In this final episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I reflect on my journey of producing the show and share my decision to take a pause from podcasting to focus more deeply on trauma-informed leadership.

After 90 episodes filled with meaningful conversations with incredible guests, I've come to appreciate the transformative power of trauma-informed leadership in creating resilient, purpose-driven organizations. Throughout this process, I've continually emphasized the importance of self-awareness, self-regulation, and co-regulation—three key elements that I believe every leader should explore to build workplaces that truly tap into human potential while breaking free from outdated patterns.

This episode feels bittersweet as I share how my work has impacted others, from leadership circles to academic communities. I've had the privilege of completing a year-long training in trauma-informed coaching and consulting, under the guidance of Thomas Hübl and Amy Elizabeth Fox, which has only deepened my commitment to this vital area of leadership.

I'm incredibly grateful to all of the guests who joined me on this journey and to each one of you for tuning in. Though I've decided to take a break from Evolve, this is not goodbye—it's a chance for me to dig deeper into this work and return with even more insight and focus.

🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways:

• The Power of Trauma-Informed Leadership: I reflect on how trauma and emotional wounds impact leadership and how addressing these factors can foster stronger, more empathetic organizations. 🧠
  
  

• Creating Safe Workplaces: I talk about the importance of psychological and physiological safety in the workplace, encouraging leaders to create environments where people feel safe enough to grow, thrive, and heal. 🔒
  
  

• Reevaluating Purpose: I ask you to consider how your own emotional wounds and experiences may shape your leadership style and deepen your sense of purpose. 💡
  
  

• The Future of Leadership: I believe trauma-informed leadership is the future, focusing on empathy, vulnerability, and self-awareness to help us lead more effectively in today's complex world. 🌍
  
  

• Personal Reflections and Future Direction: This pause is giving me the space to continue researching and speaking about trauma-informed leadership, and to align my work even more closely with my passion. 🌱

We talk about:

• 00:00 Intro

• 00:49 The Impact of Trauma Informed Leadership

• 05:44 Taking a Break and Future Directions

• 08:31 Reflecting on Emotional Wounds in Leadership

• 11:28 Creating Trauma-Informed Workplaces

• 12:30 Finding Meaning and Purpose in Work

• 14:04 Gratitude and Future Directions

#TraumaInformedLeadership #LeadershipJourney #ResilientOrganizations #EmpathyInLeadership #EmotionalWounds

Connect with me

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolynswora/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynswora/

• Website: https://www.carolynswora.com/

• Contact: media@carolynswora.com

In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I'm joined by Shelly Starks, CEO of Inline Consulting Services and a seasoned business advisor with over 20 years of coaching experience. Together, they explore the profound impact of communication on leadership and dive into the powerful Identity Role Theory that Shelly uses to help her clients unlock new levels of personal and professional growth.

Shelly emphasizes the critical importance of effective communication in leadership, highlighting how mindful and intentional communication can break down defensive barriers and raise emotional intelligence. She explains how many leaders operate on autopilot, particularly in communication, and how this can harm both their effectiveness and relationships. Shelly also introduces Identity Role Theory, a framework that helps individuals understand how their core identity is intertwined with the various roles they play in life.

🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways:

• The Power of Communication: Shelly underscores the importance of moving beyond autopilot in leadership communication, tailoring messages to the behavioral styles of others to foster trust and openness. 🔄
  
  

• Identity Role Theory: Shelly explains how our identity and roles influence each other. Starting with the idea that we enter the world as a "10" in terms of self-worth, the theory explores how life experiences in different roles (e.g., parent, employee) can diminish our sense of identity and impact all aspects of our life. 📖
  
  

• Mindful Communication: Shelly introduces the Extended DISC tool, which helps leaders understand their behavioral style and how they may be "extending" themselves into other styles to be effective. This misalignment can cause burnout, stress, and inauthenticity, affecting both personal and professional life. 🧠
  
  

• Nurturing Identity: Shelly stresses the importance of spending time with oneself to nurture and protect one's core identity. She emphasizes that leaders must be intentional about separating their identity from the roles they play in order to show up as their best selves in every role. 🌟
  
  

• The Three-Legged Stool of Leadership: Shelly introduces her coaching concept, which involves focusing on the client-facing side, the business's bottom line, and the internal team. Neglecting any of these legs can lead to instability in the entire organization. 🪑

We talk about:

• 00:00 Intro

• 05:54 The Impact of Identity on Roles

• 10:36 Practical Applications of Identity Role Theory

• 16:23 Nurturing Your Identity

• 19:46 The Power of Team Coaching

• 20:33 Understanding Identity Beyond Roles

• 22:15 Impact of Burnout on Roles and Identity

• 24:39 Practical Applications and Client Experiences

• 31:37 Advice for Leaders and Final Thoughts

#LeadershipCommunication #IdentityRoleTheory #MindfulLeadership #ExtendedDISC #EvolvePodcast

Connect with Shelly

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelly-starks/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shellystarks/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShellyStarksICS

• www.shellystarks.com

Connect with me

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolynswora/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynswora/

• Website: https://www.carolynswora.com/

• Contact: media@carolynswora.com

In this episode of Evolve: A New Era of Leadership, I'm joined by Heather Plett, author of the award-winning book The Art of Holding Space: A Practice of Love, Liberation, and Leadership. Heather shares her deep insights on the powerful practice of holding space, its transformative impact on leadership, and the evolving needs of leaders in today's world.

Heather discusses how holding space is a key leadership competency that fosters personal and organizational transformation. From her extensive experience as a facilitator and co-founder of the Centre for Holding Space, Heather explains how leaders can integrate this practice into their work to foster healing, growth, and more authentic leadership approaches.

🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways:

• The Practice of Holding Space: Heather defines holding space as walking alongside someone without judgment, fixing, or directing them. She emphasizes that it's primarily an internal practice of managing one's emotions and reactions to support others effectively. 🧘‍♀️
  
  

• Liminal Space: The conversation delves into liminal space, which is the space between one story and the next. Heather compares this to a caterpillar's transformation into a butterfly, encouraging leaders to honor transitions and allow space for personal and organizational evolution. 🦋
  
  

• Brave Space vs Safe Space: Heather challenges the notion of creating entirely "safe spaces" in leadership and instead advocates for "brave spaces" that invite discomfort and growth while still providing support and security. 🌱
  
  

• Emotional Maturity in Leadership: Heather discusses the importance of emotional maturity, vulnerability, and trauma-informed leadership as critical competencies for leaders today. She stresses that leaders must evolve from patriarchal, hierarchical models to those that foster collaboration, compassion, and transformation. 💡
  
  

• Co-Regulation and Support Systems: Heather highlights the importance of leaders having support systems and co-regulation strategies in place to manage the stress and emotional challenges that come with leadership roles. 🌳

We talk about:

• 00:00 Intro

• 05:08 The Intersection of Leadership and Healing

• 07:41 Challenges in Modern Leadership

• 10:15 The Importance of Emotional Maturity

• 20:09 The Concept of Holding Space

• 28:43 The Role of Leaders as Shock Absorbers

• 32:21 Introducing the Concept of Liminal Space

• 35:03 Liminal Space in the Workplace

• 37:34 Practical Steps for Leaders

• 49:59 Conclusion and Call to Action

#HoldingSpace #LiminalSpace #BraveLeadership #EmotionalMaturity #LeadershipTransformation

Connect with Heather

• https://heatherplett.com/

Connect with me

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolynswora/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynswora/

• Website: https://www.carolynswora.com/

• Contact: media@carolynswora.com