As we close out the year, let's spend some time reflecting on 2025 to acknowledge our challenges and celebrate our wins. We will then set goals for 2026 so we can lead through our year with intention and set ourselves up to celebrate what we want 12 months from now.
This is about Self Leadership - becoming the best versions of ourself for us and those around us.
If you are looking to dive in further for Self and Team Leadership, follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sukenjain/
If you are looking for support on setting and reaching your most important goals, message me on LinkedIn or email me at suken@synergysyncsolutions.com
Today’s episode offers two immediately applicable ideas from leadership educator, author, and speaker Raquel Oliveira: First, the power of naming your values so you can lead yourself through uncertainty with clarity. Second, the practice of creating intentional space—through rest, curiosity, or stillness—to reconnect with your purpose when life forces you to start again. Raquel’s insights give leaders a framework for navigating both everyday challenges and life’s most destabilizing moments.
Raquel shares the five words that currently define her leadership approach—mindfulness, curiosity, love, community, and truth—and how each serves as an anchor when she faces complexity. She reflects on her childhood in Brazil, where limited resources but abundant community support taught her how belonging, creativity, and shared responsibility shape strong leaders. These early experiences became the foundation for how she works, teaches, and moves through the world today.
Her career path—rooted in languages, literature, and instructional design—highlights how unexpected mentors, diverse learning environments, and exposure to new perspectives prepared her to meet unimaginable loss with grounded presence. In 2021, Raquel’s husband and son were among the victims of the Surfside condominium collapse in Florida. She recounts the moment she returned home to find her building gone, and the unexpected clarity of the first words she spoke that day—words that continue to guide her healing and her leadership.
What followed could have led to disconnection, but Raquel chose a different path. She describes how accepting support from others shifted her understanding of community, how a one-year sabbatical helped her rebuild her identity, and why she spent months traveling the world asking strangers one question: How do you deal with death? Her reflections offer leaders a deeper understanding of resilience—not as endurance, but as the willingness to be changed by what happens.
Raquel makes it clear that she shares her story not to compare suffering, but to remind others that every person’s hardest moment is worthy of empathy and acknowledgement. Her message is especially meaningful for leaders navigating grief, transition, or seasons of profound uncertainty.
At the heart of her philosophy is a transformative leadership takeaway: you must be an active participant in your own life. Remaining in a place of victimhood removes your agency; choosing to engage, even imperfectly, restores your power. This shift is what enables clarity, resilience, and meaningful leadership to emerge.
Tune in to learn how Raquel rebuilt purpose from loss, the practices that continue to ground her, and her invitation to lead yourself—and others—with intentionality, courage, and truth.
Links & Resources:
Follow Suken on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sukenjain/
Email Suken at: suken@synergysyncsolutions.com
Synergy Sync Solutions Website: https://www.synergysyncsolutions.com/
This episode was brought to you by Pivot Ball Change.
What happens when people raised in "we" cultures step into workplaces built for "I"?
In this episode, I welcome author, speaker, and workplace culture expert Neelu Kaur to explore how cultural values, especially around collectivism and individualism, shape how we show up at work.
Together, we unpack the silent struggles many face when moving between different cultural mindsets:
▪️ Why self-advocacy can feel uncomfortable for those from collective cultures
▪️ What leaders can do to create space for quieter voices
▪️ The personal cost of code-switching between "we" and "I"
▪️ Practical ways to develop your self-advocacy muscle — without selling out your values
Whether you identify with a collective upbringing, work with people who do, or want to lead with more cultural awareness, this episode will help you build deeper empathy, stronger teams, and a more inclusive work culture.
In this episode of the Sync Leadership Lab, I delve into the having conversations that matter with Dr. Kathryn Preston, a keynote speaker and corporate performance coach.
Dr. Preston shares her diverse background—from studying Spanish to a fashion institute, to dental school and craniofacial orthodontistry—before transitioning to her current role. The discussion covers the challenges and importance of effective communication within teams, the impact of avoiding critical conversations, and practical tips on how to approach and frame these conversations for meaningful outcomes.
