Podcast

You're the Boss, Now What? | Team Emotional Intelligence for Managers and Leaders

Business, Careers

You're the Boss, Now What? is a leadership podcast about team emotional intelligence, for managers and HR leaders who want a team that feels safe to speak up and too invested to leave.

If you are a manager of people, this podcast is your playbook for the real challenges of leadership.

Most emotional intelligence work focuses on the individual. Your host, Desiree Petrich, starts with the whole team, which is where people open up and the honest conversations actually happen. She guides teams to strengthen their own emotional intelligence, so people stop holding back and start saying what needs to be said.

Because team emotional intelligence belongs to the whole team, this show is for team members too. If you're on a team, or getting ready to lead one, you'll hear the conversations that make a team stronger from any seat.

In each episode, you'll get practical ways to:
- Handle conflict at work before it turns into drama
- Make hard conversations easier, for you and for your team
- Build trust and respect as a confident, credible leader
- Hold employees accountable without micromanaging
- Fix a toxic culture and create a team that takes ownership
- Lead team meetings where people actually speak up

Desiree brings in tools like DISC, Working Genius, and The 5 Behaviors of a Cohesive Team to help your team understand each other, and she shares quick takeaways from bestselling leadership books so you can skip the fluff and apply what works.

Every other week, Desiree is joined by a new co-host, a fellow expert who brings their own stories and questions to a shared conversation about leading people well. It sounds like two people who do this work comparing notes over coffee.

Whether you're leading two people or two hundred, you'll learn how to create better communication, deeper trust, and a workplace people actually enjoy showing up to.

Desiree Petrich is a keynote speaker on team emotional intelligence, founder of Intentional Action, and the bestselling author of Taking Intentional Action. Learn more at desireepetrich.com.

Popular Topics Include:
One-on-one meeting frameworks, handling team conflict, addressing passive-aggressive behavior, rebuilding trust after drama, navigating difficult employees, setting expectations without micromanaging, improving accountability conversations, fixing toxic communication patterns, leading effective team meetings, delegation strategies for overwhelmed managers, increasing team buy-in, coaching underperforming employees, giving feedback that lands, managing impostor syndrome at work, and creating a healthier, more human-centered culture.

Episodes
113
Releases
Twice a week
Typical length
17 min
On air since
2024
Latest episode
1 month ago

Episodes

113 episodes, newest first

  1. How to Make Hard Conversations Easier

    Show notes

    people on our teams start filling in the blanks and making up stories about each other, and the wall between us keeps getting higher. In this episode, Desiree shares the WALL Blueprint from her breakout session at the 2026 Intentional Leader Summit. It’s a structure for having the conversations that need to be had, so the good intentions of the good people on your team can actually lead to a team that trusts each other.

    Whether you’re the boss or not, this one will help you speak up, hold people accountable, and ask for what you need without putting anyone on the defensive.

    In this episode:
    ➪ W: What story am I telling myself? How to separate what you know for certain from what you’re assuming, and why your coworker is not the villain in their own story
    ➪ A: Address it directly. Why the compliment sandwich shuts the conversation down, and what to say instead of hiding behind the handbook
    ➪ L: Listen through the discomfort. Stop talking, give them space, and swap absolutes like “you always” for what you actually observed
    ➪ The question to ask yourself before every hard conversation: am I willing to be wrong?
    ➪ L: Land with clarity. Four questions that keep your team from having the exact same talk six months from now
    ➪ How to build a feedback culture where your team feels safe to speak up, because what’s rewarded is repeatable and what’s tolerated becomes the standard

    So what hard conversation have you been avoiding, and why?

    RESOURCES:

    Breaking the Fourth Wall EpisodeThe WALL Blueprint for having hard conversations

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    29 min
  2. Leadership Tips | Stop Trying to Fit In

    Show notes

    This week I'm connecting two ideas: my Breaking the Fourth Wall concept and Brené Brown's research on fitting in versus belonging.

    Brené's research found something surprising, fitting in and belonging are not the same thing. Fitting in is actually the greatest barrier to belonging. It's a survival strategy: reading the room and becoming who you need to be to get accepted. Belonging is the opposite. It's internal, it's unconditional, and it doesn't ask you to change who you are.

    I dig into why this matters for leaders who want more self-confidence, what Brené's research says about belonging and standing alone, and how this connects directly to why breaking the fourth wall on your team matters.

    This week's tip: Notice when you're fitting in. Notice when you're getting smaller. And when you catch it, name the fear, then say the thing anyway.

