Your Future Realized

Find the full transcript at yourfuturerealized.com/91.

Ever been the only lifeguard at a packed pool? You’re perched up high, scanning every corner, whistle ready, always on alert. 

At first, it’s fun. But after a while, you realize you’re just stuck. You can’t be everywhere and jump in every time something happens. And if you try, you just wear yourself out. And honestly, something still going to slip through the cracks.

Leading oper...

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Have you heard this old joke?: “What do you call someone who hangs out with musicians? A drummer.” 

It always gets a chuckle, but anyone who’s ever been in a band knows the truth: The drummer is the backbone. Without them, the whole thing falls apart. They keep everyone in sync, set the pace, and hold it all together, even though they’re not out front with the mic. 

Just stop and...

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“Ugh, I know I need to have this conversation. But I don’t want to sound harsh or make them defensive.”

If your ops team is dropping the ball, that probably hits close to home. Accountability talks can be tough. They’re easy to put off because they’re just plain uncomfortable.

But here’s the thing: when you handle them the right way, these conversations don’t just solve problems, ...

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Some days it feels like you’re spinning plates on a windy day, and everyone’s counting on you to keep things from crashing.

Whether your job title says “operations” or you’re just the person who quietly keeps the ship running, you know what it’s like to juggle all the moving parts, shifting priorities, and constant surprises. 

If you’ve ever wondered how to stay steady when everyt...

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Most ops leaders I know have a hard time saying no. They don’t want to let people down and just know what needs to be done. It can feel easier, even automatic, to just step in to handle it. But that’s how you end up carrying everyone else’s load.

It may sound counterintuitive, but your ability to say “no” is directly tied to your success as a leader. Research shows that leaders w...

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If you’ve ever gone sailing, you know you can’t focus on every wave. You have to pick your course and stick with it, or risk spinning in circles, using up energy but not getting anywhere.

Leading operations often means juggling too many things at once, with new priorities flying at you from every side. It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos, trying to keep everything afloat. But...

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Your reputation as an operations leader isn’t built in a single moment. It’s shaped by every decision you make, day in and day out.

Over time, those choices add up, not just to results, but to the story people tell about you as a leader.

Think about the leaders you most admire. Their expertise matters, but it’s how they show up in critical moments that really defines them.

Research...

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You know that feeling when you’re stuck in a decision? The more you think about it, the harder it gets to move. 

I’ve been an Orioles fan since I was a kid. If baseball’s taught me anything, it’s that you can’t wait forever for the perfect pitch. Sometimes you just have to swing. 

In operations, you almost never have perfect information. Research shows that executives spend a huge...

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This spring, a pair of eastern bluebirds nested on my back deck for the fourth year in a row. I have no idea why they keep coming back, but I like to think it’s because they feel safe here. Safe enough to show up, even when the weather is unpredictable and the world is changing.

If you’re leading an ops team, you know trust is just as important, and just as fragile. When everythi...

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Speaking as an introvert who spent years working in operations, I wish I’d met today’s guest sooner. Dr. Jennifer Kahnweiler has been a champion for introverts at work for over 15 years, and I recently got to sit down with her for a great conversation.

I know firsthand how easy it is for quieter voices to be overlooked at work! 

What’s cool about Jennifer is she’s actually an extr...

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Melanie*’s job as an operations leader means she often has to say things people don’t want to hear. She got the role because she’s passionate, driven, and trusted to guide her company through some pretty big changes.

But change always brings uncertainty, and how you show up and communicate can make all the difference.

When we first met, Melanie’s passion was actually holding her b...

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Yesterday someone kicked off our conversation by saying: "

Why do I feel like I’m the one always picking up the slack? If I don’t step in, things fall apart. But if I do, I’m working every evening, drowning in work that isn’t mine!"

If you’re an ops executive, and may sound pretty familiar, and it’s likely you’ve felt this way more than once. Accountability is crucial every...

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You know Florence Griffith Joyner, right? The fastest woman in history. What makes her legendary isn’t just her speed, but how she embraced her uniqueness. Early on, she struggled with her starts. Her coaches doubted her potential as a top sprinter.

But Flo-Jo didn’t let that define her. She stopped trying to fit in and leaned into her own style, focusing on the most important ra...

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Once upon a time, there was an operations executive who was brilliant. For years, she’d been the go-to problem solver, building a collaborative workplace that made her indispensable.

One day, she was asked to present her ideas on stage. She’d never done this on such a large scale before. Self-doubt crept in, whispering, “Who am I to do this? What if I look like an idiot?” She cou...

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You know how Chewbacca didn't get a medal at the end of the first Star Wars movie? I never understood that, considering how important he was in destroying the Death Star and saving the day. 

I do remember hearing that George Lucas had said medals don't matter to Wookiees. That they have different ways of honoring their heroes.

Sound familiar, ops leaders? You are the bac...

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Picture this: You're in your office, and there's a knock on the door. It's Sarah from Accounting, and she's got that look on her face. You know the one. She's about to vent. Again. 

Is that ringing a bell?

If you're an operations exec, I bet it does. You're the go-to person for getting things done, and that often means being the go-to listener as...

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Ever catch yourself biting your tongue in a meeting, agreeing to yet another project when you're already swamped implementing big changes? You might be suffering from chronic people-pleasing, and it's costing you more than you think. In operations, efficiency is key. This habit of saying yes can be a real time-thief.

That gold star for 'playing nice' isn'...

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Did you know that, according to Harvard Business Review, the average executive spends 23 hours a week in meetings*? Yet most of them have a hard time communicating their value? Think about it: 23 hours in conversation. But how much of that time is spent telling the story of what you bring to the table? 

If you’re an operations executive, this might hit close to home. You’re the o...

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A client reached out, caught off guard by her boss’s unexpected invitation for coffee the next morning. Out of the blue. No details, no hints.

This was way out of the ordinary. In years working together, he'd never suggested such an informal meet-up. And their relationship had seen its share of tense moments.

I could hear the uncertainty in her voice. She's used to all m...