Work Unscripted

Senior women in leadership are often surrounded by people and still completely alone. It is one of the least talked about realities of making it to the top. And Sirisha “Siri” Swahari decided to stop waiting for someone to fix it. 

In this episode of Work Unscripted, host Marlo Lyons talks with Sirisha “Siri” Swahari, executive leader and founder of Women Executives Circle, about leadership loneliness, peer community and what it actually looks like to build a space where senior women can stop performing and start being real. 

In just one year, Women Executives Circle has grown to nearly 300 members across 22 locations, completely free to join. Siri built it because she needed it herself. She was overseeing a $55 million budget and 200 employees and still had nowhere to go for honest conversation. Unlike transactional networking spaces, WeC is built around real conversation, vulnerability, active listening, and peer-level support.

In this conversation you will hear:

• Why senior women leaders often feel isolated even when they are surrounded by teams, meetings and full calendars
• What Women Executives Circle is, how it works, and why it has grown so fast
• How real peer connection is built on vulnerability and active listening, not resumes and referrals
• How the WEC framework creates space for wins, challenges, and the conversations women rarely get to have at work
• Why women face specific barriers to be seen, heard, and represented in leadership rooms
• Why vulnerability and active listening are executive leadership skills
• How one personal pain point became the foundation of a fast-growing movement 

If you are a senior woman leader, a woman executive, or high-achieving professional who has quietly wondered why success still feels this isolating, this episode is for you. 

The top can be a very lonely place. But it doesn’t have to be.

Connect with Marlo Website | LinkedIn | Instagram 
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Work Unscripted is produced by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co. 

Stop calling yourself a perfectionist like it’s a compliment. Perfectionism is not a personality trait, or a strength in disguise. It is fear with a really good publicist. In this solo episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons, executive coach and workplace strategist, calls out the version of perfectionism so many high achievers wear like a badge. It’s the kind that keeps the draft unfinished, the idea unshared, the business unstarted, the post unpublished, and the conversation delayed.

Because most of the time, “it’s not ready yet” does not mean it needs more polishing. It means you’re scared to be seen. And that fear, whether it’s fear of failure, fear of judgment, or fear of success, is what perfectionism is actually protecting.

You’ll learn:

• Why perfectionism is often fear disguised as professionalism
• How perfectionism fuels procrastination and delays your life, your work, and your momentum
• Why imperfect things that exist are more powerful than perfect things that don’t and “why done is better than perfect” is more than a cliché. 
• How fear of failure, fear of judgment, and fear of success keep high achievers stuck
• Why “done” is the only thing that can ever become great
• What to ask instead of “Is this perfect?” to break through perfectionism and take imperfect action
• How to take one real step toward done today

If you’ve been circling the same idea, draft, project, post, or decision for weeks, months, or years, this episode is your push. Whether perfectionism shows up as procrastination, creative block, or endless over-editing, this episode will help you make a move.

Because the world does not need your perfect version. It needs your real one.

Connect with Marlo Website | LinkedIn | Instagram 
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Work Unscripted is produced by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co. 

Confidence matters. But does confidence alone move your career forward? In this episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons sits down with Kirsteen Williamson-Guinn, founder of Elevate Women, to talk about what it really takes for women to grow, lead, and future-proof their career advancement in high-pressure, political workplaces.

After 32 years in banking, including senior leadership in a male-dominated environment, Kirsteen knows what it feels like to perform, push, navigate politics, and slowly lose connection with yourself in the process. Now, through Elevate Women, she helps women build confidence, strategic leadership, self-trust, and real career agency.

Marlo and Kirsteen talk about imposter syndrome, vague feedback like “you need more executive presence,” and what it really means for women in leadership, the shift from high performer to strategic leader, and why women have to stop taking on work that keeps them busy but does not move them forward.

You’ll learn:

• Why confidence alone is not a career strategy for women in leadership
• How women can move from performing to leading strategically and advancing their careers with intention
• What “executive presence” feedback for women may actually be pointing to
• Why imposter syndrome show up even at senior levels and what to do about it
• How to build strategic relationships and visibility at work before you need them
• Why non-promotable tasks can quietly stall women’s career advancement
• How to own your brand, your value, and your next move
• What future-ready women’s leadership looks like in a rapidly changing workplace

If you are a woman in leadership, a mid-career professional, or someone trying to build more confidence, visibility, and agency at work, this episode will help you stop waiting to be chosen and start leading your career with more intention. Whether you work in a male-dominiated industry, have been told you need more executive presence, or are navigating imposter syndrome at the senior level, thai conversation is for you.

