Shows
Joyful LeaderBe a WeirdoDo you know what obstacle many people find when attempting to transform their work lives?
Not wanting to be weird.
It sounds funny, but it’s true. Claiming the work lives we want sometimes means doing things differently than the people around us, or out of sync with the prevailing culture of our workplaces.
Today on the podcast, we’re diving into this. And — fair warning (but also, you knew this was coming) — I’m going to try to convince you to be a weirdo. 🤓😍🥳
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the thi...
2026-04-3008 minJoyful LeaderOverdoing: The Game of Avoid + SeekOverdoing.
It doesn’t matter what. Work. Netflix. Pinot.
If you are taking an action over and over again that has a negative effect on your life, here’s what’s important to know: all overdoing is a pattern of avoidance + seeking.
We’re avoiding something (usually a feeling), and seeking something else (see earlier parenthetical). And often, this pattern has us trying to “fix” a “problem” with the entirely wrong solution.
On today’s podcast, we’re going to talk about how to bring this to light, and how to assess if we’re real...
2026-04-1612 min
The Daily Balance PodcastBeyond the Cycle: Breaking the Silence on PMDDWhat if the mood swings, anxiety, and exhaustion you’re pushing through… are actually your body asking for help? 👀⚠️On this powerful episode of The Daily Balance Podcast, Brittany and Adean Holloway sit down with Sandi MacDonald and Jennifer Gordon for a conversation that so many women need to hear 💜This isn’t just a conversation about hormones.It’s a wake-up call. 🚨PMDD is real.It’s serious.And it’s often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or completely dismissed.We’re talking about:The emotional and physical symptoms women are told to “just deal with” 🧠The diff...
2026-04-101h 04Joyful LeaderBusy Season, Crunch Time + Launch Week, OH MY!Most of us have experienced a “busy season” — either because our work flows in seasons, or because of project crunch time, or for some other “work is going to get wild for the next few weeks” reason.
The thing about busy season (no matter what you call it in your world) is that it has a sneaky way of keeping itself alive and relevant. Meaning the more we accept it as fact and brace for it, the more stressful it can become.
On today’s Joyful Leader, we’re breaking down why this is and what to do ins...
2026-04-0212 minJoyful LeaderGetting it All DoneIf you added up every incoming request, data point, question, and flashing blip that enters your brain daily, the number would be enormous.
Many of us walk around carrying these things as psychic weight, feeling pressure and burden about not being able to get it all done, or respond quickly enough.
Today, we’re going to break down some of the twisted socialization that’s at play here and peel back the layers of this situation, so that we can look at it from a different angle.
If you are one of the many...
2026-03-1918 minJoyful LeaderQuick heads up: podcast frequency updateHey everyone! After this week's episode, Joyful Leader will now be released every TWO weeks. See you in a couple of weeks.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your coach. You can also find me on Instagram @mimigordoncoaching.
Help other people find exactly what they’re looking for — take two minutes to rate and review Joyful Leader. Give the podcast 5 stars...
2026-03-0500 minJoyful LeaderOverwork Causes UnderperformanceOne of the things my clients and I find when coaching about working less is a subconscious belief that if they work less, they will somehow be worse at their jobs — their brains have linked the quantity of their hours to the quality of their performance.
Today on this podcast, we’re talking about why the exact opposite is true — how overwork actually causes underperformance, and why working less drives up the quality of our work.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to...
2026-03-0509 minJoyful LeaderThe Big Truth BlockerDo you know your own truth? About your relationship with your job, for example? Or to specific family members? Do you know the truth of what you want in your life, and what you don’t?
I’ve spoken to so many incredible people who feel like they’ve lost touch with what they want — they tell me they used to know, but can’t access it anymore . . . or that they feel overwhelmed when they even ask themselves the question.
In our lives, many, many things act as obstacles between us and the voice inside us. And th...
2026-02-2614 minJoyful LeaderFuture Orientation, Forward MomentumThere's a trait that's common amongst good leaders: future orientation and forward momentum.
These two things, when combined, create a sense of energy, agency, and self-esteem within leaders themselves and within the teams and organizations they serve.
Today on the podcast, we're going to break down what these things are, why they're helpful, and how you can embody them.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation...
2026-02-1913 minJoyful LeaderMeeting Your Own NeedsThere's a model that I bet you've seen many places. In relationships — whether those relationships are romantic, friendships, or employment-related — we have needs, and it’s the responsibility of other people to meet them.
This leaves us waiting for other people to notice our needs, which we may or may not have expressed. It leaves us waiting for them to take action to meet them. It leaves us waiting.
Today, I’m making a pitch for thinking about this differently. And for meeting your own needs through the action you take.
Thanks for listenin...
2026-02-1211 minJoyful LeaderTaking In vs. Taking OnWe all face challenges in our work and lives, and we all make mistakes and find ourselves in uncharted territories — situations that we’ve never encountered before, and so need to learn to navigate.
How well we navigate these moments, how quickly we move through their challenges, and how much we learn from them often comes down to one thing: what we make them mean.
I sometimes describe this as whether we “take on” a situation (making it mean something about who we are, wearing it like a weight) or “take in” a situation (absorbing the decision...
2026-02-0514 minJoyful LeaderCulture Eroder: Assumption of InclusionToday, we’re talking about another culture eroder: the assumption of inclusion.
Assuming inclusion is often innocent — it’s the assumption that if we haven’t heard that we’re being exclusive, we must be doing alright. And while this is sometimes true, often, we’re being unintentionally exclusive in ways we can’t see.
This can happen in the context of the diversity of our team, but in other ways, too. Some of which are quickly and easily corrected. We’ll talk about both, and I’ll also gush about one of my favorite humans (Viva Asmel...
