Most people, without training and mindset work, are uncomfortable giving others feedback. Without training and mindset work, giving feedback is perceived as a hard conversation. This is largely because of uncertainty of how the receiver is going to respond to the feedback. The fear is that the receiver will at minimum take offense and withdraw. They could also become defensive and lash out. I think we can all admit that there have been times when we avoided giving feedback for this reason. We’ve avoided giving feedback to protect ourselves, even though it would give the other person an opportu ..read more

Have you come face-to-face with any of the prevailing myths about women in the workplace? Last month I interviewed Analiza Wolf, the author of The Myths of Success: A Woman of Color's Guide to Leadership. Analiza’s book, and our conversation, focused on the myths we women, buy into that hinder our growth as leaders. Not too long ago, I was listening to an episode on The McKinsey Podcast, produced by McKinsey & Company. The episode was titled Busting myths about women in the workplace. Interesting. Not myths that we women hold about ourselves. Rather, the myths that are held about women in ..read more

There are a lot of myths out there about what you need to do to be successful at work. You may already be at a point in your career where you’ve realized this and had to shift gears. And you may still feel like you are walking a tight rope of, for instance, needing to be more decisive but not too decisive because that can work against you as a woman. Or, advocating for yourself more but not too much because that also has consequences. On this episode of Women Taking the Lead I’m joined by Analiza Quiroz Wolf to talk about the strategies and practices that will actually lead you to success in t ..read more

Would you describe yourself as being self-aware? Most people do. But according to research done by organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich and her team involving 5000 participants, it may be that only 10%-15% of the population is actually self-aware. Additionally, they found that when someone considers themselves to be highly experienced, that estimation may keep them from questioning their assumptions, seeking evidence that goes against their own position, or continuing to learn. This played out in more experienced managers overestimating their leadership effectiveness as compared to newer m ..read more

Ever had those moments in leadership where it's not just about spreadsheets but also about dealing with people's feelings? Imagine having an insider secret to level up your leadership game—something that makes you a better manager, team player, and inspirational leader. The secret is emotional intelligence or EQ. In this and the coming episode, we're digging into what honing emotional intelligence can do for your leadership style. Because emotional intelligence isn't just a nice-to-have, it's required if you want to lead effectively and have a positive impact on your team and your organization ..read more

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you couldn't fully be yourself? Maybe you hesitated to share an idea, express an opinion, never mind present an opposing view. Or maybe felt like you didn't belong? And as a leader, have you ever been made aware of an employee having this experience at work? I have Pasha Marlowe joining me to discuss the profound importance of psychological safety and belonging. Meet Pasha Marlowe: Pasha Marlowe (she/they) has 30 years of experience as a marriage and family therapist and neurodiversity coach. She specializes in the intersection of neurodive ..read more

Have you ever wondered why some teams do okay while others effortlessly tackle challenges? The secret lies in one word: TRUST. In fast-paced environments, team cohesion is more crucial. A cohesive team, built on trust, can leverage diverse skills, tools, and resources to conquer any obstacle. Building and maintaining trust is not a one-and-done exercise. Everything you do is either growing, maintaining, or diminishing the level of trust on your team. This episode explores the role of team trust and how it can transform your team dynamics. I'm covering the key benefits of team trust, the obstac ..read more

Are you at a loss for how you can actively support and empower women of color to thrive in leadership? I often look at reports showing the current numbers of people in all levels of leadership. And, regardless of the level of leadership, the industry, etc., women of color are in the lowest percentiles. This conversation with Rebecca Muriuki explores positioning yourself for a leadership promotion as a woman of color. We discuss the challenges women of color navigate, and how we can all be part of the diversity change that we want to see in corporate leadership. This conversation will give you ..read more

Do you have a strong leadership style that has been mislabeled as harsh or uncaring? Every now and again, as I’m connecting with each of you on LinkedIn, I’ll ask if you have any topic suggestions for the podcast. I recently got a response that immediately piqued my interest. The response read, “One thing I struggle with as a leader is gender stereotypes and expectations on how a female leader needs to act. People assume female leaders need to always be nurturing and soft, and when they need to be direct or decisive people find that harsh. If you have a podcast that addresses this issue and ho ..read more

Have you ever received a promotion in which your manager becomes your peer? If you have you know it’s a big transition on top of an already big transition. The intensity of the change in relationship will depend on the relationship you already had with your former manager, but even in the best circumstances it will be a little unsettling. Especially if you have differing opinions in a management meeting. I have Liz Johnson with me for a coaching episode of the podcast today and this is one of the things we’re discussing. Let me tell you about Liz. Meet Liz Johnson Liz Johnson is the VP of Rese ..read more