Your Brilliant Difference Podcast with Finka Jerkovic: Personal Branding for Career Advancement
The Your Brilliant Difference Podcast: Personal Branding for Career Advancement, has a new episode every Thursday. It’s produced to help mid-career corporate professionals and leaders use their personal brands at work to rise and shine in their careers, whether it be getting a promotion, finding fulfilling work, or bolstering their influence. Hosted by Finka Jerkovic, the Founder and Career Advancement Coach at Finka Inc., this podcast is inspired by her corporate Your Brilliant Difference Program that has helped people across North America and Europe get promoted and noticed at work. Your Brilliant Difference is a cutting-edge personal branding method that flips the script from “me” to “we” so people can focus on the transformations they deliver for people, as that’s where the true growth and results happen. It wasn’t until Finka harnessed her own personal brand, Brilliant Difference, that she started making her own career opportunities to design a successful career pathway, and now she’s sharing this method with you. After every episode, you’ll learn how to advance in your career through personal branding or skills that strengthen your personal brand, like communication and influence. Don’t forget to subscribe and share with your network!
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Episode 206: Special Announcement from Finka
06/06/2025
Episode 206: Special Announcement from Finka
I’ve got an announcement. My third book is in the works, and I’ve got a solid draft that I can now work with. To get to the next stage of my writing process, I need to start from the beginning to write my second draft. My goal is to share a readable draft with a few select readers by the end of the summer. I need to put all my creative energy into this next draft and as a result I will be pressing pause on my podcast for the summer. I’ll be back in the Fall to give you an update on the book and what is coming up next. Thank you for tuning in and being here week after week. Have a joyous summer and I can’t wait to come back and tell you all about the book and where things are heading. Finka
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Episode 205: The Power of Coaching to Brilliant Differences
05/23/2025
Episode 205: The Power of Coaching to Brilliant Differences
Struggling to tap into your team’s full potential? You know your employees are talented, yet you can’t seem to bring the most out of them. Chances are it’s because you’re not coaching to their Brilliant Differences. A Brilliant Difference is composed of people’s God-given gifts, their talents and strengths, and how they uniquely actualize them to transform the lives of others. It just so happens that the workplace and people’s careers are the perfect arenas to live it out. I think of Brilliant Differences as diamonds; they need pressure and cuts to be realized and utilized with the most value. That’s like your team. They’re diamonds. They’re valuable. They just aren’t fully aware of it yet. That’s where you come in, leader, asking them specific questions to hone and coax their Brilliant Differences, so they can make a meaningful impact, leading your organization to excellence. From understanding the progression of zones of brilliances, to mitigating the mediocrity trap, to the right series of questions to ask, you’ll know exactly how to bring the most out of your people after listening to this episode. Don’t Miss Out! Grab Your Brilliant Difference Coaching Questions Leadership Development Audit Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Related Episodes Connect Beyond the Podcast for Daily Career Support Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 204: 3 Coaching Skills Every Leader Needs—Let’s Do LAPs!
05/15/2025
Episode 204: 3 Coaching Skills Every Leader Needs—Let’s Do LAPs!
There are three coaching skills you cannot forgo in your leadership and career, and they are LAP: Listen. Ask questions. Pause. Seems simple enough, right? Wrong. Trust me when I say there is an art to executing each of these skills. When done wrong, it can be dismal and tiring. But when done right, it not only fuels your career and leadership, but those of the people in your company! I’ll teach you how to do it the right way. By the end of this episode, you’ll learn: Lessons from workplace coaching experiences (from myself and clients). Why coaching is crucial for workplace success now more than ever. The difference between the three tiers of listening and how to tap into all. How to form your coaching questions to be open-ended, strategic-thinking starters. The power of pausing and when to use it. You’re only one listen away from growing your coaching skills, bringing the most out of yourself and people. Leadership Development Audit Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Related Episodes Connect Beyond the Podcast for Daily Career Support Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 203: How to Create a Successful Coaching Session: 5 Things You Need to Do
05/08/2025
Episode 203: How to Create a Successful Coaching Session: 5 Things You Need to Do
What are the elements of a successful workplace coaching session? What makes an employee eager to grow and change vs. stuck in their ways? I’ll answer both questions. Even better? I’ll teach you exactly how to facilitate a coaching conversation at work that actually uncovers potential and gets results from your people. You might think you’re already coaching, supporting and mentoring your people through weekly huddles and individual touchpoints, but the truth is, if you aren’t doing these five things, you’re not actually coaching: Making space for intentional, strategic thinking Analyzing comfort zones Facilitating the three types of change Developing self-awareness in talent and purpose Designing Edge Moves From knowing the four types of questions to ignite powerful thinking and “aha” moments, to understanding the psychology behind change resistance, you’ll have everything you need to start coaching your team successfully. Share Your Experience! After listening to this episode, take two minutes and share your own coaching or listening experiences on LinkedIn using the hashtag: #EdgeMoversCoach. Share your biggest episode takeaways and insights and what you’ll be bringing back with you to your career. Mentioned Books by Steven Pressfield by Jon Kabat-Zinn by Marcia Reynolds Leadership Development Audit Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Related Episodes Connect Beyond the Podcast for Daily Career Support Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 202: Workplace Coaching vs. Edge Mover’s Coaching and Why You Need the Latter
05/01/2025
Episode 202: Workplace Coaching vs. Edge Mover’s Coaching and Why You Need the Latter
Workplace coaching has been used for years to garner performance and results from employees...but it only goes so far. Traditional workplace coaching is limiting, and if you really want to see long-term, sustainable growth and development from your team and business, you need to be an Edge Mover’s coach. Where does traditional workplace coaching fall short and what is Edge Mover’s coaching? I answer these questions in episode 202, the catalyst of a new podcast series: Edge Mover’s Coach. Coaching is one of the most vital skills needed in the workplace, but it’s often done wrong. I know this because I’ve experienced it first-hand and had to make my own coaching pivots in my career. But I’ll let you in on everything—my coaching success stories, my coaching fails, and why I now practice Edge Mover’s coaching—so you can bring the most out of you and your team. Share Your Experience! After listening to this episode, take two minutes and share your own coaching experiences on LinkedIn using the hashtag: #EdgeMoversCoach. Share your biggest episode takeaways and insights and what you’ll be bringing back with you to your career. Leadership Development Audit Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Related Episodes Connect Beyond the Podcast for Daily Career Support Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 201: CHARISMA Framework: How to Establish Executive Charisma
