
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
More episodes of Constructive Behaviors
- EP 81: When Strength Becomes Heavy... with Dr. Ashley Smith · May 26, 2026 · 43 min
- EP 79: OneLadder to Leadership...A Preview of My New Book · April 30, 2026 · 13 min
- EP 78: Building The Bridge...with Kimberly Sauceda · April 9, 2026 · 45 min
- EP 77: Ownership Sets the Standard...with Erika Scherman · April 1, 2026 · 34 min
- EP 76: Relationship Capital...with Shannon Seipel · March 26, 2026 · 56 min
- EP75: Your Boots, Your Story...with Renae Sams · December 23, 2025 · 49 min
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