When Does It Get Good?

E31: Not a Monster, Just Misunderstood: Unpacking the Abrasive Leader Archetype with Catherine Mattice

Most abrasive leaders don’t realize they’re causing harm until the culture breaks and someone finally says it out loud.
 
Catherine Mattice, the CEO and founder of Civility Partners, has spent years coaching leaders who’ve been called a workplace bully but who don’t see themselves that way. In this episode, Catherine joins Zovig Garboushian to break down what really drives abrasive leadership, how it quietly fuels toxic workplace dynamics, and why so many leaders stay silent instead of addressing it.
 
Is being high-performing enough if people around you feel silenced or shut down? What’s the cost of avoiding hard conversations to keep a top performer happy? And how can executive coaching turn a pattern of damage into a chance for growth?
 
Catherine shares how she uses direct, honest feedback to help leaders understand their impact and rebuild trust. From the subtle signals of culture erosion to the big organizational risks that come from letting bad behavior slide, this episode challenges leaders to take a harder look at how company culture is shaped and what happens when no one speaks up.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Understanding the Abrasive Leader
03:17 How Toxic Behavior Impacts Company Culture
09:00 Executive Coaching for Workplace Bullies
14:01 Why Employers Avoid Confronting High Performers
20:29 The Cost of Fear in Leadership
31:21 Toxic vs. Tough Leadership Styles
42:16 A Message to Abrasive Leaders
 
Links
Connect with Catherine Mattice:
Navigating Toxic Work Environments For Dummies Pre-order: https://civilitypartners.com/navigating-a-toxic-workplace-for-dummies/
Website: https://civilitypartners.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinemattice/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/civilitypartners/
 
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: http://www.boldnessablaze.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E30: Are You Doing Change Management Wrong? Probably

Top-down change is easy to mandate but nearly impossible to make stick without the people it affects.
 
Why do so many leaders still default to pushing change from the top when it so often leads to resistance, confusion, or quiet disengagement? In this episode, Zovig Garboushian challenges the old playbook and shares a more human-centered approach to change management, one that invites participation, builds trust, and actually works.
 
Zovig unpacks the common ways people react to change—fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—and how leaders can spot these behaviors before they become roadblocks. You’ll hear why open-source change, a model that puts employees at the center of planning and implementation, leads to stronger outcomes and less pushback.
 
If you’re leading through change right now (or about to), you’ll walk away with clear ideas for building a real plan, communicating with purpose, and helping your team feel safe and supported through the messiness. Because resistance isn’t a problem to avoid. It’s a signal worth listening to.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Change Management
02:06 Ineffectiveness of Top-Down Change
03:44 Resistance to Change
05:00 Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn Responses
08:52 Addressing Resistance in Change Management
10:30 ProSci Framework for Change
13:32 Shifting Implementation to Employees
15:29 Focusing on Talking, Not Telling
18:42 Role of External Organizations in Change Management
 
Links
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E29: Nice, But Useless: How Biased Feedback Holds Women Back with Dora Mołodyńska-Küntzel

Feedback can build careers or hold them back. When it’s vague, biased, or filled with adjectives instead of actions, it does more harm than good, especially for women.
 
Zovig Garboushian sits down with Dora Mołodyńska-Küntzel, a DEI trainer and consultant from Punt Kick, to talk about the hidden bias in giving feedback. Why do women get more personality-driven critiques while men receive clear, actionable advice? How does that impact performance, confidence, and career growth? Research shows a clear pattern, and the consequences reach far beyond individual employees.
 
Dora shares practical ways for leaders to check their own bias, shift from vague observations to behavior-based feedback, and create a culture where everyone gets the guidance they need to succeed. She challenges the idea that feedback bias is only a DEI issue—when employees don’t receive clear direction, businesses suffer too.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
02:53 Importance of Addressing Feedback Bias
05:57 Impact of Vague Feedback on Women
08:17 Role of Confidence in Feedback
10:02 Confusion Created by Contradictory Feedback
12:09 Organizational Impact of Biased Feedback
14:07 Recognizing and Addressing Personal Bias
17:02 Importance of Self-Reflection and Humility
20:20 Strategies for Receiving Better Feedback
24:20 Pushing Back on Vague Feedback
27:04 Organizational Strategies for Fair Feedback
31:10 Role of Psychological Safety in Feedback
32:08 Business Impact of Quality Feedback
 
Links
Connect with Dora Mołodyńska-Küntzel :
Website: www.puntkick.pl
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorakuntzel/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puntkick.pl
 
Links to studies mentioned:
https://explore.textio.com/feedback-bias-2024/language-bias-in-performance-feedback-2024
https://explore.textio.com/feedback-bias
https://www.bain.com/insights/crisis-of-confidence-women-lose-faith-careers-infographic/
 
Bias Reduction Checklist https://www.puntkick.pl/bias-reduction-checklist
Free Ebook on Inclusive Leadership: https://www.puntkick.pl/ebook
Link to the LinkedIn Post we mentioned: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dorakuntzel_gender-bias-in-feedback-activity-7274326972325916673-Z2YW?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAEqDREBjiJ_stnF64FelYqG1b8lxUtHtHc
 
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E28: The Myth of Being the Greatest with Joanna Lohman

Greatness isn’t about medals or rankings. It’s about showing up fully, embracing who you are, and meeting the moment with everything you’ve got.
 
