Lead with Spark | Leadership for Women, Work - Life Balance, Career Confidence

The HR Lady on Tough Conversations, Personality Styles, and Leading People Well

When your workplace feels a little too spicy, who do you call? In this conversation, Lynsey sits down with Wendy Sellers, The HR Lady®, to talk about what it really takes to be a leader people will follow willingly, not just a manager with a title.
Wendy is an HR consultant, speaker, mentor, and author of two boldly titled books: “Suck It Up, Buttercup: Be a Leader People Will Follow” and “How to Deal with Crappy Leaders and Jerks at Work”. With nearly 30 years of experience guiding companies from 5 to 5,000 employees, she has seen it all and is not afraid to tell the truth about leadership, culture, and accountability.
In this episode, you will hear:
Why the majority of problems at work are really communication problems
How personality styles and traits (think DISC, introvert, extrovert, ambivert) shape every interaction
Simple ways women in leadership can adjust how they communicate without being inauthentic
What real active listening looks like when you are stressed, busy, and managing a full plate
How to have hard conversations without crushing your team or losing yourself
A practical “acting lesson” you can use to shift your style for 15 minutes and finally be heard
Wendy and Lynsey get honest about being high D personalities, missing social cues, learning to “shut up and listen,” and how to repair relationships when communication has gone sideways. You will walk away with concrete steps you can use tomorrow to improve engagement, build trust, and lead with more clarity and confidence.
If you are a woman in leadership who is tired of sugarcoated advice and wants real tools to navigate people, performance, and personality differences, this episode is for you.
One line to take with you:
“Adjusting your style for someone else is not being fake, it is being an effective leader.” Wendy Sellers
Connect with Wendy Sellers (links coming soon):
Website: com and Blog
Books: Suck It Up, Butter Cup & The A-Hole Whisperer
HR Empowerment Podcast
LinkedIn: @WendyTheHRLady
Mentor Program
Wendy’s Cross Country RV Trip
Connect with Lynsey:
Website: LynseyMulder.com
Facebook: @LynseySMulder
LinkedIn: @Lynsey-Mulder
Instagram: @LynseyMulder

Love of the Game: Are You Playing the Right One in Your Career?

In this episode of Lead with Spark, Lynsey borrows the phrase “love of the game” from sports and brings it straight into your career, leadership, and life. Instead of blaming yourself for a lack of motivation, you will explore why your drive always follows your why, and what it means if your “love of the game” has faded. Lynsey walks through four possibilities, right game wrong position, right game wrong team, right game right team but you have forgotten your why, or you are playing the wrong game altogether. Using her SparkLife framework of values, superpowers, and non negotiables, she helps you diagnose where you might be out of alignment and what that means for your next step. You will get powerful reflection questions to clarify why you are playing, whether you still love the game, and how to design a role, team, or season that actually sparks life. This is a must listen for women leaders, high achievers, and professionals who feel successful on paper but quietly wonder, “Is this really my game?”
By the end of this episode, listeners will:
Understand why drive always follows a clear, compelling why
Recognize the difference between loving the game and just surviving it
Identify whether they are in the right game, wrong position, wrong team, or wrong game entirely
Use values, superpowers, and non negotiables as a lens for career alignment
Walk away with reflection questions to realign their work with what truly sparks life
One line to take with you
When your why is misaligned, it is not a motivation problem, it is a game problem.
Connect with Lynsey:
Website: LynseyMulder.com
Facebook: @LynseySMulder
LinkedIn: @Lynsey-Mulder
Instagram: @LynseyMulder

E24 Gratitude in Motion: How Thankfulness Shifts Your Mindset, Your Home, and Your Leadership

In this pre Thanksgiving episode of Lead with Spark, Lynsey explores the power of gratitude as more than a seasonal feeling. It is a daily leadership skill that shapes your mindset, your home, and your work. You will learn how gratitude supports an abundance mindset, reduces stress, strengthens relationships, and helps you stay grounded when life feels full and messy. Lynsey shares her family’s “Thankful Board” tradition, a simple mudroom practice that keeps memories, people, and joyful moments in front of them all year long. You will also hear examples of big and small gratitudes, from being thankful for breath on hard days to savoring a smile from the barista. The episode wraps with three practical tools you can start right away, a gratitude walk, a gratitude log, and your own version of a thankful board or wall. This is the perfect episode to reset your focus, lead with more intention, and carry a spirit of gratitude into the holiday season and beyond.
Key learnings from this episode:
How gratitude rewires your brain toward an abundance mindset instead of scarcity
Why simple daily gratitude practices boost resilience, emotional health, and leadership
How a “Thankful Board” can become a visual anchor for family and team gratitude
Ways to practice gratitude on tough days when all you can name is breath or coffee
Practical ideas to teach gratitude to your kids, your team, and yourself this season
One line to take with you:Gratitude does not deny the hard, it simply refuses to hand it the microphone.
Connect with Lynsey:
Website: LynseyMulder.com
Facebook: @LynseySMulder
LinkedIn: @Lynsey-Mulder
Instagram: @LynseyMulder

