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Psychology at Work | Career Success, Leadership, Communication Skills

Advertise on podcast: Psychology at Work | Career Success, Leadership, Communication Skills

Rating
★★★★★
4.8
from
47 reviews
This podcast has
124 episodes
Language
English
Explicit
No
Date created
2024/08/12
Latest episode
2026/09/30
Average duration
40 min.
Release period
7 days

Description

Have you ever felt like you're the only one struggling with self-doubt at work? Maybe you’ve wondered why office politics seem so complicated or how some people seem to influence so effortlessly? The secret is that every day at work, we're surrounded by psychological dynamics - internal and external. There's the voice in our head second-guessing our decisions, the subtle power plays in meetings, the unspoken expectations that shape our behavior and others. Yet most of us are dropped into our careers with zero insight into these invisible forces.That changes today. Welcome to Psychology at Work. I’m your host Melody Wilding, licensed social worker, human behavior professor, and author of two books: Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work and Managing Up: How to Get What You Need From the People in Charge. With a background as an emotion researcher, therapist, and after over 13 years of coaching thousands of executives and leaders across the world, there’s nothing I love more than helping emotionally intelligent people like you use superpower to make work better for themselves and everyone around them. Because here’s the thing, technical skills will only get you so far in your career. It's mastering your own psychology and understanding that of others that will truly make or break your success.While your coding skills might land you a job, it's your ability to manage stress and stay focused under pressure that will help you meet tight deadlines and deliver high-quality work.Your financial acumen might get you noticed, but it's your ability to navigate stakeholder relationships and office politics that will help you secure buy-in for your ideas.Your strategic thinking might earn you a promotion, but it's your self-awareness and ability to regulate your emotions that will make you an effective leader people want to follow.The title of this show is a playful nod to our double focus. First, we explore how psychology operates in professional settings. But second, in each episode you’re going to walk away with practical insights that you can put to work right away. I know firsthand how challenging it can be to navigate the workplace when you're sensitive, empathetic, and prone to overthinking. That's why I created this podcast that brings you the tools and insights I wish I'd had earlier in my career.Get ready, because you’re going to learn how to master the ‘silent rules’ of human behavior so you can achieve career success without sacrificing inner peace.

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Check latest episodes from Psychology at Work | Career Success, Leadership, Communication Skills podcast


