Podcasts about leadership psychology

Unlock your organization's full potential by discovering who the real drivers of success are. Veteran leadership consultant Dr. Luis Luarca sits down with Jason Rigby on The Self Aware Leader Podcast to reveal a truth many leaders miss: the power lies within your employees. Drawing from 25 years of experience, Dr. Luarca explains how shifting from control to empowerment leads to radical improvements in processes, innovation, and employee engagement. Hear compelling stories and gain practical strategies for leading with self-awareness, avoiding ego traps, and leveraging the invaluable insights of your team. If you want to build a resilient, innovative, and high-performing organization, this conversation on employee empowerment and humble leadership is a must-listen. Subscribe and listen to the full episode today! Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Learn more in Dr. Luis Luarca's book, "Do Employees Really Like Working Here?": https://www.amazon.com/Employees-Really-Like-Working-Here/dp/1678746614/ Visit Dr. Luis Luarca's official website: https://luisluarcaphd.com/ Connect with Dr. Luis Luarca on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-luarca-phd-0133022b/ Keywords: Employee Empowerment, Leadership, Organizational Transformation, Self-Aware Leader, Leadership Psychology, Business Growth, Humble Leadership, Workplace Culture, Leadership Skills, Dr. Luis Luarca, Management Tips.

In this episode, Mark Ledlow and Dr. Rob McKenna, a psychology expert and leader of WiLD Leaders. They discuss leadership, trust, and development across generations. Dr. McKenna highlights the importance of clear metrics, inspired by his gaming experience, to motivate and manage the younger workforce. The conversation covers the necessity of trust in organizations, the impact of emotional maturity on leadership, and the challenge of managing cultural polarization. McKenna emphasizes the importance of intentional development and strategic goal-setting to foster a productive and harmonious workplace.Learn about all this and more in this episode of The Fearless Mindset Podcast.KEY TAKEAWAYSIntentional Leadership Development: Organizations must focus on developing leaders intentionally through measurable goals and systems.Trust and Measurement: Trust is foundational for organizational performance, revealed through consistent and transparent metrics.Conflict Management: Effective conflict management is crucial for innovation and team cohesion, requiring both clarity and empathy from leaders.Succession Planning: Preparing for succession should be part of a long-term leadership development strategy, rather than a desperate last-minute solution.Gaming Insights: Insights from gaming, such as metrics and motivation strategies, can be applied to organizational development to enhance performance.QUOTES"Trust is something we have to continue to work at day after day after day.""You can't make everybody happy without lying to somebody."Succession planning is leadership development after you've become desperate.""When trust is present, it's like a natural lubricant, but it takes maintenance."Get to know more about Dr. Rob McKenna through the link below.https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobmckennaTo hear more episodes of The Fearless Mindset podcast, you can go to https://the-fearless-mindset.simplecast.com/ or listen to major podcasting platforms such as Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, etc. You can also subscribe to the Fearless Mindset YouTube Channel to watch episodes on video.

The social and political landscape is getting more complicated and divided—things like Trump, Gaza, climate change, and so-called wokeism are just a few examples. And all that tension is spilling into the workplace. With misinformation spreading fast, people stuck in their own online bubbles, and fading trust in traditional institutions, employees are showing up with all kinds of different—and often conflicting—opinions. For employers and HR teams, this growing divide makes it harder to keep things running smoothly and respectfully. It's tougher to encourage open, honest conversations, and disagreements can escalate quickly, leading to conflict, disengagement, or even people leaving. If it's not handled well, it can seriously mess with team dynamics, hurt productivity, and damage the overall culture. Joining Lucy on this week's episode to discuss these issues and to offer her insights is Edel Holliday-Quinn - the Chief Leadership Psychologist and founder of the Centre for Leadership Psychology. Edel shares her tips for encouraging ‘courageous conversations' that welcome diverse perspectives and balancing empathy with action.  Chapters (00:03) Navigating Workplace Polarization and Authenticity (14:24) Building Psychological Safety for Diversity (20:57) Navigating DEI Challenges in Organizations   Contact Edel https://www.linkedin.com/in/edel-quinn/ Disruptive HR Website: www.disruptivehr.com Join the Disruptive HR Club https://disruptivehr.com/welcome-to-the-future-of-hr/ Email: hello@disruptivehr.com

In this episode, Mark Ledlow and Dr. Rob McKenna, from the Seattle Metro area and the creator of the WiLD Trust Platform, talks about the vital role of trust and leader development. They discuss the often overlooked chemistry of trust, how to foster it within organizations, and the importance of making a deep investment in people while providing clear operational expectations. Dr. McKenna shares insights from his longitudinal studies on leadership and addresses common generational misconceptions regarding work ethic. This episode emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to organizational management by combining strong operational systems with genuine people investment.Learn about all this and more in this episode of The Fearless Mindset Podcast.KEY TAKEAWAYSTrust is the most crucial currency in both personal and professional relationships.Trust has a detailed chemistry, comprising integrity, ability, reliability, strength, and truthfulness.Generational differences may often be more attributed to life stages rather than inherent generational traits.Developing leadership capacity involves creating a nuanced developmental story for each individual.Clear operational and job expectations, combined with personal investment, are essential for building trust and effective leadership.QUOTES"Trust is the most important currency in the world. Without it, nothing happens.""Nobody wants to be gotten to do anything. Let's create a better invitation for them to be seen.""Trust is more like a dimmer switch. It's questioned more often than it's broken.""To build trust, we must clearly define job roles and performance expectations.""Leadership equals trust. It requires integrity, ability, reliability, strength, and truthfulness."Get to know more about Dr. Rob McKenna through the link below.https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobmckenna/To hear more episodes of The Fearless Mindset podcast, you can go to https://the-fearless-mindset.simplecast.com/ or listen to major podcasting platforms such as Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, etc. You can also subscribe to the Fearless Mindset YouTube Channel to watch episodes on video.

In this compelling episode of Leading by Example: Upholding Standards Without Compromise, host Dr. Von and special guest Dr. Terrance Sanders delve into the critical role of empathy in high-pressure environments. Discover how leaders can maintain composure, make tough decisions, and inspire trust in moments of crisis without losing sight of the human element.   This episode features actionable strategies for balancing empathy with decisiveness, techniques for regulating emotions under stress, and inspiring stories of leaders who exemplified empathetic leadership in challenging situations. Whether managing a team or navigating organizational crises, this episode provides the tools to lead with heart and purpose under pressure.

Segment 1: Interview with Forensic Psychologist Dr. Carol Lieberman – Imposter Syndrome and Kamala Harris Dr. Anthony Harper interviews forensic psychologist Dr. Carol Lieberman about the possibility of Vice President Kamala Harris experiencing imposter syndrome. They delve into the psychological effects this might have on her public demeanor and decision-making. Dr. Lieberman explains the signs of imposter syndrome, how it can manifest in high-pressure political roles, and what it means for leadership at the highest levels of government. Segment 2: Imposter Syndrome and the Fate of the Nation In this second segment, Dr. Harper and Dr. Lieberman explore the broader implications of imposter syndrome on the nation's future. They discuss how the mental state of key political figures could influence national stability and policy-making, raising questions about leadership, confidence, and public perception in critical moments for the United States. What does this mean for the fate of our country? Tune in to find out. Get free alerts at http://PrayInJesusName.org © 2024, Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, PhD. Airs on NRB TV, Direct TV Ch.378, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, GoogleTV, Smart TV, iTunes and www.PrayInJesusName.org

Episode 2 This week, we are joined by Rachael Edmondson-Clarke, an expert in Leadership Psychology and Biology. Rachael shares some fascinating insights on mood and how it can impact performance.  Listen in to understand what mood means, how it affects you, and how you can manage yourself to deliver peak performance.  Plus, you can learn which of us is the moodiest. Rachael is well worth listening to as a speaker and authority on behavioural change. She will help you become 10% better at work!  To find out more, contact Jimmy, James or Rachael.

