Ep.87: Lead Like a Woman: The Hidden Strength of Soft Skills With Fran Hauser

Описание: In this episode, we sit down with the brilliant Fran Houser for a conversation that feels especially relevant if you’re trying to be successful at work without losing yourself along the way. We talk about ambition, empathy, boundaries, and the exhausting double bind women still face in the workplace—where you’re expected to be both warm and bulletproof. Fran brings such grounded wisdom from her decades in corporate leadership, startup investing, and now her portfolio career, and we found ourselves nodding along the entire time.

Together, we explore what it really means to lead with kindness and strength, why empathy is not a weakness but a strategic advantage, and how women can rethink networking, ambition, and career pivots in a way that actually fits real life—especially at midlife. This conversation is honest, practical, and deeply validating. You’ll walk away feeling both seen and energized to rethink how you show up at work and beyond.

Episode Highlights:
[0:00] – Welcome to Insights from the Couch and why this conversation matters at midlife
[2:10] – Fran’s upbringing, immigrant parents, and early lessons about work and responsibility
[6:45] – The origin of The Myth of the Nice Girl and redefining leadership for women
[10:40] – How empathy creates trust, influence, and better outcomes at work
[15:30] – The fine line between kindness, people-pleasing, and setting boundaries
[19:50] – A real workplace story that shows how “being nice” can backfire—and how to repair it
[26:30] – Ambition, likability, and the double bind women still face
[31:00] – Why women still hesitate to speak up and how perfectionism gets in the way
[34:00] – Networking at midlife: why it matters and how to do it in a way that fits you
[39:00] – Portfolio careers, career pivots, and designing work that supports your life
[47:30] – Fran’s upcoming book on time, perfectionism, and doing less better

Links and Resources:
Fran’s LinkedIn:   / franhauser  
Fran’s Instagram:   / fran_hauser  

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