The Hard Skills

Layoffs and restructuring leave deep invisible scars on a team. If you try to "business as usual" your way through it, you will lose your best people. Here is the exact framework to heal the damage.In this final episode of the Ambiguous Grief series, Dr. Mira Brancu reveals why standard corporate responses to loss actually increase toxicity. When leaders minimize change or force false optimism, grief "spills over" into poor performance and resentment.Dr. Brancu introduces "Grief-Informed Leadership," a 4-step framework designed to restore psychological safety. You will learn the "Name It to Tame It" technique, how to become an "Emotional Container," and why seeking closure is a trap. She also provides a word-for-word script on how to address your team after a layoff to rebuild trust and dignity immediately.Subscribe for more hard skills on leading through crisis.IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksAdd this podcast to your feed: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/

Is your team cynical, disengaged, or "quiet quitting" despite your best efforts to stay positive? You might be accidentally overlooking "Ambiguous Grief"—and your leadership style could be making it worse.In Part 2 of this special series on The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira Brancu reveals breaks down the three specific "villains" of leadership during crisis: The Minimizer ("It's just business"), The False Optimist ("Everything is great!"), and The Conflict Avoider (The ghosting boss). Learn how to identify which one you are and how to shift from "forcing progress" to "facilitating resilience." Stop hidden grief from eating your company's productivity from the inside out.Stop the churn. Subscribe for Part 3 to get the Grief-Informed Leadership Framework: IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksAdd this podcast to your feed: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/

Is your team "Quiet Quitting" or are they mourning? Discover when traditional change management fails and how to fix an unknown root cause of disengagement: Ambiguous Grief.In this episode of The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira Brancu reveals the hidden psychology destroying workplace culture: Ambiguous Grief. If you have recently gone through a restructure, layoff, or leadership change, your team isn't just "resisting change"—they are experiencing unresolved loss.Dr. Brancu breaks down the critical differences between burnout, organizational trauma, and the "Glass Cliff" phenomenon affecting female leaders. Learn to identify the symptoms of "Resenteeism" and "Job Hugging" and stop mislabeling grief as performance issues. This is essential listening for executives, HR professionals, and mid-level managers navigating the psychological impact of corporate restructuring.Subscribe for more leadership psychology and strategies to navigate the hard skills of management. Work with me 1:1, book me to speak or provide team training, or explore my free or low-cost resources at www.gotowerscope.com IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksAdd this podcast to your feed: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/

Most of us spend 70% of our lives working, yet struggle to articulate what we actually do. Matt Paddock, Director of Recruiting at AKQA, reveals how the stories we tell about our careers unlock hidden strengths, clarify values, and shape our professional futures—especially when navigating layoffs, AI disruption, and career pivots. From jazz musician to talent strategist, he shares why career storytelling isn't soft—it's survival.WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:Can you clearly articulate what you spend most of your waking hours doing? Most leaders can't. And when disruption hits, that gap between the work we do and the stories we tell costs us clarity, advancement, and resilience. From 20+ years leading talent strategy working with global brands and conducting thousands of successful hires, our guest, Matt Paddock, discovered that career storytelling is a core leadership and career competency. Whether you're navigating layoffs, succession planning, mass organizational transitions, or wondering where AI fits into your professional value proposition, your ability to craft and articulate your career narrative determines your trajectory. In this episode, you will learn lessons from Matt's unconventional path from jazz musician at Oberlin Conservatory to recruiting leader and from high-stakes moments like managing mass layoffs, leading succession planning, and rebuilding after his own layoff. We'll explore how storytelling functions like journaling: helping us reflect, learn, and map out better futures in an uncertain world.This episode is essential listening for leaders rethinking their professional identity, managing career transitions, or supporting others through change.***ABOUT OUR GUEST:Matt Paddock is Director of Recruiting at AKQA where he leads talent attraction for an award-winning, multidisciplinary team delivering creative innovation to global brands. He has over 20 years of experience in hands-on recruiting, managing talent teams, and working closely with business stakeholders to align talent with organizational vision and mission. Matt is a career-switcher from the arts who holds a degree in Jazz Studies from Oberlin Conservatory and a graduate degree in music composition from Virginia Commonwealth. After work hours Matt can commonly be found playing music with friends.***FIND OUR GUEST HERE:www.linkedin.com/in/mattpaddock/mattpaddock.com/***IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksAdd this podcast to your feed: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/www.linkedin.com/in/mattpaddock/https://mattpaddock.com/

