In a world of constant connectivity, leaders are facing an invisible threat: digital overload. Emails, Slack messages, notifications, dashboards… they’re all competing for your attention and sabotaging your focus, decision-making, and leadership presence.

In this episode, I break down the neuroscience behind task-switching and attention fragmentation, explore the real costs of digital overload, and share actionable strategies for leaders to reclaim clarity and control.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

* How task-switching can reduce productivity by up to 40% (APA, 2019) and rewire your brain for shallow focus.

* Why protecting your attention is as critical as completing your to-do list.

* Practical micro-practices for creating focus: batching communications, scheduling deep work, and mindful transitions.

* How a simple “digital detox” can restore your prefrontal cortex activity for better decision-making, creativity, and leadership presence.

Micro-Practices to Try Today:

* Implement a “no notifications” policy for one hour each day.

* Reflect at the end of your day: Which tasks distracted you from your most strategic work?

* Create a mini digital Sabbath over the weekend—disconnect for a few hours to recharge.

Powerful Coaching Question:Where could you reclaim focus this week, and what would you accomplish if your attention wasn’t constantly being hijacked?

Resources & Links Mentioned in the Episode:

* Join my online leadership growth group, The Circle, to practice focus and leadership strategies in community: lmichellesmith.com/thecircle

* American Psychological Association study on task-switching: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2019/multitasking

Connect With Me:

* Instagram / Threads: @lmichellesmith

* LinkedIn: L. Michelle Smith

* Bluesky: @lmichellesmith

* Podcast feedback & questions: DM me

Episode Takeaway:Leadership is not about doing more. It’s about protecting your capacity to think, focus, and lead. Disconnecting strategically from digital distractions isn’t optional—it’s essential for high-performing leaders in today’s hyperconnected world.

AI is transforming leadership—but the speed and volume of information can overwhelm even the sharpest minds. In this episode, L. Michelle Smith explores how constant task switching and digital overload impact your brain’s focus, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Drawing on neuroscience and recent research, she offers practical strategies to help you harness AI’s power without sacrificing clarity or control. Learn how to lead with intentionality in a fast-paced, AI-driven world.

What You’ll Learn:

* The cognitive cost of frequent task switching and “attention residue”

* Research-backed evidence on how multitasking impacts productivity and errors

* Practical tips for integrating AI tools into your leadership workflow

* How to maintain focus, presence, and values-driven decision-making

* Coaching questions to reflect on your digital overwhelm and regain control

ChatGPT-5.0 is here—and leaders are moving fast. Are you?McKinsey reports 72% of business leaders have already integrated generative AI into at least one area of their organization. But most are still stuck at surface level—using it to write instead of leveraging it to analyze, optimize, and forecast.On September 18, 2025, I’m kicking off the AI-Ready Leader Masterclass, a 3-session series designed to help high-performing leaders:Assess their AI readinessMaster strategic, role-based promptingBuild an integration roadmap that makes AI part of every leadership decisionStart now by downloading the complimentary AI-Ready Leader Toolkit and taking the AI Proficiency Assessment. You’ll discover exactly where you stand—and your next steps to become a transformational leader who wields AI as a weapon of mass innovation.Get your toolkit: https://loom.ly/XxK8ydAHow are you using AI in your business and what are some of your favorite tools?

Resources Mentioned:

* Study: Journal of Experimental Psychology, 2022 on task switching and cognitive performance

* Take the AI-Ready Leader Assessment and get the free tool kit here: https://nsccoaching.info/AIReadyLeader.

Burnout isn’t just about being tired. It’s about depletion—emotionally, mentally, physically—and it’s hitting high-achieving leaders especially hard right now.

In this episode, L. Michelle Smith unpacks the neuroscience of burnout and recovery, revealing what truly works beyond just rest. Drawing from positive psychology, she shares a blueprint for bouncing back and building a life and leadership rhythm that’s sustainable, joyful, and powerful.

You’ll learn:

* The real difference between stress and burnout

* How chronic pressure affects your brain

* What traditional advice gets wrong

* Evidence-based tools that actually work

* And how to begin rebuilding—without guilt

This one’s for the leaders holding it all together while quietly falling apart. Let’s shift from survival mode to thriving leadership.

💡 Coaching Question:What’s one small change you can make this week to refill—not just your schedule—but your spirit?

🎧 Listen now and subscribe to never miss a dose of soulful, science-backed strategy.

Want to book a complimentary discovery call for executive coaching services? You can do so at https://lmichellesmith.com/book-an-appointment. If you are interested in joining The Circle, learn more and join us at http://lmichellesmith.com/thecircle.

The Power of Emotional Agility: Why Flexibility Beats Control in Leadership

Episode Summary:In this episode of Her Next Power Move, host L. Michelle Smith dives into one of the most underestimated yet essential leadership skills: emotional agility. Based on the research of Harvard psychologist Dr. Susan David and rooted in neuroscience, this solo episode offers practical tools for leading with grace, intention, and resilience.

If you’ve been powering through and feeling stuck, this is your reminder that flexibility—not control—is the mark of a mature leader.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

* What emotional agility really is (and what it’s not)

* How neuroscience supports emotion labeling for better decision-making

* A four-step strategy to lead through emotional challenges with clarity

* Micro-practices to help build this leadership muscle over time

Powerful Thought:Flexibility beats control.

Coaching Question:What emotion have you been avoiding—and what might happen if you faced it with curiosity instead of control?

Want the Feels Wheel? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll share it with you.

🎧 Tune in now and start leading with more clarity, grace, and strength.Subscribe and listen on Substack: lmichellesmith.substack.com

Writing "Call & Response" was an incredible journey. The conversations I had with dear friends like Cynt Marshall were so powerful, and sometimes, we got in a few laughs.

You've probably heard "the red hooker shoes" story before? She tells this story from the platform, in media interviews and even in her debut book "You've Been Chosen: Thriving Through the Unexpected."

In fact, it was in my first book No Thanks: 7 Ways to Say I'll Just Include Myself.

But it is important to emphasize, that those were her CHURCH SHOES.

Cynt talks about how leadership lessons from her time in the Pentecostal church taught her to not only unleash her authentic self, but how to unleash it in the people she leads.

After all, "come as you are" is a church mantra.

Are you welcoming of the "hot pink shoes" on your staff?

Or do you make these unicorns keep it "in the car?"

Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church is a collaboration between Amistad Books, a HarperCollins imprint and JVL Media, the brainchild of Viola Davis, Julius Tennon and Lavaille Lavette.

Coming soon!

Show Notes for Episode 11 — “Emotional Regulation Isn’t Suppression”

Her Next Power Move with L. Michelle Smith, MS, ACC, CPEC

You’ve probably heard the advice: “Keep your emotions out of it.” But what if that’s the exact opposite of what great leaders do?

In this episode, I explore the science and strategy behind emotional regulation—how it differs from suppression, why it matters to leadership, and how you can cultivate the kind of presence that calms the room and clarifies decision-making.

Grounded in neuroscience and positive psychology, this 8-minute masterclass offers micro-practices to help you ride the waves of tough emotions and lead with confidence and clarity.

Takeaways include:

* Why emotional suppression backfires

* What the research says about regulation and performance

* Three proven practices to stay grounded in high-pressure moments

* How to use emotion as data to lead with intention

🎧 Listen now on Substack or wherever you stream podcasts.

What if fear wasn’t your enemy… but your engine?

In this soul-stirring episode of Her Next Power Move, I invite high-performing leaders to sit with fear—not to silence it, but to listen. You’ll learn how to use anxiety as a signal for alignment, growth, and resilience, instead of allowing it to derail your leadership.

I’ll unpack:

* The neuroscience behind fear and motivation

* The difference between fear-based avoidance and fear-driven alignment

* Micro-practices that help you shift from panic to purpose

💡 This is more than a mindset talk. It’s a masterclass in emotional intelligence and executive presence.

