What if you're not burned out… you're just out of flow?

In this episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia sits down with two-time New York Times bestselling author and energy mastery expert Christy Whitman to unpack what's really happening when high-achieving women feel stretched thin, disconnected, or unfulfilled despite doing everything "right."

Christy shares her personal awakening from pharmaceutical sales leader to transformational coach and explains how understanding universal laws and energy shifted not only her own success, but the trajectory of those she mentored.

Together, they explore:

• What "flow" actually is and why feeling good is not indulgent, it's strategic
• The three essential questions that move you from frustration to clarity
• Why survival mode keeps ambitious women stuck in anxiety, doubt, and overdrive
• How to shift into neutrality, compassion, and abundance
• A simple energy mastery technique to release fear in real time
• The power of words and how subtle language shifts can change your emotional state

If you've ever felt like your success feels heavy instead of expansive, this conversation will help you understand why and show you how to pivot.

Because fulfillment isn't something you earn after you achieve more.

It's something you cultivate now.

Join host Dr. Cynthia for a conversation with globally recognized AI expert and futurist, Dr. Ayesha Khanna.

Dr. Khanna helps leaders understand not just what AI can do, but what humans must do differently as technology accelerates. This episode explores why companies must invest in their AI strategy and bring their employees along to drive growth, the risks of focusing solely on efficiency and cost-cutting, and how to embrace the current collision point.

Learn how to adopt a growth mindset and take a proactive approach to upskilling to secure your future in the age of AI.

Connect with Dr. Cynthia:
dr-cynthia.com | @DrCynthiaBentzenMercer | LinkedIn

In a world where technology is accelerating and traditional advantages are quickly becoming commoditized, what actually sets leaders apart?

In this episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia sits down with Josh Linkner, two-time New York Times bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, venture capital investor, professional jazz guitarist, and globally recognized innovation expert.

Together, they explore why human creativity is the ultimate competitive advantage in the modern workplace. Josh challenges the fear-based narrative around AI and automation, offering a powerful reframe: the goal is not to outpace machines, but to out-human them. While technology can scale tasks, humans bring empathy, judgment, imagination, and meaning, qualities that cannot be replicated or commoditized. Using the vivid analogy of classical versus jazz musicians, Josh explains why today's leaders must move beyond rigid playbooks and learn to improvise, adapt, and think creatively in real time. He also breaks down the difference between imagination, creativity, and innovation, and shares how small, everyday "big little breakthroughs" can transform teams, cultures, and results.

You'll also learn:

• Why creativity is not just for artists, but for finance, legal, operations, and customer service
• The biggest blocker to creativity at work, and how leaders can remove it
• How to build a culture that unlocks the creative potential already inside your people
• Why creativity is the foundation of every solution, opportunity, and advancement in human history

If you want to future-proof your leadership, elevate your impact, and build organizations that thrive in uncertainty, this conversation is your playbook, with a little jazz mixed in.

Pre-order your copy of Human Capital Investment Strategy: bit.ly/BUYHCIS

Connect with Josh:

joshlinkner.com | LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Cynthia:
dr-cynthia.com | @DrCynthiaBentzenMercer | LinkedIn

In this episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia sits down with Heather McGowan (named one of Forbes' top futurists), a sought-after strategist, keynote speaker, and two-time bestselling author, to unpack what the future of work actually looks like and why our most valuable advantage isn't technical… it's human.

Heather challenges the fear-driven narrative that AI is "coming for everyone's jobs," explaining that artificial intelligence works best when humans stay in the loop and workflows are redesigned to optimize both human intelligence and machine capability. The real shift ahead isn't jobs disappearing, it's work transforming, faster than most organizations are prepared for.

Together, Dr. Cynthia and Heather explore why adaptability is becoming the most important leadership competency, how the COVID era proved we're capable of extraordinary change (and deeper compassion), and why it's time to stop hiring for old skills and start hiring for capacity: learning agility, curiosity, resilience, and comfort with not knowing.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why AI won't replace humans, but leaders who adapt will win

• How media habits increase stress and distort uncertainty

• Why hiring must shift from skills to learning capacity

• How to use AI without "giving up control"

• The mindset shift leaders need to embrace dissent and collective intelligence

• Heather's "Start, Stop, Continue" framework for thriving now

Connect with Heather McGowan:
HeatherMcGowan.com | LinkedIn | YouTube

Connect with Dr. Cynthia:
dr-cynthia.com | @DrCynthiaBentzenMercer | LinkedIn
Her new book, Human Capital Investment Strategy, is available for pre-sale: bit.ly/BUYHCIS.

What if the reason you're not getting promoted isn't your performance… but your presence?

In this episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia sits down with Lorraine K. Lee, bestselling author of Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career, keynote speaker, Stanford Continuing Studies instructor, and LinkedIn Learning educator.

Lorraine breaks down what presence really means in today's workplace (hint: it's more than confidence or charisma). She defines presence as how you're seen and where you're seen, especially in a world of Zoom meetings, Slack messages, LinkedIn visibility, and distributed teams.

Together, they unpack why hard work alone isn't enough at the mid-level, how leaders decide who's ready for the next role, and how to advocate for yourself without feeling like you're "bragging."

In this conversation, you'll learn:

• Why presence is built in everyday moments, not just high-stakes presentations

• How to shift from "solving today's problems" to preventing next quarter's

• The difference between self-advocacy and self-promotion (and why it matters)

• Why you can't opt out of office politics, and how to play strategically without losing yourself

• What to start, stop, and continue to increase your influence

• How to stop using minimizing language like "I just wanted to…" and "Sorry to bother you…"

Lorraine also shares behind-the-scenes stories from writing her book, interviewing leaders and creators (including Daniel Pink, Corporate Natalie, and Kim Scott), and building a career that's more of a portfolio than a ladder.

Get Lorraine's book Unforgettable Presence: https://a.co/d/0VxI0Cx

Pre-order Dr. Cynthia's new book, Human Capital Investment Strategy: bit.ly/BUYHCIS

In a world of constant disruption, leaders are under pressure to execute bold transformation strategies faster than ever. But what happens when strategy moves ahead without bringing people along?

In this episode of Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Breaking a Heel, Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer is joined by Jen Fisher to explore why compliance may drive short-term results but ultimately undermines innovation, engagement, and trust. Together, they unpack the concept of a "hope strategy" and why leaders must pair transformation with belief, well-being, and human sustainability to create lasting change.

This conversation challenges leaders to rethink how they define success, build culture, and invest in people during uncertain times.

Connect with Dr-Cynthia

Website: dr-cynthia.com

LinkedIn: cynthiabentzenmercer

Instagram: @drcynthiabentzenmercer

Facebook: Dr. Cynthia