Leading Up: The Work Shift

Professional uncertainty can be as damaging to our health as actually losing a job. So why do we keep white-knuckling for certainty—and what happens when we finally let go? This week, Elizabeth sits down with Simone Stolzoff, author of The Good Enough Job and the forthcoming How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World That Demands Answers, to explore why our instinct to seek certainty may be the very thing holding us back. Simone shares what years of researching ambiguity taught him about reframing uncertainty—not as a threat to manage, but as an opportunity to collaborate with. Plus: why the human skills employers want most are exactly the ones AI can't replicate. Follow Leading Up: The Work Shift on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes drop Tuesdays. If you’re trying to skill up, head to Udemy.com Find out more about Leading Up: The Work Shift at business.udemy.com/leading-up-podcast Production by Pod People

More than half of Americans say job insecurity is crushing them with stress. So how do some people look like they've always had it figured out? Spoiler: they haven't. Host Elizabeth Weingarten traveled to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to pull aside C-Suite leaders, entrepreneurs, and founders from companies like BetterUp, Zoom, Bain & Company, and more to talk about the moments when work inexplicably shifts—the layoffs, the pivots, the feeling of being completely stuck. From Dr. Becky Kennedy discovering that admitting "I don't know" was actually the path to knowing herself, to Ray Wang's father asking him "what are you worth?" before he started his own company, to Josh Kallmer's "happiness matrix" that pulled him out of his darkest professional period, these leaders show that navigating uncertainty is what makes great leaders. Follow Leading Up: The Work Shift on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes drop Tuesdays. If you’re trying to skill up, head to Udemy.com Find out more about Leading Up: The Work Shift at business.udemy.com/leading-up-podcast Subscribe to our Substack: workshifthappens.substack.com Leading Up: The Work Shift is produced by Udemy in partnership with ⁠Pod People⁠.

Doing great work isn't enough to get promoted. You need presence. In this episode, Lorraine K. Lee, author of Unforgettable Presence and former LinkedIn editor, shares why she stayed stuck at the same level for six years despite working hard and being well-liked. She explains the 80/20 rule of career advancement, how to optimize your video presence with the TEAM method, and why introverts have hidden superpowers in the workplace. Host Elizabeth Weingarten helps you learn actionable strategies for standing out in virtual meetings, networking without feeling transactional, and building a LinkedIn presence that opens doors. Plus: the feedback questions that actually get you useful answers, and why small talk might be your secret weapon. Subscribe to Leading Up: The Work Shift on YouTube. Follow Leading Up: The Work Shift on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes drop Tuesdays. ⁠Subscribe to our Substack. If your new year’s goals include learning a new skill, head to Udemy.com Find out more about Leading Up: The Work Shift at business.udemy.com/leading-up-podcast Leading Up: The Work Shift is produced by Udemy in partnership with Pod People.

James Whitemore, Chief Marketing Officer at Indeed, shares insights from billions of job searches on how to navigate career transitions in today's challenging market. He discusses the power of reframing your skills, why focus beats quantity in job applications, and how to discover non-obvious career paths that match your experience. James also reveals the mindset shifts that matter most after a layoff, why sales roles can be strategic career moves, and how to build a profile that shows adaptability and lifelong learning: the qualities employers value most. Follow Leading Up: The Work Shift on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. New episodes drop Tuesdays. ⁠Subscribe to our Substack ⁠. If you’re trying to skill up to land a new job, head to Udemy.com Find out more about Leading Up: The Work Shift at business.udemy.com/leading-up-podcast Leading Up: The Work Shift is produced by Udemy in partnership with Pod People.

From being laid off to spinning your wheels in a position with no momentum, getting to the next step in your career can take a lot of energy. And resources, too, if you decide to hire a career coach. This week’s guest has been focused on building a learning culture wherever she goes, and as the Senior Director of Leadership Development at Udemy, Rebecca Stern has applicable ideas on how to use AI as a thought partner to assist you in achieving your goals.This episode covers how human coaching can be inaccessible and how AI models can serve the same purpose, from identifying and contextualizing your career strengths and areas for improvement to facilitating learning through small experiments or tests of a new skill. Turning the page to the next chapter in your career will take a bit of planning. This episode will leave you with small, actionable steps to regain your confidence and find the motivation within. Follow Leading Up: The Work Shift on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes drop Tuesdays. ⁠Subscribe to our Substack ⁠. If you’re trying to skill up, head to Udemy.com Use code SHIFT25 for 20 percent off your first month on Udemy and turn today's inspiration into actual progress. Find out more about Leading Up: The Work Shift at business.udemy.com/leading-up-podcast Leading Up: The Work Shift is produced by Udemy in partnership with Pod People.