🔊 Listen now and discover how to use fear not just to survive, but to lead with conviction.

Coaching Question of the Week:

When was the last time fear pointed you to a necessary change—and did you follow it?

✨ Subscribe to hear new episodes first and connect in the comments.

Her Next Power Move is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

🎧 Episode 9 Show Notes

Title: It’s Lonely at the Top: Combating Isolation in LeadershipHost: L. Michelle Smith, MS, ACC, CPEC

Summary:Leadership can be deeply fulfilling—but it can also be profoundly lonely. In this episode, we explore the quiet cost of success: emotional isolation at the top. Drawing from neuroscience, positive psychology, and real-life leadership coaching, L. Michelle unpacks why so many leaders—especially in today’s volatile work environments—feel disconnected, and what we can do about it.

You’ll learn:

* The latest research on workplace loneliness and its surprising health impact

* Why high-performing leaders are especially vulnerable

* How oxytocin and connection fuel your ability to lead

* 5 micro-practices that can help you feel more grounded and less alone

* A coaching question to help you reflect and reset

Today’s Coaching Question: Where in your leadership do you feel most alone, and what small step could you take this week to create connection?

🔗 Plus, discover The Circle, a supportive growth group for leaders who want more than just a seat at the table.

Looking for a safe space to grow, connect, and lead with more clarity?Join The Circle—my online leadership growth group created especially for high-performing leaders like you who are tired of doing it all alone. Inside, you’ll find community, monthly live coaching, exclusive tools, and science-backed strategies that support both your leadership and your life.

You don’t have to lead in isolation.

Learn more and sign up today at lmichellesmith.com/thecircle.

BTW, it’s time for a Leadership Revival. Join Coach L. as she reflects on the three pillars of the leadership framework that are the backbone of her upcoming book, Call & Response: 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church (Amistad-HarperCollins/JVL Media, 2026), in a three-part series of essays. It’s the prelude to a new series on The Culture Soup Podcast, coming soon.

In this episode of Her Next Power Move, L. Michelle Smith, MS, ACC, CPEC, dives into the powerful concept of cognitive distortions and how they can shape our perceptions and reactions. Learn how to identify these thought patterns and, more importantly, how to reframe them to build a mindset rooted in growth and resilience.

Key Highlights:

* Understand what cognitive distortions are and why they matter.

* Explore common distortions like black-and-white thinking, catastrophizing, and personalization.

* Discover practical techniques for reframing thoughts and breaking the cycle of negative thinking.

* Learn how neuroscience supports cognitive reframing as a tool for leadership and personal growth.

Coaching Question:What common thought pattern do you find yourself repeating, and how can you begin to reframe it for positive change?

Tune in to Her Next Power Move for insights that will help you move past limiting beliefs and build a mindset that serves your growth.

Listen now: Her Next Power Move on Substack

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe and share it with someone who might benefit from a mindset shift.

If you are wanting to register for the complimentary Regaining Your Peace & Productivity masterclass, here’s the link to do that.

See you soon!

Coach L.

What happens when positivity becomes pressure?

In this powerful episode, I unpack the fine line between authentic optimism and the subtle trap of toxic positivity. If you’ve ever felt pressured to "just stay positive" in the face of real adversity, this conversation is for you.

Drawing from research by Dr. Susan David, author of Emotional Agility, and the latest insights from positive psychology, this episode explains how ignoring difficult emotions doesn’t make you stronger—it disconnects you from your humanity and ultimately stunts your growth. Instead, I explore

how to hold space for complexity, practice radical honesty, and still move forward with hope.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

* How to recognize the signs of toxic positivity

* Why acknowledging tough emotions is essential to resilience

* How to replace positivity pressure with grounded hope

* Micropractices to foster emotional agility and authentic leadership

Coaching Question: What uncomfortable emotion are you avoiding right now—and what truth might it be trying to tell you?

Listen now and reflect on how to lead and live with hope—without bypassing the truth.