123. High-Stakes Decisions: Think Clearly and Communicate Well Under Pressure with Caroline Webb
2026/09/30
High-stakes decisions rarely come with perfect information, total agreement, or unlimited time to make them. In this episode Melody speaks with Caroline Webb, author of Leadership Intelligence, about how you can think clearly under pressure, make better trade-offs, and communicate choices in a way that builds trust instead of creating defensiveness. You’ll learn how to make tough calls when there is no obvious right answer — and how to bring people with you even when the decision is difficult. What You’ll Discover ▪️ A simple question that can widen your thinking when pressure makes your brain narrow. ▪️ How to use the “Know, Be, Do” model to lead through uncertainty without pretending everything is fine. ▪️ Caroline’s “common ground” technique for handling someone’s emotional reaction to your choices without caving. About Caroline Webb CAROLINE WEBB is a leadership coach, economist, and author of How to Have a Good Day and the forthcoming book, Leadership Intelligence. She has been named one of the top fifty executive coaches in the world by Thinkers50, and one of the top fifty leadership and management thinkers by Inc. magazine. She is a senior advisor to McKinsey & Company, where she was previously a partner. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Financial Times, The Economist, The Guardian, and Fortune. https://carolinewebb.co/  Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
122. How to Present to Executives Without Drowning Them in Detail
2026/09/22
DOORS CLOSE 9/28 FOR 2026: https://speaklikeaseniorleader.com If you spend hours preparing for executive presentations, only to watch the audience get lost, this is for you. Raji, a senior manager with 20+ years of experience, lived that cycle for most of her career. She shares how she cracked the code on presenting to demanding decision-makers and got 20 hours a month back in the process. You’ll discover:  The #1 communication skill that ended years of confusing feedback like "great content, wrong packaging"What Raji did to cut her presentation prep from 5 hours to 45 minutes without losing an ounce of credibilityHow to talk about your accomplishments so leadership hears "valuable contribution," not "bragging"Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
121. Disagree with Powerful People: 3 Sneaky-Smart Scripts
2026/09/09
Disagreeing with powerful people can feel risky. One wrong word and you worry you’ll sound difficult, defensive, or like you’re challenging their authority. But staying silent has a cost too. In this episode, Melody shares three “sneaky-smart” ways to push back on executives, board members, senior stakeholders, or major clients without damaging the relationship. These subtle responses will help you raise concerns without triggering defensiveness. What You’ll Discover:  ▪️ What separates a trusted truth-teller from someone who just seems combative ▪️Magic words for pushing back on your skip-level without burning the relationship ▪️ How to share information with senior leaders without implying they missed something obvious. ▪️ The one question that gets an executive to mentally rehearse your idea as their own Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
120. Answer Any Executive Question Without Overexplaining (It’s Always One of These 3 Things)
2026/09/02
You give an executive a thorough answer and they still look unsatisfied. One question turns into five, you walk away wondering what you missed, and a week later you hear they were uneasy with where things stand. What gives? In this episode, discover the three underlying needs behind almost every executive question and how to diagnose which one is driving any given question in seconds so you sound more influential and convincing.  You’ll Discover:  ▪️The reason a thorough, well-organized answer erodes an executive's confidence in you  ▪️ Scripts that show a senior leader they can trust your team without having to step in ▪️ How to sound decisive when you're put on the spot, even when you don't have all the data Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
119. Perceived as “Too Tactical?” 4 Communication Mistakes Reinforcing the “Too In the Weeds" Feedback
2026/08/26
You're operating at a senior level, yet you’re seen as "too tactical," "in the weeds," "great executor, not quite ready for what's next." Melody identifies how and why that label gets in place and gives you 4 subtle communication mistakes reinforcing it every time you speak up in a meeting, email your skip-level, or update your boss. What You’ll Discover:  ▪️ The questions you’re posing in meetings that scream “please give me more day-to-day minutiae" ▪️ Seemingly polite language training senior leaders to treat you as a subordinate, not a peer ▪️ Think you’re interrupted because people are rude? WRONG. Here’s the REAL reason you’re talked over Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
118. Influence Without Formal Authority: Communicate So Senior Leaders Trust (and Reward) You
2026/08/19
You don’t need direct reports or a bigger title to prove you can lead at a higher level. You just need to communicate with greater authority. In this episode, Speak Like a Senior Leader™ client, Karla, shares how she shifted from permission-seeking to bringing forward a recommendation confidently, how to adapt a message for different executives, and explains the recognition now coming her way.  You’ll Discover:  ▪️The seemingly harmless words and phrases that keep you trapped in your boss’s shadow and read as “not ready for the next level” ▪️Language swaps to stop sounding like a junior level executor and instead convey senior-level prowess ▪️ What Karla said that led a C-suite executive to seek her out for a high-visibility role—and how changing the way she showed up in meetings earned her praise from top executives Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
117. Negotiating with Powerful People, featuring Worldwide Negotiation Expert Kwame Christian
2026/08/12
The toughest negotiations at work happen with people who outrank you. Whether you walk away with more headcount, a faster yes, an extension on a deadline, or a project sponsor's full backing depends less on the strength of your case than on what you understand about the psychology of negotiating up. In this episode, attorney and negotiation expert Kwame Christian breaks down what works when the other side holds all the formal authority. Why Kwame doesn't play for neutrality in any negotiation and the bias you should INTENTIONALLY trigger in the first ten minutes So you're about to push back on your boss? Use this two-line opener. Try this one-word swap to instantly diffuse a defensive response Why elite negotiators use the 70/30 rule to steer towards outcomes they want About Kwame Christian Kwame Christian, a first-generation Caribbean American from Tiffin, Ohio, transformed his life through a negotiation course in law school, revealing that negotiation is a learnable skill. This discovery led him to excel in negotiation competitions, win national awards, and ultimately found the American Negotiation Institute. His personal journey from a people pleaser to a master negotiator is relatable and inspiring, resonating deeply with audiences and empowering them to handle challenging conversations confidently. https://kwamechristian.com/  Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
116. Beat the AI Job Search Black Hole & Get Hired in Record Time with Emily Durham (@Emily.The.Recruiter)
2026/08/05
It's no secret that job searching has completely changed. With AI infiltrating applications on both sides, how do you stand out and actually get a human to review your application when one job posting pulls 2,000 applicants in a matter of days? Melody sits down with Emily Durham, known to her 1.3M+ followers across Instagram and TikTok as @Emily.The.Recruiter), for a straight-shooting look at how hiring really works now. Emily spent years on the inside at major companies, and she's here to tell you how the sausage gets made, no sugarcoating. What You’ll Discover:  ▪️ Resumes are dying. Here’s the ONE thing you must do now to get discovered for new roles (no, not LinkedIn) ▪️ The 2 magic words to add to your resume that instantly signal you operate above your title ▪️ The "grandma test" that exposes whether your resume will get jumped to the top of the pile ▪️ Secret places to find referral sources for an "in" at a company  ▪️ Emily's golden question that gets you referred straight to the hiring manager without sounding pushy About Emily  Emily is a career coach, recruiter, content creator, and public speaker on a mission to make career education accessible. Her longtime expertise in hiring and recruitment has made her a trusted voice on modern hiring, Gen Z careers, and the evolving world of work. With an audience of over 3 million across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube who rely on her not just for career advice, but for guidance on confidence, beauty, fashion, and work-life balance. https://emilydurham.org/  Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
115. Build a Team That Takes Ownership & Doesn’t Depend on YOU for Answers with Michael Bungay Stanier
2026/07/29
How do you get your team to be more resourceful? What’s the best way to help people think for themselves before they come to you? And how do you stop being the person everyone relies on for the answer without becoming hands-off, unavailable, or unclear? In this episode, Melody sits down with Michael Bungay Stanier, author of The Coaching Habit (+1 million copies sold)  to talk about how busy leaders can build smarter, more capable, lower-drama teams through becoming more coach-like. You’ll Discover: The 4-word question to open every 1:1 with — that finally gets past the canned updateThe phrase Michael calls "possibly the best coaching question in the world" (and why you should ask it multiple times in a row)The #1 thing to say when a meeting is going off the rails to get your team back on trackHow to coach UP the chain of command, even with executives levels above youAbout Michael Michael Bungay Stanier is best known for The Coaching Habit, the best-selling coaching book of the century. His other books include How to Work with (Almost) Anyone, which is about building the Best Possible Relationship with key people at work. He’s part of the MasterClass faculty, and is the host of the Change Signal podcast. Michael was a Rhodes Scholar, and was recently admitted as a Thinkers50 Coaching Legend (“the Oscars of Management”). Learn more at MBS.works. Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
114. How to Turn a High-Stakes Stretch Into a Promotion Accelerator
2026/07/23
🚨CLOSING: Apply for the final Lead from Within cohort of 2026 by Sunday July 26th 11:59pm ET: https://melodywilding.com/lfw Certain stretches of your career are compressed. The reputation you'd normally build over 18 months of steady work gets decided in a matter of weeks. Handle it well and you accelerate onto the shortlist for the next role. In this episode, engineering manager Alejandro walks through how he used a high-stakes product launch to accelerate his own path to the next level.  Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
113. Are You Executive-Ready? Here's the Real Test [MINI MASTERCLASS]
2026/07/20
🚨APPLICATIONS CLOSING 🚨Apply for the final Lead from Within of 2026 by Sunday July 26th 11:59pm ET: https://melodywilding.com/lfw This is a mini masterclass on the four pillars of executive readiness. These are the things no business school will teach you, no performance review captures, no leadership book breaks down with this level of specificity. Melody walks you through all four, with a clear diagnostic as to where you stand and what’s holding you back before year-end opportunities get decided without you.  What You’ll Discover:  ▪️Three levels of visibility every stakeholder sits on – and why only ONE gets you championed for bigger roles  ▪️ One script that took a field marketing function from "the booth people" to a recognized business driver within 90 days ▪️ A subtle psychology trick an incoming executive used to keep her predecessor from undermining her ▪️The two-week team management test 90% of leaders fail (and what to do ASAP)  Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
112. Top of Mind & Tapped for More [FULL TRAINING]
2026/07/15
📢 NOW OPEN: Apply for the final Lead from Within cohort of 2026: https://melodywilding.com/lfw Whether you want to position yourself for a promotion, step into a bigger scope or go from tactician to enterprise-level leader, the next six months will make or break your shot at what's next. Leverage Q3 & Q4 to rise into the role, projects, and pay that match your caliber.  You'll discover how to:  Get handed high-visibility opportunities (no groveling, pitching, or proving necessary) by escaping the dreaded "next level loop"Walk out of your annual review with a 140% bonus (yes really!) because you turned the busiest, most chaotic months of the year into a total perception resetUncover exactly who decides your future, who's a hidden blocker, and who you've been wasting energy trying to impress (it's rarely what's on the org chart)Reclaim 10-20 hours per week for work that proves you're ready for bigger things -- shaping direction, building executive-level relationships, and developing a rockstar teamSign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
111. Escape “Hero Mode”: The Overfunctioning Leader’s Guide to Letting Go
2026/07/08
At a certain level, being the one everyone depends on can stop feeling like proof of your value and start feeling like a ceiling. The same pattern that makes you trusted can also keep you buried in execution and trapped making decisions your team should make independently. In this episode, you’ll learn how to recognize what Melody calls “hero mode” in real time, neutralize the hidden emotional driver behind it, and take steps to scale your team while positioning yourself for greater career growth.  You’ll Discover:  8 behaviors that look like "great leadership" but are torpedoing your next promotionWhat your boss REALLY means when she keeps saying you're "so close" to VP year after yearThe “seesaw” dynamic keeping your team permanently junior (and getting worse the more you help)The 3 things you HAVE to let go of before ANY delegation tactic will actually stickThe specific tool I give Lead from Within clients to recalibrate productivity at senior levelsSign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
110. The #1 Career Insurance Policy Most High Performers Never Build
2026/07/01
One look at the headlines and it’s clear: experienced professionals don't feel free or at ease at work right now. Middle layers are being flattened, the path upwards is narrowing, and even the most accomplished leaders are carrying worry about what's next. How do you escape it? Drawing on everything from finance theory to real stories of Lead from Within clients who've used this to land top-of-band offers, generous retention packages, and the leverage to turn down "great opportunities" without a second thought, Melody unpacks what real career freedom is and how you can engineer it for yourself.  You’ll Discover:  The #1 thing that lets you say "no" to a bad offer without panickingHow one client turned "relocate or get fired" into a deal that worked entirely in her favor4 aspects of executive readiness that make opportunities come to you (instead of you chasing them)Sign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
109. Senior Leaders: Your Next Promotion Depends on What You Do This Summer (Here’s Why)
2026/06/24
📌 NEW CLASS 7/15 – Top of Mind & Tapped for More: Leverage Q3 & Q4 to Rise Into the Role, Projects, and Pay That Match Your Caliber: https://melodywilding.com/training Most mid-to-senior professionals treat summer as career downtime and then every fall, they're blindsided when the promotions, projects, and budgets get handed to someone else. The truth is that your next 12-18 months are being decided right NOW, while the clay is still soft and almost no one is paying attention. In this episode, Melody reveals why summer is the single highest-leverage season for your advancement, and exactly how to use it (without sacrificing a minute of your pool time). You’ll Discover:  Why July is secretly the easiest month all year to get in front of powerThe off-script summer moments where leaders decide if you're executive material (usually when you least expect it)Why covering for a colleague on PTO is not a burden, but an audition for the next levelSign up for the Psychology at Work Weekly newsletter: https://melodywilding.com/newsletter/ Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up

Podcast reviews

Read Psychology at Work | Career Success, Leadership, Communication Skills podcast reviews


4.8 out of 5
47 reviews
★★★★★
CescaSun 2026/07/11
One of my favorite podcasts about work
Melody covers a variety of topics with warmth and curiosity, and brings the listeners into the conversation.
★★★★★
Jane Shape 2026/03/02
Jane Shape
Incredible podcast with great insight and helpful short episodes. 10/10 recommend!
★★★★★
W3LL&G00D27 2026/02/19
The best friend at work we all need!
This show is so good. It’s like having the best friend at work we all need. It’s real, relatable and on point. I recommend it to everyone!
★★★★★
ETZ_1970 2026/02/05
Great show-great host
I love Melody and her down to earth approach
★★★★★
Antipasti13 2026/01/15
A must-listen
I love how this show gives practical tips that I can learn from each episode. In my rotation!
★★★★★
Soshinie 2026/01/02
Must Listen!
I tend to self-learn a lot through my observations, interactions with other people and connecting with the knowledge I soak up from books. I am extrem...
★★★★★
bcchuck 2025/12/15
Madeline Mann
Great podcast! Job shop!
★★★★★
MyBoysAreShawBoys 2025/11/07
Every time!
I always know I’m going to get helpful insight and at LEAST one significant action item every time I listen to an episode!
★★★★★
Missyjb17 2025/10/08
Insightful & Educational
Melody is so insightful and I’ve walked away from this podcast with so many little nuggets that have helped me level up.
★★★★★
movielover385073 2025/05/06
A must-listen!
Melody is such a delight and I absolutely love the guests that she brings on. This is a must listen for anyone who wants to build their confidence at ...
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