The Work of You

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: *If you're able to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *In this milestone 50th episode, Jen is joined by her original Enneagram teacher and mentor, Diane Ring, for a full-circle conversation about the deep architecture of inner work. Diane brings three decades of experience coaching senior leaders to the discussion. They examine the Enneagram not just as a categorization tool, but as a "sense-making" GPS that can help accurately locate where someone is and provide a specific growth path to help move the "edges of a proverbial box".The conversation also dives into the "Core Gift" bridge, a framework that helps  distinguish between defensive personality strategies and the deeper "why" for being in the world. From real-world stories on shifting leader intensity to the introduction of EnneaEdge—an AI-supported Enneagram coaching experience designed for the "moments that matter"—this episode is an invitation to get out of your own echo chamber and engage with a professional mirror.In this episode, we explore:The Enneagram as a Leadership GPS: Understanding the framework as a map that points to where you currently are and provides a specific growth path to help you break out of automatic identities. Shifting from Intensity to Grounded Presence: By recognizing an automatic pattern of "intensity," a leader can experiment with "downshifting" to find a calmer, more productive way of engaging with their team.The Distinction Between Personality and Core Gift: While personality is a strategy system for self-protection, your core gift (such as attunement) is what you are uniquely called to give to the world.EnneaEdge | AI-Supported Enneagram Coaching: To solve the problem of "fall off" after leadership workshops, Diane created an AI coach designed to help professionals apply Enneagram insights when they are most likely to succumb to autopilot default patterns.The Work of You via Diane Ring:Find somebody with professional capabilities, a coach, mentor, or peer-support group, that can help you recognize and reflect on your patterns, motivations, and blind spots. The goal is to intentionally step outside your own echo chamber and build self-awareness through guided reflection.About the Guest: Diane Ring is an executive coach who has been bringing the Enneagram into the real work of leadership for 30 years. Through her company, Ring Results, she helps senior leaders and teams understand the deeper patterns that shape how they communicate, make decisions, handle pressure, and relate to others. Diane is known for making the Enneagram practical, relevant, and deeply useful—helping leaders see not only why they do what they do, but also the core gifts they are here to bring forward. She serves on the faculty of Integrative Enneagram Solutions and has presented several times at global Enneagram conferences. Diane is also the creator of EnneaEdge™, an AI-supported Enneagram coaching experience designed to help leaders apply insight in the moments that matter.Resources | Links:Download this Free Resource: Discover Your Hidden Layer of LeadershipGet Your Enneagram Report HereDiane's Company | Ring ResultsLinkedIn | Diane RingThe Work of You on SubstackInstagram | The Work of YouWebsite | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you're able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *In this episode, Jen shares a vulnerable personal moment of "standing in her personal power" by handing her book proposal to a New York Times bestselling author—an act that required overcoming her own inner code of playing it small. She explores the "cost of silence" and why declaring a vision is not a jinx, but rather a way to recruit the support and accountability needed to turn ideas into realized reality.Whether you are a high-achiever hiding a dream until success is guaranteed or a perfectionist waiting for the right moment, this conversation is for you. Jen breaks down how different Enneagram types uniquely self-sabotage by keeping their goals invisible and offers practical prompts to help you name your "meaty goals" loudly and proudly. This episode is for any leader ready to stop "building in the background" and start inviting others to walk alongside them in the work of you.In this episode, we explore:Declaring vs. Jinxing: Declaring a goal doesn't jinx it; it recruits others onto your "sidelines" to act as cheerleaders, coaches, or accountability buddies.The Power of "Naming It": Growth comes to those who learn to say the thing out loud—whether it is an observation, a vision, or a dream—even when it feels risky.Listening to the "Tiny Voice": Identifying the instinctual visions that have become difficult to ignore and moving them from your head onto paper.The Work of You - Reflective Prompts: I would encourage you to sit down for 30 minutes and journal with a couple of these prompts, feel free to come back to them and reflect as needed.1. What's one thing you've been working on quietly in the background, maybe just in your head, maybe you haven't even written it down yet? What would change if you said it out loud this week?2. What is something that makes you a little uncomfortable to even think about, but also feels so instinctually on point that it's really become difficult to ignore? 3. Once you've identified a few examples, just name it. You could give it a code name or just write it out in terms of a goal. See what happens once you allowed yourself to lean into this vision or allowed yourself to actually want this for yourself.Resources | Links:Download this Free Resource: Discover Your Hidden Layer of LeadershipSign Up for The Work of You MasterClass on 5/27Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About by Isabel KleeThe Work of You on SubstackInstagram | The Work of YouWebsite | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: *If you're able to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *In this episode, Jen is joined by Jason Sperling, Chief Creative Officer at INNOCEAN and author of Creative Directions, to discuss the messy, often terrifying transition from being a "man-child" creative to a responsible leader. They explore the unique architecture of those wired for commercial creativity: the outliers who find themselves suddenly responsible for the careers of others while navigating their own imposter syndrome.Jason shares some of his most vulnerable "growth moments," from a high-stakes DEI mistake at Meta Reality Labs to the "periodic peril" of launching the iPad under Steve Jobs. We dive deep into why "candor is kindness" and how the hardest part of leadership is often managing the unrealistic expectations we set for ourselves versus the realistic ones we must set for our teams. In this episode, we explore:The Transition from Talent to Leader: Why being great at your craft doesn't automatically make you great at managing people, and the emotional maturity required to bridge that gap.Managing Self-Expectations: Learning to separate the perfectionism you demand of yourself from the standards required to lead a healthy, functioning team.The Work of You via Jason Sperling: "Self-reflection helps build self awareness.""Continue to push and find areas where you can improve. It's very easy to fall into the things that you're talented in and that come naturally to you, but push on those areas where you feel you're deficient with the hope that when you do it long enough it does start to come natural or feel less uncomfortable."About the Guest:Jason Sperling joined INNOCEAN in February 2023 as the Chief Creative Officer, and has helped transform the global agency’s creative vision and leveled up the work. And for the first time in the agency's history they've been included on Ad Age's A-List. Prior to this he served as Global Executive Creative Director for Meta Reality Labs, overseeing the global marketing for VR, AR and Metaverse. During his career he’s developed iconic work for brands like Apple, Honda, TikTok, Amazon, Disney Pixar and UNICEF Worldwide. His work has put him on several industry best lists, including Adweek’s Top 30 Creative Directors and Campaign’s 40 over 40 Best Digital Creatives. And his commitment to culture recently landed him on AdWeek's list of Architects of Culture list. Jason’s most recent book, Creative Directions: Making the Move from Talent to Leader (HarperCollins Leadership, 2021) provides creative people with the tools to become effective creative leaders. Resources | Links: Jason's Book | Creative DirectionsJason's LinkedInThe Work of You MasterclassFree Download: Discover Your Hidden Layer of LeadershipThe Work of You on SubstackInstagram | The Work of YouWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you're able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *Leadership training often fails because it stays above the waterline, coaching the 10–20% of ourselves that is visible while ignoring the vast architecture running beneath. In this solo episode, Jen explores the Hidden Layer: the subconscious "inner code" of beliefs and core fears that act as the true drivers for how you show up. Using the human iceberg model, she shares why behaviors are usually just symptoms and how sustainable change requires working with the layers sitting deep below the surface.Jen also share a vulnerable letter to her 30-something self—a version of her who used "giving" as a strategy to feel lovable while remaining blind to the patterns that were exhausting her. By mapping Jen's own journey as an Enneagram 2, she shows  how naming your hidden layers creates the distance needed to move from automatic ego reactions back to your authentic essence.In this episode, we explore:The Human Iceberg: Why behaviors are symptoms of the subconscious architecture beneath the waterline.The Hidden Layer: A walkthrough of defense mechanisms, beliefs, motivations, and core fears.Transactional vs. Transformational Change: Why working only at the behavior level leads to temporary shifts.Ego vs. Essence: Shifting from automatic survival patterns to intentional self-leadership.The Work of You - Reflective Prompts: 1. Think of a challenging behavior you've been trying to change—if that behavior is just a symptom, what belief is sitting at the bottom of your iceberg driving it?2. Where is your "inner code" currently running the show without your awareness?3. If you could name the core fear your ego is trying to protect today, how would that awareness change your next move?Resources | Links:The Work of You MasterclassFree Download: Discover Your Hidden Layer of LeadershipGet Your Enneagram Report HereThe Work of You on SubstackInstagram | The Work of YouWebsite | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you're able to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *In this episode, Jen sits down with Dr. Anna Teerlinck — doctor of physical therapy, strength coach, and owner of Austin-based FemPower Physio — at 37 weeks pregnant and fully in motion. Anna works at the intersection of rehab and performance for women, and she brings the same unflinching honesty to this conversation that she brings to her clinical work.Together, they explore what it looks like to take care of yourself when life is full — not as a luxury, but as a non-negotiable. From the "glass balls vs. rubber balls" framework for managing competing roles, to ADHD and the 90-second rule, to why your physical body isn't a separate track from your inner work, this episode is warm, real, and quietly clarifying.In this episode, we explore:The "glass balls vs. rubber balls" framework — and why knowing the difference changes everythingWhy discipline is more sustainable than motivation when it comes to caring for your bodyHow ADHD shaped Anna's self-awareness and her ability to hold space for hard conversationsThe Work of You via Dr. Anna TeerlinckAnna's closing invitation was simple: stop seeing mistakes as failures. Is there an area of your life where you've "fallen off the wagon" and been hard on yourself about it? What would grace look like there?What's one small thing you can return to today — not perfectly, just intentionally?About the Guest:Dr. Anna Teerlinck is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, strength and conditioning coach, and weightlifting coach dedicated to helping women build resilient, high-performing bodies. She is the owner of Austin-based pelvic floor PT practice, Fempower Physio, where she blends clinical expertise with performance-focused training to support clients from rehab through return to sport and motherhood. As a wife and mom of two, Anna brings both professional insight and lived experience to her