Inside the Promotion Room

What if the person making your work life miserable could actually become one of your biggest career advocates?

Navigating office politics, difficult coworkers, and unsupportive leaders is part of corporate life. But how you handle those relationships can make or break your career advancement.

In this episode of Inside the Promotion Room, former Fortune 500 SVP and Head of HR Courtney O'Connell sits down with Michelle Araya, a corporate leader with 25 years of experience in the male-dominated defense industry.

Michelle shares an unexpected strategy she's used to turn workplace adversaries into trusted mentors and career champions. And it's not about playing games, being fake, or winning people over at any cost.

It's about understanding people, building authentic relationships, and learning how to navigate workplace dynamics without compromising who you are.

But this conversation goes well beyond office politics.

Michelle opens up about the personal cost of chasing promotions, the pressure to prove herself as a woman in corporate leadership, and the moment she realized that professional achievement and personal fulfillment aren't the same thing.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to handle difficult coworkers and unsupportive leaders without damaging your career
• A surprising strategy for turning workplace enemies into mentors and advocates
• Why building relationships across ALL levels of an organization matters for career growth
• How self-awareness and emotional intelligence strengthen executive presence
• Why working harder and chasing the next promotion don't always lead to success
• How to pursue career advancement without sacrificing your health, family, or happiness

Whether you're working toward your next promotion, navigating office politics, or questioning what success really looks like, this episode will challenge how you think about leadership and career growth.

Getting ahead isn't just about what you accomplish. It's about how you lead yourself, how you build relationships, and the career you're intentionally creating.

Timestamps

(00:00) Courtney welcomes Michelle and opens the conversation

(00:34) Growing up between Nashville and Costa Rica

(02:33) How cultural background shapes leadership

(07:14) Choosing business, then moving into procurement

(08:49) The first decade of corporate life in a traditional company

(10:49) Discovering facilitation, coaching, and transformation work

(12:28) Why the inner voice gets louder when something is off

(15:23) The women who made early career growth harder

(18:40) Reframing scarcity and creating “queen” support

(21:32) When criticism is really projection

(23:59) Turning a villain into a mentor

(25:07) Why networking has to include every level of the organization

(28:40) Work-life balance, motherhood, and priorities

(31:34) Whether balance holds you back from advancement

(35:32) Why spouses and partnerships deserve more intentional attention

(38:42) Achievement does not equal fulfillment

(39:48) Why many people do not know what they really want

(42:14) What future leaders need beyond experience

(44:37) Self-awareness, triggers, and the “why” behind ambition

(47:55) Shadow work and understanding what gets triggered

(48:41) Book recommendations: Let Them and The Untethered Soul

(52:25) Focus, energy, and where to invest attention

(53:09) Closing thoughts on creating a culture of being seen and heard

🎙️ Inside the Promotion Room - real conversations and insider perspectives on leadership, executive presence, and what it really takes to advance your career.

Chris Lynch on corporate navigation, mentorship, and staying real

Courtney reconnects with Chris Lynch about his career in corporate America, from Bank of America to Sony, PayPal, and US Bank. The conversation centers on what really drives success behind the scenes: relationships, authenticity, and learning how to navigate dotted-line management, setbacks, and change without losing yourself.Chris shares how his upbringing in Charlotte, Catholic school, early mentors, and later therapy shaped the way he leads and works. If you care about talent, leadership, or surviving corporate politics with your values intact, this one is packed with practical wisdom.

Timestamps

00:00 - Reunion and why Chris Lynch is such a memorable corporate partner

01:31 - What Chris did at Bank of America and why the work was fun

03:29 - Learning from many styles of leadership and management

04:24 - Career path after Bank of America: Sony, PayPal, and US Bank

06:04 - Growing up in Charlotte and the schools that shaped him

08:34 - First jobs, early influences, and why business started to make sense

08:57 - Childhood dreams, from paramedic to priesthood

11:29 - Why so many leaders are drawn to high-intensity careers

12:08 - Therapy, early memory work, and the role of mentors

14:07 - Childhood operating systems, boundaries, and career behavior

16:46 - How Chris learned to navigate dotted-line relationships

17:58 - Ranking sales managers and earning credibility fast

19:56 - Why performance consulting became a lasting tool

22:43 - Losing his mom, trauma, and learning to celebrate his own life

25:19 - A boss who set him up to fail and what Chris learned from it

29:47 - What the “villain” taught him about trust and resilience

33:30 - Embracing corporate instead of resenting it

34:28 - Being promised a director title and learning titles are not the point

36:55 - Breadcrumbs, values, and recognizing what work really energizes you

39:42 - How trauma can create a mask and what it costs over time

44:49 - Knowing when it is time to leave a role

46:29 - Sleep on it before reacting: making better decisions under pressure

52:29 - What people miss about talent conversations behind closed doors

54:41 - The importance of authenticity, advocacy, and being in the room

56:46 - SVP promotion, hard work, and the grind behind success

58:21 - Finding a company culture that matches your values

60:01 - Asking for help as an executive-level skill

62:14 - Strategic relationship building without sucking up

66:24 - Celebrating wins, self-promotion, and making sure your work is seen

68:52 - A book recommendation on performance consulting

72:36 - Final reflections on profit, purpose, and helping the next generation

Links & Resources

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn Here

Chris’ Book Recommendation - Performance Consulting: A Strategic Process to Improve, Measure, and Sustain Organizational Results Here