    Mentioned in this episode:

    • Brené Brown: The Call to Courage (Netflix)
    • Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
    • Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

    Go back and listen to last week's episode on Breaking the Fourth Wall if you haven't already.

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    6 min
  3. The Secret Behind Every High-Trust Team

    Show notes

    You don't have to wait for anyone to go first. You get to choose to be the first.

    In this episode, Desiree gives you a sneak peek into her brand new keynote, Breaking the Fourth Wall. It's a three-part approach to building trust with your team, and the starting point might surprise you.

    If your team has lost some ownership, engagement, or hope, this episode gets at the real reason why. Desiree opens with a personal story that reframes what leadership actually requires, then gets into why self-awareness is rarer than most leaders think and why even smart, capable people avoid difficult conversations at work.

    This is workplace communication and team accountability explained in a way you can actually use, whether you're leading two people or two hundred.

    What You'll Learn

    • The real reason 95% of people believe they're self-aware and only 10-15% actually are
    • What's actually killing trust on your team before you even notice it's gone
    • Why your team avoids hard conversations at work (it's probably not the reason you think)
    • The three C's Desiree uses to help leaders rebuild trust, starting with themselves

    CTA

    If your team is dealing with a lack of ownership, engagement, or hope, send Desiree an email. She'll help you figure out what rebuilding trust could look like for your specific team.

    Hit follow or subscribe wherever you listen so you don't miss next week's episode, where Desiree dives deeper into the candor piece of this framework and breaks down how to make hard conversations easier.

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    24 min
  4. Leadership Tips | Share Your BHAG

    Show notes

    Some goals only get built because someone else believed in them first.

    This week's tip is simple: share your BHAG. Your Big Hairy Audacious Goal. The one you've been sitting on, half-convinced it's too big to say out loud.

    Desiree shares the origin story of the Intentional Leader Summit, a leadership development conference that started as a passing comment to a pastor she was working with. No funding. No real plan. Just an idea spoken out loud, and someone willing to say "let's do it."

    That summit is now in its third year, with over 200 attendees and 30 sponsorship companies, proof that big goals rarely grow in isolation. They grow when someone else gets to believe in them before you fully believe in them yourself.

    If you've got a goal you've been keeping to yourself, this episode is your nudge to say it out loud.

    What You'll Learn

    • Why speaking your goal out loud creates momentum silence never will
    • How the Intentional Leader Summit grew from a passing comment into a 200+ person leadership development conference
    • What it looks like to let someone believe in your goal before you believe in it yourself
    • Why staying quiet about your ambitions can be the very thing holding them back

    Call to Action
    Have a BHAG you've been keeping to yourself? Hit reply on this week's newsletter and tell Desiree what it is. Let's cheer you on.

    Links

    • Intentional Leader Summit
    • Desiree's website

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    4 min
  5. 5 Myths to Unlearn to Become a More Confident Leader

    Show notes

    Confidence gets talked about like it's something you're either born with or you're not. Extroverts have it, introverts don't. Some people just have "it" and some people never will.

    In this episode of You're the Boss, Now What?, Desiree Petrich pushes back on that idea completely. After coaching and speaking to thousands of leaders, she's found that self-leadership, not team dynamics, is usually the number one thing leaders want to work on. Not better meetings. Not less conflict. Confidence. The ability to speak up, to lead with executive presence, to trust their own decisions.

    This episode is about leadership development from the inside out. Five common beliefs about confident leaders get named, challenged, and turned into something usable.

    In this episode, you'll learn:

    • Why the belief that confident leaders "don't let criticism get to them" is actually working against your growth, and the blue hair story that makes it click
    • How to use the question "what if I'm the problem?" as a tool for better decisions, not self-doubt
    • Why comparison isn't the thief of joy when you use it on purpose, and how a DISC assessment changed the way Desiree leads
    • The real difference between confidence and arrogance, and how imposter syndrome hides behind both
    • Why your confidence at work is just your confidence at home wearing different clothes, and what that means for your leadership mindset

    Whether you're managing a small team or leading an entire department, this episode reframes what leadership development actually requires. It's not about looking like you have it together. It's about knowing yourself well enough to lead like you mean it.

    If this episode helped you rethink what confident leadership looks like:
    Follow or subscribe wherever you listen so you don't miss Monday's leadership tip or next week's episode, where Desiree shares her brand new keynote concept, Breaking the Fourth Wall: The Secret to Building High Trust Teams.

