Worthy to Lead

Kristiana Corona
  • 5.0 (6)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

SUBSCRIBE to get alerted anytime I release new episodes and free tools & resources: https://www.worthytolead.co/subscribe Have you ever thought to yourself: “How can I get to be one of those leaders who truly inspires their team? I don't just want to manage the work, I want to impact the trajectory of their career." Maybe you want to be more strategic, but you’re constantly stuck in the weeds, feeling overwhelmed by managing all the details. You find yourself tethered to the desk, making every decision, and desperately wishing you could take a vacation without things falling apart. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Whether you are a new leader, an aspiring leader, or an experienced leader who has seen it all, this podcast has you covered. Kristiana Corona is a corporate leader, mom of 3, and certified executive coach. She's spent more than two decades building design and technology teams for Fortune 500 companies. Like so many leaders, she started off with very little training and made every mistake in the book. She felt completely unworthy of the title of “leader.” Along the way, a surprise encounter with executive coaching changed her life and led her to dramatically improve her leadership style and results. Fast forward to today and you’ll see the thriving teams that she has led: confident, resilient, strategic, and empowered. They’re making a real impact on the world. If you’re a leader looking for the tools, the mindset and the inspiration to help you become the leader you’ve always dreamed of - a leader who does feel worthy to lead - this podcast is for you. The Worthy to Lead Podcast is a business podcast that blends insights and interviews to provide you with the tools and mindset you need to develop teams of any size to be empowered and effective. Using techniques from executive coaching and other leadership best practices, you’ll learn to create a “coaching leadership style” that will transform the way you lead forever. Kristiana brings you step-by-step tools, frameworks, and insights into coaching, leadership, neuroscience, behavioral psychology, emotional intelligence, focus, mindset, and so much more. She won’t shy away from sharing personal stories of her own mistakes and challenges (and yes, there have been so many!). She dives deep, shares real talk, and takes the learnings to help guide you on the path to overcoming similar challenges for yourself. Along the way, she’ll interview amazing and inspiring leaders and experts across many industries who share their personal journey to feeling worthy and the strategies that got them there. Each episode is packed with inspiration and practical steps that you can use to start taking action today. Learn the best-kept secrets of coaching as a leadership style and how it can transform your life and unlock new potential in your teams. Join us as we go deep and explore what it takes to build an authentic leadership style that you, and others, are going to love.

  1. Episode 39: Why Creativity Is Your Most Untapped Leadership Tool — Van Lai-DuMone on Curiosity, Innovation, and the $8.3B Story You've Never Heard

    4D AGO

    Episode 39: Why Creativity Is Your Most Untapped Leadership Tool — Van Lai-DuMone on Curiosity, Innovation, and the $8.3B Story You've Never Heard

    Powerful leadership skills go beyond your strategy and experience. One of the most untapped sources of potential is your team’s creativity and curiosity. Here’s why that matters: Van Lai-DuMone has spent over a decade proving that creativity isn't just an art class activity. It's a thinking tool, a problem-solving tool, and one of the most underused levers in leadership today. She's brought it into organizations like Google, LinkedIn, and NBC, and she's seen what happens when leaders finally stop treating it like a nice-to-have. The story that started it all begins in a refugee camp in 1975. Twenty Vietnamese refugee women noticed their teacher, movie star Tippi Hedren's, red manicured nails. Instead of moving on, they got curious. That one pause sparked what would become an $8.3 billion industry in the US. In this episode, Van breaks down her three-step framework for turning curiosity into action, what LEGO® Serious Play® looks like inside a real organization, why psychological safety and creativity are more connected than most leaders realize, and how she finally stopped ignoring the idea that had been tapping on her own shoulder for six years. Creativity is more than just arts and crafts; it’s a fundamental element of how the most successful leaders approach problem-solving and strategy. ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:Van’s Speaker Reel: https://youtu.be/3QaUb8srP-0?si=KKe13kM6AxrSO4BkWhat if Pigs Can Fly? Intro: https://youtu.be/GGQoAVlg8MEStrategic Play Podcast: https://www.strategicplay.com/podcast_van-lai-dumoneGeneral Assembly: https://generalassemb.ly/instructors/van-lai-dumone/21492The Honor Foundation: https://www.honor.org/our-tribes/van-lai-dumone/ CONNECT WITH VAN: Website: www.worksmartadvantage.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanlaidumone/ TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLixzTazp2U Book "What If Pigs Can Fly": https://www.amazon.com/What-Pigs-Can-Fly-Possibilities/dp/1953183433 Creative Problem Solving Tools: https://www.worksmartadvantage.com/creative-problem-solving-building-blocks/ CONNECT WITH KRISTIANA: Website: https://www.worthytolead.co/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/ Substack: https://worthytolead.substack.com/

