Leading in Balance

Most executives come home from vacation heavier, more tired, and further from who they want to be—then call it "earned." This episode dismantles that logic with the actual behavioral science on travel and habit change, and lays out the three-shift framework for using your next trip as the highest-leverage performance week of your year. If you've ever booked a flight to escape your life instead of...

EPISODE OVERVIEW After a two-month break from the podcast, we're back—and not with an apology. This episode unpacks why strategic pauses aren't a detour from leadership but a function of it, what Brené Brown's "Day 2" framework reveals about the messy middle of building anything meaningful, and the calibration that's reshaping this entire show going forward. If you've been performing leadership in...

EPISODE SUMMARY You're in the messy middle of transition. You've applied to 50 jobs with no offers. You've tried multiple activities and nothing has clicked yet. You're learning a new role but still feel behind. And it feels like nothing is happening. But here's the truth: Progress isn't always visible. That doesn't mean it's not happening. This episode is about recognizing the small wins you've b...

EPISODE SUMMARY You're in transition. And everyone else keeps moving. Former colleagues get promoted. Peers land new roles. LinkedIn is full of announcements—new jobs, six-figure consulting businesses, speaking engagements, awards. And you're still here. Still looking. Still figuring it out. Still in the middle. Every time you see someone else's win, a voice in your head asks: "What's wrong with m...

EPISODE SUMMARY Financial anxiety during transition is real. When your income changes—whether you planned for it or not—everything shifts. For a majority of Americans, basic needs suddenly feel unaffordable. Housing. Food. Healthcare. The things you used to take for granted now keep you up at night. And here's what nobody tells you: There are plenty of resources out there about how to save money,...

EPISODE SUMMARY When you lose the external structure of work, role, or identity, your days can feel formless. And formless days lead to anxiety, low motivation, and the feeling that you're wasting time—even when you're technically "free." Jessica experienced this twice: once in January 2025 when federal contracting changes collapsed her business structure overnight, leaving her in crisis with no s...

EPISODE SUMMARY You thought this transition would take three months. Maybe six. But here you are—eight months in, twelve months in, maybe longer—and you're still in the middle. You're starting to wonder: What's wrong with me? Why is this taking so long? Why can't I just figure it out? Here's the truth: You're not failing. Extended transitions are normal. Most transitions take 18-24 months to fully...

EPISODE SUMMARY Fifteen years. That's how long Jessica ran her company before she finally admitted to herself: I want something different. Not because the work wasn't important. Not because she'd failed. But because it had stopped feeling like hers. The creativity and innovation that launched the business had been replaced by limitations defined by someone else. It had become a job. And she didn't...

Episode Summary Here's the paradox I see constantly: A leader's role becomes uncertain. And what does that leader do? They work harder. More projects. Longer hours. Yes to everything. They're exhausted, overwhelmed, and burning out—but they keep performing. Because if they can just prove their value, maybe they'll be safe. Except the harder they perform, the more unsustainable it becomes. It's a t...

Episode Summary Three weeks. That's how long a highly competent executive spent deciding whether to apply for a new role. Not because she lacked information—she had plenty. She couldn't decide because the decision felt like it was defining who she was becoming. This episode tackles why smart, capable people suddenly can't make decisions during transitions—and why "just decide already" is useless a...

Episode Summary "So, what do you do?" I was at a dinner party two years into my transition out of law enforcement when someone asked me that question. And I froze. Not because I didn't have an answer—I had plenty. I froze because for the first time in 25 years, I didn't lead with my title. And without it, I wasn't entirely sure who I was. This episode is about the identity crisis nobody warns you...

Episode 2: The Boundary You Keep Breaking (And What It's Really Protecting) Episode Summary You've set the boundary. You meant it this time. And then someone called with a "quick question" and forty minutes later you're sitting in a parking lot wondering why you can't just say no. This episode is about the real reason your boundaries keep failing—and it's not because you lack willpower. I share my...

Leading in Balance with Dr. Jessica Herbert From stuck to strategic. From overwhelmed to empowered. Episode Summary: In this introductory episode, Dr. Jessica Herbert explores the often-overlooked “murky middle” of leadership transitions. Whether you’re facing a new role, a reorganization, retirement, or a personal shift, this episode offers a candid look at the challenges and opportunities that c...