Career Contessa

Are your meetings driving results—or just draining your calendar? This week, Lauren sits down with organizational scientist and Your Best Meeting Ever author Dr. Rebecca Hinds to rethink how meetings are designed, measured, and led. Learn how to eliminate meeting debt, reclaim your time, and turn collaboration into a competitive advantage.
You’ll learn:
Why “meeting debt” is costing companies trillions—and how to reset your calendar
The simple design shifts (like ROTI and the Rule of Halves) that instantly improve meetings
How to run inclusive, energizing hybrid meetings people actually want to attend

Show Notes
Weekly Newsletter Sign-Up: http://bit.ly/37hqtQW
New Manager course: https://careercontessa.teachable.com/p/the-new-manager-manual/
Efficient Meetings course: https://careercontessa.teachable.com/p/building-efficient-meetings/

Guest Resources:
Rebecca Hinds website: https://www.rebeccahinds.com/
Book: https://www.rebeccahinds.com/book

Career Contessa Resources
Book 1:1 career coaching session: https://www.careercontessa.com/hire-a-mentor/
Take an online course: https://www.careercontessa.com/education/
Get your personalized salary report: https://www.careercontessa.com/the-salary-project/

Sponsors
Go to momentumshake.com/careercontessa to get a free Welcome Kit and Travel Collection ($70 value) to get you started!
Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/careercontessa.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ever feel like the default project manager at home or work? In this episode, Lauren sits down with Dr. Regina Lark to unpack soft incompetence—a subtle dynamic that quietly shifts emotional labor onto one person, often with good intentions. Learn how to spot it, talk about it, and rebalance responsibility without resentment.
You’ll learn:
How soft incompetence differs from weaponized incompetence.
Early signs of emotional labor imbalance.
One simple shift to redistribute responsibility more fairly.

Show Notes
Weekly Newsletter Sign-Up: http://bit.ly/37hqtQW

Guest Resources:
Dr. Regina Lark: https://www.reginalark.com/

Career Contessa Resources
Book 1:1 career coaching session: https://www.careercontessa.com/hire-a-mentor/
Take an online course: https://www.careercontessa.com/education/
Get your personalized salary report: https://www.careercontessa.com/the-salary-project/

Sponsor
Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month Shopify trial today at shopify.com/careercontessa.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Communication isn’t just a soft skill—it’s the foundation of influence, trust, and leadership at work. In this episode, Ravi Rajani, author of Relationship Currency, breaks down the five habits that make communicators truly influential. From reframing the stories you tell yourself to building trust without being the loudest voice in the room, Ravi shares practical, immediately usable shifts that help you communicate with more clarity, credibility, and impact—starting this week.
You’ll learn:
How to build trust through the Three C’s: connection, character, and competence
Why patience (not charisma) is the secret weapon of influential communicators
Simple habits introverts can use to speak with confidence and be taken seriously at work

Show Notes
Weekly Newsletter Sign-Up: http://bit.ly/37hqtQW

Guest Resources:
Relationship Currency book: https://www.theravirajani.com/book
Ravi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theravirajani/
Ravi website: https://www.theravirajani.com/

Career Contessa Resources
Book 1:1 career coaching session: https://www.careercontessa.com/hire-a-mentor/
Take an online course: https://www.careercontessa.com/education/
Get your personalized salary report: https://www.careercontessa.com/the-salary-project/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The way we work is changing—and it’s not going back. In this episode, we sit down with Brea Starmer, founder and CEO of Lions & Tigers, to break down the rise of blended teams, where full-time employees work alongside independent experts.
They explore why women are leaving rigid career structures, how AI is widening skills gaps, and what companies must do to build flexible, high-performing teams for the future of work.
You’ll learn:
Why blended teams are becoming the new standard
How flexible work can still support growth and stability
What leaders need to rethink in the AI era

Show Notes
Weekly Newsletter Sign-Up: http://bit.ly/37hqtQW

Guest Resources:
Lions & Tigers website: https://lionsandtigers.com/
Workforce Reimagined Research: https://lionsandtigers.com/why-now/

Career Contessa Resources
Book 1:1 career coaching session: https://www.careercontessa.com/hire-a-mentor/
Take an online course: https://www.careercontessa.com/education/
Get your personalized salary report: https://www.careercontessa.com/the-salary-project/

Sponsors
Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/careercontessa.
Open a Found account for FREE at found.com.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Great leadership starts with managing yourself. Harvard professor Margaret C. Andrews shares why lack of self-awareness derails careers, how emotional intelligence shapes leadership at every stage, and which human skills matter most as AI reshapes work. A must-listen for anyone ready to lead with more clarity and confidence. You’ll learn:
Why lack of self-awareness is one of the biggest predictors of career derailment
The hidden gap between our intentions and how others experience our behavior—and how to close it
The first question to ask yourself as you learn to manage yourself

Show Notes
Weekly Newsletter Sign-Up: http://bit.ly/37hqtQW

Guest Resources:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretcandrews/
Website: https://www.margaretandrews.com/
Book: https://www.margaretandrews.com/book

Career Contessa Resources
Book 1:1 career coaching session: https://www.careercontessa.com/hire-a-mentor/
Take an online course: https://www.careercontessa.com/education/
Get your personalized salary report: https://www.careercontessa.com/the-salary-project/

Sponsor
Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/careercontessa.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.