The KTS Success Factor® (a Podcast for Women‪)‬ Sarah E. Brown, Ph.D.

We may find comfort in being experts in our fields, but what does it take to grow more and become a spanning leader?
Dr. Wanda T. Wallace is a managing partner of Leadership Forum. She coaches, facilitates, and speaks on improving leadership through better conversations. She hosts the weekly radio show and podcast “Out of the Comfort Zone” and is the author of You Can’t Know It All: Leading in the Age of Deep Expertise.
In this episode, Wanda shares the difference between E-Leadership from S-Leadership. She also talks about how you can influence more people by adding more value to your workplace by growing into an S-Leader.
 
What you will learn from this episode: 
Understand what are the three differences between being an E-Leader and an S-Leader Find out how can you discover your value and be confident about bringing it to the workplace Learn what the three powerful and life-changing core questions you should ask yourself are  
"As an expert leader, I can do the work of anybody on my team. That means I can double-check the work. As a spanning leader, I cannot do the work of my team. I do have to trust them to do the job."
- Wanda T. Wallace
 
Topics Covered:
01:24 - Wanda shares what she does and how she helps her clients
02:23 - What is the difference between E-Leaders and S-Leaders
04:50 - What are the differences in competency or skills between the two roles, the E-Leadership, and the S-Leaderships
06:41 - Wanda talks about what you can do to become a Spanning Leader if you are more of an Expert Leader
08:06 - What can you do to externally validate the value you intend to add to your work
10:25 - How can you be confident about the value that you are adding to your work and team
11:39 - Why is it often hard for women to transition from E-Leadership to S-Leadership
12:39 - Wanda shares the importance of learning how to delegate work instead of ditching and deserting
13:58 - How can you influence change in your workplace by persuading your senior-most leaders?
15:47 - What can companies do to ease that leadership transition for women
17:29 - What are the three powerful core questions you should ask yourself
18:27 - Q: How do you work through the nervousness, the anxiety, and the fears that are there? A: One is to start to recognize the emotion that you're feeling. Name that emotion. Write about that emotion.
 
Key Takeaways: 
“As a Spanning Leader, I cannot do the work of my team. I do have to trust them to do the job.” - Wanda Wallace
“Understanding that value is the number one thing that you've got to do.” - Wanda Wallace
“If you have aspirations to step at a higher level, have a bigger impact, then you have to learn to let somebody else step into the expertise spot, and you do a bit more of the spanning spot.” - Wanda Wallace
“You've got to learn to delegate. You have to learn to focus on what really matters. Where's the high-value, high-impact work that I'm going to do? I'm not going to let that flail or go off the rails.” - Wanda Wallace
“Anybody can learn it. It's not a matter of being promoted past your level of competence. It's a matter of being promoted past your level of expertise, and now needing different leadership skills.” - Wanda Wallace
“When you move out of your comfort zone, if you are a normal adult, you will have a sense of imposter syndrome. You're doing something you haven't yet mastered. You're going to feel very nervous about that. That nervous energy is normal. So stop feeling like there's something wrong with you. It's normal! It's a growth step.” - Wanda Wallace
“Planning helps get the brain into proactive performed frontal cortex activity. Taking a deep breath, and calming down the nervous system is another way, and focusing again on how you add value lets you bring that confidence back into play.” - Wanda Wallace
 
Ways to Connect with Wanda T. Wallace:
Email: wanda.wallace@leadership-forum.com Book: https://www.amaz

Everyone is different. Someone may work differently than you, and that’s okay!
Being a great leader isn’t just about leading in the workplace, it’s also about making a safe environment for everyone, even those who are neurodivergent and work differently than the rest.
Laura Matteson is a visual translator who helps intuitive leaders take complex or mysterious ideas and organize them into understandable visuals to help them boldly take their next steps forward. She loves helping other neurodivergent humans think and communicate in their own way so they can make an impact in their world.
In this episode, Laura talks about neurodivergence and how you can spot it in your workplace. She also shares some tips on what you can do to make your workplace a safe place for everyone, even those with neurodivergence so that you can maximize everyone’s potential.
 
What you will learn from this episode: 
Find out what is neurodivergence and how does it look like in the workplace Learn more about the power of communicating and speaking out in the workplace Understand what are the different changes you can adapt in your workplace that can help neurodivergent people  
“Instead of saying that your neurotype is damaged and disordered, it [neuro-divergence] is saying that your neurotype is divergent from the norm, or what's expected.”
- Laura Matteson
 
Topics Covered:
01:21 - Laura shares about her business and who she helps
02:55 - What does neurodivergence mean?
04:29 - How can a neurodivergent do time management differently?
07:24 - Laura talks about her neurodivergent clients when it comes to handling neurodivergence
09:14 - How can you recognize neurodivergence in people?
12:47 - Can observing help you see if someone is neurodivergent?
13:47 - Laura shares how can you approach and communicate with a neurodivergent as a business leader
18:33 - What are the mistakes people typically make when working with neurodivergent people?
22:37 - Laura’s parting powerful tip: I use the analogy of labels on clothing. So we don't use labels to determine if clothing is worthy or good or going to be useful for the task. We use the labels to tell us how to care for that garment and how it needs to be taken care of. 
 
Key Takeaways: 
“Knowing all the different ways that you're different is the first step.” - Laura Matteson
“We're just trying to do fun things all the time and take risks to get dopamine.” - Laura Matteson
“Other people might judge you, but it's not their problem, because you have this different way of doing things. And so do these other people. And so you're not alone.” - Laura Matteson
“Assume that they don't know how to do it if they're not doing it.” - Laura Matteson
“You can be professional and start work later and still do a wonderful job. And everything just needs to be transparent with the other person.” - Laura Matteson
 
Ways to Connect with Laura Matteson:
Website: https://www.illustrative.us/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/illustrative/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illustrative.us/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illustrative.us/  
Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown:
Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

Being patient and being in denial are two different things. It’s okay to be patient, but when your patience and kindness ends up getting abused by those around you, then it might be time to draw the line. Denial comes in many ways, and you first need to be aware for it to stop.
Dr. Jane Greer is a Marriage and Family Therapist, psychotherapist, author, radio host, and creator of “SHRINK WRAP”, the popular commentary on what we can learn from the trials and triumphs of not only celebrity, but all relationships. Dr. Greer is recognized as a leading national expert in love and relationships through her media collaborations and professional insights. She is the author of six books, including her latest, Am I Lying To Myself? How to Overcome Denial and See the Truth.
In this episode, Jane talks about what denial looks like in the workplace and how you can deal with it to overcome freeloaders and stay-stuck complainers. She also shares some of her amazing tips on how you can effectively set boundaries. 
 
What you will learn from this episode: 
Discover what denial looks in the workplace and why you need to establish boundaries Learn what  stay-stuck complainers are and what you can do if you’ve come across them Understand why you need to trust your gut and take action on what you see  
“Coming out of denial is seeing the reality. We stay in denial in order to feel safe and secure, but it's a big price.” 
- Jane Greer
 
Valuable Free Resource: 
Find out more on how can you avoid denial and take action: https://www.drjanegreer.me/  
Topics Covered:
01:29 - What does denial look like in the workplace?
02:57 - Is workplace denial more prevalent in women than men?
04:50 - How can you know if you’re actually lying to yourself in the workplace?
08:15 - How do you deal with the denial of others?
11:57 - Once you’ve acknowledged denial, what do you do?
15:15 - What are stay-stuck complainers and how does it look in the workplace?
18:24 - Why is it important to set boundaries?
20:40 - Do the stay-stuck complainers eventually get the message?
22:35 - What is whistleblowing in the workplace?
25:04 - Dr. Greer’s top tip: Trust your gut. Seeing is believing. If you're seeing it, believe it. Write it down. 
27:54 - What is the ”going nowhere” relationship and what are their “watch out” signs?
 
Key Takeaways: 
“If you're not dealing with denial and seeing things clearly, you're making a bad situation better.” - Jane Greer
“People have expectations of you. And without having clarity, in terms of what your own expectations are, you attempt to meet those expectations.” - Jane Greer
“You need to take care of yourself because they are not going to take care of you. It's just that simple! They'll take care of you if your needs don't interfere with their needs.” - Jane Greer
“You need to figure out what it means to you to have your clarity… because then you'll be able to handle the other person's angry reaction and disappointment.” - Jane Greer
“Setting the boundaries is tricky because it means you've got to be clear how much you're going to listen.” - Jane Greer
 
Ways to Connect with Jane Greer:
Website: https://www.drjanegreer.me/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Am-Lying-Myself-Overcome-Denial/dp/153816423X/  
Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown:
Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

