I find scatological humor delightfully amusing.

Probably because not so deep inside I’m really a 10-year-old boy. Yes, I find poop and fart jokes hilarious. 

So when I found myself confronted with the unmistakable aroma of chicken sh*t, I realized there was a lesson for this week's episode.

Even if some of you may think it’s a crappy one, I’m dumping it on you anyway. Yep, just going to pile it on. 

Okay. Okay. I’ll stop. Just go listen to the episode, will you?

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy.

That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. 

Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not.

A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 

This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them level-up their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.

#fartjokes #chickenshit #poopjokes #crappyhumor #dadjokes #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Okay. I get it. In today’s world the value of good content has become embarrassingly commoditized. It’s more about clicks than quality. The idea of co-opting someone else’s idea and passing it off as one’s own has become de rigueur.

Or has it?

It’s been practice in the art world for centuries that artists and creators are inspired by those who come before them, and begin their craft by modeling it after others.

Those who rise above and create their own distinct voice, those are the ones we remember. Those are the ones who influence.

So what of those who take others’ content and pass it off as their own? Should we, as Mel Robbins might suggest, “Just let them”? 

Funny enough, that’s why I did this episode. Because Mel Robbins stole that idea from someone else - and failed to credit them. That realization leads to this week’s lesson and meander in the woods. 

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. 

Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 

This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.

#justletthem #melrobbins #poetry #plagiarism #accountability #attribution #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Ah, humans. We’re such funny creatures. Someone says a story often enough and folks believe it to be true. Kinda like that story about how if you put a frog in a pot of water and slowly bring it to boil, the frog will die.  It’s a story shared when folks want to emphasize about the slow boil that leads to big change.

Here’s the thing - big change, it’s not sudden. Evolution isn’t like a volcanic eruption or big earthquake. It’s not tectonic. It’s slow. And each time there’s a shift, humans adapt, normalizing to the abnormal and eventually everyone acts surprised.

In this week’s episode, debunking the frog myth and how that applies to everything happening right now.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. 

Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 

This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.

#change #adaptation #froginboilingwater #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

You can’t un-bake a cake. Seems a silly statement, because - of course you can’t. Once it’s done, it’s done. Same with those words that may fly outta your pie-hole without thinking - those words that leave a mark. Those words that can’t be taken back.

That’s not what this episode is about.

This episode is kind of about the opposite of that. That in order to avoid an error in baking, it takes patience. You gotta let it sit. You can’t turn up the heat and expect that the cake will bake faster. It won’t. In fact if the oven is too hot that cake or pie or cookies or whatever you’re making - will be pretty f*cking awful.

Baking soothes me. It always has. It goes back to childhood and the passion in baking instilled in me by my dad’s mom. And for the last year or so I’ve been unable to bake due to what can only be described as a conflict with my oven.

A conflict, I’ve finally resolved. With patience. Per usual, some big lessons came … along with some goddamn great cookies.

And THAT is what this week’s episode is about.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. 

Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 

This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.

#baking #patience #cookies #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Anticipation. It’s one of those words that cuts both ways.

Anticipating something delightful and delicious, or waiting for the other shoe to drop. Sadly, there seems to be much more of the latter in the world lately. 

Feels like everyone is running around either like Chicken Little (proclaiming the sky is falling) or a chicken with its head cut off (and if you’ve never seen such a thing, suffice to say it’s gross - the body races around as the nervous system exists after the head’s been lopped off).

In either case - crisis-o-rama.

So let’s take a deep fucking breath, shall we?

That’s what I’m trying to do and thankfully between the onset of spring and ah ha moments related to working with dogs, this week’s episode offers a few nuggets that may just help.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. 

Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 

This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.

#anticipation #expectations #springtime #patience #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Ah the human condition. We’re just fucking lazy. Truly.

Okay perhaps a bit nicer to call it complacency - that sense of resting on our laurels, settling back and assuming just because something has been a way, it’ll stay.

Of course that’s a load of horseshit.

It’s everywhere. Especially when I look in the mirror. It’s about how easy it is to assume things will just go along, that the work I’ve done is sufficient.

Except, that’s not how it works.

And courtesy of weather and dogs, that’s where this week’s episode meanders.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. 

Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 

This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.

#springtime #springequinox #complacency #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

As winter wends its way to a close, a few experiences remain that I’ll be carrying into the spring.

Most of it is about perspective.

And in this week’s episode it’s the awareness from seeing that where I am in relation to anything determines everything.

It’s possible to be too close to something to see it clearly. It’s also possible being too far back skews the view incorrectly.

It’s not either/or. It never is. It’s both/and. It’s being able to immerse in a thing to know it and then to back up and see it in the context of the bigger picture.

Funny the things that can happen when someone decides to make a snow angel.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. 

Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 

This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.

#brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

What happens when you’re SO attached to the path you’re on, SO committed to being right it is the only way, that anything else becomes impossible?

What happens? Take a look around, friends. The dumpster fire sh*tshow in which we’re meandering is case in point.

What if the path is erased?

What if you cannot see where it lies?

There’s only one choice. Well, technically there are two, one could just be paralyzed by it and not move, but let’s assume that’s not an option. The option then is to forge forward, making a NEW path and perhaps in the process creating some change. The good kind.

And such are lessons from walking in a snowstorm.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. 

Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 

This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.

#brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Unless you’re from the Northeast of the US chances are the name Wegman’s doesn’t ring a bell. So to get us all on the same page - it’s a grocery store. If a very young Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s had a baby with the feeling of a neighborhood grocery that's an idea of what it's like.

Based out of Rochester, NY, it’s now a decent-sized chain with 111 locations in the northeastern part of the country. (That’s as of February 2025.)

So why am I doing an episode about Wegman’s? No it’s not about nutrition or diets or the ridiculous cost of eggs. It’s not about economics or tariffs or any of that horseshit.

It’s about community, pride … and cornbread.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. 

Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 

This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.

#wegmans #wegmansmarket #midlothian #chefdoug #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

It’s funny. The more the world seems to be spinning into a quantifiable, category 5, dumpster fire of a mess, the more people seem to be pointing fingers looking for someone to blame.

Meanwhile, it occurs to me that for every finger pointing in one direction, there’s really only one place where anyone can do anything about anything.

The f*cking mirror.

And yet, when standing in the sh*t storm and getting splattered with all kinds of verbal, emotional and - perhaps occasionally, actually - excrement, staying neutral and moving forward intentionally can feel really f*cking hard.

Because it can be. It also can be easy. Truly. 

And that’s where I go with this week’s episode.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. 

Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 

This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.

#brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash