Shameless Leadership

By Sara Dean

Welcome to Shameless Leadership! This show is for women, transgender people, non-binary folks, and allies who are committed to advancing their leadership and the leadership of those around them. ... more

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The podcast currently has 1,010 episodes available.

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Number 1: 1008: 4 Effective Communication Skills Every Leader Needs | Leadership Strategies
Strong leadership communication isn’t just about knowing what to say. It’s also largely about knowing how to say what you need to say. It's about building the habits that help you communicate well when you’re frustrated, under pressure, or navigating tension. In this episode, I’m breaking down four communication skills every leader needs to practice: Checking your assumptions before reacting and responding Addressing tension immediately, directly, and transparently Stating the WHY behind the WHAT Strategically tailoring communication to meet your audience where they’re at We’ll talk about what happens when you assume you know why someone is underperforming, why an email sounded snarky, or why someone missed the mark, and how quickly your reaction to those assumptions can undermine your leadership. We will explore what happens when you don’t share enough information with those you lead. We will address how to assess different people’s communication needs and how to best serve different kinds of people, even in tough and tense moments. Whether you’re working on team communication, giving feedback to employees in a way they can actually hear and integrate, navigating difficult conversations as you manage up or manage down, or simply trying to become a more thoughtful and emotionally intelligent leader, these are skills that will strengthen your leadership while also making your work significantly more rewarding. Links Mentioned: [1 Spot Left] Join my Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Take my Leadership Archetype Quiz: saradean.com/quiz [UNTIL 10/31] Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
September 08, 202626min
Number 2: 1006: 5 Ways Perimenopause and Menopause Can Affect How Women Lead | Leadership Stories
As I’ve talked about in past episodes about perimenopause and menopause (Episodes 924, 954, and 968), the transition from perimenopause to menopause took me down - HARD. Since navigating this journey myself, I’ve become hyperaware as clients start to share common difficulties at work that might also be connected to menopause (poor focus, forgetfulness, irritability, lack of patience, chronic fatigue, feeling “off,” feeling irrational (and maybe irate) for no particular reason, and more. Perimenopause and menopause can affect far more than how you feel physically. Changes in sleep, focus, memory, anxiety, and energy can influence how you communicate, make decisions, handle pressure, and show up in high-visibility leadership moments. For women who have always been known as highly capable, these changes can be unsettling. I’ve noticed that it’s pretty common that we clock this as evidence that we are losing our competence, confidence, or leadership edge - which could not be farther from the truth. It’s time to clear this up! In this episode, I’m exploring five specific ways perimenopause and menopause can affect how women lead. I’ll talk about changes in access to executive functioning skills, shaken confidence in high-stakes situations, a reduced tolerance for dysfunctional workplace norms, the invisible workload of privately managing a major physical transition, and the need to redefine sustainable leadership. If you’re navigating this transition and questioning your confidence, capacity, or next chapter, individual executive coaching can help you distinguish between what may be changing physically and what remains true about your experience, expertise, and leadership. Together, we can strengthen your boundaries, communication, decision-making, and leadership practices so you can continue growing without sacrificing your well-being. Coaching can complement appropriate medical care, but it does not replace evaluation or treatment from a qualified Healthcare professional. If I can support you during this season, please reach out! Links Mentioned: [2 Spots Left] Join my Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
August 25, 202634min
Number 3: 1004: 5 Change-Management Mistakes That Are Exhausting Your Team | Leadership Strategies
Change is inevitable and, these days, seemingly constant. The responsibility to manage change effectively is a large one that can weigh heavily on the shoulders of a conscientious leader. There are many ways to get it right and many ways to get it wrong when it comes to guiding your team or organization through change. What I see too often is leaders announcing a new direction, initiative, or process without helping employees understand the larger context (what I call “the why behind the what”), or recognizing and honoring the impact the change will have on the people closest to the work. When leaders aren’t intentional and strategic in leading change, employees can be left carrying confusion, frustration, and an ever-growing workload. Over time, the costs of poorly managed change can undermine trust and organizational integrity, resulting in anything from decreased morale to a mass exodus of high-performing employees. In this episode, I’m breaking down