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Talk, Unleashed

Talk, Unleashed

By Cathy Brooks

What motivates people? Why do they do what they do? What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a podcast of candid conversation. Sometimes as commentary. Sometimes as discussions with fascinating people doing remarkable things. Topics range widely and all of them have one thing in common. Dogs.
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Words Matter

Talk, Unleashed Aug 24, 2022

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15:30
Don't Ask Why

Don't Ask Why

We’re taught to listen to authority. Kids learn to ask “Why?” and parents respond “Because I said so.” Over time, we question, query and dig underneath. Today’s culture - saturated by psychotherapy and coaches - encourages people to ask “What’s underneath that?” Questioning and digging underneath every action’s motivation.


It’s exhausting. It’s also often a waste of time. There’s also a very real and deeply damaging impact of the constant querying. Truth is, sometimes the why doesn’t matter. Sometimes the best path forward is realizing that there’s a different path and just choosing to take it. Letting go of needing to know the why. 


In this episode - letting go of needing to know and the power that comes when you do.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#question #why #answersdontmatter #choice #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Mar 20, 202411:54
Burn Baby Burn (Book)

Burn Baby Burn (Book)

When I heard Kara Swisher was writing her memoir, Burn Book, I couldn’t wait. Besides being one of - if not the - most influential Journalists covering Silicon Valley and tech at the rise of the Internet Age, she’s a stupendous writer, and is never one to shy away from calling bullsh*t.  


Admission - at this recording I've only read the introduction. Mostly because it’s already clearly a page turner and deserves clearing some time and reading it cover to cover … so I’ll report back. But already one point landed. One of the most influential Journalists - someone who now serves as a pundit and analyst of the industry she once near-revered - admits that we were asleep at the wheel.


My words, not hers. 


Here’s the thing - with voices like Kara’s we are now wide awake, and there’s still time to get hands back on the wheel and straighten the course. Question is, will we?


In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#BurnBook #KaraSwisher #siliconvalley #journalism #memoir #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Mar 13, 202414:26
Balance

Balance

When you think about balance, what comes up for you? Do you go immediately to the ever-present impossible expectation of life/work balance? If so, this episode is absolutely for you. It’s about a terrifying experience I had with literal balance that made me take a good, hard look at just how out of what my internal balance was. And more importantly the fact that I’d had tons of warning signs that things were heading that direction. Those signs, they’re around us ALL THE TIME, if we pay attention. 

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#balance #connection  #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Mar 06, 202414:31
Where Do You Belong?

Where Do You Belong?

Where do YOU belong? Where is the place you just fit, no matter what?


The whole idea of “home is where the heart is” has such value - and it’s not just about the heart. Those online “quizzes” that ask the question - “where would YOU prefer to live?” With images of mountains, the desert, forest, beach and cities - implying that the choice determines what kind of person you are (along with images of cars, different animals, houses and the like). Of course there are preferences, but what do those preferences mean and what happens if you make a choice that goes against it?


In today’s episode, a lesson from a meander during a road trip - along with a few big a ha moments.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#home #energy #balance #connction  #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Feb 28, 202411:48
Currency of Gossip

Currency of Gossip

This week, inspired by a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, I ponder the value that society places on one of the most toxic behaviors around communication - gossip. Let’s be clear - we all have done or do it. Everyone. So let’s take a deep breath. The person who truly and honestly NEVER does is a rare creature indeed. It’s not new behavior - people have talked about others probably since we started talking.
And before you say “BUT CATHY” … yeah, I get it. Of COURSE in conversation people will come up. I’m not talking about THAT. You all know precisely what kind of talking I’m talking about. And again, we’ve all done it. And today it’s been turned into currency - with a value that has a huge cost. Social and societal well being. 


In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#gossip #toxicgossip #gossipascurrency #EleanorRoosevelt #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Feb 21, 202410:31
Power in PAWS

Power in PAWS

Some topics just like to stick around. Pausing. Silence. The power that comes from taking … a … breath. This week, the power of the pause (but that’s always PAWS for me). How do dogs stay in the moment and what can we learn from that and how does communication shift?

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#powerinpause #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Feb 14, 202413:15
Poetry and POWER of Silence

Poetry and POWER of Silence

This week another meander into a concept that everyone seems  to “get” and plenty of people talk about.

But for some reason, most folks have their heads shoved squarely up their a$$ when it comes to what it *actually* means.


The power of silence.


Silence is the most informative, instructive and valuable place when it comes to making decisions and finding paths to resolution.

In the dumpster fire that is today’s world, where he or she who shouts loudest and most offensively gets the most attention, what might it look like if there was a large popping sound as we yanked our heads free, and allowed the power of silence to do its job? 

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#powerinsilence #silenceisgolden #sometimesbesttojustshutup #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnlea

Feb 07, 202411:41
Brutal Honesty is Bullsh*t

Brutal Honesty is Bullsh*t

Last week I talked about how context is bullsh*t. Since there’s so much shit around these days, figured taking on the ridiculous premise of “brutal honesty” would be next. Put simply, #brutalhonesty is a load of horsesh*t. 


The word brutal literally means savage, violent and destructive. So by association anyone who would be “brutal” with honesty? Yeah they’re probably kind of an a$$hole. Or at least behaving like one.