    38 min
  2. Episode 38: Life After Losing Your Job - Greg Bro on Navigating Career Transition with Creativity

    APR 21

    Episode 38: Life After Losing Your Job - Greg Bro on Navigating Career Transition with Creativity

    What do you do when the identity you built your entire career around disappears overnight? For Greg Bro, losing his job after 20+ years as a UX design leader wasn't just a professional setback. It was a complete identity crisis. The question "what do you do?" suddenly had no answer, and that forced a much deeper one: who do I actually want to be? Instead of looking for a similar role, Greg wrote and illustrated a children's book in ONE MONTH. Greg talks honestly about the disorientation of losing a role that defined him, the emotional spiral that followed, and the moment he realized that chasing the same title at a different company wasn't actually what he wanted. He shares how coaching helped him see his situation from a completely different angle, how he followed a small pull of creative energy into something he never expected, and what it took to go from concept to published author of two children's books in a matter of months. What strikes me most about Greg's story is not just the speed of what he built. It's the courage it took to stop and ask a harder question: what kind of work is actually in integrity with who I am now? REFERENCES:Greg's Books: "Every Shape Has a PLACE": https://amzn.to/4sqFN7W "Every Shape Has a FEELING": https://amzn.to/3NCxkPw Get a signed copy with a custom doodle inside + shop merch at: https://www.bruteoptimism.com/shop Book Greg for an author visit: https://www.bruteoptimism.com/authorvisits CONNECT WITH GREG:Website: https://www.bruteoptimism.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bruteoptimism/ CONNECT WITH KRISTIANA:Website: https://www.worthytolead.co/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/ Substack: https://worthytolead.substack.com/

    57 min
  3. Episode 37: From Imposter Syndrome to Earned Authority with Anya Cheng

    APR 7

    Episode 37: From Imposter Syndrome to Earned Authority with Anya Cheng

    Anya Cheng didn’t build her career by waiting to feel ready. She built it by acting in moments when nothing felt certain. After immigrating from Taiwan and graduating into the 2008 financial crisis, she couldn’t get a single interview. So she created her own access, waiting outside buildings in Chicago winters, knocking on doors, and cold-calling publishers until someone said yes. What looks like persistence was actually precision. She was using what she already knew how to do. As a former reporter, she knew how to approach strangers, ask questions, and follow leads, and she used those strengths to move forward. That same pattern carried her through 15 years at Target, McDonald’s, eBay, and Meta, and eventually into founding Taelor, an AI-powered men’s clothing subscription service. But what stands out is not just how she kept going, it’s how her relationship to confidence evolved. Anya doesn’t see confidence as something you wait to feel. She built it through action, by trusting her own thinking before anyone else validated it. She shares what it looked like to lose opportunities when she stopped trusting herself, and what changed when she began to stand in her own point of view. She also speaks candidly about imposter syndrome, not as something that disappears, but something you learn to recognize and manage early. This episode is about what it really means to earn your authority, through repeated moments of showing up, learning, and choosing to trust your voice when it matters most. Experience effortless style with rental and personal styling services: Taelor: Get 25% OFF your first month of men's clothing subscription. Use code: PODCAST25 Sign up at: https://taelor.style/pages/membership Armoire: Get 50% OFF your first month of women's clothing subscription. Use code: ArmoirexTaelor Sign up at: https://armoire.style/refer/ArmoirexTaelor Give the gift of time, convenience, and effortless style: Taelor Gift Cards: Get 10% OFF. Use code: PODCASTGIFT Purchase at: https://taelor.style/products/menswear-rental-gift-card Where to find Anya: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/anyachengEmail: anya@taelor.ai Connect with Kristiana: Website: https://www.worthytolead.co/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/ Substack: https://worthytolead.substack.com/

    48 min
  4. Episode 36: Leading With Calm Through Chaos, Discrimination, and Financial Hardship with Craig Nishizaki

    MAR 24

    Episode 36: Leading With Calm Through Chaos, Discrimination, and Financial Hardship with Craig Nishizaki

