Leadership Tea

Kimya Imani Jackson, PhD, joins Belinda and Shelby to discuss the emotional impact of professional grief. Amid the government shutdown and massive layoffs, it can feel impossible to move forward. How do you begin to build a new career when you're feeling a profound sense of loss?  Kimya shares how she has found the motivation to pivot and reinvent herself throughout her storied career. And she provides science-backed strategies for processing professional loss and professional grief while simultaneously opening the door to new possibilities.  This conversation can help you if you’re experiencing professional loss, corporate grief, and a sense of overwhelm after sudden career-ending changes.  Also in this video: * Practices that include the burden tree, daydreaming, and dream journals * Holistic approaches to calm hyper-activated nervous systems * How professional grief affects not just people who are leaving, but also those left behind * Cultivating community through hobbies and maintaining contact with friends and loved ones Find Dr. Jackson at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimya-imani-jackson-phd [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimya-imani-jackson-phd]  JOIN THE LEADERSHIP LOUNGE If you're a leader who wants more than surface-level advice, join Shelby & Belinda for exclusive content, practical tools, and a supportive community that fuels your growth.  Learn more at https://www.stirringsuccess.com/leadershiplounge [https://www.stirringsuccess.com/leadershiplounge] Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2307270/open_sms] 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. Get your FREE copy of our Strategic Change Workbook [https://www.stirringsuccess.com/strategic-guide/project-one-h346n-7ygtp] Learn more about us at stirringsuccess.com [https://www.stirringsuccess.com]

Shelby and Belinda discuss our personal experiences and emotional journey during the ongoing government shutdown. We share how the shutdown is affecting our households, businesses, and mental health. We talk about the importance of mental resilience and practical steps to cope with financial and emotional stress during uncertain times.  We also introduce the Leadership Lounge, our new initiative created to build a supportive community for personal and professional growth. JOIN THE LEADERSHIP LOUNGE Looking to build your leadership community? Join our exclusive membership area for leadership resources and deeper, unconstrained conversations. You'll get a monthly bonus episode of the Leadership Tea Podcast, group coaching sessions for Lounge members, and quarterly Q&A episodes with Shelby and Belinda. Learn more and join at https://www.stirringsuccess.com/leadershiplounge [https://www.stirringsuccess.com/leadershiplounge] 00:00 Introduction to the Leadership Tea Podcast 00:21 Impact of the Government Shutdown 02:00 Personal Reflections and Financial Concerns 08:46 Coping Strategies and Community Support 17:08 Leadership Lounge and Community Building 20:56 Final Thoughts Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2307270/open_sms] 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. Get your FREE copy of our Strategic Change Workbook [https://www.stirringsuccess.com/strategic-guide/project-one-h346n-7ygtp] Learn more about us at stirringsuccess.com [https://www.stirringsuccess.com]

Shelby and Belinda discuss the need to shift focus from operational excellence to survival strategies in difficult times, such as the current federal government shutdown affecting many in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.  We emphasize the importance of community, resilience, and mental health, and introduce our new Leadership Lounge on Substack, where you'll find deeper discussions and group coaching. We also highlight the emotional and financial impacts of furloughs on individuals and businesses, and offer advice on staying connected within communities during crises. This episode is dedicated to all those impacted by the 2025 federal government shutdown in the United States. You can also watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_IHTJmvsAL4 [https://youtu.be/_IHTJmvsAL4] Join the Leadership Lounge! Looking to build your leadership community? Join our exclusive membership area for leadership resources and deeper, unconstrained conversations.  You'll get a monthly bonus episode of the Leadership Tea Podcast, group coaching sessions for Lounge members, and quarterly Q&A episodes with Shelby and Belinda. Learn more and join at https://www.stirringsuccess.com/leadershiplounge  Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2307270/open_sms] 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. Get your FREE copy of our Strategic Change Workbook [https://www.stirringsuccess.com/strategic-guide/project-one-h346n-7ygtp] Learn more about us at stirringsuccess.com [https://www.stirringsuccess.com]

In our 50th episode 🎉, Shelby and Belinda discuss why courage is essential in today's professional landscape, and what it looks like when leaders are radically honest with themselves when "outwit, outlast, outplay" isn’t working.  We share personal moments of reckoning, from defining what we don't want, to realizing when to leave work environments that no longer serve us.  If you’re stuck in analysis paralysis and fear of the unknown, this conversation can help you find the courage to move forward, even if you don’t have a perfect plan. Also in this episode * Should you play the game, try to change the rules, or create your own game? * Being good at something doesn't mean it needs to be your next thing * Finding clarity and clearing the clutter as you plan your next steps * The courage to move forward without a perfectly formulated plan  Resources Mentioned * Leadership Lounge: https://www.stirringsuccess.com/leadershiplounge Join our exclusive membership area for resources and deeper, unconstrained conversations * Belinda's LinkedIn post where she asks “Will I be the only one brave enough to step up?”: https://bit.ly/4nQlk9m [https://bit.ly/4nQlk9m]  Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2307270/open_sms] 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. Get your FREE copy of our Strategic Change Workbook [https://www.stirringsuccess.com/strategic-guide/project-one-h346n-7ygtp] Learn more about us at stirringsuccess.com [https://www.stirringsuccess.com]

Shelby and Belinda welcome special guest Boniswa Siwundla Madikizela, a transformational leader from South Africa, for a conversation on how to stay grounded and aligned in a world that feels chaotic.  Boniswa shares her personal practices for protecting herself from energy vampires, defining (and refining) her core purpose or "golden thread," and the joy of setting boundaries.  ALSO IN THIS EPISODE * Staying grounded in an off-kilter world * Pausing before you commit to a decision * Leaving a place that doesn’t align with your values * Recognizing and overcoming the hesitation to shine ABOUT BONISWA  Boniswa Siwundla Madikizela is a South African financial expert, educator, and advocate known for her work in financial literacy and accounting education, holding a CA(SA), MCom, and is a PhD candidate. She is a senior lecturer in accounting at the University of Johannesburg and is the founder of the Financial Literacy and Inclusion Center of Southern Africa (FLIC_SA).  Find Boniswa at https://linktr.ee/Boniswa_M [https://linktr.ee/Boniswa_M] Send us a comment! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2307270/open_sms] 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. Get your FREE copy of our Strategic Change Workbook [https://www.stirringsuccess.com/strategic-guide/project-one-h346n-7ygtp] Learn more about us at stirringsuccess.com [https://www.stirringsuccess.com]