Everyday Leadership for Smart Women
115 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 14 ratingsThe Everyday Leadership for Smart Women podcast is here to help you be a better, braver leader.
Each episode we explore leadership insights, ideas and actions you can take to strengthen your courage, develop your capacity and create sustainable growth.
Our mission is to support women entrepreneurs, business owners, professionals and executives with values-driven tools, mindset shifts and skills needed to thrive in an ever-changing world.
*Formerly: The Rise without Compromise podcast
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Episodes
#112 - It's not what you say that matters
November 18, 2022 17:55 - 16 minutes - 17.6 MB“What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.” ~Emerson One of the basic tenets of most parenting advice is that kids will do what you do, not what you tell them to do. If you yell and scream when angry, they’ll be more likely to yell and scream when angry (even when you tell them not to). If you talk about people behind their backs, they’ll be more likely to talk about people behind their backs (even when you tell them not to). And conversely, if you recover from mist...
#111 - What's obvious to you may not be to everyone else
November 03, 2022 20:59 - 9 minutes - 19.8 MBHello Captain Obvious! Four years. Or maybe longer because to be honest, I’ve lost track. Let’s just go with four years. That’s how long I’ve been using Notion to power my…well, everything. Now before you non-Notion users delete this message, I promise it’s not really about Notion. Notion plays a secondary role in my repeat performance of, “Captain Obvious, starring Steph.” This isn’t really about Notion, the tool. It’s about Notion, the idea. This week I launched the first iss...
BONUS Crossover Episode - Intro to Rest
October 02, 2022 16:29 - 25 minutes - 26.1 MBWelcome to this special crossover episode! Today I bring you an episode of The Happier Approach - an amazing podcast by my dear friend, Nancy Jane Smith. She invited me to her show to kick off a new series about rest, and I thought you'd enjoy it too! We talk about the different kinds of rest, why the pandemic really shook up our understanding of rest and hustle, and how tricky it can be to give ourselves permission to rest -- even when we know we need it. You can find Nancy's po...
#110 - Great leaders demonstrate these 5 traits
September 21, 2022 20:13 - 25 minutes - 25.3 MBWhat makes a great leader? You don’t have to look far to find any number of think pieces and social posts declaring the strategies, tactics and traits leaders need to develop and grow to be effective. Today, I’m wading into this conversation with the five traits I’ve come to believe are critical to help leaders lead well. Here they are at-a-glance: A willingess to interogate their own thinking, beliefs and assumptions. A belief that there is enough success and opportunity to go arou...
To everything there is a season
September 13, 2022 20:52 - 21 minutes - 23.4 MBHello and welcome back to the show! In today's episode, I give you a raw, behind-the-scenes look at leadership in real life -- or put another way, the tricky season I've been navigating lately and why I had to step away from the podcast for a while. If you are looking for my regular actionable leadership insights - come back for the next episode. But if you're feeling it too - or in a season that's asking a lot, listen in. AND - interested in the Notion Leader O.S. I mentioned at ...
#108 - "I can't talk about this with just anyone."
May 02, 2022 22:29 - 18 minutes - 19.3 MBIn today's episode, we talk about loneliness in leadership. Because it's a real thing, and it's often under-acknowledged. Let's talk about it. Recommended Resources: Join LEAD.Well – a community of practice for women who want to be better, braver leaders Basecamp, Rachel Hollis, Human-Centered Leadership, and Vulnerability Hangovers A behind-the-scenes look at LEAD.Well Book a complimentary call with me The world needs your leadership
#107 - Who gets to be a leader?
April 25, 2022 22:58 - 16 minutes - 17.2 MBWho gets to be a leader? Short answer: you do. More nuanced answer: you do, and here’s why you might not automatically see yourself that way. Recommended Resources: Join LEAD.Well – a community of practice for women who want to be better, braver leaders Be the author of your own ambition A behind-the-scenes look at LEAD.Well Book a complimentary call with me The world needs your leadership
#106 - Be the author of your own ambition
April 22, 2022 02:35 - 19 minutes - 20.3 MBIf I’m honest, a big reason I got (and have stayed) off Instagram since June 2020 is because I’m easily influenced by other’s ambitions. As I would scroll my feed, passively watching post after post go by of someone’s perfectly curated version of success, I’d find myself wanting things I hadn’t ever considered wanting or second-guessing the plans and desires I’d already thought were iron clad. It took me way too long to realize that spending time engaging in other people’s plans inevitab...
