New & Aspiring Leaders Episodes

Leadership often requires discipline, yet it’s a word many people resist. For leaders at every stage—including those developing new manager skills and women in leadership navigating growing responsibilities—discipline can feel restrictive or even negative. But what if discipline is actually the missing piece between the direction you want for your life and leadership and the results you hope to see? In this episode of Crossroads and Catalysts, I explore why discipline is not a dirty word—and wh...

If you're building your new manager leadership skills and looking for career strategies that actually work, this episode is for you. One of the most common leadership frameworks for managers getting started in a new role is to come in projecting authority, having all the answers, and proving you belong — and it backfires every time. Through two personal stories from my own leadership journey, I break down what it truly means to be taken seriously as a leader — and why earning credibility has ev...

New manager leadership skills are put to the test in months 2-3 of your role. In this final episode of the First 90 Days series, I guide women in leadership and all new leaders through the critical transition from observation to ownership. You're 60 days into your new leadership role—and the dysfunction you noticed isn't going away. In this final episode of the First 90 Days series, I reveal how to transition from observation to ownership in months 2-3. As you approach the three-month mark, it'...

Master month two of your first 90 days as a new leader. This episode delivers career strategies and leadership tactics for assessment, alignment, and turning chaos into clarity. Learn the critical difference between observation and evaluation, why SWOT analysis is an essential tool for analyzing both teams and operational systems, and the right time to share your findings with your boss. Get actionable leadership & career guidance for navigating your critical transition period, plus straightforw...

New manager leadership skills are critical in your first 90 days—but not in the way you think. This episode explores essential leadership frameworks for managers stepping into their first leadership role or transitioning to a new management position. Learn why listening, learning, and building relationships matter more than making immediate changes, and discover proven strategies for new leaders to establish credibility without alienating their team. In Part 1 of this 3-part series, I break dow...

New manager leadership skills require a fundamental shift—but most leaders struggle to make it. Instead of applying leadership frameworks to guide their teams, they stay buried in the technical work they're most comfortable with. If you're a leader who can't seem to stop being a contributor, this episode reveals why—and what to do about it. You got promoted because you were excellent at the work. But now that you're leading, you're still doing that work instead of leading others to do it. You t...

Great leaders know when to lead and when to follow. In this episode, we explore the critical skill of followership—the willingness to adopt the best solution to a problem, even when it's not your idea. Many leaders struggle with this transition, undermining team collaboration and innovation in the process. Discover three key signs of poor followership that might be holding you back from being an effective leader. Using a powerful dance metaphor, this episode reveals how collaboration works best...

Not everyone who becomes a leader actively pursues the role. In this episode, we explore the critical difference between circumstantial leadership and deliberate leadership—and why understanding which path you're on matters for your success and satisfaction. If you were promoted into management because of your technical skills, seniority, or simply because a position opened up, you might be a circumstantial leader navigating challenges you never anticipated. From people management struggles to ...

Want to Be a Leader? Start Here Thinking about stepping into leadership but don't know where to begin? Leadership is more than a job title or managing people—it's a skill set you can develop. In this foundational episode, discover what it really takes to become an effective leader beyond the buzzwords and generic job descriptions. Learn the essential leadership qualities that separate managers from true leaders, the mindset shifts required to transition from individual contributor to leadership...

Teaser which briefly showcases one of my crossroads turned catalysts moments. Official launch date will be March 17, 2025. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/crossroads-and-catalysts-leadership-and-career-podcast/donations