46. On Work from the Inside Out with Tammy Gooler Loeb

Overview

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Tammy Gooler Loeb, career and executive coach and author of Work from the Inside Out: Break Through Nine Common Obstacles and Design a Career That Fulfills You. She is also the host of the podcast of the same name.

We discuss Tammy’s new book that addresses the main obstacles that many people face in career transitions that keep them from reaching fulfillment. Tammy shows us how to break through these barriers. The book is really a wonderful mix of awareness building, storytelling through others’ experiences, and reflection and exercises to move you forward.

In our conversation, we also talk about the importance of intuition, surrounding yourself with positive people when making career transitions, and to always be learning to foster a sustainable, regenerative career.

This was a great conversation with an expert in career reinvention. Thank you for being on with me, Tammy!

More about Our Guest

Tammy Gooler Loeb, MBA, CPCC, is the author of Work From The Inside Out: Break Through Nine Common Obstacles and Design a Career That Fulfills You. She is a speaker and career and executive coach who inspires people to develop careers that are fulfilling and sustainable. Over two decades, Tammy has shared her expertise with audiences and clients, focusing on career transitions, cutting-edge job search and networking strategies, leadership and team development. Additionally, she designs and facilitates meetings, workshops, and webinars. Tammy engages and motivates people to consider their career options, expand their communication capabilities, and build their networks to develop more meaningful professional opportunities. She loves working with clients and organizations across many sectors and industries.

Since 2018, Tammy has hosted a weekly podcast, Work From the Inside Out, showcasing inspiring stories and practical lessons of professionals who made transitions to more satisfying work.

Her expertise appears in publications, such as Harvard Business Review Ascend, Forbes, Fast Company, The Boston Globe, and in the book Stretched Too Thin: How Working Moms Can Lose the Guilt, Work Smarter, and Thrive, by Jessica Turner.

Tammy holds a B.A. in Psychology from Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, and an MBA from Boston University, Boston, MA.

Topics Covered

  • We start with learning from Tammy how her parents instilled in her the belief that careers are intended to be fulfilling pursuits and about her own purpose focused on making a positive difference in people’s lives.

  • We learn what it means to make career decisions from “the inside out” and the importance of listening to our gut intuition that, as Tammy shares, is the way to be more at peace with ourselves and the directions we take.

  • Sharing a story from the book, importantly Tammy emphasizes that we all define success differently and that careers are not a destination, especially in today’s world.

  • We delve deeper into the importance of intuition and listening to our inner voices to help guide us along our career paths.

  • I ask Tammy how to process when we think we made a “mistake” with a career or job decision. She rightly points us towards seeing it as a learning opportunity rather than beating ourselves up.

  • I also ask for Tammy’s thoughts on making later stage career transitions, referencing a chapter in her book on “it’s never too late.” What’s great about the book, as Tammy notes, is that it is filled with stories of what others have done to show that it is possible.

  • An important point that Tammy brings up in her book and here is to not make these changes on one’s own. She says seek out “positive people”—people who are open, curious, and offer encouragement. And when doing so and being in conversation with people, Tammy reminds us of what Dale Carnegie said—be interested, not necessarily interesting. If we’d just take this approach with networking, it would really take the edge off! Just be interested! She encourages us to ask people about their journeys, how they got to where they are.

  • Given Tammy’s experience as both an executive and career coach, I ask her and she offers great counsel around how to manage one’s career from decade to decade. Listen in to get the deets! Critically, regardless of one’s age, always be learning something new.

  • We close with hearing Tammy’s hopes for the book and it making an impact on people’s lives. “My hope is that the book will inspire people who are really looking to do something in their lives that they’re not doing now and inspire them to open up, be curious, and find something that makes their heart soar or just makes them more satisfied and fulfilled.”

Resources Mentioned

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46. On Work from the Inside Out with Tammy Gooler Loeb

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2022Kathy OnetoRight Aspiration, Right Success