Knight Boston, where she talked about her career journey her latest book Intentional Living.

Host Ruben Britt from the Rowan University Office of Career Advancement speaks to historian, writer, educator, legal scholar, and award-winning author Dr. Martha S. Jones, who discusses her career tourney and her latest book "The Trouble of Color: An American Family Memoir".

Send us a textEver frozen up when you spotted your CEO at the company summer picnic? You know it could be THE moment to make a meaningful connection, but your brain goes blank. Should you talk about work? Keep it casual? Pretend you don't see them? If you've struggled with that awkward tension between wanting to network and not wanting to be "that person" who turns every summer gathering into a LinkedIn opportunity, this episode will change everything.What This Episode Is AboutThis episode reveals why summer is actually one of the best seasons for building meaningful professional relationships—and exactly how to do it authentically. Host Kele Belton breaks down her proven 3 R's Framework for Summer Networking, which helps ambitious women advance their careers without the hustle, sleaze, or awkwardness that typically come with traditional networking approaches.What You'll LearnIn this 20-minute episode, you'll discover:The 3 R's Framework: A simple system for building relationships without feeling pushy or opportunisticExact scripts and templates for reaching out naturally on LinkedIn and via text/emailThe strategic article share method that keeps you top-of-mind while providing genuine valueThe 2-text rule that prevents you from seeming desperate or overwhelming contactsSeptember follow-up strategies that turn summer connections into career opportunitiesHow to make valuable introductions that benefit everyone involvedA simple tracking system that prevents summer networking efforts from falling through the cracksPerfect for women in leadership roles, aspiring leaders, and anyone who wants to build authentic professional relationships that actually advance their career, especially if you're tired of networking that feels transactional or inauthentic.Connect with Kele for more leadership insights: Want to create your personalized networking strategy? Connect with Kele on social media or schedule your free leadership strategy call on her website.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/ Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com 

In this game-changing episode of Mindset Mastery Moments, Dr. Alisa Whyte sits down with certified John Maxwell coach and author Rutherford Pascal to explore The P.I.D. System—a proven framework for advancing your career and standing out in your industry.Rutherford shares transformative stories from his 35-year career in the pharmaceutical industry, including how small, strategic mindset shifts can lead to massive promotions and professional influence. Discover how to:Prepare with purpose and maximize every opportunityAct with intentionality in meetings, branding, and relationshipsDifferentiate yourself with authenticity and consistencyUnlock career advancement through mindset routines and triggersInspire others through value-based leadership and follow-throughFrom irrational belief to authentic impact, this episode is packed with tools to help you rise above the sea of sameness and lead with significance.

Send us a textWhile your colleagues are mentally checking out for summer vacation, you could be quietly building the foundation for your next promotion. Discover the strategic approach that makes career advancement inevitable, not accidental.Host Kele Belton reveals the RISE Method – a four-step strategic framework specifically designed for women in leadership positions who want to position themselves for Q4 promotions. This isn't about working harder; it's about working smarter with a systematic approach that transforms you from someone hoping for recognition into someone who's impossible to overlook.What you can expect from this episodeBy the end of this 20-minute episode, you'll have:A clear 5-month roadmap (July through November) for career advancementThe complete RISE Method framework: Research, Initiate, Showcase, and EvaluateSpecific weekly action steps you can implement immediately in JulyReal client success stories showing the method in actionCommon pitfalls to avoid that derail most women's promotion effortsThe mindset shift that transforms how you approach career developmentAbout the HostKele Belton is a communication and leadership speaker, facilitator, and coach who helps ambitious women turn their expertise into executive presence and their ideas into impact through her podcast "Communicate to Lead."Connect with Kele for more leadership insights: Ready to implement the RISE Method in your own career? Connect with Kele on social media and share your progress – she's rooting for your success!LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/ Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com 

Please join this conversation regarding career advancement for CICU nurses with guests: Bonnie Miller, MBA, BSN, RN, CPN, CNML Director of Cardiac Critical Care and Surgical Services, CHOA; Katie Gibson, MSN, RN, NE-BC Manager of Clinical Operations – CICU, CHOA and Andie Cantrell, BSN, RN, CCRN, Cardiac Clinical and Simulation Educator, CHOA. Host and editor: Abbie Patera, BSN, RN, NPD-BC, CCRN-K, Manager of Clinical Education - Heart Center, CHOA. Editor and Producer: Saidie Rodriguez, MD (CHOA/Emory U) Sponsor: Inova

Logan, a distinguished leader in the medical sales industry, joins us to share her unconventional journey, from pre-med student to CEO in neuromonitoring, and later, to a hands-on role in spinal device sales. Her story is a powerful example of how diverse experiences can shape a well-rounded, impactful career in medtech. Logan offers key insights into the role of neuromonitoring in surgery, the risks of false positives, and the critical communication needed between OR teams. We explore the often-overlooked dynamics between neuromonitoring techs and device reps inside the OR. Logan pulls back the curtain on how strong reps build trust, stay composed under pressure, and keep patient care at the center, even when tensions rise. Her perspective reveals why emotional intelligence and accountability are non-negotiables for long-term success. Logan's transition from the C-suite back into the field brings a rare perspective on leadership and growth. She reflects on the humility and reward of working directly in surgical settings, the realities of financial motivation in healthcare, and the silos that still exist between clinical and commercial roles. Her take on leadership is clear, great managers must coach, delegate, and develop others if they want their teams to thrive. Whether you're in the OR, aiming for the executive suite, or somewhere in between, Logan's story is packed with insight, reflection, and hard-earned advice on how to grow a purpose-driven career in medical sales. Connect with Logan: LinkedIn Connect with Me: LinkedIn Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here's How » Want to connect with past guests and access exclusive Q&As? Join our EYS Skool Community today!

Advancing in your career often comes with significant trade-offs, but how can organizations better support employees in managing these sacrifices? SHRM researcher Sally Windisch, who led the development of a new report on this topic, The Price of Success: Navigating the Trade-Offs That Shape Career Growth, shares actionable HR and leadership strategies for mitigating these challenges. Discover key findings from the report, including shifting priorities at different career stages, the toll these sacrifices can take on employee well-being and retention, and innovative solutions organizations can implement to build healthier, more balanced workplace cultures.Resources from this Week's Episode - The Price of Success: Navigating the Trade-Offs That Shape Career GrowthSubscribe to the All Things Work newsletter to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/fg444d  ---Explore SHRM's all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r

Send us a textEver wonder if the way you're showing up online is truly reflecting your strengths, or secretly holding you back? In today's hybrid workplace, first impressions are made digitally – through LinkedIn headlines, Zoom profiles, and even email signatures. Dr. Heather Walker, award-winning organizational psychologist, challenges you to audit your digital presence and make intentional choices about how you show up in virtual spaces.In this episode, you'll learn:How to quickly audit your LinkedIn profile to reflect your real valueCommon digital habits that damage professional credibilitySmall, strategic changes that make you memorable (in a good way!)How your everyday emails shape your professional reputationPlus, Dr. Walker shares practical insights from the Career Currency Roadmap, helping you align your online presence with the confident, impactful professional you're becoming.

Career growth starts with stepping outside your comfort zone.Building a successful career isn't about following a set path—it's about knowing when to evolve and embracing change. Whitney Johnson believes that success comes from disrupting yourself—challenging routines, stepping into discomfort, and continuously evolving. “People think staying in their comfort zone is the safe choice,” she explains, “but real growth happens when we take intentional risks.”As a bestselling author and leadership expert, Johnson has spent years helping individuals and organizations navigate change. She breaks down the S-curve of learning, a framework that helps professionals recognize when it's time to move on, pivot, or double down on their current path. From identifying signs of stagnation to developing strategies for career reinvention, she shares practical tools for making bold moves with confidence.In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Johnson joins host Matt Abrahams to explore why mastery can be a sign that it's time for a change, how to manage the discomfort that comes with growth, and why personal disruption isn't just a challenge—it's the key to long-term success.To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premiumEpisode Reference Links:Whitney JohnsonWhitney's Books: Disrupt Yourself / Smart GrowthEp.147 Disrupt Yourself: How to Innovate Who You Are and Become Who You Can Be  Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (01:36) - What Is Personal Disruption? (04:41) - Signs It's Time to Disrupt Yourself (07:03) - Getting Comfortable with Discomfort (12:00) - Finding Your Next Career Move (15:49) - Ensuring Fulfillment After Disruption (21:04) - Best Career Advice Received (22:37) - Career Regrets & Lessons (24:08) - Conclusion *****This Episode is sponsored by Stanford. Stay Informed on Stanford's world changing research by signing up for the Stanford ReportSupport Think Fast Talk Smart by joining TFTS Premium.        

In this episode of Owned and Operated, we're exploring how to grow your career inside a home service company. From internal promotions to mindset shifts, John and Brandon Niro break down what it really takes to move up and lead.Brandon shares how 30–40% of the Wilson team has been promoted from within—and what separates those who grow fast from those who stall. They dig into Wilson's 52-week Emerging Leaders program, the role of emotional intelligence and financial literacy, and how team members can take initiative to become future leaders.If you're looking to grow your role or build leadership in your team, this one's packed with real, actionable advice.

Send us a textEver feel like you're trying to advance your career while your manager has mentally checked out? You're asking for feedback, but you're getting generic responses. You're bringing up development goals and hearing "we should talk about that" with no follow-through. If your once-engaged manager now seems to be just going through the motions, you're not alone, and more importantly, you're not stuck.In this episode of Communicate to Lead, host Kele Belton tackles one of the most common yet frustrating workplace challenges: how to navigate your career growth when your manager is disengaged, overwhelmed, or quietly coasting. Whether they're experiencing burnout, lacking management training, or quietly looking for their next opportunity, a checked-out boss doesn't have to derail your career trajectory.What you'll learnBy the end of this 30-minute episode, you'll have a complete roadmap for not just surviving but thriving with a disengaged manager, including:The Leadership Vacuum Strategy - How to strategically step up and fill gaps that showcase your leadership potential without overstepping boundariesSkip-Level Relationship Building - Proven techniques to create visibility and advocacy with senior leadership without undermining your direct managerSelf-Directed Career Development - How to create your own development plan and find mentors when your manager isn't investing in your growthCareer Protection Tactics - Essential strategies to ensure your accomplishments stay visible and your trajectory stays on trackImmediate Action Steps - Specific weekly tactics you can implement right away to start seeing resultsKey TakeawaysWhy a disengaged manager can actually accelerate your leadership development when handled strategicallyThe four-step approach to becoming the communication bridge your organization needsHow to approach skip-level managers without appearing to bypass your direct supervisorWarning signs that your career is becoming invisible and how to fix it immediatelyReal client success stories of professionals who turned management challenges into career advancement opportunitiesPerfect for women in leadership roles and aspiring leaders who refuse to let management challenges limit their potential.______________________________________________________________________About the Host:Kele Belton is a communication and leadership speaker, facilitator, and coach who specializes in helping women leaders develop confidence and impact through better communication skills.Connect with Kele for more leadership insights: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/ Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com 

In this episode of the Working Women Mentor Podcast, we sit down with Kristen Nolan, Senior Client Account Manager at Interview Valet, military spouse, and mother of three, who brings heart, humor, and hard-earned wisdom to the mic. Kristen takes us behind the scenes of a life shaped by movement—literally and figuratively. From constant relocations to growing roots in new communities, she shares how connection, mentorship, and resilience became her anchors.Whether you're leading a team, launching a business, growing your personal brand, or simply navigating change, this episode delivers rich, relatable insights. Learn how to build meaningful relationships, improve your listening skills, and show up with authenticity—even when you're starting over. Kristen also unpacks what makes a great podcast guest, how to overcome fear with preparation, and why niche audiences matter more than numbers.This conversation is a must-listen for anyone ready to grow their influence, build their community, and lead with intention—no matter the industry.Guest Links & Additional Episode Mentions:Website: https://interviewvalet.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenbnolan/ Want to be a guest? If you have a mentor moment that could inspire someone else DM us GUEST on Instagram, or Apply to be a guest here: https://www.ranialfers.com/apply-to-be-a-guest/Connect with our community on: https://www.instagram.com/workingwomenmentor/

Send us a textWhat would happen if your name came up in a budget meeting tomorrow? Would they fight to keep you or quietly move on? In this episode, Dr. Heather Walker asks the tough question every professional should be prepared to answer: Can they (your manager and others) clearly explain your value in just a few words?Whether you're aiming for promotion or just job security in a tough market, this episode is your call to get visible, get intentional, and start advocating for yourself in ways that actually resonate.

