Leadership Purpose with Dr. Robin

Hosted by Robin L Owens

BusinessInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

300

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

About the show

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 26, 2026Episode 29428 min

Your Career Looks Great But You Want Out | Ep 294 with Nicole Johnston

"And then my next thought was, man, if I hadn't been so fast on the brake, I wouldn't have to go to work today. So when you're choosing bodily harm over your job, you should probably pay attention to that." This week's "At her Career Crossroads" insight comes from Nicole Johnston. Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode: What if the career you worked so hard to build no longer feels like the career you want? Hear what happened when Nicole could no longer ignore that disconnect—and how she began figuring out what she actually wanted instead. Are you ruling out what you really want before you've even considered how it could work? You'll hear a practical way to question the "shoulds," assumptions, and self-imposed barriers that can keep you stuck at a career crossroads. Could the work no one notices be quietly getting in the way of your career? Discover how mental load and non-promotable work can consume hundreds of hours of your time—and what that could mean for your energy, opportunities, and next move. Nicole Johnston is a TEDx and leadership speaker, bestselling author of Taboo Topics: Things Women Should Talk About, But Don't , and executive and leadership coach who brings more than 30 years of global sales and marketing leadership experience at companies including Procter & Gamble, Hershey, and Kimberly-Clark. Connect with Nicole at: Website: https://innate-power.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572974406688 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolejohnstoncoach LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemjohnston/ Would you prefer to watch or listen to the podcast on YouTube? Head on over to https://www.youtube.com/@leadershippurposepodcast Want to connect? Connect with Dr. Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinlowensphd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robinlowensphd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinlowensphd/ Email: Robin@LeadershipPurposePodcast.com Thank you for listening! Rate, review, & follow on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player. Talk to you soon! This episode was produced by Lynda, Podcast Manager for Business Owners with a Purpose at https://www.ljscreativeservices.co.nz

August 19, 2026Episode 2932 min

The Career Crossroads and What Comes Next | Ep293 with Dr. Robin

You've built a successful career. You've accomplished what you set out to do. But… "What happens when the work that brought you here no longer fits who you are now?" In this short solo episode, I'm introducing Season 7 of Leadership Purpose with Dr. Robin and the career crossroads we'll be talking about throughout the season. Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode: If you're questioning whether the career you've worked hard to build still fits the person you are today, you'll hear why this season was created with you in mind. You'll get a preview of the honest conversations ahead—about what begins to feel wrong, what makes change difficult, what you fear losing, and how other high-achieving women found the clarity and courage to move forward. You'll hear what you can expect from each conversation, including practical advice to help you think about your own decisions and what you want your next chapter to look like. A career crossroads can feel uncertain, but it can also be the beginning of a career life that feels more meaningful, more fulfilling, more fully your own, and aligned with your true purpose. Would you prefer to watch or listen to the podcast on YouTube? Head on over to https://www.youtube.com/@leadershippurposepodcast Want to connect? Connect with Dr. Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinlowensphd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robinlowensphd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinlowensphd/ Email: Robin@LeadershipPurposePodcast.com Thank you for listening! Rate, review, & follow on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player. Talk to you soon! This episode was produced by Lynda, Podcast Manager for Business Owners with a Purpose at https://www.ljscreativeservices.co.nz

August 17, 20262 min

Season 7 Trailer

You have built a successful career, but you may be reaching a point where what once felt right no longer fits who you are now. On Leadership Purpose with Dr. Robin , host Robin L. Owens, PhD, speaks with high-achieving women about the significant career crossroads they have faced and the clarity, courage, and decisions that shaped what came next. These conversations go beyond polished success stories. You will hear how accomplished women navigated uncertainty, questioned long-held definitions of success, made difficult decisions, and created new ways to work, lead, and live with greater meaning and fulfillment. At the end of each guest conversation, she offers practical advice for the woman who may be standing at a career crossroads of her own. Through these interviews and occasional solo episodes from Dr. Robin, you will gain insight, encouragement, and new possibilities for your own next chapter. You may begin to see that the career crossroads before you is not simply a place of uncertainty; it may be the beginning of a career life that feels more meaningful, more fulfilling, and more fully your own. Would you prefer to watch or listen to the podcast on YouTube? Head on over to https://www.youtube.com/@leadershippurposepodcast Want to connect? Connect with Dr. Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinlowensphd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robinlowensphd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinlowensphd/ Email: Robin@LeadershipPurposePodcast.com Thank you for listening! Rate, review, & follow on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player. Talk to you soon! This episode was produced by Lynda, Podcast Manager for Creative Entrepreneurs at https://www.ljscreativeservices.co.nz

