Episodi
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger talks about choosing to opt out of toxic dynamics in the workplace. We donât need to continue trying to win the approval of toxic coworkers. We can disengage and break free from the harmful patterns. It isnât about giving up, itâs an act of self-protection and empowerment. Cindy explains how to identify toxic dynamics and provides guidance on how to step back and reclaim our control and confidence.
To help us see the truth behind motives, Cindy identifies five common tactics used to camouflage toxic behavior: 1) Manipulation, 2) Gaslighting, 3) Devaluing others, 4) Entitlement, and 5) Dismissiveness. These behaviors are often subtle and cumulative. Over time, they play into our self-doubt and create a toxic atmosphere. To turn our attention away from them and back to what we can control, Cindy offers these steps: 1) Reframe our role, 2) Detach emotionally, and 3) Reclaim our narrative.
In the effort to disengage, toxic people can have extreme reactions, which make the effort more challenging. Cindy offers four ways to stay grounded while reclaiming our control: 1) Stop trying to change them, 2) Hold boundaries, 3) Stop feeding the cycle, and 4) Redirect energy. Once we have successfully disengaged from the toxic workplace scenario, we can focus on healing and growth. While toxic workplaces are draining and demoralizing, they donât have to hold us hostage. This episode shows how to get our power back.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Disengaging from Toxic Workplace DynamicsAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger discusses the cycle of unrealistic expectations and false promises that keeps us striving indefinitely. Itâs not just exhausting, it feeds into a culture that thrives on our self-doubt and overwork. Weâre left blaming ourselves instead of identifying the truth, which Cindy explains isnât us but the system that maintains control with ever-moving goalposts. How do we break free from this unending grind? Cindy tells us how to create an authentic and fulfilling career independent of other peopleâs arbitrary standards.
Cindy calls the coercive control loop of false promises âfuture fakingâ. It erodes our confidence and fosters burnout. Continuing to shift the goalposts is designed to keep us striving but never arriving. Itâs a demoralizing control tactic that is used to maintain control and keep us off-balance. When we let it get to us, we start doubting ourselves, which causes us to double down in effort. Cindy says the first step to stop playing the game is recognizing that we donât have to prove our worth, and the second step is to redefine what success means to us.
There are three common patterns that prevent us from taking back our power. 1) Unrealistic expectations, 2) Invisible work, and 3) Toxic dynamics. When we can identify those patterns, we can see them for what they are and reclaim our confidence and agency. Cindy offers a roadmap for how to acknowledge future faking and stop internalizing the problem. With her guidance, we can shift the power dynamic and choose ourselves, our goals, our values, and our well-being instead of playing a rigged game.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Stop Hanging On To False PromisesAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger examines the fine line between honesty and encouragement when offering advice. While we donât want to ignore challenges or sugarcoat reality for others, we also shouldnât crush their dreams prematurely by offering too much realism that comes across as pessimism. How do we encourage others while still offering constructive insights to help refine their path? Cindy offers a way forward through reframing the conversation in curiosity and empowering others to see potential instead of doubt.
When we reflect on our experiences and offer advice like âdonât get your hopes upâ or âitâs harder than it looksâ we may think weâre protecting someone from disappointment by being realistic. In reality, however, weâre letting our own insecurities or cultural conditioning towards skepticism deflate their confidence. Cindy offers three reasons why telling people their dreams wonât work is a waste of energy: 1) Theyâll figure it out for themselves, 2) We might be wrong, and 3) Weâre robbing them of growth.
Cindy differentiates honesty from negativity and reframes our advice-giving with curiosity instead of cold realism. She suggests a line of questions about why theyâre excited or how theyâll approach challenges. There are ways to be honest without crushing dreams. Cindy shares four strategies for how to answer honestly while also making it easier to take in: 1) Validate first, prepare later, 2) Frame feedback constructively, 3) Encourage self-reflection, and 4) Resist the urge to over-prepare them. Fostering possibility is good for everyone.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Empowering PossibilitiesAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger talks about the social window, the fleeting time that occurs during the first few weeks in a new environment, when people are more open to connection and bonding. The social window wonât last forever, so itâs important to take advantage of it to build relationships, establish influence, and form a supportive network. What is the best way to use the social window to our career advantage, and what should we expect while trying? Cindy explains the process.
