Leadership Tea

Shelby Smith-Wilson and Belinda Jackson Farrier
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  • EVERY TWO WEEKS

On Leadership Tea, we talk about what it takes to reach the executive level, and how to thrive when you get there. Powerful leaders share their journeys, insights, and triumphs in conversations with hosts Shelby Smith-Wilson and Belinda Jackson Farrier. Join us every other Wednesday to be inspired by the unvarnished stories of amazing executives who know what it's like to be "the only" at the table and who have succeeded regardless. They have proven leadership experience in their respective fields, from international affairs to the private sector to academia, and want to help others create their own success stories.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Culinary Diplomacy: Leadership, Relationships, and Soft Power with Jeremiah Knight

    What can the kitchen teach leaders about influence, trust, and soft power? In this episode, Shelby and Belinda are joined by Jeremiah Knight, Foreign Service Officer and author of Diplomat in the Kitchen, to explore leadership through the lens of culinary diplomacy. Jeremiah shares how food, storytelling, and hospitality can build trust across cultures and serve as a powerful form of soft power in professional environments. He also reflects on what it took to create Diplomat in the Kitchen over several years, including the importance of building the right team, accepting honest feedback, and pursuing a passion project strategically while maintaining a full-time career. This episode offers grounded leadership lessons on influence, discernment, resilience, and building relationships that last. Send us a comment! Everything Is Energy with Cathy HellerChange your energy, change your life.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Get your tickets here: https://www.stirringsuccess.com/recommit-a-halfday-retreat We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

    40 min

  2. 4 FEB

    Outrage Is Not Leadership: Judgment, Discernment, and When to Speak Up

    What does it really mean to stand for something as a leader right now? In this episode of The Leadership Tea Podcast, Shelby and Belinda discuss the growing pressure leaders face to speak out, and why outrage alone is not leadership. They explore how judgment, discernment, and timing play a critical role in deciding when to speak up, when to wait, and how to create lasting impact without grandstanding. Through thoughtful reflection and real-world examples, this conversation unpacks the difference between performative action and strategic leadership, the value of incremental change, and the importance of trust built over time. This episode is for leaders navigating polarized environments who want to lead with intention, credibility, and real influence. Send us a comment! Support the show Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Get your tickets here: https://www.stirringsuccess.com/recommit-a-halfday-retreat We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

    22 min

  3. 28 JAN

    Choosing Yourself at Work: Skill Security, Power & Leadership

    Cathy Duffy joins us to explore redefining power at work, building skill security, and choosing yourself as a leader in today’s evolving workplace. In the Season 5 premiere of The Leadership Tea Podcast, Cathy reflects on leadership from inside complex organizations, sharing hard-earned insights on compensation, identity beyond titles, and why job security is no longer enough. She challenges leaders to focus on skill security, generosity, and self-trust, especially in moments of transition or uncertainty. This conversation is a reminder that leadership unfolds in seasons, and that choosing yourself is not selfish, but essential to sustaining impact, clarity, and purpose at work. In this episode, we discuss: Skill security vs. job securityUnder-compensation and knowing your valueSeparating identity from titles and rolesRedefining power as flexibility and “power with”Why happiness is fleeting — and what to pursue insteadChoosing yourself without guilt at different life stagesSend us a comment! Everything Is Energy with Cathy HellerChange your energy, change your life.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Get your tickets here: https://www.stirringsuccess.com/recommit-a-halfday-retreat We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

    38 min

  4. 14 JAN

    How Senior Leaders Win Q1: 4 Strategic Moves for a Productive First Quarter (2026)

    Ready to start 2026 with clarity instead of chaos? Belinda & Shelby lay out a four-move blueprint to make your first quarter productive and sane: choose a small number of strategic bets, audit and activate your influence architecture, fix friction in your systems, and lead at the pace of judgment. Rather than sprinting into January, we unpack how deliberate choices, cleaner processes, and thoughtful outreach create momentum that compounds into Q2 and Q3. Our four tips shape a practical, leader-ready playbook for Q1. If this episode resonated, follow us, share it with a colleague who’s planning their quarter, and leave a review with your top Q1 move—what will you prioritize first? Send us a comment! Support the show Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Get your tickets here: https://www.stirringsuccess.com/recommit-a-halfday-retreat We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

