The Workplace Communication Podcast

What does strength look like when pushing harder is no longer an option? For Nastasia Liavas, Vice President of Fitness Services at Fitness World and a breast cancer survivor, it meant rethinking everything she knew about strength after years of equating success with relentless drive and pushing herself to the limit.   She discovered that true strength isn't always about doing more. It's about knowing when to ask for help, stepping back before reaching a breaking point, and leading with both high expectations and empathy. Today, these lessons shape how she supports her team and recognizes that everyone needs something different to succeed.   On this episode of The Workplace Communication Podcast, we're talking with Nastasia Liavas, Vice President of Fitness Services at Fitness World, about redefining strength and what it means to lead with both high standards and genuine empathy. You'll hear why understanding employees as individuals, rather than expecting everyone to perform the same way, can help build stronger teams. Join us as we explore what it means to lead with strength without always having to push harder.   Leadership tips you won't want to miss:  🎙️ Redefining strength by recognizing when to ask for help and reset 🎙️ Balancing high performance expectations with genuine empathy and connection 🎙️ Adapting your leadership approach to individual needs and changing capacities 🎙️ Inspiring teams through shared purpose rather than authority and pressure 🎙️ Modelling vulnerability and accountability to build psychological safety   Nastasia Liavas is the Vice President of Fitness Services at Fitness World and a breast cancer survivor. Through her professional leadership experience and personal journey, she brings a thoughtful perspective on resilience, high performance, and the importance of putting people at the centre of leadership. Her approach challenges traditional ideas about strength and encourages leaders to create workplaces where people can perform, connect, and ask for support without fear of judgment.   If you're looking to build a high-performing team without losing sight of the people behind the performance, then this episode is for you!   If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe and leave a review.     🎧 Listen to the episode here: https://lindsaylapaquette.com/podcast/    For a full written transcript of the episode, please see the show notes at the link above.    Nastasia's contact information: Website LinkedIn  YouTube  Facebook  Instagram    Lindsay's contact information: To book a discovery call  E-mail Website Free e-course: Free Yourself from Workplace Confrontation and Conflict LinkedIn  Previous podcast episodes

When you're exhausted, frustrated, or under pressure, how do you keep your reaction from making a difficult situation even harder? That question comes up every day at work. Whether you're receiving difficult feedback, navigating conflict, or managing a stressed team, emotional intelligence plays a role in what happens next.   As an organizational development expert, Eric Herdman helps leaders strengthen communication, resilience, relationships, and team culture. After decades of ultra-endurance competition, Eric discovered that managing yourself through the physical and mental highs and lows of a race has a lot in common with staying effective when things get uncomfortable at work. He brings a practical perspective to why emotional intelligence is about more than being "nice" - it's about becoming aware of what's happening within ourselves and choosing how we respond.   On this episode of The Workplace Communication Podcast, we're talking with Eric Herdman, Organizational Development Expert at Eric Herdman, LLC, about what emotional intelligence really looks like in everyday leadership. You'll learn how self-awareness, emotional regulation, and awareness of others can shape communication, trust, relationships, and team performance. Eric also explains why emotional intelligence isn't fixed, and how leaders can strengthen it through awareness, feedback, and practice.    Leadership tips you won't want to miss:  🎙️ Recognizing what's happening within you before responding under pressure 🎙️ Creating space between an emotional trigger and your reaction 🎙️ Noticing the difference between your intentions and your impact on others 🎙️ Seeking feedback to uncover blind spots and strengthen self-awareness 🎙️ Practicing emotional intelligence as a skill that can grow over time   Eric Herdman is an organizational development expert and entrepreneur who delivers instructional workshops focused on leadership skills, communication, resilience, relationships, and team culture. He has worked with businesses, associations, and organizations for more than three decades, both in person and virtually. Outside of his professional work, Eric spent more than 38 years competing as an ultra-endurance athlete, completing 103 triathlons, 6 marathons, and 35 ultra-marathons. He has also held course records in several endurance events and completed 24-hour races, including the Ultimate Treadmill Challenge.   If you're looking to strengthen your emotional intelligence and respond more effectively under pressure, then this episode is for you!   If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe and leave a review.     🎧 Listen to the episode here: https://lindsaylapaquette.com/podcast/    For a full written transcript of the episode, please see the show notes at the link above.    Guest's contact information: Website LinkedIn  YouTube  Facebook  Instagram    Lindsay's contact information: To book a discovery call  E-mail Website Free e-course: Free Yourself from Workplace Confrontation and Conflict LinkedIn  Previous podcast episodes

