It’s Finally Here: Done, Not Perfect

I almost didn’t hit record.

Like many academic leaders, I wanted it to be polished, perfectly timed, and perfectly executed. But then I remembered the kind of leadership I believe in—and the kind I teach.

In this very first episode, I’m sharing why I stopped waiting for perfect and chose to begin anyway. You’ll hear the real story behind this podcast, the moments that almost derailed it, and what it means to lead with honesty, clarity, and courage—even when things feel messy.

If you’ve ever held back because something wasn’t “ready,” this one’s for you.

Let’s lead out loud—imperfectly but intentionally.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Well, hello, and welcome to the very first episode of the Lead With You podcast. I am so excited to be here with you today. And if I'm honest, I am a little bit nervous about being here with you today because I'm doing something that I usually don't do. And that is that I'm presenting something to the world that is not what I call perfected. And any of you who know me, you know that making sure that things are perfect or as perfect as possible is very important to me, especially when it comes to how I support my community. I'm your host, Dr. Nicole Robinson. I am founder and CEO of Cultural Connections by Design. And today, I believe it's important that we dive into something that I believe every single academic leader needs to hear, that we don't have to be perfect to lead well. Now, I want to be completely honest with you. This podcast has been on my to-do list for a long time. And when I mean a long time, I don't mean for a few weeks. or for a few months, I mean for a couple of years. And then I made a commitment that this past January, I was going to launch my podcast for 2025. And actually in a big email blast out to my community, I said, get ready, the podcast is coming. But I kept putting it off. And I realized I was waiting before I had the perfect setup. I was waiting for the perfect time. I was waiting for the perfect content plan. I was waiting for the perfect moment to actually record without interruptions. I was waiting for the perfect time that I looked the part of a podcast, I guess a podcaster. But there's a spoiler alert. That moment never came. And if you are a leader, especially if you're a leader in academia or mission-driven work, You already know this, that perfection is actually a moving target. And it is if we wait for everything to be perfectly aligned, we risk never getting started at all. So in this first episode, I want to share a bit about what finally helped me push the record button. I made a decision, one that many leaders wrestle with quietly. I decided not to wait for perfection. Because if I had, this podcast episode would not exist. There were disruptions, real-life interruptions, shifting priorities, the kind of messiness that doesn't always make it into leadership manuals to help us understand how to navigate them. People needed me. Plans changed, and I kept telling myself, once things settle down, I'll get to it. And to be honest, I was doing it, trying to do it in the way in which the world says that you're supposed to do this. You should batch record your episodes. You need to have a 90-day plan. You need to build a flawless launch strategy. You need a great marketing initiative. And you need to be ahead. You need to be polished. You need to be professional. But here's the truth. And those of you who know me know, I rarely do things the way the world dictates. Not because I'm trying to be different. Because I've learned over the years that what works for others does not always align with how I'm built. And the moment I gave myself permission to actually do it my way, I decided that to hit the record button without a stockpile of episodes, our perfect studio setup, I felt more alignment than I had in months. So that's actually what I want to talk to you about today. I started thinking, what does it mean to lead imperfectly perfect? I trust to trust your own rhythm, to act before everything is in play. to lead from the inside out and not from a script that someone else has written for you. Because real leadership, true transformative leadership is rarely tidy, is brave, is responsive, is human, and it can be messy. So what does it mean to lead with you? Like, what exactly is it that I mean by that? Leave With You is more than a podcast title. It's a philosophy, and it's a challenge, and it's an invitation to lead with your whole self, to make decisions that are grounded, not just in strategy, but in values, to stop outsourcing your leadership style to expectations that don't fit you. Too often, we're taught that leadership means fixing everyone else's problems around us, but Leave With You actually comes Flips the script on that. And it starts with you. And it starts with you not because you're the problem, but because you're the foundation. So here's what I've learned after more than 25 years working with leaders. The strongest, most effective leadership comes from within. It's not about mastering the next framework. It's about mastering your voice. It's not about performing leadership. It's about embodying it. Lead with you means that you lead with clarity, even in complexity. Lead with compassion, especially when the work is hard. Lead with integrity, even when it costs you everything. And lead with alignment, so your role doesn't conflict with your values. So you may be wondering, where did this philosophy come from? Well, it's the heartbeat of my company, Cultural Connections by Design. or as we affectionately call it, CCBD. CCBD was created to help academic leaders build people-centered, purpose-driven institutions by addressing something most leaders avoid the most, or most leadership models avoid, culture. Not just the aspirational statements and our mission statements, but the real culture. I mean, like how people actually feel, how they interact, how they operate within your organization. At CCBD, we work with institutions, organizations, universities, colleges, healthcare organizations, purpose-driven teams to unpack what I call the four hidden culture challenges. And we tackle them through my priority framework, the four peaks. People, because leadership is all about relationship and not results. Place, because culture lives in the environment we create. Process, because systems are either support or sabotage change. And power, because influence without equity is performative. Our work at CCBD centers on helping academic leaders see beneath the surface, not just manage change, but to lead it thoughtfully. strategically, sustainably. And honestly, this podcast is an extension of that word. Because whether I'm on a campus facilitating a retreat or in a room with senior leaders building a strategic plan or here behind the microphone, my message is the same. Culture doesn't shift by accident. It shifts when the leaders do. So what to expect from this podcast? So you can expect quite a few things from this podcast. Each week, I will bring you stories, strategies, reflections designed to help you lead with more clarity, courage, and culture awareness. Some episodes will be solo. Others will feature conversation with leaders who are navigating the real work of change. We'll talk about transition. We'll talk about trust. We'll talk about institutional resistance, burnout, visions. power, team dynamics, and all of the unseen things to shape whether your leadership can actually succeed, it isn't a podcast about fixing people. It is a podcast about growing as a person so you can lead in the ways that truly make an impact. Now, before we wrap up today, let me circle back around to where we started. Whatever you've been putting off because you've been waiting for the right time, the perfect plan, or just more confidence. This is your sign. Start now. Start today. Not because everything's ready, but because you are. Thank you for joining me in this very first episode. I am deeply honored to be doing this work with you. And sometimes something in today's episode resonate with you. I'd love for you to subscribe or follow the podcast, maybe leave a review. Or for this old colleague who may be leading change and might need a reminder that perfection isn't a prerequisite for impact. You can also learn more about our leadership programs and retreats at ccbydesign.org or by joining our mailing list to stay in the loop. Until next time, lead with courage, lead with clarity, and always leave with you.