Do you feel comfortable ‘selling yourself' at work? Many people tell me they don't. But, if you're aiming to grow your leadership presence, build your career, and make a real impact as a global leader, you need to know how to position yourself effectively. This isn't about self-promotion or being arrogant. It's about clarity, confidence and knowing your leadership potential. In this episode, we explore what it really means to sell yourself in today's workplace, particularly in global organisations where expectations around visibility and communication vary widely. Whether you're already in a leadership role or you're stepping into one, you'll learn how to articulate your value, and get seen by the right people, without it feeling awkward or inauthentic. What you'll learn in this episode: Why selling yourself is often misunderstood and how to rethink it. Frame your unique leadership value. Translate your skills into business language that resonates. Practical strategies to share wins and learnings with confidence, without feeling boastful. What it means to be a ‘whole business' leader. How to position yourself consistently. To help you put this into practice, I've created a free resource with bite-sized leadership communication videos, delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up at https://culturecuppa.com/leader and start making more impact with your leadership today. Reflection questions for you to consider: How are you currently positioning yourself in your organisation? What one step will you take this week to share your value and demonstrate your leadership? Let me know, DM me on LinkedIn your answers- I love to hear what you're taking away and putting into action. Resources: Access the free training, Global Leader Impact: https://culturecuppa.com/leader Sign up to receive future episodes of the podcast as soon as they are released: https://culturecuppa.com/get-free-insights Follow me on LinkedIn for more strategies, skills and tips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-rennoldson Email me: victoria@culturecuppa.com  Website: https://culturecuppa.com

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brenda Johnson. CEO of Collaborative Training Company (CTC)

Executive presence might sound like a buzzword, but in this episode of the PSM Show, Damion Morris and Deirdre Booth get to the heart of what it really means. They break it down into practical, learnable elements: composure, communication, and appearance. Through honest conversation and real examples, they show how presence is not about being polished or loud—it's about showing up with consistency, clarity, and intention. They explore how poise under pressure signals confidence, why language shapes perception, and how your physical presence—including in virtual meetings—affects how others receive you. Deirdre shares insights from coaching leaders across the AEC space and offers advice for those navigating early leadership roles, especially women and introverts. This episode also touches on personal branding, emotional regulation, and the mindset shifts that help professionals move from reacting to leading. Whether you're already in a leadership seat or aiming for one, this conversation offers guidance on how to carry yourself in a way that builds trust, influence, and long-term impact.

Send us a textYou've been working twice as hard as your colleagues, staying late, taking on extra projects, and being the ultimate team player. So why did someone with half your experience just get the promotion you deserved? If this scenario makes your stomach drop, you're not alone, and more importantly, you're about to discover exactly what's been holding you back.In this episode, you'll discover the five critical areas where promotions are won or lost, and why your excellent performance reviews aren't translating into career advancement. You'll learn specific, actionable strategies to transform from invisible high-performer to promotion-ready leader, including how to build strategic visibility, develop executive presence, and position yourself for opportunities before they're announced.What you can expect from the episode:Why being the "perfect employee" is actually hurting your career advancementThe 5 areas that actually determine promotion decisions (and why hard work isn't one of them)How to build visibility and executive presence without feeling like you're braggingStrategic networking techniques that put you in the room where promotions are discussedHow to break free from busy work and develop the business acumen that separates leaders from individual contributorsThis episode is perfect for:High-performing women who feel stuck despite excellent work qualityAmbitious professionals ready to move from execution to strategyAnyone who's ever wondered why less qualified colleagues get promoted fasterWomen seeking to develop executive presence and leadership visibilityProfessionals who want to understand the unspoken rules of career advancementResources mentioned:Episode 109: "How to Get Promoted: The SCOUT Method for Finding Hidden Career Opportunities"About the host:Kele Belton is a communication and leadership speaker, facilitator, and coach who specializes in helping women leaders develop confidence and impact through better communication skills.Connect with Kele for more leadership insights: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/ Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com 

Send us a text In this inspiring episode of Petey Podcast, we sit down with Elyria High School's newest assistant principal — someone who's truly grown with us, Amanda Belcher. From walking the halls as a student herself, to returning as a dedicated teacher, and now stepping into a leadership role, her journey is one about roots, vision and leading in the very place that helped shape her. Take a listen!It's a great day to be a Pioneer! Thanks for listening. Find Elyria Schools on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!

Career success takes a status boost, not a power grab.How do you chart the career course you've always imagined? According to Alison Fragale, it's about gaining influence through status, power, and ultimately, being “a likeable badass.”As a research psychologist, professor, speaker, and author, Fragale is on a mission to help women take control of their careers. In her book Likeable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve, she argues that most people have it backwards when pursuing career advancement. "We have talked for a long time [about] getting more power," she explains. However, by focusing first on achieving status (how respected we are), power will often come as a natural byproduct. "If you pursue status before, or at least alongside power, everything is going to fall into place," she says. “Status makes power a lot easier to achieve, and it makes power a lot easier to use.”In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, hosted by executive producer Jenny Luna, Fragale explores the communication strategies of a likeable badass, from building warmth and assertiveness to authentically connecting with colleagues. Whether you're building relationships in a new company or have been leading one for years, Fragale's insights will help you command respect while communicating with kindness.To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premiumEpisode Reference Links:Alison FragaleAlison's Book: Likeable BadassJenny LunaEp.12 It's Not What You Say, It's How You Say It: How To Communicate PowerEp.15 The Art of Negotiation: How to Get More of What You Want  Connect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.ioEpisode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (02:21) - Defining Power and Status (05:26) - Why Status Comes Before Power (06:19) - Communication Techniques to Build Status (09:27) - Evaluating Your Habits: Nonverbal and Verbal Cues (11:21) - Mentorship in Developing Communication (13:13) - Adapting to a New Work Culture (18:41) - Representing Difference Without Distance (19:49) - Overcoming Bad First Impressions (21:47) - The Final Three Question (25:32) - Conclusion    *****This episode is brought to you by Babbel. Think Fast Talk Smart listeners can get started on your language learning journey today- visit Babbel.com/Thinkfast and get up to 55% off your Babbel subscription.Support Think Fast Talk Smart by joining TFTS Premium.       

In this essential professional development episode, President and executive writing coach Christine Tulley demonstrates the importance of conducting an annual Google search audit of your academic presence. She provides practical guidance for academics on monitoring and managing their online research profile, particularly during summer months when professional development tasks typically receive more attention. Christine begins by sharing her personal practice of Googling herself annually, acknowledging that while she doesn't always maintain perfect consistency, this summer task has become integral to her professional maintenance routine. She explains how summer naturally lends itself to career-focused activities like CV updates, professional organization memberships, and overall research profile assessment. During her live demonstration of searching her own name, Christine reveals several key insights about academic online presence. She expresses satisfaction that her search results display primarily research-oriented content, including conference presentations with proper institutional affiliations and research interests. Notably, she celebrates that Google's algorithm has finally updated to reflect her current research areas rather than outdated interests from 15 years ago - a common problem academics face with persistent, obsolete online information. Her search results showcase a well-rounded academic digital footprint including her institution, LinkedIn profile, Defend Publish & Lead company page, personal WordPress site, sabbatical work at Ohio State, book publications, ResearchGate, Humanities Commons, X (formerly Twitter) posts, and Google Scholar profile. She notes that posts from Inside Higher Education also appear in her results, demonstrating the value of external publication visibility. However, Christine identifies a significant gap in her current online presence: two new books published in April - an edited collection on faculty writing research and a Routledge publication on time management for academic mothers (Rec Comp Moms) - are notably absent from her first-page search results. This discovery illustrates the episode's central point about the need for proactive promotion of recent scholarship. Christine explains the strategic importance of maintaining current search visibility, noting that while people may discover new work through social media posts, many researchers conduct Google searches when they encounter someone's work for the first time. If recent publications don't appear on the first page, potential readers and collaborators may miss significant contributions to the field. She discusses the nuanced relationship between Google's algorithm and academic self-promotion, explaining that consistent activity around specific projects eventually leads to first-page visibility. While a 2018 book continues to appear prominently in her results, she emphasizes the need to actively promote newer work through various channels including Substack blogs, LinkedIn posts, and other content that refreshes regularly. Christine positions this digital audit as complementary to traditional CV work, particularly valuable for academics preparing for job market activities or tenure and promotion applications in the fall. She stresses that a well-organized Google presence can significantly impact professional opportunities when search committees or colleagues investigate an academic's background. The episode concludes with information about Defend Publish & Lead's upcoming faculty development seminarsavailable through Eventbrite, covering topics from faculty writing groups to supporting chairs and deans as writers, paragraph writing for dissertation students, and book writing strategies.   Related Episodes ●      DPL Podcast Episode 74: CV and Online Profile Updating ●      DPL Podcast Episode 119: Making Time for Career Advancement Tasks   DPL Resources Summer Coaching Opportunity: Defend, Publish & Lead is offering a limited-time summer burst sale with 100 coaching hours available at reduced rates. Whether you're a current client or new to their services, email christine@defendpublishlead.com to learn more. Free Consultation Available: New clients can schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation to discuss projects, summer writing planning, or fall preparation strategies. Need help with your academic writing goals or semester transitions? Contact Defend, Publish & Lead for personalized coaching support tailored to your specific needs and timeline.

In this episode of On The Clock, host Todd Dallas Lamb sits down with Dr. LaTonya Goffney, Superintendent of Aldine ISD, for an inspiring and wide-ranging conversation on leadership, innovation, and equity in public education. Recorded live at the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, the episode explores Dr. Goffney's journey from rural educator to national leader and her philosophy that being a superintendent is about doing the work, not chasing the title.Dr. Goffney shares her perspective on artificial intelligence in K-12 education, viewing it not as a silver bullet but as a strategic tool to support overburdened educators and personalize learning in underserved communities. Drawing from her experience leading three distinct districts, rural, suburban, and urban, she emphasizes the importance of hiring strong teams, engaging with the community, and keeping student outcomes at the center of every decision.The conversation also highlights Aldine ISD's groundbreaking partnership with Memorial Hermann and the Bloomberg Foundation to combat healthcare deserts and workforce shortages. This initiative will transform a local high school into a community-based health care hub, offering hands-on training for students and services for families, a bold move that reflects Dr. Goffney's commitment to equity and innovation.With candid reflections on leadership, mentorship, and the deeply personal impact of education, Dr. Goffney offers a compelling blueprint for superintendents navigating today's complex educational landscape. It's a must-listen for anyone invested in the future of public education.Key Moments00:00 Teacher Recruitment and Support Challenges03:04 "AI: Idea Generator and Custom Tool"06:22 "Superintendent Success Strategies"11:24 Community Hub: School to Hospital Transformation14:09 "Authenticity in Career Advancement"16:42 Addressing Under-Enrolled BuildingsConnect with Dr. LaTonya GoffneyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgoffneyWebsite: https://www.aldineisd.org/

Send us a textAre you tired of mid-year reviews that feel like wasted time? Transform your performance review from a routine check-in into a powerful career advancement tool with this strategic framework.In this episode of Communicate to Lead, host Kele Belton shares the four-step mid-year review framework that helps women in leadership positions accelerate their career growth and professional development.What You'll Learn:Why most mid-year reviews feel like wasted time (and the mindset shift that changes everything)The four-step framework that transforms routine performance conversations into strategic career planning sessionsHow to confidently lead the conversation with your manager instead of waiting for them to drive your developmentThe secret to getting the support you actually need for advancement without sounding demanding or entitledA proven system for maintaining momentum between reviews so your growth doesn't stall after the meetingHow to measure real career success beyond promotions and salary increases (this will change how you view progress)Key Takeaways for Women in Leadership:Your mid-year review doesn't have to be something that happens TO you—it can be a strategic tool you use to accelerate your career. With proper preparation and confident communication, you can transform routine performance conversations into career-defining opportunities.About the Host:Kele Belton is a communication and leadership speaker, facilitator, and coach who specializes in helping women leaders develop confidence and impact through better communication skills.—--------------------------------------------------------Connect with Kele for more leadership insights: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/ Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com 

What separates a good manager from a great leader—and why does it matter for your career? The important difference between these two mindsets is often overlooked, but recognizing and honing a leadership approach can help land you the promotion, raise, or amazing new job you deserve.In this episode, I share three key dimensions where making the shift from a management to a leadership mindset really lets you shine. Through practical examples and workplace scenarios, I explore how leadership isn't about abandoning managerial skills and their inherent structure—it's about thinking more broadly, connecting more deeply, and pushing for change when it counts. From writing memos to preparing a presentation, anyone can start zooming out, questioning the status quo, and influencing outcomes at a higher level.Think big-picture with these little mindset shifts:The difference between being task-focused and people-focused;The benefits of shifting from execution to innovation;What it means to do the right thing, not just do things right;How to sharpen your leadership mentality in any situation.Related Links:Stanford Advancement of Women in Medicine - https://drive.google.com/file/d/19mNpvWVeiD6yWSZMf42deJqjvZoVqJKj/viewLeadership Development and DEI Training for Teams - https://www.bossedup.org/forteamsHerminia Ibarra on Women and Vision - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBYTlKnLSMk&t=249sEpisode 308, How Women Leaders Can Win in Male-Dominated Workplaces - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode308Episode 344, What Confidence Really Is and How to Cultivate It - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode344Episode 356, How to Think Like a Leader Rather Than a Manager - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode356LEVEL UP: a Leadership Accelerator for Women on the Rise - https://www.bossedup.org/levelupBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/

