Crossroads + Catalysts Leadership Podcast

Shenita Brown
  • 4.2 (5)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Feeling stuck in your career? Passed over for promotion? Struggling with leadership challenges that no one prepared you for? You're not alone—and you don't have to navigate these crossroads by yourself. Crossroads & Catalysts is the executive leadership podcast for directors, senior managers, and ambitious professionals ready to advance their careers with strategic clarity and confidence. Shenita Brown, an executive and leadership strategist, delivers actionable career advice, proven leadership frameworks, and the mindset shifts you need to move from stuck to strategic. If you're ready to elevate your leadership and stop perpetuating the poor examples you may have witnessed, this show is for you. You'll learn the leadership development skills that get you promoted, career advancement strategies designed for mid-career professionals, and how to navigate workplace challenges with confidence. We'll tackle the messy, everyday realities of leading teams—giving feedback that lands, holding people accountable without damaging relationships, navigating difficult conversations, and building genuine engagement. And yes, this show will tell you the hard truths you need to hear—because sometimes the issue isn't just your team or your organization, it's you. Real growth requires honest self-reflection, and that's exactly what we'll do together. We'll also cover executive presence, strategic thinking frameworks, decision-making, and other tactics that actually work. Perfect for women leaders, directors seeking executive roles, and professionals ready to turn career uncertainty into their next breakthrough moment. No fluff, no theory—just strategic insights you can implement immediately. New episodes every week. Because every crossroads is an opportunity for growth—and every catalyst starts with a decision. crossroadsandcatalysts.com  

  1. When Doing More Isn’t Better: A Smarter Approach to Leadership and Productivity

    1D AGO

    When Doing More Isn’t Better: A Smarter Approach to Leadership and Productivity

    If you’ve ever felt like doing more should lead to better results—but somehow leaves you feeling stuck—this episode is for you. In this conversation, we explore a common belief many of us have been taught: that more effort automatically leads to success. But is that really true? In this episode of Crossroads and Catalysts, Shenita breaks down the difference between effort and effectiveness in leadership and everyday life. You’ll learn why doing more can sometimes create confusion, dilute your message, and slow your progress instead of moving you forward. Through real-life examples—from overextending in relationships to overperforming at work without clear direction—this episode highlights how overdoing it can lead to burnout, frustration, and missed opportunities. More importantly, it offers a smarter approach to leadership and productivity rooted in clarity, intention, and self-leadership. This episode is perfect for leaders, professionals, and anyone focused on personal growth who wants to strengthen their leadership skills, improve productivity, and make more intentional decisions that actually lead to results. If you’re ready to stop overdoing and start leading with purpose, this conversation will help you rethink what it really means to be effective. 🎧 Listen now and discover how to shift from doing more to doing what truly matters. Get weekly reflections directly to your inbox. Sign up for The Catalyst Need support as you navigate doing less or want to talk through other leadership challenges? Schedule time on my calendar. Wanna support the show? Buy Me A Coffee

    18 min
  2. Stop Waiting to Be Chosen: Leadership Skills to Take Control of Your Career & Life

    MAR 30

    Stop Waiting to Be Chosen: Leadership Skills to Take Control of Your Career & Life

    Struggling with career growth, leadership skills, or feeling overlooked at work? Wondering why your hard work isn’t translating into new opportunities? This leadership podcast episode explores what’s really happening when you find yourself waiting to be chosen—and how that pattern may be holding you back. Shenita breaks down the hidden costs of waiting, using practical leadership frameworks and real-world insight to challenge the idea that patience alone leads to progress. You’ll gain a new perspective on how this behavior shows up in your decision-making, your voice, and your visibility—both in your career and in your life. Perfect for women in leadership, new and emerging leaders, and professionals who feel stuck, overlooked, or ready to take ownership of their next move. Schedule time on my calendar to strategize your next move. Wanna support the show? Buy Me A Coffee The Catalyst newsletter

