The OOPS Factor

You can hit the goal, meet the deadline, solve the problem, and still miss one of the most important parts of leadership: the people.

In Episode 9 of The OOPS Factor Podcast, Dr. Shelta Richardson shares a leadership lesson she had to learn personally. Being task driven can be a tremendous strength, but when accomplishing the task becomes more important than the people around us, that strength can become a weakness. 

We explore the balance between results and relationships, psychological safety, developing people instead of simply using people to accomplish tasks, and the example Jesus gave us of leadership that never allowed the assignment to make people invisible. 

Free Guided Journal

Ready to work through the OOPS Factor in your own life and leadership? Download your FREE OOPS Factor Guided Journal at: www.oopsfactor.com

Get the Book: Ready to go deeper? Get your copy of The OOPS Factor: From Failure to God-Given Purpose in eBook or hardcover: https://www.amazon.com/OOPS-Factor-Failure-God-Given-Purpose/dp/B0HHQP34ZQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SMO25L3SPYIS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V3wUXG7l1uH7ZsdyYa8bUyiuFQBMmJotav2Mw3VeElK43x0wLvaqAi84ppF6RsIX.AZ4kDbcwcwZGs6099DHzsPPe3ibfLp83TAYHYxlqM3I&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+oops+factor&qid=1791302105&sprefix=%2Caps%2C138&sr=8-1

Sources & Show Notes

Research referenced in this episode includes Gallup’s employee engagement research and the American Psychological Association’s 2024 Work in America study on psychological safety. Scripture references include Mark 10:14–16, Mark 10:42–45, and Philippians 2:3–4. 

Leading Without Becoming a Copy of the Person Who Came Before You

Have you ever stepped into a new leadership role only to hear, “Well, that’s not how the person before you did it”?

In Episode 8 of The OOPS Factor Podcast, Dr. Shelta Richardson tackles a challenge many leaders face: How do you learn from the people who came before you without becoming a copy of them? Drawing from her own experience stepping into leadership behind another director, Shelta shares the lesson that eventually changed the way she thought about leadership transitions: You have to let new leaders wear their own shoes.

In this episode, Shelta explores:

• The difference between leadership standards and leadership style
• Why new leaders need both responsibility and appropriate authority
• How comparison can cause leaders to lose their own voice
• How to Own It and Observe the Pattern when developing your leadership style
• What Scripture teaches us about different gifts, different assignments, and the same God

Free Guided Journal

Ready to put what you’re learning into practice? Download your FREE OOPS Factor Guided Journal at: www.theoopsfactor.com

Get Your Copy of The OOPS Factor

Want to go deeper? The OOPS Factor: From Failure to God-Given Purpose is available in eBook and hardcover on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/OOPS-Factor-Failure-God-Given-Purpose/dp/B0HHQP34ZQ/

Sources & Show Notes

Research and sources referenced in this episode include the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025 Annual Averages, for workforce and leadership representation statistics; Catalyst’s research on the Double-Bind Dilemma for Women in Leadership; Dr. Shelta Richardson’s doctoral dissertation, Corruption and Fraud: Experiences of College Professors and Career Professionals; and Dr. Richardson’s book, The OOPS Factor. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), including 1 Corinthians 12:4–6, Judges 4:4–5, and Romans 12:6. 

Episode 7: You Don’t Have to Feel Ready to Lead
What to Do When the Opportunity Comes Before You Feel Qualified

Have you ever been given an opportunity—and immediately wondered, “Am I really ready for this?”

In Episode 7 of The OOPS Factor Podcast, Dr. Shelta Richardson explores what happens when the opportunity to lead shows up before you feel completely qualified to step into it.

Drawing from her own unexpected journey into leadership, Shelta shares how she found herself in rooms she didn’t feel prepared for—and what she learned about the difference between pretending you have no gaps and becoming the kind of leader who is willing to identify those gaps, learn, grow, and close them.

And, as always, faith enters the conversation. Through the story of Moses, Shelta explores a different kind of confidence—one that isn’t rooted in believing we are already capable of everything, but in trusting God enough to obey, grow, and learn along the way.