How often do high performers and high achievers chase success but still feel like they’re falling short? Joanna Lohman, a former professional soccer player and performance igniter, knows that struggle firsthand. In this episode, she sits down with Zovig Garboushian to talk about breaking free from perfectionism and redefining what it really means to be great.
 
Joanna calls perfectionism the “anti-resilience,” a mindset that keeps people stuck in fear, comparison, and self-doubt. She shares how she moved beyond the pressure of external validation and found a deeper sense of fulfillment. Her journey offers a powerful lesson: success isn’t about chasing an impossible ideal. It’s about recognizing your own unique strengths, stepping fully into your role, and trusting that your contributions matter.
 
This episode is for anyone who has ever felt like they weren’t doing enough, despite giving everything they had. Joanna challenges listeners to rethink personal development, embrace the messy parts of growth, and shift their focus from being the best to showing up as their best.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
01:35 The Concept of Being Great Without Being the Greatest
02:17 Joanna’s Soccer Career and Challenges
04:44 Personal Identity Crisis and Coming Out
07:03 Family Reactions and Self-Acceptance
09:45 Nomadic Soccer Career and Realizations
12:10 Acknowledging Greatness in the Journey
13:04 Team Dynamics and Individual Contributions
15:20 Letting Go of Comparisons and Embracing Individual Greatness
17:38 Compassion vs. Comparison
20:00 Performance-Based Identity and Its Pitfalls
24:20 The Importance of Self-Compassion
25:09 Evolving Identity and Self-Reflection
28:00 Challenging Limiting Beliefs and Rewriting Narratives
30:00 Aligning Identity with Values
34:04 Perfectionism vs. Excellence
38:15 Meeting the Demands of the Moment
41:25 Embracing Discomfort and Growth
44:02 Closing
 
Links
Connect with Joanna Lohman:
Website: https://joannalohman.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannalohman15/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalohman/
 
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E27: Trust at Work is an Inside Job

“When we trust ourselves, we spend less time proving ourselves and more time being ourselves.”
 
Trust starts from within, but how often do we actually stop to assess our own self-trust? In this episode, Zovig Garboushian unpacks why trust-building isn’t just about how others see us, but also about how we see ourselves. When self-doubt creeps in, it affects our confidence, decision-making, and ability to influence. If we don’t trust our own judgment, how can we expect others to?
 
Zovig introduces a four-part trust formula that helps break down what makes someone truly trustworthy. She also calls out the ways people-pleasing can backfire, leading to hesitation, inconsistency, and broken trust. The takeaway? Trust isn’t given. It’s built, starting with the way we show up for ourselves.
 
Quotes
“When we don’t trust ourselves, we can’t trust others, and others can’t trust us. Trust is an inside-out game.” (01:13 | Zovig Garboushian)
“If we don’t believe in our own instincts, we might assume that others are unreliable too. We can project our insecurities onto others, expecting them to fail us.” (04:04 | Zovig Garboushian)
“When I trust myself, it doesn’t matter what happens around me, because I trust that I have my own back.” (05:18 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“With trust, it’s a two-way street. Your trust in them, their trust in you. And when you have those, you have more ability to build relationships, enhance your own productivity, as well as your team’s productivity, and build your influence and your visibility in whatever environments you are in.” (14:45 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“Ultimately, when we trust ourselves, we spend less time proving ourselves and more time being ourselves.” (16:43 | Zovig Garboushian)
 
Links
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E26: Before the Body Breaks: Tune Into the Whispers Before You Hear the Screams

Our bodies hold wisdom that often whispers before it screams. Are you tuned into what yours is saying?
 
In this episode, Zovig Garboushian welcomes executive and wellness coach Deanna Moffitt to discuss the power of somatic awareness in leadership and stress management. Deanna shares how practices like Qigong and breathwork can help leaders process stress, prevent burnout, and reconnect with the often-ignored wisdom our bodies hold.
 
With insights from her book, “The Rewrite: Change Your Life One Story at a Time,” Deanna challenges the culture of constant productivity and explores how listening to your body can transform both personal well-being and workplace dynamics. She offers simple, practical ways to start tuning in, reminding us that small steps toward self-care can make a big difference.
 
