Welcome to “The Hard Skills” podcast, a practical and research-driven show that explores the core leadership skills needed to fuel leadership to activate real change, such as creating inclusive and healthy workplaces. Through expert interviews and live coaching calls, we challenge the notion of &#34;soft skills,&#34; question long-held but inaccurate leadership development beliefs, and offer real, practical solutions for complex leadership challenges. Hosted by Dr. Mira Brancu, a clinical and organizational development psychologist with extensive leadership experience, we’ll delve into topics of leadership identity, leading with uncertainty, navigating workplace politics, and creating critical organizational change. This podcast will especially appeal to high-achieving leaders in healthcare, tech, and academic, industries. Whether you&#39;re seeking personal growth, looking to enhance your leadership abilities, or interested in Dr. Brancu&#39;s coaching services and membership community, join us as we unravel the complexities of leadership and inspire you to embrace the hard skills.

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/10/19/1/2363de59-8edd-4ab7-a761-52d60cbbc3b0__network_without_feeling_fake_or_transactional.mp3

How to network without feeling fake? Professional networking and LinkedIn networking start with relationships you build before you need help.On The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira talks with Becky Brown about building a network that supports your career through change. Becky shares how her experiences with layoffs changed her approach to relationships, why she began connecting beyond her immediate team, and how a growth mindset helped her pursue a new role. They explore ways to meet people through community groups, offer small acts of support, and stay in touch without making every conversation an ask. You will hear how to reconnect after a long silence, follow up after an event, and turn thoughtful LinkedIn comments into meaningful conversations. Becky also explains how to bring online connections into coffee chats and keep those relationships going afterward. For leaders and professionals who find networking uncomfortable, this conversation offers practical ways to make it a regular habit. The focus stays on clear goals, genuine curiosity, and helping others while building trust over time.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, workplace relationships, and career resilience.Find our guest here:Connect with Becky Brown:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bebr/" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/bebr/</a>To find more of my work:Subscribe to this channelNewsletter:<a href="http://mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe" rel="nofollow"> mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe</a>Book a consultation:<a href="http://calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation" rel="nofollow"> calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation</a>LinkedIn:<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancu" rel="nofollow"> www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancu</a>Website:<a href="http://www.gotowerscope.com/" rel="nofollow"> www.gotowerscope.com</a>Books:<a href="http://gotowerscope.com/books" rel="nofollow"> gotowerscope.com/books</a>Join the next leadership training cohort:<a href="https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship" rel="nofollow"> https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship</a> Free Resources:<ul><li>Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment:<a href="https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment" rel="nofollow"> https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment</a> </li><li>Burnout Root Cause Assessment:<a href="https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessment" rel="nofollow"> https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessment</a></li><li>Workplace Grief Guide:<a href="https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide" rel="nofollow"> https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide</a> </li></ul> Watch this full Episode on Youtube : https://youtu.be/RxPSNYC47fQ#thehardskills #mirabrancu #selfawareness #leadershipdevelopment #emotionalintelligence #executivecoaching

How to Network Without Feeling Fake or Transactional, with Becky Brown

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/10/1/8/fecc8208-752d-4049-a508-0fe49bcf0ee7_adership_lessons_from_a_pop_culture_convention.mp3

What can a pop culture convention teach you about workplace culture and leadership? More than you think. Brandon Peters shares the leadership lessons behind building a stage people line up for.Brandon runs the live podcast stage at Indy PopCon, a locally owned pop culture convention in Indianapolis that runs on volunteers. It took him years of trial and error to turn a lonely table in a loud food court into a stage with a waitlist. In this conversation with Dr. Mira Brancu, he talks about what actually made the difference.You&#39;ll hear how the PopCon team keeps volunteers happy without micromanaging them, why &#34;if my people are happy, everyone is happy&#34; is more than a nice saying, and how they bring in new audiences without pushing out the regulars. Brandon also shares what happened when a two-night stadium concert crowd clashed with convention guests, and Mira explains why leaders who go quiet during a crisis only make it worse. If you lead a team, a community, or anything built on passion, this one is for you.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, workplace culture, and building healthier organizations.Find our guest here:Connect with Brandon Peters:https://popcon.us/popcon-indy/  https://thebrandonpetersshow.com/ https://popcon.us/creator-summit/To find more of my work:Subscribe to this channelNewsletter: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeBook a consultation: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuWebsite: www.gotowerscope.comBooks: gotowerscope.com/booksJoin the next leadership training cohort: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship Free Resources:Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessmentWorkplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide  Watch this Episode on Youtube : https://youtu.be/SeIiDKi4Aok

Leadership Lessons From a Pop Culture Convention, with Brandon Peters

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/10/12/15/f3ca82d3-903e-493a-90c6-bb633ee377ea__leadership_mistakes_that_are_easy_to_overlook.mp3