    12 min

  5. 21/12/2025

    Before You Plan 2026, Reflect on This About 2025

    In this Leadership Tea Podcast episode, Belinda and Shelby take stock of 2025 with clear eyes, celebrate wins, acknowledge lows, and set 2026 on two pillars: abundance and audacity. We trade scarcity for flow, set targets for brave action, and commit to celebrating progress while we implement at full speed. Here are the highlights: • review of our 2025 focus words and what they produced • identity shift after career change and entrepreneurship growth • choosing abundance over scarcity as a mental model • audacity as the engine for implementation in 2026 • embracing no’s as data and momentum • dreaming bigger and designing a life with flexibility • visualizing New Year’s Eve 2026 as a scoreboard • practical prompts for listener reflection and planning Please like and subscribe, and head to our website to find different programs and tools that we have available to hopefully get you ready for 2026! Send us a comment! Support the show Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Get your tickets here: https://www.stirringsuccess.com/recommit-a-halfday-retreat We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

    23 min

  6. 14/12/2025

    What’s Really Breaking Women Leaders? A Conversation on Burnout & Broken Systems | S4 EP 20

    In this heartfelt conversation, Shelby and Belinda share their reactions to the 2025 Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey & LeanIn.org.  They highlight the deep fatigue and burnout women experience as they rise into senior leadership. They reflect on the emotional and logistical realities that the data doesn’t always capture:  – women reaching the top of the ladder only to find exhaustion waiting for them – the cultural pressure in the U.S. to “do it all” without asking for help – the double standard where men receive quiet support systems while women feel judged for needing them – the loneliness of leadership, especially for women of color – the guilt that comes with caregiving and boundary-setting – the absence of sponsorship and empathetic leadership in many workplaces Grounded in personal stories—from missing their children’s milestones to carving out time for family despite career demands—they illustrate how women are not less ambitious; they’re simply navigating systems designed without them in mind. The episode ends with a call for leaders everywhere to build cultures rooted in trust, compassion, humane expectations, and real support—because meaningful leadership is not about suffering in silence; it’s about helping others rise with you. Referenced in this episode: McKinsey & Company: “Women in the Workplace Report” https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/women-in-the-workplace Send us a comment! Support the show Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Get your tickets here: https://www.stirringsuccess.com/recommit-a-halfday-retreat We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

    23 min

  7. 10/12/2025

    Smart Money Moves for 2026: Tips to Manage Your Financial Health | S4 EP 19

    Shelby and Belinda are joined by two financial professionals from the State Department Federal Credit Union (SDFCU): Samia "Sam" Salmon (Vice President of Retail Business Development) and Josh Barrett (Manager for Overseas Operations). They share actionable, no-nonsense advice to help you get your financial house in order as we head into 2026. We discuss how to think through competing financial priorities like paying off debt vs. building an emergency fund or making decisions about 401k withdrawals. Our guests also stress the importance of communicating with your lenders during periods of reduced income, furloughs, or career pivots. Shelby and Belinda are both long-time customers of SDFCU. We encourage you to check out their services at https://www.sdfcu.org  In this episode: Why having good credit can be as important as having cash savingsShould you dip into your retirement accounts?The importance of asking your lenders about hardship relief optionsWhy reading the fine print of your loan paperwork could be a lifesaverWatch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ahkVrnEM4Eg Send us a comment! Everything Is Energy with Cathy HellerChange your energy, change your life.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify Support the show Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Get your tickets here: https://www.stirringsuccess.com/recommit-a-halfday-retreat We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

    31 min

  8. 07/12/2025

    How Successful Executives Reset on Sundays: Beat Anxiety & Start Strong | S4 EP18

    Belinda & Shelby break down the Sunday rituals that high-performing leaders use to reduce anxiety, set clear priorities, and start the week with confidence, not chaos. If you're a leader, executive, or high achiever who feels the Sunday pressure creeping in, this conversation is for you. What we cover: ✨ Why successful leaders avoid emails on Sundays ✨ How to set boundaries without guilt ✨ Sunday planning routines to calm your mind ✨ How to set clear expectations with your team & household ✨ What tasks should wait until Monday — and which shouldn’t ✨ Have clarity on weekly priorities > daily to-do lists or specific objectives  ✨ Simple rituals that make Mondays feel lighter Whether you grocery shop, meal prep, fold laundry, or journal to reset — your rituals matter. A peaceful Sunday leads to a powerful week. Send us a comment! Support the show Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Get your tickets here: https://www.stirringsuccess.com/recommit-a-halfday-retreat We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea for more inspiration and insights.

    20 min
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About

On Leadership Tea, we talk about what it takes to reach the executive level, and how to thrive when you get there. Powerful leaders share their journeys, insights, and triumphs in conversations with hosts Shelby Smith-Wilson and Belinda Jackson Farrier. Join us every other Wednesday to be inspired by the unvarnished stories of amazing executives who know what it's like to be "the only" at the table and who have succeeded regardless. They have proven leadership experience in their respective fields, from international affairs to the private sector to academia, and want to help others create their own success stories.

Information

  • Creator
    Shelby Smith-Wilson and Belinda Jackson Farrier
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    71
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Leadership Tea
  • Show Website
    Leadership Tea