2026-01-2915 minJoyful LeaderReceiving FeedbackWe’ve been talking all about feedback — focused mostly on giving.
Today, we’re turning around some of the tools we’ve discussed and applying them to receiving feedback. We’ll talk about how to identify the feedback you want, and how to make sure you get it.
And, we’ll discuss why getting in the habit of asking for feedback is so important — for you AND your team.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other reso...
2026-01-2218 minJoyful LeaderGiving Actionable FeedbackGood feedback is actionable. It allows the person hearing it to know exactly what to stop, start, or continue doing — immediately. And, the best feedback puts these things in the context of a larger goal or purpose.
Today we’re going to talk about all of this — a rich, saturated episode of feedback approaches + tools that you can begin using immediately.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to tal...
2026-01-1525 minJoyful LeaderThe Feedback MindsetIn our second feedback episode, we’re talking all about mindset.
Last week we talked about the mindset challenge — what stops us from giving feedback enough to create a habit. And this week, we’re talking about the feedback mindset to cultivate.
Whether a small note or a more weighty performance conversation, there are common ways to think about the feedback we’re giving.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule...
2026-01-0821 minJoyful LeaderFeedback: Why It’s Important and What Gets in The WayYour team’s results are created in your culture. » Your culture is built on trust. » Good feedback is essential for trust-building and growth. » Feedback is important.
Today is the first of several episodes all about feedback: why it’s important, what gets in the way, what makes feedback good, how to build a healthy feedback culture on your team, and strategies for delivering it well. Whew.
Tune in for this first episode, where we’ll talk about the purpose of feedback, its link to the cultural health of your team, and the biggest obstacle(s) to giving...
2026-01-0117 minJoyful LeaderA Lovely Little MetaphorToday’s podcast is a story.
I’m sharing a beautiful metaphor created by a client many years ago in a moment of new understanding.
It’s short, sweet, and a perfect reminder for everyone.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your coach. You can also find me on Instagram @mimigordoncoaching.
Help other people find exactly what t...
2025-12-2505 minJoyful LeaderValueLook up right now and you’ll likely find some reinforcement of the message that what makes you valuable in your professional life is the number of hours you put in. Or the number of tasks you check off your list.
Many of us are taught early in our careers that these are the things that determine our value. Which can create a never-ending chase toward longer hours and more tasks in order to offer greater value.
This is a hamster wheel. Today, we’re talking about what really determines the value we offer, and the...
2025-12-1813 minJoyful Leader"I don't know what I want."Today’s episode is all about a single sentence: I don’t know what I want.
This thought can create a truly paralyzing cycle of confusion and stuckness.
It’s vicious.
And it’s never, ever true.
I’ve worked with so many people who struggle with what they want: in their careers, relationships, etc. And every time this thought enters the picture, it does damage.
Let’s talk about what happens when we think this seemingly innocent and true little sentence. And what to do when it seems true, but is...
2025-12-1108 minJoyful LeaderEmotional ResistanceTrue facts: I didn’t really know how to process my emotions until I was in my 40s. Like many of my GenX cohorts, teaching and attending to emotional fluency hadn’t been part of my upbringing.
So when I experienced discomfort or emotional pain, I usually resisted it, pushing it away and finding a way to distract myself from it.
Today on the podcast, we’re talking about emotional resistance — the process of avoiding discomfort — and what it costs us. We’ll also talk about the huge gains that result from a deeper understanding of what we’r...
2025-12-0431 minJoyful LeaderCulture Eroder: Lack of AppreciationThe habits of an organization either build culture or erode it.
This episode is the next installment of the culture eroder (and corresponding culture builder) series. And today’s culture eroder is: lack of appreciation.
Lack of appreciation—whether it’s an organization-wide mindset or a simple lack of thanking people for their work—leads to disengagement, feeling unseen, and many other things that drag your team down.
Appreciation is really about awareness, and on today's episode, we’ll talk about what makes it hard for people to have the awareness they need to appreci...
2025-11-2720 minJoyful LeaderResistanceYou feel called, drawn, compelled. To a project, a role, a career.
And this thing that you feel drawn to, you also feel incredible resistance to.
You avoid putting yourself in the chair and doing the work.
You fight your way through doubt and overwhelm as you do it.
You dread the delivery of the thing you created.
Welcome to resistance — the force that often shows up between us and what we’re here on the planet to do.
What is it? Why is it? Is it norm...
2025-11-2012 minJoyful LeaderEmotional WeightWhat’s the most emotionally heavy team you’ve ever worked on?
You probably had an immediate answer to that question.
Heaviness, or emotional weight, is problematic within an organization.
On today’s Joyful Leader, we’re making sure it doesn’t weigh your team down.
We’ll talk about what it is, where it comes from, why it’s such a problem, and how to prevent it.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles...
2025-11-1312 minJoyful LeaderHow to Know What Your Team REALLY ThinksYou consider yourself an open-door leader.
And yet, there are times when you want more feedback from your team.
Maybe you get crickets when you ask for feedback after a meeting presentation. Or maybe when you ask your team for feedback about you as a manager, they tell you everything’s great.
Today on the podcast, we’re talking about how to get great, specific, actionable feedback from your team. And, how to create a culture of giving good feedback, even to your boss. 😉🤓
Tune in to start getting better feedback immediatel...
2025-11-0612 minJoyful LeaderCulture Eroder: Lack of OwnershipThe habits of an organization either build culture or erode it.
This episode is the next installment of the culture eroder (and corresponding culture builder) series. And today’s culture eroder is: lack of ownership.
Lack of ownership as a habit within an organization leads to a lot of heaviness — a sense of drag, protracted processes, and lack of clarity.
It usually happens innocently, and for some predictable reasons.
Today on the podcast, we’ll talk about what can cause it, what it looks like, and what to do about it.
...
2025-10-3012 minJoyful LeaderRole ModelingNo amount of training will help your team grow as much as what you show them.
Who you are as a leader — how you make decisions, who you consider when making them, how you approach problems, how you interact with other people — all of these things are more powerful teaching tools than any content or training outline.
Today on the podcast, we’re talking about the greatest teaching and mentoring tool there is: role modeling.
I recently had the joy of working with a group of exceptional role models, and in working with them...
2025-10-2318 minJoyful LeaderBeing Accountable for Your Team's AutonomyThere’s an honest mistake that organizations make when hiring capable people.
They think that someone’s capacity and depth of experience mean they will be autonomous and independent right away without a lot of guidance. Essentially, the mistake is thinking that hiring great people means you don’t have to do anything to set them up for success.
Today on the podcast, I’m talking about why this couldn’t be further from the truth, and sharing the concept of accountable autonomy — in which an organization takes accountability for enabling the autonomy of team members....
2025-10-1615 minJoyful LeaderThe Constant of CultureStep one: build a strong culture.
Step two: maintain a strong culture. Daily.
It’s common to think that culture is something you build once and lasts forever. But really, your culture is ever-evolving. With every season, new hire, initiative, and priority shift, your culture is changing.
Rather than being set-it-and-forget-it, maintaining a strong culture is a constant part of leadership.
Tune in to talk about what this means, and to hear one of my favorite anecdotes about maintaining culture.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of th...
2025-10-0912 minJoyful LeaderKnowing Your Reasons, Liking Your ReasonsThere are many rubrics and wisdom out in the world about decision-making.
Today on Joyful Leader, I’m sharing a tool to help you understand a decision before you make it. It’s a tool for deeper self-awareness and understanding.
Using this tool helps you make decisions and take actions in line with your values, priorities, and integrity. I mean, come on. Who doesn’t want that?
It’s something I use with clients all the time, and it’s a super simple process.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of th...
2025-10-0210 minJoyful LeaderCulture Eroder: Power LanguageWelcome to the next installment of the culture eroder (and corresponding culture builder) series. And today’s culture eroder is: power language.
Power language is anything that draws conspicuous attention to power differentials within your team or organization. Power language can take the form of using titles when it’s not necessary, building mystery around certain meetings or decisions that not everyone is a part of, or many other things.
Listen in to hear more about what power language is, why it erodes culture, and what different language builds culture.
Thanks for listening.
...
2025-09-2516 minJoyful LeaderWhy You're REALLY Not Giving FeedbackOn the horizon is a series of episodes all about feedback . . . get excited.
But today, we’re starting with a client request. Many of my clients have had a-ha moments in our conversations about feedback when we look at the real reason they’re not delivering feedback to a team member.
So today we’re going to talk about the shift that turns the reason we think we’re not giving feedback into the actual reason we’re not giving feedback.
And, how this one-word shift makes all the difference.
Thanks for listen...
2025-09-1814 minJoyful LeaderThe Values DifferentiatorIf you’ve listened to the podcast, you know that culture is my middle name. Culture — the values of your organization and the behaviors they drive — is queen.
Organizations with strong, intentional cultures generally adapt more quickly, ride economic and other waves more successfully, have better retention rates, and get more done.
On today’s episode, we’re talking about a few cultural/values differentiators. What creates a strong culture, and what sets a cultural superstar company apart?
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podca...
2025-09-1110 minJoyful LeaderThe Leader Model vs. The Work ModelAs a leader, there are three general components to your work experience: you, your team, and the work you do.
How you think about these things, and the priority you give them, can make a huge difference in how you experience your role overall and your day-to-day.
Today on the podcast, I’m contrasting two different models of leadership and the different results they create for you when you’re in one of these models.
If you’ve ever wanted to drive up engagement, effectiveness, positive team culture, work quality, you name it — today’s...
2025-09-0415 minJoyful LeaderCulture Eroder: IndecisionThe habits of an organization either build culture or erode it.
In our 2nd Culture Eroder (Culture Builder) episode, we’re talking about indecision.
Indecision is slow and heavy; it weighs down your organization rather than creating energy and momentum. It can look like a lack of ownership, putting off decisions, or taking too long to make them.
And the antidote is clear, right-speed, well-owned decision making.
We’ll talk about all of it on today’s episode.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we tal...
2025-08-2811 minJoyful LeaderThe Anatomy of a DecisionOn today’s Joyful Leader, we’re talking more about decisions.
Specifically, how to break down a decision into its component parts — or anatomy — and how doing this can help us make the right decisions in the right amount of time.
Whether you’re applying this to your own life, to your team, or to your company, this breakdown will be tangible and immediately implementable.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedul...
2025-08-2116 minJoyful LeaderDecisions: Yes AND NoDecisions are how we move forward and generate momentum in our lives and work. We decide, we move forward, we learn . . . lather, rinse, repeat.
Over the next few episodes, we’re going to talk about decisions — what they are, how to make them at the right pace, and what makes a decision good.
We’re starting with the idea of full decision-making. Or, acknowledging and understanding that every decision we make has a no that corresponds to its yes. And vice versa. So often, we make decisions for something without considering the cost. Or make a deci...
2025-08-1413 minJoyful LeaderTrust FundamentalsWhen I first began supervising people, one of the first components of my management training was a session all about building trust.
