The Female Church Leaders Podcast

Kadi Cole

The Female Church Leaders Podcast with Kadi Cole offers practical tools and biblical insight for women leading in the local church. Each week, Kadi shares real stories, leadership strategies, and spiritual encouragement to help you grow in confidence, sharpen your skills, and lead with clarity. Whether you’re on staff, volunteering, building a ministry, or stepping into new levels of leadership, you’ll find wisdom, hope, and a community of female church leaders who get it - and are cheering you on!

  1. 3d ago

    FCLP 43 | How Healthy Is Your Church Culture…Really?

    In this grounding leadership episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole tackles a word we reach for too quickly: toxic. She walks through four distinct categories of church culture, from extraordinary to truly toxic, and the one principle that keeps you from mislabeling what you're actually experiencing. You'll gain a clear way to assess both your immediate team and the wider culture around you, language for telling an unhealthy season apart from genuine toxicity, and a practical next step for seeing your environment more accurately. TIMESTAMPS 00:41 - Healthy vs. unhealthy vs. toxic: why discernment matters  01:29 - Four categories of church culture 02:41 - Extraordinary culture  04:31 - Healthy culture  06:29 - Unhealthy culture  09:33 - Toxic culture  Email us at Info@KadiCole.com and tell us what has been helpful from the Female Church Leaders Podcast Season 1! Next Steps and Resources: Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at www.femalechurchleaders.com.Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit www.closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

  2. Oct 12

    FCLP 42 | 3 Keys to Church Announcements People Actually WANT to Hear

    In this practical leadership episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole reframes a task many leaders treat as throwaway: giving church announcements. For many female church leaders, it's one of the first platform opportunities they're given, and how you handle it shapes how much responsibility you're trusted with next. She offers three keys to making it count. You'll gain a way to connect an announcement to your church's vision instead of just reading a calendar, why preparing three minutes well can be harder than a full message, and what to think through before you step on the platform. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Welcome & introduction  02:23 - Key #1: Connect people to the vision, not just the event  04:50 - Key #2: Prepare so well you can stay present and on time  07:54 - Key #3: Minimize distractions — delivery, movement & wardrobe  11:37 - Colossians 4:5-6 encouragement  12:16 - Action step & closing Resources mentioned: Sticky Floor Quiz Next Steps and Resources: Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at www.femalechurchleaders.com.Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit www.closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

  3. Oct 5

    FCLP 41 | How to Fire a Volunteer

    In this thoughtful leadership episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole tackles one of the hardest ministry leadership calls: knowing when to keep developing a volunteer in their current role, and when it's time to help them move on. Drawing from a personal story, she walks through how to diagnose what's really going on before making a change. You'll learn how to question yourself about keeping someone for their good versus your convenience, a way to tell a gifting problem from a discipleship one, and how to transition to a volunteer without losing the relationship. TIMESTAMPS 01:04 - Story: navigating a volunteer mismatch  03:28 - Key principle: use ministry to build people  03:42 - Step 1: Diagnose the real problem  06:01 - Step 2: Recognize when to move someone on  07:54 - Step 3: Transition without losing connection Resources mentioned: Sticky Floor Quiz Next Steps and Resources: Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at www.femalechurchleaders.com.Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit www.closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

  4. Sep 28

    FCLP 40 | So THIS Is What It Feels Like to Be Coached by Someone Who Actually Knows What They're Doing

    In this candid leadership episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole shares a personal story about finally getting help from someone who actually knew what they were doing, and how it completely reshaped the way she thinks about coaching female church leaders. You'll gain four specific qualities to look for when choosing a coach, what Kadi means by "sticky floors," and the Exodus 18 picture of letting someone further down the road help you see what you can't see on your own. Last week to enroll in CLG before doors close on Thursday, October 1st! Click here for more info and to enroll; https://www.kadicole.com/closingtheleadershipgap This week I'm teaching The Competency Gap Live Training live - register here: https://www.kadicole.com/clglivewebinar TIMESTAMPS 02:27 - Why she started coaching female church leaders  03:35 - Why women need different leadership development  06:00 - What to look for in a coach  06:05 - #1 Real church leadership experience  07:52 - #2 Understands leadership challenges unique to women  09:25 - #3 The right person, not just the right resume Resources mentioned: Make Your Stewardship Case; https://www.kadicole.com/stewardship Next Steps and Resources: Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at www.femalechurchleaders.com.Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit www.closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

  5. Sep 21

    FCLP 39 | The 3 Questions That Make Any Decision Faster

    In this clarifying leadership episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole tackles why some decisions come easily while others – even small ones – leave us stuck. She walks through three common traps that stall decision-making, then introduces a simple three-question tool called 10-10-10 to help you move forward with clarity instead of circling. You'll gain a way to tell how much time any decision actually deserves, a look at the three traps most likely to be slowing you down, and what James 1 says about the difference between wisdom and indecision. This week I'm teaching The Competency Gap Live Training live - register here:  https://www.kadicole.com/clglivewebinar TIMESTAMPS 01:14 – The 3 decision-making traps  01:29 – Trap 1: Overthinking  03:18 – Trap 2: Avoiding risk  04:21 – Trap 3: Relational complexity  05:32 – The 10/10/10 decision tool 09:01 – This week's action step Resources mentioned: Make Your Stewardship Case; https://www.kadicole.com/stewardship Next Steps and Resources: Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at www.femalechurchleaders.com.Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit www.closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

  6. Sep 14

    FCLP 38 | How to Know When It's Time to Move a Volunteer to a Staff Role

    In this insightful leadership episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole tackles one of the hardest calls in ministry leadership: knowing when a volunteer role is ready to become a staff role. She walks through three specific symptoms that signal a shift is due, plus how to leverage unpaid staff roles when budgets are tight. You'll gain a way to tell whether someone is ready to lead a team, not just do the tasks, what actually separates an unpaid staff role from being a committed volunteer, and a simple next step for evaluating a role you've been questioning. This week I'm teaching The Competency Gap Live Training live - register here! TIMESTAMPS 03:57 – Volunteer vs. staff: it's about expectations, not pay 04:02 – Symptom 1: role has outgrown volunteer capacity 05:11 – Symptom 2: high volunteer leadership turnover 06:18 – Symptom 3: role is holding back other ministries 11:21 – Acts 6: the biblical model for delegating ministry 13:22 – Resources: Stewardship Case guide & upcoming training Resources mentioned: Make Your Stewardship Case; www.kadicole.com/stewardship Next Steps and Resources: Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at www.femalechurchleaders.com.Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit www.closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

  7. Sep 7

    FCLP 37 | The 5 Biggest Mistakes Women Make When Asking Their Church to Invest in Them

    In this relevant leadership episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole explores why advocating for your own development can feel more complicated than advocating for everyone else’s. Drawing from conversations with senior pastors and executive leaders, she identifies five common mistakes women make when asking their church to invest in their growth. You’ll gain practical insight into approaching development as stewardship, making a stronger case for investment, and navigating the conversation in a way that honors both your leadership growth and the church you serve. This week I'm teaching The Competency Gap Live Training live - register here! TIMESTAMPS 01:48 – Mistake #1: Waiting for someone else to invest in your growth  04:23 – Mistake #2: Not showing how your development benefits the church  06:11 – Mistake #3: Not preparing to make it an easy yes  07:21 – Mistake #4: Failing to be honest and honoring  08:29 – Mistake #5: Assuming a full yes is the only good answer  11:13 – Resource: Make Your Stewardship Case & Closing the Leadership Gap cohort Resources mentioned: Make Your Stewardship Case; www.kadicole.com/stewardship Next Steps and Resources: Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at www.femalechurchleaders.com.Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit www.closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

  8. Aug 31

    FCLP 36 | How to Handle Yourself in a Leadership Meeting

    In this practical leadership episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole explores an often-overlooked part of growing your influence: how you show up in the room with other leaders. She unpacks why what we intend to communicate and what others experience can be very different — especially when we're working hard to fit in or prove ourselves. You'll gain a simple READY framework for reading the room, engaging relationally, arriving prepared, delivering value, and supporting team decisions — so you can contribute as a mature, trusted member of the leadership team. TIMESTAMPS 00:47 – Why some strong female leaders get held back from promotion  06:05 – The 5-step READY framework overview  06:17 – R – Read the room  07:08 – E – Engage relationally  08:46 – A – Arrive prepared  09:43 – D – Deliver value  10:41 – Y – Yield to the decision Resources mentioned: The Competency Gap Quiz; thecompetencygapquiz.scoreapp.com Next Steps and Resources: Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at www.femalechurchleaders.com.Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit www.closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

5
out of 5
65 Ratings

About

The Female Church Leaders Podcast with Kadi Cole offers practical tools and biblical insight for women leading in the local church. Each week, Kadi shares real stories, leadership strategies, and spiritual encouragement to help you grow in confidence, sharpen your skills, and lead with clarity. Whether you’re on staff, volunteering, building a ministry, or stepping into new levels of leadership, you’ll find wisdom, hope, and a community of female church leaders who get it - and are cheering you on!

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