You will gain insights into identifying conversational ticks, maintaining curiosity, and focusing on impactful dialogue to catalyze personal and organizational growth. As always, there are numerous takeaways for you to immediately implement in your conversations that matter!
AI is not a technology...it is a strategic imperative for any company who wants to thrive (or even survive) going forward.
Join me as I dive in with AI Strategy Expert Mike Welch to discuss how top companies are developing AI strategy and what that looks like in the 6-24 month horizon.
We discuss how AI will transform leadership roles, early career pathways, and senior level strategies. Mike shares insights on how AI should be viewed as intelligence rather than technology and provides practical steps for leaders to integrate AI into their organizations. We also explore critical skills needed for future success and the importance of maintaining curiosity and critical thinking in the age of AI.We even touch on what skills our teen/tween kids should be developing to be ready for the future workforce that they will enter.
If you are a mid-career leader, you do not want to miss this episode which goes well beyond the technology of AI and really looks at what that future AI Enabled workforce looks like.
I'm thrilled to welcome Tatiana Vlahovic, a leadership coach and founder of Nurturing Clarity to discuss the intersection of parenthood and leadership. We discuss how the challenges and skills from parenting can enhance leadership abilities.
Tatiana highlights five key areas where parenting can translate to better workplace leadership: presence, courage and creativity, stress tolerance and adaptability, helping people reach their potential, and prioritization. We delve into the complex dynamics of managing both roles and the gifts that parenthood provides, ultimately showcasing how parenthood can be an enhancer, not just a detractor, to professional growth. Tune in to discover the parallels between parenting and leadership, and how to leverage them for personal and professional development.00:00 Introduction to Sync Leadership Lab01:06 Meet Tatiana: Leadership Coach and CEO02:30 The Intersection of Parenthood and Leadership03:20 Navigating Parenthood and Work Challenges07:20 The Gifts of Parenthood in Leadership08:13 Presence: Quality Time Over Quantity15:54 Courage and Creativity in Leadership22:27 Stress Tolerance and Adaptability24:19 Emotional Intelligence in Parenting24:59 Empathy and Understanding in Relationships28:59 Nurturing Potential in Children and Teams37:56 Prioritization and Time Management42:33 Leadership Lessons and Personal Growth
Join me in this inspiring episode as we delve into the journey of resilience with Gaurav Valani. Discover how life's challenges can be transformed into stepping stones for success and personal growth.
Key Takeaways:
The power of resilience in overcoming life's hurdles. Personal stories of triumph over adversity. Practical advice on building mental strength and clarity. Insights into finding your "why" and staying motivated.
Guest: Gaurav Valani, a seasoned entrepreneur and career coach, shares his personal experiences and professional insights on navigating life's challenges.
Top Quotes:
"Resilience is not about avoiding challenges, but embracing them."
"Put yourself in a room with people who have what you think you want. You quickly realize how to get it, and then you realize if you want it.
"The faster you can get to what problems do I really enjoy solving. Then you can get so immersed in your work because now you're just learning how to solve a problem and getting so freaking good at it. "
Kicking off Season 4 with a preview of what is ahead in the coming months as well as highlighting some workplace trends around:
-Managing Overwhelm in the Workplace mentally and tactically
-AI and coaching
-Showing Up as Leaders
Enjoy and reach out if you want to discuss further or have topics for future episodes!
Yes, somehow we are at mid-year, so let's take some time together to reflect on the past 6 months and set some goals and intentions for the next 6 months so we can make the most out of 2025.
I'll also walk through a recap of Season 3 to see what grabs you to go back and listen to as well as a few topics that stand out to me right now as a fellow leader.
Enjoy!
No matter what type of team you are leading, shared purpose is key to success. Tune in as Matthew Adam taps into both is psychotherapy and organizational development background to talk about the impact it makes and how to infuse shared purpose into your team and organization.
Matthew Adam is an Executive & Leadership Coach as well as an Organizational Development consultant based in the UK with clients globally.
