Advertise on podcast: The Leader's Table by Diana Murphy

In this episode of The Leader's Table Podcast, host Diana Murphy discusses how to navigate intense emotional moments—anger, anxiety, sadness—during leadership situations like team meetings, difficult conversations, or receiving bad news. Rather than judging or suppressing emotions, she frames them as a portal to wisdom, values, integrity, and truth, helping leaders stay grounded instead of reacting as a "hothead." She introduces the SLOW tool to honor and engage emotions differently: Stop and notice your breath Linger to recover and let the emotion move Stay Open and curious without judgment about what triggered you Widen your perspective to reduce tunnel vision and access what you really want to do or say.   She emphasizes that nothing has gone wrong when emotions arise and promises that practicing SLOW leads to more aligned responses and deeper insight.   00:00 Welcome and Purpose 00:13 When Emotions Hit 01:22 Emotions as Wisdom 03:47 Honor the Moment 05:41 Engage Differently 07:07 SLOW Acronym 08:39 Widen Perspective 10:18 Repeat the Steps 11:55 Mammal Not Mind 14:07 Promises and Wrap Up

In this episode of The Leader's Table Podcast, host Diana Murphy lays out the "dirty secret" of transformational growth for business owners and leaders: real change is often confusing, disorienting, and guaranteed to bring strong emotions, not just excitement.  She argues emotions aren't good or bad, and that resisting grief, anxiety, fear, anger, or disappointment can block not only growth but also access to joy and wisdom. Drawing from her experience navigating divorce and coaching clients, she explains that learning to engage emotions as a portal—not an obstacle—builds self-awareness, agency, groundedness, and clearer decision-making.  Diana contrasts this with her past patterns of worry, procrastination, and toxic positivity, and offers reflective questions and practices like slowing down, noticing the body and breath, getting curious without judgment, and letting emotional energy move.   00:00 The Dirty Secret of Growth 01:07 Transformation Feels Messy 02:42 Emotions as a Portal 05:49 Old Patterns and Burnout 08:04 Coaching Shift to Allowing 09:19 Emotions Are Energy in Motion 10:27 Questions to Get Curious 12:25 Let It Move Find Wisdom 14:27 Closing and Share the Episode   Diana supports leaders like you who are wholeheartedly invested in their leadership and personal growth. She helps you move from overwhelmed and fire-fighting to grounded, intentional, and strategic leadership. Find out more at dianamurphycoaching.com

A leader with a strong presence is often overlooked for support, because people assume they're fine. This is especially true for high-capacity individuals whose lives appear successful on the outside and who may need extra privacy while navigating major business transitions. In this episode, Diana Murphy shares excerpts of her conversation with Caryn Gillen. They discuss resourcing as a baseline—coaching, bodywork, emotional wellbeing, and lifestyle supports that create a "nest" so leaders can make big decisions with integrity. Caryn prompts a key takeaway about "amnesia" during pivots: people forget their full breadth of life and work experience and start acting like they're beginning from scratch, which fuels imposter syndrome.  Diana urges listeners to be honest about their emotional experience, ask for practical support, lean into trusted relationships, use coaching or reflection to spot patterns, and remember everything they bring to the table during change. The clips come from Caryn Gillen's podcast, Coach Business, and the conversation with Diana is Episode 201.

Diana Murphy returns to the microphone after time away, sharing that she has been deepening her work through major personal transition.   She explains that many client challenges are not solved by mindset alone, and she is relaunching with an integration of coaching modalities, real-life stories, and high-impact conversations aimed at leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-integrity, high-capacity people making big moves while being "rocked" by life circumstances.   She introduces an interview clip with her personal coach and colleague Caryn Gillen (from the same coaching school), which followed a retreat where Diana clarified her niche and chose to build her business in a way that aligned with her values rather than high-volume, pitchy scaling models. Diana appeared on Caryn's podcast, Coach Business and the full conversation is here.   Caryn described Diana's business as a "powerful locomotive." In the clip, Diana describes her niche as supporting high-capacity leaders and business owners when "shift hits the fan," acting as an "ER coach" for people navigating crises (divorce, death, health diagnoses) or major chosen pivots (new roles, leaving corporate), helping them regulate anxiety, access wisdom, and regain confident leadership.   Diana then outlines how to niche powerfully by studying what you love in your work, analyzing client impact, giving yourself permission to do it differently, and creating safety and white space in schedule and business to get out of reaction mode.   She emphasizes nervous system regulation practices and frames supportive containers, solo retreats, and consistent reflection as key to accessing one's genius.    Diana closes by thanking another mentor, Trudi Lebrón and reaffirming the podcast's purpose: helping listeners create the business and life of their dreams no matter what is happening.   The book Diana mentioned is Burnout by Emily Nagoski, Ph D   00:00 Back on the Mic 01:05 Why Coaching Must Evolve 02:33 Who This Podcast Serves 03:21 Introducing Karin Gillen 04:48 Coach Business Clip 05:58 ER Coach Niche 09:06 After the Clip Takeaways 09:27 Niche by Studying Your Work 12:54 Create White Space 13:53 Regulate Your Nervous System 15:40 Wrap Up and Next Steps

