EP84: Anger, Power and the Conversations We Avoid, with Karen Thrall

EP84: Anger, Power and the Conversations We Avoid, with Karen Thrall

What happens when you’ve asked clearly, explained why it matters and the work is still late, incomplete or not good enough? You feel the frustration rise and you get frustrated that you’re angry. In this episode of Leadership Live, I speak with Karen Thrall, author of Don’t Lose Your Shit at Work, about what anger at work is really trying to tell us before it turns into an explosion, withdrawal or the conversation we keep avoiding. This conversation looks at anger as data: a signal that a boundary may have been crossed, a standard has slipped, a role isn’t being fully owned or something important needs to change.  We talk about the hidden cost of reactive leadership, the power of composure and why the most effective leaders aren’t the loudest in the room — they’re the ones who can create clarity in chaos. If you’re leading people, navigating pressure or finding yourself emotionally stretched in your work, this episode will give you practical insight, honest reflection and a different way to think about leadership under pressure. If this episode made you think about a conversation, reaction or leadership pattern that keeps repeating, pause before rushing to fix it. Ask what it is trying to show you. And if you want support thinking through the deeper leadership pattern underneath it, reach out to Daphna. Join our community to continue the conversation: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CKtF2WR1frH6aW2jr40UTQ [https://chat.whatsapp.com/CKtF2WR1frH6aW2jr40UTQ]  Take the Life Clarity Quiz here: https://daphnahorowitz.com/life-clarity [https://daphnahorowitz.com/life-clarity] Connect with Your Host Daphna Horowitz:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/] https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutions [https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutions] https://www.youtube.com/@daphnahorowitzleadership [https://www.youtube.com/@daphnahorowitzleadership]  For more resources and coaching: www.daphnahorowitz.com [http://www.daphnahorowitz.com]    Connect with Karen Trall https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenthrallinc/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenthrallinc/] https://www.karenthrall.com/ [https://www.karenthrall.com/]  https://www.karenthrall.com/book [https://www.karenthrall.com/book]  Timestamps [00:03:34] Anger as information in leadership [00:07:24] The gift of anger [00:08:07] Anger as a catalyst for change [00:12:12] Tough Conversations and Self-Reflection [00:19:41] Anger as an alarm clock [00:26:40] Now vs. Later  [00:30:05] Communication styles in conflict [00:34:26] Finding your voice [00:36:36] Naming emotions  [00:39:57] Restoring trust as a leader [00:45:20] Apologizing as a leader [00:49:03] Energy's impact on communication [00:52:11] Emotional expression in leadership [00:55:50] Growth through personal storytelling Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it, subscribe and leave us a review.

EP83: What Kilimanjaro taught me about doing hard things

This isn't an episode about endurance or bucket lists. It's about who you become under pressure. When your body is exhausted, your mind starts bargaining, and the usual ways you lead, cope or push through stop working. In this episode, I share what climbing Kilimanjaro revealed about pressure, identity, the voices that show up when things get hard and the moment I didn't think I could take another step. This is a reflection on fear, asking for help, the unseen cost of coming back down and why the real transformation often only becomes clear after the climb is over. If you're leading, navigating change or in a season that's quietly demanding more of you than before, this episode will meet you where you are. Just like the climb, clarity doesn't always arrive at the summit — it often comes when you stop and really look at where you are. The Life Clarity Quiz helps you reflect on what's aligned, what feels heavy and what support could change the way you move forward. Buy the Book: https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Lead-Leadership-Lessons-Kilimanjaro/dp/B09F1CGQTR/ [https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Lead-Leadership-Lessons-Kilimanjaro/dp/B09F1CGQTR/] Join our community to continue the conversation: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CKtF2WR1frH6aW2jr40UTQ [https://chat.whatsapp.com/CKtF2WR1frH6aW2jr40UTQ] Take the Life Clarity Quiz here: https://daphnahorowitz.com/life-clarity [https://daphnahorowitz.com/life-clarity] Connect with Your Host Daphna Horowitz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/] https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutions [https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutions] https://www.youtube.com/@daphnahorowitzleadership [https://www.youtube.com/@daphnahorowitzleadership] For more resources and coaching: www.daphnahorowitz.com [http://www.daphnahorowitz.com] Timestamps 00:00 Why doing hard things changes us 03:20 Saying yes before you feel ready 11:00 Identity disruption begins in preparation 21:10 What you carry and what weighs you down 26:40 Barranco Wall and learning to accept help 30:45 Summit night - fear, voices, and the breaking point 44:30 The moment the internal switch flipped 51:00 The descent no one prepares you for 58:00 The seven leadership lessons that stayed with me Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it, subscribe and leave us a review.

EP 81 UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about Anger and What your fire is trying to tell you

UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about Anger and What your fire is trying to tell you In this episode of UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about Anger and What your fire is trying to tell you, Daphna and her co-host explore the misunderstood emotion of anger, an experience many of us are taught to hide or downplay. Together, they unpack why anger is often labeled as "unprofessional" or "unproductive" and instead reframe it as a natural, informative and deeply human emotion. They discuss how anger can signal our values, highlight boundaries and even serve as a catalyst for meaningful change when expressed with clarity and intention. From leadership to personal relationships, the conversation encourages listeners to acknowledge their emotions rather than suppress them and to use anger as a tool for understanding and conscious action. If this conversation sparked something in you, the Life Clarity Quiz offers a moment to pause and notice what your emotions, including anger, might be trying to tell you. https://daphnahorowitz.com/life-clarity [https://daphnahorowitz.com/life-clarity] Connect with Your Co-Hosts Daphna Horowitz www.daphnahorowitz.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/ https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutions https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/leadership-live/id1524072573 [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/leadership-live/id1524072573] Amy L. Riley http://www.courageofaleader.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyshoopriley https://courageofaleader.com/podcast/ [https://courageofaleader.com/podcast/] Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the, podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Timestamps 00:00 – Why anger feels taboo 00:04:32 – Anger as a catalyst for action 00:09:30 – What healthy expression looks like 00:13:18 – Gender differences & perception of anger 00:19:15 – Naming the emotion beneath the reaction 00:21:24 – Speaking from clarity instead of charge 00:23:45 – The cost of suppression and artificial harmony 00:28:10 – From reaction to response in 6 steps 00:32:57 – Anger as a sign of what we value 00:33:48 – Staying connected to our emotional experiences

EP 80 UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about The Cost of Being in Control

UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about The Cost of Being in Control We all want to do things well — to be responsible, stay on top of it, make sure nothing slips through the cracks. But when does that turn into control? In this episode of UNFILTERED, Daphna Horowitz and Amy Riley get honest about the fine line between responsible leadership and the need to control everything. They unpack why leaders grip so tightly, what it costs in terms of energy, creativity, and trust, and how letting go can actually be a deeper form of wisdom. Join Daphna and Amy for a raw, relatable conversation on hidden control, delegation of authority, and the courage it takes to loosen your grip without letting things fall apart. For a deeper look at your own patterns of control and alignment, take the Life Clarity Quiz, a brief pause with honest insight. https://daphnahorowitz.com/life-clarity [https://daphnahorowitz.com/life-clarity] Connect with Your Co-Hosts Daphna Horowitz www.daphnahorowitz.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/ https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutions https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/leadership-live/id1524072573 Amy L. Riley http://www.courageofaleader.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyshoopriley https://courageofaleader.com/podcast/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the, podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Timestamps 01:15 - The Illusion of Holding It All Together 03:15 - Hidden Control: Responsibility in Disguise 08:40 - The Bottleneck of Decision-Making 13:30 - The Illusion of Being 'On Top of It' 17:45 - The Fear Beneath Control 22:00 - From Dependency to Capacity: The Real Leadership Shift 27:15 - Control Lives in the Body 30:30 - The Four Shifts: Transparency, Collaboration, Curiosity, Boundaries 34:15 - Moment of Stillness: Letting Go as Wisdom

EP 79 UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about Focus and Presence in a Distraction-Heavy World

UNFILTERED: Courageous Conversations about Focus and Presence in a Distraction-Heavy World In today's world of endless notifications, overflowing inboxes and constant noise, focus and presence feel harder than ever to hold onto. In this episode of UNFILTERED Courageous Conversations about Focus and Presence in a Distraction-Heavy World, Daphna and Amy take an unflinching look at the cost of distraction from information overload (the equivalent of 16 movies a day!) to the hidden toll of multitasking. This isn't about productivity hacks or quick fixes. It's about courageous conversations. How distraction shapes our leadership, our relationships and even our sense of self. Through personal stories, science-backed insights and practical tools, they explore what it really takes to reclaim focus and choose presence in a world that thrives on pulling us away. If you've ever felt scattered, reactive or simply longed to slow down and be fully here, this episode is for you. Connect with Your Co-Hosts Daphna Horowitz www.daphnahorowitz.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/ https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutions https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/leadership-live/id1524072573 Amy L. Riley http://www.courageofaleader.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyshoopriley https://courageofaleader.com/podcast/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the, podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Timestamps [00:01:11] Information overload and distractions [00:05:25] Distraction vs intention [00:09:14] The importance of human connection [00:12:35] Presence and focus in team engagement [00:19:24] Tech boundaries for focus [00:22:56] The benefits of being present [00:26:36] Full presence in conversations [00:30:24] Commitment to personal challenges