Should you run away from chaos and messes, or run towards them? How can professionals at every level create clarity and alignment, and why is it important to do so? Are great ideas alone enough to drive change? As the Corporate Vice President for Identity And Network Access Product Management in the Microsoft Security Group, Alex leads a thousand person organization unified in the belief that identity is the new control plane for the enterprise. In this episode, he shares his wisdom from over 3 decades at Microsoft, talks about key skills for product managers…and tells us the epic tale of the “small business server slam dunk”. P.S. HIGHLY recommend checking out Alex's posts on the Microsoft Security blog!

What can be gained from viewing your career path as a “jungle gym" versus a "ladder"? What's the SBI Framework, and how can it help you navigate tough conversations? What reflection questions should folks ask themselves when looking to make shifts in their career? As an established executive and leadership coach, Libby Fiumara Kingston helps leaders at all levels lead with empathy and clarity. In this episode, she covers all of this, how her Master’s degree at The London School of Economics fueled her career path…and tells us all about her adorable puppy, Maverick.

To work with Libby, click here to contact her via LinkedIn

You can also follow Maverick St. Consulting on Instagram @MaverickStConsulting

Are we entering “the golden era of communication”, and what does that mean? What are “day one activities”? Why should everyone do a “listening tour”, and how can you do one in a new role? For over 3 decades, Steve Soltis led CEO and executive communication at UPS and Coca-Cola, and has guided the communication strategy for dozens of Fortune 500 companies across industries. At UVA Darden, Steve’s classes enable Darden MBAs to master their own leadership communication style. In this episode, he covers all of this, how his role at UPS launched his career…and his love for hatch green chili.

What does it mean to “do your plan A”? How can engaging with your product’s super users help you build a better product FASTER? Why do you need a “career timeframe”, and what does that look like in practice? With CoFounder App, Prabhat Gusain has built a first-of-its-kind platform where aspiring entrepreneurs can find co-founders and build early-stage teams. In this episode, he covers all of this, how Startup India changed his life…and how reaching your potential as a startup founder is like “building the perfect pizza.”

Download CoFounder App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cofounder-app-find-cofounder/id1660449196

CoFounder App: cofounderapp.com

How can you break into and build a career in a competitive industry with a nontraditional background? Why should you maximize your downtime in a new role? What does it mean to be “super responsive”? As a MD at GrowthPoint, Nick has completed dozens of transactions with many of the largest tech companies out there including Google, Cisco, Dell and Microsoft. In this episode, he covers all of this, his atypical (and inspiring) path to investment banking…and how growing up on a cattle ranch shaped his work ethic as a Managing Director.

How do you take control over the most valuable and most important things in your career over its lifecycle? How do you build influence and establish trust? What does it mean to help your team “see over the horizon”? For more than 3 decades, Ted has led innovative teams across multiple C-level roles and has mentored people on how to build their circle of influence. In this episode, he covers all of this, his own journey as a leader…and how playing the electric guitar has made him better at his job.

Diving in with Z is the career advice podcast for EVERYONE. Imagine a podcast where leaders across industries - a high tech VP, a startup CEO, a seasoned venture capitalist, an expert marketer - sit down and share key learnings and core lessons they've learned in their career in a fun and easily applicable way.

That's exactly what Diving in with Z is: a vibrant, lively dialogue with leaders full of actionable tips, relatable anecdotes and most of all: practical career advice that ALL professionals can benefit from.