In this episode, I'm digging into something I have really mixed feelings about (in a good way), personality profiles at work. I love them, I use them constantly in my own practice, but I've also watched them go sideways in organizations more times than I'd like. So instead of my usual "five things to do" format, I flipped it this time to talk about five things not to do.

Here's what I cover:

1. Don't treat a profile as a verdict on who someone is.

2. Don't assume everyone with the same type behaves the same way.

3. Don't treat personality as set in stone.

4. Don't rank types as good or bad.

5. Don't use the profile as a label people can't escape.

Take the Enneagram Microtest | TAKE THE QUIZ

Interested in a Team Offsite?

• Learn more about Team Offsites | START HERE

• Not sure what kind of Offsite your team needs? | TAKE THE QUIZ

Interested in a 1:1 Executive Retreat?

• Complete this form | START HERE

• To learn more about team offsites | LEARN MORE

• What kind of offsite does your team need right now?| TAKE THE QUIZ

Take the Conscious Productivity Quiz!

• Discover your personal productivity profile | DISCOVER MORE

• Are you a people leader at work? You can also take the LEADER version of the quiz to discover how you create the conditions for conscious productivity at work | TAKE LEADER QUIZ

Get Stephanie's Book:

• The Big Scale Back: Success and Balance By Your Own Design | GET YOUR COPY HERE

Work with Stephanie:

• 1x1 Coaching | LEARN MORE

• Workplace + Team Programs | LEARN MORE

• Organizational Culture | LEARN MORE

Connect with Stephanie:

• Instagram | @agencytochange

• Website | agencytochange.com

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I can't tell you what your change is, only you know that. But what I can do is give you six signals that tend to show up when something in your life is ready to shift, whether that's a habit, a relationship, a role, or something much bigger. My hope is that by the end of this episode, you'll recognize a signal (or a few) and give yourself permission to sit with it.

In this episode, I cover:

1. You've outgrown it — When something you once loved just doesn't fit the same way anymore, and nothing "went wrong," you simply grew.

2. Fear is the only thing holding you back — You already know what you want; you just haven't done it. I talk about the "one more year" trap and how to spot it.

3. Your body knows before you do — Sunday scaries, chronic fatigue, tightness in your chest — your body often signals change before your mind catches up.

4. You're jealous of people whose lives you used to feel neutral about — Envy is honest data about what you actually want for yourself.

5. Your personality pattern is getting in the way — The tough-love one. "It's just my personality" is often avoidance, not acceptance. I break down two sub-signs to watch for.

6. The story you tell about your situation has stopped feeling true —When you no longer believe your own reasoning, that's the sign.

Interested in a 1:1 Executive Retreat?

• Complete this form | START HERE

• To learn more about team offsites | LEARN MORE

• What kind of offsite does your team need right now?| TAKE THE QUIZ

Take the Conscious Productivity Quiz!

• Discover your personal productivity profile | DISCOVER MORE

• Are you a people leader at work? You can also take the LEADER version of the quiz to discover how you create the conditions for conscious productivity at work | TAKE LEADER QUIZ

Get Stephanie's Book:

• The Big Scale Back: Success and Balance By Your Own Design | GET YOUR COPY HERE

Work with Stephanie:

• 1x1 Coaching | LEARN MORE

• Workplace + Team Programs | LEARN MORE

• Organizational Culture | LEARN MORE

Connect with Stephanie:

• Instagram | @agencytochange

• Website | agencytochange.com

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Thank you for tuning in ~ don't forget to leave a rating and review!

In this episode, I'm exploring how to design impactful team offsites that foster real change, trust, and relationship building. Grab your notebook because I share practical insights on different types of offsites, their purpose, and how to ensure they deliver ROI.

Key Topics:

• Types of offsites: thinking, connection, recovery

• Importance of intentional design and purpose

• Pre-work and priming for success

• Activities that transfer to workplace impact

• Follow-through and accountability after the offsite

Chapters:

• 04:19 Different types of offsites and their purposes

• 12:21 Five factors that make an offsite successful

• 20:33 Designing for transfer, not just entertainment

• 32:09 Follow-through and sustaining impact

Interested in a Team Offsite?

• Learn more about Team Offsites | START HERE
• Not sure what kind of Offsite your team needs? | TAKE THE QUIZ

Take the Conscious Productivity Quiz!

