Blog

Boundaries at risk: How to reclaim your power when they slip

By Vicki Bradley | February 2, 2026

I’ve coached so many women about recognizing their own needs and putting boundaries in place to honour them. My backstory includes that same journey. And if you know me, you’d know that I became the Queen of Boundaries many years ago. You want me to do something I don’t want to do? Good luck with that!   Except recently, my boundaries slipped big […]

Unlocking Authentic Leadership: The Power of Core Leadership Values

By Vicki Bradley | September 10, 2025

Leadership is often perceived as a combination of strategy, decision-making and technical expertise, but it actually goes far beyond these surface-level skills. At its core, effective leadership requires emotional intelligence, self-awareness and acting in alignment with our personal values.  True leaders go beyond management; instead, they build trust and inspire the people around them to […]

Guilt-Free Self-Care for Professionals: The Leadership Edge No One Talks About

By Vicki Bradley | July 1, 2025

Unlock greater resilience, clarity, and presence by putting yourself back on the priority list – without sacrificing your ambition or impact. You know how to deliver results, navigate crises, and carry teams, yet when it comes to taking care of yourself, guilt creeps in. For women in leadership, self-care is often seen as a luxury […]

How busy career women can build strategic alliances

By Vicki Bradley | February 27, 2025

For many career women who balance childcare and/or elder care needs at home, socializing with colleagues over a round of golf or drinks just isn’t feasible. However, ignoring the importance of finding opportunities to build strong career alliances isn’t a solution.  Today, I want to talk about how career women can build strategic alliances, even […]

The Values-Driven Approach to Personal Branding: Why It’s the Key to Long-Term Success

By Vicki Bradley | February 13, 2025

What do people say about you when you’re not in the room? If you don’t know, it’s probably time to pay attention and take a deeper dive into your personal brand. Today, I want to talk about what personal branding is (and isn’t), how to define or develop your personal brand and why it’s so […]

Mastering self-advocacy: How to effectively communicate your needs and achievements

By Vicki Bradley | February 6, 2025

Have you ever tried to resolve something important only to have your concerns ignored or outright dismissed? You’re not alone! In these situations, many people default to unhelpful responses such as speaking out in anger, giving up or concluding that these concerns aren’t important after all. But that’s not the way forward. In this article, […]

Tips for staying resilient while pursuing long-term goals

By Vicki Bradley | January 7, 2025

I’m currently doing my PhD. Last year, I was doing my PhD. And for the next two years, I’ll be doing my PhD. Before I started, I knew it would be a four- or five-year journey, of course. But being in it is a whole other experience. This has made me think a lot about […]

The power of self-advocacy: Why speaking up matters in healthcare and the workplace

By Vicki Bradley | September 16, 2024

Have you ever tried to resolve something important only to have your concerns ignored or outright dismissed? You’re not alone! In these situations, many people default to unhelpful responses such as speaking out in anger, giving up or concluding that these concerns aren’t important after all. But that’s not the way forward. In this article, […]

Avoiding toxic positivity: How women can embrace negative emotions

By Vicki Bradley | September 4, 2024

The pressure on women to maintain a constant has never been higher. Societal expectations around productivity, balancing responsibilities and the “Fear of Missing Out” (FOMO) only amplify the demand for women to wear a mask of cheerfulness and optimism, regardless of their true feelings. Social media significantly contributes to this toxic environment by presenting an […]

Why embracing happiness can transform your everyday experience

By Vicki Bradley | July 26, 2024

Mynoo Maryel   Embracing happiness is a decision that you make, a choice you take and an experience you decide to enjoy. Stepping confidently into this decision can instantly improve your daily experience. Where it gets convoluted is when you start second-guessing what makes others happy and let that drive your choices and actions. There […]

Embracing your superpowers: A journey from negative self-talk to possibility thinking

By Vicki Bradley | July 15, 2024

Is the glass half-empty or half-full? For many of us, it’s half-empty. This is because of the human tendency to focus on weaknesses rather than strengths. We easily see the negatives, and gloss over the positives, especially about ourselves. This default approach of not recognizing our strengths can easily hamper us for decades—or even a […]

What to do if you’re a strong, independent professional—and a people pleaser?