There has been a significant increase in remote work  since the pandemic. However, most of us fail to realize the power, accessibility, and opportunities remote work provides– for us, our colleagues or employees, and the business.
Tamara Sanderson is the co-founder of Remote Works, an organizational design and consulting firm with a mission to liberate teams from the nine-to-five and teach them how to do their best work anytime, anywhere. Along with Ali Greene, Sanderson has spent a combined two decades in distributed workplaces: Greene as the former director of people operations at DuckDuckGo and Sanderson as the director of strategic partnerships and corporate development at Automattic. Throughout their joint career history, they’ve worked in varied environments, including big tech (Google), startups (Oyster, LivingSocial), creative agencies (IDEO, Undertone), and management consulting and private equity (Oliver Wyman, Audax Group). Their new book, Remote Works: Managing for Freedom, Flexibility, and Focus (Berrett-Koehler Publishers; February 7, 2023), is the ultimate playbook for managing remote teams.
In this episode, Tamara talks with us about the benefits or advantages remote work has both for the business and the employees. She also shares her three nonnegotiables when it comes to remote work to ensure the best work with less burnout. Along with this, she also explains what are the 5 Ws and 1 H of remote work that can make remote work better for you and your employees. 
 
What you will learn from this episode: 
Discover how to maximize the remote work trend and feel more included in your work Learn what are the 5 Ws and 1 H of remote work and how can you apply it to your work or business Understand how rituals and having a transitional space are important in avoiding burnout in remote work  
“Managers should be more thoughtful with how they're structuring work and what they want their team to accomplish.”
- Tamara Sanderson
 
Valuable Free Resource: 
Grab a copy of Tamara and Ali’s book and change how you work in your daily life: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1523003316?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_EMRAFH621S3ZGSDQBWXN
 
Topics Covered:
04:15 - How was the remote work setup working for Automattic before
05:25 - How was Tamara’s remote work experience in DuckDuckGo
06:05 - Tamara shares how she and her co-author, Ali Greene, meet
07:03 - What made Tamara and Ali write Remote Works: Managing for Freedom, Flexibility, and Focus
08:19 - Tamara explains what is the overall advantage of the remote work trend
12:41 - Why knowing yourself more in remote work is important?
17:09 - Tamara talks about what are the three non negotiables in remote work
20:49 - Is it more possible to get burnout in remote work?
23:31 - Tamara’s life-changing tips on how to avoid burnout from remote work: You don’t always have to be on. Have digital wellness apps and rituals
27:28 - How can you develop confidence, trust, and autonomy in your employees in the remote work setting
31:14 - Tamara expounds on what are the 5 Ws and 1 H of remote work
32:10 - Connect with Tamara: https://www.remoteworksbook.com/
 
Key Takeaways: 
“Managers must lead with intentionality.” - Tamara Sanderson
“When remote work is done well, an employee can have so much more information on how the insides of the company are working and you can feel really connected to actually like, knowing what is going on.” - Tamara Sanderson
“Now that we have the technology, it kind of breaks apart the previous paradigms. Managers have to respect employees' autonomy and allow them to act more and take more agency in the organization.” - Tamara Sanderson
“There is potential for burnout if you're not clear on boundaries.” - Tamara Sanderson
 
Ways to Connect with Tamara Sanderson:
Website: https://www.remoteworksbook.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-sanderson-943a051/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/c

Failures don’t automatically mean “the end.” It may just be a “restart” button for you to press and try again.
Success comes in different forms and in different times. Just because you haven’t achieved your dreams and gained the success you desire doesn’t mean it’s too late for it. Nothing is ever too late if you believe you can.
Laura Cooke is a leadership development and change management consultant. Her calm and diplomatic nature creates the space for courageous conversations, vulnerability, and resilience by modeling what she works to bring out in others. 
Her passion for employee engagement and leadership development led her to train with Brene Brown to become a certified Dare to Lead facilitator. She has written a new book, Leave it All on the Dance Floor: Why it is Never too Late to Follow Your Dreams.
In this episode, Laura shares what led her, along with other fellow powerful women leaders, to achieve their goals without the boundaries or the limits of time. She emphasizes the importance of believing in your biggest “why” in your life.
 