Is your team difficult, or are you misreading the signals?Build leadership skills by looking beneath workplace burnout and micromanagement.In this Season 12 compilation of The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira revisits 13 common leadership misinterpretations through guest conversations and solo episode highlights. Discover why incivility can signal exhaustion or organizational grief, why burnout requires more than resilience, and how a leader&#39;s self-talk shapes the emotional climate of a team. For technical experts moving into leadership, the conversation explores why expertise, accuracy, and high standards need new skills in relationships, prioritization, and influence. You&#39;ll also hear why productive friction matters, how to coach high performers through a new learning curve, and why generational labels can obscure individual differences. Other highlights connect compassion with accountability, explain when empowerment can feel like abandonment, and reframe managing up as joining up. The central invitation is to pause before judging behavior, examine the pressures beneath it, and choose a response that addresses the individual, team, organization, or wider system.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, workplace wellbeing, and the human realities of work.Watch this Episode on Youtube : https://youtu.be/H5I4kVpxeI8Find our guests here:Dr. John O&#39;Brien :<a href="https://youtu.be/t9-osoC_qgg" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/t9-osoC_qgg</a> Dr. Dana Gionta : <a href="https://stream.redcircle.com/episodes/4edaec00-83ac-4cb8-a043-7791d50ae282/stream.mp3" rel="nofollow">https://stream.redcircle.com/episodes/4edaec00-83ac-4cb8-a043-7791d50ae282/stream.mp3</a> Jamie Ramsden and Dr. Suzie Burke: <a href="https://youtu.be/bDSp1vmwQS8" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/bDSp1vmwQS8</a> Ross Blankenship and Maggie Sass : <a href="https://youtu.be/MNGdGGJ8dHo" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/MNGdGGJ8dHo</a> Dr. Ryne Sherman : <a href="https://youtu.be/P-IoU4aIe_U" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/P-IoU4aIe_U</a> James Dismond : <a href="https://youtu.be/2PiCI1KRX0U" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/2PiCI1KRX0U</a> Dr. Sam Shriver and Suzie Bishop : <a href="https://youtu.be/5sJAe6E-fA0" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/5sJAe6E-fA0</a> Emily Ambrose : <a href="https://youtu.be/dYW5otMRrDA" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/dYW5otMRrDA</a>  To find more of my work:Subscribe to this channelNewsletter:<a href="http://mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe" rel="nofollow"> mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe</a>Book a consultation:<a href="http://calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation" rel="nofollow"> calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation</a>LinkedIn:<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancu" rel="nofollow"> www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancu</a>Website:<a href="http://www.gotowerscope.com/" rel="nofollow"> www.gotowerscope.com</a>Books:<a href="http://gotowerscope.com/books" rel="nofollow"> gotowerscope.com/books</a>Join the next leadership training cohort:<a href="https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship" rel="nofollow"> https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship</a> Free Resources:<ul><li>Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment:<a href="https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment" rel="nofollow"> https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment</a> </li><li>Burnout Root Cause Assessment:<a href="https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessment" rel="nofollow"> https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessment</a></li><li>Workplace Grief Guide:<a href="https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide" rel="nofollow"> https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide</a> </li></ul> #thehardskills #mirabrancu #selfawareness #leadershipdevelopment #emotionalintelligence #executivecoaching

13 Leadership Mistakes That Are Easy to Overlook

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/9/28/13/06f3fae5-a2aa-46cd-b989-9b3460b67f0a_s_bosses_micromanage__and_how_to_deal_with_it_.mp3

Dealing with a micromanaging boss, or worried you&#39;re the one who can&#39;t stop micromanaging? The fix depends on why it&#39;s happening, and there&#39;s more than one reason.Micromanaging isn&#39;t the same as a healthy progress check-in. It&#39;s when the review gets so detailed that people stop owning their work and start wondering why they should even try. In this solo episode of The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira Brancu, a clinical psychologist turned executive advisor, walks through six reasons people micromanage: anxiety, skill gaps, trust problems, organizational pressure, personality, and misreading what engaged leadership looks like. She also gets honest about being on both sides of the trust problem, and how pushing harder can make someone share even less. Once you can name the real reason behind it, you&#39;ll know how to respond. That might mean offering to take more off your boss&#39;s plate, setting up steady check-ins, or getting support for your own anxiety, trust, or skill gaps as a leader. Watch this Episode on Youtube - https://youtu.be/Zdw24T4XRvA Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, workplace politics, and the human side of leading. To find more of my work:Subscribe to this channelNewsletter: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeBook a consultation: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuWebsite: www.gotowerscope.comBooks: gotowerscope.com/booksJoin the next leadership training cohort: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship Free Resources:Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessmentWorkplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide  Episodes and other resources referenced: https://youtu.be/QUeBQe8QLp8