E25 You Are Not Your Feelings: Identity and Emotional Intelligence for Women Leaders

Do you look like a successful, high-achieving woman from the outside, but inside you are battling doubt, overwhelm, or emotional whiplash from one hard conversation or email? In this episode of Lead with Spark, Lynsey breaks down the connection between identity, emotional intelligence, and leadership so you can stop letting your feelings run the show and start leading from a grounded, confident center.
You will hear how your brain creates an identity story from everyday triggers, why stuffing your emotions or spiraling in them both lead to inaction, and what it looks like to respond as an emotionally intelligent leader instead. Lynsey walks you through her SPARK process so you can recognize your emotions, realign with who you truly are, and choose actions that match the woman and leader you want to be.
Whether you are navigating imposter syndrome, decision fatigue, or just a season where life feels heavier than usual, this episode will help you reclaim your identity, reset your self-talk, and build work life alignment that actually feels sustainable.
In this episode, you will learn:
The difference between your true identity and your current feelings
How emotional intelligence helps you notice, name, and navigate emotions in real time
The SPARK framework to move from emotional reactivity to intentional response
How to use identity statements and a daily voice memo to retrain your inner dialogue
Why curating your inputs (people, content, environment) is critical for your mindset and leadership
This is your invitation to stop freestyling your emotional world and start designing it on purpose so you can lead with confidence, clarity, and your full spark.
Line to take with you, “You are not your worst thought on your worst day. Your emotions are real, but they do not get to define your identity.”
Connect with Lynsey:
Website: LynseyMulder.com
Facebook: @LynseySMulder
LinkedIn: @Lynsey-Mulder
Instagram: @LynseyMulder

E22 Brain-Savvy Leadership: Neurodiversity as a Leadership Strategy (Not a Checkbox)

Leaders don’t just manage tasks, they design the environment where people and ideas thrive. In this conversation with Gina Brown (MAGNIFY Innovation & Leadership), we break down what neurodiversity really means, how executive function shows up at work (focus, working memory, transitions), and practical ways to build cultures of empathy, clarity, and curiosity, without lowering the bar. If you’ve ever felt “successful despite yourself,” this one gives you language, tools, and grace.
Connect with Gina:
Website: Magnify Innovation Group
LinkedIn: @Gina Hibbard Brown
Facebook: @Gina.Hibbard
Episode Highlights
Neurodiversity ≠ diagnosis only: Why every team is cognitively diverse and how leaders can design for it.
Executive function in real life: Working memory, transitions, and focus. Simple scaffolds that actually help.
Reframe “performance issues”: Move from what’s wrong? to what’s strong? and watch capability rise.
Meeting & brainstorm design: Fast ideators vs. deep processors, how to make both shine.
Language shift that matters: Swap “I’m sorry” for “Thanks for your patience—here’s what I’m doing next.”
The cost of brilliance: Giving grace when great ideas and small misses arrive as a package deal.
Leader’s role: Empathy + clarity + curiosity = an environment where people and innovation thrive.
One line to take with you:"Understand your brain, ditch the shame, and up your game." Directly from Gina's signature framework.
Connect with Lynsey:
Website: LynseyMulder.com
Facebook: @LynseySMulder
LinkedIn: @Lynsey-Mulder
Instagram: @LynseyMulder