This week diving into how what we really need these days is RADICAL and it’s easier to do than you’d think.


In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#contextisnothing #brutalhonesty #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash


Jan 31, 202411:30
Context is Nothing

Context is Nothing

Amazing how words and concepts get hijacked and bastardized. Because OF COURSE communication has a level of context to it. Saying “I love you” for example in one setting (like to a friend) has an entirely different meaning when looking into the eyes of someone you’re dating. (The latter sometimes even giving rise to a sense of nausea if if the first time you’re saying it.) BUT - to imply that somehow “context” allows for some things or that some things can be excused by a perceived context?


In that sense, context is bullsh*t. Yes. I said that. And this all comes to rise after getting a great text from my mentor Dr Judith Rich with a quote about dogs, context and how to them context matters not at all. In fact, context can get in the way of connected communication. And that is where we go this week.


In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#contextisnothing #behonest #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Jan 24, 202410:39
I Am An Oak Tree

I Am An Oak Tree

If you were a tree, what kind would you be? It’s one of the oldest urban legend interview stories. It’s said that Barbara Walters famously asked that of Katharine Hepburn. Turns out the actual interview didn’t go that way, but Hepburn DID note that she’d lived her life as an Oak tree. What on earth does that have to do with communication? 


Everything.


It has to do with the balance between being steadfast, committed and strong while simultaneously being flexible and bending … a bit. In this week’s episode, the lessons from trees and how you can branch out, pun intended, in your own life.


In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#betheoaktree #resistanceisfutile #oaktree #nature #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Jan 17, 202412:03
Getting Baked

Getting Baked

This is about cookies. 


Bet you saw the title and thought this was about something else. 


Sorry to disappoint, but this is about cookies. Also it’s about complacency. It’s about what happens when you get so “comfortable” with a skillset you’ve “mastered” you take your foot off the gas. Stop pushing yourself. Stop reaching for excellence.


During holiday season many people shift into neutral, lulled into a state of hibernation by the extended run of holiday season. Suddenly WHAM it’s “a new year” and we’re expected to launch forward. 


So when a lesson was delivered by unexpected challenges in creating a batch of Peppermint Bark Cookies, I had to share. And as promised - here’s the link to the recipe.  In keeping with my Mom-Mom Frieda, this recipe isn’t precisely how I make them. I’ve modified it to reach my results. But stick with how this one is written and you won’t be disappointed. 


Worth noting - not all Peppermint Bark is created equal. My go-to choice is the peppermint oil infused dark chocolate magic sold every fall by Trader Joe’s.


In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#excellence #baking #peppermintbarkcookies #traderjoes #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Jan 10, 202411:45
Like Riding a Bike

Like Riding a Bike

Kicking off a New Year felt like this particular topic was apt. Getting back on the horse. Starting again.


Most skills we develop require some level of practical application or practice to maintain. Learning an instrument as a kid doesn’t mean you’ll be able to just play it later if you don’t keep up with practice. Other things may be a bit rusty but with a bit of focus, the old skills come back. For some reason, it’s not like that with riding a bike. In fact the phrase “It’s just like riding a bike” is meant to imply that once you’ve learned it, it’s learned. Don’t do it for a while and then hop on, and off you’ll go.


In this week’s episode - sparked by a video posted by a friend - a bit of reminiscing about the day I learned how to ride without training wheels. It was about freedom and in hindsight it is clear that the lessons from that day actually became how I have moved through the world since.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#ridingabike #trainingwheels #consciouscommunication #leadership #thomasguide #gps #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Jan 03, 202410:31
Lessons Shopping at Target

Lessons Shopping at Target

Going shopping during holiday season can be a bit like a full contact sport. Which is precisely why it’s my favorite time of year to go shopping.


It’s when the best and most powerful lessons about human behavior and communication are writ large. This year was no different, and this time around - courtesy of a high-traffic Target Superstore - the lessons are all about home. And that’s where we go this week.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#holidayshopping #meaningofhome  #consciouscommunication #leadership #thomasguide #gps #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Dec 20, 202310:36
GPS For Communication

GPS For Communication

There’s something romantic about an old school map - those things made out of paper folks used to use to navigate from one spot to another. Technology made these obsolete. Navigation built into cars or on your cell phone - plug in your destination and GPS does the rest. It’ll even immediately re-route if the system detects traffic or issues. Far more efficient and convenient … but there is a cost.


Context.


In this week’s episode - a look at old school navigation and the parallel to communication.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#communicationmap #consciouscommunication #leadership #thomasguide #gps #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Dec 13, 202314:42
The Wisdom of Weather

The Wisdom of Weather

Mother Nature sure has a way about her. Damn smart, really. Not that this should be new information, I guess, but there’s something remarkably powerful when she lands messages that are relevant for every aspect of life. In this week’s episode - lessons from nature that relate deeply to heat of conversation and how to cool it down. 

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#weatherwisdom #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Dec 13, 202314:02
Don't Look Back

Don't Look Back

Those who don’t remember the past are condemned to repeat it. 

I always found that statement to be dark. It also can sometimes create a whole new problem. Spending time saturated in the past not only doesn’t prevent things from happening again, it almost guarantees that you’ll attract precisely that which you’re paying attention to. 

