The JOY CEO

Have you reached a point in your career where you're wondering how much longer you can keep doing this? Maybe you're exhausted, carrying too much, or waiting for things to get better. Maybe you've started looking at other jobs and wondering if leaving is the only way to feel like yourself again. I've been there. After 25 years in corporate America, more than 14 reorganizations, and 7 relocations, I know what it's like to navigate the demands of a corporate career. And while leaving was the right decision for me in 2021, I've learned that leaving isn't always the only option. Sometimes, what you need is a different plan. In this final episode of The Leadership Reset series, I'm bringing together everything we've explored about team stress, putting work where it belongs, and directing your ambition toward what truly matters. I'll walk you through how to take an honest inventory of your current role, reconnect with your strengths, identify what needs to change, and consider whether you can redesign your work before deciding to leave. Because you are more than your title, your paycheck, or the work you do. You have more agency than you may realize, and you deserve to build a role that allows you to thrive rather than simply get through another day. 3 Key Takeaways 1. Leaving isn't always the only option. When you're exhausted, it's easy to believe that a new company or a completely different career is the answer. But before making that decision, take an honest look at what's happening. Sometimes the problem isn't the entire role or organization; it's the way you're working, the expectations you're carrying, or the responsibilities that no longer fit. 2. Take an inventory of what is and isn't working. Ask yourself two important questions: Is the job right for me? Am I right for the job? Look at what energizes you, where you're uniquely qualified to contribute, what work doesn't belong to you, and what needs to change. A “no” doesn't automatically mean you need to leave. It may mean your role needs to be redesigned. 3. Your agency and joy live inside your hula hoop. You can't control every organizational decision, your title, or how other people perceive you. But you can influence how you show up, what you prioritize, which relationships and expectations need resetting, and where you focus your energy. Start with the changes within your control and build a plan that allows you to do your best work. 🔎 Mentioned in the Episode: The Hula Hoop Theory – Lori's framework for understanding what you can and cannot control. Your choices, priorities, identity, and approach to your work live inside your hula hoop. The Leadership Reset Series – This four-part series explores team stress, putting work where it belongs, directing ambition toward what matters, and building a personal blueprint for a more sustainable leadership role. Personal Retention Plan – A practical approach to identifying what needs to change in your current role so you can continue to grow and thrive rather than automatically deciding to leave. Zone of Genius and Superpowers – Understanding the work you love, the strengths you bring, and the areas where your experience makes you uniquely qualified to contribute. Deloitte and Gartner Leadership Research – Lori references research on executive turnover intentions and well-being to illustrate how widespread the struggle to remain in demanding leadership roles has become. ✨ Reflection Prompts: Is the job right for me? Am I right for the job? What parts of my role energize me, and what parts leave me feeling depleted? What work am I doing that doesn't belong to me, or that someone else may be better suited to handle? What do I want to keep the same about my role, and what do I need to let go of? Which relationships, expectations, or responsibilities need to be reset before I decide to leave? 🧠 Who This Episode Is For: Women in senior corporate roles who are quietly wondering how much longer they can keep this up Leaders who love what they've built and want to stay, just not like this The woman everyone counts on to hold it all together, who has started to wonder what holds her 📩 Want to Go Deeper? Follow Lori on LinkedIn or Instagram at @loripine to continue the conversation. Visit loripine.com to learn more about Lori's coaching, retreats, and ways to work together. 🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast. ⭐️ Leave a five-star review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show. 📲 Share this episode with a leader who is wondering whether leaving is the only way forward.

