How to Leave Past Mistakes Behind | That’s a Good Question

PROBLEM: How do I overcome past professional mistakes (i.e. getting fired, performing poorly due to personal issues) with former employers and companies who may now be potential partners or clients, now that I’m a business owner? Delaware is a small state and I have been avoiding events (i.e. networking events, workshops, meetings) when I know a former employer will be there who I have had issues with in the past.
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Everyone makes mistakes. But how do you transcend those mistakes and keep growing your career… even in a small business community, where everyone knows everyone? Today’s listener of That’s a Good Question is a business owner in a small state, and the former employers who didn’t get her at her best are now potential partners and clients. We’ll explore ways to help prove your progress and quash doubts about your ability. You’ll walk away with new tools for expressing confidence and humility, and for acknowledging the past while eagerly anticipating the future.

Lisa Hellmann

Lisa Hellmann

Lisa Hellmann is a global Human Resources leader with extensive experience building people strategies in fast-growing medical technology, biotechnology, and healthcare environments. Lisa has implemented worldwide people strategies throughout her career and capitalized on her cultural acumen across diverse workforces and geographies. From 2017 to 2023, Lisa led significant Human Resource advances for Hologic Inc., a global medical technology provider focused on women’s health and medical devices. She joined as Vice President, Human Resources, Diagnostics and Global Internal Communications (2017 – 2021), and then was promoted to Senior Vice President, Global Human Resources and Corporate Communications (2021 – 2023). Lisa is a devoted leader in community organizations (The California Conference for Women and the City Heights Preparatory High School) where she serves as a member of the Board of Directors.

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee is a communication and human nature expert, and an award-winning journalist. She is a professional speaker, and also the author of Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism—and How to Do It, Do Nothing, Heard Mentality, and We Need to Talk. In her twenty-year career in public radio, she has been the executive producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Radio, and anchored programs including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as cohost of the national morning news show The Takeaway from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Headlee’s TEDx talk sharing ten ways to have a better conversation has over twenty million total views to date. @CelesteHeadlee

Additional Resources

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  • In less than two weeks, we’re bringing a powerhouse speaker lineup to the Pennsylvania Convention Center: Martha Stewart, Dawn Staley, Barbara Corcoran, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Diana Nyad, Robin Arzón… and more! Get your tickets at PAConferenceforWomen.org.
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When Is It Time To Quit A Job That’s Not Helping You Grow? | That’s A Good Question

PROBLEM: I am grateful for my job and I am humbly proud to be a public service provider, but in my current role and at the end of the day, I am often left with feeling under-utilized and with my natural abilities and talents under-valued. After seven years and several productive conversations with management, my eagerness to do more and be more is not leveraged well. When is it time to put patience aside and leave the safe, secure “nest” behind? I feel that my wings are temporarily clipped, and I want to fly! Furthermore, I am not happy when I try to fake anything.

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A stable, secure job is something many of us spend our whole careers chasing. But, at the same time, stability can easily lead to stagnation. It’s easy to coast along in a job that feels like a given; but it’s hard to feel underutilized and underappreciated.

With the help of an expert’s personal experience on both sides of the negotiation table, you’ll learn how to be your own strongest advocate. We’ll explore strategies for how to talk to your manager about your goals, overcoming career slowdowns — and knowing when, exactly, it’s time to take flight.

Carmel Galvin

Carmel Galvin is the Chief People Officer at Klaviyo, the platform that powers smarter digital relationships, making it easy for businesses to capture, store, analyze, and predictively use their own data to drive measurable, high-value outcomes. She brings 20+ years of strategic HR leadership, consulting and executive experience in fast-growing global software and financial technology organizations. Prior to Klaviyo, Carmel was Chief People Officer at Stripe, a financial infrastructure platform for businesses, where she led the people function, overseeing all of Stripe’s talent strategy and HR programs. Previously, she held executive roles in human resources at Autodesk, Glassdoor and Advent Software. She serves as a Board Director at Openlane, on the Compensation and Governance Committees, where she supports the company’s global digital transformation as they move into a modern digital marketplace. Carmel earned an M.B.S. in Human Resources Management from University College Dublin and a B.A in Political Science & Business from Trinity College Dublin.

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee is a communication and human nature expert, and an award-winning journalist. She is a professional speaker, and also the author of Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism—and How to Do It, Do Nothing, Heard Mentality, and We Need to Talk. In her twenty-year career in public radio, she has been the executive producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Radio, and anchored programs including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as cohost of the national morning news show The Takeaway from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Headlee’s TEDx talk sharing ten ways to have a better conversation has over twenty million total views to date. @CelesteHeadlee

Additional Resources

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  • Check out the FREE Career Connections Program from the Conferences for Women for expert tips, connections, and career opportunities at companies that support women.

