Ready to dive into the empowering journeys of three extraordinary women in tech?

In today’s episode, I invite three amazing women I have the honor of supporting to dive into their experiences, insights, and triumphs through the lens of executive coaching. Lindsay, Allison, and Jennifer candidly share their motivations for seeking executive coaching, its transformative impact on their professional development, and powerful career lessons around overcoming imposter syndrome, burnout, gender bias, and more. We explore the pivotal moments that led them to join The Lit Up Leadership Academy, the biggest successes they've achieved, and the one thing they wish they had known about themselves a decade ago.

Join us to uncover the importance of embracing one's identity, confronting self-doubt, and cultivating resilience in the face of adversity - you don’t want to miss these valuable leadership insights & strategies!

We dive into:

• The highlights and lowlights from their three incredible tech careers
• Why they joined the Lit Up Leadership Academy
• Some of their biggest academy successes: empathy, celebration, and finding alignment
• Effectively dealing with imposter syndrome and self-doubt in career transition
• Lessons on kindness and empathy in leadership, pushing tech boundaries, and external validation
• And more

**Useful links**

• Connect with today’s amazing women in tech guests:
  • Lindsay Kulzer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-kulzer/
  • Jen Peters: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferepeters/
  • Allison Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonmwilliams/
• If you are ready to uplevel your career, get unstuck or you are simply ready to unlock those leadership time-management techniques then join us in my monthly career & leadership coaching program exclusively for women in tech: https://www.tonicollis.com/academy
• Catch the show notes, and more details about today's episode here: https://tonicollis.com/episode200
• Check us out on Youtube.
• Join the Leading Women in Tech community in Slack where we discuss all-the-things for women’s tech leadership, covering everything from early-career leadership to C-level executives.

The glass ceiling concept is well known in the world of work, especially in male-dominated fields like tech. But what about its lesser-known counterpart - the glass microphone?

Many of us have felt the frustration of not being heard or taken seriously, our ideas dismissed before we can fully express them. This glass microphone barrier can hurt our career advancement and lead to stress and burnout.

Let’s talk about how you can break through this communication barrier in your tech leadership!

In today’s episode, I explore how to recognize the presence of the glass microphone and why honing your communication skills is crucial as a woman in tech. From strategies for thinking on your feet to navigating gender biases in communication, I give you practical tips to break the glass microphone and ensure you are heard at work.

I dive into:

• How to know if you are dealing with a glass microphone
• Gender biases in communication and why you need to make sure to “take the credit” in your career
• The 3 KEYS to breaking the glass microphone
• Communication must-haves for women in tech: tailoring communication, my “think on your feet” formula, and more!

**Useful links**

• If you are ready to uplevel your career, get unstuck or you are simply ready to unlock those leadership time-management techniques then join us in my monthly career & leadership coaching program exclusively for women in tech: https://www.tonicollis.com/academy
• Catch the show notes, and more details about today's episode here: https://tonicollis.com/episode199
• Check us out on Youtube.
• Join the Leading Women in Tech community in Slack where we discuss all-the-things for women’s tech leadership, covering everything from early-career leadership to C-level executives.

Mindful leadership is powerful leadership!

Let’s talk about the power of mindfulness and how cultivating presence in your leadership will benefit your professional journey.

In today’s episode, I dive into the important role mindfulness plays in leadership development and elevating your executive presence - and how to cultivate it! I explore how key elements of executive presence such as adaptability, strategic vision, and confident communication can be improved through mindfulness, and the practical steps you can take toward more presence in these areas to become a more mindful leader.

Ready to use mindfulness to elevate your executive presence and transform your leadership?

Let’s go to the show!