David Greenspan, founder of BLUECASE, has a PhD in High-Performance Psychology. He specializes in empowering leaders and fast-moving organizations to build great companies and achieve exceptional results.Welcome you to Change Ready, an original series brought to you by Behind the Human & Malosi. A series where we do everything possible to future-proof your mind and thrive in an era of unprecedented change. ___How Prepared is Your Team for the Next Big Disruption? Future-proof your team with Malosiminds.com Get your copy of Personal Socrates: Better Questions, Better Life Connect with Marc >>> Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter Drop a review and let me know what resonates with you about the show!Thanks as always for listening and have the best day yet!*A special thanks to MONOS, our official travel partner for Behind the Human! Use MONOSBTH10 at check-out for savings on your next purchase. ✈️*Special props

Introduction:  Dr Laura McHale (PsyD, CPsychol) is a consulting leadership psychologist, executive coach and writer specialising in Leader Development, Team Psychology, Communication and Organisational Culture, Laura is the author of the acclaimed book: Neuroscience for Organisational Communication:  A Guide for Communicators and Leaders. Podcast episode Summary:  This podcast explores and explains the impact of communication in organisational life employing the lens of Neuroscience and Psychology of Communication.  Topics covered include Gaslighting, Absentee Leaders, The use of Pronouns, Weasel Words and Communication Practices that undermine employees. Laura sheds a light on a discipline that is often unspoken. Points made across this Episode:  o    Laura can you share a bit about how you got to where you are today? Laura is now a Psychologist and in her mid-forties she made a radical decision to go back to school and take a doctorate in Leadership Psychology. Prior to this move Laura was working in major international investment banks as a Corporate Communications Specialist. In 2010 Deutse Bank moved her to Hong Kong to head up internal communications for the Asia Pacific Region. Laura loved her career working with International Banks & she was really curious about human behaviour at work and wanted to go deeper and in particular understand the mysterious process we call Leadership. o    There were a number of reasons that prompted Laura to study Psychology including several transformative experiences with psychotherapy,  She was curious about the way we frame and talk about work and the psychological injury experienced at work. o    What inspired you to write your book? The book happened organically. As part of Laura's Doctorate she had a required course on the Neuroscience of Leadership. Laura was fascinated by the discipline and had a sense it would become a big part of her intellectual life as well as her career. She noticed that nobody was talking about organisational communication and neuroscience and Laura wanted to close the gap with her book. o    What are the salient messages housed in your book that explain Neuroscience and Psychology at work? There is a natural interest in behavioural science. It is often hard to make the link about how the science can impact a leaders presence or choices in communication. There is a fundamental tension between the promotion strategies employed by internal communication teams and the prevention strategies they employ. In promotion strategies communicators are very assertive about the companies value proposition, what it offers and its unique differentiator's. A prevention strategy often results in very cautions communications, judicious and a little bit like politicians the communications are somewhat evasive. Whilst understandable it can be a slippery slope and sets off all kinds of triggers with employees. The tension between promotion strategies, a desire to be open & transparent and prevention strategies can be tricky to navigate. It is often a schizoid perspective where communicators are trying to toggle two different strategies. o    The Psychology of communication is also important for another reason. It is a very difficult time for communication specialists. The scope of the role in the last five years has changed dramatically. Corporate affairs, ESG and Government affairs are rolled up into the typical role of a communications department. This is leading to increased stress. If you add AI, chat gpt and other generative models can pose an existential threat to these groups and teams. The changing nature of the role of communication professionals is also one of the reasons Laura wrote her book to help make sense of the changing landscape. o    The Neuroscience or physiology of behaviour is a bit different. Insights into neuroscience can shed light on how and why we are showing up at work. Understanding rewards and threat centres in the brain, knowing how we use pronouns and its impact on others is fascinating and can be leveraged to be more effective in our communications. o    How do leaders and internal communications understand the paradigm from which they are operating? Important to understand the paradigm you are speaking or when you are moving too quickly between the two. Employees smell spin from a mile off. Internally it can be tricky for executives to  over relying on prevention strategies in their communication. There are a lot of traps Leaders can walk into, sometimes unintentionally or at least unconsciously. Knowing about human needs can really help leaders be effective communicators. o    What are some of those traps that Leaders walk into, maybe unintentionally? Some of it is structural. Pronoun use for example. I and We pronouns can signal more or less personal involvement in any given situation. Pronoun use can also reveal the many assumptions a leader is living. It can also give potent signals about who is in or out or who has a legitimate stake in an organisations success or failure. For example there are two different kinds of We, the inclusive or exclusive We. Senior Executives are often confused about which We they are in and how they are communicating exclusion or inclusion. This sends messages to the brain to trigger threat responses whether we are part of the in group or out group. If in the in group we get a dose of dopamine from the brain & if in the out group we can experience significant amounts of pain. I pronouns are also very interesting, some are cultural, and a really high proportion of I pronoun use can trigger a threat response in the brain. There is also an assumption in organisations that communication needs to be sanitised. This can infantilise employees and does an injustice to the complexities operating in an organisation. o    What is your advice to executives and leaders who erroneously practice sanitising their communications. One of the biggest pieces of advice Laura gives is to speak the truth. Laura references The Loughran-McDonald sentiment analysis research to explain why telling the truth can be so instructive. The two financial researchers used sentiment analysis or the use of positive versus negative sentiment and modal or weasel words. The research showed the lengths that organisations go to obfuscate the truth or to describe adverse events. In fact many of the negative words were couched in positive words that the messages were almost impossible to work out. Curiously the negative words used were very weak words or weasels like impairment, disappointing which suggested something was bad but it was never clear. The companies using negative words more creatively had negative stock performances. The researchers noted that companies use of words in their corporate communications could be used as a smart investment strategy.  o    How do Leaders manage the responsibility they hold to use language appropriately and not Gaslight or cause unintentional emotions at work? Organisations are like people using all sorts of defence mechanism sometimes very elaborate ones to avoid difficult and painful emotions. It important to understand why we are using these words, weasel words. It is because of an environment that lacks psychological safety, where we are not allowed to fail, or ask a question that might be interpreted as stupid. Is it an environment where people get punished for taking risks. Laura does not wish to come across as the language police she also uses weak modals and weasels in her communications too, because they have a purposeful use to indicate uncertainty. None of us can speak in with absolute clarity all of the time. o    The link to absentee leadership is for Laura an interesting link. She imagines that weak leaders, or those who are unable to fulfil the core functions of Leadership, would employ weasel words quite a bit more than strong leaders. o    In 2022 Laura read a “cracker jack” of an article by Robert Hogan who mentioned this phenomenon called absentee Leadership. Laura was struck by the idea that absentee leadership is an epidemic that nobody had ever named but that most of us have experienced in one form or another. It speaks to the idea of people who occupy an authority position of leadership and fail to fulfil its core functions. Laura refers to those functions as giving direction, protection, role orientation, conflict resolution and setting and establishing and protecting group norms. The interesting thing about absentee leadership is how common it is. It is reported 7 times more than any other destructive leadership behaviour. Because it is so common and can feel so mild it can go unnoticed and is experienced as neglect. o    Gaslighting surfaces when someone is at the mercy of an absent leader they can be blamed or they blame themselves for their inability to cope with whatever is occurring. One of the things that inspired Laura to write this article for the psychologist was because of her many conversations with coaching clients. Many of her clients were  being given feedback that they were having trouble managing ambiguity. Managing ambiguity is becoming a core competency. The issue with managing ambiguity is that almost everyone struggles with it. Laura knows this from Neuroscience, it is a known stress trigger. This is a universal biological phenomenon albeit some people can handle ambiguity better than others. Laura wanted to highlight the subjects of Gaslighting, Absentee Leadership and emotions at work in her article in the Psychologist, to shift attention from blaming people for their lack of this competency as a  subjective fault to an understanding of the human needs within all of us and our need for Leadership support. o    The fundamental attribution error is yet another trap that Leaders and executives can fall into. o    What are some of the Villains of Communication, Threats and Triggers you would like to see squashed? The rapid communication of bad news. Communicating bad news badly. If bad news is not communicated in an open and transparent manner it can infantilise an audience. This tendency is really prominent in politics where there seems to be a tolerance for misinformation and it is seeping into the fabric of organisations too. Laura is not trying to malign all politicians but recognises that politicians regularly protect themselves against the loss of power and influence and often engage in this form of communication. This perpetuates cynicism and mistrust that Laura hopes we do not want to dial that up in our organisations. o    The Corporate Communications Reset Workshop is a  new workshop and is really the greatest hits from her book. Her workshop helps corporate communications professional access more joy at work by reclaiming their mo-jo and about being  more strategic in their work, whilst being cognisant of the changing landscape and being able to fend off some of the threats posed by Chat GPT and other generative language models. A lot of comms people are closeted behavioural scientists and this workshop gives them a taste or a lot  taste for Psychology and Neuroscience understanding. Included in her workshop is the methodology called Structural Dynamics, the building blocks for how we communicate and don't. o    Structural Dynamics is a methodology created by David Kantor. It is David Kantor's theory of interpersonal communication dynamics. It is a very interesting theory to describe the patterns that emerge when teams are together. There are a few different levels to this theory and the ones that are most often used to explain team dynamics and patterns are what David describes as the action mode, the operating system and the communication domain. The least discussed is the last one called the Childhood Story, work made infamous now by Dr Sarah Hill and her work. o    Structural Dynamics at its essence gives people a vocabulary to describe  what's happening in a room & a roadmap for how to change those patterns to develop a more balanced behavioural repertoire.   Resources  a)       Neuroscience for Organisational Communication: A Guide for Communicators and Leaders by Dr. Laura McHale. b)        www.conduitconsultants.com c)       The Loughran-McDonald Master Dictionary Sentiment  Words list d)       David Kantor www.kantorinstruments.com e)       Ronald Heifetz, one of the world's foremost authorities on Leadership https://hbr.org/2002/06/a-survival-guide-for-leaders f)        Sarah Hill and her book Where did you learn to behave like that? g)       Corporate gaslighting, absentee leaders and the emotions of work – 07 November 2023, The British Psychological Society. h)       Robert Hogan: https://www.hoganassessments.com/research-project/absentee-leadership/      

Blake Cohen is a behavioral healthcare professional and consultant, focusing on organizational leadership and workplace cultures. Blake is currently pursuing a doctorate in Leadership Psychology at William James College in Boston, MA. Blake recently transitioned from a successful business to focus full time on improving the systems we live and work within via executive coaching, workplace trainings, and organizational consulting. Blake's passion-driven work aims to reframe the way behavioral health organizations are operating with the idea in mind that "if we takebetter care of our teams and employees through the use of authentic and compassionate leadership, they'll take better care of our clients or patients."  The Good Counsel Podcast is an exploration into the world of helping professionals from various disciplines and walks of life. The goal of the podcast is to discover the motivations and methodologies of these unique individuals in order to satisfy and arouse curiosity among members of the public who have an interest in this area of discussion. The intention of the Podcast is to incorporate a definition of ‘helping professional' that is diverse. Good Counsel Podcast interviewees will include Psychotherapists, Medical Professionals, Life Coaches, Interventionists, Spiritual Healers, Substance Use Disorder Treatment Professionals and Educators amongst others, in order to capture a broad range of disciplines. My hope is to increase awareness and reduce stigma among the general public around mental health issues, substance use disorders and related problems while exposing people to the abundance and variety of help that is available to them. © Copyright 2023, Produced by Eric Bricker; Theme music composed and performed by Eric Bricker.

