In this powerful episode of Leaderish, Leadership Lessons Straight Up, Doris and Regina explore what it really means to communicate effectively—especially when emotions are running high. Inspired by The Next Conversation by Jefferson Fisher, they unpack key strategies to shift from winning arguments to building trust.

Topics Covered:

🔹 The myth of “winning” a conversation

🔹 How to use pauses and silence as tools for connection

🔹 The role of curiosity in reducing conflict

🔹 Managing your tone and body language—especially when frustrated

🔹 Tips for using clear and concise language (and avoiding filler words!)

🔹 Real-life stories, including Regina’s vulnerable moment and a moment of growth at a dinner table

Whether you're navigating personal relationships or workplace dynamics, this episode offers insights and strategies to communicate with clarity, compassion, and purpose.

Takeaway Challenge:

This week, pick one strategy from the episode—pause before reacting, get curious, or tighten your language—and practice it intentionally. Bonus points for journaling about what changes!

Mentioned in This Episode:

📚 The Next Conversation by Jefferson Fisher

🎙️ The Mel Robbins Podcast

🧠 The Let Them Theory (Episode S4E9)

We'd love to connect! You can find us in all of these places:

• Regina
• • Email: regina@collectivegrowthcc.com
  • Website: www.collectivegrowthcc.com
  • LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/reginataute
  • Free Coaching Session: https://calendly.com/collective_growth/complimentary-30-min-coaching-session
• Doris
• • Email: doris@dunnwise.com
  • Website: www.dunnwise.com
  • LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/doris-dunn
  • Schedule a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/dunnwise-consulting/30min_discovery_call

In this insightful and wildly entertaining episode, Doris and Regina dive headfirst into a conversation we all need: how to deal with difficult people. Inspired by Mel Robbins’ bestselling book The Let Them Theory, Doris shares key takeaways from the book and how it has transformed her approach to challenging situations—whether with coworkers, family, or that friend who always ghosts the group text.

The duo doesn’t stop at theory—they bring it to life by breaking down five types of difficult people, complete with unforgettable pop culture archetypes:

• The Bulldozer (Miranda Priestly – The Devil Wears Prada)
• The Victim (George Costanza – Seinfeld)
• The Ghoster (Ferris Bueller – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)
• The Know-It-All (Sheldon Cooper – The Big Bang Theory)
• The Chronic Complainer (C-3PO – Star Wars)

If you’ve ever dealt with someone who steamrolls meetings, disappears when things get hard, or always finds a problem without a solution, this episode is for you.

We'd love to connect! You can find us in all of these places:

• Regina
• • Email: regina@collectivegrowthcc.com
  • Website: www.collectivegrowthcc.com
  • LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/reginataute
  • Free Coaching Session: https://calendly.com/collective_growth/complimentary-30-min-coaching-session
• Doris
• • Email: doris@dunnwise.com
  • Website: www.dunnwise.com
  • LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/doris-dunn
  • Schedule a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/dunnwise-consulting/30min_discovery_call

In this episode of Leaderish, Doris and Regina are joined by productivity expert Cindy Sullivan, creator of the Six Pillars of Productivity framework. Together, they explore two big challenges many leaders face: perfectionism and procrastination.

You'll learn:

• Why perfectionism can feel rewarding but lead to burnout
• How procrastination often stems from unclear tasks or fear—not laziness
• Cindy’s simple, effective strategies to reduce both, like defining what “done” looks like and using the one-minute rule
• The importance of leverage—one of Cindy’s six productivity pillars—and why it’s often the hidden key to getting unstuck

📍 Plus, hear how Doris and Regina scored on Cindy’s productivity assessment (spoiler: they’re not perfect either 😉) and discover the surprising root causes of your own productivity challenges.

🎁 Want to know your biggest productivity barrier? Take Cindy’s free assessment at sixpillarsproductivity.com.

We'd love to connect! You can find us in all of these places:

• Regina
• • Email: regina@collectivegrowthcc.com
  • Website: www.collectivegrowthcc.com
  • LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/reginataute
  • Free Coaching Session: https://calendly.com/collective_growth/complimentary-30-min-coaching-session
• Doris
• • Email: doris@dunnwise.com
  • Website: www.dunnwise.com
  • LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/doris-dunn
  • Schedule a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/dunnwise-consulting/30min_discovery_call
• Cindy Sullivan
• • Email: cindy@cbsullivanconsulting.com
  • Website: www.cbsullivanconsulting.com
  • LinkedIn: (7) Cindy Sullivan | LinkedIn
  • Productivity Assessment: Six Pillars assessment

00:00 Introduction and Today's Topic

00:59 Meet Cindy Sullivan: Productivity Expert

01:23 Cindy's Journey into Productivity

06:06 The Six Pillars of Productivity

10:41 Deep Dive into Leverage and Assessment Results

17:01 Perfectionism vs. Procrastination

24:53 Recognizing and Managing Perfectionism

25:57 Defining Excellence and Setting Boundaries

26:10 Strategies to Combat Perfectionism

31:33 Understanding and Addressing Procrastination

39:20 Techniques to Activate Tasks

43:32 Conclusion and Final Thoughts