Unmasking Fear - What's Really Holding You Back as a Leader?

Fear has a way of shrinking your world and your leadership. Sometimes the fears driving your behavior are ones you can't even see.In this episode, recorded near Halloween, Gayle Lantz explores the hidden fears that may be limiting your effectiveness as a leader. From the fear of uncertainty to imposter syndrome, from micromanagement to avoiding difficult conversations, these fears show up in subtle ways that can erode trust, kill creativity, and paralyze decision-making.Find the full show notes at:https://workmatters.com/Unmasking-Fear---Whats-Really-Holding-You-Back-as-a-Leader

Many leaders struggle with the difference between being tactical and being strategic. They spend their days firefighting and reacting to whatever comes up, leaving little time to think about the bigger picture.But strategic thinking isn't just for annual planning sessions—it's a skill that can and should be practiced regularly.Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Sharpen-Your-Strategic-Thinking--Todays-Essential-Leadership-Skill-with-Rich-Horwath

If you've ever felt more like a firefighter than a leader, constantly troubleshooting issues instead of focusing on the bigger picture, this episode is for you.As a leader, some level of troubleshooting comes with the territory. But when it takes over your day—when you're mediating disagreements, smoothing over gossip, redesigning processes on the fly, or shuffling people around to cover gaps—it can drain your energy and lock you into reactive mode.Find the full show notes at:https://workmatters.com/Tired-of-Troubleshooting-Fix-Your-Fix-it-Fatigue

Fall brings more than changing leaves and cooler temperatures—it offers powerful metaphors for leadership during times of transition and uncertainty.In this reflective episode, Gayle Lantz draws inspiration from the autumn season, and her personal life experience, to explore how leaders can navigate change, loss, and transformation with greater intention and resilience.Find the full show notes at:https://workmatters.com/Fall-Happens-Leadership-Lessons-from-the-Season-of-Change

Every day as a leader, you step into the unknown. One person you encounter may be upbeat, another frustrated. A meeting you thought would be smooth suddenly turns tense. The difference between thriving in these unpredictable moments and merely surviving them isn't about controlling what's on the other side of the door—it's about controlling the presence you bring with you.Find the full show notes at:https://workmatters.com/Meeting-People-Where-They-Are---Your-Doorway-to-Growth--Connection

Confidence isn't something you either have or don't have; it's something you build, just like a muscle. And like any muscle, it grows stronger with consistent training and weakens with neglect.If you're a leader whose confidence has been slipping lately, you're not alone. Between workplace uncertainty, shifting expectations, and mounting pressures, even seasoned leaders can feel like their authority and impact are being challenged.Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Training-Your-Confidence-Muscle---Building-Unshakeable-Leadership-Strength

Feeling burned out? Before you assume it's about doing too much, consider a different idea. Burnout isn't necessarily about working harder—it's about drifting too far from your center.Many leaders think the solution to burnout is taking a break or reducing their workload. But what if the real issue is that you're exhausted from not doing the work you're truly meant to do? Or you’re doing it in a way that doesn’t serve you?Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Losing-Your-Center---The-Silent-Driver-of-Burnout

When you start a business with no capital, no employees, and no revenue, most people would run the other way. But some leaders see opportunity where others see impossible obstacles.The key isn't just having vision. It's knowing your numbers at a level most entrepreneurs never achieve and being willing to embrace the discomfort that comes with real growth.Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Driving-Growth-by-Running-Toward-Discomfort-with-CEO-Glenn-Phillips

Small communication gaps can lead to big problems. Whether it's a missed instruction in healthcare, a misaligned blueprint in engineering, or a filing deadline that never gets communicated in accounting, these seemingly minor breakdowns can have serious consequences.The reality is that communication gaps are inevitable. They happen in every business, across every industry. These gaps don't close on their own. You, as a leader, have to get involved.Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Closing-the-Communication-Gaps-Every-Leaders-Responsibility

What if the very system we rely on to motivate teams and measure success is actually holding us back? Many leaders find their teams can hit targets but still feel stuck, which points to a fundamental flaw in how we approach performance management.Traditional goal-setting methodologies like OKRs and KPIs, while well-intentioned, often create unintended consequences that work against the very outcomes they're designed to achieve. The incentive structure encourages showing good numbers while sweeping problems under the rug, giving leaders the illusion of progress rather than real visibility.Find the full show notes at: https://workmatters.com/Why-Your-Goal-Setting-Fails-Escaping-the-Performance-Trap-with-Radhika-Dutt