Why Your Best Work Is Keeping You Stuck and What To Do When You're At a Career PlateauCourtney O'Connell shares a solo episode on how high performers get stalled in corporate careers and what it actually takes to move into executive-level roles. She breaks down the difference between being a top performer and being seen as high potential, then gives a practical framework for spotting the blind spots that keep people stuck.Key topics

• In this episode, Courtney explains why hard work alone often stops working once you reach mid-career and why promotion decisions shift from output to perception, positioning, and leadership readiness.
• She shares her own career story at Deutsche Bank and later as an HR director, including the moment she realized she was being seen as a workhorse rather than a future leader.
• Courtney draws a sharp distinction between high performance and high potential, using the example of a manager’s workhorse versus the person who is already operating at the next level.
• She identifies three blind spots that stall ambitious professionals:
• She explains how behaviors that once got rewarded, like being the first to respond, overexplaining, or knowing every detail, can become liabilities at more senior levels.
• Courtney outlines three recalibrations needed for advancement:
• She offers a simple executive communication framework: headline, impact, recommendation.
• Courtney emphasizes that delegation is development, not dumping work, and that strategic work has to be deliberately made room for in the calendar.
• She argues that the biggest blocker is not ignorance but behavior patterns that have been rewarded for years and are hard to see from inside your own mindset.

Timestamps

00:00 - Why Courtney is talking about career plateaus now
01:26 - Hitting the wall after years of quick growth
01:56 - Watching promotion decisions from inside HR
02:52 - What the people getting promoted were doing differently
04:20 - The three blind spots that stall high performers
05:04 - The corporate reality behind promotion decisions
05:58 - Why managers worry about losing workhorses, not just high potentials
07:31 - Why high performance and high potential are not the same
08:37 - What a blind spot actually is
09:04 - When a perceived strength turns into a weakness
10:29 - How early career praise can become a later-career liability
12:20 - Blind spot one: positioning and not being known by decision makers
13:19 - How to test whether you are strategically positioned
13:47 - Blind spot two: perception and executive presence
15:14 - Blind spot three: leadership drag and staying trapped in execution
16:31 - Why recalibration is required for the next level
17:28 - Recalibration one: move from doer to leader through delegation
18:51 - The calendar test for spotting what must be delegated
19:21 - Recalibration two: move from expert to executive with concise communication
20:15 - Managing stress without spreading it to the team
20:55 - Leading through others by setting and holding standards
21:23 - Recalibration three: move from proving to positioning
22:41 - Why you must state your aspirations out loud
23:13 - Why knowing the advice is not the same as changing behavior
24:49 - The real payoff: work gets easier when you stop carrying everything
25:49 - Introduction to Executive Edge and who it is for

Interested in exploring Executive Edge? Get more information HERE. www.thepromoted.com/executive-edge

Remember - enrollment ends soon so don't delay!

What does executive presence actually mean and how do you navigate the corporate game without becoming someone you're not?

In this episode of Inside the Promotion Room, Courtney O’Connell sits down with former Chief People Officer and transformation leader Shari Chernack to talk about the unwritten rules of career growth. They unpack executive presence, mentorship, imposter syndrome, tough feedback, corporate politics, career pivots, and why ambitious leaders need to learn how to read the room while staying true to who they are.

Shari also shares a powerful reminder for anyone trying to move up: you own your career. Growth requires knowing when to stretch, when to adapt, and when discomfort is actually telling you to keep going.

Timestamps

00:00 - Welcome and why Shari’s consulting background matters

01:03 - Growing up in New York and almost becoming a lawyer

02:45 - Early marketing roles and realizing the work was not the right fit

03:35 - First consulting role in e-learning and change communications

05:31 - The dot-com bust and the decision to go to business school

06:52 - Learning change management from the inside out

08:06 - Why Dell’s transformation pulled her back into in-house leadership

09:55 - Returning to consulting, then leading a turnaround internally

11:39 - The hardest career pivot and losing the comfort of infrastructure

14:05 - Becoming a chief people officer and learning the role in practice

16:31 - The gap between theory and lived leadership experience

17:26 - “You always know more than you think, and less than you think”

19:34 - Mentors, sponsors, and the value of tough love

21:58 - What actually drove her career success

24:23 - Hiring people who want to outgrow the seat

27:23 - Knowing when you need complementary strengths on your team

30:10 - Moving into adjacencies and growing through stretch roles

32:49 - How to choose the right company and culture for your season of life

34:37 - Large organizations versus smaller, scrappier environments

38:34 - Career adventurism and building breadth through variety

41:50 - Managing imposter syndrome with evidence and experience

45:43 - Using feedback and 360s to see your impact clearly

47:24 - Why blunt feedback can be useful when it is delivered well

54:16 - A more grounded take on executive presence

57:57 - The real “corporate game” and how to play it well

59:54 - Trade-offs, visibility, and learning to show up differently

63:11 - Re-reading The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

64:38 - Her forthcoming book Leadership Retreat and its core idea

• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni Here

Courtney reconnects with a former Bank of America colleague for a conversation that goes further behind the promotion room door than most. Darrell spent nine years as a bank collector before making the pivot into HR, eventually rising to head of HR roles across financial services and biopharma, and he's candid about what it actually took to get there: the degrees earned while working full time with two small kids at home, the jobs he didn't get despite being "ready," and the toll of being what he calls a recovering people pleaser. "You can lie to your brain, you can lie to your heart, but you can never lie to your body," he tells Courtney, and the two of them dig into what happens when ambition outruns self-awareness.

This episode earns its place in the promotion room because of what Darrell has seen from the inside of actual talent discussions. He names the exact behaviors that quietly take people off the list for bigger roles, the difference between being productive and being strategic, and why "how you do things is more important sometimes than what you do." They also get into sponsorship as a two-way exchange, why executive presence is really about the energy you're putting off without realizing it, and the one question that separates a good career pivot from a bad one: are you running away from something, or running toward it?

Whether you're managing a team for the first time or eyeing the next seat up, this one leaves you with a real audit to run on yourself, not just a feel-good takeaway.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome back and reconnecting after years apart
00:24 - How Courtney and Darrell first crossed paths at Bank of America
02:58 - The trajectory Darrell thought he was on, and the one he found instead
03:36 - The man behind the resume: growing up in South Bend, Indiana
04:40 - Wanting to wear a suit, and finding his own path there
05:14 - Leaving college, coming home, and landing in collections
05:43 - Nine years as a collector, then the pivot at thirty
06:38 - Learning to trust intuition instead of the plan
08:19 - Self-inflicted pressure versus family pressure
09:00 - Unpacking people pleasing: what it cost him
09:39 - "You can lie to your brain, but you can never lie to your body"
10:31 - The Body Keeps Score, and Courtney's own health wake-up call
14:51 - Head of HR at a fintech during an economic downturn
15:33 - Rebuilding HR from scratch at a biopharma company
16:58 - His biggest regret, and learning to let go of the work
19:03 - Tactics versus strategy: why busy isn't the same as effective
21:01 - The three biggest Achilles heels holding strong leaders back
23:06 - Is being likable actually a career strategy?
24:38 - The manager who shaped how Courtney leads
26:40 - The leader who taught him the wrong way to win
29:46 - Discretionary effort: the real payoff of leading with respect
30:14 - Sponsors and mentors: luck, intention, or both
32:42 - Courtney's take: there is no luck, only self-audit
33:12 - Knowing when it's time to leave
36:22 - Journaling, reflection, and the advice that changed his next move
37:38 - Running away from something versus running toward something
38:07 - What actually gets discussed behind closed doors in talent reviews
39:39 - Why sponsors beyond your own boss matter so much
40:41 - The right way to build relationships with senior leaders
42:21 - Executive presence, and why people are always watching
43:32 - Emotional containment without losing authenticity
45:15 - The one thing to start doing this Monday
46:15 - Book recommendation: The Untethered Soul

The Untethered Soul Book Here

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Mandy Wong on being coachable, self-mastery, and rising through corporate leadership

Courtney speaks with Mandy Wong, a Canada Post leader with 15 years in the same organization, about career pivots, taking risks early on, and what actually drives promotion: coachability, trust, and self-awareness. The conversation is especially useful for ambitious professionals trying to balance confidence without tipping into arrogance.We discuss how Mandy moved from a child, youth, and family relations degree into marketing and product roles, why she believed in taking the risk on a one-year term role, and how she reframed fear as a signal to proceed with caution rather than stop. Mandy also shares what changed when she moved from manager to director, and why executive presence is really just presence plus self-mastery. And...why she stopped looking at being an introvert as a professional handicap and started recognizing her style as the superpower that it is.

Timestamps

00:00 - Welcome to the promotion room and why Mandy’s background matters

02:17 - Wanting to make an impact, not just choosing a childhood dream

03:11 - University, co-op, and realizing teaching was not the right path

06:04 - Supportive family, temp work, and the first step into marketing

07:41 - Landing at Canada Post and taking a role without list experience

09:35 - Why a one-year term role still felt worth the risk

11:13 - Advice to younger professionals: twenties are for experimenting

13:56 - Fear as a yield sign, not a stop sign

16:12 - The manager to director transition and imposter syndrome

19:04 - Why coachability mattered more than list experience

20:51 - Confidence without needing to be right

23:29 - Self-mastery as the better measure than performative competence

26:00 - EQ, self-awareness, and reading the room at higher levels

30:01 - The trust equation: credibility, reliability, intimacy, self-orientation

32:08 - Building intimacy without being naturally extroverted

35:56 - The belief that introversion was the barrier

37:25 - Why presence is the real core of executive presence

41:17 - Communication as a career accelerant

43:38 - Self-promotion, team wins, and sponsorship

47:25 - Career ownership belongs to the person seeking growth

50:23 - Planting seeds in others and saying yes when ready

53:31 - Surrendering control and letting trust drive outcomes

56:09 - Why The Gap and the Gain is one of Mandy’s favorites

57:21 - Measuring success by progress, not by what is still missing

Links & Resources

Connect with Mandy on LinkedIn here

Book: The Trusted Advisor here

Book: The Gap and the Gain here

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My conversation with Ben Brooks focuses on how to create opportunity, prove hunger, and become the person a boss would fight to keep. In this episode, Ben shares specific lessons from merit-based environments, career pivots, and the difference between being technically good and being promotable. He also explains why clarity, attitude, and visible initiative matter more than polished resumes.

Timestamps

00:19 - Growing up in Austin and northern Colorado

02:26 - First jobs and the pull of corporate life

03:49 - Why Enterprise was a powerful first internship

04:19 - Meritocracy, metrics, and branch rankings

06:24 - Sales training through rental-car discovery

07:57 - Handling customer frustration and operational failures

09:49 - Why first jobs shape executive instincts

10:36 - Losing a dream job and regrouping after graduation

11:31 - How a professor and alum helped him land at Lockheed

12:27 - Security clearance, classified work, and a rough start

13:55 - Learning contracts, vendor management, and Lean Six Sigma

16:32 - Why the government program eventually collapsed

18:07 - Mentorship, variety, and deciding to leave Lockheed

20:00 - Choosing consulting over a longer corporate path

21:42 - Finding Mercer through industry curiosity and a bold target

23:33 - Writing a direct pitch to a group President

24:58 - The FedEx package and an unexpected response

26:14 - Why specificity and value matter in networking

27:09 - Hustle, anxiety, and being committed without being attached

28:52 - “You’re going to get what you work for”

30:27 - Evidence of hunger versus vague ambition

32:28 - Rejection, experimentation, and building enough surface area for luck

35:29 - Threshold skills versus differentiating behaviors

37:26 - Surviving the financial crisis and pitching internal change

38:26 - Co-founding an LGBT employee resource group

39:22 - A one-slide pitch that led to an executive response in minutes

40:48 - Landing an HR rotation and later becoming an HR executive

42:50 - The biggest gut-punch mistake: choosing fun over importance

43:34 - Doing the ugly work that removes pressure from your boss

45:11 - The idea of being someone your manager would fight to keep

46:31 - A simple question that changed manager relationships

47:38 - What executives really notice in promotion decisions

48:37 - Why emotional regulation matters as you move up

50:45 - Book recommendation: Four Thousand Weeks

53:20 - Clarity on what you want and how to get it

Key Takeaways

• Be specific about what you want in your career

• Show evidence of hunger through actions, not just words

• Ask your boss what is keeping them up at night

• Take on the ugly work, not just the visible or fun work

• Build relationships before you need them

• Use rejection as a signal that you are actually trying

Links & Resources

Connect with Ben on LinkedIn

What Color Is Your Parachute Book here

Four Thousand Weeks Book here

#Networking #CareerAdvice #Leadership #PersonalBranding #Promotion

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Michelle Martin's career didn't start in a boardroom. It started as a temp garbage collector at a waste management company in Hamilton, Ontario, a job she took because she needed the money, not because she had a plan. Decades later, she was a Director of Fleet Maintenance at a Fortune 500 environmental services company, one of the few women to reach that level in a male-dominated industry.

In this episode, Courtney sits down with Michelle to trace that entire arc: coming back from maternity leave and asking her manager, point blank, what she needed to do to get promoted; hitting a wall with a senior leader who made it clear he wasn't rooting for her; and the moment in an interview she knew she wouldn't win where she realized she was no longer asking for anyone else's validation.

Michelle and Courtney get specific about what it actually takes to move up once the work itself stops being the differentiator, including how to talk to senior leaders in the language they respond to, why the questions "who do you want to be" and "how is this place better because of your leadership" belong on a recurring calendar reminder, and why letting go of doing the work yourself is often the hardest transition in a leader's career. They also dig into a feedback moment that caught Michelle off guard: a new supervisor telling her that her actions made it seem like she thought her employees weren't smart, and what it looked like to sit with that instead of defending herself.

If you've ever wondered what's actually said behind closed doors about who gets promoted, or you're dealing with someone at work who has already decided you're not getting the job, this conversation is for you.

Timestamps

- 00:15 - Welcoming Michelle Martin

- 00:38 - Growing up in Hamilton, Ontario, and wanting to be an ER doctor or a cop

- 02:03 - Dropping out of high school and starting out as a temp garbage collector

- 05:38 - Coming back from maternity leave and asking directly for a path to promotion

- 08:08 - The turning point: "But do you believe in yourself?"