August 12, 2026Episode 29223 min

The Thoughts That Keep You Aligned | Ep 292 with Dr. Robin

This week's Career Crossroads insight is a simple sentence that changed the way I think: "Transformation can begin by remembering who you already are and allowing that truth to guide your thoughts, your decisions, and the career life you continue creating." Have you ever noticed how one difficult moment can suddenly feel like it defines everything? Or how one fearful thought can quietly turn into a belief about who you are? In this episode, I share a lesson that began with something my brother used to tell me whenever I felt overwhelmed: "Don't make it bigger than what it is, sis." That simple reminder helped me recognize that while our circumstances matter, it's often the thoughts we attach to those circumstances that shape how we experience them. As we wrap up this series on career crossroads, I explore why making an aligned decision is only part of the journey. The thoughts you continue to think after the decision is made are what help you stay connected to who you really are. I introduce the idea of PurposeMAKER™ thoughts —the thoughts that become your mental home base and help you return to deeper clarity, lasting fulfillment, and alignment with your true purpose. Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode: If you're facing a career decision and feel stuck, you'll learn why the most important question may not be "What should I do?" but "Who am I allowing to make this decision?" You'll discover how fear, expectations, and old conditioning can quietly pull you away from your authentic self—even after you've made the "right" decision—and how to recognize those patterns. You'll leave with a practical way to create PurposeMAKER™ thoughts that keep you grounded in who you really are, so your decisions reflect your deepest values rather than your greatest fears. I'm Dr. Robin Owens, founder of the PurposeMAKER™ framework. Through Leadership Purpose, I help high-achieving women close the Purpose Gap by making decisions and creating careers that reflect who they truly are, leading to deeper clarity, lasting fulfillment, and meaningful impact. Would you prefer to watch or listen to the podcast on YouTube? Head on over to https://www.youtube.com/@leadershippurposepodcast Want to connect? Connect with Dr. Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinlowensphd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robinlowensphd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinlowensphd/ Email: Robin@LeadershipPurposePodcast.com Thank you for listening! Rate, review, & follow on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player. Talk to you soon! This episode was produced by Lynda, Podcast Manager for Entrepreneurs at https://www.ljscreativeservices.co.nz

August 5, 2026Episode 29122 min

When the Whole of Me Could Be Present | Ep 291 with Dr. Robin

This week's "At Her Career Crossroads" insight comes from me. I want to share the career decision that helped me realize alignment isn't about finding the perfect opportunity. It's about choosing the one where more of who you are gets to show up. "Clarity can begin when you stop asking only what makes sense on paper and start asking what would allow the whole of who I am to be present in this decision." Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode: If you've ever wondered why a successful career can still leave you feeling unfulfilled, you'll discover why competence, passion, values, natural abilities, and the people you're called to serve all matter when making career decisions. You'll hear the personal story behind one of the biggest career decisions I've ever made, and how asking one simple question helped me recognize an opportunity that allowed more of who I am to be present. You'll walk away with practical questions you can ask yourself before making your next career move so you can make decisions that feel more aligned with who you are today—not just what looks good on paper. I'm Dr. Robin—professor, speaker, author, coach, and creator of the PurposeMAKER philosophy, framework, and platform. Through my work, I help high-achieving women close the Purpose Gap so they can create lives and careers filled with more meaning, alignment, and true purpose. Would you prefer to watch or listen to the podcast on YouTube? Head on over to https://www.youtube.com/@leadershippurposepodcast Want to connect? Connect with Dr. Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinlowensphd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robinlowensphd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinlowensphd/ Email: Robin@LeadershipPurposePodcast.com Thank you for listening! Rate, review, & follow on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player. Talk to you soon! This episode was produced by Lynda, Podcast Manager for Creative Entrepreneurs at https://www.ljscreativeservices.co.nz