• Discover your personal productivity profile | DISCOVER MORE

• Are you a people leader at work? You can also take the LEADER version of the quiz to discover how you create the conditions for conscious productivity at work | TAKE LEADER QUIZ

Get Stephanie's Book:

• The Big Scale Back: Success and Balance By Your Own Design | GET YOUR COPY HERE

Work with Stephanie:

• 1x1 Coaching | LEARN MORE

• Workplace + Team Programs | LEARN MORE

• Organizational Culture | LEARN MORE

Connect with Stephanie:

• Instagram | @agencytochange

• Website | agencytochange.com

Newsletter Sign Up Here

Thank you for tuning in ~ don't forget to leave a rating and review!

In this episode, I explore practical strategies for leaders to cultivate calmness under pressure, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, mindful response, and strategic pauses to enhance leadership effectiveness.

Key Topics:

• The importance of calmness in leadership

• How to cultivate genuine composure

• The role of self-awareness and triggers

• Using strategic pauses to respond, not react

• Understanding emotional triggers and reactions

• The difference between response and reactivity

• Practical techniques for staying calm under pressure

• The impact of calm leadership on team dynamics

Chapters:

• 01:04 Reflecting on the one-year anniversary of the podcast

• 02:27 The importance of staying calm under pressure in leadership

• 03:23 The misconception of calm as emotional suppression

• 04:46 Cultivating genuine composure with warmth and humanity

• 06:33 Understanding nervous system regulation and leadership

• 07:30 A simple, practical approach to maintaining composure

• 08:22 Redefining calm: embracing emotional responses with consciousness

• 12:36 The power of the conscious pause in leadership

• 13:27 Recognizing triggers to build self-awareness

• 27:34 Using the pause strategically in high-pressure moments

• 34:52 Practical questions to develop your calmness strategy

Take the Conscious Productivity Quiz!

• Discover your personal productivity profile | DISCOVER MORE

• Are you a people leader at work? You can also take the LEADER version of the quiz to discover how you create the conditions for conscious productivity at work | TAKE LEADER QUIZ

Get Stephanie's Book:

• The Big Scale Back: Success and Balance By Your Own Design | GET YOUR COPY HERE

Work with Stephanie:

• 1x1 Coaching | LEARN MORE

• Workplace + Team Programs | LEARN MORE

• Organizational Culture | LEARN MORE

Connect with Stephanie:

• Instagram | @agencytochange

• Website | agencytochange.com

Newsletter Sign Up Here

Thank you for tuning in ~ don't forget to leave a rating and review!

In this episode, I explore the concept of microclimates within teams, using weather metaphors to help leaders understand and shape team dynamics and culture. This episode offers practical insights on creating healthy team environments and fostering conscious productivity.

Key Topics:

• Microclimates in teams and organizations

• Weather metaphors for understanding team dynamics

• Creating psychological safety in teams

• Responsibility and ownership in team culture

• Weathering highs and lows as a team

• Influence of macro and micro climates on work environment

• Leadership role in shaping team microclimate

• Building resilience and celebrating wins

• Managing tensions and conflicts effectively

• Self-awareness and self-regulation in leadership

Chapters:

• 02:23 Understanding team stress and the impact of weather environments

• 04:39 The importance of climate in team productivity

• 06:13 Microclimates vs macro climate in organizations

• 10:24 Pressure fronts and their impact on team weather

• 13:42 Creating and cultivating a microclimate

• 18:30 Components of a healthy microclimate

• 28:08 Conditions for psychological safety in teams

• 30:58 Ownership and self-awareness in team culture

• 40:10 Reflective questions for leaders and team members

Take the Conscious Productivity Quiz!

• Discover your personal productivity profile | DISCOVER MORE

• Are you a people leader at work? You can also take the LEADER version of the quiz to discover how you create the conditions for conscious productivity at work | TAKE LEADER QUIZ

Get Stephanie's Book:

• The Big Scale Back: Success and Balance By Your Own Design | GET YOUR COPY HERE

Work with Stephanie:

• 1x1 Coaching | LEARN MORE

• Workplace + Team Programs | LEARN MORE

• Organizational Culture | LEARN MORE

Connect with Stephanie:

• Instagram | @agencytochange

• Website | agencytochange.com

Newsletter Sign Up Here

Thank you for tuning in ~ don't forget to leave a rating and review!

In this episode, I'm exploring the common patterns leaders use to avoid difficult conversations, why these patterns occur, and how to overcome them with skillful communication. Learn practical strategies to handle tough talks with empathy, directness, and curiosity.

