The Leadership Story Podcast

Lisa Jones
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Real Woman, Real Leadership, Real Resilience! The Leadership Story is where real women share real leadership built on real resilience. Lisa Jones sits down with incredible women from every industry who have powerful stories about leadership. Through honest conversations with rising stars, seasoned executives, and the allies who champion women's success, this podcast helps you see your own experiences as the foundation for authentic leadership. leadershipstory.substack.com

  1. 3d ago

    The Surplus Problem: What Burnout Is Really Costing High-Performing Women | EP19

    Burnout does not come from having too little. It comes from gathering more than the day requires. In this solo episode, Lisa Jones revisits the story of manna and surplus through a resilience lens links it to one word: capacity. She shares how a routine walk helped her identify her own burnout, clarifies the difference from stress, and explains why the surplus we keep carrying has a real cost. Supported by research on the invisible work women absorb, the hours lost to low-value tasks, and why women are taught to carry more in the first place, this episode gives you the next move after naming your depletion: figure out what today actually requires and stop gathering past it. Key Topics Explored * The manna principle: why the rule was not just gather daily, but do not store it up. * Stress versus burnout: stress is load, burnout is load beyond capacity, and rest is not the answer * Over-gathering as the hidden load: saying yes to everything you can do without asking whether you have room for it. * The single point of failure: why the thing you would flag in a client’s assessment is the thing you call reliability in your own life. * The supply you don’t count: how the small things that fill you are the source of the capacity you spend everywhere else. * “The No Club”: women spend roughly 200 more hours a year than men on work nobody gets promoted for. * What just enough is not: sufficiency as a higher standard, not a lower one. * Employee Assistance Programs: why a wellness program can’t fix a capacity problem. * The assignment: what does today actually require? Chapters 0:00 Manna: Not Scarcity, Surplus 2:20 When Burnout Finally Had a Name 4:05 Stress Is Not Burnout 9:48 Over-Gathering and the Cost of Being Reliable 13:30 The Supply You Don’t Count 18:00 The No Club: 200 Hours a Year 21:49 What Just Enough Actually Looks Like 25:10 If You Run a Team 27:21 Stockpiling Is Not Redundancy 28:22 The Assignment: What Does Today Require? 30:30 Work with Me: One-on-One Strategy Sessions Join the Community! Work with Lisa: 1-on-1 strategy sessions (90 minutes) on capacity, leadership, and resilience. Book your session → https://cal.com/connectblackgirlcollc/strategy-session Shop the collection: Tools for The Story is live: https://black-girl-co.printify.me/ Read the companion newsletter — Strategy, Unscripted: “You Can’t Scale Yourself on Empty“ Connect with Lisa: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones-mbcp-mbci-57872823 Email: Connect@leadershipstory.com Sources: Read the companion newsletter — Strategy, Unscripted: “You Can’t Scale Yourself on Empty Babcock, Peyser, Vesterlund & Weingart, The No Club (research coverage, 2022) https://noclub.com McKinsey survey on recognition of collaborative work https://womenintheworkplace.com/2021 Eagle Hill Consulting employee survey, March 2025 https://www.eaglehillconsulting.com/news/workers-say-they-regularly-spend-time-on-low-value-inefficient-tasks/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadershipstory.substack.com/subscribe

