Candor & Courage At Work®

As a leader, you don't have a choice. You have to have the hard conversations. In this episode, we're addressing feedback from two listeners about our recent series on managing underperformers: I'm afraid the underperformer will quit if I bring it up, and I can't afford to lose them. What if *I* am the problem? Then we shift into something that shows up in every workplace: passive aggressive behavior, what it actually looks like, and how to address it directly without blowing up the relationship. If you've been tiptoeing around a difficult person at work, this episode will help you figure out your next move. Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

Every day you avoid the underperformer conversation, you're sending a message to your whole team. In this episode, we’re sharing how to finally address it the right way. We walk through how to analyze the situation and the data, how to have the actual conversation, and why documentation and follow-up are non-negotiable.  We're also sharing two real stories of when underperformers went unchecked, so you can see these principles in action.  If you've been avoiding the conversation with an underperformer, this episode will help you feel more prepared and confident to address it. Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

If you've never had an underperformer, you are a leadership unicorn! It's something every people-manager deals with at some point in their career, and how you handle it impacts the whole team. In this episode, we walk through how to handle underperformance before it spirals, including: the honest questions every manager needs to ask themselves first, how to consider the full context around an employee's performance, and what to do when you really feel like you've tried everything. Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

How do you balance a meaningful career with being present for your family, without completely depleting yourself in the process? In this episode, we talk with the winner of our goal-setting contest about her biggest challenge for 2026: refilling her energy bucket so she can show up fully for the things and people that matter most to her.  It's a candid conversation about building meaningful professional connections while protecting what you need to show up fully at home. If you've ever felt like your own needs always come last, this conversation offers both recognition and some permission to approach things differently. Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude   00:00 Introducing Our Guest, Elena Skorupan 05:46 Elena’s Priorities for 2026 07:34 Deepening Relationships at Work 13:34 Refilling Personal Energy Buckets 16:28 Denise and Maggie’s Commitments for 2026

If you're tired of setting goals only to abandon them by “Quitter’s Friday” (the second Friday in January), this episode is for you.  We're sharing a better way to approach goals (that actually makes them stick), inspired by James Clear’s Atomic Habits, lessons from legendary coach Nick Saban, and our own experiences. Denise opens up about how one candid moment helped her break a lifelong habit of procrastination. We also break down why most workplace goals fail (hint: it's not about willpower) and what to do instead. If you want to turn your 2026 resolutions into REVolutions, this episode will help you take the first step. Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

What do you do when your boss asks for feedback… and you know they might not like the answer? That question was at the heart of both of our stories in this episode, where we revisit two career-defining moments of high-stakes candor. In each case, there was no time to rehearse, just a split-second choice between staying silent or saying what needed to be said, even if it meant telling your boss they were being a jerk. These aren't theoretical scenarios. These are the high-stakes moments that test whether you'll show up as the person you claim to be, or retreat into safety. By the end of this episode, you'll understand why courage is contagious (even when no one else knows about it), how to recognize when someone is ready to hear your candor, and how having "less to lose" makes candor easier (and what that means as your career progresses). Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

As 2025 winds down, it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect. In this episode, we share five powerful questions designed to help you get clear on your professional goals, especially when it comes to learning with candor and courage at work. Whether you're looking to stretch your strengths, scratch a creative itch, or lean into your personal brand, these questions will guide you toward a year that energizes (not exhausts) you. Plus, we’re inviting one lucky listener to connect with us for a virtual goal-setting session in early 2026. Want in? Head to candorandcourageatwork.com to enter by November 30. Let’s make sure your 2026 is an evolution, not a resolution. Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

One year ago, we started the podcast with one big question: What would change if more leaders spoke honestly and bravely at work? In this special anniversary episode, we revisit some of our favorite moments and takeaways from the past 12 episodes. If you’re new here, this is the perfect introduction. And if you’ve been with us from the beginning, it’s a chance to reflect on the ideas and insights that still resonate. We share why we launched the podcast, how important it is to find the yin to your yang, and why we deliberately focus on practicing candor and courage at work, where the stakes are higher, but the impact can be greater. Thank you for being on this journey with us. We’re just getting started! Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

When the wrong words could cost you trust, credibility, or even your job… how do you speak up anyway?  In this episode, we explore High Stakes Candor, what it means to prioritize the other person’s success over your temporary discomfort, and why that mindset is essential when the stakes are high. Plus, Denise shares about the time she had to decide whether to live up to her reputation for candor or to be “nice” to her boss. By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to recognize “coasting” in high-value relationships, avoid the silent avoidance trap most leaders fall into, and calibrate how much candor is the right amount. Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