Key Topics:

• Patterns of avoidance in leadership conversations

• Emotional triggers: fear and guilt

• Strategies for direct, compassionate, and curious communication

• Managing up and managing down challenges

• The cost of avoiding difficult conversations

• Practical tools for skillful feedback

Chapters:

• 02:27 The Importance of Difficult Conversations

• 07:08 Emotions Behind Avoidance

• 14:05 Patterns of Avoidance in Leadership

• 21:20 Managing Up: The Fear of Pushback

• 24:59 Navigating Leadership Challenges

• 29:09 Understanding the Costs of Avoidance

• 35:53 The Importance of Feedback Conversations

• 46:00 Skills for Effective Conversations

Take the Conscious Productivity Quiz!

• Discover your personal productivity profile | DISCOVER MORE

• Are you a people leader at work? You can also take the LEADER version of the quiz to discover how you create the conditions for conscious productivity at work | TAKE LEADER QUIZ

Get Stephanie's Book:

• The Big Scale Back: Success and Balance By Your Own Design | GET YOUR COPY HERE

Work with Stephanie:

• 1x1 Coaching | LEARN MORE

• Workplace + Team Programs | LEARN MORE

• Organizational Culture | LEARN MORE

Connect with Stephanie:

• Instagram | @agencytochange

• Website | agencytochange.com

Newsletter Sign Up Here

Thank you for tuning in ~ don't forget to leave a rating and review!

In this episode, I'm exploring the root causes of work unfulfillment and how to address them before making drastic career changes. I'll give you practical insights and reflective questions to help you find fulfillment in your current role. Let's dive in!

Key Topics:

• Root causes of work unfulfillment

• Self-awareness and personal growth

• Environmental and organizational changes

• Values alignment and misalignment

• Strategies for renegotiating roles and responsibilities

• The importance of reflection and emotional processing

Chapters:

• 03:20 Understanding Unfulfillment: Root Causes

• 06:28 Exploring Personal and Environmental Changes

• 09:20 Identifying the Essence of Your Role

• 12:04 Navigating Career Choices and Values

• 14:44 Recognizing Achievement Saturation

• 17:59 Addressing Stagnation and Overlooked Potential

• 20:28 The Impact of Environmental Changes

• 23:31 Grieving Changes in the Workplace

• 26:23 Conversations with Team Members

• 29:06 Final Thoughts on Fulfillment

Take the Conscious Productivity Quiz!

• Discover your personal productivity profile | DISCOVER MORE

• Are you a people leader at work? You can also take the LEADER version of the quiz to discover how you create the conditions for conscious productivity at work | TAKE LEADER QUIZ

Get Stephanie's Book:

• The Big Scale Back: Success and Balance By Your Own Design | GET YOUR COPY HERE

Work with Stephanie:

• 1x1 Coaching | LEARN MORE

• Workplace + Team Programs | LEARN MORE

• Organizational Culture | LEARN MORE

Connect with Stephanie:

• Instagram | @agencytochange

• Website | agencytochange.com

Newsletter Sign Up Here

Thank you for tuning in ~ don't forget to leave a rating and review!

In this episode, I'm delving into the complex relationship between high achievers and burnout. I emphasize that burnout is often not just a result of workload but rather an alignment issue, stemming from emotional climate, flow, and clarity in one's work life. I introduce my framework of clarity, climate, and flow as essential pillars for understanding and addressing burnout, encouraging you to reflect on your work environment, rhythms, and personal values to foster a more sustainable and fulfilling work life.

Key Takeaways:

• Burnout is often an alignment problem, not just workload.

• Standard advice like taking vacations may not address root causes.

• Emotional climate significantly impacts feelings of burnout.

• Flow refers to the rhythm of work and recovery.

• Clarity involves understanding personal values and goals.

• High achievers often struggle with the need for rest.

• Workaholism can be a deeply ingrained value.

• Proactive recovery is essential for sustainable productivity.

• Self-awareness is crucial for identifying true desires in work.

Chapters:

• 01:33 Understanding Burnout in High Achievers

• 05:42 The Root Causes of Burnout

• 10:11 The Three Pillars of Conscious Productivity

• 11:06 Exploring Climate: The Emotional Work Environment

• 15:52 Understanding Flow: The Rhythm of Work

• 21:03 The Importance of Clarity in Work

• 26:20 Aligning Work with Personal Values

Take the Conscious Productivity Quiz!

