The Hard Skills
By Dr. Mira Brancu
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Category: Management
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Episodes: 134
Description
Welcome to “The Hard Skills” podcast, a practical and research-driven show that explores the core leadership skills needed to fuel leadership to activate real change, such as creating inclusive and healthy workplaces.
Through expert interviews and live coaching calls, we challenge the notion of "soft skills," question long-held but inaccurate leadership development beliefs, and offer real, practical solutions for complex leadership challenges.
Hosted by Dr. Mira Brancu, a clinical and organizational development psychologist with extensive leadership experience, we’ll delve into topics of leadership identity, leading with uncertainty, navigating workplace politics, and creating critical organizational change.
This podcast will especially appeal to high-achieving leaders in healthcare, tech, and academic, industries. Whether you're seeking personal growth, looking to enhance your leadership abilities, or interested in Dr. Brancu's coaching services and membership community, join us as we unravel the complexities of leadership and inspire you to embrace the hard skills.
| Episode | Date |
|---|---|
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Why Leaders need to lead with both empathy and courage in 2026, with Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham
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May 12, 2026 |
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How Courageous Followership Creates Better Leaders And Governments, with Ira Chaleff
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May 05, 2026 |
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Stop Telling Your Team to Move On (You're Making It Worse) (The Three-Part Workplace Grief Series)
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Apr 28, 2026 |
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EXECUTIVE COACH EXPLAINS: How Humor Makes You a Better Leader, with Dr. Paul Damiano
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Apr 21, 2026 |
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Using Humor as a Powerful Resiliency and Connection Tool, with Dr. Daniel Cruz Lattimore
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Apr 14, 2026 |
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5 Steps to Stop Feeling Like You're “Never Enough" (Lead with Agency Part 3)
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Apr 07, 2026 |
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10 Leadership Habits Costing You Your Health (Lead with Agency Pt. 2)
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Mar 31, 2026 |
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Why 'Fixing Women' is the Biggest Lie in Leadership (Lead with Agency Pt. 1)
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Mar 24, 2026 |
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The Science and Future of Great Coaching, with BetterUp’s Chief Coaching Officer, Dr. Woodward
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Mar 17, 2026 |
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My Top Mentoring and Networking Tips for Career Success
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Mar 10, 2026 |
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The 5-Step Career Leap Checklist
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Mar 03, 2026 |
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How to Build a Career That Actually Serves Your Life, with Dr. Sharon Hull
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Feb 24, 2026 |
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Culture Isn’t Soft: How it Fuels Scalable Growth, with Rebecca Jenkins
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Feb 17, 2026 |
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How to Stop Decision Fatigue Without Losing Opportunities
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Feb 12, 2026 |
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7 Steps to Escape the "Expert's Dilemma" (No Fluff)
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Feb 10, 2026 |
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3 Hidden Mechanisms That Can Break Your Success
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Feb 03, 2026 |
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Leave the Black Hole Reactivity Vortex and Get Strategic Clarity
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Jan 27, 2026 |
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"Spicier Things": Talking Leadership and Learning Over a Hot Sauce Lunch
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Jan 20, 2026 |
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4 Steps to Heal a Broken Team (A Grief Framework) (Ambiguous Grief, Part 3)
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Jan 13, 2026 |
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3 Leadership Mistakes That Cause "Quiet Quitting" (Ambiguous Grief, Part 2)
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Jan 06, 2026 |
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From "Quiet Quitting" to Engaged: The Missing Link (Ambiguous Grief: Part 1)
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Dec 30, 2025 |
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Career Storytelling: 20 Years in the Talent Trenches, with Matt Paddock
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Dec 15, 2025 |
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Why Your Best Advice Backfires (and How Humble Inquiry Can Help), with Peter Schein
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Dec 02, 2025 |
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How to Lead Strategically When the World is On Fire, with Dr. Jill Goldenziel
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Nov 18, 2025 |
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From Surviving to Thriving Using Micro-Adjustments, with Julie Fischer
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Oct 21, 2025 |
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Beyond Productivity: The Missing Piece to AI Adoption, with Wayne Williams
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Oct 07, 2025 |
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When Micro-Actions Aren't Enough to Solve Big Burnout (Burnout Part 4)
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Sep 26, 2025 |
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The Leadership Capacity Paradox: Building Others' Capacity Without Burning Out Your Own (Burnout Part 3)
