

Speak Your Mind Unapologetically Podcast
For People Leaders Leading Bold Conversations | Ivna Curi
Speak Your Mind Unapologetically is the leadership communication podcast for people leaders — managers, directors, and VPs — who want to speak up, lead bold conversations, and influence outcomes that matter.
Whether you're addressing conflict, delivering feedback, leading meetings, or navigating difficult conversations, this podcast gives you practical strategies to:
👉🏼 Communicate with clarity, confidence, and conviction=
👉🏼 Influence decisions and build trust across functions
👉🏼 Speak up under pressure — without sounding aggressive or backing down
👉🏼 Encourage your team to share ideas, concerns, and feedback
👉🏼 Tackle conflict, disagreement, and misalignment early and effectively
You'll hear insights, frameworks, and stories from real workplaces — all designed to help you grow your leadership impact through communication.
🎙 With 400+ episodes, the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically Podcast is trusted by people leaders across Fortune 500s, healthcare, tech, startups, and global organizations.
ABOUT THE HOST
Ivna Curi is a Fortune 500 speaker, TEDx speaker, and host of the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically Podcast. She's a Forbes contributor, author of Unapologetic Voice, and founder of the Assertive Way Institute. A former corporate leader with an MBA from INSEAD and over 20,000 leaders trained, Ivna brings global experience and real-world strategies that help leaders drive results through bold communication.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Assertive Way Institute helps organizations empower people leaders to lead bold conversations, influence outcomes, and build courageous speak-up cultures. Our workshops and talks help people leaders become confident, clear communicators — and turn workplace communication into a competitive advantage.
Whether you're addressing conflict, delivering feedback, leading meetings, or navigating difficult conversations, this podcast gives you practical strategies to:
👉🏼 Communicate with clarity, confidence, and conviction=
👉🏼 Influence decisions and build trust across functions
👉🏼 Speak up under pressure — without sounding aggressive or backing down
👉🏼 Encourage your team to share ideas, concerns, and feedback
👉🏼 Tackle conflict, disagreement, and misalignment early and effectively
You'll hear insights, frameworks, and stories from real workplaces — all designed to help you grow your leadership impact through communication.
🎙 With 400+ episodes, the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically Podcast is trusted by people leaders across Fortune 500s, healthcare, tech, startups, and global organizations.
ABOUT THE HOST
Ivna Curi is a Fortune 500 speaker, TEDx speaker, and host of the Speak Your Mind Unapologetically Podcast. She's a Forbes contributor, author of Unapologetic Voice, and founder of the Assertive Way Institute. A former corporate leader with an MBA from INSEAD and over 20,000 leaders trained, Ivna brings global experience and real-world strategies that help leaders drive results through bold communication.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Assertive Way Institute helps organizations empower people leaders to lead bold conversations, influence outcomes, and build courageous speak-up cultures. Our workshops and talks help people leaders become confident, clear communicators — and turn workplace communication into a competitive advantage.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 20, 2022 • 13min
How To Capture People's Attention At Work? Try The Kind Stalker Move
How can you aggressively grab people's attention, follow up on your requests in the office without coming across as aggressive? By chance I discovered the kind stalker move. It's extreme, but it got me results. Find out: ✔️ How to get higher in people's priority list ✔️ What's the kind stalker move ✔️ The importance of and experimentation to stand out 👉🏼Links Episode 5 Reasons Why Being More Assertive Actually Makes You Kinder: https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/5-reasons-why-being-more-assertive-actually-makes-you-kinder Episode 6 Conflict Myths: Lies Teachers Like To Tell About Confrontation: https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/029-6-conflict-myths-lies-teachers-like-to-tell-about-confrontation Find out about our talks and workshops: https://assertiveway.com/services/ Free resources: https://assertiveway.com/free/ Assertiveness free training: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/getahead Assertive Communication Newsletter: https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/ Rate the podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915

Aug 19, 2022 • 54min
How To Lead Organizational and Personal Change (with Lata Hamilton)
How do you make change management a positive experience for your team? Change expert, Lata Hamilton, explains: ✔️ What is Organizational Change Management? ✔️ Why do you need to be strong and confident as a leader to drive change within a team? ✔️ How does organizational change management and personal change align? ✔️ How do you prepare your team for change and make it a positive experience for your team? Lata is a pocket rocket burst of energy with a big heart... and big hair! She is the Founder & CEO of Passion Pioneers and the creator of the "Leading Successful Change" program. Lata has worked with some of Australia's biggest companies and tripled her salary in the space of just 3 years to almost $200,000. She moved from Marketing to the world of Organizational Change Management and developed her own style of inspiring change leadership. She's worked on changes that have impacted over 100,000 people, global cultural transformations, operating model changes, and digital transformation that is literally changing the way that we work. In 2015, Lata became a certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner and Coach and started her own side hustle. Lata transitioned full-time to her business in July 2021, blending her coaching and change work into her courses and consulting services. She helps women carve their own paths for change in career, leadership and life with confidence and authenticity and truly earn their worth. Lata is an absolute foodie, a cardio junkie, and an avid op/thrift shopper. Lata was adopted from India by an Australian family and believes it doesn't matter where you started - it's where you're going and the lives you change along the way that counts. Everything stems from confidence and self-worth, so grab my free "Underpaid & Overlooked Coaching Action Guide" from latahamilton.com Join Leading Successful Change at latahamilton.com/lsc Website: www.passionpioneers.com.au Course: www.latahamilton.com LinkedIn: Lata Hamilton

