Ever had to have that difficult conversation with someone that you dreaded? You are not alone. Join us to explore how to improve how you handle difficult conversations with your team or loved ones. When we communicate better, we lead better, we perform better, we have better relationships, results and ultimately, a better life. Ready to learn? Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss any future episode. Want to be a guest on our podcast? Let us know! https://bit.ly/3z4Sn5w
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July 7, 202614 min
Is AI making us end the show?
Sorry for the click-bait title, but as season 3 comes to an end, Lucie and Chris have some big news to share. They also spend a few minutes talking about the rise of AI, especially how it impacts difficult conversations. Then they share some BIG news for listeners.
How will you spend the summer?
Connect with us:
Email – tas.difficultconversations@gmail.com
Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders
Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment
June 30, 202622 min
How to facilitate heavy group topics (Part 2 with Frank Velasquez, Jr.)
In part 2 of their conversation, Frank joins Chris and Lucie to talk through the steps of facilitating restorative circles, the preparation that makes group conversations successful, and the secrets of facilitating well. Together, they go through practical tips for facilitators and leaders to create safe, impactful spaces for dialogue and healing.
Key Takeaways:
Setting the right container is crucial for meaningful conversations.
Preparation involves both logistical planning and internal readiness.
Facilitators should be flexible and follow organic conversation cues.
Incorporating joy and positive memories helps balance heavy topics.
Facilitators need to recognize emotional fatigue and practice self-care.
About Frank (He/Him/His)
Storyteller Extraordinaire, Social Justice Warrior, and Relationship Cultivator! In relentless pursuit of racial and gender equity, Frank’s warmth brings folks together to talk through the tough stuff. To Frank, every person’s story matters like each ingredient in a yummy bowl of gumbo. Each standing on its own, but together making something unforgettable.
From major conferences like the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, AFP ICON, and AFP Lead to training rooms everywhere from Walt Disney World to the MGM Grand Las Vegas, Frank has reached thousands of folks with narratives that just hit different, leaving each group invigorated with his unique blend of storytelling magic, quick wit, and social justice fire!As the Founder of 4 Da Hood and the visionary behind the Ascending Leaders in Color leadership program, Frank forges pathways for Peeps of Color to step into their power - authentically, courageously, and with unapologetic joy. Because for Frank, advancing equity isn’t just a job - it's about thriving in a world our ancestors dreamed for us, a world where communities of color have the same access and opportunity to build their generational wealth.And he's doing it one connection, one story, one courageous conversation at a time.
Connect with Frank:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/fvelasquezjr/
Contact Frank directly: frank@4dahood.com
4DaHood - https://4dahood.com
Connect with us:
Email – tas.difficultconversations@gmail.com
Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders
Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment
June 23, 202620 min
How to use Restorative Justice Circles to lead better groups (Part 1 with Frank Velasquez Jr.)
In this week’s episode, Frank Velásquez Jr. joins Chris and Lucie to share his journey into restorative justice, leadership as a person of color, and how restorative circles can transform organizational culture. Discover practical insights on authentic leadership, facilitation, and creating safe spaces for difficult conversations.
Leaders of color often struggle with authenticity due to organizational and societal pressures.
The importance of being authentic to yourself
What are Restorative Justice Circles and how are they different from other types of group facilitation?
How can you use agreements to change the tone of your group sessions
About Frank (He/Him/His)
Storyteller Extraordinaire, Social Justice Warrior, and Relationship Cultivator! In relentless pursuit of racial and gender equity, Frank’s warmth brings folks together to talk through the tough stuff. To Frank, every person’s story matters like each ingredient in a yummy bowl of gumbo. Each standing on its own, but together making something unforgettable.
From major conferences like the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, AFP ICON, and AFP Lead to training rooms everywhere from Walt Disney World to the MGM Grand Las Vegas, Frank has reached thousands of folks with narratives that just hit different, leaving each group invigorated with his unique blend of storytelling magic, quick wit, and social justice fire!As the Founder of 4 Da Hood and the visionary behind the Ascending Leaders in Color leadership program, Frank forges pathways for Peeps of Color to step into their power - authentically, courageously, and with unapologetic joy. Because for Frank, advancing equity isn’t just a job - it's about thriving in a world our ancestors dreamed for us, a world where communities of color have the same access and opportunity to build their generational wealth.And he's doing it one connection, one story, one courageous conversation at a time.
