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Say It Skillfully®

Say It Skillfully®

By: Molly Tschang
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 Molly Tschang's Say It Skillfully® is a show that helps you benefit from Molly's guidance on the best possible ways to speak your mind at work in a positive and productive manner. She helps everyone from CEOs to interns to recognize that we are all both part of the problem as well as the solution, and that the path to solving any problem is to say what needs to be said. Molly is a rare breed: tough enough to advise CEOs and company boards, but empathetic enough to understand the human costs of not allowing talent to shine. She has helped dozens of management teams navigate the human after-effects of mergers and acquisitions, and her show brings her expert guidance to a wider audience.Molly Tschang Economics Management Management & Leadership Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • 227 Say It Skillfully® – Riel Erickson: Courage, Failure & Leading Where the Stakes Are High

    227 Say It Skillfully® – Riel Erickson: Courage, Failure & Leading Where the Stakes Are High
    Feb 17 2026
    What does it take to lead when the stakes are life-and-death, failure is inevitable, and doubt never fully disappears? In this episode of Say It Skillfully®, Molly sits down with Lieutenant Colonel Riel Erickson — one of Canada’s first female fighter pilots, senior Royal Canadian Air Force officer, instructor, and leadership mentor. Riel shares her extraordinary journey from farm life to the cockpit, revealing the internal battles behind elite performance: self-doubt, fear, identity, and resilience. She explains why embracing failure is essential to growth, how leaders create psychological safety, and what it really means to move from doing the work… to leading people… to shaping institutions. This conversation is a masterclass in grounded leadership, courage under pressure, and using humanity — not perfection — as your greatest strength. You’ll learn: • Why failure can be freeing • How to manage fear instead of eliminating it • The hidden cost of masking to fit in • What great mentors actually do • How leaders scale impact through others If you’ve ever questioned whether you belong in the room, this episode is for you. 00:00 — Introduction: Leadership Where Stakes Are High 00:01 — Riel’s Background & Breaking Barriers 02:09 — International Women’s Forum & Finding Belonging 05:57 — Early Life & Choosing the Military Path 09:17 — Culture Shock of Military Training 11:13 — Hating Pilot Training… at First 12:57 — The Freedom of Detaching Identity from Success 14:16 — “Embrace Failure” as a Life Mantra 15:18 — Discovering Love for Flying & Challenge 16:27 — Family Support & Sacrifice 19:17 — Overcoming Self-Doubt 22:29 — Managing Fear Under Pressure 26:15 — Career Path: From Pilot to Instructor to Leader 29:06 — Being the Only Woman in the Room 32:12 — Leadership & Psychological Safety 34:16 — Moving from Doing → Teaching → Leading Systems 35:32 — Work-Life Integration, Not Balance 40:07 — Mentorship That Changes Careers 44:55 — Why Mentoring Others Matters 47:10 — The Moment She Realized Her Visibility Matters
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • 226 Say It Skillfully® – Darcy Verhun: The Power of People-First Leadership