AI may be the biggest tech revolution ever, but it is not the first. Take a listen to Ed Cohen and Josh Craver break down past Tech Revolutions to learn valuable lessons from the past, and then dive into how you can dive deeper into AI no matter where you are on your AI journey and how organization can successfully implement AI into their business and culture.
Ed and Josh are taking their incredible global experiences running organizations to lead the discussions on how people and organizations can best implement AI. They cut through the hype to have some real discussion on how AI should be implemented, and how it shouldn't.
"With AI, all of the sudden the curtain came back and it wasn't here's what's coming. It is all here. Get on the bus, or you're gonna miss the bus."
" What we always see regardless of the technology is needing to factor in how humans manage change... if you intentionally create a culture that is both factoring in the, the human side of things and the technology sides of things, you can be really powerful."
"The most important thing that companies need to do is to stop and ask themselves what is the problem that we're trying to solve?"
" Take yourself on what I call an information safari. You know, get out there and go on Safari looking for what all these tools are. "
Join me for a discussion with one of my absolute favorite people and favorite leaders out there.
Dr. Sree Koka has impacted tens of thousands through his Ted Talk, FLIP and SHIFT sessions, his academic work, his practice, and so much more. He is here to share those experiences with you to talk about how important human centric leadership is in this age of automation, including tangible examples for organizations and individual leaders to follow.
To learn more about Dr. Sree Koka and the Sweet Spot Leadership Program:
https://thesweetspotleader.com/
Some highlights:
" So the Platinum Rule actually says, Do unto others as they would have you do unto them. So whereas the golden rule is really about sympathy, the platinum rule is about empathy."
"Organizations are defined by six things, and it's what they choose to cherish, celebrate, encourage, accept, tolerate, and then punish."
"...we wanted to take care of them. And I use the word we, not they, and that's a big thing about leadership, right? When you think of leadership as they, it's a problem. When you think of leadership as we, that's a good sign."
"Your obligation, your mission really, is to create an environment where your team can be the best it can be. "
"The ultimate level of services is when you serve others when it might actually not be in your personal best interest."
March is Women's History Month, so I had a chat with 3 amazing female leaders to talk about leaders they admire, how they have overcome challenges in their career, and advice they have for all leaders, especially women.
Take a listen to Pam Bonnett, Mamta Valderama, and Katy Peterson share amazing experiences and advice.
Pam
"Make sure that you are stretching yourself outside your comfort zone and know that the skills you have will carry you through."
Mamta
"Be really confident about the value you are providing, your time, your effort, your focus, your background, and your skills that you're bringing to the table. Too many women leave things on the table and it's because we didn't ask."
Katy
"You can have it all. It just might not always be at the exact same time."
Damon Baker has built a wildly successful career and business around Lean principles and is a highly respected thought leader in this space, so how does that convert to Lean Leadership?
We walk through various aspects of what makes a Lean Leader, exploring which elements are leading with head and which are with heart - and agree that both are required to be a true Lean Leader.
Tune in for this engaging conversation.
Top quotes:" Why are you, not the company - Why are you wanting to embark on this lean transformation journey and how will it affect you personally?"
On learning Lean Leadership:
"He recognized in his leadership style that one of his duties as a leader was to set a high expectation for people. Because left to your own devices, most individuals will not have that ambition to set a high expectation for themselves. So we have to rely on each other. to really raise the bar on each other.... He would equip you with the tools and the, the, the knowledge and the way of breaking down the problem. But he would never solve the problem for you."
On his Purpose:"What do I get juice out of it's seeing people go through the transformation that I went through and empowering them with the tools, the knowledge and the confidence to improve their performance, their team's performance, their business performance, and they come to you with like, I didn't think it was possible, but now I feel like I know what to do. Like it's a twinkle in their eye. Like there's, they're smiling as they're telling you this story. And in my job, I get to repeat that like literally thousands of times a year."
