Bossed Up

Neha Ruch, founder of The Power Pause and author, dives into the complexities of ambition, motherhood, and identity. She challenges the outdated label of 'stay-at-home mom,' emphasizing that caregiving is a valuable identity that doesn't diminish professional aspirations. The conversation covers the unrealistic binary of working versus at-home moms, the significance of a supportive community, and strategies for women re-entering the workforce after a career break. Neha’s insights aim to empower women to embrace their choices and redefine success.

When inspiration slumps, how do you get it back? On those days (or weeks) where you just aren’t feeling it, you might find yourself considering a total life overhaul—I’ve been there. But before you hit send on that resignation letter, give these three simple, less extreme techniques a try.Tune in to learn how to bounce back when boredom or burnout strikes:Why literally stepping outside is key to jumpstarting your inspiration;How those non-work-related tabs open on your browser could be the answer;Why an energy audit might be the best 30 seconds of your day.Related Links:Episode 511, The Engagement Crisis Impacting Young Workers - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode511Episode 172, The Healing Power of Nature - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode172Gallup, Engagement Recedes for the First Time in Four Years - https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspxStanford Researchers Find Mental Health Prescription: Nature - https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2015/06/hiking-mental-health-063015LinkedIn Learning, Get Unstuck: Make a Plan to Move Your Career Forward - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/get-unstuck-make-a-plan-to-move-your-career-forwardNeuron, States of Curiosity Modulate Hippocampus-Dependent Learning via the Dopaminergic Circuit - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25284006/Bossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How do you transition from team member to team leader without letting the pressure and power turn you into a bad boss? I interact so often with well-meaning new managers suddenly discovering how different it is to lead the team than to be a member of it. Luckily, we have the wisdom of executive coach and author Sabina Nawaz to turn to!Sabina wrote her new book, “You're The Boss: Become the Manager You Want to Be (and Others Need)” after spending more than 20 years counseling C-level executives and experiencing her own “bad boss” moment. She speaks with me about how to balance the pressure and power of management and use it to bring out the very best in your leadership journey, wherever on the corporate ladder you might be.Fine-tune your leadership with Sabina’s expertise:How to become pressure-proof so you can turn tension into teamwork;The microhabits that can help you be a compassionate leader (and partner, and parent);How to deal with the feedback distortion that occurs when you shift from team member to manager;Self-assessment questions that will identify your challenges and make you a better boss.Related Links:Order Sabina’s book, “You’re the Boss” - https://sabinanawaz.com/book/Learn more about Sabina’s work - https://sabinanawaz.com/Episode 512, The Engagement Crisis Impacting Young Workers - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode511Episode 437, The Succession Gap and the Growing Value of Your Aspirations - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode437LEVEL UP: a Leadership Accelerator for Women on the Rise - https://www.bossedup.org/levelupBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How do new parents balance limited paid leave and a newborn who has to spend weeks in intensive care? Becoming a NICU family is heart-wrenching enough, but having to weigh returning to work before your newborn has come home from the hospital makes this already-stressful time even harder.Today, I’m thrilled to share some good news about a new groundbreaking law that has  Colorado once again on the forefront of caring for caregivers.Whether you’re living in Colorado or wondering how to advocate for your state to take more action on this front, this episode is essential listening for anyone passionate about the infrastructure of care and gender equality in America.Learn all about the new legislation, including:How inspiring new benefits will benefit parents with babies in the NICU;How employees and businesses alike are benefiting;And how the state is reducing premiums while increasing benefits. Related Links:Episode 489, How the Cost of Childcare Has Become a Workforce Issue -  https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode489Episode 434, The Economic Imperative of Affordable Childcare -  https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode434Episode 479, America’s Parents Are Not Okay - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode479Senate Bill 25-144, “Change to Paid Family Med Leave Insurance Program” - https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/fn/2025a_sb144_00.pdfA Better Balance, “Colorado Expands Paid Family and Medical Leave for NICU Parents” - https://www.abetterbalance.org/colorado-expands-paid-family-and-medical-leave-for-nicu-parents/Colorado General Assembly, “Change Paid Family Medical Leave Insurance Program” - https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-144Colorado Politics, “Colorado governor signs bill increasing family leave for parents of NICU babies” - https://www.coloradopolitics.com/governor/colorado-governor-signs-bill-increasing-family-leave-for-parents-of-nicu-babies/article_04eeae6d-9c50-485d-bbde-9feadc2d062c.htmlDenver7, “Deductions for Colorado's paid family, medical leave program begin in 2023” - https://www.denver7.com/news/politics/deductions-for-colorados-paid-family-medical-leave-program-begin-in-2023Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program - https://famli.colorado.gov/TAKE ACTION with Bossed Up - https://www.bossedup.org/takeactionBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Aja Evans, a board-certified therapist and author of "Feel Good Finance," dives deep into the emotional complexities of money. She uncovers how our childhood shapes financial beliefs and the importance of facing our money stories. Aja discusses the impact of financial trauma and the need for brave budgeting choices. She also emphasizes teaching kids about money through open conversations and modeling healthy behaviors. Her insights encourage a re-evaluation of financial priorities, urging listeners to align their finances with their values.

As a leader, how can you tackle disengagement on your team? Employee engagement is in crisis, and it’s costing more than just morale. According to Gallup, only 31% of the American workforce is engaged at work, while a staggering 17% are actively disengaged—cynical, vocal, and dragging others down with them. This unfortunate reality takes a toll on worker mental health, and also poses a full-blown productivity problem, with real financial consequences.In this episode, I unpack the latest findings from Gallup’s workforce engagement surveys and look at how leaders can leverage it as a blueprint for creating meaningful, motivating work environments. From setting clear expectations to building genuine connections and offering real opportunities for growth, we explore the practical ways to shift your team’s momentum.Take a deeper look at what the numbers say about leading your team to maximum impact:What the generational divide in employee engagement might reveal;Why it’s not as simple as blaming remote work for worker disengagement;How expectations create the foundation for a more engaged workforce.Related Links:Book Emilie to speak at your event - https://www.emiliearies.com/Episode 265, How to Set Clear Expectations As a Leader - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode265Episode 376, How to Make Performance Reviews More Effective as a Manager - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode376Episode 407, How to Delegate Without Feeling So Bad About It - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode407Episode 452, Redefining Success: Women and the Fight for a Fair Economy - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode452Episode 483, Can You Be Friends At Work? - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode483Episode 489 How the Cost of Childcare Has Become a Workforce Issue, https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode489Gallup, U.S. Employee Engagement Sinks to 10-Year Low - https://www.gallup.com/workplace/654911/employee-engagement-sinks-year-low.aspxGallup 2025 State of the Global Workplace Report - https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspxGallup, The Benefits of Employee Engagement - https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236927/employee-engagement-drives-growth.aspxGallup, The Q12 Employee Engagement Survey - https://www.gallup.com/q12-employee-engagement-survey/LEVEL UP: a Leadership Accelerator for Women on the Rise - https://www.bossedup.org/levelupBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What would happen if you stopped pursuing a career destination and focused instead on the best direction? Too often, we find ourselves checking the “right” boxes to get the best degree and climb the corporate ladder, only to find ourselves unfulfilled as we near the top. There’s something wrong with that picture.Megan Hellerer, the author of “Directional Living: A Transformational Guide to Fulfillment in Work and Life,” joins me to talk about the approach she has adopted and the one she now teaches. Directional living is about recognizing that human beings change over time. It’s about eschewing a Final Destination and the resulting roadmap and instead focusing on what aligns with our lives and goals as we go through life.Embrace Megan’s individualized approach to constructing a fulfilling life and career:Why the American Dream just isn’t serving us anymore;Why we can’t define fulfillment by society’s limiting perception of success;How recalibrating your inner thermostat can help you start living directionally;Why the idea of “failure” is overrated and what to focus on instead.Related Links:Buy “Directional Living: A Transformational Guide to Fulfillment in Work and Life” by Megan Hellerer - https://meganhellerer.com/directional-living-bookLearn more about Megan’s coaching - https://meganhellerer.com/work-with-meConnect with Megan on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/meganhellerer/LEVEL UP: a Leadership Accelerator for Women on the Rise - https://www.bossedup.org/levelupBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Discover what sets great leaders apart from good managers. The discussion highlights the importance of shifting from task-focused management to a people-oriented leadership approach. Learn how to innovate rather than just execute, and embrace the challenge of thinking bigger when pitching for promotions. The host shares practical examples, demonstrating that doing the right thing is crucial, as well as actionable tips to cultivate a leadership mindset. Uncover how balancing both roles can elevate your career and influence your workplace.

What can you or your organization do to make the workplace more inclusive for people with autism?Recently, RFK Jr., the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, attracted considerable criticism following his disparagingly blanket statements about people with autism. Many people in the autism community lead fulfilling lives full of love, joy, and productive work—despite the hapless and hopeless depiction of this population that RFK shared. This is an excellent moment to draw attention to my conversation with Amanda Kelly, the president and CEO of Firefly Autism and one of the founders of the groundbreaking Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce (CNDCC). It’s impossible not to look at our growing talent shortage in this country and ask: why aren’t we hiring neurodivergent and autistic people? In this episode, Amanda dives into how we can all make our workplaces more welcoming for neurodivergent individuals, who make up one-fifth of our population. Whether you’re neurodiverse or neurotypical, Amanda’s jaw-dropping stats and pursuit of equity will inspire you:Learn about the shocking lack of career resources for autistic adults;Discover how organizations can make their workplaces more inclusive, for neurodivergent people and beyond;Break down the ongoing issues of neurodiversity and inequities in diagnosis; Understand the unique gender component of autism and its impacts.Related Links:Firefly Autism - https://fireflyautism.org/Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce - https://www.cndcc.org/Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-d-kelly-d-psych-2b5957a0/RFK Jr., “Autism destroys families” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPxTnX1sgJc“Addressing the ‘Cliff’ for Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder” - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33539916/NYT, “The Dangerous Race to Put More Children to Work” - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/24/opinion/editorials/arkansas-child-labor.htmlAutism Recovery Network, “Why Is the Autistic Unemployment Rate So High?” - https://autismrecovery.sg/why-is-the-autistic-unemployment-rate-so-high/Episode 390, How to Manage ADHD in the Workplace - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode390TAKE ACTION with Bossed Up - https://www.bossedup.org/takeactionBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How could the SAVE Act send us tumbling back to the Suffragette era? This bill that’s pending review in the Senate could jeopardize voting access for up to 69 million American women. It would require all voters to prove citizenship with a passport or birth certificate in order to register to vote, which is a big problem for anyone who’s name has changed since birth—including through marriage—as well as anyone who doesn’t have easy access to such documentation.In this episode, I take a closer look at whether the concern from women and voter rights activists across the country is legitimate or overblown. Spoiler alert: it’s worse than I imagined.Make sure you’re in the know about this major threat, including:The specifics of the SAVE Act;The challenges that make this legislation so alarming to women’s and voter rights activists;How you can make your voice heard to prevent this bill from becoming law.Related Links:5 Calls, “Oppose the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) - A Voter Suppression Bill - Passed House” - https://5calls.org/issue/save-act-voter-suppression/Congress.Gov, Find Your Members - https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-memberRead the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act - https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/22Politico, “The House Passed the SAVE Act. What Comes Next?” - https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-score/2025/04/14/the-house-passed-the-save-act-what-comes-next-00288458CAP, “The SAVE Act Would Disenfranchise Millions of Citizens” - https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-save-act-would-disenfranchise-millions-of-citizens/YouGov, “Adults under 30 are more likely than older Americans to have a current U.S. passport” - https://today.yougov.com/travel/articles/46028-adults-under-30-more-likely-have-us-passportNPR, “Will the SAVE Act make it harder for married women to vote? We ask legal experts” - https://www.npr.org/2025/04/13/g-s1-59684/save-act-married-women-vote-rights-explainedCAWP, “Gender Gap: Voting Choices in Presidential Elections” - https://cawp.rutgers.edu/gender-gap-voting-choices-presidential-electionsKaroline Leavitt Defends GOP's SAVE Act Amid Uproar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ_qkZdiBgkDemocratic Women’s Caucus, Maxine Dexter discusses her amendment -  https://www.instagram.com/reel/DICD8rhRjEQ/TAKE ACTION with Bossed Up - https://www.bossedup.org/takeactionBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.