By Vicki Bradley | May 26, 2024

While many of us strive to be helpful, few of us want to be a people pleaser. In this mode, we’re not living our values and it feels terrible. But if nobody wants to be a people-pleaser, why do so many of us have people-pleasing tendencies? In this article, I want to talk about what […]

The downside of expectations

By Vicki Bradley | May 9, 2024

How often do you feel disappointed when your Expectations are not met? Expectations are often internalized and not communicated clearly or at all. When we have expectations that don’t come to fruition, we often get frustrated, sad and/or disappointed. I see this a lot in my coaching practice especially from high-performing individuals who bring high […]

Why your performance review process isn’t working and what to do about it

By Vicki Bradley | April 10, 2024

It’s a well-known fact that performance reviews are universally disliked and dreaded by both the reviewer and the reviewee and for many valid reasons. But it doesn’t have to be this way and I’m on a mission to help employees, leaders and organizations leverage the true power of an effective performance review process. In this […]

Are you investing in your own professional development? If not, why not?

By Vicki Bradley | March 30, 2024

There’s a stereotype about Millennials expecting high-paying jobs and impressive titles right out of school, with little to no experience. I also see these expectations from professionals in their thirties and forties expecting to be named vice president without considering the skills and capabilities they bring to the table. No matter your age, these expectations […]

Expanding emotional intelligence; Yes, it’s possible!

By Vicki Bradley | December 20, 2023

A man walks into a room of his peers, huffing and puffing and talking about how terrible his day is going. There is no silver lining. Instead, his words, attitude and energy suck the life out of the room. This previously jovial room deflated in only a few minutes. This man, low on the emotional […]

How does your company build its most important asset, the talent pipeline?

By Vicki Bradley | November 2, 2023

Many leaders and organizations have annual or semi-annual discussions about succession planning. For some, this is part of the process to maintain a robust talent pipeline. For others, it’s merely lip service because succession planning seems too complicated, a huge time strain, or not worth the effort. Plus, many of us have been taught to […]

Philosophies and skills emerging leaders must cultivate

By Vicki Bradley | October 10, 2023

People tell me all the time, “Oh, Vicki, my company doesn’t invest in professional development, so I don’t feel that they value me and are certainly not preparing me for a leadership role.” That information certainly tells you about the company. And it gives me some insight into the person’s current frame of mind. If […]

How to overcome feeling like a fraud

By Vicki Bradley | September 13, 2023

Have you ever felt like a fraud? If so, you’re not alone. Imposter syndrome is when we feel like a fraud, despite strong evidence to the contrary. Many professionals, especially women, are tortured by the idea that they’re not good enough, they don’t belong, and/or they’re not ready to take on the next big challenge. […]

Conscious Leadership

By Vicki Bradley | August 13, 2023

                 How to thrive being a conscious leader In 2006, I was a senior executive with two children under five years old and traveling like a mad woman. I loved this high-demand life, but it took a toll. When I woke up one day, unable to get out of bed, I ignored the message. When it […]

Does staying connected make us happier?

By Vicki Bradley | July 26, 2023

I met one of my dearest friends in the hospital. Decked out in a backless gown, I looked over at the woman in the bed beside mine and introduced myself. I soon learned we were both in a health crisis and we clicked immediately. That was 18 years ago, and we’ve been the best of […]

You’re worth it! How to feel worthy and recognize your unique gifts

By Vicki Bradley | November 13, 2020

What happens on the inside determines what happens on the outside. When we don’t truly believe in our own worth, it’s harder to recognize our gifts, reach our potential and live purposeful lives. If you’re struggling to take meaningful action or are wearing yourself out with a never-ending task list, it’s time to look in […]

The magic of values-based boundaries (and how to set them)

By Vicki Bradley | October 20, 2020

Without healthy boundaries, we become overextended, frustrated and resentful. Today, I want to talk to you about why we need to set boundaries, the relationship between boundaries and our values and how to set boundaries graciously. What are boundaries? A boundary is the line we set about what we’re willing and not willing to do. […]

How to forgive yourself and why it’s important

By Vicki Bradley | September 21, 2020

I thought I had no regrets. I thought I had forgiven myself for the professional and personal mistakes I’ve made. But it turns out I was wrong. Today, I want to tell you how my coach uncovered old wounds that hadn’t yet healed, why it’s so important to forgive ourselves for the past and how […]