- 14:12 - The interview she knew was already decided, and the boss who wasn't a fan

- 17:25 - Dealing with a blocker who won't get out of your way

- 19:57 - What Leadership and Self-Deception taught her about letting go of the fight

- 21:42 - The move to the US and the career acceleration that followed

- 26:58 - Becoming a Director in a male-dominated industry

- 30:57 - The three questions Michelle revisits every year

- 35:16 - Letting go of doing the work yourself: patience, empathy, and delegation

- 40:50 - The feedback that caught her off guard: "You think less of your employees"

- 45:38 - Dale Carnegie, likability, and why asking for help builds relational capital

- 50:45 - What's actually said behind closed doors about who gets promoted

•

Connect with Michelle onLinkedIN

- The Speed of Trust - Stephen Coveyhere

- Crucial Conversations - Stephen Coveyhere

- Crucial Accountabilityhere

- Leadership and Self-Deception - The Arbinger Institutehere

Richard A. Hinton on career growth, intuition, and leading with authenticity

Courtney sits down with Richard A. Hinton for a candid conversation about his path from early jobs in customer service to a long corporate HR career. They discuss the role of intuition, the reality of being “the only one” in the room, and how leadership, belonging, and self-awareness shape promotion and growth.

Key topics

• Richard reflects on how strong leadership, authentic managers, and a CEO who truly practiced what he preached influenced the kind of leader he wants to be.
• Richard and Courtney compare notes on identifying good and bad managers, including why coaching, EQ, and multiple data points matter when evaluating a leader in an interview process.
• He opens up about feeling “other” as a Black, Jamaican, Indian, gay man in corporate spaces, the pressure to mask, and the emotional cost of trying to belong by overperforming and people pleasing.
• Richard discusses the identity reckoning that came after George Floyd’s death, how it forced him to confront self-hatred and burnout, and how he began rebuilding through self-awareness and self-compassion.
• He shares how intuition shows up in his body, why coaching helped him trust it, and how that inner voice ultimately led him to launch his own business.

Timestamps

02:21 - What Burger King taught him about customer service

05:32 - A Gillette internship that confirmed a future in HR

06:59 - Breaking into recruiting after college

12:48 - Why he almost ruled out construction too soon

13:31 - Trusting his gut and recognizing the right culture

15:54 - Why authentic leadership changed his career

18:31 - Learning from leaders with technical strength but low EQ

20:31 - How to evaluate managers before accepting a job

24:07 - How intuition feels in the body

26:53 - Coaching, journaling, and quieting the noise

28:56 - When the mind protects you too much

30:15 - Naming the inner critic and managing self-sabotage

33:46 - The lifelong learning mindset and becoming a better version of himself

34:32 - Early childhood experiences of feeling different

36:29 - Masking, people pleasing, and the pressure to blend in

37:44 - The emotional impact of identity loss and burnout

41:36 - How his identity crisis affected career choices

42:41 - What he would tell his younger self

43:49 - Slowing down, feeling emotions, and building self-awareness

45:14 - Losing a job and realizing career had become part of his identity

46:55 - What promotions conversations are really about behind closed doors

48:49 - Why business strategy matters for future-ready talent

51:16 - One simple Monday morning habit that builds trust and presence

Links & Resources

• Connect with Richard Hinton on LinkedIN
• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown here
• Let Them by Mel Robbins here

Personal Branding at Work: Control Perception & Build Authentic Leadership with Lisa Williams

Key topics:

• Lisa's diverse career trajectory, from collections at a bank to internal coaching leadership
• The importance of self-awareness, values, and authenticity in career development
• Strategies for effective interview preparation and self-promotion
• How to develop and control your personal brand within professional settings
• The role of mentors, sponsors, and relationship-building in career success
• Managing perceptions and modulating behavior for authentic leadership
• Lessons learned about leadership humility, listening, and decision-making
• The significance of presence, vulnerability, and letting go of outcomes
• Recommendations for fostering curiosity through informational interviews
• Insights on building influence and sponsorship behind closed doors

Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome and Lisa's background in HR and consulting

02:00 - Lisa's first jobs and early career insights

04:42 - The significance of self-awareness and career trial-and-error

06:39 - Navigating job transitions and learning from adversity

08:24 - Mastering interview prep with depth and impact

10:21 - Moving from finance to HR and consulting insights

12:50 - Morphing without losing authenticity

14:56 - The importance of values and authentic leadership

16:37 - Intentional mentorship and relationship strategies

18:19 - Defining success through choices and self-awareness

19:52 - Gaining clarity on career paths and future planning

20:22 - Building curiosity through networking and informational interviews

22:32 - Preparing for effective informational interviews

24:09 - Clarity and goal-setting in short conversations

27:26 - Managing personal brand and perception in leadership

29:11 - The importance of creative thinking and innovation in roles

32:48 - Authenticity and modulation of presence in different settings

35:35 - Behind-the-scenes truths about promotion and sponsorship

36:53 - Building influence and sponsorship relationships

39:08 - Leading and developing others before formal authority

41:50 - Wisdom for younger self: presence and letting go of control

44:56 - Favorite books: psychological thrillers and business insights

47:21 - Final thoughts and advice for career growth and self-awareness

Resources & Links:

Connect with Lisa Williams:

• LinkedIn

#PersonalBranding #ExecutivePresence #CareerGrowth #Leadership #SelfPromotion |

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Denise Moss climbed from bank teller to VP of HR, but not before spending years stuck at the director level, watching less-qualified peers get promoted around her. In this episode, Courtney O'Connell sits down with Denise Moss (aka "Your HR Homegirl") to unpack exactly what changed.

