Brave

Tammy Dunnett

Brave is a podcast about the moments that shape us. The conversations we avoid. The choices that define us. The courage it takes to become more fully ourselves. Each episode explores what happens when who you are becomes more important than what you're afraid of. Sometimes that conversation is with an expert who helps people navigate life's hardest moments. Sometimes it's with someone who has lived through a defining experience and discovered something worth sharing. Every guest brings wisdom, hope, and practical insight that helps listeners find courage in their own lives. If your work, your story, or your perspective helps people become a little braver, I'd love to hear from you.

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  1. 3日前

    E12 When “No” Isn’t the End: The Brave Conversation That Changed Everything

    What happens when you’re told “no” and it feels like the choice has been taken away from you? In this episode of BRAVE, Tammy Dunnett talks with Jason Alderson about rejection, fear, self-advocacy, and the power of having a brave conversation when you could simply walk away. Jason had already spent years educating members of the Canadian Armed Forces about mental health when he applied to become a Mental Health First Aid instructor. He was confident he was a good fit. Then came the rejection: he wasn’t accepted. For a couple of days, Jason grieved what felt like a future that had suddenly disappeared. But eventually, he made a choice: he wasn’t finished. Instead of accepting the rejection as the end of the road, Jason reached back out. He respectfully challenged the decision, advocated for himself, and opened a conversation that revealed something he hadn’t expected. The problem wasn’t that he was a soldier. He simply hadn’t gone deeply enough in his application. That brave conversation changed everything. Jason shares what he learned about standing up for yourself, navigating rejection, finding your voice, making courageous choices, and refusing to let fear make the decision for you. Together, Tammy and Jason explore: Why rejection can feel like a loss of choice and powerHow fear can convince us to do nothing while making it sound completely reasonableWhy fear can have a vote, but it doesn’t have to be the only voteThe courage it takes to advocate for yourselfHow a “no” can sometimes mean “not yet”Why taking a breath and becoming intentional can change what happens nextThe importance of looking inward before making a difficult choiceHow brave conversations can create opportunities we thought were already goneWhat it means to choose courage, even when you’re afraid of disappointment or failureHow our choices shape the path forward, even when we can’t control the circumstancesThis is a conversation about bravery, resilience, rejection, self-advocacy, leadership, mental health, courage, and the choices we make when life doesn’t go according to plan. And it leaves us with a question: Where in your life have you been acting as though the choice has already been made for you? Because maybe there’s still a choice there left unexplored. Maybe it’s yours to make. Find JasonLearn more about Jason Alderson and his work in mental health, leadership, resilience, and workplace speaking at jasonalderson.com. Find TammyLearn more about Tammy Dunnett and The Talk Shop’s work in communication, leadership, brave conversations, coaching, training, and keynotes at thetalkshop.ca. BRAVE is a podcast about the moments that shape us, the conversations we avoid, the choices that define us, and the courage it takes to become more fully ourselves. Because sometimes, one brave conversation can change everything.

  2. 7月15日

    E8 How Can I Say No To a Rigid Boss?

    When the most powerful person in the room orders you to violate your values, what do you do? In this episode of The Brave Rebellion, HR consultant Patrick Snook shares how he refused a president’s demand to fire an injured, traumatized employee labeled as “damaged goods.” We break down the legal, ethical, and deeply human sides of his decision, the risk to his career, and how brave moments at work can spark culture-changing ripple effects. Together we explore: How Patrick recognized the values conflict in real timeThe pressure of a rigid, powerful, status-driven leaderWhy he refused to fire her—and how fast that decision really wasThe legal, ethical, and moral dimensions HR professionals must holdWhat “human-centric” leadership looks like when the stakes are highThe career and reputational risks of saying no to a president or CEOThe ripple effects: respect from middle managers, allyship, and culture shiftsPractical advice for employees who don’t trust HR or feel aloneHow to build a support network and approach HR (or allies) as partnersWhy small, everyday “brave moments” can snowball into real organizational changeThis story is for you if: You’ve worked for a rigid, strict, or controlling bossYou’re in HR and feel torn between protecting people and protecting the companyYou’re a leader who wants to build a psychologically safe, trauma-informed workplaceYou’ve ever wondered if speaking up is worth the risk 👉 Key Themes: workplace bullying, toxic leadership, HR ethics, integrity, courage at work, psychological safety, trauma-informed leadership, conflict resolution. If Patrick’s story resonates, take a moment to reflect: Where are you being called to stand firm in your own leadership journey—and what might your next brave rebellion look like? 🔔 Subscribe to The Brave Rebellion for more real stories of leaders who choose integrity over comfort, even when the path isn’t easy. Connect with Patrick: https://patricksnoekconsulting.ca https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-snoek/ Connect with Tammy: Leadership & communication coaching | Workplace bullying & conflict resolution | Trauma-informed leadership & psychologically safe workplaces

  3. 7月7日

    E6: Am I A Fraud for Keeping This Secret?