In today's episode, your hosts Brian Hastings and Justin Maines explore the challenges and opportunities within the logistics industry, particularly focusing on entry-level sales roles and the high turnover rates due to burnout from repetitive tasks like cold calling. The conversation sheds light on the mental toughness required to succeed, differentiates between the sales and operational roles within logistics, and emphasizes the importance of hard work, going above and beyond, and having a competitive mindset for career advancement. The Logistics & Leadership Podcast, powered by Veritas Logistics, redefines logistics and personal growth. Hosted by industry veterans and supply chain leaders Brian Hastings and Justin Maines, it shares their journey from humble beginnings to a $50 million company. Discover invaluable lessons in logistics, mental toughness, and embracing the entrepreneurial spirit. The show delves into personal and professional development, routine, and the power of betting on oneself. From inspiring stories to practical insights, this podcast is a must for aspiring entrepreneurs, logistics professionals, and anyone seeking to push limits and achieve success.Timestamps:(00:55) - Introducing the Logistics Industry: A 3PL Perspective(01:54) - Navigating Career Opportunities in Logistics(02:49) - The Hunter vs. Farmer: Sales and Operations Roles(04:01) - Overcoming Challenges and Excelling in Sales(06:51) - Strategies for Career Advancement in Logistics(11:23) - Exploring Diverse Opportunities Within Logistics(12:54) - Mindset for Success in the Logistics IndustryConnect with us! ▶️ Website | LinkedIn | Brian's LinkedIn | Justin's LinkedIn▶️ Get our newsletter for more logistics insights▶️ Send us your questions!! ask@go-veritas.comWatch the pod on: YouTube

Send us a textAre you tired of watching colleagues get promoted while you wait for opportunities to find you? In this episode, communication and leadership expert Kele Belton reveals The SCOUT Method—a 5-step framework to identify promotional opportunities before they're posted.Perfect for women navigating corporate leadership in competitive industries, this episode transforms how you approach career advancement from reactive to strategic.What You'll Learn:Why 80% of promotional decisions are made before jobs are postedThe 5 components of the SCOUT Method for career advancementHow to build strategic relationships without feeling "salesy"Timing secrets: When to have career conversations for maximum impactCommon mistakes women make that sabotage promotion opportunitiesActionable steps to implement immediately in your workplaceAbout the Host:Kele Belton is a communication and leadership speaker, facilitator, and coach who specializes in helping women leaders develop confidence and impact through better communication skills.—--------------------------------------------------------Connect with Kele for more leadership insights: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/ Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com 

In today's episode, we're talking with Alexia, a holistic canine nutritionist who made an unexpected career flip,  thanks to her dog. Alexia started her journey deep in the world of academia and art in the sustainability sector, researching, writing, and painting. But then her dog (yes, her sweet pup, Lucky) flipped her whole life upside down in the best way possible.Now? She helps dogs thrive, feel better, eat better, and live longer—with a perfect blend of heart, soul, and science. It's the ultimate plot twist! We dive into how Alexia transitioned from thinking she was locked into a creative and academic career to discovering her true calling in canine wellness. She talks about embracing discomfort, leaning into the chaos, and the identity shift that comes with going from “I thought I'd be doing X forever” to “Wait, maybe I'm meant to help dogs heal instead?”We also get into how Alexia created Mystic Dog Mama, her podcast and community focused on holistic pet care and personal growth, all while leaning into the weirdness of following unexpected paths. Whether you're someone questioning everything or you're just looking for a little inspiration to follow those furry breadcrumbs in your own life, this episode is for you!Tune in for a real, raw, and inspiring conversation about career pivots, trusting the process, and following your passion (even when it leads to a totally different destination than you expected).Takeaways:It's okay to embrace discomfort and let it guide you to something new and unexpected.Career changes often require a full identity shift — from who you thought you were to who you're meant to be.Lean into the chaos, trust your gut, and follow the signs (even if they come with paws!).Community and personal growth go hand-in-hand when navigating big life changes.Following the breadcrumbs, even if they're furry, can lead to something beautiful and fulfilling!Connect with AlexiaCanine Nutrition and Wellness: https://mysticdogmama.com/Listen to the Mystic Dog Mama Podcast: https://mysticdogmama.com/podcastMystic Dog Mama Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysticdogmama/ Thanks for listening to The Career Flipper!If you enjoyed this episode, let's spread the word! Share it with a friend, subscribe, and leave a review—it helps other career flippers find the show.Let's Stay Connected:Join the community: thecareerflipper.comTikTok: @thecareerflipperInstagram: @thecareerflipperpodGot a career flip story? I'd love to hear it—and maybe even have you on the podcast! Whether you've completed your flip, are just starting, or are in the thick of it, submit your story here: https://www.thecareerflipper.com Want to support the show?Looking for a speaker? I'd love to talk about career changes at your next event.Collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates! Let's work together.Email me: hello@thecareerflipper.comCheck Out My Customer Service CoursesBefore my career flip, I led customer experience teams and created online courses that have helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Whether you're switching to customer service or sharpening your skills to run your own business, these courses are packed with practical tips. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.Other Ways to Get Involved:Buy me a coffee!Explore my furniture flipsMusic CreditsSeason 1: Intro and outro music by audionautix.com. Season 2: Intro and outro original music by Jenny Dempsey, recorded in a home studio.What's the best that could happen?

Send us a textHave you ever walked into a meeting fully prepared, only to realize the decision was already made without you? You're not alone. In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain on the hidden dynamics of workplace power plays. You'll meet Rachel, a talented leader blindsided by decisions made behind closed doors, and Jack, who feels invisible despite putting in the work. Together, we'll break down why simply doing good work isn't enough and how you can proactively shape conversations and secure buy-in before the meeting even starts.You'll learn:Red flags you're being shut out of important conversationsHow to identify and connect with key influencers earlyPractical steps for securing allies and building your inner circleHow to position your ideas so they're impossible to ignoreSupport the showDid you have any lightbulb moments while listening? Share it with us on Instagram @leadwithlevity or visit our website leadwithlevity.com so we can talk about it!

About the Guest(s):Trevor Houston is a dynamic career strategist and host of the "Who Ya Know Show," where he focuses on connecting professionals with job opportunities by leveraging the right networks. Driven by his passion for solving complex job market issues like ageism, Trevor combines his expertise with practical strategies to help job seekers level up and get noticed. His approach is underscored by a deep understanding of modern job search techniques and valuable insights into personal branding and adaptability.Mark Elder is a seasoned professional with a strong background in career coaching and human resources. As a co-host of the "Who Ya Know Show," Mark delves into the nuanced challenges facing today's job seekers. He brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic advice, particularly around combating ageism and modernizing personal and professional profiles to suit current job market demands.Episode Summary:In this enlightening episode of the "Who Ya Know Show," hosts Trevor Houston and Mark Elder confront the issue of ageism in the modern job market. They delve into how experienced professionals can transform their perceived age-related liabilities into significant assets by modernizing their public profiles, enhancing their adaptability, and leveraging their wisdom as a strategic advantage. Through this episode, the show provides crucial insights for job seekers looking to overcome barriers associated with age, emphasizing the importance of experience as a superpower rather than a drawback.Trevor and Mark tackle misconceptions around ageism, outlining strategies that older workers can employ to remain competitive. From modernizing LinkedIn profiles to using strategic language in resumes, they share actionable tips, emphasizing adaptability and the importance of a multi-generational network. Highlighting the crucial role of continuous learning, they encourage older professionals to embrace new technologies and education opportunities. Key themes revolve around personal branding, adaptability, and collaboration, with a strong focus on turning wisdom into a marketable asset.Resources:Career Transition Summit: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/67/04404igv LinkedIn e-book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://online.flippingbook.com/view/714118097/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/who-ya-know-show ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trevor Houston is a licensed financial professional offering insurance/financial products through various carriers. For more info visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://cpwstrategies.com Chapters:(0:00) Overcoming Ageism by Showcasing Experience as a Superpower(7:10) The Value of Expertise in Problem Solving(7:58) Addressing Ageism and Modernizing Older Workers in the Workplace(10:40) Generational Differences in Problem-Solving and Information Seeking(17:44) Modernizing LinkedIn Profiles with AI Headshots(19:31) Modernizing Resumes and Highlighting Adaptability Over Tenure(26:16) Embracing Adaptability and Continuous Learning in a Rapidly Changing World(35:47) Building Multi-Generational Networks for Career Advancement(42:05) Strategies for Overcoming Ageism and Enhancing Digital Presence

Most people live in the "just enough" zone—asking for the bare minimum they think they can get. But what if the key to extraordinary success lies in making unreasonable asks? In this electrifying episode, April dismantles the fear holding you back from demanding what you truly deserve, sharing jaw-dropping stories of bold requests that changed lives (like Siri Lindley training with Olympians, or Mike securing a $50M loan). You'll learn why someone half as qualified as you will outearn you today simply because they asked for more, and how to reframe rejection as a stepping stone. Key Takeaways:

After five years of building a coaching business dedicated to helping product managers advance their careers, I'm passing the mic to someone who deeply understands the mission and is ready to take it even further.In this special episode of productmanagHER, I sat down with Jess Sherlock, the current owner of the SPRINT and SCALE Product Management Coaching Programs, and the force behind the fresh podcast, AFTER THE CERT: Helping Product Managers Get Unstuck. Together, we reflected on the journey that led us here and explore what the next generation of Product Management Career Coaching looks like.This isn't just a conversation about transition. It's a powerful exploration of growth, mentorship, and what everyday product managers really need to thrive in today's fast-moving world.Whether you're navigating a plateau, stepping into leadership, looking for a new job, or seeking support beyond certifications, this episode will leave you feeling seen and reminded that the best kind of growth often happens beneath the surface.Learn more about the new AFTER THE CERT: Helping Product Managers Get Unstuck podcast at afterthecert.com/podcast. If, deep down in your gut, you know you can benefit from a career coach who intimately understands the Product space to help grow your career, touch base with Jess. Learn more here at https://www.jesssherlock.com. Everything you need to know about getting support to land your Product job faster via SPRINT, nail the first 90 days in the new Product job via SCALE, or get support with the rut you're in to get the promotion via SHINE is all there. At the very least, connect with Jess on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-sherlock.While you're there, connect with me, too: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairpresley. Are you curious to learn more about Product coaching? Visit blairpresley.com to get started.

