Shelley on Your Shoulder

Shelley Saeger, Owner, Leadership Coach and Organization Consultant of Seven Big Coaching & Consulting

5.0 (2)
SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Hosted by Shelley Saeger, founder of Seven Big Coaching & Consulting, Shelley on Your Shoulder is the leadership podcast that delivers practical tips, empowering affirmations, and real-world advice to help you lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose, because leadership is a choice, and how you choose to show up matters.

3D AGO

Ep. 6 - The Power of the Pause

Ever wish you could un-send that email or take back a hasty answer in a high-stakes meeting? In this episode of Shelley on Your Shoulder, I’ll reveal a deceptively simple yet powerful leadership tool—the pause. Learn how to transform reactive moments into deliberate choices that increase clarity, composure, and confidence under pressure. Key Takeaways: Why quick reactions sabotage clarity, relationships, and outcomesHow fight-flight-freeze shows up in leadership momentsThe three-step Pause–Assess–Choose method for responding instead of reactingHow naming feelings interrupts knee-jerk responsesRewriting the story in your head with facts, not assumptionsReframing “urgent” emails and senior leader asksA real-world COVID HR case study showing how a pause improved performance reviewsPractical prompts, scripts, and micro-routines to use right awayHow long a pause should last—and how to know when it’s enoughI’ll walks through how your body signals urgency, and how a 30-second pause can reset your thinking. You’ll learn to name what you feel, separate fact from story, and choose the next smallest effective action. From handling tough questions to crafting calm, effective replies to “need this now” emails, these skills help you lead with steadiness when stakes are high. If you’re ready to trade reactivity for clarity and confidence, this episode delivers actionable tools for mindful leadership, psychological safety, and practical stress management. If you found today’s episode helpful, don’t forget to like, follow/subscribe, and share! Ready to begin your own leadership journey or have questions? Visit 7bigconsulting.com to schedule your complimentary discovery call today. Begin transforming your leadership journey with the clarity to lead and the confidence to succeed.

18 min
JAN 8

Ep. 5 - Choosing To Lead

What if the most powerful tool you have as a leader isn’t a framework or a playbook—but your next choice? We unpack the mindset shift that turns overwhelm into agency by reframing leadership as a series of intentional decisions you make every day, not a title you hold. From the first “yes” to the role, to defining your values, to adapting your style without losing your integrity, we break down how to lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose when the stakes are real and the variables keep changing. You’ll learn how to: Clarify your values to define how you show upBalance fairness with flexibilityMove beyond the myth of one “best” leadership styleApply situational awareness and adaptive behaviorsUse a simple reflection reset to realign your choicesThe Power of the Pause is a simple, repeatable way to reset when you feel off course: recommit to the role you chose, restate your values in plain language, and scan the current situation to match your style to the moment. It’s a shift from reacting to choosing—and that choice compounds into better culture, clearer priorities, and stronger results. If this conversation helps you find even a small breath of space to lead with intention, share it with a peer who needs the same reset. If you found today’s episode helpful, don’t forget to like, follow/subscribe, and share! Ready to begin your own leadership journey or have questions? Visit 7bigconsulting.com to schedule your complimentary discovery call today. Begin transforming your leadership journey with the clarity to lead and the confidence to succeed.

18 min
12/04/2025

Ep. 4 - Authentic Leadership

Aligning Values with Responsibility Authentic leadership is about finding the balance between staying true to yourself and honoring the responsibilities of your role. When leaders show up authentically, they build trust, foster engagement, and reduce the risk of burnout. In this episode of Shelley on Your Shoulder, Shelley Saeger and Drew explore how authentic leadership emerges during challenging situations and offer practical guidance for developing your own authentic leadership style. Key insights from the episode: Authentic leadership balances personal truth with professional responsibility. It’s about honoring both your identity and your role.Research proves the impact. Studies show authentic leadership significantly boosts employee engagement and retention.Challenging moments reveal authenticity. Delivering difficult news often exposes whether a leader’s actions align with their values.The struggle is real. Leaders face discomfort when asked to communicate messages they don’t fully believe.The “moment of truth.” Authenticity is tested when personal values appear to conflict with organizational responsibilities.Authenticity ≠ license for poor behavior. It’s about alignment between personal integrity and organizational needs—not unchecked self-expression.Three steps to authentic leadership:Deepen your self-knowledge.Define your leadership brand.Allow your approach to evolve over time.Honest vulnerability matters. Teams remember leaders who acknowledge challenges while still supporting organizational direction.When leaders choose authenticity, they earn trust and loyalty that lasts well beyond the moment. Teams value leaders who communicate honestly, show vulnerability, and align their actions with both personal values and organizational goals. If you found today’s episode helpful, don’t forget to like, follow/subscribe, and share! Ready to begin your own leadership journey or have questions? Visit 7bigconsulting.com to schedule your complimentary discovery call today. Begin transforming your leadership journey with the clarity to lead and the confidence to succeed.

