Advertise on podcast: The Tamara Experience

"I inherited my team, including someone who wanted my job and thinks they should've gotten it. How do I lead people who didn't choose me?" That's the question from #inheritedteam, and it's one of the hardest, most human situations a leader walks into. In this episode I get honest about what it feels like on both sides of that seat, the one who got it and the one who didn't. Because here's the truth: when you inherit a team, you didn't inherit resentment. You inherited relationships that were built for a different leader. Your job is to renegotiate them, not resent them. I break down the two layers of an inherited team, the person who wanted your job and the whole crew you didn't hire, and I give you three tangible moves to lead them well: name the elephant instead of managing around it, earn the mandate instead of assuming it, and lead the team in front of you instead of the one you'd have hired. I also own the mistake I made, moving too fast to fix too much, and the belief that changed everything for me: don't confuse untrained for incapable. People perform to the level they've been led to. Most of what looks like underperformance is just missing modeling. Give people the chance to live into it, and you'll be amazed what they do. If you've ever walked into a team that wasn't yours and wondered how to actually lead it, this one's for you. Submit your questions for the podcast at https://imapeopleperson.show/ Discover your Everyday Innovator archetype at https://everydayinnovators.ai/

"There are times in human capital where I need people to do something and I have no real authority to make them happen. I spend so much time working to convince people. It's exhausting. Is there a better way, or is this just the job?" listener: #itsthejob? Short answer: it's the job. Longer answer: that's not a consolation prize. In this episode Tamara names the thing most people in human capital do every day and never talk about. She calls it the Buy-In Boogie. All the dancing around you feel like you have to do to get someone to yes. Couching things as questions. Wondering out loud. Acting like you're discovering something you already know the answer to. Most people treat that dance as the tax they pay for not having authority. Tamara makes the case that it's the actual skill, and that almost nobody teaches it, because nearly every leadership book ever written assumes the person across from you reports to you. Inside: the four moves of the Boogie, the hallway conversations that got another team to ask her for help with an idea that was hers all along, why being open to what your dance partner brings is what separates influence from manipulation, and the reason the times you don't dance only land because of all the times you did. Plus the thing a former boss once said to her that took years to understand: "I don't know exactly what you do, but I know things get unstuck when you're in the room." The People ARE the Work. Got a situation of your own? Send it in at www.imapeopleperson.show Curious how you're wired to influence and solve problems? Discover your Everyday Innovator archetype at http://www.everydayinnovators.ai

"I just got promoted into my first big people-leadership role. Everyone keeps telling me I've got 'so much potential' and how excited they are to watch me grow into it. No pressure, right? But I'm leading people now, and most days I'm not sure I know what I'm doing. I know how to do the work, but the people stuff is different. How do you lead well while you're still figuring it out?" — Listener: NoPressureRight That's the question that starts this whole show — and in answering it, I'm telling you why I built it. This is the founding episode of I'm a People Person. I got promoted into my first real people-leadership role at 27 — youngest at the table, only woman in the room, pretty sure everyone could tell I was figuring it out in real time. This episode is the honest version of what I learned: that "potential" is just raw material, that the people stuff isn't separate from the work — it is the work, and that nobody does this alone. If you're leading people for the first time and quietly wondering when the "knowing what you're doing" part kicks in — this one's for you, NoPressureRight. And it's for the rest of us too. Got a question, a situation, or an idea you're wrestling with? Send it to me 👉 www.imapeopleperson.show — the best submissions become episodes. All episodes are based on your questions. You can be in this from the start. New episodes drop on the same feed, sharper focus. Subscribe so you don't miss one. We win, together

I've been building companies and leading people strategy for decades, but I've never been a developer. For years, that meant my best ideas stayed trapped in my head—or cost me tens of thousands of dollars every time I wanted to build something real. Then AI changed everything. In this episode, I'm sharing my story of going from paying $10K+ per change on my Everyday Innovator assessment to building HeyAnna—a fully functional collaboration app—in 48 hours after a breakfast conversation in Kiowa, Colorado. This isn't a tech podcast. This is about what happens when the barrier between "I have an idea" and "I built the thing" disappears. We're all so busy being afraid of what AI might replace that we're missing what it makes POSSIBLE. For the first time in history, you don't need permission, investors, or a technical co-founder to turn your ideas into reality. I lived through Facebook, Uber, and the birth of the internet. This moment is bigger. AI isn't just changing how we work—it's democratizing who gets to build. What we cover: The real cost of being non-technical (and how AI eliminates it) My journey from paying developers to building myself with Claude and Lovable The exact moment everything changed (spoiler: it involved eggs and Jeff) Why "I'm not technical" is no longer a valid excuse What courage looks like when the tools finally match your vision If you've been carrying around an idea but feel stuck because you "don't know how to code," this episode is for you. The tools are here. The moment is now. Let's build. Two two apps I reference in the website: www.everydayinnovators.ai www.heyanna.app