Have you ordered your copy of "The OOPS Factor"? Click link below to order your copy today! https://www.amazon.com/OOPS-Factor-Failure-God-Given-Purpose/dp/B0HHQP34ZQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1W2D94P4EJ3FW&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V3wUXG7l1uH7ZsdyYa8bUyiuFQBMmJotav2Mw3VeElK43x0wLvaqAi84ppF6RsIX.AZ4kDbcwcwZGs6099DHzsPPe3ibfLp83TAYHYxlqM3I&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+oops+factor&qid=1790042425&sprefix=the+oops+facto%2Caps%2C530&sr=8-1

Want a free copy of the OOPS Factor Journal? Click below!

https://www.theoopsfactor.com

Research and statistics referenced in this episode include:

• Tara Sophia Mohr, “Why Women Don’t Apply for Jobs Unless They’re 100% Qualified,” Harvard Business Review, August 25, 2014.
• Bravata et al., research on the prevalence and characteristics of impostor syndrome, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
• Dr. Shelta Richardson, doctoral dissertation, Corruption and Fraud: Experiences of College Professors and Career Professionals, referenced in the discussion of ethical leadership.
• Dr. Shelta Richardson, The OOPS Factor, referenced for personal narrative and leadership lessons.
• Scripture quotations: World English Bible (WEB), public-domain translation. Scripture discussed includes Exodus 4:10–12 and 1 Corinthians 1:26–29.

What happens after you’ve owned your story, recognized the patterns, and made the pivot? What do you do with the scars that remain?

In Episode 6 of The OOPS Factor Podcast, Kaitlyn Hood sits down with Dr. Shelta Richardson to explore the final “S” in the OOPS Factor framework: Steward the Scars.

This is an authentic and deeply personal conversation. Dr. Richardson opens up about tender and challenging moments from her own story—experiences that were difficult to walk through and even harder to heal from. She shares what healing looked like for her, what she learned along the way, and how some of the places that once caused the greatest pain eventually became places from which she could give back to others.

This isn’t about pretending everything happens for a reason or wrapping painful experiences in an overly pious bow. It’s about learning to steward what you’ve survived.

At the heart of this episode is a simple belief: people need safe places to tell the truth about the roads they have traveled. Dr. Richardson’s desire is to love people right where they are, build genuine relationships, and create conversations where we can talk honestly about our scars without shame—and then use what we’ve learned to help someone else along the way.

Visit www.theOOPSFactor.com to learn more and download your FREE guided OOPS Factor Journal.

And if this conversation speaks to you, subscribe to The OOPS Factor Podcast and share this episode with someone who may need to hear it. Sometimes helping another person begins simply by letting them know they aren’t traveling the road alone.

What happens when you realize the path you’re on is no longer the path you’re supposed to stay on? In this episode of The OOPS Factor Podcast, Kaitlyn Hood sits down with Dr. Shelta Richardson to unpack the “P” in the OOPS Factor framework: PIVOT.

One of the biggest misconceptions about pivoting is that it means quitting, giving up, or admitting defeat. But as Dr. Shelta explains, pivoting is not quitting. Pivoting means taking what you have learned and moving with intention toward something better. That distinction is at the heart of The OOPS Factor. 

If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I supposed to keep pushing, or is it time to change direction?” this conversation is for you. In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why pivoting and quitting are not the same thing
• How the lessons from your OOPS moments can inform your next move
• Why changing direction doesn’t mean your previous season was wasted
• How to move forward with intention rather than simply reacting
• Why some of the most important pivots require courage, humility, and faith

Ready to go deeper?

📘 Get your copy of The OOPS Factor: How Failure Can Shape Your God-Given Purpose. The hardcover and eBook are now available on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/OOPS-Factor-Failure-God-Given-Purpose/dp/B0HHQP34ZQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=AYREF9Q3FYQG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V3wUXG7l1uH7ZsdyYa8bUyiuFQBMmJotav2Mw3VeElK43x0wLvaqAi84ppF6RsIX.AZ4kDbcwcwZGs6099DHzsPPe3ibfLp83TAYHYxlqM3I&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+oops+factor&qid=1788878745&sprefix=the+oops+factor%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-1

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📝 And don’t forget your FREE OOPS Factor Guided Journal. Visit www.theoopsfactor.com

What if the moment you regret most wasn’t really just one moment—but part of a pattern you never stopped long enough to see? In Episode 4 of The OOPS Factor Podcast, Kaitlin Hood sits down with Dr. Shelta Richardson for a deeply personal and vulnerable conversation about the second “O” in the OOPS Factor framework: Observe the Patterns.

