EP 80: Take the Vacation... with Kelli Paskert

EP 80: Take the Vacation... with Kelli Paskert

From Constructive Behaviors by Barb Allen

May 12, 2026 · 42 min

About this episode

Kelli Paskert discusses her journey in leadership and the importance of taking breaks in a high-performance career.

What happens when a driven, ambitious woman who has spent her entire career climbing suddenly realizes she needs to stop long enough to breathe? In this episode, Barb sits down with construction industry leader, speaker, and business advisor Kelli Paskert for a conversation that starts with leadership ambition and career growth… and eventually lands on something many high performers struggle with: learning how to step away. Kelli shares her journey from corporate America to the construction industry, the bold decision to openly state her leadership ambitions early in her career, the resistance she encountered along the way, and the sponsors who helped pull her up the ladder. She also opens up about what happened when she finally walked away from a long-term executive role and why taking time between careers became one of the healthiest decisions she has ever made. Although this episode centers around the idea of "Take the Vacation," if you are familiar with Barb's book, OneLadder to Leadership, you will recognize several real-world examples of the Missing, Broken Sticky, & Slippery Rungs discussed throughout the book: • women communicating ambition and career goals •…

People in this episode

Host: Barb Allen

Guest: Kelli Paskert

Topics covered

  • leadership ambition
  • career growth
  • work-life balance
  • women in leadership
  • sponsorship
  • visibility in career

Keywords

  • leadership
  • career
  • vacation
  • women in construction
  • ambition
  • sponsorship
  • visibility
  • work-life balance

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: OneLadder to Leadership

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