Delight in the Limelight

Small talk is often seen as a bit of a nuisance or a necessary evil. But it doesn’t have to be. What if it could serve as a gateway to deeper connections and relationships instead?

In this episode, I chat to the hosts of The Opposite of Small Talk Podcast, Danielle McCombs and Kristy Olinger, about the art of meaningful conversation.

Listen to our conversation to learn:

This episode is packed with practical advice to help you turn everyday conversations into moments of genuine connection, whether that’s in a professional or a social setting.

Danielle is a native New Yorker who relocated to San Francisco in 2016. After a 20-year career in commercial real estate, Danielle decided to pursue her passion of inspiring others to be the best version of themselves. She is a Co-Active Institute-trained coach.

Kristy is a communication consultant and mom of two. She helps people to communicate better at work by sharing the strategies that have worked for her throughout her 20-year career in the banking industry. Workshops for teams of any size and one-on-one consulting to help you prepare for that big presentation or interview.

Credits – Music: “A Smooth Jazz” by Music Cocktail

Small talk often sucks. So how do you turn it into a worthwhile, meaningful, and enjoyable conversation?
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The post 060. From Small Talk to Real Talk appeared first on Linda Ugelow.

Does the thought of discussing politics with someone on “the other side” make you want to run the other way? Do your conversations devolve into heated arguments, leaving you frustrated and disconnected? Are you worried that political divides are harming your relationships and our sense of community?

I’ve found it more challenging than ever to discuss politics with those who hold different views, and perhaps you feel the same way.

That’s why I’m inviting you to join me for a meaningful conversation with Liane Davey, author of The Good Fight, and Heather Hansen, author of Advocate to Win. Both are experts in effective communication and teamwork within the business world.

Together, we explore how the same principles that drive successful collaboration and handling conflict in teams can be applied to civil conversations.

My hope is that we can lessen the undercurrent of stress of these times. I’m convinced that creating a more inclusive and respectful atmosphere in our communities will help us heal these divides so that together, we can build the cohesion needed to tackle the big issues of our time.

Listen in to learn:

Join us for this enlightening conversation and be part of the movement toward a more connected, creative, and resilient society—where you feel safe to both listen and speak with confidence.

She’s been an anchor at the Law and Crime Network and has appeared on The Today Show, CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and CBS. She’s worked with Harvard Business School, Google, LVMH, Sav A Tree, and the American Medical Association among others. Her book, The Elegant Warrior-How to Win Life’s Trials Without Losing Yourself was an Amazon bestseller.

Liane’s mission is to radically transform the way people communicate, connect, and contribute, so they can achieve amazing things together. Her approach combines a keen expertise in strategy with her deep insight into group dynamics to increase the value organizations get from teamwork and collaboration.

Liane is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review and is called on by media outlets such as CNN, The New York Times, NPR, and the Wall Street Journal. She has a PhD in Organizational Psychology.

Credits – Music: “A Smooth Jazz” by Music Cocktail

How do we have meaningful conversations in such politically charged times? 🤔
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The post 056. Bridging the Divide: Courageous Conversations in Polarized Times appeared first on Linda Ugelow.

Do you want to draw your audience in more as a speaker, or maybe you want to feel more creative and carefree around your ideas and inspirations?

Join me on Delight in the Limelight Live where I’ll be having a conversation with Susie deVille, author of BUOYANT: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Becoming Wildly Successful, Creative, and Free.
What you’ll get in this episode, where Delight meets Buoyant:

Susie is an award-winning author, and Founder of the Innovation & Creativity Institute, a coaching firm connecting entrepreneurs and business leaders to their innate capabilities, guiding them to lead from a place of creative confidence. 

With her wildly-innovative methodology she is known for creating “rebels” out of entrepreneurs and leaders who gain lighter workloads and higher profits. Her book is called BUOYANT: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Becoming Wildly Successful, Creative, and Free.

Credits – Music: “A Smooth Jazz” by Music Cocktail

Did you have an insight or question that came up while listening to an episode? I’d love to hear it. Leave a voice recording here and we may feature it on the show.

The post 044. Buoyant Speaking — Unlock Your Magnetic Self-Expression appeared first on Linda Ugelow.

