Speak Your Mind Unapologetically
by Ivna Curi | Leadership Communication & Influence
Good on paper. Good at the job. Still not taken seriously by the people above you?Speak Your Mind Unapologetically is for managers, directors, VPs and senior experts who want their work to count with their boss, senior leaders and peers. It's about managing up and across: disagreeing with someone senior, making your case so it gets acted on, getting credit for your own ideas, asking for the title or scope you've earned, and handling labels like too direct, too quiet or too emotional.If this sounds familiar, you're in the right place:- You know the work deeply, you go into the detail, and you can see you're losing people- You go blank, or say yes too fast, when someone senior challenges you- Someone else presents your idea, and the room goes with them- Leaders say your work is great, and the opportunity still goes to someone else- You've been told you're too direct, too quiet or too emotionalEach episode brings real workplace stories, the exact words to use, and conversations wi
Episodes
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You Think You Handle Conflict Well. Your Team May Disagree | Lan Phan, Ph.D.
Most leaders believe they handle conflict well. The people who report to them often see something different. Your team can't see your intentions. They only see your behavior. In this episode, organizational psychologist Dr. Lan Phan of Columbia University explains how she and Dr. Peter Coleman...
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Change Management Is Dead. Build Change Agility Instead | Dr. Ellie Gates
Change is hard, yet it a common reality. Dr. Ellie Gates, who led the Adobe Check-In redesign that replaced annual performance reviews, says the old change management playbook is dead. Change is now constant, and what organizations need instead is change agility. In this episode, Dr. Gates breaks...
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Your Odds Change The Moment You Take Action| Sanjay Manandhar
Most of us check the odds before we try something big. MIT-trained engineer and serial founder Sanjay Manandhar, author of The Why Not Advantage, says that's the wrong number to look at. A statistic describes the crowd, not you. At 16, Sanjay applied to US schools from Kathmandu. He needed a full...
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How to Influence Senior Leaders When You Disagree
How do you disagree with a superior or your boss when you see a problem in a decision you still have to deliver? How do you influence senior leaders when you don't have the final say? In this episode of Speak Your Mind Unapologetically, Ivna Curi explores managing up and upward influence through...
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Are You Kind at Work? 12 Signs You're Not
Being kind at work is easy when things are going well. Smiling, saying thank you, listening, remembering birthdays. The real test is what you do when there is a problem, a conflict, or a disagreement. This episode is a self-assessment. Twelve everyday workplace moments that look polite on the...
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How to Challenge Your Boss Without It Feeling Like a Challenge | Nita Patel, VP at Otis
Most people who challenge a superior's decision get it wrong. They oppose. Nita Patel, VP of Engineering at Otis, says the people who have changed her mind did something else: they stayed curious. They asked what happens after step two. They wanted to understand rather than object. By the end of...
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She Submitted a Conference Paper in Portuguese. She Didn't Speak Portuguese. She Had Three Months to Learn. Software CEO Katherine on Persistence, Pivots, and Never Giving Up
Two Ways to Fail: Give Up or Die." How Sigma Software CEO Katherine Built a Foreign Office, Completed a Half Ironman, and Learned to Lead on One Rule "There are only two ways to fail: give up or die. And neither is a reasonable option." That is the saying Katherine's team uses to remind…
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They Called Her a Trouble Candidate for Asking for Equal Work. She Won the Company Award That Quarter. Aditi on Speaking Up Without Apology
Her first year in corporate. She noticed her male peer was getting more technical work than her. She raised it with her supervisor — not loudly, not aggressively, just directly. Instead of addressing it with her, the supervisor took it to a broader forum and told others there was "a trouble...
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She Spent Five Weeks Getting Stonewalled Before Landing One Lunch. By the Time the Hiring Manager Called, Three People Had Already Been Talking About Her. Equifax SVP D'Lovely on Networking That Produces Results
She Stopped Leading With Her Title and Started Saying "I'm a Technology and Business Diplomat." People Immediately Wanted to Know More. Equifax SVP D'Lovely on Networking, Personal Boards, and Career Infrastructure She was laid off twice. Both times, by the time the hiring manager called her…
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She Names the Three People Who Changed Her Career and Exactly What Each One Gave Her. Director and Venture Partner Nancy on Building Your Personal Board of Directors
She credits three people with transforming her career trajectory at AWS and beyond. Tatiana got her into AWS. Wayne sponsored her advancement within it. Dan helped her break into venture capital as a partner at Felicis Ventures. She did not stumble into these relationships. She built them...
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A Junior Employee Publicly Questioned Whether She Was Being Overpaid. She Stood Up and Said: "I Believe I Am Appropriately Compensated." Dr. Monique, CIO at Cal State Chico, on Advocacy, Bias, and Leading With Confidence
She came to the United States from Cameroon almost 30 years ago with a master's degree in education, almost no exposure to computers, and a goal to pursue a doctorate. Her two sisters, both already in IT careers, redirected her. She thought she could never succeed in the field. She became an IT...
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Before Accepting the Offer, She Asked to Meet Her Manager's Manager. It Could Have Cost Her the Role. Coverys CITO Saadia on Courage, Bias, and Bold Career Moves
Her Peer Kept Misattributing Statements to Her Team. She Let It Slide Once. The Second Time She Confronted Her Directly. She had a verbal offer within four days. They were eager. Before she accepted, she called HR and said: "Before I accept, I want to speak with my manager's manager." That…
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"There Is Only One Reliable Advocate You Will Always Have — Yourself." How Harley-Davidson's Head of Motorcycle Strategy Ashwini Built Her Career Without a Long-Term Sponsor
She Told Her Director "Your Actions Don't Support That Opinion." He Apologized. Harley-Davidson's Ashwini on Self-Advocacy, Disrespect, and Owning Your Career She had a new director who made every interaction feel disrespectful — no matter the topic, no matter how well she was performing. It…
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"If You Don't Tell Us What You Want, We Can't Help You Get There." VP Erika on Breaking Out of People-Pleasing and Advocating for Your Career
She Won a 40 Under 40 Award and Kept It Private. It Took Her 12 Years to Say Out Loud She Wanted to Be an Executive. People2.0 VP Erika on Self-Advocacy for People Pleasers She received the SIA 40 Under 40 award. It was a big deal. And she kept it almost entirely to herself. She didn't know how…
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She Didn't Know Who to Pitch Her Idea To, So She Pitched Everyone. How an AWS Leader Built Alliances and Attracted a Sponsor by Talking to Anyone Who Would Listen
She Moved to the US with $800, Changed Her Name to Fit In, and Built a Career at Merck, Oracle, Tableau, and Amazon. Helen on Going From Terrified to Outspoken Her legal name is Hongyi, which means "the water is deep and wide." When she moved to the United States from China, she changed it to…
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Speaking Up Doesn't Have to Be Heroic: How PVH VP Shatabdi Uses Small Moments of Courage to Shape Cultures, Careers, and Global Teams
She Asked Her CIO for a New Challenge at Lunch. Got a "Poison Chalice" Role. Flew to Japan in December 2019. Beat COVID by Three Weeks. PVH VP Shatabdi on Small Acts of Courage With Big Consequences. At a lunch with her CIO, she asked a simple question: "Is there a specific role where you need...
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On Her First Day, They Dismissed Her Idea. Six Months Later, She Had the Budget, the Buy-In, and a Legacy That Outlasted an Acquisition. CHRO Deepashri on Getting Your Ideas Heard
He Interrupted Her Mid-Sentence and Said "I Don't Agree." She Asked: "How Many Recruitment Drives Have You Led?" CHRO Deepashri on Standing Your Ground It was her first day in a new role. The leadership team was deep into planning the launch of a major production system. She raised her hand and...
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She Trembled for 60 Minutes Straight in Front of 60 Students. She Went Back the Next Day. Thomson Reuters CTO Anuradha on Facing Fear and Disrupting Yourself First
Disrupt Yourself Before Someone Else Does: How Thomson Reuters CTO Anuradha Turned Fear, Bias, and Discomfort Into Career Fuel She grew up in a small town in India, first daughter in a middle-class family, educated in her mother tongue through 10th grade. She was culturally trained to listen more...