#105 - A behind-the-scenes look at LEAD.Well
April 01, 2022 19:41 - 44 minutes - 43.3 MBLeadership is a practice, not a position. This is our guiding principle inside LEAD.Well, my community of practice for women looking to become better, braver everyday leaders. What began as essentially a paid newsletter has now become a thoughtful, curious community of practice for women and non-binary folks to reflect, develop and practice their leadership. Today, I’m taking you behind-the-scenes, sharing about LEAD.Well’s origin story, how it’s changed and evolved over the years (th...
#104 - Nekolina Lau Gives a Leg Up
March 18, 2022 02:58 - 1 hour - 57.9 MB"It's not about my ambition for my team members; it's about me supporting them with theirs." Nekolina is the manager any employee would love to have. As the Director of Communications for ATB Financial, Nekolina leads a team of 10. Unlike many managers who get promoted based on their technical skills, but struggle with leading people, Nekolina has made it her life's work to be an empathetic, people-first leader. In this episode, we explore her leadership philosophy of 'giving a leg up,...
#103 - The Counter-Intuitive Case for Slow Leadership
February 02, 2022 04:07 - 29 minutes - 29.8 MBIn our fast-paced, 24/7 world of hot takes and endless opportunities, what might be available for us if we slowed everything down and took a moment instead? When we think about leaders, we often think about ambitious, always-on-the go busy professionals moving from project to project. And while that’s often true and certainly supports making a lot of big things happen, often leaders can benefit by slowing down just enough to then speed up. In today’s episode, we’ll be talking about three...
#102 - A 3-part framework to create a sustainable plan this year
January 25, 2022 23:42 - 41 minutes - 40 MBTired of setting goals, crafting master plans and elaborate task lists that aren’t sustainable over the long-haul? Over the years I’ve had a love-hate relationship with goal setting. While it’s true that nothing feels better than having a sense of clarity and a calendar full of milestones and metrics to meet, I’ve come to realize that for most of us, it doesn’t work well long term. Things change, our environments change, our desires change and our situations change. And when we’ve got comp...
#101 - Leader Spotlight - Heidi Johnson's Journey to Leadership
January 14, 2022 05:24 - 59 minutes - 55.7 MBNot every road to leadership is a straight one. For Heidi Johnson, her journey to leadership took a few twists and turns before she really sunk into seeing herself as a leader. Now, after 10 years in business – including some pretty major pivots along the way – Heidi is doing work that’s meaningful and that aligns deeply with her core values. And that’s what we discuss in today’s Leader Spotlight. Heidi and I talk about the importance of values – and how she uses her values to steer and ...
#100 - Celebrating episode #100, a name change and what's ahead
January 14, 2022 00:55 - 13 minutes - 14.5 MBWe’re celebrating 100 episodes! It’s a big day over here as we celebrate our 100th episode. It’s been a a winding road to get here, but I’m proud that we’re still going strong considering most podcasts fade after 7-10 episodes. Thank you to everyone who’s been with me since the beginning, and everyone who has joined along the way. Listen in to hear some of the changes afoot - including our new name. Recommended Resources: #099 – We need a different definition of leadership J...
We Need a Different Definition of Leadership
December 08, 2021 20:44 - 23 minutes - 24.2 MBWe've traditionally defined leadership in too limiting a way for the challenges we face. We now need a different definition of leadership. In today's episode, we talk about a different way of talking about leadership - one that invites everyone to the table. Enjoy the episode! Recommended Resources: Join LEAD.Well – a community of practice for women who want to be better, braver leaders Click here for the written version to read or share. #094: Leader Spotlight: Kourtney Branag...