Annabelle Chamberlain and I had a profound conversation about transforming the way we handle grief. Both of us are from the Life Coach School and we talked about personal experiences and professional insights into managing grief beyond the conventional understanding. Annabelle shared her journey through the grief of losing her father and how it propelled her into specializing in grief coaching, focusing on helping others regain control over their emotions, reconnect with themselves, and enhance their productivity and passion amidst pain. We talked about the societal attitudes towards grief, the physical and psychological impacts of grief, and practical strategies for working through it, such as self-compassion, understanding brain changes during grief, the importance of rest, and employing warmth and comfort for healing. Listen as we uncover the power of embracing grief to fuel personal growth and the generational shift towards a healthier, more open approach to managing emotional challenges.   01:35 Exploring Grief Beyond Loss: Annabelle's Professional Insight 06:21 The Science of Grief: Understanding Brain Changes 09:09 Practical Advice: Navigating Life and Productivity Through Grief 16:54 Personal Stories and the Power of Self-Compassion 22:37 Finding Your Inner Child in the Healing Process 24:22 Embracing Emotional Wisdom: A Personal Journey 24:49 The Power of Trusting Your Inner Wisdom 25:25 Navigating Life's Challenges with Emotional Intelligence 25:39 A Wedding Day Lesson: Embracing the Unexpected 27:56 The Transformative Power of Acknowledging Emotions 28:01 Navigating Divorce and Emotional Growth 31:56 Practical Tools for Emotional Healing and Growth 34:37 The Healing Power of Physical Comfort and Self-Care 38:34 Embracing Grief as a Path to Joy and Healing 41:54 Rethinking Grief: A New Approach to Life's Challenges 46:13 Conclusion: The Journey of Emotional Resilience

Welcome back to "The Leaders Table."  I'm your host, Diana Murphy, and today's episode is truly special. Joining me is the incredible Kristen Rocco, who specializes in bold and noteworthy branding, —a theme that resonates deeply with my own journey into more vulnerable, authentic business practices. Kristen and I first crossed paths at a networking dinner, and it was instantly clear that we shared similar values and experiences. Today, we dive into the concept of the "Midlife Click" versus the midlife crisis. This idea, brought to the table by Kristen, explores how significant life transitions can lead to powerful moments of clarity and transformation, rather than crisis. We also unpack the nuances of branding, the importance of aligning your business with your personal values, and how to make bold moves that resonate with your core identity. Kristen's approach to marketing focuses on building nurturing relationships between brands and their audiences, a philosophy that has significantly influenced my own branding experiences. Lastly, Kristen shares the "Bold Moves Recipe," a framework she's developed from her own experiences and those of her podcast guests, which includes understanding your desires deeply, leveraging your relationships (the 'who'), and taking decisive action. This episode is for anyone standing at the crossroads of a significant life decision, contemplating their next big move. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a corporate executive, or someone exploring your next chapter, there's something in this conversation for you. For more on Kristen's work and to dive into the world of impactful branding, visit KristenRocco.com. And for those of you new to the podcast, welcome to the table. This is where we have the conversations we're all dying to have and make the bold moves we're all dying to make. Thank you for joining us at "The Leaders Table." Remember, your journey is as significant as the destination. Embrace it, and make your next move boldly. 01:11 Diving into Midlife Crisis vs. Midlife Click 02:43 Kristen Rocco's Journey: From Corporate to Bold Entrepreneur 04:26 The Power of Branding and Making Bold Moves 07:10 Introducing the Bold Moves Podcast and Its Impact 11:06 Unpacking the Midlife Click Phenomenon 16:54 Research Insights: Midlife Crisis Revisited 23:21 Navigating Career Transitions with Courage 27:12 Unlocking Curiosity and Energy Shifts 28:32 Embracing Change and the Power of Coaching 30:11 The Entrepreneurial Leap: From Layoff to Launch 31:01 Building a Bold and Noteworthy Brand 34:08 The Midlife Click: From Crisis to Clarity 39:24 Defining Success on Your Own Terms 41:52 The Power of Alignment and Bold Moves 46:41 Connecting and Sharing Bold Stories