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Sep 24, 2025 |
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Inclusive Leadership: Grieving, Healing, Evolving, with Jennifer Brown
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Sep 23, 2025 |
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The Responsiveness Trap: When Being 'Available' Makes You Unavailable for What Matters (Burnout Part 2)
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Sep 22, 2025 |
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The Yes Addiction: Why High Achievers Can't Say No (Burnout Part 1)
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Sep 20, 2025 |
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Am I Becoming a Bad Boss?, with Mita Mallick
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Sep 09, 2025 |
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Daily Habits of Extraordinary People, with Noi Ha Nguyen
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Aug 26, 2025 |
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Saving Workplace Trust in the Tech Era, with Dr. Cameron Stockdale
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Aug 19, 2025 |
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The Blind Spots That Sink Leaders, with Nancy Parsons
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Aug 12, 2025 |
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Harnessing Conflict Without Losing Trust or Control, with Alexandra Prassas
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Aug 05, 2025 |
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Mentorship As a Revolution, with Dr. Deborah Heiser
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Jul 29, 2025 |
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Behind the Scenes: 100 Episodes, 22 Lessons Learned
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Jul 22, 2025 |
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Flawed Systems, Fierce Lessons: Inside Sports Leadership, with Dr. Erianne A. Weight
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Jul 15, 2025 |
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Should I Endure or Move On? with Dr. Sonja Batten
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Jul 08, 2025 |
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What We Overlook When Measuring Organizational Success, with Dr. Mark L. Vincent
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Jul 01, 2025 |
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Lead Without Losing Yourself, with Tina Parker
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Jun 24, 2025 |
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A New Burnout-Proof Productivity Formula, with Emma Browning
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Jun 17, 2025 |
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Balancing Truth-Telling with Diplomacy
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Jun 03, 2025 |
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Building Leadership Skills Across Cultures in Uncertain Times, with Thomas Gelmi
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May 27, 2025 |
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Endurance Leadership, with Dr. Ann Bowers-Evangelista
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May 20, 2025 |
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How to Mitigate, Prepare, Respond, and Recover from Crisis, with Stephanie Craig
|
May 06, 2025 |
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The Structures that Shape Workplace Culture and Safety, with Dr. Gabriela Alcalde
|
Apr 29, 2025 |
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The Most Effective Performance Feedback Strategies, with Drs. Nowack and Mashihi
|
Apr 22, 2025 |
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7 Leadership Mistakes Revealed by 1000 Executive Coaches, with Dr. Brian Underhill
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Apr 15, 2025 |
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3 Ways Introverted Leaders Can Master Workplace Politics, with Cynthia Pong, JD
|
Apr 08, 2025 |
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Giving Voice to Values: Translating Values into Action, with Mary Gentile
|
Apr 01, 2025 |
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Deep Listening: How to Have Better Meetings and Less Conflict, with Oscar Trimboli
|
Mar 25, 2025 |
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Navigating the Belonging Paradox: Culture, Crises, and Relationships, with Dr. Otito
|
Mar 18, 2025 |
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Girding Resiliency Through Spiritual Practices, with Linda Marsanico
|
Mar 11, 2025 |
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Professional Equity: How to Take Charge of Your Career, with Dr. Karen
|
Mar 04, 2025 |
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When the Soul Feels Heavy: Healing from Moral Injury with Dr. Byrne
|
Feb 25, 2025 |
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Client Q&A: Empower Your Team and Maintain Morale in the Face of Fear and Uncertainty
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Feb 18, 2025 |
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Explicit Expectations: Better Navigate Work Relationships and Politics
|
Feb 11, 2025 |
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How Much Does Identity and Culture Matter and Shaping Team Dynamics and Outcomes?
|
Feb 04, 2025 |
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Feedback with Finesse: Mastering the Science of Constructive Coversations
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Jan 28, 2025 |
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Overcoming 6 Unhelpful Mindsets That Hold High-Achieving Women Back
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Jan 21, 2025 |
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The Power & Pitfalls of Sponsorship
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Jan 14, 2025 |
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Client Q&A: Helping Your Team Manage Change Through Feedback, Boundaries, and Prepping
|
Jan 07, 2025 |
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From Strategy to Impact: Catalyzing Change and Communication for Hybrid Organizations, with Katy Herr Hew
|
Dec 17, 2024 |
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Frameworks to Improve Your Influencing and Communication Skills, with Zachary Ames
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Dec 10, 2024 |
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Celebrating the Launch of the Millennials' Workbook for Navigating Workplace Politics!
