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Here's the conundrum: Early in your career, you needed more experience. Now you've got it... and suddenly, you're wondering whether you've got too much. (UGH.) You're ready to contribute. But instead of talking about what you can do, you're debating which years to leave off your resume. When did the experience you worked so hard to build become something you felt you had to hide? My special guest today is Maureen Wiley Clough, and she's simplifying how to get hired when you're over 40. Maureen is the host of It Gets Late Early, a podcast exploring the issues facing mid-career workers, including ageism. She's also experienced a layoff herself. We explore how age bias can show up in a job search, especially for women, and what to consider if you suspect it's happened to you. We talk about "Botoxing" your resume and showing the value of your experience through your LinkedIn profile and a portfolio of accomplishments. And we look at how to put your network to work, weigh fractional opportunities against a full-time role, and build more options for yourself. Because doing great work doesn't guarantee you'll be protected from a layoff. But you can take steps to give yourself more choices about what comes next. Here's how we simplify getting hired when you're over 40: Recognize age bias. What ageism means, how it can show up during a job search, and why women's experiences deserve particular attention. Consider your next steps. What to do if you suspect ageism influenced a layoff or hiring decision, and why it can be difficult to prove. Show the relevance of your experience. What Maureen means by "Botoxing" your resume and where your LinkedIn profile and portfolio of accomplishments fit in. Put your relationships to work. How to turn your network into conversations, referrals, and opportunities, even when asking for help feels uncomfortable. Build more options. How to weigh fractional work against a full-time role while staying hopeful and realistic about what comes next. Whether you're actively applying, recovering from a layoff, or thinking ahead, this conversation is an invitation to recognize what you bring to the table and explore more ways to put it to work. Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/439-how-to-get-hired-when-youre-over-40---with-maureen-wiley-clough

Introducing Vinh Giang: How to Communicate So People Actually Listen to You from On Purpose with Jay Shetty. Follow the show: On Purpose with Jay Shetty Communication expert Vinh Giang joins Jay to share practical tools from his first book, Before We Forget How to Connect, to help you become a more confident communicator and build deeper, more meaningful connections. Vinh explains how to become a better listener, avoid common communication mistakes, and speak so people actually pay attention. From sounding confident when you're nervous to speaking up in meetings, navigating difficult conversations, and making a great first impression, Vinh shares simple techniques to help you communicate more effectively and connect with people in every area of your life. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty Instagram Teen Accounts: Built-in protections for teens. JAY'S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here: https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast What We Discuss: 00:00 Introduction 00:25 Before We Forget How To Connect 01:52 The High-Low Buffalo Icebreaker 02:45 Sharing Personal Highs 05:15 Sharing Personal Lows 11:40 Sharing Personal Buffalos 13:40 Escaping Small Talk 16:10 Overcoming Self-Judgment 17:58 Sharing Wins Without Sounding Arrogant 19:50 Communication Beyond The Script 20:40 Gen Z's Communication Struggles 23:20 Last Word, Last Letter Game 27:20 The Four Modalities Of Listening 29:50 The Three Follow-Up Questions Rule 35:50 How Do You Make A Great First Impression? 40:10 Reading the Room, Not Formulas 44:10 Finding Your Unique Voice 49:00 Life As A Book: New Chapters 50:40 Building Executive Presence 53:20 Fix Your Resting Blank Face 58:30 Filming Yourself For Self-Awareness 01:02:20 When Your Mind Goes Blank 01:06:10 The Power Of The Pause 01:09:30 How Can You Sound Confident When You’re Nervous? 01:14:40 From Texting Chemistry to Real-Life Connection 01:18:40 How to Communicate Better During Arguments 01:20:20 Learning to Speak Up In Meetings 01:25:45 How to Join a Conversation Without Feeling Awkward 01:28:20 Leaving A Conversation Gracefully 01:31:4 Embracing Vulnerability Episode Resources: Book | https://vinhgiang.com/before-we-forget-how-to-connect Website | https://vinhgiang.com/ YouTube | https://youtube.com/@askvinh Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/share/1CCPX1ChrP/?mibextid=wwXIfr LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinhgiang Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

Have you ever shared an idea at work, only to wonder if people were hearing your accent more than what you were actually saying? Maybe you've been asked to repeat yourself. Or you've felt pressure to change the way you speak so you'll sound like everyone else in the room. Over time, that can shake your confidence and leave you feeling like an outsider. But what if your accent isn't something you need to erase? What if it's part of the perspective, experience, and identity that makes your voice valuable? My special guest today is communication strategist Nammy Sirur, and she's simplifying how to turn your accent into an asset. We'll talk about how accent bias shapes our ideas about credibility and belonging, and what it means to modulate your accent instead of changing it. Nammy will also share practical ways to adjust your pace, pronunciation, and emphasis while staying true to yourself. Okay, it's time to dive into today's conversation with Nammy Sirur as she simplifies how to turn your accent into an asset. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: How to rebuild your confidence when people seem to hear your accent before they hear your ideas What accent bias reveals about credibility and belonging in American workplaces Why some accents are viewed as prestigious while others are treated as barriers The difference between modulating your accent and trying to erase it How adjustments to pace, pronunciation, and emphasis can improve understanding How cultural upbringing can affect self-promotion and workplace communication How to navigate unfamiliar workplace expectations while staying true to yourself What leaders can do to help people listen beyond an accent and create greater belonging Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/438-how-to-turn-your-accent-into-an-asset---with-nammy-sirur

Picture this: You get promoted. Suddenly, you're responsible for a team. The decisions come faster. The expectations get bigger. And people want answers... even when you're still figuring things out yourself. You might not have received much training on how to lead people. But before you look for a quick fix, my guest today says there's another question that deserves your attention: Who are you becoming as a leader? You say you value honesty, but what happens when telling the truth might upset your boss? You want your team to speak up, but how do you respond when someone challenges you? Those moments tell people whether they can trust you. My special guest today is Riunita Martin, and she's simplifying how to lead yourself before leading others. Her book, Build the Leader. Transform the Trajectory., challenges "the leadership lie." The belief that becoming a better leader is simply about acquiring more skills, knowledge, or frameworks. Because pressure doesn't create character. It reveals it. Becoming a leader people trust starts with taking a good, honest look at yourself first. Here's how we simplify leading yourself before leading others: Start with who you're becoming. Why leadership development needs to go deeper than learning another skill or framework. Define what you stand for. How to clarify your identity, core values, and non-negotiable standards... and what conviction looks like when those standards are tested. Look at your values in practice. What moral leadership means and how to recognize when organizational pressure is pulling you away from your principles. Uncover your blind spots. How to use assessments and reflection exercises to examine the gap between the leader you intend to be and how you're actually showing up. Turn awareness into action. What a practical growth plan should include to help you make real, sustainable changes. Whether you've just stepped into management or have been leading people for years, this conversation invites you to consider a deeper question: Are your everyday decisions building the trust you want your team to have in you? Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/437-how-to-lead-yourself-before-leading-others---with-riunita-martin

Time for a guided visualization exercise: How to calm your nerves, especially if you're about to do something big in life. Maybe you're about to take the stage and deliver a presentation… or maybe you've got to have a crucial conversation and want to get your point across calm, cool, collected and confident. I mean, there are so many times our emotions and anxiety get the best of us, so how do you get yourself centered? It has everything to do with your central nervous system and today's episode is especially good to listen to 20-30 minutes before that big moment happens. So, how does it work? Simple! Let my voice be a guide for you as you focus inward to help you tap into your inner wisdom and Intuition for answers. Listen and participate in this all-star guided visualization exercise: How to calm your nerves. You can do this, I believe in you. It's time to SIMPLIFY. Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/b174-how-to-calm-your-nerves-all-star---guided-visualization

What's the old career advice you'd get? Choose a path. Work hard. Move up. Stay there. But for the next generation of leaders, my special guest today thinks that careers may look less like climbing a ladder and more like rock climbing... moving sideways, changing direction, and finding a new route when the old one no longer works. AI is changing jobs. Career paths are becoming less predictable. And the skills that helped someone land their first role may not be the same skills they'll need five years from now. So, how do we prepare emerging leaders for a future that none of us can fully predict? My special guest today is educational futurist Dr. Kevin Fleming, and he's simplifying how to develop future-ready leaders. We'll talk about why identity clarity, transferable skills, and real-world experience matter more than ever. We'll also explore which human skills will remain valuable as AI reshapes work, and how organizations can use work-based learning and two-way mentorship to help emerging talent grow. Okay, it's time to dive into today's conversation with Dr. Kevin Fleming as he simplifies how to develop future-ready leaders. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: Why the traditional career ladder is giving way to more flexible, nonlinear career paths How AI is reshaping jobs and the skills emerging leaders will need Why identity clarity begins with understanding your strengths and values Which high-trust and high-touch human skills will remain valuable Why real-world experience can matter more than grades or school prestige How internships, co-ops, part-time work, entrepreneurship, and volunteering build transferable skills How organizations can use two-way mentorship to help different generations learn from each other What leaders can do now to prepare emerging talent for careers that will continue to change   Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/436-how-to-develop-future-ready-leaders---with-dr-kevin-fleming