Executive and Leadership expert Akua is celebrating a remarkable milestone of producing 100 podcast episodes of The Open Door Conversation Podcast.In this episode, Akua reflects on her journey of starting her podcast and how her vision has changed. With being 5 years in business, Akua shares the key lessons she learned professionally and personally. While taking a hiatus from social media, Akua looks forward to continuing her leadership framework and hosting People Before Strategy roundtables, providing a safe space for open conversations, which will be a great place for networking, and she will be answering questions.This episode is a testament to five years of growth, learning, and unwavering dedication.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.Highlights in this Episode:Akua is reflecting on the journey of starting her podcasting and how her vision has changed.Akua highlights the key lessons she learned both professionally and personally from producing 100 episodes andShe talks about navigating the challenges of running an online business.Looking ahead about what the goal is for the next phase of her podcast and her business Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Embracing change can be difficult and uncomfortable, but when it comes to the business world, it's a necessary skill for leaders. Executive and leadership coach Akua Nyame Mensah has recently gone through the rebranding process, and in this episode, she shares the importance of evolving and staying relevant as a business leader. If you don't think you need a brand, or you're thinking of rebranding yourself and/or your business, this episode is for you. Akua dives into the specific reasons she wanted to rebrand, including matching her current look, reflecting her image in the corporate world, and more explicitly presenting her offerings. Learn the importance of evolving in your personal and professional life, how to stay adaptable, and why investing in expert support can be a game changer when it comes to a rebrand. Highlights in this Episode:Learn the many reasons to consider a rebrand and why you might be overdue for one.Akua discusses personal challenges during her rebranding journey, including analysis paralysis, unrealistic timelines, and delegation hurdles. Get tips on how to overcome these and other challenges. Understand the benefits of rebranding, including improved brand positioning, enhanced visuals, a well-defined funnel, and alignment with marketing and content strategies.Akua acknowledges the pivotal role of leveraging experts in various aspects of her rebrand, from design and copywriting to strategy. Discover why you should consider your own rebranding opportunities, the importance of authenticity, and how to find genuine fulfillment in the process.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. Links Mentioned in This Episode: Free leadership assessment: https://www.akuanm.com/surveyWork with Akua: https://www.akuanm.com/work-with-meConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking 

Executive and leadership coaching, at its core, is about creating ease for you as a high-achieving leader. It's about supporting you in leveraging your innate personality so you can learn how to prioritize and maximize your time as well as the time of your team and stakeholders. In this episode, Akua talks about her coaching program and how one-on-one coaching can be transformational for leaders at any stage of their career. Learn how Akua helps clients become sustainably strategic, learn how to ask for help, and set boundaries so that they can build stronger teams and achieve personal and professional goals.If you're interested in hearing real-world examples of how Akua's coaching helps intentional leaders, listen in as she shares two case studies highlighting her coaching approach and methodology. Highlights in this Episode:Identify the difference between tactical and strategic leadership and how being strategic allows you to delegate so you can focus on the future.Akua talks about the types of leaders she supports, including leaders transitioning into new roles, emerging leaders, and first-time founders and executives.Learn about the three stages of leadership: thriving, buoyant, and transformative, and how leaders are constantly cycling through them as they evolve as leaders.Get real-world examples of the transformation 1:1 coaching provides as Akua shares case studies of leaders she's worked with, including one reluctant to have tough conversations and another who was building a new department and needed to gain more support from her team. If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.Links Mentioned in This Episode: Ep 97: Your Guide to Next-Level LeadershipFree leadership assessment: https://www.akuanm.com/surveyRead more case studies: https://www.akuanm.com/casestudiesWork with Akua: https://www.akuanm.com/work-with-me Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

If you're a leader considering investing in executive coaching or advisory support, you cannot miss this episode. In it, executive and leadership coach Akua Nyame-Mensah dives into the world of coaching high-performing leaders, founders, and managers and what sets her apart from the rest.Get a clear understanding of the benefits of coaching and why Akua might be a great fit for you and your team. You'll learn about Akua's unique approach, and she even walks you through a recent case study in which she worked with 50 fellows from diverse backgrounds who were building start-up teams.Akua is unique in her extensive first-hand/diverse experience, from tiny start-ups to multinational companies. Her tailored solutions, commitment to your growth and success, project management approach, and direct communication style ensure clarity and progress toward your success as a leader.  Highlights in this Episode:Discover how Akua's ability to wear different hats adds value to clients while supporting your growth. Akua talks about her traditional training and certification as a coach and her impact as she's worked with instructional designers, facilitators, incredible coaches, and speakers.Explore the importance of tailored coaching and advising solutions to meet your unique needs and goals.Understand that leadership is a skill and an attitude and how coaching can help individuals evolve, make an impact, and build sustainable leadership habits and routines.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.Links Mentioned In This Episode: Women's Impact Alliance#IamRemarkableConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking  

Therapist Mandy is a highly accomplished professional, serving as the Co-Founder and Clinical Director of Mosaic Counseling Group. With expertise in psychology, behavioral science, neuroscience, and emotional intelligence, she is driven to make the best even better.Throughout her illustrious career, Therapist Mandy has achieved significant milestones. As an executive coach, therapist, speaker, author, and mental health expert, she has worked with hundreds of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Her influence extends to major corporate companies and podcasts worldwide, as well as platforms like Apple, BET, Revolt, and MTV, along with various non-profits.Therapist Mandy's impact reaches even further, as she has educated influential leaders, including Mayors and Governors, on leadership psychology, emotional intelligence (EQ), and mental wellness.Armed with a Bachelor's degree in psychology and a Master's degree in Clinical Counseling, Therapist Mandy is a certified executive coach, licensed therapist, and an EMDR Clinician. Her unwavering passion is to help people break free from their limitations, which led her to co-found Mosaic Counseling Group as a clinical director.Therapist Mandy is open to covering any topics that would be impactful to your audience, reflecting her commitment to making a positive difference in people's lives.To connect with Therapist Mandy or learn more about her services, guests can visit her website at www.TherapistMandy.com. She also offers a free consultation and assessment to those seeking her expert guidance."

Executive and Leadership expert Akua is wrapping up her mini-series on expectation setting and goal setting in the workplace. In this episode, you'll also learn about the different resources that Akua has on the subject of expectation setting, including valuable blog posts and podcast episodes where you can just dip your toe or dive head first into the deep well of insights on expectation setting. As a leader or manager, it is important to set realistic and achievable goals and to provide the resources and support that others need to meet them. Perhaps most importantly, leaders must remember to provide feedback and to continuously communicate their expectations so all team members can be on the same page.Highlights in this episode: Remember, there is nothing more demotivating for team members than being given an unrealistic KPI or expectation. We don't have to like everything we do. Don't give in to toxic positivity. Be real about your feelings.When setting expectations for yourself, realize things are not always going to be perfect, and sometimes you'll need to ask for help. You and your team need to take breaks and vacations so they rejuvenate and come back motivated and excited to hit their goals.Creating time and space to provide timely feedback, and to reflect and give yourself feedback, is critical. If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeEp 71:  Learn Akua's 3-step frameworkEp 93: The Final Step to Leadership Success: Setting Expectations Ep. 94: A Leader's Guide To Setting ExpectationsEp 95: 3 Overlooked Secrets for Setting Effective ExpectationsBlog Post: We Are Never 100% Happy or Excited to Do Our JobsBlog Post: The Top Six Limiting Beliefs That Sabotage Successful DelegationBlog Post: 4 Reasons You Won't (and Can't) Take a VacationBlog Post: Let's Give Better Feedback Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Want to improve on goal-setting or expectation-setting? This episode is for conscious leaders who want to enhance their approach to goal setting and create a positive and productive environment for themselves and their team. Expanding on her third pillar of leadership, expectation setting/goal setting, host Akua builds on themes from episode 93. She unveils the three overlooked aspects of goal setting, including the "when" or timing of the goal, who is responsible for the goal, and the definition of success. Learn the eight themes to reflect on as a leader as well as themes to reflect on when it comes to working with others! Highlights in this episode: Learn to set clear and achievable expectations that will help you and your team succeed. Utilize the R.A.C.I. framework to clarify roles and responsibilities so everyone knows their responsibilities. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page.Communicate expectations clearly and consistently. Make sure that everyone understands the expectations.Learn the importance of being open to feedback and adjust expectations as needed. If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.Links Mentioned In This EpisodeEp 20: Check in With Your Goals Ep 28: #AskAkua//Goal Setting TricksEp 71:  Learn Akua's 3-step frameworkEp 93: The Final Step to Leadership Success: Setting Expectations Blog: Three things leaders get wrong about expectation setting Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

