What does it cost to lead at the highest level? 💼

Jess Bass Bolander (SVP at Lockton) joins Dr. Alison to peel back the curtain on the mental load of high-stakes leadership. From a "scrappy" start in the insurance industry to the C-suite, Jess reveals why your childhood survival triggers (the "Unhealed 8-Year-Old") might be sitting at the boardroom table with you—and how to manage them.

In this episode of (un)conversations (S2 | E3), we discuss why emotional intelligence is a leader’s most critical tool and why staying "at the table" is the only way to impact real change for women in the workforce.

🚀 Inside the Episode (The "WIIFM"):

• The Unhealed 8-Year-Old: How childhood turbulence shapes executive decision-making and survival triggers.

• The Law Pivot: Lessons from walking away from a legal path to find a "scrappy" start in business.

• The Mental Load: Breaking the taboo around executive burnout and workplace mental health.

• Advocacy in Action: Why "if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu"—and how to stay in the game.

🔔 Follow (un)conversations on Spotify and save this episode to your library:

https://open.spotify.com/show/5xkI3Kg3e4VCUY5hXFGUaS?si=xUdMhFRrQyyR1wHbaIkWDQ&nd=1&dlsi=47c2f501c0f54948

Timestamps:(01:06) Welcome Jess Bass Bolander, SVP of Lockton(04:49) (UN)breakable: Overcoming childhood turbulence(15:18) The Pivot: From Law to the "scrappy" world of insurance(30:46) The Balancing Act: Executive roles and motherhood(44:50) The "Unhealed Eight-Year-Old" in the workplace(55:34) Ask Dr. Alison: Leadership Q&A

Connect with our Guest:Jess Bass Bolander (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-bass-bolander-63213114/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessbassbolander/

Connect with Dr. Alison:Work With Us: https://www.unconventionllc.com/messageusLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-l-schmidt-phd-bcc/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralisonschmidt/

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🎵 Music by DJ Doug Jackson: https://soundcloud.com/dougjackson