You can be dependable, hardworking, and successful at what you do… and still feel unseen. You keep delivering. Keep saying yes. Keep chasing the next goal, the next bit of recognition, or the next sign that your work matters. But when does meaningful work become chasing approval? And what does that cost you as a leader? My special guest today is Justin Jones-Fosu and he's simplifying how to stop chasing & start creating at work. We'll talk about why managers shape the meaning people find in their work, often more than the organization's mission. Justin will also share how to apply his Create Meaning Cycle of Choose, Commit, and Cultivate with your team. And if you're already stretched thin and thinking, "I cannot add one more thing," we'll explore the small shifts you can make to create more meaning in the work your team is already doing. The Create Meaning Cycle: Choose: Take ownership of how you lead and the meaning you create with your team. Commit: Build consistency through small, intentional habits that help people feel seen. Cultivate: Regularly reflect on what's working, what isn't, and what needs to change. Because creating more meaning at work doesn't require another big initiative. It starts with how you recognize people, connect their work to its impact, and protect the meaningful work that may not deliver an immediate, visible result. Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/435-how-to-stop-chasing-start-creating-at-work---with-justin-jones-fosu

HR leaders are being asked to help everyone navigate AI at work. But many are still figuring out what it means for their own roles. How do you guide an organization through a change you haven't been trained for yourself? And what happens to the future talent pipeline if the work that once helped people start their careers begins to change? My special guest today is Amy Dufrane, CEO of HRCI, and she's simplifying how to future-proof HR in the age of AI. We'll talk about why HR professionals feel vulnerable, what leaders need to learn now, and why job design and succession planning can't wait. We'll also explore the part each of us plays in staying relevant as work changes. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: Why HR professionals can feel responsible for guiding AI adoption while still asking what it means for their own jobs. What changing opportunities for early-career workers could mean for the future leadership pipeline. Why HR needs to pay attention to organizational design, job design, and succession planning now. How managers can help people feel more comfortable learning and working with AI. Why each of us has a responsibility to keep developing our skills as work changes. If you work in HR and have been wondering where to begin, this conversation is for you. Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/434-how-to-future-proof-hr-in-the-age-of-ai---with-amy-dufrane

What makes a compelling storyteller at work? Someone who's an excellent communicator, warm, captivating, and understands the value of being clear and concise. But what if there's more at play here than what meets the eye? My special guest today is author Eric Harris and he's simplifying how to be a compelling storyteller at work. If you've got a big presentation soon and really need to effectively get your point across, this one is for you! The Campfire Method: Know your audience Craft your story Know yourself Leverage your environment ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/433-how-to-be-a-compelling-storyteller-at-work---with-eric-harris

Time for a guided visualization exercise: how to reframe anything. If you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed or simply have a bit of writer's block that's keeping you from doing the thing, my hope is that today's episode will help you hit the reset button, find clarity, and get yourself in a position to make positive movement forward. And so… to kick off the month, today is another guided visualization episode, which we release on the first Tuesday of every month this season. So, how does it work? Simple! Let my voice be a guide for you as you focus inward to help you tap into your inner wisdom and Intuition for answers. Listen and participate in this guided visualization exercise: How to reframe anything. You can do this, I believe in you. It's time to SIMPLIFY. Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/b173-how-to-reframe-anything-guided-visualization

Think about the leaders who've shaped you. Some made you feel seen, supported, and capable of more. Others left you questioning yourself long after you stopped working with them. Because every leader leaves something behind. A mark. Or a scar. Your leadership legacy isn't simply what you accomplish or the results you deliver. It's the imprint you leave on people and how they feel, perform, and lead others after you're no longer in the room. But we don't lead from a blank slate. We bring our experiences, beliefs, fears, and personal stories into every decision we make. Sometimes, that "inside stuff" shows up in ways we never intended. So, how can you become more intentional about what your leadership will be known for? My special guest today is Rhoda Banks and she's simplifying how to build a leadership legacy. She'll share how our lived experiences shape the way we lead, where the inner work begins, and how to break patterns that no longer serve us. ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/432-how-to-build-a-leadership-legacy---with-rhoda-banks