How to Be Taken Seriously | That’s a Good Question (Replay)

PROBLEM: How do I manage being a young woman in a director level role? I find that it can be challenging in getting folks to take me seriously. I run a department of three offices with multiple full-time staff and oversee a critical area of compliance. While I don’t want to completely change how I engage with others, or how I present myself, I’d like to know if there are things I can do differently to minimize this issue.

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Age bias impacts employees at all stages in their career — and research shows that it’s hitting young workers just as much as their older counterparts. Many younger employees find it challenging to get others to take them seriously.

Through active problem solving, practical advice and shared experiences, we will explore strategies to boost your presence, increase your influence, and communicate with confidence. Learn how to garner the respect you deserve while remaining your authentic self.

This episode originally aired in October 2023.

Susan Poser

Susan Poser

Susan Poser brings more than 25 years of experience in a variety of roles from marketing, finance, value selling, operations and program management. As VP of Culture & Engagement for Oracle’s North America Infrastructure Sales, Susan is responsible for developing and executing employee lifecycle programs including hiring and onboarding, to career growth and employee experiences, with the end result being attraction, retention and loyalty for the 5,000 person organization. Susan is an executive sponsor for Oracle Women Leaders in San Diego and Oracle Professional Asian Leaders, globally. In addition, Susan serves as the Board Chair for Athena, a non-profit business league focused on advancing one million women leading in STEM by 2030.

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee is a communication and human nature expert, and an award-winning journalist. She is a professional speaker, and also the author of Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism—and How to Do It, Do Nothing, Heard Mentality, and We Need to Talk. In her twenty-year career in public radio, she has been the executive producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Radio, and anchored programs including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as cohost of the national morning news show The Takeaway from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Headlee’s TEDx talk sharing ten ways to have a better conversation has over twenty million total views to date. @CelesteHeadlee

Additional Resources

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  • Now on sale! Registration is now open for all three of our three fall conferences in Austin (October 2), Philadelphia (November 7), and Boston (December 12). Listeners, save $25 on your ticket with discount code BELONG24!
  • Check out the FREE Career Connections Program from the Conferences for Women for expert tips, connections, and career opportunities at companies that support women.

Best of Women Amplified | Juggling Team Engagement & Balance | T.A.G.Q.

This episode originally aired in June of 2023. We’re closing out the year by highlighting the best episodes of 2023. We hope you’re enjoying some much-needed down time!

The Women Amplified listener featured in this episode of “That’s a Good Question” is leading a remote business unit with ambitious goals, a steep climb ahead, and limited resources.

She’s struggling with the tricky juggling act of keeping her team engaged — while avoiding the balance and burnout conundrum — and without compromising her hands-off leadership style.

Through active problem solving, practical advice and shared experiences, our host Celeste Headlee and guest expert Brooke Bass of Liberty Mutual team up to help. Our listener will gain actionable tips and strategies to identify the right priorities to focus on, work “smarter” but not “harder,” and ultimately create a balance that allows her team to shine with autonomy and freedom.

Are you struggling with an issue at work — or at home? Submit your question here and we’ll try our best to help on an upcoming episode of “That’s A Good Question!”

(more…)

How to Be Taken Seriously | That’s a Good Question

PROBLEM: How do I manage being a young woman in a director level role? I find that it can be challenging in getting folks to take me seriously. I run a department of three offices with multiple full-time staff and oversee a critical area of compliance. While I don’t want to completely change how I engage with others, or how I present myself, I’d like to know if there are things I can do differently to minimize this issue.

—–

Age bias impacts employees at all stages in their career — and research shows that it’s hitting young workers just as much as their older counterparts. Many younger employees find it challenging to get others to take them seriously.

Through active problem solving, practical advice and shared experiences, we will explore strategies to boost your presence, increase your influence, and communicate with confidence. Learn how to garner the respect you deserve while remaining your authentic self.

Susan Poser

Susan Poser

Susan Poser brings more than 25 years of experience in a variety of roles from marketing, finance, value selling, operations and program management. As VP of Culture & Engagement for Oracle’s North America Infrastructure Sales, Susan is responsible for developing and executing employee lifecycle programs including hiring and onboarding, to career growth and employee experiences, with the end result being attraction, retention and loyalty for the 5,000 person organization. Susan is an executive sponsor for Oracle Women Leaders in San Diego and Oracle Professional Asian Leaders, globally. In addition, Susan serves as the Board Chair for Athena, a non-profit business league focused on advancing one million women leading in STEM by 2030.