    15 min
  3. Want to Level Up? Discipline Is Where It Starts

    MAR 23

    Want to Level Up? Discipline Is Where It Starts

    Leadership often requires discipline, yet it’s a word many people resist. For leaders at every stage—including those developing new manager skills and women in leadership navigating growing responsibilities—discipline can feel restrictive or even negative. But what if discipline is actually the missing piece between the direction you want for your life and leadership and the results you hope to see? In this episode of Crossroads and Catalysts, I explore why discipline is not a dirty word—and why it plays such a critical role in leadership, personal responsibility, and meaningful change. Whether you’re leading a team, developing your leadership mindset, or navigating important life decisions, discipline often determines whether our intentions become reality. If you’re working to grow as a leader, strengthen your decision-making, or develop the discipline required to move toward the future you want, this episode will challenge the way you think about discipline and the role it plays in shaping your direction. Because decisions may set the direction—but discipline is often what makes those decisions real. This episode is for anyone developing leadership discipline, strengthening new manager skills, navigating women in leadership challenges, or building the personal responsibility required to lead yourself and others well. The Catalyst the weekly newsletter with reflective insights to walk alongside your growth. Want to discuss the discipline you need for growth. Click here: Calendar Support the show: Buy Me A Coffee

    18 min
  4. What Podcasting Taught Me About Leadership and Can Teach You Too

    MAR 17

    What Podcasting Taught Me About Leadership and Can Teach You Too

    What does it really take to lead — and to keep going when no one's watching? In this special one-year anniversary episode of Crossroads and Catalysts, host Shenita B. reflects on the unexpected leadership lessons that emerged from a year behind the mic. Shenita draws a powerful parallel between solo podcasting and the realities of women in leadership — the loneliness, the self-doubt, the full weight of every decision landing on your shoulders. Whether you're a seasoned executive or building your new manager leadership skills, this episode will meet you right where you are. She shares four hard-earned lessons from year one and unpacks why they're not just personal growth buzzwords. They're core leadership strategies for women navigating pivotal moments in their careers and lives. The reality is leadership doesn't always look polished from the inside. But it's worth it. Perfect For: Women in leadership who are building something new and wondering if it's workingNew managers developing their leadership skills and learning to trust their voiceAnyone at a professional crossroads who needs a reminder that starting before you're ready is the strategyLeaders who want honest, real-world insight — not just theory Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode and visit my website to book her for speaking engagements or leave a voicemail with your topic requests. Use my Calendar to schedule time to strategize your next move. The Catalyst newsletter Wanna support the show and show your appreciation? Buy Me A Coffee

    15 min
  5. The Leadership Skill Too Many Leaders Overlook: How to Set Clear Expectations

    MAR 16

    The Leadership Skill Too Many Leaders Overlook: How to Set Clear Expectations

    What happens when a leader assumes everyone knows what’s expected — but no one actually does? In this episode of Crossroads and Catalysts, I share a personal story about a meeting that caught me completely off guard. This conversation is especially important for new managers and emerging leaders who are developing their leadership skills and learning how to lead teams effectively. One of the most overlooked leadership mistakes is failing to set clear expectations — and the consequences can quietly damage morale, confidence, and performance. If you’re a new manager, team leader, or professional stepping into greater responsibility, this episode will help you strengthen your leadership communication and avoid one of the most common leadership blind spots. Clear is kind. Clear builds trust. And clear leadership is not optional. Find value in this episode: Buy Me A Coffee Stay on task with your leadership goals by signing up for The Catalyst. A weekly newsletter that's brief yet packed with reflection to hone your leadership skills. Visit my website to contact me or book me for speaking and consulting.

