Authenticity in leadership isn’t about personality; it’s about emotional maturity. It’s about choosing to lead from the truth of who you are, not the version of yourself you were taught to perform. In this episode of Growing Up: The Age of Your Emotions, we explore what it really means to lead as your whole self, with clarity, courage, and alignment.
Many leaders learn to mask, minimize, or modify themselves to fit into rooms that were never designed with them in mind. But authenticity is not a luxury. It’s a competency. It’s a skill you build, a practice you return to, and a commitment you make to yourself and the people you lead.
Today, we’re talking about the courage it takes to unmask at work, the emotional cost of abandoning yourself to fit in, and the power of leading from your values, even when it feels risky. Because the truth is: when you lead as yourself, you give others permission to do the same.
This episode invites you to step into deeper alignment, reclaim your voice, and remember that your authenticity is not just welcome in leadership, it’s required.
Guest: Dr. Barbara Jones, Dean at Boston University School of Social Work
Dr. Barbara Jones, PhD, MSW, FAOSW, is dean and professor at Boston University School of Social Work. She is one of the nation’s top scholars in the field of psychosocial oncology and palliative care. Prior to joining BUSSW, she was a member of the faculty and leadership at the UT Austin School of Social Work for nearly twenty years. At UT Austin, Jones served as university distinguished professor, Lockhart Memorial Professor in Direct Social Work Practice, founding director of the Institute for Collaborative Health Research and Practice, and associate dean for health affairs in the university’s Steve Hicks School of Social Work. She was also a distinguished professor and inaugural chair of the Department of Health Social Work at UT Austin’s Dell Medical School – a department she helped build to bridge the social work and medical schools.
Jones earned her PhD and MSW in social welfare from the University at Albany (NY) and practiced as a clinical social worker for 15 years. She is currently on the national advisory boards for the Cambia Health Foundation Sojourns Scholars Leadership Program and the American Cancer Society’s Center for Diversity in Research Training. She serves on the national steering committee of the Coalition for Social Work and Health. Her research, supported by major grants from the National Institutes of Health and the American Cancer Society, focuses on improving care for children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer and their families.
In addition to co-editing three acclaimed books in oncology and palliative care and publishing more than 130 articles in top-tier journals, Jones is a past recipient of the Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers Social Worker of the Year award and was inducted into the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare in 2020, where she was also elected to Board. Jones was the first social worker to receive the American Cancer Society’s Pathfinder in Palliative Care Award. She is a distinguished scholar and fellow of the National Academies of Practice and was named 2023 fellow of both the American Psychosocial Oncology Society and the Association of Oncology Social Work.
Host: Dr. Melanie Magruder (DrMelanieEmpowers)
Dr. Melanie Magruder is an accomplished, certified Leadership and Professional Development Coach recognized for guiding emerging leaders, seasoned professionals, and cross‑functional teams through transformative growth. With a reputation for clear insight, engaging presence, and practical, evidence‑based coaching, she distills complexity into clarity, strengthens alignment, and equips clients to lead with purpose in fast‑moving, high‑stakes environments.
A strategist at heart, Dr. Magruder brings deep expertise in business strategy and organizational leadership, having led and supported multimillion‑dollar initiatives across corporate, nonprofit, and community sectors. Her ability to bridge vision and execution enables her to operate seamlessly at both strategic and operational levels, delivering measurable impact through disciplined planning, stakeholder engagement, and organizational excellence.
As the creator and host of Growing Up: The Age of Your Emotions, Dr. Magruder advances a powerful mission: helping individuals develop emotional maturity as a cornerstone of effective leadership and meaningful living. Her work fosters self‑awareness, challenges limiting patterns, and expands leaders’ capacity to act with intention, empathy, and resilience.
Dr. Magruder holds a Doctorate in Management of Organizational Leadership, an MBA, and multiple certifications in coaching, adult learning, and leadership development. She is also a published author, experienced facilitator, and respected community advocate dedicated to elevating leaders and strengthening the communities they serve.
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