Lifting Leaders Podcast

Five years after graduating with her Master's degree in Architecture, Madison Mulligan joins the Lifting Leaders Podcast to reflect on one of the most significant transitions many people face: moving from student life into the working world. In this special mother-daughter conversation, host Kristal Roberts and Madison explore the realities of early adulthood, including navigating uncertainty, building a career, redefining success, and discovering that life rarely unfolds according to a perfect plan. Together, they discuss the lessons Madison learned as a young professional, the challenges of transitioning from college to a full-time career, and how resilience, relationships, and hope helped shape her journey. As part of our Ignite Genuine Hope series, this episode reminds us that hope is not about having all the answers. It is about trusting yourself enough to take the next step, learning through experience, and remaining open to possibility even when the future feels uncertain. In this episode, you'll discover:✨ Why adulthood is more about learning than having everything figured out✨ How to define success on your own terms instead of following society's expectations✨ The critical role of networking, relationships, and soft skills in career growth✨ What a career setback, including being laid off, can teach you about resilience and purpose✨ How focusing on what you can control helps you navigate uncertainty with confidence✨ Why building a meaningful life matters just as much as building a successful career✨ Practical advice for new graduates, young professionals, and anyone navigating a major life transition Whether you're graduating, changing careers, mentoring emerging professionals, or navigating your own season of transition, this conversation offers practical wisdom and genuine hope for the journey ahead. Topics discussed: life after graduation, career development, young professionals, resilience, networking, leadership development, navigating uncertainty, career transitions, personal growth, and defining success.

What happens when a successful technology leader feels a spark that simply won’t be ignored? In this inspiring episode of Lifting Leaders Podcast, we welcome Career Coach, Shirlene Evans, ACC, whose thriving career in the tech industry took a powerful turn when she realized her true calling was helping others navigate theirs. That spark shifted her focus from building systems to building people and the ripple effects have been profound. Listen in as Shirlene shares why one of the most overlooked leadership skills is the courage to pause and identify what is not working before rushing in to fix it. Too often, leaders move straight to solutions without fully naming the real issue. Shirlene unpacks what happens, to leaders, to teams, and to entire systems, when things go unspoken. Silence does not create stability; it stifles creativity, drains energy, and quietly erodes innovation. But when leaders learn to speak up with intention, they open the door to fresh thinking and forward momentum. You will also hear why honesty alone is not always enough when naming what is not working. It takes imagination. It takes vision. It takes the ability to see beyond the current reality and invite others into what is possible. Shirlene offers practical recommendations to help leaders build the courage and skill to speak up, move forward, and foster an environment where creativity and innovation thrive. Shirlene’s energy, warmth, and passion for coaching and mentoring shine throughout this conversation. If you have ever felt the tension between staying silent and saying what needs to be said, this episode will light a spark for you. We think you’re going to love this one.

In this powerful “Gems” episode, we revisit our rich conversation with Barbara Acevedo Visser, Master Certified Coach and uncover some leadership gems we gleaned within her wisdom. If you’ve ever left a conversation thinking, “I could have listened better,” this episode is for you. We explore what it really means to listen at deeper levels - beyond words, beyond responses, and beyond the internal dialogue that competes for our attention. Barbara reminds us that curiosity is not just a mindset - it’s a disciplined leadership practice. When we intentionally suspend judgment and choose curiosity instead, we create space for trust, insight, and genuine connection. In the episode, we’re digging into: How suspending judgment transforms conversations and strengthens rapport Why curiosity is the antidote to assumption Simple, practical steps to quiet a busy mind before and during a conversation How both speaker and listener benefit when presence is intentional What to consider before a one-on-one conversation when “fixing” isn’t the goal One of the biggest insights? When leaders enter conversations without the pressure to solve or fix, something powerful happens. Clarity emerges. Trust deepens. And both parties feel heard and valued. Sometimes the most impactful leadership move is not offering the answer - it’s offering your full attention. Barbara’s sage advice offers practical tools you can apply immediately: pausing before responding, checking your intention, naming what you’re noticing, and consciously choosing curiosity over certainty. These simple shifts can radically improve the quality of your leadership conversations. There is so much to hear and reflect on in this episode. If you are committed to building trust, strengthening relationships, and leading with intention, you will find this conversation truly insightful.