I'm pulling back the curtain on imposter syndrome—how early labels shape who we believe we're allowed to be, why that "I'm-a-fraud" voice screams loudest the moment we don't have the answer, and what an impostor spiral feels like in real time. I'll share a colleague's story of kids who never questioned their college destiny, the semester I spent at UC Berkeley waiting for someone to tell me admissions messed up, and the boardroom flashes where I still catch myself posturing instead of admitting I don't know (yet). Then I'll dive into my three go-to tools for loosening impostor syndrome's grip: a quick naming practice that snaps me out of autopilot, a commute-time audio journal that drains the spiral of its power, and a curiosity script that turns "I don't know" into genuine inquiry—and credibility. Hit play, and let's trade posture for presence and claim the space we've earned.

This episode is all about my experience in the messy middle—what it felt like when I was deep in the dip, why it was so hard to keep going, and what helped me not walk away when everything felt like a mess. I open up about the grip of impostor syndrome, how clapping back at my inner lizard brain (aka Bernard) gave me a little space to breathe, and the ongoing tug-of-war between wanting to grow and wanting to quit. I share moments from biking through the Swiss Alps, hiking a 14er, and facing the sting of someone challenging the work my team had poured our hearts into—because whether it's a mountain or a meeting, the J-Curve shows up everywhere. And sometimes, the mess is the lesson.

Lesley Jane Seymore is one of the few media entrepreneurs to successfully stay relevant in an industry that saw massive disruption, and for many irrelevancy. Lesley shares with me why being comfortable reinventing yourself is essential in a rapidly changing world, the importance of always having a pivot plan, and how to deal with resistance to change. As the president and founder of ConveyClub she has masterfully leveraged technology to bring women across the globe together and she also shares with us why connection and listening to customers matter! Check out CoveyClub.com Discover your Everyday Innovator archetype and unlock your zone of genius Other podcasts you might enjoy: Biohacking, Stop Getting Triggered and Upgrade Your Life with Dave Asprey Winning the Moments to Win the Mision with Tracy LaTourrette Brave Moves Towards Unreasonable Dreams with Anthony Gonzales Building a Team of Leaders, Not Followers with Retired Navy Captain L. David Marquet The Science of Breakthroughs – A Roadmap to Unlocking Ideas and Impact From Underdog to Legend: Karl Mecklenburg's NFL Journey The Surprising Secrets to Skyrocketing Your Sales and Wealth with Matt Easton Empathy, Excellence and Your Inner North Star with Fred Dayton of Mach983 Crossfit The Impact of Chronic Stress on Your Creativity and Innovation The Hotel Mirror Experience: How to Change Your Self-Image and the Trajectory of Your Day Embracing the Lizard Within: Conquering Negative Chatter

Listen in as Felicia helps us better understand how to use daily mental wellness habits to live a better life, the power of plant-based medicines and how taking a break can be the difference between white knuckling and moving forward with ease. Felicia and I talk about some of the pivot points in life that have made a big impact, how the brain sometimes keeps us stressed out, and what to do to overcome the hurdles life throws at you. Check out Radiance Resurgence Retreat Discover your Everyday Innovator archetype and unlock your zone of genius Other podcasts you might enjoy: Biohacking, Stop Getting Triggered and Upgrade Your Life with Dave Asprey Winning the Moments to Win the Mision with Tracy LaTourrette Brave Moves Towards Unreasonable Dreams with Anthony Gonzales Building a Team of Leaders, Not Followers with Retired Navy Captain L. David Marquet The Science of Breakthroughs – A Roadmap to Unlocking Ideas and Impact From Underdog to Legend: Karl Mecklenburg's NFL Journey The Surprising Secrets to Skyrocketing Your Sales and Wealth with Matt Easton Empathy, Excellence and Your Inner North Star with Fred Dayton of Mach983 Crossfit The Impact of Chronic Stress on Your Creativity and Innovation The Hotel Mirror Experience: How to Change Your Self-Image and the Trajectory of Your Day Embracing the Lizard Within: Conquering Negative Chatter