Summary:

In this conversation, we go from “cringeworthy communicator” to “compassionate collaborator.” Jenifer unpacks how one hard piece of feedback became a turning point, why listening is a leadership skill (not a soft skill), and how to deliver feedback with both courage and care. If you lead people—or want to—this is a tactical masterclass in executive communication you can actually use.

Jenifer Beaudean is a seasoned exec and coach with 30+ years in pharma leadership who now helps leaders master internal and executive communications. She’s known for pairing empathy with directness to build trust, deliver tough feedback, and move teams forward.

Chapters:

00:00 – The “how” of communication (why style > output)

03:30 – The car-ride gut punch: “I cringe when you speak”

07:00 – Weekend audit: asking peers for unfiltered feedback

10:30 – Intent vs. impact: spotting blind spots

14:00 – Coaching lens: “Is this behavior serving you?”

17:30 – Whole-self context: listening beyond the work facts

21:00 – Feedback that grows careers (who, what, and why)

24:30 – Discernment: when to hold or reroute the message

28:00 – Listening as leverage (Dale Carnegie in practice)

31:30 – Pause protocol: sleep on it before responding

35:00 – Calibrate with your team—don’t “leave the line”

38:30 – Closing reflections + how to connect

Host Alexa Beavers: linkedin.com/in/alexabeaverspmp

Guest Jenifer Beaudean-White: linkedin.com/in/jeniferbeaudean

Executive Producer Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimk

Music Credit: "Lost in Dreams" by Kulakovka