What can a Super Bowl sideline reporter teach us about making better decisions at work? Quite a bit, as it turns out.    Jen Mueller has spent more than 25 years on the sidelines covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more, where split-second decisions, clear communication, and trust can make all the difference. But the same principles that help a sports team make the right call can also help leaders empower their teams to make confident decisions when things don't go according to plan.   On this episode of The Workplace Communication Podcast, we're talking with Jen Mueller, Keynote Speaker, Communication Strategist, and Sports Broadcaster at Talk Sporty to Me about what it really takes to empower people to make decisions without waiting for permission. You'll learn why confidence alone isn't enough, how clear boundaries and context can help people take ownership, and why leaders need to stop playing not to lose and start creating the conditions for their teams to play to win.   Leadership tips you won't want to miss:  🎙️ Empowering your team with clear guardrails instead of vague encouragement 🎙️ Defining what failure looks like so people can make decisions with confidence 🎙️ Building trust through small, intentional moments of connection 🎙️ Embracing action over perfection to keep decisions moving forward   Jen is a veteran sideline reporter for the Seattle Seahawks and a longtime member of the Seattle Mariners' TV broadcast team. As the founder of Talk Sporty to Me, she translates the communication strategies she's learned in professional sports into practical insights for business professionals. Her work focuses on helping leaders communicate more intentionally, build stronger relationships, and recognize the impact that small actions can have on a team.   If you're looking to empower your team to make better decisions, then this episode is for you!   If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe and leave a review.     🎧 Listen to the episode here: https://lindsaylapaquette.com/podcast/    For a full written transcript of the episode, please see the show notes at the link above.    Guest's contact information: Website  LinkedIn YouTube Facebook Instagram Other   Lindsay's contact information: To book a discovery call  E-mail Website Free e-course: Free Yourself from Workplace Confrontation and Conflict LinkedIn  Previous podcast episodes   #Leadership #AuthenticLeadership #TeamEmpowerment #LeadershipDecisionMaking #BecomeTheLeader #Podcast 

You've probably sat through a meeting where someone read directly off their slides, and you checked out within minutes.   Now flip that perspective. As a leader, how often are you focused on what you're saying, but not how you're showing up?   Andy Freed has spent years helping leaders rethink that exact gap. As Chairman of Virtual, Inc. and author of Lead Like the Boss, Andy challenges the idea that leadership is just about delivering information. Instead, he frames it as a performance; one where your presence, energy, and intention are always on display, whether you realize it or not.   On this episode of The Workplace Communication Podcast, we're talking with Andy Freed, Chairman of Virtual, Inc., about why leadership is a performance and how being more intentional about how you show up can transform the way your message is received. Join us as we learn how to move beyond surface-level communication and create real connection, why emotional impact matters just as much as clarity, and how small, everyday behaviors can either build or quietly erode trust.   Leadership tips you won't want to miss:  🎙️ Defining what you want people to think, feel, and do before you speak 🎙️ Ditching "business karaoke" and speaking to people, not slides 🎙️ Managing your presence in small moments, not just big ones 🎙️ Showing intentional appreciation to strengthen trust and team culture   Andy Freed is Chairman of Virtual, Inc., a strategic consulting, marketing, and professional services firm that partners with mission-driven organizations across technology, healthcare, financial services, and life sciences. He is also the author of LEAD LIKE THE BOSS, where he helps leaders show up with clarity, presence, and impact when it matters most.   If you're looking to communicate with more intention and show up in a way that truly resonates, then this episode is for you.   If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe and leave a review.     🎧 Listen to the episode here: https://lindsaylapaquette.com/podcast/    For a full written transcript of the episode, please see the show notes at the link above.    Andy Freed's contact information:  Website Book LinkedIn YouTube  Facebook Twitter Instagram   Lindsay's contact information: To book a discovery call  E-mail Website LinkedIn  Previous podcast episodes

In today's workplaces, leadership is often defined by decisiveness, efficiency, and constant action. But what happens when those expectations disconnect us from ourselves?   Andrea Menard has spent her life challenging that imbalance. As a Métis performer, speaker, and founder of the Sacred Feminine Learning Lodge, her work brings forward a different way of leading; one that honours the parts of ourselves we've been taught to ignore. From the stage to the screen to her latest Sacred Feminine wisdom cards, Andrea's work is rooted in one core belief: we are meant to lead as whole human beings.   On this episode of The Workplace Communication Podcast, we're talking with Andrea Menard, Performer, Speaker, Founder at Sacred Feminine Learning Lodge about redefining leadership through balance, bringing Indigenous wisdom into the workplace, and creating more sustainable and human-centered ways of working. Join us as we learn how to recognize when "business as usual" is no longer working, how to listen to the body's signals, and how to lead in a way that supports both performance and well-being.   Leadership tips you won't want to miss:  🎙️ Listening to your body's signals and recognizing physical cues as critical leadership data 🎙️ Embracing the power of the circle to create more inclusive and balanced decision-making 🎙️ Prioritizing rest and grounding to support clarity, focus, and sustainable performance 🎙️ Leading with intention and reciprocity instead of operating from an extraction mindset   Andrea Menard is an accomplished Métis performer, TEDx speaker, wellness trainer, and the founder of the Sacred Feminine Learning Lodge. Andrea dedicates her life and work to empowering both the Indigenous and the Feminine voice through song, story, activism, training, and healing.   If you're looking to create a more human, balanced, and sustainable approach to leadership, then this episode is for you!   If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe and leave a review.     🎧 Listen to the episode here: https://lindsaylapaquette.com/podcast/    For a full written transcript of the episode, please see the show notes at the link above.    Andrea Menard's contact information: Website Book LinkedIn YouTube Facebook Twitter Instagram Other   Lindsay's contact information:  To book a discovery call  E-mail Website LinkedIn  Previous podcast episodes