#098 - Leader Spotlight: Victoria Smith is Leading in the Margins
November 17, 2021 01:51 - 1 hour - 70.3 MBVictoria Smith is leading in the margins. Throughout the early months of the pandemic, while most of us were stocking up on toilet paper and watching Tiger King, Victoria was parenting two young children, working a full-time job, running a business, moving provinces and, wait for it...writing and publishing a book. But she's the first to say it wasn't easy or without sacrifice. In this episode, we talk about how she made it all fit (and how she redefined the metrics that mattered) and wh...
#097 - Two ways we experience discomfort and how it impacts our leadership
October 14, 2021 21:01 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MB“Taking on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse, isn’t it? If you’re comfortable while you’re doing it, you’re probably doing it wrong.” ~Ted Lasso Let’s talk about being uncomfortable. In my mind, there are two ways we can experience discomfort in our lives, our work and our leadership. In today's episode, we'll talk about these two kinds of discomfort, and I'll offer up five strategies to help you move through them. Enjoy the episode! Recommended Resources: Pre...
#096 - How to be a leader worth following
October 08, 2021 04:18 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBThis is a podcast version of my Leadership Letters, published October 7th, 2021. You can subscribe to get the full letter including additional links, resources and tools for leaders here. *SPECIAL PRE-SALE OFFER: As mentioned in today's episode, I have a special pre-sale going on until October 13, 2021, for my new private newsletter course, "Design your Leadership Operating System." If you'd like to better understand who you are as a leader, where you're headed and how you'l...
#095 - Beyond productivity hacks & pretty planners, focus is really about this.
October 01, 2021 19:12 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBWhen we talk about focus, we often talk about strategies and tactics to minimize distraction, clarify priorities and “do the work.” We say to ourselves that if we could just get it together and stay focused on what matters, everything would improve. What’s often overlooked is that focus isn’t really just about priorities or habits or time blocking, is that courage is really about this… Enjoy the episode -- Recommended Resources: Our ordinary breakfast: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mu...
#094 - Leader Spotlight: Kourtney Branagan's Run for Office
September 23, 2021 18:06 - 1 hour - 69.1 MBIn today's episode, I bring you a special Leader Spotlight with community builder and local political candidate, Kourtney Branagan. Listen in as we talk about her journey to running for local office, why more women don't run, and how she manages the ups and downs of public life. This is a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation with a smart, brave woman. I hope you enjoy it! Recommended Resources: Visit Kourtney's campaign website Connect with Kourtney on Twitter Connect w...
For the Exhausted
September 20, 2021 22:35 - 15 minutes - 14.4 MBThanks for listening to the Rise without Compromise Podcast. Today I'm talking to you if you're feeling exhausted, depleted or just plain tired. Here are the links mentioned in today's episode. Recommended Resources: Sign up to receive my weekly Leadership Letters In praise of micro moves The question I keep asking myself this season Decision fatigue is real. And I have it. What you need to get about decision fatigue Join LEAD.Well – a community of practice for women ...
Are you following the old rules, or creating new ones?
March 04, 2021 23:53 - 22 minutes - 22.4 MBThe show is back! I'm thrilled to be back on the mic, and in your earbuds. This episode is an audio version, with bonus riffs, of my weekly Leadership Letter newsletter. You can sign up to get the full letter, including added curated content for leaders, over at StephaniePollock.com The original essay first appeared here.
Close the gaps
May 29, 2020 00:22 - 9 minutes - 10.7 MB“The most important possible thing you can do, is do a lot of work.” ~Ira Glass Over my years in coaching, I’ve heard many, many stories about something being ‘too hard’ or ‘too overwhelming’. And I’ve heard stories like, “I’m just not good at technology” or “I can’t ever seem to figure out how to launch my new thing,” a million times. What I want to remind you of today is that what you tell yourself about your work will inform how you experience your work. If you tell yourself that...
How to have meaningful online meetings
May 22, 2020 23:03 - 34 minutes - 33.7 MBPeople will thank you if you created good rules, because otherwise it’s awkward, and you’re leaving everyone to figure them out on their own. ~Priya Parker Over the past few months, tens of thousands of meetings that would otherwise be conducted in boardrooms, coffee shops, libraries and dining room tables are now being held virtually – over Zoom, Google Meets and Microsoft Meetings. And while current technology allows for connection and continued business communications now more than e...
