The Burnout Trap No One Talks About

Your job is not your identity—and believing it is may be costing you your energy, joy, and leadership longevity. In this episode of Shedding the Corporate Bitch, burnout coach and author Elisha Meek breaks down how high achievers unknowingly trap themselves in burnout through perfectionism, people-pleasing, and control. She shares practical tools to reclaim purpose without quitting your career, including her Brains-Body-Soul 5-5-5 reset and the power of identity diversification.Timestamps: 00:00 – Why your title is not your identity 02:00 – Elisha’s burnout “lightning bolt” moment 05:30 – Hidden signs of burnout leaders ignore 10:00 – Identity diversification explained 14:30 – Control, perfectionism, and people-pleasing 21:30 – When strengths become career-limiting 27:00 – The Brains-Body-Soul 5-5-5 reset 33:00 – Why breakthroughs rarely happen alone 38:00 – One micro-step to reclaim purpose 42:00 – How to break up with burnout before it breaks youConnect with Elisha Meek: Website: elishameek.com Instagram: @elisha.meek LinkedIn: @ElishaMeek Facebook: @Elisha Meek CoachingJoin the Book Launch Team of her upcoming book, Breakup with Burnout breakupwithburnout.elishameek.com/launchCall to Action: Subscribe, rate, and share this episode with a leader who needs permission to stop burning out in silence.  PODCAST      VIDEOCASTSupport the show

This should shock you! Only 25% of executives feel prepared to lead through disruptive change. In this episode, we explore why reactive leadership fails—and how anticipatory leadership equips leaders to navigate AI, automation, workforce shifts, and uncertainty with confidence.You’ll learn the four core components of anticipatory leadership, the future-ready skills leaders must develop now, and how to shift from crisis-driven decisions to opportunity-focused strategy.Timestamps00:00 – Why reactive leadership is no longer enough 01:00 – What anticipatory leadership really means 02:00 – AI, automation, and workforce disruption 04:00 – The hidden cost of avoiding uncertainty 05:00 – Reactive vs anticipatory leadership explained 08:00 – The four components of anticipatory leadership 09:00 – Environmental scanning and spotting quiet signals 15:00 – Scenario planning and testing your strategy 19:00 – Adaptive decision-making in uncertain environments 22:00 – Change shaping and building trust 26:00 – Future leadership skills you must develop 31:00 – Reflection questions for leaders 35:00 – Final thoughts and next stepsCalls to Action✔ Subscribe & follow the show ✔ Leave a review to help other leaders find the podcast ✔ Share this episode with your leadership team🔗 Podcast hub: balloffirecoaching.com/podcast 🔗 Discovery call: coachmebernadette.com/discoverycallHost & HandlesHost: Bernadette Website: balloffirecoaching.com YouTube: Shed the Corporate Bitch TVSupport the show

As you probably have already experienced, millennials have changed the rules of leadership.Sawubona Leadership can be the team development tool you've been looking for to elevate your connection and impact with your team. In this powerful episode, executive coach and bestselling author Susan Inouye joins Bernadette to explore Sawubona Leadership—an approach that moves beyond generational stereotypes and into truly human-centered leadership.Susan shares how leaders can shift from control to connection, recognize the gifts hidden in behavior, and build cultures of belonging that drive engagement, retention, and performance. Drawing from real-world leadership transformations, this conversation offers practical insights for leading millennials, Gen Z, and multigenerational teams through change.What You’ll Learn: – Why “I see you” is a leadership skill – How to identify gifts beneath challenging behavior – The five leadership shifts required for today’s workforce – Why belonging directly impacts productivity and profitability – How leaders can coach instead of commandChapters and Timestamps:Introduction to Modern Leadership Challenges — 0:00Meet Susan Inouye: A Journey of Transformation — 2:04Discovering Sawubona Leadership — 6:36Implementing Sawubona Leadership in the Corporate World — 9:51Transforming Gifts into Organizational Success — 19:50Recognizing and Leveraging Employee Gifts — 21:10Adapting Leadership for Younger Generations — 24:53Why Cutting Training and Coaching Hurts Growth During Challenging Times — 27:14About the Guest: Susan Inouye is an executive coach, bestselling author of Leadership’s Perfect Storm. She has worked with over 600 organizations across 40 industries, helping leaders engage and inspire multigenerational teams worldwide.Resources & Links: – Susan Inouye: https://susaninouye.com – Book: Leadership’s Perfect Storm available at https://susaninouye.com/book- Linkedin: @SusanInouyeSubscribe & Review: If you found value in this episode, subscribe and leave a review—it helps more leaders find these conversations. https://balloffirecoaching.com/podcast/Support the show

