Psychology at Work | Career Success, Leadership, Communication Skills

Melody Wilding, LMSW
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How do you nail that sweet spot of career success where confidence in yourself meets influence with others? That's what best-selling author, therapist, and executive coach Melody Wilding explores in every episode of Psychology at Work. If you're a driven professional who's great at your job but knows that talent alone isn't enough to get ahead, this show is for you. Subscribe for insightful, practical advice on topics ranging from office politics, communication and executive presence, managing up, emotional intelligence, self-advocacy, and more.  Advance your career, strengthen your leadership, and feel calmer, clearer, and more in control while doing it. 

  1. 3d ago

    123. High-Stakes Decisions: Think Clearly and Communicate Well Under Pressure with Caroline Webb

    High-stakes decisions rarely come with perfect information, total agreement, or unlimited time to make them. In this episode Melody speaks with Caroline Webb, author of Leadership Intelligence, about how you can think clearly under pressure, make better trade-offs, and communicate choices in a way that builds trust instead of creating defensiveness. You’ll learn how to make tough calls when there is no obvious right answer — and how to bring people with you even when the decision is difficult. What You’ll Discover ▪️ A simple question that can widen your thinking when pressure makes your brain narrow. ▪️ How to use the “Know, Be, Do” model to lead through uncertainty without pretending everything is fine. ▪️ Caroline’s “common ground” technique for handling someone’s emotional reaction to your choices without caving. About Caroline Webb CAROLINE WEBB is a leadership coach, economist, and author of How to Have a Good Day and the forthcoming book, Leadership Intelligence. She has been named one of the top fifty executive coaches in the world by Thinkers50, and one of the top fifty leadership and management thinkers by Inc. magazine. She is a senior advisor to McKinsey & Company, where she was previously a partner. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Financial Times, The Economist, The Guardian, and Fortune. https://carolinewebb.co/  Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up

  2. Sep 22

    122. How to Present to Executives Without Drowning Them in Detail

    DOORS CLOSE 9/28 FOR 2026: https://speaklikeaseniorleader.com If you spend hours preparing for executive presentations, only to watch the audience get lost, this is for you. Raji, a senior manager with 20+ years of experience, lived that cycle for most of her career. She shares how she cracked the code on presenting to demanding decision-makers and got 20 hours a month back in the process. You’ll discover:  The #1 communication skill that ended years of confusing feedback like "great content, wrong packaging"What Raji did to cut her presentation prep from 5 hours to 45 minutes without losing an ounce of credibilityHow to talk about your accomplishments so leadership hears "valuable contribution," not "bragging"Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up

  3. Sep 9

    121. Disagree with Powerful People: 3 Sneaky-Smart Scripts

    Disagreeing with powerful people can feel risky. One wrong word and you worry you’ll sound difficult, defensive, or like you’re challenging their authority. But staying silent has a cost too. In this episode, Melody shares three “sneaky-smart” ways to push back on executives, board members, senior stakeholders, or major clients without damaging the relationship. These subtle responses will help you raise concerns without triggering defensiveness. What You’ll Discover:  ▪️ What separates a trusted truth-teller from someone who just seems combative ▪️Magic words for pushing back on your skip-level without burning the relationship ▪️ How to share information with senior leaders without implying they missed something obvious. ▪️ The one question that gets an executive to mentally rehearse your idea as their own Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up

  4. Sep 2

    120. Answer Any Executive Question Without Overexplaining (It’s Always One of These 3 Things)

    You give an executive a thorough answer and they still look unsatisfied. One question turns into five, you walk away wondering what you missed, and a week later you hear they were uneasy with where things stand. What gives? In this episode, discover the three underlying needs behind almost every executive question and how to diagnose which one is driving any given question in seconds so you sound more influential and convincing.  You’ll Discover:  ▪️The reason a thorough, well-organized answer erodes an executive's confidence in you  ▪️ Scripts that show a senior leader they can trust your team without having to step in ▪️ How to sound decisive when you're put on the spot, even when you don't have all the data Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up

  5. Aug 26

    119. Perceived as “Too Tactical?” 4 Communication Mistakes Reinforcing the “Too In the Weeds" Feedback

    You're operating at a senior level, yet you’re seen as "too tactical," "in the weeds," "great executor, not quite ready for what's next." Melody identifies how and why that label gets in place and gives you 4 subtle communication mistakes reinforcing it every time you speak up in a meeting, email your skip-level, or update your boss. What You’ll Discover:  ▪️ The questions you’re posing in meetings that scream “please give me more day-to-day minutiae" ▪️ Seemingly polite language training senior leaders to treat you as a subordinate, not a peer ▪️ Think you’re interrupted because people are rude? WRONG. Here’s the REAL reason you’re talked over Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up

  6. Aug 19

    118. Influence Without Formal Authority: Communicate So Senior Leaders Trust (and Reward) You

    You don’t need direct reports or a bigger title to prove you can lead at a higher level. You just need to communicate with greater authority. In this episode, Speak Like a Senior Leader™ client, Karla, shares how she shifted from permission-seeking to bringing forward a recommendation confidently, how to adapt a message for different executives, and explains the recognition now coming her way.  You’ll Discover:  ▪️The seemingly harmless words and phrases that keep you trapped in your boss’s shadow and read as “not ready for the next level” ▪️Language swaps to stop sounding like a junior level executor and instead convey senior-level prowess ▪️ What Karla said that led a C-suite executive to seek her out for a high-visibility role—and how changing the way she showed up in meetings earned her praise from top executives Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up

  7. Aug 12

    117. Negotiating with Powerful People, featuring Worldwide Negotiation Expert Kwame Christian

    The toughest negotiations at work happen with people who outrank you. Whether you walk away with more headcount, a faster yes, an extension on a deadline, or a project sponsor's full backing depends less on the strength of your case than on what you understand about the psychology of negotiating up. In this episode, attorney and negotiation expert Kwame Christian breaks down what works when the other side holds all the formal authority. Why Kwame doesn't play for neutrality in any negotiation and the bias you should INTENTIONALLY trigger in the first ten minutes So you're about to push back on your boss? Use this two-line opener. Try this one-word swap to instantly diffuse a defensive response Why elite negotiators use the 70/30 rule to steer towards outcomes they want About Kwame Christian Kwame Christian, a first-generation Caribbean American from Tiffin, Ohio, transformed his life through a negotiation course in law school, revealing that negotiation is a learnable skill. This discovery led him to excel in negotiation competitions, win national awards, and ultimately found the American Negotiation Institute. His personal journey from a people pleaser to a master negotiator is relatable and inspiring, resonating deeply with audiences and empowering them to handle challenging conversations confidently. https://kwamechristian.com/  Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up

  8. Aug 5

    116. Beat the AI Job Search Black Hole & Get Hired in Record Time with Emily Durham (@Emily.The.Recruiter)

    It's no secret that job searching has completely changed. With AI infiltrating applications on both sides, how do you stand out and actually get a human to review your application when one job posting pulls 2,000 applicants in a matter of days? Melody sits down with Emily Durham, known to her 1.3M+ followers across Instagram and TikTok as @Emily.The.Recruiter), for a straight-shooting look at how hiring really works now. Emily spent years on the inside at major companies, and she's here to tell you how the sausage gets made, no sugarcoating. What You’ll Discover:  ▪️ Resumes are dying. Here’s the ONE thing you must do now to get discovered for new roles (no, not LinkedIn) ▪️ The 2 magic words to add to your resume that instantly signal you operate above your title ▪️ The "grandma test" that exposes whether your resume will get jumped to the top of the pile ▪️ Secret places to find referral sources for an "in" at a company  ▪️ Emily's golden question that gets you referred straight to the hiring manager without sounding pushy About Emily  Emily is a career coach, recruiter, content creator, and public speaker on a mission to make career education accessible. Her longtime expertise in hiring and recruitment has made her a trusted voice on modern hiring, Gen Z careers, and the evolving world of work. With an audience of over 3 million across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube who rely on her not just for career advice, but for guidance on confidence, beauty, fashion, and work-life balance. https://emilydurham.org/  Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up

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4.8
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About

How do you nail that sweet spot of career success where confidence in yourself meets influence with others? That's what best-selling author, therapist, and executive coach Melody Wilding explores in every episode of Psychology at Work. If you're a driven professional who's great at your job but knows that talent alone isn't enough to get ahead, this show is for you. Subscribe for insightful, practical advice on topics ranging from office politics, communication and executive presence, managing up, emotional intelligence, self-advocacy, and more.  Advance your career, strengthen your leadership, and feel calmer, clearer, and more in control while doing it. 

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