Trust is fundamental. It’s a building block of a healthy culture and a great work environment. It may just be THE building block — the thing without which you can’t create anything else.
It’s always stuck with me that this was the first thing I learned — correctly placed in order and importance.
Today, we’re going to talk about trust. I’ll share components of building trust, actions that build and main...
2025-08-0729 minJoyful LeaderCulture Eroder: Wasting TimeThe habits of an organization either build culture or erode it.
And today, we’re talking about a big culture eroder: wasting people’s time.
Time wasting often happens in some predictable buckets. Today on the podcast, we’ll dive into each of them so you can spot whether these are happening at your company or on your team. And nip them in the bud.
I’ll also share the culture builder that prevents time wasting and creates the culture you want, not one you don’t.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry f...
2025-07-3122 minJoyful LeaderGoals Are For Skill-Building, Not Worth-BuildingIn my community, we do goals. We love goals. Setting them, achieving them.
And, we do goals in some very specific ways. Today I’m sharing my rules for goals, starting with the biggest and most important: goals are about skill-building, and never, ever about worth-building.
Let’s talk more — about what this means, about the other goal rules that will help you have an amazing relationship to your own growth, and about how to apply the same rules to support, supervise and catapult the growth of your team.
Thanks for listening.
Hung...
2025-07-2410 minJoyful LeaderEmotional FuelOur emotions are like fuel in our tanks.
They take us where we need to go, and like actual fuel, have different properties.
Some burn clean for miles and miles. Others burn hot and fast and powerful over a short distance.
Today on Joyful Leader, we’re talking about emotions as fuel — why willpower is only useful to a point, and how to fill your tank with the fuel that will take you the distance.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podc...
2025-07-1718 minJoyful LeaderYour Job Is Not Your PurposeLast week we discussed purpose — and how it is always internal, never external. In our lives, we choose containers in which to express our purpose, including our jobs.
This week, we’re exploring a specific aspect of this — feeling like you’ve lost your connection to purpose at work.
If you’ve been there, you know. Feeling like the thing you're doing no longer lights you up like it used to.
Tune in to talk about why this happens. And of course, what to do about it.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry f...
2025-07-1014 minJoyful LeaderFinding Your PurposeI hear from a lot of people that they are looking for — or haven’t yet found — their purpose. In today’s episode, we’re going to clarify where purpose lives. And where it doesn’t.
So many of us think of purpose as a thing — something outside of ourselves that will light us up when we finally encounter it.
But this definition has us looking in the wrong place, and can make us feel like we’re on a never-ending, futile search for an elusive and magical grail. Boo to that.
Let’s look for purpose...
2025-07-0313 minJoyful LeaderRadarAn essential part of leadership is knowing where to direct your attention.
Given the number of things we have on our plates at any one time and our finite attention, how do we choose?
Today, we’re talking about a simple tool for directing your attention and honing your instincts about what to give your attention to.
This tool is also exceptional for developing your team members' leadership instincts and the collective awareness of your entire team.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on...
2025-06-2613 minJoyful LeaderObjectify Your Story About YourselfOn a regular basis, my clients bring up observations about the way their companies operate, often in the context of their leadership teams. They notice default communication styles, teaching styles, decision-making processes . . . and many other behaviors and attitudes that set tone and culture at their organizations.
And, sometimes, they feel like their observations are just about them. They’ll say, “It’s not a big deal, it’s just my preference, so it’s fine.”
And I always lovingly interrupt them with an emphatic, “Nope.”
Today, on the podcast, I will share why. Why is this a pr...
2025-06-1909 minJoyful LeaderConfidence vs. ArroganceConfidence and arrogance are VERY different things. They are both emotions, but come from different mindsets, and look very different.
AND YET. :) We sometimes confuse them. We think that our confidence will come across as arrogance. We also often think of arrogance as all bad, and judge it harshly in ourselves and others.
Today on Joyful Leader, we’re breaking down each of these emotions. We’ll talk about their differences, why a nuanced understanding of them is important, and how to tell them apart for yourself.
Thanks for listening.
Links ment...
2025-06-1219 minJoyful LeaderTool vs. WeaponWe use so many tools throughout our lives and work — project management, life management, mind management. Tools, systems, frameworks, and rubrics are everywhere. These things are designed to help us, to make our lives easier and more efficient. But every tool can be turned into a weapon.
Today we’re talking about using your tools for you, instead of turning them into weapons against you. We’ll talk about what this means, how you know you might be doing it, and what to do instead.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things...
2025-06-0516 minJoyful LeaderRewiring Your Brain: Reps at the GymWe’re talking about how to think about the process of change — which is essentially rewiring your brain. When we change anything, we switch from an existing brain habit to a new one.
Today we’re discussing how this process FEELS like it should just happen overnight, as soon as we become aware of us. That would be fantastic. But in reality, the process is like building muscle. Repetition is what creates tone and strength.
I share more about this in today’s episode and walk you through how we experience rewiring, phase by phase.
Th...
2025-05-2914 minJoyful LeaderRewiring Your Brain: We Develop Habits For Good ReasonsEvery time we change anything in our lives — habit, relationship, attitude, anything — we are essentially rewiring the brain. We’re creating new patterns of thought, feeling, and action.
Many times, our existing patterns have been around for a very long time. Creating new ones doesn’t happen overnight.
Today and next week, I’m sharing how I help my clients avoid frustration along the way — by sharing the two ideas that make the process of rewiring your brain feel like progress and momentum.
Today, we’re focusing on the genius human brain. And why it develop...
2025-05-2211 minJoyful LeaderHow to Plan Your WeekGet ready to connect all the dots.
In the last several episodes, we’ve been talking about using time well, and today, we’re bringing all the concepts together in a step-by-step guide to planning your week.
This process gives you time for your highest priorities, clarity, allowance for emergencies, and a greater sense of calm about your week.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to t...
2025-05-1514 minJoyful LeaderDoing: Following Through on Your PlanToday, we’re talking about the third phase of the accomplishment and time usage process: doing.
While doing the thing — task, project, conversation — might seem like the most straightforward part, you and I know that it’s sometimes the part that feels most fraught.
There are all kinds of external distractions and obstacles — the world doesn’t stop to honor our project priorities. But also, we experience internal obstacles.
And today, we’re talking about all of it. I’ll share how I recommend you approach follow-through, what might get in the way and what to do a...
2025-05-0819 minJoyful LeaderDeciding vs. IntendingWay back a few episodes ago, when we launched the series about using your time well, I mentioned the idea of deciding vs. intending.
It was sort of a gloss-over moment, but it’s a hugely important idea.
I’ve gotten so many questions about this difference.
Today, we’re looking at this concept, which is pivotal in understanding your time decisions (and many other things). It’s key to understanding why things that are important to you do or don’t happen.
In fact, understanding this difference — and what it looks like f...
2025-05-0113 minJoyful LeaderHow Much Time Things TakeI’ve thought it many times. And hear it often from clients.
An obstacle to planning our time is that we don't know how much time things take.
Surprising but true, this is the very definition of a self-fulfilling prophecy. When we believe it, that’s exactly what we experience.
Inspired by a recent client conversation, we're going inside the brain, looking step-by-step at how this plays out.
And then we’ll jump into the opposite thought process — that we decide how much time things take.
If there are things y...
2025-04-2421 min
BatChumsBatChums Episode 51 – The Dead RingersBatman '66 S2 Ep16 – The Dead Ringers Batman and Robin escape Chandell's trap. Once back in the Batcave, they deduce his plan to get the Wayne family fortune by killing Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, then marrying the rightful heir, Aunt Harriet. In order to trap the villain, Bruce and Dick fake their own deaths. However, Harry has also figured out his brother Chandell's scheme, and desiring the Wayne fortune for himself, concocts a plan to masquerade as his twin brother. Episode aired Thursday October 27, 1966 Director: Larry Peerce Writer: Lorenzo Semple Jr...
2025-04-2333 minJoyful LeaderTime DesignContinuing in our series about using time in alignment with our values and priorities, today we're talking about design.
So many of us have experienced the feeling that time got away from us. Or the sense that our day got derailed. How we approach designing our time can make all the difference in minimizing or eliminating these experiences.
In today's episode, I share my top three time-design recommendations.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and...
2025-04-1722 min
BatChumsBatChums Episode 50 – The Devil's FingersBatman '66 S2 Ep15 – The Devil's Fingers Chandell, the musical virtuoso, visits Gotham City for a piano concert. But unknown to the public, Chandell is being blackmailed into a life of crime by his twin brother Harry, who retains most of the profits. Chandell intends to buy off Harry forever, and he knows just where to get the funds - from the Wayne family fortune. With Batman and Robin out of town, he suspects the robbery will be a piece of cake. However, Batman has been listening to Chandell's concert remotely, and after detecting an anomalous chord, su...
2025-04-1649 minJoyful LeaderWhat to PrioritizeWe have more demands on our time now than we ever have. With all the noise, it can be difficult to figure out what to prioritize.
Especially given that our mental, physical, and emotional resources are limited. We can't possibly do everything.
In today's episode, we're talking about how to make that decision. I'll give you my take on what to prioritize when planning your time or your team's time.
Links mentioned in this episode:
https://mimigordon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/High-Impact-What-to-Prioritize.pdf
Hungry for more of the things we talk about...
2025-04-1017 minJoyful LeaderTime DecisionsWe’re slowing down to take a look at how we use our time.
In this episode, we’ll look specifically at how we make decisions about time. We’ll ask two incredibly important time decision questions. One: when are we deciding how we use our time? And two: what do we decide to prioritize?
I’ll share what three decisions I recommend you make and when to make sure your time usage aligns with your highest priorities. We’ll also talk about: constraint, making trade-offs, and setting priorities in a world of many competing demands.
2025-04-0325 minJoyful LeaderTime + Using it WellMany of my clients want to work on how they use their time.
Sometimes in their personal lives — spending more time with family, for example.
Sometimes in their professional lives — using their work hours for what’s meaningful and important. or working on those meaningful, important things when they have the greatest energy to give.
No matter what their time use goals, the theme is wanting to use their most precious resource well. In alignment with their values.
Today kicks off a series of episodes all about aspects of this desire. In thi...
2025-03-2719 min
griefsense with Mimi GonzalezKara Roselle on: grief, joy, #landback, and her mother’s unfinished dreamSend a textIn this powerful episode of griefsense, Kara Roselle, storyteller, DJ, and activist, joins Mimi to share what it means to be the living embodiment of legacy. Kara opens up about the loss of her mother, Alma Gordon, Chief and Historian of the Chappaquiddick Wampanoag Tribe, and how #grief became a portal for reclaiming land, voice, and joy.From the fight for Indigenous #landback to healing through art, storytelling, and DJing, Kara reflects on love, #loss, and what it means to carry an unfinished dream forward.💭 Whether you're grieving, reclaiming your roo...
2025-03-2757 minJoyful LeaderMy Recent Experience Feeling Less Than 100%I recently had an experience that threw me. It was challenging mentally, physically, and emotionally. And for several weeks I didn’t feel like myself.