    Want more leadership coaching and self-leadership tools in your inbox?
    https://desireepetrich.com/#newsletter

    Join Desiree live at the Intentional Leader Summit in Marshall, or grab your copy of her book, Taking Intentional Action, to go deeper on the philosophy behind this episode.

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    17 min
  6. Leadership Tips | Be Proud of Yourself

    Show notes

    In this episode:

    • Why pressure and high expectations aren't the enemy, they can actually fuel more energy
    • The trap of hitting a goal and immediately moving to the next one without stopping to notice it
    • Desiree's three things she chose to be proud of this week, and why she almost skipped the exercise
    • Why saying "I'm proud of myself" out loud isn't selfish, it's leadership
    • How your confidence gives other people permission to feel theirs

    Try this:
    List one to three things you're proud of this week. Say it out loud. Share it with someone.

    Connect with Desiree:
    Send her a message on LinkedIn or drop a comment on the episode
    Sign up for the weekly newsletter (link in show notes)

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    5 min
  7. Delegate to AI Without Losing Your Edge as a Leader | Monica Marquez

    Show notes

    AI isn't coming for your job. But it is changing what leadership looks like.

    In this episode, Desiree sits down with Monica Marquez, founder of FlipWork, to talk about the human side of AI adoption. Monica breaks down why so many leaders feel behind, what your "zone of genius" actually means, and why delegation (yes, the same skill you use with your team) is now the skill that separates leaders who thrive with AI from leaders who get replaced by it.

    What You'll Learn:

    • Why delegation is now an AI skill, not just a people skill
    • The four AI archetypes (and how to spot which one you are)
    • How to use AI without losing your critical thinking
    • Why "showing the long division" is the key to trustworthy AI output
    • What AI will never be able to replace in leadership

    Call to Action:
    Curious where you land on the AI readiness spectrum? Take Monica's free Flip Factor assessment at flipfactor.ai and find out if you're an Explorer, Pioneer, Guardian, or Orchestrator.

    Links Mentioned:

    • Take the Flip Factor Assessment
    • Monica Marques Ay Ay Ay AI! Newsletter
    • Connect with Monica on LinkedIn

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    31 min
  8. Leadership Tips | Add a Little Whimsy

    Show notes

    This week's tip is simple: stop waiting for permission to enjoy your own life. Desiree shares a personal story about her garden, some ceramic mushrooms, and the "mad libs excuse" that almost kept her from adding a little joy to her everyday.

    • Why "when this happens, I'll do that" is a trap (aka the mad libs excuse)
    • The moment after her mom passed that changed how she looks for joy
    • A simple, low-effort way to bring more whimsy into your daily life
    • The question to ask yourself about what you're waiting for permission to do

    What's one small thing you've been putting off just for you? Add it this week. Let it make you smile.

    Links & Resources

    • Buy Desiree's Book -Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead
    • Connect with Desiree on Linkedin

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    3 min
  9. A Framework for Giving Feedback | Lessons from Radical Candor by Kim Scott

    Show notes

    Do you avoid hard conversations, or handle them so bluntly they backfire?

    In this episode, Desiree read the book Radical Candor by Kim Scott, so you don't have to.

    This episode breaks down the framework from Kim Scott's Radical Candor, the one Desiree teaches more than almost anything else with the leaders she coaches.

    In this episode:

    • The four types of feedback, and which one is quietly wrecking your team's trust
    • Why "good intentions don't erase bad impact"
    • The order most leaders get backwards when resolving conflict at work
    • Rock stars vs superstars at work - is it a season, or a category?

    One question to try before your next hard conversation: am I about to avoid this, or am I about to be harsh about it?

    Links mentioned in this episode:

    • Radical Candor Framework
    • Buy Radical Candor on Amazon
    • Podcast Episode on the Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni
    • Sign up for the newsletter at https://desireepetrich.com/ under the resources tab

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    19 min
  10. Connecting and Communicating Across Generations at Work | Liz Carlson

    Show notes

    Right now you're leading up to five generations on the same team, and most of what's getting lost between them has nothing to do with personality.

    In this episode, Desiree sits down with workplace teacher Liz Carlson to unpack why communication breaks down across generations, what shaped the way each generation shows up at work, and how leaders can start closing the gap without walking on eggshells.

    Liz shares what she's learned spending years inside real teams, including why 93 percent of communication is nonverbal, how Gen Z is misunderstood rather than broken, and why Gen X, millennials, and boomers each bring their own hardwired communication style to the table.

