Have you ever looked back on a year and realized that love and pain were growing in the very same places?

Most leaders don’t talk about that part, but we all live it.

In this episode, I share the word that shaped my entire year: Love. I talk about how it showed up in both the brightest and hardest moments of my life. From publishing my book, Joy@Work, and coaching dozens of leaders, to watching my kids step into new seasons of adulthood, I open up about the growth that filled my year with purpose.

But I also speak honestly about the shadow that walked with me this year: losing my dad. Feeling his absence in birthdays and holidays stayed with me, and somehow, that grief stretched my heart and deepened the way I understand love.

Join me as I share questions that helped me reflect and understand what was blooming in me this year, and what might be preparing me for the next.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(00:47) Reflecting on a year of love

(02:27) Loving the work and letting it love me back

(03:40) How love showed up in our family’s biggest moments

(05:09) Learning how grief shapes the way we love

(08:16) A year-end practice to help you love yourself better

(10:51) An invitation to grow, love well, and lead with intention

Connect with me:

Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@leadingwellgretchenschott

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Ojq9yQUf71e3flr68JI9I?si=a9a423cc8e6b4a97

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/leading-well/id1838799325

Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work

Hope isn’t something we wait for; it’s something we build. It’s both a mindset and a practice that anchors us in what’s possible, even when we can’t see it yet.

In this episode, I talk about what it means to cultivate hope, especially when leadership or life feels heavy.

I share how hope engages our brain’s prefrontal cortex, the part that helps us plan, imagine, and take purposeful action. From a faith perspective, hope is a confident expectation rooted in God’s goodness. It’s not denial or blind optimism. It’s the courage to declare that light still exists, even in the dark.

I close with a prayer from Romans 12:12: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” It’s a reminder that hope isn’t found, it’s formed one prayer, one breath, and one step at a time.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:56) Cultivating hope in the hard seasons of leadership

(02:00) What hope really means for leaders

(04:06) Practical steps to cultivate hope

(06:14) The power of reflection in cultivating hope

Connect with me:

Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/

Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work

In this episode, I talk about what it really means to balance confidence and humility as a leader. Leading with love takes more than drive or ambition; it takes self-awareness, reflection, and a genuine desire to serve others while staying grounded in who you are.

I share how leaning too far into humility can sometimes hold us back, especially when we downplay our strengths or shy away from recognition and tough decisions. I also walk through what healthy humility looks like, checking your motives, listening to learn, and finding your center through practices like journaling, prayer, and reflection.

I close by sharing one of my favorite prayers, The Litany of Humility, and how it’s shaped my own journey as a leader. It’s a reminder that confidence comes from knowing yourself, and humility grows from loving yourself and others.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:32) What humility looks like in leadership

(01:37) When being too humble holds you back

(02:59) Practicing healthy humility with confidence

(03:59) The Litany of Humility and reflection

(08:08) Two questions for your own leadership growth

Connect with me:

Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/

Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work

Have you ever walked into a room and instantly felt yourself shrink?

Even the strongest women do.

In this episode, I share two moments in my career when I let myself feel small—one shaped by my own inner critic, and another by someone else’s words.

From skipping a team dinner early in my career to being called “intimidating” on a new team, I open up about how those experiences made me question my worth and how I learned to stop giving power to voices that didn’t deserve it.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:40) Why even the most accomplished women still feel small

(01:56) The inner voice of self-doubt and perfectionism

(02:47) Outer voices that make us question our worth

(03:15) Overcoming smallness through self-awareness

(07:48) How to recognize smallness without losing your strength

(09:39) Finding strength and clarity through faith

Connect with me:

Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/

Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work

“We can’t lead others unless we lead ourselves.”

In this episode, I explore why true leadership starts with inner clarity. When you know what matters most at the center of your life, it shapes your values, your choices, and the way you influence others.

I share a personal moment from moving my son into college, when he placed my book, Joy@Work: When Women Lead, on his dorm shelf. That simple act reminded me how authentic leadership leaves an impact in ways we may never expect.

You’ll also learn a quick three-minute exercise to reflect on where your leadership feels aligned, where it might be off track, and how to take small, intentional steps forward.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:42) Leadership begins with self-knowledge and self-love

(02:07) Why my book on a college shelf brought me joy

(03:52) Three reflections for effective leadership alignment

(06:13) A prayer for wisdom, grace, and courage

Connect with me:

Official website: https://www.gretchenschott.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenschott/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadingwell_inspirations/

Get Joy@Work: When Women Lead: https://www.gretchenschott.com/shop/p/joy-at-work

Leading Well is a short, impactful podcast for executive women, and the men who support them, who want to lead with purpose and show up well in every part of their lives.

Through 10–15 minute solo episodes, leadership coach and speaker Gretchen Schott shares insights, practical tools, and personal reflections that help you navigate people problems, lead with authenticity, and grow your confidence from the inside out.

Rooted in faith and designed to inspire, each episode ends with a brief prayer—an invitation to pause, reflect, and reconnect.

If you’re ready to build trust, clarity, and connection in your work and life, Leading Well is your weekly dose of encouragement and strategy.