That creates something of a bind. If we ignore the past, it happens again. If we focus on it too much, it happens again. As so often is the case - and especially when it comes to how the past impacts storytelling and communication - it’s about the balance. You can LOOK at your past. Just stop STARING at it. 

And that’s where we go this week.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#lookforward #rememberthepast #neverforget #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash


Dec 06, 202314:43
Square Peg, Round Hole

Square Peg, Round Hole

Making it work. Getting it done. Powering through the problem.

This way of thinking has its value AND it’s also a colossal contributor to the mess that is our world. After all, if someone doesn’t speak a language, talking more slowly and loudly in that language to them, doesn’t work. If you hit an obstacle, backing up and running at it harder MIGHT get you through - but at what cost?

In this week’s episode a discussion of what it means to find the way that actually GETS the square peg into the round hole. Or in this video that I reference in the episde, a star-shaped peg. It’s about being a generalist in a seemingly specialized world.

It once was a given that we’d grow up with broad knowledge and experience and specialize over time. Then someone figured out that getting specialized early got you ahead - faster, earlier. A good thing, right? Maybe. Studies show that this works early and in the long run, doesn’t.

In his book “Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World”, Journalist and Author David Epstein explores this very point - with some very powerful conclusions. He’s not a guest on this episode (but yes, I intend to fix that for a future episode).

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#Range #davidepstein #beageneralist  #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Nov 30, 202314:21
Does a Bear Sh*t in the Woods?

Does a Bear Sh*t in the Woods?

Well, I can confirm it’s true. Bears DO sh*t in the woods. I know because I came across a very very very very very fresh pile of bear scat during a hike. The good news - I didn’t step in it. The better news,  though incredibly fresh (and likely meaning the bear wasn’t far off), I didn’t actually meet the bear. The even better news - the whole experience was a great lesson in responsibility, accountability and … cleaning up my sh*t.


In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#doesabearshitinthewoods  #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Nov 22, 202314:59
When Words are Masks

When Words are Masks

Advertising is a funny thing. Words and phrases become identified with a brand based on artful and consistent use. “Just do it”. “We love to fly and it shows.” “Where’s the Beef?”  What happens when words feel weaponized? What happens when words that appear to be celebratory or positive have a darker meaning? What happens when words are used to splinter and divide?  What happens? Just turn on the news and you’ll see it. But what happens if we look past the words? A recent experience at a truck stop gas station showed Cathy a good example and that’s what we go into this week.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#ritual  #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Nov 08, 202310:21
Rituals - NOT the Creepy Kind

Rituals - NOT the Creepy Kind

The word ritual has a lot of weight to it. Its main definition designates it as being about religious ceremony. Pretty sure that’s where my resistance to it comes from.

Truth is, though, that ritual doesn’t have to be heavy, or religious.


Ritual, having some sort of consistent process or practice, can be a source of comfort, solace and a beautiful way to connect with others. In this week’s episode we explore how the onset of fall is a reminder of powerful rituals - rituals that remind us where we come from, including DENDROFEMONOLOGY - an historic view of feminism as brought forward by filmmaker and artist, Tiffany Shlain.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#ritual  #consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #tiffanyshlain #DENDROFEMONOLOGY #LetItRipple #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Nov 01, 202314:17
Communication Looking Forward

Communication Looking Forward

COME ON CATHY LIGHTEN UP! That started out as a CAPS LOCK error, but seemed pretty apropos to keep. So I did, because that was very much on my mind in putting together this week’s episode. How to come from a lighter place in times that feel so darn dark? That’s the key, though, in compassionate communication. So in this week’s episode, an attempt to find not so much levity as a way forward and how that applies to the fierce compassion imperative for radical honesty and communication.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Oct 25, 202313:54
Finding the Words in Horror

Finding the Words in Horror

The last weeks have been trying times for anyone with a pulse. Feelings from fury to fear. People from all walks of life letting fly with words of fury and over-amplified emotion or remaining silent, feeling they have nothing they can say. When someone’s work IS communication that presents an interesting situation. How to enter the conversation and create an upward spiral, a productive direction? This episode doesn’t provide a complete solution, but it does start things in a useful direction.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but often isn’t easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about — everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity not about what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #fiercecompassion #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Oct 18, 202311:53
Power and Peace in Chaotic Times - Judith Rich

Power and Peace in Chaotic Times - Judith Rich

No sooner were we back from hiatus with an episode on minding my own business, boundaries and respect of space, when the world seemed to go even further sideways into hatred.

And so, rather than trying to make sense and speak about it, this week - for OUR 100TH EPISODE - it felt appropriate to repeat one of our most powerful episodes — An interview with Transformational Leader, Coach, Mentor and Wise Woman, Dr. Judith Rich.

This episode - that dives deeply into living in purpose with humility - seems all the more necessary now. 


In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for some radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but sometimes isn’t so easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #thenewbeyond #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Oct 12, 202301:16:03
Minding My Own Business ... and Yours.

Minding My Own Business ... and Yours.

WELCOME BACK listeners! After a delicious summer hiatus, Cathy is back with a new season of Talk, Unleashed and kicking off with thoughts that percolated from a recent trip to New York City. The thing that came up? Mind your own @#(*&$ business - and how that, and statements like it, masquerade as “being honest”.  Here’s the thing - it’s not honest. It’s a defense mechanism. Get outta my space. Not exactly what I’d describe as mindful. Granted being in a City that is as jam-packed with humans as Gotham gives a whole new view Spending a few days in Manhattan is enough to really give a framework for what it means to honor and respect others’ space while simultaneously being stacked up on each other. It’s an adventure … among other things. So buckle up and let’s GO - in to Season 3 of Talk Unleashed!


