Podcast
Psychology at Work | Career Success, Leadership, Communication Skills
Hosted by Melody Wilding, LMSW · EN
How do you nail that sweet spot of career success where confidence in yourself meets influence with others? That's what best-selling author, therapist, and executive coach Melody Wilding explores in every episode of Psychology at Work.
If you're a driven professional who's great at your job but knows that talent alone isn't enough to get ahead, this show is for you. Subscribe for insightful, practical advice on topics ranging from office politics, communication and executive presence, managing up, emotional intelligence, self-advocacy, and more.
Advance your career, strengthen your leadership, and feel calmer, clearer, and more in control while doing it.
36episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
106. The Niceness Trap: How Being a Good Girl Is Still Capping Your Career with Dr. Lois Frankel
1w ago00:38:49Tap to summarizeTwenty years after Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office changed the conversation about women in the workplace, the mistakes it exposes are still happening, but now in new settings, with higher stakes, and sometimes in subtler forms than ever before.In this episode, Melody sits down with Dr. Lois Frankel, the bestselling author behind the Nice Girls series, to talk about what has (and hasn't) changed for ambitious women navigating today's corporate landscape. You’ll Discover: The specific seating choice most women make in meetings that suggests they don't belong at the table before they've even said a wordWhat to say when someone takes your idea and presents it as their own A two-step approach for shutting down gaslighting colleagues About Dr. Lois FrankelShe is the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling business bible for women, Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office. Other books in the "nice girls" series include Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich, Nice Girls Just Don’t Get It and an audiobook, Nice Girls Don’t Speak Up or Stand Out. She has appeared on the Today Show and Larry King Live and has been interviewed in the Wall Street Journal, People magazine, Cosmopolitan, and other print media. Her client list includes Amgen, ARCO, BP, Goldman Sachs, Lockheed Martin, McKinsey & Co., Cedars Sinai Medical Center, and The Walt Disney Company. https://drloisfrankel.com/ Top of Mind & Tapped for MoreLIVE VIRTUAL EVENT July 15th @ 5pm EThttps://melodywilding.com/training/Connect with Melody:FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
Transcribe →105. Hope is the Strategy with Deloitte’s First Chief Wellbeing Officer, Jen Fisher
2w ago00:36:11Tap to summarizeWhat if the thing standing between you and the career and leadership impact you want isn't strategy, skill, or hustle…but hope? In this episode, Melody sits down with Jen Fisher, former Chief Wellbeing Officer at Deloitte and author of Hope is The Strategy. Jen shares the science of hope as a performance skill – one that the research shows directly predicts goal achievement, drives higher performance, builds stronger teams, and creates the kind of leadership presence that people genuinely want to follow.You’ll Discover: The sneaky ways hopelessness creeps into high-performing teams (and why most leaders miss it until it's too late)What Jen did with her team during a major corporate restructuring that kept them connected, motivated, and growing with almost no resourcesThe one question that trains your brain to find possibility instead of defaulting to threat and catastropheThe three most powerful words you as a leader can say right now to instantly build and disarm skepticsAbout Jen FisherJen Fisher is a global authority on workplace wellbeing, the bestselling author of Work Better Together, and the founder and CEO of The Wellbeing Team. As Deloitte US's first chief wellbeing officer, she pioneered a groundbreaking, human-centered approach to work that gained international recognition and reshaped how organizations view wellbeing. https://www.jen-fisher.com/ Top of Mind & Tapped for MoreLIVE VIRTUAL EVENT July 15th @ 5pm EThttps://melodywilding.com/training/Connect with Melody:FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
Transcribe →104. Fear of the Unknown: Better Career Decisions in Uncertain Times with Simone Stolzoff
3w ago00:40:16Tap to summarizeHow do you deal with uncertainty at a time when our careers and work have never felt less certain? Melody sits down with journalist Simone Stolzoff to talk about his brand new book How to Not Know and how to stop letting anxiety about the unknown dictate your decisions. You’ll Discover: The #1 reason your tolerance for uncertainty is getting worse (and it has nothing to do with stress or your job)How to identify which of three “certainty traps” is holding you back from career opportunitiesThe surprising thing smart people do that makes professional uncertainty so much worseOne question that cuts through analysis paralysis faster than any pro/con list ever willAbout SimoneSimone Stolzoff is a journalist and author from San Francisco. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and on the TED stage. His debut book, The Good Enough Job, was translated into over a dozen languages. https://simonestolzoff.com/ Top of Mind & Tapped for MoreLIVE VIRTUAL EVENT July 15th @ 5pm EThttps://melodywilding.com/training/Connect with Melody:FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
Transcribe →103. The #1 Truth About Influence That I Learned the Hard Way
4w ago00:18:22Tap to summarize🚨 LAST CHANCE: Speak Like a Senior Leader™ gives you the system to become a crisp, clear, confident communicator and be handed dream opportunities before you ever ask for them. Secure your spot: https://speaklikeaseniorleader.comToday, Melody is sharing something personal — the number one truth about influence she had to discover herself, the hard way. And why understanding it might be the most important thing you do for your communication and your career this year.Top of Mind & Tapped for MoreLIVE VIRTUAL EVENT July 15th @ 5pm EThttps://melodywilding.com/training/Connect with Melody:FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
Transcribe →102. Executive Presence in the Public Sector: How One Government Leader Got a First-of-Its-Kind Initiative Approved FAST