Denise shares the real story behind her rise through corporate HR: starting as a temp receptionist, getting promoted to HR administrator in six months, and later volunteering for the systems implementation project no one else wanted (one that finally put her name in front of the C-suite).

She and Courtney break down why grit is a skill you can build (not just a trait you're born with), why "no" is a complete sentence, and why self-promotion isn't bragging, it's how decision-makers actually find out you're ready for more.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why being great at your job is not the same as being visible for promotion
• How to build the confrontation muscle if pushback doesn't come naturally to you
• The exact project-volunteering strategy that got Denise noticed by her company's COO
• How to set boundaries and protect your time without damaging trust
• What executive presence actually looks like in the room (hint: it's not arrogance)

If you've ever felt like you're doing the best work of your career and still getting passed over, this conversation is for you.

About the Guest:
Denise Moss ("Your HR Homegirl") is a former VP of Human Resources with a career built on grit, reinvention, and knowing when to raise her hand.

About the Host:
Courtney O'Connell spent 23 years in corporate HR, rising from administrative assistant to SVP sitting in the room where promotion decisions were actually made. She now coaches high-performing leaders on how to get seen, get sponsored, and get promoted.

Links:

The 5am Club Here

The 48 Laws of Power Here

Grit Here

Connect with Denise Here

🔔 Subscribe for new episodes of Inside the Promotion Room every week
👉 Learn more at http://www.thepromoted.com

Keywords/Tags
career advancement, how to get promoted, corporate career growth, HR career tips, executive presence, workplace confrontation skills, career coaching, women in leadership, stuck at director level, how to get promoted at work, building visibility at work, career grit, corporate promotion strategy

What if the biggest thing holding you back from your next promotion isn't your technical skills… but how people experience you as a leader?

Today's guest is Michael Kubit, former Chief Information Officer and executive leader with decades of experience building teams, leading transformation, and making high-stakes leadership decisions.

In this conversation, we unpack why emotional intelligence is becoming more valuable (not less!) in the age of AI, how to make the difficult transition from individual contributor to leader, and what executives are really looking for when they decide who's ready for the next level.

Main Topics:

• Michael’s non-traditional career path and key learnings from early roles
• The role of emotional intelligence and vulnerability in effective leadership
• Building organizational culture through trust, conflict, and clear communication
• Recognizing when it’s time to pivot professionally based on values and environment
• The impact of technology evolution and skills to focus on in the age of AI
• Strategies for developing executive presence and impactful communication
• The significance of self-awareness and team fit in leadership success

Timestamps: 00:00 - Introducing Michael Cubit and his background

02:03 - Lessons learned from early roles in hotel maintenance and transferable skills

03:45 - How DIY problem-solving influences professional problem-solving

05:06 - From music tech to IT: The evolution of technological involvement

06:13 - The early days of university-based dial-up modems and internet progress

08:21 - Skills to prioritize in the age of AI and technological disruption

10:12 - The importance of soft skills and emotional intelligence in leadership

11:36 - Perception management and deliberate career development

12:45 - Recognizing organizational misalignment and knowing when to move on

14:10 - Navigating virtual communication glitches and resilience during remote recordings

20:23 - The significance of brand and reputation in career success

22:13 - Developing leadership authenticity and the balance between self-control and presence

33:48 - Communicating effectively and managing power dynamics as a leader

36:28 - Building trust and fostering healthy team conflict (Lencioni’s model)

44:38 - Moving from doing to leading: the evolving leadership pie chart

52:26 - The ability to distill complexity and demonstrate executive presence

54:45 - Understanding and managing emotions for better leadership impact

57:31 - The art of toggling authenticity — reading the room and showing up deliberately

60:27 - Recommended books for leading change and understanding energy and spirituality (Switch by Chip & Dan Heath, Becoming Supernatural by Joe Dispenza)

63:30 - The grounding power of nature and staying connected to self amidst professional demands

Resources & Links:

• Switch by Chip and Dan Heath
• Becoming Supernatural by Joe Dispenza
• Lencioni's Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Connect with Michael Kubit:

• LinkedIn

#EmotionalIntelligence #CIO #TechLeadership #CareerGrowth #Leadership

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In this inspiring conversation, Lauren Newton shares her unconventional career path from art school to senior leadership in HR and recruiting. Her story highlights the importance of vulnerability, strategic risk-taking, and fostering authentic relationships in professional growth.

