Communicate to Lead

<p>Ready to step into your full potential as a leader? Join communication expert and leadership coach Kele Belton for conversations that go beyond traditional leadership advice. Each week on Communicate to Lead, discover practical strategies to strengthen both your leadership presence and communication impact. Through solo episodes and inspiring guest interviews, Kele tackles the real challenges women face in management - from mastering high-stakes conversations and building executive presence to overcoming perfectionism and imposter syndrome. Whether you're an experienced manager or an aspiring leader, this podcast delivers actionable insights to help you navigate workplace dynamics, amplify your voice, and lead with authentic confidence. Tune in to transform challenges into opportunities and build the leadership career you envision.</p>

124. Why Your Manager Doesn't See You as Promotion-Ready (3 Shifts to Prove You're Ready Now)

Send us a text You've just finished presenting your quarterly results to the leadership team—numbers are strong, your team is crushing it, and you've delivered every single project this year. As you're packing up, you overhear your manager discussing that Senior Director opening with the VP: "We need someone with more executive presence, someone who can really drive strategic initiatives at the organizational level." Your stomach drops. You've been managing strategic initiatives for two...

09-25
25:46

123. How to Handle Workplace Microaggressions: 7 Scripts Every Woman Leader Needs

Send us a text Download Your FREE Complete Guide to Verbal Judo Scripts You walk into the boardroom prepared to present your strategic recommendations to the executive team. The CEO looks up and says, "Oh good, can you grab us some coffee while we wait for everyone to arrive?" You're the Senior Product Manager with four years of leadership experience and three successful product launches under your belt. Sound familiar? What This Episode Is About: This episode teaches you "Verbal Judo"...

09-18
27:58

122. Why Your Crucial Conversations Fall Flat (And 3 Strategic Fixes)

Send us a text Have you ever walked out of a high-stakes meeting wondering why your voice didn't carry the weight your expertise deserves? You're not alone. Picture this: You're the Senior Director with eight years of experience and consistently exceeding targets, but when you present to the CEO, he interrupts to check his phone and redirects the entire conversation. Sound familiar? If you're a high-achieving woman whose conversation impact doesn't match your leadership expertise, this episod...

09-12
14:24

121. The Strategic Off-Ramp: Your Guide to Planning Your Exit Strategy

Send us a text ➡️➡️➡️ Sign up for the Women’s Leadership Power Collective Are you tired of being the go-to crisis manager who never gets considered for senior leadership roles? Sick of watching your ideas get implemented with someone else's name attached? If you're a high-achieving woman who's done everything "right" but still feels invisible at work, this episode will change how you think about your career strategy forever. Host Kele Belton introduces a game-changing concept called "The Stra...

09-04
18:34

120. How to Rebuild Your Network After a Layoff | A Strategic Framework for Women Leaders

Send us a text ➡️➡️➡️ Sign up for the Women’s Leadership Power Collective Your LinkedIn feed is full of former colleagues celebrating promotions while you're still job searching. If you've been there, you know exactly how that punch in the gut feeling hits. If you've been avoiding networking because you're unsure of what to say or worry about seeming desperate, this episode is your roadmap back to confident, professional relationship building. In this episode of Communicate to Lead, host Kele...

08-28
22:10

119. Quiet Cracking: Why 54% of Workers Are Silently Breaking (And Women Are Hit Hardest)

Send us a text Your top performer just asked if you've heard of "quiet cracking"—and suddenly, this term is everywhere. Business Insider calls it the latest workplace buzzword. Fortune reports it's costing the global economy $8.9 trillion. But here's what the business media isn't telling you: Women are experiencing this workplace crisis at disproportionately higher rates, and the solutions being proposed completely miss the mark. What This Episode Covers: In this deep-dive analysis, communica...

08-21
25:38

118. Why Women Leaders Struggle to Delegate (And How to Fix It)

Send us a text Ever feel like you're drowning in tasks while thinking "it's faster to do it myself" than to delegate? You're protecting your team from extra work, yet somehow you're the one working late every night while strategic projects pile up untouched. If delegation feels impossible, like you're trapped between being seen as "too controlling" or "not supportive enough", you're experiencing a challenge unique to women in leadership, and it's fixable. In this episode of Communicate to Lea...

08-14
18:02

Compilation: 10 Communication Secrets Every Woman Leader Needs for High-Stakes Conversations

Send us a text Have you ever walked into a high-stakes meeting knowing you were right, but wondering if you could communicate your message with the authority and presence it deserves? If you've ever felt like your expertise gets lost in translation when the pressure is on, this episode will help you change how you show up in every crucial conversation. What This Episode Is About: This is a powerful compilation episode featuring the most essential communication insights I share with my clients...

08-07
18:03

Compilation: 7 Essential Leadership Skills Every Woman Leader Needs to Master | Leading With Clarity

Send us a text Have you ever felt like you have all the technical skills to succeed, but something is missing when it comes to actually leading your team? If you're ready to bridge the gap between being a great individual contributor and becoming an exceptional leader, this episode will give you the essential skills you need. This is a special compilation episode featuring the most powerful leadership insights and strategies I've shared with my clients on leading with clarity. We're diving de...