Ever wonder why your best advice falls flat? Or why it's hard to give good feedback successfully? If you've ever struggled with giving feedback that doesn't stick, managing teams that feel disconnected, or making decisions with incomplete information, this episode offers a mindset shift that transforms not just conversations, but organizational culture itself.You've been there: a colleague asks for help, you offer your hard-won wisdom, and it lands like a lead balloon. They've already tried it. Or worse, they nod politely and do nothing. Or you offer mentorship to help a new team member or someone earlier in their career avoid the mistakes you made. You thought you were doing them a favor but instead, it felt unappreciated. The problem? You diagnosed and told before you understood.Peter Schein—consultant, author, and collaborator with his late father, legendary MIT Professor Ed Schein—joins me to explore Humble Inquiry, a deceptively simple practice that transforms how leaders navigate complexity and improve organizational effectiveness. This isn't about active listening techniques you learned in your last training. It's about fundamentally shifting a culturally-embedded mindset from transactional, efficiency-focused exchanges to one that requires the art and attitude for greater human effectiveness.We dive into why efficiency often sabotages effectiveness, how AI and remote work make this skill more critical than ever, and what types of conversations unlock breakthrough thinking.***ABOUT OUR GUEST:Peter Schein is a consultant, author and keynote speaker based in Menlo Park, CA. Following a 30 year career in Silicon Valley, Peter teamed up with his father, renowned MIT Professor Ed Schein to start the Organizational Culture and Leadership Institute. Over eight years together Peter and Ed published seven books and numerous papers on Humble Inquiry, Organizational Culture, Careers, and Humble Leadership. Peters continues the work following his father's death in 2023 with the recent release of Humble Inquiry 3rd Edition. Peter has a BA in Social Anthropology from Stanford and an MBA from Kellogg/Northwestern.***FIND OUR GUEST HERE:www.ocli.org***IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksAdd this podcast to your feed: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/www.ocli.org