Embrace your humanness
May 07, 2020 03:18 - 11 minutes - 12.9 MB“The courage to be vulnerable is not about winning or losing, it’s about the courage to show up when you can’t predict or control the outcome.” Brené Brown Yesterday, while cooking my seven thousandth meal in the past few weeks, I was listening to one of my favourite podcasts, NPR Politics. These hosts, who have been in my earbuds for years, are now recording from home – trying to produce a high-quality news show, while toddlers climb up their desk chairs and dogs bark in the backgrou...
Notice these moments
May 05, 2020 02:58 - 11 minutes - 11 MBFaith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness and discomfort, and letting it be there until some light returns. Anne Lamott As we find ourselves in the middle of this global pandemic; past the shock and awe of those first few weeks of the shutdown and quarantining, yet still months away from anything that looks like 'normal,' I've been thinking about what we can notice about our experiences, right now. The conversations I'm having with friends, family and clients are ones around the fu...
Use your margins
April 30, 2020 03:40 - 14 minutes - 14.5 MBAll we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. J.R.R. Tolkien As we all navigate working from home, with partners and kids, and new learning curves – it’s easy to find ourselves feeling foggy, scattered and completely unfocused. Given that most of us are now working from home with more familial demands on our time, it can feel discouraging and futile to carve out focused blocks of time to do your most important work. Here’s where using your margins becomes so...
Helping others through uncertain times
April 28, 2020 03:04 - 12 minutes - 13.2 MBIn these shorter episodes, I’ve been primarily focusing on how you can better navigate these challenging times. This is the idea of putting our own oxygen masks on first as we can’t give what we don’t have. Today, I’d like to shift focus and speak to how you can lead others through these times – whether they are co-workers, employees, clients, customers, contractors or even your family members. We’re all carrying a lot right now, and as uncertainty runs high, it can be easy to find you...
Setting Digital Boundaries
April 25, 2020 00:46 - 9 minutes - 10.6 MBBoundaries are a part of self-care. They are healthy, normal, and necessary. Doreen Virtue As we enter wrap up week six of working from home during COVID-19, many of us are looking forward to a weekend free from yet another Zoom meeting. While I'm grateful for what technology has offered us during this time, it isn't without its challenges. Today, we're going to talk about why setting digital boundaries are vital to preserving your well-being and capacity as a leader - especially now. E...
Ditch your metrics
April 23, 2020 03:26 - 9 minutes - 9.89 MBDoing nothing is sometimes one of the highest duties of man. G.K. Chesterton Do you worry that you’ve got to make this quarantine count? Are you measuring yourself against what everyone else is getting done while at home? In today’s episode, we continue with our shorter sessions as we navigate COVID-19. We’re going to talk about why there is no test at the end of this and how to let go of the fear of not making this time at home count. Enjoy the episode and stay safe. Recommended ...
Find your anchors
April 20, 2020 23:01 - 11 minutes - 13.4 MBWe can endure almost anything if we are centered, if we have some focus in our life. You can endure if you have an anchor. Renita J. Weems A reminder that for the next little while, I’ll be publishing more often with shorter episodes as a way to talk about and support you during the uncertainty of the times. Today I want to chat about finding your anchors. A month into self-isolation I’ve learned that there are a few things I need to do every day to stay grounded. This goes beyond...
In praise of micro moves
April 13, 2020 20:36 - 11 minutes - 13.7 MBAs I mentioned in last week’s extra episode, for the near foreseeable future, I’ll be coming to you more often - every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to drop a shorter episode with the hope of helping you navigate these new and uncertain times. Alright, let’s dive in. It’s Monday, April 13th and we’ve been in self-isolation for a solid month now. I don’t know about you, but my productivity has been all over the place. Some hours I’m raring and ready to go, and others I find myself letharg...
Extra Episode: Podcast Update
April 07, 2020 01:45 - 3 minutes - 4.43 MBA quick note to share a podcast update.