    226 Say It Skillfully® – Darcy Verhun: The Power of People-First Leadership
    Jan 21 2026
    In this episode of the Say It Skillfully Podcast, Molly sits down with Darcy Verhun — a rare kind of leader who builds companies by putting people first, not as a strategy, but as a way of being. From growing up between city life and the farm in Alberta, to becoming a management consultant for 25 years, to scaling a business to a $2B market cap, Darcy shares the values, habits, and leadership mindset that shaped his journey. Darcy also opens up about leading through culture change inside Canada Diagnostic Centres, why “smiling” became a serious leadership priority, and how small daily behaviors can transform an organization from the inside out. They close with a powerful “say it skillfully” moment: the one question Darcy asks at the end of meetings that can completely change outcomes — and create space for people to finally use their voice. If you’re a leader, coach, or someone trying to build a culture where people feel safe, seen, and motivated to grow — this one’s worth your time. Chapters 00:00 Intro: A leader who builds by putting people first 01:18 How Darcy and Molly met (Marshall Goldsmith connection) 02:39 Darcy’s upbringing: farm life, work ethic, and humility 06:12 The reading rule that became Darcy’s “superpower” 07:03 Sports, skiing, and coaching elite athletes 08:38 Why Darcy’s coaching style is built on stories 10:00 What Darcy learned early: honesty, caring for others, open home 12:13 Mentors and the professor who still challenges him today 14:17 MBA + the unexpected path into consulting 15:21 25 years in consulting: leadership, culture, and hard problems 16:13 The shift from advising to owning the mission 17:13 Purpose as a decision-making compass (“enhancing life”) 20:39 A defining leadership moment: doing the right thing, not the textbook thing 25:43 Entering healthcare: culture challenges + rebuilding trust 29:13 The “CDC” framework: Culture, Deliver Care, Operational Excellence 31:59 “Culture change doesn’t take years—it starts with me” 32:57 Why Darcy focused on smiling first (and why it matters) 35:03 The “High Five” habit: leaders connecting with their teams 37:14 Measuring what matters: Clinic Excellence Index 40:17 Daily Questions: Darcy’s personal growth habit 42:29 Investing in health to lead better (getting back on the bike) 43:37 The best meeting question: “Is there something you’re thinking or feeling you haven’t said?” 45:11 Reading, mountain biking, and being an introvert leader 46:09 The “candy cheat” for connecting with people 46:51 A surprising fun fact: loving winter driving 47:20 Regret: investing more in learning earlier 48:23 Proud moments: family + the people he’s worked with 49:06 Rapid fire: artist life, “Tarzan,” fries + ice cream 50:04 Final takeaway: be yourself and don’t be afraid 51:19 Closing quote + wrap
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    53 mins
  • 225 Say It Skillfully® – Ron Carucci: Nothing Is Irrevocable Except Death

    225 Say It Skillfully® – Ron Carucci: Nothing Is Irrevocable Except Death
    Dec 10 2025
    In this episode of Say It Skillfully®, host Molly Tschang engages in a deeply human, candid, and inspiring conversation with Ron Carucci — bestselling author, executive coach, and co-founder of Navalent. Together, they trace Ron’s extraordinary journey from a chaotic Long Island childhood to becoming one of the most trusted voices in leadership, organizational transformation, and personal growth. Ron opens up about the trauma and humor of growing up in a loud Italian household, discovering his love for the arts, navigating early career pivots, and finding purpose in helping leaders use their voices to serve the greater good. He shares vulnerable insights about therapy, impostor syndrome, mental health, parenting, marriage, failure, and what it means to truly “play big.” This episode offers profound lessons in honesty, self-compassion, resilience, and leading with integrity. Ron’s wisdom — centered on the belief that “nothing in life is irrevocable except death” — invites listeners to rethink how they show up in their work, relationships, and inner lives. A powerful celebration of growth, shared humanity, and the courage to become who you are meant to be. 00:00 Introduction to Ron Carucci 01:00 Growing Up in a Loud Italian Family 02:51 Childhood Dynamics, Bullying & Identity 04:36 Juilliard, Early Dreams & Family Expectations 05:44 Pivoting from the Arts to Purpose-Driven Work 06:29 A Transformational Moment with a Young Soldier 07:10 Discovering the Power of Story 07:47 Sibling Relationships & Processing Trauma 09:36 Therapy, Internal Parts & Self-Understanding 11:10 Entering the Corporate World & Early Lessons 12:24 Learning the Language of Leadership Development 13:03 Navigating Marriage, Partnership & Life on the Road 14:05 Long-Distance Love & Building a Family 15:36 Early Career Ambition & Realizations 20:12 The PepsiCo Chapter — Politics, Ego & Hard Lessons 23:09 Imposter Syndrome & Speaking Truth to Power 25:26 Struggles with Diplomacy & Authenticity 26:58 Parenting, Repair, and Generational Healing 29:15 Mentorship & the Legendary Toby 31:19 Writing as Validation, Craft, and Inner Work 34:16 Wrestling with the Mental Health of Book Writing 35:06 Tennis: Self-Care, Mental Health & Mastery 38:31 What Tennis Reveals About the Self 38:57 Symbolism in Collecting Keys, Doorknobs & Mugs 40:57 Identity, Introversion & Misconceptions 42:13 Career Do-Overs & Lessons Learned 43:44 His Proudest Accomplishment: Fatherhood 44:28 Rapid-Fire Questions 45:28 Top Takeaways & Ron’s Life Philosophy 46:36 Final Reflections & Closing
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    49 mins
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