    How do you stay grounded as a leader when everything around you is falling apart? Craig Nishizaki has answered that question more than once. Early in his career, a manager told him he'd only keep him on to avoid a discrimination lawsuit. Later, he went seven months without a paycheck while his wife was pregnant. He was passed over for promotions. And at every single turning point, he made the same choice: face it, don't run from it. Today, Craig is the co-owner of UpTop, a UX design agency that has partnered with Amazon, Microsoft, and SAP. 98% of their clients take him with them when they get promoted. And he leads with one of the rarest qualities in today's workplace: calm, intentional, trust-first leadership. In this episode, Craig shares the experiences that shaped how he leads, why he believes we are in a trust recession, and how he has built a culture that people genuinely want to be part of. Resources Mentioned: Lead with Influence Playbook: https://uptop.docsend.com/view/25tc8687ymbwdkta 360 Degree Leader by John Maxwell: https://www.amazon.com/360-Degree-Leader-Developing-Organization/dp/0785260927?&linkCode=sl2&tag=worthytolea0c-20&linkId=8418b78636e8bc864d24a330790ed7e4&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl The Win Without Pitching Manifesto by Blair Enns: https://www.amazon.com/Win-Without-Pitching-Manifesto/dp/1605440043 Where to find Craig:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craignishizaki/Website: https://uptopcorp.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@uptopcorp/videos Connect with Kristiana: Website: https://www.worthytolead.co/LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kristianacoronaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/Substack: https://worthytolead.substack.com/

    53 min
  5. Episode 35: How to Lead Through Constant Chaos (Insights from the 2026 GROW Conference)

    MAR 10

    Episode 35: How to Lead Through Constant Chaos (Insights from the 2026 GROW Conference)

    What if you started looking at chaos as a transition to a new operating system?  Governments are shifting, layoffs are spreading, AI is rewriting entire industries, and somewhere in the middle of all of it, leaders are expected to show up steady while privately managing fear, uncertainty, and the quiet question of whether everything they've built is going to hold. In this episode, I'm sharing four insights from the 2026 GROW Conference in Galveston, Texas, plus four concrete actions you can take this week to stop bracing for the rapids and start learning how to paddle through them. We get into: Why the discomfort you feel at the next level isn’t a warning signal but a GROWTH signal The difference between fighting random fires and choosing meaningful problems What neuroscience says about sitting in ambiguity too long, and why your brain craves the hard truth Why adaptability is a learnable skill, and how to start building it The one question that can shift you out of survival mode and into action in the middle of a crisis Featured voices from the conference: Drew Bird, Master Trainer in Emotional Intelligence and Adaptability Catherine Brown, serial entrepreneur and founder of the Grow Conference Resources mentioned: High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard Research by Matthew Lieberman, UCLA, on emotional labeling and the amygdala American Psychological Association on cognitive flexibility and resilience Subscribe for new episodes: https://worthytolead.co/subscribe Connect with Kristiana: Website: https://www.worthytolead.co/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/ Substack: https://worthytolead.substack.com/

    19 min
  6. Episode 34: Find Your Leadership Blind Spots Before They Find You

    FEB 24

    Episode 34: Find Your Leadership Blind Spots Before They Find You

    You think things are fine. Your team seems okay. But your best people are quietly checking out, and the reason might be something you can't see about yourself. In this episode, I break down what a leadership ceiling actually is, why the most dangerous blind spots are the ones you're most confident you don't have, and how to build a simple feedback system that tells you the truth before your team stops showing up. We get into: Why less than 5% of leaders are developing the right skills What Google's Project Aristotle revealed about what actually makes teams perform The two Amazon leaders whose stories contrast the importance of feedback A 4-question feedback loop you can start using this month If you've ever had a top performer leave and wondered why, or if you suspect there's something going on with your team that nobody's saying out loud, this episode will show you exactly where to look. 🔗 Free leadership audit: https://www.worthytolead.co/audit Connect with Kristiana: Website: https://www.worthytolead.co/LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kristianacoronaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/Substack: https://worthytolead.substack.com/

    22 min
  7. Episode 33: You Don't Have to Be Pushy to Sell: How Good Humans Close Deals | Catherine Brown

    FEB 10

    Episode 33: You Don't Have to Be Pushy to Sell: How Good Humans Close Deals | Catherine Brown

    You know you need to sell. Your business depends on it. But every time you think about reaching out to someone, you feel like you're about to do something sleazy. In this conversation with Catherine Brown, we talk about why so many of us are carrying around baggage about sales, and what it actually takes to sell in a way that feels honest, useful, and like yourself. In this episode, we get into: Why even salespeople secretly hate sales The one vow that changes everything about how you sell How to know if you're being helpful or pushy How to build a business without feeling conflicted If you've ever avoided following up with a lead because it felt gross, or if you're tired of feeling conflicted every time you have to sell your work, this episode will give you a completely different way to think about it. 📕How Good Humans Sell: https://www.howgoodhumanssell.com/about  📩 Connect with Catherine Brown: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineleebrown/  Connect with Kristiana:  Website: https://www.worthytolead.co/   LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kristianacorona   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/  Substack: https://worthytolead.substack.com/

