In this episode, I'm diving into the other side of the communication spectrum from Episode 27. If last week we talked about aggression vs. assertiveness, this week we're looking at people pleasing vs. true collaboration — and trust me, these two are not the same thing, even if they can feel like it.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• The core difference between people pleasing (driven by fear) and true collaboration (driven by strength and conscious choice)

• Why people pleasing might make you liked in the short term — but will erode your credibility and reputation over time

• The specific behaviors that signal you've slipped into people pleasing mode, and why you might not even notice when it's happening

• A special callout to my middle managers: why your voice in senior leadership meetings is not optional — it's part of your job

• Why psychological safety matters as a foundation for all of this

• My top 5 practical ways to shift from people pleasing to true collaboration

The 5 Practices:

1. Know when to listen — and when it's time to decide

2. Voice your perspective even when it's different

3. Break the tie when your team is stuck

4. Listen to disagreement without collapsing into agreement

5. Check your motivation before you say yes

If this resonates: Go back and listen to Episode 27 on aggression vs. assertiveness so you have the full picture of both ends of this communication spectrum.

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