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee is a communication and human nature expert, and an award-winning journalist. She is a professional speaker, and also the author of Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism—and How to Do It, Do Nothing, Heard Mentality, and We Need to Talk. In her twenty-year career in public radio, she has been the executive producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Radio, and anchored programs including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as cohost of the national morning news show The Takeaway from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Headlee’s TEDx talk sharing ten ways to have a better conversation has over twenty million total views to date. @CelesteHeadlee

Additional Resources

Photo credit: iStock/ Ponomariova_Maria

Navigating a Job Search and Career Transition | That’s a Good Question

Over the last several years, professionals have reprioritized what’s important and taken a different approach to their careers. But the process to figure out what’s right and how to make a strategic move can be daunting.

In this episode of That’s a Good Question, we help our listener navigate the transition from entrepreneur into a corporate career. Joining us to help is guest expert Leena Shah, global program leader of global drug development at Bristol Myers Squibb. Through active problem solving, practical advice and shared experiences, we will explore strategies to best approach a job search, identify the right role and ways to best communicate your value.

Walk away with clarity and be empowered to regain control so you can take a strategic approach for making your next move.

(more…)

Workplace Dynamics & the Generational Divide | That’s a Good Question

THE PROBLEM:

“I am the director of a non-profit where a significant portion of staff represents a younger generation. Workplace dynamics have been challenging for me as a leader, trying to manage employees who are not well-equipped with coping and resiliency skills. Additionally, there is a gap in their ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and the stress that comes with busy times.

“This generation is great at setting boundaries and prioritizing their emotional well-being — which, to some extent, limits their reaching existing goals or setting stretch goals to grow the organization. While I come from a generation where hard work and long hours are par for the course, I do NOT place the same expectations on my staff and I am very cognizant of their needs and bandwidth. Over the last several years I have implemented improved compensation, benefits, and PTO. I am also very in tune to their commitment to social justice.

“Yet I basically live in constant fear that they are going to quit — because they are burned out, or offended by something said or done — and I will be back at square one. It is hard to reconcile the needs of the staff with the needs of the business and our big visions for growth. How do I manage these dynamics?”

THE SOLUTION:

Tune in to hear from our guest expert Rebecca Stone, senior vice president of customer solutions marketing and chief marketing officer of Cisco Meraki.

Together with Celeste, she’ll help our listener unpack some of what’s really going on, and find practical solutions — and perspective — that can help bridge the intergenerational management gap she’s facing.

(more…)

Juggling Team Engagement & Balance | That’s A Good Question

The Women Amplified listener featured in this episode of “That’s a Good Question” is leading a remote business unit with ambitious goals, a steep climb ahead, and limited resources.

She’s struggling with the tricky juggling act of keeping her team engaged — while avoiding the balance and burnout conundrum — and without compromising her hands-off leadership style.

Through active problem solving, practical advice and shared experiences, our host Celeste Headlee and guest expert Brooke Bass of Liberty Mutual team up to help. Our listener will gain actionable tips and strategies to identify the right priorities to focus on, work “smarter” but not “harder,” and ultimately create a balance that allows her team to shine with autonomy and freedom.

Are you struggling with an issue at work — or at home? Submit your question here and we’ll try our best to help on an upcoming episode of “That’s A Good Question!”

(more…)

Best of Women Amplified | How to Manage Your Boss | That’s a Good Question

We’re catching up on some rest this month, and we hope you are, too! We’ll be resurfacing some of our favorite recent episodes all month to provide an inspiring soundtrack to your R&R. We’ll be back with new speakers and new ideas in January!

People don’t leave companies, they leave managers. This means that your ability to develop a highly effective and respectful working relationship with your boss is key to your job satisfaction.

But what happens when your boss is a roadblock making it feel impossible to function and succeed as a team? In this episode of “That’s a Good Question,” our listener finally reached a tipping point after four years with a boss who struggles daily to manage the team, projects, emails, and meetings.

Through active problem solving, practical advice and shared experiences, we will offer tips and tricks for managing up, addressing personality differences that impact manager/staff relationships, and effective strategies for better working with your boss.

(more…)

Defeated and the Center of Workplace Gossip | That’s a Good Question

It is hard not to disconnect or hide your frustration when your co-worker lands the promotion you’ve been working towards — especially when you receive rave performance reviews and have gone above and beyond for years.

As if that isn’t hard enough, what happens when the team notices and all of a sudden you are the center of gossip?

Our listener featured in this episode of That’s a Good Question is managing emotions of defeat and disappointment, along with feeling unsupported as the team outcast. Through active problem solving, practical advice and shared experiences, we will offer communication and advocacy strategies to help our listener repair workplace relationships and better navigate the complexities of team dynamics and a toxic culture.

 

(more…)