6 Reasons Bosses Micromanage (And How to Deal With It)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/9/12/7/7a65fe03-1697-45b7-8b6c-501255d3ddd2_hidden_grief_behind_quiet_quitting_and_burnout.mp3

Your team is grieving, even when nobody says it out loud. Dr. Mira Brancu talks with HR leader and coach Emily Ambrose about the organizational grief behind burnout and quiet quitting.Most leaders learn to push past the hard stuff. A retirement gets a quick mention, a reorg gets a memo, and everyone moves on before anyone actually feels what changed. Emily Ambrose has spent 20 years inside organizations watching what happens when that grief never gets named, and it usually shows up later as burnout, disengagement, or good people quietly leaving. In this conversation, Emily and Mira walk through what it actually looks like to acknowledge loss at work, from a two-second check-in that changed how one employee showed up for months, to the SCARF model that explains why even small changes can feel like a threat. You will also hear how stay interviews work, why ambiguous grief shows up in things like remote work and pregnancy, and what to say when you do not have all the answers but still need to lead. Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, burnout, and mental health at work. Find our guest here:<a href="https://emilyambrose.com/" rel="nofollow">https://emilyambrose.com/</a><a href="https://shape.colostate.edu/" rel="nofollow">https://shape.colostate.edu/</a> Watch this video on youtube - <a href="https://youtu.be/dYW5otMRrDA" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/dYW5otMRrDA</a> Newsletter: <a href="http://mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe" rel="nofollow">mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe</a>Book a consultation: <a href="http://calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation" rel="nofollow">calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation</a>LinkedIn: <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancu" rel="nofollow">www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancu</a>Website: <a href="http://www.gotowerscope.com" rel="nofollow">www.gotowerscope.com</a>Books: <a href="http://gotowerscope.com/books" rel="nofollow">gotowerscope.com/books</a> Join the next leadership training cohort: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship Free Resources:Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: <a href="https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment" rel="nofollow">https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment </a>Burnout Root Cause Assessment: <a href="https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessment" rel="nofollow">https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessment</a>Workplace Grief Guide: <a href="https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide" rel="nofollow">https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide </a>

The Unseen Iceberg Under Every Difficult Employee, with Emily Ambrose

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/9/21/14/696480b7-676c-471f-8e3d-87b544266b80_retire__managing_up___and_what_to_do_instead__.mp3

Managing up is broken advice. Dr. Mira Brancu breaks down the leadership skill that actually builds trust with your boss, and it isn&#39;t managing anyone at all.Most advice about &#34;managing up&#34; treats your boss like a problem to handle. Dr. Mira Brancu, a clinical psychologist turned executive advisor, thinks that framing is backwards, and she has the story to prove it. In this episode she breaks down what one exceptional research coordinator did differently that made her impossible to replace, then walks through the two part shift from managing up to joining up: empathizing with what your leader is actually carrying, then bringing value only you can offer. You will learn how to spot blind spots before they blindside your team, how to read whether a leader is defensive, overwhelmed, or just wired differently, and why the same message can land completely differently depending on how you deliver it. If your relationship with your leader has felt more transactional than collaborative, this reframe will change how you show up.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, burnout, and the human side of work.Watch this video on youtube - https://youtu.be/1lND5f_Bd3Q To find more of my work:Subscribe to this PodcastNewsletter: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeBook a consultation: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuWebsite: www.gotowerscope.comBooks: gotowerscope.com/booksJoin the next leadership training cohort: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship Free Resources:Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessmentWorkplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide

Why We Should Retire "Managing Up" (and What To Do Instead)?

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/23/17/98a85b08-f7a1-4152-87e4-d10d278a8dd2__leadership__why_it_still_works_50_years_later.mp3

Most managers are so afraid of micromanaging that they default to one leadership style. Then change hits, the team stalls, and nobody can name what went wrong.Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with Suzie Bishop and Dr. Sam Shriver from the Center for Leadership Studies, the home of the situational leadership model, to talk about why the approach that works beautifully with one person fails completely with the next. They break down the four steps, why performance readiness shifts the moment anything changes, and why the styles that feel most uncomfortable are often the ones that build the most trust.You will hear why being great at your job can actively work against you when you step into management, what to do when a high performer suddenly loses confidence, and the exact sentence to use when you can tell your approach is not landing.  Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, workplace dynamics, and mental health at work.View this episode on youtube - https://youtu.be/5sJAe6E-fA0 Find our guest here:Connect with Suzie Bishop: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzie-bishop/ and https://situational.com/Connect with Dr. Sam Shriver: https://situational.com/ To find more of my work:Subscribe to this channelNewsletter: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeBook a consultation: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuWebsite: www.gotowerscope.comBooks: gotowerscope.com/booksJoin the next leadership training cohort: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship Free Resources:Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessmentWorkplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide

Situational Leadership 50 Years Later, with Dr. Sam Shriver and Suzie Bishop

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/3/8/e2b639a0-7d53-4a93-add6-ea9439307a86_o_explains__how_grief_made_him_a_better_leader.mp3

Most leaders treat grief and burnout like a personal weakness. James Dismond thinks differently.James became a CEO for the first time in 2023. Ninety days in, his mother entered hospice care, and he found himself running a hospice organization while sitting on the other side of the bed as a grieving son. That experience changed how he leads, and this conversation is about what it changed. He and Dr. Mira Brancu get into why saying &#34;that person is burning out&#34; quietly moves the blame onto the wrong shoulders, what he actually did to carry an entire organization through a rebrand and expansion without gutting their trust, and the practice he built to replace the useless feedback sandwich. He also talks about when to let a good person fail on purpose, and why he refuses to fake it until he makes it.If you have ever had to hold someone accountable while they were falling apart, this one is for you. Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, burnout, and workplace mental health. Find our guest here:Connect with James Dismond: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-dismond/https://www.linkedin.com/company/mirasolhealthhttps://mirasolhealth.org/  To find more of my work: Subscribe to this channelSubscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksGet my free Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Get my Free Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessmentGet my Workplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide Find other free resources to support your leadership growth: https://gotowerscope.com/other-free-stuff Join the next Towerscope leadership workshop or fellowship: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship  Episodes and other resources referenced:Watch this next: https://youtu.be/Yh04IHzEMqU?si=V7HzqPP4qg7_qT23

CEO EXPLAINS: How Grief Made Him a Better Leader, with James Dismond

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/19/18/6a97aa46-5bc7-4027-89c2-5596fdb13d41_eneration_explains_only_4__of_your_personality.mp3

Everyone says you have to manage each generation differently. The data says otherwise. Your generation explains about 4 percent of your personality. You explain almost 80 percent.Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with Dr. Ryne Sherman, Chief Science Officer at Hogan Assessments, to take apart one of the most repeated ideas in leadership: that Gen Z, Millennials, and Boomers are fundamentally different people who need to be managed in fundamentally different ways.Ryne brought the data: Once you statistically separate age, time period, and birth cohort, generation accounts for roughly 4 percent of the variability on a personality assessment. Age accounts for 12 to 15 percent. The individual person accounts for nearly 80 percent.They get into why our brains build these shortcuts in the first place, what genuinely does change as people get older, why agreeableness drops off after retirement, and what it really costs you when you make hiring and promotion calls based on someone&#39;s birth year or generation.Ryne also shares the five human skills he thinks will matter most as AI takes over more of the work.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, workplace psychology, and what actually makes teams work.Find our guest here:Connect with Dr. Ryne Sherman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rynesherman/ Hogan Assessments: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hogan-assessmentsSubscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksGet my free Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Get my Free Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessmentGet my Workplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide Find other free resources to support your leadership growth: https://gotowerscope.com/other-free-stuff Join the next Towerscope leadership workshop or fellowship: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship

Your Generation Explains Only 4% of Your Personality, with Dr. Ryne Sherman

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/3/8/a6981443-9c9e-4ac7-8f7e-338317cfe971_logist_explains__how_to_manage_high_performers.mp3

Managing high performers takes a completely different skill set than managing low performers, and giving feedback to a high achiever the usual way can backfire badly. There is probably someone on your team who used to be your strongest player and lately something is off. They are missing deadlines, questioning everything, or moving so fast they are rubbing the team the wrong way. And you keep putting the conversation off, because how do you tell someone they are amazing and they are not meeting your expectations at the same time? Dr. Mira Brancu breaks down why most supervisors freeze here, why &#34;just be direct&#34; is incomplete advice when you are dealing with talented people, and what to say instead.  You will learn the “wise” feedback method, a research-backed way to frame the conversation so it lands as investment rather than punishment. You will also learn how to reframe leadership itself as a second specialty your high performer has to master, and why that single shift makes frequent check-ins feel like support instead of micromanaging. Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, burnout, and the human side of high pressure work. To find more of my work:Subscribe to this channel Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksGet my free Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Get my Free Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessment Get my Workplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide  Find other free resources to support your leadership growth: https://gotowerscope.com/other-free-stuff Join the next Towerscope leadership workshop or fellowship: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship

How to Manage High Performers

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/3/8/49bbffa9-6749-4805-a457-977a2ca761ee_pert_to_leader__being_right_vs_being_effective.mp3