    14 min
  6. Communication Breakdowns: What Leaders Can Do to Get It Right

    MAR 9

    Communication Breakdowns: What Leaders Can Do to Get It Right

    Leadership frameworks for managers and new manager leadership skills don't mean much if your message isn't landing. Leadership for managers starts with one foundational skill that everyone assumes they already have — and almost everyone gets wrong at some point. Communication. We talk about it constantly, and yet breakdowns still happen in our teams, our meetings, and our everyday interactions. The message was clear. The intent was good. And somehow, it still didn't land the way you meant it to. In this episode, I take you inside two real-life moments — including one at 30,000 feet — that reveal exactly how communication unravels and what it actually looks like when it's done right. If you've ever walked away from a conversation wondering how things went sideways, this episode will hit close to home. Because communication isn't just about what you say. It's about who hears it, how they receive it, and whether the right message reached the right person at the right time. The key to better leadership might not be missing after all — you may just need to know where to look. Follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. Enjoyed this episode? Buy Me A Coffee — link in the show notes. Get The Catalyst delivered to your inbox for encouragement and thoughtful insights every week. Leave a voicemail here.

    16 min
  7. How Do I Get People to Take Me Seriously as a New Leader?

    MAR 2

    How Do I Get People to Take Me Seriously as a New Leader?

    If you're building your new manager leadership skills and looking for career strategies that actually work, this episode is for you. One of the most common leadership frameworks for managers getting started in a new role is to come in projecting authority, having all the answers, and proving you belong — and it backfires every time. Through two personal stories from my own leadership journey, I break down what it truly means to be taken seriously as a leader — and why earning credibility has everything to do with how well you show up for others and very little to do with how much you know. Stay connect with The Catalyst Finding value in this podcast? Buy Me A Coffee Leave me a voicemail with your feedback here.

    18 min
  8. Want to Lead Well in Your First 90 Days? Own Your Vision

    FEB 23

    Want to Lead Well in Your First 90 Days? Own Your Vision

    New manager leadership skills are put to the test in months 2-3 of your role. In this final episode of the First 90 Days series, I guide women in leadership and all new leaders through the critical transition from observation to ownership. You're 60 days into your new leadership role—and the dysfunction you noticed isn't going away. In this final episode of the First 90 Days series, I reveal how to transition from observation to ownership in months 2-3. As you approach the three-month mark, it's time to move from watching and documenting to shaping what comes next. We'll tackle the practical realities of leadership for managers: building credibility through early wins, discerning which relationships to invest in deeply, and making tough calls about whether your team has the right people in the right seats. Perfect for: New managers, directors, and executives in their first 90 days; women in leadership navigating organizational challenges; leaders stepping into roles where they need to establish credibility and drive change quickly. Want to talk through your new role? Schedule a call. Access my calendar here. Complete the series: Catch Part 1 and Part 2 for the full first 90 days roadmap. Enjoying what you're hearing? Buy Me A Coffee The Catalyst Newsletter

    15 min
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Trailer

4.2
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Feeling stuck in your career? Passed over for promotion? Struggling with leadership challenges that no one prepared you for? You're not alone—and you don't have to navigate these crossroads by yourself. Crossroads & Catalysts is the executive leadership podcast for directors, senior managers, and ambitious professionals ready to advance their careers with strategic clarity and confidence. Shenita Brown, an executive and leadership strategist, delivers actionable career advice, proven leadership frameworks, and the mindset shifts you need to move from stuck to strategic. If you're ready to elevate your leadership and stop perpetuating the poor examples you may have witnessed, this show is for you. You'll learn the leadership development skills that get you promoted, career advancement strategies designed for mid-career professionals, and how to navigate workplace challenges with confidence. We'll tackle the messy, everyday realities of leading teams—giving feedback that lands, holding people accountable without damaging relationships, navigating difficult conversations, and building genuine engagement. And yes, this show will tell you the hard truths you need to hear—because sometimes the issue isn't just your team or your organization, it's you. Real growth requires honest self-reflection, and that's exactly what we'll do together. We'll also cover executive presence, strategic thinking frameworks, decision-making, and other tactics that actually work. Perfect for women leaders, directors seeking executive roles, and professionals ready to turn career uncertainty into their next breakthrough moment. No fluff, no theory—just strategic insights you can implement immediately. New episodes every week. Because every crossroads is an opportunity for growth—and every catalyst starts with a decision. crossroadsandcatalysts.com  

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