What you will learn from this episode:
Discover what the dance floor metaphor is and how it can inspire you to find your own version of courage Know why you need to understand your biggest “why” in life and what its purpose in your journey is Learn why you shouldn’t stop just because of a failure  
“We have two choices: lay down our sword, or keep going. I want to inspire people to keep going.” - Laura Cooke
 
Topics Covered:
02:23 - Laura shares about her book, Leave it all on the Dance Floor: Why it is Never too Late to Follow Your Dreams, and how it came to life
03:30 - The Dancefloor Metaphor: What is in it for you once you read the book?
04:54 - How did Laura connect with the featured women in her book?
07:04 - What surprised Laura while writing her book
07:58 - Laura shares a story that was really inspiring to her
08:54 - Who is the book for and what can YOU expect learning from the book
10:30 - Grab a copy of Laura’s book: in Amazon or https://leaveitallonthedancefloor.com/
10:36 - Where to find Laura: https://lauracookeconsulting.com/
 
Key Takeaways: 
“Often, we have two choices: lay down our sword, or keep going. And I want to inspire people to keep going.” - Laura Cooke
“Understanding that having a bigger "why" helps us move on when we have those obstacles thrown in our path.” - Laura Cooke
“Look it in the eye. Actually, look it in the eye. Is it as terrible as you think it is? Is it as scary or big or insurmountable as you think it is? And when you actually look it in the eye, normally it's not” - Laura Cooke
 
Ways to Connect with Laura Cooke:
Website: https://lauracookeconsulting.com/ Book: https://leaveitallonthedancefloor.com/  
Ways to Connect with Sarah E. Brown:
Website: https://www.sarahebrown.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/knowguides LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahebrownphd/  

It’s not unusual to have doubts about your purpose in life, especially if you are a woman. However, God has a purpose for you and sees more in you than likely you do.
When life gives you lemons, hold more faith and hope in God. He is preparing something better for you. You, being a woman leader, are more than what you see and think. You are a woman, ready to conceive a clear vision, and you will make a change in the world.  This is how God sees you.
Natasha Oquendo is an enthusiastic transformational speaker, author, mentor, and life coach and has been in the public speaking arena for many years. She inspires persons in areas of personal development, work-life balance, self-help, entrepreneurship, and spiritual empowerment. She is the CEO of Powerful Life Institute with a Bachelor’s Degree in Ministry. She pastors Flow of the Spirit International Ministries alongside her husband. Her ability to balance both her professional achievements and personal spiritual development has made her a subject matter expert regarding seeking, obtaining, and maintaining a satisfying holistic life.
In this episode, Natasha shares how God sees you and the power you hold as a businesswoman leader. She also talks about how trials and tribulations are God’s way of preparing you for something greater– achieving your life’s purpose.
 
What you will learn from this episode: 
Discover the purpose God has given you as a woman through the application or work of your faith Learn why is important to keep the faith and be empowered as a woman in life and in work Understand how the trials and tribulations you’re enduring are God’s preparation for your assignment  
“When a woman comes on the scene and puts her hands to work, it has the power to reproduce, it has the power to go to the next level, it has the power to be advanced. We are multipliers— that is in us to do.”
- Natasha Oquendo
 
Valuable Free Resource: 
Grab a copy of Natasha’s NEW and inspiring book, Invitation 2 Queendom: Seven Keys to Unlock Your God-given Superpower: https://www.natashaoquendo.com/invitation-2-queendom  
Topics Covered:
02:21- What Natasha does professionally aside from being a pastor
03:12 - Natasha shares why she decided to write her book, Invitation 2 Queendom: Seven Keys to Unlock Your God-given Superpower
04:42 - How does God view us, women, then and now?
06:58 - Natasha explains the limitations and restrictions on what women can do while being in God’s favor
08:26 - What are the God-given superpowers?
09:38 - What are the hints that God is giving you an assignment?
12:36 - Natasha explains what are the different ways you can hear God’s wisdom on the trials and tribulations you’re experiencing in life
14:00 - How can you be alert and know when will God entrust you with an assignment?
16:19 - Is women empowerment part of God’s plan for the time of women?
18:38 - Natasha’s heartfelt message for you: “I know as women we deal with a lot. We wear many hats. And sometimes we feel like we're going under the radar or being overlooked. But I just want to speak life into the women on here, the women of faith that are listening and even those who may not feel like they have faith right now. No matter what's going on in your life, I decree over your life, that you shall be empowered when you listen to this and that the Spirit of the Lord will give you clarity like never before.”
 
Key Takeaways: 
“He gives us that power to accomplish different things while He's walking with us that we could not accomplish maybe on our own without Him.” - Natasha Oquendo
“There is no limit on what you can accomplish, especially when God has given you the assignment and He gives you the grace to complete it.” - Natasha Oquendo
“I don't believe that there is any limit on what we can achieve because God is with us. But I do believe that we need to respect maybe the limitations that will cause us because we are women,