• The leap of faith: transitioning from creative arts to staffing without prior connections
• Lessons learned from working at Facebook and Medium during hyper-growth and pandemic challenges
• Building psychological safety and vulnerability as leadership strengths
• Navigating career pivots: from individual contributor to team builder and head of functions
• The significance of seeking mentorship, articulating ambitions, and making strategic plans
• Work-life boundaries and balancing motherhood with high-stakes roles

In this episode:

• Lauren discusses how her early passion for art influenced her creative approach to recruiting
• The moment she decided to leave a stable job for high-risk opportunities during pregnancy
• How vulnerability and transparency built her leadership reputation
• The role of internal relationships and political awareness in career advancement
• Practical advice for managing boundaries as a working parent in tech

Timestamps:

00:00 - Lauren Newton’s childhood dreams and career evolution

02:03 - Transition from art school to creative recruiting success

03:22 - How a http://Monster.com resume led to her first recruiting role

04:09 - The importance of early career mentorship and networking

06:38 - From staffing agency to in-house recruiting at startups

08:32 - Experiences and challenges at Facebook during rapid growth

10:46 - The moment Lauren realized the impact of her work at Medium

12:35 - Overcoming risk aversion and taking bold career leaps while pregnant

15:22 - Building confidence through transparent leadership and advocacy

17:20 - Navigating pregnancy and inclusion in corporate culture

18:38 - Transitioning from Facebook to Medium as a transformational move

20:10 - Leading teams through hyper-growth and organizational change

23:19 - Recognizing leadership potential and advocating for yourself

27:24 - Cultivating vulnerability and transparency for psychological safety

30:45 - The power of being known and internal networking

34:36 - Handling corporate politics with integrity and strategy

40:50 - Setting boundaries for work-life harmony as a working mom

56:20 - Lauren’s favorite books on leadership and resilience

60:05 - Reflection on art, life, and ongoing learning

Lauren emphasizes that vulnerability, transparency, and strategic risk are key to authentic leadership. Her journey exemplifies that with clarity of purpose and strong relationships, career pivots and challenges become opportunities for growth.

Resources & Links:

• No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings
• Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

Connect with Lauren Newton:

• LinkedIn

#Vulnerability #Leadership #TechCareers #CareerGrowth #WorkingParents |

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In this episode, Kacy Wickenhauser shares her inspiring journey from aspiring ER physician to CHRO in the energy industry, highlighting the importance of resilience, authenticity, and strategic thinking in career development.

Key Topics:

• The value of starting in unglamorous roles to build foundational skills in HR and corporate settings
• The significance of partner choice and support systems in shaping career paths and dreams
• Lessons learned from managing employee relations, layoffs, and industry stability during economic downturns
• The importance of curiosity, trust-building, and intentional branding in leadership development
• Understanding executive presence and the impact of distractions in today’s fast-paced workplace
• Embracing vulnerability, authenticity, and the concept of ‘bringing your whole self’ to work
• Strategies for navigating mistakes and building credibility through trust and consistency
• The ongoing balance of work, personal values, and life’s unpredictability

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Introduction and insights into Casey’s career pivot
• 02:05 - Reflecting on the regret of not pursuing a childhood dream in medicine
• 05:55 - How psychology and an MBA shaped Casey’s HR approach
• 08:12 - Building foundational HR experience in staffing and manufacturing settings
• 10:24 - Why the energy industry offers meaningful, sustainable work
• 13:50 - Overcoming fear and embracing mistakes as growth opportunities
• 15:50 - Trust as a 'trust jar' analogy for managing mistakes and credibility
• 17:40 - The challenge of balancing emotional baggage with leadership responsibilities
• 19:12 - Defining what it means to "have it all" and the importance of balance
• 21:22 - Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers and the importance of curiosity in talent development
• 24:53 - The significance of executive presence and reading the room
• 25:08 - The real meaning of ‘bring your whole self to work’ and setting boundaries
• 28:13 - The impact of likability and building genuine relationships at work
• 31:57 - Developing personal values and legacy in professional life
• 36:44 - Strategic thinking beyond daily tactics for long-term success
• 38:01 - Practical advice for high-performing employees seeking visibility
• 39:43 - The role of vulnerability, authenticity, and storytelling in leadership
• 42:09 - Recommended books: Victor Frankel’s Man’s Search for Meaning and Ethan Cross’s Chatter

Resources & Links

• Victor Frankel - Man's Search for Meaning
• Ethan Cross - Chatter

Connect with Kacy

• LinkedIn

#CHRO #CareerAdvice #Resilience #ExecutivePresence #Leadership |

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Patrick Sutton shares his inspiring journey from Hollywood extra to HR executive emphasizing authenticity, storytelling, and strategic influence in career growth.