Drowning in meetings? Exhausted from your to-do list? This episode is your intervention. Discover why 94% of leaders are stressed, what's causing your burnout (hint: some of it's self-inflicted), and the exact frameworks to reclaim your time and sanity. Host Bernadette Boas delivers battle-tested strategies from 25+ years in the corporate trenches.Here's the truth nobody's telling you: most of this is preventable.What You'll Discover:✅ Why multitasking is a myth and how it's destroying your productivity (it's not what you think)✅ The calendar audit that eliminates 25-30% of wasted time without sacrificing results✅ How to say NO strategically without tanking your career (your boss actually wants you to do this)✅ The Pareto Principle: Why 80% of your effort produces only 20% of your results—and how to flip it✅ Time blocking secrets that create white space for sanity, strategy, and breakthrough thinking✅ The 4 D's Framework: Do, Delegate, Delete, or Delay—the simplest way to conquer any to-do list✅ Digital detox strategies to eliminate the constant distractions draining your focus✅ The 10-minute daily practice that transforms your performance and self-awareness✅ Why reflection is non-negotiable for high-performing leaders (and how to do it right)Time is the one resource you can't get back. How you use it defines your impact as a leader.⏱️ EPISODE TIMESTAMPS[00:00:00] Cold Open: What Keeps You Up at Night? The Alarming Statistics Every Leader Needs to Know[00:01:00] Introduction: Why Time Mastery Is Non-Negotiable for Your Career[00:06:00] The Self-Inflicted Causes of Burnout: What You're Doing to Yourself[00:14:00] The Ripple Effect: How Your Overwhelm Impacts Team & Business Performance[00:17:00] The Cost of Burnout: Career Stagnation, Work-Life Imbalance & Turnover[00:21:00] 9 Strategies to Reset 2026 [00:34:00] Episode Recap: The Tools & Strategies You Just Learned[00:35:00] Call to Action: Book Your Complimentary Discovery Call[00:36:00] Outro & Where to Find More🔗 RESOURCES & LINKSNeed help? 📞 Book a Complimentary Discovery Call: CoachMeBernadette.com/discovery-call 🌐 Ball of Fire Coaching: BallOfFireCoaching.com 🎙️ More Episodes: Subscribe to Shedding the Corporate BitchConnect on Social Media: 📺 YouTube: Shedding The Bitch Channel 📷 Instagram: @BernadetteBoas 💼 LinkedIn: Bernadette BoasSubscribe & Listen: 🎧 Apple Podcasts 📺 YouTube 🔊 Wherever you love to listenSupport the show

