Candace Langston and Amy Cunningham continue The Few Collective’s series on pivoting by sharing a repeatable “4D” framework—Diagnose, Design, De-risk, Decide—meant for transitions like layoffs, leadership shifts, burnout, reinvention, and identity shock. They argue people don’t need clarity first; they need traction, because action produces clarity, even through “messy movement.”

They recap pivot archetypes to reduce shame, then explain the "4D's"

Diagnose what changed and the root behind feelings like boredom, resentment, or exhaustion and recognize patterns and understand your situation without attaching drama to it. Design focuses on two to three plausible paths as experiments, not permanent vows. De-risk means testing hypotheses through conversations, small projects, and real-world signals. Decide is a time-bound 30–90 day commitment based on evidence, with guardrails like stabilizing before strategizing, keeping identity bigger than title, and controlling a calm narrative. They end with a seven-day pivot sprint and emphasize compassion, support, and purposeful adjustment.

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Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.

The Few Collective at Rockefeller Plaza, Candace Langston and Amy Cunningham continue their talks with Jessica Billet , a neuroscience-informed leadership and change management expert and the founder of Excelsior Professional Services, where she equips leaders and organizations with brain-based strategies to drive sustainable performance, reduce burnout, and lead change more effectively.

She has worked with Fortune 50 companies on complex transformations including mergers and acquisitions, cloud transformations, succession planning, and enterprise change initiatives. Known for her ability to bring clarity to complexity, Jessica specializes in translating neuroscience, behavioral science, and habit science into practical leadership tools that actually change how people work.

In Part 2, The FEW Collective speak about why major pivots feel so destabilizing through a neuroscience lens. Jessica explains three disrupted brain systems: the hippocampus (mental maps and prediction errors that trigger cortisol), the amygdala (alarm response tied to safety and survival, intensified by losing a paycheck), and the basal ganglia (automation/habits that must be rebuilt without clear rewards).

She breaks down why uncertainty feels physically uncomfortable via sustained cortisol, erratic dopamine, and reduced serotonin, and how losing an expected future creates disorientation and grief. The conversation also covers thought loops, blame/shame as protective mechanisms, and how the reticular activating system filters evidence to reinforce imposter-syndrome or confidence narratives, ending with rapid-fire personal questions.

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Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.

The Few Collective continues their series on unchosen pivots with guest Jessica Billet, a neuroscience-informed leadership and change management expert and the founder of Excelsior Professional Services, where she equips leaders and organizations with brain-based strategies to drive sustainable performance, reduce burnout, and lead change more effectively.

She has worked with Fortune 50 companies on complex transformations including mergers and acquisitions, cloud transformations, succession planning, and enterprise change initiatives. Known for her ability to bring clarity to complexity, Jessica specializes in translating neuroscience, behavioral science, and habit science into practical leadership tools that actually change how people work.

Jessica is a change management leader who was laid off after surviving eight rounds of layoffs amid constant leadership turnover. Eight months later, she still lacks a full-time role but has gained clarity, developing brain-based leadership and “rewire” workshops that treat resistance to change as a neurological signal.

Jessica shares that the hardest impact was losing predictability, explaining how prediction error triggers stress physiology and can lead to compulsive checking behaviors similar to doom scrolling. She describes realizing she equated busyness with worth and created new daily containers to restore predictability, enabling her to publish two books, build 65+ hours of training, and help 30+ people earn their CCMP, ultimately shifting from chasing validation to pursuing alignment with her values.

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Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.

Candace Langston and Amy Cunningham continue The Few Collectives' conversation about pivoting by introducing “pivot archetypes” and why pivots can feel deeply personal when identity gets fused to what you do. They explain identity as the many “hats” you wear beyond a job title and define archetypes as a mirror for self-leadership rather than a box. The episode highlights several archetypes, including the laid-off high performer (and the identity shock of being cut), the golden handcuffs executive (high pay but depleted peace and relationships), the burnout achiever (performance as safety and the need to redesign, not always quit), and the AI-disrupted professional (upskilling and moving from tasks to judgment, strategy, creativity, leadership, and relationship skills).

They share practical pivot guidance—experiment before you give up, manage identity instead of title, and protect relationships by controlling the narrative—plus reflection prompts: choose your archetype, ask what staying the same is costing you, and run a small 30-day test. They close by emphasizing that pivoting is proof you’re paying attention and preview a next episode interview with neuroscience and leadership expert Jessica Billet about transition, with more info to learn at republiccg.com.

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Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.

In this episode of The Few Collectives' Podcast on pivoting, hosts Candace Langston and Amy Cunningham explore why clarity comes from movement, not waiting to feel ready. They frame pivoting as an intentional leadership skill—often an identity shift more than a job change—whether it’s a small daily adjustment or a major career plot twist driven by mergers, reorganizations, layoffs, market shifts, or changing values. Amy shares her own pivot story across ministry, social work and child protective services, community mental health leadership, healthcare leadership development and succession planning, and eventually finance at Republic, emphasizing the consistent purpose of helping people.

The episode also addresses common emotions like imposter syndrome and guilt, and uses a real-time travel crisis as an analogy for turning around when things feel wobbly. They close by myth-busting pivot misconceptions, including needing clarity before moving, fearing judgment, believing a pivot must be a giant leap, and thinking the next step must be perfect—encouraging “messy movement,” traction, and treating change as an experiment for gathering data.

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Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.

In this episode of The FEW Collective, Forum of Executive Women Collective, hosted by Candace Langston and co-host Amy Cunningham, discussions focus on detrimental habits that can hinder women's leadership growth. Key topics covered include the need to people-please, ruminating on mistakes, the queen of the castle mentality, and mean girl energy. Through personal anecdotes, psychology-based insights, and actionable advice, the hosts emphasize the importance of shifting these behaviors to build a more supportive and collaborative work environment. They encourage women to identify and work on habits that might be limiting their potential, fostering a culture where everyone can thrive.

Find Amy Cunningham:

www.linkedin.com/in/amy-cunningham-leadership-dev

Find Candace Langston:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/candacelangston/

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Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.

In this episode of The FEW Collective, Forum of Executive Women Collective, Candace Langston and co-host Amy Cunningham explore the concept of creating your own reset regardless of typical calendar landmarks. They delve into the science behind why our brains love fresh starts and why many people quit their resolutions by mid-January. The hosts discuss the 'Fresh Start Effect' and provide practical tips and frameworks for restarting at any moment without shame. Through personal anecdotes and psychological insights, they encourage women in leadership to embrace the power of small, incremental goals and the importance of reframing setbacks as data for improvement.

Find Amy Cunningham:

www.linkedin.com/in/amy-cunningham-leadership-dev

Find Candace Langston:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/candacelangston/

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Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.

In this episode of The FEW Collective, Forum of Executive Women Collective, hosts Candace Langston and Amy Cunningham return to Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center to continue their conversation with Dr. Jamie Goff, author of 'The Secure Leader.' The discussion revolves around creating safe environments that allow individuals to thrive. They revisit three leadership types - secure, insecure-anxious, and insecure-avoidant - using popular culture references to illustrate each type. Dr. Goff emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, mindfulness, and self-compassion in leadership.

The conversation also touches on the evolving expectations of younger generations in the workplace and the possibility of becoming a secure leader later in life, regardless of one's upbringing. Dr. Goff shares insights on the necessity of repair in maintaining secure relationships and discusses practical applications of these principles. The episode concludes with a rapid-fire round of personal questions, offering a glimpse into Dr. Goff's personal interests and experiences.

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Find Jaime Goff, PhD:

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Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.