In this episode, Akua explores the third pillar in her three-step leadership framework: setting expectations (sometimes referred to as goals setting, OKRs, or KPIs). Akua uses her own experience as a case study to illustrate the importance of setting expectations for yourself, and she highlights the impact of expectations on personal and professional growth.Whether you're a solopreneur, team leader, or aspiring achiever, this episode will empower you to set clear and realistic expectations for yourself, be consistent, find the right support, and ensure that your projects align with your ultimate vision. Highlights in this episode: Explore the distinction between working "on" your business versus working "in" your business and the significance of time management and capacity. Delve into the mindset of a practical thinker and an abundant thinker and how these different perspectives shape expectation-setting and decision-making.Learn the art of breaking down projects into achievable tasks to avoid demotivation and burnout, and don't be afraid to invest in helping to conquer projects outside your wheelhouse.Discover the three often-overlooked elements of expectation setting: timing, responsibility, and defining success.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.Links Mentioned In This Episode:Ep 28: #AskAkua//Goal Setting TricksEp 71:  Learn Akua's 3-step frameworkEp 93: The Final Step to Leadership Success: Setting Expectations Blog: Three things leaders get wrong about expectation settingConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking 

This is the first in a mini-series of episodes that will be based on the final step in Akua's three-step leadership framework: setting expectations. Whether you call it expectation setting, goal setting, or utilizing frameworks like KPIs or OKRs, these episodes will transform the way you approach expectation-setting and communication.Leaders and managers will learn the significance of expectations and their impact on leadership and how to set achievable and realistic goals for their team. Importantly, leaders will also learn the crucial step of communicating expectations to their team, which will cultivate a positive work environment and foster growth and success.Akua also talks about how expectations help with setting boundaries, building more efficient processes, and facilitating ongoing evaluation and adaptation. Setting expectations ensures your team is equipped to succeed, and when employees know what is expected of them, they're more engaged and productive.  If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.Highlights in this episode:Learn the difference between explicit expectations (specific targets) and implicit expectations (things we've come to expect, assumptions based on bias or stereotypes).Akua outlines four key elements to consider in relation to expectations: what you want, what you want from others, what they want, and what they want from you. It's hard to overstate the significance of explicitly communicating expectations to increase employee engagement, productivity, and satisfaction.Understand the role of expectations in establishing professional boundaries, setting goals, and fostering growth and direction.Links Mentioned In This Episode:Ep 71:  Learn Akua's 3-step frameworkConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking 

This week, leadership and executive coach Akua Nyame Menasah wraps up her series of episodes dedicated to engagement, the second step in her three-step leadership framework. This is a helpful roundup and summary of six of her past episodes on engagement. Leadership is a habit, a routine that you need to cultivate intentionally. Being self-aware is the first step, then you must decide how to engage with your team. Be inspired and learn how to gain confidence and credibility, how to tell powerful stories that inspire, and so much more when you listen in!Enjoy the main points of each episode and then deep-dive into the episodes you need right now! If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.Highlights in this episode:Akua gives the highlights of six episodes that help leaders practice engagement.Learn the importance of self-regulation in leadership.Discover strategies to maximize productivity, like when to have a meeting and how to make it engaging for your team.Learn about how Akua's relationship to networking has evolved over time and how yours can too!Links Mentioned In This Episode:Ep 71:  Learn Akua's 3-step frameworkEp 84:  Engagement Starts with Self-Regulation and ManagementEp 85:  Demystifying Executive Presence with Kelly Lynn AdamsEp 86:  GROW Your Leadership by Asking Powerful QuestionsEp 88:  Storytelling for EngagementEp 89:  Network Internally FirstEp 91:  Mastering Meetings: Secrets to Engaging and Efficient FacilitationConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Ever been in a meeting that feels like a waste of time? Of course, you have. That's because many leaders and organizations don't know how to effectively facilitate a meeting that engages team members. In this episode, you'll hear portions of a recent training Akua gave on how to be an effective moderator and facilitator. Learn about the three basic types of meetings (and which one isn't really a "meeting") and why a well-moderated meeting actually begins well before the meeting starts. After listening, you'll be well on your way to leading the most effective, efficient, and productive meetings possible so that all your team members will feel like their time is valued and well-spent!If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. Highlights in this episode:Find out what a good facilitator or moderator does, including making sure there's an agenda, creating psychological safety, listening, and more.Learn the five P's of facilitation: purpose, planning, process, participation, and pursuit. It takes good communication skills, active listening, and flexibility to effectively facilitate a meeting. Akua guides listeners through some exercises that will help your team members engage and communicate in meetings. Links Mentioned In This Episode:Ep 71 - Learn Akua's 3-step frameworkEp 78: Being the Message & Communication Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Creating a high-performing team that is also human and inclusive is possible! Listen as Akua talks with organization transformation expert Joris Merks-Benjamin about how to balance high-performance standards with inclusivity and humanness in the workplace. Formerly Head of Google Digital Academy, Joris became one of the highest-scoring managers of all time. After 12 years with Google, Joris has recently gone freelance and developed the Managing Without Power program. He is an award-winning author of several books, his newest being “Managing Without Power.”In this episode, Akua and Joris talk about the importance of trust, empathy, and communication and how to create a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Learn why the best teams are based on trust and psychological safety and how leaders don't need the power to be effective, but they need to empower their team.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.Highlights in this episode: Joris talks about his pivot from a marketing space to learning and development and how he created his own opportunity.Learn about how instructional design gets adults to learn by doing, leading to actual behavioral change. Joris talks about how, in a large company, balancing the performance elements and human elements is the only way to get a genuinely high-performance organization.The two discuss inclusion and diversity, Joris being raised by a lesbian couple, and how intentionality is essential in order to measure progress and enact DEI on a large scale. Links Mentioned In This Episode:Ep 71 - Learn Akua's 3-step frameworkBook: Think and Grow Digital: What the Net Generation Needs to Know to Survive and Thrive in Any OrganizationBook: Online Brand Identity: The Ultimate Guide to Designing Your (Digital) Branding StrategyBook: Intergratie Van Schizofrene Online- en Offline Marketing  (Dutch)Book: Managing Without Power (Dutch) Connect with Joris Merks-Benjaminsen:Website: www.managingwithoutpower.comLinkedIn: @Joris Merks-Benjaminsen Twitter: @jorismerksConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Networking can elicit groans and dread from even the savviest of business leaders. If you dislike networking or feel like you're bad at it, or if you believe you don't NEED to do it, this episode is for you. Akua starts with why networking is important and gives four important things to work on to become better at building connections in business and in life.Learn why reframing your thinking and becoming self-aware about your beliefs around networking can help you build more authentic relationships. Plus, Akua gives some amazing resources (linked below) where you can find additional information to up your networking game. Remember that networking is about building connections and engaging with others, and if done well, it can better your reputation, increase visibility, and create a stronger network.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.Highlights in this episode: Akua talks about her evolving relationship with networking and how she went from feeling uncomfortable to actually enjoying the process. There are three types of professional networking: operational networking, personal networking, and strategic networking. Learn about the four critical elements for effective networking: focusing on learning, identifying common interests, thinking broadly about what you can offer, and finding a higher purpose.Find out how many connections you need for peak networking - more isn't always better!Links Mentioned In This Episode:Ep 71 - Learn Akua's 3-step frameworkEp 63 - How to Become a Master Networker with Karen Jaw Madson Ep 43: #Ask Akua // For Reluctant Networkers Inc. Africa Article - How I Changed My Narrative on Networking Harvard Business Review: Learn to love networkingLinkedIn Audio Event: Sponsorship and Networking for Career GrowthConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Today, Akua talks about leveraging storytelling to connect and engage with your stakeholders, whether they're clients, team members, employees, or investors. Engaging with your team is one of the most important things you can do in your role as a leader. Telling stories can be a powerful tool in your engagement toolbox, helping to inspire, build rapport and align and reach goals with your team. Learn the three basic purposes for telling a story, tips on how to incorporate stories into your daily life, and how to know where and when to tell a story.If you're not a natural storyteller, don't use stories in the workplace, or never thought about stories as a means of engagement, you'll want to check out this episode. Highlights in this episode:Learn how stories can help align your team's goals, inspire, and build instant rapport with your team.When deciding on a story, think about your audience, how you want them to feel, and what you want them to know.Keep your stories memorable and relevant.Using storytelling is a great way to set the tone for a meeting or a retreat, and Akua talks about how she can support you in choosing and telling an engaging story.Links Mentioned In This Episode:Ep 71: Learn Akua's 3-step frameworkEp 78: Being the Message and CommunicationArticle: Storytelling Can Make or Break Your LeadershipArticle: What Is Leadership Storytelling, Anyway?Article: The Science of Storytelling: What Listening to a Story Does to Our Brains Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Reaching peak performance as a leader, manager, or business owner takes practice and training, much like an athlete. This week, Akua welcomes Darcy Luoma, the author of the book "Thoughtfully Fit, Your Training Plan for Life and Business," as she talks about tackling barriers and becoming mentally and emotionally fit.Darcy is a triathlete, mother, and CEO of Darcy Luoma Coaching and Consulting. A Master Certified Coach, Darcy has worked in 48 industries, with 210 organizations and 500+ individual clients, to create high-performing people and teams.If you're a leader or manager who feels too busy to strategize, you're stuck in a rut, or wondering what your unique contributions to the world are, this episode is a must-listen. Highlights in this Episode:Darcy talks about her 20 years of political experience and how she made the leap into coaching.Find out how you, as a busy leader, can find time to pause to reflect on what lights you up, gives you purpose, and ignites your passion.Discover the 6-step framework for achieving peak performance in both your personal and professional life using the Thoughtfully Fit® method.Self-awareness and knowing your default mode when under pressure will help you make changes to overcome challenges.Darcy talks about how she is learning to structure her business to have the greatest impact and how she can get out of her own way.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.Links Mentioned In This Episode:Quiz: The Thoughtfully Fit QuizConnect with Darcy Luoma: Instagram: @darcyluomacoachingWebsite: www.darcyluoma.comFacebook: @darcyluomaTwitter: @Darcy LuomaLinkedIn: @darcyluomaConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

