If you’ve ever been the person who “just handles it,” this episode is for you. Jess and Claude sit down with leadership coach Ronni Landeck to talk about authenticity at work that’s rooted in alignment (not performance), boundaries that protect your time without sounding difficult, and communication that doesn’t come with a side of apology.

They kick off with a powerful distinction: being a high performer is being great at your job — becoming “the default” is being great at everyone else’s job too. From there, Ronni shares how to stay authentic within real workplace dynamics, how to pause with executive presence when you’re put on the spot, and how to build sustainable success without burning out.

You’ll also hear Ronni’s SOURCE framework — a practical guide for staying grounded under pressure — plus a simple way to reframe imposter syndrome using self-compassion and “power phrases” that help you show up with clarity and confidence.

What we cover in this episode

• The difference between being a high performer vs. becoming “the default”
• What authenticity at work actually means (and what people get wrong)
• Boundaries that strengthen executive presence
• A clear script to use when new work gets added to your plate
• Confidence, imposter syndrome, and why self-compassion matters
• Ronni’s SOURCE framework for sustainable performance and personal growth

The sentence to use when someone hands you work that isn’t yours
“Right now, my top three priorities are A, B, and C — where would you like this new task prioritized?”

Memorable moments

• “Hope isn’t a strategy.”
• “Self-compassion is a muscle—you build it.”
• “Action brings clarity and confidence.”

Resources mentioned

• How to Win Friends and Influence People — Dale Carnegie
• Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors — Janina Fisher
• Self-compassion research — Kristin Neff
• Rumi: “As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.”

Connect with Ronni Landeck
Website: https://ronnilandeck.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronni-landeck-bast/

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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband

We all want to “be ourselves” at work… but many of us learned to survive by wearing masks: the high performer mask, the people-pleaser mask, the “I’m fine” mask. In this episode, Jess & Claude sit down with Adriana Vaccaro, CEO and Founder of Culture Redesigned, to unpack what masking actually is, why it happens, and how it quietly becomes your personal brand.

You’ll learn how to recognize when you’re masking, how psychological safety changes everything, and what leaders can do to create environments where people can show up as themselves. And we close with the question we all wonder: If unmasking feels risky, what’s the first mask you should take off without putting your job at risk?

In This Episode, We Cover

• What “masking” at work really looks like (and why it’s a brain-based defense mechanism)
• The connection between psychological safety and authenticity
• How to tell if you’re masking because something is unaligned vs unfamiliar
• Why “chameleon behavior” can feel safe—but cost you over time
• The manager’s role in shaping the emotional environment of a team
• How to build trust through consistent, clear, authentic communication
• Adriana’s safest “first unmasking step” when authenticity feels risky

Key Takeaways

• Unmasking isn’t an overnight change — it’s gradual and strategic.
• Psychological safety is the real opposite of masking.
• Your body often tells the truth first (fatigue, headaches, “the ick,” dread).
• Leaders must take responsibility for the environment they create.
• Trust grows when people experience you as consistent and authentic.
• A safe first step toward unmasking: stop people-pleasing and practice silence.

About Our Guest

Adriana Vaccaro is the CEO and Founder of Culture Redesigned. She blends behavioral science with real-world business leadership to help organizations and individuals turn values into actions that actually change outcomes.

Connect with Adriana

• Adriana Vaccaro, MBA | LinkedIn
• Culture Redesigned – Building Dream Teams

Work Besties Challenge (Try This This Week)

Pick one moment where you usually “fill the space” to keep things smooth.
Instead, pause for 3 seconds before responding. Practice silence without over-agreeing.

Send us a text

You can watch the full episode on Youtube
Follow us on IG , TikTok, Threads and LinkedIn
Please rate, comment and provide suggestions for upcoming episodes

Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband

Ever notice your voice goes two octaves higher in a meeting—or you rewrite the same email sentence five times because it sounds “too much like you”? In this episode, we’re exploring authenticity at work without turning it into oversharing. Because being yourself at work gets easier when someone else sees you and helps you stay aligned.

This month’s commitment: we don’t punish honesty—we reward it with safety. And we don’t chase perfection; we practice alignment.

In this episode, we cover:

• What we mean by authenticity: consistency between your values and your behaviors
• Why authenticity isn’t “unfiltered everything” (you can be real and professional)
• The two versions of authenticity: corporate (reliability + boundaries) and creative (voice + POV)
• “Your brand is your behavior”—and how misalignment shows up (hello, “brand panic”)
• 3 “work bestie” safety signals: reflect you back kindly, protect you in rooms you’re not in, and tell you the truth without shaming you

Try this this week:
Pick one value (clarity, calm, balance, excellence, etc.) → translate it into one behavior people can see. Share it with your work bestie and ask for a gut check.

Coming up this month:

• Unmasking at Work (and why your brand is your behavior)
• Authentic Influence (boundaries that protect your brand)
• How to Stay You While You Grow

Share with your work bestie and tag us with the value + behavior you’re practicing this week.

Send us a text

You can watch the full episode on Youtube
Follow us on IG , TikTok, Threads and LinkedIn
Please rate, comment and provide suggestions for upcoming episodes

Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband