Lead Through It with Kim and Jada
Hosted by Kim Andrews and Jada Willis - two would-be competitors who chose collaboration over rivalry - Lead Through It is your weekly dose of real talk and practical wisdom for navigating leadership’s hardest (and most human) moments.
Each episode features candid conversations with business owners and seasoned leaders who’ve led through the big pivots and the everyday grind. Whether you’re a service-based entrepreneur scaling early success (Jada’s sweet spot) or an organizational leader managing complex change (Kim’s jam), Lead Through It helps you get clear on where you're headed, build a resilient team that steps up, and weather the tough stuff no one warns you about.
You’ll walk away with fresh insight, actionable takeaways, and just enough wit and charm to keep things interesting.
Lead Through It with Kim and Jada
Ep. 38 - Making Work Less Brutal with Rachel Cooke
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What if the answer to burnout isn’t doing less, but designing work differently?
In this episode, Kim and Jada sit down with Rachel Cooke, founder of Lead Above Noise, host of the Modern Mentor podcast, and a leading voice on creating healthier, more sustainable ways of working.
After leaving a successful corporate HR career, Rachel set out to challenge the belief that exhaustion is simply the cost of success. What she discovered is that many organizations focus on changing structures, roles, and reporting lines while overlooking the day-to-day realities of how work actually gets done.
Together, they explore:
• Why work has become more complicated than it needs to be
• How small shifts can create meaningful relief for overwhelmed teams
• The connection between wellbeing, engagement, and performance
• Why leaders don't have to have all the answers during uncertainty
Rachel shares powerful stories from hospitals, boardrooms, and organizations navigating burnout, reminding us that transformation rarely starts with sweeping changes. More often, it begins with listening, experimenting, and making work just a little bit better for the people doing it.
She also offers a refreshing perspective on career growth, leadership, and the future: there is no perfect plan. You take a step, and then you make it right.
If you're leading through uncertainty, questioning old ways of working, or searching for practical ways to create a healthier culture, this conversation is for you.
Because better workplaces aren't built through bigger policies or more processes. They are built through intentional choices, shared responsibility, and the courage to redesign work in ways that help people thrive.
If today’s conversation resonated, connect with us and be part of the community of leaders who refuse to lead alone.
JadaWillis.com | KimAndrewsCoaching.com
Jada@jwillisconsulting.com | Kim@kimandrewscoaching.com
