Power Skills with Janna

Janna Jones

Welcome to Power Skills with Janna, a podcast where we dive into the nitty-gritty of leadership development, behavioural change, and cultural transformation. I'm Janna Jones, and I'm thrilled to have you here! I know that as a leader, you have a lot on your plate. You're juggling competing priorities, managing a team - plus the one at home and humans are hard work! and don't forget you! you're also trying to achieve your goals. It can be tough, and it's okay to admit that you need support, a sounding board, a safe space and an outlet. I'm here for that! As someone who's been in leadership - whether through influence or direct reports and leadership development in a tough male dominated industry for 15 years, I've seen a LOT. I've worked with executives in multi-billion dollar organisations, personal leaders, technical professionals, and emerging leaders, and I'm slowly starting to convince people that what we have traditionally called the "soft skills" are actually the most powerful skills in your leadership toolkit. But let's be real here: It isn't easy. It can be challenging to communicate effectively, overcome imposter syndrome, or lead authentically and with emotional intelligence. Humans are hard work - us included. I know, I've been there. I've failed hard, hurt deeply, learned a lot dusted myself off and built up the courage to fail again. But its worth it - ohhhh the impact you can have. That's why I do what I do. In this podcast I'm committed to sharing insights with practical tips and strategies that you can apply in both your personal and professional life, with a side of brutal reality so we can refocus on whats within our control. So if you're looking to unleash your potential and lead a more fulfilled life, then I'm here for you. Tune in, subscribe, and let's explore together. And if you have any questions or topics you'd like me to cover, feel free to connect with me on socials. I look forward to hearing from you.

  1. 42. AI to Amplify Your Leadership

    Feb 2

    42. AI to Amplify Your Leadership

    In this future-proofing episode of Power Skills with Janna, Janna Jones explores how AI can enhance—not replace—your leadership. From faster insights (40% per McKinsey) to reducing cognitive load, AI frees you for empathy, creativity, and connection. Janna shares neuroscience insights (dopamine for innovation, oxytocin for trust), stories of leaders gaining hours for strategic work, and practical ways to use AI for data trends, decision-making, team development, and brainstorming—always with the human touch.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Why AI is a leadership ally, not a threat. How to use AI for efficiency and unbiased insights. Practical tools to boost decision-making and team growth. Ways to spark creativity while maintaining authenticity. How to integrate AI ethically and keep humanity first. 🎧 Tune in for reflection prompts, real leader stories, and a challenge to try one AI-supported task. Connect on LinkedIn @PowerSkillsDevelopment or visit www.PowerSkillsDevelopment.com. Subscribe to Power Pause for fortnightly leadership nudges. Leverage AI wisely, friends!

    22 min
  2. 41. Seeking a Mentor

    Jan 19

    41. Seeking a Mentor

    In this episode of Power Skills with Janna, We work through how to take charge of your career growth by seeking out and building your own mentoring relationships—no formal program required. Janna shares why mentoring accelerates success (5x more likely promotions, 20% higher satisfaction), unpacks the neuroscience of trust and learning (mirror neurons, oxytocin), and offers practical steps to identify mentors, make thoughtful asks, nurture the relationship, and know when to evolve. With stories of leaders who turned coffee chats into career catalysts, this episode is your roadmap to proactive mentoring. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why mentoring is a career accelerator at any stage. How to clarify what you need from a mentor. Practical ways to identify and approach potential mentors. How to nurture the relationship and give back value. When and how to evolve or expand your mentoring circle. 🎧 Tune in for Janna’s real stories, neuroscience insights, and a challenge to make one mentoring ask this week. Connect on LinkedIn @PowerSkillsDevelopment or visit www.PowerSkillsDevelopment.com. Subscribe to Power Pause for fortnightly leadership nudges. Seek mentors intentionally, friends!

