Leading Well

Have you ever reached the point where disappointment no longer feels temporary, but starts to change the way you trust? That shift can be hard to name, especially in leadership.In this episode, I return to the conversation on disappointment and take it one step deeper by exploring what happens when repeated disappointment becomes a loss of trust. I share why trust rarely breaks all at once, but instead erodes through small unmet expectations, repeated patterns, and the quiet weight of carrying the emotional burden of repair on your own.Drawing on Brené Brown’s BRAVING framework, Adam Grant’s insights on accountability, and reflections on the difference between covenant and contract, I reveal what trust really requires. With this, we discover how we can begin to discern whether trust is actually being rebuilt or whether we are simply learning to live without it.I close with a reflection on wisdom, integrity, and the courage it takes to lead well when trust feels fragile.Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(01:40) When disappointment turns into distrust(04:08) Understanding the BRAVING trust framework(05:30) How trust begins to erode(07:29) Asking whether trust is being repaired(10:12) How trust works at work and in marriage(12:26) Finding wisdom in whether to stay or leave(14:09) Scripture, reflection, and learning to trust yourselfConnect with me:Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadingwellgretchenschottSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ojq9yQUf71e3flr68JI9I?si=a9a423cc8e6b4a97Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leading-well/id1838799325 Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work 

Have you ever noticed how easily disappointment slips past our awareness even as it quietly shapes how we lead? We often push through it, minimize it, or tell ourselves we should “just get over it,” but unprocessed disappointment has a way of lingering beneath the surface.In this episode, I reflect honestly on a season of personal and professional disappointment and explore why it’s one of the most common (and least processed) emotions in leadership. I define what disappointment actually is, why it tends to stick around longer than frustration, and how it often shows up quietly as disengagement, over-functioning, or emotional distance.I walk through how disappointment affects our energy, our trust, and our ability to lead with integrity, drawing on psychological insights and leadership research. I also share a simple but powerful framework for moving through disappointment:  naming it, grieving it, reframing it, and releasing it. This way, it becomes a source of wisdom rather than resentment.Finally, I connect disappointment back to hope, inviting you to consider how hope isn’t about pretending you weren’t hurt, but about believing that disappointment doesn’t get the final word.Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(00:45) A personal experience with disappointment(02:28) What’s really behind feeling disappointed(03:06) Why does it linger(06:59) What happens if you don’t get over it(09:03) A framework for processing disappointment(14:03) Hope in the midst of disappointmentConnect with me:Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadingwellgretchenschottSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ojq9yQUf71e3flr68JI9I?si=a9a423cc8e6b4a97Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leading-well/id1838799325 Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work 

Have you ever noticed how often we confuse hope with optimism? They feel similar, but they’re not the same. And in the context of leadership, that difference matters more than we realize.In this episode, I share my one word for 2026 and the practice I’ve followed for over a decade of choosing a single word to guide my year. This year, my word is “hope.” It’s shaped by a season of uncertainty, loss, and learning to trust without clear answers, and I’m excited for it to guide me in the year ahead.I talk about what hope means psychologically, in leadership, and spiritually, and why hope is not passive. I share how I’m learning to receive hope through prayer and stillness, choose it by challenging false beliefs, and extend it through my words, decisions, and presence.Finally, I also invite you into reflection with two guiding questions about where you’ve stopped expecting things to improve and where you’re being invited to hope again. Timestamps:(00:00) Intro (01:06) How I chose my word for the year(02:26) The theme for 2026(04:25) How to build hope(06:32)  Hope in quiet reflectionConnect with me:Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadingwellgretchenschottSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ojq9yQUf71e3flr68JI9I?si=a9a423cc8e6b4a97Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leading-well/id1838799325 Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work 

Have you ever stepped into a new year and felt the urge to move more slowly, even when everything around you is urging you to rush?Most leaders don’t give themselves permission to do that, but I believe it matters more than ever.In this episode, I invite you to begin the new year a little differently: without pressure, without performance, and without the need to prove anything. I share why I believe true strength in leadership isn’t found in hustle, titles, or always being “on,” but in stillness, wisdom, and genuine care for others. I reflect on how slowing down has shaped some of the most meaningful seasons of my leadership and coaching journey, and why clarity so often comes when we stop pushing and allow ourselves the space to listen.As we begin 2026 together, I offer a set of reflection questions to help you look back with honesty and step forward with intention. Join me as we reflect on not only what lies ahead this year, but who you are becoming, and how stillness can gently prepare you for what’s next.Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(01:31) What the essence of true leadership is(03:21) Gaining strength and clarity from stillness(05:29) Reflection questions before you step into the new year(08:00) Finding purpose in silence and prayerConnect with me:Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadingwellgretchenschottSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ojq9yQUf71e3flr68JI9I?si=a9a423cc8e6b4a97Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leading-well/id1838799325 Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work