20 min
11/06/2025

Ep. 3 - Leadership Confidence: The Bridge Between Vision and Action

Leadership confidence is what turns vision into action. It’s the steady bridge that allows ideas to move from inspiration to execution. True confidence is more than charisma—it’s presence, resilience, and authentic self-belief that inspires others to follow willingly. Unlike arrogance, which is rooted in ego, real confidence is grounded in self-awareness and experience. This creates the magnetic pull that transforms skeptics into supporters and empowers teams to go further. Key takeaways from this episode: Confident leaders carry presence. They demonstrate awareness, decisiveness, and the ability to adapt under pressure.Confidence has many styles. Some leaders are bold and outspoken, while others are quieter but equally direct and effective.Resilience fuels confidence. Abraham Lincoln’s leadership confidence was built through years of failure, persistence, and growth.Confidence vs. arrogance. True confidence is rooted in reality, data, and self-awareness—not unfounded bravado.People know the difference. Teams instinctively sense when a leader’s confidence is genuine or false.Confidence influences effort. Followers decide how much discretionary energy they’ll invest based on their leader’s confidence.Three keys to building leadership confidence:Develop deep self-awareness.Abandon perfectionism.Gain clarity about your role and expectations.Leadership confidence isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about cultivating the presence and resilience to guide others through uncertainty. When leaders show up with grounded confidence, they create space for trust, innovation, and collective success. If you found today’s episode helpful, don’t forget to like, follow/subscribe, and share! Ready to begin your own leadership journey or have questions? Visit 7bigconsulting.com to schedule your complimentary discovery call today. Begin transforming your leadership journey with the clarity to lead and the confidence to succeed.

19 min
10/02/2025

Ep. 2 - Clarity to Lead

The Power of Clarity in Leadership Clarity is the foundation of exceptional leadership, yet it’s one of the most overlooked skills in today’s fast-paced workplaces. Too often, leaders and teams get lost in assumptions, personal stories, and the busyness of daily tasks—leading to confusion, wasted time, and unnecessary frustration. In this episode of Shelley on Your Shoulder, Shelley Saeger explores how clear communication not only prevents misunderstandings but also empowers teams to succeed. Key insights from the episode: Meanings aren’t in words, they’re in people. A phrase like “have it by Friday” can mean very different things depending on who hears it.Three major barriers to clarity: assumptions and biases, the stories we tell ourselves, and the distraction of busyness.Define success up front. Leaders should clearly articulate what success looks like so team members know exactly what’s expected.Take 30 seconds now, save hours later. Confirming understanding upfront prevents wasted effort, rework, and frustration.Clear is kind, unclear is unkind. Vague directions create anxiety, hesitation, and second-guessing.Clarity begins with self-awareness. Great leaders start by knowing what kind of leader they want to be.People want to succeed. Most employees genuinely want to do good work—they just need clarity about what that looks like.Clarity isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about respect. When leaders take time to communicate with precision, they build trust, reduce stress, and empower their teams to thrive. If you found today’s episode helpful, don’t forget to like, follow/subscribe, and share! Ready to begin your own leadership journey or have questions? Visit 7bigconsulting.com to schedule your complimentary discovery call today. Begin transforming your leadership journey with the clarity to lead and the confidence to succeed.

26 min
08/22/2025

Ep. 1 - Welcome to Shelley on Your Shoulder

Shelley Saeger introduces her new leadership podcast designed to help leaders navigate challenges with practical advice and real-world wisdom. She shares her journey from aspiring journalist to leadership coach and consultant, revealing how her passion for helping others find their voice has shaped her career and approach. • Started with dreams of being a National Geographic journalist before discovering her passion for teaching and helping others succeed • Worked in corporate learning and development across multiple industries, specializing in leadership development • Drew inspiration from her grandmother who modeled how to listen, validate, and guide others to solve their own problems • Created the podcast after hearing from clients that her advice was "like having Shelly on your shoulder" during challenging situations • Each episode will feature conversations about specific leadership topics with actionable insights for leaders at all levels • First official episode will focus on clarity, which Shelley believes is the foundation of good leadership • Aims to build a community of growth-minded, impact-oriented leaders who can learn from and with each other If you found today’s episode helpful, don’t forget to like, follow/subscribe, and share! Ready to begin your own leadership journey or have questions? Visit 7bigconsulting.com to schedule your complimentary discovery call today. Begin transforming your leadership journey with the clarity to lead and the confidence to succeed.

14 min

6 Episodes

out of 5

2 Ratings

Creator

Shelley Saeger, Owner, Leadership Coach and Organization Consultant of Seven Big Coaching & Consulting
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

6
Rating

Clean
Show Website

Shelley on Your Shoulder

Shelley on Your Shoulder

Episodes

Ep. 6 - The Power of the Pause

Ep. 5 - Choosing To Lead

Ep. 4 - Authentic Leadership

Ep. 3 - Leadership Confidence: The Bridge Between Vision and Action

Ep. 2 - Clarity to Lead

Ep. 1 - Welcome to Shelley on Your Shoulder

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