Leadership & Motherhood

In the second episode of the Transition to Motherhood series, Amy Diehl, PhD, author of Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work, and IT executive, returns to discuss her personal story of becoming a mother via IVF in her late forties. She shares the journey from working long hours on her research and at her full time job to coping with postpartum anxie...

In this first episode of the Transition to Motherhood Series, Leanna is joined once again by Andrea Palmer, this time for Andrea to share her story of becoming a mother. Andrea gets vulnerable, recounting the decision to have children, her heartbreaking loss, and ultimately the arrival of her beautiful daughter. The discussion explores the importance of support for new mothers in the workplace, th...

Leanna hosts a dynamic panel of executive moms, including Annemieke Rice, Emily-Rose Barry, and Kate Griffin, delving into the challenges of working mothers in leadership roles and remote work settings. They emphasize the importance of nurturing family-friendly work cultures that prioritize flexibility and support for working parents to better manage the intricate balance between career and family...

Leanna sits down with Elaine Benfield, a seasoned professional in the software tech industry with over 25 years of experience. Elaine shares her unique journey balancing a thriving career with motherhood, offering invaluable insights into work-life integration and the power of prioritization. From her early days navigating career choices to finding balance as a working mom, Elaine's story resonate...

Leanna welcomes Sloan Echavarria, also known as “Sloan The Beast,” a successful entrepreneur running multiple businesses, mom of four, and chaos coach. Sloan shares her journey of embracing a life full of excitement and adventure, challenging the traditional suburban lifestyle. As a chaos coach, Sloan helps women navigate the delicate balance between motherhood and entrepreneurship, crafting inten...

Leanna is joined by award winning IT leader and gender bias researcher, Amy Diehl, to shed light on the gender biases and challenges that women face in leadership, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of work-life conflicts on women in the workplace. Through discussions on gender barriers, including dismissal of ideas and diminishment, Amy reveals the systemic issues hindering women's advanceme...

In this educational episode, Leanna is joined by her sister, Laura Laskey, as they delve into the complex and evolving historical landscape of women's rights. The discussion explores pivotal moments such as the ratification of the 19th Amendment in the United States in 1920, marking a significant milestone in the quest for gender equality. Moving through the decades, they navigate the ebbs and flo...

This episode delves into the common self-reflective questions we often ask ourselves, such as "Am I doing it right?" and "Did I make the right decision?", while exploring the subjective nature of right or wrong. The episode addresses the tendency to second-guess decisions and the societal conditioning that leads many to believe they are not good at making decisions. Through real-life examples, Lea...

In this episode, Leanna explores how overwhelm often precedes burnout, especially for high achievers. She delves into common responses to overwhelm, such as pushing forward without pause, withdrawing or escaping, and feeling paralyzed or stuck. Leanna emphasizes the importance of recognizing and acknowledging overwhelm as a normal part of the human experience, suggesting practical strategies for n...

In episode 31 of The Executive Coach for Moms Podcast, host Leanna Laskey discusses how the concept of “all or nothing” thinking can impact various aspects of life, from career expectations and parenting to goal setting and friendships. She highlights the limitations of this binary thinking and encourages listeners to embrace the gray areas, recognizing that excellence doesn't always require perfe...

In today’s episode, Leanna dives into the self-coaching model, where she talks about how our thoughts shape our reality. She explains that our brains are meaning-making machines, turning neutral events into thoughts that can either empower or hinder us. Whether it's an email from the boss or a big life change, our interpretations of these events can profoundly impact our feelings and actions, and...

In this episode of "Executive Coach for Moms", host Leanna Laskey McGrath reflects on the challenges of balancing independence and the need for help. Leanna discusses the societal emphasis on self-sufficiency and the impact it has on authentic connections. She explores the fear and resistance associated with asking for help, revealing how it can hinder meaningful relationships. Leanna delves into...

In this week's episode, Leanna discusses the practice of "shoulding" ourselves—believing we should be different, do more, or already know certain things—which is so common for high achieving women. She explores the reasons behind this mindset, such as high expectations, fear of public failure, and comparison. Leanna highlights the negative consequences of constantly feeling like we should be somew...

In this episode of the Executive Coach for Moms podcast, host Leanna Laskey McGrath delves into the importance of looking into the future and reflecting on how we want to live our lives. Drawing inspiration from the book "The Top Five Regrets of the Dying" by Bronnie Ware, who worked as a palliative caregiver, Leanna shares the key regrets expressed by individuals at the end of their lives. Leanna...

In this episode, host Leanna Laskey McGrath reflects on the common pitfalls of New Year's goal-setting and proposes a more practical approach. Drawing from her personal experience, she introduces a more sustainable goal-setting framework based on focusing on two or three significant, overarching goals for the year. Leanna recounts her successful experience in 2017, emphasizing the importance of al...

2024 is here! Happy New Year!! Join Leanna in the January 2024 Reset for High Achieving Women here.

Join Leanna in the January 2024 Reset for High Achieving Women here.  In this episode, Leanna and her sister, Laura Laskey, delve deep into the emotional rollercoaster that the holiday season often becomes for mothers. As the festive lights twinkle, many moms find themselves navigating through a maze of expectations, societal pressures, and personal desires. In this candid conversation, our hosts...

Sign up for the January 2024 Reset for High Achieving Women! https://www.coachleanna.com/january2024 Laura Nguyen joins this compelling episode as a seasoned executive mom who not only weathered the storm of burnout herself but has since become a guiding force for others facing the same struggles. Laura shares her unique journey, mirroring the experiences of many high-achieving women, as she climb...

Jess Kitt is back for part 2 to discuss her recent departure from her executive role, examining the profound impact on her life. As a high achiever, Jess candidly explores the fears and uncertainties accompanying unexpected job loss, delving into the complexity of expressing vulnerability and the anxiety surrounding future decisions. The episode captures Jess's journey of self-discovery, discussin...

In today's quick episode, Leanna is sharing gratitude for her listeners, guests, and supporters, and one tip for enjoying the holiday. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Full transcript available here. Connect with Leanna here.

Today, Leanna is joined by Jess Kitt, who is talking about her experience in her first executive role, and her recent transition out of it. They explore navigating tough waters in a male-dominated company when our values and the organization’s values don’t align. Should we abandon our authentic selves to be successful in the organization, or stay true to ourselves and potentially risk our jobs? Ho...

The holiday season is upon us! Are you feeling excitement, or dread, or a little bit of both? Holidays can be tough for moms, who often take on the brunt of the mental load. And while of course we love making the holidays magical for our families, it can be really draining trying to balance all the magic making and holiday events on top of everything else in our day-to-day lives. Today, we welcome...

Today’s episode is a quick update on The Executive Coach for Moms Podcast, including: Please share your feedback! As we’re planning episodes for 2024, we’d love to incorporate listener feedback. Tell us what you want to hear more about in written or voice format on the podcast website.  The Executive Coach for Moms Podcast will be moving to biweekly episodes in November & December during the holid...

Today’s guest is Emily Siegel, host of the Connected Mom Life Podcast and creator of the Mom Friends community. She has relocated multiple times and has therefore had to create her village in each place. She’s learned a lot through these experience and she shares some of her valuable insights about making friends and building community in motherhood. Emily and Leanna discuss some of the mindsets h...

In today’s episode, Leanna is talking with Erica Music, an athlete, educator, mother, speaker, and author, who shares her inspiring journey of resilience. Erica's story emphasizes the importance of building a strong support network and setting and achieving goals as a working mother. She challenges the belief that we must do everything alone and highlights the power of intention and focus on a goa...