The social window offers the easiest time for us to engage in networking. There is a fleeting openness in it that creates a low-stakes environment for relationship building. Cindy shares five ways to make the most of the opportunity: 1) Be proactive, not passive, 2) Join group activities, 3) Leverage shared hardships, 4) Focus on quality over quantity, and 5) Follow up.
Cindy discusses being intentional about the social window by deciding what we want to accomplish and forming a plan. Having goals will help prioritize our efforts when meeting new people. She suggests reframing our perspective to see introductions as a career investment instead of as a series of awkward moments. If we donât take advantage of this time, real consequences can follow. Cindy identifies three of the most common: 1) Feeling out of place, 2) Missed career opportunities, and 3) Undermined confidence.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Building Connections That LastAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger discusses the value of reflecting on our past experiences as a guide to navigating a more empowered future. Looking backward can teach us a lot. When we reflect on what weâve been through, we can see unfinished business, repeated patterns, and things weâve also done right. All these things become a strategic tool for forward thinking. But how do we look back without wallowing in regret or spiralling? And how do we use our experiences in the future?
Backwards reflection isnât just about wishing weâd done things differently; itâs about gathering data. Unfinished business doesnât stay in the past. It follows us into the future, undermining our confidence and sabotaging our career success. Reflection allows for analysis and reframing of the situation. Cindy has five ways to avoid falling into regret while reflecting: 1) Acknowledge what we wanted, 2) Allow ourselves to feel, 3) Separate fact from fiction, 4) Extract the lesson, and 5) Apply the lesson learned.
Cindy gives us a guide for turning reflection into a powerful move for future success. Instead of stifling feelings about past experiences, she encourages us to process the feelings to clear the way for growth. By keeping reflection focused, we gain clarity. Identifying what we learned allows us to decide how to apply it moving forward. Cindy walks us through looking backwards with a clear purpose in order to shed light on the best way to proceed in our careers. Reflection isnât about regret, itâs about resilience and capability.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Turn Past Lessons Into Future WinsAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger explores the skill known as pivoting. Our careers donât often unfold exactly as planned. More often than not, a major curveball out of left field flies in to disrupt our plans. It could be a new boss, an imploding project, or shifts in the industry, but whatever it is, we are left reeling and unsure of what to do next. Instead of panicking or withdrawing, pivoting is a skill that encourages us to pause and assess before making a deliberate move forward. Cindy looks at how to pivot and when, and guides us through learning to be adaptable.
Security and certainty in todayâs workplaces are not guaranteed. We donât want to admit it, but things shift all the time. Rules change, priorities reshuffle, and our world can be turned upside down. Spiraling into panic is an easy temptation. Panic feels productive in the moment. But panic leads to catastrophizing and impulsive moves. Cindy outlines the proactive approach towards flipping the script that pivoting offers. She explains how to acknowledge the chaos, assess the situation, and figure out a strategic next move.
Cindy shares a four-step process on what to do when an unexpected left turn happens. 1) Stop before doing anything, 2) Assess and find out whatâs really happening, 3) Strategize, and 4) Act. Pivoting isnât about perfection but about progress. Itâs easier with practice. Cindy advises building a resilience toolkit, embracing flexibility, celebrating progress, and maintaining perspective. This episode is all about learning to face the challenge of upheaval head-on without panicking. Itâs a valuable guide on taking rational next steps forward.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Creating Your Pivot PlanAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger talks about perspective and how our perspective of our work colors how we feel about it. Our brains love to tell stories about what weâre doing, but if the story being told at work is always âI hate this,â weâll be in misery. Cindy poses the alternative option: getting our brains to tell a story about enjoyment, which can change our experience at work to one of curiosity or even excitement. So, how do we do that? How do we shift perspective?
