Breaking Barriers: How Courage Fuels Connection and Communication with Michelle Gladieux
Release Date: 01/21/2025
Designing Your Life: How to Focus on What Matters Most
Transform Your Workplace
Rob Shallenberger discusses his book "Do What Matters Most," explaining how implementing three key habits—creating personal visions, setting specific goals, and practicing pre-week planning—can dramatically increase productivity while reducing stress. These practices help people design intentional lives rather than defaulting to reactivity and chaos. TAKEAWAYS Creating written personal visions for each key life role provides direction and meaning, transforming how you approach priorities (only 2% of people do this). Pre-week planning (spending 20-30 minutes weekly) allows you to...
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BONUS EPISODE: Returning from Maternity Leave and Job Growth with Nicole Blevins
Transform Your Workplace
In this bonus podcast episode, Brandon Laws catches up with Nicole Blevins, who recently returned from maternity leave and stepped into a new role as Director of HR Services at Xenium HR. Nicole candidly shares her experience transitioning to parenthood, the challenges of balancing work and family responsibilities, and the significance of paid family leave. Despite the challenges of returning to work in a new leadership position while adjusting to parenthood, Nicole emphasizes how the flexibility of remote work, supportive leadership, and her passion for her career have helped her navigate...
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Opening the Right Doors - Rethinking Sponsorship, Trust, and Inclusion at Work with Dr. Rosalind Chow
Transform Your Workplace
In this Transform Your Workplace episode, host Brandon Laws interviews Dr. Rosalind Chow about her book "The Doors You Can Open." They discuss the critical difference between mentorship and sponsorship, with Chow explaining that sponsors talk about you to others while mentors talk to you directly. Using Kim Ng's MLB breakthrough as an example, Chow emphasizes how sponsorship requires trust and can take different forms. She explores how "good gossip" celebrates others' achievements, the importance of diversifying social networks, and challenges with meritocracy. Chow concludes that everyone can...
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The Culture Shift We Can’t Ignore (and How to Lead Through It) with Jennifer Moss
Transform Your Workplace
Jennifer Moss discusses her book "Why Are We Here? Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants," exploring how the pandemic triggered a collective existential crisis about work. She emphasizes that meaningful workplace cultures can be built through small, intentional practices rather than major overhauls, focusing on hope, purpose, and community to combat burnout and disengagement in today's rapidly changing work environment. TAKEAWAYS Building hope through regular goal-setting and celebrating small wins helps combat workplace anxiety and burnout Flexibility should be treated as a right...
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From Soft Skill to Superpower: Rethinking Empathy at Work
Transform Your Workplace
In this episode of "Transform Your Workplace," host Brandon Laws interviews Loren Sanders about her book "Empathy is Not a Weakness and Other Stories from the Edge." Sanders shares her journey from being a toxic leader to understanding the power of empathy in the workplace. She discusses how empathy strengthens trust, reduces turnover, and increases engagement, while offering practical strategies for leaders to develop their empathy muscle through self-awareness and intentional practice. TAKEAWAYS Empathy isn't weakness or coddling – it's about listening, understanding, and aligning...
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Getting What You Need from the People in Charge
Transform Your Workplace
Melody Wilding discusses her book "Managing Up," explaining how employees can effectively navigate relationships with those in power. She covers critical conversations about alignment, understanding workplace communication styles, setting boundaries, giving upward feedback, and leaving jobs gracefully. Wilding emphasizes these skills are essential in today's workplace where manager relationships significantly impact mental health and career advancement. TAKEAWAYS Alignment is fundamental for success - Having clear conversations about priorities and expectations with managers helps...
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The Power of Healing-Centered Leadership
Transform Your Workplace
Matty Berryessa, Executive Director of Serendipity Center, shares his journey from a difficult upbringing to leading a therapeutic school for students with complex needs. Drawing parallels between supporting students and staff, he implements trauma-informed practices focused on emotional safety, trust, and predictability. Despite resource constraints, Matty maintains boundaries between work and home life while advocating for sustainable mission-driven work that prevents vulnerable students from falling through the cracks. TAKEAWAYS Leaders should apply trauma-informed principles to...
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How to Make Work Happier
Transform Your Workplace
What makes people stay—and thrive—at work? Career & Culture Strategist Aoife O’Brien joins Brandon Laws of Xenium HR to explore how leaders can build environments where people feel valued, safe, and energized. From toxic cultures to values-driven leadership, Aoife shares practical strategies from her Happier at Work framework and offers a glimpse into her upcoming book, Thriving Talent. If you’re all about retaining top talent and creating meaningful workplace experiences, this episode is a must-listen. TAKEAWAYS Thriving workplace cultures are possible, and leaders are...
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Reclaim Your Time: Why Great Leaders Do Less, Not More
Transform Your Workplace
In this energizing episode of Transform Your Workplace, keynote speaker and author Peggy Sullivan delivers a much-needed wake-up call for today’s overwhelmed professionals. Sharing insights from her book Beyond Busyness: How to Achieve More by Doing Less, Peggy explores the hidden costs of glorifying busyness. Through heartfelt stories, she challenges leaders to rethink their priorities and model healthier, more intentional work habits. If you're a leader who feels stretched too thin, this episode is your invitation to lead differently — listen in and discover how doing less can help you...
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The Transformative Power of Flexibility with Kevin Eikenberry
Transform Your Workplace
In this episode of Transform Your Workplace, leadership expert Kevin Eikenberry shares powerful insights on navigating change with confidence. He emphasizes that flexibility is the key to effective leadership in uncertain times, challenging leaders to break strong habits, balance outcomes with people, and make smarter decisions. If you want to sharpen your leadership approach and learn how to lead with confidence through change, don’t miss this episode. TAKEAWAYS During change, leaders should refocus teams on what stays the same to help them feel more grounded. Flexibility is the...
info_outlineIn this episode of Transform Your Workplace, Michelle Gladieux, author of Communicate with Courage, explores the four hidden challenges of effective communication and shares practical strategies for overcoming them. From embracing vulnerability to balancing authority and empathy, this conversation is packed with actionable insights to help you communicate with authenticity and purpose.
TAKEAWAYS
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Bravery is a critical component of effective communication as it allows us to take risks and avoid regret.
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Hiding from risk stems from fear of exposing vulnerabilities, which can hinder personal growth and authentic connections.
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Clinging to being right often blocks the opportunity to learn from others’ perspectives and experiences.
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Pessimistic self-talk can negatively color communication, but choosing optimism can transform both interactions and outlooks.
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Settling for "good enough" prevents individuals from reaching their full potential in meaningful situations.
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Balancing vulnerability with authority can humanize communication, especially for those in leadership roles.
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Sharing personal communication goals with others helps shift perceptions and fosters accountability.
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Thoughtful self-reflection and feedback-seeking are essential for continuous growth as a communicator.
A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST
🔊 Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR 🎙️
Host: Brandon Laws 📋
his own words: “The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.
About Xenium HR
Xenium HR is on a mission to transform workplaces by providing expert outsourced HR and payroll services for small and medium-sized businesses. With a people-first approach, Xenium helps organizations create thriving work environments where employees feel valued and supported. From navigating compliance to enhancing workplace culture, Xenium offers tailored solutions that empower growth and simplify HR. Whether managing employee relations, payroll processing, or implementing impactful training programs, Xenium is the trusted partner businesses rely on to elevate their workplace experience. Discover how Xenium can transform your workplace: Learn more
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