04/24/2025
Episode 201: CHARISMA Framework: How to Establish Executive Charisma
People with executive presence often have charisma, or executive charisma. What is it and how can you establish yours? First off, charisma is your ability to compel people with your charm, inspiring them to understand your message or take action. Sounds pretty close to executive presence, right? But how you actualize and elevate your charisma to fuel your executive presence differs. You do so by following my simple eight-step CHARISMA framework: Courage Humility Authenticity Responsiveness Intention Storytelling Mindfulness Articulation Paired with resources below, learn everything you need to know about effectively establishing your executive charisma to elevate your leadership and career. Executive Charisma Package: CHARISMA Framework + Charisma Self-Assessment Scale Workplace Communication Quiz Mentioned Research and Books Leadership Development Audit Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Related Episodes Need More Career Direction and Clarity? Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 200: Storytelling: Your Executive Presence Secret Weapon
04/17/2025
Episode 200: Storytelling: Your Executive Presence Secret Weapon
If you’ve ever wondered, “How can I have more executive presence?” this episode is for you. Stories have been shared for millennia and are more memorable than facts, yet corporate professionals and employees give it a middle-of-the-pack priority, even though it’s a critical key to boosting their executive presence and leadership at work. The priority revelation is based on data from my (give it a read if you haven’t yet). So, I'm taking storytelling—what’s seen as an underrated, nice-to-have skill—from the middle and spotlighting it at the top because you cannot have executive presence and grow in your career and leadership if you don’t tell stories. They connect. They engage. They influence. They persuade. Today, you’ll learn how to become a master storyteller by: Understanding why storytelling makes all the difference in your career and impact. Leveraging 4 types of stories you need to have in your executive presence, workplace arsenal. Knowing what makes a captivating story. Listening to how one of my clients told a story in a presentation and received critical career feedback of: “must be promoted.” This is just the beginning of your executive presence, storytelling journey. Uncover your story today and start connecting and influencing important stakeholders and situations. Leadership Development Audit Executive Presence Self-Assessment Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Related Episodes Need More Career Direction and Clarity? Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 199: How to “Own a Room”: 3 Executive Presence Primers
04/10/2025
Episode 199: How to “Own a Room”: 3 Executive Presence Primers
People with executive presence are often told they know how to “own a room,” igniting engagement and attention without saying a word. But what does this look like and how can you do it too? Using these three executive presence primers: Be intentional Define the stakes Bring your Brilliant Difference Owning a room isn’t about owning it, but making space for others, which is where intention, stakes, and your Brilliant Difference come into play. Tune into this new Executive Presence 101 episode and elevate your EP at work. Leadership Development Audit Executive Presence Self-Assessment Discover Your Brilliant Difference Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Related Episodes Need More Career Direction and Clarity? Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 198: What It Means to Have Executive Presence (+ an Exercise to See Where You’re At)
04/03/2025
Episode 198: What It Means to Have Executive Presence (+ an Exercise to See Where You’re At)
It’s elusive. People often don’t know exactly what it is or looks like. Let’s change that. Discover exactly what it means to have executive presence, as well as where yours is right now. This is the start of a new, four-part series: Executive Presence 101. Executive presence is something you either have or don’t. It’s an invisible ingredient that enables you to capture attention in a room without uttering a single word but makes people lean in when you do speak, remembering how you made them feel hours afterward. So it’s no surprise that it’s often called the “X factor” of leadership, and I’m going to teach you how to harness it. Not only will you understand the three pillars of executive presence, but how to assess where your current levels are at in your career. Do You Have Executive Presence? Find Out With the Executive Presence Assessment Discover Your Brilliant Difference Mentioned Research Equipment to Help You Elevate Your Online Executive Presence Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Related Episodes Need More Career Direction and Clarity? Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 197: Value-First Centre of Influence Framework: Proven Method to Build Career-Elevating Relationships (Part 4 of Influence Without Authority Series)
03/27/2025
Episode 197: Value-First Centre of Influence Framework: Proven Method to Build Career-Elevating Relationships (Part 4 of Influence Without Authority Series)
To have influence, you need to tap into the influence of others. You need a centre of influence (COI). Influence is built and nurtured; it’s not something you’re automatically granted. And the process starts with building your influence network, or what I like to call, your centre of influence. To grow in your career and leadership, it’s essential to surround yourself with the right people. Knowing and working with the right people can bolster your chances of being hired into a new role, getting promoted, getting invited to important conversations, and expanding your network and reach in your industry. But it starts with giving value. Concluding the Influence Without Authority series, in this episode I dive into: What a circle of influence is. How to identify COIs in your company. How COIs can help you break through the corporate noise. 3 steps to mapping your COIs. The 3 types of influencers that will make up your COI. Methods to add value to your influencers. By the time you’re done listening, you’ll know exactly who to turn to and build relationships with, and how to shine in your Brilliant Difference, giving value to those who matter most. Take the Communication Quiz Influence Amplifier Blueprint: Apply Essential Influence Rules in Real-Time Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Related Episodes Need More Career Direction and Clarity? Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 196: 5 Communication Styles in the Workplace — Which Do You Speak? (Part 3 of Influence Without Authority Series)
03/20/2025
Episode 196: 5 Communication Styles in the Workplace — Which Do You Speak? (Part 3 of Influence Without Authority Series)
Do you know how you think, speak, and make decisions? What about for those you work with? If not, it’s no wonder why your brilliant ideas aren’t landing with executives and rallying teams together. That’s why I’m sharing with you five communication styles in the workplace, so you can: Communicate more effectively. Adapt and tailor your message to others’ communication preferences. Elevate your impact and influence. Using my career experience, I’ve created five workplace communication styles that are inspired by , meaning they’re ordered in what people often require the most. The five communication styles in the workplace include: Certainty Connection Consequence Confidence Change What do each look like at work and which type is yours? Find out by tuning into this episode and taking my Take the Communication Quiz Influence Amplifier Blueprint: Apply Essential Influence Rules in Real-Time Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Related Episodes Need More Career Direction and Clarity? Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 195: 3 No-Nonsense Rules for Influencing Executives and Senior Leaders (Part 2 of Influence Without Authority Series)
03/13/2025
Episode 195: 3 No-Nonsense Rules for Influencing Executives and Senior Leaders (Part 2 of Influence Without Authority Series)
If your message isn’t sticking, it’s because you’re not doing these three things. I’ll teach you exactly what these rules for influencing executives and senior leaders are, so people can buy into your ideas. Every. Time. Rule 1: Know your audience. Rule 2: Identify motivators. Rule 3: Plot the transformation journey. I’ve designed this episode as an immersive learning experience so you can see what these rules look like in action right away. Grab your copy of the fill it out, and translate the rules into your influence impact at work as I guide you along: The most powerful yet overlooked aspect of influence. The three most common influence mistakes and how to mitigate them. Why you need to know your audience (you cannot skip this step). The differences between your primary, secondary, and tertiary audience. How to understand what motivates your audience’s decision-making process. How to plot your audience’s transformation journey. Influence Amplifier Blueprint: Apply the Influence Rules in Real-Time Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Related Episodes Need More Career Direction and Clarity? Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 194: Why is Influence Important in Leadership? Learn From My Doozies (Part 1 of Influence Without Authority Series)
03/06/2025
Episode 194: Why is Influence Important in Leadership? Learn From My Doozies (Part 1 of Influence Without Authority Series)
You hear it all the time: you need to have influence at work. But why is influence important in leadership and what does it look like done right and wrong? You get to learn all of that from me. This episode sets the tone for a new series: Influence Without Authority. No matter your position—manager, executive, president—your title can change but what no one can take away from you is your ability to inspire. Want to persuade senior leaders to agree to an initiative? You need influence. Trying to gain buy-in for a new process? You need influence. Collaborating with team members on cross-functional projects? You need influence. You get the picture. If you nodded along to any of these scenarios, you’re in the right place. In this episode I’ll help you learn: What influence is and isn’t. Where you may be going wrong with your influence and why your message isn’t sticking with your team and leaders. How having strong influence can amplify your leadership and career. How not having influence can drain and stall your career. Why influence matters. The best-case and worst-case of my own influence scenarios, so you can know what hinders and helps you to effectively influence. What are you waiting for? Press play and get to the answer of why influence is important in leadership. Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Related Episodes Need More Career Direction and Clarity? Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 193: 10 Strategies to Approach Change and Master Edge Moves in Your Career (Part 4 of Edge Moves Evolution Series)
02/27/2025
Episode 193: 10 Strategies to Approach Change and Master Edge Moves in Your Career (Part 4 of Edge Moves Evolution Series)
Approaching change and trying something new can be downright scary. But what if it didn’t have to be? It seems society has conditioned people to make change in one full swoop, immediately, seeking instant gratification, and it’s setting up people to fail. Making a big change or trying something new is like going into a polar plunge head-first versus tiptoeing in and getting your body adjusted—it shocks your system. What I’m saying is, your success of managing change and trying something new all comes down to how you approach change. With the right strategies and the best practices for using Edge Moves (incremental actions that bridge your comfort zone to courage zone), you can handle change with ease, elegance, and even excitement. I teach you how in this episode. Learn about these 10 strategies to approach change: The 80/20 rule Openness to become someone new Repetition Manage your FUDGE energy Anchor in the familiar Focus on skill development Sell the outline Build external support Have a Brilliant Difference project Bring an Edge Move mindset to everything you do Like What You Listen To? Share the episode and show with a fellow colleague and podcast listener! Leave a rating and review. Your feedback is valuable. Need More Career Direction and Clarity? Connect with Finka on Interested in Working with Finka on Your Company’s Leadership Skill Development?
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Episode 192: How to Identify Your Edge Moves (Part 3 of Edge Moves Evolution Series)
02/20/2025
Episode 192: How to Identify Your Edge Moves (Part 3 of Edge Moves Evolution Series)
It’s time to continue your Edge Moves Evolution journey. Get right to the good stuff at 2:26! Thank you for joining Finka for another week and committing to being a transformational leader by actualizing your Brilliant Difference through Edge Moves. In , she covered what Edge Moves are and how our brains react to threats, newness, and change. Then, in , she got deeper into Edge Moves by giving you types to think about applying in your role and work. And now, she’s peeling back the layers even more to help you identify what Edge Moves you can make that are specific to your role and industry in six simple steps: Identify your problem or goal. Identify your actions that are producing your current results. Visualize where you want to go; define your destination. Determine a person, place, or scenario to apply your Edge Moves. Brainstorm a list of Edge Moves. Choose and act on your first Edge Move. But don’t do it alone. Finka guides you in the episode! What You’ll Learn: How Edge Moves fuel personal and professional growth. How to identify a problem or goal within your workplace. Ideas to practice Edge Moves in real situations. How practicing Edge Moves leads to thought leadership and visibility in your organization. The importance of support systems when trying something new. How to strategically ties success metrics to Edge Moves. Why continuous learning and adapting are crucial for being a successful Edge Mover and leader in your company. Get Career Clarity and Direction for 2025: Download the Finka Inc. Career Advancement Forecast Surveying over 100+ corporate leaders and professionals, Finka Inc. has the pulse on what’s top of mind for people at work in 2025. What should be your priorities? What is the workplace landscape going to look like? What are career advancement critical skills you need to help you soar? Find out by clicking the button below to download your copy.
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Episode 191: 6 Types of Edge Moves (Part 2 of Edge Moves Evolution Series)
02/13/2025
Episode 191: 6 Types of Edge Moves (Part 2 of Edge Moves Evolution Series)
We’re back to guide you on your Edge Moves Evolution journey. In , Finka covered what Edge Moves are, what motivates you to change, what your threat responses are to change, and how you can detect those patterns within yourself. This is a powerful episode to tune into if you want to figure out what keeps you in your comfort zone. But in this episode, Finka shares her own Edge Moves story so you can see what Edge Moves look like at work, as well as the six types of Edge Moves you can make and glean inspiration from: Mindset Visibility Relationship Leadership Communication Innovation Find out what each Edge Move means, and which aligns with your Brilliant Difference by listening to episode 191 now! What You’ll Learn: What FUDGE is and how it impacts your leadership and career. Finka’s personal Edge Moves story and key lessons learned. The importance of incremental, sustainable change. The six types of Edge Moves, and which is best for you. The caveat to making successful Edge Moves. Transform Your People in 2025: Register for The Future of Leadership Forum Attend a jam-packed, 1-hour community event with fellow HR and L&D Leaders and People Managers to discuss future leadership trends, skills, and strategies.
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Episode 190: Edge Moves: A Brilliant Difference Investment Strategy (Part 1 of Edge Moves Evolution Series)
02/06/2025
Episode 190: Edge Moves: A Brilliant Difference Investment Strategy (Part 1 of Edge Moves Evolution Series)
We talk a lot about Brilliant Differences on the . After all, it’s in the name. The power of identifying your two words that inform how you think, act, and feel in the workplace is immeasurable. Meaning, once you identify them, you’re unstoppable. Remember, your Brilliant Difference contains your unique talents and how you’re programmed to deliver them in a way no one else does. However, knowing your Brilliant Difference is one thing, putting it into action at work is another. So, how do you apply your Brilliant Difference? Through Edge Moves. Episode 190 leads the way for a new series called Edge Moves Evolution. In this podcast series you’ll: Understand what Edge Moves are. Identify real workplace scenarios where you can make Edge Moves. Leave with a list of strategic Edge Moves you can make in your company. Know how to use Edge Moves as a change management tool and technique to adapt and rise no matter the challenges you experience. In episode 190 specifically, you’ll learn what Edge Moves are, what drives fear and keeps us in our comfort zones, as well as the benefits of expanding beyond your comfort zone. Tune in now to go beyond at work. What You’ll Learn: 4 ways humans respond to threats and fear. 3 ways we experience change. What Edge Moves are. Why 2x is better than 10x. How to strategically apply your Brilliant Difference at work. Transform Your People in 2025: Register for The Future of Leadership Forum Attend a jam-packed, 1-hour community event with fellow HR and L&D Leaders and People Managers to discuss future leadership trends, skills, and strategies.
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Episode 189: A Manager’s Checklist for Moving into Senior Leadership (Part 4 of Leadership Mastery for Managers Series)
01/30/2025
Episode 189: A Manager’s Checklist for Moving into Senior Leadership (Part 4 of Leadership Mastery for Managers Series)
Welcome to the concluding episode of the Leadership Mastery for Managers series on the While it’s not detrimental to listen to the first three episodes before this one, we highly recommend you check them out after so you can connect and apply all your learnings at work. : 5 Strategies to Design Your Leadership Growth Pathway : Manager vs. Leader: These 7 Skills Will Set You Apart : Meaningful Management: How to Lead and Work with Purpose Now, in episode 189, Finka Jerkovic double-clicks on another key finding from the : 66% of respondents want a promotion or to move into new role in the next 12-18 months. If you’re in the same boat and want to move into a more senior level this year, then this episode is for you. Finka highlights a checklist of seven habits you can start right now to prime yourself for this opportunity: Get clear on and own your Brilliant Difference. Come clean about your weaknesses. Make your managers, senior leaders, and colleagues the heroes. Pitch, pitch, pitch. Master the art of being a storyteller speaker. Always have a project on the side of your desk. Become a centre of influence. What does each habit look like at work and how can you start putting them into action? Tune in to find out! What You’ll Learn: The mindset you need to acquire for senior leadership. How being aware of your weaknesses brightens your Brilliant Difference. How to flip from “what’s in it for me” to “what’s in it for them.” The importance of pitching initiatives within your company. How to pitch ideas. What a side project is and how it can 10x your impact. What being a centre of influence means. Resources: Transform Your People in 2025: Register for The Future of Leadership Forum Attend a jam-packed, 1-hour community event with fellow HR and L&D Leaders and People Managers to discuss future leadership trends, skills, and strategies.