You do not want to miss the insights and light bulb shares that happened in this conversation with author Anita Henderson.  Becoming the Minimalist Entrepreneur: Lessons from My Journey to Work Less, Earn More and Play More is a memoir packed with encouraging insights and great nuggets learned along the way. Dig into this podcast and expect to be encouraged and inspired by new ways of thinking about becoming a minimalist IN your business.  As an experienced entrepreneur, Anita shares with us how to focus on what is truly important.  This conversation was a powerful reminder of staying focused on YOUR genius and values as you decide where to put your time and energy in your business.  We cover SO many topics but ALL through this lens of her 3 pillars: Clarify, Simplify and Focus. This podcast exemplifies WHY I started The Leader's table to give you a behind the scenes conversation that illuminates great business practice, thought leadership and fabulous coaching insights that support your BIG growth and BIG moves this year.   Enjoy!  You can find Anita's website here: writeyourlife.net Her author resources are here:  http://minimalist.writeyourlife.net/

In today's episode, I will let you in on some of the  paths to embracing personal growth and business transformation.   On my journey of becoming single after 40 years of marriage, I learned the importance of self-love, identity shifts, and creating a supportive social life.  Initially uncomfortable, I challenged societal norms and expectations, emphasizing the need to honor my emotions and create a healthy relationship with myself.  This practice of honoring my real felt experience applies to how ALL OF US experience life and growth.   As a business owner, being single brings its own challenges. The remedy — you guessed it — self-love and compassion.  Transitions that are tough, yes, offering yourself grace, self-love and compassion are so. powerful and effective for your growth of stepping into what is next.   Listen in and discover:  How to honor your singleness and understand its deeper meaning The shift to help you find joy in the middle of a big identity shift The story about how I took myself on two big solo trips (and how I do this today!) The key to learning how to trust your intuition How to create beautiful boundaries and lead from your heart Join my list, check me out https://dianamurphycoaching.com/

Welcome to our first REAL episode of the Leader's Table. Bonnie and I have a lively conversation with all the why's & how's of creating great connection with simple loving gestures. And why this can be so important for healthy leadership. Learn how investing in loving gestures and creating small moments of connection with a loved one ARE the key to: Supporting your well-being as a leader. Helping with the guilt of those long work days and business trips. Building a routine that supports you and helps you to process work related stress. In this interview with Bonnie Daneker, author of the book: Stoplights are for Kissing we discuss how these small gestures between you and your partner can be just the connection you need right now. The inspiration for Stoplights are for Kissing came from The Book of Awesome (by Neil Pasricha) meets1000+ Little Habits of Happy, Successful Relationships (by Marc and Angel Chernoff) and Bonnie's beautiful research. Diana mentions the resource of following @yungpueblo and his recent book around relationships and healing: The Way Forward. ___________________ Whether we're together as a new couple, in a seasoned partnership, or looking for that special someone, we want to feel good about our intimate connections. Too often, work, kids, family, and community obligations threaten that private, inner space.   In Stoplights Are For Kissing: 52 Small Gestures To Sustain Love In Your Relationship, author Bonnie Daneker addresses intimacy with her collection of simple, shareable ideas to keep romance alive. The gift book, beautifully illustrated by Eevie Lanier, offers easy, repeatable ways to grow closer to your partner. These gestures of affection, some planned and some surprising, pay back in multiples over time – unlike a single expected gesture per year – to create a fulfilling, sustainable marriage or relationship. Connect with Bonnie Here: Bonnie can be reached through email ([email protected]), her facebook, or on LinkedIn.  You can get her book at Amazon, Wal Mart or on her website: https://www.bonniebdaneker.com/