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They Said No — Here's Exactly What to Say Next (8 Steps to Overcome Workplace Resistance)
Getting a "no" at work isn't the problem. Not knowing what to do with it is. In this episode, you'll get a proven 8-step framework to turn workplace resistance into genuine cooperation — without pressure, without losing your composure, and without damaging the relationship. Whether you're asking...
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She Waited for Someone to Offer Her a Promotion. Nobody Did. Ceridian SVP Geetanjali on Owning Your Career
A Recruiter She Never Asked for Advice from Told Her to Lower Her Ambitions. It Derailed Her for Months. What Geetanjali Learned About Who Gets to Define Your Ceiling. She was doing great work, getting strong reviews, and waiting for someone to recognize she was ready for the next level. Nobody...
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"Success Isn't About Who You Know. It's About Who Knows You." How a J&J Senior VP Went from Waste Picker to the Top
His Boss Told Him He'd Never Rise Above Engineer Level. Three Years Later, That Boss Reported to Him. Samuel Santos on Getting Noticed at Work Early in his career, his manager told him the company had a prototype for success: blonde hair, green eyes. Samuel Moody Santos was mixed race, Black, an...
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She Told Both Job Interviewers She Wanted to Be CIO. They Hired Her Anyway. Calendly's Head of IT Darlene on Being Unabashedly Ambitious
Her Dad Found a Rolex and Returned It. What That Taught Her About Asking for Everything. Her father came to the United States in 1989 with next to nothing. He found a Rolex in a locker room while working as a janitor and returned it. The owner gave him a job. He stayed 27 years. In that time, he...
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She Was a Shy, Introverted Child Who Became a Chief Strategy Officer. The Realization That Changed Everything. (with Lisa, CSIO at Lee Health)
She missed the scholarship deadline for her MBA. She asked anyway. She got it. She was the only woman in her group project cohort, a single mom with a one-year-old, living paycheck to paycheck. She told her group on day one exactly what she could do and when she was leaving. They respected it. On…
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Every Man in the Room Ignored Her and Started the Meeting. She Interrupted. What Happened Next. (with Lisa, CSIO at Lee Health) — Part 2
The Mirror Method, the WAIT Acronym, and Why "Learn Fast" Beats "Fail Fast": Lee Health CSIO Lisa on Challenging the Status Quo — Part 2 She walked into a conference room as the only woman in a room full of men in technical data roles. They introduced themselves to each other and started the...
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Years of Being Called "Hardworking and Quiet." How Revolut's Head of Strategy Daisy Rewrote Her Professional Brand
For years, Daisy's performance reviews said the same things: hardworking, great team player, result-driven, quiet. Cycle after cycle, different managers, same words. Then she realized: those were her brand hashtags, and they were never going to get her to where she wanted to go. She wanted...
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Be Brief, Be Bright, Be Gone: How Newell Brands VP Malvika Challenges Senior Leaders, Manages Type A Executives, and Turns Conflict Into Opportunity
When a new business leader walked in and told Malvika they were going to restructure the entire segment — 60% of company revenue — in a room with just the two of them, no leaks, no one else in the room, she didn't say no. She said: "I hear you. And here's how we get to the same outcome with the...
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Your Job Title Can Evaporate Overnight. Your Internal Power Can't. Leadership Lessons from Equifax SVP Alejandra
She watched a brilliant female CEO — strategic, skilled, accomplished — get pushed out of her company. And in that moment, Alejandra had a realization that changed how she thinks about her entire career: if it can happen to her, it can happen to any of us. A job title is the most fragile kind of...
