Your Secret Weapon in High-Stakes Leadership - Influence with Impact
Your Secret Weapon in High-Stakes Leadership
As Fearless Female Leaders, we’ve fought hard to get where we are. We’ve broken through barriers, shattered glass ceilings, and earned our seat at the table. Sometimes there is an uncomfortable truth — once we’re at the table, the challenges don’t stop. High-stakes conversations, negotiations, and pivotal decision-making moments continue to test our resilience, confidence, and ability to lead under pressure.
One thing I’ve noticed in my work with executives across industries is this: Emotional agility is often the difference between a leader who influences with impact and one who struggles to get buy-in.
But what is emotional agility, and why is it crucial for us as women in leadership?
I spoke about this in a recent LinkedIn post, and so I wanted to continue the conversation.
Let’s break it down and explore how mastering emotional agility, especially when there is a lot at...
Developing Resilience when itβs Time to Rise with Anne Pao
In this insightful episode, I had the pleasure of connecting with Anne Pao, CEO and founder of Ignite Consulting, to explore resilience and the critical role of self-care in leadership. Anne shares her journey from a challenging childhood to a successful corporate career, emphasizing the importance of taking pauses to recharge.
Anne dives into the necessity of integrating self-care routines, the power of sleep, and redefining productivity to include rest. Her experiences offer valuable lessons for female leaders on sustaining resilience and achieving long-term success by prioritizing well-being and trusting oneself.
Key Takeaways
Introduction to Resilience (00:00:01)
The importance of resilience, especially in Q4.
Running Away Decision (00:04:02)
At 12, Anne considers running away but chooses to focus on academics instead, demonstrating resilience.
Burnout and Recovery (00:10:36)
Anne shares her experience with burnout during the pandemic and the importance of taking a break...
Ready for Your Next High-Stakes Negotiation?
After Monday’s LinkedIn post on navigating high-stakes negotiations, I thought it’d be the perfect time to revisit a blog that goes deeper into strategies for handling these critical conversations with confidence and clarity.
In this post, I share insights I picked up from a slightly terrifying—but amazing session with Chris Voss and his team of NYPD and FBI hostage negotiators.
It was a powerful reminder that our ability to remain calm, collected, and prepared in emotionally charged discussions can be a game-changer—both in the boardroom and beyond.
Here’s a quick preview of what I cover:
- Why lack of preparation is our biggest hurdle—and how a little foresight can eliminate most of the stress around tough conversations.
- The ABC Prep Framework: Plan A (Total Buy-In), Plan B (Partial Buy-In), and Plan C (Push Back)—so you know how to respond no matter what happens.
- Real-world examples of how women leaders have turned even the...
Enhance Influence in Negotiations: Unleashing Your Inner Champion - Negotiations 101
Enhance Influence in Negotiations
Emotions are running high which is 100% understandable. For many companies, earnings are down, and there is a lot of disruption happening around us.
The ability to navigate negotiations with finesse and confidence, especially now, is paramount. For female leaders, this skill is not just about securing favorable outcomes but also about asserting influence and maintaining productivity and profitability under pressure. In this 3-minute video, I share my tips on how women can enhance their negotiation skills through emotional agility and strategic preparation.
Understanding the Challenges
There are two primary challenges that can get in the way of our ability to influence: Over-communicating can dilute the message and reduce the perceived authority.
Emotional Reactions: Displaying anger or annoyance, while understandable, can undermine the negotiation process, especially with leadership.
The Power of Emotional Agility
Emotional agility is the runway of...
Being an Executive and Being Happy with Larissa Thomas
I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Larissa Thomas, Vice President of Talent and Effectiveness at Electronic Arts.
We dive right into career fulfillment, emphasizing the importance of defining personal happiness and success.
Larissa shares her journey, highlighting struggles with confidence and societal pressures. She underscores the necessity of self-care and resetting to achieve mental clarity.
We also touch on cultivating happiness, setting realistic expectations, and focusing on personal growth.
I hope this episode inspires you, as a fearless female leader, to take charge of your career, prioritize well-being, and redefine success on your own terms.
Key Takeaways:
Defining Personal Success (00:03:28)
Larissa discusses the importance of defining her own version of success rather than following corporate norms.