Let's talk about your career. Because for a lot of people right now, work feels shaky. Maybe you've been laid off, applied for dozens of jobs with no response, or you're quietly wondering whether your current career path still makes sense. The rules have changed. AI is reshaping jobs. Hiring technology is filtering candidates before a human ever sees them. And the traditional corporate ladder feels more and more, totally and utterly disconnected from reality. So, how do you stay grounded through the uncertainty? And how do you build a career that can evolve with you? My special guest today is Mike Peditto and he's simplifying how to rethink your job search + career path.   Here's the truth. None of us knows exactly what the job market will look like next. But we can get smarter about how we navigate it. You'll learn why mass-applying isn't working, what actually helps you get noticed in an overcrowded job market, and how to remain in demand as work continues to change. Let's simplify it. Mike's Core Four Stories (that you should have prepared before every interview): Your most successful project Your toughest project Your difficult stakeholder story Your passion project ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/431-how-to-rethink-your-job-search-career-path---with-mike-peditto

What can Corporate America learn from a theatre troupe? Quite a lot, actually. Think about it. A theatre production brings together people who may have never worked together before. There's very little onboarding. The timeline is short. The deadline is fixed. And somehow, they have to build trust, communicate clearly, solve problems fast, and become a high-performing team. Sound familiar? Today, we're exploring what leaders can learn from theatre about building strong teams, especially when working with contractors, seasonal employees, new hires, or anyone who needs to hit the ground running. My special guest today is Artistic Director of Dead Canary Theatre, Stephen Riordan and he's simplifying what Corporate America could learn from a theatre troupe. Stephen and I worked together on a social impact event tour through Visit.org, where I saw firsthand how valuable theatre skills are when plans change, timelines are tight, and everyone needs to roll up their sleeves. We're talking about building trust fast, why theatre people are incredibly adaptable and disciplined, and what Corporate America might be missing when it overlooks creative talent. Let's simplify it. ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/430-what-corporate-america-can-learn-from-a-theatre-troupe---with-stephen-riordan

Time for a guided visualization exercise: how to stop feeling like you're not enough. Maybe you've felt it before. You finish one big project… Only to immediately start thinking about the next one. You reach the goal… But somehow, it still doesn't feel like enough.  Maybe you've spent years being the dependable one. The one everyone counts on. The one who quietly carries more than anyone realizes. Maybe you've even worn the label proudly... High Performer. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with ambition. There is nothing wrong with wanting to build meaningful things. To make a difference. To create. To leave the world a little better than you found it. Ambition is a beautiful thing. It helps us grow. It helps us serve others. It helps us become who we're capable of being. But somewhere along the way... Ambition quietly accepted a job it was never meant to have. Instead of simply helping you create… it began deciding whether you were worthy. Whether you'd done enough. Whether you'd become enough. And that's an impossible job. Because there will always be another goal. Another mountain to climb. Another finish line waiting just beyond the horizon. So today... I don't want to invite you to become less ambitious. I want to invite you into a new relationship with ambition. One where your work reflects your values... Instead of determining your value. One where you still create extraordinary things... But you no longer ask today's accomplishments to tell you who you are. Let's explore that together. And so… to kick off the month, today is another guided visualization episode, which we release on the first Tuesday of every month this season. So, how does it work? Simple! Let my voice be a guide for you as you focus inward to help you tap into your inner wisdom and Intuition for answers. Listen and participate in this guided visualization exercise: How to stop feeling like you're not enough. You can do this, I believe in you. It's time to SIMPLIFY. Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/b172-how-to-stop-feeling-like-youre-not-enough-all-guided-visualization

You know the conversation you need to have at work. But you don't want to rock the boat. Make someone angry. Or add one more thing to your already full plate. So, you wait. But the issue grows. Trust erodes. And that conversation gets even harder. My special guest today is author, speaker Justine Froelker and she's simplifying how to lead with courage. We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including: What courage actually means and why it isn't about being fearless, bold, or the loudest person in the room. What it means to become a courage-centered leader. How courage-centered leaders approach conflict differently than leaders who avoid it or simply try to keep the peace. The small, practical behaviors that create greater trust, clearer communication, and less avoidance at work. Her five pathways to a courageous life and why coming back to yourself matters before you lead others. Feel it all Embody again Be fully you Love others well Do the work How to have the conversations that matter with honesty and care, without eroding trust or making others feel threatened. Because leading with courage is not about having all the answers or performing confidence. It's about being willing to address what matters before a small issue becomes a much bigger one Q: Are you wanting to lead with courage? If yes, this one is for you. It's time to #DoTheThing! ---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/429-how-to-lead-with-courage---with-justine-froelker