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"I'm Not Responsible for How You Feel": How Melissa Stood Her Ground With an Intimidating Executive and Changed Their Relationship Forever
Sixteen years later, she still tells this story. She was called into the office of a 6'4" senior executive she barely knew. He sat with his back to the door and said: "You will either make me a very happy man or a very unhappy man." Something in her snapped. She replied: "I was always told I'm…
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Crying at Work, Called Polarizing, Still Made It to the Top: Executive Presence Lessons with Wendy
She was called polarizing. She cried in meetings. She was written off as "the rookie." Then she spent 30 years rising through Oracle and Microsoft to become a Global Customer Success Leader for the Americas. Wendy didn't wait to feel confident. She built the skills to project authority even when...
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Socialized to Stay Silent: How Autodesk VP Mary Hope Found Her Voice and Learned to Hold Anyone Accountable
Mary Hope grew up learning not to make waves, not to get emotional, not to rock the boat. Those lessons followed her into the boardroom. When a male colleague made a sexist comment during a high-stakes presentation, she said nothing. She couldn't even bring herself to tell her husband that night....
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How to Handle Pushback and Difficult Conversations at Work Without Getting Defensive
Find out the real reason difficult conversations feel so hard at work, and how our mindset hurts our conversations and relationships. This episode gives you four internal switches you can flip in real time, so that you can have calm authority to fix conversations that go sideways. You'll discover...
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Speaking Up With Intention: A Smarter Way to Set Your Goals
A new year doesn't require a long list of aspirational, feel-good goals. It requires the right specific goals — especially when it comes to speaking up at work. In this first episode of the year, you'll reframe goal-setting for speaking up at work — away from vague intentions like "be more...
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Boundaries During Holidays: How to Say No Without Guilt or Drama
As we navigate the holiday season, setting boundaries can be challenging. Find out how to respond confidently to intrusive questions and requests without guilt or drama. Learn why boundaries are hard to set during the holidays and discover effective strategies to assert your needs while…
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Accountablity: How to Stop Carrying the Team (Without Becoming "the Difficult One")
If you've ever felt like you're the one holding everything together at work — following up, reminding, double-checking, fixing last-minute mistakes, and caring more about the outcome than everyone else — this episode is for you. Because you shouldn't have to sacrifice your time, your sanity, or...
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When People Steal Your Idea in Meetings (and Get the Credit Instead)
Have you ever shared an idea in a meeting… and nothing happened? No reaction. No acknowledgement. People move on. Then minutes later — or even next week — someone else says the exact same thing, and suddenly everyone thinks it's brilliant. It's infuriating. It's discouraging. And it makes you...
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Don't Let One Question Destroy Your Credibility — Learn the Top 1% Response Strategy
When you're in a high-stakes meeting, job interview, panel, or senior leadership presentation, everything can be going perfectly, until someone throws a loaded question at you. Suddenly, confidence can turn into defensiveness. Preparation can turn into rambling. Months of hard work can collapse…
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The One Conversation at Work You're Afraid to Have — And How to Finally Do It Right
Most people don't struggle with speaking up in general. They struggle with one specific conversation that feels risky — a conversation with career, relationship, or emotional consequences. Whether it's a performance review, a promotion request, a conflict, a micromanaging boss, a workload…
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Why Every Leadership Problem Is Really a Communication Problem (with Lily Lapenna, MBE and Amy Ewbank)
Your voice is the bridge between who you are and how you lead. So how can you be heard and be remembered, even in toxic workplaces? In this episode we are joined by Lily Lapenna, MBE, communication coach and facilitator, honored by Queen Elizabeth for her impact work, and Amy Ewbank, expert in...
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Everything You're Afraid to Ask About Self-Advocacy at Work Without Backlash — Answered Rapid-Fire
Get clear, practical answers to the toughest speaking-up questions: recognition, raises, boundaries, timing, and more—so you're heard and respected at work. You asked. I answered, fast. In this rapid-fire Q&A, we tackle the most common (and most avoided) questions about speaking up without...
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When Silence Is No Longer Safe: Conquer Fear, Speak Up, and Advance Your Career
Silence feels safe, but it kills your future. Unleash your authentic voice and stop letting the voice in your head keep you silent. In this episode of the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically Podcast, you'll regain control over the emotional cycle of fear and confidence, so that your nervous system...