five common change-management mistakes that may be exhausting your team. I’ll talk about the key and critical difference between communicating change and managing change, what leaders miss when they underestimate the frontline experience, and why resistance isn’t necessarily a sign that employees are unwilling to adapt. Sometimes, what looks like resistance is actually a request for more information, more involvement, or more time to process what is being lost. I’ll also share how leaders can create more thoughtful and sustainable change by communicating the bigger “why,” involving employees earlier, making space for questions and grief, and honestly assessing the team’s capacity before introducing another initiative. If your organization is navigating ongoing change - or your employees seem increasingly disengaged, cynical, or depleted - this episode will help you lead the transition with greater clarity, empathy, and intention. Links Mentioned: Early Bird Enrollment is open for my Aligned Leadership Incubator! Save $500 if you apply by June 30th: saradean.com/aligned Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
August 11, 202634min
Number 4: 1003: How to Better Position Your Top Strengths as Your Leadership Edge
While every leader I work with is deeply talented, many struggle to self-identify their own areas of excellence and what sets them apart. If we want to be strategic problem solvers, we need to know, identify, and share what sets us apart. In this episode, I'm sharing how to identify and then strategically position your leadership strengths in a way that allows them to become your greatest leadership edge. Whether you're pursuing career advancement, building executive presence, or simply wanting to have a bigger impact in your work, the way you talk about what you do matters just as much as what you do. I'll walk you through exercises I use with my coaching clients to uncover the expertise they're often overlooking. The skills you've practiced hundreds - or even thousands - of times are often the exact things someone else is struggling to learn. I'll help you identify your unique expertise, strengthen your personal leadership brand, and think differently about how your experience can support others. This episode provides real-life examples of how everyday experiences, from navigating difficult conversations and developing communication skills in the workplace to the work I’m doing with high schoolers in their first jobs to how my 13-year-old is positioning his skills on the baseball field. The goal isn't to sound impressive. It's to become more intentional about sharing what you know so you can increase your leadership visibility, grow your thought leadership, and create new opportunities and options for yourself moving forward. If you've ever dismissed your strengths because they "come naturally," this episode is your invitation to reconsider and shine a little brighter. I'll leave you with practical reflection questions to help you identify your strengths, clarify who needs to learn from you, and begin leveraging your expertise with more confidence. Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Links Mentioned: Enrollment is open for my Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
August 04, 202627min
Number 5: 1001: Cultural Intelligence and Women in Agricultural Leadership with Jacqui Gordón Núñez | Women in Agricultural Leadership, Cultural Leadership
Jacqui Gordón Núñez and I met when we were both speaking at the same women’s leadership event last spring. From the moment she took the stage, I knew I wanted to interview her. She has an incredible story and such a deeply rooted leadership philosophy that the world needs to hear. She is passionate about her work and how the work she does in agriculture impacts the world in ways we don’t consider daily - but should. Jacqui is the Vice President of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association and a passionate advocate for leadership development. Originally from Ecuador, she built her career in Washington helping people in agriculture grow their confidence, communication skills, and impact within their communities. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Food Science and her Master of Science in Horticulture from Washington State University. Listen in to hear Jacqui share: Her path from Ecuador to the US, through immigration, and into agricultural leadership The importance of understanding cultural awareness and intercultural competence in the workplace The dangers of minimizing your own culture and the fine line between cultural adaptation and self-abandonment How leaders can create more space and safety for a wider range of cultural experiences and expressions so employees can show up authentically and contribute as optimally as possible How women leaders in agriculture are changing the landscape for women in agriculture Agriculture as a form of reverence How to navigate self-doubt when you feel like you don’t fit in or feel insecure about your ability to add value in a situation Links Mentioned: Connect with Jacqui on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-gordon-nunez/ Agriculture Leadership Program (ALP) website: www.alp-wa.com Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI): https://idiinventory.com/ Join Sara’s Aligned Leadership Incubator Early Bird Enrollment (save $500!): saradean.com/aligned Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 21, 202656min