What if one of the most overlooked leadership behaviors was also one of the most powerful drivers of engagement, performance, and retention?In this episode of Shedding the Corporate Bitch, we reframe gratitude from being “nice” to being strategic. Backed by research from Harvard, Gallup, and the University of Pennsylvania, this conversation breaks down why leaders who fail to recognize effort quietly erode culture — and how intentional gratitude can transform results, morale, and loyalty.Time Stamps & Key Talking Points00:00 – Why Gratitude Shapes Leadership Legacy People may forget what you say or do, but they never forget how you make them feel, Gratitude as an emotional leadership lever04:00 – The #1 Thing Employees Ask For Why employees just want to be seen, The underestimated power of “thank you”09:00 – A 50% Productivity Increase University of Pennsylvania research, Adam Grant’s findings on gratitude13:00 – The Three Unspoken Employee Questions Do I matter?, Does my work matter?, Do you even notice?18:00 – Fuel the Climb, Not Just the Win Recognizing effort and progress, not just outcomes19:00 – Modeling Gratitude as a Leader Why leaders set the emotional standard, Behavior gets mirrored24:30 – The Real Question Leaders Must Ask Can you afford the absence of gratitude?26:00 – Leadership Reflection Challenge What went unnoticed?, What culture are you quietly building?28:00 – Final Takeaway Gratitude isn’t changing who you are, It’s changing what you noticeCall to Actions👍 Like this video if you believe leadership is about people, not just results 🔔 Subscribe to Shedding the Corporate Bitch for weekly leadership insights 🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform for the full experience 📞 Book a discovery call to strengthen your leadership culture: https://coachmebernadette.com/discoverycall 🌐 Visit balloffirecoaching.com/podcast for past episodes and resourcesSocial & Website HandlesWebsite: balloffirecoaching.com Podcast Hub: balloffirecoaching.com/podcast Discovery Call: coachmebernadette.com/discoverycall YouTube: @ShedtheCorpBitchTV LinkedIn: @bernadetteboas Support the show

What is your body posture, gestures, and place at the table, say about you?In this episode, we sit down with Tatiana Teppoeva, founder of One Nonverbal Ecosystems, to explore the often-overlooked leadership skill that silently shapes credibility, trust, and influence: nonverbal communication.Tatiana breaks down how body language, tone, posture, space, and presence account for the majority of how leaders are perceived—often outweighing the words they carefully prepare. Drawing on her background in tech, data science, and human behavior, she explains why leaders unintentionally sabotage their authority and how small, intentional shifts can dramatically elevate executive presence. Key Talking Points• Why 50–70% of communication is nonverbal—and why most leaders ignore it• The nine core elements of nonverbal communication (beyond body language)• Common nonverbal mistakes that quietly undermine credibility and trust• Why copying other leaders’ body language often backfires• How misalignment between words and body language erodes trust• A simple self-assessment exercise to immediately improve presenceEpisode Timestamps00:00 – Introduction & why nonverbal behavior matters in leadership05:10 – Why nonverbal communication makes up the majority of influence07:30 – What “Nonverbal Ecosystems” really means10:40 – The nine elements of nonverbal communication leaders overlook19:30 – Nonverbal behaviors that damage credibility fast24:00 – Why women often undermine their own presence without realizing it26:00 – Trust breakdown: when words and nonverbal cues don’t align28:45 – Why people believe nonverbal signals over spoken words33:00 – Tatiana’s “Five High-Stakes Signals to Master” guide35:00 – One powerful exercise every leader should try immediately36:30 – Final insights on awareness, feedback, and leadership growthKey Takeaway - Leadership presence isn’t about saying more—it’s about aligning what you say with what your body, voice, and behavior are already communicating. When leaders master nonverbal intelligence, they earn trust faster, communicate more clearly, and lead with greater impact.Download Tatiana’s guide: Five High-Stakes Signals to Master at www.tatianateppoeva.com/decode Learn more about Tatiana Teppoeva and her work at www.tatianateppoeva.com If you lead teams, present regularly, or want to strengthen your executive presence, subscribe, download, and share this episode with a colleague.🔔 Subscribe & Follow: https://www.balloffirecoaching.com/podcastSupport the show