How do you think strategically when it feels like all you do is put out fires? It's a common challenge among all leaders a in this episode, we'll be learning about how to tackle this from a very unlikely and different perspective: someone who teaches frameworks to military leaders who manage geopolitical crises that can help you build a stronger workplace culture, lead through disruption, and stop feeling so reactive.When disruption becomes the new normal, from AI upheaval to geopolitical instability to constant organizational change, it’s easy for leaders to lose sight of workplace culture and long-term strategy. In this episode, Dr. Jill Goldenziel brings an unexpected lens to understanding workplace leadership: lessons from teaching colonels, generals, and senior government officials as a full professor at the National Defense University. You’ll learn how to think like a strategist, how to build trust and calm in chaos and how to align people around purpose in times of change. She will also discuss why most leaders are thinking about AI wrong and what that means for workplace culture.This conversation is for leaders who are tired of feeling reactive, who want to move from firefighting to strategic thinking, and who need practical tools to lead their teams through disruption without losing what makes leadership human.She also she also shares her own leadership journey of getting promoted to be the only female full professor at Marine Corps University and being a civilian working in a male-dominated, leadership-focused organization, and teaching strategy to military and government leaders in the context of cyber, information, and disruptive tech like AI.***ABOUT OUR GUEST:Dr. Jill Goldenziel is a leadership coach, speaker, and strategic advisor who helps executives lead smarter in a world on fire. As CEO of JG Strategy, she equips business, government, and military leaders to manage risk and turn global disruption into competitive advantage. She is a professor at the National Defense University, a Fellow at the Fox Leadership International Program at the University of Pennsylvania, and columnist for Forbes and Bloomberg Opinion. Dr. Goldenziel is a recognized expert on leadership, law, geopolitical risk, and disruptive tech whose insights have shaped decision-making across Fortune 500 companies, law firms, and US and allied militaries. She is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. ***Dr. Goldenziel is speaking in her personal capacity. Her views are her own and do not necessarily represent those of her University, the Department of Defense, or any other arm of the US Government.******FIND OUR GUEST HERE:Website: www.jillgoldenziel.comJill's Newsletter The Strategic Lead: bit.ly/jillnewsletterLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jillgoldenziel/Twitter: @JillGoldenziel twitter.com/JillGoldenzielInstagram: @JillGoldenziel instagram.com/JillGoldenzielFacebook: www.facebook.com/JillGoldenziel/Bluesky: @JillGoldenziel bsky.app/profile/jillgoldenziel.bsky.socialThreads: @JillGoldenziel www.threads.com/@jillgoldenzielYoutube: @JillGoldenzielStrategy www.youtube.com/channel/UCGpU8acgBZZb6o3L6yFBWhg***IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksAdd this podcast to your feed: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/Website: www.jillgoldenziel.comJill's Newsletter The Strategic Lead: bit.ly/jillnewsletterLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jillgoldenziel/Twitter: @JillGoldenziel twitter.com/JillGoldenzielInstagram: @JillGoldenziel instagram.com/JillGoldenzielFacebook: www.facebook.com/JillGoldenziel/Bluesky: @JillGoldenziel bsky.app/profile/jillgoldenziel.bsky.socialThreads: @JillGoldenziel www.threads.com/@jillgoldenzielYoutube: @JillGoldenzielStrategy www.youtube.com/channel/UCGpU8acgBZZb6o3L6yFBWhg

When everything feels like it's falling apart—restructures, burnout, losses you can't quite name—most advice tells you to push harder or rest more. But what if the answer lies in between? In this episode, you'll learn about micro-adjustments: small, evidence-based shifts that help you lead through chaos without losing yourself. We're getting into ambiguous grief, organizational betrayal, and what kind of resilience mechanisms can help versus harm.WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:Most leaders right now are in survival mode and don't even realize it. What does it look like when you're no longer thriving but rather just enduring? What's the difference between resilience that sustains you and resilience that just helps you tolerate more damage? In this episode, we'll unpack what positive psychology offers leaders dealing with organizational upheaval, chronic stress, and betrayal. We'll discuss how to evaluate where you are on the surviving-to-thriving continuum, why micro-adjustments aren't about minimizing broken systems, and what actually sustains people versus what just delays their breaking point.This conversation is for anyone who's been running on empty and wondering if there's another way. If you're barely holding it together and don't have time to fix it, start here. You'll walk away with one thing you can do tomorrow that won't add to your load.***ABOUT OUR GUEST:Julie Fischer is a transformation coach, well-being consultant, and host of Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast. With 25+ years of corporate and nonprofit experience in sales, marketing, and fundraising, Julie's career took a dramatic turn when a family crisis forced her to rebuild her life from the ground up. That transformation ignited her coaching practice, where she now helps individuals, teams, and organizations move from survival to sustainable thriving through evidence-based tools rooted in applied positive psychology. She specializes in uncovering the unconscious narratives and limiting beliefs that keep high-performers stuck, then creating clarity and actionable strategies for lasting change.Certified as an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and in Applied Positive Psychology through The Flourishing Center, Julie works with leaders navigating burnout, career transitions, work-life integration, and building resilience under pressure. She delivers corporate workshops, one-on-one coaching, group facilitation, and speaking engagements focused on well-being science, mindset shifts, leadership presence, and creating meaningful connection in work and life. Through her coaching and her podcast, Julie is on a mission to address what she calls the "un-well-being crisis"—helping people harness agency, shift from merely surviving to truly thriving, and meet their most audacious goals without losing themselves in the process.***FIND OUR GUEST HERE:www.juliefischercoaching.comwww.linkedin.com/in/julie-fischer-pcc/FREE Wheel of Life Inventory: www.juliefischercoaching.com/wheel-of-life***IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksAdd this podcast to your feed: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/www.juliefischercoaching.comwww.linkedin.com/in/julie-fischer-pcc/www.juliefischercoaching.com/wheel-of-life

