The Tessa Tubbs Podcast

In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa shares a simple five-minute reflection practice leaders can use at the end of the day to build greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and intentional leadership. Rather than adding another complicated routine or lengthy journaling exercise, this practice invites you to pause and ask honest, compassionate questions: Where did I feel most l...

Ever walk out of a meeting feeling less like yourself than when you walked in? In this episode, Tessa names a common but subtle self-abandonment pattern: softening your position when there’s tension , not because you learned something new, but because you felt displeasure in the room. She breaks down the “tells” many of us don’t notice until after the meeting is over: Adding qualifiers, over-expla...

Setting boundaries doesn’t have to sound cold, defensive, or overly emotional. In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa shares a handful of simple, repeatable sentences you can use to say no with clarity while still protecting the relationship. You’ll learn: How to decline a request without over-explaining or apologizing for your boundary The “redirect” approach: “That doesn’t work for m...

How do you tell the difference between being supportive… and over-functioning for someone? In this short episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa offers a simple distinction that can change the way you lead, parent, partner, and collaborate: Support empowers. Over-functioning replaces. Tessa breaks down what over-functioning actually is: substituting your capacity for someone else’s, often becau...

Many of us are carrying responsibility, expectations, and care for others, often with very little room to be fully human ourselves. This conversation lives right there, not in performance or polish, but in the real work of showing up honestly, being seen, and creating safe space for others without abandoning yourself. In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa sits down with Rachael Lewis...

What’s the boundary you wish you’d learned a decade earlier? In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa answers with a truth that hits a lot of high-functioning people right in the chest: your availability is not the same as your commitment. Tessa reflects on a season where she treated being available as generosity and “yes” as proof of value, only to realize that radical availability can...

Many of us inherit a simple, seductive belief about success: you earn it through sacrifice . You outwork, outlast, outperform. You prove your worth through visible output, and rest isn’t rewarded. In this solo episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa unpacks how deeply this mindset can get wired into us through family, culture, and professional environments and how it can quietly train you to eq...

What happens when your life looks exactly the way it’s “supposed” to look… but it doesn’t feel like yours? In this solo episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa shares a defining moment from her corporate career: a prestigious, high-visibility “destination” role that checked every box, yet carried a quiet grief she couldn’t ignore. She unpacks the difference between doing what’s admired and doin...

What does it look like to stay anchored to purpose when the plan changes, outcomes aren’t guaranteed, and the path forward isn’t straight? In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa sits down with Christi Dortch , whose career spans the performing arts and entertainment world as a performer, director, administrator, consultant, and behind-the-scenes builder of sustainable systems. Together...

The shift from “I can’t” to “I won’t” can feel small, but it changes everything. In this short solo episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa explains why “I can’t” often hides us from ourselves. It suggests powerlessness and quietly reinforces a victim mindset. When you’re willing to say “I won’t,” even privately, you step back into choice . The decision may not be easier, but it becomes real, c...

Most people can list values they aspire to. But real values aren’t what you say. They’re what you protect . In this solo episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa shares one simple question to help you uncover your core values without getting lost in theory: What do you consistently choose, even when it costs you? Because the choices that cost you time, energy, resources, or even conflict… are of...

In this episode, Tessa Tubbs sits down with entrepreneur, author, TEDx speaker, aviator, and law enforcement professional Ali Hemyari for a grounded conversation about success, discipline, and legacy. Together, they explore what it really takes to build a meaningful life, not just a successful one: the power of relationships, the value of discomfort, the discipline of self-investment, and the resp...

If you’re ending most days emotionally exhausted, it might not be your workload, it might be your self-abandonment . In this solo episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa explores a powerful self-leadership question she asks when work leaves her drained: “Where did I abandon myself to keep the peace?” She unpacks how chronic exhaustion often comes from over-functioning : closing the gap for othe...

Have you ever felt unsettled, but you can’t name why? In this short solo episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa shares a simple self-leadership question that helps her stop rushing to “fix the feeling” and instead get honest about what’s actually happening beneath the surface. She unpacks why that internal tension often isn’t confusion, it’s misalignment : the gap between what you already know...

You may have noticed a slight change in content this year. Over the last several years, my work has largely lived inside organizations: helping leaders execute strategy, navigate complexity, and succeed in corporate environments. Much of what I’ve learned and taught over nearly three decades still matters deeply—and you’ll continue to hear elements of that here. But over time, something else has b...

There was a season when I thought belonging required shrinking parts of myself. I didn’t call it that at the time. I told myself I was being adaptable, agreeable, “easy to work with.” In this solo episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , I share a deeply personal story about what it costs to chase acceptance in environments that reward assimilation and punish authenticity. From navigating power dynami...

Burnout is normalized. Productivity is glorified. And many high-functioning people are quietly exhausted, doing all the “right” things while sensing something is off. In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa sits down with Adam Tanaka : founder, serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and a vocal challenger of burnout culture who helps leaders rediscover unstructured play as a catalyst for...

In this solo episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa shares practical, real-life strategies for leading yourself through discomfort without numbing out, spiraling, or escaping into overwork, overeating, shopping, scrolling, or people-pleasing. You’ll learn how to tell the difference between: Moments where you need to stay present and work the plan , and Moments where you genuinely need to sooth...

This season of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast marks a shift. We’re moving beyond tactics and titles and into Self-Leadership : how we come to know ourselves accurately, take ownership of our choices, and live in alignment with what we know to be true. In this episode, Tessa sits down with Dr. Kevin Dyson , former NFL wide receiver turned educator, leader, and founder. While Kevin is widely known for unfo...

🎙️ Episode Description: 3 Myths That Hold Us Back From Receiving Feedback (with Nigel Bristow) Feedback can be one of the most powerful accelerators of leadership growth… and one of the most emotionally complicated. In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa is joined by Nigel Bristow (bestselling author, speaker, and feedback thought leader, and author of Feedback Breakthrough ) for a pra...

Most leaders have experienced a 360° feedback process — but how often does it actually change behavior ? In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa sits down with Bruce Bennett , Founder and CEO of Star 360 Feedback , to explore how to turn data into meaningful development. With decades of experience designing feedback systems for organizations worldwide, Bruce has helped transform how lea...

How do you lead your career—before it leads you? In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa sits down with Gavin Naimer , Founder and President of Granite International Executive Search , to explore what it means to approach your career with clarity, courage, and intention. With decades of experience helping senior executives navigate high-stakes transitions, Gavin shares practical wisdom...

In this solo episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa explores how leaders can move beyond surface-level benefits and meaningfully invest in the health, happiness, and engagement of their teams. Especially in hybrid and remote workplaces, connection and intentionality matter more than ever. You’ll learn: Why well-being begins with relationships and trust. How to support the whole person at every...

What keeps you going when the challenges keep stacking up? In this solo special episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa pulls back the curtain on what truly fuels her motivation. Spoiler: it’s not hustle or external rewards—it’s the play of strategic thinking. From solving complex problems over a cup of coffee to navigating client resistance, entrepreneurship, and even family dynamics, Tessa re...

Every leader asks it: How do I keep my best people engaged and committed? In this special solo episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast , Tessa explores what organizations often overlook when it comes to retention—and why clinging to mediocrity costs far more than turnover. Here’s what you’ll discover: Why holding onto “warm bodies” disguised as talent drives top performers away. How culture and reputat...