Cindy asks what motivates us more: fear or fun? Weâve been sold the lie that misery equals merit, that being challenged and pushing harder at work, feeling stressed and unhappy, makes us better at our jobs. But being miserable is not the only way to work. If we choose to enjoy what we do, then we can make the same work fun and see it through the lens of curiosity and motivation.
Cindy shares four strategies to help us turn even the worst tasks into a bit more fun: 1) Gamify our work, 2) Pair it with a reward, 3) Turn it into a challenge, and 4) Add personal touches. Work isnât always fun. But Cindy encourages us to be proactive about our own motivation. Motivation, rooted in either fear or reward, is the fuel that gets us through work. So Cindy breaks down how to generate our own motivation in a way that makes the task easier and more enjoyable, with advice on overcoming dread with action.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Turning Torture into TriumphAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger addresses the cycle of enabling that keeps us picking up the slack for other people. Sometimes we are too nice, too accommodating, unable to say no, or just fixated on work being done perfectly so we do the work of others as well as our own. And when they come to expect it, we keep doing it. Weâre being taken advantage of and weâre the ones allowing it. So how do we identify this cycle and break it?
We set a precedent when we show ourselves to be the person who will always step up and always shoulder the burden. No matter our intentions when we first took on the extra work, because we continue accepting it, we become the person everyone dumps things on. It has a negative impact on our own workload, our sense of accomplishment, our health, and our careers. We need to protect ourselves and Cindy shows us how.
Cindy shares five strategies for reclaiming our time and energy: 1) Set clear boundaries, 2) Stop jumping in, 3) Say no, 4) Prioritize our work, and 5) Ask for help. We set up an environment where we are overly helpful and coworkers are exploiting that willingness. But they often donât even realize they are exploiting us. So itâs to everyoneâs benefit that we break the cycle. Boundaries are what create healthy workplaces. Cindy advises us on how to set necessary boundaries, say no, and pick and choose when we offer help.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Guarding Your TimeAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger explores what happens when our brainâs instinct to keep us safe from threats backfires and becomes a limiting and counterproductive loop. We spend a lot of time unconsciously on high alert, looking for signs that our trust might be betrayed or weâll be taken advantage of. But always assuming the worst limits whatâs possible. Cindy looks into considering a different perspective and shows us how to change our minds.
A cynical mindset keeps us safe from disappointment but also keeps us stuck. And being a cynical or pessimistic person doesnât just affect us, it affects how others view us. It becomes a cycle where we expect people to be selfish and radiate mistrust so people stop trusting and focus on themselves, thus proving our own belief. Cindy offers insight into how to change our mindset and start believing in the possible instead of expecting the worst.
Cindy advises reframing our thoughts and changing our beliefs through reflecting on our experiences. She shares four questions to ask ourselves to help guide our reflection: 1) What disappointments or regrets did we experience this year? 2) What did we feel should have been acknowledged? 3) What did we accomplish this year? and 4) How do the events of the year, good and bad, work to our advantage? Changing our default expectations changes not only how we think but how we show up and how we are responded to.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Reflecting on Your ExperienceAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger discusses the cumulative effect of subtle and not-so-subtle micro-aggressions that build up in us over time. Itâs the minor incidents like a dismissive glance, an ignored idea, and being overlooked that we shove to the side. But they donât go away. They build up and can have a negative impact on our career without us even realizing it. Cindy explains how we can identify and take charge of these cumulative slighted feelings moving forward.
The unresolved baggage of micro-aggressions layered inside us gets carried around and affects how we view ourselves, behave, and even what we expect of our own achievements. So how do we identify and validate them so we can become stronger? Cindy shares five steps: 1) Name the baggage, 2) Reframe our perspective, 3) Set boundaries, 4) Focus on what we can control, and 5) Find our people.