work, which has coincided with and is heavily influenced by her neurodivergence and past history of sexual trauma. Resources | Links:FemPower Physio — Dr. Anna Teerlinck's Austin-based pelvic floor PT practiceFemPower Physio Resources (Birth Prep Course coming soon)Anna's ADHD/Subtypes Book Rec Anna's ADHD/Relationship Book RecS2 Ep[13] | Interview with HeidiThe Work of You | SubstackWebsite | The Work of YouInstagram | The Work of YouSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you're able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *Uncertainty is everywhere—from AI upending industries to the constant noise of a volatile world—and it is easy for your system to feel like it’s under attack. In this solo episode, Jen explores why our brains react to instability with the same physiological intensity as physical danger by revisiting the SCARF model: status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, and fairness. When these domains feel threatened, our cognitive capacity drops and collaboration feels impossible—shifting us from leading with intention to merely trying to survive.The work of you through instability requires understanding your "invisible operating system"—the Enneagram instincts that drive your specific triggers and blind spots. This conversation is an invitation to move from a reactive threat state back to your authentic essence by naming triggers, using grounding mantras, and focusing on the few things you can actually control.In this episode, we explore:The SCARF Model revisited: Why your brain treats a threat to your status, certainty, autonomy, relatedness, or fairness with the same physiological intensity as physical danger.The cost of a threat response: How being triggered narrows your cognitive focus, kills creativity, and makes collaboration feel impossible.Enneagram instincts as a lens: Understanding how your dominant and repressed instincts shape your specific "hot buttons" during times of crisis.The invisible operating system: A look at how your instinct stacking can unintentionally trigger threat states in the people you lead.The power of a mantra: Shifting your focus toward what you can control when the world feels out of your handsThe Work of You - Reflective Prompts: Which of these five areas on the scarf model do you sense showing up for you a lot lately [Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, or Fairness]? What happens when one feels like it's threatened, how are you responding and what does that look like?Where do you notice that your repressed instinct maybe is creating some blindspots for you in yourself or how you lead?Which of the scarf domains is it activating in your dominant instinct the hardest?When the world feels uncertain, what is one small thing you can do to resource yourself before you react? Resources | Links:Podcast |Season 1 Episode 10Podcast | Season 1 Episode 14 Substack Article | Leading in Uncertainty Without Losing Yourself GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE for $60 -- Use this link and Jen will have access to work with you on your behind the scenes data should you choose.The Work of You MasterclassFree Download: Discover Your Hidden Layer of LeadershipInstagram | The Work of YouWebsite | The Work of YouSubstack | The Work of YouSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you're able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *In this episode, Jen sits down with Brannan Sirratt — book developer, coach, and owner of DevelopYourBook.com — for a conversation that starts with manuscripts and ends somewhere much deeper. Brannan spent two decades helping authors find the real book underneath the one they thought they were writing, and it turns out that process has a lot to teach the rest of us about self-awareness, creative courage, and what it actually means to show up.Brannan and Jen geek out over Enneagram types, swap notes on ADHD and neurodivergence, and dig into why writing — or any form of honest communication — might be one of the most underrated tools for personal growth. Brannan's closing challenge to listeners is simple and quietly profound: don't write yourself off. Just show up and see what happens.In this episode, we explore:How Brannan's late ADHD and autism-adjacent diagnoses became the missing puzzle piece in her own self-understandingThe Enneagram Type 5 with a social instinct — and what that looks like in a career built on helping others tell their storiesThe two questions that unlock any writing project (and any LinkedIn post)How showing up fully to your creative work opens you up in ways no personal growth framework can replicateThe Work of You via Brannan SirrattBrannan's closing invitation was to just show up — fully, imperfectly, and without waiting until you feel ready. Here are a few questions to sit with:Where in your life are you waiting to feel ready before you show up?Is there a form of creative expression — writing, speaking, making something — you've written yourself off from? What would it look like to try anyway?What do you want to communicate right now, and who is it really for?About the Guest:Brannan Sirratt is a book developer who makes sure both the author and the book have what they need to reach their most impacted reader. She's spent two decades working with hundreds of authors and collaborators across all levels of content creation. That's long enough to know that not all ideas take the same shape—and she believes that's a good thing. Her book development work begins with the Clarity Spectrum, an intention-first genre framework (that's been called "the Enneagram for Books"), then expands as needed to carry deep thinkers and changemakers through their own unique process—until both the author and their book have emerged.Resources | Links:Develop Your Book — Brannan's new site including the two-question quizBrannan Sirratt Substack GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE for $60 -- Use this link and Jen will have access to work with you on your behind the scenes data should you choose.The Work of You MasterclassFree Download: Discover Your Hidden Layer of LeadershipThe Work of You on SubstackWebsite | The Work of YouInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you’re able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *How we take care of our bodies is a direct reflection of how we lead ourselves. In this episode, Jen is joined by strength coach and close friend Heidi Jones to discuss why consistency—not complication—is the key to long-term wellness. They discuss the "outer work" of physical wellness and how it mirrors the leadership of self, while exploring the dangers of tying worth to productivity. From navigating early menopause to surviving childhood trauma, Heidi shares how staying adaptable and simplifying the basics allows us to thrive through every season of life.Heidi offers a refreshingly grounded philosophy: start simple, stay consistent, and let your habits mold around your life — not the other way around. Whether it’s movement, nutrition, sleep, or stress, the goal isn’t perfection. It’s building small, sustainable anchors that keep you steady through life’s inevitable seasons of change. In this episode, we explore:Shifting from corporate productivity to passion-driven wellnessThe "Big Boulders" of health: Movement, Nutrition, Sleep, and StressNavigating the seasons of life: Grief, motherhood, and hormonal changesThe Enneagram Type 2 journey: Managing people-pleasing and the pride/humility balanceThe importance of simple, repeatable habits for seismic impactThe Work of You Resource – via Heidi JonesPick one thing from one of the four wellness columns (Movement, Nutrition, Sleep, or Stress) and commit to doing it consistently for one week. Whether it’s hitting a step count, tracking water, or a set bedtime—let it "marinate" before adding more.About the Guest:Heidi is a strength and mobility coach and massage therapist in Austin, Texas. She began her career in advertising, moving to Chicago directly out of college, but a quarter-life crisis led her to leave agency life after a few years and begin exploring movement and healing through personal training and massage therapy. Her path wasn’t linear — she returned to corporate advertising for stability, eventually moved back to Texas, and didn’t fully leave the corporate world until after becoming a mother.Today, Heidi helps others build strength from the inside out, believing that physical health and fitness must be flexible, adaptable, and able to move with you through life’s seasons. Her approach isn’t rigid or flashy; she meets people where they are, offers practical tools, and leads with compassion, grace, and respect for the body’s wisdom.Resources | Links: Flow Birth & Body | Heidi's Company Instagram | Heidi JonesGET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts The Grow Effect Coaching Model The Work of You on SubstackInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you're able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *In this solo episode of The Work of You, Jen returns to one of her favorite topics — the Enneagram — with a fresh frame: the mirror and the map. She breaks down what your Enneagram type actually is (and isn't), how to make sense of your report, why your type doesn't change over time but you do, and what it looks like to move from self-awareness into real growth.This episode is part explainer, part invitation — and a great entry point for anyone who's recently received their Integrative9 report and isn't quite sure where to start. Because the Enneagram isn't a quiz. It's a strategy for becoming your most evolved, authentic self.In this episode, we explore:Why your Enneagram type doesn't change — but that doesn't mean you don'tThe mirror and the map: two distinct ways the Enneagram serves your growthEgo structure vs. core essence — and the invitation to lead from the latterHow to actually use your report without getting overwhelmed by itThe difference between behaviors and the deeper code running underneath themJen's personal Type 2 story: greeting cards, hidden expectations, and a real growth edgeThe Work of You Reflection:Spend a few moments reflecting on each of these questions. If you find yourself coming back to one or two in particular, block out about 30 minutes to really sit with the question and write about it in a journal:What in my Enneagram report immediately felt true — and what did I want to push back on?Where might my ego structure be quietly running the show in my leadership?What is one place I can see a familiar pattern playing out in my life right now?Am I using my results as a mirror yet? What would it mean to also use them as a map?What would it look like to lead more from my core essence this week?Resources | Links:GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE for $60 -- Use this link and Jen will have access to work with you on your behind the scenes data should you choose.The Work of You MasterclassFree Download: Discover Your Hidden Layer of LeadershipThe Grow Effect Coaching Model The Work of You on SubstackInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you’re able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *In this episode of The Work of You, Jen synthesizes core themes from her recent conversations with tech leaders Tony Ross (formerly of Apple) and KG Treser (LinkedIn); two leaders who are actively leading themselves. Jen breaks down four insights that came from two interviews: identity shifts of being a leader, the strategy of emotional regulation, systems and the role of our inner beliefs, and inner work as an ongoing practice vs a singular breakthrough.This episode is a great reminder that even between two leaders in different life stages, what makes them effective isn’t their resumes, it’s their willingness to examine themselves. That’s the real work of you.In this episode, we explore:Navigating the identity shift from expert "doer" to leader of leadersThe strategy of emotional regulation: Gas vs. BrakesHow your inner beliefs create—or limit—the systems you buildThe "Swiss Army Knife" approach to personal developmentThe definition of a Leadership Brand as a "promise of an experience"The Work of You Resource Spend a few moments reflecting on each of these questions. If you find yourself coming back to one or two in particular, block out about 30 minutes to really sit with the question and write about it in a journal:1. Where am I still leading from an old identity?2. What emotional pattern most disrupts my leadership?3. Where do I need more clarity instead of more speed?4. How does my energy land on others?5. What is my current mantra?Resources | Links: S2 Ep9 | Climbing What's in Front of You-- Interview with Tony RossS2 Ep 10 | Being Strategic in Leading You – Interview with KG Treser, LinkedInThe Leadership Gap No One Talks About | SubstackCenter for Creative LeadershipGET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you’re able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *In this week's episode, Jen has an open conversation with KG Treser, a Chief of Staff at LinkedIn, who is on a mission to democratize executive-level skills for everyone. We dive into the gritty reality of the “gear shift” required to move from being a high-performing doer to a strategic leader who leads with a point of view—even when you feel like you’re just making it up. KG opens up about her own “Swiss Army Knife” of inner work, exploring how everything from tarot cards to spot patterns to using AI for processing helps her navigate the high-pressure world of tech with authenticity and grace.In this episode, we explore:The pivotal "gear shift" from operator to strategistBreaking down strategy: goals, constraints, and the blend of IQ and EQUsing "clean systems" like the Enneagram and Tarot to identify blind spotsThe "Enneagram 2 Shadow" and the power of shifting worldviewsHow to use AI (Claude and Copilot) to navigate complex team dynamicsGrounding yourself in simple mantras to rewire core beliefsThe Work of You Resource- via KG TreserCome up with a simple and concise mantra to help you focus  and regroundAbout the Guest: KG is a Chief of Staff with over a decade of experience in strategy and operations, including nearly seven years at LinkedIn. She's also the creator of Chief of Staff School, a Substack newsletter and TikTok community with over 17,000 followers, where she breaks down strategy frameworks and workplace skills for professionals without an MBA. When she's not supporting senior leaders, she's helping other Chiefs of Staff and future executives level up through her coaching practice.Resources | Links: Chief of Staff School | KG's SubstackTikTok | Follow KGInstagram | Follow KG The Work of You | SubstackGET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you’re able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much.**In this Season Two conversation of The Work of You, Jen sits down with (now retired) executive leader Tony Ross to explore the inner growth behind a 20+ year career at Apple. Tony reflects on the pivotal transitions from individual contributor to manager to leader of leaders, sharing candid lessons on delegation, strategy, culture-building, and leading across global teams. From navigating cultural differences in China to hosting “gelato with Tony” sessions to become more approachable, he offers practical insight into the mindset shifts that elevate good leaders into impactful ones.The conversation also highlights the role of self-awareness and continuous development—both personally and organizationally—including how tools like the Enneagram can strengthen team dynamics. Now in retirement, Tony shares how witnessing his parents’ health journeys inspired him to prioritize adventure and meaning, leading him to climb Denali—twice. His closing message is simple and powerful (see below for his The Work of You advice) -- this is a must watch episode. In this episode, we explore:Why moving from individual contributor to manager requires a complete mindset overhaul, not just a promotionHow Tony reshaped team norms and built connections at scale to humanize executive leadership Using tools like the Enneagram and intentional development plans to fuel both personal growth and stronger team dynamicsWhat summiting Denali taught Tony about mindset, resilience, and taking bold steps before “someday” slips awayThe Work of You Resources -- via Tony RossStay Curious -- question things, take on new challenges, push yourself out of your comfort zone and set concrete goals each yearKeep Growing!About the Guest:With over 20 years of operational leadership at Apple, Tony brings deep expertise in global supply chain, planning, and product operations. He currently advises mission-driven startups like Crowdstake and serves on nonprofit boards focused on health and economic growth. His career began as a Navy engineering officer and continued through senior roles in the tech sector, supported by degrees from Cornell and Stanford GSB. Today Tony is dedicated to mentorship, community engagement, and amplifying organizations that create positive impact.Resources | Links: Simon Sinek Video  [where one of Tony's favoriate quotes lives]Enneagram for Teams The Work of You on SubstackThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: *If you’re able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *In this episode of The Work of You, Jen explores the idea that “two things can be true” and how the Enneagram can help us hold tension instead of collapsing into either-or thinking. She discusses how your Enneagram type reflects both strengths and shadow sides—and how awareness of both can expand your leadership and personal growth.Jen reframes your type not as a fixed identity or flaw, but as a strategy developed early in life. She shows how integrating new ways of being—balancing opposites like decisiveness and collaboration, ambition and inclusivity, or high standards and grace—can widen your emotional, behavioral, and relational bandwidth. Whether you’re new to the Enneagram or a seasoned enthusiast, this episode offers practical insights and reflective prompts to notice where your natural tendencies may limit impact and how to cultivate growth.In this episode, we explore:The importance of embracing two truths at onceHow to recognize strengths and shadow sidesUsing the Enneagram to expand capacityIntegrating new ways of being for growthThe Work of You Reflective Prompts:1. Who are you becoming as you loosen your grip on your strategy/Enneagram type?2. What is one area that you may be overusing or doubling down on (even if it's a strength)? Where might that be limiting the impact that you're having?3. What would it look like to integrate yourself towards one of these new ways of being? How can you play around with finding balance between your natural way of being?Resources | Links: S2 Ep7 | The Work of Holding Both - Interview with Nikki Shultz Follow The Work of You on Substack  GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts Follow The Work of You on Substack  The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you’re able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much.**In this personal conversation, Jen speaks with executive coach Nikki Shultz about the transformative power of the Enneagram and the importance of ongoing inner work. A certified teacher with CP Enneagram and former speaker at the International Enneagram Association Global Conference, Nikki shares how the system has shaped her leadership, marriage, and parenting. She emphasizes that real impact comes not from “adding value,” but from embodied presence and balanced growth—integrating head, heart, and body, as well as psychological and spiritual development.Reflecting as a Type Seven, Nikki shares how she once bypassed grief during a corporate layoff by defaulting to positivity, and how years later she allowed herself to fully process that loss. She contrasts this with a recent parenting moment where she stayed grounded and emotionally present with her son’s anger, choosing connection over control—evidence of her shift from living in her head to leading with heart and body.She closes with practical wisdom: question your assumptions (head), engage creativity to access emotion (heart), and invite honest feedback (body). True transformation, she reminds us, requires embracing both psychological and spiritual growth.In this episode, we explore:How lasting impact comes from embodied presence, not over-functioningActively engaging your own psychological and spiritual growth to truly support othersHow growth happens through integrating all three centers of intelligence and holding polarities rather than defaulting to one dominant patternPersonal transformation often requires confronting avoided emotionsThe importance of questioning your assumptions, engaging creativity to access the heart, and seeking honest feedback about how others experience you to support embodied, ongoing developmentAbout the Guest:Nikki Shultz is an executive coach and leadership development consultant working at the intersection of the Enneagram and adult development. She helps leaders see how personality both supports and limits growth, and builds the capacity to widen perspective and hold tension. Nikki is professionally certified with CP Enneagram, has spent over a decade in deep study of the Enneagram, and has been a speaker at the International Enneagram Association Global Conference.Nikki was introduced to The Work of You community through host Jen. They first met when Jen was co-leading a Shift Positive training and stayed in touch, becoming colleagues through Grow Collective, and now good friends through their shared love of the Enneagram.Resources | Links: Nikki's WebsiteNikki's LinkedIn GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts Follow on Substack The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you’re able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much.**What if this is the year you lead yourself? In this solo episode, I explore the powerful overlap between Chinese astrology and numerology as we move from a Year 9 of completion into a Year 1 of beginnings — and from the reflective energy of the Wood Snake into the bold momentum of the Fire Horse. This is about shifting from internal calibration and external expansion. I share a simple, grounded explanation of both systems and reflect on what it means to close a chapter well — and then consciously step into initiation, identity, and leadership. If last year asked you to release, refine, and shed old skin, this year may be inviting you to move with bold action. We talk about endings, courage, momentum, self-leadership, and what it really means to trust your own fire. If you’ve felt the shift from reflection to readiness… this episode is for you.Episode Topics•A simple explanation of Chinese astrology (animal + element)•What the Wood Snake symbolized and why 2025 was about refinement and release•The themes of a Numerology Year 9: completion, closure, and integration•How Year 9 prepares the ground for what’s next•Entering a Numerology Year 1: initiation, identity, and new beginnings•Fire Horse energy: momentum, visibility, courage, and self-trust•The shadow side of fire (burnout, reactivity, isolation)•Moving from shedding to starting•What it means to lead yourself this year•Reflective questions to help you identify what you’re ready to initiateThe Work of You Reflective Prompts: What is one dream big or small that I've been ignoring for far too long?Where am I ready to take initiative in work or in life?What is one forward step I'm ready to take right now?Resources | Links: S1 Ep1: Living in Alignment: The First Step to Leading YouSubstack: The Year of Becoming The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the showSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you’re able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *What happens when you stop waiting and begin choosing to take full responsibility for your life?This Season 2 episode explores the shift from being rescued to stepping into personal authority, and what it looks like to stay in the work without self-abandonment. After two very different conversations—with Damon D’Amore and Kat Gordon—I noticed they were pointing to the same deeper truth from opposite directions: no one can do this work for you, and that realization doesn’t have to be harsh. It can be grounding. Liberating. Clarifying.In this solo episode, I unpack the common threads between two interviews and explore what it actually means to move from waiting into responsibility—without self-abandonment, punishment, or isolation.This is an invitation to notice where you might still be waiting for clarity, permission, or certainty… and what becomes possible when you choose to stay in the work instead.In this episode, we explore:The hidden ways we wait to be rescued as adultsWhy “responsibility” doesn’t have to mean doing everything aloneThe difference between self-reliance and self-abandonmentHow Damon and Kat arrive at the same truth from different pathsInternal authority vs external validationResponsibility as the ability to respond, not a burdenWhat actually changes when you stop waiting and start choosingThe Work of You Reflective Prompts: Where am I still waiting to be rescued?What responsibility