This episode goes into sensitive territory as Dr. Richardson shares a part of her story that requires honesty, courage, and, in true OOPS Factor fashion, a little humor along the way. Together, Kaitlin and Dr. Richardson explore why owning what happened is only the beginning. Real growth requires us to look beneath the individual mistake and ask harder questions: What patterns brought me here? What did I ignore? What kept repeating? And what can I learn from it now?

Through the lenses of leadership, faith, and healing, this conversation challenges us to stop viewing our failures as isolated events and begin recognizing the patterns that may be shaping our choices, relationships, leadership, and lives. Because you can’t change a pattern you refuse to see. And sometimes, the very thing you are most afraid to examine becomes the place where God begins to bring clarity, healing, and transformation.

Visit www.theOOPSFactor.com to learn more and download your FREE OOPS Factor Journal.

In Episode 3 of The OOPS Factor Podcast, host Kaitlyn Hood sits down with Dr. Shelta Richardson to unpack the first “O” in the OOPS Factor framework: Own It.

With vulnerability, honesty, practical wisdom, and plenty of humor, Dr. Richardson shares why owning our mistakes can feel so uncomfortable and why it is also one of the most freeing things we can do. This isn’t about beating yourself up, living in shame, or taking responsibility for things that aren’t yours. It’s about having the courage to look honestly at your OOPS moment and ask, “What part of this belongs to me?”

Dr. Richardson makes that first step feel safe and doable, offering practical advice for moving beyond excuses, blame, and shame and toward accountability, growth, and purpose. Because you can’t change what you refuse to acknowledge. But once you own it, you can begin deciding what happens next.

🎙️ Subscribe to The OOPS Factor Podcast so you don’t miss the rest of the series as we walk through all four steps: Own It. Observe the Patterns. Pivot. Steward the Scars.

📖 Want to go deeper? Visit www.theoopsfactor.com and join our email community. When you subscribe, you’ll receive the FREE OOPS Factor Journal, designed to help you begin working through your own OOPS moments.

In this episode, Dr. Shelta Richardson takes a hilarious look back at the early days of her leadership journey...and some of the unforgettable OOPS moments that came with it.

From her first leadership roles to the lessons behind Chapter One of her story, Shelta shares what happened when experience was still catching up with confidence. The result? Plenty of laughter, a few cringe-worthy memories, and some surprisingly powerful leadership lessons.

This episode is a reminder that leadership growth is rarely neat. Sometimes the moments we wish we could erase become the very stories that teach us how to lead better.

📓 GET YOUR FREE OOPS FACTOR JOURNAL

Download your FREE OOPS Factor Journal and begin working through the four-step OOPS process: Own It. Observe the Pattern. Pivot. Steward the Scars.

👉 Get your free journal here: www.theoopsfactor.com

Your OOPS moment isn’t the end of your story. It may just be where your purpose begins.

In this premiere episode of The OOPS Factor, host and author Dr. Shelta Richardson sits down with Kaitlyn Hood for a candid conversation about the journey behind the book, the podcast, and the OOPS Factor framework.

Discover what inspired Dr. Richardson to write The OOPS Factor, why the book took years to complete, and how personal setbacks, leadership challenges, and life’s unexpected turns became the foundation for a message of hope, resilience, and transformation.

You’ll also learn the meaning behind the OOPS framework:

• Own It – Take responsibility for your story.
• Observe the Patterns – Recognize the lessons hidden in your experiences.
• Pivot – Make intentional choices that move you forward.
• Steward the Scars – Use what you’ve lived through to serve and encourage others.

Whether you’re a leader, entrepreneur, educator, ministry leader, or someone navigating a difficult season, this episode will remind you that your greatest setbacks can become your greatest strengths.

This is more than a podcast—it’s a community for people who are ready to turn failure into purpose.

📓 GET YOUR FREE OOPS FACTOR JOURNAL

We all have OOPS moments—but they don’t have to define the rest of our story.

Download your FREE OOPS Factor Journal and begin working through the four-step OOPS process: Own It. Observe the Pattern. Pivot. Steward the Scars.

👉 Get your free journal here: www.theoopsfactor.com