The Tessa Tubbs Podcast

Tessa Tubbs

The Tessa Tubbs Podcast is a space for Self-Leadership: identity, emotional maturity, agency, boundaries, integrity, burnout, and reinvention. After years helping leaders navigate strategy and complexity inside organizations, I followed a deeper question: “What if the life you built was never meant for you?” Each week we explore how to know yourself accurately, own your choices, and live aligned with what’s true. Expect 30+ minute conversations plus 5-minute quick hits you can apply immediately.

  1. New Mission

    24 МАР.

    New Mission

    You may have noticed a slight change in content this year. Over the last several years, my work has largely lived inside organizations: helping leaders execute strategy, navigate complexity, and succeed in corporate environments. Much of what I’ve learned and taught over nearly three decades still matters deeply—and you’ll continue to hear elements of that here. But over time, something else has been emerging. Last year, I gave a TEDx Talk centered on a question that wouldn’t let me go:What if the life you built was never meant for you? That question didn’t come from theory. It came from my own story—and from years of listening to incredibly capable, successful people quietly wrestle with misalignment, exhaustion, and a sense that they were living someone else’s version of success. As I’ve continued this work—with clients, in my research, and in my own life—I’ve found myself moving beyond tactics and titles, and more deeply into what it actually means to lead yourself. Not just to perform well.Not just to succeed externally.But to understand yourself accurately, take ownership of your choices, and live in alignment with what you know to be true. That shift—from corporate success to individual success—has become increasingly important to me. And it’s what this podcast is now centered on. This season, the Tessa Tubbs Podcast is a space for conversations about Self-Leadership: how people come to know themselves, how they make consequential choices, and how they navigate the tension between who they’ve been and who they’re becoming. If you’d like to explore more of the thinking behind this shift, you can find my TEDx TALK linked in the show notes. It offers deeper context for the journey that led me here. Watch my TEDx Talk HERE: https://youtu.be/3pU5kMaX8wk?si=ZRmsfIfybVINUXbm

    2 мин.
  2. The Most Productive Thing You’re Not Doing with guest Adam Tanaka

    10 МАР.

    The Most Productive Thing You’re Not Doing with guest Adam Tanaka

    Burnout is normalized. Productivity is glorified. And many high-functioning people are quietly exhausted, doing all the “right” things while sensing something is off. In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast, Tessa sits down with Adam Tanaka: founder, serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and a vocal challenger of burnout culture who helps leaders rediscover unstructured play as a catalyst for creativity, collaboration, and mental wellbeing. After building and selling his first company after 17 years, Adam expected celebration, but instead found himself pulled back into the same overwork rhythm. What followed became a defining reset: a mirror from his partner, a trip to Iceland, and a moment of breaking down in a rental car surrounded by breathtaking beauty, realizing he was losing his sense of self. Together, Tessa and Adam explore: The identity trap of “Founder Adam” and the journey back to Kid Adam: adventure, freedom, creativity Why the path to thriving as an adult sometimes starts by reconnecting with who you were as a kid How to stop waiting for permission or validation and make choices from agency instead The daily “Take Five” practice: five minutes of play with no end result, just nervous-system relief and reset Why environment matters, and what it looks like to choose a new season (including Adam’s move from Nashville to Asheville) This episode is an invitation to slow down long enough to notice what’s asking for your attention, name one truth you’ve been avoiding, and take one small step toward a life built with intention instead of autopilot. 🔗 Connect with Adam Website: https://adamtanaka.comKids brand: https://cavehousesupply.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamtanaka/Instagram: @adamtanaka

    37 мин.
  3. Who Are You After the Defining Moment with Former First-Round NFL Draft Pick Dr. Kevin Dyson

    24 ФЕВР.

    Who Are You After the Defining Moment with Former First-Round NFL Draft Pick Dr. Kevin Dyson

    This season of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast marks a shift. We’re moving beyond tactics and titles and into Self-Leadership: how we come to know ourselves accurately, take ownership of our choices, and live in alignment with what we know to be true. In this episode, Tessa sits down with Dr. Kevin Dyson, former NFL wide receiver turned educator, leader, and founder. While Kevin is widely known for unforgettable moments on the field, this conversation focuses on what he’s built beyond the spotlight: a life shaped by growth, humility, reinvention, and service. Together, they explore: How early lessons from Kevin’s mother shaped his work ethic and values (and why “you can’t skip steps” still matters) What happens when you achieve the dream early, and then have to start over at 30 The identity shift from public success to purpose, impact, and legacy in education How adversity and career-ending injuries created perspective and reinvention Why “letting go” of past hurts, guilt, resentment, and self-punishment is often the doorway to growth Kevin also shares the “full circle” moment of keeping a promise he made at 12 years old: using his success to create stability and freedom for his mom. This is a powerful conversation about choice, identity, legacy, and becoming—and an invitation to take one honest step toward alignment. Learn more about Kevin’s work: Kevin Dyson: https://kevindyson.comMusic City Academy: https://musiccityacademy.org (donate + learn more)Social media: @ktdyson87

    46 мин.
  4. 3 Myths That Hold Us Back From Receiving Feedback with Nigel Bristow

    15 ЯНВ.

    3 Myths That Hold Us Back From Receiving Feedback with Nigel Bristow

    🎙️ Episode Description: 3 Myths That Hold Us Back From Receiving Feedback (with Nigel Bristow) Feedback can be one of the most powerful accelerators of leadership growth… and one of the most emotionally complicated. In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast, Tessa is joined by Nigel Bristow (bestselling author, speaker, and feedback thought leader, and author of Feedback Breakthrough) for a practical, deeply human conversation about why receiving feedback is often harder than giving it and how to build the resilience to use feedback as fuel instead of friction. Together, they unpack three common myths that keep leaders stuck, defensive, or discouraged and offer reframes and practices to help you approach feedback with more clarity, humility, and confidence. Why even confident, self-aware leaders still struggle to receive feedback well How “inaccurate” feedback can still be useful and reveal your real-world impact Why discomfort doesn’t mean failure; it often means growth is happening Practical ways to build resilience so feedback becomes a source of strength, not stress If you’ve ever felt your nervous system spike when feedback comes your way, this episode will help you shift from protecting your ego to growing your leadership. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why even confident, self-aware leaders still struggle to receive feedback well How “inaccurate” feedback can still be useful and reveal your real-world impact Why discomfort doesn’t mean failure; it often means growth is happening Practical ways to build resilience so feedback becomes a source of strength, not stress If you’ve ever felt your nervous system spike when feedback comes your way, this episode will help you shift from protecting your ego to growing your leadership. About Nigel: Nigel Bristow has a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s in organizational behavior. As the founder of Targeted Learning, Nigel had the privilege of consulting with, and developing leadership programs for, several outstanding Fortune 500 companies, including 3M, Microsoft, Boeing, Textron, and ConocoPhillips. Nigel retired several years ago after selling Targeted Learning—only to come out of retirement in 2025 with the publication of his best-selling book, The Feedback Breakthrough: Harness the Gift of Feedback and Bring Your A-Game to Life. Nigel is currently the founder and president of Feedback HQ, LLC. The mission of Feedback HQ is to help leaders harness the power of feedback to win—as individuals, teams, and organizations.  FdbkHQ.com

    47 мин.

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The Tessa Tubbs Podcast is a space for Self-Leadership: identity, emotional maturity, agency, boundaries, integrity, burnout, and reinvention. After years helping leaders navigate strategy and complexity inside organizations, I followed a deeper question: “What if the life you built was never meant for you?” Each week we explore how to know yourself accurately, own your choices, and live aligned with what’s true. Expect 30+ minute conversations plus 5-minute quick hits you can apply immediately.