feels ready to be claimed? Where do you feel ready to step into your power of taking responsibility?What would staying in the work look like right now?Resources | Links: S2 Ep4 - With Kat GordonS2 - Ep 3 - With Damon D'AmoreThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the showSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you’re able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *In this Season Two conversation of The Work of You, Jen sits down with her own longtime client turned friend and colleague, Kat Gordon, for an honest exploration of what doing the work of you actually requires.Kat is the founder of the 3% Movement and co-founder of the 3% Coaching Coalition, and this conversation traces her personal evolution from creative leader to coach, Reiki master, and guide for others navigating growth, identity shifts, and leadership from the inside out. Together, Jen and Kat reflect on how coaching works not by fixing us, but by helping us notice the unseen beliefs, patterns, and “rocks in the backpack” we’ve been carrying for years.This episode explores the role of relationship in growth, why self-awareness precedes real change, and how staying with discomfort can unlock clarity, self-trust, and alignment. It’s a grounded, deeply human conversation about leadership, transformation, and learning how to lead yourself with more honesty and compassion.In this episode, we explore:•How Kat’s work with the 3% Movement evolved into the 3% Coaching Coalition•Why coaching became the next natural chapter in her leadership journey•The impact of long-term coaching relationships on personal and professional growth•What “live it to give it” means in coaching, leadership, and inner work•The role of active listening in transformation•How somatic practices like Reiki complement mindset-based coaching•Why journaling (morning pages) can accelerate self-awareness and clarity•The idea of “rocks in the backpack” and how unexamined beliefs weigh us down•Letting go of conditional worth and reclaiming self-trust•How the Enneagram can illuminate both our strengths and blind spots•Why growth isn’t about avoiding discomfort—but learning from itThe Work of You Resource -- via Kat GordonMorning Pages (inspired by Julia Cameron): first thing when you wake up take pen to paper and free forum write your thoughts for 3 pages worth. Bonus: Reflect back after a month or two on what was on your mind in the pervious month. What are you noticing? How are you growing? About the Guest:Kat Gordon is Founder of The 3% Movement and Co-Founder of The 3% Coaching Coalition. As an Executive Coach for Creative Leaders, Kat helps clients be the kind of leaders they wish they had as young creatives. Drawing upon her years as a diversity leader and recent study as a Reiki Master, Kat brings a level of soulfulness and inclusion to her work that help clients access their deepest knowing.  She was named one of "30 Most Creative Women in Advertising" by BusinessInsider and "Visionary of the Year" from Advertising Age. Resources | Links: Kat Gordon SubstackKat Gordon Website3% Coaching Coalition GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you’re able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *In this Season Two conversation of The Work of You, Jen sits down with longtime mentor, executive advisor, and storyteller Damon D’Amore for an unfiltered look at resilience, responsibility, and what real self-leadership demands.Drawing from four careers, multiple ventures, and decades working with C-suite leaders, Damon shares the lessons that shaped his philosophy: no one is coming to save you, meaning is yours to create, and growth requires daily honesty with yourself. Together, they explore mentorship, negative motivation, long-term discipline, and why doing the work means facing discomfort instead of bypassing it.This episode is a grounded, provocative conversation about inner accountability, surviving hard seasons, and learning how to show up fully — even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.In this episode, we explore:The mentors who shaped Damon’s career and leadership philosophyWhy “no one is coming to save you” is a call to empowerment, not fearNegative motivation and managing future regretThe role of mentorship in entrepreneurship and leadership growthGiving yourself grace without losing momentumThe “Rocky Test” and being radically honest with yourselfWhy resistance, imposter syndrome, and inner patterns always returnCreating structure, discipline, and accountability that actually worksDefending your time and working in focused seasonsWhy leaders need a clear point of view — and the courage to share itThe Work of You Resources -- via Damon D'Amore90-day planning and goal alignmentTime blocking and defending creative work timeMonthly self-reviews and accountability systemsStoic principles and emotional regulationAbout the Guest: Damon has spent more than 20 years working directly with C-Suite leaders in Fortune 500 firms. His work focuses on psychological performance, crisis leadership and storytelling to gain stakeholder advocacy. Damon speaks internationally on storytelling, legacy, women in leadership, resilience, mindset, and applying the lessons of entrepreneurship to corporate environments. More than half of Damon’s clients are female leaders in the C-Suite. Resources | Links: Damon's Results Over Regrets SubstackDamon's WebsiteGET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you’re able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me ** In this reflective solo episode of The Work of You, Jen slows things down to integrate the conversation from Season Two’s opening interview with her longtime coach, Eileen. Rather than focusing on quick takeaways, this episode explores what actually changes when you stay committed to inner work over time.Drawing from her own 15-year growth journey, Jen reflects on how real transformation happens through small, incremental shifts — shifts that are often invisible day to day, but undeniable when we pause, zoom out, and look back. She unpacks how patterns form in early childhood, how they operate on autopilot, and why awareness must come before meaningful change.This episode is an invitation to reflect on your own evolution: what patterns once shaped your choices, how they may have shifted over time, and what becomes possible when you stay with yourself — even when the work is slow, messy, and uncomfortable.In this episode, Jen explores:Why Season Two will alternate between guest interviews and reflective solo episodesWhat “staying in the work” actually looks like over the course of years, not weeksWhy inner work unfolds through micro-actions and small pivots over timeHow childhood patterns shape our beliefs about love, worth, and belongingThe three primary ways patterns form: mirroring, rebelling, or reactingWhy familiarity is often mistaken for healthy loveThe role of awareness in interrupting autopilot behaviorWhy patterns don’t disappear — they become mile markers that show growthHow noticing a pattern sooner is itself a sign of progressReflecting on who you were 10 years ago — and who you are nowReflection Prompts Offered in the Episode:Looking back to 2016 (or another meaningful year), what pattern or habit was shaping your life then?How has that pattern shifted — even slightly — over time?If it hasn’t shifted, what might be getting in the way of working with it?What could become possible if you addressed this pattern with curiosity instead of judgment?A Simple Three-Question Reflection Framework (from Eileen):What’s been accomplished?What’s missing?What’s possible?Resources | Links: POEM: “Autobiography in Five Chapters” (Portia Nelson)The Hoffman ProcessGET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailClick Here to Support: **If you’re able and willing to support this free independently produced podcast it would mean so much to me *To kick off season 2 of the podcast, I am beyond grateful to introduce this community my first guest, my own coach, Eileen Joyce.  When I created this podcast, part of its inspiration was to help people learn how to better understand themselves and to discover lots of pathways for growth. Essentially how to face the hard stuff, your inner work, or, as I like to call it -- the work of you. People love to say that humans don’t change, or can’t change. I beg to differ. The main reason I continue to be empowered to offer this podcast (and the content within) is because I’ve done nothing but lean into my inner work over the last 15 years. I don’t just talk the talk; I walk it. And wow have I changed.There is only one person, one witness, who's had an intimate front row seat to my growth and that’s my own coach, Eileen Joyce. Eileen is a Hudson Institute Certified Coach and Certified Grief Recovery Specialist. Her background includes a successful career in advertising/marketing and over two decades of experience working with people dealing with devastating loss and changes resulting from death, divorce, or serious illness, along with any of the over 40 major losses. Eileen’s mission is healing broken hearts through the Grief Recovery Method, and having the critical coaching conversations for identifying forward moving actions and ongoing support. This combination creates daily living with more aliveness, productivity, and joy. Episode Topics:How Eileen approaches her own inner workHow decades of coaching has helped Eileen evolve, especially with trustA pivotal growth moment for Eileen and her griefLearning about the Enneagram and what was insightful for Eileen After nearly 15 years of coaching Jen (me), what stands out and how have I changed?Eileen's favorite resource for doing the work of you.The Work of You Resource -- via Eileen JoycePlot defining moments of your life on a timeline graph; reflect on how those moments shaped who you are. Resources | Links: Eileen Joyce Coaching WebsiteEileen Joyce LinkedInThe Grief Recovery MethodGET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow Collective Support the show

Send some fan mailWelcome to Season 2 of The Work of You—the podcast about the leadership that matters most, the kind that starts from within. In Season 2, we’re expanding the conversation. Alongside solo reflections, I’m also sitting down with leaders, coaches, and change agents who are doing the real work—inside themselves and in the world—to explore what growth, self-awareness, and leadership actually require.This is about noticing the patterns shaping your choices and learning how to lead with more clarity, integrity, and alignment. If you’re a high-achieving human who’s ready to get honest about the patterns holding you back, this show is for you. Because this isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about finally understanding yourself so your choices, relationships, and leadership actually align to who you really are. Join us for Season Two of The Work of You starting Wednesday January 14th.Support the show

