Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Reframing Feedback
Illustrating Leadership
In this solo episode of the Illustrating Leadership Podcast, I explore one of the most essential—and often most challenging—skills for leaders: feedback. Whether you’re offering it or receiving it, feedback can stir up discomfort, self-doubt, or defensiveness. But when it’s done well, it becomes one of the strongest tools we have for building trust, growth, and connection on our teams. Reframing Feedback as a Leadership Tool Many leaders approach feedback as if it’s inherently negative or confrontational, but feedback is simply information. It’s not a judgment of your...
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Illustrating Leadership Lesson: The Importance of Company Culture
Illustrating Leadership
In this episode of the Illustrating Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Marianna Kinnee, founder of Might in Motion and Director of Facility Implementation at Vector. Marianna’s career journey—from internships in manufacturing to leadership in the tech startup and supply chain space—illustrates the power of diverse perspectives, intentional mentorship, and data-driven decision-making in shaping modern leadership. Learning from Internships and Early Lessons Marianna’s leadership story began with two pivotal internships. At a paper mill, she discovered that while chemical engineering...
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Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Using Your Emotions as Data
Illustrating Leadership
Emotions as Leadership Data: Turning Feelings Into Your Secret Advantage So often, leaders are told: don’t let emotions get in the way, keep it professional, stick to the facts. But here’s the truth—emotions are facts. They’re physiological, neurological, and deeply tied to how we make decisions, build trust, and experience the world. In this solo episode of the Illustrating Leadership Podcast, I shared why emotions aren’t a liability—they’re information. And if you know how to interpret them, you gain a powerful edge in leading yourself and others. Emotions Are Signposts, Not...
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Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Building Confidence Through Personal Style
Illustrating Leadership
In this episode of the Illustrating Leadership Podcast, Jessica welcomes Robin Fisher, a personal stylist and image coach, to discuss the impact of personal style on confidence and leadership. Robin shares insights from her 16-year career as the CEO and founder of Polished Image and Style, an image consulting and styling firm based in DC. Listeners will learn about the importance of showing up authentically, building a capsule wardrobe, and working within budgets to enhance their professional presence. Robin also offers practical tips for leaders on how to refine their personal style,...
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Illustrating Leadership Lessons: Systems Will Save You
Illustrating Leadership
Being an effective leader, whether in your own venture or within an organization, requires adaptability and strategic thinking. On this episode of the Illustrating Leadership podcast, we caught up with Michelle MacNeil, a systems business coach with a unique perspective shaped by her dual life as a businesswoman and farmer in Alberta, Canada. Michelle's journey and insights offer invaluable lessons on how systems can transform challenges into opportunities, offering leaders the freedom and efficiency they crave. Understanding Systems: The Backbone of Efficiency Michelle shared her...
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Illustrating Leadership Lesson: When Life as You Know It is Over
Illustrating Leadership
Please enjoy this incredible conversation with Maggie Kang, a Healthcare and Life coach, and former radiologist. Maggie's journey reflects growth through life-altering challenges and can offer valuable lessons for everyone. The Unexpected Journey Maggie shares an intimate and heartfelt narrative about her daughter, Nell, who was diagnosed with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum disease, a rare neurological autoimmune disorder. This diagnosis marked the beginning of a challenging chapter for Maggie and her family, as they navigated the complexities of living with a rare and incurable disease. As...
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Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Know your strengths
Illustrating Leadership
Thanks for listening to this conversation with Anna Larson, a Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths coach and marketing strategist. Her insights on leveraging personal and team strengths provide a roadmap for leaders aiming to enhance both personal and group performance. Discovering Your CliftonStrengths The CliftonStrengths assessment, developed by Don Clifton, offers a transformative approach to self-awareness and team dynamics. With over 33 million completions, this robust tool evaluates 34 strengths, grouping them into four categories: executing, influencing, relationship building, and...
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Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Take Time to Breathe
Illustrating Leadership
We're diving deep into the topic of breathing – something we all do but often overlook in terms of its importance and nuances. Surprisingly, effective breathing can have a profound impact on our leadership capabilities and overall well-being. Breathing 101: The Science Behind the Breath Hamra starts by breaking down the basics of breathing and respiration. Breathing is a mechanical process of taking air into the lungs and releasing it, while respiration involves the gas exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide. Through our breaths, air travels from the nose to the lungs,...
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Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Leading Through Stress
Illustrating Leadership
Meet Michele Thompson Michele brings a wealth of knowledge from her 27 years as a nurse, with 17 of those specifically in the senior care sector. Her mission today is to help organizations and their leaders create psychologically safe workplaces where employees never want to leave. Beyond Job Titles: Redefining Leadership Leadership, as Michele emphasizes, is more than just a job title—it’s an influence that extends across all areas of life. During the podcast, Michele redefined leadership by sharing how nurses and healthcare workers demonstrated exceptional leadership during the...
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Illustrating Leadership Lesson: Sleep is Key
Illustrating Leadership
As a leader, it's difficult to get enough rest, let alone good quality sleep. Many of us find ourselves trapped in a cycle of sleeplessness, stress, and compromised productivity. On this episode of the Illustrating Leadership podcast, I had the pleasure of hosting Monica LeBaron, a seasoned sleep coach and author of . Our conversation shed light on the transformative power of sleep and how leaders can harness it to enhance their personal and professional lives. Meet Monica LeBaron: From Personal Struggle to Sleep Expert Monica's journey into the world of sleep coaching began with her personal...
info_outlineWelcome to the Illustrating Leadership Podcast! I’m your host, Jessica Wright- Career Transformation Coach and Founder of Wright Life Coaching. I have a Master’s degree in Transformational Leadership and I’m interested in helping you and the rest of the world create a new image of leadership that inspires you at work, at home, and in your community.
There’s a traditional type of person and style that I’m guessing pops into most of our heads when we hear the word “leadership.” I’m here to help us re-work that image into one that is way more engaging to work with, gets the best out of someone in a way that lifts everyone up, and looks a lot more like you and me.
Sometimes I’ll be interviewing guests about the best leadership they have ever experienced and we’ll uncover the heart of how this person made such a difference. Other times, I’ll be doing solo shows where we dive deep into specific topics. I also read a lot, so expect some book reviews as well. But whatever I’m talking about, expect it to get your wheels turning about how you can hone your own leadership skills in order to make a difference in the world, whether you work in an office or operate as a community leader.
I’d love to keep in touch with you, so go ahead and subscribe to this podcast. Then go over to LinkedIn and connect with me! Also, bonus tip- if you send me a message and let me know you’re a podcast listener, I have a special gift for you. No pressure, though, if you don’t like presents or something.
You can also learn more about me at www.jessicawright.online. After you listen to a few episodes, if you like what you hear please leave a review so others can find this podcast much easier. You’d be helping me out, but ultimately you’re helping out those folks who desperately need a new image of leadership illustrated for them.
I appreciate you tuning in so much and can’t wait to connect with you more. See you next time!