40 percent of Americans are laid off or fired at least once in their career. Half of working Americans are anxious about layoffs. This week's guest has faced eleven layoffs and come out stronger each time. Host Elizabeth Weingarten explores what it really takes to survive repeated layoffs, reinvent yourself again and again, and find purpose in the middle of constant professional uncertainty. Krista Chism, Udemy's SEO Director, shares her hard-won wisdom on separating your identity from your job, building community during unemployment, creating structure in chaos, and even finding unexpected gifts in career setbacks. Whether you're facing a layoff now or want to prepare for the future, this conversation offers practical strategies and emotional resilience tools for navigating one of work's most challenging transitions. Follow Leading Up: The Work Shift on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes drop Tuesdays. ⁠Subscribe to our Substack ⁠. Use code SHIFT25 for 20 percent off your first month on Udemy and turn today's inspiration into actual progress. If you’re trying to skill up after a layoff, head to Udemy.com Find out more about Leading Up: The Work Shift at business.udemy.com/leading-up-podcast Leading Up: The Work Shift is produced by Udemy in partnership with Pod People.

Leading Up: The Work Shift is your compass that guides you back to your career values, goals, and vision. If you’re feeling lost, you're not alone. Host Elizabeth Weingarten talks to executives, entrepreneurs, and Udemy instructors who have survived layoffs and career uncertainty. We ask how to rebound after getting fired, what blocks talented individuals from getting promotions, and how to build a career that makes you proud. Elizabeth is a journalist, applied behavioral scientist, and author of the book “How to Fall in Love with Questions: A New Way to Thrive in Times of Uncertainty.” Elizabeth is the Director of Thought Leadership for Udemy, and your guide through whatever shifts are happening in your world of work. Follow Leading Up: The Work Shift on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube. New episodes drop Tuesdays. Find out more about Leading Up: The Work Shift at business.udemy.com/leading-up-podcast Leading Up: The Work Shift is produced by Udemy in partnership with Pod People.

In this special best-of episode of Leading Up with Udemy, Kelly Schwarze, senior digital marketing manager at Udemy, revisits powerful leadership lessons from the past seven seasons. Hear from former Charles Schwab CEO Dave Pottruck on the importance of humility and emotional intelligence when leading from the middle, Starbucks Head of Learning Brandon Carson on building a strong company culture through trust and continuous learning, and Merck CLO Johann Laville on why great leaders are lifelong learners. Whether you're an emerging or seasoned leader, this episode offers valuable insights to help you grow and lead with impact. FULL EPISODES: Leading From the Middle: Featuring Dave Pottruck, former CEO of Charles Schwab How Company Culture Impacts Every Team Member: Featuring Brandon Carson, VP of Learning, Starbucks Why Strong Leaders Are Strong Learners: Featuring Johann Laville, Chief Learning Officer, Merck Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

Alan Todd speaks with Jessica Michaels, an award-winning speaker and expert in leadership development. After discovering in her thirties that she has autism and ADHD, Jessica became an advocate for neurodiversity in the workplace. She shares practical insights on how leaders can create more inclusive environments that unlock the potential of neurodivergent employees. With humor and directness, Jessica explains how embracing diverse ways of thinking can lead to more innovative and effective teams. Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

Join Alan Todd as he sits down with Cynthia Pong, founder and CEO of Embrace Change, a firm dedicated to helping women of color achieve their career goals. Cynthia shares her innovative concept of "career insurance" — steps to ensure long-term career success. They discuss her transition from law to career coaching, strategies for career advancement for women of color, and overcoming systemic marginalization. Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

Alan Todd as he sits down with Sophie Riegel, a best-selling author, speaker, coach, and mental health advocate. Sophie shares her journey as a young mental health advocate, strategies for optimizing intergenerational relationships, tips for talking about mental health with young people, and how to offer, ask for, and accept help. They also discuss the impact of generational dynamics in the workplace and at home. Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.

Alan Todd sits down with Dr. Ann Schulte, a versatile executive with a career spanning communications, consulting, higher education, and work-based learning leadership. Dr. Schulte, former Chief Learning Officer at MasterCard and Procter & Gamble, now serves as an academic director at the University of Pennsylvania. They discuss leadership and development, strategic self-awareness, feedback receptiveness, and media literacy in the age of AI. Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.