Leadership Tea

Before You Plan 2026, Reflect on This About 2025

In this Leadership Tea Podcast episode, Belinda and Shelby take stock of 2025 with clear eyes, celebrate wins, acknowledge lows, and set 2026 on two pillars: abundance and audacity. We trade scarcity for flow, set targets for brave action, and commit to celebrating progress while we implement at full speed. Here are the highlights: • review of our 2025 focus words and what they produced • identity shift after career change and entrepreneurship growth • choosing abundance over scarcity as a mental model • audacity as the engine for implementation in 2026 • embracing no’s as data and momentum • dreaming bigger and designing a life with flexibility • visualizing New Year’s Eve 2026 as a scoreboard • practical prompts for listener reflection and planning Please like and subscribe, and head to our website to find different programs and tools that we have available to hopefully get you ready for 2026! Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2307270/open_sms] Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Join the Early Bird list here. [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwpcy_XDdXsqjQX89Gmm3GgdgnJp7LbGOgbWsqjNkJ93Y4dw/viewform?usp=header] 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.

What’s Really Breaking Women Leaders? A Conversation on Burnout & Broken Systems | S4 EP 20

In this heartfelt conversation, Shelby and Belinda share their reactions to the 2025 Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey & LeanIn.org.  They highlight the deep fatigue and burnout women experience as they rise into senior leadership. They reflect on the emotional and logistical realities that the data doesn’t always capture:  – women reaching the top of the ladder only to find exhaustion waiting for them – the cultural pressure in the U.S. to “do it all” without asking for help – the double standard where men receive quiet support systems while women feel judged for needing them – the loneliness of leadership, especially for women of color – the guilt that comes with caregiving and boundary-setting – the absence of sponsorship and empathetic leadership in many workplaces Grounded in personal stories—from missing their children’s milestones to carving out time for family despite career demands—they illustrate how women are not less ambitious; they’re simply navigating systems designed without them in mind. The episode ends with a call for leaders everywhere to build cultures rooted in trust, compassion, humane expectations, and real support—because meaningful leadership is not about suffering in silence; it’s about helping others rise with you. Referenced in this episode: McKinsey & Company: “Women in the Workplace Report” https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/women-in-the-workplace Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2307270/open_sms] Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Join the Early Bird list here. [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwpcy_XDdXsqjQX89Gmm3GgdgnJp7LbGOgbWsqjNkJ93Y4dw/viewform?usp=header] 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.

Smart Money Moves for 2026: Tips to Manage Your Financial Health | S4 EP 19

Shelby and Belinda are joined by two financial professionals from the State Department Federal Credit Union (SDFCU): Samia "Sam" Salmon (Vice President of Retail Business Development) and Josh Barrett (Manager for Overseas Operations). They share actionable, no-nonsense advice to help you get your financial house in order as we head into 2026. We discuss how to think through competing financial priorities like paying off debt vs. building an emergency fund or making decisions about 401k withdrawals. Our guests also stress the importance of communicating with your lenders during periods of reduced income, furloughs, or career pivots. Shelby and Belinda are both long-time customers of SDFCU. We encourage you to check out their services at https://www.sdfcu.org [https://www.sdfcu.org]  In this episode: * Why having good credit can be as important as having cash savings * Should you dip into your retirement accounts? * The importance of asking your lenders about hardship relief options * Why reading the fine print of your loan paperwork could be a lifesaver Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ahkVrnEM4Eg [https://youtu.be/ahkVrnEM4Eg] Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2307270/open_sms] Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Join the Early Bird list here. [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwpcy_XDdXsqjQX89Gmm3GgdgnJp7LbGOgbWsqjNkJ93Y4dw/viewform?usp=header] 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.

How Successful Executives Reset on Sundays: Beat Anxiety & Start Strong | S4 EP18

Belinda & Shelby break down the Sunday rituals that high-performing leaders use to reduce anxiety, set clear priorities, and start the week with confidence, not chaos. If you're a leader, executive, or high achiever who feels the Sunday pressure creeping in, this conversation is for you. What we cover: ✨ Why successful leaders avoid emails on Sundays ✨ How to set boundaries without guilt ✨ Sunday planning routines to calm your mind ✨ How to set clear expectations with your team & household ✨ What tasks should wait until Monday — and which shouldn’t ✨ Have clarity on weekly priorities > daily to-do lists or specific objectives  ✨ Simple rituals that make Mondays feel lighter Whether you grocery shop, meal prep, fold laundry, or journal to reset — your rituals matter. A peaceful Sunday leads to a powerful week. Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2307270/open_sms] Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Join the Early Bird list here. [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwpcy_XDdXsqjQX89Gmm3GgdgnJp7LbGOgbWsqjNkJ93Y4dw/viewform?usp=header] 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.

Failure Isn't Final: Turning Setbacks Into Comebacks | S4 EP17

A layoff can feel like a verdict. We treat it as a turning point. In this candid conversation, we unpack what it means to “fail forward” when the spotlight is brightest and the Sunday Scaries won’t quit.  Shelby shares the raw aftermath of being laid off from a high-profile role and the unexpected freedom that came from choosing silence, setting boundaries, and designing a schedule that serves her.  Belinda digs into the shame loop many leaders fall into, why scapegoating thrives in political environments, and how reframing misalignment can restore agency and momentum. Two questions anchor this episode: Who can you trust, and what are you willing to tolerate? Whether you’re processing a layoff, questioning a misaligned role, or trying to end the Sunday Scaries, these strategies help you regain control of your time, your message, and your outcomes.  If this resonates, subscribe, share the episode with a colleague who needs it, and leave a review so more leaders can find us. Then tell us: what boundary are you setting this week? Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2307270/open_sms] Join us on February 28th, 2026 at the DC Wharf for the Recommit: Winter Retreat. Join the Early Bird list here. [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScwpcy_XDdXsqjQX89Gmm3GgdgnJp7LbGOgbWsqjNkJ93Y4dw/viewform?usp=header] 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.