Send some fan mailWhat has this podcast brought me AND you in 2025?In this milestone episode, I pause to reflect on what this podcast became in 2025. What started as a curiosity-led experiment grew into a consistent practice of inquiry, meaning-making, and conversation around how we understand ourselves. I share how the podcast AND I have grown and of course, ask you to reflect on the same. I look ahead to what’s coming next. As we move into 2026, this podcast will begin to widen the circle with guest conversations, while staying rooted in the same core questions that have shaped the show from the beginning. This episode is an invitation to pause, integrate, and step forward with intention — together.Episode topics: The journey of season one of this podcast and what I've learned along the way and what surprised me. What did 2025 bring to you? Something you took on, let go of, and how are you better/different vs last year? I share mine too!Celebrating the wins, top episodes, my highlight reel, and the numbers for The Work of You - thank you!What I'm taking into 2026 for The Work of You and what I'm leaving behind - what to expect more of and what's new / coming in season 2. 2025 = year of the snake vs 2026 = year of the fire horse.Coaching Prompts: What is one insight you gained about yourself since listening to this podcast? What is one shift you've made as a result of this podcast? What did you take on / something new in 2025 [a skill, a practice, a routine, etc]?What is something you let go of or learned how to manage differently in 2025? How have you grown - one way that you're better or different vs 2024? What does your 2026 Fire Horse look like? Resources | Links: Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat is it like to be an Enneagram Head Type living in a mind seeking certainty and security?  In this episode we explore the Head Center of the Enneagram—Types 5, 6, and 7—who each in their own way seek certainty and create a sense of safety and security. We'll breakdown the core fear, primary motivation and core emotion to be managed for each type as well as how these translates in personality attributes and behaviors. We'll do a light touch on how each of the 3 instincts shade the core type as well as the pathways to growth for each type. Episode Topics:Type 5 - Specialist or Investigator: exploring the core fear, motivation, personality, 3 instincts and growth opportunity Type 6 - Loyalist or Skeptic: exploring the core fear, motivation, personality, 3 instincts and growth opportunity Type 7 - Enthusiast or Visionary: exploring the core fear, motivation, personality, 3 instincts and growth opportunity Coaching Prompts: What is resonating about your type's fear, motivation, personality? And, what is not resonating? Reflect on what's not, could it be a blindspot?When do you notice your motivation going into overdrive - where is it still trying to protect you?Where you have started to integrate toward one or both of your lines? Resources | Links: GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts Episode 5: Why The Enneagram is a Leadership Superpower (overview of the model). Episode 10: The 3 Instincts That Shape Your Enneagram TypeEpisode 15: Navigating Stress + Growth via the Enneagram (THE LINES) Part 1Episode 16: Navigating Stress + Growth via the Enneagram (THE LINES) Part 2Book | The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up: Find Your Path, Face your Shadow, Discover Your True Self By, Beatrice Chestnut, PhD and Uranio Peas, MMThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat is it like to be an Enneagram Heart Type moving through the world seeking connection and attention? In this episode we explore the Heart Center of the Enneagram—Types 2, 3, and 4—whose core drive is to be in connection and to feel seen. We'll breakdown the core fear, primary motivation and core emotion to be managed for each type as well as how these translates in personality attributes and behaviors. We'll do a light touch on how each of the 3 instincts shade the core type as well as the pathways to growth for each type. Episode Topics:Type 2 - Helper: exploring the core fear, motivation, personality, 3 instincts and growth opportunity Type 3 - Achiever: exploring the core fear, motivation, personality, 3 instincts and growth opportunity Type 4 - Intense Creative/Individualist: exploring the core fear, motivation, personality, 3 instincts and growth opportunity Coaching Prompts: Where or when do you notice the core fear of your type showing up? What’s one area of your life – at home or at work or in relationships – where your motivation is more in the lead than you? Where you have started to integrate toward one or both of your lines? Resources | Links: GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts Episode 5: Why The Enneagram is a Leadership Superpower (overview of the model). Episode 10: The 3 Instincts That Shape Your Enneagram TypeEpisode 15: Navigating Stress + Growth via the Enneagram (THE LINES) Part 1Episode 16: Navigating Stress + Growth via the Enneagram (THE LINES) Part 2Book | The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up: Find Your Path, Face your Shadow, Discover Your True Self By, Beatrice Chestnut, PhD and Uranio Peas, MMThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat is it like to be an Enneagram Body Type processing the world somatically and through instinct?Kicking off our 3-part series on diving deeper into all 9 Enneagram types, in this episode we explore the Body Center of the Enneagram—Types 8, 9, and 1—whose core drive is to have agency and autonomy over their world. We'll breakdown the core fear, primary motivation and core emotion to be managed for each type as well as how these translates in personality attributes and behaviors. We'll do a light touch on how each of the 3 instincts shade the core type as well as the pathways to growth for each type. Episode Topics:Type 8 - Controller/Challenger: exploring the core fear, motivation, personality, 3 instincts and growth opportunity Type 9 - Peacemaker: exploring the core fear, motivation, personality, 3 instincts and growth opportunity Type 1 - Reformer/Perfectionist: exploring the core fear, motivation, personality, 3 instincts and growth opportunity Coaching Prompts: Where or when do you notice the core fear of your type showing up? What’s one area of your life – at home or at work or in relationships – where your motivation is more in the lead than you? Where you have started to integrate toward one or both of your lines? Resources | Links: Website | The Enneagram 9 Types GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts Book | The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up: Find Your Path, Face your Shadow, Discover Your True Self By, Beatrice Chestnut, PhD and Uranio Peas, MMEpisode 5: Why The Enneagram is a Leadership Superpower (overview of the model). Episode 10: The 3 Instincts That Shape Your Enneagram TypeThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailPlay isn’t just something fun — it’s a core part of resilience, creativity, and healthy leadership. In this episode, we explore why play matters for adults, how it expands your capacity to handle stress (hello, Broaden-and-Build Theory), and simple ways to bring more lightness and joy into your daily life. A gentle reminder that doing “the work of you” doesn’t always have to be heavy… sometimes the most profound growth comes from letting yourself play again.Episode topics: Reflecting on your own inner narrative and beliefs around play - do they serve you / more play time?The power in play and the Broaden and Build Theory by Dr Barb FredricksonA personal story for what I noticed when I prioritized play Some ways to build play into your lifeCoaching Prompts: Joy Audit: List three activities that make your body feel looser, lighter, or more spacious. Which one can you do today for 10 minutes?”Scheduled Play Break: Block out once a week 30-60 min block out time to choose anything playful; no productivity allowed! Micro-Play Ritual: a mini hit/dose of joy or humor to infuse in various parts of your day both at work and at homeResources | Links: Broaden and Build TheoryInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailMilestone moment reaching episode 25 and perfect timing as it's falling over the week of Thanksgiving. I hold so much gratitude for my listeners and that's why this week I focus on what you want to hear! I've asked what you're curious to learn more about, questions you have, or resources you're looking for. Tune into this episode to hear all the answers and a special announcement for an upcoming Season 2 plan. Episodes I Refer Back to in the Q&A:Episode 4: Breaking Free from the Patterns that Hold You Back Episode 12: Building Your Leadership BrandEpisode 14: Moving Your Brain from Threat to Reward State (SCARF Model)Episode 15: Navigating Stress & Growth via the Enneagram (understanding the Lines) Episode 22: Understanding Your Team via the Enneagram (System Awareness)Resources | Links: Website | The Enneagram 9 Types GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat if our "mess" is not a detour to be taken and instead a doorway to welcome? Fresh off facilitating Enneagram work at the Soul Reset retreat I share themes that surfaced again and again: the power of community, what renewal actually looks like in real time, and why resilience is less about pushing through and more about softening into what’s true. I also open up about my own ongoing healing journey—what’s shifting, what’s still tender, and how the inner work continues to reshape the way I lead, connect, and care for myself. If you’re navigating a season of complexity or craving a deeper sense of clarity, this episode offers companionship, perspective, and gentle encouragement for whatever chapter you’re in.Episode topics: The Soul Reset retreat - a day of resilience, survival, rejuvenation My own "Wintering" season What does resilience and rejuvenation look like? Some practical considerations for how to generate more of this for you. Coaching Prompts: What season are you currently in? What mess have you been avoiding? What is it that you need to move through this season / mess?Who is a safe person for you to share how you really feel?  Resources | Links: SOUL RetreatGet Your Enneagram Type HereInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat does trust mean to you? What does it look like in practice? Trust is the foundation of every relationship — and every breakdown. But what “trust” means can look very different depending on your Enneagram type. In this episode, Jen unpacks what each type needs to feel safe and grounded in trust — and what may erode that trust without you even realizing it. You’ll also explore how each type can stretch toward greater openness and how understanding these differences can help any leader or team strengthen their foundation of connection.Episode topics: Trust can mean so many different things to different people - what does it mean to you?Your Enneagram type is a motivation formed to protect you from an underlying fear. Often when trust is broken that subconcious fear emerges; it can be helpful to understand how to build trust across the 9 core motivations.Even if you don't know your Enneagram type listen to the language to help you get real clear on what you need to build trust so you can then listen when others tell you what they need.9 types/motivations and what each needs to build trust, what can break trust, and what to remember about each Coaching Prompts: Reflect: What might change in your relationships if you stopped assuming everyone defines trust the same way? Journal: What helps me know I can trust someone? What makes me pull back?Notice: Your own tendencies when it comes to trust (is it immediate, does it take time, what are you seeking to reassure you etc)  Resources | Links: Enneagram for TeamsCo-create with Jen for Your TeamGet Your Enneagram Type HereInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailSelf awareness is essential yet without system awareness you can still be stuck in patterns.  In this episode, we explore how the Enneagram can be used not just for self awareness and growth but also for system awareness -- to understand and support the dynamics of your team. We’ll look at how different core motivations, communication patterns, and instinctual priorities shape how each person shows up at work. You’ll learn how to recognize common tension points, how to create more psychological safety, and how to build a team culture where people feel seen, valued, and able to contribute in their own way.Episode topics: People reveal insights into their type and instinct by what they protect and pursue; even without knowing someones type you can notice these patternsThe Enneagram is not a label; instead it sheds light on what drives you, and what you need to feel safe, effective, and connected?Self awareness vs system awareness and the values to bothThe 3 Enneagram centers and what they each need to trustCommon team communication misfires between centersThe role of the instincts and how this can imprint on a team's patternsPractical suggestions for how to both notice and name team patterns to build more system awareness This isn’t about treating everyone the same. It’s about understanding that what builds trust is NOT universal. Understanding ourselves helps;understanding the system transforms everything.Coaching Prompts: Notice: Try observing the team dynamics rather than just participating in themJournal: What do I need to feel safe in communication? Ask: What am I learning about my colleagues – what do they need to feel safe, effective, and connected?Resources | Links: Enneagram for TeamsEnneagram in a VUCA WorldCo-create with Jen for Your TeamInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat if the key to leading change wasn’t fixing what’s broken, but amplifying what’s already working?In this episode Jen explores how leaders can create a culture of growth by focusing on what’s already working — not just what’s broken. Using the Appreciative Inquiry framework, she walks through the 4D process: Discover, Dream, Design, and Destiny/Deliver, showing how each phase helps teams tap into their strengths, build collective vision, and sustain meaningful change. You’ll learn how shifting from problem-solving to possibility-thinking