    Key Topics Covered:

    • Why the basics of communication get skipped in favor of new programs and assessments
    • The breakdown of nonverbal communication and why tone and body language carry more weight than words
    • What's really going on with Gen Z's communication habits
    • How each generation was shaped, by parenting, technology, and the workplace they came into
    • Practical ways to lead people who process the world differently than you do
    • Why culture is defined by the worst behavior tolerated, not the best intentions

    About Liz Carlson:

    Liz Carlson is a workplace teacher who spends her time inside real teams, helping leaders close the communication gaps that get in the way of trust and culture. She spent 12 years teaching in higher education, including designing and delivering business communication courses, and now brings that same lens to workplaces navigating five generations under one roof.

    Connect with Liz on Linkedin

    Intentional Leader Summit 2026 — Liz is a featured speaker.

    Find more information at intentionalleadersummit.com

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    24 min
  11. Your Team Doesn't Need a Perfect Boss. They Need a Human One | Kristin Miller

    Show notes

    What if the most powerful thing you could do as a leader has nothing to do with strategy, systems, or having all the answers?

    In this episode, I'm joined by Money Mindset and Life Alignment Coach Kristen Miller for a conversation that started in the comments of a LinkedIn post and was too good to leave there. This isn't a framework episode. There's no tidy checklist at the end. What there is is an honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversation about what it actually looks like to show up as a whole person in your leadership role -- and why that's exactly what your team needs from you.

    We talk about:

    Why sharing the behind the scenes of your life makes you a more credible leader, not less professional

    The leadership cringe confession -- what we both did early on that we'd never do now, and why talking about it matters

    The real cost of hiding your humanity from your team, even when you think you're protecting them

    The one question shift that gets you honest answers instead of defensiveness

    Your team doesn't need a perfect boss. They need a human one.

    Connect with Kristin Miller on Linkedin
    Follow Kristin's Substack: https://worthknowing25.substack.com

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    20 min
  12. When to Let Go: Leadership Lessons for Work, Habits, and Relationships | Jacob Brown

    Show notes

    At some point, we all find ourselves holding on to something we know isn't working.

    A habit. A relationship. A team member.

    And we have really good reasons for it. Fear, convenience, comparison, not wanting to rock the boat.

    But what if the cost of holding on is higher than the cost of letting go?

    In this episode, I sit down with Jacob Brown, author of Avocado Leadership and one of the speakers at this year's Intentional Leader Summit. We dig into a principle he calls slow to hire, quick to fire, and we take it way beyond the workplace.

    In this episode we talk about:

    Why leaders hold on to toxic team members longer than they should, and what it's actually costing them

    How the behavior you tolerate as a leader defines the culture you create

    The "I know, I'm not, I'm open" framework for having courageous conversations

    Why boundaries aren't rules you set for other people

    How to stop holding on out of fear, convenience, or sunk cost

    Connect with Jacob Brown:

    Avocado Leadership Book: https://failforwardbrown.com/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobaaronbrown/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialjakebrown/

    Intentional Leader Summit:

    Jacob is speaking this year. Grab your ticket: http://www.intentionalleadersummit.com

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    23 min
  13. How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome and Why You Might Not Want To

    Show notes

    Have you ever wondered if feeling like a fraud might actually be a sign you're doing something right? In this episode of You're the Boss, Now What?, host Desiree Petrich takes on one of the most common experiences in leadership, imposter syndrome, and reframes it completely.

    Imposter syndrome was first identified in 1978, and nearly 50 years later, it still shows up in every industry, every experience level, and every area of life. Whether you're a new manager questioning if your team respects you, a parent wondering if you're doing enough, or a leader eyeing your next promotion, the feeling that you're not as capable as others think you are is more universal than most people admit.

    In this episode, Desiree walks through seven questions that get to the root of what imposter syndrome actually is, where it comes from, and why eliminating it might not be the goal.

    Here's what she covers:

    Where imposter syndrome really comes from — and why comparison, societal expectations, and leadership intimidation all play a role

    The difference between humility and imposter syndrome, and why confusing the two keeps leaders stuck

    The rubber band theory of personal growth — and why the stretch is exactly where you want to be

    How to use comparison as a tool for leadership development instead of a trap that holds you back

    Why borrowing someone else's belief in you is one of the most underrated leadership skills available to new managers

    Whether we can ever fully overcome imposter syndrome — and what it says about you if you think you already have

    The difference between hiding your competence and desperately wanting others to see it — and why both come from the same place

    If you're a new manager trying to figure out what good leadership actually looks like, this episode is for you.