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Dec 03, 2024 |
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The Body Knows: Trauma-Informed Strategies to Shape a More Human-Centered World, with Laura Phoenix
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Nov 26, 2024 |
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How to Navigate Tensions, Paradoxes, and Core Dilemmas of Inclusive Leadership, with Dr. Bernardo Ferdman
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Nov 19, 2024 |
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When Should Leaders Increase Visibility Using Thought Leadership?, with Emily Crookston
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Nov 12, 2024 |
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Client Q&A: "How Can I Better Regulate My emotions When I Get Triggered at Work?"
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Oct 29, 2024 |
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Empowering Economic Development in Underserved Areas, with Dionne McGee
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Oct 22, 2024 |
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Actionable Strategies to Maximize Your Impact Without More Time, with David Shriner-Cahn
|
Oct 15, 2024 |
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The Missing Pieces to Building Inclusion: Is Your Organization “REDI”? with Dr. Gena Cox
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Oct 08, 2024 |
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How To Retrain Our Brain To Address Toxic Divisiveness (and Save Humanity!) with Dana Ackley
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Oct 01, 2024 |
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How Team Empowerment Models Impact Large-Scale Outcomes, with Lorraine Margherita
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Sep 24, 2024 |
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How to Build an Impact Business Without Burning Out, with Rebekah Miel
|
Sep 17, 2024 |
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Leadership Presence Preparation: Unlocking Joy and Impact Under Pressure with Christopher Rawden
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Sep 10, 2024 |
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Is My Community Facing Social Justice Cannibalism? with Dr. Kim Case
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Sep 03, 2024 |
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The Impact of Self-Care: How to Lead Employees Toward Well-Being, with Taylor Elyse Morrison
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Aug 27, 2024 |
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Making a Greater Impact Through Great Job and Team Design, with Andrés Peters
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Aug 20, 2024 |
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Making a Greater Impact in Your First 90 Days in a New Leadership Role, with Nancy Harris
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Aug 13, 2024 |
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8 Indicators of Whether Coaching Could Help You Make A Greater Leadership Impact, with John Reed
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Aug 06, 2024 |
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Celebrating 50 Episodes & How to Create Lasting Leadership Impact Through Group Coaching
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Jul 30, 2024 |
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Fit in, Stand out, and Oh Yeah, Be Yourself: Embrace the Paradox of Complex Workplace Identities
|
Jul 23, 2024 |
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Unpacking Intersectional Feminism, Mental Health, and Advocacy, with Christian F. Nunes
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Jul 16, 2024 |
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The Four Timeless Roles of a Leader and How They Address Universal Human Needs, with Dr. Jamie Ramsden
|
Jul 09, 2024 |
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Navigating the Complexity of Managing Up, Down and All Around
|
Jul 02, 2024 |
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Integrating Technology with People and Processes into Thoughtful Business Strategy
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Jun 25, 2024 |
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How Responsive Leadership Can Help You Navigate Complexity, with Dr. Callandrillo
|
Jun 18, 2024 |
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Navigating the Complex Health Care System Labyrinth, with Frank R. Harrison
|
Jun 11, 2024 |
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How Leaders Can Enhance Trust and Create a Resilience Culture, with Dr. Ken Nowack
|
Jun 04, 2024 |
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Where to Start: The Importance of Sequencing in Leadership Strategies
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May 28, 2024 |
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How to Address the Traumatic Experiences of Leadership
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May 21, 2024 |
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Client Q&A: When and How to Say No, Manage Up, Adjust Work Relationships, & Future-Proof Your Career
|
May 14, 2024 |
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How to Develop a Compass to Navigate Complexity and Unknowns
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May 07, 2024 |
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How to Cultivate Your Professional Identity to Strategically Map Your Career