07-31
19:57

117. How to Deal with Difficult People: 4 Listening Techniques to Stay Calm and Lead Better

Send us a text You know that person at work who makes your stomach drop every time you see their name on your calendar? The colleague who drains your energy, the boss who criticizes everything, or that team member who turns every conversation into their personal drama session? What if the solution isn't avoiding them or fighting back, but learning a completely different way to listen? In this episode, I'm sharing four psychology-backed listening strategies that will help you handle difficult ...

07-24
21:41

116. How To Get Credit for Your Ideas Before Someone Else Does

Send us a text Ever shared a brilliant idea in a meeting only to watch a colleague get all the credit when they "suddenly" present the same concept weeks later? You're not alone, and you're about to learn exactly how to stop this career-damaging cycle. In this episode of Communicate to Lead, leadership expert Kele Belton reveals her proven I.D.E.A. Method. This strategic framework ensures that your ideas are heard, remembered, and, most importantly, credited to you. This isn't about being pus...

07-17
16:51

115. How to Network This Summer Without Being Pushy or Opportunistic (3 Scripts That Work)

Send us a text Ever frozen up when you spotted your CEO at the company summer picnic? You know it could be THE moment to make a meaningful connection, but your brain goes blank. Should you talk about work? Keep it casual? Pretend you don't see them? If you've struggled with that awkward tension between wanting to network and not wanting to be "that person" who turns every summer gathering into a LinkedIn opportunity, this episode will change everything. What This Episode Is About This episode...

07-10
18:07

114. How to Get Promoted in Q4: The Strategic RISE Method Every Woman Leader Needs to Know

Send us a text While your colleagues are mentally checking out for summer vacation, you could be quietly building the foundation for your next promotion. Discover the strategic approach that makes career advancement inevitable, not accidental. Host Kele Belton reveals the RISE Method – a four-step strategic framework specifically designed for women in leadership positions who want to position themselves for Q4 promotions. This isn't about working harder; it's about working smarter with a syst...

07-03
18:05

113. 4 Strategies to Advance Your Career When Your Manager Has Checked Out | Leading Up Masterclass

Send us a text Ever feel like you're trying to advance your career while your manager has mentally checked out? You're asking for feedback, but you're getting generic responses. You're bringing up development goals and hearing "we should talk about that" with no follow-through. If your once-engaged manager now seems to be just going through the motions, you're not alone, and more importantly, you're not stuck. In this episode of Communicate to Lead, host Kele Belton tackles one of...

06-26
23:34

112. Why Hard Work Won't Get You Promoted (5 Strategies That Actually Work)

Send us a text You've been working twice as hard as your colleagues, staying late, taking on extra projects, and being the ultimate team player. So why did someone with half your experience just get the promotion you deserved? If this scenario makes your stomach drop, you're not alone, and more importantly, you're about to discover exactly what's been holding you back. In this episode, you'll discover the five critical areas where promotions are won or lost, and why your excellent performance...

06-19
27:00

111. How to Ask for What You Want at Work Without Feeling Selfish

Send us a text Are you struggling to ask for a promotion, raise, or new opportunities without feeling selfish or demanding? In this episode, leadership communication expert Kele Belton reveals why 60% of women now negotiate their salaries but still face career advancement challenges—and how to change that with strategic advocacy. What you'll learn in the episode: The CLEAR Communication Framework for strategic workplace requestsWhy asking strategically matters more than just asking more often...

06-12
26:04

110. How to Turn Your Mid-Year Review Into Career Advancement (4-Step Framework)

Send us a text Are you tired of mid-year reviews that feel like wasted time? Transform your performance review from a routine check-in into a powerful career advancement tool with this strategic framework. In this episode of Communicate to Lead, host Kele Belton shares the four-step mid-year review framework that helps women in leadership positions accelerate their career growth and professional development. What You'll Learn: Why most mid-year reviews feel like wasted time (and the mindset s...

06-05
21:28

109. How to Get Promoted: The SCOUT Method for Finding Hidden Career Opportunities

Send us a text Are you tired of watching colleagues get promoted while you wait for opportunities to find you? In this episode, communication and leadership expert Kele Belton reveals The SCOUT Method—a 5-step framework to identify promotional opportunities before they're posted. Perfect for women navigating corporate leadership in competitive industries, this episode transforms how you approach career advancement from reactive to strategic. What You'll Learn: Why 80% of promotional dec...

05-29
26:40

108. How to Receive Feedback as a Leader Without Getting Defensive (Thanks for the Feedback Book Review + 4 Proven Strategies)

Send us a text Are you tired of feeling defensive every time someone says, "Can I give you some feedback?" In this episode, leadership communication expert Kele Belton dives deep into the bestselling book "Thanks for the Feedback" by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen, sharing actionable strategies that help women leaders receive feedback without getting defensive. What You'll Learn: The 3 feedback triggers that make leaders defensive (and how to overcome them)How to distinguish between appreciati...

05-22
20:02

107. 5 Powerful Scripts for Setting Boundaries Without Guilt | Leadership Communication Skills

Send us a text In this episode of Communicate to Lead, Kele Belton shares 5 practical boundary-setting scripts that help women leaders protect their time and energy without feeling guilty. Learn how to decline unnecessary meetings, redirect misaligned requests, manage your capacity, empower your team's decision-making, and set clear communication expectations. These word-for-word scripts will transform your leadership effectiveness while maintaining strong professional relationships. Wh...

05-15
27:42

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