The Female Church Leaders Podcast

In this skill-building episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole unpacks why feedback feels risky - and why avoiding it quietly limits leadership growth. Drawing from research and personal experience, she explains how specific, forward-facing feedback accelerates competency and builds lasting confidence.
You’ll learn how to ask for actionable input without undermining yourself, how to evaluate performance with sober judgment instead of emotion, and how to give feedback that strengthens others using simple, practical language. If you want to grow beyond instinct and into intentional development, this episode gives you tools you can apply immediately.
TIMESTAMPS
01:00 - Why we avoid constructive feedback 
01:40 - The difference between vague praise and actionable feedback 
02:10 - How to ask for specific feedback
06:10 - Using annual performance reviews for growth 
07:30 - Giving feedback as a leader 
08:45 - Action steps: Ask for and give forward-facing feedback 
Resources mentioned:
Theological Cheat Sheet -  kadicole.com/theological
Next Steps and Resources:
Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.
Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

In this refreshing episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole reframes sustainability as faithfulness over time - not self-care as an escape, but stewardship that allows leaders to finish well. As your ministry pace increases, this episode offers a practical framework for protecting energy without lowering commitment.
You’ll learn how to build physical, spiritual, and relational rhythms that prevent burnout before it begins, how to strategically lower the bar when needed, and why doing everything is not the same as obedience. If you want your leadership to last for years - not just for this current season - this episode will help you think differently about how to sustain your leadership for the long haul.
TIMESTAMPS
01:15 - The challenge of increased ministry pace heading into Easter 
02:00 - Understanding sustainability as faithfulness over time 
02:45 - Humans as renewable but not unlimited resources 
04:00 - The true cause of burnout
05:15 - Physical, Spiritual & Relational Sustainability
06:55 - One Action Step Before Easter
Next Steps and Resources:
Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.
Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

In this much needed episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole breaks down what healthy, godly assertiveness actually looks like for women in ministry. Instead of choosing between being quiet or forceful, this episode offers a clear framework for leading with truth and love, without apology or over-explaining.
You’ll learn how to recognize passive, aggressive, and assertive communication patterns, why assertiveness is a learnable leadership skill, and how practicing clarity strengthens confidence over time. If you want your leadership voice to feel more aligned, steady, and effective, this episode gives you language you can use right away.
TIMESTAMPS
01:15 - The struggle of calibrating your leadership voice 
02:30 - What we're taught NOT to be as female leaders 
03:45 - The leadership tension between passivity and aggression 
06:20 - Three primary communication styles explained 
07:45 - Passive communication and its costs 
08:30 - Aggressive communication and its costs 
09:15 - Assertive communication: Jesus as the model

Resources mentioned:
Assertiveness Cheat Sheet -  kadicole.com/assertiveness
Next Steps and Resources:
Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.
Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

In this actionable episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole introduces The Project Triangle - a simple leadership framework for navigating moments when vision expands but capacity doesn’t. You’ll learn how to use time, budget, and quality to clarify expectations and identify tradeoffs before pressure quietly lands on you or your team
This episode equips you with clear language to negotiate added demands without sounding resistant or disengaged. If you want to lead with wisdom, protect your people, and steward energy well in fast-moving ministry environments, this is a skill you’ll use again and again.
TIMESTAMPS
01:15 - The Ministry Leadership Challenge
02:45 - The Project Triangle Explained
04:30 - Why Women Leaders Absorb Costs Personally
06:00 - Practical Examples of Negotiating Added Demands
08:15 - Leading from the Framework Instead of Emotion
Resources mentioned:
Assertiveness Cheat Sheet -  kadicole.com/assertiveness 
Next Steps and Resources:
Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.
Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!

In this practical episode of the Female Church Leaders Podcast, Kadi Cole explains why volunteer disengagement is rarely a motivation issue and almost always a leadership signal. She breaks down the specific conditions that cause volunteers to drift - and how small leadership shifts can make a big difference.
You’ll learn how to lead volunteers with clear expectations, meaningful ownership, healthy assertiveness, and simple follow-up practices that build trust and growth. This episode equips you with practical tools to develop people - not just fill roles - so your teams stay engaged, healthy, and aligned with the mission.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Introduction - Why volunteer leadership is sacred, not secondary
2:30 - Four reasons volunteers disengage
5:15 - The role of assertiveness in volunteer leadership
7:00 - Four practical foundations:
8:45 - Provide clear, simple role descriptions 
8:45 - Know your people, not just roles
10:15 - Annual check-ins and clear commitments
12:00 - Use high-attendance seasons (Easter/Christmas) for recruitment
Resources mentioned: Assertiveness Cheat Sheet. Download it at kadicole.com/assertiveness 
Next Steps and Resources:
Take the Quiz: Identify your growth gap with our Sticky Floor Quiz at femalechurchleaders.com.
Join a Cohort: Be part of our next Closing the Leadership Gap cohort for guided coaching and monthly Q&A with Kadi. Visit closingtheleadershipgap.com to learn more.
Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram @femalechurchleaders for daily encouragement and leadership tools.
Spread the Word: If you found this episode helpful, please follow, rate, and share the podcast to help us reach more female church leaders.
Tune in and get ready to lead with clarity, strength, and joy. Your calling matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way!