But out of this came an opportunity I didn’t expect. I could see how I responded, what skills and techniques I used, and how I led myself through this experience differently than past challenges.
It was imperfect. And messy. And I’m proud of myself for all of it.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classe...
2025-03-2017 minJoyful LeaderImpostor SyndromeI’m going to say it right off the bat: I don’t like the term impostor syndrome (or imposter if that’s your preference).
It implies sickness, something for which we need treatment. And that it’s somehow something we “come down with.”
Though I don’t love the term, it describes a very real experience of very many real human beings. 🙂
So today we’re going to break it down — what is it, why does it happen, and what can you do if you’re experiencing it?
Thanks for listening.
Hung...
2025-03-1317 minJoyful LeaderDirect Your SpotlightImagine you’re watching a play.
And the theater has a spotlight operator — someone who directs a beam of focus on the appropriate dialogue or action at any given moment.
This focus isn’t the only thing happening — other scenery, other characters — but it’s the most useful thing happening. The focus is on the thing that moves the story forward.
Our brains have this spotlight ability — to focus on one thing amid myriad possibilities.
And today on the podcast, we’re talking about how to use this spotlight to move your story forwa...
2025-03-0616 minJoyful LeaderScientific MindsetLet’s talk about science. The scientific mindset, specifically.
Last week, I shared that there are two skills that help us build habits that look big and impressive from the outside, but feel easy and delightful from the inside — embracing small steps and adopting a scientific mindset.
And today we’re talking all about the latter. So often, when we try new things or start new routines, it can feel like we’re going for success — let’s get this 100% right, right away. But looking at change as an experiment — looking at life as a series of expe...
2025-02-2713 minJoyful LeaderSmall Actions, Big ResultsI have some insider info for you. A secret tip, if you will.
People sometimes hear about some habit I have and comment that they think I have superhuman discipline. Or commitment.
And I’m shocked because so much of my life is centered around having as much freedom and free time as possible.
Today and next week on the podcast, I’m sharing the two skills that have allowed me to build habits that look super impressive from the outside but feel easy and delightful on the inside.
Embracing (sometimes ridi...
2025-02-2018 minJoyful LeaderDoing Other People's JobsYou’ve got a plan for your week, balancing multiple high priorities. And then something goes sideways. Something specific — someone else doesn’t deliver in the way that you expected.
In this scenario and other similar situations, many people do something that I almost always coach against — doing someone else’s job.
This means jumping in to take on more work to compensate for someone else’s mistake, poor performance, lack of interest, etc.
Today we’re talking about how to be aware of when you’re taking on additional labor that isn’t yours, and what...
2025-02-1317 minJoyful LeaderYour BasslineImagine that every situation you find yourself in, every circumstance in your life, is a song.
What you think about yourself in relation to that circumstance or situation is the song's baseline . . .
. . . the sometimes under-the-surface yet nonetheless powerful theme that shapes the entire song.
Or in your case, how you experience the entire situation.
Today on the podcast, I'm talking about this concept, which is the most powerful and important thing we work on in coaching
I’ll give you tips on becoming more aware of your bassline. So yo...
2025-02-0615 minJoyful LeaderBoundaries“You need clear boundaries.”
“You need to draw a boundary with that person.”
There’s so much talk about boundaries, needing to have them, and how to establish them.
What are they? What does it mean to have them? How do you establish them? How do you make sure they’re upheld?
Today on the podcast, we are talking about boundaries.
I’m giving you my recommendation for a working definition of boundaries that feels empowering and useful. And, I’m sharing how you can establish and uphold your own boundaries a...
2025-01-3032 minJoyful LeaderThree More Messages That Can Stop Women From Taking ActionLast week we talked about change resistance — how, in the effort to be efficient, the human brain manufactures thoughts that, if listened to, will keep us where we are.
Today I want to share three more thoughts that come up more often — and very commonly — in women.
They are different variations of the thought I shared last week: I can’t do it. It won't work. It's confusing. It's too hard.
But they affect women disproportionately, and if left unchecked, can cause women to back away from meeting their own needs.
They are...
2025-01-2309 minJoyful LeaderYour Brain Doesn't Want You to ChangeLet’s talk about change, shall we? Specifically, changing our actions, habits, and behaviors in ways that make our lives better. When we try to change something about our lives, we often experience doubt, insecurity, or resistance. And while these things feel very true and worth listening to, they are actually a manifestation of the human brain’s natural desire for efficiency and keeping the status quo.
In other words, our brains don’t want us to change.
So today we’re talking about what to do in the face of this resistance, and I’ll share t...
2025-01-1614 minJoyful LeaderFailureHow’s “Failure” as an episode title? Does it really make you want to listen? I thought so.
Today we are indeed talking about failure. Specifically, how many of us encounter situations where our fear of failing threatens to prevent us from seizing opportunities or going after things we’d like. I’ll share a bit about where our fear of failure is born, and how it changes over time. And, we’ll break down what we’re actually afraid of, and learn a couple of helpful frameworks for overcoming the fear of failure.
Last but not least...
2025-01-0914 minJoyful LeaderCreating Exceptional Team Culture, Part 2Today on Joyful Leader we’re diving back into team culture.
This week is all about specifics — I’m walking through WHY, HOW, and WHAT from the framework we shared last week, and giving you different ways to apply each.
I’ll share specific examples from my experience. And, I’ll tell you how to apply a cultural leadership approach to your company, team, or a specific situation.
Thanks for listening.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on t...
2025-01-0229 minJoyful LeaderCreating Exceptional Team Culture, Part 1Every group of humans who spend time together develops a group culture — a set of behavioral or attitudinal norms. These norms become the group’s default way of being — the way they are without even thinking about it.