Bridging the gender diversity gap with awareness, curiosity and confidence

By Vicki Bradley | August 28, 2020

In 2019, there were more women in the C-suite than in 2015. While that’s good news, women are still a minority at the executive table. According to the 2019 Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey and LeanIn.Org, “About 1 in 5 C-suite executives is a woman—and only 1 in 25 C-suite executives is a […]

Feeling stuck? How to recognize choices and explore greater possibilities

By Vicki Bradley | July 20, 2020

Choices. We always have choices but sometimes they become impossible to see. Today, let’s discuss why choices are important, what stops us from seeing our choices and how to explore possibilities instead of feeling stuck, resentful or powerless. What does choice mean? Choice means power, freedom and responsibility. It’s making a decision and living with […]

Managing your gremlin: Transforming your inner critic into your biggest cheerleader

By Vicki Bradley | June 16, 2020

The gremlin is the voice in your head that keeps you playing small. It’s one of the four internal energy blocks—gremlins, assumptions, limiting beliefs and interpretations—that disrupt and distract us from going after what we want. Today, I’m talking about what the gremlin is, why it’s here and how we can transform that voice in […]

Three signs you lack confidence and what to do about it

By Vicki Bradley | May 15, 2020

Confidence. We all want it and many of us let a lack of confidence in certain areas debilitate us. Let’s stop that! Today, I want to talk about three common signs of lacking confidence, how to address each one and how to use the confidence you have in one area of your life to bolster […]

How to get your company to pay for professional development, including the WIL Empowered program

By Vicki Bradley | April 17, 2020

The traditional approach to professional development is company driven. This is where—if you’re lucky—your boss sits down with you and asks what you’d like to develop further. However, to gain the skills you need to accomplish your career goals, I recommend avoiding the traditional approach and taking the lead yourself. Today, I want to talk […]

Five power skills every leader needs to develop

By Vicki Bradley | April 17, 2020

It’s uncommon to learn power skills in school so when we enter the workplace, we learn by trial and error. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a good boss or mentor who shows you the ropes and gives you opportunities to hone your power skills. And, as anyone with a nightmare boss story can tell you, […]

How will this program help me?

By Vicki Bradley | April 15, 2020

Perhaps you found us through our social media. Maybe you came across our website. Or a friend shared about their experience in our program. And it has you wondering, what will this program do for me? How will it help me? Skills development I would like to start by sharing some of the core aspects […]

How women can communicate effectively in the boardroom and beyond

By Vicki Bradley | March 25, 2020

In 2016, StatsCan reported that women held 19.4% of the positions on boards of directors across public, private and governmental organizations in Canada.[1] Though the diversity and inclusion movement is gaining steam, it’s still safe to say that effective communication skills are essential for women who work in this professional and typically male-dominated environment. Today, […]

The number one reason you’re not taking action and what you can do about it

By Vicki Bradley | March 18, 2020

Fear is normal and something we all experience, but if we don’t stand up to fearful thoughts on repeat, we become paralyzed by fear. In this article, I want to talk about what fear is, why it stops us from taking action—especially at work—and how to flip fear on its head so we can move […]

The importance of developing deep connections

By Vicki Bradley | February 19, 2020

Developing deep connections goes beyond adding thousands of people to your network and pushing your business cards into the hands of strangers. Deep connections are the lifeblood of business and make work satisfying. In this post, I will discuss how to develop deep connections in your professional and personal network and what benefits you can […]

Sponsors and mentors: Why striving women need both

By Vicki Bradley | February 19, 2020

Sponsorship and mentorship are essential for personal and professional growth because nobody can reach their dreams alone. As women, we tend to not ask for what we need and I’m here to help you get into the habit of asking. I want to talk to you about the difference between sponsoring and mentoring, how to […]

The Power of an Online Community

By Vicki Bradley | January 17, 2020

Here at Women in Leadership Empowered, we recently held our advanced seminar titled Networking: Love it or Hate it. As part of the training, we had attendees participate in two breakout sessions where they worked with three to four other women each time. We had great attendance and feedback over the two sessions that we […]

