The Hard at Work Podcast

In this episode of Hard at Work, Ellen is joined by Ryan Stadt—Senior Talent and Inclusion Manager at Cengage Group and executive coach—for a conversation that gets real about what it actually takes to support and grow people-centered leaders.

Ryan shares what it looks like when leadership development is fully resourced and taken seriously—and how even organizations without big budgets can design meaningful programs for new manager...

This solo episode of Hard at Work is not about inspirational poster values. It's about the real ones—the ones that shape your decisions, your burnout, your boundaries, and your sense of self.
Host Ellen Whitlock Baker digs into why so many of us (especially women) are unclear on what actually matters to us—and how we often end up living by values handed to us by workplaces, families, and old identities. She shares a powerful, simple...

In this vulnerable and wide-ranging conversation, personal branding expert Cat Coffrin joins Ellen to unpack what happens when ambitious women hit a wall—and realize they’ve lost themselves in the process. From working in global policy and green building to launching her own consulting firm, Cat’s story mirrors what so many mid-career professionals experience: success on paper, but disconnection underneath. Through honest storytell...

What happens when you’ve built a successful career—and suddenly realize you don’t want it anymore?

In this solo episode, Ellen Whitlock Baker gets honest about what it feels like to want more from your work—even when you're grateful, even when you’re respected, even when you’re “winning.” From the guilt that creeps in (“Other people would kill for this job”) to the fear of disappointing your team, Ellen unpacks the internal tug-of-w...

Empathy doesn’t mean letting people off the hook. In this honest and energizing episode, Ellen sits down with Jaime Hunt—consultant, author of Heart Over Hype, and higher ed veteran—to talk about what it means to lead with heart and hold people accountable.

They dig into the unique challenges of higher education, why so many managers are unprepared for leadership, and what it really looks like to support your team without sacrificin...

In this solo episode, Ellen Whitlock Baker takes on one of the sneakiest forms of self-sabotage at work: people-pleasing. Especially when it comes wrapped in the flattery of a “you’re next for promotion” promise—with none of the pay or power to match. If you’ve ever been told you’re being “groomed” for leadership but asked to keep doing the extra work without compensation, this one’s for you.

Ellen shares real-world scripts, a spicy...

Busy is a badge we never asked for—and it’s time to put it down.

In this episode of Hard at Work, Ellen sits down with speaker, strategist, coach, and author Kishshana Palmer to talk about what it really means to lead without burning out—and why “busy” has become the badge no one actually wants to wear -- all topics covered in Kishshana's new book, Busy Is a Four Letter Word.

Kishshana shares stories from building her own boutique fi...

Ellen reflects on a truth many of us avoid: rest isn’t easy. In fact, for a lot of us, rest feels wrong—like we're breaking an unspoken rule. In this solo episode of Hard at Work, Ellen unpacks the layers of grind culture, internalized productivity pressure, and the self-sabotage that shows up when we finally try to slow down.

She kicks off the episode by answering an AMA question from a listener who's struggling to maintain boundar...

What if designing the life you want wasn’t about hustle or luck—but about asking? In this episode of Hard at Work, Ellen Whitlock Baker sits down with educator, consultant, and unapologetic life-designer Anita Verna Crofts for a conversation that spans continents, careers, and hard-earned wisdom.
Anita shares how she negotiated a cross-country, flexible faculty role at a time when remote work was almost unheard of—and why she always...

The workplace is changing fast—and not everyone’s on the same page about what should be happening at work anymore. In this solo episode, Ellen Whitlock Baker unpacks one of today’s biggest workplace tensions: generational friction. Whether you're a Xillennial caught between Gen X and Millennials (like Ellen), a seasoned leader, or a new professional navigating unspoken norms, chances are you’ve felt the friction when someone do...

In this episode of Hard at Work, Ellen sits down with powerhouse leader, mentor, and friend Montique “Mo” Cotton Kelly, Chief People and Culture Officer at the UConn Foundation. With decades of experience leading teams in higher education and advancement, Mo brings a refreshingly honest perspective to what it really takes to lead well in today’s workplace.
Mo shares the lessons she learned as a first-time manager, what keeps her up ...

In this episode, Ellen gets real about what it means to show up at work when life outside of it is falling apart. From grief and caregiving to the dishwasher breaking again, she unpacks what happens when stress becomes your default state—and how to interrupt the cycle before burnout takes over. You’ll learn the basics of the stress response, how to complete the stress cycle, and three small but powerful steps to take when you’re ov...

What if disaster psychology could teach us how to survive the modern workplace? In this powerful episode, Dr. Kira Mauseth—disaster psychologist, clinical expert, and resilience educator—joins Ellen to unpack the real meaning of behavioral health at work. From the difference between mental health and behavioral health to why traditional leadership tactics often fall short, they dive deep into the habits that create burnout, and the...

What do burnout, bias, and boundaries have in common? They’re not just buzzwords—they’re the building blocks of what’s broken (and what’s possible) at work.

In this episode, host Ellen Whitlock Baker reflects on the first six episodes of Hard at Work and unpacks the biggest themes that keep surfacing—from navigating systemic bias and invisible labor to learning how to say no before you collapse.

Whether you’ve been with the show...

Welcome to the Hard at Work podcast — where we say the quiet part out loud about today's workplaces. I'm your host, Ellen Whitlock Baker, a leadership coach, speaker, and 20-year survivor of everything from toxic jobs to leadership burnout. In this very first episode, I share why I created Hard at Work: to challenge outdated workplace norms, explore how the system fails so many of us, and help you advocate for yourself without guil...

What does it really mean to lead in a trauma-informed way? In this episode, Ellen talks with Dr. Kyle Elliott about how trauma shows up at work, how most workplaces could be better at supporting people through it, and what ethical, compassionate leadership can look like instead. We dive into emotional labor, boundaries at work, and the quiet harm caused by overworking culture — and why it’s time to lead like everyone’s been through...

If your workplace is disrespecting your time and energy, it’s not just annoying — it’s unsustainable. In this solo episode, Ellen answers a listener’s question about what to do when your coworker isn’t doing their job and your boss won’t intervene. Then, she dives into the burnout culture that makes boundary-setting feel impossible, and gives you the tools to start doing it anyway. From spacing out meetings to turning off notificat...

What do you do when your boss has no idea what you actually do—and still piles on unrealistic expectations? And what if a coworker tells you to smile more in meetings? In this episode, we tackle two real workplace dilemmas: how to manage up when leadership lacks strategy, and how to push back against subtle (but damaging) workplace sexism. Featuring listener-submitted questions, real-world scripts, and boundary-setting advice to ke...