I dive into:

• How to improve your leadership & executive presence through mindfulness
• The elements of executive presence and how mindfulness plays a role in each
• Learning to deal with negative/constructive feedback in a better way
• The practical steps you can take to become a more mindful leader
• One of the MOST important, but underrated, tools of a leader
• And more

**Useful links**

• If you are ready to uplevel your career, get unstuck or you are simply ready to unlock those leadership time-management techniques then join us in my monthly career & leadership coaching program exclusively for women in tech: https://www.tonicollis.com/academy
• Catch the show notes, and more details about today's episode here: https://tonicollis.com/episode198
• Check us out on Youtube.
• Join the Leading Women in Tech community in Slack where we discuss all-the-things for women’s tech leadership, covering everything from early-career leadership to C-level executives.

If you’re interested in being a leader that promotes a sustainable, enjoyable, and nurturing work environment, prioritizing equity, diversity, and inclusion is a must.

In today’s episode, I invite Jacqui Barrett, CEO of Wider Thinking, to share her inspiring career journey and passion for fostering inclusive workplaces and driving organizational change. We dive into an important discussion on equity diversity and inclusion (EDI) and share actionable insights on creating nurturing work environments, implementing strategies like flexible working arrangements to promote diversity, and overcoming burnout as we strive to apply EDI in our careers.

Ready to explore why EDI is essential for organizational success and leave inspired to build a more inclusive and equitable workplace?

Let’s go to the show!

We dive into:

• Jacqui’s career journey and her story of experiencing cronyism
• Practical insights for creating more equitable, diverse, and inclusive work environments
• Flexible working as a gateway to more diversity in the workplace
• The important difference between equity and equality
• Tips for overcoming burnout while championing EDI initiatives
• And more

**Useful links**

• Connect with today’s guest and sponsor, Jacqui Barrett:
  • E: jacqui@widerthinking.com
  • W: www.widerthinking.com
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquibarrettwiderthinking/
• Jaciqui’s current read: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
• If you are ready to uplevel your career, get unstuck or you are simply ready to unlock those leadership time-management techniques then join us in my monthly career & leadership coaching program exclusively for women in tech: https://www.tonicollis.com/academy
• Catch the show notes, and more details about today's episode here: https://tonicollis.com/episode197
• Check us out on Youtube.
• Join the Leading Women in Tech community in Slack where we discuss all-the-things for women’s tech leadership, covering everything from early-career leadership to C-level executives.

It’s time to shift the narrative, to recognize that being in a perpetual state of hustle isn’t the key to success - it’s a catalyst for burnout.

In today’s episode, I explore the cost of constant hustle and why, contrary to popular belief, it’s not the path to greatness in your leadership career. Join me as I disprove the myths surrounding overwork and dive into solutions, from realistic goal setting to the importance of delegation and healthy boundaries.

Ready for the actionable leadership steps you can take to combat burnout and foster a healthier, more sustainable work environment?

Let’s go to the show!

I dive into:

• The high cost of constant hustle culture
• Debunking the myths around the culture of overwork and hustle
• The consequences of dismissing downtime and self-care
• Signs and symptoms of burnout in your leadership
• Practical strategies for preventing hustle and burnout
• And more
  

**Useful links**

• If you are ready to uplevel your career, get unstuck or you are simply ready to unlock those leadership time-management techniques then join us in my monthly career & leadership coaching program exclusively for women in tech: https://www.tonicollis.com/academy
• Catch the show notes, and more details about today's episode here: https://tonicollis.com/episode196
• Check us out on Youtube.
• Join the Leading Women in Tech community in Slack where we discuss all-the-things for women’s tech leadership, covering everything from early-career leadership to C-level executives.

Let’s talk about the powerful approach to leadership - “Hold, Don’t Carry”.

In this episode, HR veteran turned Executive Coach, Lindsay White, joins me to discuss learning to hold space without shouldering undue burdens and how this skill sets great leaders apart. We dive into the nuances of holding emotional space as a leader, cultivating resilience and stamina by “not carrying”, using lead and lag measures effectively, and the roles accountability and delegation hold within the "Hold, Don't Carry" paradigm.

Join us for our top tips on how to implement this approach with self-care and empathy and an insightful discussion on how this leadership skill can uplevel your executive presence.

