Summary:

In this powerful and compassionate episode, Lauren Kiproff-Downer returns to Leaderish for a heartfelt and strategic conversation about caregiving in the workplace. Whether you’re caring for aging parents, children, or someone else in your life, or leading teams who are, this episode is for you.

Lauren, an organizational psychologist and founder of Perpara Organizational Development Consulting, shares insights on how leaders and organizations can better support employees who are caregivers—an often invisible but growing demographic. From practical workplace policies to everyday leadership behaviors, we discuss how caregiving impacts engagement, mental health, and retention—and what we can do about it.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why caregiving is no longer just a personal issue—it’s a workforce reality
• What forward-thinking companies are doing to support caregiver employees
• The difference between policy and culture (and why both matter)
• Leadership actions that build trust and compassion
• How to recognize signs of burnout and create psychologically safe environments
• Tips for reviewing and updating outdated workplace policies
• The importance of seeing caregiving as a shared responsibility—not just HR’s job

Key Quote:

“Being a caregiver is not just a personal responsibility—it’s a part of who we are. And workplaces need to meet people where they are.” – Lauren Kiproff-Downer

Sequence:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:27 The Growing Importance of Caregiving

01:19 Introducing Lauren Kiproff-Downer

02:38 Current Trends and Challenges in Caregiving

05:17 Best Practices for Supporting Caregivers

11:21 Organizational Policies and Flexibility

23:45 Balancing Compassion and Accountability

36:20 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

37:39 Closing Remarks and Call to Action

🎧 Listen & Watch:

Available now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review—5 stars!

Resources & Guest Info:

We'd love to connect! You can find us in all of these places:

• Regina
• • Email: regina@collectivegrowthcc.com
  • Website: https://www.collectivegrowthcc.com
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginataute
  • Free Coaching Session: https://calendly.com/collective_growth/complimentary-30-min-coaching-session
• Doris
• • Email: doris@dunnwise.com
  • Website: https://www.dunnwise.com
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doris-dunn
  • Schedule a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/dunnwise-consulting/30min_discovery_call
• Lauren Kiproff-Downer
• • Email: perparaconsulting@gmail.com
  • Website: www.perparaconsulting.com
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenkiproff/

This week marks a special milestone—Doris and Regina’s one-year friendiversary! 🥂 What started with a walk turned into 20+ podcast episodes and a powerful partnership. In this energy-packed episode, they dive deep into the concept of nervous energy—what it feels like, how it shows up physically and mentally, and how to reframe it into something powerful and productive.

Whether you’re walking into a client meeting, standing on a stage, or just navigating a difficult conversation, nervous energy is often a sign you care. The key? Learn to harness it.

Key Takeaways:

• How nervous energy shows up in our bodies and minds—and why it’s not always bad
• Tips to shift from nervous to positive energy using breath, movement, and preparation
• How to avoid defensive or inappropriate reactions (aka, read the room!)
• The power of anchoring to your purpose and choosing behaviors that align with your best self
• Why you don’t have to be fearless to show up fully—you just have to be willing

💡 Favorite Quotes:

“Nervous energy is just untamed energy.”

“You don’t need to be fearless to show up fully—just willing.”

“If it’s a fart or a burp, it’s funny in my house… but not always in a client meeting.”

Plus: Walter (Regina’s dog) makes a noisy cameo, and Doris gets teased (again) for her lipstick mishap in S4E12.

🎧 Listen & Watch:

Available now on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review—5 stars if you’ve ever had sweaty palms before a big moment.

We'd love to connect! You can find us in all of these places:

• Regina
• • Email: regina@collectivegrowthcc.com
  • Website: https://www.collectivegrowthcc.com
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginataute
  • Free Coaching Session: https://calendly.com/collective_growth/complimentary-30-min-coaching-session
• Doris
• • Email: doris@dunnwise.com
  • Website: https://www.dunnwise.com
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doris-dunn
  • Schedule a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/dunnwise-consulting/30min_discovery_call

We would also love a review! Please take a moment to leave us a 5-star review and a comment.

If you are interested in being a guest and/or you have an engaging topic you want to learn more about, please email us at leaderishpodcast@gmail.com with details and how to contact you.

00:00 Anniversary Surprise

00:29 Reflecting on the Past Year

02:03 Positive Energy and Nervousness

02:51 Understanding Nervous Energy

04:06 Personal Experiences with Nervousness

05:25 Transforming Nervous Energy

06:54 Coaching Session Insights

11:00 Behavioral Strategies

15:42 Appropriate Use of Humor

18:02 Navigating Nervous Energy in Public Speaking

18:38 Transforming Nervousness into Positive Energy

20:26 Practical Tips for Managing Nervous Energy

23:33 The Role of Preparation in Overcoming Nervousness

25:07 Personal Experiences and Lessons Learned

32:54 Final Thoughts and Takeaways

In this episode of Leaderish, Doris and Regina discuss the ins and outs of non-profit board leadership, diving into the skills, challenges, and rewards of serving on these boards. Doris shares her 27 years of experience on various boards, offering valuable insights into the journey from committee volunteer to board president.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Different Types of Boards: Doris explains the differences between community, professional, and charity boards and how they each provide unique opportunities for personal and professional growth.
• The Benefits of Serving on a Board: From community impact to building leadership skills, Doris outlines how board service can help you grow as a leader and create meaningful change.
• Challenges of Board Leadership: The time commitment, accountability, and leadership demands of board roles are discussed, along with advice on managing those challenges effectively.
• How to Get Involved: Doris and Regina share actionable tips for getting started on a board, whether it’s through volunteering, joining a committee, or taking on leadership roles.
• Personal Growth Through Board Service: Doris emphasizes how serving on a board can enhance your leadership abilities and help you become a better leader in your corporate role.
• Building Relationships and Networking: Doris highlights the powerful connections you can make through volunteer work and board involvement.

Whether you’re looking to step into leadership or deepen your community involvement, this episode will inspire you to explore board opportunities that align with your passions and values.

We'd love to connect! You can find us in all of these places:

• Regina
• • Email: regina@collectivegrowthcc.com
  • Website: https://www.collectivegrowthcc.com
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginataute
  • Free Coaching Session: https://calendly.com/collective_growth/complimentary-30-min-coaching-session
• Doris
• • Email: doris@dunnwise.com
  • Website: https://www.dunnwise.com
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doris-dunn
  • Schedule a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/dunnwise-consulting/30min_discovery_call

We would also love a review! Please take a moment to leave us a 5-star review and a comment.

If you are interested in being a guest and/or you have an engaging topic you want to learn more about, please email us at leaderishpodcast@gmail.com with details and how to contact you.