transforms engagement, connection, and trust — one appreciative question at a time.Episode topics: David Cooperrider's work in Appreciative InquiryAppreciative Inquiry vs Problem Solving approachMayo Clinic example 4 D Cycle: Discover, Dream, Design, Deliver/Destiny How an appreciative approach builds a culture of growth Applying Appreciative Inquiry in feedback -- the Shift Positive Method Coaching Prompts: When have I / we done this well before?What strengths made that possible?What could I / we design to repeat that success more often? Resources | Links: Appreciative Inquiry Book | Feedback Reimagined by Jen Ostrich + Peter Berridge Website | Shift Positive Method Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat if the most powerful thing a leader could do wasn't to have all the answers -- but to stay deeply human and authentic in the process? Leadership isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being real. In this heartfelt conversation, Jen shares stories and lessons on how to lead with empathy, curiosity, and courage, even when the world feels uncertain. Learn how human-centered leadership can transform not only your team but the culture you create together.Episode topics: What it means to lead with humanity and considering the role of empathy + authenticity + imperfection The leadership drift - when we lose our humanity Remembering the SCARF model and the role humanity plays in meeting these social needs [refer back to Episode 14]Practical invitations to lead with humanity Coaching Prompts: Where might you have traded being human for being efficient?What’s one relationship that could use a little more humanity from you right now?What's one small step you can take to move more toward humanity? Resources | Links: Episode 19: The Art of Real Connection Episode 14 - SCARF Model Book: Brené Brown The Gifts of Imperfection Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat if the way back to connection isn’t out there – but in here, in how we choose to show up to one another? The world feels fractured and more divided than ever before. AND, the technology and algorithms are actually keeping us in separate sandboxes instead of bringing us back together through perspectives and forums of shared connection. This episode explores how we can rediscover genuine connection — with ourselves and others — in a time when the world feels increasingly pulled apart. Jen reflects on the simple yet powerful acts that rebuild trust and empathy, and how connection is at the heart of leadership and personal growth. Episode topics: Why connection mattersWhat drives disconnection4 Ways to finding our way back to connection: Find + Focus on common ground:  through shared values, stories, interests Listen over Fix: Building empathy is an invitation to see the world through another’s experience without trying to solve it and instead just sit in it and listen with compassiomAsk over Assume: consider asking why or nudge someone to “say more” before you assume and potentially make up your own story that’s not grounded in the truth. This comes down to leading with curiosity and leaving the judgement at the door.Self Check: pause and consider how you take in information and is that getting in the way of you connecting with those who operate differently?Enneagram can help here:Ex: as a heart type – where are you taking something personally when in fact it’s nothing to do with you it’s about the other persons frame of reference EX as a head type – where are you seeking certainty and that’s creating a barrier to seeing another perspective? EX as a body type – where are you shutting down or pushing away because difference feels like a threat to your sense of autonomy and agency?Takeaways: We can’t build trust if we stop talking. Connection starts when we choose curiosity over certaintyWhen the world feels divided, it’s our small acts of empathy that bring it back together.Coaching Prompts: What would it look like to reconnect with one person you’ve pulled away from? What is one small shift you could make to move toward vs further away?  Take one small action this week to reach out or listen more deeply.  Resources | Links: The EnneagramInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWe are about four months into the podcast and this feels like a great time to check in with what the listeners are wondering about. I've asked what you're curious to learn more about, questions you have, or resources you're looking for. Tune into this episode to hear all the answers and a special announcement for an upcoming Season 2 plan. Resources | Links: Website | The Enneagram 9 Types GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts Book | Emotional Intelligence 2.0: by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat if we looked at our life in full chapters instead of by age or decade? How might that shift how we see our current chapter or ready us for our next? In this episode I discuss a model that's near and dear to my heart, created by the Hudson Institute of Coaching, and it's called The Cycle of Renewal. Understanding that this cycle is a full life chapter and it's made up of 4 different phases. We can toggle between Phase 1 and 2 for many years before dropping into Phase 3-4. Sometimes we may only complete this cycle once in a lifetime, for others, twice. This is a wonderful episode to listen and tune inward to identify where you are on the cycle and in your life / career overall.  Episode topics: Hudson Institute Cycle of Renewal: Phase 1: Got For It / Fully Aligned [Heroic Self]Phase 2: The Duldrums / Out of Sync [Disenchanted Self]Phase 3: Cocooning / Re-purposing [Inner Self ]Phase 4: Getting Ready / Exploring [Passionate Self]How often do we move through these 4 cycles?A mini transition is moving from Phase 2 to 1; a transformation occurs when moving from Phase 3 to 4Phase 1 and 4 (left side of the cycle) are more "Doing" energy where Phase 2 and 3 (right side of the cycle) are more "Being" energy; learning to meet yourself where you are. Coaching Prompts: Which Phase do you most relate to right now? Depending on which it is, are you comfortable staying here a while or is it time to consider some moves? What is one small step you can take to make progress where you or possibly guide you into the next phase? Resources | Links: Hudson | The Cycle of Renewal Hudson | Life Forward RetreatThe EnneagramInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat if you knew how to travel along the Enneagram map to manage your stress and to integrate new ways of being? Picking up where we left off in Ep 15 - Part 1, we are talking about looking at the Enneagram map and learning how to leverage both your Lines for growth and stress management. Your main type is only a prison if you choose not to grow and leverage the pathways of the map. The entire model is designed to help you grow and integrate beyond what your core motivation wants you to do so you are managing your motivation and it's not managing you. This episode, Part 2,  you'll learn how the Enneagram map works and then we'll look closely at the Head  (5,6,7) and Body (8,9,1) types [refer to Episode 15, Part 1 for the Heart Types (2,3,4). Episode topics: Lines: two lines pointing from your main type; opposite your type in some way. Development pathways and types to help us release strain; AND we also travel these lines under stressSee resources below for images of the Enneagram model to grasp the lines / wingsGrowth or Release of Strain: Leveraging the "high side" of a line type – accessible when we feel secure, safe, confident -- the most productive qualities or ways of being that allow for growth and personal integration Stress and Strain: Defaulting to patterns showing up as the "low side" of a line type – shows up when we feel insecure, unsafe, or under stress, the less productive qualities or patterns of a type, disintegration Coaching Prompts: What am I noticing and learning about myself when I feel insecure or stressed? What do I need in those moments? When I’m operating at my very best, what does that look like? Resources | Links: Part 1 of Navigating Stress + Growth Through The Enneagram [Ep 15]Integrative9: Lines and Integration CP Enneagram: Types and Lines/ArrowsBook | The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up: Find Your Path, Face your Shadow, Discover Your True Self By, Beatrice Chestnut, PhD and Uranio Peas, MMEpisode 5: Why The Enneagram is a Leadership Superpower (overview of the model). Episode 10: The 3 Instincts That Shape Your Enneagram TypeThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat if you knew how to travel along the Enneagram map to manage your stress and to integrate new ways of being? Today is about looking at the Enneagram map and learning how to leverage both your Wings and your Lines for growth and stress management. Your main type is only a prison if you choose not to grow and leverage the pathways of the map. The entire model is designed to help you grow and integrate beyond what your core motivation wants you to do so you are managing your motivation and it's not managing you. This episode is a Part 1 where you'll learn how the Enneagram map works and then we'll look closely at the Heart types (2,3,4) in stress and growth and in Part 2 [Episode 16] we'll cover the Head  (5,6,7) and Body (8,9,1) types. Episode topics: Wings: development access points; nothing you test into they are simply the neighboring types to your main type [EX: Type 1 has a Wing of 9 and 2]Lines: two lines pointing from your main type; opposite your type in some way. Development pathways and types to help us release strain; AND we also travel these lines under stressSee resources below for images of the Enneagram model to grasp the lines / wingsLines as Arrows: in the CP Enneagram model the lines are arrows and the thinking is to work the arrow going "against" your type then work the arrow moving away from your type [EX: Type 2 work the arrow against at 4 then work the arrow toward 8]Growth or Release of Strain: Leveraging the "high side" of a line type – accessible when we feel secure, safe, confident -- the most productive qualities or ways of being that allow for growth and personal integration Stress and Strain: Defaulting to patterns showing up as the "low side" of a line type – shows up when we feel insecure, unsafe, or under stress, the less productive qualities or patterns of a type, disintegration Coaching Prompts: When you’re under pressure, which 'low side' behaviors do you recognizeWhat might it look like to move to the high side of your alternative line and see how that changes up the stress cycle. Resources | Links: Integrative9: Lines and Integration CP Enneagram: Types and Lines/ArrowsBook | The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up: Find Your Path, Face your Shadow, Discover Your True Self By, Beatrice Chestnut, PhD and Uranio Peas, MMEpisode 5: Why The Enneagram is a Leadership Superpower (overview of the model). Episode 10: The 3 Instincts That Shape Your Enneagram TypeThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailHave you ever been in a meeting and suddenly felt tense, misunderstood, or even shut down without really knowing why? This will make sense of that moment. When uncertainty or conflict puts us in “threat mode,” our brains can sabotage trust and connection. In this episode, we’ll explore the SCARF model and learn simple strategies to shift out of threat and into reward—so you can lead, communicate, and respond with clarity instead of reactivity. SCARF = Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, Fairness. These are 5 domains that influence human social interactions and can trigger a threat or reward response in the brain.Episode topics: The brain’s threat response can hijack your ability to listen, process, and connect. Understanding the model helps you manage your own reactions AND lead others more effectively.Threat State: Amygdala activates → fight, flight, freeze, or fawn which leads to: narrow focus, reduction in creativity and are less inclined to collaborate.Reward State: Dopamine/oxytocin release → open, curious, collaborative, creative; broader perspective, higher trust, better problem solving.Key Insight: We can intentionally shift from threat to reward with awareness and small adjustments.Examples for how each of the 5 domains: Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, Fairness can be triggered and what to do to shift from threat to rewardTips for the in moment emotional regulation.Summary of 4 things to keep in mind to keep people in more of a reward state.Coaching Prompts: Which of the 5 areas are you most triggered by?Where in your work do you unintentionally trigger threat states for others?What’s one new strategy you can implement or practice to support moving people toward reward states?Notice your triggers this week and experiment with one shift.Resources | Links: Test: SCARF AssessmentThe NeuroLeadership Institute The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat if the way we speak, listen, and interpret has less to do with intention and more to do with our wiring? This episode is an invitation to become more dialed in to how you move through communication, how you listen, and what your tendencies are for interpreting others words or actions. Understanding your own communication lens is part of building that awareness and doing the work of you. Noticing when and why communication breaks down is also important. We can also assume the way we are wired to communicate is how others are wired. This can lead to misunderstandings – when I subconsciously assume that you are motivated by the same things that I am. OR that you instinctually listen for the same things that I do to ensure clarity, control, safety, or connection.  