The Big Talk with Tricia Brouk

In this episode, I'm sharing one of the most underrated skills in coaching, directing, and leadership — and it's probably not what you think.

It's not a strategy, technique, or even experience. It's detachment.

Tune in to discover:

• Why you don't need to fix things when a client falls apart in front of you, and what to do instead

• How to stay the steady anchor in the room when everything around you is unraveling, without going cold or checking out

• Why kindness and high standards are not opposites, and how holding both at the same time is what actually rebuilds someone

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Today, I'm so excited to welcome back my friend and thought leader, Jason van Orden.

You may remember Jason from Episode 461 that aired in September of 2022, where we talked about becoming a thought leader in your industry. Or, if you're a long-time listener, you may have heard our conversation on how to stop robbing yourself of your best work in Episode 128, which aired in 2017.

Jason serves established experts who keep hitting the same growth ceilings. He finds and removes what's keeping them stuck without losing what makes their work valuable, allowing them to help more people, create sustainable income, and enjoy a business that supports their life without consuming it.

In this episode, we'll explore:

• Why AI is not here to replace your creativity or thought leadership, and how to use it as a thinking partner that amplifies your unique genius instead

• The real reason most people aren't getting results from AI, and the five key areas where experts and thought leaders fall short

• How cognitive offloading frees you to stay in your zone of genius, and why the opportunity cost of not organizing your ideas has never been higher

• Jason's current favorites: Book: Show Your Work by Austin Kleon, Speaker: Zohran Mamdani, and Podcast: The Rest Is Science

His previous appearances on the podcast in Episode 128 & Episode 461

His free gift to our community, jasonvanorden.com/claude

Website: https://jasonvanorden.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvanorden

Read my Letters on Leadership, Influence & Love on Substack

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In this special episode, I had the honor of sitting down with the authors of Unedited: Women's Stories of Truth, Identity, and Transformation That Shape Leadership — a powerful collection produced by Maria DeLorenzis Reyes and published by The Big Talk Press.

Each woman in this book was given a label at some point in her life that caused her to stop trusting herself. Labels such as bossy, divorced, too much, or you can't. The labels were all different, but the journey was the same, and this conversation is about the courage it took to put those labels down.

Tune in to discover:

• Why the stories we carry in silence are far heavier than the ones we tell out loud, and what becomes possible when we finally speak them

• How community, belonging, and being truly seen by others is what makes transformation not just possible, but sustainable

• What it means to stop living an edited version of yourself, and why the unedited version is the one that leads, heals, and gives others permission to do the same

Publish your book with The Big Talk Press

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Today, I'm joined by my dear friend, Big Talk Academy Mastery alumna, and keynote speaker, Rhona McBain.

Rhona is the creator of the Creative Intelligence OS — a framework that explores how creative intelligence functions as the operating system of origination, helping people work with creative energy and process to shape identity, direction, and what they create.

In this episode, Rhona and I explore:

• Why creativity isn't reserved for artists and musicians, and how to recognize the creative energy that's already flowing through your life and work

• How our environments, surroundings, and relationships are constantly shaping our ability to express ourselves, and what to do about it

• What it truly means to fuel your creativity from the inside out, and why presence is the most important creative tool you have

• Rhona's current favorites: Book: Through Two Doors at Once, LeadHERship: Inspiring Women Leading with Purpose, and anything by David Sedaris, Speaker: Brené Brown, and Podcast: The Diary of a CEO

Website: www.rhonamcbain.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhona-shand-mcbain/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhonamcbain_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhona.mcba

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This week, we are celebrating 10 years of The Big Talk Podcast, and I am so grateful you are here for it!

Ten years. Over 700 episodes. Not a single week missed.

In this special anniversary episode, I reflect on what a decade of showing up has taught me — not just about podcasting, but about consistency, trust, and what it truly means to keep your word.

Tune in to discover:

• Why consistency is the most valuable currency you can build in your career, and what 10 years of never missing a week actually proves

• Why waiting until you feel ready is the one thing guaranteed to keep you from ever starting

• How the promises you make to yourself are just as sacred as the ones you make to your audience, your clients, and your team

Claim your spot for my two-day virtual masterclass, The Art of The Big Talk

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Today, I'm joined by the remarkable Jackie Graves, an English and Creative Writing Professor, Soul Voice Activator, and a beloved member of The Big Talk community.