Connect with Frank:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankvelasquezjr/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/frankvelasquezjr
Restorative Justice Practices - International Institute for Restorative Practices - https://www.iirp.edu/
4DaHood - Organization founded by Frank Velásquez Jr. - https://4dahood.org/
Ascending Leaders of Color Program - https://ascendingleaders.org/
Connect with us:
Email – tas.difficultconversations@gmail.com
Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders
Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment
June 16, 202621 min
How to Communicate as a Leader when Times are Tough
In this episode, Will Hobart shares insights on leadership, transparency, managing anxiety, and building trust within organizations. Discover practical strategies for effective communication and authentic leadership in challenging times.
About our guest:
Will Hobart is an education leader, strategist, and nonprofit executive with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations navigate complex challenges, build strong partnerships, and create opportunities for student success. His career has included roles as a middle school teacher, school district administrator, and nonprofit leader, providing a unique perspective on how communication, trust, and collaboration drive meaningful change. Throughout his career, Will has led efforts to expand college access, strengthen career pathways, and improve outcomes for young people. He is passionate about bringing people together across diverse perspectives to solve complex problems and create lasting impact. Will believes that many of the most important breakthroughs in organizations and communities begin with honest, courageous conversations. He has led teams through periods of growth, uncertainty, and transformation, and has seen how empathy, curiosity, and clarity can strengthen relationships and move people toward shared goals.
Contact Will:
Will Hobart - LinkedIn
Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching
Connect with us:
Email – tas.difficultconversations@gmail.com
Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders
Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment
June 9, 202638 min
Balancing empathy and performance in leadership
How do you align a team that doesn't seem to be reading the same page, or even the same book?
In Part 1 of our conversation with nonprofit leader Will Hobart, we dig into one of the hardest tensions in leadership: caring deeply about your people while still driving toward clear goals and results. Will shares the lessons that shaped him, from a fifth-grade conflict-resolution program to the rigid, resource-constrained world of public education, to scaling a 90-year-old nonprofit. Along the way, he gets honest about the moment hard feedback forced him to confront the gap between his intent and his impact, and how he learned that his team's different needs and ambitions weren't a lack of drive but just a different seat at the table. If you've ever felt pulled between the strategy you're accountable for and the empathy your team needs from you, this one's for you.
About our guest:
Will Hobart is an education leader, strategist, and nonprofit executive with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations navigate complex challenges, build strong partnerships, and create opportunities for student success. His career has included roles as a middle school teacher, school district administrator, and nonprofit leader, providing a unique perspective on how communication, trust, and collaboration drive meaningful change. Throughout his career, Will has led efforts to expand college access, strengthen career pathways, and improve outcomes for young people. He is passionate about bringing people together across diverse perspectives to solve complex problems and create lasting impact. Will believes that many of the most important breakthroughs in organizations and communities begin with honest, courageous conversations. He has led teams through periods of growth, uncertainty, and transformation, and has seen how empathy, curiosity, and clarity can strengthen relationships and move people toward shared goals.
Contact us:
Email – tas.difficultconversations@gmail.com
Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders
Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment
June 2, 202624 min
Unlock Your Potential with CIDER Strategies: A Step-by-Step Guide
In this interview with leadership coach Lucie Tesarova, Tina Paulus-Krause shares her transformative methodology, CIDER strategies, designed to help individuals achieve clarity, set intentions, maintain discipline, and manage energy for personal and professional growth. Discover practical tools for self-awareness, overcoming burnout, and creating a meaningful leadership legacy.
00:04 The CIDER Methodology for Transformation
12:16 Self-Awareness and Grace in Leadership
16:11 Key Takeaways and Legacy in Leadership
Resources & Links
Tina Paulus Krause - Official Website
Your Leadership Legacy Podcast
Connect with Tina:
LinkedIn
Website
Contact us:
Email – tas.difficultconversations@gmail.com
Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders
Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment
May 26, 202633 min
From Burnout to Bliss: Transformational Leadership and Self-Awareness with Tina Paulus Krause (part 1)
In this inspiring interview, Tina Pullous Kraus shares her transformative journey from burnout and personal struggles to becoming a transformation trainer. Discover practical insights on emotional intelligence, authentic leadership, and how to create lasting change in your life and relationships.