• Discover your personal productivity profile | DISCOVER MORE

• Are you a people leader at work? You can also take the LEADER version of the quiz to discover how you create the conditions for conscious productivity at work | TAKE LEADER QUIZ

Get Stephanie's Book:

• The Big Scale Back: Success and Balance By Your Own Design | GET YOUR COPY HERE

Work with Stephanie:

• 1x1 Coaching | LEARN MORE

• Workplace + Team Programs | LEARN MORE

• Organizational Culture | LEARN MORE

Connect with Stephanie:

• Instagram | @agencytochange

• Website | agencytochange.com

Newsletter Sign Up Here

Thank you for tuning in ~ don't forget to leave a rating and review!

In this episode, I'm delving into the complex relationship between high achievers and burnout. I emphasize that burnout is often not just a result of workload but rather an alignment issue, stemming from emotional climate, flow, and clarity in one's work life. I introduce my framework of clarity, climate, and flow as essential pillars for understanding and addressing burnout, encouraging you to reflect on your work environment, rhythms, and personal values to foster a more sustainable and fulfilling work life.

Key Takeaways:

• Burnout is often an alignment problem, not just workload.

• Standard advice like taking vacations may not address root causes.

• Emotional climate significantly impacts feelings of burnout.

• Flow refers to the rhythm of work and recovery.

• Clarity involves understanding personal values and goals.

• High achievers often struggle with the need for rest.

• Workaholism can be a deeply ingrained value.

• Proactive recovery is essential for sustainable productivity.

• Self-awareness is crucial for identifying true desires in work.

Chapters:

• 01:33 Understanding Burnout in High Achievers

• 05:42 The Root Causes of Burnout

• 10:11 The Three Pillars of Conscious Productivity

• 11:06 Exploring Climate: The Emotional Work Environment

• 15:52 Understanding Flow: The Rhythm of Work

• 21:03 The Importance of Clarity in Work

• 26:20 Aligning Work with Personal Values

Take the Conscious Productivity Quiz!

• Discover your personal productivity profile | DISCOVER MORE

• Are you a people leader at work? You can also take the LEADER version of the quiz to discover how you create the conditions for conscious productivity at work | TAKE LEADER QUIZ

Get Stephanie's Book:

• The Big Scale Back: Success and Balance By Your Own Design | GET YOUR COPY HERE

Work with Stephanie:

• 1x1 Coaching | LEARN MORE

• Workplace + Team Programs | LEARN MORE

• Organizational Culture | LEARN MORE

Connect with Stephanie:

• Instagram | @agencytochange

• Website | agencytochange.com

Newsletter Sign Up Here

Thank you for tuning in ~ don't forget to leave a rating and review!

In this episode, I'm taking you through one of my favorite thought experiments that I use with leaders and teams: the User Manual.

Imagine your new hire, your newest colleague, or that peer you're about to collaborate with for the next six months walks in on day one and gets handed a manual — not on HR policies or org charts, but on how to work with you. What would it say?

I'm walking you through five categories to help you get more intentional about who you are at work and how you communicate that to the people around you.

What we cover:

• Why self-knowledge is the prerequisite for self-management (and why this is anything but "soft" work)

• The two traps people fall into when they start self-reflecting — and how to sidestep both

• How staying a mystery to your team actually drains their energy and creates low-grade anxiety

• Category 1 – How you work best: Your rhythms, your peak times, whether you think out loud or need quiet first

• Category 2 – How to communicate with you: What lands, what makes you tune out, and how you want to receive bad news

• Category 3 – What you value: The deeply held priorities you've probably never named out loud for your team

• Category 4 – What drains or frustrates you: Not as complaints — as data your team can actually use

• Category 5 – What you're working on: Modeling growth edges builds credibility, not the opposite

• A peek at my own user manual: the three things I've shared with every new team member I've ever had

Take the Conscious Productivity Quiz!

• Discover your personal productivity profile | DISCOVER MORE

• Are you a people leader at work? You can also take the LEADER version of the quiz to discover how you create the conditions for conscious productivity at work | TAKE LEADER QUIZ

Get Stephanie's Book:

• The Big Scale Back: Success and Balance By Your Own Design | GET YOUR COPY HERE

Work with Stephanie:

• 1x1 Coaching | LEARN MORE

• Workplace + Team Programs | LEARN MORE

• Organizational Culture | LEARN MORE

Connect with Stephanie:

• Instagram | @agencytochange

• Website | agencytochange.com

Newsletter Sign Up Here

Thank you for tuning in ~ don't forget to leave a rating and review!