In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for some radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but sometimes isn’t so easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. A mix of solo episodes where Cathy shares her insights and experience or Cathy engaged in conversation with fascinating humans doing amazing things. No matter the format - it’s unvarnished, radically honest and entirely unleashed. 


This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy works with symphony orchestras, corporate clients, and individuals to help them unleash and untether their leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages.


#consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Oct 04, 202319:08
What's the Point?

What's the Point?

Being at a loss for words is a rarity for our host. So when she found herself at loose ends for what to talk about this week, suddenly the loss of words became pausing and being still, and in the stillness, the liminal space of a season change, this week’s topic emerged. 


In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for some radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but sometimes isn’t so easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.

#consciouscommunication #leadership #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Aug 09, 202308:48
Strong As F*ck

Strong As F*ck

If clothes make the man (and woman) I wonder what that says about folks who have a penchant for provocative t-shirts. I’ve always been a fan of such things, and over the years have had quite a few shirts and some hats that did just that. What I didn’t expect was that wearing one such shirt in a Wal-Mart in the middle of Virginia would spark a conversation about respect, authenticity and strength. But that’s what happened. Never know where the lessons are going to come and this week it was aisle 16A.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for some radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but sometimes isn’t so easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#strongasf-ck #talkunleashed #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash


Aug 02, 202310:12
Form and Function - Finding Balance

Form and Function - Finding Balance

How do you find ease, flow and comfort in life, go with the flow AND at the same time have some sort of structure, order and plans? If you’re like me the latter can sometimes get in the way, but without it nothing gets done. Thus the conundrum. What I came to and found in this week’s #unleashedtalk is that the key to bringing the two together is based entirely in the language I use - to myself. The things I say in my head, how I talk about what I’m doing and how I define it.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for some radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but sometimes isn’t so easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.

#formandfunction #creativeprocess #talkunleashed #radicalhonesty #consciouscommunication #leadership #OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash


Jul 27, 202310:45
Dr. Judith Rich - Living in Purpose and Humility

Dr. Judith Rich - Living in Purpose and Humility

Bold. Fierce. Wise. Just a few of the words that come to mind when thinking about Dr. Judith Rich. Deeply involved in transformational leadership for nearly 50 years as a coach, trainer and mentor, Dr. Rich also is author of the best-selling book “Beyond the Box: Lean Out, Break Free, Rise Up”.

In her book, and related podcast “The New Beyond”, Facebook Group and all her teachings, Dr. Rich does more than just talk about how people can change and what the world would be like if they did. She is all about empowerment, encouragement and evoking. It’s not about telling people what to do or creating a fear-based driver for what happens if they don’t. It’s absolutely about making every individual the center of their own growth and in the process, they create the momentum in the world around them. She’s led trainings on pretty much every continent and her network effect reach, by now, is massive. In this week’s very special episode, Cathy and Judith dive deeply into the why that fuels her work and how there is just as much excitement looking forward as there is looking back.

In a world where what passes for radical honesty usually means someone is just letting things fly outta their pie-hole without much care for others, it’s time for some radically authentic conversation. Conscious communication is simple, but sometimes isn’t so easy. That’s why Cathy Brooks created Talk, Unleashed – a weekly podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, each episode invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. Who they are and what makes them tick. It’s about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#DrJudithRich #TheNewBeyond #BeyondtheBox #humility #transformationaleadership #leadership #OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #consciouscommunication #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Jul 20, 202301:16:03
Meaning of Goodbye

Meaning of Goodbye

Conscious communication. Seems that it should be a no brainer, right? I mean, words coming out of your mouth have to come from somewhere. Thing is, we live in a such a numb world that more often than not words not only have lost their meaning, in many cases they have lost their way. Don’t worry, this isn’t a gloom and doom episode, it’s actually hopefully; because in this week’s episode of #TalkUnleashed Cathy digs into what happens when a specific incident or experience points a spotlight on a word, giving the opportunity to sink into a powerful meaning, and a truly connected moment. In other words, sometimes getting slapped upside the head by the universe isn’t a bad thing. Even if it might stink in the moment.


What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good question. That’s what Cathy Brooks thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, this weekly podcast invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. It's about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#consciouscommunication #goodbye #communication #wordsmatter #meaningofgoodbye #leadership #community #OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Jul 12, 202312:26
New Metaphors Take Root

New Metaphors Take Root

The magic of metaphors. It’s a graceful way to relate, land a message and connect. We all have our favorites, areas that map to our lives. For me the magic trio is ice hockey, dogs, and music (specifically classical and jazz). Since hockey season is now formally over (another hearty HUZZAH for the Vegas Golden Knights on their Stanley Cup Championship), internet algorithms have shifted and are feeding me all kinds of dog and music content. So given the idea that came up for me today I’m wondering how long before gardening content shows up. Because this week’s episode gets to the root of the matter, or more aptly said, is about rooting out old stuff. You can try to cover it over, you can try to do a superficial fix - that doesn’t work. There are drastic measures to take - involving deeply toxic chemicals - with short term gain that deliver serious long term problems.  For a long-term solution that doesn’t create other issues, it takes time and effort and ongoing effort to keep things clear. So roll up your sleeves and get ready to get your hands dirty.