Chapters
00:00 From Burnout to Bliss: A Personal Journey
04:54 Generational Healing and Transformation
10:18 Awareness and Emotional Intelligence
13:47 Difficult Conversations: Starting with Ourselves
18:18 Overcoming Limiting Beliefs and Shame
23:11 Redefining Leadership: Collaboration Over Control
25:05 Defining Core Values
Resources & Links
Tina Paulus Krause - Official Website
Your Leadership Legacy Podcast
Connect with Tina:
LinkedIn
Website
Contact us:
Email – tas.difficultconversations@gmail.com
Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders
Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment
May 19, 202620 min
How to address underperformance when the employee is a friend (Part 2 with Ashley Cox)
In our follow up to last week’s episode, Ashley and Chris continue talking about navigating difficult conversations, especially when dealing with friends or family in a professional setting. Especially when they start bringing things back up or get more defensive, it can feel like you’re on the edge of losing an employee AND a friend. Hear how Ashley walks us through:
- How to address underperformance in friends or family.
- How to maintain your humanity to be an effective leader.
- How to set clear boundaries and expectations prevent future conflicts.
- How to use empathy and understanding to resolve issues with friends or family.
- How to take ownership to turn problems into opportunities for growth.
About Ashley
Ashley Cox, PHR, SHRM-CP is a leadership mentor for ambitious women business owners who have a team but no time. She empowers them to become courageous and confident leaders, and build high-performance teams they can trust and rely on (without constantly chasing them to get things done). Ashley is also a sought-after speaker, author of the book Transform Your Stories, and host of The Impact Ripple Podcast
Connect with Ashley
Website: www.ashleycox.co
Book: www.ashleycox.co/transform
Podcast: www.ashleycox.co/podcast
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyncox
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ashleycox.co
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashleycox.co
Contact us:
Email – tas.difficultconversations@gmail.com
Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders
Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment
May 12, 202621 min
How can women in leadership thrive? (Part 1 with Ashley Cox)
In this week’s interview, Ashley Cox, a leadership mentor and expert in women in business, joins Chris to share her insights on leadership, gender dynamics, and building successful, people-centered businesses. Lucie, unfortunately couldn’t make it, but Ashley and Chris still had a great time talking about the specific barriers that women face. Together, Ashley talks about:
How to balance profitability with compassion
The unique barriers that women face
How to reframe some of the mindsets women are raised with
About Ashley
Ashley Cox, PHR, SHRM-CP is a leadership mentor for ambitious women business owners who have a team but no time. She empowers them to become courageous and confident leaders, and build high-performance teams they can trust and rely on (without constantly chasing them to get things done). Ashley is also a sought-after speaker, author of the book Transform Your Stories, and host of The Impact Ripple Podcast
Connect with Ashley
Website: www.ashleycox.co
Book: www.ashleycox.co/transform
Podcast: www.ashleycox.co/podcast
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyncox
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ashleycox.co
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashleycox.co
Contact us:
Email – tas.difficultconversations@gmail.com
Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders
Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment
May 5, 202618 min
How to deal with difficult emotions in Difficult Conversations (Part 2 with Laura Morgan)
If last week was helpful (or if you didn’t watch it, go back now and listen!), this week kicks it up to the next level. In part 2 of their conversation with Laura Morgan, she helps us navigate some tricky situations:
- What if someone is yelling at you?
- What if they start crying?
- What if they’re using crying intentionally to manipulate and get out of consequences?
- What if they keep harping on “how things used to be”?
Laura is the real deal, and she gives us some great strategies to navigate the hardest situations.
About Laura
Laura Morgan began her career as a psychotherapist, where she developed a deep understanding of human behavior, transformation, and the conditions that allow people to grow and thrive. That clinical foundation continues to shape her work today, informing a leadership approach grounded in empathy, insight, and intentional design. Laura is currently the Director of Human Resources at Meketa Investment Group, where she partners with senior leaders to shape talent strategy, compensation philosophy, and organizational culture. She is passionate about building systems and environments where clarity, trust, and purpose enable both people and organizations to reach their full potential.
Contact Laura:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-m-morgan/
Contact us:
Email – tas.difficultconversations@gmail.com
Chris – https://www.myleadershippotential.com | www.linkedin.com/in/chriswonglmhc | download the Difficult Conversation Playbook for Leaders
Lucie – www.mindfittery.com | www.linkedin.com/in/lucietesarova and take the Saboteur Assessment
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