Bossed Up

Alex Gilbert, neurodiversity advocate and founder of Cape-Able Consulting, helps workplaces be more accessible for neurodiverse adults. She talks about why work can be especially exhausting for neurodiverse women. She explores masking, perfectionism, and hot-and-cold productivity. She discusses AI and adaptive tech as tools to level the playing field and practical ways to request accommodations.

A sharp look at how AI threatens jobs where women are concentrated and why new AI roles skew male. Short digs into data showing higher exposure and lower uptake by women. Discussion of ethical worries, confidence gaps, and practical steps for learning AI. Calls for workplace audits, training, and policy action to protect institutional knowledge and shape a fair transition.

Janelle Abrahami, a career coach with a background in organizational psychology and corporate HR, explains why millennials are reevaluating work. She outlines six pathways to reclaim career control. Short takes cover stabilizing roles, redefining success, strategizing for leverage, building your own projects, diversifying income, and resting before big moves.

They explore diversifying income and attention across multiple career streams. Two simple pie charts illustrate risk when everything depends on one job. Practical tactics for safe, low-stakes experiments and validating ideas with paying customers are discussed. The conversation also encourages exploring off-brand interests and making space for restorative, hands-on projects.

Tamra Ryan, a leadership expert and former CEO who led the Women’s Bean Project for 22 years, talks about leading with purpose and care. She explores why followership matters, the four essentials followers seek, the balance of courage and clarity, and why giving grace matters alongside conviction.

A look at the workplace trend of strategic detachment and why picking where to put your energy matters. Short reflections on how perfectionism and fear drive overworking. A breakdown of the hidden costs when leaders do everything and how that blocks team growth. Practical prompts to question urgency, reallocate attention, and protect your finite focus for smarter career moves.

Stefanie O'Connell, author and creator who writes about women's work, money, and ambition, unpacks why the idea that women's lack of ambition drives inequity is false. She examines data on systemic causes and how self-optimization can backfire. Short, sharp takes cover negotiation limits, family and workplace shifts, critiques of anti-ambition trends, and modeling healthier power for the next generation.

A guide to voicing disagreement at work in ways that boost your leadership presence. Short strategies show how to surface assumptions with a question, name differing views clearly, and offer a concise counterpoint backed by evidence. Covers why always agreeing can hurt your reputation and how thoughtful dissent creates space for better decisions and career growth.

How do you rest and recharge when the world feels chaotic? After an unexpectedly hectic December, the Bossed Up podcast is back with a look at what recharging really requires—and it’s not quitting everything or carrying on as usual. I’ve come to realize that the sweet spot, at least for me, is somewhere in the middle. This episode breaks down the balance I’m seeking to find this year, and I’d love to hear how it compares to your approach to the New Year. Between seriously scary news cycles and never-ending schedules, it’s all too easy to overlook gratitude in lieu of existential dread and getting everything done. Consider this your invitation to take a beat, drop a ball (or two), and approach 2026 with a healthy dose of self-compassion.Join me in recalibrating for 2026 so we can recharge for real:How we can strike a balance between pushing forward and being present;The role gratitude plays in staying realistic about the future;When and where to decenter social media and lean into the analog;A reminder to give your personal calendar a bit of love.Related Links:TAKE ACTION - https://www.bossedup.org/takeactionGet a copy of The Husbands by Holly Gramazio - https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-husbands-a-read-with-jenna-pick-a-novel-holly-gramazio/658e8495219fe107EP 525 “Resisting Despair: Coping Tools for a Declining Democracy” - https://www.bossedup.org/podcast/episode525Try out the BePresent app - https://www.bepresentapp.com/Bossed Up job search resources - https://www.bossedup.org/free-resources/job-searchThe Definitive Guide to Negotiating as a Woman - https://www.bossedup.org/negotiationBossed Up Courage Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/927776673968737/Bossed Up LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7071888/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sarah Boyd, Founder and CEO of The Formation and talent development leader, builds community and career programs for Black women. She discusses documenting all work, framing stretch assignments to show impact, navigating biased feedback, and balancing individual strategy with collective action. Practical tactics for protecting and advancing your career are highlighted throughout.