Workplace slights are real and the key isnât learning how to avoid these difficulties, but how to manage them and learn. Cindy calls this building emotional agility. We learn to resolve the stress-creating baggage so we can be free of the triggers. How do we reframe the triggers? 1) Pause and identify, 2) Challenge the association, and 3) Take action. Cindy guides us through the subtly complex world of microaggressions, cumulative baggage, resolution, and letting go in this key episode.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Unpacking the Emotional BaggageAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger explores the power of challenging cynicism to become a hopeful skeptic instead. She isnât talking about blind optimism but rather the power to balance realism with possibility. Why does being jaded hold us back? What if we get greater opportunities by shifting how we think about whatâs possible? Cindy uncovers how to push our boundaries to allow more hope into our careers.
The power of a positive attitude is real but itâs not about a fake smile or saying everythingâs fine. Itâs about allowing positive thinking to change how we interpret setbacks and move forward with optimism. Cynicism may feel protective but in truth itâs a limiting cage. Cindy outlines how weâre held back by a jaded negative mindset and why reframing our thoughts to accommodate possibility and hope is such a vital shift.
When Cindy says to embrace hopeful skepticism, she means refusing to assume the worst without proof. She offers three tips for how make skepticism work positively: 1. Pause and question, 2. Gather evidence, and 3. Stay open-minded. She discusses how to approach each step and then shares three tips on how to cultivate more hope: 1. Look for kindness, 2. Find the good in situations, and 3. Share the positivity. This episode highlights the power of a mindset shift to allow hope to expand our career possibilities.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Turning Cultivating HopeAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger talks about overthinking, that tendency to analyze and ponder a decision for so long that we become exhausted. Instead of being thorough, we trap ourselves in a cycle of indecision. Spending more time thinking about a decision doesnât necessarily lead to a better outcome and Cindy examines why that is. Why wouldnât extra thought be better? And if it isnât, how do we stop the spinning wheels and endless analysis of overthinking?
Itâs important to note the difference between thinking and overthinking. Thinking is productive. Itâs deliberate, focused, and rational. Overthinking is repetitive and unproductive. Itâs often fueled by fear: fear of judgement, failure or not being enough. Cindy highlights five ways to break free from overthinking: 1) Be solution-focused, 2) Organize thoughts, 3) Take a break, 4) Set a time limit, and 5) Accept uncertainty.
Breaking the habit of overthinking requires making a decision and taking action before weâve locked ourselves in the overthinking cycle. Cindy advises to start small, acting on decisions that arenât that big a deal in the larger picture. Not every choice requires agonizing hours of our limited time and energy resources. Cindy offers insight into shifting our thinking from âwhat ifâ analysis that focuses on what could go wrong to more productive considerations of what is under our control that will go right. Join her to learn how to start breaking the overthinking cycle.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Turning Overthinking Into ActionAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger addresses the deeply ingrained unwritten rules weâve been living by, the limiting beliefs we didnât consciously agree to that have been shaping our careers. Like an outdated operating system running in the background, these limiting beliefs quietly sabotage our potential. What is possible when we uncover them and align our goals with what we really want? Cindy walks us through discovering and changing the beliefs holding us back.
The first step is identifying all those secret rules weâve internalized that have been silently dictating what we do. Cindy explains that the limiting beliefs come from well-meaning advice, societal expectations, and passing comments we internalize. She delves into four of the most common: 1) âI donât deserve betterâ, 2) âIâm not qualified for anything elseâ, 3) âIâm lucky to have this jobâ, and 4) âMy work doesnât count unless Iâm miserableâ.
So how do we shake these limiting beliefs and move past them? Cindyâs advice starts with four questions designed to uncover the ones we hold about ourselves. She then explains how to replace them with new, empowering beliefs by breaking down why the old beliefs are limiting. Replacing the limiting beliefs includes choosing a path that is both challenging and believable, paying attention to intuition, and taking a leap past ingrained fear. Cindy guides us into freedom from the unspoken rules that have been shaping our careers and lives with false narratives.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Uncovering and Rewriting Your Limiting BeliefsAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger focuses on making sense of the lived experiences we have, the beginning of realizing when our bad days are stacking up and we see weâre in a toxic cycle. It takes a long time to identify all the small signs for what they are. When we start to see the patterns emerge, we tend to doubt ourselves and we shouldnât. Cindy explains why itâs vital to make sense of these lived experiences that are warning us that we need something better.