What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good question. That’s what Cathy Brooks thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, this weekly podcast invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. It's about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.

#gardening #roots #weeds #patience #consciousness #metaphors  #leadership #community #OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Jun 28, 202314:05
This is Not About Hockey

This is Not About Hockey

This is not about hockey. It’s not even about sports. It’s about what it means to find heart in something entirely unexpected. It’s about what it means to give people hope, healing. That it involves the story of a six-year-old NHL team is kind of besides the point. If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a hot second you know my passion for the Vegas Golden Knights. You also know that hockey, for me, is a metaphor. The lessons in the last weeks have come fast and furious as the 2023 hockey season made it’s way into Stanley Cup Playoffs and then the final run for the cup. There was the massive lessons learned in round 3 when the captain of a team failed his teammates. A pair of lessons that came courtesy of the Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice in the Finals - about his responsibility (or lack of it) and the price his team paid. Finally it’s about me being legit Internet famous - like to the tune of 40 million views. You’ll have to tune in to learn more on that.


What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good question. That’s what Cathy Brooks thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, this weekly podcast invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. It's about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#stanleycupfinals #stanleycupchampions #vegasgoldenknights #floridapanthers #paulmaurice #leadership #community #internetmeme #icehockeydancing #goldenknightsfan #OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Jun 21, 202312:45
Do Not Push

Do Not Push

The more you resist a thing, the more it persists. That’s a common phrase used in lots of places - transformational coaching, recovery, Eastern philosophy. It’s all about energy, the flow of it. That things have an order and flow. Ever try to rush to do something and it becomes impossibly difficult and then you slow down, breathe and suddenly it flows? Or how about when you are rushing to get out the door and no matter what you do, there are obstacles. Slow your roll and things move smooth and easy. It’s a message that’s not new to me, and yet like everyone else when I get wrapped up in the DOing of things, I forget. And sometimes it takes signs - literally - to whack the message back into place. That’s where I go in this week’s episode.


What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good question. That’s what Cathy Brooks thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, this weekly podcast invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. It's about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#donotpush #signseverywhere #whatyouresistpersists #gowiththeflow #energy #flow #communication #radicalauthenticity #radicaltransparency  #OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash


Jun 14, 202315:19
Feelings, Nothing More Than ... What the???

Feelings, Nothing More Than ... What the???

We all have them. Feelings. Learning how to have them without having them ON other people seems to be a much lacking skillset in the world these days. Lots of effusive display (especially on social media) but how connected is it to real emotion? How authentic is it, really? That’s where I go this week.


What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good question. That’s what Cathy Brooks thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, this weekly podcast invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. It's about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#feelings #leadership #communication #radicalauthenticity #radicaltransparency 

#OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash


Jun 07, 202317:08
Death and Yoga

Death and Yoga

The topic sounds serious, right? Death. Week. Truth is, we folks in western culture seem to have this fear-based relationship with death. What if it’s not scary? What if it’s just about shifting from one place to another and what if as we approach it, the veil between the two draws thin enough that we can be in both? Haven’t had a near death experience, thankfully, but I have had some experiences of folks who are further along towards that veil and I gotta say, there is something to it. With the death of a beloved uncle this past weekend I’m reminded of these things and how rather than being in such a hurry that perhaps we get to savor each step. Oh, and there’s an interesting perspective that hit me in the head - literally - that I share. 


What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good question. That’s what Cathy Brooks thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, this weekly podcast invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. It's about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#consciousbusiness #consciousness #PAUA #PAUAParis2023 #PAUAStartUpAwards #Kogis #Kogiwisdom #OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

May 24, 202313:16
What is Consciousness

What is Consciousness

Lots of talk about consciousness and the seemingly serious lack of it around these days. Can’t say that I overall disagree, but having just spent a week in Paris, primarily for a conference specifically focused on bringing ancient “technology” of indigenous culture to create a more conscious business world, gotta say there’s some real movement. 


The event was PAUA Paris 2023 and I had the great honor of curating and hosting the very first StartUp Award Showcase for the event. Over 40 companies applied in less than three weeks and seeing how entrepreneurs are integrating consciousness - both in terms of what they’re creating as well as how they’re creating it - well, it gives hope. And that’s where I go in this week’s episode.


I’m working on a longer post about the conference. I’ll drop the link here when I do!


What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good question. That’s what Cathy Brooks thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, this weekly podcast invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. It's about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#consciousbusiness #consciousness #PAUA #PAUAParis2023 #PAUAStartUpAwards #Kogis #Kogiwisdom #OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash


May 17, 202311:48
Can't Get There From Here

Can't Get There From Here

If I do what I’ve always done. I’ll get what I always gets. Bet you’ve heard that before. It’s a pretty solid perspective on why it’s important to break beyond usual convention, try new things and stretch into uncomfortable places in order to truly rise to the next level of … whatever.

It’s bigger than that, though.

