The Leadership Lounge with Karie Millspaugh

Karie Millspaugh

Welcome to The Leadership Lounge – your go-to podcast for insightful conversations, expert advice, and powerful strategies that will elevate your leadership skills to the next level. Hosted by Karie Millspaugh, a best-selling author, award-winning motivational speaker, and executive leadership coach, this show is designed for leaders, aspiring executives, and entrepreneurs who are ready to lead with impact and purpose. So grab a seat, get comfortable, and let's explore the art of leadership together in The Leadership Lounge – where leaders come to learn, grow, and thrive.

  1. Oct 13

    Are Leaders Born—or Do We Become Them?

    My mom called me an influencer long before that was a job title. Back then, I was simply the girl gathering the neighborhood kids and getting everyone involved. Looking back, I can see those early signs of leadership. But I can also see how much I still had to learn. In this personal episode of The Leadership Lounge, I share the experiences that shaped me—from taking on significant retail leadership responsibilities at age 22 to becoming a single mom, building my coaching career with ActionCOACH, and attending a leadership boot camp that challenged me to grow. Motherhood brought a different kind of accountability. When your little girl looks to you for guidance, leadership becomes something you practice in everyday moments: how you handle disappointment, make decisions, admit mistakes, and keep going. This conversation is an invitation to look at your own story. Where did your leadership begin? Who recognized something in you before you recognized it yourself? And what are you still learning? In this episode: Early signs of leadership in childhood Responsibility before you feel fully ready Single motherhood and leading by example Lessons from coaching and leadership training Investing in your growth throughout your life Books mentioned The Big Leap — Gay Hendricks Permission to Be ALL of Me — Karie Millspaugh Daring Greatly — Brené Brown Dare to Lead — Brené Brown You Are a Badass — Jen Sincero A note about leadership podcasts: I mentioned sharing podcast recommendations, but I don’t currently follow a leadership podcast consistently enough to personally recommend it. If you have one you love, send it my way—I’d love to explore it! You don’t have to have everything figured out to begin leading. You can recognize your strengths and keep developing the person you’re becoming. What experience helped shape the leader you are today?

  2. Oct 6

    People Are Watching: Leadership Through Actions, Not Titles

    Leadership isn’t proven when everything is going well. It is revealed in the moments when the pressure rises, emotions run high, and you have every reason to lose your composure. I’ve worked with executives who could change the entire energy of a room simply by walking into it. Some brought calm, clarity, and connection. Others created tension that caused people to carefully choose their words, withhold ideas, and focus more on avoiding the leader’s reaction than solving the actual problem. Both may have held impressive titles—but only one earned genuine respect. In this candid episode of The Leadership Lounge, I explore what it really means to lead by example. We’ll talk about the difference between authority and influence, why composure should never be mistaken for weakness, and how a leader’s actions communicate far more than the values displayed on a company wall. You’ll hear why I believe great leaders learn to be curious, not furious—asking questions before making accusations and allowing their nervous system to settle before responding to a challenging moment. In this episode, we explore: Why your behavior carries more weight when you hold a leadership position How fear may produce short-term compliance but damages trust Why calm, connected leaders receive more honest communication The difference between regulating emotions and suppressing them How to recognize when you need a purposeful pause Why curiosity makes accountability more accurate What it looks like to hold people accountable without stripping away their dignity How acknowledging mistakes and repairing harm strengthens credibility Why consistency between your words and actions builds lasting respect Your title may give you authority. Your actions give that authority meaning. The next time the temperature rises, pause long enough to ask yourself: What am I teaching people about leadership right now? Then lead in a way you would be proud to have them follow. If this episode brings a leader to mind—or helps you recognize something within your own leadership—share it with someone who may need the conversation. I would also love to hear from you: What is one action that has made you deeply respect a leader? #Leadership #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #Accountability #TheLeadershipLounge

  3. Aug 21

    What If I’m Not Needed Anymore?