When life is hectic and you’re frazzled, it’s natural that you would bring that same energy to your speaking. Today on the Delight in the Limelight show, I’m joined by Nina Nesdoly a work stress and burnout prevention speaker and researcher. She draws on her interdisciplinary background in Organizational Behavior and Neuroscience to examine work-related stress from both management and physiological perspectives.

We’ll be speaking about how to:

We also dissect the differences between type-A personalities, people pleasing, and perfectionism.

Nina is a work stress and burnout prevention speaker and researcher. She advocates for work-life balance and believes it is possible to be a high-achiever at work without burning out or letting stress take over. Nina brings years of niche expertise and experience to her work. She draws on her interdisciplinary background in Organizational Behavior (MSc Management) and Neuroscience (BSc) to examine work-related stress from both management and physiological perspectives. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Management.

Credits – Music: “A Smooth Jazz” by Music Cocktail

Did you have an insight or question that came up while listening to an episode? I’d love to hear it. Leave a voice recording here and we may feature it on the show.

The post 043. Work Stress/Speaking Confidence Connection appeared first on Linda Ugelow.

Are you struggling to create a workplace culture where people feel comfortable speaking up? 

Join me for this live show with Stephen Shedletsky, author of the upcoming book Speak-Up Culture. You’ll come away with the tools, mindset shifts, and strategies you need to transform your workplace with a feedback-rich culture of open communication.

Stephen Shedletzky, or “Shed” to his friends, is a leader on psychological safety in the workplace. He helps leaders listen to and nurture the voices of others so they feel safe, encouraged, and rewarded to speak up. He is the author of Speak-Up Culture: When Leaders Truly Listen, People Step Up. 

Credits – Music: “A Smooth Jazz” by Music Cocktail

Did you have an insight or question that came up while listening to an episode? I’d love to hear it. Leave a voice recording here and we may feature it on the show.

The post 042. Speak Up Culture: Making it Safe and Worth it appeared first on Linda Ugelow.

When we speak in public, we tend to focus on the words we want to say and forget that we speak with our body, through our vocal production. By attending to the way we use our voices, we can find keys to what inhibits us, and what sets us free. 

Join me in conversation with Jennifer Hamady, a voice coach and therapist specializing in technical and emotional issues that interfere with self-expression.

Jennifer Hamady is a voice coach and therapist specializing in technical and emotional issues that interfere with self-expression.

Her clients include Grammy and Country Music Award-winners, contestants on The Voice and American Idol, and corporate clients across an array of industries. She herself has sung and toured with artists including Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera, Patti LaBelle, Cirque du Soleil, and more.

Credits – Music: “A Smooth Jazz” by Music Cocktail

The voice is literally a metaphor for who we are as self expressed beings. #DelightInTheLimelight podcast with Jennifer Hammady #VoiceCoaching #AuthenticSelf #PsychologyOfVoice
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Most people don't think about their breathing, though, of course, the breath is the vehicle on which the voice rides. 🗣️ #VocalHealth #BreathingForVoice #PerformancePhilosophy #Delightinthelimelightpodcast
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The post 041. Unlock Your Voice for Speaking Confidence appeared first on Linda Ugelow.

“Put your head down, do good work, and you’ll be rewarded.” This familiar adage has left many of us perplexed. Despite playing by the rules, we often witness others who skillfully promote themselves receiving coveted opportunities.

Why do so many of us feel uncomfortable speaking up about our own successes?

Join me on the Delight in the Limelight show as I sit down with Lisa Bragg, author of Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion.

Together, we will explore:

Lisa Bragg is a speaker, advisor, and author of  Bragging Rights: How to Talk about Your Work Using Purposeful Self-Promotion. She’s also founder of MediaFace, a thriving content and consulting firm based in Toronto. Previously Lisa enjoyed a successful career for 15 years as a TV reporter and anchor.

Credits – Music: “A Smooth Jazz” by Music Cocktail

Did you have an insight or question that came up while listening to an episode? I’d love to hear it. Leave a voice recording here and we may feature it on the show.

The post 040. Your Bragging Rights: Healthy Self-Promotion appeared first on Linda Ugelow.