This episode is about understanding your own communication patterns so they don't derail your message or your relationships. Episode topics: Words are only part of the message — tone, energy, pacing, and assumptions are all part of communication. Misunderstandings in communication erode trust and connection. We need to see that conscious communication is the bridge.Two helpful layers from the Enneagram model to recognize communication patterns:  Core Type | Center of Intelligence – The lens you filter the world through and how you take in information.Instinctual Drive – Self-preservation, social, or sexual (one-on-one) instinct that determines your focus in interactions – what you’re most attuned to How each Center and Instinct approaches communication, listens for, and common misunderstandings by type. Coaching Prompts: What is the general theme that my communication leads with? What am listening carefully for and maybe distracted by when others are communicating? What communication pattern can I shift to ensure others hear and understand me? Resources | Links: Integrative Enneagram: Communication Styles of the 9 TypesImage of the Ladder of InferenceThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhy building your leadership brand is an inside-out job. Think about a brand you absolutely love — maybe it’s a coffee shop, a clothing label, or even your favorite airline. Got it? Now… why do you love it? Is it the quality? The way they treat you? The way you feel when you interact with them? This information is helpful to understand because it works the same for your brand -- your leadership brand. Whether you realize it or not, you already have a leadership brand — it’s how people experience you, what they expect from you, and the consistency (or inconsistency) they’ve come to count on. And just like with the brands you love, that brand is built — or broken — in every single interaction. This episode covers why your leadership brand matters and how to define your own brand experience through Jen's framework -- building your leadership brand house. Episode topics: What is a leadership brand and why does it matter?What is a brand experience - an example and a reflection on what experience you bring as a leader or a humanOverview of Jen's Brand House framework: Brand Purpose, Core Values, Brand Promise Watch out for brand erosion and what to manageExample of reflecting on my brand and how it's evolved over timeCoaching Prompts:If your team or peers were asked to describe you in three words, what do you think they’d say? What do you hope they’d say?” Choose one core value you hold. Write down one specific behavior or habit that shows others you live it.When was the last time your behavior didn’t match the leader you want to be? What triggered that, and what would you do differently next time? If you could rewrite your leadership story starting today, what’s one thing you’d keep exactly the same and one thing you’d change?” Resources | Links: Ted Talk: Start with Why -- how great leaders inspire action, Simon Sinek. Jen's Brand House: Downloadable PDFBrené Brown: Values List PDFThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat if a story you told yourself wasn’t true? What impact are the stories you tell yourself having on how you live and lead? In this episode Jen explores how the stories we tell ourselves shape our reality—and often get in the way of truth, trust, and connection. She dives into what are stories, a framework called Ladder of Inference, real-life examples, and self-coaching prompts to help manage your own stories. When we don’t have all the facts, our brain fills in the gaps with a story. This happens almost instantly — and unconsciously. We rarely realize we’re doing it. Then add emotion and it really sticks. Our brains prioritize emotionally charged narratives because they feel more “true” and memorable — even if they’re based on assumptions rather than facts. Then we start selecting data that supports our story and ignoring data that doesn’t — reinforcing the same belief loop. This is when the story starts to feel like the truth, even when it’s not at all grounded in facts -- and that's when it causes trouble. Episode topics: How our brains creates storiesA framework to show how we move from fact all the up through data, meaning, assumptions, conclusions, beliefs, action =>  Ladder of Interference An example of how we travel up through the Ladder of Interference How stories can impact conflict, culture, and relationshipsWays to break the cycle of story making Coaching Prompts:What’s a recent situation where you made assumptions about someone’s intentions?What do you know for sure? What are you assuming?How might the story you’re telling be shaping your current actions or reactions?What would shift if you replaced that story with a question?Resources | Links: Image of the Ladder of InferenceHBR Article: How to Use the Ladder of InferenceThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailUnpack the hidden drives that shape how your Enneagram type shows up in life and leadership. Have you ever met someone who shares your Enneagram type but acts nothing like you? You might have thought, ‘Wait — are we even the same type?’ That’s the magic of instincts. Instincts explain why two people of the same type can have totally different priorities, fears, and energy. This is another powerful aspect of doing the work of you – both your core motivation and your dominant instinct act automatically, like how patterns can work as we discussed in ep 4. The drive of your motivation is there to protect you and your instinct works similarly – it’s an unconscious reaction – operating like an animalistic instinct. Both your motivation and instinct can take over and run your life if you’re not aware and don’t learn to manage them…so it’s critical to understand which is your dominant instinct and then how to tame it. Be sure to check out Episode 5 to learn more about the Enneagram model and how it works.Episode topics: Each of us has all three instincts, but one is usually dominant, one is secondary, and one is least developed or in psychology terms it’s repressed.  1. Self-Preservation (SP): survival instinct – the drive is meeting individual needs, fear is not survivingFocus: well being, physical safety, comfort, security, structure. Energy is more conservative, serious, slow and grounded.2. Social (SO): drive is the group will prevail – everything for the greater good with a focus on ALL, fear of not belongingFocus: belonging, status, group dynamics, big ideas and ideals; energy: externalized, spread wide, can be scattered/confused, political 3. Sexual / One-to-One (SX): the drive is to bond and fuse; fear is not being wantedFocus: intimate or intense or energizing experiences and connections with another; energy is passionate, high energy, intense, competitive, faster pace Learn how to use your 3 instincts for growth and what each instinct looks like when combined with the main Enneagram type (1-9). Coaching Prompts:Which instinct feels most like home to you? If SF: play with going without one of your comforts or routines for a week or try focusing on someone else’s needs or desires over your own. If SX: play with moving at a slower pace and finding something to do alone that brings you joy. If SO: play with prioritizing you over everyone else and not advocating for anything on anyone else's' behalf for a little while.Consider which instinct feels least relatable to you and noodle on how that may be impacting you. Resources | Links: Episode 5: Why The Enneagram is a Leadership Superpower (overview of the model). Website | The Enneagram 9 Types GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts Book | The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up: Find Your Path, Face your Shadow, Discover Your True Self By, Beatrice Chestnut, PhD and Uranio Peas, MMThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailHow's it going for you -- doing the work of you? As we approach a milestone of 10 episodes coming up this week; I felt called to drop an "off the cuff" bonus episode. In it I share what came up for me after hearing Oprah interview the co-founder of the Hoffman Process, Raz Ingrasci. And this notion of substituting vibrancy and happiness with success. I also check in and reflect on where I'm at in my own inner work journey since attending Hoffman in 2016 and I nudge you to check in by asking -- how's it going for you since you started listening? This is hard work and it's important to me that we all feel and trust that we're in this together. Resources | Links:Oprah Podcast - Oprah on the Hoffman ProcessWebsite | The Hoffman ProcessThe Hoffman Quadrinity™ (scroll to bottom of this page to see the symbol/description of my tattoo)Website | The Enneagram 9 TypesGET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPEInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailToday’s episode is all about connecting with the Enneagram in a fresh and engaging way that sticks while helping you do the work of you by understanding yourself on a deeper level. Jen taps into the best qualities of each Enneagram type by bringing to light some of the most soulful, intuitive and lovable creatures: DOGS. As a passionate dog lover, Jen shares two breeds per type to cover the different expressions of each type’s energy. Be sure to listen closely for some special dog shoutouts (and check the @theworkofyou Instagram page for dog pics)! Remember – not all types look the same – when you add your dominant instinct into the mix it can look different. This is covered briefly in EP 5, and there will be a future episode that dives into the 3 instincts further and the 27 subtypes of the Enneagram. For now in this episode,  listen for what overarching pieces feel deeply resonate for you -- which dog breed are you? Episode topics: Dogs are perfect comparison -- because they embody traits we recognize and love. Reviewing each of the nine Enneagram types starting with the Heart Center (Types 2,3,4), then the Head Center (5,6,7) followed by the Body Center (8,9,1)Each type's core motivation is discussed and the personalities of two different dog breeds per type.Remember: Enneagram types (#1-9) are 100% based on your subconscious motivation; not outward behaviors. Coaching Prompts: Which dog description felt the most like you — and why?Was there a type or dog you felt resistance to? What might that reveal?How do you show up when you’re at your best — and what kind of dog would that be?Who in your life might be a totally different ‘dog type’ — and how does that shape your dynamic?Resources | Links: Website | The Enneagram 9 Types GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts Book | The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up: Find Your Path, Face your Shadow, Discover Your True Self By, Beatrice Chestnut, PhD and Uranio Peas, MMThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouGrow Collective | CoachingSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat if feedback felt inspiring and inviting vs something you dread or want to avoid? Feedback doesn’t have to feel like criticism. In this episode, Jen explores a new way to think about feedback using the Shift Positive® method — a strengths-based, solution-focused approach she co-created that's centered around creating a supportive feedback experience. Despite the best of intentions most of the feedback methods out there have not been designed with the brain in mind. We'll get into the neuroscience and why it makes feedback feel so hard. Then we'll do into 3 immediate shifts you can make in you approach to gathering and giving feedback to make it far more effective and energizing. Episode topics: Why we are triggered by feedback - the SCARF Model by David Rock and understanding Negativity BiasWhat makes strengths-focused feedback different from positive feedback How to give solution focused feedback vs problem focused to set someone up for successful changeWhy support is so important in feedback and how to give itExamples of how to give strengths, solutions, and supportive feedback Client story about their Shift Positive 360 How your Enneagram type plays a role in how you receive feedbackCoaching Prompts: What’s a piece of feedback that still lingers for you — and why?Ask someone who's important to you: What’s one thing I could do more of to be even more effective with you? Ask a small group of people you feel safe with for a strength-based reflection of you and one piece of solution focused feedback, one thing you can do differently. Resources | Links: Book | Feedback Reimagined by Jen Ostrich + Peter Berridge Website | Shift Positive Method Training | Get certified in the Shift Positive 360Website | Get Your Shift Positive 360 with a Grow Collective Coach Website | The Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouGrow Collective | CoachingSupport the show

