Most professionals reflect — but usually only after something goes wrong.

In this episode of The Career Edge, Leslie Ferry explores why intentional reflection — done by choice, not by crisis — is one of the most powerful (and overlooked) drivers of career growth.

You’ll learn:

• Why careers don’t slow down from lack of effort, but from missed opportunities to learn
• The difference between reactive reflection and intentional reflection — and why it matters
• How small, daily moments of reflection reduce stress, rework, and frustration
• A simple 2–3 minute practice to turn everyday experience into clearer judgment and faster growth

This episode is especially relevant if you:

• Feel busy but not always sure you’re learning as fast as you could
• Want to improve how you think, communicate, and show up at work
• Are early in your career, stepping into management, or simply want to sharpen your Career Edge

Reflection isn’t about finding fault.
It’s about noticing patterns early — before they harden.

Career transitions are exciting — and often more challenging than we expect.

In this episode of The Career Edge, we explore why capable, motivated professionals can struggle during career shifts — not because they lack skill, but because the definition of “good work” quietly changes at each stage.

This conversation is especially relevant for:

• Early-career professionals adjusting from school to the realities of work
• New managers navigating the shift from doing to enabling others

We unpack how performance expectations evolve, why AI is accelerating these changes, and which human skills — judgment, communication, collaboration, and self-awareness — matter most when roles and responsibilities shift.

This episode isn’t about prescribing answers. It’s about helping you see the transition more clearly, reduce unnecessary anxiety, and approach growth with greater confidence and intention.

Good collaboration doesn’t just happen — it’s designed. In this final episode of The Career Edge, discover how understanding the differences in work styles, motivations, and perspectives of your team mates can turn everyday friction into the flow that fuels performance, innovation, purpose, and achievement.

True collaboration happens when awareness, reasoning, communication, and trust move together. You’ll learn how clarity, curiosity, and credibility transform tension into teamwork — and why understanding how others think and prefer to work helps everyone move faster, together.

Because while AI can coordinate tasks, only humans can create trust, synergy, and shared success.

Trust isn’t a feeling — it’s a track record of consistent actions. It’s earned through what people see you do, not just what you say you value. In this episode of The Career Edge, discover the behaviors that build credibility through three tightly connected pillars — ability, integrity, and benevolence — and why all three must be strong to be seen as truly trustworthy.

At work, trust isn’t automatic; it’s earned through proactive, conscious, and demonstrative behaviors every day. You’ll learn how consistent communication, reliable follow-through, and authentic care shape the signals that others use to decide whether to trust you.

Because while AI can simulate confidence, only humans can prove credibility.

The best communicators don’t just speak clearly — they speak to be understood. And that starts by shaping messages around what your listeners need to hear to create real impact. In this episode of The Career Edge, discover how tailoring your message to different work styles, experience levels, and perspectives transforms even simple conversations into moments of clarity and connection.

 Every conversation at work — from quick updates to major presentations — deserves intentional planning. This episode reveals how understanding your audience’s communication style, context, and priorities helps you adapt your message for maximum influence.

You’ll learn how to shift from “sharing information” to “creating understanding,” so your words build trust, alignment, and results across every level of your organization.

Because in a world where AI can deliver the words, only humans can ensure they truly land.

AI is changing how we work — but fear not. Your greatest career advantage isn’t technical; it’s human. In this first episode of The Career Edge, you’ll discover that blind spots happen to us all — unseen interpretations of our actions and abilities that can differ wildly from what we intend. (You might be surprised by how you’re being misinterpreted.)

The Career Edge is a new series dedicated to helping you understand and strengthen the human skills that shape your career — especially in the era of AI, where how you think, connect, and communicate defines your true value.

In this episode, we explore how others often see us differently than we expect. These varying  perceptions — shaped by different work styles, personalities, and priorities — create what are called blind spots. They’re our default behaviors in motion, influencing how others interpret our tone, decisions, and credibility.

Awareness is what turns those blind spots into bright spots. When you recognize how you’re experienced by others, you can act with greater intention — building stronger relationships,  becoming a trusted sounding board, and inspiring teams toward shared goals.

Because in a world where AI can automate tasks we do, our awareness can illuminate who we become.

AI might predict your next word or action — but today’s workplace requires you to predict what your boss’s boss needs next. In this episode of The Career Edge, discover why your ability to anticipate, reason, and connect the dots two levels up is now your greatest advantage in the AI era.

As AI takes on more execution, our human value lies in interpretation — in thinking beyond the task to its impact. This episode explores how to elevate your reasoning from “what needs to get done” to “why it matters and what happens next.”

You’ll learn how to think ahead, strengthen judgment, and demonstrate foresight — the skill that earns trust, visibility, and leadership credibility.

Because AI may be fast, but it can’t think for context — and that’s where your human edge shines.

Disclaimer: Apologies to non-sports fans, specifically non-hockey fans, for the analogy. It's just particularly fitting.

AI is already disrupting how we work. It will increase our productivity and change how we achieve our goals and responsibilities in profound ways. It is the latest evolution of the skills needed in the AI economy. Listen to hear how you can take advantage of this latest shift.

Strategic thinking, or being strategic, is often tossed around as a needed approach in the workplace. But what does it actually mean? Being strategic involves achieving short-term goals while keeping an eye on the future for potential opportunities or unforeseen consequences. 

Listen to hear more.

In this episode, Leslie Ferry and Pamela Coleman-Davis discuss the 3rd of 5 effective leadership attributes: Over-Communicates to Avoid Ambiguity.