Right now you're leading up to five generations on the same team, and most of what's getting lost between them has nothing to do with personality.

In this episode, Desiree sits down with workplace teacher Liz Carlson to unpack why communication breaks down across generations, what shaped the way each generation shows up at work, and how leaders can start closing the gap without walking on eggshells.

Liz shares what she's learned spending years inside real teams, including why 93 percent of communication is nonverbal, how Gen Z is misunderstood rather than broken, and why Gen X, millennials, and boomers each bring their own hardwired communication style to the table.

Key Topics Covered:

• Why the basics of communication get skipped in favor of new programs and assessments
• The breakdown of nonverbal communication and why tone and body language carry more weight than words
• What's really going on with Gen Z's communication habits
• How each generation was shaped, by parenting, technology, and the workplace they came into
• Practical ways to lead people who process the world differently than you do
• Why culture is defined by the worst behavior tolerated, not the best intentions

About Liz Carlson:

Liz Carlson is a workplace teacher who spends her time inside real teams, helping leaders close the communication gaps that get in the way of trust and culture. She spent 12 years teaching in higher education, including designing and delivering business communication courses, and now brings that same lens to workplaces navigating five generations under one roof.

Connect with Liz on Linkedin

Intentional Leader Summit 2026 — Liz is a featured speaker.

Find more information at intentionalleadersummit.com

This podcast for managers is here to help you:

• Grow your leadership development
• Navigate team management with confidence
• Learn how to handle conflict at work
• Apply real, practical leadership tips

If this episode helped you:

Share it with another manager
Leave a 5-star review
Follow along for more support

Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

What if the most powerful thing you could do as a leader has nothing to do with strategy, systems, or having all the answers?

In this episode, I'm joined by Money Mindset and Life Alignment Coach Kristen Miller for a conversation that started in the comments of a LinkedIn post and was too good to leave there. This isn't a framework episode. There's no tidy checklist at the end. What there is is an honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversation about what it actually looks like to show up as a whole person in your leadership role -- and why that's exactly what your team needs from you.

We talk about:

Why sharing the behind the scenes of your life makes you a more credible leader, not less professional

The leadership cringe confession -- what we both did early on that we'd never do now, and why talking about it matters

The real cost of hiding your humanity from your team, even when you think you're protecting them

The one question shift that gets you honest answers instead of defensiveness

Your team doesn't need a perfect boss. They need a human one.

Connect with Kristin Miller on Linkedin
Follow Kristin's Substack: https://worthknowing25.substack.com

This podcast for managers is here to help you:

• Grow your leadership development
• Navigate team management with confidence
• Learn how to handle conflict at work
• Apply real, practical leadership tips

If this episode helped you:

Share it with another manager
Leave a 5-star review
Follow along for more support

Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website

At some point, we all find ourselves holding on to something we know isn't working.

A habit. A relationship. A team member.

And we have really good reasons for it. Fear, convenience, comparison, not wanting to rock the boat.

But what if the cost of holding on is higher than the cost of letting go?

In this episode, I sit down with Jacob Brown, author of Avocado Leadership and one of the speakers at this year's Intentional Leader Summit. We dig into a principle he calls slow to hire, quick to fire, and we take it way beyond the workplace.

In this episode we talk about:

Why leaders hold on to toxic team members longer than they should, and what it's actually costing them

How the behavior you tolerate as a leader defines the culture you create

The "I know, I'm not, I'm open" framework for having courageous conversations

Why boundaries aren't rules you set for other people

How to stop holding on out of fear, convenience, or sunk cost

Connect with Jacob Brown:

Avocado Leadership Book: https://failforwardbrown.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobaaronbrown/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialjakebrown/

Intentional Leader Summit:

Jacob is speaking this year. Grab your ticket: www.intentionalleadersummit.com

This podcast for managers is here to help you:

• Grow your leadership development
• Navigate team management with confidence
• Learn how to handle conflict at work
• Apply real, practical leadership tips

If this episode helped you:

Share it with another manager
Leave a 5-star review
Follow along for more support

Take the DISC or Working Genius Assessment and get a FREE 20 minutes debrief with Desiree

Taking Intentional Action: How to Choose the Life You Lead

Connect: Linked In | Instagram | Website