85. The New Rules of Workplace Influence (Don’t Get Left Behind)

📌 FREE “Managing Up & Down in the Age of AI” event. February 3rd, 3pm ET: https://melodywilding.com/managing-up-and-down You’re doing everything "right" at work, but still don’t have the respect and opportunities you’d hoped you’d have by this point in your career. Sound familiar? There are 4 quiet, invisible shifts in how people behave at work and how organizations operate that have fundamentally changed the rules of gaining influence. In this episode, Melody reveals how to position yourself for success in the shifting landscape. What You’ll Discover: What researchers call the "charisma zone" and how to embody itThe secret to job security when layoffs are high and priorities change dailyThe skill that leapfrogs you past reliable executors (and why it feels counterintuitive)How AI has completely changed what decision-makers use to assess your true capability Managing UpConnect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up

We've all had that boss, the one who makes work harder, not easier. But what if YOU are that boss without realizing it? In this honest conversation, Wall Street Journal bestselling author Mita Mallick shares how she became the micromanaging, disengaged leader she never wanted and how it opened her eyes. You'll hear why bad bosses aren't born but made and the specific behaviors that drive teams away without you even noticing. Whether you're navigating a difficult manager right now or worried you might be becoming one yourself, this episode reveals what's really happening beneath the surface of bad leadership…and what to do about it.What You’ll Discover: 3 ways bad bosses are created (including why we all have the potential to become one)The difference between micromanaging and holding people accountable -- and how to tell which one you're doingHow to retrain your boss when their behavior is disruptive without it backfiringAbout Mita MallickMita Mallick is a WSJ best-seller author and corporate change-maker with a track record of transforming businesses. She's a chief diversity officer and highly sought-after speaker who has advised Fortune 100 companies and startups alike. She is a LinkedIn Top Voice and a contributor to Harvard Business Review, Adweek, Fast Company, and Entrepreneur. Mallick holds a BA from Barnard College, Columbia University, and an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. https://www.mitamallick.com/  Managing UpConnect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up

Helen Tupper, co-author of Learn Like a Lobster, joins Melody to share why the most successful professionals aren't trying to KNOW it all, they're LEARNING it all. She reveals how to stay relevant without adding more to your plate or risking your credibility. If you're tired of feeling like everyone else is keeping up while you're barely hanging on, this conversation will give you a way forward that actually fits your life.What You’ll Discover: What lobsters can teach you about resourcefulness in your careerWhy trying to become an "AI expert" is a losing strategy – and what to do when technology changes faster than you can learn itThe tiny habit that's limiting what you learn from every conversation How to turn "I made a mistake" into career capital instead of something to hideAbout Helen Tupper Helen Tupper is a global expert in learning and career development. She is the co-host of the Squiggly Careers podcast and co-founder of global career development company Amazing If, which trains over 100,000 people a year in partnership with over 100 organizations, including Visa, Microsoft, Danone, Sky, Warner Brothers, Lego and HSBC. https://www.amazingif.com/  Managing UpConnect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up

If you’re sick of being told “bring your whole self to work!” and having zero idea what that means, this episode is for you. Claude Silver, author of Be Yourself at Work, joins Melody to discuss how to discover who you want to be at work after years of being defined by comparison, what your options are when your current role doesn't feel like a fit, and how to lead with emotional intelligence while driving accountability and results.About Claude Silver Claude Silver is on a mission to bring more heart and humanity to the way we lead and work. As the world’s first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, she partners with Chairman and CEO Gary Vaynerchuk to build workplaces where people come alive—safe to speak up, proud to belong, and driven by real connection. Claude has earned Campaign Female Frontier and AdWeek’s Changing the Game awards, and energizes audiences at global events including Meta, Google, U.S. government agencies, and the armed forces. She’s been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and dozens of podcasts. Claude leads with heart, coaches with fire, and shows people how to show up. Managing UpConnect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up