In this episode of Unlocked, Cynthia Pong discusses her journey from being a public defender to becoming a career coach focused on empowering women of color. She shares insights on the challenges of introversion in leadership, the importance of asking the right questions, and her mission to help women of color gain the respect and opportunities they deserve in the workplace. The discussion also touches on the concept of 'Don't Stay in Your Lane' and the need for leaders to support and amplify the voices of marginalized individuals. In this conversation, Cynthia Pong discusses the challenges faced by women of color in the workplace, emphasizing the importance of support, self-compassion, and strategic career planning. She introduces the C.A.R.E. framework, which includes compassion, curiosity, action-oriented approaches, and real-time experimentation as essential tools for personal and professional growth. The discussion also touches on the concept of the glass cliff, where women and people of color are often placed in precarious leadership positions, and the need for community support and career insurance to navigate workplace injustices. Website: www.embracechange.nyc

Tabatha Jones spent 20 years in the corporate world which she joined right out of high school. Soon after beginning work in a call center she began to discover her own leadership skills and began forging her own path in the corporate environment. Tabatha found that she could empower others to be better than they thought by providing a natural, honest and positive leadership style.   As Tabatha describes, she learned how to communicate and help connect the C Suite leaders in companies to those they lead. She learned to be a positive conduit to help all parts of companies where she served to learn and grow. She tells us stories about how she thrived as a leader and how she created positive change wherever she worked. She provides us with some really good leadership tips.   While Tabatha says her programs today are mainly to help women who more often do not have the confidence to lead, she states emphatically that her teachings do help men as well and she has male clients to prove it.   As Tabatha says, while she was a corporate leader for many years, she also used that time to coach and help others to learn leadership skills. Seven years ago Tabatha decided to leave working for others to form her own coaching firm, Empowered Leadership Coaching, LLC. She helps people learn how they can positively grow and advance in their own careers.   I very much enjoyed this episode and found that Tabatha and I have a lot of leadership views in common. For example, we discuss trust and the need for real trust in work environments. She tells a story about a mistake she made as a leader and how she dealt with it to keep the trust of all persons involved. I think you have a lot to gain from Tabatha. At the end of this episode she tells us how to get a free eBook that provides invaluable lessons to help you in your own efforts to rise in the work world.       About the Guest:   Tabatha Jones is the CEO of Empowered Leadership Coaching, LLC, a Career Advancement & Leadership Coach, author, and keynote speaker based in the SF Bay Area, working with clients nationwide. With over 20 years of experience leading high-performing technical teams in Corporate America, she transitioned into coaching at the age of 50, driven by her passion for helping women break through career barriers and achieve leadership success. Tabatha specializes in working with ambitious Gen-X women who are ready to stop playing small and make the next years the most impactful of their careers. Through her personalized coaching programs, she empowers her clients to develop strategic career plans, build unshakable confidence, elevate their visibility, and secure significant promotions. Her clients, including leaders at companies like Comcast, Cisco, Abbvie, PG&E, and Tyson, have successfully climbed the corporate ladder, developed standout leadership skills, and positioned themselves as top candidates for advancement. As a sought-after keynote speaker, Tabatha inspires audiences with actionable insights on leadership, career advancement, and empowerment. She is also the author of Promotion Ready in 3 Months: The Women's Guide to Career Advancement, available on Amazon.   Ways to connect Tabatha:   Website: https://www.empowered-leader.com/   Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tabatha-jones-4485854/   Grab a Free Resource: GenX Promotion Planning Assessment: https://www.empowered-leader.com/promotionassessment   Purchase a copy of my book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/gpoqjNw   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/   https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, hi everyone, and welcome to another edition, an exciting edition of unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet, and the unexpected is everything that doesn't have anything to do with inclusion or diversity, which is most things, according to my diversity friends, but that's okay, our guest today. How do I do this? Okay, I'll just be up front. As many of you know, I use a screen reader, which is a piece of software to verbalize whatever comes across the screen. And when my screen reader finds my guest today's name, it pronounces it Tabatha. Don't you like that? Of course, it's Tabitha, but Tabata, so, so Tabitha. Tabatha Jones, welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here.   Tabatha Jones ** 02:09 Oh, thank you so much for having me here. And Tabatha sounds fairly International, and maybe I'll take it, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 02:16 well, you can have it. It's yours. I don't think that the screen reader will mind a whole lot. But But what we're glad you're here now. I met Tabitha, as I have mentioned in the past with others, through an event that I attend, pada palooza. And Tabitha and I were both at the most recent pot of palooza. So what took you there? Are you starting a podcast, or are you just wanting to be interviewed by podcasters, or do you already have a podcast and you've done 1000s of episodes already?   Tabatha Jones ** 02:46 Well, I haven't done 1000s of episodes. I'm a fairly new podcaster. I've launched my own it's called the Gen X, free mix life, laughs and next acts. I think we're at about Episode 11. I was actually really interested in joining pada palusa to meet other podcasters. Here's some success stories and learn some great tips and tricks as I'm continuing to build mine out and and engage my audience well. So if there's   Michael Hingson ** 03:11 any way I can help, you, just need to shout out and glad to do it. And if you ever need a guest, and if I can fit the mold, I'm also glad to do that. It's always fun to to be a guest. When people want to come on unstoppable mindset, and I discover that they have a podcast, I always tell them, Well, you know, and many of them say, Well, do you charge for guests? And I say, Yes, I do. The charges you have to let me be a guest on your podcast, or if I go on to their podcast. I say I charge for that, and the charges that you have to come on my cop podcast to be a guest. So it works out.   Tabatha Jones ** 03:47 It's a fantastic tip. I'm taking that down and definitely having you on the podcast. Oh my gosh, yeah, that'd be fun.   Michael Hingson ** 03:53 Well, it it is cute. Actually, last week of a couple in Australia, a couple people emailed me and they they want to come on unstoppable mindset. And I was glad to do that. And they said, you know, but, but what's your charge? And I said, Well, I know you have a podcast. I have to be on yours. They said, Oh, we can, we can pay that. So it's fine. It is. You know, podcasting is so, so much fun. I did radio for years at the University of California at Irvine, and I like radio. Radio is a wonderful thing, but you're more structured because you have a limited amount of time. You've got to do certain things, you've got commercials you got to do, and sponsors that you have to satisfy, and some of that can happen with the podcast, but it's still not nearly as rigid, which makes it a lot of fun.   Tabatha Jones ** 04:45 Yeah, absolutely. And there's so much variety out there. One of the coolest things for me about starting a podcast is it's led me to so many other podcast shows that I had never listened to before, yours included. So now I think I'm following maybe. 30 to 40 different shows that I hadn't heard of until very recently, I'd say, probably the last six to eight months, and I'm loving it. I learned something new every single day. I learned something about someone's experience that leads me to check more into what they've shared. And it's really been fun. It's been a much more fun adventure for me than the social media that I was kind of, kind of dabbling in a little bit, but podcasts, it's just so much more personal and fun. It   Michael Hingson ** 05:27 is. It's much more connectional. And social media is just so impersonal, and people spend so much time doing it, and I'm amazed at some of the people who spend so many hours on it. I could, I don't do a lot of stuff on social media. I will post things occasionally, and I'm amazed at how fast some people, as soon as they as soon as I post, within minutes, they're responding to it. And I'm going, how do you do that? But anyway, it's people focus on that. But it's so impersonal compared to doing things like podcasting, because you do get to know people. You get to learn about people. And as I tell people constantly, if I'm not learning at least as much as anybody else who listens to this podcast, then I'm not doing my job well, which is kind of the way I look at it. And I always like to learn things from everyone who comes on and who I get to interact with because of the podcast.   Tabatha Jones ** 06:21 Yeah, so much fun. It is. You know, one of the things when we met that really connected me to you was just your story and sharing your author journey on top of it. So, yeah, you're kind of stuck with me in your fan club for a little bit following   Michael Hingson ** 06:40 you Well, thank you. And it is, it is fun to do that and following you back. It's, it's a lot of fun. And as I said, I enjoy getting to know people and connecting and learning which is cool, and to introduce you a little bit more to people, and I'll get to letting you do some of that too. But Tabitha is the CEO of empowered leadership coaching LLC, which is obviously a coaching organization, and you started doing that when you were 50. Of course I could, I could, circuitously get to and and how long ago was that, which would then tell us your age, but I won't that's   Tabatha Jones ** 07:25 all right. As a career advancement coach, I tell people all the time, don't put those long dates on your resume. People will start guessing your age, and then we've got another whole situation. I think the good thing with coaching is age and experience go together, and people see that a little bit differently, which has been fun. Yeah, I left it, you know, corporate at 50, and started my own business. I had been doing it on the side, but now I get to do it every day, and it's so   Michael Hingson ** 07:50 much fun. Well, seriously, how long have you been doing it?   Tabatha Jones ** 07:54 You know, for officially. Oh, I gotta do math. 2017. Is when I started. So,   Michael Hingson ** 08:01 oh, okay, well, there you go. So, 10 years, okay, yeah, and then   Tabatha Jones ** 08:04 I had been doing it as part of my job for more than 20 years. So as a leader in corporate, more than 20 years of coaching experience came from that sure   Michael Hingson ** 08:13 when you've got seven years of official long term, real life, constant experience, which is, which is great too. Well, tell us about the early Tabitha growing up and some of those kinds of things that would get us to know you better.   Tabatha Jones ** 08:28 Well, I grew up in a little town called Livermore. It's not so little anymore out here in California, in the East Bay, I am the oldest of four, and you   Michael Hingson ** 08:37 were never irradiated by the the accelerators, or any of the things that Livermore Labs.   Tabatha Jones ** 08:41 No, there was so much Hush, hush, secret stuff going on out there. But, you know, it was always very cool. They had a swimming pool you could go swim at. I think it was 75 cents to go swim for the whole day at the pool. And, you know, as a grown up, I'm all, should we really have been swimming there? I don't   Michael Hingson ** 08:58 know. Oh, it was safe. Well, it was absolutely Were you ever there after dark? No, so you don't know whether anything glowed in the dark or not. So you didn't probably you were safe.   Tabatha Jones ** 09:07 Probably safe. Yeah, nope. Genetics kids, when the street lights came on, we went home.   Michael Hingson ** 09:11 There you go. But anyway, so Livermore, yeah,   Tabatha Jones ** 09:15 Livermore, and then let's see. So I finished high school. Didn't really know what I was going to do. I stuck a little toe in the telecommunications industry at AT and T and got a job there right out of high school, answering phones and learning all kinds of great things. Did a lot of growing up in that space. Gosh, it was a it was an interesting journey. I actually was sitting in a call center taking phone calls during the 1989 earthquake, which, oh, boy, you may remember, right? I know I was training somebody, and I just looked at the person. I said, we're gonna hang up and go under the desk. That's what we're doing. And that was the day before my birthday. So I got my birthday off that year, which. You know, as they planned   10:00 out very well,   Tabatha Jones ** 10:02 yeah. But terrible, terrible, tragic earthquake, unfortunately. But, you know, I do just kind of try to make a little lighter of it with that. You know, the birthday off, but it is. It was an interesting time, for sure. I lived   Michael Hingson ** 10:16 in Vista, California at the time. Well, actually, I take it back. I lived in Mission Viejo. We hadn't moved to VISTA yet, although I had a job in Carlsbad, and I remember coming out to get on a bus to go from Carlsbad back up to Mission Viejo. And I was going to listen to the World Series, and it wasn't on, and it took me about 15 minutes before, I finally found a radio station that announced that there had been an earthquake. And then we got home, and then we started. We just Karen was was at home, and we just started watching it on TV, and they had all the the live shots and all that, and the freeway collapse and so on. It was, needless to say, quite the event. Karen and I survived. We were in, not married yet in, well, 19, whatever that would have been, 69 or 70 or 71 the Sylmar quake. I don't think it was in 74 I think it was earlier than that. But there was a big earthquake up in Sylmar, and we felt it at UC Irvine, and then we had the Whittier Narrows and Northridge quakes, so we felt those as well. But yeah, that had to be pretty rough in 89 for all of you up there.   Tabatha Jones ** 11:38 Yeah, it was pretty, pretty interesting. You know, from that point, you know, I just was training somebody as I as I mentioned, and, you know, we, we took that next day and couple of days kind of getting things together, working through the call center, handling a lot of emergency calls and things that were going on. And I'd say that's probably the first time I felt that call to leadership, you know, and realized I wanted to do more than being a call center, answering phones. There's nothing wrong with that, but for me, it wasn't the end all. And I started working on mapping out, how am I going to build my career here? Managed to advance a couple of times, and then went through a major layoff. So AT and T we all know, went through a lot of change over the years, but in the 80s and early 90s, there was a lot. So I did a couple of different things in between, and then one day, I walked into what was the Viacom cable office and decided I'm going to apply for a job here. It's just six months for experience, and we'll see where it goes. I fell in love with the cable industry. As weird as it sounds, I loved it, so I worked up really quickly into a lead role, and then started shifting into technology, which is where I spent most of my career, leading those technical teams and just really loving it. But yeah, yeah, that's kind of the journey from the early life into the career side of things. But   Michael Hingson ** 13:05 what kind of things did you do in as a leader for Viacom?   Tabatha Jones ** 13:09 So Viacom was where you in, went through. So I was in the call center. Initially became a lead there, moved into credit and collections and learned everything there was to learn there. It wasn't really my jam, but it was a great place to be. And then I moved into the Information Services Department, and you probably remember this back in the day of punching down phone lines in the little box, in different I don't know if you ever did that, but yeah, soldering cat five lines, crawling under desk, climbing up ladders, doing all those things. So that was early. It days before the internet. Still, I think crazy to say,   Michael Hingson ** 13:48 so did you do that? Or did you lead people who did that? So I   Tabatha Jones ** 13:52 did that early on. I learned everything I could in that department. I learned how to print reports. I knew learned how to compile data. I learned how to code the billing system, moved into project management from there, still on the information services side, and led some really huge projects through that time. We went through three companies. We landed at Comcast. That was where I was for the longest, but never really left, you know, my role, and just fell in love with the technology, because it changes all the time. It's never the same day twice. I loved working with technical people, and learned really quickly that one of my gifts was being able to translate between the Technical Suite and the C suite. So taking those great ideas and going and securing the budget or coming in with here's what the leadership team is thinking. Here's how I think we can do it. What are your thoughts and being able to translate and move things forward really fast. That's where I joined the leadership team and stayed, and I loved it. Climbing the ladder at Comcast was a lot of fun for me. Yeah. Do   Michael Hingson ** 15:00 you think that really taking the time to get that technical knowledge and learn those various jobs, even though you necessarily didn't do them all the time, but learning how to do those jobs? Do you think that was a valuable thing for you, looking back on it now,   Tabatha Jones ** 15:19 yeah, I do in some ways. And I spoke at a women in telecom sorry, it's women in tech and telecom seminar a few years back. And one of the things that we know is women don't advance as quickly into technical leadership roles, and being able to say in that room, leadership is not a technical skill. Just let the light bulbs off for people, because we hold ourselves back. And it's not just women, but it definitely happens in the female space, where we will hold ourselves back. Oh, I'm not technical enough, oh, I don't know enough. Oh, I can't code Python. It. It doesn't always matter for me, having the basis helped because I understood the work the team was doing. I understood quicker ways to do things. I had done them myself the hard way, but it gave me a little bit more, I'd say, street cred with the team, not that they ever expected me to code a macro or build an automation program, but because I could come and speak to them in a language that made sense, then they could go build the thing and do their jobs. So I do think it helped. It helped give me really great insight to what could be and let us really drive innovation quickly, which was super fun. I   Michael Hingson ** 16:41 agree with you on that I felt in everything that I did as a as a leader, working in a variety of different kinds of roles, I felt it necessary to learn the things that the people who worked for me and with me did because at least I could then articulate them. I could talk about them. I didn't necessarily have to do them all the time, and there were some things that I wasn't going to be able to do, for example, for four years or three and a half years, four I owned a company that sold PC based CAD systems to architects, computer aided design systems, for those who don't know, to architects and engineers and so on. And they were some of the early PC based CAD systems. We started in 1985 doing that. And needless to say, that was and and still is very much a highly graphic environment. And that isn't something that I'm going to be able to sit down in front of a computer terminal and do, because the technology, even today, doesn't exist to describe all of that information for me, so that I have access to it as quickly and as efficiently as a person who can see but even though I wouldn't be able to run a CAD system, I knew how to do it. So I could then sit down with an architect in front of a machine and ask them what they wanted to do, and then described them what they needed to do to make it happen. So I actually made them part of the process of showing themselves how the cast system worked by them actually working it. Now I also have people who work for me, but I did know how to do that, and I think that was extremely important. And I've always felt that having that knowledge is is helpful. I do tend to be very technical. I've got a master's degree in physics and so on. And I I think that having that technical knowledge is kind of part of the way I operate, which is fine, but still, I think that having that technical knowledge, really, even if it's only to be able to talk about it at the right times, was a very helpful thing and made me a better leader.   Tabatha Jones ** 18:59 Yeah, absolutely would agree with that, and understanding just the basics of what can and can't be done, or, you know, what my limitations were, and being vulnerable with going back to my team and saying, This is as far as I know how to take it. I need you to walk me through what the next steps are, or what your ideas are, or what your thoughts are. And I had a wonderful team. I'd say one of the benefits of not being the most technical person on the team is then I'm not seen as someone who's micromanaging. I'm not seen as someone who has all the answers. And for my teams, that worked out great because they loved showing their innovation. They loved showing ideas and bringing new technology, tools and things to the forefront, which made it a lot more fun for them, too. And I'd say one of the coolest things I did with my team was I was given, you know, in corporate world, you're sometimes gifted new responsibilities, and one of the new responsibilities. I was gifted with, was creating a quality control team, and this team was going to validate all of the data that the Information Services coding team was developing in the billing system. And it was needed the error rate, I mean, the accuracy rate, rather, was only about 70 ish percent. Wow. So it needed to change. It was impacting our frontline, impacting our techs. It was causing revenue gaps, right, customer experience problems. The vision that was given to me is we want you to hire three people, and they're going to manually validate this data all day long, and me being a hybrid technical people person said, Hold the phone. We're not doing that. So I went and hired someone who was an expert at SQL and Tableau. We then hired someone who was an expert at Quality Assurance, because that's what she had been doing in the call center, was validating orders and making sure the billing their statements were going out correct. So she had the manual aspect. And then we hired a third person who wasn't quite as technical as the first, but definitely a really good balance between the two and between the three of them and their ideas and their skills, and then my abilities as a leader to guide them through. You know, this is what we need. This is the vision. This is the budget, this is the the outcome that we want to get to. We were able to build something that was automated, that drove accuracy up to 98.1% Wow, and it's probably better today, but it's just because that the ability to see people who can bring in the best parts of their knowledge and then work together to build something. That's what helps technology advance so much faster.   Michael Hingson ** 21:44 Yeah, but it's but it's important to be able to do that. And you you learn to have the vision, or innately, you have the vision to to bring that about. And it sounds to me like all of the people that that you were leading really respected you, because you were, first of all, you were not a threat to them, and you clearly showed an interest in what they did, and you loved to hear them talk about it, because that taught you things that you didn't know   Tabatha Jones ** 22:17 exactly, oh my gosh, and they were great about what I'd say is dumbing things down. I'd sit there sometimes and would be listening to somebody, an analyst, who was excited and explaining all these great things they were doing. And finally, my face would say, okay, hold the phone. We need to step back just a teeny bit. I needed to bring it down, maybe just a little bit more. And once I got it, then everybody would be just jazzed and so excited and out to share, and, you know, made sure that they were getting to do part of the presenting when it went to higher levels, so that they could get credit and feel that value, which is so, so critical to help, you know, just boost that morale and keep inspiring people.   Michael Hingson ** 22:53 The other part of that, though, is you are also teaching them some probably sorely needed communication skills, because they're used to just talking very technical, and they're used to just talking to each other, and everybody gets it right away. But the reality is that I would think that they came to realize, well, maybe we need to present it in a little bit different way, because not everybody looks at it the way we do   Tabatha Jones ** 23:21 exactly that's where a lot of coaching came in and helping people work together better in the communication space, and then bringing it forward in a way that people understood. We did a really cool program. It was called insights. It exists out there, and there are people who are certified to administer it, but it basically is a personality assessment based on colors. So red, yellow, blue, green, and blue is generally your very technical, more introverted detail specific people. The Office of that is yellow, and I am very high yellow, which is your, include me. Bring me in. Let's have a party. Let's talk about it. So it was good for me, because it caused me to bring that yellow energy down a bit, which kept the, you know, the conversations going and the conversations open, and they learned to elevate that yellow energy a little bit so we could meet in the middle really well. And some of them had different, you know, red or green in there. But it was really interesting to be leading a team with such opposite energy. From that perspective,   Michael Hingson ** 24:27 did you ever find people who just resisted learning to meet in the middle or learning to do some of the things that you really wanted them to do, and they just didn't want to do that at all?   Tabatha Jones ** 24:41 Oh yes, yes, there were a couple, and that required more coaching, right? So one who had been used to working in a very specific way before we were reorganized and he was moved under me, it took multiple times and finally, a mild threat to. Get him to come forward and come on board with the new process, because sometimes it's really easy to stick in doing things the old way. He had been doing it for 1520, years. And I joke when I say threats. I don't threaten people, but you know, it was kind of a I need you to come up with the rest of the team. Here's what you're doing and how it's impacting the team, and even though it feels like it's making your customer happy in the long run, it's not because they're going to have to work with other people, and we need to make sure that they understand that this has changed, and then another who was more my way or the highway, and that took, you know, again, a bit of coaching. So his leader worked for me, and so his leader and I would come up with different plans and different strategies to put him in positions where he had to stay a little bit more quiet and let the team members bring forward their ideas. And rather than him jumping to a no, it was, we want you to start asking these three questions, and, you know, whatever the questions were to get the conversation going, and then the light bulb started going off for him. Like, wow. Some of these individuals have definitely had different training on, you know, whatever type of technology it is that makes perfect sense. What if we combine this so he was able to actually help us bring out the best in everyone, once he took that step back and really started listening and getting a bit more curious.   Michael Hingson ** 26:30 Well, that that's, you know, of course, a wonderful skill to have, because people need to recognize that not everybody is where they are   Tabatha Jones ** 26:42 exactly. It's true. And you know, I kind of think back when we were talking about the leadership aspect and leading technical teams, I coach a lot of people on interview skills and helping them present their best selves for the job that they're interviewing for. And one thing that seems to be a habit for people who are very technical and are also leaders is deferring so much their technical skills, and it's good, but you've got to have that balance. When you're applying for a leadership role, what happens that is very disappointing, is they'll be told, Well, we're not really seeing your leadership skills or your leadership qualities or not feeling like you're a good fit with this team. Usually, when a company is hiring a technical people leader, they want to know you can lead people, because not everybody can do both,   Michael Hingson ** 27:40 right, or they haven't learned how to   Tabatha Jones ** 27:43 right. It's true. Not everybody wants to. Sometimes they think they do because it's the next logical step, but sometimes people are just really happy being hands on others. To your point, you can learn. You can step into maybe a lead role, and start learning how to let go of some things and and get more comfortable with not being the smartest person in the room, because once you're the leader, you've got to have that balance and, and it's a learning a learning curve, for sure,   Michael Hingson ** 28:09 yeah. And unfortunately, there are way too many people, certainly, a lot of them are technical who think they're the smartest person in the room, whether they are not, and then some of them are. But still, that's not always the solution to making things work, especially if you're working in a team.   Tabatha Jones ** 28:29 Absolutely, yeah, it's all about the team. And it can't be. They always say there's no me and team. But technically, if you rearrange the letters there, kind of is that's maybe snow i Maybe it's No, I in team. No, I in team.   Michael Hingson ** 28:43 Yeah, there's no i That's true. But you know, one of my favorite books I enjoy reading it often, is actually the Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. Have you ever read that?   