There are two thoughts in particular that came up for me this week: The first is around the practice of adapting even the most mundane and habitual activities so that there’s a freshness every time. The other, and this is a bit deeper, is about the idea that if I’m looking at a thing for how it’s always been and how I want it to be, and talk about what I want, what I’m doing is actually perpetuating the not having of it. Because the very act of putting it in future tense, means that there’s a lack of it now. 

The trick is being so committed to the belief of what WILL be that it exists for me in the present, even if there isn't any substantial, tangible, physical proof of it.

Sound a little woo woo for ya? Kind of is, but ... it works. And Mother Nature taught me the lesson this week.

What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good question. That’s what Cathy Brooks thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, this weekly podcast invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. It's about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#cantgettherefromhere #newhabits #tinyhabits #transformation #adaptability

#OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

May 10, 202317:10
Talking About Feelings

Talking About Feelings

Nothing like getting an inspired thought while in the shower, and jumping out buck naked to record a podcast episode about it. 


Okay, so I wrapped myself in a towel first (it was a little chilly). You’re welcome for the visual.  What was that important? I’ve been spending a lot of time going through some emotional excavation and in the process finding myself thinking about my feelings. It occurred to me that it was precisely the wrong thing to do. In fact it’s precisely the opposite of what one should do with feelings. Feelings are meant to be felt. Thing is, I grew up in a family where feelings were dismissed. Instead there was a tendency towards dramatic emotional outbursts after which the expectation was that the “feelings” were over, the situation done and never to be spoken of again. 


For a highly sensitive empath, that was hell.


It has taken lots of work and time to come to the understanding that feelings are meant to be felt, and the trick is to not sit in them so long that they take over. It’s about sitting with the feelings, not in them. 


And that’s what I talk about today. 


What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good question. That’s what Cathy Brooks thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, this weekly podcast invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. It's about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#authenticity #feelings #getoutofyourhead #radicalhonesty #selfawareness 

#OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

May 03, 202311:06
Go With the Flow

Go With the Flow


So I’m a results gal. Always have been. Made a career of it, actually. Nearly ground myself to a nub in the process. Taking a break to work with dogs, I thought was going to be the new path entirely. Turns out that it was that work, and getting to be really clear about what it means to be in the flow of an intention, in the process of creation and not letting the output (goal) muddy the path.  I’ve been spending some time consuming lots of content about neuroscience, the science of positive mindset and  even dipping into slightly more “woo woo” perspectives like energetic frequency. Turns out when I stay connected to my purpose and vision and take the necessary actions, pretty magic shit happens.


And that’s where we go this week. Buckle up buttercups.


What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good question. That’s what Cathy Brooks thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, this weekly podcast invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. It's about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#positiveintelligent #abrahamhicks #leadership #vision #frequency #nature

#OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Apr 26, 202311:52
No Short Cuts

No Short Cuts

In our instant gratification, short attention span world there’s SO much effort spent on efficiency, streamlining and using technology to replace or speed things up. In some ways that’s great. Overall, though, especially when it comes to the things that make us human, it’s a load of horseshit. 


Specifically, you cannot rush a relationship with another human being. That being said, it actually *doesn’t* take long to establish a meaningful connection with another person, but that’s assuming that both people are showing up radically authentic, vulnerable and open. Barring that, the path to connection isn’t as simple as checking boxes and asking a specific set of questions. It’s about HOW you do it.

And while swinging in a hammock that’s what I talk about this week.

What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good question. That’s what Cathy Brooks thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, this weekly podcast invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. It's about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#relationships #connection #leadership #noeasybutton #authenticity #vulnerability #nature

#OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Apr 19, 202316:34
What is Real(ity)?

What is Real(ity)?

What is real? I’m reminded of that question in a favorite children’s book, The Velveteen Rabbit. That story tells that being “real” is about being loved, well-worn, and so authentically connected that being messy is more than just okay, it’s guaranteed. So what of today’s world? What of this time when Artificial Intelligence is the hottest topic of discussion? In a Twitter chat with my friend Philip Rosedale he posited that it’s about people becoming “comfortable” speaking and being as avatars. Philip knows about such things, being the fellow behind Linden Labs’ Second Life - truly the first major step into virtual worlds as viable economies and places. Made me think. With how deeply curated most online presences are, isn’t that already kind of the case? An “artificial” representation of self?


Before you think that I’m launching into hating on technology - pump the brakes. Because it’s clear it’s not about a yes or no about technology - it’s about responsibility in using it. To go there, we have some of the greatest assets to remind us. One of my favorite voices in personal development these days is Mel Robbins and on her inspiration this episode came to life.


What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good question. That’s what Cathy Brooks thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of radically honest conversation about ... well ... everything. Whether her own musings or in conversation with industry leaders, this weekly podcast invites curiosity. Curiosity about not what people do, but why they do it. It's about digging underneath to reveal the thing that is most true - that we are more alike than we are not. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and CEO of North America. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#PhilipRosedale #SecondLife #virtualreality #augmentedreality #artificalintelligence #melrobbins #nature

#OpenBubble #Conversation #connection #TalkUnleashed #UnleashedConversation #UnleashedLeadership #FixYourEndofTheLeash

Apr 12, 202319:48
Spring

Spring

Transitions. It’s amazing how nature has them. More odd that we humans seem so set on homogenizing everything. All things the same. Taking one place and whitewashing another with it. Missing the point entirely about exploration and discovery. What gives rise to the perspective? Being in a place where Spring is a real, actual thing. There’s a deep sense of transition and evolution to something new. That I’m here from a place where stark separation is more the norm, I’d forgotten. Funny that. So this week, a look at Spring with some insights on what that means in terms of acceptance.


