In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Janalee Emmer to talk about something that sounds simple… but is anything but:

Authenticity at work.

Not performative confidence.Not copying someone else’s leadership style.But cultivating your voice — and learning when and how to use it.

Janalee’s career didn’t unfold in a straight line. She explored. She kept multiple tracks open. She built depth in her field while also gaining varied experience. And eventually, she stepped into the role of Director of the BYU Museum of Art — a role that required her to lead in her own way, not her predecessor’s.

That distinction matters more than we think.

Four Key Takeaways:

1. Depth gives you flexibility.Janalee didn’t stay broad and vague. She chose a field — art history — and then built experience within it. Specificity made her credible. Variety made her adaptable. That combination is what made future leadership possible.

2. Authentic doesn’t mean unfiltered.You don’t interact with a university president the same way you interact with your three-year-old niece — and that doesn’t make you fake. It makes you wise. Authenticity isn’t sameness. It’s alignment with your values across different settings.

3. Practice your voice before the stakes are high.Janalee talked about learning to speak up respectfully in lower-stakes settings so she could lead effectively in higher-stakes ones. Tone matters. Mission alignment matters. And listening deeply — even when you disagree — builds long-term trust.

4. Faith requires daily recommitment.From leaving a tenure-track “dream job” to navigating seasons that didn’t look the way she expected, Janalee shared a powerful reminder: faith is fragile if we don’t choose it daily. Sometimes the most faithful thing we can ask is, What is the one needful thing right now?

One moment that stayed with me was her reframing of the Mary and Martha story.

We often praise Mary and quietly criticize Martha.But what if we are both?

What if leadership requires stillness and action?Focus and forward movement?

That balance — at work and at home — is part of finding your voice.

In this episode, we cover:

[00:02:00] Finding direction without narrowing too soon[00:08:30] Leadership authenticity vs. imitation[00:19:15] Speaking up in high-stakes environments[00:25:00] Navigating disappointment professionally[00:31:15] Faith, unexpected paths, and daily recommitment[00:40:45] Mary & Martha reframed for working women[00:44:03] “You are doing better than you think.”

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit calledtotheworkforce.substack.com

S2 E2 Finding Your Leadership Voice