Aug 17, 2022 • 29min
How To Disagree Respectfully Without Being Disagreeable
How to disagree with your boss without backlash? How to disagree respectfully? In this episode, you'll discover: ✔️ 10 best practices to disagree without being disagreeable ✔️ 5 things you shouldn't do when you disagree ✔️ The problem with not disagreeing or disagreeing with hesitation 👉🏼Links Episode Ladies: 10 Credibility Killer Mistakes That Undermine You At Work (And What To Do Instead): https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/ladies-10-credibility-killer-mistakes-that-undermine-you-at-work-and-what-to-do-instead Episode Avoid These 2 Toxic Assumptions That Kill Your Relationships Like Termites: https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/avoid-these-2-toxic-assumptions-that-kill-your-relationships-like-termites Episode 6 Conflict Myths: Lies Teachers Like to Tell About Confrontation: https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/029-6-conflict-myths-lies-teachers-like-to-tell-about-confrontation Episode How To Make Assertiveness Friendly: Use Speaking Up Hygge: https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/how-to-make-assertiveness-friendly-use-speaking-up-hygge Sign up for 10 Day free Assertive And Liked Challenge: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/beassertiveandliked Find out about our talks and workshops: https://assertiveway.com/services/ Free resources: https://assertiveway.com/free/ Assertiveness free training: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/getahead Assertive Communication Newsletter: https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/ Rate the podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915
Aug 15, 2022 • 55min
How To Get The Job When You Don't Meet The Requirements (With Director Jess Sahagian)
Should you apply for a job if you don't meet the qualifications? When there are candidates that meet the job requirements a lot better? What do you say when you don't have experience for a job? The answer is absolutely yes, apply, but you need to be strategic about it. That's what Jess did. And now her teams and company can benefit from all the unique qualities that she has to offer. ✔️ How she convinced leadership to hire her for promotion instead of external recruit ✔️ How she got a job two level up at a different company without the JD qualifications ✔️ The secret Socratic question that disarms people who disrespect you ✔️ The quality all senior women in her company have ✔️ How she mentally shifts from aggressive to assertive in an instant ✔️ A winning tactic to resolve mutual resentment between coworker who feel like the other isn't doing enough ✔️ What you may be doing to be overworked, unrecognized, and create unnecessary conflict 👉🏼Links: Sign up for 10 Day free Assertive And Liked Challenge https://assertiveway.aweb.page/beassertiveandliked Find out about our talks and workshops: https://assertiveway.com/services/ Free resources: https://assertiveway.com/free/ Assertiveness free training: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/getahead Assertive Communication Newsletter: https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/ Rate the podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915

Aug 13, 2022 • 17min
Employees Desperately Want An Assertive Boss
There is a lot said about being a servant leader and an empathetic caring boss, which is important. However, what is not said is that bosses that don't assert themselves are not respected by their team. Not only that, but their team also secretly resents and complains about bosses that are too nice. In this episode, you'll discover: ✔️ The problem with being a softie nice boss ✔️ Why your staff wants a strong leader ✔️ How chef Gordon Ramsay teaches a chef to be assertive 👉🏼Links: 15 Ways To Show You Care About Your Team To Build Resilience For Hard Conversations https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/15-ways-to-show-you-care-about-your-team-to-build-resilience-for-hard-conversations 20 Reasons Why Successful Leaders Have Assertive Teams https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/20-reasons-why-successful-leaders-have-assertive-teams 4 Reasons Why It Is Important For Leaders To Speak Up https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/4-reasons-why-it-is-important-for-leaders-to-speak-up Sign up for 10 Day free Assertive And Liked Challenge https://assertiveway.aweb.page/beassertiveandliked Find out about our talks and workshops: https://assertiveway.com/services/ Free resources: https://assertiveway.com/free/ Assertiveness free training: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/getahead Assertive Communication Newsletter: https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/ Rate the podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915

