Psychology at Work | Career Success, Leadership, Communication Skills
Melody Wilding
Melody Wilding
Have you ever felt like you're the only one struggling with self-doubt at work? Maybe you’ve wondered why office politics seem so complicated or how some people seem to influence so effortlessly? The secret is that every day at work, we're surrounded by psychological dynamics - internal and external. There's the voice in our head second-guessing our decisions, the subtle power plays in meetings, the unspoken expectations that shape our behavior and others. Yet most of us are dropped into our careers with zero insight into these invisible forces. That changes today. Welcome to Psychology at Work. I’m your host Melody Wilding, licensed social worker, human behavior professor, and author of two books: Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work and Managing Up: How to Get What You Need From the People in Charge. With a background as an emotion researcher, therapist, and after over 13 years of coaching thousands of executives and leaders across the world, there’s nothing I love more than helping emotionally intelligent people like you use superpower to make work better for themselves and everyone around them. Because here’s the thing, technical skills will only get you so far in your career. It's mastering your own psychology and understanding that of others that will truly make or break your success. While your coding skills might land you a job, it's your ability to manage stress and stay focused under pressure that will help you meet tight deadlines and deliver high-quality work. Your financial acumen might get you noticed, but it's your ability to navigate stakeholder relationships and office politics that will help you secure buy-in for your ideas. Your strategic thinking might earn you a promotion, but it's your self-awareness and ability to regulate your emotions that will make you an effective leader people want to follow. The title of this show is a playful nod to our double focus. First, we explore how psychology operates in professional settings. But second, in each episode you’re going to walk away with practical insights that you can put to work right away. I know firsthand how challenging it can be to navigate the workplace when you're sensitive, empathetic, and prone to overthinking. That's why I created this podcast that brings you the tools and insights I wish I'd had earlier in my career. Get ready, because you’re going to learn how to master the ‘silent rules’ of human behavior so you can achieve career success without sacrificing inner peace.
6d ago
⏰ LAST CHANCE: Doors for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ close December 16th at 11:59pm. Get the details and secure your spot: https://speaklikeaseniorleader.com You know that sinking feeling when you're in a high-stakes meeting and your brain just... scrambles? You start talking in circles. In this episode, Melody sits down with Missy, an IT Director who was being groomed for VP but struggled with one thing: staying articulate and composed under stress. Through Speak Like a Senior Leader™, she stopped winging it and learned exactly how to stay and be articulate in high pressure moments. Tune in if you want to project the poise and clarity that makes executives see you as ready for the next level and finally walk out of meetings knowing you nailed it instead of replaying every word. Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up
Dec 10
📢 DOORS OPEN: Speak Like a Senior Leader™ gives you the system to become a crisp, clear, confident communicator and be handed dream opportunities before you ever ask for them. Secure your spot: https://speaklikeaseniorleader.com A key influence skill of executive leaders is “reading the room,” but HOW do you do it? In this episode, you’ll hear from Candice, an analytics leader at Google. She shares exactly how she learned to diagnose someone's communication style in minutes and tailor her message on the fly. You'll hear the framework she uses to read any room (interviews, stakeholder meetings, even emails), how she positions the same achievement differently depending on who's listening, and more. If you've ever felt like you're guessing in high-stakes moments and need a system for reading people fast, this conversation gives you one. Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up
Dec 5
In this value-packed replay of Melody’s most recent training, you will: Discover a 3-second test that reveals whether you sound credible and executive-ready…or still like a junior executor Say goodbye to agonizing over the "right" thing to say. THIS matters more than accuracy Learn one simple structure to go from a rambling response to laser-sharp clarity Get five words that flip a combative conversation into strategic problem-solving See what you're missing in every status meeting that could position you for promotion Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up
Dec 3