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    24 min
  14. Leadership Tips | Eat The Lemon

    Show notes

    You've heard it your whole life. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

    And most of the time? That's good advice.

    But in this week's tip, Desiree challenges the idea that you always have to find the positive spin — and introduces a concept that might give you the permission you didn't know you needed.

    Sometimes the most self-aware thing you can do is just eat the lemon.

    In this episode, you'll hear:

    Why forcing positivity can actually be a form of avoidance — and what that costs you as a leader

    The difference between reframing a hard situation and actually moving through it

    Why skipping the disappointment doesn't make it go away — it just shows up later

    What it looks like to feel the hard thing on purpose so you can move forward with honesty

    This one is short, personal, and hits differently if you've ever been in a season where the silver lining just wasn't what you needed.

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    6 min
  15. How to Give Feedback Without Crushing Someone’s Confidence

    Show notes

    Why does feedback feel so uncomfortable at work?

    Why do annual reviews often feel unhelpful?
    Why do employees get defensive?
    And why do leaders wait so long to address issues that by the time they finally say something, it feels overwhelming?

    In this episode, Desiree walks through real workplace scenarios involving feedback, accountability, leadership development, and communication in the workplace. From employees asking for growth feedback and receiving a giant list months later, to managers giving the same feedback year after year without follow-up, this conversation is all about creating a healthier feedback culture on your team.

    This episode is especially helpful for:

    • new managers
    • leaders trying to build trust
    • high performers who want to grow
    • anyone struggling with difficult conversations at work

    BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL LEARN:

    • Why feedback feels emotionally charged for both managers and employees
    • How to give feedback without damaging trust or confidence
    • Why soft skills and executive presence matter more than most leaders realize

    If this episode gave you a new perspective on leadership development, team management, or how to handle conflict at work, take a screenshot while listening and share it to your Instagram stories. Tag me @desireepetrich so I can hear your biggest takeaway.

    And if you know a manager who struggles with feedback conversations, send this episode their way.

    Apply for the next Intentional Leader Accelerator cohort

    IntentionalLeaderAccelerator.com

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    16 min
  16. Leadership Tips | Let Them Watch

    Show notes

    Your team is always watching, whether you realize it or not. In this leadership tip episode, Desiree shares why the habits you model at work and at home shape the culture, mindset, and confidence of the people around you.

    Show Notes:

    Your team doesn’t just listen to what you say.
    They watch what you do.

    As a manager or leader, it’s easy to tell your team to prioritize growth, set boundaries, or take care of themselves… while quietly ignoring those things yourself.

    But leadership development isn’t just taught through meetings and feedback.
    It’s modeled in the small moments people see every day.

    In this episode, Desiree shares a simple leadership principle that applies both at work and at home: let them watch.

    From reading leadership books with your office door open to modeling healthy habits and positive self-talk, this episode explores how leading by example shapes team culture, trust, and confidence over time.

    By the time you finish listening, you’ll learn:

    • Why your team pays more attention to your actions than your words
    • How modeling personal growth creates stronger team management and accountability
    • The small daily habits that quietly influence workplace culture and leadership development

    If you’ve ever wondered how to build trust as a manager or create a healthier team culture without forcing it, this episode will give you a simple place to start.

    When you finish listening, I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway from today’s episode. Take a screenshot while you’re listening, share it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @desireepetrich.

    And if this episode made you think about the example you’re setting as a leader, send it to another manager or team lead who needs to hear it too.

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    3 min
  17. How to Balance Accountability and Empathy as a Leader | Drew Moldenhauer

    Show notes

    What happens when you care deeply about your team… but they stop respecting your leadership?

    In this episode, Desiree is joined by Drew from the Iron and Empathy podcast for a conversation about one of the hardest parts of leadership: balancing accountability and empathy. Because if you lean too far one direction, your team feels micromanaged. Lean too far the other way, and expectations start slipping.

    If you’ve ever avoided a hard conversation, struggled with a difficult employee, or felt frustrated trying to hold people accountable without becoming “the bad guy,” this episode is for you.

    By the time you finish listening, you’ll learn:

    • How to hold employees accountable without damaging trust
    • Why psychological safety matters in team management and communication in the workplace
    • The signs that “being nice” may actually be hurting your team culture

    When you finish listening, I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway from today’s episode. Take a screenshot while listening, share it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @desireepetrich so I can cheer you on.