3 Reminders for Uncertain Times
March 31, 2020 21:14 - 25 minutes - 24.7 MBNo winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. ~ Hal Borland We are navigating new territory as the world collectively deals with the impact of COVID19. Today, as we all continue to orient ourselves to this new 'normal', I want to come in and offer three reminders that I'm using daily (ok, hourly) to cope. These three reminders aren't a one-and-done, we'll be flowing in and out of them regularly, but hopefully, they're helpful touchpoints when the anxiety rears its ugly head or you'...
[new series]: Masterminds, Communities and Networking
March 10, 2020 18:09 - 16 minutes - 17.5 MB“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” ~Coretta Scott King I’m excited to kick-off a brand new series on the podcast all about masterminds, communities and networking for leaders. I’ve been planning this series for a while and given that spring is hopefully right around the corner, it’s a good time to think about getting out into the world and building relationships and deepening connections. And the good news is that a...
This one question makes every hard conversation better
March 04, 2020 17:55 - 21 minutes - 21.7 MBMost miscommunications and blow-ups happen because we enter into a tricky conversation without much thought. We’re angry, or frustrated, or overwhelmed – so we fire back words that don’t truly reflect what we feel, nor how we want to show up in the world. We react first, and process later. We let our emotions rule before we can even stop and consider what we think and feel about the situation, and how we best want to handle it. As leaders though, we will be faced with tricky and sticky...
This is one thing every leader must commit to
February 11, 2020 17:41 - 21 minutes - 21.6 MB“Learning is not compulsory…neither is survival.” ~ W. Edwards Deming In 2003, I took part in a program called Leadership Calgary (now called the Human Venture Institute). This program was instrumental in my personal and professional development, and in many ways has shaped who I have become. A few years ago, I decided to revisit the program through an alumni 10-month program offering. Given that it had been 13 years since I spent much time with the concepts, it wasn’t an easy re-ent...
Gather new evidence
February 05, 2020 04:46 - 13 minutes - 14.5 MBYeah. No, no, no, wait a minute, I always have tuna on toast. Nothing's ever worked out for me with tuna on toast. I want the complete opposite of on toast. Chicken salad, on rye, untoasted... and a cup of tea. ~George Costanza, Seinfeld We all have things we’ve believed for so long, we no longer even question their accuracy. In our minds, they are facts. Hard, cold truths about who we are, what we’re capable of and what our future holds. Some of these truths are helpful and re...
Why it's so hard to get feedback
January 21, 2020 18:23 - 28 minutes - 28.5 MBCan we talk about how hard it is to get feedback? Navigating feedback – both the giving and the receiving – makes up a lot of my coaching work. On any given Tuesday or Friday, clients will come to me looking for guidance on how to make sense of feedback they’ve received, or for help around how to give feedback to a team member or client. In today’s episode, we’re going to focus specifically on receiving feedback, and how to handle all the feelings that come when someone shares their pers...
10 Questions to Welcome the Year Ahead
January 10, 2020 23:45 - 23 minutes - 22.8 MBHello and happy new year! This episode is dropping at the end of my first week back post-holidays, and I feel like I’m just getting back into the groove. As I said on Instagram earlier this week, give yourself lots of grace and space as you re-enter back to work. In our last episode, we talked about 10 questions you could ask yourself to close out the year. If you missed it and want to take that reflection time (sidebar, it’s not too late) head here. Today we’re going to spend time ...
10 Questions to Close out the Year
December 12, 2019 23:49 - 23 minutes - 23.8 MBAs we come to the end of the year, let’s all take a collective moment to pause, look backward and reflect on all the ground we’ve covered and lessons we’ve learned. It’s easy to want blow past the past and focus only on what’s ahead, but we do so at our own peril. When we take the time and flex our courage muscles to get honest about what’s transpired, we can learn and grow. We can use what we now know (that we didn’t know before) to shape how we proceed and what perspective we hold about ...
Truth: good things take more time than we'd like
April 10, 2019 18:01 - 11 minutes - 13.6 MBYes I’m an overnight success – 11 years in the making. ~Chris Brogan, author and speaker My husband and I were watching TV last week after a very long day. As I searched the PVR for something to watch, I saw that Modern Family had just started taping. Awesome I thought, we love this show. And so I hit play. And all was well until a commercial began and I realized because it was taping live, we didn’t have the luxury of hitting that little 15 seconds button a few times until we got bac...