Tabatha Jones ** 28:55 I have not read that. I am aware of it. I have not bought it yet. It's a   Michael Hingson ** 29:00 short book, relatively speaking, but it's great because it really puts teamwork in perspective, and it really defines what should happen in a well functioning team, including the fact that members of the team can hold each other accountable when the team is comfortable with each other. And then, of course, it's all the team leader who has to really bring people together and meld the team into a cohesive working group. But the good team leaders can do that and understand what their role has to be in getting everybody to operate at peak performance.   Tabatha Jones ** 29:39 Love that. I will get that back on my list. Radical candor is kind of similar, as far as you know, being able to say what needs to be said and feeling like you're in a safe space to say it. Yeah, that's one of the things that I always found a little, I guess, frightening as a leader, is when I would talk to another leader and say, What feedback have you given this person? Well. Feedback is so negative, like no feedback given with love is there with the intention of helping the person grow and do better and understand what they're doing really well so they can keep doing that. So yeah, being able to let the team members or ask the team members hold each other accountable, be honest with each other, this isn't about feelings. This is about respect, and sometimes it's a hard conversation. It's really crunchy and uncomfortable. But once it happens, the trust that is built is it's unstoppable, well,   Michael Hingson ** 30:30 but feedback can also be a very positive thing. And it can be that you're doing a great job. Here's what you're doing. It isn't necessarily but you're not doing this right? It, it can be exactly a very positive thing. And there, there are certainly times that we all like to get that as well.   Tabatha Jones ** 30:47 Absolutely feedback is my favorite F word. I always say it is just, it's so important. And I've worked with people who have said, you know, I can't get feedback from my boss. I said, Well, what do you mean? And they said, Well, he All he says is just, you're doing a good job. Keep doing that. Yeah. Well, what specifically am i doing that's a good job. So feedback in itself is a skill, both giving it in a positive way and giving it in a constructive way. But all feedback is good when it's given with the right intention and it's given with, you know, just honesty and love. And   Michael Hingson ** 31:20 there's a skill in receiving feedback too and recognizing if you trust the feedback, the feeder backer, if you trust the person giving you the feedback, then you know that they're not out to get you. Yeah. And that's part of it is breaking through the usual shell that most of us probably a build up. Well, that person has some sort of alternative agenda they're out to get me. And that isn't always the case. And, oh, absolutely, unfortunately, sometimes it is, but it doesn't necessarily mean it always is. Yeah, I agree.   Tabatha Jones ** 31:54 You know, if you think back to feedback that you've been given throughout your life, is there a piece of feedback that you were given that really changed the way you do things. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 32:06 I can think of some, and I think that most of us can, because the people giving us the feedback were concerned about trying to help and concerned to try to get us to hear what others in the world are are saying or thinking. And if we take that to heart, that can be a very positive thing.   Tabatha Jones ** 32:32 Yeah, absolutely. One of the biggest foundations for me as a leader is trust and trust with my team, both going both directions to them, from me and from them to to from me to them, and from them to me. So complete trust. It's so important. And you know, knowing that I've had employees come and give me feedback, and it doesn't matter what level I was at or what level they were at, once, I knew that they were comfortable giving me feedback. I knew our relationship was strong, yeah, and, you know, I've had people come and say, I didn't really like the way that you said that. It would have been more impactful if you had done this. I've had clients come and say, you know, when you said that, I really reflected on it. And maybe we're not in the same spot. So let me say this again and see if you can, you can address it a different way. Great. If we don't have trust, we're not going to go anywhere. So it's such an important piece of of building trust. In   Michael Hingson ** 33:26 my new book, live like a guide dog, true stories from a blind man and his dog about being brave, overcoming adversity and moving forward in faith. Long title, well at the end, the subtitle, but one of the things that I talk about is that I've learned a lot of lessons about dealing with fear and dealing with people from my dogs, because dogs do things differently than we do and don't have any near, anywhere near the stress that We do. For example, dogs are, I think, creatures that do love unconditionally, but they don't trust unconditionally. What dogs do, however, is that they tend to be less something is really hurt a dog. They tend to be more open to trust, and they want to build a trusting relationship with us if we're open to it, because they are, and when we recognize that and we truly build the trusting relationship, it's second to none. So then you've got the love part that is there, but the trusting part, it's a whole different story. And I know that when I start working with every guide dog and people say, Oh, how long does it take to really get used to a dog? My response is, it takes roughly a year. Because it takes a long time for both sides of the team to truly recognize and have enough confidence in the other that they have that trust that they need to have.   Tabatha Jones ** 34:59 Yeah. Dogs are so much better than people. I will tell you their behavior is so much better, but I get that and you know someone who adopted my last two dogs. One was three years old when I got her from the pound, and she lived to be 15, and my other one is she's eight. I got her when she was three from someone that was re homing her. But they do. They they teach you that I can love you, but I don't know that I trust you yet. I've got to build this up like I will lick you and throw a party when you come home, but don't be trying to pick me up yet. We're not there. Yeah. So, you know, I can imagine, with a guide dog, it's even more elevated, and I can't write to read your that book, because I just finished underdog. I did. I don't know why the name just went blank. I posted it on my Facebook and Instagram. I was so excited, but yeah, oh my gosh. I can't wait to read the new one. If you   Michael Hingson ** 35:48 get a chance with both of them, go review them at Amazon. So lovely. Get a we always appreciate reviews. So Amazon and Goodreads are the best places to go to go do reviews, and they're very helpful. But when you read, live like a guide dog, love to get your thoughts, and you're welcome to email me and love to chat about it as well. But you're right that there are so many things about dogs that really teach us a lot. One of my favorite things that I talk about a lot, and we deal with it and live like a guide dog is we, as people tend to what if everything to death. We What if everything well, what if this? What if that? And the reality is, most of the things that we're dealing with, what if about are things over which we have absolutely no control, and all we're doing is building up our own internal Sears, and we need to learn to get away from that. If we could just learn to focus on the things that we have control over and not worry about the rest. And of course, people will say, Well, but, but all this stuff is going on we gotta worry about. No, you don't. You can be aware of it without worrying about it. You can be aware of it without it interfering with your life. But you have control over that, but there are so many things in your life that you don't have control over. And my, my premier example of that, of course, is the World Trade Center. I am not convinced that all of the government departments working together would have been able to figure out what was happening and stop the attacks from half from occurring. But the result of that is, of course, that we had no control over the events occurring. What we absolutely have total control over is how we individually choose to deal with those events and how we choose to move forward.   Tabatha Jones ** 37:36 Yeah, absolutely, oh my gosh, it's so powerful and so true. And I'd say too with dogs is they don't let that little thing that bothered them four hours ago eat them up, or four days ago or four months ago. They don't generally hold a grudge unless something was pretty atrocious, where we will ruminate on a story or a conversation over and over and over again, sometimes it's just solved by a simple Hey, what did you mean when you said that? Or we'll just go and keep thinking about it and keep thinking about it. Dogs moved on. They're like, I've already had my snack in my walk, like we're good again. There's no grudge, there's no past concern, or I made a mistake this day. I'm never gonna cross that line again, because, you know, I did this thing, but humans are so are just wired so differently, just from, I'm sure, our life lessons and all the things that we've been through. But if we could live a little more like a dog, that would be kind of amazing. That guide dogs specifically,   Michael Hingson ** 38:35 I agree. And you know, the reality is that dogs do make mistakes, and one of the things that we learned to put it in terms of what we're talking about today, one of the things that we learn as guide dog handlers is how to give appropriate feedback, and that process has changed over the years, so now it's a much more positive process. We don't tend to yell at dogs, we don't tend to try to give sharp leash corrections, but rather, when they do it right, that's the time to truly reinforce it and say, what a good job you did it. And if you're training a dog to do a new thing or give them a new skill, reinforcing the time that they succeed is so much more powerful than ever saying you didn't do that right? And I think that's as true for humans as it is for dogs, but humans just don't tend to for all the reasons that you said, Trust like, like, maybe they should, but we always think that everybody has a hidden agenda, which is unfortunate, because we don't always necessarily have a hidden agenda. And even if we do, and if you feel like you can't trust me because you think I have a hidden agenda, you can always ask me about it, or you should, and that's something we just tend not to feel that much that we can do, because those aren't skills that we're taught when we're growing up.   Tabatha Jones ** 39:56 Yeah, it's very true, and you. Know when you mentioned the mistakes even thinking about that from a leadership perspective. When I first started leading in my last team, we had reorganized into a corporate structure, so I had new employees sitting across 40 some odd states. It was a big a big reorg, and I would be talking to people about different things. And I said, Well, why did you, you know, why did you do it this way? Oh, well, I realized I made a mistake, so I didn't want to get in trouble. So I thought if I went and I did this, then that would I'm like, wait a minute, stop. Let's let's pause, let's go back to get in trouble. Tell me about that. And I would hear, and I heard it from multiple people across the team that there was such a level of fear over making a mistake. And I said, you know, you're not coming to work with somebody's heart transplant in an ice chest, like, if you make a mistake, nobody's gonna die. Yeah, somebody's gonna get a little maybe mad because we're gonna hit a little bit of a revenue hiccup, or maybe have to send an apology notice to some customers that have a mistake on their bill. But nothing's that big that we can't learn from it, fix it correctly and make sure it doesn't happen again. And that was a huge shift, and that's something you know, where a dog will make a mistake they get through the correction to your point, positive reinforcement. We've got jerky treats, kind of redirect. If people only could take a jerky treat, that'd be great, but they don't. But you know, when a mistake happens, teaching people, teaching our kids, like it's okay to make a mistake, but let's talk about what we learned from it. Make a plan to do better, and figure out how we just don't let that happen again, and then if it happens again, okay, let's have a different conversation. What? What did you notice? Did we miss something in the process? Less last time? Let's fix that, and then let's take the next steps forward, and let's go back and present to the team how we can improve this process and what we've learned from this mistake, like we can make it positive and as leaders, we can help our employees go faster. We can help our dogs learn faster. Can help our kids learn faster by just being a leader and managing mistakes correctly.   Michael Hingson ** 42:06 How do we get that process kind of more into the mainstream of society? How do we get people to recognize that it's okay when you make a mistake, we'll fix it and really give them and teach people to give the positive reinforcement that we need to do. Because I think it's, it's very true. We don't teach it.   Tabatha Jones ** 42:27 We don't teach it. I feel like younger parents that I'm seeing, in some ways, are getting there, you know, I remember back in the day when we would accidentally break something, or, you know, be roughhousing a little, and the glass would get knocked off the counter, and it was a huge thing, right? You're going to clean it up. You're going to go to your room. You're going to stop playing around in the house. And, you know, with my son, I know when He would break something and be like, Hey, let's clean this up. I need you to be more careful. You know, it's not you need to go sit in your room. You made a mistake. It's okay. And I see the difference in myself. Still, when I make a mistake, I beat myself up when he makes a mistake, he cleans it up and moves forward. So it's definitely happening through parenting and the way that we handle it as parents. We have that great opportunity as leaders once adults are full grown and in the workforce and still have those tendencies of fear and oh my gosh, I need to cover it up, teaching them, I had a situation where I made a mistake, shocking. I know I made a mistake, just kidding. I do it all the time, but I had made a mistake with some data that I collected from my team, I'd had individual skip level meetings, and decided kept all the notes in a spreadsheet, and I had told the team as I spoke with them. Whatever you tell me, it's in confidence. I'm taking themes of the conversation and I'll present it back to your leaders. They're not going to have names. We're not going to know who said what. That's not what this is about. It's about me helping drive improvements through my leadership team so that it's better for you. And they were really open, and it was amazing. It was such a gift to have that trust from the team. Well, I went and took my compilations, put all my notes together on a spreadsheet, sent it to my leadership team, and never took off the original notes. And I was like, shoot, now, what do I do? So I asked a peer. I said, Hey, this is what I did. What would you do? And she said, Well, I would tell my leaders, they need to be leaders, and they need to keep it confidential. And I was like, oh, not good enough. I'm not doing that. So I thought about it, yeah. And I said, You know what? This is a teachable moment. This is the opportunity I've been given to practice what I preach. So I pulled my entire team, 50 some odd people on the phone, on a teams call. So we were on camera, and I said, I need to talk to you about something. And I said, I made a mistake, and because of that mistake, I have let you down, and I've broken my word. And I explained what I did. I explained, you know, I got really excited by the information, because I saw things we could do, which then led me to moving way too fast, and I completely sent your comment. Comments with your names to your leaders, and I apologize. And going forward, when I take data and information from you, I will be learning from this mistake. I will keep two separate spreadsheets. I will not be, you know, just adding to the individual spreadsheet, I will quality control, check it before I send it out, and I will make sure that I do better. And I just ask that you forget me. On this one, I got so many texts and emails and instant messages that just said, Thank you so much, and someone that said, thank you, it helps to see that a leader owned up to a mistake, and I'm like, that's that was a teachable moment so nobody died. I didn't lose a heart. I broke a little confidence and a little trust. But we can fix things, and that's how,   Michael Hingson ** 45:46 yeah, and, and that makes a lot of sense, and we, we just tend to, oftentimes do knee jerk reactions. I was sitting here thinking about sometime after we moved to New Jersey in 1996 my wife and I were in our living room, and I don't remember what was going on. We were having a great time, and we each had, each had a glass of champagne, and my fourth guide dog, Lenny, was with us. And Lenny, like any good lab has a tail that never stops. And Karen, I think it was Karen, I don't even remember, sure. I think it was. Had put her glass down on the coffee table, and tail hit glass, glass, which was crystal, went all over floor, hardwood floor, you know, and I can think of so many people who would blame the dog. And actually, I think Lenny blamed herself for a little while, and we kept saying it wasn't your fault we screwed up. And eventually, you know, she well within, within an hour, she was mostly Okay, but, but the bottom line is that she, she, she knew that something happened, but it wasn't her fault, and it is important to own up to to things and and as I said, I think it was Karen, because I think Karen said I should never have put my glass down, or I should have put it back further away from her tail, because she was So excited. You know those   Tabatha Jones ** 47:21 tails, lab tails are crazy things, yeah, oh my gosh, right, but Lenny didn't stop wagging her tail because of that little mistake, right? It's something that Karen was able to own up to. You two were able to clean it up, and then Lenny was able to go on and keep wagging her tail. Everyone's being more careful. Now,   Michael Hingson ** 47:39 what's really funny is that, because it was a hardwood floor and crystal, there were her pieces that we found days later, but   Tabatha Jones ** 47:47 really years later, oh my gosh. But   Michael Hingson ** 47:50 you know what Lenny was? Was, was a cutie, and Lenny was the, probably the most empathetic dog that I've ever had. We had a pastor, and we had who we had come to know, and we were at a party, and she was at this party, and she came up to us and she said, we let Lenny visit everybody, but we just let her loose. Um, Lenny is the most empathetic dog I've ever seen, because you let her loose. And she went to the person who was feeling the most pain first, and then she worked the rest of the room, and we're talking emotional pain, but Lenny could sense that and and she did. She went to the person who was hurting the most for whatever reason. And then after she felt she had done all she could with that person, then she went around to the rest of the room. Oh, what a wonderful experience that was. Yeah, I know, and we hadn't noticed it, but sharee told it to us, and we we realized it from then on, yeah, she's right. I   Tabatha Jones ** 48:52 always think that the companies that allow people to bring their dogs to work are probably the companies that have the highest performance and productivity. I can't prove this yet, but there is something about having a warm, fuzzy little Snuggler with a cold nose right next to you that makes such a difference. Yeah, like I said, you know, mine's by me all the time, but they're just so intuitive. They pick up on your moods. They pick up on what's going on when you've had a bad day, you know, when you're feeling unconfident. I've worked with people a lot on helping them build confidence. And she'll even come around like, Hey, why you down? Like, what's going on? Let's go play. Go play. And then, you know, they're always so excited when you just do the smallest things. It's like, you know what? All right, I am making somebody, somebody happy today. It's just not that, maybe that other person, or whatever it is. But, yeah, oh my gosh. What made   Michael Hingson ** 49:40 you decide? What Madeline just caused you to decide to go from working for other companies in the corporate world to starting your own coaching career full time.   Tabatha Jones ** 49:52 You know, I just love the coaching aspect, helping people who struggle to speak up for themselves or who. Struggle to recognize the value that they bring to the workplace or to the world in general, just really lights my fire. I work mostly with women in their 50s, mostly with women who are already leaders but feel a bit stuck, and help them just remember who they are. Help them remember you know you are a leader. This is how you can set yourself apart, and this is how we can start preparing for your next promotion. I wrote my book promotion ready in three months, the Women's Guide to career advancement, which was released in August. Just because the concerns were so similar, I thought, you know, I'm going to put these specific the specific framework together in a book so that women who maybe don't have time for coaching right now, or they don't have the means, for whatever reason, they can get that framework in this book and get started on setting themselves apart and rebuilding that confidence. And I just love it. I feel like we tend to play really small, especially after a simple mistake or a simple breach of trust or a simple someone said something, and it just really stuck in our head for whatever reason. So I want women to stop. I want them to start feeling more empowered and start going after those things that they want. Because I don't know if you've seen the movie The longest game. But one of the quotes is the, you know, the field isn't the golfing green. The field is the five inches between your ears. And that's life. It is a fact. It is whatever is going on in that space between your ears is what's going to tell you you can and it's going to tell you what you can't do. So we want to only five inches. They say five inches. I haven't actually measured mine either. I say it and I touch it every time, because I'm like, I don't know if it's really five inches. Maybe it's, maybe it's four and a half. I don't know. I've always prided myself on having, you know, a skinny forehead.   Michael Hingson ** 51:57 Well, you know, but, but it's interesting and and, of course, sort of on principle, just for fun. I'll ask, do you ever find that that men read it or that that you coach men as well? Do you find that there are men that will benefit, or choose to benefit from the same things that you're talking about with most women? Absolutely,   Tabatha Jones ** 52:15 I say I work mostly with women and a few lucky men, because there are men who don't feel as confident or who might be a little bit more of that quieter later, and the strategies in there are obvious. Is probably not the right word. But there are things that are really simple and easy to do, but so often overlooked. So for anyone who finds themselves really kind of hiding behind the keyboard, not getting out and about and working on their visibility and relationship building. There are a lot of great strategies for that. The worst thing to do is wait until the promotion opportunity posts to start getting out there and building your brand. It doesn't serve anyone, and it's going to keep you behind. So, yeah, absolutely, that's a great question. If you   Michael Hingson ** 53:05 want to be noticed, then you have to work at what you need to do to be noticed. And that is a an important skill to learn. And it is all about brand, which doesn't mean you're trying to be so calculating that you're trying to do in other people, it is all about doing the things that you need to do, both to learn and to be able to advance in a positive way.   Tabatha Jones ** 53:30 Yeah, exactly. And there are strategies just for even man, even managing your time, because that's so obvious to some of us who have been there, but to others, they'll allow their calendar to be blocked from 7am to 7pm with everyone else's priorities, and it's important to make yourself a priority so that you can start standing out before the job posts. And that's kind of the secret sauce. A lot of people, like I said, they wait until the job posts and they've just been working hard and then can't figure out why they're not getting ahead. So we want to start doing things, taking action every day before that position posts, one   Michael Hingson ** 54:09 of the things that that I do is on my calendar page, I have time blocked out every day and and people will say, Well, I want to schedule something, but this time isn't available, and this is the only time that I can do it. And what I tell people is I have the time blocked out so that I can do the things that I need to do or that I might want to do. And one of them is responding positively to the fact that you need a certain time to meet, and that time is in one of my block times, but I block times so that I have free time to do what needs to be done. So let's schedule it, and, you know, and I, and I find that that works really well, because it gives me the time to make choices and do the things that I want to do. And I think it's so important to be able to do that. So.   Tabatha Jones ** 55:00 Yeah, the calendar is key. I always say your calendar equals clarity equals confidence. I mean, it just it builds that confidence. What I see happen a lot in the corporate space is the calendar gets booked for again, everybody else's priorities, 7am to 7pm I will see someone sitting in a meeting, totally disengaged. And when I would say, What are you doing? And I ask clients now too, so how do you prepare for this meeting? Because almost always the answer is, oh, I have a big meeting coming up in a couple of hours, and I'm not ready yet. Like, well, why are you in this meeting? If that meeting matters so much, why are you here? Because you're hurting your brand here, looking disengaged, asking, Can you repeat that 72 times where you could have just sent a delegate, or you could have blocked that time to think and prepare, which is so important, the calendar blocks. I don't think I could live without them. They're critical, right? That's how we get things done. That's how we make sure we're focused on the right things. That's how I prepare for clients. I don't just get on and wing it, because that's not going to go well, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 56:02 and that's why on, on unstoppable mindset. I asked people to send me some things because I want to appropriately prepare, because if, if I'm doing my job right, I learn all I can to be able to be involved in an intelligent conversation, and people have so many skills that I haven't learned or don't have, I get to use the information that they send to prepare and learn about some of those skills, which is part of why I say if I'm not learning at least as much as anyone else who is listening To the podcast, and I'm not doing my job right? Because it's so much fun to be able to explore and talk with people, and it's and it is so much fun. So I I appreciate exactly what you're saying. Well,   Tabatha Jones ** 56:53 thank you. Yeah, it's, it's a, I mean, tooting my own horn a little bit. It's a great book full of strategy. And if you just took it, take it and start implementing those small changes, you'll see a huge difference. And I say that you'll see it, but not only you, your leader will see and your team will see that you're making changes and and making a difference. So yeah, it's just that calendar is so helpful.   Michael Hingson ** 57:16 Life is is an adventure, as far as I'm concerned. And if we're not always learning we're not doing our job right exactly which is so important? Well, do you have any kind of last thoughts of things that you want people to to think about, as far as leadership or as far as moving forward in the corporate world, or or any of those kinds of things? Yeah,   Tabatha Jones ** 57:40 absolutely. And thank you so much for asking. I do want to tie it back to unstoppable mindset, because you are absolutely unstoppable. It's a matter of clearing those blocks, the things that are in your way, the things that are in that five inches, or whatever it really is between your ears that is getting in the way and telling you you can't do something. And I encourage you if you're struggling, if you want to get ahead, if you've had some bad experiences when trying to get ahead, connect with me on LinkedIn. You can find me at Tabitha Jones and D, H, A Jones, thank you. Yes, all A's, Tabata, Tabatha. You can call me what you want. Just spell it right so you can find me. But absolutely connect with me there, and let's talk about what's going on and see how we can help you start moving forward again. Absolutely, we'll share strategies to give at least a little bit of a boost and kind of start relieving some of the discomfort that may be going on, but kind of back to that point you are completely unstoppable. It's just about investing in yourself, and that may look like time, energy or financially, just to get yourself out of, out of where you're at and into that next thing.   Michael Hingson ** 58:52 What's your website? You must I assume you have a website. I   Tabatha Jones ** 58:55 do have a website. It is empowered. Dash leader.com, and if you go out there, I actually have a free gift. I've recently published an ebook which is a career confidence playbook for women over 50, and that also has some great strategies, as well as workbook and journaling pages to help you really flesh out those goals and start taking those small action steps,   Michael Hingson ** 59:21 and guys, the concepts are the same. So don't think it's just for women. Otherwise, learn nearly as much on this podcast as you   Tabatha Jones ** 59:29 should. That is true. That's very true. The color is a little purple and black. Don't let that send you anywhere. Just it's perfect. Come on in. Let's talk   Michael Hingson ** 59:39 colors. Don't bother me.   59:42 Outstanding.   Michael Hingson ** 59:44 Well, I want to thank you for being here. This has been really fun. I knew it was going to be, and it was every bit as fun and and informative as as I thought it would be. So I hope people will reach out to you on LinkedIn and go off and. Uh, go to the website as well. Get your free ebook. I'm going to go get it and and I really think that you've offered a lot of good insights that will be helpful for people. I hope all of you listening and watching out there agree. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Please email me. Let me know what you think of our episode today. You can email me at Michael M, I C H, A, E, L, H i at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S,

