What if hating your job isn’t inevitable — and the problem isn’t you? A conversation about work, leadership, and why people leave managers, not jobs. Join me as I sit down with Jill Parish, a leadership facilitator and organizational development expert who has spent her career helping people rethink what work is supposed to feel like. Jill’s path spans HR, healthcare, higher education, and executive leadership development — including years designing and leading programs for physicians and senior leaders. Today, she runs her own firm focused on helping organizations build healthier workplaces through better leadership, communication, and self-awareness. Our conversation explores why so many people feel disengaged at work, how leadership and management are often misunderstood, and why relationships — not titles or org charts — are the real drivers of job satisfaction. This is an honest, grounded conversation about work, leadership, and how we might build careers — and cultures — that don’t require constant burnout or resignation. You’ll Learn: ⭐ The difference between leadership and management (and why it matters) ⭐ Why influence and relationships matter more than hierarchy ⭐ How self-awareness changes the way teams function ⭐ What actually makes people stay, grow, and feel fulfilled at work Key Insights: Leadership Isn’t About Titles: You don’t need direct reports to be a leader. Leadership shows up in how you communicate, build trust, and influence the people around you — in work and in life. Why People Leave Managers, Not Jobs: Most workplace dissatisfaction isn’t about the work itself. It’s about feeling unseen, unsupported, or unclear — and better leadership can change that. Work Is Relational: Job satisfaction has far more to do with relationships, clarity, and culture than the technical work someone is hired to do. Self-Awareness Changes Everything: Understanding your strengths and how you show up helps reduce conflict, improve communication, and build stronger teams. Timestamps: [00:00:00] – Introduction and why work doesn’t have to feel miserable [00:02:00] – Meeting through leadership development and facilitated learning [00:04:00] – Jill’s path from HR to leadership and organizational development [00:07:00] – Discovering leadership development as a career [00:12:00] – Why people don’t leave jobs — they leave managers [00:15:00] – Leadership vs. management: different skill sets [00:18:00] – Why clarity is one of the most overlooked leadership tools [00:20:00] – Leadership beyond hierarchy and org charts [00:24:00] – Launching her own firm and redefining success [00:30:00] – Self-awareness, strengths, and workplace relationships [00:35:00] – What fulfillment at work actually looks like [00:48:00] – Building a legacy through better leadership and culture Resources and Links: Find host Kristin Belden on LinkedIn or at BeldenStrategies.com Sign up for more insights and conversations at BeldenStrategies.com/newsletter Connect with Jill Parish on LinkedIn Find out more about her leadership facilitation and organizational development work: ThinkDev If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow the show, and leave a review. And if you’re interested in more conversations about work, leadership, and building careers that don’t burn you out, join my newsletter at BeldenStrategies.com/newsletter.
