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How to Make the Leap from Individual Contributor to Executive, with Dr. Mehul Mankad

Season 11 · Episode 133

Tuesday, May 19, 2026 • Duration 54:09

What does it take to move from individual contributor to C-Suite and from the public to the private sector? This conversation reveals the hidden mistakes that keep smart people stuck and the mindset leaps required to succeed.

In this powerful episode, Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with forensic psychiatrist and CMO, Dr. Mehul Mankad, to explore the real journey from being a high-performing technical expert to becoming an effective executive leader. It dives deep into the mindset shifts required to move from simply doing the work to leading others, including how to handle responsibility, prioritize what truly matters, and influence decisions at a higher level. You’ll also learn the stark differences between working in structured environments and stepping into fast-paced startup roles where there’s no safety net and accountability is entirely on you. More importantly, this discussion highlights why continuous learning and adaptability matter far more than collecting degrees, and how understanding people, systems, and decision-making can redefine your career path. Whether you’re aiming for leadership, considering a career shift, or feeling stuck despite working hard, this episode offers insights that can completely change how you approach growth and success.

Ready to stop over-doing and start leading? Subscribe to The Hard Skills for weekly strategies on clinical and corporate high performance.

Referenced Episodes and Links:

The Science and Future of Great Coaching, with BetterUp’s Chief Coaching Officer, Dr. Woodward: https://youtu.be/3X3xs_B6L4M?si=bhzJVgSF2sJx8Xt6

How to Build a Career That Actually Serves Your Life, with Dr. Sharon Hull: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Wdfa3axn0TI

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmankad/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/psychiatry-and-law-podcast/id1352806975

https://www.novumhealth.com/

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?

We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!

Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe

Work with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancu

Learn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.com

Get practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/books

Add this podcast to your feed: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/

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Why Leaders need to lead with both empathy and courage in 2026, with Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham

Season 11 · Episode 132

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 • Duration 45:24

Leaders want high-trust teams, but their daily actions might be actively destroying them. Most leaders believe they’re building trust and leading the right way, but their teams quietly experience the opposite. Are you experiencing an intention-action gap in creating the workplace culture you want?

In this episode of The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with lawyer-turned-leadership expert Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham, who breaks down one of the most overlooked problems in modern leadership: the intention–action gap, where leaders genuinely want to create inclusive, high-trust workplaces, but their actions fail to match those intentions. Drawing from her background in law, Valerie explains why relying on rules, compliance, or legal frameworks alone can actually damage workplace culture. She shares how leaders unknowingly break trust, why fast-paced environments amplify bias, and how companies often solve the wrong problems entirely. You’ll also learn about her company’s 8 Leadership Principles, why empathy and courage are often misunderstood, and how “hidden strengths” can reshape how leaders grow. If you’re a manager, entrepreneur, or team leader trying to build trust and engagement in your organization, this episode gives you a practical, science-backed framework to close the gap between intention and impact.

Learn more about Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriezolezziwyndham

https://promotinggoodllc.com/

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?

We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!

Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe

How Courageous Followership Creates Better Leaders And Governments, with Ira Chaleff

Season 11 · Episode 131

Tuesday, May 5, 2026 • Duration 54:10

Most people think being a "good follower" means staying silent and obeying. In reality, your silence might be the very thing destroying your organization from the inside out.

In this episode of The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira Brancu speaks with leadership expert and author Ira Chaleff about the concept of courageous followership and why leadership success depends not only on strong leaders but also on followers who are willing to speak up. They explore how followers can influence leaders, the four styles of followership, and the balance between supporting leadership and constructively challenging decisions when necessary. Ira also explains the idea of intelligent disobedience and how individuals can develop the courage and critical thinking needed to question authority when actions conflict with shared values or organizational goals. This episode offers practical insights on navigating power dynamics at work, building healthier leader–follower relationships, and using your voice responsibly to strengthen teams and organizations. Whether you're navigating a corporate hierarchy or dealing with a toxic political environment, this conversation provides a roadmap for leveraging your influence, setting boundaries, and ensuring your voice is heard. Learn how to break the "freeze" response and use critical thinking to protect your career and your values.

If you want to master the "hard skills" of leadership and followership, hit the subscribe button and join our community of growth-minded professionals!

Find Ira Chaleff at: www.irachaleffauthor.com

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?

We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!

Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe

Stop Telling Your Team to Move On (You're Making It Worse) (The Three-Part Workplace Grief Series)

Season 11 · Episode 130

Tuesday, April 28, 2026 • Duration 37:20

Your team isn't resistant to change. They're grieving, and most leadership training never names it. That's why every "move on" conversation backfires and every engagement initiative fails.

In this three-part compilation of The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira Brancu walks through what ambiguous workplace grief actually is, why restructures and layoffs create real loss that looks nothing like typical grief or depression, and how leaders keep mislabeling it as disengagement, low morale, or quiet quitting.

Part one shows you how to spot the difference between grief, burnout, change resistance, and institutional betrayal. Part two breaks down the three well-meaning leader responses that make everything worse (the minimizer, the false optimist, and the conflict avoider) and why even great change management fails without a grief-informed leadership framework. Part three gives you the exact framework, including specific language you can use with your team after layoffs, a merger, or a reorg.

If you lead people through organizational change, this is the episode that will change how you show up.

Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, burnout, and mental health at work.

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?

We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!

Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe

Work with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation

Connect with me on LinkedIn:

EXECUTIVE COACH EXPLAINS: How Humor Makes You a Better Leader, with Dr. Paul Damiano

Season 11 · Episode 129

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 • Duration 57:45

Most leaders know they should be more approachable and develop trust, but nobody tells you that humor might be the fastest way to get there.

In this episode, Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with Dr. Paul Damiano, executive coach and creator of "Funny Business," a methodology using cartoons and humor to deepen awareness in leaders worldwide, to talk about something most leadership conversations skip entirely: how humor actually works as a leadership tool. Not stand-up comedy, not being the funny person in the room, but using levity and perspective to build trust, disarm tension, and get to the truth faster.

Paul shares how he uses cartoons as a projective coaching technique with executives to surface what is really going on beneath the surface, and Mira goes through the exercise herself on camera to demonstrate the practice. What you see is a leader who is deeply self-aware, using a simple tool to sharpen that awareness even further.

Whether you lead a small team or a room of 100, Paul makes a compelling case that humor is not just a nice-to-have. It is one of the most underused and disproportionately powerful tools a leader can develop.

Subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, mental health, and the real skills that make great leaders.

Learn more about Dr. Paul Damiano at:

www.creategoodworks.com

www.linkedin.com/in/pauldamiano

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?

We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!

Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe

Using Humor as a Powerful Resiliency and Connection Tool, with Dr. Daniel Cruz Lattimore

Season 11 · Episode 128

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 • Duration 39:29

Is workplace tension draining your team's energy? Discover how a well-timed humorous comment might resolve issues faster than another difficult conversation. And when it doesn’t.

In this powerful episode of The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with experiential consultant, psychologist, and self-proclaimed “comedic philosopher,” Dr. Daniel Cruz Lattimore to unpack a critical, overlooked leadership tool. Humor isn't just about getting laughs; it's a strategic driver of psychological safety and team resilience. You'll learn when humor is misused and acts as cloaked bullying and damages trust, how to properly read your organization's unwritten cultural rules before attempting a joke, and why the improv concept of "yes, and" builds unstoppable, supportive teams. Whether you are dealing with heavy change management or simply want a low-risk way to spark genuine connection in your daily huddles, this episode proves that sometimes the heaviest work requires a lighter touch.

Subscribe to The Hard Skills podcast to master authentic leadership and transform your workplace culture today!

Find Dr. Lattimore here:

https://www.instagram.com/omiyoconsultingllc

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellattimore/

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?

We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!

Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe

Work with me one-on-one:

5 Steps to Stop Feeling Like You're “Never Enough" (Lead with Agency Part 3)

Season 10 · Episode 127

Tuesday, April 7, 2026 • Duration 12:42

Tired of over-proving yourself and still feeling like it’s "never enough"? It’s time to stop reacting and start leading with a 5-stage strategic framework that actually sticks.

In this final part of the "Leading with Agency" series, Dr. Mira Brancu deconstructs the "Cycle of Never Enough", a reactive pattern driven by the fear of losing standing or being "found out." She introduces the Strategic Leadership Pathway, a five-stage developmental journey designed to move leaders from uncertainty to high-impact influence. You will learn how to build a contextual identity, map specific strategies for your unique environment, and navigate organizational complexity without sacrificing your self-worth. Whether you are in STEM, Healthcare, or Higher Ed, this episode provides the hard skills needed to thrive in disrupted fields.

Ready to break the cycle? Subscribe for more "Hard Skills" and join the upcoming Leadership Accelerator starting April 24, 2026.

Enroll in the Strategic Leadership Resiliency Fellowship: https://luma.com/auobmkby

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?

We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!

Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe

Work with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancu

Learn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.com

10 Leadership Habits Costing You Your Health (Lead with Agency Pt. 2)

Season 10 · Episode 126

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 • Duration 10:43

Most high achievers don’t fail because they’re lazy, they fail because they’re doing too much of the wrong things. Are your best leadership traits actually stress responses keeping you exhausted? It is time to break the cycle of "never enough" and stop sacrificing your health for success.

In this episode of The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira Brancu exposes the hidden behaviors that trap high performers in burnout, including over-pleasing, overachieving, perfectionism, and over-persisting. You’ll learn how these habits are often shaped by social conditioning, leadership expectations, and the pressure to constantly prove your worth. More importantly, you’ll start to see why these patterns feel like virtues even when they’re damaging your clarity, health, and long-term impact. If you’re a leader, entrepreneur, or someone striving for success but feeling stuck, this video will help you recognize the cycle and prepare you to break free from it.

If you want to stop overworking and start leading with true agency, hit that Subscribe button and join us for the journey!

Enroll in the Strategic Leadership Resiliency Fellowship: https://luma.com/auobmkby

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IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?

We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!

Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe

Work with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancu

Learn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.com

Get practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/books

Why 'Fixing Women' is the Biggest Lie in Leadership (Lead with Agency Pt. 1)

Season 10 · Episode 125

Tuesday, March 24, 2026 • Duration 10:08

If you’re always working harder but still feel like it’s never enough, this episode will hit hard. Here’s the hidden cycle that keeps high achievers stuck, burned out, and constantly doubting themselves.

In this episode of The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira Brancu explores the vicious cycle that keeps high achievers stuck in burnout, overworking, and self-doubt, using the powerful story of Elaine, a high-performing physician who proved her capability repeatedly yet was still overlooked and undervalued in her leadership role. This episode breaks down why driven professionals push themselves beyond their limits, how people-pleasing and perfectionism develop as coping mechanisms, and why external success never truly fills the internal need for validation. It also challenges the common belief that these struggles are personal weaknesses, revealing instead how workplace environments and systemic pressures play a major role in creating imposter syndrome, fear, and exhaustion. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right but still not getting the recognition or results you deserve, this conversation will help you rethink your approach to success, leadership, and self-worth.

Stop the cycle and start leading with agency. Enroll in my upcoming 5-week Strategic Leadership Resiliency Accelerator by March 30: https://luma.com/auobmkby

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?

We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!

Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe

Work with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation

The Science and Future of Great Coaching, with BetterUp’s Chief Coaching Officer, Dr. Woodward

Season 10 · Episode 124

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 • Duration 01:01:43

Great coaching goes far beyond simply listening. Whether you’re a leader trying to improve how you show up at work, or a coach or consultant looking to sharpen how you support others, this episode is designed for you.

If you moved into leadership because you were a top performer, this conversation might change how you see leadership forever. Here is the science-backed framework from BetterUp's Chief Coaching Officer on how to actually lead in the age of AI.

In this episode of The Hard Skills, Dr. Mira Brancu sits down with Dr. Woody Woodward, the Chief Coaching Officer at BetterUp, to unpack why so many leaders struggle after moving into leadership and how coaching actually drives real behavior change.

Dr. Woodward breaks down their proprietary "GUIDE" framework the 5-step system used to coach thousands of executives. You will learn why 72% of employees are "passengers" in the AI revolution , how to identify and avoid the "Vanity Coaches" who are scamming you , and the specific difference between therapy and executive coaching. The discussion also goes deeper into how AI and technology are reshaping coaching not by replacing human coaches, but by enhancing them and why leaders navigating constant disruption need more than advice: they need structured, science-backed support that helps them lead through others, not around them. If you want to humanize the work experience and drive actual results, this episode is your blueprint.

Stop guessing at leadership. Subscribe for more science-backed strategies to build your hard skills.

Find Dr. Woodward here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drwoody/

Learn about BetterUp here: https://www.betterup.com/

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?

We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!

The Hard Skills – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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Shared links between episodes and podcasts

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The Hard Skills – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other98

LinkedIn66

YouTube13

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

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Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other98

LinkedIn66

YouTube13