What's the missing gap between the promise of AI in the future of work and its actual adoption? What is the difference between the organizations that spend millions on technological advances that ultimately fail and those that can unlock unprecedented innovation? You'll learn the one thing that makes a difference in this episode.EPISODE SUMMARY:"WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:Most companies are approaching AI completely backwards. We're going to talk about what actually breaks organizations when they adopt AI — and the human-centered approach that puts them back together. You'll hear how high-achievers in HR and organizational development are sabotaging their own AI initiatives by focusing on the technology instead of the people who use it. We unpack the emotional mechanics behind why leaders make costly AI decisions, and the critical thinking skills that separate successful adoption from expensive failure.If you've ever felt overwhelmed by AI's rapid evolution but couldn't name exactly what felt wrong about your approach, this episode will offer some insight from someone who's built a framework that flips traditional AI adoption on its head — putting human-centered design at the core of artificial intelligence strategy. Our guest shares the one mindset shift that separates organizations thriving with AI from those drowning in it. We're diving into the intersection of artificial intelligence and human-centered design, exploring why the future belongs to leaders who can balance automation with authentic human connection. Let's rethink your AI strategy.***ABOUT OUR GUEST:Wayne Williams is the Founder of Prospective Tech and a Subject Matter Expert on AI and Human Centered Design. He is a co-author of the White Paper “The Intersection of AI and Human Centered Design” and “Connecting the Dots to Entrepreneurship."" Wayne serves as a board advisor for The Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, The Center for Science in the Public Interest, Yale's School of the Environment, and ACLU, and was an advisor to The White House Council on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.***FIND OUR GUEST HERE:www.prospectivetechpa.org/***IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small, women-owned, boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksAdd this podcast to your feed: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/https://www.prospectivetechpa.org/Tune in for this innovative conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Livestream by Clicking Here.

You've tried the breathing apps, the gratitude journals, the five-minute breaks. You're still exhausted. What if the problem isn't that you need more coping strategies - but that your entire system is set up for failure?This is the 4th and final of my Bonus 4-part Burnout series, talking with you about taking a deeper dive in understanding burnout from a psychosocial perspective. In this episode, we're talking about when research-backed practices help, when they harm, and why small fixes can't solve systemic problems. ---The Anti-Burnout Leadership Lab details can be found at https://gotowerscope.com/2025fellowshipRegister at https://luma.com/owie0t8gYouTube video of this episode: https://youtu.be/wnJxbx1qoc4

You became a leader to create impact, develop others, and drive change. But sometimes it seems like every person you spend time lifting up depletes your capacity. How do you build organizational capacity without depleting your own or creating dependency on you?For the next few episodes, I will be talking with you about taking a deeper dive in understanding burnout from a perspective I personally don’t hear enough of: the psychosocial drivers of burnout – what we as individuals bring to it, how social conditioning perpetuates it, and how organizational culture impacts it – and what we can do about it. In this episode we're talking about how sometimes the very strengths that make you an effective leader can become the source of your burnout. Those caretaking instincts that make you a great people developer? They can directly conflict with your strategic leadership responsibilities! This isPart 3 of my Bonus 4-part Burnout series. ---References:The Anti-Burnout Leadership Lab details: https://gotowerscope.com/2025fellowshipRegister: https://luma.com/owie0t8gYouTube video of this episode: https://youtu.be/XLkQo876yOU

