Description

What's the cost of the conversation you keep avoiding?

In this episode of Your E.P.I.C. Pursuit, I sit down with Tessa White, founder of The Job Doctor, former Fortune 50 executive, and author of The Unspoken Truths for Career Success, to explore how you can speak up, build trust, and navigate your career with greater confidence—without going silent or scorched earth.

Tessa brings practical tools and honest stories from her corporate career and entrepreneurial journey. We dig into the invisible communication shifts that come with career growth, why leaders need people who will tell them the truth, and how curiosity can turn a difficult conversation into a chance to solve a problem together.

In this conversation, we explore:

• The communication shifts behind career growth. Tessa introduces her five-stage career growth framework and explains why the way you communicate needs to evolve as your responsibilities grow.
• Three questions for difficult conversations. Learn how "Is that what you intended?" "Do you see it differently?" and "Is there something missing that would help me understand?" can help you replace blame with curiosity.
• Building a listening ecosystem. We discuss why senior leaders need to seek honest feedback from across the organization—not just rely on the reports that reach their desks. Choosing to speak up.

Tessa shares a personal experience of workplace exclusion and the decision to address the deeper issue rather than stay silent. Focusing on the few. We explore what it means to reassess your priorities, make room for life's hardest moments, and lead people as human beings—not just job titles.

One thought from Tessa that stays with me: "You can't always give 110%." That opens the door to a deeply personal conversation about family, mental health, and giving yourself—and the people around you—permission to step back when life needs your attention.

Tessa shares how a family crisis reshaped her priorities. Whether you're navigating a career transition, leading a team, or preparing for a conversation you've been putting off, this episode offers tools you can put to work—and a reminder that performance and humanity belong in the same conversation.

What's one question from this episode you could bring into your next difficult conversation? 

Content note: This episode includes discussion of mental health, suicide, and the impact on individuals and families. Please take care while listening. If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, support is available. In the United States, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7.

#YourEpicPursuit #TessaWhite #CareerGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #workplacecommunication