Do you agree the need for equity in the workplace is more important now than ever?In this game-changing episode, executive coach and equity expert Celeste Warren reveals the truth about workplace equity that's been buried under myths, misinformation, and corporate buzzwords. While companies retreat from DEI commitments, Celeste proves why understanding equity isn't just ethical—it's the smartest business decision you'll make. Discover the powerful "rock and fence" framework that finally makes equity make sense, learn practical acts of equity you can implement tomorrow, and understand why meeting your team members where they are creates thriving organizations. Whether you're in the C-suite or an individual contributor, this conversation will transform how you lead, manage, and show up at work. GUEST INTRODUCTIONCeleste Warren is an executive coach, globally recognized thought leader on diversity and inclusion, and author of the newly released book The Truth About Equity: What It Really Is, What It Isn't, and Why Everyone Wins When We Get It Right. Growing up with a front-row seat to her father's experience as the first Black teacher and principal in a Western Pennsylvania steel mill town, Celeste developed a lifelong commitment to dismantling systemic barriers in organizations. She brings decades of expertise helping leaders create truly inclusive environments where every team member can thrive. In this episode, Celeste shares actionable strategies for recognizing and addressing bias, implementing equity in daily management practices, and building cultures where everyone wins. Connect with Celeste at www.crwdiversity.com and grab your copy of her book plus a FREE Audible voucher (limited availability—US & UK only).KEY MOMENTS & TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Introduction: Why the Truth About Equity Matters Now 02:00 - Meet Celeste Warren: From Steel Mill Town to Global Equity Expert 04:00 - The Rock & Fence Framework: Understanding Equity vs. Equality 06:00 - Why Everyone Needs to Get in the Boat and Row Together 08:30 - Practical Acts of Equity Every Manager Can Implement Today 09:00 - Meeting Team Members Where They Are: Real-Life Examples 15:00 - Breaking Down the Myths: What Equity Is NOT 26:00 - Unconscious Bias in Hiring, Promotions & Compensation Decisions 28:00 - The Questions Leaders Must Ask Themselves Before Making People Decisions 29:00 - Introducing "The Truth About Equity" Book & Why Celeste Wrote It 31:00 - SPECIAL OFFER: Free Audible Vouchers for Listeners (Limited Time) 32:00 - Final Takeaway: Start Small, Boil Two or Three People Around You 33:00 - How to Connect with Celeste & Next StepsFREE AUDIBLE VOUCHER (Limited Availability!): Get a FREE copy of The Truth About Equity audiobook - only 25 vouchers available for US listeners and 25 for UK listeners. Visit www.crwdiversity.com and fill out the contact form (takes 2 minutes) to receive your code!Purchase "The Truth About Equity": Available now at www.crwdiversity.com What It Really Is, What It Isn't, and Why Everyone Wins When We Get It Right🔗 CONNECT WITH CELESTE WARRENWebsite: www.crwdiversity.comLinkedIn: @celestewarrenLLCIf this episode opened your eyes to the truth about equity, please:Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or SpotifyShare this episode with a colleague, manager, or team member who needsSupport the show

This episode dives into one of the most overlooked yet influential leadership skills: emotional pacing—the speed, tone, and intensity of your emotional responses in meetings, conversations, decisions, and crises. As the transcript reveals, your team’s nervous system mirrors yours, and your emotional tempo has measurable effects on engagement, cognitive capacity, stress levels, and trust. Leaders who master emotional pacing don’t just communicate better—they transform culture quietly and powerfully.Through research-backed insight, real-world examples, and actionable strategies, this episode breaks down how emotional pacing works, how it impacts high-performing teams, and how you can intentionally shift your tempo to lead with clarity, stability, and credibility.──────────────────────── Key Talking Points• Why every leader carries an “invisible metronome” that shapes team performance. • How your emotional tempo—fast, reactive, calm, or flat—affects trust, engagement, and stress. • Research from Yale, Stanford, and Gallup on how leaders’ emotional tone influences team outcomes.  • Why your team shouldn’t have to adapt to your emotional pace—and what great leaders do instead. • How to pre-decide your emotional pace before tough meetings, decisions, or conflict. • Practical techniques: pausing, breath work, voice pacing, body language calibration, and post-interaction emotional audits. • How intentional pacing creates psychological safety, resilience, and high performance.──────────────────────── Key Time Stamps00:00 – The Leader’s Invisible Metronome01:00 – Emotional Pacing Defined02:00 – When Leadership Pace Becomes “Too Much”03:00 – What the Research Says06:00 – Overreacting vs. Underreacting10:00 – Real-World Example: The Underreactive VP15:00 – How to Deliver Difficult News Stabilizingly17:00 – Celebrations & Positive Energy18:00 – High-Pressure Decisions: The Power of Pausing20:00 – Conflict & Difficult Conversations22:00 – Techniques for Managing Your Pace31:00 – Final Leadership Reminder──────────────────────── Call to ActionIf this episode helped you rethink your leadership presence, follow the show so you never miss an episode. Share it with your colleagues or team to spark conversations about emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness. Subscribe, like and follow at https://balloffirecoaching.com/podcastIf you’re ready to assess your own emotional pace or want strategies to elevate your leadership impact, schedule a discovery call at: coachmebernadette.com/discoverycallYour team doesn’t just hear your words—they ride your rhythm. Lead with the pace that elevates everyone around you.Support the show