E21 Authentic, Not Conforming: Build Executive Presence That Fits

When the “official lane” looks safe but feels small, it’s time to rethink fit. Inspired by the classic Put Me in the Zoo (Seuss-adjacent), this episode explores how we chase titles and conformity when our strengths are actually asking for a different stage—more authentic, a little bold, and genuinely useful. I share the family story behind a 1967 inscription, a quick overview of the book, and a practical path to test-and-try your way into rooms where your gifts breathe: tiny experiments, stretch assignments, job crafting, and feedback that acts like a flashlight (not a verdict). If you’ve been pressing your face to the wrong gate, this is your gentle nudge to stop knocking and start showing.
Episode highlights
Why fit beats fancy: belonging is a function of stage, not worth
Demonstrate, don’t beg: make value visible with tiny tests
Conformity vs. authentic presence: how to lead without shrinking
Micro-moves: stretch assignments, job crafting 20%, shadowing, serving
A script to ask for a stretch—with guardrails
“Picture this” moments you can use this week (open the meeting, turn a status into a decision, design your next chapter)
One line to take with you
"Stop knocking at the wrong gate—start showing what fits."
 
Work with Lynsey
Ready to find the stage that fits? I offer 1:1 coaching for women leaders and business coaching for founders and executive teams—practical, momentum-focused, tailored to you. Start here: LynseyMulder.com
 
Connect with Lynsey:
Website: LynseyMulder.com
Facebook: @LynseySMulder
LinkedIn: @Lynsey-Mulder
Instagram: @LynseyMulder

E20 5 Ways to Escape Corporate Stockholm Syndrome (Without Quitting Your Job)

Feel stuck defending a role that drains you because “the benefits are good”? This episode tackles corporate Stockholm syndrome, not the clinical diagnosis, but the mindset where fear and comfort have us protecting the very systems that keep us small. We unpack F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real), share current career trends (shorter tenures, cooled quits), and give you five practical ways to rebuild momentum without torching your paycheck: call fear by name, try micro-shifts before macro moves, redefine loyalty, build portable stability, and measure what really matters at the end of a career and a life.
Episode highlights
The gut-check: 3 questions that reveal quiet loyalty to the wrong things
FEAR → make it show its math (stop treating guesses as facts)
Five ways out (no quitting required): stretch assignments, job crafting, shadowing, skills-for-service volunteering, and decision memos that return time
Portable stability: skills, references, and runway so you can choose from strength
Why tenure is shorter, quits cooled, and what that means for brave but sane career moves
“Picture this” moments: saying yes to a stretch (with guardrails), turning a status meeting into a memo, and designing your next chapter on purpose
One line to take with you“You don’t have to quit to be brave, just stop defending what’s dimming you.”
Work with LynseyReady to turn these into habits? I offer 1:1 coaching for women leaders and business coaching for founders and executive teams. Practical, momentum-focused, and tailored to you. Start here: LynseyMulder.com.
Connect with Lynsey:
Website: LynseyMulder.com
Facebook: @LynseySMulder
LinkedIn: @Lynsey-Mulder
Instagram: @LynseyMulder
Episode Citations: 
Median employee tenure (Jan 2024) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: overall 3.9 years; private 3.5, public 6.2. Bureau of Labor Statistics+1
Employee engagement (2024/2025) Gallup: U.S. engagement ~31% in 2024 (10-year low). com
Quits rate (2025) BLS JOLTS: quits ~1.9%, little changed in August. Bureau of Labor Statistics
End-of-life regrets Bronnie Ware’s “Top five regrets of the dying.” Bronnie Ware+1

E19 Feelings Are Data, Not Directors: Train Your Brain, Lead Your Life.

Feel stuck in your head? Spinning, second-guessing, or riding waves of frustration and doubt? This episode reframes emotional intelligence as a daily, doable practice rooted in identity.
You’ll learn why feelings are real but not always reliable, and how to treat them as data, not directors, so you can calm the noise and move the needle. We walk through simple tools you can use this week: a 60-second morning recording that trains your brain, clarity breaks that turn emotion into motion, the Notice → Name → Normalize → Next framework for in-the-moment regulation, “draft hot, send cold” for heated emails, and a three-line evening close that links identity to action to rest. Faith-friendly language is included (and optional), plus practical breathwork cues for anxiety and overthinking.
Designed for women leaders navigating the double bind—warm but not “soft,” clear but not “cold.” If ruts, storms, or stretch seasons have been testing your confidence, this is a steady, humane playbook.
You’ll learn
How to lead your emotions without suppressing them
A quick morning routine to set direction and reduce reactivity
The clarity break method for better decisions and focus
A simple script to handle tough meetings and fiery emails
Breathwork tips to regulate in real time
How to take the next best step when motivation is low
Episode highlights
Why feelings are data, not directors and how that reframes identity + EQ
A 60-second morning recording to train your brain
Clarity breaks: turn emotion into motion in 20 minutes
The in-the-moment tool: Notice → Name → Normalize → Next
Draft hot, send cold: a smarter play for heated emails (tone-safe for women leaders)
Breathwork that actually helps: three slow breaths to downshift anxiety
“Picture this” moments: opening a tough meeting, editing a hot email, lifting a gray day
The Evening Three: one truth, one release, one seed—link identity → action → rest
One line to take with you“Let feelings inform you, then let identity direct you.”
Work with LynseyReady to make this muscle memory? I offer 1:1 coaching for women leaders and business coaching for founders and executive teams—practical, momentum-focused, and tailored to you. Start here: LynseyMulder.com.
Connect with Lynsey:
Website: LynseyMulder.com
Facebook: @LynseySMulder
LinkedIn: @Lynsey-Mulder
Instagram: @LynseyMulder
🗣 Bring SparkLife to your team or event — speaking & workshops