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Episode 188: Meaningful Management: How to Lead and Work with Purpose (Part 3 of Leadership Mastery for Managers Series)
01/23/2025
Episode 188: Meaningful Management: How to Lead and Work with Purpose (Part 3 of Leadership Mastery for Managers Series)
Welcome to another episode of the Your Brilliant Difference Podcast and part 3 of the Leadership Mastery for Managers series. If you haven't already, check out to design your leadership growth pathway and to learn about the skills to prioritize to get to your next leadership and career level. In episode 188, I outline how to inject meaning and purpose into your work so you can show up as a transformational leader, not just a transactional manager. This theme also stems from a key finding: corporate professionals are burnt out, but they still want to make a meaningful difference: “This will sound cheesy, but my big aspiration is legacy, knowing that I had an impact on peers, colleagues, and especially clients.” “I want to help others have more ease in their life and develop confidence to go after the life they really want.” “I want to make an impact on the employees and company overall for the better and implement lasting changes to lead the company into the future.” Now, purposeful work and finding your mission may feel like a marketing ploy, but when done right, it can fuel your personal and leadership success, as well as the success of your organization. I’ll show you how to do it the right way by uncovering the 5 benefits of injecting purpose into your work, as well as 5 tangible tactics to help you discover and apply your purpose at work. Let’s get started! What You’ll Learn: How purposeful work leads to fulfillment. Why purpose at work is critical for today’s workforce. The difference between passion and purpose. How purpose fuels resilience. 5 tactics to help you find your purpose and live it out at work. Get Career Clarity and Direction for 2025: Download the Finka Inc. Career Advancement Forecast Surveying over 100+ corporate leaders and professionals, Finka Inc. has the pulse on what’s top of mind for people at work in 2025. What should be your priorities? What is the workplace landscape going to look like? What are career advancement critical skills you need to help you soar? Find out by clicking the button below to download your copy.
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Episode 187: Manager vs. Leader: These 7 Skills Will Set You Apart (Part 2 of Leadership Mastery for Managers Series)
01/16/2025
Episode 187: Manager vs. Leader: These 7 Skills Will Set You Apart (Part 2 of Leadership Mastery for Managers Series)
Welcome to another episode of the Your Brilliant Difference Podcast and part 2 of the Leadership Mastery for Managers series. If you haven’t yet already, check out to design your career growth pathway. In episode 187, I’ll be focusing on the seven skills you need in 2025 to help you get to the next level in your career. There’s no doubt about it—a title doesn’t make someone a leader. This is often why, in the workplace, people can pick apart leaders from managers. They carry a certain presence and particular skills that makes them shine from the crowd. Now, what skills are those? According to my Finka Inc. Career Advancement Forecast, the seven must-have skills to take your career to the next level, to take your management from transactional to transformational leadership are: Executive presence Influence Relationship building/networking Transformational leadership Personal branding Pitching and selling ideas Presenting Why are these skills so important, how will they impact your work, and what other themes should you consider when playing the workplace game? Tune in to find out. What You’ll Learn: The skills you need for future work and leadership demands. The importance of focusing on interpersonal and communication skills. The top skills corporate professionals and leaders are proficient in today. The top skills corporate professionals and leaders are deficient in today. How executive presence, personal branding, and managing difficult conversations impact your career advancement. Get Career Clarity and Direction for 2025: Download the Finka Inc. Career Advancement Forecast Surveying over 100+ corporate leaders and professionals, Finka Inc. has the pulse on what’s top of mind for people at work in 2025. What should be your priorities? What is the workplace landscape going to look like? What are career advancement critical skills you need to help you soar? Find out by clicking the button below to download your copy.
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Episode 186: 5 Strategies to Design Your Leadership Growth Pathway (Part 1 of Leadership Mastery for Managers Series)
01/09/2025
Episode 186: 5 Strategies to Design Your Leadership Growth Pathway (Part 1 of Leadership Mastery for Managers Series)
Welcome back to the While the show paused over the holidays, Finka Jerkovic is back in action with an exciting new series that will help you pave a successful, meaningful pathway for your leadership and career in 2025: Leadership Mastery for Leaders. In this four-part series, she gives you high-level, tangible insights from her recent workplace report, In episode 186, she double-clicks on how to design your leadership growth pathway to achieve your workplace/career goals. According to the Finka Inc. report, one of the biggest aspirations people have is to grow, move up, and get promoted, yet the biggest challenge for people is knowing where to go and how to do it. They know they want to grow in a new direction, but they don’t exactly know what’s next or what that direction should be. Are you in the same boat? Finka gets it. She’s been at this crossroads herself before in her corporate career, which is why she’s helping you get clear on your where and how through her own stories and five strategies: Be intentional. Go deep or go wide. Have an excellence mindset. Use your Brilliant Difference as an act of service. Futureproof your leadership with skills. What exactly do these strategies mean and how can you implement them? Tune in and find out! What You’ll Learn: Why 2025 is a pivotal year for your leadership and impact. The importance of being intentional with your career and leadership moves. Going deep vs. going wide in your career. The difference between an excellence mindset vs. accomplishment mindset. How to lean on your Brilliant Difference and skills development to add value despite a shifting technological landscape. Get Career Clarity and Direction for 2025: Download the Finka Inc. Career Advancement Forecast Surveying over 100+ corporate leaders and professionals, Finka Inc. has the pulse on what’s top of mind for people at work in 2025. What should be your priorities? What is the workplace landscape going to look like? What are career advancement critical skills you need to help you soar? Find out by clicking the button below to download your copy.
