Career Project: Women, career & leadership

Leanne Fields

Career Project is the definitive narrative podcast for ambitious women navigating the complex landscape of modern work, hosted by seasoned career strategist Leanne Fields. Each episode delivers a vivid, emotionally resonant exploration of professional life, blending intimate storytelling with actionable leadership insights to empower listeners to take ownership of their trajectories. Leanne’s warm yet authoritative voice creates an immersive experience that feels like a candid conversation with a trusted mentor, guiding you through the highs and lows of corporate climbing and entrepreneurial risk-taking. Dive deep into essential themes such as executive presence, salary negotiation strategies, workplace dynamics, and the nuanced art of female leadership in male-dominated industries. The show covers critical topics including overcoming imposter syndrome, building authentic networks, managing burnout, and finding work-life integration rather than balance. Listeners will discover practical advice on transitioning careers, negotiating promotions, and cultivating resilience in high-pressure environments. From understanding office politics to mastering personal branding, every story is crafted to provide clarity and confidence for women seeking to redefine success on their own terms. This series is designed for driven professionals, aspiring leaders, and entrepreneurs who crave more than just generic tips—they want real-world narratives that reflect their struggles and triumphs. With new episodes released weekly, Career Project offers a consistent cadence of inspiration and education, delivered through Leanne’s empathetic and insightful perspective. It serves as a vital resource for anyone ready to invest in their professional growth and build a fulfilling, impactful career path. Join a community of empowered women dedicated to shaping their futures. Subscribe to Career Project today and start your journey toward confident, intentional leadership. Topics: women in leadership, career development for women, female entrepreneurship, workplace navigation, executive coaching, salary negotiation tips, overcoming imposter syndrome, professional growth, business strategy for women, leadership skills training, career transition stories, work-life integration, corporate ladder climbing, networking for women, personal branding advice, burnout prevention, office politics, confidence building #WomenInLeadership #CareerGrowth #FemaleEntrepreneurs #WorkplaceWellness #ExecutivePresence #ProfessionalDevelopment #LeadershipSkills #CareerAdvice #BusinessStrategy #ImposterSyndrome #SalaryNegotiation #WorkLifeBalance #CorporateCulture #NetworkingTips #PersonalBranding #Empowerment

Episodes

  1. 18h ago

    Why Rest Is Radical (And Why You Should Stop Saying It) | Career Project

    In this episode of Career Project, host Charis Mcclure dismantles the modern wellness industry’s commodification of rest. If you are a high-achieving professional, entrepreneur, or corporate strategist who feels exhausted by the pressure to perform 'wellness' on social media, this episode offers a vital perspective shift. Mcclure argues that labeling rest as 'radical' turns a basic physiological necessity into another performance metric and a badge of honor, effectively turning downtime into unpaid labor. This is not just about self-care; it is a critical analysis of how modern work culture gaslights employees into believing that mindfulness apps and nap pods can offset systemic exploitation and unrealistic deadlines. The conversation dives deep into the difference between authentic recovery and aestheticized production. Mcclure shares personal anecdotes from her ten years in high-stakes corporate strategy, illustrating how burnout is often celebrated while true sustainability is ignored. She introduces the concept of reclaiming boredom as a tool for creativity and mental consolidation, urging listeners to stop filling every micro-moment with digital consumption. By stripping away the clichés of Instagram-perfect routines, she encourages a return to raw, undocumented stillness. This segment provides concrete strategies for setting hard boundaries, such as turning off notifications completely after 7 PM and using physical alarm clocks to protect sleep hygiene, framing these actions not as punishments but as essential maintenance for the human machine. Furthermore, the episode challenges the notion that sustainable ambition requires constant speed. Mcclure posits that clarity is a competitive advantage and that burnout is a liability, not a virtue. She distinguishes between building bridges (invitations) and walls (boundaries), helping listeners understand why they often feel drained despite their efforts. The narrative emphasizes that peace is fuel, not a destination, and that the most powerful professionals are those who know when to step away to return with focus. This approach reframes rest from an act of rebellion against capitalism to a biological imperative and a non-negotiable component of long-term career success and personal thriving. Join Charis Mcclure as she calls for the retirement of the phrase 'rest is radical,' replacing it with the acknowledgment that rest is essential, necessary, and non-negotiable. This episode is designed for anyone ready to stop apologizing for their need to recharge and start treating their energy with the respect it deserves. Listen now to learn how to thrive rather than just survive in a demanding work environment. Support the show and access exclusive resources at the link provided below. More from Career Project: https://humanitymedia.org/career-project Transcript: https://cdn.humanitymedia.org/transcripts/career-project/2026-09-06.txt

  2. 1d ago

    The Quiet Power of Psychological Safety in High-Stakes Meetings | Career Project

    In this episode of Career Project, host Adriana MacInnes explores the critical concept of psychological safety in high-stakes business meetings. This discussion is essential for leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs who want to move beyond superficial consensus and unlock true team innovation. The episode argues that silence in boardrooms is often a sign of fear rather than agreement, leading to costly blind spots and broken trust. By examining real-world scenarios, including a near-disastrous investor pitch where a designer’s warning was ignored, the narrative highlights how the pressure to perform can suppress the raw, unfiltered truth necessary for sustainable growth. The conversation delves into practical strategies for fostering an environment where dissent is viewed as an act of care rather than conflict. Key takeaways include redefining disagreement, using specific questioning techniques like 'pre-mortems' and 'round-robin' inputs to disrupt groupthink, and the importance of leaders modeling vulnerability. These methods transform potential disasters into manageable puzzles, proving that psychological safety is not just a soft skill but a productivity multiplier that prevents expensive errors and aligns teams with reality. Learn how to shift from managing behavior to leading people by creating spaces where employees feel safe to speak up without fear of punishment or humiliation. Adriana provides actionable advice on how to integrate these principles into daily workflows without slowing down momentum. She emphasizes that building psychological safety requires patience and the willingness to sit with discomfort, but the payoff includes better decision-making, faster problem-solving, and a team culture rooted in truth-telling. This episode serves as a guide for ambitious professionals seeking to balance drive with humanity, ensuring their businesses are built on solid foundations rather than sand. Discover how to invite the truth into your meetings and turn silence into a powerful tool for clarity and connection. Listen now to learn how to create a culture of productive friction and lead with humility. Support the show and access additional resources at the link provided below. More from Career Project: https://humanitymedia.org/career-project Topics: psychological safety, high stakes meetings, leadership development, team dynamics, corporate culture, employee engagement, groupthink prevention, business growth, entrepreneurship tips, conflict resolution, managerial skills, workplace communication, innovation strategy, trust building #psychologicalsafety #leadershiplessons #careergrowth #teamwork #businessstrategy #entrepreneurlife #workplaceculture #managementtips #productivityhacks #trustissues #meetingefficiency #humanresources Transcript: https://cdn.humanitymedia.org/transcripts/career-project/2026-09-05.txt

  3. 2d ago

    Stop Chasing Virality: How Quiet Consistency Builds Real Authority | Career Project

    In this episode of Career Project, host Kelsey Norton challenges the modern obsession with virality and constant content output, arguing instead for the power of quiet consistency in building genuine authority as a female founder. If you are exhausted from trying to 'scream' your way into visibility or treating your personal brand like a slot machine, this episode offers a strategic pivot toward sustainable growth. We explore why chasing volume turns you into a commodity, while chasing consistency establishes you as an industry standard. This is essential listening for entrepreneurs who feel burnout from algorithmic pressure and want to build a reputation based on trust rather than fleeting attention. We delve deep into the psychology of authority, distinguishing it from charisma or confidence. Real authority is defined by reliability and the predictable delivery of value over time. The narrative examines how dependency on viral spikes creates anxiety, whereas a consistent rhythm removes decision fatigue and builds a loyal audience that values stability. By sharing personal anecdotes about consulting clients and the dangers of 'heroic' but unsustainable work habits, we illustrate how predictability becomes a luxury in a chaotic market. Listeners will learn to shift their mindset from seeking immediate validation to focusing on long-term endurance, understanding that boring, steady progress often yields higher returns than intense, sporadic bursts of activity. Practical takeaways include strategies to optimize for flow rather than spikes, such as cutting posting schedules, deleting forced drafts, and narrowing your niche to sharpen your message. We emphasize that clarity is currency; by speaking simply and repeatedly to a specific audience, you become indispensable. The episode encourages founders to audit their current output, asking whether they are trying to be interesting or useful, and to commit to small, repeatable actions that can be sustained for years, not just months. This approach transforms your business from a flash in the pan into a solid foundation for life. Join Kelsey Norton for this driving-ambitious conversation on redefining success through patience and precision. If you found value in these insights, please support the show via the link below to help us bring more high-quality career strategy content to ambitious women founders everywhere. More from Career Project: https://humanitymedia.org/career-project Topics: female founders, personal branding strategy, quiet consistency, building authority online, entrepreneurial burnout, content marketing tips, sustainable business growth, overcoming imposter syndrome, client trust building, niche marketing, career advice for women, long term business strategy, digital presence management #femalefounders #businessstrategy #consistencyiskey #personalbranding #entrepreneurlife #careeradvice #growthmindset #leadershipskills #marketingtips #womeninbusiness #sustainablegrowth #authoritybuilding Transcript: https://cdn.humanitymedia.org/transcripts/career-project/2026-09-04.txt

About

Career Project is the definitive narrative podcast for ambitious women navigating the complex landscape of modern work, hosted by seasoned career strategist Leanne Fields. Each episode delivers a vivid, emotionally resonant exploration of professional life, blending intimate storytelling with actionable leadership insights to empower listeners to take ownership of their trajectories. Leanne’s warm yet authoritative voice creates an immersive experience that feels like a candid conversation with a trusted mentor, guiding you through the highs and lows of corporate climbing and entrepreneurial risk-taking. Dive deep into essential themes such as executive presence, salary negotiation strategies, workplace dynamics, and the nuanced art of female leadership in male-dominated industries. The show covers critical topics including overcoming imposter syndrome, building authentic networks, managing burnout, and finding work-life integration rather than balance. Listeners will discover practical advice on transitioning careers, negotiating promotions, and cultivating resilience in high-pressure environments. From understanding office politics to mastering personal branding, every story is crafted to provide clarity and confidence for women seeking to redefine success on their own terms. This series is designed for driven professionals, aspiring leaders, and entrepreneurs who crave more than just generic tips—they want real-world narratives that reflect their struggles and triumphs. With new episodes released weekly, Career Project offers a consistent cadence of inspiration and education, delivered through Leanne’s empathetic and insightful perspective. It serves as a vital resource for anyone ready to invest in their professional growth and build a fulfilling, impactful career path. Join a community of empowered women dedicated to shaping their futures. Subscribe to Career Project today and start your journey toward confident, intentional leadership. Topics: women in leadership, career development for women, female entrepreneurship, workplace navigation, executive coaching, salary negotiation tips, overcoming imposter syndrome, professional growth, business strategy for women, leadership skills training, career transition stories, work-life integration, corporate ladder climbing, networking for women, personal branding advice, burnout prevention, office politics, confidence building #WomenInLeadership #CareerGrowth #FemaleEntrepreneurs #WorkplaceWellness #ExecutivePresence #ProfessionalDevelopment #LeadershipSkills #CareerAdvice #BusinessStrategy #ImposterSyndrome #SalaryNegotiation #WorkLifeBalance #CorporateCulture #NetworkingTips #PersonalBranding #Empowerment