Courageous leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions. In this episode, we explore what courage looks like in practice: creating psychological safety, supporting career development for your employees, and following through on what you say you’ll do (even if it means calling every two weeks for ten months). You’ll learn why psychological safety is non-negotiable, how to see your team members’ goals through their lens (not yours), what courageous perseverance really looks like in action, and how to set one specific goal that you WILL follow through on this week.   Resources Mentioned: Three Keys of Execution Everyone Can Lead Blaze Performance Get Clear Living About the Guest: Kent Vaughn is the CEO & Co-Founder of Blaze Performance and Co-Founder of Get Clear Living. Before launching his own companies, he held leadership roles at Kimberly-Clark and Franklin Covey, where he worked closely with executive teams to improve strategy and execution. Over the past 30 years, Kent has partnered with hundreds of organizations to strengthen operational leadership, boost employee engagement, and drive organizational performance. You can connect with him on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/kent-vaughn-a75a795). Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

No one brings their A-game to work for a manager who doesn’t “walk the talk.” In this episode, executive coach Kent Vaughn joins us to explore what it really takes to lead with integrity… starting with yourself. From self-leadership and personal accountability to giving (and receiving) feedback, Kent breaks down the core habits that separate great leaders from the rest. You’ll learn why intentions don’t build trust, how to use the “mirror test” to stay aligned with your values, why vulnerability accelerates leadership growth, and how strong manager-employee relationships impact both retention and performance.   Resources Mentioned: Three Keys of Execution Everyone Can Lead It’s Your Ship Blaze Performance Get Clear Living About the Guest: Kent Vaughn is the CEO & Co-Founder of Blaze Performance and Co-Founder of Get Clear Living. Before launching his own companies, he held leadership roles at Kimberly-Clark and Franklin Covey, where he worked closely with executive teams to improve strategy and execution. Over the past 30 years, Kent has partnered with hundreds of organizations to strengthen operational leadership, boost employee engagement, and drive organizational performance. You can connect with him on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/kent-vaughn-a75a795). Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

The rise to the top is full of twists and turns.   Maggie was recently a guest on the Silver Divorce podcast, hosted by Lisa McCluskey. In the episode, Maggie shares her career journey and decision to start her own firm at age 60.   Maggie Carrington is a seasoned HR strategist and business advisor with over 35 years of experience transforming people operations into powerful drivers of performance, culture, and growth. Trusted by executive teams and boards alike, Maggie has helped organizations across industries. In doing so, she has enabled organizations to enjoy optimized, award-winning team performance, achieved cost efficiencies, elevated efficiencies throughout the employee lifecycle, and helped create transformative employee experiences. Known for bridging the gap between people and profit, Maggie brings a data-driven approach to workforce transformation—ensuring people strategy is a true driver of the bottom line. To broaden her impact, Maggie founded HR Habitude: Making Work A Better Place To Be® to provide fractional and project-based human resources consulting services to organizations and career coaching to professionals. In 2024, Maggie and Denise, a colleague, launched Candor & Courage At Work® to share lessons they've learned by being candid and courageous as HR leaders to enable professionals of all walks to use those traits in daily work life to be more successful.   ------- The Empowered Career Woman is presented by Medicare Misty. www.medicaremisty.com. Email: [email protected] Facebook and Instagram: @emp.career.woman Produced by: Whitfield Media Group, Chattanooga, TN Editing: Tyler Owens About your host: Lisa McCluskey, MBA is a retired Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Physician Sales at CHI Memorial, Chattanooga. She is founder and host of the Silver Divorce Podcast and Empowered Career Woman podcast. Follow the Empowered Career Woman on Facebook and Instagram @emp.career.woman. This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not intended as legal advice.