You were right in that meeting and nobody listened. Dr. Mira Brancu breaks down what technical experts miss when they ignore workplace politics in favor of being right.  Most technical experts get promoted because they were brilliant at the work. They spotted the flaw nobody else saw, they said it out loud, and people respected them for it. Then they step into leadership and that same directness starts landing as criticism and nitpicking. The usual fix is to gain political savvy, build executive presence, get better at diplomacy. To a lot of functional experts-turned-leaders that sounds like being told to be fake, so they shut down and ignore it completely. Mira takes a different route. She walks through why the political side of the job is not noise getting in the way of real work, it is the majority of the work now. Then she gives you a 30 minute environmental scan you can run before any high stakes meeting, so you stop leading with your conclusion and start leading with what you actually understand about the other person&#39;s concern. This is part two of her series on what happens when strong individual contributors move into leadership roles.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, workplace politics, and the human side of high pressure organizations. To find more of my work:Subscribe to this channel Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksGet my free Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Get my Free Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessment Get my Workplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide  Find other free resources to support your leadership growth: https://gotowerscope.com/other-free-stuff Join the next Towerscope leadership workshop or fellowship: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship

From Expert to Leader: Being Right vs Being Effective

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/6/12/6/82b824a1-81d9-4455-a406-27d80afdd3a0_the_one_thing_ai_can_t_fix_for_leaders_.mp3

Most leaders are told to stay logical and remove anything that feels like friction. But real emotional intelligence in leadership starts with reading that friction, not erasing it.Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with organizational psychologists Dr. Ross Blankenship and Dr. Maggie Sass, authors of the upcoming book Friction, to talk about the emotional data most of us are trained to ignore. They make a simple case: friction is not a malfunction, it is a signal. The discomfort, the tension, the hard conversation you keep avoiding, all of it is information you can actually use to lead better. They get into why using AI to smooth everything out can quietly make your work vanish instead of easier and why leadership only becomes real the moment your decisions meet other human beings. If you have ever felt that leading people is harder than it looks, this conversation explains what is actually going on, and what to do about it this week.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, burnout, and mental health at work.Find our guest here:https://www.tuesdayadvisors.com/ https://rossblankenship.substack.com/<a href="https://www.rossblankenship.io/" rel="nofollow">https://www.rossblankenship.io/</a><a href="https://www.talentsmarteq.com/articles/" rel="nofollow">https://www.talentsmarteq.com/articles/</a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiesass-phd/" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiesass-phd/</a> To find more of my work:👉 Subscribe to this channel📰 Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe📆 Schedule a call to explore working with me: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation📕 Get practical workplace politics tips from my books: <a href="http://gotowerscope.com/books" rel="nofollow">gotowerscope.com/books</a>Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.com Other resources referenced:A Second Career: The Possible Dream, Harry Levinson: <a href="https://hbr.org/1983/05/a-second-career-the-possible-dream?cid=other-eml-ofl-mip-mck&hctky=andrew_cha%40mckinsey.com_PROOF&hdpid=1fc105c4-a3a3-4a66-b617-215475074866&hlkid=88cf8234792047d8ba218d1a7288a58d" rel="nofollow">https://hbr.org/1983/05/a-second-career-the-possible-dream</a>

The One Thing AI Can't Fix for Leaders, with Drs. Ross Blankenship & Maggie Sass

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/3/8/e3fba69e-0332-42f1-8f5f-4d8bffbab5f5_ist_explains__why_experts_become_micromanagers.mp3

You did not set out to become a micromanager. But if you got promoted for being the best expert in the room, perfectionism is probably running your leadership now, and it might be quietly burning you out or causing you to become ineffective as a leader. Dr. Mira Brancu breaks down a pattern she sees constantly in expert-driven industries like research, law, medicine, and engineering. In those fields, being right and thorough is the entire job, so you learn to hold everything to one standard and never let anything drop. Then you get promoted, and that exact habit starts choking your team. She tells the story of a VP at a biotech company who reviewed every deck, and then every revision of every deck, until her team started padding timelines just to work around her. Everyone could see she was stressed except her. Here is the part most leadership advice gets wrong. Telling a high performer to let go of perfectionism does not work, because perfectionism is the thing that built their credibility in the first place. Mira explains what to do instead, and why the real fix is treating leadership as a second specialization you have to learn on purpose.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, burnout, and the human side of high pressure work. To find more of my work:Subscribe to this channel Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksGet my free Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Get my Free Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessment Get my Workplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide  Find other free resources to support your leadership growth: https://gotowerscope.com/other-free-stuff Join the next Towerscope leadership workshop or fellowship: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship

How Experts Become Micromanagers

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/12/17/7ce5092d-f6a7-4179-a282-d9af512afc11_r_two_games__the_inner_game_and_the_outer_game.mp3

