The Hard Skills

Dr. Mira Brancu
  • 5.0 (25)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to “The Hard Skills” podcast, a practical and research-driven show that explores the core leadership skills needed to fuel leadership to activate real change, such as creating inclusive and healthy workplaces. Through expert interviews and live coaching calls, we challenge the notion of "soft skills," question long-held but inaccurate leadership development beliefs, and offer real, practical solutions for complex leadership challenges. Hosted by Dr. Mira Brancu, a clinical and organizational development psychologist with extensive leadership experience, we’ll delve into topics of leadership identity, leading with uncertainty, navigating workplace politics, and creating critical organizational change. This podcast will especially appeal to high-achieving leaders in healthcare, tech, and academic, industries. Whether you're seeking personal growth, looking to enhance your leadership abilities, or interested in Dr. Brancu's coaching services and membership community, join us as we unravel the complexities of leadership and inspire you to embrace the hard skills.

  1. OCT 21

    From Surviving to Thriving Using Micro-Adjustments, with Julie Fischer

    When everything feels like it's falling apart—restructures, burnout, losses you can't quite name—most advice tells you to push harder or rest more. But what if the answer lies in between? In this episode, you'll learn about micro-adjustments: small, evidence-based shifts that help you lead through chaos without losing yourself. We're getting into ambiguous grief, organizational betrayal, and what kind of resilience mechanisms can help versus harm. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: Most leaders right now are in survival mode and don't even realize it. What does it look like when you're no longer thriving but rather just enduring? What's the difference between resilience that sustains you and resilience that just helps you tolerate more damage? In this episode, we'll unpack what positive psychology offers leaders dealing with organizational upheaval, chronic stress, and betrayal. We'll discuss how to evaluate where you are on the surviving-to-thriving continuum, why micro-adjustments aren't about minimizing broken systems, and what actually sustains people versus what just delays their breaking point. This conversation is for anyone who's been running on empty and wondering if there's another way. If you're barely holding it together and don't have time to fix it, start here. You'll walk away with one thing you can do tomorrow that won't add to your load. *** ABOUT OUR GUEST: Julie Fischer is a transformation coach, well-being consultant, and host of Nine to Thrive: The Well-Being Podcast. With 25+ years of corporate and nonprofit experience in sales, marketing, and fundraising, Julie's career took a dramatic turn when a family crisis forced her to rebuild her life from the ground up. That transformation ignited her coaching practice, where she now helps individuals, teams, and organizations move from survival to sustainable thriving through evidence-based tools rooted in applied positive psychology. She specializes in uncovering the unconscious narratives and limiting beliefs that keep high-performers stuck, then creating clarity and actionable strategies for lasting change. Certified as an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and in Applied Positive Psychology through The Flourishing Center, Julie works with leaders navigating burnout, career transitions, work-life integration, and building resilience under pressure. She delivers corporate workshops, one-on-one coaching, group facilitation, and speaking engagements focused on well-being science, mindset shifts, leadership presence, and creating meaningful connection in work and life. Through her coaching and her podcast, Julie is on a mission to address what she calls the "un-well-being crisis"—helping people harness agency, shift from merely surviving to truly thriving, and meet their most audacious goals without losing themselves in the process. *** FIND OUR GUEST HERE: www.juliefischercoaching.com www.linkedin.com/in/julie-fischer-pcc/ FREE Wheel of Life Inventory: www.juliefischercoaching.com/wheel-of-life *** IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR? We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you! Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe Work with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancu Learn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.com Get practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/books Add this podcast to your feed: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/ www.juliefischercoaching.com www.linkedin.com/in/julie-fischer-pcc/ www.juliefischercoaching.com/wheel-of-life

    58 min

  2. OCT 7

    Beyond Productivity: The Missing Piece to AI Adoption, with Wayne Williams

    What's the missing gap between the promise of AI in the future of work and its actual adoption? What is the difference between the organizations that spend millions on technological advances that ultimately fail and those that can unlock unprecedented innovation? You'll learn the one thing that makes a difference in this episode. EPISODE SUMMARY: "WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: Most companies are approaching AI completely backwards. We're going to talk about what actually breaks organizations when they adopt AI — and the human-centered approach that puts them back together. You'll hear how high-achievers in HR and organizational development are sabotaging their own AI initiatives by focusing on the technology instead of the people who use it. We unpack the emotional mechanics behind why leaders make costly AI decisions, and the critical thinking skills that separate successful adoption from expensive failure. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by AI's rapid evolution but couldn't name exactly what felt wrong about your approach, this episode will offer some insight from someone who's built a framework that flips traditional AI adoption on its head — putting human-centered design at the core of artificial intelligence strategy. Our guest shares the one mindset shift that separates organizations thriving with AI from those drowning in it. We're diving into the intersection of artificial intelligence and human-centered design, exploring why the future belongs to leaders who can balance automation with authentic human connection. Let's rethink your AI strategy. *** ABOUT OUR GUEST: Wayne Williams is the Founder of Prospective Tech and a Subject Matter Expert on AI and Human Centered Design. He is a co-author of the White Paper “The Intersection of AI and Human Centered Design” and “Connecting the Dots to Entrepreneurship."" Wayne serves as a board advisor for The Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, The Center for Science in the Public Interest, Yale's School of the Environment, and ACLU, and was an advisor to The White House Council on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. *** FIND OUR GUEST HERE: www.prospectivetechpa.org/ *** IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR? We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small, women-owned, boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you! Subscribe to my free newsletter at: mailchi.mp/2079c04f4d44/subscribe Work with me one-on-one: calendly.com/mira-brancu/30-minute-initial-consultation Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/MiraBrancu Learn more about my services: www.gotowerscope.com Get practical workplace politics tips from my books: gotowerscope.com/books Add this podcast to your feed: www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/ https://www.prospectivetechpa.org/ Tune in for this innovative conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Livestream by Clicking Here.