In order to coach others, you first have to be able to coach yourself. In this episode, Akua dives deeper into the engagement pillar of her three-step leadership framework. Engaging with yourself, also called self-regulation and management, is key to being able to support others as they explore their own areas of growth and boundaries. As a leader, you want to inspire your employees and motivate them to get their work done by making sure they are excited to come to work and problem-solve. While coaching is not always the right answer, using coaching tools and techniques can go a long way, starting with asking powerful questions.Akua explains a popular coaching framework that can be used to help people set goals and create a plan of action. Finally, she shares things that held her back from leveraging coaching tools and techniques, which will surely resonate with leaders, managers, and founders in all industries.Highlights in this episode: Learn the types of questions that lead to effective engagement with team members or employees.Akua explains the GROW model, which stands for Goal, Reality, Options/opportunities, and Will.Learn how the GROW model can help get your team thinking and open to possibilities. Akua talks about the power of pauses, open-ended questions, and reflecting on what YOU need in order to set yourself up for success as you engage with team members.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. Links Mentioned In This Episode:Ep 71: Learn Akua's 3-step frameworkEp 28: #AskAkua // Goal-Setting TricksEp 84: Engagement Starts with Self-Regulation and Management Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Executive presence - all leaders want it, but not all know how to get it. Join Akua as she shares pieces of a recent conversation with Executive and Life Coach Kelly Lynn Adams. They talk about leadership, vulnerability and mindset, and how to regulate and manage your emotions to inspire confidence among your coworkers.Conscious leaders like Kelly Lynn know that leadership starts from within. Kelly Lynn began her journey on Wall Street, climbing the corporate ladder for 18 years before starting coaching and speaking in 2009. Trauma-informed Kelly Lynn helps leaders, visionaries, founders, executives & entrepreneurs break through what is holding them back and elevate to the next level.Kelly gives valuable perspective drawing from her experiences from both the entrepreneurial and corporate worlds on the topics of leadership, vulnerability, mindset, and how to embrace challenges as part of your personal development. Akua and Kelly Lynn also discuss the importance of developing self-awareness and resilience when dealing with difficult situations. Highlights in this episode: Communication is key in building executive presence. The two debunk the myth that vulnerability equals weakness when it comes to leadership. And how to know WHEN to be vulnerable so that your competence and acumen aren't questioned.Kelly Lynn talks about embodiment and how it pertains to executive presence. This means how you communicate with your body language and whether what you say matches what you do.Taking time to reflect on your wins, your why, and the value you add is important and should be built into your routine. If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review.Links Mentioned In This Episode:Ep 71: Learn Akua's 3-step framework Connect with Kelly Lynn Adams: Instagram: @kellylynnadamsWebsite: www.KellyLynnAdams.comLinkedIn: @kelly-lynn-adamsYouTube: @KellyLynnAdamsTV Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

This episode of the Open Door Conversations podcast focuses on the second step in Akua's three-step leadership framework: the importance of engagement. In addition to self-awareness and setting expectations, engagement is a crucial part of becoming a conscious and effective leader in the workplace.As a business leader, founder, or executive, sometimes your biggest barrier to engaging with your team is staring at you in the mirror. Find out how your own thoughts, emotions, and existing habits could be sabotaging your efforts and some simple ways to self-regulate your way to meaningful engagement, influence, and productivity as a leader.Highlights in this episode: Your ability to regulate your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations is crucial to your ability to effectively engage with others. Before engaging with others, you must engage with yourself. Learn some ways to self-regulate, including movement - a powerful way to stabilize emotions and hormones.Listening is an effective way to break the behavior of overthinking or overwhelm. Akua shares an easy breathing exercise to help calm yourself and relax in order to maintain self-control.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua! Links Mentioned In This Episode:Ep 71:  Learn Akua's 3-step frameworkConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

If you're interested in learning about a framework that can bring your vision, business, or startup to life, you don't want to miss this episode. It is jam-packed with actionable advice from Tomi Davie (T.D.), who was named one of the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2021 by New African Magazine. Harry ‘Tomi Davies (TD) is Collaborator-in-Chief (CiC)' at TVC Labs, an entrepreneurship support organization in Lagos, Nigeria which he founded. TD is the co-founder of the Lagos Angel Network (LAN), founding President of the African Business Angel Network (ABAN), and Board Member of the Global Business Angels Network (GBAN).His personal goal is simple to ‘Find, Fund & Follow' African startup founders that are using technology-enabled innovation to create economic value and social impact on the continent. In December 2021, TD was named as one of the ‘100 Most Influential Africans of 2021' by New African Magazine.T.D.'s mission in life is to find, fund, and follow. He is an angel investor, author, public speaker, and a systems analyst turned tech strategy advisor. He is the founder and Collaborator-in-Chief of TDC Labs, an entrepreneur support organization in Lagos, Nigeria. Akua and T.D. discuss his newest book, Investment Worthy Startup, which he wrote to help founders and investors build successful startups.  Highlights in this episode: T.D. explains why supporting innovative startups creates both economic value and social impact. Learn about the POEM framework to build a startup, which consists of Proposition, Organisation, Economics, and Milestones.Learn the three key differences between startups and SMEs.Founders - find out what angel investors are listening for when you pitch them and how to present yourself in the process.Realize that your team doesn't all start in the same place, even though you're all aiming for the same goal. Each member needs something different to achieve the end goal. It's your job to find an aggregate place to meet before you start your journey, so you can all go farther together.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!  Links Mentioned In This Episode:Book: Investment Worthy Startup Book Link on Amazon Connect with 'Tomi Davies:Website: www.tomidavies.comTwitter: @TomiDee Instagram:@TomideeLinkedIn: @TomiDeeConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking 

Pausing and reflecting is something all leaders should prioritize. That's why Akua is using today's episode as a recap of the last several weeks as she's talked about the first step in her leadership framework: cultivating self-awareness. Learn to understand better your strengths, weaknesses, interests, and preferences so you can be the most impactful leader possible.  Founders, leaders, and managers will benefit from listening to all the episodes around self-awareness, but If you don't have time to go back, this is where you can catch up and be ready to move on to Akua's second step in her leadership framework: simplifying engagement.Highlights in this episode: Your relationship with time and productivity really starts with your emotions and your feelings.Creating boundaries around your time ensures your stakeholders can best utilize you. There is a common misconception that personalities are static - which is why Akua likes to think of personalities as an Operating System that evolves over time and needs periodic updating.It's important that leaders communicate their way of operating (personality) to others. Here Akua refers to SOPs, also known as a "me manual".To be an effective leader, leverage the four pillars of influence: power, emotions, acumen, and nonverbal signs or signals.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua! Links Mentioned In This Episode:Ep 71 - Learn Akua's 3-step frameworkEp 75 - Rebooting Your Operating SystemEp 76 - Time AwarenessEp 79 - Leadership is InfluenceConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

