Change Is Hard

Audrey Blair
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You don’t need productivity hacks. You need a new way of thinking. Change is Hard explores what it really takes to evolve in your leadership, your career, and yourself. Hosted by executive coach Audrey Blair, this podcast goes beyond surface advice and dives into identity shifts, executive presence, confidence, power, effective communication, and the uncomfortable conversations real growth demands. Growth isn’t about knowing more. It’s about becoming more. Because Change Is Hard ... And you can do hard things.

  1. 6 days ago

    [EP 55] The Leadership Work You Keep Treating As "Extra Work"

    Many leaders divide their work into two categories: the “real work” and everything else that interrupts it. But strategic thinking, building relationships, developing others, attending leadership events, and investing in your own growth are not distractions from the job. They are the job. In this episode, Audrey explores why leaders often treat essential leadership responsibilities as extra work—and how that mindset creates double workloads, missed opportunities, and teams that remain overly dependent on them. She breaks down four types of work that leaders need to intentionally make space for: Thinking strategically Building relationships and influence Developing others Developing yourself You’ll also learn why visible, task-based work can feel more legitimate, how to evaluate what is missing from your calendar, and why your role is not only about completing today’s work. Your job is also to build the judgment, relationships, people, and personal capacity that tomorrow’s work will require. Follow for more insights: https://audreyblair.com

  2. 21 Jul

    [EP 54] The Leadership Signals You're Missing: A Conversation with Hanna Bauer

    In this episode, I’m joined by Hanna Bauer for a conversation about leadership, resilience, and what Lean Six Sigma can teach us about building healthier human systems. Hanna shares how her childhood experience with a serious heart condition shaped the way she thinks about signals, uncertainty, and resilience. From there, we explore how leaders can become more aware of the signals they may be missing before problems become crises. We talk about the difference between signal and noise, the hidden waste that shows up inside teams, and why overprocessing, rework, unclear priorities, and lost human potential are not just operational issues — they are leadership issues. This conversation is a reminder that process improvement is not about making people more mechanical. It is about creating systems that support people, reduce unnecessary friction, and make room for better decisions, stronger teams, and more sustainable growth. In this episode, we discuss: How leaders can identify the signals they may be missing Why uncertainty often pushes teams into reactive mode What Lean Six Sigma can teach us about leadership How overprocessing and rework drain time, energy, and trust Why lost human potential is one of the most costly forms of waste How to build resilience before crisis hits Why healthy systems should serve people, not replace them Change gets harder when we ignore the signals, tolerate the waste, and then act surprised when the system breaks. This episode invites leaders to pause, pay attention, and build systems that help people do their best work. Learn more about Hanna: Heartnomics Check out more episodes: https://www.audreyblair.com/podcast

  3. 14 Jul

    [EP 53] What Leaders Are Really Asking AI Right Now

    AI is no longer just a tool leaders are experimenting with. It is becoming a leadership challenge. In this episode, Audrey explores five of the biggest questions leaders are asking about AI right now: Are we moving fast enough?Where is the ROI?Who is accountable when AI gets it wrong?How do we prepare people without losing their trust?What does leadership look like when AI can do more of the work? The real challenge is not simply learning how to use AI. It is deciding what should remain human, where judgment still matters, and what kind of leader this moment requires you to become. https://audreyblair.com

  4. 7 Jul

    [EP 52] AI Can Out-Know You: Here Are Skills It Can't Replace

    In this episode of Change Is Hard, Audrey continues the conversation about why knowledge alone is no longer enough — especially in an AI-supported world. AI can summarize, generate, analyze, and help us move faster. But it cannot replace the human skills leaders need most: discernment, judgment under uncertainty, self-regulation, meaning-making, connection, creativity, taste, accountability, alignment, presence, and critical thinking. This episode is a wake-up call for anyone still relying on information as their primary currency. As AI changes how we work, the value shifts toward how we think, how we decide, how we connect, and how we show up. https://audreyblair.com

  5. 30 Jun

    [EP 51] The Right Now Role: A Conversation With Jennifer Doty

    In this episode, Audrey talks with Jennifer Doty about career identity, feeling stuck, job search beliefs, and the mindset shift behind what Jennifer calls the “right now role.” They explore why so many people tie their worth to a title, how fear can sabotage career decisions, and how to make the most of where you are without assuming you have to stay there forever. Jennifer also shares her own transition after nearly 20 years at MetLife, the beliefs she had to unlearn, and how she is now building a portfolio career with more freedom, purpose, and possibility. This conversation is for anyone navigating a career transition, questioning what comes next, or trying to separate who they are from what they do. Find Jennifer at https://jenniferdoty.com/ https://www.audreyblair.com

  6. 23 Jun

    [EP 50] Knowledge Is Not Power: You Don't Need More Information. You Need More Reps

    We’ve all heard the phrase, “knowledge is power.” But knowledge by itself is only potential power. In this episode, Audrey explores why more information isn’t always the answer — and how learning can sometimes become a way to avoid discomfort, uncertainty, or action. She breaks down the difference between knowledge gaps, skill gaps, confidence gaps, experience gaps, and avoidance gaps, and challenges listeners to ask a better question: What do I already know that I’m not applying? Because real power doesn’t come from collecting more information. It comes from practice, application, courage, and lived experience.

  7. 16 Jun

    [EP 49] Forget FOMO: Explore The Leadership Joy of Missing Out

    FOMO gets a lot of attention, but in leadership, it is not always about missing out on something fun. Sometimes FOMO looks like joining meetings you do not need to be in, staying copied on every thread, or keeping yourself close to decisions that no longer require your direct involvement. In this episode, Audrey explores how FOMO can quietly become a leadership trap. It often disguises itself as responsibility, commitment, or staying informed, but underneath it may be fear: fear of missing context, losing influence, not being represented, or becoming irrelevant. JOMO — the joy of missing out — offers a different way to lead. It is not about disengaging. It is about discernment. It is the freedom to know where your presence matters, where it does not, and where stepping back may actually create more ownership for others. JOMO is not checking out. It is choosing wisely. Sometimes the most powerful leadership move is not being in every room. It is knowing which rooms actually need you.

  8. 10 Jun

    [EP 48] Wake Up to Die Again: Conversation with Author Scott Lackey

    In this episode of Change Is Hard, I’m joined by Scott Lackey, author of Wake Up to Die Again: Breaking Who You Became So You Can Be Who You Were Meant to Be. We talk about the quiet but powerful impact of broken promises — especially the ones we make to ourselves. Scott shares how his own wake-up call led him to complete an Ironman, write his book, and begin rebuilding trust with himself one small commitment at a time. This conversation explores why change often begins internally before it shows up externally, and why becoming who you’re meant to be usually requires letting go of something you’ve been holding onto.

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About

You don’t need productivity hacks. You need a new way of thinking. Change is Hard explores what it really takes to evolve in your leadership, your career, and yourself. Hosted by executive coach Audrey Blair, this podcast goes beyond surface advice and dives into identity shifts, executive presence, confidence, power, effective communication, and the uncomfortable conversations real growth demands. Growth isn’t about knowing more. It’s about becoming more. Because Change Is Hard ... And you can do hard things.

Information

  • Creator
    Audrey Blair
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    55
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Audrey Blair
  • Show Website
    Change Is Hard