We Lead Anyway!
Whether you’re growing in your career, figuring out life, or rebuilding something personal, this is where we talk about all of it.
Leadership, real world decisions, and the kind of personal growth that doesn’t come with a playbook.
Every episode is a sharp, honest take on what it actually looks like to move forward when you don’t have all the answers, the access, or the perfect timing.
Maybe you don’t check every box. Maybe you were never given the rules, or you’ve decided they don’t apply to you anymore.
Either way, we lead anyway.
@WeLeadAnyway on Youtube
leadwithnoelle.com for coaching
Email: noelleleadsanyway@gmail.com
We Lead Anyway!
We Upgraded. Season 2 Is Now Watch AND Listen!
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Season 2 of We Lead Anyway kicks off with a real, unfiltered look at where this podcast came from and where it’s headed. Noelle shares the truth behind building Season 1 in the middle of a toxic work environment, how the show became her anchor, and why she refuses to wait for permission to lead. This season blends career strategy with personal growth, because leadership isn’t just what you do at work, it’s who you are. If you’re ready to grow, reflect, and take up space, you’re in the right place.
Now, go take up space!
Welcome back to We Lead Anyway. I'm Noelle, senior leader, career coach, and host of We Lead Anyway. Before we get into anything else, thank you. Genuinely, season one was something I built because I had to. And the fact that you showed up for it, that meant everything. So if you've been here from the beginning, welcome back. And if you're new, I think you picked a good time to join. I want to take a minute before we talk about where we're going for season two and just talk about where this whole thing came from. I am a people leader and a people lover at my core. And not just at work. I'm the truthful, wise sage that my friends come to. You know, that that witchy friend that's like, what's the vibes you get from this person I want to date or from this job interviewer, whatever? And it's it's genuinely who I am. And I light up when I get to pour into people, whether it's talent or besties or my daughters or my partner or whatever, because the humans involved feel seen and supported. And that is my jam. The problem is I don't always get the chance to do that. Not every organization values that, not every community. And I haven't done anything to get my coaching business off the ground. For a while, I kept finding myself in spaces where leadership was a title and not a practice, and where people were a resource. And I found myself helping countless people in their personal lives, and they were referring people to me. And I wasn't monetizing my talents or my passions. It's been a whole thing. So I did what made sense to me and I built a platform where I could lead anyway, personal, professional, it didn't matter. Where I could talk about what real leadership looks like, what real friendship looks like, you know, even when the environment doesn't reflect it. That's the whole thesis of the show. We don't wait for permission. We don't wait for the right title or the right boss or the friend group we lead anyway. Can I be honest with you about what recording season one was like? Because it was kind of a shit show. I was recording this show while actively trying to get out of one of the most toxic work environments I've ever been in. And I don't use the word toxic very lightly. I mean, it was the kind of environment where it makes you question your competence and your worth and your instincts. I knew something wasn't right every day, but I had been gaslit, is it gaslit or gaslighted, into thinking, oh, this is I'm an issue until I started hearing others, many others share their very similar stories. And I was like, hmm. And I was simultaneously sitting in front of a microphone talking about leadership and advocacy and building strong teams. And the irony there is not lost on me. But honestly, you guys kept me grounded. It reminded me of who I am, what I actually believe, even when the environment I was in wasn't supportive of that. And now I'm on the other side of it. I'm in an active interview process. Yes, I left that bitch. Yes, I left it. And I'm being intentional about where I land and I'm choosing environments that align with my values, not just tolerating ones that don't because of the money. And also, let me mention something that's happening because it's a big deal, at least to me. This May, I'm graduating with my bachelor's degree in industrial organizational psychology. So IOPsych, for those of you who don't know, is essentially the study of human behavior in the workplace. It's how people think, how they're motivated, you know, how organizations either support or fail to support their people. So if you're wondering why I care so deeply about leadership and culture and the human side of work, now you know it's also academic. But you know, I finished this degree while working full-time, coaching, running the podcast. Like I'm not, I'm not saying, oh, look at me, but look at it. I'm telling you because it's proof that you can keep building toward what you want, even when everything else is hard, even when the job that you have is draining you, even when it cuts into your brand. The other reason I started this podcast is for people who don't get to see a reflection of them being successful, those with no degree like me, those who identify differently, or the global majority who we consider in the US to be a marginalized group. But all of these things were things that I could speak to and almost considered not getting my degree because I was already on the top of the food chain without it, if you will. So I thought, well, I'm not gonna get a degree. But then I did. And maybe I was afraid of knowing what more I could do once I had it. So I guess we're gonna learn today. So, okay, season two. We're gonna go deeper this season and wider. Don't be gross. Because I realized that you can't separate who you are at work from who you are in life. It doesn't, you don't start when you badge in. It starts with how you talk to yourself in the morning, whether or not you've dealt with your shit, whether or not you're projecting your own crap into the ether and then getting that back. So season two is a blend of the professional development, but with really the personal development part. And we'll still talk about leadership and career strategy, but I just I want to be really, really real. You know, you guys have come to me with some really good feedback and you know what you love about this podcast. And so I want to just do more of that. And you guys like more of my stories. So I want to work on the whole you. I want us to work on the whole being, not just a version that shows up between nine and five. So I'm glad that you're here for this next chapter. Thank you for trusting me with your commute or your workout or your lunch break or your obligatory bestie listen. You know who you are. And if you have a topic you'd like me to discuss, email me at noelleadsanyway at gmail.com. And if you're interested in personal or professional development, please visit leadwithnoelle.com. And until then, go take up space.