This week I’m joined by the remarkable Helen Young-McLaughlin, CEO and founder of the Leverage Academy and a leadership coach based in Maryland, USA. Helen opens up about her personal battle with burnout and the transformative power of empathetic communication in the workplace. Her story is a testament to the resilience and adaptability required of leaders today. Helen is passionate about mindful middle management, and moving beyond the hustle culture hangover with a leadership framework built around intention, growth and impact so that everyone can grow and thrive without the burden of burnout.
Leadership priorities: Connect then guide
Why you should listen: the art of leadership communication
Clarity, Connection, Curiosity
We explore the intersection between burnout, communication, and leadership
Create space and have grace in your leadership conversations
Does your corporate culture include permission to share difficult feelings?
Stay curious - it’s the bridge between leadership and teams
Take action
Prioritise development of your people - counterintuitively, when people are busy they need connection more than ever
Tip of the week
From my book Moments - having the courage to speak up and change the direction of your leadership conversations.
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About Helen Young
Helen Young-McLaughlin is CEO of Helen Young Coaching & Consulting, LLC and Founder of The Leverage Academy. As an ICF-certified coach, she brings 25+ years of experience and a unique blend of coaching, counselling, and consulting to transform middle managers into a company’s most valuable asset.
When not helping leaders savour the shortcut to mindful middle management, you can find Helen eating blue crabs with Old Bay seasoning (she’s a Maryland girl at heart, after all). Something that may surprise you is that she's an undercover introvert, craving a quiet recharge with a good book (The Great Alone is a favourite).
Find out more: https://helenyoungcoaching.com
Key moments
Planet Human: SpaceX's Starship and its monumental leap towards lunar and Martian missions. As someone deeply fascinated by the prospects of a permanent human presence in space, I also touch upon my novel, Olympus Bound which explores this very theme.
Planet Zoë: Leadership in the Wild - Currently, I'm in the rugged terrains of Western Australia, collaborating with Outback Initiatives on a leadership development program. Here, we're pushing boundaries through caving and bushwalking.
Understanding burnout and communication (00:04:00) Zoe and Helen discuss the link between burnout and communication, sharing personal experiences and insights.
Effective communication for middle management (00:12:36) Helen shares her perspective on effective communication, emphasising the importance of connectedness, clarity, and curiosity.
Empowering through curiosity (00:19:40) The conversation explores the challenge of staying curious and avoiding the urge to solve problems, emphasising the importance of empowering others through communication.
Collaboration in the Workplace (00:24:29) Challenges and solutions for effective collaboration among individuals of different status and influence.
Obstacles to Collaboration (00:25:49) Identifying and addressing the obstacles to collaboration in the current work environment, including remote and hybrid work setups.
Reactivity as an Indicator (00:29:25) Understanding reactivity as a red flag, using curiosity to diagnose and address issues before making changes.
Future Technology and Workplace Wellness (00:32:44) Discussion about the potential benefits of technology for workplace wellness, including the concept of "pods" for virtual breaks.
Leadership Book Recommendation (00:35:42) Recommendation of the book "Dare to Lead" by Brené Brown, emphasising vulnerability and courage in leadership.
The Future of Work (00:37:24) Envisioning a future workplace where mental health, learning, and well-being are top priorities for all individuals.
Workplace Burnout and Values Alignment (00:38:53) Highlighting the impact of workplace burnout and the importance of aligning values with work to create a positive environment.
Speaking Up as a Leader (00:41:51) Encouragement to speak up as a leader, overcoming biological urges for connection and safety to steer towards fulfilling potential.
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About your host, Canberra leadership expert Zoë Routh:
Zoë Routh is a leadership futurist, podcaster, and multiple award-winning author. She works with leaders and teams to navigate future horizons.
She has worked with individuals and teams internationally and in Australia since 1987. From wild Canadian rivers to the Australian Outback, and the Boardroom jungles, Zoë is an adventurist! She facilitates strategy and culture sessions with audacious teams.
Zoë's fourth leadership book, People Stuff - Beyond Personality Problems: An advanced handbook for leadership, won the Book of the Year at the Australian Business Book Awards in 2020. Her fifth book is a near future science fiction dystopian novel, The Olympus Project.
Zoë is the producer of the Zoë Routh Leadership Podcast, dedicated to asking “What if…?” and sharing Big Ideas on the Future of Leadership.
Zoë is an outdoor adventurist and enjoys telemark skiing, has run six marathons, is a one-time belly-dancer, has survived cancer, and loves hiking in the high country. She is married to a gorgeous Aussie and is a self-confessed dark chocolate addict.