Podcast
Looking for a new job or want to move up in your company? Lesa teaches you the tools and strategies you need to land your dream job, increase your promotability, and successfully navigate your career.
349: A Framework to Help You Prepare for the New Year
As we wrap up 2024, it is a great time to evaluate what went right and what didn’t - and to set goals for 2025.
Using the STOP - START - CONTINUE - CHANGE framework, I talk about how to determine what stays, what goes, and what you do differently next year.
344: Finding Ikigai for Your Career
The concept of Ikigai is the Japanese answer to living a life of purpose. I talked about Ikigai in episode #243; in this episode, I go deeper with the concept. If you don’t feel your career is feeding your soul, here’s how to figure out what is missing - and what to do about it.
341: Focusing on the Gap vs. Focusing on Your Progress
Subtitle: “Beating Yourself Up for What Didn’t Get Done vs. Celebrating What Did Get Done.”
When you don’t meet your goal - be it for your job search, your job, or your personal life - what do you make it mean?
In this episode, I cover the thinking and the doing part of regrouping without blame when things don’t go as planned.
339: Hybrid Work Strategy or Hostage Negotiation? The present and future of remote work (with Wayne Turmel)
This week my guest is Wayne Turmel, and we're talking about hybrid work. Specifically, what is it (and what is it not) and why it's such a hot topic in 2024. Wayne gives us 3 great tips for navigating the hybrid and remote work landscape.
338: It’s Not Your Job’s Job to Make You Happy
Some of us coaches call it "shoulding" all over yourself. Thinking that things "should" be a certain way.
We argue with reality, even though it's an argument we can never win.
I give seven specific strategies for managing your expectations about your job, your employer, your boss, or your coworkers.
337: Four Success Traps That Lead to Burnout (with Heather Tackett)
My guest this week is Hannah Tackett, and we're talking about burnout - what it is, exactly, the 3 stages of burnout, and the success traps that lead to burnout. Hannah also shares her PEACE Pathway - an acronym for how to stay out of burnout - or avoid burning out again.
331: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
In this episode, I give some definitions of imposter syndrome, what imposter syndrome looks like, and nine strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome.
327: Tips for Cultivating Relationships with Recruiters
A best practice for your long-term career progression is to find best-fit recruiters and cultivate relationships with them over time. In this episode, I discuss the types of recruiters, how to begin a relationship on the right foot, and how to continue that relationship in a way that is mutually beneficial.
321: Overcoming Setbacks and Obstacles in Your Career Path
EVERYONE has setbacks and obstacles in their career. NO ONE has a perfectly linear journey, where they leave each job at the height of achievement, only to land in an even better job – no gaps in employment, no difficult bosses or coworkers, no layoffs or RIFs, no personal or family issues requiring extended time off work. The question becomes: What do you do when the inevitable happens? I want to break this down into actions you can take, and the mindset you’ll need to navigate.
320: Resources for Career Development
Career development should be a career-long, proactive, thoughtful process to achieving your career goals. In this episode, I break down the proess of career development and provide resources for getting the career development assistance you need.
316: How to Transition Smoothly into a New Job
When you land a new jb, especially in a new company, there are some definite “do’s” and “don’ts” to making that transition. In this episode, I give you 15 strategies for making the move smoothly and successfully.
309: Set Yourself up for Success in a New Role - at Any Experience Level
As most of you know, the first 90 days in a new job are critical for your long-term success - not only in that role, but for your future with the organization. Here are key steps to take in the first 90 days to set yourself up for success - at the Individual Contributor, New Manager, New Director/Senior Manager, and VP/C-Suite levels.
308: What is a “Dry Promotion” - and Should You Accept it?
First, a confession: When I started seeing articles and comments about “dry promotions,” I didn’t know what that was.
In case some of you are in that same boat, here’s a definition:
“A promotion without a salary increase.”
As American businesses seek innovative ways to cut costs in a tightening economy, employers may be enticed to promote employees but withhold a salary increase.
In this episode, I cover reasons why employers offer dry promotions and the upsides and downsides of accepting one. I also provide negotiation tips for getting something, if not pay.
300: 300 Episodes - Academy Awards for My Best Advice
I can’t believe this is episode #300! In honor, I am offering My Best Career Advice, Academy Award style, in each category I cover.
282: Project Management 101: What it is, what skills it requires, and how to become one (with Ahmed Wasfy)
Today, I am speaking with Ahmed Wasfy, an engineering manager with such giants as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. In addition to his day job, he provides coaching services to help managers become effective leaders through his company, the Thriving EM. Ahmed explains the purpose of a project manager, the skills and qualities needed to be an effective project manager, and how to break into the field. We also discuss the PMP – Project Management Professional – designation, and whether that credential is necessary to enter into project management work.
276: A Look Inside My Coaching Practice
This week, I wanted to give you a peek inside my coaching practice…to pull the curtain back, Wizard of Oz-style. Sure, I mention the various things I do with clients throughout episodes, but I’ve never given you the full tour. Here we go.
272: According to a Harvard Expert, This is the #1 Most Desirable Trait Employers Look For
I found this article from Heidi K. Gardner, Ph.D., who has discovered through more than a decade of teaching and research at Harvard’s business and law schools that people who figured out how to collaborate across teams gained a major competitive edge over those who did not. Dr. Gardner also discovered just how rare collaboration skills are. Today, we’re going to break down exactly what collaboration is, why it’s so important in today’s workforce, and outline the five aspects of being an exceptional collaborator.
271: How to Focus on the Right Things at Work
This week, I want to talk about how to focus on the right things at work, using Stephen Covey’s Four Quadrants. Let’s think about the Four Quadrants as a tool to manage our ACTIVITIES better — so we are focusing on the right things to get the results we are held accountable for achieving. My challenge for you in this area is this: After listening to this episode, decide to make a small — but significant shift — in one of the quadrants. A shift that will yield substantial results in terms of your productivity.
270: The Signs Your Company is Likely to Do a Reduction in Force (RIF) - and How to Be Prepared
I talked in episode #268 about leading through a reduction in force — today I want to talk about the signs that your company might be about to do a RIF — and how to be prepared. We’ll discuss ARFO, some signs to look out for, and the red flags that tell you to look somewhere else immediately.
267: Transitioning from Managing Yourself to Managing Others
Transitioning from managing yourself to managing others — is this the route for you?
For those becoming first-time managers, there is a learning curve, with the biggest change being a shift to begin thinking about others. Let’s talk about the differences when moving from an individual contributor to a manager, issues that can arise and what to do to help, and how to set yourself up for success.
Let’s work together