What if the biggest reason you’re not being promoted has nothing to do with office politics, company structure, or how hard you work? In this transformative episode, host Bernadette Boas sits down with Diane Taylor, founder of Glow Leadership and author of Elevate Potential, to expose the surprising internal blocks that silently derail professional advancement.Diane reveals how unconscious habits, emotional blind spots, and unexamined internal patterns dictate how we behave, lead, and ultimately rise—or stall—in our careers. She breaks down why leaders lose trust, how chaos becomes a comfort zone, and why intentional inner work is the true fast track to career success.Whether you're a rising corporate star, a seasoned leader, or someone feeling stuck, this episode gives you the clarity and tools to shift from “Why not me?” to “Watch me.”🔑 Key Topics & Insights• The #1 reason professionals stop advancing • Why inner work matters more than external effort • How unconscious beliefs influence your leadership • Why many professionals wait for crisis before seeking change • The principles of conscious leadership • How leaders lose trust and how to rebuild it • Burnout, chaos cycles, and internal safety patterns • Accountability as a key predictor of promotion • How to reclaim your authority and personal power⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Introduction: The myths holding professionals back 02:00 – Diane’s background and leadership journey 03:00 – Why self-awareness is the real advancement blocker 05:00 – Healing as a leadership skill 06:30 – Conscious leadership and intentional growth 09:00 – The shift from “to me” to “for me” 11:00 – Burnout and chaos cycles 13:00 – What Diane observes in leadership teams 15:00 – When leaders resist accountability 18:00 – Trust breakdowns and team disengagement 23:00 – How conscious leaders self-assess 28:00 – Vulnerability, responsibility, and influence 29:30 – Diane’s message: Take back your authority 31:00 – How to connect with Diane and next steps📣 Calls to Action• Share this episode with a colleague or team member• Visit GlowLeadership.com to learn more about Diane’s programs • Pick up Elevate Potential on Amazon• Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform - https://pod.link/shedthecorporatebitchSupport the show

Corporate teams are burned out, managers are overwhelmed, and everyone claims they “don’t have time.” In this episode of Shedding the Corporate Bitch, executive coach Bernadette Boas breaks down the truth: great leaders make time—because developing people is their number one responsibility.Using real leadership examples and actionable coaching strategies, Bernadette reveals how managers can transform into powerhouse leaders by shifting how they think about time. This episode is packed with practical, usable tools—no fluff, no theory without action. Expect to walk away with a new perspective and real steps you can start using today.WHAT YOU’LL LEARN– The difference between managers and true leaders – Why time is a leadership tool—and how to invest it wisely – How to use goals as alignment, accountability, and clarity tools – The 4D framework (Delegate, Delay, Delete, Do) for managing overwhelm – How to master time blocking for yourself and your team – Techniques for setting boundaries without damaging relationships – How to coach team members who are drowning in priorities – Why reflection is essential for leadership growth – How to model time-management behaviors that elevate team cultureWHO THIS EPISODE IS FORCorporate leaders, new managers, HR professionals, executive teams, emerging leaders, and anyone committed to leading people—not just managing tasks.CTAIf this conversation helps you rethink how you lead, share it with your team or leadership peers. Subscribe for more weekly episodes that elevate the way you lead, coach, and show up in your corporate career.CONNECT WITH BERNADETTEWebsite: Ball of Fire Coaching LinkedIn: Bernadette Boas Podcast: Shedding the Corporate BitchTAGS (YouTube SEO)Leadership development, corporate leadership, manager training, time management tips, coaching employees, people leadership, productivity for leaders, employee engagement, workplace culture, executive coaching, career growth, professional developmentSupport the show