    1h 2m
  3. When Micro-Actions Aren't Enough to Solve Big Burnout (Burnout Part 4)

    SEP 26 · BONUS

    When Micro-Actions Aren't Enough to Solve Big Burnout (Burnout Part 4)

    You've tried the breathing apps, the gratitude journals, the five-minute breaks. You're still exhausted. What if the problem isn't that you need more coping strategies - but that your entire system is set up for failure? This is the 4th and final of my Bonus 4-part Burnout series, talking with you about taking a deeper dive in understanding burnout from a psychosocial perspective.  In this episode, we're talking about when research-backed practices help, when they harm, and why small fixes can't solve systemic problems.  --- The Anti-Burnout Leadership Lab details can be found at https://gotowerscope.com/2025fellowship Register at https://luma.com/owie0t8g YouTube video of this episode: https://youtu.be/wnJxbx1qoc4

    14 min
  4. The Leadership Capacity Paradox: Building Others' Capacity Without Burning Out Your Own (Burnout Part 3)

    SEP 24 · BONUS

    The Leadership Capacity Paradox: Building Others' Capacity Without Burning Out Your Own (Burnout Part 3)

    You became a leader to create impact, develop others, and drive change. But sometimes it seems like every person you spend time lifting up depletes your capacity. How do you build organizational capacity without depleting your own or creating dependency on you? For the next few episodes, I will be talking with you about taking a deeper dive in understanding burnout from a perspective I personally don’t hear enough of: the psychosocial drivers of burnout – what we as individuals bring to it, how social conditioning perpetuates it, and how organizational culture impacts it – and what we can do about it.  In this episode we're talking about how sometimes the very strengths that make you an effective leader can become the source of your burnout. Those caretaking instincts that make you a great people developer? They can directly conflict with your strategic leadership responsibilities! This isPart 3 of my Bonus 4-part Burnout series.  --- References: The Anti-Burnout Leadership Lab details: https://gotowerscope.com/2025fellowship Register: https://luma.com/owie0t8g YouTube video of this episode: https://youtu.be/XLkQo876yOU

    10 min

  5. SEP 23

    Inclusive Leadership: Grieving, Healing, Evolving, with Jennifer Brown

    What does it mean to lead when your life's work seems to have been taken away from you? This is a critical conversation about naming the grief, loss, healing, and transformation for inclusive leaders and experts—and what it takes to stand with and through change. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: How do we cope when decades of progress disappear overnight—and the work you dedicated your life to is suddenly illegal, unwelcome, or irrelevant? We're not just talking about inclusive leadership—we're exploring the emotional damage that nobody wants to admit is happening right now. You'll hear how even the most seasoned change agents are grappling with profound loss, identity crisis, and the question: "What now?" We unpack the grief cycle that inclusive leaders are experiencing as legal mandates strip away the very foundation of their expertise, and why processing this loss is essential to finding the way forward. If you've ever felt like the ground moved beneath your life's work, or if you're wondering how to lead when the rules keep changing—this episode holds a mirror up to that moment. Today we're interviewing someone who's witnessed inclusive leadership go from underground movement to corporate mandate to cultural battleground—and lived to tell the story of each transformation. Our guest shares what it means to grieve, separate the work from the vehicle, and why standing with change requires a radical act of presence, humility, and humanity. *** ABOUT OUR GUEST: Jennifer Brown (she/her) is an award-winning speaker, bestselling author, and globally recognized authority on inclusive leadership and workplace culture. She’s advised top organizations like Google, IBM, and the Gates Foundation, and is the author of How to Be an Inclusive Leader and Beyond Diversity. Her Inclusive Leader Continuum™ is used across industries to drive lasting change. Through her keynotes, podcast (The Will to Change), and advisory work, Jennifer helps leaders build cultures of belonging where everyone can thrive. She lives in New York with her partner of 25 years, Michelle. *** IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR? We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you! *** LINKS: www.gotowerscope.com www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/ jenniferbrownspeaks.com jenniferbrownspeaks.com/coaching/ jenniferbrownspeaks.com/the-will-to-change/ Tune in for this innovative conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Livestream by Clicking Here.

