Women at Work

Many of us have internal beliefs—I need it done now, I know I’m right, I need to be involved—that feel like truth but actually hold us back as leaders. Executive coach Muriel Wilkins calls these counterproductive beliefs “hidden blockers,” and she talks the Amys through the process of identifying theirs and then reframing them. They also explore how blockers show up at the team and organizational level, like when lack of trust leads to a bloated meeting culture. Muriel shares how leaders can encourage mindset shifts in their organizations, beginning with themselves, and how to create conditions that allow others to examine what’s driving their behavior without judgment or overreach. Guest expert: Muriel Wilkins is an executive coach who hosts the HBR podcast Coaching Real Leaders [https://hbr.org/2020/12/podcast-coaching-real-leaders] and whose latest book is Leadership Unblocked: Break Through the Beliefs That Limit Your Potential [https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Unblocked-Through-Beliefs-Potential/dp/1647827264]. Resources: * “What Self-Awareness Really Is (and How to Cultivate It) [https://hbr.org/2018/01/what-self-awareness-really-is-and-how-to-cultivate-it],” by Tasha Eurich * “Becoming More Collaborative — When You Like to Be in Control [https://hbr.org/2023/03/becoming-more-collaborative-when-you-like-to-be-in-control],” by Jenny Fernandez and Luis Velasquez * “Are You a Micromanager or Too Hands-Off [https://hbr.org/2024/08/are-you-a-micromanager-or-too-hands-off]?” by Carole-Ann Penney * “How to Manage Someone Who Thinks Everything Is Urgent [https://hbr.org/2017/08/how-to-manage-someone-who-thinks-everything-is-urgent],” by Liz Kislik * “The Insidious Effects of Hurrying [https://hbr.org/2025/01/the-insidious-effects-of-hurrying],” by Kandi Wiens Sign up for the Women at Work newsletter [https://hbr.org/email-newsletters?movetile=womenatwork]. Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org [womenatwork@hbr.org]

Have you ever realized, partway through a project, that you and your boss aren’t on the same page? Maybe your definitions of success differed, or their expectations were unclear. Maybe you couldn’t get them to listen, or you couldn’t figure out why they insisted on doing things a certain way. Managing up means tackling these disconnects head-on—and doing it through honest, well-timed discussions. Executive coach Melody Wilding joins Amy G to explain why alignment on goals and clarity around working styles are essential. They talk through how to start these conversations without awkwardness, what to say to make them productive, and how to adapt your approach without losing your authenticity. Plus, they answer listener questions and hear from Amy B about how she handles alignment with both her boss and her team. Guest expert: Melody Wilding is an executive coach, human behavior professor, and author of Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge [https://www.amazon.com/Managing-Up-What-People-Charge/dp/0593444655/ref=sr_1_1?crid=EASSULCK9PU8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.-7VWrt-vuH3beRCDdyBYt03OvqKGOpV3cwenNPSZlnfGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.AyMpGXuAp20qYERxtrizUQTebKV5kBJPHsB8Y0uLUdk&dib_tag=se&keywords=Managing+Up%3A+How+to+Get+What+You+Need+from+the+People+in+Charge&qid=1744993210&sprefix=managing+up+how+to+get+what+you+need+from+the+people+in+charge%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1]. Resources: * “The Essentials: Managing Up [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-essentials-managing-up/id1336174427?i=1000557942854],” from Women at Work * “7 Questions to Decode Your Managers Priorities [https://hbr.org/2025/02/7-questions-to-decode-your-managers-priorities],” by Melody Wilding * “Before You Start Collaborating with Someone, Talk About Your Work Styles [https://hbr.org/2024/05/before-you-start-collaborating-with-someone-talk-about-your-work-styles],” by Anke Thiele * “28 Questions to Ask Your Boss in Your One-on-Ones [https://hbr.org/2023/06/28-questions-to-ask-your-boss-in-your-one-on-ones],” by Steven G. Rogelberg et al. * “Managing Up When Leadership Is Stuck in the Weeds [https://hbr.org/2022/08/managing-up-when-leadership-is-stuck-in-the-weeds],” Ian Gross and Samir Ranavat * “When Your Manager is Ineffective—and You Feel Stuck [https://hbr.org/2024/11/when-your-manager-is-ineffective-and-you-feel-stuck],” by Sarah Mann and Luis Velasquez Sign up for the Women at Work newsletter [https://hbr.org/email-newsletters?movetile=womenatwork].

When our colleague Kevin Evers wrote There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift [https://www.amazon.com/Theres-Nothing-Like-This-Strategic/dp/B0DD2XL7C5], we knew we had to talk about it. For so many women, she’s a role model—personally and professionally. Four HBR Swifties highlight how her instincts and decisions offer lessons in leadership, strategy, and staying power. Resources: * “The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift [https://hbr.org/2025/03/the-strategic-genius-of-taylor-swift],” by Kevin Evers * “What All Leaders Can Learn from Taylor Swift [https://hbr.org/podcast/2025/04/what-all-leaders-can-learn-from-taylor-swift],” from IdeaCast Sign up for the Women at Work newsletter [https://hbr.org/email-newsletters?movetile=womenatwork]. Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org [womenatwork@hbr.org]

Self-disclosure at work can build trust and connection, but it also carries risks—especially for women, leaders, and those whose values or identities set them apart. That tension is what Columbia professor Katherine Phillips explored in one of our earliest episodes of the podcast, back in 2018. Now, we revisit Kathy’s research on inclusion and authentic relationships, and add a fresh perspective. Amy B speaks with Kathy’s longtime collaborators Tracy Dumas and Nancy Rothbard about how expectations around self-disclosure have shifted. The Amys also reflect on what they’ve learned about sharing personal details at work: when it builds connection, when it complicates things, and when they choose to hold back. Guest experts: Katherine Phillips, before her death in 2020, was a professor of leadership and ethics at Columbia Business School. Tracy Dumas is a professor at Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business. Nancy Rothbard is a professor at Wharton, as well as the school’s deputy dean. Resources: * “Self-Disclosure at Work (and Behind the Mic) [https://hbr.org/podcast/2018/11/self-disclosure-at-work-and-behind-the-mic],” from Women at Work * “Sharing Personal Information Can Build Trust on Your Team — If You Do It Right [https://hbr.org/podcast/2024/05/sharing-personal-information-can-build-trust-on-your-team-if-you-do-it-right],” from HBR on Leadership * “Research: When Leaders Disclose a Chronic Illness at Work [https://hbr.org/2023/08/research-when-leaders-disclose-a-chronic-illness-at-work],” by by Peter Ghin and Mladen Adamovic * “Make It Safe for Employees to Disclose Their Disabilities [https://hbr.org/2021/06/make-it-safe-for-employees-to-disclose-their-disabilities],” by Laurie Henneborn * “Why Leaders Should Be Open About Their Flaws [https://hbr.org/2023/01/research-why-leaders-should-be-open-about-their-flaws],” by Li Jiang et al. * “How to Get Comfortable ‘Being Yourself’ at Work [https://hbr.org/2022/07/how-to-get-comfortable-being-yourself-at-work],” by Lan Nguyen Chaplin Sign up for the Women at Work newsletter [https://hbr.org/email-newsletters?movetile=womenatwork].

Young women are entering the workforce full of potential–they graduate with degrees and confidence–but they don’t always have the interpersonal skills they need to succeed and advance. They may not  know how to speak up in meetings, collaborate with people in charge, or ask for what they need. And that’s not just their problem; it’s ours too. If professors, mentors, managers, and parents don’t support young women, we risk losing talented future leaders before they even get started. In this live conversation from SXSW EDU in Austin, Amy Gallo talks with Neda Norouzi, an architecture professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and Aimee Laun, director of the Career Connections Center at Texas Woman’s University. They discuss the gap between what colleges teach and what workplaces expect, and the role educators, managers, and mentors can play in bridging it. Resources: * “Sponsorship: Defining the Relationship [https://hbr.org/podcast/2019/10/sponsorship-defining-the-relationship],” from Women at Work * “A Better Approach to Mentorship [https://hbr.org/2023/06/a-better-approach-to-mentorship],” by Christopher “CJ” Gross * “Men Can Improve How They Mentor Women. Here’s How. [https://hbr.org/2016/12/men-can-improve-how-they-mentor-women-heres-how]” by David G. Smith and W. Brad Johnson * “Investing in the Development of Young, Remote Employees [https://hbr.org/2024/02/investing-in-the-development-of-young-remote-employees],” by Octavia Goredema * “The Key to Retaining Young Workers? Better Onboarding. [https://hbr.org/2022/05/the-key-to-retaining-young-workers-better-onboarding]” by Donald Tomaskovic-Devey and Reyna Orellana * “Academics Can Only Take Students So Far [https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-minds/4-ways-to-incorporate-life-skills-learning-into-your-undergraduate-courses],” from Inspiring Minds Sign up for the Women at Work newsletter [https://hbr.org/email-newsletters?movetile=womenatwork]. Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org [womenatwork@hbr.org]