Because the goal is not just to look confident. It is to trust yourself enough to act.

Learn more: elevate-women.co.uk/

Connect with Marlo Website | LinkedIn | Instagram 
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Work Unscripted is produced by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co. 

HR works for the company, not for you.

Have you ever walked into HR thinking, “Finally. Someone is going to listen. Someone is going to help.” And then nothing changed, or things got worse. In this solo episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons breaks the code on what HR is really designed to do, and why employees need to stop confusing HR with personal advocacy.

HR may listen, investigate, and say they are taking things seriously, but at the end of the day, HR works for the company. And if you are dealing with a serious workplace complaint or conflict, you need to understand the system before you walk into the room.

You’ll learn:

• Why “we’re here to listen” does not always mean HR is there to advocate for you
• Why HR conversations are not truly confidential and what HR confidentiality really means for you
• What “we take this seriously” really means and why it’s about company risk, not your wellbeing
• Why the HR investigation prpocess may focus on both the workplace complaint and the person making it
• What can happen after a workplace complaint is closed and employees are expected to “move on,” including the risk of workplace retaliation. 
• Why companies should invest in real repair after workplace conflict
• How to document workplace issues before going to HR, including dates, messages, and your employee rights 

If you’ve ever felt confused, dismissed, or blindsided after bringing a workplace complaint to HR, this episode gives language to what may actually be happening behind the scenes. Whether you’re navigating a hostile work environment, considering filing a workplace complaint, or want to understand your employee rights before taking action, this episode is your guide.

Because HR may care about people. But HR was hired to protect the company.

Connect with Marlo Website | LinkedIn | Instagram 
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Work Unscripted is produced by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co. 

Using AI once in a while is not the same as changing how you work. In this episode of Work Unscripted, executive coach Marlo Lyons talks with AI product leader Tatsiana Maskalevich about how to move beyond one-off chatbot prompts and start thinking in terms of compounding AI workflows.

AI is changing how work gets done, how leaders make decisions, and how professionals stay valuable in a rapidly shifting workplace. Marlo and Tatsiana talk about the fear of AI taking jobs and why collaboration matters more as AI becomes part of everyday work.

You’ll learn:

• Why one-off AI prompts barely scratch the surface
• How compounding AI workflows can create long-term value
• Why feedback is essential if you want better AI outputs
• Why human judgment and critical thinking matter more, not less, as AI scales
• How AI will change jobs instead of simply replacing them
• What executives and mid-career professionals should do right now

If you’re a leader, executive, mid-career professional, or employee wondering how to stay relevant as AI changes work, this episode gives you a practical place to start.

Because the future of work will not belong to the people who ignore AI. It will belong to the people who learn how to think with it, without letting it think for them and future-proof their careers in the process.

Connect with Marlo Website | LinkedIn | Instagram 
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Work Unscripted is produced by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co. 

Your boss may know things about the future of your job long before you do. A reorganization. A budget cut. A project ending. Even layoffs. And still, they have to walk into meetings, look everyone in the eye, and act completely normal.

In this Cracking the Code episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons explores the emotional labor and the hidden cost of leadership: the invisible work leaders do to manage pressure, protect their teams, navigate competing priorities, and carry information they cannot always share.

Leadership is often framed as strategy, authority, and decision-making. But behind the scenes, leaders are also translating pressure from above, advocating for their teams, managing stakeholders, absorbing chaos, and making hard calls that employees may never see.

You’ll learn:

• What emotional labor in leadership really looks like
• Why managers often know about reorgs, budget cuts, or layoffs before their teams do
• How leaders balance pressure from above with the needs of their team
• Why good leaders protect their teams in ways employees may never notice
• How to give leaders more grace without excusing poor leadership
• Why understanding emotional labor makes you a better employee, manager and advocate

If you’re a leader, aspiring leader, or employee trying to understand what may be happening behind the curtain at work, this episode offers a more honest look at the hidden weight of leadership.

Because leadership is not just about having more control. It is about carrying more responsibility.

Connect with Marlo Website | LinkedIn | Instagram 
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Work Unscripted is produced by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co. 

In executive search, by the time a senior leadership role is posted, the conversation may already be well underway.

Search firms are building lists. Boards are asking who they trust. Decision-makers are comparing reputations. And leaders are being discussed in rooms they may not even know they’re in.

In this episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons sits down with executive search leaders with Neill Marshall and Kurt Mosley HealthSearch Partners, who executive search leaders with more than thirty years experience, to talk about how senior leaders really get hired, and what it takes to become the candidate people actively champion.

