Inspirational Leadership for People Managers, Executives & HR Leaders Kristen Harcourt

Are you ready to achieve your ambitious goals and elevate your leadership skills? How do you pursue your big gorgeous goals confidently and clearly and approach life with intention and joy? Achieving personal and professional growth as a female leader involves setting ambitious goals, pushing beyond your comfort zone, embracing creativity, and planning rest.
In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Julie Ellis about her unexpected transition into finance and eventually into the world of entrepreneurship. Julie is a professional speaker, author, and executive coach for corporate leaders and scaling entrepreneurs. She provides unique experience and expertise to her clients, which she gained through working in the corporate world and then as a leading Canadian entrepreneur. Julie co-founded award-winning Mabel’s Labels, one of Canada’s greatest small business success stories. She has developed keynotes and workshops for private companies, corporations, and associations, is the author of Big Gorgeous Goals: How Bold Women Achieve Great Things, and hosts the Figure 8 Podcast.
Listen in to learn how to improve your delegation processes with effective communication and setting clear expectations. You will also learn the importance of creating white space by intentionally clearing out the busywork to make room for dreaming and creativity.
Key Takeaways:
How to effectively delegate as a leader by getting clear on tasks, setting expectations, and communicating effectively.
The importance of pushing boundaries and stepping into the unknown to achieve big goals.
The power of creating white space in your schedule free from busywork and distractions to dream, reflect, and think creatively.
How to build support systems at work and home to relieve your burdens and free up time and energy for career goals.
Standout Quotes:
“So often you get to a point in your career where you’ve achieved that level because of the things you have individually done, but to go beyond that, you have to do the next round through other people, and that is a very different way of working than achieving your own personal success.”– Julie [10:03]
“If you’re constantly in autopilot and constantly doing it in action, there isn’t that space to allow you to tune in and to hear some of those bigger dreams and bigger insights.”– Kristen [23:49]
“We don’t have to grind it out all the time; if we can learn the right skills that will help us make it feel easier and with them, we can have more fun while we’re on the journey, then that’s what life is about.”– Julie [39:14]
⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastJulieEllis
𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟱-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲, 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗧𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗰

Did you attend the 2024 Workhuman Live conference? The conference was brimming with meaningful conversations and impactful sessions. It was also a whirlwind of insights, laughter, and profound moments.
In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I invite Angela Champ on the show to discuss our individual experiences at the Workhuman conference. Workhuman is committed to the intentional curation of sessions for deep dives into key issues without overwhelming attendees, creating space for genuine connections. It also fosters a community of like-hearted individuals dedicated to reshaping work into a place of purpose and value.
Listen in to learn the importance of understanding cultural differences in communication and leadership styles to encourage collaboration and prevent conflicts in diverse workplaces. You will also learn about AI governance, updating language to empower employees, the Queen Bee Syndrome, and more.
Key Takeaways:
The importance of understanding cultural differences in communication and leadership styles.
The value of in-person interactions for building community amidst a technology-dominated era.
The Queen Bee Syndrome, the scarcity mindset that causes it, and how women can thrive at work without competition.
The importance of governing the impact of AI decisions to prevent irreversible harm in the workplace.
How modern leadership emphasizes compassion, curiosity, and co-creation to support employee growth and well-being.
Standout Quotes:
“If you’re feeling dysregulated and exhausted, how are you going to have the mental energy to address AI and where it’s coming from? So, it’s important to start to look for ways to be regulated.”– Kristen [13:23]
“We, HR, are the ones to direct how people will use technology and not let technology dictate how it will use us.”– Angela [14:32]
“With this whole AI environment, what we need right now are not the knowers in the room; we need the learners in the room, we need people who are going to listen and be open and ask different questions.”– Kristen [17:03]
“The beauty of a conference like Workhuman or any conference or session you attend is that there’s no point in going if you’re not going to take something away and apply it to your work or life because otherwise, you’ve just gone for a good time.”– Angela [27:30]
⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/Workhuman2024
𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟱-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲, 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗧𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗲𝘆𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁: www.kristenharcourt.com

How do you foster diversity and inclusion to drive positive organizational change? Imagine a workplace where every voice is celebrated, and everyone feels a sense of belonging. In an empowered workplace, everyone can take ownership of their journey toward equity and inclusion and feel supported.
In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Viva Asmelash (she/her) about creating psychological safety in the workplace, plus the systemic change needed in organizations. Viva is a passionate workplace consultant and certified inclusion strategist specializing in forward-thinking employee engagement, equity-centered strategic planning, values-driven branding, and critical team conversations. Viva’s professional purpose is to create environments where people feel truly seen and are inspired to be their best and most authentic selves. As the co-founder of Liberation Labs, she proudly co-designed the first-of-its-kind Culturally-Aware Feedback Training™. She also co-authored the viral 2023 Harvard Business Review article, Creating Psychological Safety for Black Women at Your Company.
Listen in to learn the importance of understanding how individuals’ past experiences influence their behaviors and interactions at work. You will also learn the impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion work on everyone in your organization.
Key Takeaways:
The need for organizations to invest in culture-building for equitable workplaces.
The importance of shifting from individual actions to systemic changes to create psychological safety in the workplace.
The importance of manager training and development for creating inclusive leadership.
The role of HR departments in advocating for employees’ best interests within organizations.
The qualities of an inspiring leader include commitment to self-growth and developing others.
Standout Quotes:
“It’s understanding historical context and having an awareness around it, and unless you’re willing to do that, you shouldn’t be calling yourself a leader unless you’re willing to approach it with a sense of cultural humility.”– Viva [18:33]
“When you’re paying more attention to improving your policies with the most marginalized in mind, you inevitably make things better for everybody else at the same time.”– Viva [23:41]
⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/VivaAsmelash