This episode is for leaders who want to have a big impact - and who doesn't? This is the last in a series about the first of three steps in Akua's leadership approach: cultivating self-awareness. Despite what some might think, effective leadership is not only about performance and delivery, or what the sports world would call the “outer game .”Conscious leaders know that self-awareness and mindset, or “inner game,” are just as important and really affect every aspect of their leadership and its impact.Today Akua looks at leadership through the lens of the “inner game approach,” an idea introduced through a book by Timothy Gallway called The Inner Game of Tennis, the Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance. She'll talk about the methodology and how it perfectly applies to the business world and how you can use it to increase your influence and leadership impact.Highlights in this episode: There are three dimensions to the inner game, awareness, alertness, and focus.Like sports, leadership starts on the inside; you can lose before you even set foot on the court or boardroom if you're not in the right frame of mind.Business is full of paradoxes, tensions, and dualities. When you get conflicting information about leadership, remember there is no one “right way” to be. Find out how a leadership coach can guide you in getting your inner game into peak performance mode.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!  Links Mentioned In This Episode:Ep 71: Learn about Akua's 3-Step Leadership Framework Episode 79: Leadership is InfluenceConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Overcome your resistance to change as Akua talks to Ghanaian CEO Alex Bram. Akua and Alex talk about the importance of being self-aware and in tune with your team and the climate around you in order to provide products needed to solve problems. They also talk about the need for authenticity and honesty in leading a company and why it's crucial to make bold changes and mini-pivots in this fast-changing world. This episode will inspire business leaders as Alex talks about co-founding fintech company Hubtel and the pivots he has made, allowing him to bootstrap it to 25 million in just 8 years. Alex is a co-founder of SMSGH (now Hubtel), who has successfully led Hubtel's pivot from a leading SMS messaging provider into Ghana's leading payment services provider with an expanding market share in the growing quick-commerce industry. Highlights in this episode: Learn the importance of authenticity and why people should come first in your business. CEOs face a lot of temptations that can distract from a business's core values. Alex talks about how he stays focused.Be sure to focus on the services you provide rather than too much on the brand. Don't get so wrapped up in doing things that you think make a business that you forget WHY you started the business. If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua! Connect with Alex Bram:Website: www.hubtel.comLinkedIn: @AlexBram Instagram: @thealexbramTwitter: @thealexbramConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmLinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workBook Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking 

Whether you work with two people or 2,000 people, influence is a key leadership skill. Some might even say influence is synonymous with leadership. In this episode, Akua helps you recognize the importance of leveraging your influence and the role of self-reflection and communication in the process. This episode is for you if you're a first-time manager, an established leader, or just feeling invisible in your current work environment.Listen as Akua dives into the four pillars of influence: power, emotions, acumen, and non-verbal signals/visuals. You'll learn about each and identify one pillar you may want to improve upon to take your leadership skills to the next level. Highlights in this episode: Akua talks about the ways to increase your power, including being able to adapt, empathize, and be open to listening.Learn the difference between the power approach and the influence approach and why good leaders know when to use which.Strong leadership requires empathy; one way to practice is to cultivate your own self-awareness.To wield influence, one must be able to apply skills and knowledge effectively and in the right way, i.e., acumen.Realize you are always communicating, even if you're not talking. Resources mentioned in the episode: Ep 71: A Remarkable 2022 and What's Up NextFive Steps to Become More Confident and AssertivePower versus InfluenceUnderstand the 4 Components of InfluenceWhat Great Leaders Know About InfluenceInfluencing Styles and How to Use ThemIf you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua! Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmLinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workBook Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Do your words match your actions? Are you “being the message?” How you communicate with others (and yourself) is key when it comes to being a conscious leader. This week Akua, an executive and leadership coach, talks about the importance of reflecting on your communication style and aligning what you say with what you value. Akua dives into what she means by “being the message,” a popular mantra among coaches and advisors. She also explains the three main communication styles, as well as three lessons around communicating as a leader, cultivating our awareness around how to engage while keeping in mind the culture in which we find ourselves. How we communicate or come across is often overlooked, but being self-aware about our communication style and how it is perceived allows more effective engagement and, ultimately, influences our team. Highlights in this episode: Learn the importance of body language and visual cues and how they can affect others' perceptions.Akua defines the three main communication styles and reveals the most effective communication style for conscious leaders. Discover how to overcome someone's preconceived notions of you and your abilities based on superficial traits like accent or gender. A leader's communication style can vary based on the environment and workplace (or national) culture.Resources mentioned in the episode: Understanding Your Communication Style If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua! Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmLinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workBook Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking 

Today's guest, JR Kanu, is an entrepreneur, design thinking coach, and the author of "Money Brain: Career and Money Management in Your 20s and 30s." He is also the founder and CEO of REACH, working with businesses to understand their consumers and helping individuals who want clarity on their personal finances.In this episode, host Akua Nyame-Mensah talks with JR about the evolution of his business and how self-awareness and reflection have ensured growth and continued success. He also talks about the fascinating five-step framework that makes up transaction informatics (the methodology used) for allowing you to always have your finger on the pulse of your target audience's needs. JR Kanu holds an MBA from Stanford University, a Master's in Journalism from NYU, and a BA in Engineering from Calvin College. Highlights in this episode: JR talks about why he began REACH, a company that helps others learn about their finances and where their money is going.Learn how working to solve the problems of your consumers can help you add new revenue streams. Reflecting and being introspective is crucial in building a business, as is going out and engaging with people different from you.  Learn about the five spending personalities and how they fit into transaction informatics.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua! Resources mentioned in the episode: The 9x9 Annual Retrospective WorksheetFind out your spending personality Connect with JR Kanu:LinkedIn:@jrkanuConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmLinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workBook Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Do you feel stressed, busy, and short on time? If so, it's time to get a handle on what you do and when you do it. Here, Akua expands on last week's episode, cultivating self-awareness and presenting your personality in the form of SOPs to team members. This week, Akua focuses specifically on how to be more time-aware as a conscious leader and how it can help you move from fire-fighting mode into strategic leadership.Find out what questions to ask yourself and how to reflect on your time management to become more productive, prioritize better, and protect one of your most precious commodities - your time!Akua walks you through the steps she uses to do a time audit, not just to find out what you do and when, but how you feel during those times. This helps prioritize different tasks depending on the time of day or even the day of the week.Highlights in this episode:Knowing your own personality isn't complete unless you understand your relationship with time.How leaders spend their time is a true indicator of what is truly valued; because everyone is different, they will prioritize their time differently.Akua gives a valuable list of questions to ask yourself about your own personality and how it relates to time management and productivity.Learn how to create boundaries around your time in order for your team members to best utilize you. If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua! Recourses mentioned in the episode: Blog post:Time is Manufactured in the MindBlog post: The Best Questions to Ask to Quickly Realign With Your TOP PrioritiesBlog post: 10 Exercises You Can Do to Increase Productivity And Practice Mindfulness Every Day as a Busy Business OwnerBlog post: 3 Steps to Prioritize BetterConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmLinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workBook Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Cultivating self-awareness in order to become a conscious leader is essential. In this episode, Akua guides you in reflecting on your communication style, decision-making style, and how you respond in stressful situations and how this relates to your innate personality.She'll also discuss the concept of personality and how it is not set in stone but constantly evolving. Like an operating system, it is continually updating and can be influenced and changed.If you're ready for a "reboot," listen in as Akua takes you through some exercises that she uses with her clients that will help you become more self-aware and communicate what you've learned to your team so that you can get the support you need efficiently and effectively while avoiding potential conflicts.Highlights in this episode:Akua talks about personality and the common misconception that it is static when it is more like an operating system that evolves over time.Learn some of the key questions conscious leaders should ask themselves to ensure they remain influential and effective while engaging their team and making meaningful connections.While knowing your personality is important, it is essential that you also learn how your team members perceive you by utilizing feedback and assessments.Akua talks about developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for your personality - a way to give others instructions on how to utilize your strengths best. Resources Mentioned: Blog: Top 5 Leadership Lessons You Need To KnowBlog: I'm My Own Worst Enemy: 7 Free Tools to Build Self-AwarenessPodcast Ep 25: #AskAkua: Leadership Lessons Podcast Ep74: Reflections for Conscious LeadersIf you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmLinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workBook Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Taking time to reflect is essential to being a conscious leader and moving forward effectively. In this episode, your host Akua dives deeper into how founders and leaders can reflect, what specifically to consider when reflecting, and how to make the most of the people around them who can help get them to the next level. If you're wondering how to use reflection to surround yourself with inspiration, innovation, and the best people, this episode is for you. Akua talks about diversity and inclusion, how to create an environment of psychological safety at work, and why hiring people with differing personalities, beliefs, and experiences is key.Importantly, listeners will discover how to take their reflection sessions (or "headspace sessions") and make them actionable in the workplace. Highlights in this episode: It's essential for leaders and founders to create time to reflect on how they will do things differently moving forward.Conscious leaders recognize their biases and build systems and processes to check themselves. They recognize that diversity challenges them and helps them grow.Learn the three dimensions of diversity all conscious leaders should reflect on and what to keep in mind when it comes to making the most of your team.Get an actionable 3-step process to make it easier to engage and share with your team and create a psychologically safe work environment. Akua shares her Power of Introductions philosophy and how it can help keep you from making assumptions about co-workers.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua! Resources Mentioned: Blog: DEIB in Africa: Beyond Race & LGBTQ - Context MattersBlog:The 4 Most Common Types of Bias in BusinessEp 25: #AskAkua Leadership LessonsEp 14: I Hate Asking For Help, You Probably Do Too Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmLinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workBook Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