    The Surplus Problem: What Burnout Is Really Costing High-Performing Women | EP19

  2. Jul 20

    How to Lead, Mentor, and Manage Up |EP18

    Kate Lunger, Director of Workforce Initiatives at the Philadelphia Energy Authority, leads programs that expand equitable career pathways for adult learners, re-entry individuals, and marginalized youth in clean energy. In this conversation, she and Lisa talk about what it takes to lead a young team, providing structure without stifling growth, addressing conflict in real time instead of letting it linger, and teaching people the difference between something being personal and something just being the job. Kate also opens up about leading as a woman, and specifically as a Black woman, in spaces where her leadership has been questioned or under-valued and what it looks like to keep going anyway. She traces her own path through learning challenges, the sudden loss of someone she loved during undergrad, raising a son through grad school, and a stretch of unemployment, to the leadership style she brings to her team today: direction paired with motivation, real talk paired with real support. This is a conversation about perseverance that doesn’t sugarcoat the cost of it and about what it means to keep showing up for your people even when no one is asking what you need. Key Topics We Explored * Leadership as direction plus motivation: Kate’s approach centers on giving her team clear direction while actively motivating them toward growth, not just task completion. * Structure in nonprofit spaces: how Kate builds structure and accountability in an environment that can otherwise feel looser than corporate — without losing the flexibility that makes nonprofit work valuable. * Leading a young team through reactivity: teaching a generation that’s grown up reactive how to pause, document their feelings, and respond intentionally instead of firing off the first email. * Women leading differently: Kate’s take on how women lead with more compassion and nurture, and the added weight of being underestimated or intimidating as a woman — and a Black woman — in leadership. * Managing up: what it looks like to lead a team while also having to educate and humble the leadership above you. Chapters 01:16 Kate Lunger: Leadership and Mentorship 07:05 Women’s Leadership and Nonprofit Culture 15:22 Leading a Young Team with Structure 24:22 Helping a Team Grow and Thrive 28:37 Resilience, Confidence, and Adversity 38:47 Perseverance: Kate’s Leadership Story 43:52 Closing and How to Connect 44:51 The Journey of Perseverance 45:32 Leadership Through Adversity Join the Community! Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content: 🚨Now on YouTube: @LeadershipStoryPodcast🚨 Subscribe to Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com Follow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory Shop the collection: Tools for The Story is live: https://black-girl-co.printify.me/ Connect with Kate: Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kate-lungerEmail: lungerkate@gmail.com Connect with Lisa Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones Email: connect@leadershipstory.co This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadershipstory.substack.com/subscribe

    How to Lead, Mentor, and Manage Up |EP18

  3. Jul 6

    I Built Resilience Programs, Then Got Laid Off: Job Loss After 40 | EP17

    You can spend your whole career helping other people through crisis — and still not see your own coming. This is about what happens when the person who builds resilience programs becomes the one who needs them. In this solo episode, Lisa Jones gets honest about unexpected job loss: the grief no one gives you permission to feel, the pressure to bounce back before you’re ready, and the harder reality facing women over 40 in this market. Part lived experience, part strategy, all real. This episode first aired in April 2026. It’s the first to land here on YouTube — and there’s more coming this fall. New here? Subscribe so you don’t miss it. Key Topics We Explored * The grief of job loss: Why losing a job you didn’t see coming is a real loss — and why you don’t have to be productive in it. * Managing everyone else’s discomfort: You’re not obligated to perform optimism so other people feel better about your crisis. * The 2026 market, honestly: What a “low-hire, low-fire” environment means for how you actually search. * Gendered ageism: What the data says about women facing age bias earlier and harder than men. * Faith and the hard feelings: Why grief, anger, and belief can live in the same room. * The first 48 hours: Unemployment, COBRA, and a survival budget before anything glamorous. * Rebuilding your narrative: A calm, confident answer to “what happened?” — and how to lean on your network without it feeling awful. Chapters 00:00 Facing Unexpected Job Loss 08:32 Navigating the Job Market Challenges 16:42 The Emotional Impact of Job Loss 24:48 Strategic Job Searching and Networking 32:37 Moving Forward with Resilience Join the Community! Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content: Subscribe on Substack: leadershipstory.substack.comFollow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory Shop the collection: Tools for The Story is live: https://black-girl-co.printify.me/ Connect with LisaFollow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jonesEmail: leadershipstory@substack.com ResourcesLisa’s article “Congratulations, You’ve Been Restructured” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadershipstory.substack.com/subscribe

    I Built Resilience Programs, Then Got Laid Off: Job Loss After 40 | EP17

  4. Jun 15

    Layoff-Proof Career Strategies: Building Resilience for Women Leaders | EP15

    The ground genuinely got less stable, and noticing it isn’t anxiety—it’s an accurate working instinct. In this solo episode, Lisa Jones brings two decades of business continuity expertise to the exact question women leaders are privately wrestling with right now: how do you build career security and survive corporate layoffs when the old corporate promises have quietly expired? Reframing career instability not as a personal failure but as a system design problem you can solve, Lisa shares how to apply real operational resilience tools directly to your life. Learn how to spot your career’s single point of failure, deliberately build income redundancy, and execute the one career transition planning exercise most professionals avoid. If you have been over-performing for a deal that no longer exists, this episode provides a strategic, clear-eyed roadmap to stop living in fear and start building a backup plan for your future. Key Topics We Explored * The Broken Corporate Promise: Why the Sunday-night hum isn’t fragility—it’s perception. * Your Single Point of Failure: The systemic risk of running your income, healthcare, identity, and network through one employer. * Building Career Redundancy: Lessons from Gen Z on managing single-paycheck panic and engineering portable skills. * The Career Tabletop Exercise: How to walk through a 90-day income disruption on paper so you are never deciding in a free fall. * The Carer’s Gap: Navigating the predictable, plannable financial exposure that impacts women leaders during peak earning years. Chapters 00:00 The Broken Promise 02:55 The Feeling You’ve Been Carrying 05:05 Single Point of Failure 07:54 Redundancy 12:18 The Tabletop 18:40 What this Looks Like as a Practice 21:00 Planning for Tomorrow Join the Community! Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content: Subscribe to Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com Follow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory Real Women. Real Leadership. Real Resilience!™ Shop the collection: Tools for The Story is live: black-girl-co.printify.me/ Connect with Lisa Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones Resources & sources Gen Z and multiple income streams: * Block / Cash App: ~54 million Americans now hold more than one income stream, up from 41 million two years prior; Gen Z drives the growth at roughly five times the rate of Baby Boomers (Bloomberg / Staffing Industry Review, June 2026). * Deputy “Big Shift” report: Gen Z makes up 55% of all workers holding multiple jobs simultaneously — the highest poly-employment rate in over a decade. * Fiverr “Next Gen of Work” report: 67% of Gen Z say multiple income streams are essential for financial security; 56% believe traditional employment will eventually become obsolete. Origin of the “single-paycheck panic” framing (Oct 2025). * Context / nuance: Gen Z switchers’ wage gains have fallen roughly 20 percentage points since 2022 — the old job-hopping playbook returns less now (Fortune, June 2026). The Carer’s Gap and women’s financial exposure: * PensionBee: a one-year pause in retirement contributions can compound to nearly $79,000 in lost savings; a five-year break, about $346,000 less at retirement (Oct 2025). * Women’s earnings track close to men’s early, then diverge during prime career years before narrowing after 55 — meaning women often enter peak earning years with lower lifetime earnings (Carry / BLS, Feb 2026). * Women’s longer life expectancy leaves fewer resources to stretch over more years (National Partnership for Women & Families). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadershipstory.substack.com/subscribe

    Layoff-Proof Career Strategies: Building Resilience for Women Leaders | EP15

  5. Jun 1

    Stop Overthinking, Start Moving: How Women Leaders Move to Execution | EP14

    Stop overthinking and start leading! Most women leaders aren’t missing the answer; they’re missing the move. In this solo episode, Lisa Jones breaks down the leadership strategy to move from analysis paralysis to decisive action. Learn the decision-making framework Lisa uses to break the overthinking loop with three core questions: * What’s the smallest version I can test? * What if it fails? So what? * What can I control to lower the risk? If you’ve ever confused more thinking with more progress, this episode provides the tools to get unstuck, improve your leadership mindset, and start moving. Key Topics We Explored * Why overthinking feels like diligence but functions as a stall * What the research says: the 99.5% finding and why women ruminate more * The belief that quietly feeds overthinking instead of solving it * The three-question framework for moving from analysis to action Chapters 00:00 The Journey of Self-Discovery 01:23 Overcoming Overthinking 05:25 Taking Action: The Small Steps 09:29 Moving Forward with Courage Join the Community! Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content: Subscribe to Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com Follow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory Connect with Lisa Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones Shop the Collection: 🚨“Tools for The Story” is live! Black Girl Co Store Real Women. Real Leadership. Real Resilience!™ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadershipstory.substack.com/subscribe

    Stop Overthinking, Start Moving: How Women Leaders Move to Execution | EP14

  6. May 4

    Strategic AI Literacy: Why Women Leaders are Not Behind | EP12

    Lisa Jones reframes AI as a leadership opportunity, sharing strategies for women to leverage emotional intelligence and adaptability to lead in the age of AI. Key Topics We Explore Why women feel behind on AI (it has nothing to do with capability) AI as a leadership issue, not a technology problem The three strengths women bring to AI adoption: emotional intelligence, collaboration, ethical reasoning Four practical strategies: identify what’s draining you, start small, check for bias, bring your team in Mindset essentials: be a learner, normalize discomfort, invest in adaptability Chapters 0:00 Introduction to Leadership in AI 01:50 The Pressure of AI on Women in the Workforce 01:30 Why This is a Leadership Conversation 07:13 Practical Strategies for AI Integration 12:39 The Resilient Leader's Mindset 15:25 Final Thoughts on Leadership Resources Mentioned I Let AI Do My Busy Work. Now I Actually Have Time to Lead I Let AI Do My Busy Work. Now I Actually Have Time to Lead Connect with the Leadership Story 📖 Subscribe on Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com💼 Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones-mbcp-mbci-57872823📱 Follow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory Real Women. Real Leadership. Real Resilience!™ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadershipstory.substack.com/subscribe

    Strategic AI Literacy: Why Women Leaders are Not Behind | EP12

  7. Apr 20

    Rebuilding After Job Loss: Your Leadership Identity | EP11

    Lisa Jones shares a strategic blueprint for navigating a Reduction in Force (RIF) and re-centering your leadership identity when a job title ends. With nearly 90,000 jobs eliminated from just three major companies in early 2026, and a job market that’s harder for older workers and women specifically, Lisa shares data, strategy, and honest reflection on navigating layoff, ageism, faith, and what it actually means to build resilience.This isn’t a ‘blessing in disguise’ conversation. It’s the real version. And it’s for anyone who’s been laid off, is watching others go through it, or is wondering how to move through uncertainty with both grace and strategy. Key Topics We Explore Unexpected job loss and the disorientation that comes with it The pressure to perform positivity after layoff Ageism & gendered ageism in hiring and career advancement The job market reality in early 2026 Long-term unemployment rates for older workers Faith and grief existing together Six practical strategies for navigating job loss How to support someone who has lost their job The resilience you did not know you already had Chapters 00:00 Facing Unexpected Job Loss 08:32 Navigating the Job Market Challenges 16:42 The Emotional Impact of Job Loss 24:48 Strategic Job Searching and Networking 32:37 Moving Forward with Resilience Join the Community! Subscribe on Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones-mbcp-mbci-57872823Follow on Instagram: @leadershipstory Real Women. Real Leadership. Real Resilience!™ Companion article on Substack: “Congratulations! You’ve Been Restructured!” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadershipstory.substack.com/subscribe

    Rebuilding After Job Loss: Your Leadership Identity | EP11

  8. Apr 6

    Leaving Corporate: The Pre-Tirement Blueprint | EP10

    Amy Palmer and Lisa Jones explore “pre-tirement” and the strategic decision to leave corporate life to find a more authentic professional identity. A former senior executive, award-winning actress, and lifetime content creator, Amy walked away from corporate life without a backup plan and discovered something unexpected on the other side. Key Topics Explored The decision to leave corporate without a backup plan What “pre-tirement” means and why it’s resonating with so many women How corporate conditioning shaped who we thought we needed to be Gen X vs. Gen Z: What each generation is getting right and what they can learn from each other Redefining productivity and ambition outside of corporate metrics The role of rest, spirituality, and listening to your body How to redesign your life when you can’t leave your job The moment Amy turned down the “ideal” corporate role Chapters 00:00 Introduction 03:54 Leaving the Corporate World: The Decision to Transition 06:30 Navigating Mental and Physical Health Challenges 09:05 The Importance of Rest and Reflection 11:43 Preparing for Change: Taking Breaks and Seeking Support 14:22 Embracing Vulnerability and Asking for Help 17:17 Shifting Focus: From Destination to Journey 19:44 Creating a New Identity Beyond Corporate Expectations 22:15 The Concept of Pre-Tirement: Redefining Retirement 24:49 Finding Joy and Fulfillment Before Retirement 27:18 Navigating Ageism and the Concept of Pre-tirement 30:13 Generational Perspectives on Work and Life 35:08 Creating Content and Finding Purpose 38:46 Listening to Our Bodies and Redefining Success 45:38 Expansive Leadership: Redefining Ambition Join the Community! Subscribe on Substack for exclusive content: Subscribe on Substack: leadershipstory.substack.com Follow on Instagram: @theleadershipstory Real Women. Real Leadership. Real Resilience!™ Connect with Amy Follow on Instagram: @amypalmer.today Website: amypalmer.bio YouTube: Amy Palmer | Blueprint Breakers Connect with Lisa Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lisa-jones This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadershipstory.substack.com/subscribe

    Leaving Corporate: The Pre-Tirement Blueprint | EP10
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Real Woman, Real Leadership, Real Resilience! The Leadership Story is where real women share real leadership built on real resilience. Lisa Jones sits down with incredible women from every industry who have powerful stories about leadership. Through honest conversations with rising stars, seasoned executives, and the allies who champion women's success, this podcast helps you see your own experiences as the foundation for authentic leadership. leadershipstory.substack.com

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