    1h 2m
  6. The Responsiveness Trap: When Being 'Available' Makes You Unavailable for What Matters (Burnout Part 2)

    SEP 22 · BONUS

    The Responsiveness Trap: When Being 'Available' Makes You Unavailable for What Matters (Burnout Part 2)

    You respond to emails within minutes, you're always reachable, your team knows they can count on you. Being there for your team matters, right? So why does it still feel like you're falling behind on everything that actually matters? For the next few episodes, I will be talking with you about taking a deeper dive in understanding burnout from a perspective I personally don’t hear enough of: the psychosocial drivers of burnout – what we as individuals bring to it, how social conditioning perpetuates it, and how organizational culture impacts it – and what we can do about it.  In this episode we're talking about the responsiveness trap - how being constantly available makes you unavailable for real leadership. This is Part 2 of my Bonus 4-part Burnout series.  --- The Anti-Burnout Leadership Lab details can be found at https://gotowerscope.com/2025fellowship Register at https://luma.com/owie0t8g YouTube video of this episode: https://youtu.be/3SQ9ggxW7LM

    12 min
  7. The Yes Addiction: Why High Achievers Can't Say No (Burnout Part 1)

    SEP 20 · BONUS

    The Yes Addiction: Why High Achievers Can't Say No (Burnout Part 1)

    You pride yourself on being reliable, capable, and indispensable. But what if the very trait that built your career is now sabotaging your success? For the next few episodes, I will be talking with you about taking a deeper dive in understanding burnout from a perspective I personally don’t hear enough of: the psychosocial drivers of burnout – what we as individuals bring to it, how social conditioning perpetuates it, and how organizational culture impacts it – and what we can do about it.  In this episode, we're talking about the yes addiction - why saying no feels impossible for high achievers, and what it's actually costing you.  --- The Anti-Burnout Leadership Lab details can be found at https://gotowerscope.com/2025fellowship Register at https://luma.com/owie0t8g YouTube video of this episode: https://youtu.be/lAuue-FNf-c

    11 min

  8. SEP 9

    Am I Becoming a Bad Boss?, with Mita Mallick

    It’s easy for us to call out the bad bosses. It’s harder to look in the mirror and confront the bad boss staring back at you. In this episode, you'll discover how anyone can fall into the trap of becoming a bad boss—often without realizing it—as well as strategies managers and employees can use to make work more manageable. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: During the course of her career, top workplace strategist Mita Mallick has worked for a wide range of bad bosses: The bad boss who fell asleep in meetings. The bad boss who took credit for all her work. The bad boss who once threw her designer shoe at Mita's colleague. The bad boss who told her she was a rat and demanded loyalty. The bad boss who told her she was overconfident and needed to stay in her lane. The bad boss who gossiped about her to others and told her peers she didn’t really know what she was doing. The bad boss who was so nice and so profoundly incompetent and as much as she wanted to, it was really hard to hate him. In this episode, we'll explore a few of the many ways bosses can create an unhealthy workplace and disengagement, how any one of us could be susceptible to becoming one of those bad bosses for someone else, and how we can manage and mitigate against this. *** ABOUT OUR GUEST: Mita Mallick is a WSJ and USA Today bestselling author, LinkedIn Top Voice, workplace strategist, speaker, and coach to start-up founders, executives, and public CEOs. A change maker with a track record of transforming culture and business, Mita gives innovative, culturally-resonant ideas a voice and serves customers and communities with purpose. Her highly anticipated second book, The Devil Emails at Midnight: What Good Leaders Can Learn from Bad Bosses, will be published on September 30, 2025 by Wiley. *** IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR? We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you! *** LINKS: www.gotowerscope.com www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-hard-skills-dr-mira-brancu-m0QzwsFiBGE/ www.mitamallick.com/ www.amazon.com/Devil-Emails-Midnight-Leaders-Bosses/dp/1394316488 www.linkedin.com/in/mita-mallick-2b165822/ www.instagram.com/mita_mallick13/ Tune in for this innovative conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Livestream by Clicking Here.

    55 min
See All (110)

5
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Welcome to “The Hard Skills” podcast, a practical and research-driven show that explores the core leadership skills needed to fuel leadership to activate real change, such as creating inclusive and healthy workplaces. Through expert interviews and live coaching calls, we challenge the notion of "soft skills," question long-held but inaccurate leadership development beliefs, and offer real, practical solutions for complex leadership challenges. Hosted by Dr. Mira Brancu, a clinical and organizational development psychologist with extensive leadership experience, we’ll delve into topics of leadership identity, leading with uncertainty, navigating workplace politics, and creating critical organizational change. This podcast will especially appeal to high-achieving leaders in healthcare, tech, and academic, industries. Whether you're seeking personal growth, looking to enhance your leadership abilities, or interested in Dr. Brancu's coaching services and membership community, join us as we unravel the complexities of leadership and inspire you to embrace the hard skills.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Mira Brancu
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    110
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Hard Skills

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