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How to Speak Your Truth Without Sounding Harsh or Arrogant
Everyone says, "Be bold. Be unapologetic." But what does that really mean at work? Boldness easily gets mistaken for arrogance or aggression. Then, when you speak up, people shut down. In this episode of the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast, Andrea Wojnicki, host of the Talk About Talk...
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Never Let Fear Stop You From Speaking Your Mind Ever Again
Does fear ever get in the way of advocating for yourself? Everyone has fear. Everyone has courage. The difference is which one you give energy to. In this episode of Speak Your Mind Unapologetically, we explore science-backed ways to be more courageous and build confidence in speaking up. From...
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Stop Asking For Permission: 30 Power Phrases to Start Owning Your Voice
Do you sound like a leader, or a pleaser? Asking for permission to speak up and using apologetic language can cost you promotions, recognition, and influence. Discover 30 subtle language shifts that transforms how people see your authority. In this episode of the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically...
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Courage at Work: Stop Staying Silent & Start Leading Boldly (with Saadia Khilji)
Do you ever hesitate to speak up in tough situations at work, worried about backlash, bias, or saying the wrong thing? In this powerful episode of the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically podcast, I sit down with Sadia Khilji, Global Chief Information & Technology Officer at Coverys, to explore how...
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Why 'Just Be Confident' Is Terrible Advice — And What Actually Works
Discvoer 14 surprising strategies to finally speak up at work with confidence. These practical tips will help you stop holding back and start owning your seat at the table. In this episode, discover how to find your confident voice to share ideas (even half-baked ones), set boundaries, negotiate...
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Practical Self-Promotion Tips That Actually Work in Meetings and in Networking (Brag-Free)
What's the right way to self-promote without sounding arrogant? How do you confidently speak about your work (and get credit for it)? How do you talk about your achievements assertively? In this episode, you'll discover: What to do when your boss takes your idea and runs with it How to get credit...
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How To Bridge Cultural Divides And Cultivate Respectful Conversations? (with Dr. Shaun Carver)
How can leaders can bridge cultural divides, welcome diverse team members, and cultivate respectful conversations? How can you be civil with uncivil people? These are some of the questions that Dr. Shaun Carver, Executive Director of International House at UC Berkeley, answers in this episode.…
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20 Power Moves for High Impact Leaders: Elevating Your Leadership Voice
Have you ever walked out of a meeting thinking, I should have said something. They didn't take me seriously. Someone else said what I wanted to say, and then they got credit for it. Most smart, capable people struggle to make themselves heard, to be respected, to be taken seriously, especially…
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Resilient Voices: Overcoming Adversity & Self-Doubt With A Growth Mindset (with Dhwani Trivedi)
How can we build resilience when facing adversity, and build a growth mindset to push through intimidation to have a voice? In this episode, we welcome Dhwani Trivedi, Program Manager and Business Operations Director at a Global Aerospace and Defense organization. Dhwani shares her experience of...
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10 Common Beliefs I Stopped Following in my 30s To Become Bold
Discover the top 10 pieces of career and leadership advice you should ignore. 'Feel-good' advice can hinder career growth and personal expression. These 10 beliefs can sabotage your confidence, boldness, and opportunities. The episode encourages you to critically evaluate the advice you follow…
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About this show
Good on paper. Good at the job. Still not taken seriously by the people above you?Speak Your Mind Unapologetically is for managers, directors, VPs and senior experts who want their work to count with their boss, senior leaders and peers. It's about managing up and across: disagreeing with someone senior, making your case so it gets acted on, getting credit for your own ideas, asking for the title or scope you've earned, and handling labels like too direct, too quiet or too emotional.If this sounds familiar, you're in the right place:- You know the work deeply, you go into the detail, and you can see you're losing people- You go blank, or say yes too fast, when someone senior challenges you- Someone else presents your idea, and the room goes with them- Leaders say your work is great, and the opportunity still goes to someone else- You've been told you're too direct, too quiet or too emotionalEach episode brings real workplace stories, the exact words to use, and conversations wi
Hosted by
Ivna Curi | Leadership Communication & Influence
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