We’re taking a short break from our Light the Spark series to share something close to our hearts — love. 💛 In this special post-Valentine’s Day episode of the Lifting Leaders Podcast, we’re sending heartfelt gratitude to you, our listeners, and celebrating the people and places we cherish most — our friends and families, and the breathtaking beauty of the Pacific Northwest we’re blessed to call home. We also reflect on a powerful “Gist of Things” article by Marilyn Gist, titled The Courage to Let Yourself Be Helped. As we share highlights from her insights, we explore how accepting help is not weakness - it’s love in action. What goes through your mind when someone offers to help you? Do you worry that they don’t see you are fully capable, on our own? Just what if you accepted help? There’s something profound about this simple exchange. Accepting help can build connection. It can strengthen trust. It can spark community. So, what does that have to do with interdependence? Everything. In this episode, we share stories of when interdependence was simply “the way we did life” - and why it still matters for leaders today. We hope you love this week’s episode - and that it reminds you that leadership, at its core, is relational. 💕

What does respect really mean and why does it look so different across cultures, teams, and leadership contexts? In this episode of the Lifting Leaders Podcast, we’re joined by Julie Pham, PhD, author of 7 Forms of Respect, to explore how respect shapes leadership effectiveness, influence, trust, and belonging, especially in today’s polarized world. Julie challenges the assumption that respect is universal, inviting leaders to examine how culture, micro-cultures, hierarchy, and lived experience shape both the respect we expect and the respect we extend to others. Together, we dive deeply into two often overlooked forms of respect and why misunderstanding them can quietly erode trust, collaboration, and inclusion on teams. Grounded in our 2026 focus on Influencing Genuine Hope, this conversation explores how curiosity about respect can: Reduce polarized communication Bridge cultural and relational divides Strengthen leadership influence without authority Foster trust, psychological safety, and belonging Insightful, practical, and deeply human, this episode offers leaders a hope-forward path one where respect becomes an everyday leadership practice that brings people closer together rather than pushing them apart.

Hope-led leadership. Strategic slowness. Accountability. Collective action.What happens next when The Three-Peat conversation continues? ✨ Deeper reflection. Bolder truth-telling. Practical wisdom for leaders navigating 2026. In Part 2 of The Three-Peat, Dr. Lindsey Godwin, Jeff McAuliffe, and Carla Ondrasik return to explore the mindsets and behaviors leaders need for sustainable, hope-led leadership in a complex world. As the year unfolds, this powerful conversation invites leaders to slow down, pay attention, and lead with greater intention. Together, they challenge urgency culture and explore strategic slowness as a leadership practice, one that creates space for wiser decisions, stronger relationships, and long-term impact. In this episode, we explore: • Why strategic slowness strengthens leadership rather than weakening it• The importance of clarifying intentions at the start of a new year• How accountability turns intention into action and keeps hope moving• A surprising insight about motivation and leadership behavior• What leaders must stop doing-and start doing-in 2026 This conversation calls leaders to release habits that no longer serve and to choose practices rooted in purpose, responsibility, and hope in action. ✨ Listen in and lead differently.Because hope doesn’t rush.Leadership isn’t performative.And the future we’re creating depends on what we choose - starting now. 🎙️ Lifting Leaders Podcast | The Three-Peat-Part 2Let’s keep lighting the spark.

As we step into 2026, we’re inviting you into a bold new chapter of hope-driven, human-centered leadership, one grounded in action, connection, and real-world impact. This year on Lifting Leaders Podcast, our focus is clear: Light the Spark. Ignite Genuine Hope. Lead the Change.Together, we’ll explore how leaders can create meaningful change, in themselves, their organizations, their communities, and the world, especially in complex and uncertain times. In 2026, listening goes beyond inspiration. We’ll challenge the idea that hope is simply optimism and instead explore why hope is relational, actionable, and essential for leadership today. Through candid conversations, practical leadership tools, and powerful stories, we’ll show how hope must be practiced and lived or it fades. Expect episodes that: Expand how you think about leadership, purpose, and possibility Offer practical tools you can apply immediately Explore leadership as a force for connection, courage, and positive change Ground hope in intention, action, and human relationships If you’re ready to lead with intention, spark genuine hope, and be part of a leadership community that believes leadership can truly be a force for good, we’d love to have you with us in 2026. 🎧 Subscribe, listen, and join us as we light the spark together.