In this episode, I sat down with Nicole Johnston for a conversation that every ambitious woman in leadership needs to hear. Nicole brings 30 years of experience in Fortune 50 companies like Procter & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark, where she worked in sales and marketing leadership—often as the only woman in the room.
What we unpacked in this conversation was powerful: promotions, invisible work, financial advocacy, and the hidden patterns that keep so many capable women stuck.
One of the biggest takeaways? Doing great work is not enough.
If you’ve ever thought, “I’m doing everything right… so why am I not moving forward?” this episode is for you.
Why Doing Great Work Doesn’t Automatically Get Women Promoted
Promotions Are Based on Leadership Perception, Not Just Performance
One of the most eye-opening things Nicole shared was this:
Promotions are not based on your ability to complete tasks. They are based on the perception of your leadership potential.
That stopped me in my tracks.
So many women believe that if they work hard, produce excellent results, and keep their heads down, the right people will notice. But leadership promotions aren’t about task completion—they’re about visibility, strategic thinking, and how others perceive your readiness for bigger responsibility.
If all we show is our ability to execute, we unintentionally take ourselves out of the running for leadership roles.
Why Staying “Comfortably Small” Holds Us Back
Nicole explained how women are often socialized to stay small—to be helpful, agreeable, and low-maintenance.
We get rewarded for being dependable.
But in leadership, visibility matters.
That means learning to advocate for ourselves, communicate strategically, and stop assuming that our hard work speaks for itself.
Because often—it doesn’t.
Leadership Communication Skills Women Need to Develop
Start With the Conclusion, Not the Backstory
One of Nicole’s strongest pieces of advice was around communication.
Many women communicate by explaining all the context first:
Here’s the thinking. Here’s the data. Here’s the process.
But leadership communication works in reverse.
Start with:
This is what I recommend.
Then follow with the key supporting points.
That clarity signals executive thinking.
It shows decisiveness and strategic leadership—not just strong execution.
Send Recaps and Create Visibility
Nicole also shared a practical strategy I loved:
Send recaps.
Meeting recaps. Project recaps. Follow-up notes.
Because whoever writes the recap often controls the narrative.
It’s not glamorous, but it creates credibility, reinforces ownership, and positions you as someone who thinks strategically.
That’s leadership.
The Invisible Work Women Carry at Work and at Home
Why Women Become the “Default Everything”
We talked about something I know so many women feel deeply: invisible work.
At work, this looks like:
- Planning celebrations
- Cleaning up after meetings
- Remembering birthdays
- Managing emotional labor
- Keeping things running smoothly
Necessary? Yes.
Promotable? Usually not.
Nicole pointed out that women often become the people who make everything function—but rarely get recognized for it.
Mental Load Is a Career Issue, Not Just a Home Issue
This part hit hard for me.
Nicole shared that women often carry hundreds of extra hours of mental load every year—on top of full-time work.
That includes both home and workplace responsibilities.
I even shared my own example of leaving a client call to handle daycare pickup, doctor appointments, and the complete disruption that followed—while my husband didn’t even know it was happening.
Not because he didn’t care.
Because I had silently become the default.
That awareness matters.
Because what we keep absorbing eventually costs us energy, opportunities, and momentum.
Mid-Career Plateau: Why Women Feel Stuck
High Performance Can Actually Work Against You
Nicole explained something I see all the time with high performers:
When you’re excellent, low-maintenance, and dependable… leadership has no urgency to move you.
You solve problems.
You don’t create any.
So they leave you there.
That’s why women hit career plateaus and wonder:
Why am I not being developed?
Often, it’s because they haven’t explicitly communicated what they want.
You Have to Say It Out Loud
Nicole shared how she knew she needed more boardroom experience, so she told her boss directly:
“I want to present to the board.”
Not someday.
Not eventually.
Clearly.
And because she asked, she got the opportunity.
If she hadn’t asked, it never would have happened.
That’s the lesson.
Your leadership team is not made of mind readers.
You have to say what you want.
Financial Advocacy: Why Women Must Negotiate
The Million-Dollar Cost of Not Negotiating
This section was one of the most powerful.
Nicole shared that not negotiating your first salary can cost you over $1 million across your career.
And when you factor in motherhood, career pauses, and compensation gaps, that number can reach $4 million over a lifetime.
That’s not small.
That’s life-changing.
Base Pay Matters More Than Almost Anything Else
Nicole made this incredibly clear:
Base pay is everything.
It impacts bonuses, raises, retirement contributions, and long-term earning potential.
She encouraged women to stop leading with gratitude when it comes to compensation and start leading with clarity.
Ask:
- Where am I in the salary band?
- How does my compensation compare to peers?
- How does this package position me long term?
That is not greed.
That is leadership.
Building a Career and Life That Actually Supports You
Stop Assuming You Have to Carry Everything
One of my favorite moments was Nicole sharing this advice:
If I can’t add value to it, I pay to have it done.
That mindset shift is huge.
Whether it’s house cleaning, grocery delivery, or outsourcing something you hate—it matters.
Because burnout often comes from carrying responsibilities we assumed were ours, not responsibilities we intentionally chose.
Self-Care Is Bigger Than a Bubble Bath
Nicole also talked about the eight dimensions of self-care:
- Financial
- Physical
- Emotional
- Mental
- Spiritual
- Social
- Environmental
- Intellectual
That framework expands the conversation.
Because true self-care isn’t just rest—it’s building a life that supports your growth.
This episode is a reminder that leadership is not just about working harder—it’s about being seen, speaking clearly, advocating financially, and refusing to carry what was never yours to hold.
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