    What if the story you’re hiding is the very thing that would make people trust you more? In this episode of The Brave Rebellion, leadership and communication skills trainer Tammy Dunnett shares a vulnerable story about being bullied by a professional peer and how it shook her confidence, self-worth, and identity as a communication expert. You’ll hear how keeping this experience a secret led to: Questioning her credibility as a teacher and coach Silencing her own voice in difficult conversations Withdrawing from content creation, email, and leadership work Living small and shrinking her presence, despite years of success helping others Tammy breaks down key lessons in communication skills, self-leadership, and psychological safety, including: * Why people don’t actually perfection from their leaders or teachers * How shame and self-judgment quietly erode your confidence and communication * The power of sharing your story to build trust, authenticity, and connection * Why you can’t always “fix” a true bully—and how to self-soothe and protect your self-worth Tammy leaves you with a powerful reflection question: What part of your story are you still hiding because you think it makes you look less capable, less credible, or less worthy—and has keeping it quiet truly protected you, or has it been costing you your voice? If you’re a leader, educator, coach, healthcare professional, or high-achiever who teaches others about communication and conflict but secretly doubts your own worth when you falter, this episode will help you: Reclaim your voice and authority Integrate your story into your leadership and teaching Take the next step toward brave, trauma-informed communication Stay in the brave. Stay in the conversation. Keywords / Topics Covered: communication skills, leadership communication, self-worth, confidence, imposter syndrome, workplace bullying, difficult conversations, psychological safety, trauma-informed leadership, authenticity, storytelling, brave conversations, professional credibility, teacher and coach mindset Visit thetalkshop.ca now and start your journey towards a brighter, more fulfilling professional life. Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn and TikTok for even more inspiration! 💪✨

  4. 5月25日

    Increase Your Conversational Success with The Brave Model

    In this episode of The Brave Rebellion, Tammy Dunnett, leadership and communication coach, introduces the BRAVE Model for difficult conversations. Instead of obsessing over “the right words,” Tammy shows why what truly matters is the intention driving your words. Drawing from her early experience confronting a verbally abusive physician, she breaks down how BRAVE helps you pause, ground in your values, and step into hard conversations in ways that protect relationships and honor your integrity. You’ll learn why stats claiming that “70–75% of leaders are bullies” are misleading, how one well-held conversation can resolve most conflicts, and how to tell the difference between a bully and bully‑like behavior—then respond from courage instead of reactivity. What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeWhy difficult conversations are not about perfect wordingHow intention, not scripts, predicts success or failureTammy’s story of confronting a verbally abusive physician and what it taught herWhy leadership “bully” statistics are often inflated and misleadingThe difference between a true bully and someone acting in a bully-like wayWhy one brave conversation often resolves conflict (Tammy’s 90% experience stat)How to stop waiting for others to change and step into your own powerThe BRAVE Model FrameworkB – Breathe & Be Intentional Pause and regulate your nervous system so you’re not in fight/flight.Go seven layers deep on your intention: keep asking, “What’s important about that?” until you hit the real value (e.g., trust, collaboration, respect).R – Root Your Path Plan your approach from your true intention, not from reactivity.Decide: Do I need a conversation, or can I truly “pause and release”?A – Advance (and Arena) Take action instead of staying stuck in planning.Invite the other person to a conversation and name the arena:“We had that experience in our staff meeting, and I’d like to talk with you about it. Do you have time at 3?” V – Voice It With Courage Step into the conversation and speak your intention, experience, and impact.Use scripts as scaffolding, but stay aligned with your values, not perfection.E – Evaluate Afterward, ask: What worked? What didn’t? What would I do differently next time?Use each conversation as data to refine your courage and skill.Bully vs. Bully‑Like BehaviorBully-like behavior:Someone is stressed, reactive, or unaware of their impact.Harmful, but often unintentional and highly changeable with one clear conversation.True bully:Intends to harm, isolate, or degrade.Less likely to change through conversation alone—but you only find out by trying.Tammy explains why she trusts her experiential data: in her work, when people stay in the arena and use BRAVE, conflicts are resolved in one conversation roughly 85–90% of the time—especially with bully-like behavior.

  5. 5月25日

    Brave Rebellion Podcast E2: The Good Doctor?

    The Good Doctor? How I Confronted My Boss and Ended Workplace Bullying: The Brave Rebellion Story What if the conversation you’re avoiding is the key to changing your life at work? In this episode of The Brave Rebellion, Tammy Dunnett leadership coach, communication skills trainer, and host shares a raw, behind‑the‑scenes story from her early career as a medical transcriptionist. After being publicly berated by her boss, Tammy had a choice: stay silent, walk away, or step into a brave conversation that could cost her job… or transform her future. You’ll hear how: Childhood experiences with conflict, alcohol misuse, and verbal abuse shaped Tammy’s early responses to confrontationShe initially froze and fled after being humiliated at workA night of reflection led her to a third option: returning to work and clearly setting a boundaryShe planned the conversation in detail—what to say, where to stand, when to speak, and how to manage her nervesSpeaking up firmly and clearly earned her boss’s respect, ended the bullying, and changed how she saw herself as a leaderThis moment became the foundation for the BRAVE model she now teaches to help others face hard workplace conversations This episode is for you if you’ve ever: Felt intimidated by a manager or leaderWatched colleagues be mistreated and stayed silentWorried that speaking up would mean losing your jobWanted to protect your values, integrity, and self‑respect at work Stay tuned for the next episode, where Tammy breaks down the step‑by‑step BRAVE framework so you can plan your own difficult conversation with more clarity and courage. Work with Tammy & The Talk ShopThis episode is brought to you by The Talk Shop, where we help individuals and organizations: Resolve conflict and navigate hard conversationsAddress and end workplace bullyingBuild cultures where people feel safe, seen, and supported at work👉 Learn more: https://thetalkshop.ca

關於

Brave is a podcast about the moments that shape us. The conversations we avoid. The choices that define us. The courage it takes to become more fully ourselves. Each episode explores what happens when who you are becomes more important than what you're afraid of. Sometimes that conversation is with an expert who helps people navigate life's hardest moments. Sometimes it's with someone who has lived through a defining experience and discovered something worth sharing. Every guest brings wisdom, hope, and practical insight that helps listeners find courage in their own lives. If your work, your story, or your perspective helps people become a little braver, I'd love to hear from you.