If you're a leader who is constantly firefighting and feels like you're not as effective or influential as you'd like to be, today's episode is for you. Learn how to go from a reactive to a proactive leader by clearing more headspace so you can be a more conscious leader, able to see the big picture in your business. Executive and Leadership coach Akua Nyame-Mensah gives you insight into her See Better Method, the key to having more headspace and the capacity to make more strategic, rather than tactical, decisions. This episode will be especially helpful if you are a high-achiever in business, a founder, or a proactive leader in the corporate or service provider space who feels like you've hit a plateau and aren't as effective as you'd like.Highlights in this episode: The subconscious mind makes up more than 90% of our brain power and includes things like bodily functions and making memories.Why it's important to create headspace to be a more conscious and strategic leader.Self-awareness is the first step in Akua's 3-step leadership process, called the “See Better Method.”Cultivating our self-awareness and making more headspace is a cyclical process. As leaders, you always need to be open to reflection.Akua talks about the importance of building a routine around self-reflection and actively scheduling the time.Find out how to hold yourself accountable when it comes to reflection and being more conscious.To move forward and grow, you may find yourself needing to first slow down a bit, and that's okay!Akua has limited spots available for 1:1 executive and leadership coaching program for proactive leaders who are ready to take their Leadership to the next level. Resources mentioned:Getting on the Balcony to Get a Bird's-Eye ViewIf you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to build social wealth and relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact so many leaders around the world.*Be sure to screenshot your review after submitting it, share it on social media, and tag Akua!Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmLinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workBook Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Personal finance guru, Oluwatosin "Tosin" Olaseinde talks about growing into her role as CEO, her growth as a leader and founder, and how it's okay not to have everything figured out. Founder of financial literacy and investment platforms Money Africa and Ladda, Tosin aims to democratize access and means of wealth-building for the long term. Tosin is famous in the world of personal finance in Africa as she helps others build their knowledge about finances and build their wealth through smart investments. In this episode, Tosin speaks with host Akua Nyame-Mensah about the lessons she's learned, how her keen self-awareness has benefitted her in business, and why liking yourself is so important.Highlights in this episode: Tosin reflects on her recent accomplishments, including receiving an award from the Nigerian Stock Exchange for investor education and financial inclusion.Learn why acknowledging your strengths allows you to address weaknesses.The importance of setting up structures in your business so it can run without you. You don't have to have all the answers; it's okay to learn while doing.Find out about Tosin's background, including her work as a senior financial analyst with CNBC Africa (Lagos) and Bloomberg TV Africa. Learn the economic issues Tosin believes are important for leaders and founders to keep in mind in today's financial climate.How does Tosin make time to share her teachings and thoughts on social media?Tosin talks about her company's future plans, including releasing an app to educate children about money. If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to expand her network and build relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact many leaders worldwide.Connect with Oluwatosin OlaseindeMoney AfricaWebsite: https://themoneyafrica.com/Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tosinmoneyafrica/Twitter: https://twitter.com/themoneyafricaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneyafrica/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/812950645554339LaddaWebsite: https://getladda.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ladda.ng/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getladdaTwitter: https://twitter.com/getladdaConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmLinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workBook Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

It's a new year and a new season of the Open Door Conversations podcast. In this short episode, Leadership and Executive Coach (and your host) Akua Nyame-Mensah, talks about her accomplishments over the past year and shares what you can expect from the upcoming season! Akua will start the season by welcoming top leaders in their respective industries to talk about the first pillar of leadership, cultivating self-awareness. She'll also incorporate space for guests to celebrate their accomplishments with you. This empowering practice is important, especially for underrepresented groups, who often shy away from flexing their self-promotion muscle. Akua talks about how she gained the confidence to promote herself through an initiative called #IamRemarkable,  a group for which she is now a gold-tier facilitator. Highlights from this episode: Akua "walks the talk" by celebrating some of her success throughout the past year, including supporting more than 600 business leaders worldwide!Akua supported 100+ International Coaching Federation members and was a finalist in the first-ever global #IAMREMARKABLE Awards.Learn about the three pillars of leadership, cultivating-self awareness, simplifying engagement, and setting expectationsDiscover why Akua believes self-awareness is key to successful leadership.Find out what to expect in the coming year on the podcast, including successful leaders who will share how they motivate themselves to engage with others and accomplish great things.If you've enjoyed the Open Door Conversations podcast, please leave a review. When you do, you'll receive Akua's 15-minute Thought Leadership LinkedIn Checklist.* It's the routine she has used to expand her network and build relationships on LinkedIn that have directly contributed to her ability to impact many leaders worldwide.Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmLinkedIn: @Akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workBook Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

In This Episode . . . We are featuring the amazing Danielle Henry, the Senior PM / OD Consultant at Great Dane 921 LLC. We're taking on the topic of Cultural EQ, a topic that's been dominating boardroom conversations in the workplace: emotional intelligence in ourselves and the people on our teams. Danielle doesn't hold back as she tells us all about what we think we know, what we don't, and how to bridge the gap between the two. Meet Danielle Henry: Danielle Antoinette Henry has a demonstrated history of working in the management consulting industry for-profit and nonprofit entities with a focus on social impact digital marketing, branding, web development, and operations. Currently, Danielle is a Senior Manager, Client Partnerships for Sarankco Creative Studio. She is the Founder and CEO of Great Dane 921 Consulting, LLC, a consultancy firm focused on developing solutions that are based upon the foundation of empathetic understanding and the need for more compassion and transparency at work. She has conducted professional development training for nonprofits such as WestHab (NY), Youth Shelter Program of Westchester (NY), Junior League of Orange County, NY, and The Rooted Collaborative conferences centered on topics such as leadership development, cultural intelligence, DEI, effective communication strategies, team building, and conflict management and resolution. She has also conducted a diversity dialogue series for the town of Warwick, NY as a diversity facilitator for We the People Warwick. Danielle is a third-year doctoral student in the Organization and Leadership Psychology program with a concentration in the Neuroscience of Leadership at William James College. She obtained her MPA in Public and Non-Profit Management and Policy with a specialization in General Finance from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University and BA in American Politics from the College of Arts and Science at New York University. She holds a certificate in project leadership from the Cornell University – School of Engineering and is a Certified Scrum Master from the Scrum Alliance. She was a 2021-2022 Opportunity Hub (OHUB) South by Southwest student fellow. In addition, she is a Registered Parliamentarian under the National Association of Parliamentarians, and is an arbitrator for FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority). With public service in her heart, Danielle has been an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and is the Immediate Past President of the Westchester Alumnae Chapter serving Westchester County, NY. She is also the Past President and sustainer member of the Junior League of Orange County, NY. A born and bred New Yorker, in her spare time, you can find Danielle doing monthly cultural outings to museums, gardens, or immersive exhibits with her Fur, Floral, Culture, and Cocktails crew around NYC, doing Reiki as a certified Reiki Practitioner, roller skating at her local skating rink, or as a podcast co-host for the Empress High Council whose focus is on self-care and entrepreneurship. Episode Highlights: (6:42) It's all in the Q; (12:57) DEI has been lacking CQ; (21:15) How do leaders weave in CQ?; (22:25) Organization Development Levels; (36:05) Steps toward CQ; Connect with Danielle: LinkedIn: @danielleahenry Instagram: @greatdanedannie Episode Resources: Reinventing Organizations by Frederic Laloux (

It's the last episode of 2022, and Akua is going over having a New Year, New Team. There is always the opportunity to reintroduce yourself to your team. People aren't robots, they evolve and change, and in order to keep your leadership relevant and influential, it's always a great idea to periodically reintroduce yourself. Akua calls it the "power of introductions."Akua works primarily alone when doing facilitation and coaching. But recently, she has been joining many new teams for short engagements, where they must come together quickly and not only work together but teach, coach, and facilitate dozens of important leaders. And do it immediately. So her recent experience has been a great reminder of important lessons for engaging a team. As you end your year and make goals for the next, listen in to find out how to create a stronger, better, and more connected team.Highlights in this episode: Akua talks about the 3-step process with which she supports leaders, including cultivating self-awareness, engaging and experimenting, and setting expectations for yourself and others. New teams need the opportunity to get to know each other. Existing teams need to re-engage and discover how the people they work with have evolved and shifted.You have the power to always think about who you are, where you're going, and what you need in your professional AND personal life.Leaders must be intentional about creating space for each team member to learn about themselves. Self-assessments are a great way to learn a vocabulary to talk about how a leader or team member is perceived, their preferences, etc. Knowing your team member's strengths and weaknesses is key, so you can cover for each other when you are working or presenting together. Akua talks about how to understand what success looks like and how to get there. She also encourages having a recovery plan for if/when things go off-track. Try to assume positive intent when working with a team - especially an ad hoc one when you don't know each other well.Encourage each team member to provide feedback early and often.Even if a team is not hierarchical, there still needs to be a clear decision-maker.Want more tips for setting goals and making 2023 your best year yet? Check out these episodes of the Open Door Conversations Podcast: Ep 18: Want to Make Better Decisions? Rest More.Ep 20: Check In With Your Goals Now Ep 28: Goal-Setting TricksEp 55: How To Take a Holiday As a Founder Blog Post: Identifying and Overcoming Burnout Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