Send some fan mailLife is not designed to go at alone; neither is change. This episode drops on my 49th birthday so what better than time than now to pause and reflect on some special people who have helped my growth journey. True growth happens in connection — through allies, mirrors, feedback, and belonging. This episode is a personal celebration and a coaching truth: we do not transform alone. If you're a dog lover - be sure to listen to the very end for Koko’s special birthday cameo. Episode topics: Growth and change is not designed to go at alone and how support can shift our perception of how daunting a challenge appears.The CP Enneagram retreat - how 25 peoples' own inner work reflected back to me where I had more work to do; specifically through body sensations and reactions, I discovered what's deeply repressed.A light tough on Trauma and how it shows up in our body first.Knowing who your people are ...who can show up for you in your darkest moments; and what does "showing up for you" look like? The power of coaching and having someone to witness your growth, share how far you've come and shine a light on some blindspots. A cameo from my best partner...my canine companion Koko, the role he's played in my life, and why he's the main character in my book manuscript: DATING IN DOG YEARS.Coaching Prompts: Who has helped you become who you are today?Where are you trying to change in isolation?Who might you ask to walk with you now?Invitation to send a thank-you message or a reminder to someone you love and let them know you're here. Resources | Links: Website | The Hoffman ProcessRetreat | CP Enneagram Book | The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D. Video | Koko Birthday ToastInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouGrow Collective | CoachingSupport the show

Send some fan mail What if the key to your growth isn't fixing what you've been told is a weakness or an area that you need to improve; instead, it's about doubling down on your strengths?Today's focus is on strengths and why they matter more than your weaknesses. Strengths are a foundation for self-leadership and growth. This is an invitation for you to, instead of obsessing over where you need to improve or what might be some of your weaknesses, to actually think even more than you ever have before about your strengths. The the work of you is about leading from your core, your authentic core, and your strengths are a huge part of that.Episode topics: What is a strength - considering when you are your most energized and most engaged (vs what you're good at vs bad at)  When you're in "flow" you are using your strengths Per Gallup, your strengths are talents that come more naturally to you and the more you use them in different ways the stronger they becomeStrengths can also be over-used, and like patterns, are things we need to know how to manage in certain situations or for specific desired outcomes.Jen shares one story of a client (Enneagram 7 + WOO strength) who needed to manage his strengths in order to help his team grow and develop further.Strengths as doorways to growth - how attaching a strength to another area where you'd like to improve can help you get there. Coaching Prompts: What are you doing during the times when you feel your most energized or engaged?Journal or spend some time thinking about when you feel like you are in flow - what's that like for you when you're working on something and time just flies by. Are there areas of strengths that you feel you're under leveraging? Particularly if you do take one of these assessments, look at what's in your top five, and ask yourself, am I  leveraging each of these strengths on a daily basis? And if not, where / how could I leverage one of them more?Resources | Links: Test | Gallup | CliftonStrengths Assessment LinkTest | VIA | Character Strengths Assessment LinkBook | StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom RathBook | Feedback Reimagined by Jen Ostrich + Peter Berridge Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailThe Enneagram is powerful, but also widely under leveraged and often misunderstood. Let's get into why it's your leadership superpower! This episode is an introduction to clarify what is the Enneagram (and all of its layers), what it's not AND how to use it in practice. ENNEA (greek word for nine) and GRAM (greek word for diagram) makes the 9 point symbol or diagram that is the Enneagram model. This episode is to ground you in the ways you can use the Enneagram in people and team development and all the aspects that help you to understand yourself. In future episodes we'll dive into the nine types in addition to going deeper in each of the layers of data that are available to do the work of you. Episode topics: The Enneagram looks at a core fear which drives a core motivation, your personality, and defense mechanisms -- all in your subconscious -- and then how all of this shows up in your behaviors (what you do consciously)  Think of the Enneagram as a developmental map Enneagram shows you your habitual patterns – by connecting the dots from your underlying beliefs centered around that core motivation and how that drives your behaviors. Explains the WHY (motivation) behind WHAT (behaviors) you doBased on we are 3-brain beings with 3 primary intelligences: IQ, our intellect (Head Center), EQ, our emotional intelligence reading our own feelings or emotions of others (Heart Center), and BQ, our body awareness using our five senses and inner knowing/gut instinct (Body/Gut Center) 3 centers of intelligence: how you take in and experience the worldThe Body/Gut Center = Types 8,9,1; primary need for autonomy and agencyThe Heart Center = 2,3,4; primary need for attention and connectionThe Head Center = 5,6,7; primary need for information/certainty for safetyInside each of the 9 types live 3 Instincts: Self Preservation, Social, and Sexual or One-on-One - we have all 3 instincts yet one is our dominant one that colors how we move through the world, then we have a secondary and a repressed instinctTaking an Enneagram assessment (see below) can provide this data and more to understand your belief system and how your motivation is driving your behaviors. Coaching Prompts:1. When you consider how you experience the world and take in information, what feels most important to you: having certainty and safety, being in connection and feeling seen/valued, or being in control of your environment? 2. What might your go-to strategy be to ensure this in your life today? Feeling safe, seen or in control?3. What patterns, ways of being or acting does this bring out in you – at home? At work? With your team? Resources: Website | The Enneagram 9 Types GET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPE -- includes the Instinct data; most ideal for professional use: leaders and teamsALT OPTION FOR TYPING - also includes the Instincts Book | The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up: Find Your Path, Face your Shadow, Discover Your True Self By, Beatrice Chestnut, PhD and Uranio Peas, MMThe Grow Effect Coaching Model Instagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouBook Enneagram Coaching Session with JenSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat if your patterns — even the ones that trip you up — are actually trying to protect you?Let's dive into personality patterns -- what they are, why they are essential to understand about ourselves and how to learn how to manage them. I share the single most profound developmental experience I've been through, the Hoffman Process (link below) where I came to terms with my patterns and learned how to manage them. We'll dive into how to identify yours and tools to learn how to recognize when and where they are showing up. Always remember -- you are NOT your patterns; they are a part of you...but not all of you. Episode topics: What are patterns - essentially automatic ways of being/acting/believing/feelingHow patterns come to be from early on as a child - what it looks like to adopt, rebel or react patternsYou are NOT your patterns - they are a part of you but not all of youPatterns were created as a protective measure - as a means to feel safe, loved, etc. Why it's so helpful to understand what yours is and how it's trying to protect you Example of 9 motivations and fears of the Enneagram - where your patterns liveMy experience in the Hoffman Process - where you learn how to face your patterns and learn how to manage them Specific questions and prompts to recognize your own patterns and how to manage them Coaching Prompts: What’s one pattern you keep running that feels familiar and automatic?When did this pattern first show up? What could it be protecting you from?What would it feel like to thank that pattern for the role it’s played to date and  then try a different response and see how that feels. Resources | Links: Website | The Hoffman ProcessThe Hoffman Quadrinity™ (scroll to bottom of this page to see the symbol/description of my tattoo)Website | The Enneagram 9 TypesGET YOUR ENNEAGRAM TYPEInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show

Send some fan mailWhat if growth doesn’t start with fixing, but instead with understanding ourselves?In this episode I reflect on how as a society it seems we're so focused on needing to fix ourselves. Or even thinking we are broken in some way aka in need of fixing. We look at the role fixed and growth mindset can play in this (and my own experience of falling off a bike at a young impressionable age) as well as negativity bias and other concepts brought to light via Positive Psychology. Ultimately I offer an invitation to rebrand the need or desire to fix yourself, and instead work to better understand yourself. This is far more valuable! Episode topics: Growth vs Fixed mindset and how it can influence your belief system How our brains are wired for negativity (negativity bias) and how this shows up everywhere we look, especially in feedback Positive Psychology and the infamous talk that Marty Seligman gave back in the late 90s about psychology being half baked (described by Marcus Buckingham - see below link)The role of self compassion and self acceptance; once we have self compassion we can begin to ask different questions and see ourselves differently A framework: the role our beliefs play in our behaviors: our beliefs generate our thoughts + emotions which drive our behaviors which in turn create our actions or outcomes Starting to see your belief system as your own inner code - the keys to unlocking you. This is where the Enneagram can help quite a bit. Try a Five Minute Reflection at the end of your day for 1-2 weeks. Consider how you showed up in different situations, times of day, various peopleCoaching Prompts: Where in your life do you feel like you’re always trying to 'fix' yourself?What if that behavior is protecting something deeper? Any ideas on what that could be? Can you meet that part of you with curiosity this week instead of criticism?Resources | Links: Book | Mindset by Carol DweckBook | Self Compassion by Kristen NeffArticle | Positive PsychologyBook | Negativity Bias via Feedback ReimaginedVideo | Marcus Buckingham / Positive PsychologyThe EnneagramInstagram | The Work of YouInstagram | Grow CollectiveWebsite | The Work of YouWebsite | Grow CollectiveSupport the show