Have you ever looked back on a year and realized that love and pain were growing in the very same places?Most leaders don’t talk about that part, but we all live it.In this episode, I share the word that shaped my entire year: Love. I talk about how it showed up in both the brightest and hardest moments of my life. From publishing my book,  Joy@Work, and coaching dozens of leaders, to watching my kids step into new seasons of adulthood, I open up about the growth that filled my year with purpose.But I also speak honestly about the shadow that walked with me this year: losing my dad. Feeling his absence in birthdays and holidays stayed with me, and somehow, that grief stretched my heart and deepened the way I understand love.Join me as I share questions that helped me reflect and understand what was blooming in me this year, and what might be preparing me for the next.Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(00:47) Reflecting on a year of love(02:27) Loving the work and letting it love me back(03:40) How love showed up  in our family’s biggest moments (05:09) Learning how grief shapes the way we love(08:16) A year-end practice to help you love yourself better(10:51) An invitation to grow, love well, and lead with intentionConnect with me:Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadingwellgretchenschottSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ojq9yQUf71e3flr68JI9I?si=a9a423cc8e6b4a97Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leading-well/id1838799325 Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work 

Hope isn’t something we wait for; it’s something we build. It’s both a mindset and a practice that anchors us in what’s possible, even when we can’t see it yet.In this episode, I talk about what it means to cultivate hope, especially when leadership or life feels heavy. I share how hope engages our brain’s prefrontal cortex, the part that helps us plan, imagine, and take purposeful action. From a faith perspective, hope is a confident expectation rooted in God’s goodness. It’s not denial or blind optimism. It’s the courage to declare that light still exists, even in the dark.I close with a prayer from Romans 12:12: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” It’s a reminder that hope isn’t found, it’s formed one prayer, one breath, and one step at a time.Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction(00:56) Cultivating hope in the hard seasons of leadership(02:00) What hope really means for leaders(04:06) Practical steps to cultivate hope(06:14) The power of reflection in cultivating hopeConnect with me:Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/ Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work 

In this episode, I talk about what it really means to balance confidence and humility as a leader. Leading with love takes more than drive or ambition; it takes self-awareness, reflection, and a genuine desire to serve others while staying grounded in who you are.I share how leaning too far into humility can sometimes hold us back, especially when we downplay our strengths or shy away from recognition and tough decisions. I also walk through what healthy humility looks like, checking your motives, listening to learn, and finding your center through practices like journaling, prayer, and reflection.I close by sharing one of my favorite prayers, The Litany of Humility, and how it’s shaped my own journey as a leader. It’s a reminder that confidence comes from knowing yourself, and humility grows from loving yourself and others.Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction(00:32) What humility looks like in leadership(01:37) When being too humble holds you back(02:59) Practicing healthy humility with confidence(03:59) The Litany of Humility and reflection(08:08) Two questions for your own leadership growthConnect with me:Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/ Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work 

Have you ever walked into a room and instantly felt yourself shrink?Even the strongest women do.In this episode, I share two moments in my career when I let myself feel small—one shaped by my own inner critic, and another by someone else’s words. From skipping a team dinner early in my career to being called “intimidating” on a new team, I open up about how those experiences made me question my worth and how I learned to stop giving power to voices that didn’t deserve it.Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction(00:40) Why even the most accomplished women still feel small(01:56) The inner voice of self-doubt and perfectionism(02:47) Outer voices that make us question our worth(03:15) Overcoming smallness through self-awareness(07:48) How to recognize smallness without losing your strength(09:39) Finding strength and clarity through faithConnect with me:Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/ Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work 

“We can’t lead others unless we lead ourselves.”In this episode, I explore why true leadership starts with inner clarity. When you know what matters most at the center of your life, it shapes your values, your choices, and the way you influence others.I share a personal moment from moving my son into college, when he placed my book, Joy@Work: When Women Lead, on his dorm shelf. That simple act reminded me how authentic leadership leaves an impact in ways we may never expect.You’ll also learn a quick three-minute exercise to reflect on where your leadership feels aligned, where it might be off track, and how to take small, intentional steps forward.Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction(00:42) Leadership begins with self-knowledge and self-love(02:07) Why my book on a college shelf brought me joy(03:52) Three reflections for effective leadership alignment(06:13) A prayer for wisdom, grace, and courageConnect with me:Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/ Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work 

Leading Well is a short, impactful podcast for executive women, and the men who support them, who want to lead with purpose and show up well in every part of their lives.Through 10–15 minute solo episodes, leadership coach and speaker Gretchen Schott shares insights, practical tools, and personal reflections that help you navigate people problems, lead with authenticity, and grow your confidence from the inside out.Rooted in faith and designed to inspire, each episode ends with a brief prayer—an invitation to pause, reflect, and reconnect.If you’re ready to build trust, clarity, and connection in your work and life, Leading Well is your weekly dose of encouragement and strategy.