    18 min
  3. 40. Influence: Leading Without Authority

    Jan 5

    40. Influence: Leading Without Authority

    In this episode of Power Skills with Janna, we explore the leadership superpower that matters most in today’s matrix world: Influence Without Authority. With 67% of work happening outside formal reporting lines (Harvard Business Review, 2022), Janna unpacks Robert Cialdini’s 7 Principles of Persuasion—the gold standard of ethical influence. From reciprocity and social proof to scarcity, authority, consistency, liking, and unity, she shares neuroscience insights (amygdala resistance vs. oxytocin trust) and real stories of leaders turning resistance into collaboration. Practical tools and a 3-step influence formula make this immediately actionable. Because what you focus on, you amplify. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why influence, not authority, drives 67% of modern work. How Cialdini’s 7 principles (backed by decades of research) work with human psychology. Practical ways to give first, use social proof, create urgency, and build unity. A 3-step formula (Reciprocity + Social Proof + Scarcity/Unity) for any influence conversation. How to make influence ethical, intentional, and powerful. 🎧 Tune in for stories of leaders shifting from 40% to 92% success, neuroscience insights, and a challenge to influence someone without using your title. Connect on LinkedIn @PowerSkillsDevelopment or visit www.PowerSkillsDevelopment.com. Subscribe to Power Pause for weekly leadership nudges. Influence wisely, friends!

    20 min

  4. 12/22/2025

    39. New Years Practice (My Gift to You!)

    Your New Year’s Practice – Getting Complete and Intentional In this personal, heartfelt episode of Power Skills with Janna, Janna Jones shares her annual New Year’s ritual—a powerful practice for closure, gratitude, and intentional living. Before midnight, release what didn’t work in the past year. Then celebrate successes, micro-moments, and the people who mattered most. Finally, set flexible, value-aligned intentions for the year ahead—sharing them with a trusted partner to invite support. Backed by science (closure reduces rumination, gratitude boosts dopamine/serotonin, shared intentions increase follow-through by 65%), this ritual helps you leave baggage behind and step into the new year with clarity and purpose. Because what you focus on, you amplify. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to release what didn’t work for true psychological closure. Why celebrating micro-moments and people builds resilience and connection. How to set intentions (not rigid resolutions) for sustainable growth. The neuroscience behind why this practice works (cortisol reduction, oxytocin boost). A simple, repeatable ritual you can do alone or with a loved one. 🎧 Tune in for Janna’s personal stories, the science of gratitude and closure, and a gift to help you start the year intentionally. Connect on LinkedIn @PowerSkillsDevelopment or visit www.PowerSkillsDevelopment.com. Subscribe to Power Pause for weekly leadership nudges. Close the year with gratitude, friends!

    18 min
  5. 38. Cultivating Psychological Safety

    11/10/2025

    38. Cultivating Psychological Safety

    In this deeply personal episode of Power Skills with Janna, Janna Jones—former safety practitioner turned leadership coach—dives into the quiet engine of thriving teams: Psychological Safety. Drawing on Amy Edmondson’s groundbreaking research (Google’s Project Aristotle, four-stage model, fearless organizations), Janna unpacks how safety isn’t “fluffy”—it’s the #1 driver of performance. When people feel safe, they speak up, innovate, and learn. When they don’t, they hide, disengage, and risk escalates. Through neuroscience (amygdala vs. oxytocin), real stories (a $40K save from early error reporting), and human tools—like round-robin check-ins, pre-reads for neurodivergent thinkers, and “fist to five” energy checks—Janna shows how to build safety with clarity, learning framing, vulnerability, and productive response. Because what you focus on, you amplify. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why psychological safety beats talent, IQ, or structure (Project Aristotle). How to start meetings with inclusion and clarity—no more crickets. Why framing work as a “learning problem” unlocks innovation. How vulnerability and curious questions build trust. Rituals like “no-agenda huddles” and “parking lot” ideas that stick. 🎧 Tune in for reflection prompts, a fist-to-five energy check, and a challenge to transform one meeting. Connect on LinkedIn @PowerSkillsDevelopment or visit www.PowerSkillsDevelopment.com. Subscribe to Power Pause for weekly nudges to lead with courage. Empower powerfully, friends.

    28 min
  6. 37. Developing Your People

    10/27/2025

    37. Developing Your People

    In this episode of Power Skills with Janna, we dive into the heart of leadership: Developing Your People. Growing your team isn’t just about skills—it’s about empowering them to own their progress and thrive. We unpack the 70-20-10 model—70% workplace experiences, 20% coaching and relationships, 10% formal training—with a focus on real-world challenges that spark growth. Through stories like a junior employee’s client project boosting retention, she shares tools to assign stretch assignments, foster mentoring, and celebrate progress. Neuroscience shows learning fuels dopamine, driving motivation. Because what you focus on, you amplify. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the 70-20-10 model transforms development for all career stages. How to prioritise workplace experiences (70%) like stretch projects. Ways to leverage coaching and peer learning (20%) for trust and growth. Strategies to use targeted training (10%) and empower ownership. How to celebrate progress to sustain momentum. 🎧 Tune in for reflection prompts, stories of unlocking potential, and a roadmap to develop your people with intention. Connect on LinkedIn @PowerSkillsDevelopment or visit www.PowerSkillsDevelopment.com. Subscribe to Power Pause for weekly nudges to lead wisely. Empower powerfully, friends!