In pre-k I was voted most likely to become President of the United States. Ambition has been one of the greatest forces in my life. It pushed me to work hard, take risks, stretch myself, build a career, and keep asking what else was possible. And I don't want less of it. But I do believe ambition evolves. After years of proving that you can do hard things, carry the load, achieve big things, and lead at a high level, there comes a point when the question changes. Instead of constantly asking “What’s next?”, we get to start asking “What’s worth it?” In this episode, I’m talking about the difference between those two questions and how they can completely change the direction of your life and leadership. I walk you through five questions designed to help you understand what your ambition is actually chasing, whether you're pursuing achievement or meaning, and where your energy is going. Because ambition isn't something you need to get rid of. It’s a gift. But as you evolve, you get to decide where you want to point it. 3 Key Takeaways 1. Ambition isn’t the problem — but it may need a new direction. Early ambition can be about proving yourself, getting the promotion, earning recognition, and showing the world what you're capable of. But once you've already earned your seat at the table, ambition can evolve into something more intentional. 2. “What’s next?” and “What’s worth it?” are very different questions. “What’s next?” keeps you focused on achievement, titles, money, recognition, and external markers. “What’s worth it?” asks what actually matters to you and where you want to invest your time and energy. 3. You get to choose where your ambition goes. You may not control what sparks your energy, but you do have agency over where you spend it. The goal isn't to become less ambitious — it’s to make sure your ambition is taking you somewhere you actually want to go. 🔎 Mentioned in the Episode: The Hula Hoop Theory:my framework for separating what is within your control from everything outside your hula hoop. The Leadership Reset: my four-part series on leadership. Next week's finale is a practical one: building a personal retention plan for staying in a role you have designed on purpose. ✨ Reflection Prompts: What is my ambition actually chasing? Am I chasing achievement or meaning? What am I asking achievement to prove about me? Where is my ambition taking my energy? Is this still where I want to give my ambition? 🧠 Who This Episode Is For: Ambitious women who have spent years building successful careers and lives High-achieving leaders who feel like their own drive may be exhausting them Women questioning whether the next promotion, title, or achievement is actually what they want Leaders ready to become more intentional about where they invest their energy 📩 Want to Go Deeper? Follow Lori on LinkedIn or Instagram @loripine to continue the conversation. Visit loripyne.com to learn more about Lori’s coaching, retreats, and ways to work together. 🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast ⭐️ Leave a five-star review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show 📲 Share this episode with an ambitious woman who might be asking, “What’s next?” when the better question might be, “What’s worth it?”

What do you do when your team is overwhelmed, overworked, and coming apart at the seams? You take work off their plate for them, right? I mean, that might instinctively seem like an obvious answer. Or you might push everyone to work harder, optimize their time, and somehow get more done. But what if there’s a third option? In this episode, I’m talking about what happens when there is simply too much work moving through too few people — and why the answer isn’t always to work harder. Instead, we need to ask a different question: Who is best suited to do this work, and where does the work actually belong? I share a story from my time as a VP running a billion-dollar sales team, when I learned that my greatest value wasn’t in doing the tactical work my team was already doing. My value was in the strategic thinking, identifying opportunities, and moving the business forward. I also share my “90% approach” — getting the work to 90%, then bringing in the people closest to the work to add what I couldn’t see. Because great leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about knowing where you add the most value, trusting your team’s expertise, and creating enough space for everyone to do their best work. 3 Key Takeaways 1. Overload can be a routing problem. When too much work is passing through too few people, the answer may not be to work harder. Look at who is best suited to do the work and where the work actually belongs. 2. Know your zone of genius. As a leader, your job isn’t to go back and do the work you were once promoted for doing. Get clear on where you bring the greatest value, where you are energized, and where your strengths can move the business forward. 3. Get to 90%, then invite your team in. You don't need to finish everything alone. Get clear on the direction, then ask your team: What am I missing? What would you add? What would you delete? This creates ownership, uses their expertise, and builds trust. 🔎 Mentioned in the Episode: The 90% Approach – Lori’s practice of getting strategic work to 90% before bringing in her team to add their expertise, perspective, and knowledge. Zone of Genius – Understanding where you, as a leader, add the most value and where your strengths, energy, and perspective are best used. Ritz-Carlton – Lori references the well-known example of Ritz-Carlton empowering employees to resolve guest issues on the spot, illustrating what can happen when leaders trust their people to make decisions. Positive Intent – The leadership practice of trusting that people are showing up each day intending to do the right thing and give their best. ✨ Reflection Prompts: What work are you currently doing that someone else may actually be better suited to own? Where is your zone of genius, and are you spending enough of your time there? What could you bring to 90% and then hand to your team by asking, “What am I missing? What would you add? What would you delete?” What is one decision your team could make without you? 🧠 Who This Episode Is For: CEOs, executives, and leaders managing overloaded teams Leaders who find themselves absorbing work instead of leading strategically Managers who want to create more ownership and decision-making within their teams High-achieving women who want to lead with more trust, clarity, and joy 📩 Want to Go Deeper? Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation. Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori at loripyne.com. 🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast ⭐️ Leave a five-star review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show. 📲 Share this episode with a leader who may be carrying work that doesn’t belong to them.