See where I’m going?
When it comes to our teams, building culture — common behaviors and practices — intentionally, helps us create the culture we want. The culture that makes for a happy team and happy business results.
This week and next, we’re talking about how to build exceptional team culture.
How you, as a leader, c...
2024-12-2626 minJoyful LeaderEvaluating vs. JudgingToday we’re talking about a standard I recommend to my clients: self-evaluation without self-judgment.
Many of us are committed to learning, growth, and deeper self-understanding.
Judgment moves us farther away from these things. Every single time.
Setting this standard means — inside your own mind — redirecting self-judgment. Instead of judging, you’ll walk yourself through an evaluation process.
Because, unlike judgment, evaluation drives momentum and major growth. And when you regularly redirect your mind in this way, evaluation becomes the norm for assessing yourself.
We’ll talk about exactly what these...
2024-12-1917 minJoyful LeaderIncredible Meetings, Part 2Today is the 2nd of two episodes on creating a great meeting culture and improving your company or team meetings. (Or your one-on-ones!)
This episode is all about clear and well-executed roles. We’re talking about facilitation, participation, power structure, decision-making, and having the right people in the room. We’ll also talk about why facilitation and participation aren’t tasks, but position descriptions.
Listen in to build meeting momentum that leads to fun, impactful meetings that help you build the team you want. And move you meaningfully toward achieving your goals.
Links mentio...
2024-12-1223 minJoyful LeaderIncredible Meetings, Part 1Today on the podcast, we’re talking about a ubiquitous part of office culture . . . meetings.
Generally, we talk about meetings with a tone of annoyance or exasperation. We have too many, they’re not effective, etc.
But there’s a light at the end of this tunnel.
There’s a way to make meetings effective, efficient, and exceptional. To make sure they support our work, and our companies' and teams' vision and mission.
There are two common causes of ineffective meeting culture and three traits that all good meetings share. Tune in to le...
2024-12-0536 minJoyful LeaderA Story About Gratitude + AppreciationI love a good story.
Listening to one. Telling one.
And it seems like an appropriate day for a story.
About summer camp, inspiration, and professional trajectory.
About gratitude, and the mysteries of human connection.
Tune in, cozy up.
Happy Thursday. Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com to find articles, classes, and other resources. Or to schedule a free 60-minute consultation to talk about working with me as your...
2024-11-2813 minJoyful LeaderSustainable ImpactA lot of the people I work with are born workers. They started working early in a lot of cases. Especially early in their careers, work provided growth, learning, mastery, and success.
But at some point, they started to feel like work took up too much space — over time or overnight. Mental energy, emotional energy, or time.
So the thing they love (work) that is such a part of their contribution, identity, and values, has started to feel like a source of frustration.
They want to make an impact, but they want to do...
2024-11-2138 minJoyful LeaderShort Story CollectionToday on the podcast, I’m sharing one of my favorite, super-practical techniques for shaking your brain out of a spin.
The human brain is an exceptional (if overexuberant) danger scanner.
This means that it sometimes (or often) defaults to negative interpretations — of a colleague’s tone or facial expression, or an interaction with a stranger. This is especially true when the stakes feel high. (Most of us don’t anxiously replay conversations with our best friends. But almost everyone has replayed an interaction with their boss.)
Asking your brain for alternative explanations shakes i...
2024-11-1419 minJoyful LeaderMentoring Your MindAn exceptional mentor is invaluable. They provide perspective, wisdom, and guidance.
One of the greatest skills we can develop is to mentor our own minds. To learn to step in and be that voice for ourselves.
Today’s podcast is an in-depth, practical guide to developing or deepening this ability. I’m sharing more about what it means to mentor your mind, and specific, practical tips for exactly how to do it and when.
Thanks for listening.
Hungry for more of the things we talk about on this podcast? Visit mimigordon.com...
2024-11-0732 minJoyful LeaderMore Delightful Job Search, Part 4Today is the final episode in our short series about making job searches more delightful.
And it’s about the final mindset shift that can aid your enjoyment of your job search: I hope they like me.
This particular thought has deep socialization roots. Particularly for women, who — in dating and job searching and everywhere else — are taught that other people's opinions are more important than their own.
Today we’re evening the scales. I’m sharing how to keep your brain focused on the truth: that you’re a gem. And, that in any job s...
2024-10-3116 minJoyful LeaderMore Delightful Job Search, Part 3Episode three in a short series of episodes about making job searches more delightful.
Today we’re talking about the second of three mindset gremlins that often come along with a job search: this is going to be a slog (or difficult/hard/annoying . . . fill in the blank with your brain’s favorite flavor).
This thought has caused so much misery. 🤓😉And it’s caused so many highly qualified, ambitious people who actually love (yes, you heard that right) many aspects of looking for a job to THINK they dread something they don’t.
Today I’m sh...
2024-10-2413 minJoyful LeaderMore Delightful Job Search, Part 2This week, we’re continuing a short series of episodes about making job searches more delightful.
In this episode, we’re talking about the first of three mindset gremlins that often pop up when we begin to look for a job: thinking there’s nothing out there (that matches what you want).
This little thought demon rears its head often, and when we let it run the show, it can cause us to feel defeated, and to stay in a situation we’re merely tolerating.
Today I’m sharing a different perspective, that can help m...
2024-10-1712 minJoyful LeaderMore Delightful Job Search, Part 1On its face, a job search is just a project. Take action, take action, and eventually get a result.
But a job search rarely feels like “just a project.” For many people, a search brings up all kinds of insecurity, dread, and discomfort.
