Imagine a state where you can get from big cities to big nature in less than half an hour, with some of the best quality of life in the nation.

Welcome to Minnesota, America's least stressed state.

Learn more at exploreminnesota.com slash live. I'm Muriel Wilkins, and this is Coaching Real Leaders, part of the HBR podcast network.

I'm a longtime executive coach who works with highly successful leaders who've hit a bump in the road.

My job is to help them get over that bump by clarifying their goals

and figuring out a way to reach them so that hopefully they can lead with a little more ease.

I typically work with clients over the course of several months,

but on this show, we have a one-time coaching meeting focusing on a specific leadership challenge they're facing.

Today's guest is someone will call Jules to protect her confidentiality.

She works in tech in a cross-functional operations role and has led a number of teams.

She didn't start out in this industry, but she transitioned into it when she made the leap of taking a role that was hugely confidential. She went through the

interview process, not really knowing what she'd be working on. I found my way into this industry

by accepting a job, a very secret job, they wouldn't tell me what it was,

but I thought it was exciting, took the job, and then that actually began my management career.

So I was given the opportunity to start managing a team and really absolutely loved it.

And I really invested a lot in growing my leadership skills.

And since then, I've really kind of built my

identity and my brand around my ability to grow teams, to grow individuals, to make the teams

really gel really well together, feeling a sense of trust and community, as well as feeling like

they have a sense of purpose by connecting their work

to the bigger picture.

Jules developed a knack for leadership, and in particular, a reputation for leading and growing

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