May 1200:34:02Tap to summarize📢DOORS CLOSING: Speak Like a Senior Leader™ gives you the system to become a crisp, clear, confident communicator and be handed dream opportunities before you ever ask for them. Secure your spot: https://speaklikeaseniorleader.comWork outside the traditional corporate or tech world and wonder how to apply executive level communication to YOUR world? This episode is for you. Speak Like a Senior Leader™ alumni, Roxanne – a leader in the government – shares how she went from feeling a constant and confusing disconnect between the strength of her work and how it was landing to finally getting buy-in for a first-of-its-kind initiative her organization had never attempted before.What You’ll Discover"I just need to find the right words." Wrong! Here's what's really standing between you and the buy-in you needThe #1 communication tweak that makes bureaucratic, risk-averse decision-makers lean in instead of stall (no, it’s not adding data)The question every senior stakeholder is silently asking while you're presenting — and how to answer it before they doTop of Mind & Tapped for MoreLIVE VIRTUAL EVENT July 15th @ 5pm EThttps://melodywilding.com/training/Connect with Melody:FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
Transcribe →101. Become an Enterprise-Level Communicator: Speak Without Freezing Up (And Get Executives to Listen)
May 800:35:26Tap to summarize📢 DOORS OPEN: Speak Like a Senior Leader™ gives you the system to become a crisp, clear, confident communicator and be handed dream opportunities before you ever ask for them. Secure your spot: https://speaklikeaseniorleader.comBecoming an enterprise-level communicator goes far beyond commanding the room. It means translating complex work across functions, reading what different audiences actually need to hear, and driving alignment across stakeholders who all want different things — and most high performers have never been shown exactly how to do it. In this episode, Speak Like a Senior Leader™ alumni Daryl shares how he did it. What You’ll Discover: The communication habit that makes you look reactive (even when you're completely on top of your work)What executives are really asking when they say "can you bring me up to speed?" (it's almost never what you think)How Daryl went from dreading pushback to being the person who sets the tone for how the entire team navigates disagreementHow to bring stakeholders up to speed on changing priorities without sounding like you're making excusesTop of Mind & Tapped for MoreLIVE VIRTUAL EVENT July 15th @ 5pm EThttps://melodywilding.com/training/Connect with Melody:FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
Transcribe →100. Effortless Executive Presence [FULL TRAINING]
May 601:35:33Tap to summarize👉 Doors for Speak Like a Senior Leader close May 15th, 2026. Apply by May 8th and you'll get a bonus: two personalized strategic communication reviews. The bonus expires Friday, May 8th at 11:59pm ET. In this replay of Effortless Executive Presence, I cover:Why you do NOT need to be a naturally gifted speaker to have charisma (and what actually creates it)A 3-second test that reveals whether you sound like a credible senior leader – or a lower-level executorThe exact swap a Chief People Officer used to go from hearing "I'm not sure you're competent" to earning a bonus worth 1.45x her salary. Same role. Same boss.The #1 thing you're not saying in status meetings that's keeping you stuck in promotion purgatoryApply to Speak Like a Senior Leader at https://www.speaklikeaseniorleader.com/.Top of Mind & Tapped for MoreLIVE VIRTUAL EVENT July 15th @ 5pm EThttps://melodywilding.com/training/Connect with Melody:FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
Transcribe →99. Why Some People Get Promoted Everywhere They Go (It's Not What You Think)
Apr 2900:20:16Tap to summarizeThis episode is a wake-up call and it might be the most important one you hear this year. See, most people are passive passengers in their careers, waiting to be noticed, developed, and rewarded by an organization that was never designed to put them first. In this episode, Melody breaks down the #1 mindset shift separating true high performers from everyone else – one with the potential to completely change the way you think about your career, your skills, and what it actually means to own your professional future.What You’ll Discover:The "conveyor belt" career model your parents handed you (how it’s now costing you $100k+)What Gallup's latest research says about the "restless but immobile" workforce – and how to make sure that's not youThe six-letter word that instantly signals a passive career mindsetThe #1 thing professionals who thrive in any economy, at any company, all have in common (no, it’s not talent, tenure, hustle, or their network)Top of Mind & Tapped for MoreLIVE VIRTUAL EVENT July 15th @ 5pm EThttps://melodywilding.com/training/Connect with Melody:FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
Transcribe →98. STOP Getting Talked Over in Meetings. Here’s How
Apr 2200:24:35Tap to summarizeGetting talked over in meetings is one of the most common (and most demoralizing) experiences professionals face at work. But what if there's something in your communication style that's unintentionally inviting interruptions? In this episode, Melody unpacks the REAL reasons you keep getting cut off – and none of them have anything to do with developing a thicker skin.What You’ll Discover: How a Senior Account Director went from getting derailed every meeting to being described as "in command"The #1 thing you should ask yourself before opening your mouth (99% of people get this wrong)Specific phrases to reclaim the conversation when someone talks over you, without looking defensiveTop of Mind & Tapped for MoreLIVE VIRTUAL EVENT July 15th @ 5pm EThttps://melodywilding.com/training/Connect with Melody:FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
Transcribe →97. “You’re Too in the Weeds”: Fix Perception When Leadership Says You’re Too Detailed
Apr 1500:34:38Tap to summarize“You’re too detailed." "You’re too in the weeds." "You need to zoom out." You've heard the feedback, but nobody’s told you what to actually DO about it. Reshmi, a program manager at a major CPG company, was hearing this constantly despite being one of the most capable people on her team. In this conversation, she shares specific changes that turned "she's too tactical" into "I love how you framed that" feedback from executives.You’ll discover: Why "delegate more" is bad advice for the "too in the weeds" problemHow to stop over-preparing for every meeting and still sound intelligent and informedC-Suite goes on tangents? Here’s how to get the conversation back on trackTop of Mind & Tapped for MoreLIVE VIRTUAL EVENT July 15th @ 5pm EThttps://melodywilding.com/training/Connect with Melody:FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work WeeklyGet on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™Get on the Waitlist for Lead from WithinGet Melody's new book, Managing Up
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