Over the next few episodes of Joyful Leader, I’ll be talking about the mindset shifts that can help take your job search from terrible to terrific . . . or at least tolerable.
Whether you’re looking for a job now or know you will again at some point . . . this series of episodes...
2024-10-1015 min
The Sifu Mimi Chan Show399. Gordon James on Finding Passion and Building EmpathyI had the pleasure of sitting with Gordon James, a man whose life journey spans four countries—Jamaica, Kenya, the USA, and Canada. Gordon’s experiences living in such diverse places have shaped his perspective on the world. In our conversation, we explored how these experiences have fueled his passion for life, fostered empathy, and equipped him to combat racism through meaningful dialogue.
Gordon’s journey began in Jamaica, where the vibrant culture and rich history instilled in him a deep sense of identity. But it was his move to Kenya that expanded his worldview. Living in East A...
2024-10-081h 04Joyful LeaderOutcomes BEFORE MethodsOn today’s podcast, I’m talking about my favorite tool of all time.
It is a tool for planning . . . whether you’re planning a single event, the next 10 years of your life, or your next salary negotiation.
Using this tool helps you connect your plans to bigger ideas, build engagement and buy-in, create a healthy and flourishing team culture, lead out-of-the-park quality presentations . . . and generally increase the quality, effectiveness, and precision of your work.
It is deceptively simple. And incredibly powerful.
The tool is called Outcomes BEFORE Methods, and today we’re...
2024-10-0320 minJoyful LeaderYour Balance LineThis week, we’re talking about balance.
Specifically, your balance line.
If you imagine a glass filled to the midpoint, this is your balance line.
It represents the place in your life and work when your needs are met, and you have what you need to be at your best.
When one or more of your needs goes unmet, you fall below your balance line.
This is such an important topic. Because when we fall below our balance line, it can create a vicious cycle that results in feeling le...
2024-09-2613 minJoyful LeaderMomentum, Minimums + MaximumsAction. Getting started. Momentum. Consistency.
Starting and keeping up desired habits.
You want to do something. It’s beneficial. Good for you. You know it. But it feels hard to start.
Or . . .
You have a habit. It’s working. It’s good for you. You want to keep it up. But some circumstance arises (travel, a bit project) and you “fall off the wagon.”
These two themes — starting and continuing — are the main action-related topics that my clients bring to our coaching sessions.
Today on the podcast, we’re talking...
2024-09-1914 minJoyful LeaderRe-Engage: How to Get Un-StuckWhether in one part of your life or in general, you’ve likely felt the ick of feeling stuck.
We all have at one point or another.
Stuck in a job, but not sure what to do next.
Stuck about making a relationship decision.
Stuck.
It feels uncomfortable, slow, disempowered.
Like there’s no way to make a good decision. Or downsides to every choice.
Most of my clients find me at points when they have a stuck point — they want help to break free of stu...
2024-09-1222 minJoyful LeaderJoyful Leader TeaserJoyful Leader with Mimi Gordon — the podcast about all things leadership, including leader mental health. Listen starting September 12, 2024.
Original music by Amir Sberlo | Never Bored
Photograph by Vivian Johnson
Design by Deena Rutter
This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm
2024-09-0602 min
Coffee Social | Social Media Marketing, Content Creation, & EntrepreneurshipPlan Like a Pro: What Podcasters Do Between Seasons? | Ep. 22 (Season Finale)Answer this week's question...What do you do when you’re in between seasons of a podcast? SLEEP? Well, maybe. LOL. Join Signature Style & Storytelling Coach Jonathan Howard & Social Audio Marketing Strategist Mimi Langley for a very special season finale episode of Coffee Social! They dive into their plans and strategies to make the most out of their tiny break before recording new episodes for Season 2. Plus, you'll be laughing along with the New York duo as they share quirky details about our fancy finale outfits, dream up potential A-list guests (The Rock, Gordon Ramsay) for...
2024-08-1524 min
The KORE Women PodcastA coach, leader, and trainer who supports teams and companies with human science and socialization awareness - Mimi GordonThis week on the KORE Women podcast, Dr. Summer Watson welcomes Mimi Gordon, who is a leader, trainer, coach, where she combines her deep experience leading companies, people, and teams with mental and emotional management skills, human brain science, and awareness of socialization to help her clients lead well AND live well. Much of her work focuses on women, who are socialized in ways that can have an enormous impact on their workplace and leadership experience.
You can follow Mimi Gordon on: Instagram @mimigordoncoaching and LinkedIn at: Mimi Gordon. To learn more, or explore working with Mimi, vi...
2024-05-2830 min
Mortgage MotivationDemystifying Home Construction: A Guide with Christian Gordon from GMFSEver wondered about the mysteries of building your own dream home? We're here to shed light on the entire process, from loan approval to the final brick, with our latest guest - the talented construction specialist, Christian Gordon. Christian’s expertise in this field is unparalleled. She shares her wisdom on everything from verifying your builder’s credentials to using land equity as a down payment. She emphasizes the importance of thorough research and the selection of a reputable builder, and her insights are simply indispensable for any future homeowner.But that's not all! We also delve into...
2023-11-2011 minMortgage MotivationDemystifying Home Construction: A Guide with Christian Gordon from GMFSEver wondered about the mysteries of building your own dream home? We're here to shed light on the entire process, from loan approval to the final brick, with our latest guest - the talented construction specialist, Christian Gordon. Christian’s expertise in this field is unparalleled. She shares her wisdom on everything from verifying your builder’s credentials to using land equity as a down payment. She emphasizes the importance of thorough research and the selection of a reputable builder, and her insights are simply indispensable for any future homeowner.But that's not all! We also delve into...
2023-11-2011 min