    22 min
  7. 36. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

    10/20/2025

    36. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

    In this episode of Power Skills with Janna, we tackle a challenge every leader faces: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome. That niggling inner voice whispering “you’re a fraud” is just a fleeting feeling—not a diagnosis. Janna reframes imposterism as a sign of growth, unpacking neuroscience (amygdala vs. prefrontal cortex) to explain why self-doubt feels so sticky. Through stories like a director’s journey from self-sabotage to empowerment, she shares practical tools to name, challenge, and reframe these feelings. From building an evidence notebook to celebrating your authentic self, this episode shows how to turn self-doubt into confidence. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why feelings of imposterism are common among high achievers and how to normalize them. Neuroscience-backed ways to challenge your inner critic with evidence. How to reframe mistakes as growth opportunities and model vulnerability. Strategies to build a support network and celebrate your unique strengths. A weekly challenge to amplify your leadership. 🎧 Tune in for reflection prompts, stories of overcoming self-doubt, and a roadmap to lead without self-sabotage. Connect on LinkedIn or Instagram @PowerSkillsDevelopment, or visit www.PowerSkillsDevelopment.com. Subscribe to Power Pause for weekly nudges to lead with intention. Recharge wisely, friends!

    20 min
  8. 35. Motivation

    10/13/2025

    35. Motivation

    In this episode of Power Skills with Janna, we tackle a universal leadership challenge: Motivation – Managing the Ups and Downs. Motivation isn’t a constant—it ebbs and flows, and as leaders, we must manage our own while sparking it in others. Janna unpacks the science of dopamine-driven motivation, shares stories like a sales leader’s shift from burnout to purpose, and offers practical tools to balance intrinsic (purpose, joy) and extrinsic (rewards, recognition) motivators. From auditing your triggers to celebrating wins, this episode shows how to treat motivation as a power skill. Because what you focus on, you amplify. In this episode, you’ll learn:• How to distinguish intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for yourself and your team.• Neuroscience-backed ways to regulate your own motivation dips.• Strategies to spark intrinsic drive and use extrinsic rewards thoughtfully.• How to sustain motivation through celebration and habit stacking.• A weekly SMARTER goal challenge to amplify your leadership. 🎧 Tune in for reflection prompts, stories of navigating motivation’s tides, and a roadmap to lead without an empty cup. Connect on LinkedIn or Instagram @PowerSkillsDevelopment, or visit www.PowerSkillsDevelopment.com. Subscribe to Power Pause for weekly nudges to lead with intention. Recharge wisely, friends!

    18 min
See All (42)

About

Welcome to Power Skills with Janna, a podcast where we dive into the nitty-gritty of leadership development, behavioural change, and cultural transformation. I'm Janna Jones, and I'm thrilled to have you here! I know that as a leader, you have a lot on your plate. You're juggling competing priorities, managing a team - plus the one at home and humans are hard work! and don't forget you! you're also trying to achieve your goals. It can be tough, and it's okay to admit that you need support, a sounding board, a safe space and an outlet. I'm here for that! As someone who's been in leadership - whether through influence or direct reports and leadership development in a tough male dominated industry for 15 years, I've seen a LOT. I've worked with executives in multi-billion dollar organisations, personal leaders, technical professionals, and emerging leaders, and I'm slowly starting to convince people that what we have traditionally called the "soft skills" are actually the most powerful skills in your leadership toolkit. But let's be real here: It isn't easy. It can be challenging to communicate effectively, overcome imposter syndrome, or lead authentically and with emotional intelligence. Humans are hard work - us included. I know, I've been there. I've failed hard, hurt deeply, learned a lot dusted myself off and built up the courage to fail again. But its worth it - ohhhh the impact you can have. That's why I do what I do. In this podcast I'm committed to sharing insights with practical tips and strategies that you can apply in both your personal and professional life, with a side of brutal reality so we can refocus on whats within our control. So if you're looking to unleash your potential and lead a more fulfilled life, then I'm here for you. Tune in, subscribe, and let's explore together. And if you have any questions or topics you'd like me to cover, feel free to connect with me on socials. I look forward to hearing from you.

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