Dr. Erika Michalski is a beacon of authenticity in the consulting world, known colloquially as "Consultant Barbie". Holding a doctoral degree, she has made her mark as an internationally recognized master performance consultant specializing in talent development and employee engagement. Erika has an extensive background in academic and corporate environments, assisting organizations through periods of growth, change, and mergers. A passionate keynoter, she values emotional intelligence and human evolution, infusing these concepts into her work to foster environments where individuals can thrive by being their true selves.

In this introspective episode of the Founded in FoCo podcast, Dr. Erika Michalski, the vivacious and recognized master performance consultant best known as Consultant Barbie, sits down with host Nick Armstrong to discuss the nuances of authenticity in personal and professional spaces. Erika's infectious energy and depth of knowledge create an engaging conversation that digs deep into what makes authentic leadership and engagement so vital in today's world.

The discussion opens with Erika's take on authenticity and its importance in feeling valued within professional environments. She emphasizes the difference between being invited to a space and being expected to show up as one's authentic self. The dialogue progresses to explore the implications of this distinction on employee engagement and the strategies leaders can employ to optimize team performance, avoiding the pitfalls of the "hard effort" versus "hard work" paradigm.

Learn more about Erika's work at https://stratauth.com/

The Founded in FoCo Podcast is hosted by Nick Armstrong, Lead Organizer of Founded in FoCo and Geek-in-Chief of WTF Marketing (⁠⁠https://wtfmarketing.com⁠⁠). Hear more great interviews with founders in and around Fort Collins at: ⁠⁠https://foundedinfoco.com