Have you ever felt others didn’t recognize your value? Where you felt all your hard work went unnoticed, unacknowledged, or unappreciated?

In this conversation, we cover how to:

Mary Tess Rooney is the host True Stride podcast and author of Heart Value. With a background in strategy, sales, and communications, she creates strategies and tools to help people to give voice their value, elicit appreciation, and achieve success based on their own vision and rules.

Credits – Music: “A Smooth Jazz” by Music Cocktail

Recognize your growth and celebrate your achievements - big or small by documenting them on a daily basis. #DelightInTheLimelight podcast with Mary Tess Rooney #ProfessionalGrowth #CareerGrowth #ValueAtWork
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Work doesn't have to be devoid of fun and fulfillment.Mary Tess Rooney talks about #WorkplaceWellness #SelfAdvocacy #PrioritizeJoy
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The post 039. Give Voice to Your Value at Work appeared first on Linda Ugelow.

Have you ever felt invisible or marginalized at work where you had to hide a part of yourself or felt you don’t belong?

Maybe you hide or downplay a piece of your identity in order to fit in.

We all want to belong– not for who we aren’t, but for who we are!

Maybe you are a manager wanting to empower each member on your team.

Here to discuss this all with me is Tricia Montalvo Timm. Tricia is a board director, venture investor, speaker and author. She is a first-generation Latina whose law career spanned from working with some of the most well-known publicly traded multinational companies to stepping on as the first lawyer at several high-growth start-ups.

She rose through the ranks of Silicon Valley advising high-tech companies big and small, culminating in the sale of data analytics software company Looker to Google for $2.6 billion.

In new book, Embrace the Power of You,  she seeks to inspire those who have felt like an “other” in the workplace how to own your identity at work, show up as your authentic self, and how that leads to the real success you may be seeking.

Tricia Montalvo Timm is a board director, venture investor, speaker and author. She is a first-generation Latina whose law career spanned from working with some of the most well-known publicly traded multinational companies to stepping on as the first lawyer at several high-growth start-ups.

Credits – Music: “A Smooth Jazz” by Music Cocktail

Are you changing your hairstyle or your clothing to match what you think the dominant culture might accept? Are you changing the way you talk? A lot of people change the way they speak, the words they use to conform to what's around…
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Is your workplace a safe space that will accept your authentic self? Tricia Montalvo Timm shares here strategies to Embrace the Power of You on the Delight in the Limelight Podcast. #InclusiveWorkplace #SpeakUp #Authenticity
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Authenticity on the personal level, it's freedom. It’s a weight that is lifted when you can just show up as yourself without worry. Listen to Tricia Montalvo Timm on shining the light of underrepresented voices. #Authenticity…
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As a manager, notice who's not speaking up, who is quiet most of the time, and find ways to bring that voice into the conversation. Listen to Tricia Montalvo Timm on shining the light of underrepresented voices. #SpeakUp…
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The post 038. Shining the Light on Underrepresented Voices appeared first on Linda Ugelow.

Join me in this episode with Susan Barber, author of The Visibility Factor, to learn simple and actionable ways to boost your visibility and make your mark in the workplace. You’ll learn how you can shine as an introvert, deconstruct the barriers in communication with higher-ups and peers, and learn to share your accomplishments and wins without coming across as arrogant or boastful.

Susan Barber is the author of The Visibility Factor and host of the Visibility Factor podcast where she’s leading a visibility movement for leaders. She’s also a certified executive coach with over 25 years of leadership experience at Kraft Heinz.

Credits – Music: “A Smooth Jazz” by Music Cocktail

You grow up learning if you work really hard, you're going to get noticed and they're going to promote you. At some point, that stops working. You have to promote yourself. Listen to Sue Barber on Delight in the…
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Take the opportunity to speak up in meeting even when the other people are at a higher level. Sue Barber shares here strategies on the Delight in the LImelight Podcast. #SpeakUp #MeetingTips #Leadership #CommunicationSkills
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When you join a new organization, figure out who the influencers are and get in front of them on a regular basis. Sue Barber, author of the Visibility Factor on the Delight in the Limelight podcast. #CareerStrategy #Influencers…
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The post 037. Mastering Visibility in the Workplace appeared first on Linda Ugelow.