What does it mean to lead when your life's work seems to have been taken away from you? This is a critical conversation about naming the grief, loss, healing, and transformation for inclusive leaders and experts—and what it takes to stand with and through change.WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:How do we cope when decades of progress disappear overnight—and the work you dedicated your life to is suddenly illegal, unwelcome, or irrelevant? We're not just talking about inclusive leadership—we're exploring the emotional damage that nobody wants to admit is happening right now. You'll hear how even the most seasoned change agents are grappling with profound loss, identity crisis, and the question: "What now?" We unpack the grief cycle that inclusive leaders are experiencing as legal mandates strip away the very foundation of their expertise, and why processing this loss is essential to finding the way forward. If you've ever felt like the ground moved beneath your life's work, or if you're wondering how to lead when the rules keep changing—this episode holds a mirror up to that moment. Today we're interviewing someone who's witnessed inclusive leadership go from underground movement to corporate mandate to cultural battleground—and lived to tell the story of each transformation. Our guest shares what it means to grieve, separate the work from the vehicle, and why standing with change requires a radical act of presence, humility, and humanity.***ABOUT OUR GUEST:Jennifer Brown (she/her) is an award-winning speaker, bestselling author, and globally recognized authority on inclusive leadership and workplace culture. She’s advised top organizations like Google, IBM, and the Gates Foundation, and is the author of How to Be an Inclusive Leader and Beyond Diversity. Her Inclusive Leader Continuum™ is used across industries to drive lasting change. Through her keynotes, podcast (The Will to Change), andadvisory work, Jennifer helps leaders build cultures of belonging where everyone can thrive.She lives in New York with her partner of 25 years, Michelle.***IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!***LINKS:www.gotowerscope.comwww.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/jenniferbrownspeaks.comjenniferbrownspeaks.com/coaching/jenniferbrownspeaks.com/the-will-to-change/Tune in for this innovative conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Livestream by Clicking Here.

You respond to emails within minutes, you're always reachable, your team knows they can count on you. Being there for your team matters, right? So why does it still feel like you're falling behind on everything that actually matters?For the next few episodes, I will be talking with you about taking a deeper dive in understanding burnout from a perspective I personally don’t hear enough of: the psychosocial drivers of burnout – what we as individuals bring to it, how social conditioning perpetuates it, and how organizational culture impacts it – and what we can do about it. In this episode we're talking about the responsiveness trap - how being constantly available makes you unavailable for real leadership. This is Part 2 of my Bonus 4-part Burnout series. ---The Anti-Burnout Leadership Lab details can be found at https://gotowerscope.com/2025fellowshipRegister at https://luma.com/owie0t8gYouTube video of this episode: https://youtu.be/3SQ9ggxW7LM

You pride yourself on being reliable, capable, and indispensable. But what if the very trait that built your career is now sabotaging your success?For the next few episodes, I will be talking with you about taking a deeper dive in understanding burnout from a perspective I personally don’t hear enough of: the psychosocial drivers of burnout – what we as individuals bring to it, how social conditioning perpetuates it, and how organizational culture impacts it – and what we can do about it. In this episode, we're talking about the yes addiction - why saying no feels impossible for high achievers, and what it's actually costing you. ---The Anti-Burnout Leadership Lab details can be found at https://gotowerscope.com/2025fellowshipRegister at https://luma.com/owie0t8gYouTube video of this episode: https://youtu.be/1fz0CNrNils

