In this intentionally timed Mental Health Awareness Month episode, Barb welcomes Dr. Ashley Smith back to the Constructive Behaviors Podcast for a conversation around mental health, construction culture, and leadership… while simultaneously tying it to the Sticky and Slippery Rungs from Barb’s book, OneLadder to Leadership.

This episode explores:

• the mental load of constantly feeling like you have to prove yourself

• chronic stress, burnout, and impression management

• the pressure many people in construction feel to just “handle it”

• unconscious expectations around toughness and emotional suppression

• and how we can begin redefining strength, resilience, and mental health in the industry

Connect/Follow Dr. Ashley:

LinkedIn - YouTube - TikTok - Facebook - Instagram

Subscribe to Dr. Ashley's Newsletter HERE

Dr. Ashley's Book: The Way I See It

Grab Barb’s Book: OneLadder to Leadership

Looking for a Construction Industry Speaker that has Real Construction Experience? Someone your audience can truly relate to? Check out my Keynotes at ConstructionBarb.com and let's start a conversation to ensure your next event gets rave reviews! Barb@ConstructionBarb.com

Have you heard of the 14%ers Quarterly Subscription box curated SPECIFICALLY for Women in Construction? The cart is now open for the July box! but only 20 new spots were opened. Grab yours NOW! https://www.14percenters.com/

What happens when a driven, ambitious woman who has spent her entire career climbing suddenly realizes she needs to stop long enough to breathe?

In this episode, Barb sits down with construction industry leader, speaker, and business advisor Kelli Paskert for a conversation that starts with leadership ambition and career growth… and eventually lands on something many high performers struggle with: learning how to step away.

Kelli shares her journey from corporate America to the construction industry, the bold decision to openly state her leadership ambitions early in her career, the resistance she encountered along the way, and the sponsors who helped pull her up the ladder. She also opens up about what happened when she finally walked away from a long-term executive role and why taking time between careers became one of the healthiest decisions she has ever made.

Although this episode centers around the idea of "Take the Vacation," if you are familiar with Barb's book, OneLadder to Leadership, you will recognize several real-world examples of the Missing, Broken Sticky, & Slippery Rungs discussed throughout the book:

• women communicating ambition and career goals

• sponsorship and advocacy

• leadership perception

• confidence vs. arrogance

• navigating leadership as women in predominantly male industries

• and the importance of visibility during the climb

This conversation gives you the opportunity to hear what those ladder dynamics sound like in real life through Kelli's personal experiences and reflections. Whether you are climbing the ladder yourself, leading others, or simply trying to figure out how to build a successful career without losing yourself in the process, this episode delivers honest conversation, laughter, insight, and probably a few moments that hit closer to home than expected.

Listen now and then... schedule the vacation!

Connect with Kelli on LinkedIn

Check out her website

Purchase Barb's book, OneLadder to Leadership

Looking for a Construction Industry Speaker that has Real Construction Experience? Someone your audience can truly relate to? Check out my Keynotes at ConstructionBarb.com and let's start a conversation to ensure your next event gets rave reviews! Barb@ConstructionBarb.com

Have you heard of the 14%ers Quarterly Subscription box curated SPECIFICALLY for Women in Construction? The cart is now open for the July box! but only 20 new spots were opened. Grab yours NOW! https://www.14percenters.com/

You may have heard about my new book, OneLadder to Leadership. Now here’s your chance to get a closer look inside!

In this quick 15-minute episode, I walk you through the core concepts behind the book and why I wrote it.

Whether you are working to move up or leading others who are, this episode will start to connect some dots.

I’ll cover:

• What is actually keeping people from advancing, even when they are delivering results
• The four types of “rungs” that create challenges on the leadership ladder.
• Real patterns I have seen across roles, from tradeswoman to executive
• Where climbers may be unknowingly holding themselves back
• Where leaders may be unintentionally creating or reinforcing these challenges

This episode is a high-level overview designed to give you insight into the concepts inside the book and encourage you to take a deep dive into Oneladder.

If this episode resonates, you can find OneLadder to Leadership on Amazon and Audible.

Looking for a Construction Industry Speaker that has Real Construction Experience? Someone your audience can truly relate to? Check out my Keynotes at ConstructionBarb.com and let's start a conversation to ensure your next event gets rave reviews! Barb@ConstructionBarb.com

Have you heard of the 14%ers Quarterly Subscription box curated SPECIFICALLY for Women in Construction? The cart is now open for the July box! but only 20 new spots were opened. Grab yours NOW! https://www.14percenters.com/