This podcast introduces a fresh way of doing business for me. I'm bringing to the table conversations to inspire, clarify and embolden you to do what YOU know you're called to do in the world. Yes, your business is a calling no matter what your actual business is.  And Leadership is brave…….welcome to the party! In this podcast: I will cover that one of my sources of shame growing up is actually around one of my biggest gifts and strengths-conversation. What to do if some parts of your business don't fit anymore. A conversation about why I'm bringing this new format to you now. Questions to ponder:   Is there a part of your life that doesn't fit?  If so, can you give that some attention?  No big changes are required, giving yourself permission to entertain a change or a shift can give you the clarity you need to say Hell Yes I'm doing that or no not now but if I shift this….that could change everything. What got your attention as I shared this journey of doing something new?  Is there one desire you can honor by just admitting that you want it? Is there something you do that actually brought criticism before in your life?  Interesting, isn't it?     These were some of the questions I was asking as I grew through this recent journey in my life.  I hope you'll be encouraged to honor your heart here as well. Would you love to join me for a candid and important conversation in our industry?  Just email me [email protected].  Let's Chat. Welcome to The Leaders Table A podcast for leaders who are learning that life doesn't have to be so hard.   Listen in on candid, supportive, and future-focused conversations. Conversations are rocket fuel because they ignite ideas and create a safe space for stories that support others. Join Diana, a life and mindset coach, as she shares the table with colleagues who are innovating while serving their communities. Grab your coffee and lean into a new, vibrant way of living and leading as a business owner. Whether a solo episode or an interview, you'll walk away with supportive insight and tools you can plug into your life now.

The No Regrets-Just Joy theme continues..... What a thrill to bring Bridgette back on the podcast.  Our first conversation was amazing, episode link below.  Just wait until you hear about her new book and get the inside track to a healthier and more powerful mindset around Money.  Her book launch day is TODAY, September 12th, let's celebrate with her and dig into our powerful conversation around money. What we covered, you do NOT want to miss the talking points we covered: Your Money Story – the root of our relationship with money and how it shows up in business The significance of creating aligned financial strategies and what happens when you don't The 4 R's of the Money Queen Model – what they are and why they're important This was a powerful and energetic and nuanced conversation around our experiences and Bridgette's personal experience.  Bio: Meet Bridgette Boucha (boo-shay).  Lover of all things travel, wine, and belly laughs. Bridgette is a CFO, speaker and author.  As a former corporate CFO turned CFO for entrepreneurs, she advises from her lived experiences in scaling her own business.  She helps business owners make their money work FOR them so they can use numbers to make aligned financial decisions.  Her soulful approach to financial strategy, professional development and personal empowerment has helped hundreds of business owners simplify their money so they can run a profitable business while living a FULLER life. Links: Buy the book: Money Queen (available 9/12/23) https://a.co/d/1xiJdJk IG:  https://www.instagram.com/bridgetteboucha/ Website: https://www.bridgetteboucha.com/ Previous Podcast with Bridgette Apple Podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/regret-proof-your-business/id1539044727?i=1000589857998

Creating No Regrets Just Joy with insightful coaching. One of my favorite coaches, Caryn Gillen, invited me to be coached on her podcast. Yup, live coaching, no prepared script and it was a great session for me on a day I really needed it.  I'm sharing this with you today because I am still benefiting myself from listening to it. Let me know if you do as well. To benefit from this episode: Listen in to see in real time what a powerful coaching conversation is. Listen in as Caryn asks questions and answer them for yourself. See spaces where you're getting insight and a new way to look at the decisions you're making. This is how I'm getting to a space in my life and work:  No Regrets Just Joy! Yes, coaches hire coaches. I think the best ones do!!!  Is it time for you to hire one? Enjoy! Caryn coached me at a very pivotal time 3 years ago, in my coaching practice. She coaches me well here because she knows me but also because she is a great coach that asks the BEST questions. You can find Caryn on instagram and the web @caryngillen And her podcast The Remarkable Life is right here:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-remarkable-life-podcast-with-caryn-gillen/id1559453393 Takeaways For You Can you honor what you feel compelled to do as a leader of your business? Can you see where your own agreements/structures are getting in your way? Can you start trusting yourself more deeply by honoring YOUR creative flow, choosing to have some white space and doing things differently? Even if it is just 2 hours a week!!! What am I doing differently? How can I shift how I operate my business to honor this? Choosing to be fully seen, what could that do for you or your team? Evaluating my agreements and creating new ones Staying in integrity with the work I'm doing and what I need Honoring what I'm compelled to share My Personal Sum Up: Own that I can honor what I'm compelled to create This is my business plan, I can operationalize how I'm wired to work and create. This is generational change work, I can go first.  I'm doing things differently and that is a good thing. Choose that being myself is not only enough but a powerful force. Want more?  Just shoot me an email and we'll make sure you hear about my Master Classes and opportunitites for coaching. [email protected]

No Regrets-Just Joy Series I struggle with what I am sharing with you today.  I did not have a natural way of processing emotion. I have been great my entire life at stuffing it. In today's episode I share the HOW of processing emotion and the WHY it is important. There is joy and insight on the other side, I promise.  Our natural reaction is to avoid emotion, especially the really uncomfortable ones.  Listen in on this episode on how powerful and insightful it can be to learn to stay with and process emotion instead.  From compartmentalisation to an embodied experience is how I am moving through challenges with more ease.  I want this for you too! This is all about Cultivating Awareness in ALL Circumstances Processing Emotion in Real Time Talking Points Awareness New Level of Self-Compassion Process Emotions & Walk Through with More Ease vs Stuffing or Resisting Behind the Curtain Trust More Deeply Honor Your Desires Recognize Your Red Flags Honest Conversations When is this work helpful? Making Big Moves in Your Life: Identity Shifts When you shift how you are doing life:  from corporate to running your own practice, empty nesting, making more money, doing anything new. Lean into Radical Honesty with yourself first Hold space to experience opposing emotions at the same time Do Not Wait until you Feel Better When Life Circumstances are TOUGH Divorce, death, any type of trauma (even the pandemic) A Guide to navigate big emotions and grief (therapist, coaching) Honoring these deep emotions can help to prevent anxiety Journal identify what is going on and allow the emotions  Rant!!!  Watch a sad movie Slow down and allow the emotions to NOT get stuck in this emotion or story There is no one right way to process grief or deep emotion Why process emotion on purpose Insight & Clarity Letting go of Ugly Stories Joy & Delight A new strength in self Daily Practice 2 Word Check In Feelings Wheel "Learn to drop that shield, protecting you from your own emotions.  They are to be experienced and expressed.  This is internal vulnerability. This will serve you in so many ways. I promise."  If this has worked powerfully for me I know it can work for you as well. Be in touch, join me for a quick check in chat: https://dianamurphycoaching.as.me/?appointmentType=1809191

Diana is back on the mic solo style!  This is a powerful episode where she shares how Overidentifying as a Business Owner is what got in my way of living a great life! Turns out that living a full life creates a full business. Take Aways:  How a Revenue Goal can get in the way of your great work Focus on the Impact you're making vs the gap in reaching your goals Making Relationships a Priority vs IF I have extra time Travel doesn't take AWAY from your business it's a HUGE value add Turns out you can run a business and thrive AND have a great full life Questions to ask yourself: Are you saying no to things because you always think, "I have to work" or "I can't I'm running a business."? Can you look behind your no's and the thoughts behind it and lean into your LIFE and some TIME outside running your business?  Start small, start now. Want support, powerful conversations and learning to ask better questions so YOU too can Over Live instead of Over Work?  [email protected]. I start with prospective clients with a quick (15 minutes)  get to know you phone call.  Schedule that here.

Listen into this vibrant and encouraging discussion with owners Chantel and Mwale.  They run the League of Experts community.  Of course their work is right up my alley, they LOVE helping owners lean into their unique edge & genius as they grow their businesses.   Takeaways: You can meet your husband and business partner at the same time.  What a beautiful love and life story they share on how they met at a Las Vegas business conference. Follow your gut and confirm your choices, and your relationships with mature synergistic conversations. Embrace your differences, your uniqueness not sameness is a contribution. Honor your calling what you are made to do As experts, our professional training can get in our way as we start marketing and building our business. Identifying what your Unique Service Proposition is key to growth Ask the question: what impact do you want to make, why are you opening your business, who do you want to serve? Look at your business at a 10,000 ft view, reconnect to your brilliance.  This is how Mwale and Chantel rescue your genius!!! How? Clear on your idea, Clear on Sales and then lean into PR and Marketing.  This Is the Mastery/Monetization and Momentum pillars they use in their business. Last but not least DO NOT WAIT to do the thing, open that business or try a new idea or product. Bio With 15 years of combined experience in the consulting and publicity industry, Mwale and Chantel have successfully guided over 1,300 people on their writing journey.  As leaders, Mwale and Chantel understand the challenges that many experts face when it comes to creating core intellectual property and turning it into a successful product or service. Known as the "Book Boss," Mwale is passionate about helping experts leverage their knowledge to increase sales while expanding their business using their intellectual property. Chantel Henry is a highly requested speaker and transformational coach. She has taken her message of resilience around the globe as she helps others use their story and expertise to increase their success and significance. Community  Link https://joinloe.com/