Illustrating Leadership Lesson: When Life as You Know It is Over
Release Date: 12/11/2024
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_outlinePlease 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 Maggie recounts, the initial phase was filled with fear and denial. "My first response is always denial —no, that's a mistake, this can't be her," she recalls. Despite these natural reactions, Maggie later discovered a path of acceptance and purpose, largely inspired by her daughter's unyielding spirit and determination.
Leadership Through Adversity
Maggie identifies her daughter as her greatest source of inspiration. Nell's journey exemplifies leadership in its rawest form — courage and grace in the face of adversity. "She's unafraid to share her story, to help other people, to get out there and be in an uncomfortable place," Maggie notes. Nell's openness and strength sparked a transformation within Maggie, pushing her beyond the comfort zone of her previous medical career into rare disease advocacy and coaching.
From Medical Professional to Life Coach
Witnessing the transformative power of coaching, Maggie decided to get certified and now dedicates her energy to supporting others who walk the challenging path she once did.
She fondly speaks of The Sumaira Foundation, where she and Nell actively participate in rare disease advocacy, and underscores the profound connection and growth this advocacy work has provided for their entire family.
Learning Acceptance and Embracing Change
A significant theme throughout Maggie's narrative is learning acceptance. She candidly shares her struggles with accepting change and the mental journey to move past initial denial. "It took me more than a year to fully come to terms with accepting the reality of our life," she reveals. Her experience with coaching was pivotal in reaching this acceptance, allowing her to transform suffering into a proactive force for good.
Maggie emphasizes the importance of processing emotions and the power of being open about challenges within her family. This transparency has fostered a deeper family bond and cultivated an environment where difficult conversations can occur freely.
An Empowering Ending
For those who find themselves in similar situations, Maggie's story is a beacon of hope and strength. She offers her unique perspective, a combination of medical knowledge and personal experience, to help guide others through their own journeys. As she shares, "I like to offer my support and help to people if it's useful."
Connect with Maggie and Learn More
To get more of Maggie's insights, don't miss her TEDx talk, "The Truth About Pain and Suffering Will Change Your Life," where she expands on her stories and lessons learned. Also, check out Nell's book, "My Hospital Story," a heartfelt compilation of her experiences that resonates with both young and adult readers.
For those interested in connecting more with Maggie, her "Lobster Mom Collective Newsletter" is a resource for mothers navigating similar paths, drawing a powerful metaphor between life’s challenges and the growth process of lobsters.
To reach out or learn more about Maggie Kang's work, visit her website or connect on LinkedIn.
Your host, Jessica Wright, is a Life & Career Development Coach for Leaders and the Founder of Wright Life Coaching, LLC. You can follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram. Learn more about Leadership Masterclass, the private podcast and community at www.jessicawright.online/leadership-masterclass.
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