We dive into:

• How to use the “Hold, Don’t Carry” approach to uplevel your executive leadership
• A breakdown of what it means to “hold” effectively as a leader
• How to cultivate resilience and stamina by “not carrying”
• The roles of accountability and delegation in the “Hold, Don’t Carry” approach
• TOP TIPS to help you practice this skill as an executive leader
• And more
  

**Useful links**

• Connect with today’s guest and sponsor, Lindsay:
  • W: www.highvoltageleadership.ca
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-white-high-voltage/
  • IG: https://www.instagram.com/highvoltleadership/
• Lindsay’s current read: The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl
• Listen to Lindsay’s previous episode, Are You Bragging on Your Resumé?: https://www.tonicollis.com/episode65
• If you are ready to uplevel your career, get unstuck or you are simply ready to unlock those leadership time-management techniques then join us in my monthly career & leadership coaching program exclusively for women in tech: https://www.tonicollis.com/academy
• Catch the show notes, and more details about today's episode here: https://tonicollis.com/episode195
• Check us out on Youtube.
• Join the Leading Women in Tech community in Slack where we discuss all-the-things for women’s tech leadership, covering everything from early-career leadership to C-level executives.

Ever found yourself lost in a complex presentation? Maybe you’ve been the presenter and the audience looked a bit confused?

If you want to be an effective senior leader, communicating complex ideas in a simple way is a key skill.

In this episode, we’re talking about communicating complex ideas with simplicity, the biggest traps to avoid, and the tools and tips to help you overcome this common leadership hurdle.

Ready to make sure your words are hitting the mark?

Let’s go to the show!

I dive into:

• How to simplify complex ideas for effective communication
• Avoiding communication breakdowns in the workplace
• Mistaking complexity for competence (“sounding clever”)
• Effective communication across different fields
• 6 practical tips for conveying your message effectively
• And more

**Useful links**

• If you are ready to uplevel your career, get unstuck or you are simply ready to unlock those leadership time-management techniques then join us in my monthly career & leadership coaching program exclusively for women in tech: https://www.tonicollis.com/academy
• Catch the show notes, and more details about today's episode here: https://tonicollis.com/episode194
• Check us out on Youtube.
• Join the Leading Women in Tech community in Slack where we discuss all-the-things for women’s tech leadership, covering everything from early-career leadership to C-level executives.

Failure can be a fascinating contributor to our career success or career hurdles - and it’s determined by the way we look at it.

Let’s talk about failure and learning to look at it differently.

In this week’s episode, I invite recovering investment banker and life coach, Lydia Bai, to discuss failure, how her toxic relationship with achievement impacted her ability to thrive at work, and how burnout, imposter syndrome, motivation, and self confidence can all be linked to the way we perceive our failure.

Ready to shift how you see the failures in your career so you can use them for good?

Let’s go to the show.

We dive into:

• Lydia’s upbringing and hyper-focus on achievement
• The catalyst for the big shift in her career journey
• Failure: the gap between expectation and reality
• The 2 biggest sources of burnout for women in the workplace
• Exploring failure as a perception
• The link between fear of failure and imposter syndrome
• Three things to evaluate the next time you fail
• And more

**Useful links**

• Connect with today’s guest and sponsor, Lydia:
  • W: www.lydiabai.com
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydiabai/
  • Download Lydia’s worksheet on What to do with failure
• Lydia’s current read: Gideon the Ninth byTamsyn Muir
• If you are ready to uplevel your career, get unstuck or you are simply ready to unlock those leadership time-management techniques then join us in my monthly career & leadership coaching program exclusively for women in tech: https://www.tonicollis.com/academy
• Catch the show notes, and more details about today's episode here: https://tonicollis.com/episode193
• Check us out on Youtube.
• Join the Leading Women in Tech community in Slack where we discuss all-the-things for women’s tech leadership, covering everything from early-career leadership to C-level executives.
  

This episode was sponsored by our guest, Lydia. Thank you Lydia for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!