#218 | Quick Leadership Tips With Selena Rezvani

Leadership isn’t about looking perfect; it’s about being human. And Selena Rezvani is here to blow up the whole “polished, unshakable, always-on” leadership myth. She cuts through the corporate fluff and tired buzzwords to talk real leadership, real confidence, and the very real impact managers have on mental health. This isn’t theory, it’s practical, grounded, lived experience for anyone trying to lead without losing themselves in the process.

Selena makes a powerful case for ditching the “robot leader” persona. Work is just one part of life, not the whole thing, and leaders who act like actual humans build healthier, more resilient teams. She unpacks how managers influence emotional safety, burnout levels, motivation, and mental health more than most organizations want to admit, sometimes rivaling the impact of partners or therapists. Leadership isn’t just about KPIs and performance metrics; it’s about presence, empathy, boundaries, and how people feel when they work with you.

Cross-generational communication can feel like learning a new language, but Selena keeps it refreshingly simple: curiosity beats control, every time. Instead of authority-first leadership, she advocates for collaboration-first leadership, especially with participative, purpose-driven Gen Z. She breaks down how language, tone, and mindset shape trust, how leaders can replace top-down communication with co-creation, and why psychological safety isn’t a “soft skill”; it’s a performance strategy. Translation: stop managing people like tasks and start leading people like humans.

She also flips the script on “taking credit.” Claiming your achievements isn’t arrogance, it’s clarity. Selena breaks down simple systems for recognition that feel authentic, strategic, and sustainable: smart project naming, intentional updates, and communication that connects your work to outcomes. Because doing great work in silence doesn’t make you noble—it makes you invisible. And nobody gets promoted from invisibility.

Real leadership isn’t about control, it’s about connection. It’s not about perfection, it’s about presence. And it’s not about performing confidence, it’s about building it, living it, and leading from it. The journey to powerful leadership doesn’t start with a title; it starts with knowing who you are, how you show up, and how you make people feel when you lead.

Timestamps:

07:40 Embracing Human Leadership Simplicity

10:23 Managing Generational Workplace Differences

18:08 Breaking Up with Introversion

20:45 Ask Three Before You Answer

26:05 Focus on Your Unique Value

33:40 Confidence and Avoiding Over-Explaining

40:32 I’m Quiet Because I’m Thinking

42:49 Own Your Work, Take Credit

49:42 Finding Your Anchor

Links:

Selena’s New Book: Quick Leadership

UKG Newsroom

Brian Honigman Newsletter: Career Freelancer

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