Even Einstein doubted himself. Meryl Streep still waits for the other shoe to drop. Dr. Mira sits down with executive advisors Dr. Suzy Burke and Jamie Ramsden to explore what they call the inner game and outer game of leadership. Suzy explains why self-doubt is actually an evolutionary response, not a personal flaw, and walks through a simple three-step process for catching negative self-talk before it derails a decision. Jamie brings in the outer game, the part of leadership that is about reading your team, your context, and the moment in front of you. Together they explain why a leader&#39;s inner dialogue becomes the whole team&#39;s emotional weather, how sense-making should take up more of a leader&#39;s day than most people realize, and why saying no might be the most underused leadership skill there is. If you have ever felt like a fraud in a room you worked hard to get into, or wondered why your inner work isn’t landing, this conversation will change how you think about that feeling.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership and emotional intelligence.Find our guest here:Connect with Dr. Suzy Burke and Jamie Ramsdenwww.suzyburke.phdwww.adastraleadership.com To find more of my work: Subscribe to this channel Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.com Get practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/books Get my free Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment  Get my Free Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessment Get my Workplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide  Find other free resources to support your leadership growth: https://gotowerscope.com/other-free-stuff  Join the next Towerscope leadership workshop or fellowship: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship

How Great Leaders Master the Inner Game and Outer Game, with Jamie Ramsden and Dr. Suzie Burke

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/5/5/c4490f64-fde4-4d7e-a51d-a3c10ed5e5cd_uce_burnout_in_52_weeks__with_dr._dana_gionta..mp3

Most leaders were taught that self-love is soft, or even selfish. It is actually the skill that keeps you from burning out. Self-love is the real foundation of sustainable leadership.In this episode of The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with psychologist and life coach Dr. Dana Gionta, author of &#34;52 Weeks to Self-Love.&#34; They get into what self-love actually means for someone in a high-pressure leadership role, and why it has nothing to do with being self-centered. Dr. Dana shares the health scare and the two-month sabbatical that forced her to change course, and how fear turned out to be the first step toward courage every single time.You will also hear why so many high achievers only stop when a health crisis stops them, how to spot the early warning signs in your own self-talk, and the simple shift from gap thinking to gain thinking that changes how you lead your team. If you have ever felt like people are walking on eggshells around you, this one is worth your time.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, burnout, and mental health.Find our guest here:Connect with Dr. Dana Giontawww.danagionta.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/danagiontaphd/@danagiontacoachinghttps://www.facebook.com/DanaGiontaCoaching/ https://lnkd.in/giKvuDqc (book link) To find more of my work:Subscribe to this channelSubscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksGet my free Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Get my Free Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessmentGet my Workplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide Find other free resources to support your leadership growth: https://gotowerscope.com/other-free-stuff Join the next Towerscope leadership workshop or fellowship: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship

A Unique Way This Psychologist Helps Leaders Reduce Burnout in 52 Weeks, with Dr. Dana Gionta

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/19/18/73897bd8-2c91-43be-b7bb-603b7fcea9ca_nout__disengagement__and_a_toxic_environment__.mp3

Most leaders spot rudeness or a toxic workplace and rush to shut the behavior down. But incivility is often a symptom of stress, burnout, and something deeper nobody names.Dr. Mira Brancu sat down as a guest on Dr. John O&#39;Brien&#39;s show, Civility Matters, and this is the full conversation. They get into why punishing rude behavior usually backfires, and how to tell the difference between the symptom you can see and the root cause you cannot. Mira breaks down organizational grief, the quiet loss people carry after layoffs and reorgs that shows up as disengagement, quiet quitting, and cynicism instead of tears.You will also hear her simple two by two office politics matrix that reveals whether your influence at work has turned self-serving, whether ambition and civility can actually coexist, and real advice for anyone stuck in a toxic job right now. The point they both keep coming back to is this: Leaders have to deal with their own stress first, because you cannot steady anyone else while you are running on empty.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, burnout, and workplace mental health. Connect with Dr. John O’Brien : www.activatesuccess.orgLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmobrienphd/Host: Civility Matters Podcast: https://civilitymatters.buzzsprout.comRudeness Rehab Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1957651911?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RudenessRehab  Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksGet my free Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Get my Free Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessmentGet my Workplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide Find other free resources to support your leadership growth: https://gotowerscope.com/other-free-stuff Join the next Towerscope leadership workshop or fellowship: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship

Stress, Burnout, Disengagement, vs. a Toxic Environment, with Dr. John O'Brien

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/12/17/1cf74efa-a531-4555-b24b-fa5e8e155e01_the_13_human_needs_your_workplace_forgot.mp3

