Work Unscripted

What needs to change for you to level up as a leader, and why do so many high performers get stuck right before promotion? In this episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons sits down with executive coach Kristen Johnson.

Kristen has worked with middle management inside some of the world’s most recognizable organizations—including PayPal, Google, Amazon, Sephora, Chase, and Cisco—giving her a rare, inside look at what truly separates managers from enterprise-level leaders.

Together, they break down:

• Why middle managers experience burnout at staggering rates
• The mindset shift required to move from execution to influence
• How to stop over-controlling and start developing leaders beneath you
• What actually gets you promoted (and what quietly holds you back)
• How to align values, boundaries, and ambition without blowing up your career
• Why career advancement requires intentional communication, not silent hustle

This episode is a must-listen for managers, senior leaders, and high performers who want to level up their careers, pursue promotion with clarity, and lead with impact instead of exhaustion.

If you’re ready to stop doing everything and start leading intentionally, this conversation will change how you think about your next move. 

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

What if the very thing you’re hiding at work is actually the key to becoming a stronger, more trusted leader?

In this Cracking the Code mini-episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons breaks down how to show vulnerability and credibility at the same time that builds authority and influence. Because vulnerability in leadership doesn’t mean oversharing, emotional dumping, or losing control. It means leading with authenticity and competence.

In this quick, practical episode, you’ll learn:

• How vulnerability builds trust at work (and when it backfires)
• The difference between vulnerability vs. oversharing in leadership
• Three simple ways to demonstrate vulnerability while maintaining credibility
• How to admit what you don’t know without undermining your authority
• Why modeling boundaries is a powerful leadership skill

This episode is perfect for leaders, managers, and high performers who want to build trust, lead with confidence, and influence others, without sacrificing professionalism.

Short. Insightful. Real. That’s Cracking the Code.

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

Is your job actually a hostile work environment, or do you just have a terrible boss? In this eye-opening episode, employment law expert Nestor Barrero joins Marlo Lyons to break down the real legal differences between discrimination, harassment, bullying, and a simply toxic workplace.

If you’ve ever wondered whether what you’re experiencing at work is illegal, retaliation, or just deeply unhealthy, this conversation is your roadmap.

You’ll learn:

• What legally qualifies as discrimination (and what doesn’t)
• How harassment is defined under federal law
• The difference between a toxic workplace and a hostile work environment
• Why bullying is rarely illegal, but still destructive
• How to document workplace behavior for HR or legal action
• What managers must do to avoid retaliation claims
• When to escalate, when to let it go, and when to negotiate your exit

Packed with real-world examples, actionable steps, and clear legal distinctions, this episode helps you decode what’s happening at work and what you can do next. 

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

Ever received feedback with no examples, no clarity, and no idea what to do next?

Welcome to Part II of Marlo Lyons’ performance review series, where we break down one of the most frustrating workplace experiences: vague, cryptic, or confusing feedback.

In this solo episode, Marlo shares a deeply personal story of receiving unclear feedback that left her spiraling, second-guessing herself, and trying to decode meaning that no one could (or would) explain.

You’ll learn:

• What to do when feedback is vague, subjective, or impossible to interpret
• How to ask clarifying questions without sounding defensive
• Why “2% truth” is a powerful tool for self-reflection
• How to experiment with behavior changes using curiosity instead of shame
• Why vague feedback often says more about your manager than it does about you
• How to protect your self-worth when feedback feels unfair or inaccurate
• When to respond in writing, and when it’s better not to

Marlo also breaks down the difference between judgment vs. coaching, why leaders must give feedback like a map, not a mirror, and why high performers often get hit hardest by vague phrasing.

If you’re going through performance review season (or still recovering from one), this episode will help you navigate the emotional fallout while still learning, growing, and protecting your confidence.

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

Are you exhausted from running full-speed on the corporate treadmill? Feeling burned out, overwhelmed, or stuck in the never-ending rat race? You’re not alone, and 2026 can be the year everything changes.

In this powerful episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons sits down with coach and burnout expert Carolina Bakker to explore how high-achieving professionals can finally break free from chronic stress, people-pleasing, and overwork to create a life filled with clarity, boundaries, fulfillment, and joy.

Carolina shares her personal story of corporate burnout and the morning she woke up completely numb. It’s a moment that changed the trajectory of her life. Together, she and Marlo unpack why so many high performers hit this breaking point, what keeps us trapped in survival mode, and the mindset shifts that allow us to step off the treadmill for good.

You’ll learn:

• How to recognize early signs of burnout before they explode
• The unconscious beliefs driving your “rat race mindset”
• Why small, consistent actions (Carolina’s two-millimeter wrench) create massive transformation
• How to use the Three to Thrive method to reclaim your time and energy
• How accountability, boundaries, and self-awareness accelerate real change
• The single decision you must make if you want 2026 to feel different from 2025

If you’re ready to slow down, breathe deeper, and finally choose a life aligned with your values, this episode offers the roadmap you’ve been waiting for.

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

What if 2026 brought you everything you’ve been chasing— the job, the title, the money, the house, the partner — and you still didn’t feel fulfilled?

In this solo episode, executive coach and author Marlo Lyons breaks down one of the most powerful (and overlooked) tools for personal development, career clarity, and long-term fulfillment: living in alignment with your core values.

You’ll learn:

• Why achieving your goals won’t guarantee happiness
• How misaligned values lead to burnout, stress, resentment, and frustration
• The difference between happiness and fulfillment
• How to define your core values and what they really mean
• The daily systems Marlo uses to protect her peace, energy, and purpose
• Two reflection questions that will help you step into 2026 with clarity and intention

If you’re tired of the rat race, craving a reset, or determined to make 2026 the year you finally feel grounded and in control, this episode gives you the roadmap.

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

If you’re a high-achieving woman who struggles with overthinking, people-pleasing, emotional triggers, or that relentless inner critic…this episode is for you. This week on Work Unscripted, Marlo sits down with therapist and former Army officer Elaine Belson to talk about the psychology behind the inner critic, or as Elaine calls it, the inner bully.

Together, they unpack the six habits that fuel self-doubt in high-functioning women: ruminating, mind reading, anticipating others’ reactions, comparing, second-guessing, and over-analyzing.

You’ll learn:

• Why high-achieving women experience such brutal inner criticism
• How emotional triggers and automatic thoughts form and how to interrupt them
• Coping mechanisms that actually work in high-pressure workplaces
• How to build emotional intelligence and self-validation skills
• How to handle perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and fear of failure
• Practical strategies to manage your emotions in the moment

If you’ve ever wondered why you feel “not good enough” despite being excellent at your job, this conversation will help you understand the root causes and give you tools to navigate work and life with more clarity, compassion, and confidence.

Learn more about Elaine: https://www.elainebelson.com/

Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@elainebelsonlcsw

Follow her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaine

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

Feeling stretched thin this holiday season? You’re not alone.

In this episode of Work Unscripted, Marlo Lyons shares practical, guilt-free strategies for setting healthy boundaries at work and home, especially when the lines between the two start to blur. From turning off notifications and communicating expectations clearly, to defining what “urgent” really means, Marlo helps you reclaim your time, protect your energy, and stay aligned with your values.

Whether you’re a people pleaser, a leader managing burnout, or just trying to unplug without guilt, this episode will show you that boundaries aren’t walls. They’re the foundation of balance, peace, and sustainable success.

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

What if success didn’t have to be a competition?

In this episode of Work Unscripted, host Marlo Lyons sits down with Ruchika Malhotra, global inclusion strategist and author of the upcoming book Uncompete (Penguin Random House, releasing November 4). Together, they explore how the culture of competition in corporate life fuels burnout, bias, and exclusion, and learn how redefining success can help us build more collaborative, fulfilling, and joyful workplaces.

Ruchika shares practical steps for shifting from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance, how leaders can address competition on their teams, and why choosing joy is a radical act of resistance in a competitive workplace.

If you’ve ever felt stuck chasing someone else’s definition of success, or you’re a leader looking to build a more equitable and collaborative culture, this conversation is your permission slip to uncompete.

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

What happens when your performance review praises your results, but tears down your identity?

In this raw and vulnerable solo episode of Work Unscripted, host Marlo Lyons shares the real words from one of her own annual performance reviews— like “over-driving,” “over-reacting,” and “the Marlo show.” As a neurodivergent professional, Marlo unpacks how judgmental feedback lands, why it stings, and what leaders can do to make performance reviews feel constructive instead of personal.

You’ll learn:

• Performance review tips for employees: How to respond to a bad review without spiraling
• Performance review tips for managers: How to discuss reviews with empathy and curiosity
• How to present and write performance reviews that separate behavior from identity
• What to do after a bad performance review and how to turn judgment into growth

If you’ve ever walked away from a glowing review feeling bruised, or want to know how to make performance reviews feel good for your team, this episode will change the way you give and receive feedback forever.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where Marlo reads another review and shares more real-world lessons on how to prepare for, present, and recover from performance reviews that miss the mark.

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