Aug 12, 2022 • 13min
Why Women Are Blamed For Team Failures And Don't Get Credit For Team Successes
According to World Economic Forum, when women work with men on male gender-typed tasks, men are more likely to be credited for joint successes and women are more likely to be blamed for joint failures. How can you prevent that from happening? In this episode, you'll discover: ✔️ The key reason why women don't get credit when credit is due ✔️ 7 ways to overcome this credit bias ✔️ How to create the right kind of visibility for yourself in collaborative joint work 👉🏼Links How Can Women Close The Gender Gap Even If They Suffer Gender Bias https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/how-can-women-close-the-gender-gap-even-if-they-suffer-gender-bias Dear Professional Woman, It's Unfair and Unjust https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/dear-professional-woman-its-unfair-and-unjust Top 10 Daily Challenges Women Face At Work https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/top-10-daily-challenges-women-face-at-work Sign up for 10 Day free Assertive And Liked Challenge https://assertiveway.aweb.page/beassertiveandliked Find out about our talks and workshops: https://assertiveway.com/services/ Free resources: https://assertiveway.com/free/ Assertiveness free training: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/getahead Assertive Communication Newsletter: https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/ Rate the podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915

Aug 10, 2022 • 25min
How To Boost Your Confidence To Speak Up
Confidence predicts success more than IQ. Confident people get more opportunities, promotions, and pay. The good news is that you can develop your confidence. In this episode, you'll find out: ✔️ The 3 types of confidence ✔️ Strategies to boost your confidence ✔️ How confidence and assertiveness help each other 👉🏼Links: Find Courage To Speak Up In These 9 Episodes https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/048-find-courage-to-speak-your-mind-in-these-9-episodes How To Be More Confident With Perspective Taking https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/8-ways-to-be-more-confident-with-perspective-taking Sign up for 10 Day free Assertive And Liked Challenge https://assertiveway.aweb.page/beassertiveandliked Find out about our talks and workshops: https://assertiveway.com/services/ Free resources: https://assertiveway.com/free/ Assertiveness free training: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/getahead Assertive Communication Newsletter: https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/ Rate the podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915

Aug 8, 2022 • 26min
10 Steps To Be Both Assertive And Likable When You Speak Up
If you want to be able to speak up unapologetically while still being liked and having great relationships, you need to do 10 things. In this episode, you'll discover what those 10 important steps are. 👉🏼Links: Sign up for 10 Day free Assertive And Liked Challenge https://assertiveway.aweb.page/beassertiveandliked Find out about our talks and workshops: https://assertiveway.com/services/ Free resources: https://assertiveway.com/free/ Assertiveness free training: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/getahead Assertive Communication Newsletter: https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/ Rate the podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915

Aug 6, 2022 • 12min
How To Make Assertiveness Friendly: Use Speaking Up Hygge
Speaking up hygge helps you add the right type of cozy friendly warmth (that does not come across as powerless) to your speaking up moments. Find out: ✔️ What you can say to come across as friendly ✔️ Why you need to use the right kind of warmth ✔️ Do's and don'ts of speaking up hygge 👉🏼Links: Sign up for 10 Day free Assertive And Liked Challenge https://assertiveway.aweb.page/beassertiveandliked Find out about our talks and workshops: https://assertiveway.com/services/ Free resources: https://assertiveway.com/free/ Assertiveness free training: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/getahead Assertive Communication Newsletter: https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/ Rate the podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915

Aug 5, 2022 • 32min
15 Ways To Show You Care About Your Team To Build Resilience For Hard Conversations
Effective leaders understand the power of showing they value and care about their team. Employees leave bosses who don't appreciate, recognize, or empathize with them. 74% of employees said they would work longer hours for an empathetic employer and 83% would consider leaving their current organization for a similar role at a more empathetic organization according to business solver research. That's why it is important to employ empathetic assertiveness with your team. In this episode you'll discover: ✔️ How you can simultaneously show you care AND have hard conversations ✔️ 15 actions to show you care about your team ✔️ How to encourage team members to speak up 👉🏼 Links 4 Reasons Why It Is Important For Leaders To Speak Up (people-pleasing leaders don't exist) https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/4-reasons-why-it-is-important-for-leaders-to-speak-up Important Assertiveness Skills You Need At Your Job Level (individual contributor, line manager, mid-manager, senior leader) https://speakyourmindnow.libsyn.com/042-assertiveness-skills-you-need-at-your-job-level Find out about our talks and workshops: https://assertiveway.com/services/ Free resources: https://assertiveway.com/free/ Assertiveness free training: https://assertiveway.aweb.page/getahead Assertive Communication Newsletter: https://assertiveway.com/newsletter/ Rate the podcast on apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speak-your-mind-unapologetically-podcast/id1623647915