Jackie spent 20 years helping thousands of students find their voices and transform their lives. Now, she helps visionaries liberate their voices so they can step out and change the world. And her own story of reclaiming her voice is one you won't want to miss.

In this episode, we'll explore:

• What it truly means to be a light worker, and why you may already be one without knowing it

• How childhood silence and trauma can shut down your soul gift, and what it takes to reclaim it

• What soul voice activation is and why connecting your creativity, your power, and your expression may be the most important thing you do as a leader and speaker

• Jackie's current favorites: Book: Wild by Cheryl Strayed, Speaker: Malcolm X, and Podcast: Erika Alsborn's podcast, "Yes, Please"

Her free gift to our community: Activate Your Voice Meditation

Website: www.jackiegraves.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackie.graves.10

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackiegraves510/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackiegraves510/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/jackiegraves

Claim your spot for my two-day virtual masterclass, The Art of The Big Talk

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In this episode, I deconstruct Steven Spielberg's new film Disclosure Day — which I happened to see on the Fourth of July, on the 250th anniversary of this country, in a theater in New York City.

The timing was unplanned. The way it landed was not.

Tune in to discover:

• Why integrity is simpler than we think, and why we so often talk ourselves out of it anyway

• What withholding truth has to do with division, and how speakers and leaders do this more than they realize

• Why the last word of the film stopped me cold, and what it means for anyone who wants to use their voice to unite rather than divide

Publish your book with The Big Talk Press

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Today, I'm joined by an amazing friend and speaker, Maria DeLorenzis Reyes.

Maria is an executive leadership coach who specializes in challenging conventional norms and fostering cultures of belonging and high performance.

As CEO and Founder of Training Innovations and MDR Brands, she has transformed over 1,600 companies, delivered over 5,800 presentations and trained 400,000+ people. Her extensive knowledge and speaking skills make her a sought-after coach, consultant, and speaker.

Maria is also the creator and host of the "Finding the Upside" podcast and TV series. Her book, Unedited: Women's Stories of Truth, Identity, and Transformation That Shapes Leadership, is for anyone who has let a label hold them back from standing fully in who they are.

In this episode, we'll explore:

• Why true belonging in the workplace starts with hospitality and treating every person with equal care, attention, and welcome

• What it truly means to be a rebel leader and why that's a good thing

• How to lead with integrity, and why values mean nothing without the actions and behaviors to back them up

• Her current favorites: Book: Being Smart Is Stupid and The Art of Contemplation, Speaker: Michelle Obama, and Podcast: The Curiosity Shop

Her previous appearance on the podcast in Episode 714

Website: mariadr.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariaDeLorenzisReyes

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariadelorenzisreyes/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themariadr/

Publish your book with The Big Talk Press

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In this episode, I share something that happened on my way to vote that stopped me in my tracks — three words spoken so flatly, so matter-of-factly, that I couldn't stop thinking about them for the rest of the morning.

"I'm just here."

Those three words revealed something I think a lot of us are doing without even realizing it, and it's quietly costing us more than we know.

Tune in to discover:

• What "I'm just here" actually means, and why it's not the same as being tired, burned out, or introverted

• What it costs you every single time you drift into autopilot — in your leadership, your speaking, and your life

• Four concrete ways to come back to full presence, even when you've been going through the motions for a long time

Join me LIVE for my Complimentary Monthly Workshop

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Today, I am joined by the amazing Linda Lorelle.

Linda is an Emmy- and Gracie Award-winning journalist, entrepreneur, speaker, moderator, and host of the award-winning podcast Our Voices Matter. As Co-founder of the democracy project, Civil Dialogues, she travels the country creating a safe space for Americans to engage with each other about difficult issues affecting the country.

In this episode, Linda and I explore what it truly means to listen across the divide, and why that might be the most important skill any of us can develop right now.

When you tune in, you'll discover:

• The importance of listening with curiosity rather than judgment to bridge divides

• Why creating safe spaces for difficult conversations isn't just idealistic — it's essential to democracy

• How looking at where we are now through a historical lens is both grounding and hopeful

• Linda's current favorites: Books: If I Ruled the World by Amy Dubois Barnett and How Not To Use AI by Abi Awomosu, Speaker: Maya Angelou, and Podcast: Fresh Air

Substack: https://lindalorelle.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-lorelle

Join me LIVE for my Complimentary Monthly Workshop

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Visit my website at TriciaBrouk.com