E18 Lead with Pause: Dr. Ebony Stone on Grace, Grit, and Women Owning the Room

When women lead, the room shifts. In this conversation with Dr. Ebony Stone—author, speaker, and coach— we unpack what it really takes to thrive as a woman in leadership today: grace over guilt, perspective over comparison, and “do it scared” over perfect timing. Ebony shares her PAUSE framework (Pause/Pray, Analyze, Understand, Strategize, Execute) and how it applies to real life—boardrooms, busy homes, and those messy in-between moments. We talk superpowers, why your presence is a competitive advantage, and how to reframe nerves as excitement so you can step onto any stage (or into any meeting) with intention.
“You don’t have to be fearless. You just have to do it scared—until scared starts to look like excitement.”
You’ll learn:
How to give yourself grace without lowering your standards
The PAUSE framework you can use for a meeting, a project, or a life pivot
Why “do it scared” is the fastest path to confidence
How to stop comparing and start leading with your unique superpowers
A practical way to separate facts from limiting beliefs (at home and at work)
Resources & Links:
Ebony Stone
LinkedIn @DrEbonyStone
Facebook @DrEbonyStone
Her book: The Power of Pause — use code $Spark2025$ at https://www.drebonystone.com/ for a listener discount
Connect with Lynsey:
Website: LynseyMulder.com
Facebook: @LynseySMulder
LinkedIn: @Lynsey-Mulder
Instagram: @LynseyMulder
🗣 Bring SparkLife to your team or event — speaking & workshops

E17 Executive Presence: Open Strong, Right the Ride, Close with Care

If your updates get lost, decisions stall, or you leave meetings exhausted from carrying the room, the problem isn’t just strategy. It’s how you show up. In this story-driven episode, Lynsey unpacks executive presence using three unforgettable rideshare moments from her latest trip to Destin, Florida: the disengaged “Mr. Earbuds,” the resigned “Miss Chaos,” and the intentional hostess with the mostess who changed the entire experience without changing the road.
You’ll learn how to open strong (set purpose in the first 90 seconds), right the ride when things go sideways (steady agency over excuses), and close with care (clear next steps + visible credit). Same goals, same road, very different ride.
What you’ll learn
The simple, repeatable presence sequence: Open → Right the Ride → Close with Care
How to set the temperature of a room in your first sentence (without theatrics)
Practical ways to show steadiness under constraint: name reality, then create a pocket of agency
Why follow-through is your leadership “aftertaste” (and how to make it memorable)
How presence makes your values, superpowers, and non-negotiables visible so trust compounds
Women-in-leadership insight: confident kindness that beats the “too cold / too soft” double bind
Episode highlights
The Destin rideshare test: same route, three experiences → presence by design
“Earbuds energy” vs. “host energy,” what your team feels before you speak
The 90-second open: purpose, outcome, next step. Mercy, not bossiness
Righting the ride: constraints are real; agency is yours
Closing with care: decisions, owners, dates and a grace note that sticks
One line to take with you“Executive presence is the temperature you set. Calm the chaos, and the work moves faster.”
Work with Lynsey
Want a partner to accelerate this? Lynsey offers 1:1 coaching for women leaders and business coaching for founders and business owners. Practical, momentum-focused, and tailored to you. Start here: com
Connect with Lynsey:
Website: LynseyMulder.com
Facebook: @LynseySMulder
LinkedIn: @Lynsey-Mulder
Instagram: @LynseyMulder