Deanna’s parting wisdom? Start a dialogue with your body by asking, “What do you need right now?” It’s a small step toward greater self-awareness and a healthier, more balanced life!
 
Quotes
“Stress is a huge indicator for us, and stress is a big thing that we’re seeing in the workplace… The higher stress you have and the longer you’re in that stress state, the more likely you are going to get a long-term non-communicative disease.” (05:12 | Deanna Moffitt) 
“I always say that if you aren’t really clear on your values—not only your values as a leader but your values as a human—you will be living your company’s values.” (14:43 | Deanna Moffitt) 
“I think stress in our world is one of the bigger ones, how our bodies begin talking to us. And again, if we can hear the whisper and start tending to the whispers, we never have to hear the screams.” (16:49 | Deanna Moffitt)
“We are deeply loving beings who have been wounded from the moment of birth. And so to be able to return to that, to come back to that, that is the work.” (33:03 | Deanna Moffitt) 
“Your body has wisdom, and it’s talking to you, and you may not be listening. But if you can catch yourself at any moment and just simply ask yourself, ‘What do you need?’ your body will respond.” (43:58 | Deanna Moffitt)
 
Links
Connect with Deanna Moffitt:
Website: https://deannamoffitt.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannamoffitt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deannamoffitt/
Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/Rewrite-Change-Your-Life-Story-ebook/dp/B0CMPRQZKM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TT1XMJGVDB9C&keywords=the+rewrite+deanna&qid=1700474477&sprefix=the+rewrite%2Caps%2C393&sr=8-1
 
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E25: Managers: Let's Get Over the Fear of Giving Feedback

You can’t deny that giving feedback can feel so stressful, even for so many leaders. For Zovig Garboushian, feedback is a mirror for growth that challenges leaders to balance candor with kindness and courage. In this episode, Zovig talks about the fears—conflict, judgment, discomfort—that hold managers back and offers her own perspective to help shift the way we approach feedback. By treating it as reflective development rather than criticism, leaders can move past the discomfort and build stronger, more trusting relationships with their teams.
 
With tips like scripting conversations, embracing kindness over niceness, and inviting dialogue, Zovig breaks down how feedback can become a tool for growth rather than a dreaded task. If you’re a people manager or a leader, this episode will leave you rethinking your relationship with feedback—and ready to tackle it with confidence!
 
Quotes
“Discomfort does not equal pain or even disrespect. Discomfort can create resilience. Discomfort teaches us that we can sit through hard things.” (08:10 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“No one gets better without reflection.” (12:26 | Zovig Garboushian)
“As a manager, consider yourself an honest mirror. It’s a productive and kind way to reflect for your team.” (12:51 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“Niceness is a social convention. It’s what we do when someone asks us if we think their baby is cute. But kindness combines two qualities: respect and candor.” (14:56 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“If you come at feedback with kindness and curiosity and candor, and you genuinely want to help your team members get better, it will be received that way.” (20:15 | Zovig Garboushian) 
“You want to talk about where confidence comes from? It comes from being willing to face hard things, especially when they’re inconvenient. And feedback is never convenient. But it is required.” (21:10 | Zovig Garboushian)
 
Links
Let's Talk: Make Effective Feedback Your Superpower by Therese Huston:
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Talk-Effective-Feedback-Superpower/dp/0593086627
 
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E24: Feedback Isn't Optional If You're Serious About Getting Better

“Without feedback, you’re just guessing at your growth. Your next breakthrough, your next jump in your career is hiding inside the feedback that you are too afraid to ask for.”
 
This year, Zovig Garboushian takes “When Does It Get Good?” in a direction that focuses on what makes work truly fulfilling, starting with the overlooked art of asking for feedback. How can leaders evolve without clear and actionable input? Zovig discusses why feedback is crucial, how to make it actionable, and the best moments to ask for it. She shares strategies, such as framing specific questions that prompt meaningful answers and understanding the importance of timing in the feedback process.
 
Could fear be keeping you from the insights that can unlock your potential? Zovig shows how embracing feedback can reshape not only what you achieve but also how you lead, think, and grow. If you’re serious about developing a growth mindset and becoming a more effective leader, this episode is your next step forward!
 