More than 30 years after The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People hit the shelves (and cassette players), Stephen Covey’s work still shapes leaders today.  In this episode, rather than walking through each habit one by one, we’re unpacking the deeper mindset shifts the book inspires and why Covey’s ideas remain essential for anyone who wants to lead with integrity and build teams that thrive. Whether you're revisiting The 7 Habits or discovering them for the first time with us today, this episode will help you think more intentionally about how you lead and how your team works together. Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

Reentering the job market after a long absence can present several challenges, including outdated skills, changing job market conditions, self-doubt, and age discrimination. And, the process for seeking out and interviewing for jobs has changed dramatically. But, don’t be discouraged! Maggie was recently a guest on the Silver Divorce podcast, hosted by Lisa McCluskey. In the episode, Maggie and Lisa discuss: The common barriers for people reentering the job market after a long absence. The first steps to take to reenter the job market after a long absence. How to approach a long absence from the job market in interviews. How to leverage volunteer work and translate it to the work environment. Resources to identify your strengths.   ------- Please follow or subscribe to this podcast; leave a rating and review and share with people you know experiencing the pain of divorce. Produced by: Whitfield Media Group, Chattanooga, TN Editing by: Tyler Owens Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠ Facebook & Instagram @silverdivorcepodcast Title Sponsor: Center for Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics ⁠www.sportmed.com⁠ Show Sponsor: Medicare Misty ⁠www.medicaremisty.com⁠ About your host: I’m Lisa McCluskey, MBA, a retired healthcare executive turned podcaster after being blindsided when my 34-year marriage ended. I interview experts on the Silver Divorce Podcast to help people through the traumatic divorce journey. This podcast provides education and information and is not intended to replace the advice of a therapist or legal advice.

Having something important to say doesn't mean it's easy to say it. In this episode we’re tackling listeners’ questions about navigating sensitive conversations without hurting feelings and building the confidence to voice your opinions despite fears of negative reactions. After listening to this episode, you'll know how (and when) to speak up when it matters most, how to deliver difficult messages with empathy, and specific techniques to overcome the fear of potential backlash when sharing your perspective. Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

Workplace courage isn’t always about diving straight into the deep end. Sometimes you can wade in, one step at a time. After listening to this episode, you will know the power of taking calculated risks at work, how they build your confidence, and three specific ways you can practice courage at work (today). Plus, we answer a listener’s question about a team member who avoids conflict, and Maggie shares her story about confronting an employee she caught stealing… A true case study on practicing courage in the workplace! Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

Ever wonder why some leaders can deliver tough feedback that motivates people, while others leave their teams feeling deflated?  In this episode, we share practical strategies for making feedback feel like a gift rather than a burden, including creating an 'emotional bank account' and planning your respectful candor for a time when it will be best received. Key Takeaways: Turn difficult conversations into opportunities for growth and connection Lay the groundwork for open dialogue with new team members A framework for planning your candid feedback  Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

Fear is ingrained in each of us from a young age. Every day as we left for school, our parents would say “Be careful!” Now, as adults and professionals, we must first recognize what our fears are, and then practice courage to overcome them. In this episode, we discuss the three levels of fear and provide questions that you can ask yourself the next time you’re preparing to be courageous. Resources Mentioned: Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude

When you think of courage, you probably imagine a firefighter running into a burning building. But there are actually *nine* types of courage, and we’re diving into them today. We also address a listener’s question about their colleague’s Ruinous Empathy, why courage is big AND small, and a few ways you can start implementing courage at work. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude)

Obnoxious Aggression, Ruinous Empathy, Manipulative Insincerity, and Radical Candor. These are the four types of behaviors outlined in Kim Scott’s book, Radical Candor, and understanding these behaviors can be eye-opening for leaders who need to provide kind and clear criticism to their employees. In this episode, we discuss those behaviors, why you should build trust *before* you need to be candid with someone, and the steps we must follow in order to embrace candor in the workplace. Resources Mentioned: Radical Candor by Kim Scott 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude)

Now that we’ve introduced the principles of candor and courage, we can dive a bit deeper. In this episode, we share insights we’ve learned about candor. Denise shares the story of her first time providing brutally honest feedback and how it set her on the path to mastering candor. Plus, the top reasons why people avoid candor in the workplace and how giving honest (but kind) feedback can help employees go from good to better to best! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com & connect with us on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/hr-habitude)

In this introductory episode, we share our reasoning behind starting the podcast and introduce ourselves. We also explain why candor is important to Denise, and how Maggie defines courage. Most importantly, we share how candor and courage work hand-in-hand, and what you can expect from future episodes!    Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!   Learn more at candorandcourageatwork.com

Many people struggle with being candid and courageous at work. Two HR professionals, Denise and Maggie, want to share what they have learned about Candor & Courage At Work to help YOU use those traits in your daily work life, so you can be more successful! Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.