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Episode 185: End of Year Review: Your Guide to Reflecting and Setting Intentions for 2025
12/19/2024
Episode 185: End of Year Review: Your Guide to Reflecting and Setting Intentions for 2025
A whole calendar year is 365 days, about 52 weeks, and 12 months. From a high level, it looks like a whole lot of time, yet at the end of every year I find myself saying, “Where did the time go?” It’s already the end of 2024. Year ends can impact everyone differently. While some feel the pressures of things they didn’t get to throughout the year, some celebrate reaching milestones. No matter if you’re anxious, excited, celebratory, or self-blaming, in this episode, I guide you through how to reflect on your 2024 year and set manageable, tangible goals for 2025. I share some of my own key takeaways, personal and business-related, and as I share my discoveries, I coach you through sets of questions to help you uncover your own. My biggest takeaway this year was realizing that there’s no space for transactional workshops because that’s not what my clients truly need. It’s easy to look at others and see what they’re doing, straying from your own style and integrity, and sometimes I’ve felt myself wandering too. Especially with corporate leadership development training, you can fall into the pattern of copy and paste. But my intention for this year is to stay true to my customized, personalized leadership development program model that’s backed by data. I want to continue delivering white-glove service that’s intimate and makes each leader feel like the content is being delivered right to them, even in a group setting. This approach is only being re-emphasized, and I am looking forward to delivering for my clients in the coming new year. Now, it’s time for you to discover your biggest takeaway! The Agenda for Today’s Episode: How to reflect on your 2024. Finka’s biggest priorities: family, relationships, and faith. A focus on transformative workshop experiences. How to set intentions for 2025 with manageable, tangible Edge Moves. Get Career Clarity and Direction for 2025: Download the Finka Inc. Career Advancement Forecast Surveying over 100+ corporate leaders and professionals, Finka Inc. has the pulse on what’s top of mind for people at work in 2025. What should your priorities be? What is the workplace landscape going to look like? What are career advancement critical skills you need to help you soar? Find out by clicking the button below to download your copy.
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Episode 184: Build Your Brand and Credibility with Public Relations: Get the Inside Scoop from PR Pro Abbie Sheridan
12/12/2024
Episode 184: Build Your Brand and Credibility with Public Relations: Get the Inside Scoop from PR Pro Abbie Sheridan
Public relations can be a powerful tool to help you elevate your brand, thought leadership, and credibility. In fact, it has a key similarity to personal branding. They both involve engaging and tailoring your message so that it best resonates with the audience/public. With personal branding, this is often done through avenues of conferences and social media posts, while PR includes press releases and articles. PR can be a guiding lens to look through for developing your personal brand, helping you know exactly what to say and what not to say. Who better to light the way than PR veteran and CEO of Greenrose Communications, Abbie Sheridan. She lives to connect people. Pairing her passion for connections with her love of storytelling, Abbie has been working in public relations for nearly 15 years. She initially found and pursued her dream job through a college internship where she pitched tech gadgets and colored toilet paper at New York Fashion Week (which was as fun as it sounds). But she knew she wanted to do something more impactful. When she found financial services, she realized it was where she was meant to be. For close to a decade, Abbie has worked with RIAs, asset managers, custodians, and fintech companies in the wealth management industry. Today, she and her team represent more than a dozen industry leading firms, with a specialization in ESG, SRI, and green investing. How lucky are we that Abbie is now sharing her insight and experience on the , helping you tailor and build your brand with a PR twist. In Episode 184 You Will Learn: Exactly what PR is and isn’t. How to leverage PR to boost your brand credibility. How to achieve PR with a limited budget. The power of engaging with media for personal branding. How the media landscape is evolving and the implications of AI. How to start approaching the possibilities of PR to enhance your personal brand. Connect with Abbie Sheridan on LinkedIn Career Advancement Report Coming December 13th! For the first time ever, Finka Jerkovic is publishing her first Finka Inc. Career Advancement Report, informing you about what to focus on in 2025 to rise and shine at work. Join her Find Your Brilliance community newsletter and get a copy delivered right to your inbox as soon as it’s released.
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Episode 183: How to Present Your Authentic, Confident Voice with Julie Johnson
12/05/2024
Episode 183: How to Present Your Authentic, Confident Voice with Julie Johnson
Whether you’re pitching an idea to leadership, leading a meeting, or delivering a keynote at a conference, they’re all forms of presenting. Within each method, you’re presenting your ideas, guiding other’s ideas, and aiming to inspire action within people. All of it can be stressful. Whether you speak to 5 people,15, 50, or 500, your palms may clam up and suddenly you’ve lost your train of thought, derailing from your perfectly crafted script. But here’s the thing — you don’t need a script to efficiently communicate. What you do need is your authentic, confident voice, which Julie Johnson will teach you to hone in this week’s episode. Julie Johnson is the CEO of and a leading authority on intergenerational and gender communication. As a current member of the esteemed Forbes Coaches Council and a former Barron's winning SVP with UBS (CFP & CIMA), she has devoted her career to helping professionals and teams build trust, engagement, and loyalty. Specializing in psychological safety and conflict navigation, she is a Certified Behavioral Finance Trainer, a Certified Facilitator in Adam Grant & Ray Dalio’s PrinciplesYou program, a Certified Brene Brown Daring Way Facilitator, a Globally licensed member of the International Coaching Federation, and a Certified Global Speaker through The National Speaker Association. Listen to this episode and learn from Julie as she teaches you how to tailor your communication to meet people where they are. You’ll also learn how to apply techniques to help you refine your big idea and voice it with confidence, authenticity, and influence. The Agenda for Today’s Episode: What exactly is an authentic, confident voice? PrinciplesYou Assessment overview and how it informs workplace communication. How to overcome presentation anxiety. Presentation tips and best practices. How Julie’s public speaking and presenting experience has impacted her career. How to leverage LinkedIn to amplify your authentic, confident voice and build a brand that drives your career. Connect with Julie Johnson on LinkedIn Career Advancement Report Coming December 13th! For the first time ever, Finka Jerkovic is publishing her first Finka Inc. Career Advancement Report, informing you about what to focus on in 2025 to rise and shine at work. Join her Find Your Brilliance community newsletter and get a copy delivered right to your inbox as soon as it’s released.
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Episode 182: Job Transition Plan with Jeff Brown: 3 Strategies to Apply When Interviewing for a New Job
11/28/2024
Episode 182: Job Transition Plan with Jeff Brown: 3 Strategies to Apply When Interviewing for a New Job
Many people face the challenge of a job transition, whether it be from a reorganization or their own choice. When it comes your time to move into a new industry, role, or company, how can you ensure you approach the process the right way and acquire a job that’s aligned with your Brilliant Difference? Jeff Brown has the answers. Jeff has been through several job transitions and Edge Moves in his career. Born and raised in Toronto, his love for the city drives his work. His experience in human resources and operations was honed on Bay Street, leading transformational real estate projects in banking. This then led him to join The Heaps Estrin Team Real Estate Team, Royal LePage’s #1 Residential Brokerage in Canada for the past five years. Jeff’s focus on developing and growing teams is a hallmark of his leadership. From entering banking during a financial crisis in 2009 to working in travel and hospitality when COVID-19 hit, Jeff shares his stories about not only how he successfully transitioned jobs, but the resilience he developed during times of adversity. He expands on honing his Brilliant Difference and transferrable skills and offers three strategies you can apply when thinking about making a job change. The Agenda for Today’s Episode: 02:25 — Career Transition 1: From Banking to Hospitality 12:18 — Cultural Shifts in New Work Environments 18:37 — Crisis Management During the Pandemic 23:23 — Career Transition 2: Embracing New Opportunities in Real Estate 25:12 — Navigating Job Descriptions and Interviews: 3 Strategies 31:48 — Embracing Change and Risk in Career Moves 36:47 — Reaching Out and Building Connections 39:57 — Jeff's Current Endeavors and Future Plans Connect With Jeff Brown on LinkedIn Share Your Voice, Forge a Brilliant Workplace I’m on a mission to build a brilliant workplace where everyone thrives and career dreams turn into reality, but I need your help! Fill out a quick anonymous, 7-minute survey to contribute to my first-ever Career Advancement Report (coming end of year). Share what’s top of mind for you at work and inform a resource that will help you rise and shine at work in 2025.
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Episode 181: How Managers Can Create Safe, Productive Performance Review Conversations (Backed by Personality Patterns) with Steven Kessler
11/21/2024
Episode 181: How Managers Can Create Safe, Productive Performance Review Conversations (Backed by Personality Patterns) with Steven Kessler
‘Tis the season for performance reviews. I can picture it from my corporate days, gathering questions and scheduling meetings to have performance discussions with my employees. But with that comes nerves, excitement, worry, doubt. So how can managers prime the environment to ensure a safe and productive conversation happens for both parties? Psychotherapist of 40 years and author, Steven Kessler, will teach you how by applying the five personality patterns. Kessler is the author of two books: and . In his first novel, Kessler explains the five personality patterns: Leaving, Merging, Enduring, Aggressive, and Rigid. They don’t depict who you are, but rather what you do. They’re safety strategies we lean on. In his second novel, he explains how these safety strategies and patterns can impact relationships. Specifically, in this episode, we’ll be diving into how these patterns can impact a manager’s performance review conversation with an employee. We walk you through a workplace scenario and give managers tips on how to detect their employees’ personality patterns, as well as how to handle them. The Agenda for Today’s Episode: 00:00 — An Introduction to the 5 Personality Patterns 03:03 — Understanding Safety Strategies and Personality Development 05:58 — Exploring the Leaving Pattern 09:04 — The Merging Pattern Explained 11:51 — The Enduring Pattern and Its Implications 14:51 — The Aggressive Pattern and Its Dynamics 17:56 — The Rigid Pattern and Its Characteristics 21:06 — Self-Awareness and Patterns in Relationships 24:03 — Utilizing Patterns as Gifts in Professional Settings 26:51 — Navigating Difficult Conversations in the Workplace 32:41 — The Power of Connection and Feedback 39:03 — Understanding Different Patterns in Communication 46:45 — Managing Energy in Interactions 55:11 — Grounding Techniques for Different Patterns 01:03:02 — The Importance of Presence in Life Previous Episode with Steven Kessler Connect With Steven Kessler Share Your Voice, Forge a Brilliant Workplace I’m on a mission to build a brilliant workplace where everyone thrives and career dreams turn into reality, but I need your help! Fill out a quick anonymous, 7-minute survey to contribute to my first-ever Career Advancement Report (coming end of year). Share what’s top of mind for you at work and inform a resource that will help you rise and shine at work in 2025.
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Episode 180: Finding a Balance of Feminine and Masculine Energy at Work
11/14/2024
Episode 180: Finding a Balance of Feminine and Masculine Energy at Work
Regardless of gender, everyone brings a mixture of . Some people lean on one more than the other. Masculine energy is described as “doing” and acting based on logic, knowledge, results, and reason. On the flip side, feminine energy is defined as “being,” acting based on intuition and emotions. Words that often describe masculine energy include confrontation, aggression, and control, whereas words related to feminine energy include oversensitive and co-dependant. So, you can see how these energies aren’t actually tied to a gender—a woman can be aggressive and a man can sensitive. Neither of these energies are wrong. In fact, there are several benefits to both. But it’s about finding a balance at work. In episode 180 of the , Finka shares a personal workplace story where, during a particular situation, there was a dominance in masculine energy and how leaning on her feminine energy as a Brilliant Difference created a meaningful change her workplace needed. Suddenly, people were more comfortable, had open communication, and shared their vulnerabilities, building trust and strong relationships. Remember, both energies are good, but consider: which should you bring at work? Apply this to situations as you experience them. Share Your Voice, Forge a Brilliant Workplace I’m on a mission to build a brilliant workplace where everyone thrives and career dreams turn into reality, but I need your help! Fill out a quick anonymous, 7-minute survey to contribute to my first-ever Career Advancement Report (coming end of year). Share what’s top of mind for you at work and inform a resource that will help you rise and shine at work in 2025.