What are your important goals, and are you willing to take the time to achieve them? Reaching your full potential requires an investment, but most of us are stuck in an instant gratification mindset. The truth is, it is through the process of working towards your goals that you feel meaning, purpose, and satisfaction.
In this solo episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, Kristen discusses how to identify what’s important to you and take the necessary action steps to achieve those goals. She explains the importance of understanding that big goals take time, persistence, commitment, and dedication, not solely focusing on instant gratification.
Listen in to learn how to stop self-sabotaging by allowing self-limiting beliefs to take over when good things happen, plus how to overcome the upper limit problem.
Key Takeaways:
How the process of working towards your goals gives you meaning, purpose, and satisfaction.
How to identify what’s important to the lifestyle you want to create and stop limiting yourself in terms of what’s possible.
How to change old patterns of self-sabotage by lasting longer in the uncomfortable to develop new patterns.
How to take small steps towards achieving your goals and becoming who you want to be.
Standout Quotes:
“Success comes from a lot of consistent hard work, focus, and commitment that a lot of times is happening in the background.”– Kristen [00:56]
“If you can get really clear about what those dreams are and start to challenge yourself, you’ll realize how often your mind and thoughts can hold you back from achieving amazing things you never thought possible.”– Kristen [03:44]
⇢ Let's connect! I love hearing from my community. Learn more about my programs and services at www.kristenharcourt.com

Are you aware that your leadership style is rooted in your past traumatic experiences? Many leaders are operating from a place of distracting themselves from experiencing the full spectrum of human emotions. But to become a more centered, rooted, grounded, and well-resourced leader, you must do the work needed to heal your trauma experiences.
In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Kelly L. Campbell (they/she) about healing traumatic experiences to become a better leader. Kelly speaks and writes about trauma, leadership, and consciousness— “The New TLC.” The author of Heal to Lead (Wiley, April 2024), Kelly, is a Trauma-Informed Leadership Coach to emerging and established leaders who know they are meant for more. Kelly’s vision is to empower more than half of humanity to heal its childhood trauma so that we may reimagine and rebuild the world together.
Listen in to learn the importance of curiosity and exploring different practices to help you find what works to heal and integrate your trauma. You will also learn how, as a leader or organization, you can support your team by doing things that positively impact their health.
Key Takeaways:
How addressing and healing your past traumatic experiences can lead to conscious leadership.
The importance of experimenting with different practices to find what works for you to integrate your trauma.
How to do the healing work to become a centered, rooted, grounded, and well-resourced leader.
How to support your team in ways that will impact their emotional, physical, mental, and psychological health.
Standout Quotes:
“The more centered, more grounded, and the more resourced we are, we can show up in a way that might influence the people who haven’t done healing work.”– Kelly [19:22]
“When it comes to healing and integrating trauma, you don’t know what’s going to work for you until you try it.”– Kelly [25:23]
⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/KellyLCampbell
 

Are you ready to let go of the drama and restore sanity in the workplace? Drama in the workplace is a time and emotional waste, but with tools like self-reflection and accountability, it can be eliminated.
In this episode of the Inspirational Leadership podcast, I speak with Cy Wakeman about how the ego works, embracing self-reflection, and diffusing drama in organizations. Cy is a drama researcher, New York Times best-selling author, and 2023 World’s #1 Leadership Guru who is recognized for her Reality-Based approach to leadership. Backed by over 25 years of unparalleled experience partnering with top brands spanning all industries, Cy’s philosophy offers a modern approach to leadership in which employees and managers alike can deliver better results with less drama, higher engagement without entitlement, and more happiness in even the most challenging workplace realities. Cy’s avid fanbase online has surpassed 250,000 followers.
Listen in to learn about drama in the workplace, the five sources of drama, and how to clear up drama in an organization. You will also learn the difference between self-reflection and venting and how to evolve and give opportunities for self-reflection.
Key Takeaways:
The importance of questioning your thoughts to stop your ego from controlling your life.
How to clear up drama in an organization by getting out of verbal communication and self-reflecting.
How to get into a place of neutrality by naming whatever comes your way as an unpreferred reality and changing the story.
The importance of understanding and articulating your needs as a leader to avoid working on the wrong thing.
The power of doing profound inner work to be able to lead with love and be a great leader and or team member.
Standout Quotes:
“Surrendering is as simple as naming whatever came your way as neutrally as possible as an unpreferred reality.”– Cy Wakeman [24:30]
“I am convinced that very little needs to change in my world for my world to change; all of what needs to change is my thinking.”– Cy Wakeman [29:08]
“It takes a lot of evolution to move through the world lovingly because you can’t move through the world lovingly if you haven’t done your inner work.”– Cy Wakeman [42:37]
⇢ Get full show notes and more information here: https://bit.ly/PodcastCyWakeman