The modern workplace got great at performance and quietly stopped meeting basic human needs at work. This is a full season on those needs, and the leadership that brings them back.Dr. Mira Brancu closes out Season 11 of The Hard Skills by walking through 13 human needs organizations have learned to ignore. Across eleven guests and two solo episodes, each need comes with a short, powerful clip and a practical way to rebuild it on your team. You will hear why self-deprecating humor makes leaders more human, why 85% of what makes a great boss has nothing to do with intelligence, and what a meaningful life actually asks of you. If you lead people, or you feel like something at work has quietly gone missing, this one is for you.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, burnout, and workplace mental health.Dr. Daniel Cruz Lattimore: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/omiyoconsultingllc?igsh=MW9iMjN5c214ODItMQ%3D%3D" rel="nofollow">https://www.instagram.com/omiyoconsultingllc</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellattimore/" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellattimore/</a>  Dr. Paul Damiano:<a href="http://www.creategoodworks.com" rel="nofollow">www.creategoodworks.com</a> <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/pauldamiano" rel="nofollow">www.linkedin.com/in/pauldamiano</a>  Ira Chaleff:<a href="http://www.irachaleffauthor.com" rel="nofollow">www.irachaleffauthor.com</a> Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriezolezziwyndham" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriezolezziwyndham</a> <a href="https://promotinggoodllc.com/" rel="nofollow">https://promotinggoodllc.com/</a>  Dr. Mehul Mankad: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmankad/" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmankad/</a>   <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/psychiatry-and-law-podcast/id1352806975" rel="nofollow">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/psychiatry-and-law-podcast/id1352806975</a> <a href="https://www.novumhealth.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.novumhealth.com/</a>    Dra. CarolLaine Garcia: <a href="https://www.drcarollainemgarcia.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.drcarollainemgarcia.com</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarollainemgarcia" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcarollainemgarcia</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drcarollainemgarcia" rel="nofollow">https://www.instagram.com/drcarollainemgarcia</a>  Duygu Alptekin Gursu: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/duygualptekingursu" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/duygualptekingursu</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/duygualptekingursu/" rel="nofollow">https://www.instagram.com/duygualptekingursu/</a>  Candice Schutter: <a href="https://thedeeperpulse.com/" rel="nofollow">https://thedeeperpulse.com/</a>  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/candiceschutter/" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/candiceschutter/</a>  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/candice.schutter" rel="nofollow">https://www.facebook.com/candice.schutter</a>  <a href="https://www.instagram.com/candiceschutter/" rel="nofollow">https://www.instagram.com/candiceschutter/</a>  Margaret Andrews: <a href="https://www.margaretandrews.com" rel="nofollow">https://www.margaretandrews.com</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretcandrews/" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretcandrews/</a>   Dr. David W. Robinson-Morris: <a href="http://www.reimaginelution.com" rel="nofollow">www.reimaginelution.com</a> <a href="http://www.centerforthehumanspirit.org" rel="nofollow">www.centerforthehumanspirit.org</a> <a href="http://www.drmphd.com" rel="nofollow">www.drmphd.com</a>  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrm/" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrm/</a>   Dr. Mark L. Vincent: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MARKLVINCENT" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/@MARKLVINCENT</a> <a href="http://www.marklvincent.com" rel="nofollow">www.marklvincent.com</a> <a href="http://www.maestrolevelleaders.com" rel="nofollow">www.maestrolevelleaders.com</a> To find more of my work:Subscribe to this channelSubscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe Work with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.com Get practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/books Get my free Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment  Get my Free Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessment Get my Workplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide  Find other free resources to support your leadership growth: https://gotowerscope.com/other-free-stuff  Join the next Towerscope leadership workshop or fellowship: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship  Episodes and other resources referenced:Watch this next: #thehardskills #mirabrancu #selfawareness #leadershipdevelopment #emotionalintelligence #executivecoaching

The 13 Human Needs Your Workplace Forgot

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/6/30/6/be39aa43-d8f5-4a02-935b-89914d7ceb74_why_most_leaders_ruin_their_succession_plan__.mp3

Most leaders think succession is just naming the next person for the chair. It is not. Real leadership succession is about protecting everything you spent years building.Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with Dr. Mark L. Vincent, author of The Maestro Effect, to close out the season on rediscovering human needs at work. They get into why handing off a company is so much harder than picking a name, and why the value you built can quietly leak away if you treat the transition like a finish line.Mark breaks down the two traps most leaders fall into. There is the one where you check out early and reach for the golden parachute, and the one where you cannot let go and slowly choke the life out of the team. He walks through his Maestro theory, the three turns of a leader&#39;s life, and the four key elements that actually make or break a succession plan. Near the end the conversation turns personal, and that is the part that stays with you. If you lead anything now, or you will one day, this one is worth your time.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, mental health, and the human side of work.IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!Connect with our guest:https://www.youtube.com/@MARKLVINCENTwww.marklvincent.com www.maestrolevelleaders.com Connect wth me:Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksAdd this podcast to your feed: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/