We go behind the scenes on executive search, board trust, reputation, visibility, cultural fit, and the first 90 days in a new leadership role.

You’ll learn:

• Why executive search starts long before a role is posted
• What makes a candidate “championed,” not just considered
• Why boards care about trust, culture, and reputation as much as qualifications
• How senior leaders can build visibility before they need a new role
• What behaviors quietly disqualify executive candidates
• Why the first 90 days matter so much for board trust and long-term credibility
• How to think about your career as a reputation built over decades

If you’re a senior leader, aspiring executive, or ambitious professional thinking about what’s next, this episode gives you the behind-the-scenes guidance most candidates never hear directly from executive recruiters.

Because at the executive level, your résumé matters. But your reputation gets there first.

Connect with Marlo Website | LinkedIn | Instagram 
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Work Unscripted is produced by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co. 

Most leaders are trained to have answers. But the best leaders know when to ask questions instead. What would happen if, for the next 30 days, you stopped giving answers and only asked questions? In this Cracking the Code episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons challenges leaders to try a simple but uncomfortable leadership experiment: stop fixing, stop directing, stop jumping in with the answer, and start leading with questions.

Most leaders think their job is to solve problems quickly. But when leaders constantly provide the answers, teams can become dependent, creativity shuts down, and people stop owning their decisions. Strong leadership is about asking the questions that unlock better thinking from everyone else.

You’ll learn:

• Why “Why?” questions can make people defensive and what to ask instead
• How jumping in with answers can become lazy leadership
• Why silence can be a powerful leadership tool
• How questions help teams think for themselves and own solutions
• The to tell the difference between interrogation and genuine curiosity
• Practical coaching questions to use in your next meeting

If you want to build a more independent team, improve decision-making, and shift from a problem-solver to a people developer, this 30-day leadership challenge is a powerful place to start.

Connect with Marlo Website | LinkedIn | Instagram 
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Work Unscripted is produced by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co. 

Networking can feel awkward, transactional, and exhausting, especially if you’re an introvert. So how do introverts network without feeling fake, forced or drained? 

In this episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons talks with speaker, coach, and author Stephanie Thoma about how introverts can build real professional relationships, speak up with more confidence, and create career visibility without losing themselves in the process.

Author of The Confident Introvert, Stephanie shares practical strategies for redefining networking as relationship-building, managing your energy before and after events, calming internal self-talk, starting better conversations, and following up in a way that feels natural instead of cringe.

This conversation is for anyone who wants to grow their career, build a stronger network, contribute more in meetings, or become a more confident public speaker, without pretending to be someone they’re not.

You’ll learn:

• Why networking is relationship-building, not self-promotion, and why that distinction changes everything for introverts
• How introverts can manage energy before and after events
• Why aiming to make one new connection can be more powerful than working the whole room
• How to interrupt negative self-talk when you feel awkward or self-conscious
• Better conversation openers that go beyond “What do you do?”
• How to follow up without feeling pushy or performative
• Why public speaking is a skill introverts can build with practice
• How to speak up more clearly and confidently in meetings

If you’ve ever felt overlooked, drained by networking, or unsure how to make your voice heard at work, this episode will help you approach connection and visibility in a more authentic, sustainable way.

Because confidence means learning how to show up as yourself, with intention.

Connect with Marlo Website | LinkedIn | Instagram 
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Work Unscripted is produced by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co. 

What do you do when your boss clearly doesn’t have your back? Maybe they talk badly about you to others. Maybe they develop your peers but not you. Maybe decisions are being made about your career in rooms you’re not invited to. Or maybe it’s not subtle at all and you know exactly where you stand.

In this Cracking the Code episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons breaks down what to do when your boss doesn’t support you, advocate for you, or give you the constructive feedback you need to grow and how to protect your career before it costs you.

This kind of workplace dynamic can crush your confidence if you let it. But it can also be the moment you realize something powerful: you cannot rely on one person to manage your career.

You’ll learn:

• How to ask your boss directly for feedback without sounding defensive or confrontational
• Why building visibility beyond your manager is the most important career protection move you can make
• How to document your wins and strengthen your professional brand when no one is doing it for you
• Why workplace anxiety and rejection sensitivity can make a difficult boss feel even more destabilizing. 
• How to decide whether the situation is fixable, or whether it’s time to move on

If you’re dealing with a difficult manager, feeling undermined at work, or wondering how to protect your career when your boss doesn’t see your value, this episode gives you practical next steps and an honest reality check.

Connect with Marlo Website | LinkedIn | Instagram 
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Work Unscripted is produced by the team at Palm Tree Pod Co.