It takes strength to achieve the clarity we need to see our experiences for what they really are: manipulation, gaslighting, stress, and more. Itâs all the little things that add up. The promised promotion is always being kept just out of reach for faults they tell us they see. The sense that we canât do enough right at work. Being made to feel like the bad guy. And then a few moments of positivity are sprinkled in just often enough to make us doubt ourselves. Is it in our heads? No, it isnât, and Cindy points out why as she explains how to achieve clarity.
How do we reclaim control? Cindy shares five ways to do it: 1) Set boundaries, 2) Stop trying to change them, 3) Recognize we deserve better, 4) Disengage from their behavior, and 5) Step out of the shadow. Cindy unpacks each of these steps for us. She lays out a roadmap for identifying gaslighting and trusting our lived experience and how to then free ourselves from the cycle. Cindy assures us that we deserve careers that align with our values and goals and we deserve a healthier work environment.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Breaking FreeAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger talks about that nagging sensation in the back of our minds that something is wrong at work. Not a big catastrophe, but a subtle persistent feeling that something isnât right and itâs causing unease. We start to question whether anything actually is off or itâs just us. We wonder if this feeling of discontent is just the way work is meant to be. Cindy is here to assure us that we are not imagining that feeling and talk us through how to identify and deal with those sensations.
The first challenge with this unease is recognizing it for what it is. Weâre not unhappy enough to quit but weâre not happy staying. Cindy calls the feeling âpsychological siltâ and itâs the residue of a thousand small unsupportive things that build up over time. The negative impacts of this create a lot of stress, self-doubt and low morale. Cindy shares 7 examples of these kinds of microaggressions and pinpoints of unease to help us identify them.
Cindy points out that the constant questioning and self-shame we subject ourselves to over whether or not weâre imagining this unease is a form of self-gaslighting. It is paralyzing and undermining us. She urges us to break from the loop of doubt and guilt with 6 tips for addressing the issues: 1) Name the problem, 2) Trust our feelings, 3) Seek support, 4) Set boundaries, 5) Push back on normalization, and 6) Stop gaslighting ourselves. She examines how each step works to set us free to reclaim our careers.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Recognizing Your Worth at WorkAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger explores the difference between acceptance and resignation. When career roadblocks present themselves, thereâs a temptation to throw up our hands in despair and resign ourselves to defeat. But a better option is acceptance. Cindy explains how acceptance means seeing the situation for what it is and guides us on how to make the most of it.
The differences between resignation and acceptance are the differences between giving up and channeling our frustration into something productive. When weâre passed over for a promotion or someone else takes credit for our idea, itâs unfair and annoying but resignation is about giving up in despair. It gets us nowhere. Instead, acceptance allows us to say that life isnât fair but allows us to brainstorm our next move forward. It keeps us productive.
Cindy shares three tips for maintaining career goals and ambitions while still calling out bad behavior when warranted: 1) Pick our battles, 2) Build a support system, and 3) Protect our energy. Cindy delves into how each step can assist with processing our feelings of frustration and anger without giving in to them. She instructs us on how to turn that disappointment into action with a properly measured response. Acceptance is not giving up. Itâs what keeps us moving despite roadblocks.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Turning Roadblocks into ResilienceAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger talks about how the lone wolf mentality of handling everything ourselves can backfire and hold us back. In toxic situations, it can even be used against us. Refusing to collaborate and work with others is self-imposed isolation that keeps us from valuable insights and promotes burnout. Cindy explains how we can learn to open ourselves up and work with others.
While Cindy isnât suggesting opening the floodgates to allow everyone to weigh on every decision, she is advocating for understanding the value others bring to our work at key moments. She provides four reasons why itâs valuable: 1) Fresh perspectives mean better solutions, 2) Collaboration sparks creativity, 3) Shared workload means less burnout, and 4) Stronger relationships and better influence.