Quotes
“Giving feedback, even when it’s expected, can make you break out in hives and run screaming from the building. So most folks’ relationships to feedback probably needs a little bit of work. And we walk around thinking that feedback is this horrible monster in a neon sign with a big old capital F. But I’m gonna be super basic here and repeat what I say all the time: feedback is a gift, and feedback is necessary, and feedback isn’t optional if you’re serious about getting better.” (02:18 | Zovig Garboushian)
“Without feedback, you’re just guessing at your growth. Your next breakthrough, your next jump in your career is hiding inside the feedback that you are too afraid to ask for.” (13:52 | Zovig Garboushian)
“The person who’s willing and courageous to say, ‘Hey, I’d love to get your feedback on how I’m doing’ will eventually and always blow past the person who isn’t asking for it.” (16:00 | Zovig Garboushian)
 
Links
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E23: Breaking Down Perfectionism with Therapist Wendy Morgan

Is perfectionism helping you succeed, or is it quietly sabotaging your happiness? Zovig Garboushian welcomes back therapist Wendy Morgan to unpack the complex nature of perfectionism—how it often starts as a protective mechanism but can evolve into a cycle of self-criticism, unattainable goals, and persistent feelings of failure. Together, they explore how perfectionism differs from striving for excellence, pointing out that one pulls us toward growth while the other pushes us away from fear. Sometimes, we tend to tie our worth to what we achieve. How can we begin to untangle that?
 
Through relatable insights and real-world examples, Zovig and Wendy discuss the emotional weight of perfectionism—how it manifests as shame, stress, and even physical symptoms—and offer practical ways to break free. They show how self-awareness, self-compassion, and grace can help you build a healthier relationship with yourself and move away from relying on external validation toward finding motivation within. 
 
If you’ve ever felt trapped by the need to “get it right” or struggled to let go of unrealistic expectations, this episode will inspire you to embrace imperfection as part of your journey.
 
Quotes
“Perfectionism comes up in us as a protective mechanism. It’s a way that we are protecting ourselves from feeling something that we don’t want to feel. They are helpful parts of ourselves right up until the moment that they’re not helpful. And then they become maladaptive.” (02:39 | Wendy Morgan)
“What’s important about the distinction between a high achiever and a perfectionist is that drive component. A high achiever is someone who is pulled towards a goal… A perfectionist is often being pushed away from something and it’s usually fear of failure, right? So, it’s this distinction between being very forward focused and ‘I am moving towards something’ versus ‘I am avoiding the fear of failure.’” (07:55 | Wendy Morgan)
“What perfectionists find is that they get there and it doesn’t actually last or really fill the bucket of what is needing to be filled. This notion of, if we’re moving toward excellence, or being a high achiever, we’re always taking steps in the right direction. But when we’re avoiding something, it’s like we can never get away from it. It’s always still behind us.” (11:18 | Wendy Morgan)
“Our internal working system will always choose known discomfort over unknown comfort. And so, we can become really stuck in this notion of perfectionism being a self-fulfilling prophecy, of my not being enough being so true that I get to just stay in this discomfort because it is safer. It is easier to stay in this discomfort that I know really well than it is to even consider the possibility that I don't have to be here.” (34:58 | Wendy Morgan)
 
Links
Connect with Wendy Morgan:
Website: www.wendymorgantherapy.ca
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-morgan-46658116
 
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

E22: Thankful AF And How to Mean It

How can practicing gratitude every day recalibrate your perspective and help you connect with your essence? Zovig Garboushian reflects on the meaning of gratitude and how it can shape our lives. As she acknowledges the complex history of Thanksgiving, Zovig encourages a focus on the deeper purpose of gratitude beyond the holiday itself.
 
So, what does it mean to truly embrace gratitude? Zovig shares her personal practice and explains how it goes beyond listing things in a journal to appreciating the moments, relationships, and qualities that define our lives. She points out how gratitude can shift us out of negative thought loops and bring clarity to what matters most.
 
Zovig also introduces the idea of being grateful for our essence—the unique, effortless ways we add value to the world. Drawing from her coaching experience, she challenges us to reflect on our intrinsic qualities and how recognizing these can strengthen self-acceptance and relationships. 
 
Through her own story, Zovig shows us the impact of honoring essence and how this perspective can guide personal growth. She invites us to think about our essence and how gratitude can unlock a more confident, connected way of living. As you listen, consider: What are you most grateful for in yourself, and how can that shape the way you show up in the world?
 
Quotes
“Gratitude is more than just sitting down with a gratitude journal and making a list. I think it’s actually a really powerful practice that can calibrate our perspective because it reminds us of what’s really important.” (02:10 | Zovig Garboushian)
“Essence is defined as your natural way of showing up in the world that adds value without you having to try.” (04:32 | Zovig Garboushian)
“When we start to look at ourselves through the lens of essence, and we recognize that we are not what we do, but rather what we be something, we begin to think about ourselves differently. No matter the circumstance, situation, or environment we’re in, we still show up in the way of our essence. And that’s what creates change in the world. That’s what has impact. That’s what affects people.” (08:16 | Zovig Garboushian)
 
Links
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm