Leadership Tea

When Leaders Become Caregivers: Family Crisis, Boundaries & Hard Decisions

Leadership often means making difficult decisions, staying calm under pressure, and showing up for others. But what happens when the hardest leadership challenge isn't at work, it's at home? In this episode, Shelby and Belinda sit down with former diplomat and operations leader Brittany Carroll to discuss becoming a caregiver for her father while managing a demanding professional career. Together, they explore: * Leadership during personal crisis * Caregiving and aging parents * Difficult family conversations * Workplace flexibility and employee support * Boundaries, resilience, and decision-making * Financial and legal preparedness * The hidden challenges many professionals face outside the office Whether you're a leader supporting employees through difficult seasons, caring for a loved one yourself, or simply preparing for the future, this episode offers practical insights and thoughtful leadership lessons about navigating life's most complex responsibilities. -------------------- Our company, Grounded and Global Advisory, is pleased to offer a quarterly advisory retainer. For $275 per month (billed quarterly, with the option to renew each quarter), you'll receive: * One 60-minute coaching session per month * Priority access to our calendar * One annual 90-minute strategic intensive This offer is for the person who knows what good advisory support feels like and doesn't want to lose it. Spots are limited.  If you're interested, email us directly at hello@stirringsuccess.com [hello@stirringsuccess.com], and we'll be in touch. Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2307270/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/LeadershipTeaPodcast/gift] We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. * Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast [https://leadershiptea.buzzsprout.com/2307270/follow] * Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! [https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipTeaPodcast?sub_confirmation=1] Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea [https://www.instagram.com/leadership_tea/]for more inspiration and insights.

Brewing Purpose: Building a Life-Giving Space from the Ground Up

In this episode of Leadership Tea, Shelby and Belinda sit down with Kahana Samms, founder of Good Spirit Cafe, to discuss reinvention, entrepreneurship, wellness, and building community after uncertainty. After years working in federal IT and cybersecurity, Kahana found herself navigating furloughs, layoffs, and major life transitions, prompting her to rethink stability, purpose, and what it truly means to build a meaningful life.  Together, they discuss: * Entrepreneurship and sacrifice * Building a “third space” for healing and connection * The emotional realities of starting over * Leadership, energy, and authenticity * Creativity as a pathway to purpose * Why community-centered spaces matter now more than ever This conversation is grounding, inspiring, and honest, especially for anyone navigating transition or building something from the heart. -------------------- Our company, Grounded and Global Advisory, is pleased to offer a quarterly advisory retainer. For $275 per month (billed quarterly, with the option to renew each quarter), you'll receive: * One 60-minute coaching session per month * Priority access to our calendar * One annual 90-minute strategic intensive This offer is for the person who knows what good advisory support feels like and doesn't want to lose it. Spots are limited.  If you're interested, email us directly at hello@stirringsuccess.com [hello@stirringsuccess.com], and we'll be in touch. Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2307270/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/LeadershipTeaPodcast/gift] We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. * Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast [https://leadershiptea.buzzsprout.com/2307270/follow] * Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! [https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipTeaPodcast?sub_confirmation=1] Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea [https://www.instagram.com/leadership_tea/]for more inspiration and insights.

Your Employee Was Blindsided by Their Review. That’s On You.

Performance reviews are not just paperwork. They’re a reflection of leadership. In this episode, Shelby and Belinda break down how strong leaders handle employee evaluations, difficult feedback, and accountability conversations without damaging trust or team morale. They discuss: * Why employees should never be surprised by feedback * How to write more specific and actionable evaluations * The difference between performance issues and personality conflicts * Why documentation and HR processes matter * What leaders get wrong about firing employees  Whether you’re a first-time manager or a seasoned executive, this episode offers practical leadership advice for navigating one of the hardest parts of management: evaluating people fairly and effectively. ------------------------------------ Our company, Grounded and Global Advisory, is pleased to offer a quarterly advisory retainer. For $275 per month (billed quarterly, with the option to renew each quarter), you'll receive: * One 60-minute coaching session per month * Priority access to our calendar * One annual 90-minute strategic intensive This offer is for the person who knows what good advisory support feels like and doesn't want to lose it. Spots are limited.  If you're interested, email us directly at hello@stirringsuccess.com [hello@stirringsuccess.com], and we'll be in touch. Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2307270/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/LeadershipTeaPodcast/gift] We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. * Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast [https://leadershiptea.buzzsprout.com/2307270/follow] * Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! [https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipTeaPodcast?sub_confirmation=1] Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea [https://www.instagram.com/leadership_tea/]for more inspiration and insights.

Got a Bad Performance Review? What to Do Next

A bad performance review can feel personal—but your response is what actually shapes your career. In this episode, we walk through exactly how to handle a negative evaluation at work—from figuring out what’s true to deciding whether (and how) to push back. We talk about: * How to separate facts from emotions * Using your “receipts” to support your performance * When to challenge feedback—and when to accept it * How to rebuild your reputation moving forward * Why doing the work alone isn’t enough anymore  Whether your review felt unfair or just didn’t reflect your best work, this episode will help you move forward with clarity and strategy. ------------------------------------ Our company, Grounded and Global Advisory, is pleased to offer a quarterly advisory retainer. For $275 per month (billed quarterly, with the option to renew each quarter), you'll receive: * One 60-minute coaching session per month * Priority access to our calendar * One annual 90-minute strategic intensive This offer is for the person who knows what good advisory support feels like and doesn't want to lose it. Spots are limited.  If you're interested, email us directly at hello@stirringsuccess.com [hello@stirringsuccess.com], and we'll be in touch. Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2307270/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/LeadershipTeaPodcast/gift] We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. * Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast [https://leadershiptea.buzzsprout.com/2307270/follow] * Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! [https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipTeaPodcast?sub_confirmation=1] Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea [https://www.instagram.com/leadership_tea/]for more inspiration and insights.

Change the Tape: How Leaders Break Out of Stuck Patterns

When you feel stuck, doing more isn’t the answer. Clarity is. In this episode, we sit down with Bobby Staten III (Chief of Clarity) to unpack what’s really happening when leaders feel overwhelmed, stuck, or out of alignment, and how to move forward with intention. From “changing the tape” to redefining identity, this conversation goes beyond surface-level productivity advice and gets to the core of how leaders actually grow. This episode is a powerful reminder that growth doesn’t start with doing more. Rather, it starts with seeing clearly and choosing differently. If you’re navigating a transition, building something new, or stepping into leadership for the first time, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are. ---------------------------------- Connect with Bobby Staten III:  https://bit.ly/BTSwaitlist [https://bit.ly/BTSwaitlist] - Built To Scale (my accelerator) waitlist https://www.linkedin.com/in/bstaten [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bstaten]  @chiefofclarity on all social platforms Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2307270/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/LeadershipTeaPodcast/gift] We publish new episodes every other Wednesday. * Subscribe to the Leadership Tea Podcast [https://leadershiptea.buzzsprout.com/2307270/follow] * Subscribe to Leadership Tea on YouTube! [https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipTeaPodcast?sub_confirmation=1] Follow us on Instagram @Leadership_Tea [https://www.instagram.com/leadership_tea/]for more inspiration and insights.