The Upgraded Leader Podcast

This time of year can feel overwhelming and chaotic. Things may have pilled up over the last few months or you've been meaning to organize that desk drawer. But there is something nice about a fresh start on January 1st. I'm sharing the 5 things to review to reset and refresh before the new year. These are great things to do even if you aren't quite ready to set new goals. Support t...

“We are all running our own races. Keep your eyes on your own track.” That’s great advice - and something I often remind my clients of. But trust me, I can struggle with career envy and comparison at times.  This fall, I attended a lot of events and was surrounded by some amazing professionals who are totally crushing it.  But instead of being inspired, I found myself upset that I wasn’t where I w...

You can be grateful for your job and still want more. Two things can be true at the same time.  In this week’s episode, I share: -Finding gratitude in your job even when it feels hard -Discovering the purpose of your job in this season -Considering an external opportunity does not mean you are disloyal -How to decide if it is time to move on Full transcript and show notes can be found here. Email...

Do you struggle with your personal and professional identity? ‌ ➡️One person at work ➡️Another outside of work ‌ When what you really want is to show up just as a complete person, right?! ‌ This week on the podcast I invited my friend Mel McSherry to join me and discuss identities: ‌ ✨What identity is ✨Outside of work ✨Incorporating it inside of work ✨Finding Balance ✨Feeling a sense of compl...

We are all under pressure to deliver more with less. At the same time, we are already overworked, overwhelmed, and exhausted. And the last thing we need is another meeting on our calendar. But if done well, this meeting can actually replace other meetings or emails or Slack threads that are not as effective.  Plus, your can increase the engagement and productivity of your team.  In this episode, I...

With RTO mandates becoming more common, you might find yourself wondering what to wear to the office. Are we still doing business casual? What does that even mean? Whether we like it or not, we are judged (consciously or unconsciously) first based on what we look like before we are judged by what we say or do. If that is the reality, then let's optimize what we wear to work!  On today's...

We know that building our networks is important in our careers but we often resist the next step which is to actually leverage them. In this week’s episode, we are talking about why we resist asking for help or a favor from our network and what leveraging our internal and external networks can do for our careers. Full show notes and transcript can be found at https://www.theupgradedleader.com/podc...

Your boss asks you if you have the capacity to take on another project. You say yes but realize later you’ve taken on too much. When we are planning out our work we often forget about the invisible tasks and mental load that also take up time - leaving us feeling overwhelmed and like failures. In this episode, time management strategies, Kelly Nolan , and I talk about: How to determine your actual...

What you do is special. In your own special way. This is what sets you apart from everyone else. It’s why you get promotions, get the new job, and have all the clients wanting to work with you. But how do you know what your secret sauce is? It can be hard to figure this out because it’s so often something that we see as basic or obvious - but it’s not to everyone else! In this episode, I share: -H...

What does it mean to be an Upgraded Leader? In this episode, I share: -How important it is to grow more leaders on your team -A productivity hack and career development tool all in one -How to handle a poor performer -Impact of your physical and mental health on work performance -Using our privilege for good  Full transcript and show notes at https://www.theupgradedleader.com/podcast/34. https://w...

You set some amazing goals at the bringing of the year but have you gone back to review them? Taking the time to reflect gives us the opportunity to see how far we've come and what adjustments we need to make. Today on the podcast I'm taking you behind the scenes as I do my own Mid-Year Review!  I share: -Why it's important to do a mid-year review of our goals -The exact questions I...

You’ve got a full plate already and taking the time to give feedback sometimes gets pushed down on our to-do list. ⠀ When you give regular feedback to employees you are signaling to them the things that are important to you and the business so that they are able to focus on so that things get done and goals are met. ⠀ It also helps to build better relationships, which improves retention. But admit...

We are told feedback is a gift. Whether it's from our boss, customers, or even our family. But not all feedback is created equal! It's not always accurate or is just someone's opinion. We get to choose what feedback we are going to act on or not: even if it is from our boss or customer. In today's episode, I cover: Why feedback can be incredibly useful in Upgrading our careers...

Do you suffer from perfectionism? It's something that is really common with us high-achieving business owners and corporate leaders. It can be so frustrating because we know perfection isn't possible but it can still hold us back if we don't recognize it. In today's episode, I'm sharing the 7 sneaky ways perfection can show up and we do not realize it. Full show notes and...

We spend so much time and energy trying to fix ourselves. We are obsessed with self-help! But what would happen if we redirected that energy to amplify our strengths? The things we are already good at? The answer is an Upgraded life, career, and business! In this episode, we talk about: Why focusing on our strengths is a better use of our energy How to decide which strengths to develop Ways to man...

Our strengths are incredibly powerful clues into what roles we would thrive in vs. what roles we would be miserable in.  And work is hard enough! How do we figure out our strengths and then determine what roles would be best for us? In this episode, Ahlia Kitwana covers: Using your strengths to demonstrate your value at work How to use your strengths to figure out your next step How to lean on the...

Do you ever find yourself procrastinating on something? A conversation, an email, a simple task.  But if it’s not the thing itself that you are having the most trouble with you could be experiencing resistance.  Resistance is the negative emotion associated with the task or action we don’t want to take.  It’s rooted in fear or shame and can hold us back in even bigger ways than procrastination. Fu...

Support the show Sign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaks music by audionautix.com Sign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaks mu...

"When is it more than working too hard?" As highly motivated women, there are definitely times when we push ourselves and burn the candle at both ends. You know the feelings: 👉Fatigue 👉Exhaustion 👉Low Energy 👉Brain Fog 👉Declining work performance But how do we know when it’s something more? On this episode of the podcast, my special guest Dr. Susan Lovell walks us through ways that...

Support the show Sign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaks music by audionautix.com Sign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaks mu...

Support the show Sign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaks music by audionautix.com Sign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaks mu...

Support the show Sign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaks music by audionautix.com Sign Up for my weekly newsletter to get access to my exclusive insights, tips, and resources to Upgrade Your Career! Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and on Instagram @nicolecasespeaks mu...

Let’s face it, most of us are out here just winging it. And that’s totally cool for most things in life but your performance review is not something you should whing.  I know performance reviews get a really bad rap. I know most of them really suck, they aren’t valuable, they are time-consuming, they aren’t accurate, they are full of bias, or there just isn’t a process at all. I get it But the tru...

Want to get a promotion at work this year? Go talk to your boss right now. You are ready: ✅You've done the work ✅You've hit your goals ✅You've gone above and beyond But waiting until your performance review to talk to your boss about your career growth will leave you disappointed and empty handed. In this episode, I'm sharing with you how to get that promotion you deserve th...

We don’t want to just survive, we want to live a healthy, vibrant life. In this episode, I’m joined by my special guest, Cassidy Amber Chapman . She is the author of the #1 New Release in Holistic Medicine on Amazon, The Vibrancy Codes; A Guide to Vibrant Health and Vitality. We’re discussing holistic health- mind, body, spirit, and how it all connects to Upgrading your Life and Career! Get the bo...