If you've ever found yourself overexplaining in emails, freezing up when you're put on the spot, or second-guessing your words long after a meeting ends, then this episode is for you. Melody reveals three habits of highly effective communicators – habits that help your ideas land, your voice carry weight, and your confidence show up before you even say a word.What You’ll Discover: Why your message isn’t landing – and the subtle shift that makes people actually listenA powerful mindset reframe to stop overexplaining and start being taken seriouslyHow to get your point across without steamrolling others or overthinking every wordThe overlooked factor that makes high-pressure conversations feel less intimidatingA simple technique to stay composed (and sound confident) when you're put on the spotConnect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up

You work hard, get promoted, receive praise—but there’s still a part of you that feels like it’s all temporary, that maybe it happened by chance. In this episode, Melody reveals how imposter syndrome goes beyond simple self-doubt. It's about how we process positive experiences, often attributing success to luck while internalizing every small misstep as proof of inadequacy. She shares four actionable steps to help you shift your thinkingWhat You’ll Discover:Why your successes often feel fleeting or undeserved—and what you can do to make them truly stickHow imposter syndrome tricks you into downplaying achievements and amplifying self-doubtHow to rewire your brain to see success as a reflection of your skills rather than pure luckThe neuroscience behind why praise feels uncomfortable for high achievers and how to overcome it.Four proven techniques to reframe how you see your achievements and start owning your success.Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up

⏰ LAST CHANCE: Doors for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ close December 16th at 11:59pm. Get the details and secure your spot: https://speaklikeaseniorleader.comYou know that sinking feeling when you're in a high-stakes meeting and your brain just... scrambles? You start talking in circles. In this episode, Melody sits down with Missy, an IT Director who was being groomed for VP but struggled with one thing: staying articulate and composed under stress. Through Speak Like a Senior Leader™, she stopped winging it and learned exactly how to stay and be articulate in high pressure moments.Tune in if you want to project the poise and clarity that makes executives see you as ready for the next level and finally walk out of meetings knowing you nailed it instead of replaying every word.  Managing UpConnect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up

📢 DOORS OPEN: Speak Like a Senior Leader™ gives you the system to become a crisp, clear, confident communicator and be handed dream opportunities before you ever ask for them. Secure your spot: https://speaklikeaseniorleader.comA key influence skill of executive leaders is “reading the room,” but HOW do you do it? In this episode, you’ll hear from Candice, an analytics leader at Google. She shares exactly how she learned to diagnose someone's communication style in minutes and tailor her message on the fly. You'll hear the framework she uses to read any room (interviews, stakeholder meetings, even emails), how she positions the same achievement differently depending on who's listening, and more. If you've ever felt like you're guessing in high-stakes moments and need a system for reading people fast, this conversation gives you one. Managing UpConnect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up

In this value-packed replay of Melody’s most recent training, you will: Discover a 3-second test that reveals whether you sound credible and executive-ready…or still like a junior executorSay goodbye to agonizing over the "right" thing to say. THIS matters more than accuracyLearn one simple structure to go from a rambling response to laser-sharp clarityGet five words that flip a combative conversation into strategic problem-solvingSee what you're missing in every status meeting that could position you for promotion Managing UpConnect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up

📢DOORS OPEN: Speak Like a Senior Leader™ gives you the system to become a crisp, clear, confident communicator and be handed dream opportunities before you ever ask for them. Secure your spot: https://speaklikeaseniorleader.comYou keep waiting for someone to tell you the secret of what's actually standing between you and the next level. It feels like everyone else got a handbook that you didn't. In this episode, Speak Like a Senior Leader™ graduate Lindsey DellaDonna shares how she went from being stuck in this maddening limbo – on the cusp of director for months with no clear path forward for years – to getting promoted in a matter of months by finally cracking the code on what "executive presence" and "strategic communication" mean in practice. What You’ll Discover: Why executive meeting invites don't equal promotion readiness – and the real test of whether you're advancingThe communication shift that turned polite nods into executive action on Lindsey's ideasWhat "leadership presence" means in practice when your evaluators can't define itHow Lindsey restructured her presentations for faster buy-in – without changing her actual work Managing UpConnect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up