A bit of a hodge podge + 3 reminders
April 03, 2019 20:21 - 22 minutes - 23 MBShownotes >> https://stephaniepollock.com/rwc072 A bird sitting in a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because its trust is not in the branch but in its wings. ~Unknown Spring has sprung, quarter two is ahead of us and I’m taking a moment to pause, catch my breath and regroup. In reality, that’s meant putting a few exciting opportunities on the backburner and easing up my work processes a bit. I’m not always good at parking projects – I want to do them all right now, thank you...
On showing up and being seen
March 13, 2019 19:08 - 22 minutes - 21.6 MBThe willingness to show up changes us. It makes us a little braver each time. ~Brené Brown You may remember that I chose the words “show up” as my focus for 2019. I wanted to show up in all areas of my life – from my work to my health to my friends and family, to myself. Today I thought I’d give you a bit of a behind-the-scenes look at how that’s going and what’s been getting in the way. My goal with this episode isn’t to make it all about me, but rather use my progress as an example t...
MINISODE: Steph over at the Girl Tries Life podcast
February 25, 2019 18:57 - 8 minutes - 7.83 MBEnjoy this short clip of my interview with Victoria Smith in celebration of her 100th episode of the Girl Tries Life podcast. You can listen to the full episode here or by searching for Girl Tries Life in your podcast player of choice. In this interview, we talk about the critical difference between self-care and self-comfort, how to avoid burnout and how to find a personalized plan to feel more like yourself. Enjoy! Self-Care vs Self-Comfort with Stephanie Pollock
7 ways to love your work again
February 14, 2019 22:02 - 25 minutes - 27.1 MBSHOWNOTES >> https://stephaniepollock.com/rwc070 Love your work, then you will find pleasure in mastering it. ~H. Jackson Brown Jr. Happy Valentine’s Day! Today I wanted to use Valentine’s Day as a jumping off point to talk about ways you can love your work again – whether that’s your professional career or your business. And given that today is my 70th episode, I’ve come up with seven specific strategies you can try to get there. It may be Valentine’s Day, but it’s also mid-Februa...
Why I love getting up at 4:30am every day
February 02, 2019 00:15 - 21 minutes - 20.9 MB>>Show notes: https://stephaniepollock.com/rwc069 With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. ~Eleanor Roosevelt Rise and shine Ever since I began my (very) early morning routine some nine months ago, I’ve received a lot of questions about it. Some people look at me, mouth agape wondering what on earth I’m thinking of waking up before the sun. Others are curious, questioning if they too could rise in the wee hours to make time for themselves. Mostly, people want to know the...
Build better habits (the ones that stick)
January 24, 2019 21:39 - 23 minutes - 22.2 MBHabits are the invisible architecture of daily life. We repeat about 40 percent of our behaviour almost daily, so our habits shape our existence, and our future. ~Gretchen Rubin >> SHOW NOTES: http://stephaniepollock.com/rwc068 Let’s talk habits. There’s a lot of talk at this time of year about resolutions, goal-setting and forming better habits. Because we all want to live better and work better, right? But what does it actually take to build a habit that sticks – one that goes fro...
Sustainability vs Striving: what's the best way forward?
January 17, 2019 23:46 - 24 minutes - 24.1 MBMay all that is unforgiven in you Be released. May your fears yield Their deepest tranquilities. May all that is unlived in you Blossom into a future Graced with love. *Blessing by John O'Donohue Hello and welcome back! It’s been a while and I’m happy to be back in your earbuds. First, let me wish you a very Happy New Year. Welcome to 2019! Speaking of the new year, this is the time when everyone is talking about goal-setting, words of the year, intentions, resolutions, pl...
Our Voices Matter. Let's Use Them More.
November 02, 2018 19:16 - 18 minutes - 17.7 MBWhen we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak. ~Audre Lorde Today we’re continuing with our Amplify Your Voice series. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode with Nikki Groom, I highly encourage you to go check that out. I want to pick up where Nikki left off in a short riff today. Using our voices has been on my mind a lot lately, particularly in the wake our current political and cu...