It’s easy for us to call out the bad bosses. It’s harder to look in the mirror and confront the bad boss staring back at you. In this episode, you'll discover how anyone can fall into the trap of becoming a bad boss—often without realizing it—as well as strategies managers and employees can use to make work more manageable.WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:During the course of her career, top workplace strategist Mita Mallick has worked for a wide range of bad bosses:The bad boss who fell asleep in meetings.The bad boss who took credit for all her work.The bad boss who once threw her designer shoe at Mita's colleague.The bad boss who told her she was a rat and demanded loyalty.The bad boss who told her she was overconfident and needed to stay in her lane.The bad boss who gossiped about her to others and told her peers she didn’t really know what she was doing.The bad boss who was so nice and so profoundly incompetent and as much as she wanted to, it was really hard to hate him.In this episode, we'll explore a few of the many ways bosses can create an unhealthy workplace and disengagement, how any one of us could be susceptible to becoming one of those bad bosses for someone else, and how we can manage and mitigate against this.***ABOUT OUR GUEST:Mita Mallick is a WSJ and USA Today bestselling author, LinkedIn Top Voice, workplace strategist, speaker, and coach to start-up founders, executives, and public CEOs. A change maker with a track record of transforming culture and business, Mita gives innovative, culturally-resonant ideas a voice and serves customers and communities with purpose. Her highly anticipated second book, The Devil Emails at Midnight: What Good Leaders Can Learn from Bad Bosses, will be published on September 30, 2025 by Wiley.***IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!***LINKS:www.gotowerscope.comwww.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/www.mitamallick.com/www.amazon.com/Devil-Emails-Midnight-Leaders-Bosses/dp/1394316488www.linkedin.com/in/mita-mallick-2b165822/www.instagram.com/mita_mallick13/Tune in for this innovative conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Livestream by Clicking Here.

Imagine how one conversation after another with 1,200+ global experts can rewire your thinking about influence and impact. We're exposing the pattern underneath daily habits that create massive impact — and what happens when you trust your instincts despite rejection.Ha and his wife, Vivian are not afraid to chase what others fear or avoid. You'll hear how one couple turned daily curiosity into access to astronauts, Nobel Prize winners, Holocaust survivors, and Fortune 500 executives — and what those 1,200+ conversations revealed about expanding human potential. We unpack the emotional mechanics behind influence, rejection, and the daily habits that separate dreamers from doers. ***ABOUT OUR GUEST:(Noi) Ha Nguyen has interviewed over 1,200+ experts across 83 countries, a project he and his wife started in 2021. He helps senior leaders lead with clarity, influence with purpose, and build trust that drives transformation. As the founder of helloNEWNESS, Ha brings the insights needed to help leaders unlock the world of hidden possibilities and opportunities and expand their ability to think. ***IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!***LINKS:www.gotowerscope.comhttps://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrowthInsights:#nguyennoiha #hellonewness #noihanguyen Tune in for this empowering conversation at TalkRadio.nyc

What happens when tech built to boost performance erodes trust? We unpack the legal, cultural, and human cost—and how leaders can protect psychological safety.WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:Imagine discovering that the same workplace tech meant to make your job easier is quietly dismantling trust, blurring boundaries, and draining morale. In this episode of The Hard Skills, we pull back the curtain on how tools like productivity trackers, AI decision-making, and remote monitoring reshape not just workflows—but the culture, safety, and well-being of entire teams. You’ll hear how leaders face a growing legal and ethical duty of care in tech-integrated workplaces, and what it takes to meet that responsibility in real terms—not just policy statements. We explore the blind spots that make even well-intentioned technology harmful, the risks that can spiral into legal exposure, and the choices that can either protect or undermine psychological safety.If you’ve ever wondered whether the systems you’ve built are quietly shaping a culture you didn’t intend, start here. This isn’t theory—it’s a deep, unflinching look at the human side of workplace tech. ***ABOUT OUR GUEST:Dr. Cameron Stockdale is an internationally recognized leader in organizational behaviour, workplace wellness, and change leadership. He is the former CEO of the Work Wellness Institute and currently serves as Chair of the International Leadership Association’s Healthcare Leadership Community and Vice Chair of the Executive Health and Safety Council of British Columbia. With over 25 years of experience in emergency health services, Dr. Stockdale brings a practical and policy-informed perspective to the intersection of health, leadership, and innovation. He holds a Doctor of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership (Creighton), a Master of Laws in Innovation and Technology (Edinburgh), a Master of Arts in Leadership (Guelph), and a postgraduate certificate in Organizational Behaviour from Harvard. Dr. Stockdale holds both national and provincial appointments advising Canadian governments on workplace policy and legislative change. His current research explores how emerging technologies influence psychological safety, legal accountability, and leadership practices in modern workplaces undergoing rapid transformation.***IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!***LINKS:www.gotowerscope.comhttps://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-cameron-stockdale-388b4b46/#PsychologicalSafety #Trust #Tech #AI #LawTune in for this empowering conversation at TalkRadio.nyc

