In this episode, Andy welcomes Elizabeth Lotardo, author of Leading Yourself: Find More Joy, Meaning, and Opportunities in the Job You Already Have. Drawing on insights from her book, Elizabeth shares a practical and empowering framework for navigating the everyday challenges that can drain energy and joy from our work lives–things like imperfect bosses, lethargic coworkers, and overwhelming workloads.

The conversation explores how we often start a role with excitement, only to find ourselves disengaged over time–and what we can do about it. You’ll learn the key differences between purpose and passion, how to counteract unhelpful workplace narratives, and what it looks like to reclaim agency in frustrating situations. Whether it’s dealing with difficult stakeholders, receiving feedback, or rethinking your career path, Elizabeth offers tangible strategies for finding value and fulfillment in the job you already have.

If you’re looking for ways to lead yourself better, rediscover meaning in your work, and take more ownership of your day-to-day experience, this episode is for you!

Sound Bites

  • “Purpose has a drastically more significant impact on how we feel about the work than passion does.”
  • “If you’re not waking up super hyped about something, that’s OK!”
  • “You’re always in control of your own response–even in soul-sucking meetings.”
  • “This is my chance. It’s a mindset shift to reframe interruptions and annoyances into opportunities.”
  • “Sometimes all you need is 15 seconds of insane courage.”
  • “When we default to negative assumptions at work, we dig ourselves into ruts that are hard to escape.”
  • “Just give your brain a moment to articulate: What if it went awesome?”
  • “Being invaluable means having great value in a variety of situations–not being stuck as the only one who can do a specific task.”
  • “You are never powerless. That’s a sentiment I hope stays with my son.”

Chapters

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 02:24 Start of Interview
  • 02:34 What Sucks the Joy Out of Our Jobs?
  • 03:49 The Difference Between Purpose and Passion
  • 05:34 Coaching People to Understand Their Purpose
  • 08:08 What Is a Ripple Effect or Impact Map?
  • 09:23 Workplace Lies and Breaking Out of Mental Ruts
  • 12:17 How Elizabeth Deals With Feeling Trapped in a Rut
  • 13:26 Balancing Risk and Opportunity
  • 15:43 The Power of 15 Seconds of Courage
  • 16:47 Reframing Challenges with “This Is My Chance”
  • 19:21 Handling Difficult Meetings and Draining People
  • 22:59 The Indispensable vs. Invaluable Mindset
  • 24:48 How Our Identity Gets Entangled With Our Job
  • 25:58 What Feedback Taught Elizabeth About Growth
  • 29:19 Lessons About Identity and Self-Worth at Work
  • 30:39 Helping Kids Learn They’re Never Powerless
  • 32:52 End of Interview
  • 33:20 Andy Comments After the Interview
  • 38:52 Outtakes

Learn More

You can learn more about Elizabeth and her work at ElizabethLotardo.com.

For more learning on this topic, check out:

  • Episode 437 with Nada Sanders about future prepping your career in the age of AI.
  • Episode 318 with Jon Stepper about his book Working Out Loud.
  • Episode 213 with Christopher Avery about his book The Responsibility Process.

Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!

Talent Triangle: Power Skills

Topics: Leadership, Self-Leadership, Motivation, Purpose, Passion, Agency, Feedback, Mindset, Career Development, Meaning at Work, Workplace Culture, Decision-Making, Project Management

The following music was used for this episode:

Music: Imagefilm 034 by Sascha Ende
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Fashion Corporate by Frank Schroeter
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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