July 29, 2026Episode 29023 min

When the Right Path Couldn't Hold All of Me | Ep 290 with Dr. Robin

This week's "At Her Career Crossroads" insight comes from me. I want to share the career decision that taught me the right path should never require you to leave parts of yourself behind. "There was not enough of me in it. That distinction matters to me now because sometimes a calling does not ask us to throw away everything we've already built. Sometimes it asks us to become more honest about what needs to be added, changed, or integrated. A real purpose calling does not require you to disappear inside the path. It may challenge you. It may ask you to study, prepare, stretch, or take a risk, but it doesn't keep asking you to leave essential parts of yourself outside the room." Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode: If you've ever loved your work but still felt like something important was missing, this episode will help you understand why feeling incomplete doesn't necessarily mean you're on the wrong path. You'll hear how I realised my work needed to make room for more of who I was—and why purpose sometimes means refining your path rather than starting over. If you're standing at a career crossroads, this conversation will encourage you to ask a different question: not "Should I leave?" but "What part of me needs more room in the work I'm doing?" I'm Dr. Robin, and through my work as a leadership and purpose researcher, executive coach, and creator of the PurposeMAKER™ framework, I help high-achieving women close the Purpose Gap so they can create lives and careers that reflect who they truly are. Would you prefer to watch or listen to the podcast on YouTube? Head on over to https://www.youtube.com/@leadershippurposepodcast Want to connect? Connect with Dr. Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinlowensphd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robinlowensphd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinlowensphd/ Email: Robin@LeadershipPurposePodcast.com Thank you for listening! Rate, review, & follow on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player. Talk to you soon! This episode was produced by Lynda, Podcast Manager for Creative Entrepreneurs at https://www.ljscreativeservices.co.nz

July 22, 2026Episode 28926 min

When the Path Around Me Wasn't Mine | Ep289 with Dr. Robin

This week's "At Her Career Crossroads" insight comes from me. I want to share another career decision that changed the direction of my life. "Sometimes a decision begins before you know exactly what you're deciding. You just know the path everyone around you seems to be following doesn't feel like yours. That was where I found myself in Seminary. I was surrounded by people who were preparing to become pastors, and for many of them, that made complete sense. They seemed clear about what they were there to do and where they were headed. But I couldn't see myself doing that. I couldn't see myself in a pulpit. I saw myself in a classroom." Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode: If you've ever looked around and wondered why everyone else's career path seems to make sense—but yours doesn't—this episode will remind you that your purpose may not look like anyone else's. You'll hear how one simple question, "What do I want?" , helped me begin finding a direction that felt more aligned, even though I couldn't yet see the whole path. If you're feeling pressure to follow what's expected rather than what feels right, this conversation will encourage you to pay attention to the direction that keeps calling you instead. I'm Dr. Robin, and through my work as a leadership and purpose researcher, executive coach, and creator of the PurposeMAKER™ framework, I help high-achieving women close the Purpose Gap so they can create lives and careers that reflect who they truly are. Would you prefer to watch or listen to the podcast on YouTube? Head on over to https://www.youtube.com/@leadershippurposepodcast Want to connect? Connect with Dr. Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinlowensphd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robinlowensphd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinlowensphd/ Email: Robin@LeadershipPurposePodcast.com Thank you for listening! Rate, review, & follow on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player. Talk to you soon! This episode was produced by Lynda, Podcast Manager for Creative Entrepreneurs at https://www.ljscreativeservices.co.nz