Imagine discovering the hidden traits quietly sabotaging your leadership. This episode reveals the 11 risks that can derail even the most promising careers.Leadership failure rates remain shockingly high—studies show that 50% to 75% of leaders are ineffective. Why? Because their hidden personality-based risk factors are quietly sabotaging performance, communication, and team results. Most leaders don’t even know these risks exist, let alone how to manage them. In this episode, we’ll uncover what’s really behind poor leadership—beyond skills or knowledge—and explore a breakthrough approach to improving leadership effectiveness at every level. You’ll learn why traditional development falls short, how to recognize your own derailers, and what leaders must do differently to succeed. It’s time to stop tolerating mediocre leadership and start raising the bar—with data, accountability, and coaching that goes beneath the surface.Imagine this: You’re confident in your skills, respected for your expertise—and yet, under pressure, something subtle starts eroding your impact. Missteps you can’t quite explain. Tension in conversations you thought you handled well. That’s not bad luck—it’s likely your personality-based risk factors at work. In this episode of The Hard Skills, we go beneath the surface of leadership. You’ll hear why half of leaders fail—not because they lack ambition or know-how, but because of how their hidden derailers quietly sabotaged their performance, relationships, and results. We unpack the 11 risks that can wreck even the strongest careers, how to recognize them in yourself and others, and what to do to stop them before they stop you. At the end, our guest will offer a free eBook so you can start your own self-awareness journey!Nancy Parsons is a recognized expert in blending the science of assessments with the art of developing people. She is the co-founder and CEO of CDR Companies, creators of the powerful CDR 3-Dimensional Assessment Suite® and the 360 Leader Scan. In 2020, Nancy led the launch of the award-winning True Talent Coach (formerly CDR-U Coach), the first digital avatar coaching platform delivering personalized debriefs and action planning to employees at all levels. A recipient of the MEECO International Thought Leadership of Distinction in Executive Coaching, Nancy is also the author of Women Are Creating the Glass Ceiling & Have the Power to End It, an Amazon #1 Bestseller. She provides executive coaching across industries, leads strategic team development sessions, and trains coaches worldwide through the CDR Executive Coaches’ Certification. Nancy’s work is data-driven, deep, and transformational—equipping leaders to overcome risks and achieve sustainable performance.:#riskassessment, #derailers, #LeadershipCoaching #ExecutiveCoaching tools, #Coaching Feedback #DigitalCoachingTune in for this empowering conversation at TalkRadio.nyc