How leaders can set expectations without disappointment or guilt

By Vicki Bradley | September 4, 2019

To have positive relationships with people at work and home, it’s important to set clear expectations. Except many of us get in trouble with this concept because we confuse expectations with unrealistic expectations—and we often don’t even realize it. Today, I want to tell you about why expectations often lead to disappointment and how leaders […]

WIL Empowered: The story of the women in leadership community

By Vicki Bradley | August 29, 2019

Let me share with you what WIL Empowered is, how it came about and why I’m so passionate about helping women get the skills and confidence they need to be their authentic selves in their many leadership roles in life. WIL Empowered: The origin story Let me back up a few decades. I spent 30+ […]

The importance of being authentically you

By Vicki Bradley | August 22, 2019

Being your true self is important at home and at work but sometimes it’s difficult to truly embrace what that means. Today we’ll talk is fmovies safe about how to show up as your authentic self in your personal and professional lives. Over the long-term, you can’t be who you’re not. Sure, you can pretend […]

How to be successful at business networking

By Vicki Bradley | June 17, 2019

Whether you know me a little or a lot, you’ll know I love networking! Networking has helped me build my career and support other people’s career goals for over 30 years. Today, I want to talk about the benefits of networking and how to feel good about networking, instead of uncomfortable. What is business networking? […]

Why building trust is essential for leaders

By Vicki Bradley | April 30, 2019

Trust is extremely important because being trusting and trustworthy helps you build meaningful relationships and perform better at work (and home). Today, I want to talk about what trust is, what happens with and without it and how to increase the amount of trust in your business (and life). What is trust? The dictionary says […]

Three signs the Energy Leadership Index assessment is right for you

By Vicki Bradley | March 30, 2019

The Forbes Coaches Council recommends 11 assessments every executive should take, including the Energy Leadership™ Index (ELI) assessment which is number three on their list. Today, I want to tell you about ELI, why I believe so strongly in it and how you can tell if it’s right for you. What is the Energy Leadership […]

Achieving goals and aspirations is not for the weak hearted

By Vicki Bradley | March 18, 2019

Ever wonder why most people aren’t good at setting or achieving their personal and professional goals. This may partly be because popular goal-setting tactics like SMART goals are too superficial to bring lasting change. If you’re ready to change the way you approach goal setting and make this your big year, hang on because we’re […]

A CEO’s guide to uncovering unconscious gender bias that harms the leadership pipeline

By Vicki Bradley | October 25, 2018

Unconscious gender bias is a hot topic in business. Unfortunately, these discussions can get heated and lead to finger-pointing, misunderstandings and an unhelpful battle of the legal drama series sexes. I won’t do that here. Instead, I want to talk about what unconscious gender bias is, what it shows up as and how business leaders […]

7 Practices to Boost Unshakeable Confidence

By Vicki Bradley | May 30, 2018

We spend most of our lives worrying about the things that usually never happens. Or living in fear of the unknown because of the story we create in our own minds. And why? What is the real reason that we do this? Because from an early age, we are taught or programmed with these habits. […]

Resiliency: What You Need To Achieve Your Biggest Goals

By Vicki Bradley | May 1, 2018

Resiliency is about being able to recover from adversity. It’s not about avoiding difficulty or never falling flat on your face. All of us have been through hard times, whether it’s related to health, careers, family or relationships. I believe resiliency is the foundation for success—whatever success means to you. But success is also a […]

3 Success-Blockers Typical For Women

By Vicki Bradley | November 5, 2017

We get real excited about a job opportunity, a goal we set, our desire to be successful, or the thing we dream about accomplishing! But then the next step doesn’t happen because we might fear failing, we lose motivation, or it might be that little voice in our heads creating doubt, fear, challenging our ability, […]

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Sara Thompson

This platform for women leaders is professional, helpful and a great community. It provides an excellent forum to learn, grow and share.  Thanks for launching this. It is also a delight to meet other women leaders in a virtual setting.

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Stefania Villeneuve

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Your sessions were informative, engaging, eye opening, with applicable and clear structured content.  I got to know fabulous colleague ladies. Genuinely I can say that your course was one of the best I have attended.

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