July 15, 2026Episode 28819 min

Leaving Home Before I Knew Why | Ep 288 with Dr. Robin

This week's "At Her Career Crossroads" insight comes from me. I want to share something that changed the direction of my life. "I left my family, my home, my community and all that nurtured me my entire life without knowing what it would lead to. I left because something in me knew I needed to go, even before I can explain why. And only later, much later, could I see how that decision deepened my spiritual formation, how it helped me understand my sense of calling and became a part of the path that led me toward work that included teaching, speaking, and helping other people think more deeply about their own purpose. The pattern became clearer after I followed the direction, not before." Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode: If you're waiting until you have the whole plan before making your next career move, this episode will help you see why clarity often comes one step at a time, not all at once. If you've ever felt a persistent pull toward something you couldn't explain, you'll learn how to recognise the signals that deserve your attention instead of dismissing them because they don't fit a logical plan. If you're standing at a career crossroads, you'll discover why following your next right step can be more important than knowing exactly where the road will lead. I'm Dr. Robin, and through my work as a leadership and purpose researcher, executive coach and creator of the PurposeMAKER™ framework, I help high-achieving women close the Purpose Gap so they can create lives and careers that reflect who they truly are. Would you prefer to watch or listen to the podcast on YouTube? Head on over to https://www.youtube.com/@leadershippurposepodcast Want to connect? Connect with Dr. Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinlowensphd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robinlowensphd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinlowensphd/ Email: Robin@LeadershipPurposePodcast.com Thank you for listening! Rate, review, & follow on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player. Talk to you soon! This episode was produced by Lynda, Podcast Manager for Creative Entrepreneurs at https://www.ljscreativeservices.co.nz

July 8, 2026Episode 28725 min

When Missing Passion Got My Attention | Ep 287 with Dr. Robin

This week's "At her Career Crossroads" insight comes from myself, Dr. Robin. "Restlessness can be the beginning of clarity. And for me, restlessness became before the decision. It came before I could explain. It came before I knew what I would do next. It was just there, beneath the surface, unsettled, trying to get my attention." Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode: If you've ever found yourself questioning a career that looks successful on paper but feels different on the inside, this episode will help you understand why meaningful work isn't always aligned work—and why that distinction matters. You'll hear the deeply personal story that first made me realize I wasn't simply exhausted from my work as a social worker. I was beginning to recognize that something essential was missing, even though I cared deeply about the people I served. You'll learn three lessons that can help you recognize the signs of misalignment in your own career, understand what your restlessness may be trying to tell you, and begin making decisions that honour both your purpose and who you truly are. I'm Dr. Robin, creator of the PurposeMAKER™ philosophy and host of Leadership Purpose with Dr. Robin . I help high-achieving women close the Purpose Gap by making career and leadership decisions that reflect who they are, so they can create lives and work filled with greater meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. Would you prefer to watch or listen to the podcast on YouTube? Head on over to https://www.youtube.com/@leadershippurposepodcast Want to connect? Connect with Dr. Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinlowensphd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robinlowensphd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinlowensphd/ Email: Robin@LeadershipPurposePodcast.com Thank you for listening! Rate, review, & follow on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player. Talk to you soon! This episode was produced by Lynda, Podcast Manager for Entrepreneurs at https://www.ljscreativeservices.co.nz

July 1, 2026Episode 28627 min

Why I Left a Career I Loved | Ep 286 with Dr. Robin

This week's At her Career Crossroads insight comes from myself, Dr. Robin. "Sometimes the hardest decisions are not about escaping something terrible, sometimes they're about outgrowing something partial, something that fits part of you but not the whole of you. And that's not failure, that's discernment, that's paying attention, that's learning how to make decisions from a fuller place, a fuller truth in you and who you are." Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to this episode: Have you ever wondered why you feel unsettled in a career you genuinely love? I'll share why leaving meaningful work can be even harder than leaving work that's clearly wrong—and what finally helped me make that decision. If you've been telling yourself you should be happy because you're making a difference, this episode will help you explore whether one of your core values is quietly being overlooked. Sometimes what's missing matters just as much as what's working. The decision to leave wasn't really about the job. It came down to one insight that completely changed how I think about purpose, career alignment, and making decisions that honour the whole of who you are. If you've been wrestling with a difficult career decision, I hope this perspective helps you see your own situation differently. I'm Dr. Robin, creator of the PurposeMAKER™ philosophy and host of Leadership Purpose with Dr. Robin . I help high-achieving women close the Purpose Gap by understanding their unique Purpose Pattern so they can make aligned career and leadership decisions and create lives of greater meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. Would you prefer to watch or listen to the podcast on YouTube? Head on over to https://www.youtube.com/@leadershippurposepodcast Want to connect? Connect with Dr. Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinlowensphd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robinlowensphd Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinlowensphd/ Email: Robin@LeadershipPurposePodcast.com Thank you for listening! Rate, review, & follow on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player. Talk to you soon! This episode was produced by Lynda, Podcast Manager for Business Owners at https://www.ljscreativeservices.co.nz