What if your team isn’t overwhelmed because they have too much work? What if they’re overwhelmed by the guessing? Welcome to The Leadership Reset, a four-part series about what you carry, what you choose, what you pursue, and how you stay engaged. In Part 1, I'm starting with the issue I see most in the leaders I coach: ambiguity. I once inherited a team that looked like it had a workload problem. Deadlines were slipping, work was overlapping, people were waiting on each other, and the finger pointing had started. The obvious fix was to ask for more resources. Instead, I stepped away from my desk. What happened next is the heart of this episode. We also dig into new research featured in Harvard Business Review on the three kinds of role stress, and why workload may not be the one weighing on your team the most. You can't simply hire smart people, tell them to figure it out, and then judge the outcome. Clarity is your job. When your team knows what is expected, they finally have room to do their best work. That is where JOY at work starts. JOY is the strategy. 3 Key Takeaways 1. Your team may not have a workload problem. When people look stressed, our instinct can be to move work around, add resources, or suggest time off. But role ambiguity and competing priorities can be just as damaging as having too much work. 2. Clear direction is a leadership responsibility. You can’t tell smart, capable people to simply “figure it out” and then judge them when they make a decision without the information they needed. Leaders need to own the direction, expectations, priorities, and decision-making. 3. You have to slow down to speed up. The thinking work may not be visible, but it is essential. When you protect time to get clear, map responsibilities, define priorities, and decide what matters, your team can execute faster and with greater confidence. 🔎 Mentioned in the Episode: "Research: Work Stress Isn't Always About Workload" by Gargi Sawhney and Mallory McCord, Harvard Business Review, September 2026: https://hbr.org/2026/09/research-work-stress-isnt-always-about-workload Role overload, role conflict, and role ambiguity: the three types of role stress Kobe Bryant's line, "You have to work hard in the dark to shine in the light.” The Five-Mile Walk – Lori’s personal example of stepping away from the noise, moving her body, and using that space to map out her team’s roles and responsibilities. ✨ Reflection Prompts: Where is my team guessing right now? When did I last make time for the thinking work my leadership role requires? What is one thing I’ve been keeping big because committing feels risky? Who owns what, who decides, and what does good actually look like? What priorities do I need to make crystal clear for my team? 🧠 Who This Episode Is For: CEOs, executives, and leaders managing teams Managers whose teams seem overwhelmed, stuck, or unclear Leaders dealing with missed deadlines, duplicated work, or unclear ownership Leaders who want their teams to move from guessing and waiting to confident execution High-achieving leaders who need to make more space for strategic thinking Anyone who wants to create more clarity, confidence, and joy at work 📩 Want to Go Deeper? Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation. Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com Explore Lori’s coaching, community, and retreats at loripine.com 🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast ⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show 📲 Share this episode with a leader who needs a little more clarity—and a little less guessing.

What if the people around you aren't disengaged, careless, or pulling away? Specifically, what if the people who work for you are actually doing their absolute best? In this episode, I'm talking about the power of positive intent and how simply changing the story we tell ourselves about other people can completely change the way we lead. I share a conversation with a CEO client who noticed that when budgets and timelines got tight, his anxiety would kick in and he would become more reactive and start micromanaging. The problem was that he was interpreting short replies and lack of response from his team as apathy, when in reality, they were heads down doing the very work he was so worried about. Positive intent isn't about being naive or ignoring problems. It's about starting from the belief that the people you hired, your team, your partner, your friends, and the people you love are likely trying to do their very best. 3 Key Takeaways 1. Your assumptions shape how you lead. When pressure rises, it’s easy to interpret silence, short replies, or delays as a lack of investment. But the story you create in your head may not be the truth. 2. Positive intent can interrupt the cycle of reactivity and micromanagement. When you trust that your people are trying to do good work, you create space for them to work from motivation rather than fear of your reaction. 3. Pause before creating a story about someone else. The next time someone goes quiet or their response feels short, ask: What would I assume if I believed this person had positive intent and was doing their absolute best right now? 🔎 Mentioned in the Episode: Positive Intent – The leadership practice of assuming that the people around you are showing up with good intentions and doing their best. The CEO Client Story – A client noticed that pressure around budgets and timelines caused him to become reactive and micromanage his team. Motivation vs. Fear – The difference between having a team that works from motivation and one that works out of fear of their leader’s reaction. The Story We Create – How short replies, silence, or unanswered messages can lead us to make assumptions that may not reflect what is actually happening. ✨ Reflection Prompts: Where have you assumed someone stopped caring when they might simply be overwhelmed or focused on solving a problem? What story are you creating about someone based on their silence or a short response? What would you assume about this person if you believed they had positive intent and were doing their absolute best right now? 🧠 Who This Episode Is For: CEOs, executives, and leaders managing teams Managers who find themselves becoming reactive or micromanaging under pressure Leaders who want to build teams motivated by trust rather than fear Anyone looking to communicate and lead with more awareness, curiosity, and joy 📩 Want to Go Deeper? Follow Lori on LinkedIn to continue the conversation Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori: loripine.com 🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast ⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show 📲 Share this episode with someone who’s navigating pressure and wants to do it with more grace