"I'm bootstrapping, which means that the talent I can afford right now is not as experienced as I would like." Sound familiar? In this #AskAkua episode of the Open Door Conversations podcast, Akua Nyame-Mensah gives insight on how to start a team on a limited budget and how to give your team more confidence to make decisions independently. Bootstrapping looks different to every business, but this episode will give you a framework with which you can learn how to bring together or re-engage a team. Don't have a team? You will still get great information on discovering your business goals and how to meet them.Getting clear on your budget is priority #1, as is realizing that what you pay and the value you receive are two different things. If you can't afford the talent you're looking for, ask yourself what problem you want to solve by hiring these people. Hire the people who are going to get you closer to hitting the goals you've set.Highlights in this Episode: Learn the importance of getting clear on your budget and the problem you want to solve by hiring team members. Remember that there isn't a correlation between how much someone is paid and how much value they can provide. Hiring people with experience doesn't necessarily mean you will get the support you need. Realize that hiring experienced people may not save you time; they still need direction, acknowledgment, and to be engaged with.You don't need a clone of yourself; you need people who complement you and provide different perspectives. Be aware of your capacity and be realistic about what you can accomplish with your time. Your staff may not feel confident to make decisions because they haven't been validated or acknowledged. It's up to you to create systems and processes, so they feel comfortable.When a leader is constantly firefighting, usually, the first thing to be sacrificed is engaging and validating their team.The support you can afford can still meet your needs, but it might look different than you imagined. Think beyond the 9-5 structure. Consider hiring an expert who doesn't need direction for a task that needs doing.If you don't have the space to validate, teach, train, or coach an inexperienced team, don't hire one. Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Starting your own business, running a startup for someone else, or leading a team is a heavy weight to bear, and it's easy to feel like you're alone. But you don't have to be. In this #AskAkua episode of the Open Door Conversations Podcast, leadership coach Akua Nyame-Mensah discusses the benefits of executive and leadership coaching, even if you're already getting results as a leader.She'll help you identify if coaching is right for you. If you already know it is, you'll learn how to convince your stakeholders that coaching is an important investment that ultimately affects their bottom line.Remember that as a former startup leader, Akua shares her own one-sided perspective on these #AskAkua episodes, which is different from her client-driven coaching methods. These conversations are a means to provide you with the opportunity for reflection and a path to personal growth. As always, feel free to reach out to Akua in the DMs with any questions! Highlights in this Episode:Akua talks about the massive difference she saw in her own leadership when she created and honored the space to engage with team members and set expectations appropriately.It's important to realize coaching cannot be forced on people. They must be willing to change their behavior and believe change is possible.If you're a leader who is getting results in your business, that doesn't mean you don't need coaching. You may not like the way you're getting results or find your methods unsustainable.Learn to communicate the importance and the benefits of coaching to your stakeholders. Leadership affects the bottom line - the cost of bad leadership is high!There are two types of leaders that Akua supports: 1. Firefighting Badass 2. Well-connected But Over-extended Founder. Listen to find out which one you are.External vs. Internal coaching. Getting an external coach provides a different perspective and confidentiality.Realize that what got you this far as a leader will not necessarily get you where you want to go. Coaching can help you up level.Coaching gives leaders clarity on their blind spots and the support to do things in a way that feels good to them.It's not necessary for you to find a coach that has “walked in your shoes.” - Someone outside of our sphere can actually give you another point of view.Find out the importance of communicating your coaching work with your team so they can help keep you accountable. Resources Mentioned in This Episode:EP 03:#AskAkua // Masking Feelings + BalanceEp 18: Want to Make Better Decisions? Rest MoreEP 14: I Hate Asking For Help, You Probably Do TooConnect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

In this episode, leadership coach Akua Nyame-Mensah shares the top 5 tools and apps that allow her to work more efficiently, connect with and convert clients, all while being more productive. These are tools that help her get exponential results in both business and her personal life and allow her to do more in less time.Having recently done an audit of her revenue streams and where she spends her time inside her business, Akua recounts her experience doing the same with the tech tools she uses. The result: she managed to trim $500 worth of subscriptions for tools that weren't moving the needle in her business. Find out which apps, programs, and tools made the cut and how they might help you level up your business. Too often, money and time are wasted on tools that don't get used or that actually distract us. When deciding where to invest in tools, ask yourself if it makes sense for the amount of time and energy you currently have.Highlights in this episode:It's important to realize where your time is spent in relation to the money you're spending on software and apps.As someone who works online across several time zones, Akua's schedule needs to be on point. One of her top tools for business is an online time converter allowing her to align her schedule with clients more easily.Akua is still a huge fan of Evernote but describes why MS OneNote has been essential (and more cost-effective) for her to use in her business.Canva, a free design tool with the option for a paid pro account, has saved Akua tons of time and allowed her to look more professional online.Akua talks about how she uses GoogleDocs to keep track of all collateral for participants of her workshops and leadership programs.GoogleDocs allows for easy sharing and editing and has much more flexibility than PDFdocuments. It's also great for tagging people, collaborating on documents, leaving comments, or suggesting edits.Akua admits to the app she commonly uses for partner projects but doesn't like.Resources mentioned in this episode: Episode 32: #askAkua - The 5 Top Productivity Tools You Need to Know. What are the tools you can't live without in your business? Share them with Akua by emailing her at akuanm@akua.com.Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking

Being a leader/manager/founder in a foreign country poses a unique set of challenges, especially one where you stick out as being foreign. Founder and American expat living in Mauritius, Chris Suzdak joins Leadership Coach Akua Nyame-Mensah to talk about what it's like to work and start a business in a foreign country. He also discusses his leadership journey and his experiences with executive coaching.Chris has worked across the African continent for several years and is now based in Mauritius. He is a founder of a new startup, CoffeeChat, a coaching platform trusted by top companies across Africa. From interns to CEOs, CoffeeChat helps democratize access to personalized coaching sessions with peers and professionals to accelerate their growth. In this episode, you'll learn about Chris's leadership journey, from learning to manage large teams to becoming a founder and now looking ahead to building his own team. Chris talks about working with multiple coaches while scaling up teams in Malawi and Zambia and how those experiences inspired him to start CoffeeChat.Highlights in this episode: Chris talks about his motivation to work abroad and how he became a Country Director at a for-profit social enterprise in Malawi, One Acre Fund.An interest in economic development while in college led Chris to Ghana and an early career move into the international development space.Learn about the unique perspective Chris has as a founder working in a foreign country.Chris talks candidly about mistakes he made in business and how the reasons for those mistakes are blurred between being young and naive and being in a foreign culture.Leadership coaching had a profound effect on Chris. He and Akua talked about the benefits and the objections that some have to coaching.Coaching is not a punishment. Akua points out the importance of investing in coaching for good employees rather than those who aren't performing well.Discover how Chris cultivated self-awareness, realizing which type of leadership role would be the best for himChris explains the business he founded, CoffeeChat, a marketplace for coaching, and how it allows for exploring the different types of coaching.His goal is to help companies who know the value of coaching invest in a more efficient way that empowers managers to find the coach/coaching that works best for them.Connect with Chris Suzdak: LinkedIn: @ chrissuzdakWebsite: ​​https://www.coffeechat.co/Connect with Akua Nyame-Mensah:Instagram: @akua_nmWebsite: www.akuanm.comLinkedIn: @akua Nyame-MensahTwitter: @akua_nmGet the secrets to break burnout and overcome overwhelm weekly: www.akuanm.com/newsletterWork with Akua one-on-one: www.akuanm.com/workHire Akua to speak at your organization: www.akuanm.com/speaking 

"Culture [can be described as] the dynamics and factors-both named and unnamed-that are influencing the behaviors and choices people make within a particular context."

How can we avoid making decisions about our career, our relationships, and our self-care out of a state of fear... And instead make these decisions from a place of love? Curt Mercadante discusses this and more with Erin Urban, a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach, with over a decade in coaching and consulting successful professional transformations for leaders and teams. An international speaker, Erin has trained, coached, and delivered keynotes as well as workshops to clients across the globe. She is a neuroscience nerd, host of the Career Coffee Chat Podcast, and the author of the bestselling book, "Elevate Your Career: More Impact + More Income". Erin is a Forbes Coaches Council Member, certified in Leadership Psychology, and a self-proclaimed recovering perfectionist living between Austin and Houston, Texas sharing her passion for all things outdoors with her husband, Stephen. Get her book: https://uppsolutions.net/books/ Brought to you by Cultivate Elevate's USDA organic mushroom powders and Shilajit. Get 10% off here: https://cultivateelevate.com/?ref=lngodh4rpm

How can we avoid making decisions about our career, our relationships, and our self-care out of a state of fear... And instead, make these decisions from a place of love? Curt Mercadante discusses this and more with Erin Urban, a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach, with over a decade in coaching and consulting successful professional transformations for leaders and teams. An international speaker, Erin has trained, coached, and delivered keynotes as well as workshops to clients across the globe. She is a neuroscience nerd, host of the Career Coffee Chat Podcast, and the author of the bestselling book, "Elevate Your Career: More Impact + More Income". Erin is a Forbes Coaches Council Member, certified in Leadership Psychology, and a self-proclaimed recovering perfectionist living between Austin and Houston, Texas sharing her passion for all things outdoors with her husband, Stephen. Brought to you by Cultivate Elevate's USDA organic mushroom powders and Shilajit. Get 10% off here: https://cultivateelevate.com/?ref=lngodh4rpm