    Leadership, Identity & the Fear of Becoming Obsolete What if half of what makes you valuable at work today could be done by AI tomorrow? It’s an uncomfortable question — especially for writers, communicators, creatives, executives and knowledge workers whose careers are being disrupted in real time. In this episode of The Leadership Lounge, Karie Millspaugh gets raw about the fear underneath so much of the AI conversation: What if I’m not needed anymore? As a writer and communications professional, Karie isn’t immune to that fear. AI can write. It can create images. It can brainstorm, research, analyze and produce in seconds what once took hours. But there’s an important distinction: AI may produce the work, but humans still bring the vision. Karie shares how she’s using AI while writing her children’s book and creating content for clients — and why creativity, intuition, judgment, lived experience and the ability to know what to ask for remain distinctly human advantages. The conversation also goes beyond AI. What happens when leaders are expected to reassure their teams while privately wondering whether their own jobs are safe? How do you lead through constant restructuring, layoffs, technological disruption and change fatigue when you don’t have all the answers yourself? And have we turned “resilience” into another way of asking people to simply tolerate more? In this episode: The very real fear of becoming professionally obsoleteWhy pretending AI won’t eliminate jobs isn’t helpfulThe difference between what AI can produce and what humans createWhy creativity, intuition, judgment and discernment matter more than everWhat leaders experience when everyone expects them to have the answersThe loneliness that can come with leadershipWhy your team needs honesty more than false certaintyChange fatigue vs. resistance to changeWhy we may need to rethink what resilience actually meansSeparating what you do from what you bringFinding your human advantage in an AI-powered workplaceThe question to take with you:If AI could do 50% of what you currently do tomorrow, what would still make you valuable? Don’t answer it too quickly. Because buried inside that answer may be the most important thing you bring to your work — and perhaps even the next version of your career. 🎙️ The Leadership Lounge with Karie Millspaugh Real conversations about leadership, communication, change and the human side of work.

  4. Jul 13

    Permission to Be Still - Permission to Truly Unplug – Part 3

    Why do so many of us feel guilty when we're not being productive? In the final episode of the Permission to Truly Unplug series, Karie explores the deeper emotional side of rest. Together, we'll examine why our culture often equates busyness with worth and how reclaiming stillness can transform the way we lead, love, and live. Blending personal experiences, leadership lessons, research on psychological well-being, and timeless biblical wisdom, this episode offers a gentle invitation to embrace rest—not as something you earn, but as something you were created to need. If you've been waiting for permission to slow down, this is it. Why busyness has become a badge of honorThe hidden cost of always being availableResearch on belonging, loneliness, and psychological well-beingWhat Psalm 46:10 teaches us about stillnessHow rested leaders build healthier teams, families, and relationshipsWatch one sunset this week. Leave your phone inside. Don't take a picture. Just be fully present. Gallup research on workplace well-being and lonelinessAmerican Psychological Association research on psychological safety and belongingPsalm 46:10 and the role of stillness in our spiritual lives If your calendar reflected what mattered most, would rest have a place on it? Thank you for joining this special summer series of The Leadership Lounge. If these conversations encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share them with someone who needs permission to unplug.

  5. Jul 13

    Your Brain Was Never Designed for Constant Input - Permission to Truly Unplug – Part 2

    Have you ever sat down to relax, only to have your brain immediately remind you of everything you forgot to do? You're not alone—and you're not doing anything wrong. In Part Two of the Permission to Truly Unplug series, Karie explores the fascinating science behind why our brains resist stillness. Learn how constant notifications, endless decisions, and information overload affect our creativity, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. Discover why some of your best ideas happen while driving, walking, showering, or simply sitting quietly by the lake—and why those moments aren't wasted time. They're exactly what your brain needs. Why your brain fills silence with to-do listsUnderstanding decision fatigueHow the brain's Default Mode Network supports creativity and emotional processingWhy rest isn't laziness—it's neuroscienceSimple ways to create mental white space every dayLeave one hour completely unscheduled this week. Not because you have nothing to do… Because your brain has something important to do. Decision fatigue researchThe brain's Default Mode Network and quiet wakeful restCognitive recovery and creativity studies When was the last time your mind became quiet enough to hear your own thoughts? If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend or coworker who could use a little more mental breathing room.