WHAT WILL THE AUDIENCE LEARN? What if tension isn’t a threat—but the key to breakthrough thinking and faster decisions? What if the conflict you’re avoiding is the conversation your team desperately needs?In this episode, you’ll learn:- Why the conflicts they're avoiding are actually the breakthrough conversations their organizations desperately need- Why "keeping the peace" during rapid change leads to slower decisions, missed opportunities, and eventual explosions- A practical framework for distinguishing between destructive drama and productive friction that accelerates results- How to transform exhausted, resistant teams into engaged problem-solvers who thrive on complexity during rapid changeWe’re not just talking about friction—we’re reframing it. This episode invites you to rethink everything you’ve been taught about conflict in leadership. Most high-achievers believe that success comes from maintaining control, smoothing over disagreements, and keeping the peace. But what if that’s exactly what’s holding your team back?In this raw and real conversation, we dig into how avoiding tension delays progress, waters down innovation, and breeds quiet resistance that shows up when it matters most. You'll learn how to move from suppression to strategic friction—where tough conversations fuel creativity, unlock alignment, and accelerate results.This episode is a mirror for leaders who feel stuck in endless consensus-building or exhausted by invisible resistance. It’s a wake-up call for those who fear conflict but crave momentum. If you’ve ever wondered why your smartest teams still stall out, this one’s for you.You’ll walk away with:- A blueprint for productive conflict that accelerates change- New language for managing competing priorities under pressure- Real-world stories of what actually works when the stakes are highIf you’re ready to stop walking on eggshells and start leading with clarity—press play.***ABOUT OUR GUEST:Alexandra Prassas is an Organizational Effectiveness leader with 20+ years in the People & Culture space. Currently she partners with organizations to realize growth strategies through optimizing People systems, leadership, and organization design, and is passionate about helping leaders harness organizational tensions to drive breakthrough results during rapid change and transformation. Previously, she led global Organization Development and DEI functions internally and Change Management for large-scale transformations externally, empowering companies across a range of industries to navigate organizational evolution. Alix serves as Adjunct Faculty in IO-Psychology at The Chicago School, President of ACMP Midwest, and Lead for Culture First Chicago. She is a PhD candidate in Organizational Leadership.***IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!***LINKS:www.gotowerscope.comhttps://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandraprassas/#OrganizationalEffectiveness #ProductiveConflict #TheHardSkillsTune in for this empowering conversation at TalkRadio.nyc

How do you live a fulfilling life? It’s not riches, it’s impact and legacy.  In this episode, you will learn how you can quantify mentoring, volunteering, and philanthropy so you can better understand how much impact you make every day, how to build and leave a rewarding legacy, and how to create a highly generative life. We all want to have impact, whether it is at work, at home, or in our communities. And while we are striving to make an impact, we might not even realize the impact we're already making! There is a way to find out about our impact and just how deep our footprint is by understanding mentorship, legacy, and generativity. We'll also unpack the emotional science behind mentorship—and how to give, find, and recognize it when it’s real. If you’ve ever craved guidance but didn’t know how to ask… or if you’ve been called a mentor without knowing what that really meant… this conversation will name what’s been missing.***ABOUT OUR GUEST:Dr. Deborah Heiser is an applied developmental psychologist, Founder of My Legacy Tree, and author of The Mentorship Edge. She is a TEDx speaker, member of Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches, Thinkers 50 Radar List, expert contributor to Psychology Today and is also an Adjunct Professor.***IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!***LINKS:www.gotowerscope.comhttps://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/https://deborahheiser.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-heiser-phd/ https://www.youtube.com/@DebbieHeiser https://substack.com/@deborahheiserphdTune in for this empowering conversation at TalkRadio.nyc

Ever wonder what it's like to start and keep a podcast going? For my 100th episode I'm celebrating by sharing some insights, lessons learned, surprising benefits, and the greatest challenges I've faced so far hosting a radio broadcast and podcast show.Today we are celebrating the 100th episode of The Hard Skills!! It is no easy feat to show up consistently like this and plan things out each week, it’s also a great topic for this Season’s Focus on Endurance in Leadership. To celebrate 100 episodes, I’m going to “keep it 100” for you - I’m sharing:- 3 reasons I started podcasting- 4 insights about the time and cost resources needed- 3 challenges about finding the right guests- 4 unexpected benefits- 3 mistakes and blunders- 4 surprising successes, and - what I have found tp be the hardest partThat’s 22 insights and lessons learned over the course of the 100 episodes I’ve done. So come join me and get the inside peek behind the scenes!www.gotowerscope.com:#BehindTheScenes #PodcastingLife #TheHardSkillsTune in for this empowering conversation at TalkRadio.nyc