Have you ever assumed you knew why someone was struggling… only to realize you hadn't asked enough questions?

In this episode, Jule sits down with Andrew Carothers—a customer experience leader with deep expertise in communications, digital technology, and building high-performing teams.

Andrew shares two contrasting stories of inheriting underperforming employees. While the situations looked nearly identical on the surface, the outcomes were completely different. What made the difference wasn't the performance issue itself—it was the leader's willingness to pause, get curious, and approach accountability with clarity instead of frustration.

For leaders navigating difficult conversations, performance challenges, or the pressure to balance accountability with empathy, Andrew's experiences offer a practical reminder that assumptions rarely lead to solutions.

Curiosity does.

In this conversation, Andrew and Jule discuss:

• Why pausing before reacting to underperformance changes the entire conversation
• Why "clear is kind" removes the guesswork and the guilt—from hard feedback
• How building trust early gives employees the runway to learn from mistakes
• Why how you treat one struggling employee is always being watched by the rest of the team
• How transparency turns AI adoption from a threat into a shared opportunity

If you've ever struggled with how to address poor performance, coach someone through a challenge, or decide when it's time to move on, this episode will remind you that leadership isn't about having all the answers.

It's about creating the conditions for people to succeed—and having the courage to act when they don't.

Connect with Andrew:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-carothers/

Connect with Jule:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julesalem/
Website: www.julesalem.com

Dialing In is a leadership podcast for operators, executives, and founders building under pressure. Each episode explores how connection—when it’s intentional—becomes a true performance advantage.

Join us and subscribe to the show to be the first to hear new episodes.

Have you ever been so focused on keeping up with growth that creating connection started slipping to the bottom of the list?

In this episode, Jule sits down with Maddy Niebauer—Co-Founder and CEO of VChief, a company that helps organizations scale by providing fractional executive talent and strategic leadership support.

Maddy shares what happened as her business experienced rapid growth and the tension that came with trying to scale without losing the culture and connection that made the organization successful in the first place. As the pace accelerated, she realized that sustaining growth wasn't just about getting more work done—it was about creating the space for people and relationships to thrive.

For leaders balancing growth, competing priorities, and the constant pressure to do more, Maddy's story is a reminder that connection doesn't happen by accident.

It happens by design.

In this conversation, Maddy and Jule discuss:

• Why rapid growth can unintentionally create disconnection within teams
• Why trust—not time—is often the biggest barrier to effective delegation
• How setting clear expectations helps teams and clients succeed together
• The importance of protecting time for strategic thinking instead of constantly reacting
• Why great leaders focus on where they create the most value—not where they can stay the busiest

If you've ever felt like there aren't enough hours in the day, you're carrying too much yourself, or your calendar is dictating your priorities, this episode will challenge you to rethink where your time creates the most value.

Because great leadership isn't about doing everything.

It's about knowing what only you can do.

Connect with Maddy:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeleineniebauer
Website: https://vchiefs.com/

Connect with Jule:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julesalem/
Website: www.julesalem.com

Dialing In is a leadership podcast for operators, executives, and founders building under pressure. Each episode explores how connection—when it’s intentional—becomes a true performance advantage.

Join us and subscribe to the show to be the first to hear new episodes.

Have you ever been so focused on delivering results that you didn’t realize how your pressure was landing on the people around you?

In this episode of Dialing In, Jule sits down with Sabina Nawaz—executive coach, keynote speaker, leadership expert, and author of You’re the Boss.

Sabina shares a defining leadership moment that forced her to confront an uncomfortable truth: even with good intentions, the way she was showing up under pressure was creating distance between herself and her team.

What began as a candid conversation became a powerful lesson in self-awareness, accountability, and the hidden ways power can shape workplace dynamics. Sabina’s story is a reminder that leaders don’t always see the full impact of their behavior, especially when they are moving fast, carrying responsibility, and trying to deliver.

For leaders navigating high expectations, constant change, and the pressure to perform, this conversation offers a clear reminder: intention and impact are not always the same.

In this episode, Sabina and Jule discuss:

• How power and pressure can quietly erode trust
• How to create safer channels for honest feedback
• Why accountability starts with the leader
• Why caring for people and holding high standards are not competing priorities
• The small daily habits that help leaders strengthen connection before it breaks

This episode is for any leader who has ever felt the weight of responsibility and wondered how to keep delivering without losing connection with the people they lead.

Because connection is rarely lost in one big moment.

It is built—or broken—in the small moments that happen every day.

And those moments matter more than we think.

Connect with Sabina:

Website: https://sabinanawaz.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabinanawaz/

Connect with Jule:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julesalem/
Website: www.julesalem.com

Dialing In is a leadership podcast for operators, executives, and founders building under pressure. Each episode explores how connection—when it’s intentional—becomes a true performance advantage.

Join us and subscribe to the show to be the first to hear new episodes.