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Episode 179: The Simpatico Communication Method: How to Communicate and Lead with an Aware, Loving Heart with Arnie Buss
11/07/2024
Episode 179: The Simpatico Communication Method: How to Communicate and Lead with an Aware, Loving Heart with Arnie Buss
With different personalities, professional and personal backgrounds, and communication preferences, you’re bound to experience conflicting conversations at work. So, how can you handle situations where you don’t see eye-to-eye with someone, in a way that supports your career growth and relationship progression? Through the Simpatico Communication Method. Who better to talk about the Simpatico Communication Method than Arnie Buss, its co-founder. Arnie is also a Research Associate Professor, a relationship coach, and the co-author of He is passionate about communication and how it impacts workplace relationships. In this episode, you’ll learn about what the Simpatico Communication Method is, how to apply it, and how to become a stronger communicator to rise in your career, even when you don’t necessarily agree with people. The Agenda for Today’s Episode: 02:38 — Arnie’s Journey in Academia and Military Education 06:22 — The Concept of Vocation in Career Choices 09:09 — Finding Purpose in Corporate Work 11:22 — Communication Dynamics in Military Leadership 20:27 — How Hear Here Came to Be 26:44 — The Power of Empathetic Communication 27:34 — Simple vs. Ease in Communication 29:02 — The Role of the Sender and Receiver 30:32 — Requesting Change: Language to Use 35:25 — Energy Matching in Communication 44:12 — Transforming Conflict into Connection Connect With Arnie Buss on LinkedIn Share Your Voice, Forge a Brilliant Workplace I’m on a mission to build a brilliant workplace where everyone thrives and career dreams turn into reality, but I need your help! Fill out a quick anonymous, 7-minute survey to contribute to my first-ever Career Advancement Report (coming end of year). Share what’s top of mind for you at work and inform a resource that will help you rise and shine at work in 2025.
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Episode 178: 4 Strategies to Advance in Your Career Using Your Brilliant Difference Brand
10/31/2024
Episode 178: 4 Strategies to Advance in Your Career Using Your Brilliant Difference Brand
For four years, you work through four levels of high school. With each new grade, you get more specific about who you are and what you want to do with the rest of your life. You graduate and choose a profession, dedicating another 2-4+ years to learning and growing. Then you graduate again, but this time into the workforce, without a roadmap to help you know how to make it all work and traverse to the destinations you desire. They don’t teach you how to advance in your career in school but feeling inspired after coming back from a client event, I’m sharing with you four strategies that will make your journey clearer and more successful. They key is using your Brilliant Difference brand, a personal branding method that flips the script from “me” to “we” so you can focus on how you make a difference, a meaningful impact, in the world. In episode 178 of the , here are the four strategies I discuss: 1. Give yourself permission to shine. 2. Invite others to shine with you. 3. Bring your whole self. 4. Make it personal. What do these mean and how can you apply these career advancement strategies to get noticed and rise along the corporate ladder? Tune in! I even share real-time workplace stories embodying each strategy in action. The Agenda for Today: 01:30 — Leadership Development Program: The Inspiration Behind the Episode 08:33 — What is Your Brilliant Difference? 08:49 — Strategy 1: Give Yourself Permission to Shine 12:27: — Strategy 2: Invite Others to Shine With You 16:33 — Strategy 3: Bring Your Whole Self 21:15 — Strategy 4: Make It Personal Want More Support in Elevating Your Personal Brand to Achieve Your Desired Career Results? Join the Your Brilliant Difference Bootcamp Waitlist! Your Brilliant Difference Bootcamp is a cutting-edge program for corporate professionals, like yourself. Within this program, you’ll discover how to excel in your career and leadership by learning and applying a personal branding method that actually works: Your Brilliant Difference. Through course materials, coaching, and community, you’ll uncover exactly what your Brilliant Difference is and how to leverage your personal brand at work to get promoted and noticed.
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Episode 177: Top 5 Current Career Barriers and How to Overcome Them
10/24/2024
Episode 177: Top 5 Current Career Barriers and How to Overcome Them
The workplace is constantly evolving. In 2020, remote work was the norm. Shortly after, hybrid settings took over, and now full-time in-office may be the status quo once more. Artificial intelligence is starting to take over certain jobs in specific industries. People are no longer just tired—they’re burnt out. These are just some of the challenges standing in your way of advancing in your career. But don’t worry. In this episode, you’ll learn exactly what the top 5 current career barriers are and how to overcome them to reach success. When you’re done listening, you’ll know exactly what you need to do to harness your personal brand (Brilliant Difference) to get noticed and promoted and shine in your work. The Agenda for Today’s Episode: 00:00 — Embracing Your Brilliant Difference 03:10 — Identifying Career Barriers 05:53 — The Impact of Burnout and Disengagement 09:04 — Navigating Remote and Hybrid Workplaces 11:56 — The Importance of Digital Presence 14:45 — Understanding the Role of AI 18:13 — The Need for Continuous Skill Upgrades 28:41 — Essential Skills for Career Advancement 31:27 — The Importance of Personal Branding 36:47 — Building Your Brilliant Difference Brand 46:39 — Transformative Personal Branding Success Stories 51:12 — The Path to Career Growth and Leadership Want More Support in Elevating Your Personal Brand to Achieve Your Desired Career Results? Join the Your Brilliant Difference Bootcamp Waitlist! Your Brilliant Difference Bootcamp is a cutting-edge program for corporate professionals, like yourself. Within this program, you’ll discover how to excel in your career and leadership by learning and applying a personal branding method that actually works: Your Brilliant Difference. Through course materials, coaching, and community, you’ll uncover exactly what your Brilliant Difference is and how to leverage your personal brand at work to get promoted and noticed.
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