Crafting a Career Change Plan (00:08:15)
Larissa details her process of planning a career change, focusing on strengths and desired work...
The Future of Companies Depends on all of Our Voices Being Heard - Negotiations 101
Gaining buy-in 101: The future of companies depends on YOUR and YOUR team’s voices being heard.
Women have been in leadership since the beginning of time, and wouldn’t you agree that it’s important now more than ever for YOUR voice to be heard?
For your voice to be heard by your leadership and to gain buy-in, it’s important to understand the importance of learning and caring about the other person's perspective and feelings to establish trust and influence effectively.
So how can you do this?
Whether it's for an idea, promotion, or salary negotiation, it’s not always about us. That’s right. Communicating our experience and expertise is vital, but it’s not what we lead with. If we do, it’s like asking someone to marry you after the first date, not likely to work out well!
The first thing that is important is to get to know the other person involved in the negotiation and make sure you are speaking to something that ...
Are you laying the groundwork now to hit the New Year running?
World-class performers lay the foundation for success early, when everyone else is too busy or worried about their current circumstances. I’m talking about laying the groundwork for your best year ever in 2025.
This isn’t about making resolutions. It’s about building a world-class plan and the habits to support it that will set you up for success in the coming year.
Whether your goal is to get in the best shape of your life, land a promotion, or strengthen your relationships, there’s one proven way to make real progress now, so you’re ahead of the game when January rolls around:
**Let’s Uplevel Our Accountability!**
Here are a few research-backed tips to help you get started, inspired by Dr. Anders Ericsson, author of *Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise*:
- Find a Mentor or Coach to Hold You Accountable:
Ideally, this person should be an expert in the area you want to improve. Once you reach a certain level of skill,...
Competency Architecture for High Performing Teams to Avoid Burnout and Attrition
I am honored to share this conversation with you that I had with Chrissy Medeck, Senior Vice President at B.O.K Financial, about combating workplace burnout and attrition through competency architecture.
Chrissy shares her leadership journey and introduces competency architecture as a framework to help employees identify necessary skills, behaviors, and knowledge for success.
Emphasizing strengths-based development, Chrissy advocates for clear career pathways and recognizing transferable skills. Our discussion highlights the importance of integrating competency architecture into organizational culture to enhance employee well-being, engagement, and productivity, ultimately fostering a more resilient and successful workforce.
Key Takeaways
Addressing Imposter Syndrome (00:04:29)
Exploration of how awareness and support can help combat feelings of inadequacy, particularly in women.
Challenges of Burnout and Attrition (00:06:23)
The speakers discuss the widespread issue of burnout and...
Do This Before You Try to Influence
When my daughter was a teenager, it seemed like every conversation ended in an argument. I could not say anything right! It was so frustrating for both of us.
Have you ever had an important conversation, either with family or with a colleague, and it just goes horribly wrong?
I have recently read Charles Duhigg's book, ‘Super Communicators’, and there are a few key take-aways that I found very interesting and incredibly important when preparing to have a crucial conversation.
One thing that jumped out at me was the importance of understanding others' needs before engaging in conversations, whether in professional settings or family dynamics.
Recognizing whether someone needs data, emotional support, or simply a listening ear can enhance communication whether this is in personal relationships, or at work.
Do they need a hug or empathy? Do they need an answer? Do they need data facts? Do they just need to be heard and listened to?
Approaching conversations with...
End 2024 Strong... Join the Fearless Female Leadership Q4-'24 Cohort
I wanted to take a quick moment to acknowledge the incredible work you’ve accomplished so far this year. I know we can be hard on ourselves sometimes, so let this be a reminder: you’re doing an amazing job!
Will you join us to finish 2024 strong?!
Let’s make sure you feel more heard, valued, and courageous in your leadership and have a clear plan to feel confident, respected, and happy in Q1 2025.
Watch this brief video (above) from me to you.
You will not be receiving many reminders and lots of emails about this. Leaders, such as yourself, take swift action, and that is who will be in this rarely offered cohort.
Learn more and save your seat on the Fearless Female Leadership Q4-2024 Cohort here, or schedule a time to discuss with me here.
To your next level of success (and joy)!
P.s. If you would like to make this cohort available to your team, please schedule a time here to ensure there is room.
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