    54 min
  8. Episode 32: Why White Space Is Your Best Strategy for Better Leadership

    JAN 27

    Episode 32: Why White Space Is Your Best Strategy for Better Leadership

    You're smart. You're experienced. You're ambitious. So why does it feel like you can't find time to think strategically? Most senior leaders aren't lacking intelligence or drive. They're lacking what I call “white space.” Their calendars are crammed, their days are fully stacked, and their strategic thinking is forced between the cracks of back-to-back meetings. In this episode, I'm getting personal about my own struggle with white space and sharing what the science actually says about how our brains do complex thinking. We get into: Why your best strategic thinking happens at 3 AM (and how to fix that) The Default Mode Network: the part of your brain that only works when you stop consuming information Why walking increases creative output by 60% compared to sitting The real reason leadership culture gets strategy wrong Practical experiments you can try this week to create white space How to protect thinking time like you'd protect a meeting with your CEO If you've ever said "I wish I had more time to focus on strategy" or "I don't have time to innovate right now, I'm too busy," this episode will challenge how you think about productivity, leadership discipline, and what actually drives better decisions.  Mentioned in this Episode: "Deep Work" by Cal Newport: https://amzn.to/3Nt6LvS 20 years of the default mode network: A review and synthesis by Vinod Menon:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627323003082 Stanford study finds walking improves creativity by May Wong:https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2014/04/walking-vs-sitting-042414 Book a free call to explore coaching as a way to increase your strategic thinking: https://calendar.app.google/MaFvGfH7YHATZ1Nz6 📩 Connect with Kristiana: Website: https://www.worthytolead.co/LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kristianacoronaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/worthytolead/Substack: https://worthytolead.substack.com/

    13 min
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SUBSCRIBE to get alerted anytime I release new episodes and free tools & resources: https://www.worthytolead.co/subscribe Have you ever thought to yourself: “How can I get to be one of those leaders who truly inspires their team? I don't just want to manage the work, I want to impact the trajectory of their career." Maybe you want to be more strategic, but you’re constantly stuck in the weeds, feeling overwhelmed by managing all the details. You find yourself tethered to the desk, making every decision, and desperately wishing you could take a vacation without things falling apart. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Whether you are a new leader, an aspiring leader, or an experienced leader who has seen it all, this podcast has you covered. Kristiana Corona is a corporate leader, mom of 3, and certified executive coach. She's spent more than two decades building design and technology teams for Fortune 500 companies. Like so many leaders, she started off with very little training and made every mistake in the book. She felt completely unworthy of the title of “leader.” Along the way, a surprise encounter with executive coaching changed her life and led her to dramatically improve her leadership style and results. Fast forward to today and you’ll see the thriving teams that she has led: confident, resilient, strategic, and empowered. They’re making a real impact on the world. If you’re a leader looking for the tools, the mindset and the inspiration to help you become the leader you’ve always dreamed of - a leader who does feel worthy to lead - this podcast is for you. The Worthy to Lead Podcast is a business podcast that blends insights and interviews to provide you with the tools and mindset you need to develop teams of any size to be empowered and effective. Using techniques from executive coaching and other leadership best practices, you’ll learn to create a “coaching leadership style” that will transform the way you lead forever. Kristiana brings you step-by-step tools, frameworks, and insights into coaching, leadership, neuroscience, behavioral psychology, emotional intelligence, focus, mindset, and so much more. She won’t shy away from sharing personal stories of her own mistakes and challenges (and yes, there have been so many!). She dives deep, shares real talk, and takes the learnings to help guide you on the path to overcoming similar challenges for yourself. Along the way, she’ll interview amazing and inspiring leaders and experts across many industries who share their personal journey to feeling worthy and the strategies that got them there. Each episode is packed with inspiration and practical steps that you can use to start taking action today. Learn the best-kept secrets of coaching as a leadership style and how it can transform your life and unlock new potential in your teams. Join us as we go deep and explore what it takes to build an authentic leadership style that you, and others, are going to love.

Information

  • Creator
    Kristiana Corona
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Copyright 2025 Worthy to Lead LLC
  • Show Website
    Worthy to Lead