  6. Jul 8

    Why Is It So Hard to Relax? Permission to Truly Unplug – Part 1

    When was the last time you truly rested? Not while scrolling your phone. Not while answering one last email. Not while folding laundry with a podcast playing in the background. In this first episode of the Permission to Truly Unplug summer series, Karie explores why so many of us struggle to slow down—even when we desperately need it. Through personal stories, leadership insights, and research on stress and recovery, you'll discover why taking time off isn't the same as truly resting. Karie shares how a simple conversation with a former boss and Stephen Covey's principle of "Sharpen the Saw" forever changed her perspective on productivity, balance, and living with intention. If you've ever returned from vacation feeling like you still needed a vacation, this episode is for you. Why so many high achievers struggle to relaxThe difference between distraction and true restWhat research says about psychologically disconnecting from workHow constant stimulation keeps our nervous systems on high alertWhy learning to rest is a leadership skill—not a luxury Spend 20 uninterrupted minutes outside this week. No phone. No music. No podcast. Simply notice what your mind does when the noise fades. Vacation research on psychological detachment and well-being (Journal of Applied Psychology)The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen CoveyWhat if the exhaustion you're feeling isn't because you're doing too much… but because you've forgotten how to stop? If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who could use permission to truly unplug this summer.

  7. May 6

    The Cost of Reactive Leadership

    Why Constantly Putting Out Fires May Be Creating More of Them In today’s fast-paced workplace culture, many leaders find themselves trapped in constant reaction mode — solving problems, responding to urgent requests, managing team dynamics, and carrying the weight of every decision. But what if constantly putting out fires is actually creating more fires? In this episode of The Leadership Lounge, Karie Millspaugh explores the hidden cost of reactive leadership and how even the most capable, caring leaders can unintentionally create cultures of dependency instead of empowerment. Through relatable workplace examples, leadership coaching insights, and practical reflection tools, Karie breaks down the difference between being needed and being effective as a leader. This episode is a must-listen for executives, managers, entrepreneurs, and high performers who want to build stronger teams, create healthier leadership rhythms, and shift from survival mode into intentional leadership. Why reactive leadership becomes normalized in high-performing environmentsHow urgency quietly shapes workplace cultureThe hidden difference between helping and rescuingWhy many leaders unintentionally create dependencyThe mindset shift from “problem solver” to “thought partner”Coaching-style leadership questions that develop stronger teamsPractical tools to create more ownership and accountabilityAm I creating ownership or approval-seeking?Do people come to me with solutions or just problems?Have I confused being needed with being effective?What leadership habits am I unintentionally reinforcing?✔ The Pause Rule✔ The 80% Rule✔ Weekly Leadership Reflection Questions “Leadership isn’t measured by how many problems you can carry. It’s measured by how many people become stronger because of your leadership.” Follow Karie on LinkedIn for leadership insights, executive communication strategies, workplace culture conversations, and coaching perspectives designed to help leaders grow with intention. Thank you for listening to The Leadership Lounge. If this episode encouraged or challenged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another leader who may need this conversation today. #Leadership #ExecutiveLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #Management #Coaching #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipMindset #Communication #TheLeadershipLounge

  8. Apr 27

    When You Stop Overfunctioning: The Leadership Shift That Changes Everything

    If you’re always the one holding it all together… this episode is for you. Overfunctioning can look like leadership, but it often leads to burnout, resentment, and imbalance in both life and work. In this episode, Karie Millspaugh unpacks: What overfunctioning really is (and how to recognize it)Why high performers fall into this patternThe hidden cost of “doing it all”What actually changes when you stop carrying everythingThis isn’t about doing less.It’s about stopping what isn’t being reciprocated. Because the moment you stop overfunctioning… you finally see the truth. 🎧 Listen in, reflect, and ask yourself:What am I carrying that isn’t mine to hold?

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Welcome to The Leadership Lounge – your go-to podcast for insightful conversations, expert advice, and powerful strategies that will elevate your leadership skills to the next level. Hosted by Karie Millspaugh, a best-selling author, award-winning motivational speaker, and executive leadership coach, this show is designed for leaders, aspiring executives, and entrepreneurs who are ready to lead with impact and purpose. So grab a seat, get comfortable, and let's explore the art of leadership together in The Leadership Lounge – where leaders come to learn, grow, and thrive.

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