Take the Challenge:
" I'm all about action, tell people to pull out a pen and write down on a piece of paper one thing that..." (tune in to take the challenge)
Timeline:
3:31 What is Lean Leadership
6:38 Standing in the circle - Taking ownership
13:35 Digging deeper, problem solving, and prioritization with your team
22:38 Being personally invested in the Lean journey
26:00 Leading with purpose/ Leading with head and heart
37:50 Keys to success with Lean Leadership
43:26 The roles of vision and collaboration
46:47 Lean Leadership metrics
57:19 Managing detractors and laggards 65:00 Leadership Corner72:30 Take the Challenge
Data shows that a large majority of people experience Imposter Syndrome in their career, so what is it and how do we overcome it?
I sat down with Lindsay Zubek to break it down, discuss how it shows up, and specific ways to overcome it. If you face Imposter Syndrome or feel people on your team might, this is a great episode to understand how to work through it to have you best and authentic self show up when needed.
Top quotes:
"Imposter syndrome is when individuals who are actually achieving, they're actually accomplishing, but they don't recognize that those achievements are due to themselves. They attribute those to luck, to others, to circumstance, to situation."
"Imposter syndrome and low confidence is so prevalent 70 to 85 percent of people feel it at some point in their career, odds are someone who you're leading on your team is struggling with it, if not you"
On overcoming:
" I had a folder called good things. And I started to put when someone sent me a nice email, or when someone gave a compliment, I had a folder that I would review if I was having a moment that, I wasn't feeling great, I'd review that, and it's helpful."
"Think of the story that you're telling yourself, separate fact from emotion and going through that process. can actually be super helpful in moving past the feeling"
Favorite Quote (from Jess Sims)
" You're a masterpiece, but a work in progress at the same damn time"
Suken welcome's in a special guest host, his teenage daughter. They explore key leadership lessons which happen to be relevant for both teenagers as well as leaders in the workplace.
Whether you are a leader continuing to hone your skills, or looking to help your teenage child work on theirs, take a listen for some simple, yet impactful leadership lessons.
We discuss the importance of servant leadership, authenticity, and humble confidence. We also get into how "failure" can be hard, but how we can turn those experiences around to our greatest wins.
This is Year 3 of setting a focus word of the year. Take a listen of how setting a focus can be so impactful and how I am using this as a guiding light to accomplish what I want this year around my 2025 word: Purpose
A must do year end activity is to reflect on the year that has passed, and set intentions for the year ahead.
Take just 20-30 minutes for yourself to sit down and really think about your successes of the past year to celebrate your wins and growth. Then set goals for 2025 which are meaningful to you and put yourself on the path to achieving them.
Take a listen and be guided through the exercise and ready to take on the new year!
Need additional support setting or achieving your goals? Reach out to me today - I am here to help your goals become realities.
Leading in today's world hinges on how we manage our relationships, so come take a listen to how Gina Restani breaks down 5 ways to stand out, and drive results while you are at it.
Gina dives into these 5 simple steps:
1 - Listen
2 - Ask Powerful Questions
3 - Creating Generative Conflict
4 - Building a culture of Appreciation
5 - Build the Relational Foundation
Millennials and Gen Z are starting to make up a majority of the workplace, and they bring with them plenty of stereotypes and amazing gifts.
Take a listen to learn about major events that shape this generation, how they show up in the workplace, and how to manage them for collective success!
Lauren Foster is a leader in this space as an HR Leader, somebody who manages a number of people in these generations, and also helps lead the effort on the annual Global Deloitte research about them.
Show Notes:
Millennials (ages ~28-43 today)
Major Life Events:
2008 financial crisis
9/11
Social Media
Looking for in workplace:
Flexibility
Purpose or meaning
Work-life balance
Gen Z (ages ~12-27 today)
Major Life Events/ Drivers:
COVID/Lockdowns
Distrust of information
Climate crisis and social responsibility
Looking for in workplace:
Flexibility and fluidity
Space to manage mental health
How to build strong relationships:
Build trust
Establish joint boundaries
Challenge them…in a supportive way
Give them developmental opportunities
Communicate purpose of company and project