📢DOORS OPEN: Speak Like a Senior Leader™ gives you the system to become a crisp, clear, confident communicator and be handed dream opportunities before you ever ask for them. Secure your spot: https://speaklikeaseniorleader.com You keep waiting for someone to tell you the secret of what's actually standing between you and the next level. It feels like everyone else got a handbook that you didn't. In this episode, Speak Like a Senior Leader™ graduate Lindsey DellaDonna shares how she went from being stuck in this maddening limbo – on the cusp of director for months with no clear path forward for years – to getting promoted in a matter of months by finally cracking the code on what "executive presence" and "strategic communication" mean in practice. What You’ll Discover: Why executive meeting invites don't equal promotion readiness – and the real test of whether you're advancing The communication shift that turned polite nods into executive action on Lindsey's ideas What "leadership presence" means in practice when your evaluators can't define it How Lindsey restructured her presentations for faster buy-in – without changing her actual work Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up
Nov 25
🎟️ FREE TRAINING: RSVP for 5 Steps to Speak Like a Senior Leader happening December 3rd 5pm ET: https://melodywilding.com/training Your manager says you're ready. You're getting pulled into important meetings. Leadership says "on their radar." But somehow, the promotion never seems to happen. Welcome to promotion purgatory. In this episode, Melody reveals signs you're stuck in this limbo without even realizing it and shares how to break out without working harder, playing politics, or leaving your company. What You’ll Discover: The hidden message behind vague feedback like "executive presence" (and why your manager can't explain how to fix it) Why the instinct to "prove yourself" backfires – and what to do instead A little-known skill that shows you're already operating at the next level before the promotion happens Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up
Nov 19
📢 FREE CLASS: 5 Steps to Speak Like a Senior Leader happening December 3rd 5pm ET: https://melodywilding.com/training After 21 years with the same organization, Jessica thought she had it figured out. Then new leadership came in. And suddenly, her comfort zone disappeared overnight. The people who understood her body of work, her contributions, and her value were gone. In this episode, Jessica shares how she repositioned herself and her team in the new landscape and built credibility with skeptical stakeholders to go from unknown to influential. You’ll discover: Ways to rebuild your credibility from scratch when new executives arrive with completely different assumptions and priorities How to communicate your value when you can no longer rely on people "just knowing" what you've accomplished Changes Jessica made to translate her work into language that resonated with new leaders The mindset that freed her to take imperfect action instead of overthinking every message Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up
Nov 12
🎟️ FREE TRAINING: RSVP for 5 Steps to Speak Like a Senior Leader happening December 3rd 5pm ET: https://melodywilding.com/training Melody breaks down the five types of power that determine who gets heard, who gets ahead, and who gets overlooked, regardless of job title or intelligence. This framework turns office politics from something frustrating and opaque into something you can actually decode and navigate strategically. What You’ll Discover: Stop feeling confused about why certain people get respect and others don't How to leverage your place in the hierarchy without coming across as authoritarian or controlling The type of power that can take years to build but seconds to destroy The diagnostic questions that reveal where your influence comes from right now – and what power base to build next Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up
Nov 5
🎟️ FREE TRAINING: RSVP for 5 Steps to Speak Like a Senior Leader happening December 3rd 5pm ET: https://melodywilding.com/training You prepared and built up that conversation with your manager for days, maybe even weeks. And then... it doesn't deliver the closure you hoped. It didn’t go bad, but it feels like nothing was really resolved. In this episode, Melody names the invisible pattern behind this frustration – and why it has nothing to do with how well you prepared or what you said. What You’ll Discover: The 3-phase mental journey that happens before you even open your mouth (and why it sets you up for disappointment) The #1 shift to stop replaying conversations wondering what went wrong How to keep important topics alive over time without burning political capital or seeming difficult Connect with Melody: FREE NEWSLETTER: Psychology at Work Weekly Get on the Waitlist for Speak Like a Senior Leader™ Follow Melody on LinkedIn Follow Melody on Instagram Get Melody's new book, Managing Up
