Stop Sabotaging Your Success

In this episode, Cindy Esliger talks about how to break free of mediocrity and create a personal through line of success in our careers. Settling for good enough is the easy choice but it won’t lead to the career we dream of. We need to craft that career by defining our goals and taking risks. Cindy examines how to move past adequate into extraordinary in our journey.  We can feel like a cog in th...

Cindy Esliger explores the fear surrounding taking risks in our careers in this episode. Our perception of risk is deeply personal, informed by our experiences, biases, and the professional landscapes we navigate. Since our perceptions of risks are colored by our self-confidence, how do we assess the actual risk? And what is the right amount of risk to take? Assessing and moving past the fear of r...

Cindy Esliger addresses changing our negative mindset about work to one of appreciating small victories and noting positive experiences. We’re often pushed hard in the daily grind and aren’t encouraged to stop and note what’s going right. When we focus only on the negative, we lose sight of how far we’ve come and what possibilities exist in the future. Cindy has advice on how to change our mindset...

Cindy Esliger talks about making a major career change in this episode. When do we decide to change course in our career path, quit our job, or move to a new endeavour? How do we know if it’s the right choice? Cindy examines what to evaluate when making career direction decisions, from how to gauge our current job satisfaction to what aligns best with our values and future career goals.  The desir...

Cindy Esliger addresses the self-care craze that has become less about caring for ourselves and more of a quick-fix industry. She explores setting healthy boundaries to reclaim our power and encourage us to manage life’s stresses. Self-care is important but it means more than a scented candle or something we can buy. Part of self-care is doing internal work to determine what we want and need, and...

Cindy Esliger explores the necessity of emotional intelligence in leadership, delving into why responding to challenges with calm and kindness promotes a healthy work environment. It also paves the way for both leader and team to achieve more sustainable success and growth. But how do we learn to avoid volatility in the face of struggle and what strategies promote quiet strength?  Working our way...

Cindy Esliger talks about the art of communication in today’s episode. If people aren’t listening when we speak, it’s time for a self-assessment. How are we presenting ourselves? Speaking isn’t just saying something, it’s about presenting a message in a manner that engages the audience. So if we aren’t being listened to, are we the problem? And if so, how do we become a compelling speaker? The fir...

Cindy Esliger examines how the scarcity mindset, which seems prudent to adopt in today’s competitive market, can negatively impact our worldview. Adopting a mindset of generosity instead paves the way for more fulfilling relationships and potentially a more successful career trajectory. But sincere generosity is different from the self-serving kind that seeks to manipulate with kind gestures. How...

Cindy Esliger talks about the detrimental effect of rising stress levels and changing workplace priorities on our interactions with others. In these days where stress is an inevitable part of our daily lives, it’s more important than ever to maintain positive relationships with colleagues. Our stress affects our patience, making us assume the worst of those we work with when we need to learn how t...

Cindy Esliger addresses the phenomenon known as expectation escalation in today’s episode. Expectation escalation is the subtle challenge of incrementally increased demands and responsibilities placed on employees. It expands our work exponentially without associated time or monetary increase to accommodate the new work. What does it look like? How can we identify it? And better yet, how can we po...

Cindy Esliger talks about the art of negotiation and how frequently we approach it with uncertainty despite how much negotiation infiltrates our daily lives. To assist in feeling confident in a negotiation, Cindy discusses how to establish a walkaway point as a strategy for reaching an outcome we can live with. She guides us through making a negotiation plan that will empower us.  One of the reaso...

In today's episode, Cindy Esliger examines our careers and career satisfaction. Are we simply adhering to the conventional benchmarks that society labels as success? Or are we pursuing personal fulfillment and doing what genuinely motivates us? To reevaluate how we define success, Cindy dives into our inspirations, where we find courage, and how to assess our emotions. We might be ready for a shif...

In today's episode, Cindy Esliger unpacks the adage “How you do anything is how you do everything”. How we approach all tasks, big or small, demonstrates our consistency and our broader values. We can be in charge of how we are viewed by consciously deciding what we want to be known for and how we want to show up in the workplace. Cindy guides us through how to approach making that decision.  The...

In today's episode, Cindy Esliger examines the differences between boldness and bravery. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, they are different and understanding the distinction between them is important for navigating workplace culture. Cindy defines each and offers insight on how to foster what is needed for career success.  Boldness and bravery appear the same at a surface glance...

In today's episode, Cindy Esliger challenges the myth that all successful people have everything figured out. The belief that at some point in our career, we will cease to struggle and achieve clarity on every front is a narrative that distorts our perception of success. Cindy debunks the notion of a one-size-fits-all path to professional success and explores how continuing experiences contribute...

Cindy Esliger challenges the belief that achieving future success will be what makes us happy. Achieving a goal is a milestone but if we don’t value the journey along the way as much as the end result, we won’t be happy when we get there. Cindy examines why the journey, especially the first part of a journey full of obstacles, is important to our career development and success and how determinatio...

Cindy Esliger examines how our patterns of behavior and decision-making are ingrained along the course of our lives and can influence outcomes on our journey. How do we recognize these patterns that are often deeply ingrained and subtle? Identifying them will help us single out limiting behaviors and free us to achieve greater success. Cindy guides us in finding and working on our innate patterns....

Cindy Esliger introduces us to the notion of the productivity illusion in today’s episode. The productivity illusion is the mindset that says the primary goal of work is to increase output and gather a list of accomplishments. However, productivity should exist in a balance between being productive for its own sake and harnessing efficiency as a tool to reclaim time for other things in life. Cindy...

In today’s episode, Cindy Esliger talks about fear, specifically the fear that can hinder career growth. It may appear as imposter syndrome, perfectionism, or questioning self-worth, but it can take a toll. Sometimes it can be overcome by reframing it. Words have power and Cindy explains why the way you talk to yourself matters.   The three major fears - imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and quest...

In today’s episode, Cindy Esliger addresses the subject of gaslighting. Gaslighting is a term that’s used a lot because it is a prevalent form of undermining and manipulation that often exists in professional environments. Why do people employ the use of gaslighting? How can we recognize it? And what long-term impact does it have on us? Cindy dives into the explanations and advice surrounding gasl...

Cindy Esliger talks about two challenges commonly faced in the workplace, burnout and feelings of betrayal, and explores the distinctions between the two. Each has unique characteristics that are important to recognize to protect ourselves from their detrimental effects. Cindy carefully defines burnout and betrayal with advice on how to identify symptoms and contributing factors.  Cindy details th...

Cindy Esliger discusses office politics and the necessity of engaging in them with integrity. While the term often carries a negative connotation, office politics can positively impact your career and recognizing the dynamics of office politics is crucial for anyone with ambition. It is possible to be strategic and ethical and Cindy shares exactly how to do this within your organization.  Right aw...

Cindy Esliger talks about the pivotal role asking open-ended questions and keenly listening to the answers plays, not just in effective communication, but in navigating office politics. Why should we learn to listen better and why would we want to keep colleagues talking? As Cindy points out, learning more about people’s views and motives leads to understanding what drives them and being able to c...

In this episode, Cindy Esliger talks about the pivotal role feedback plays in professional growth. However, while constructive feedback is important, it’s equally important to learn how to navigate the critiques and understand who is offering the feedback. Not everyone will have our best interests at heart, so how can we learn to be more self-reliant and critical in assessing feedback?   The mutua...

Cindy Esliger talks about the work that still needs to be done by women to improve their experiences in the workplace. Though workplaces have evolved and strides have been made, things are changing very slowly so for true change to happen, women need to focus energy on what is within their control. What behaviors and attitudes will positively impact what is experienced at work?  The road to change...