In this episode:

• Patrick shares his unexpected start
• The crucial skills acting and storytelling develop for effective communication and executive presence
• Transition from Hollywood to corporate, highlighting the transferability of soft skills
• How embracing career pivots and external influences can guide strategic growth
• The importance of building your personal brand, visibility, and advocacy through self-promotion
• Practical tips on "reading the room" and influencing via storytelling and emotional intelligence
• The significance of legacy-minded leadership over trend-driven pursuits
• Insights into trust, integrity, and owning your story to accelerate promotions

Timestamps:

00:16 - Welcome and Patrick Sutton’s Hollywood debut experience

01:30 - How a movie role led to corporate skills development

02:53 - Acting skills enhancing executive presence and communication

04:20 - Teenage role in A Time to Kill and its impact on professionalism

05:07 - Transition from Hollywood to corporate HR and learning to pivot

06:45 - The power of transferable skills from acting to leadership

08:40 - Childhood dreams of becoming a writer and storytelling as a career foundation

09:58 - Influences from college and early career explorations

11:10 - Starting in media and realizing the importance of connection

13:47 - Advice for career growth and the importance of being intentional

14:23 - How 2008 recession shaped empathy and leadership in HR

16:09 - The moment that defined Patrick’s desire to make a difference in HR

17:39 - Finding joy in the work and creating a legacy in leadership

19:39 - Navigating work fulfillment in a challenging economy

20:01 - The importance of owning your story and self-advocacy

21:38 - Practice makes perfect: elevator pitches and storytelling tips

22:06 - Building community and relationships for career advancement

23:04 - The art of advocacy, sponsorship versus mentorship

25:28 - The importance of integrity and follow-through in promotions

31:10 - Legacy over trends: becoming a legend in leadership

34:35 - Mastering influence by reading the room and connecting authentically

45:35 - Developing executive presence through confidence and body language

48:55 - Trust, credibility, and the role of integrity in leadership decisions

50:11 - Advice to Patrick from a decade ago: trust yourself

51:49 - Patrick’s favorite books: Let Them and The Four Agreements

Resources & Links:

• Let Them by Mel Robbins
• The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz

Connect with Patrick Sutton:

• LinkedIn

#ExecutivePresence #CareerAdvice #Leadership #PersonalBranding #StorytellingForLeaders |

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In this episode, Colleen Lauria shares her inspiring journey of embracing her authentic self in the workplace, navigating mental health challenges, and building a fulfilling career in HR and coaching. Discover how core skills like emotional intelligence, curiosity, and thriving amid ambiguity can elevate your professional life, no matter your industry.

Key Topics - We discuss:

• The importance of mental health awareness and integrating personal challenges into professional growth
• Her unconventional career arc from real estate to HR consultancy to corporate transformation
• The role of networking and relationship-building in pivoting careers
• How to recognize if you're in the right organizational environment for success
• The enduring relevance of emotional intelligence, curiosity, and adaptability in a changing business landscape
• Practical steps to develop coachability, embrace feedback, and own mistakes confidently
• The impact of authentic leadership and how to balance self-expression with organizational culture
• The significance of understanding your core values—like freedom—and how they shape career choices
• Managing workplace politics while staying true to yourself
• Using AI as a cognitive tool without losing creative and critical thinking skills
• Book recommendation: The Myth of Normal by Dr. Gabor Mate—exploring inherited trauma and self-development

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Colleen Lauria’s journey and insights

02:05 - The thread of passion connecting music, theater, and leadership

06:01 - Navigating career transitions and the power of networking

10:39 - Embracing mental health struggles as superpowers in professional growth

16:36 - Overcoming imposter syndrome and trusting organizational support

22:27 - How seniority fosters authentic leadership and self-confidence

28:46 - Recognizing organizational culture fit and the importance of values

36:25 - Practical skills for thriving amid change and ambiguity

43:34 - Understanding executive presence beyond traditional norms

46:41 - Book recommendation for self-development and emotional healing

Resources & Links:

• The Myth of Normal by Dr. Gabor Mate: https://amzn.to/4g0Xjvh
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Connect with Colleen:

• LinkedIn

#Authenticity #MentalHealthAtWork #Resilience #CareerGrowth #Leadership |

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I spent 23 years inside Fortune 500 companies, the last decade as SVP and Head of HR sitting in the rooms where promotion decisions actually get made.

I've watched talented people get passed over for reasons no one ever explained to them, and I've watched others rise because they understood something the rest of the room didn't.

I'm Courtney O'Connell, and this is Inside the Promotion Room.

This trailer is your first look at the show: why I'm doing this, who it's for, and what you can expect every week. If you're a manager, director, or executive who feels like you're doing great work that nobody notices, this show was built for you.

Each week, I sit down with senior leaders and executives for an honest conversation about how their careers actually happened, not the polished version. We talk about the moments that changed everything, the mentors and sponsors who opened doors, the mistakes that almost ended things, and the unwritten rules of executive presence, visibility, and workplace politics that most people only learn the hard way.

Inside the Promotion Room launches soon. Subscribe now so you're ready when they drop.

Welcome to the Promoted Room

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on career advancement, executive presence, and leadership
📩 Guest inquiries: support@thepromoted.com
_🌐_http://thepromoted.com

#CareerAdvancement #Leadership #ExecutivePresence #PromotionTips #CorporateLeadership

Music licensed through Soundstripe.

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