The Succession Trap: Handoffs, Legacy, and Your 2,000 Weeks Left, with Dr. Mark L. Vincent

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/15/8/5ac767ef-35e9-42aa-b47f-e684a0199890_t_imposter_syndrome__it_s_making_things_worse_.mp3

&#34;Imposter syndrome&#34; gets thrown around constantly in leadership spaces. But what if the label itself is doing more harm than good?Dr. Mira Brancu breaks down why the original researchers never called it a &#34;syndrome&#34; and what that distinction actually means for high achievers. If you&#39;ve ever been promoted into a leadership role and suddenly felt like you had no idea what you were doing, this episode explains why that&#39;s not a flaw. It&#39;s the normal experience of someone learning a completely new skill set that nobody trained them for. Mira also gets real about why this hits harder for women and marginalized professionals, and draws a clear line between the kind of self-doubt that comes with growth and the kind that needs clinical support. Whether you&#39;re navigating this yourself or trying to support someone who is, this conversation will change how you think about it.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, resilience, and the hard skills nobody teaches you. To find more of my work:Subscribe to this channel Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.com Get practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksGet my free Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Get my Free Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessmentGet my Workplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide Find other free resources to support your leadership growth: https://gotowerscope.com/other-free-stuff Join the next Towerscope leadership workshop or fellowship: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship Episodes and other resources referenced:https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship Clance, P. R., &amp; Imes, S. A. (1978). The imposter phenomenon in high achieving women: Dynamics and therapeutic intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research &amp; Practice, 15(3), 241–247. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0086006 - https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1979-26502-001

Stop Calling It Imposter Syndrome (It's Making Things Worse)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/14/5/d07eae3c-1d03-4f37-ad64-09d1019d6db5__leadership_skill_mba_programs_don_t_teach_you.mp3

Imagination as a leadership skill? Most people wouldn&#39;t even put it in their top 10. But what if it&#39;s the one thing separating leaders who repeat old systems from those who build new futures?In this conversation, Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with Dr. David W. Robinson-Morris, founder of Reimaginelution, to talk about why imagination might be the most underrated leadership competency of our time. David breaks down how imagination shows up in strategy, finance, and communication, and shares what happens when skeptical, numbers-driven leaders finally slow down and start asking: what have we been conditioned not to see?This is a business discussion like none you’ve ever heard. You&#39;ll hear about the connection between Ubuntu philosophy, contemplative practice, and how historically marginalized communities have been practicing imaginative leadership for centuries! And here&#39;s the biggest reframe: scarcity thinking is already an imaginative act, just pointed in the wrong direction. It takes the same energy to imagine futures of possibility as it does to imagine futures of loss.If you&#39;ve ever felt stuck in reactive mode or trapped in a cycle of cutting, controlling, and surviving, this episode offers a completely different way through.Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, resilience, and the human side of work. Find our guest here:Websites: www.reimaginelution.comwww.centerforthehumanspirit.orgwww.drmphd.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrm/  To find more of my work:Subscribe to this podcastSubscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribeWork with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultationConnect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancuLearn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.comGet practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/booksGet my free Strategic Clarity and Leadership Resilience assessment: https://mailchi.mp/e1ebf8505764/slr-assessment Get my Free Burnout Root Cause Assessment: https://mailchi.mp/29d7d18fae4a/burnout-root-cause-assessmentGet my Workplace Grief Guide: https://mailchi.mp/46873b910380/workplace-grief-field-guide  Find other free resources to support your leadership growth: https://gotowerscope.com/other-free-stuff Join the next Towerscope leadership workshop or fellowship: https://gotowerscope.com/fellowship

The Leadership Skill MBA Programs Don't Teach You, with Dr. David W. Robinson-Morris

Fueling leadership to activate change

Welcome to “The Hard Skills” podcast, a practical and research-driven show that explores the core leadership skills needed to fuel leadership to activate real change, such as creating inclusive and healthy workplaces.

Through expert interviews and live coaching calls, we challenge the notion of "soft skills," question long-held but inaccurate leadership development beliefs, and offer real, practical solutions for complex leadership challenges.

Hosted by Dr. Mira Brancu, a clinical and organizational development psychologist with extensive leadership experience, we’ll delve into topics of leadership identity, leading with uncertainty, navigating workplace politics, and creating critical organizational change.

This podcast will especially appeal to high-achieving leaders in healthcare, tech, and academic, industries. Whether you're seeking personal growth, looking to enhance your leadership abilities, or interested in Dr. Brancu's coaching services and membership community, join us as we unravel the complexities of leadership and inspire you to embrace the hard skills.