Episode Title: Have You Outgrown Your Definition of Success? with Irina Posan

You've climbed the ladder. Earned the promotions. Built the career you always wanted.

So why doesn't it feel as fulfilling as you expected?

This week on Leadership Rules, Nick and Marnie welcome Irina Posan, career strategist and author of The Career You Crave: Create Fulfillment in Your Work and Life, for a conversation about the difference between achievement and fulfillment.

After 15 years in HR and talent management, Irina found herself in a position many professionals would envy. She had the title, the experience, and the career she'd worked toward for years.

But she'd lost the spark that once made her excited to go to work.

Irina calls this experience identity lag, the gap that develops when we grow and evolve as people, but our careers haven't caught up with who we've become.

Together, Nick, Marnie, and Irina explore why our definitions of success change over time, how to recognize when a career no longer fits, and why the answer isn't necessarily another promotion, a new employer, or a dramatic career change.

Irina shares how an eight-hour spa day, three important conversations, and eight months of experimentation helped her transition from corporate HR to building a career she genuinely loves.

And perhaps the most practical takeaway?

You don't have to burn your life down to make a meaningful change.

Sometimes the first step is simply asking yourself an uncomfortable question, exploring a possibility, or having a conversation you've been avoiding.

Irina also shares her leadership rule: Treat people how you want to be treated. And Nick walks away with another rule inspired by their conversation: embrace the conversations you're looking to avoid.

Whether you're early in your career, considering your next chapter, or wondering why the success you've achieved doesn't feel quite right, this episode offers a thoughtful reminder:

You're allowed to change your mind about what success looks like.

Learn more about Irina:

• Book: The Career You Crave: Create Fulfillment in Your Work and Life
• LinkedIn: Irina Posan
• Instagram: @careercoachirina
• Book available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indigo

The most important project you'll ever work on is you.

Episode Title: You Don't Have to Have It All Figured Out with Charlene Pou

What if the goal of career readiness isn't preparing for a particular job, but preparing for whatever comes next?

This week on Leadership Rules, Nick and Marnie welcome Charlene Pou, founder of Strategic Engagement Group, where she helps educators and employers build stronger partnerships to prepare people for an ever-changing workforce.

Charlene challenges the traditional idea that young people need to choose a career, earn a credential, and follow a predictable path to success.

Instead, she encourages us to focus on curiosity, adaptability, resilience, and the confidence to explore new possibilities.

One of her most powerful observations?

"Potential exists everywhere, but opportunity does not."

Together, Nick, Marnie, and Charlene explore how educators, employers, parents, and leaders can help close that gap by creating meaningful opportunities for exploration, mentorship, and real-world experiences.

They also discuss the changing role of higher education, alternative career pathways, lifelong learning, and how AI is reshaping both the skills we need and the ways we develop them.

And Charlene shares a leadership rule that applies whether you're 17, 37, or 67:

"You don't have to have it all figured out. You just need to be able to prepare yourself to navigate what's next."

Because careers aren't always straight lines. Sometimes the unexpected turns lead to the most meaningful destinations.

And in a fitting coincidence, Charlene's first concert was Journey, which made her closing reminder that the lessons are in the journey, not the destination, even more appropriate.

Learn more about Charlene:

• Connect with Charlene Pou on LinkedIn
• Follow her LinkedIn newsletter, Peak Potential
• Learn more about Strategic Engagement Group

You don't have to know exactly where you're going. Just be ready to explore what's next.

Episode Title: Leadership Doesn't Have a Volume Setting with Jennifer Marcou

What if being quiet isn't something you need to overcome, but one of your greatest leadership strengths?

This week on Leadership Rules, Nick and Marnie welcome Jennifer Marcou, former executive at Microsoft and American Express, leadership coach, and author of Lead with Quiet Confidence: The Practical Guide to Success for Introverts.

Jennifer challenges the traditional image of leadership as something reserved for the most outgoing, charismatic people in the room. Instead, she makes the case that introverts bring powerful strengths to leadership, including listening, observation, deep thinking, and curiosity.

As a lifelong introvert and self-described accidental leader, Nick shares some of his own experiences navigating a world that often rewards the loudest voices. Marnie brings the extrovert's perspective, including lessons from her years in the classroom about making space for quieter thinkers.

Together, they explore practical strategies for building confidence, navigating networking events, managing energy, and creating workplaces where everyone can contribute their best ideas.

Jennifer also shares her wonderfully simple leadership rule:

"Have confidence in yourself."

And perhaps the biggest takeaway? You don't need to change who you are to become a great leader. Sometimes, changing a few small behaviors is enough to let your strengths shine through.

Whether you're an introvert, an extrovert, or somewhere in between, this episode offers a fresh perspective on what leadership can look like.

Learn more about Jennifer:

• Website: https://jennifermarcou.com
• Book: Lead with Quiet Confidence: The Practical Guide to Success for Introverts
• LinkedIn: Search for Jennifer Marcou

Because leadership doesn't have a volume setting.