Podcast Summary: The Leadership Dance - Ep. 31: "From SNL to Producing Her Next Act, with Lindsay Shookus"

Podcast: The Leadership Dance
Host: Alissa Hsu Lynch
Guest: Lindsay Shookus
Date: December 15, 2025
Episode: 31

Overview

In this engaging episode, Alissa Hsu Lynch interviews Lindsay Shookus, an Emmy and Peabody award-winning television producer best known for two decades at Saturday Night Live. Now an executive coach, producer, and cofounder of “Women Work Effing Hard,” Shookus discusses transforming her career, building trust and relationships in high-pressure environments, and embracing new professional chapters. The conversation swings from SNL anecdotes to life and leadership lessons, with a focus on resilience, generosity, and authenticity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Childhood and Early Career Foundations

Timestamp: 02:06 – 03:09

• Shookus credits her Buffalo, NY upbringing for her groundedness and strong work ethic:

  “I might not have the experience… I might not have the same resume … but no one can outwork me.” (02:47, Shookus)

• Family modeled resilience: her mother shifted careers in her 40s, teaching Lindsay adaptability.

2. Breaking into SNL

Timestamp: 03:09 – 06:03

• Landing at SNL just five weeks after arriving in NYC was rooted in maintaining genuine connections; a homemade batch of cookies for a college internship boss led to her SNL interview:

  “I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies. And I'm pretty sure that changed the trajectory of my career.” (03:56, Shookus)

• SNL interviews valued personality fit as much as skills:

  “It's not necessarily like everyone who's smart works at SNL... [it’s about] who do you want to see walking down the hallway at three in the morning?” (05:24, Shookus referencing Lorne Michaels)

3. Learning & Growth at SNL

Timestamp: 06:09 – 10:23

• Started as assistant to the head of talent, quickly recognized for reliability and willingness to help.
• Early exposure to chaos and celebrity interactions:

  “I was like a job collector … Oh, you don't want to do that? I'm happy to do it.” (07:46, Shookus)

• Navigated being starstruck by treating “talent” as regular people.

4. Building Trust Quickly & Effectively

Timestamp: 10:23 – 13:15

• Shookus emphasizes curiosity, asking thoughtful questions, and deep listening using “all of me” (eyes, body language, intuition).
• On trust-building:

  “The fastest way to build trust is to treat somebody else like they're trustworthy.” (11:47, quoting Paul Zak)

• Sample question to break beyond the surface:

  “Hey, what's been the biggest highlight since the last time I saw you?” (12:22)

5. Coaching as a Calling

Timestamp: 13:32 – 14:55

• Coaching parallels her SNL days: quickly sizing up people’s needs and supporting their growth.
• Success hinges on a coachee’s willingness to improve:

  “The biggest part of making someone better is having that person want to get better. Right?” (13:36)

6. Handling High Pressure & Chaos

Timestamp: 17:24 – 19:54

• Perspective and experience enable her to stay centered:

  “I learned the pause is probably one of the most important parts of a solution.” (17:51)

• Reflects on the importance of failure and “post-traumatic growth”:

  “The hardest things in my life and the biggest challenges and the… worst failures… have ended up making me so much better.” (18:54)

7. Leadership, Failure, and Growth

Timestamp: 20:06 – 20:55

• True leadership emerges from “friction” and navigating difficulty:

  “They're all forged in friction... we don't read about them because it was easy… we read about them because they went through hard faith.” (20:18)

8. Rapid-Fire Personal Insights

Timestamp: 21:05 – 21:57

• Favorite SNL guest: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (“so sweet and generous of spirit”) (21:14)
• Self-description: “Compassion” (21:34)
• Essential ritual: “Snuggling with my daughter” (21:40)
• Leadership superpower: “I see the potential in everybody.” (21:49)
• Favorite dance song: “We Found Love” by Rihanna (21:54)

9. Career Pivots & Reinvention

Timestamp: 22:11 – 25:23

• On embracing change:

  “Go where there’s light and heat… be present to feel that.” (22:23) “Don’t build your next chapter and sit there and try and compare it line by line, stat by stat… Comparison kills it.” (22:51, advice from Alex Rodriguez)

• Encourages generosity and transformation over transaction in relationships:

  “I always say, build transformational relationships, not transactional ones.” (25:09)

10. Executive Producing “Alex vs. A Rod”

Timestamp: 25:40 – 27:49

• Drawn to A-Rod’s human, imperfect story and his willingness to be vulnerable instead of producing a “puff piece.”
• “I love a comeback story… you can really make a mistake… and yet, man, look what this man has done.” (26:27)

11. What’s Next?

Timestamp: 28:04 – 29:22

• Eager to explore multiple creative avenues (production, coaching, speaking, writing).
• Jokes about "choosing" difficult people only if she wants to; empowered by her own path.

12. Advice to Younger Self & Listeners

Timestamp: 29:22 – 31:55

• “Stay true to who you are… you want to be able to sleep at night.” (29:34)
• “You’re going to screw up a lot and… that’s okay; you’re bound to hit these walls and they’re going to make you better.” (29:46)
• On people-pleasing: “You can’t perfect your way through everybody liking you.” (30:03)
• “Receive the data” when people show you their character—don’t make excuses for them. (30:42)
• “Give yourself grace… the voice you’re going to hear the most in your entire life is your own voice. So it better be nice, it better be kind.” (31:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trust:
  “The fastest way to build trust is to treat somebody else like they're trustworthy.” (11:47, Lindsay Shookus, quoting Paul Zak)
• On Building Relationships:
  “Build transformational relationships, not transactional ones.” (25:09, Lindsay Shookus)
• On Reinvention:
  “Don’t build your next chapter and… try and compare it… Comparison kills it.” (22:51, advice via Alex Rodriguez)
• On Self-Compassion:
  “The voice you’re going to hear the most in your entire life is the voice in your own voice. So it better be nice, it better be kind.” (31:20, Lindsay Shookus)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:06 – How Buffalo roots influenced Lindsay’s work ethic
• 03:09 – The “cookie story” that led to SNL
• 06:09 – First days and “learning on the job” at SNL
• 10:23 – Building trust and rapport with big personalities
• 13:32 – What does “making people great” look like?
• 17:24 – Staying centered in chaos
• 20:06 – Learning from failures and “friction”
• 21:05 – Rapid-fire round (favorite guest, self-description, song, etc.)
• 22:11 – Navigating the leap from SNL to a new chapter
• 25:40 – Producing “Alex vs. A Rod”
• 28:04 – What’s next for Lindsay Shookus
• 29:31 – Advice to her younger self & listeners

Summary Tone

The episode is candid, warm, and practical—brimming with humility, humor, and actionable wisdom. Lindsay Shookus speaks directly, often self-deprecating, yet always encouraging, modeling the “transformational not transactional” leadership she advocates.

For Listeners

This episode is a must-listen for anyone facing a professional pivot, wishing to cultivate trust and authentic relationships, or seeking inspiration from a leader who has navigated celebrity culture while keeping her values intact. Lindsay Shookus’s stories provide both practical tactics and a reminder: trust your gut, give generously, accept the “wobbles,” and be open to your next act.