Inviting others into our work isnât just helpful but strategic. Itâs not admitting weakness. Cindy explains how insights from others are like an expansion of our knowledge. It also increases our visibility within the organization and can be an advantage. How we approach obtaining collaboration and responses is key to how effective that input will be. Cindy has very specific advice for ensuring the collaboration benefits all parties and keeps us thriving and not retreating back into a lone wolf mindset.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Inviting CollaborationAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger addresses one of the frustrating aspects of collaborative work: when not every person involved is as invested in pulling their weight and getting the job done as you are. While it might be tempting to go it alone, that isnât the solution. The reality of collaborative work can feel like herding cats. Cindy dives into how to navigate the minefield of disengagement, obstruction, and conflicting ideas with teamwork intact and without losing sanity.
Why is every person involved in a project not equally invested or competent? Thatâs simply the reality of workplaces and collaborative interaction. Cindy identifies the four main types of people weâre likely to encounter and how they operate. 1) the Doers, 2) the Observers, 3) the Drainers, and 4) the Saboteurs. She then offers three tips for handling everyone on a team, regardless of which type they are. 1) Set clear expectations from the start, 2) Encourage accountability, and 3) Use influence.
Cindy explores how to identify our own tendencies in a group project. Itâs possible that we are actually disengaged or indifferent. If so, we need to find a way to contribute meaningfully. She lays out how effective communication works and points out how to avoid simply identifying problems without working toward solutions. Observers can be turned into active contributors using careful strategies, and saboteurs can be redirected without a showdown. This episode is key to learning exactly how to navigate group projects effectively when each team member operates differently.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Navigating Team DynamicsAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger talks about how the flurry of our everyday workplace conversations can lead to misunderstandings and confusion. When we are part of work conversations at the coffee machine or in email threads that overlap other conversations, how do we know what to follow up on? We miss out on clarifying the next steps, deadlines, and each personâs responsibilities. So how do we mitigate this problem? How do we make sure we complete our conversations?
Simply having the initial conversation is often not enough to ensure success. We can walk away assuming the other party is responsible for a task or not understanding a deadline. And this lack of clarity can lead to failed projects and finger-pointing. Cindy states that itâs not about holding everyone hostage to an endless meeting assigning duties, but simply ensuring that the end of every conversation includes summarizing what the next steps are, whoâs doing what, and when itâs due.
Cindy advocates for avoiding the psychological toll of incomplete conversations by employing practical strategies that tidy up lingering questions. She offers three tips for implementing this into our daily work lives. 1) Summarize before we wrap, 2) Be explicit about ownership, and 3) Set deadlines and enforce them. The goal is mutual understanding. Cindy explains how to slow down and close the conversational loop for increased workplace success.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Completing the ConversationAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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In this episode, Cindy Esliger explores the shift from doing everything early in our careers to leading instead as we progress up the corporate ladder. While we start out efficiently executing tasks and cranking through work, the rules change as we achieve greater career success. The challenge of letting go of the reins to step into a leadership role becomes more important. But why? And how do we make that shift?
Clearly, thereâs nothing wrong with our early ability to do tasks and be productive. But the higher we climb, the more we need to realize that doing everything ourselves must necessarily give way to leading others through the work and guiding from behind the scenes instead of acting on the front lines. This shift can be difficult and even terrifying. Cindy understands the inherent challenges we face and delves into why moving into leadership is a key shift and how to approach that shift with the right mindset.
Cindy discusses the key components of leadership to help us clearly see what role weâre moving into. She offers four key strategies to help us build the necessary skills for the transition: 1) Improve communication skills, 2) Learn to delegate effectively, 3) Cultivate emotional intelligence, and 4) Develop coaching and mentorship skills. She also offers tips on how to make the leadership shift easier on ourselves. This episode is Cindyâs rallying call to move away from our âdo everything ourselvesâ early career mindset so we can step into the leadership role necessary for advancement.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Guide to Amplifying Your ImpactAstronomic AudioConfidence Collectiveâ
Contact Cindy Esliger
Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email
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