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Apr 30, 2024 |
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Strategically Designing A Career That Matters: A Lifetime Toolkit
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Apr 23, 2024 |
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How to Strategically Optimize Your Work Performance, Resilience and Mental Health
|
Apr 16, 2024 |
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At Your Core: How to Lead with Intention, Authenticity and Integrity
|
Apr 09, 2024 |
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From Idea to Impact: Mapping Out Your Leadership Strategy
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Apr 02, 2024 |
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Mastering the Expecting Parent Experience: Mapping a Strategy to Retain This Top Talent Demographic
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Mar 26, 2024 |
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The Power of Adaptive Planning and Creativity in Strategic Decision-Making
|
Mar 19, 2024 |
|
Authenticity Life Audit: When and Why it Matters in Your Career
|
Mar 12, 2024 |
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How to Stay on Track in Your Career Growth in the Face of Obstacles and Uncertainties
|
Mar 05, 2024 |
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How Leaders Add Strategic Value
|
Feb 27, 2024 |
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Mapping a Leadership Strategy Using Smart Assessments for Insight-Building
|
Feb 20, 2024 |
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How Organizations Can Harness the Energy of Belonging
|
Feb 13, 2024 |
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Who Drives Your Leadership Identity?
|
Feb 06, 2024 |
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How to Leverage Technology While Staying Authentic as a Leader
|
Jan 30, 2024 |
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Embracing Your Leadership: How to Step into Your Power with Mentorship & Actionable Steps
|
Jan 23, 2024 |
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From Margin to Mattering: How To Lead Neurodivergently
|
Jan 16, 2024 |
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Your Leadership Signature: Mapping Your Personal Pursuit of Influence and Impact
|
Jan 09, 2024 |
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Ringing in the New Year with Towerscope Leadership Academy Founding Member Insights
|
Jan 02, 2024 |
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How Women in Senior Leadership Roles Lead with Impact & Authority
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Dec 12, 2023 |
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How to Build Bridges in a Polarized World
|
Dec 05, 2023 |
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Self-Reinvention: Thinking Strategically About Your Career
|
Nov 28, 2023 |
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Using Your Core Values to Build Your Leadership Identity and Team Culture
|
Nov 21, 2023 |
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Becoming Coachable: Unleashing the Power of Executive Coaching to Transform Your Leadership
|
Nov 14, 2023 |
|
Authenticity vs Authority: The Tricky Balance of Mastering Both
|
Nov 07, 2023 |
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Having Crucial Conversations: A Live Coaching Session for People-Pleasers and Neurodiverse Leaders
|
Oct 31, 2023 |
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Leading with Emotional Intelligence and Strength
|
Oct 24, 2023 |
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How to Combat Ageism and Regain Confidence in Middle Age, with Nori Jabba
|
Oct 20, 2023 |
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How to use Subtle Strength and Motivational Capital to Navigate Nebulous Organizational Politics, with Rob Fazio
|
Oct 13, 2023 |
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Journey Through Uncertainty: The Path to Global Tech and Philanthropy with Olivia Nadasan
|
Oct 06, 2023 |
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The Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions the Workforce Needs to Face an Uncertain World
|
Sep 29, 2023 |
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Navigating Leadership Role Changes During Uncertain Times
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Sep 22, 2023 |
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Unlocking Leadership Amidst Uncertainty: When Your Gut is Compromised, with Dr. Vanessa Roddenberry
|
Sep 15, 2023 |
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Leading with Uncertainty in Engaging in DEI Efforts - with Dr. Rehman Abdulrehman
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Sep 08, 2023 |
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How To Counteract (Unhelpful) Societal Messages When Leading With Uncertainty, With Dr. Patti Weiter
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Aug 25, 2023 |
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Embracing Uncertainty: The Benefits Of Leading With Ambiguity
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Aug 18, 2023 |
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Self-Trust & Uncertainty
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Aug 11, 2023 |
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When To Take A Risk Even If You Don’t Have A Complete Plan
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Aug 04, 2023 |
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Introducing: The Hard Skills Show!
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Jul 28, 2023 |