Welcome to another insightful episode of the Power of Owning Your Career podcast! This week, host Simone Morris sits down with the ever-authentic Jeff Davis, award-winning author, professional speaker, consultant, and mental health advocate. Known as "Mr. Mountaintop" for his deep insights and realness, Jeff returns to the show to discuss his upcoming book, The Courage to Leave: Breaking Free from Toxic Workplaces. Together, Simone and Jeff dive into the very real impact that toxic work environments can have on our mental health, self-esteem, and career advancement. Jeff bravely shares personal stories, lessons from his journey, and practical strategies for anyone feeling stuck in an unhealthy workplace. Along the way, they touch on the importance of mental health, the power of community, and taking actionable steps to find a better professional path. Whether you're facing dysfunction at work or supporting others who are, this episode is packed with valuable advice and hope for a healthier, more empowered career journey.   Time Stamp Of This Episode: 00:00 "Dysfunctional Workplaces Sabotage Careers" 06:03 Battling Workplace Corruption 07:11 "Overcoming Workplace-Induced Self-Doubt" 10:40 Prioritize Mental Health Daily 13:24 Coaching and Therapy Importance 18:14 Accessing Legal Support Options 20:09 "Legal Access Through Work Benefits"   Show Resources: 52 Tips for Owning Your Career Book by Simone E. Morris  The Courage to Leave: Breaking Free from Toxic Workplaces by Jeff Davis LegalShield (or Similar Workplace Legal Support Programs) Therapy and Professional Coaching   Connect with our guest, Jeff Davis, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffdavis    Connect with the show's host, Simone E. Morris, at https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonemorris/.   To apply to be a guest or recommend guests for the show, visit bit.ly/pooycshowguest    Get More Support for Your Career:

   It can be frustrating watching others advance while feeling stuck in your career. Today we reveal how social skills and confidence play a much bigger role in professional advancement than most people realize. What You'll Learn: The four hidden reasons professionals get stuck in their careers Why technical skills might get you hired, but social skills get you promoted How losing your passion affects your social presence at work Why comfort zones create "social atrophy" that limits your visibility The misconception that career success requires sacrificing work-life balance Key Takeaways: Career plateaus are often more about social dynamics than technical capabilities Small, consistent actions compound over time to create professional momentum How you communicate your value matters as much as the value you create Breaking through requires both internal clarity and external visibility Resources Mentioned: Social Confidence Breakthrough Video Series: SocialConfidencePro.com/breakthrough The School of Social Mastery: SocialConfidencePro.com/mastery   Take the first step to breaking through your career plateau by identifying which of the five framework steps resonates most with your situation, then commit to one small action this week.    ** Don't even know where to begin in improving your interpersonal skills? Are you ready to leave social stress behind and go from where you are to where you want to be? Book a Social Strategy Session HERE  Free Guide: The Social Skills Playbook Have a question that needs an answer. Email me at Hello@SocialConfidencePro.com   LinkedIn Instagram TikTok

Send us a textIn today's uncertain economic and political climate, female leaders face unique challenges that require specific strategies to overcome. Join communication and leadership coach Kele Belton as she shares three powerful permission statements that can transform how women show up as leaders. This episode delivers validation, practical frameworks, and actionable advice for women navigating leadership roles during political and economic uncertainty.What You'll Learn:Why women leaders are 1.5 times more likely to leave positions due to burnout and what to do about itHow to recognize and overcome the "leadership tension" women face in today's workplaceThe three permission statements every female leader needs to internalizePractical frameworks for taking up space without apologyStrategic self-advocacy techniques that aren't selfish but essentialThe "Leadership Journey" approach to intentional growth during uncertain timesResources Mentioned:McKinsey's Women in the Workplace study"You Just Don't Understand" by Deborah Tannen"How Women Rise" by Sally Helgesen and Marshall GoldsmithResearch by Linda Babcock at Carnegie Mellon UniversityAbout Kele Belton:Kele Belton is a communication and leadership facilitator, coach, and consultant. Her podcast "Communicate to Lead" is geared towards women in leadership and those aspiring to leadership positions. Through her work, Kele offers relatable stories, actionable strategies, and frameworks that listeners can apply immediately to advance their leadership journey.—------------------------------------------------Connect with Kele for more leadership insights: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/ Website: https://thetailoredapproach.com 

Let's just say Megan Pawlak did not take the straight path to becoming a powerhouse HR consultant. She started out in food service, rolled through the corporate world, and eventually said, “Yeah... I think I'll start my own thing.”Now she runs Benandanti Consulting, helping early-stage startups grow without turning into soul-sucking corporate machines. She's a pro at finding the right people, saying the quiet parts out loud, and reminding companies that “professional” doesn't have to mean “emotionally detached robot.”In this episode, Megan and I get into:What it's really like to go solo and start consultingWhy owning your squiggly career path is a total flexHow leaders can stop the talent drain (hint: it starts with respect and ends with not being a jerk)The outdated workplace vibes we're leaving behind (bye, “leave it at the door”)Megan brings the heat, the honesty, and a whole lot of human. Let's flip the script on work — hit play!Connect with MeganLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-pawlak-57a975b8/Benandanti Consulting: https://www.benandanticonsulting.com/Offline and Unfiltered Podcast: https://www.offlineandunfilteredpod.com/Substack: https://humanfirstworkplace.substack.com/   Thanks for listening to The Career Flipper!If you enjoyed this episode, let's spread the word! Share it with a friend, subscribe, and leave a review—it helps other career flippers find the show.Let's Stay Connected:Join the community: thecareerflipper.comTikTok: @thecareerflipperInstagram: @thecareerflipperpodGot a career flip story? I'd love to hear it—and maybe even have you on the podcast! Whether you've completed your flip, are just starting, or are in the thick of it, submit your story here: https://www.thecareerflipper.com Want to support the show?Looking for a speaker? I'd love to talk about career changes at your next event.Collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates! Let's work together.Email me: hello@thecareerflipper.comCheck Out My Customer Service CoursesBefore my career flip, I led customer experience teams and created online courses that have helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Whether you're switching to customer service or sharpening your skills to run your own business, these courses are packed with practical tips. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.Other Ways to Get Involved:Buy me a coffee!Explore my furniture flipsMusic CreditsSeason 1: Intro and outro music by audionautix.com. Season 2: Intro and outro original music by Jenny Dempsey, recorded in a home studio.What's the best that could happen?

She turned hustle into a $4 billion brand, Emma Grede breaks down how she built Kardashian fashion empires  Emma Grede is the founding partner behind the globally successful brands SKIMS, Good American, and Safely, all launched with the Kardashian family. She is also Chairwoman of The Fifteen Percent Pledge, is a board member at Baby2Baby, and was named one of Forbes ‘Richest Self-Made Women in America'.  She explains:  Growing up in East London, raised by a single mother, and how early hardship forged her fierce independence. Taking on a maternal role from childhood, learning to lead through responsibility, empathy, and survival. Turning rejection, dyslexia, and a lack of qualifications into fuel for building billion-dollar fashion brands. Balancing ambition and motherhood, and the personal toll of leadership, hustle, and hard decisions. Building SKIMS and Good American without fashion training, and the mindset that made it all possible. 00:00 Intro   02:17 Becoming Emma Grede   03:58 Acting as the Mum and Raising My Siblings   06:49 Lacking a Father Figure Growing Up   08:25 Anger Management Tools I Learned   11:06 My Dream Was Always Fashion   12:20 Understanding Money Attachment Styles   14:32 Emma's Recipe to Achieve Anything   17:55 Customer Feedback   19:30 The Importance of Reliable Decision Partners & Mentality Shifts   21:38 Do People Need Mentors to Succeed?   24:06 The One Skill That Made Me an Entrepreneur   26:09 The Three Most Important Words for Career Advancement   27:25 Does Working in an Office Make Employees More Successful?   31:11 Traits of Future Successful People   33:32 Interview Red Flags & Work-Life Balance   39:32 Can You Be Successful and Have Work-Life Balance?   40:58 You Can't Be a Leader and a People Pleaser   43:51 Being Cancelled as a Leader and Public Figure   46:29 Racism and Sexism in the Business Industry   50:56 Dealing With Business Struggles and Crises   53:33 Top 3 Valuable Practices for Founders   55:58 Don't Get Stuck—Keep Fresh Eyes   57:15 Brands Copying Other Brands   01:00:42 Advice for People With Unsupportive Partners   01:02:10 Scheduling Date Night   01:05:45 Meeting Kris Jenner   01:12:05 Pitching to Khloé Kardashian   01:12:43 Turning an Idea Into a Business   01:14:23 Strategies Deployed in Business   01:16:24 Building a Brand Strategy in 2025   01:21:11 First Principles of Business   01:25:59 How to Become the Best Salesperson   01:33:01 Learning How to Fire People   01:37:17 Attracting Top Talent to Your Company   01:39:37 What a Founder Shouldn't Do in Business   01:41:33 Hiring Exceptional People   01:45:42 Prejudices in the Workplace   01:49:09 Why Prejudices Shouldn't Limit Anyone   01:50:39 How to Stop Giving a F***   01:54:16 When Do Successful Women Have Children?   01:56:01 My IVF Journey and Miscarriages   02:00:30 The Taboo Around Surrogacy, Freezing Eggs & Pregnancy   02:04:51 Emma Grede's New Podcast ‘Aspire'   Follow Emma:  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/emmagrede/?hl=en  Good American - https://www.goodamerican.com/ SKIMS - http://skims.com/ Safely - https://getsafely.com/  Aspire With Emma Grede Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aspire-with-emma-grede/id1811878340 The 1% Diary is back - limited time only: https://thediary.com/products/one-percent-diary The Diary Of A CEO Conversation Cards (Second Edition): https://thediary.com/products/the-conversation-cards-2nd-edition Get email updates: https://bit.ly/diary-of-a-ceo-yt  Think like a CEO - join the 100 CEOs newsletter: https://bit.ly/100-ceos-newsletter   Follow Steven: https://g2ul0.app.link/gnGqL4IsKKb  Sponsors: Vanta - https://vanta.com/steven Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textEver feel like you're doing everything right at work but still not getting the recognition, resources, or results you deserve? You're not alone—and you're not crazy.In this powerful kickoff to a 4-part series, Dr. Heather Walker breaks down the 5 types of people every professional needs in their corner to grow, thrive, and finally stop operating in isolation. You'll also hear Heather's personal story of stepping into leadership without the support she truly needed—and what she wishes she had known earlier.This episode is for you if:You find yourself having to figure things out on your own.You lead a team but feel disconnected or under-supported.You want to get ahead without losing yourself in the process.Stay tuned for Part 2: “Hidden Power Moves Happening Behind Closed Doors (That You Can't Afford to Ignore).”Mentioned in this episode:Why high performers still get shut outHow to evaluate your current networkThe real reason some people seem to “coast” into promotionsHow to stop playing the game aloneSupport the showDid you have any lightbulb moments while listening? Share it with us on Instagram @leadwithlevity or visit our website leadwithlevity.com so we can talk about it!

In this episode of the Confident Women Lead Podcast, host Anita Miller discusses the trap of overextending oneself and how it hinders leadership potential. Anita celebrates member Jamie's success. She addresses the common issue of feeling unable to influence due to a full workload and explains why simply managing time isn't enough. Anita urges listeners to shift from merely doing to leading by focusing on influence rather than over-delivery. She encourages sharing bold ideas with decision-makers to truly showcase one's leadership abilities.   Confidentwomenlead.com

Podcast Notes: The Future of Worship Leading with David Santistevan Episode Overview In this episode of the Church Front Worship and Tech Podcast, Luke Jackson interviews David Santistevan, a seasoned worship pastor, podcast host, and ministry coach. David shares insights from his 25 years in worship ministry, including his experience as a local church worship pastor, his five years traveling the country in an RV, and his current work helping churches develop healthy worship cultures. Time Stamps & Key Points Introduction [00:00] David opens with reflections on the current state of worship ministry Concerns about worship becoming too automated and standardized The danger of "sleepwalking through worship" when relying too heavily on technology David's Background [01:15] 25 years in worship ministry Host of the Beyond Sunday podcast for 12 years Served as a worship pastor at his home church in Pittsburgh for 12 years Sold his house and traveled in an RV with his family for 5 years Currently based in Orlando, Florida The RV Journey [03:42] Family decision to sell everything and travel Visited nearly 40 national parks and all lower 48 states Combined adventure with ministry - partnering with churches for training and workshops Recording the podcast from their RV wherever they had WiFi Beyond Sunday Podcast [05:59] Started as a blog before transitioning to a podcast Focus on practical worship ministry topics Emphasis on serving the "underdog" local church worship leader Has recorded over 330 episodes interviewing worship leaders and artists Covers everything from rehearsal techniques to team development Reconnecting with Unique Church Identity [13:12] David's concerns about homogenization in church worship "What God's doing at Bethel is wonderful, but what God's doing at my church is amazing as well" Warning against equating worship ministry success with being a worship artist Encouragement to embrace your church's uniqueness and "don't despise small beginnings" "Worship ministry isn't about writing songs or being cool... it's about loving people and making disciples" Ministry Longevity vs. Career Advancement [18:28] Discussion about the "climbing the ladder" mentality in worship ministry Importance of evaluating church culture and staff health Some worship pastors finding renewed joy in smaller churches after megachurch burnout Warning against "shiny object syndrome" - the constant pursuit of the next opportunity "Maybe instead of transplanting yourself to a team that's more put together, God is calling you to invest in your little team" Working with Different Church Cultures [22:32] David's experience serving diverse churches during his RV travels Finding common ground across different worship styles and approaches Universal desire for authenticity and encountering God Helping teams focus on playing together rather than just playing perfectly "Rehearsal practice is personal and rehearsal is relational" Over-Programmed Worship [26:22] The shift away from midweek rehearsals and its impact Getting too focused on executing flawless services Missing the relational and spiritual elements of worship preparation "We've gotten really good at pulling off excellent services... but we miss out on the presence-based flow in worship" Finding Balance Between Structure and Flow [29:36] Importance of unity with church leadership before making changes Building trust with your pastor before introducing new worship approaches The problem with "playlist worship" - hitting play and running on autopilot Practical suggestions: planning fewer songs to create more space Introducing medleys and acapella moments for more organic worship Creating Powerful Worship Moments [35:29] Planning intentional space in every worship set The power of quiet moments when the band drops out Creating opportunities for the congregation to sing without amplification "My favorite moments of worship are when the band has dropped out and the people of God are just singing at the top of their lungs" Incorporating simple refrains that don't require people to think too much The State of Worship Songwriting [40:15] Reflection on the current trends in worship songwriting Concerns about songwriting becoming an idol Provocative suggestion: "What if we just went on a worship songwriting fast for six months?" Benefits of focusing less on what's trending and more on what local congregations need Balance between developing creativity and obsessing over new songs Current Worship Influences [47:05] David mentions Aiden King's "Thank You So Much Jesus" as a recent favorite Discussion of the distinction between worship music as a listening category versus congregational worship David's love for ambient, instrumental music (particularly Hammock) The therapeutic value of music without lyrics for worship leaders Conclusion [51:02] Where to find David: Instagram and YouTube @BeyondSundayWorship David's appreciation for the Church Front ministry and resources Key Quotes "We're sounding the same, we're doing the same songs in the same way... it's almost like we're on autopilot a little bit." "Don't despise how small your church is right now... that's the beauty of the body of Christ." "Worship ministry isn't about writing songs, it's not about being cool... it's about loving people. It's about making disciples." "My favorite moments of worship are when the band has dropped out and the people of God are just singing at the top of their lungs." "What if we just went on a worship songwriting fast for six months? What would that do for us if we just stopped writing songs and releasing worship music for a little bit?" Resources Mentioned Beyond Sunday Worship (David's ministry) Beyond Sunday podcast Aiden King's music Hammock (ambient instrumental music) Action Steps Evaluate whether your worship ministry has become too programmed or automated Plan intentional spaces in your worship sets for organic moments Consider the unique identity of your church rather than copying megachurch models Build trust with your leadership before introducing significant worship style changes Balance excellence with authenticity in your approach to worship Connect & Continue Follow David Santistevan on Instagram and YouTube @BeyondSundayWorship Apply to Join Churchfront Pro Free Worship and Production Toolkit Shop Our Online Courses Join us at the Churchfront Conference Follow Churchfront on Instagram or TikTok: @churchfront Follow on Twitter: @realchurchfront Gear we use to make videos at Churchfront Musicbed SyncID: MB01VWQ69XRQNSN  

➡️ Like The Podcast? Leave A Rating: https://ratethispodcast.com/successstory  In this Lessons episode, we uncover the secrets to building a powerhouse team with hiring and retention expert Natalie Dawson. Learn how to attract top-tier talent, cultivate a workplace that keeps A-players engaged, and implement strategies that drive long-term loyalty. Plus, discover why the right hiring decisions can determine your company's growth trajectory and overall success.➡️ Show Linkshttps://successstorypodcast.com  YouTube: https://youtu.be/fKDh23TE6CQApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/natalie-dawson-co-founder-of-cardone-ventures-how/id1484783544Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4b3Fyo2vJfFsu9uL7qIwCt➡️ Watch the Podcast On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/c/scottdclary