What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#Springtime

#seasons

#transition

#discovery

#OpenBubble

#Conversation

#connection

#TalkUnleashed

#UnleashedConversation

#UnleashedLeadership

#FixYourEndofTheLeash

Apr 05, 202317:38
Trust

Trust

Funny thing, trust. Seems that people believe it is built and grown over time. Truth is, trust is binary. It is or isn’t. Kinda like being pregnant. Inspired by this blog post from my friend Loic LeMeur I decided this week to dig into the crux of where trust lies - with oneself.  In a world where we can no longer necessarily trust even what we see (frightening and powerful images that caught my eye this week were 100% generated by AI) if I can trust ME, at least I have a foundation. So on another of my woodsy-wanderings with the dogs this week, we dismantle trust - hopefully to find again.

"Trust. Either you have it in total or you don't have it in total; either it is nil or it is one hundred percent. You cannot divide it into slices. It is indivisibly one, organically one." -- Osho

What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.


#leadership

#honesty

#trust

#responsibility

#OpenBubble

#Conversation

#connection

#TalkUnleashed

#UnleashedConversation

#UnleashedLeadership

#FixYourEndofTheLeash

Mar 29, 202314:03
Puck You

Puck You

Oops. Well, for the first time in over a year - I dropped the ball. Okay, in the case of this week's episode, the puck. Guess that's fitting given the general theme this week. DON'T BE SO FUCKING SERIOUS.

Took a minute and looked back at the most recent episodes and ... holy shit. It's been a heavy and serious ride this year so far. I mean, makes sense. It's been a tectonic time and I share what's going on and the lessons that arise. The lesson this week? Sometimes you gotta take a breath, a step back and give yourself a fucking break. That would be me talking to me. So, this week, an amusing interlude, which includes my getting to see my beloved Vegas Golden Knights and visit some places that really ground me. It also includes me deflecting a hockey puck with my kneecap. (See previous link to that.). In any case ... humor and knowledge nuggets abound in this week's episode.


What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. This podcast compliments ⁠Unleashed Leadership,⁠ the coaching business through which Cathy ⁠helps clients unearth and untether⁠ their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up ⁠OpenBubble⁠ as Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.

#leadership

#puckyou

#icehockey

#responsibility

#dontbesoserious

#vegasgoldenknights

#thegoldenage

#vegasborn

#OpenBubble

#Conversation

#connection

#TalkUnleashed

#UnleashedConversation

#UnleashedLeadership

#FixYourEndofTheLeash

Mar 22, 202314:59
Honesty

Honesty

Do or do not. There is no try. And that, friends, could be all I need to say when it comes to honesty. Do or do not. There is no try. There is no “brutal” honesty. There is no qualifier in front of it. You are, or aren’t. There is, however, something called discretion. There is a time when unvarnished, forthright communication gets to be tempered, consider the context and whether the person is in a place to hear the information. That said, the other thing that came up for me this week around honesty is that Being honest seems now also to require Gladiator-level courage. Musing on that and how honesty and vulnerability are powerfully connected.

What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.

#leadership

#honesty

#communication

#responsibility

#OpenBubble

#Conversation

#connection

#TalkUnleashed

#UnleashedConversation

#UnleashedLeadership

#FixYourEndofTheLeash

Mar 15, 202310:06
International Women's Day - Taking a Stand

International Women's Day - Taking a Stand

Hate is an interesting thing. The immediate reaction of response is defensive, right? And in my experience that defensive energy comes with its own level of reciprocal hate. Perhaps different words or intention. Perhaps justified as necessary because it’s protective, but hate all the same. And thus the cycle of hate is perpetuated. In this week’s podcast, a close look at a very personal example of this in my own life - an example that took place 7 years ago this week. For more details on that experience, here’s the post that I reference. I was targeted for a hate crime after a media appearance for #InternationalWomensDay. My own response to it - was filled with hate. Looking back I see how this didn’t serve and how, by glancing backwards we can better inform the path ahead. Oh and I also talk about Moses.

What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.

#leadership

#homophobia

#misogyny

#responsibility

#OpenBubble

#Conversation

#connection

#TalkUnleashed

#UnleashedConversation

#UnleashedLeadership

#FixYourEndofTheLeash

Mar 08, 202316:39
The War of Northern Aggression

The War of Northern Aggression

If we do not pay attention to the past, we are bound to repeat it, right? Well, sometimes paying too much attention isn’t good either. I mean, when driving a car it’s best to look forward through the windshield AND ensure that you pay some mind to the side and rear mirrors to be clear on what’s going on behind you. To be aware. To avoid problems. Thing is, the view I have from my rearview mirror is different than what someone sees in another car. Same thing for the windshield, actually. And so too it is with history. It’s told from the view of those who “win”. Doesn’t mean there aren’t other views. And the truth is what falls in between. In this week’s episode another view of some historic experiences in the middle of Virginia and how the place that nearly tore the country in half, actually is the place that brought it back together.

What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.

