You've been told to “think more strategically,” but has anyone ever actually told you what that means? Or why women get that feedback more often than men? Has anyone ever acknowledged to you that this feedback isn't accurate? Likely, your answer to all of these questions is "no."

In this episode, I talk about strategy what actually is (hint: it's not the same thing as a goal), I cover a simple framework for understanding what should be expected of you (strategically) at each level of your career, and I dive into some research on why women are consistently rated as less “strategic” than men early in their careers, even when they're outperforming them on almost everything else. I also revisit my own story of being passed over for a promotion based on this exact feedback.

Finally, I spell out what you can do when you receive this feedback, but it doesn't match your reality.

Sources cited in this episode:

Northouse, P.G. (2015). Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Sage.

Zenger, J. (2021, March 24). The Extremely Curious Case Of Women's Strategic Thinking. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackzenger/2021/03/24/the-extremely-curious-case-of-womens-strategic-thinking/

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If the information contained in this episode gave you something to think about, Windrose Coaching and Consulting offers career and leadership skills mentoring and coaching to individuals seeking self-improvement. We also offer consulting services for small and micro businesses. To learn more about how we work, see our Services page.

Not ready to jump into services just yet? Start with our downloadable guide Communicate with Confidence: 8 Tips to Enhance Your Communication Skills and Increase Your Credibility.

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Instagram: @windrosecoachingandconsulting

Threads: @windrosecoachingandconsulting

For business inquiries: GlassCeilingSmashedPod@gmail.com

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We communicate every single day through meetings, emails, conversations, and passing comments we don't even think twice about. The problem is, most of us have never been taught how to actually communicate WELL.

In this episode, I talk about five communication habits that change how people perceive you and respond to you.

In this episode I cover:

1. Why speaking in absolutes undermines your credibility
2. How one small word swap can change how your message is received
3. The filler word habit that's making you sound less confident than you are
4. What your body language says that your words don't
5. Why most of us are so much worse at listening than we realize, and what we can actually do about it

I go into even more detail on these 5 topics, plus 3 additional tips in my Effective Communication Reference Guide. The guide also includes before-and-after examples and practice prompts for all 8 tips. You can find the downloadable guide here: Communicate with Confidence: 8 Tips to Enhance Your Communication Skills and Increase Your Credibility.

If the information contained in this episode gave you something to think about, Windrose Coaching and Consulting offers career and leadership skills mentoring and coaching to individuals seeking self-improvement. We also offer consulting services for small and micro businesses. To learn more about how we work, see our Services page.

Follow us on socials:

Substack: Inner Work, Outer Leadership

Instagram: @windrosecoachingandconsulting

Threads: @windrosecoachingandconsulting

For business inquiries: GlassCeilingSmashedPod@gmail.com

Send us Fan Mail

Employee engagement in the U.S. hit a ten-year low in 2024. So if you've been feeling like something's off with the motivational vibes right now, you're right.

In this episode, I talk about what's happening with motivation and engagement right now, why motivation matters, and what a motivation reset looks like.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why individual motivation dies and the question to ask yourself when you're struggling
• Why celebrating small wins matters when you're trying to rebuild momentum
• Six steps to reset a team
• Why diagnosing the problem before trying to fix it is important
• How to rebuild trust and psychological safety after a team has been through a tough time
• Why alignment on vision isn't automatic and how to fix it

Sources cited in this episode:

Meister, A. & Toegel, I. (2025). 6 Steps to Reset a Demotivated Team. Harvard Business Review. Published July 8, 2025.

gallup.com/workplace/654911/employee-engagement-sinks-year-low.aspx

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode, and please leave a review - It helps more than you realize!

If the information contained in this episode gave you something to think about, Windrose Coaching and Consulting offers career and leadership skills mentoring and coaching to individuals seeking self-improvement. We also offer consulting services for small and micro businesses. To learn more about how we work, see our Services page.

Not ready to jump into services just yet? Start with our downloadable guide Communicate with Confidence: 8 Tips to Enhance Your Communication Skills and Increase Your Credibility.

Follow us on socials:

Substack: Inner Work, Outer Leadership

Instagram: @windrosecoachingandconsulting

Threads: @windrosecoachingandconsulting

For business inquiries: GlassCeilingSmashedPod@gmail.com

Send us Fan Mail

Glass Ceiling, Smashed has arrived.

A man repeats your idea in a meeting and gets the credit. You rewrite an email multiple times because you don't want "confident" to come across as "difficult." You get passed over for a promotion you earned. If any of that rings true, this show is for you.

In this first episode, Windrose Coaching and Consulting founder Lauren Erbicella introduces Glass Ceiling, Smashed: a podcast about business, communication, leadership, and corporate life for women who want to climb the ladder without losing themselves along the way. Lauren shares details of her 20+ years of professional experience, plus the story of watching a promotion she earned slip out of her fingers and only to get handed to two men instead. She'll also cover what's coming: episodes discussing tools for hard conversations, feedback, team leadership, and career strategy, delivered in digestible pieces.

Follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode, and please leave a review - It helps more than you realize!

If this episode hit home, Windrose Coaching and Consulting offers career and leadership skills mentoring and coaching to individuals seeking self-improvement. We also offer consulting services for small and micro businesses. To learn more about how we work, see Services page.

Not ready to jump into services just yet? Start with our downloadable guide Communicate with Confidence: 8 Tips to Enhance Your Communication Skills and Increase Your Credibility.

Follow us on socials:

Substack: Inner Work, Outer Leadership

Instagram: @windrosecoachingandconsulting

Threads: @windrosecoachingandconsulting

For business inquiries: GlassCeilingSmashedPod@gmail.com

Send us Fan Mail