    While you’re there, make sure you’re following me for more leadership development content, new manager tips, and practical strategies to help you build stronger, more cohesive teams.

    Connect with Drew Moldenhauer on Linkedin
    Iron and Empathy Podcast

    Take the Working Genius Assessment

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    32 min
  18. Leadership Tips | Find the Tension Between Presence and Progress

    Show notes

    Last week we talked about not letting your intent diminish and how the longer we wait to do something we know we should do, the less likely we are to actually follow through.

    This week’s leadership tip is a little different.

    Have you ever found yourself rushing through a season of life, wishing time would speed up so you could finally get to the “good part”? Or maybe you’ve been so distracted by what’s next that you forgot to notice what’s right in front of you.

    In this short episode, Desiree shares two pieces of advice that seem to conflict with each other:
    be where your feet are planted… and look to the horizon.

    Through stories about childhood, growth, grief, walks down gravel roads, and the reminder to occasionally look up from the noise around us, this episode explores the tension between being fully present and still dreaming about what’s ahead.

    By the time you finish listening, you’ll discover:

    • Why different moments in life require different mindsets
    • How constantly focusing on “what’s next” can cause you to miss your current season
    • The importance of slowing down long enough to look up and see the bigger picture

    If this episode resonated with you, take a screenshot while listening, share it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @desireepetrich so I can hear your biggest takeaway.

    Looking for more leadership tips, leadership development conversations, and practical encouragement for managers and ambitious professionals? Make sure you follow the podcast and share this episode with someone who needs the reminder to slow down and be present today.

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    5 min
  19. Why It’s So Hard to Make Connections as an Adult at Work | Nichelle Lund

    Show notes

    Making connections as an adult feels harder than ever, especially at work.

    But the problem usually isn’t networking.
    It’s discomfort.
    It’s phones.
    It’s staying in our comfort zones.

    In this episode, Desiree sits down with Nichelle Lund to talk about communication in the workplace, workplace loneliness, and why relationship-building is one of the most overlooked leadership skills for managers and professionals today.

    They discuss awkward networking events, making people feel included, building trust at work, and simple ways to create more genuine connections without feeling fake or forced.

    BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL LEARN:

    • Why making connections as an adult feels so uncomfortable
    • How to build better work relationships and stronger workplace communication
    • Small ways leaders and managers can help people feel seen and included at work

    When you finish listening, I’d love to hear your biggest takeaway from today’s episode. Take a screenshot while listening, share it to your Instagram stories, and tag me @desireepetrich!

    While you’re there, make sure you follow me for more leadership development conversations, new manager tips, and practical leadership skills you can apply immediately at work.

    CONNECT WITH NICHELLE LUND:

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    21 min
  20. Leadership Tips | Don't Let Your Intent Diminish

    Show notes

    Have you ever thought, “I’ll do it later”… and then never did?

    You’re not lazy. You’re not unmotivated.
    You’re experiencing the law of diminishing intent.

    The longer you wait to do something you know you should do, the less likely you are to do it.

    It starts small.
    One delay. One excuse. One “I’ll get to it later.”

    Then your brain steps in to protect you.
    You justify it.
    You overthink it.
    You talk yourself out of it.

    And now the thing you knew you needed to do… doesn’t get done.

    This shows up everywhere in leadership:
    Avoiding a tough conversation
    Not giving feedback when it matters
    Waiting too long to delegate
    Delaying decisions that impact your team

    And here’s the problem…
    It doesn’t go away.

    It actually creates more stress, more guilt, and starts to chip away at your confidence.

    Because now you’re reinforcing a belief:
    “I don’t follow through.”

    If you’re a manager trying to build trust, improve team management, and grow in your leadership development, this matters more than you think.

    The fix isn’t complicated.
    You don’t need more time.
    You need less delay.

    By the time you finish listening, you’ll learn:

    • Why the law of diminishing intent keeps leaders stuck
    • How delaying action impacts your confidence and team trust
    • A simple way to stop procrastinating and follow through faster

    Sign up for Desiree's Weekly newsletter

    Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

    Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

    Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

    This podcast for managers is here to help you:

    • Grow your leadership development
    • Navigate team management with confidence
    • Learn how to handle conflict at work
    • Apply real, practical leadership tips

    If this episode helped you:

    Share it with anoth...

    5 min