#leadership

#warofnorthernaggression

#civilwar

#civilrights

#responsibility

#OpenBubble

#Conversation

#connection

#TalkUnleashed

#UnleashedConversation

#UnleashedLeadership

#FixYourEndofTheLeash

Mar 01, 202314:53
Don't Talk to Strangers

Don't Talk to Strangers

There are likely few who haven’t heard the warning at some point when they were young. “Don’t talk to strangers.” It’s not an altogether unusual premise. There are some logical dangers in the world of which to be aware. AND at the same time creating a fear-based view of the world doesn’t exactly do us any favors. The irony is that if I move around the world with intention and belief of fear, I end up creating the very situations that I fear. Odd how energy works that way. Top that off with the weaponization of tribalism fostered by social media and you have something of a shit show. What if we pop the bubble? What if we shred the conventions. What if (GASP) we TALK TO STRANGERS. In a powerful campaign by the Kind Foundation, this premise of “popping the bubble” is put forward in an impactful way. Inspired by KIND and catalyzed by my own clients, I'm doing my own version. It's called "Breaking Through the Bullshit Of..." It's a monthly, live, online event (free) that is equal parts educational seminar, open coaching and debate/discussion. We grab a topic - something that's a persnickety problem in the realm of communication - and we discuss, debunk, deconstruct and (hopefully) even discard it. If you'd like to join a future session, head to this link and drop in your email and I'll toss a reminder your way when we're setting up the next one. I'm also offering up some free 30-minute brainstorm consults at that same link so grab it while you can! And for now, this week's episode of Talk Unleashed, where I dig into debunking the bullshit of "Don't talk to strangers"and what might happen if we do.

What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.

#leadership

#talktostrangers

#kind

#burstthebubble

#responsibility

#OpenBubble

#Conversation

#connection

#TalkUnleashed

#UnleashedConversation

#UnleashedLeadership

#FixYourEndofTheLeash

Feb 22, 202314:39
Haters (Not) Gonna Hate

Haters (Not) Gonna Hate

On any list of criteria for people in my life you’d think “must love dogs” would be top of the list. You wouldn’t be wrong. That said, there are people in my life who don’t particularly care for them. Some of them had bad experiences as kids. Others are allergic. And some just don’t like them much. They’ll tolerate well behaved dogs but generally speaking given a choice they’d rather not have dogs around. What they don’t do is HATE dogs. Hate, it’s a substantive word that has a lot of heat to it. It’s also a deeply wasteful energy. Especially since underneath the hate usually is some sort of discomfort or fear. So this week we dig into what’s actually underneath hate, how curiosity is the key to domestication and most of all how that same curiosity can make us better people.

What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.

#leadership

#hatersgonnahate

#compassion

#responsibility

#OpenBubble

#Conversation

#connection

#TalkUnleashed

#UnleashedConversation

#UnleashedLeadership

#FixYourEndofTheLeash

Feb 15, 202323:16
Beaver

Beaver

Home. It’s a four-letter word that brings up a lot of things. As a gal who was voted “most likely to move away and never come back” in high school, the idea of home has never been about a birthplace. Okay so I wasn’t actually voted that, but I never felt like Philadelphia fit. Odd to say, considering it’s where I was born and spent the first 18 years of my life. Went away to college and loved Chicago, but that never felt like home either. The feeling of home, truly solid feeling of it, didn’t land for me until later. What does that have to do with the title of this week’s episode? It was after an encounter with a Beaver - Buc-ee to be precise - that my trip took a (literal) turn that brought up substantive fear, replaced by the kind of deep knowing-ness of what home means and how it feels. So Buc-kle up…

What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.

#leadership

#responsibility

#Bucees

#Beaver

#Home

#Tolerance

#OpenBubble

#Conversation

#connection

#TalkUnleashed

#UnleashedConversation

#UnleashedLeadership

#FixYourEndofTheLeash

Feb 08, 202316:10
Detours, Distractions, and Jurassic Park

Detours, Distractions, and Jurassic Park

There are a a few fascinating things about Southern Florida. One of them - the wildlife. Specifically a particular Iguana that isn’t actually from here, but ended up here due to … well … human error. This week Cathy found herself playing Iguana wrangler and in the process connecting with a substantive message about responsibility, tolerance and that topic that was mentioned last week, the difference between detours and distractions.

What does leadership actually mean in today’s world? Good questions, right? That’s what Cathy Brooks, thought. And it’s why she created Talk, Unleashed – a new podcast of entirely candid conversations with fascinating people doing remarkable things. This weekly podcast features guests from arts and entertainment to business to technology to food to activism to politics (well, we’ll see on that last one). Talk Unleashed invites these influencers to consider the things that have led to them to where they are, the lessons they’ve learned and how all those things can come together to create a better world. This podcast compliments Unleashed Leadership, the coaching business through which Cathy helps clients unearth and untether their own internal leadership and connect with others in a way that truly engages. Recently Cathy joined Paris-based start-up OpenBubble as Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer. OpenBubble’s mission is to break through issues of isolation and separation in society by creating a powerful way for people to connect and talk – with no agenda.

#leadership

#responsibility

#jurassicpark

#detoursanddistractions

#OpenBubble

#Conversation

#connection

#TalkUnleashed

#UnleashedConversation

#UnleashedLeadership

#FixYourEndofTheLeash

Feb 01, 202317:18