Episode 373: Take the Risk Before You Feel Ready with Erika Johnson
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What if waiting to feel ready is actually holding your career back?
For high achievers, it’s easy to think you need one more sign that you’re ready before making the big career move. But sometimes, the next step only becomes clear after you take it.
In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin talks with Erika Johnson, Senior Vice President of Member Experience and Community at Chief, about taking career risks before you feel fully prepared. With 20+ years of experience across American Express, Capital One, Ernst & Young, Kantar, and Chief, Erika shares how transparency builds trust, how customer experience and leadership intersect, and why the smallest everyday behaviors can have a big impact on how people experience you as a leader.
This conversation is a reminder that readiness is about being willing to bet on yourself.
Stop Waiting to Feel Ready
You might think confidence comes first and action comes second. But for high achievers, overthinking, overediting, and looking for external proof can keep you stuck waiting for a feeling that may never come. Erika explores why taking action—even before you feel completely ready—can be what creates the confidence you’ve been waiting for.
Bet on Yourself
Readiness doesn’t mean having every answer. Erika shares what it can actually look like to trust yourself while navigating imposter syndrome, unfamiliar territory, and big career moves, and why your unique perspective may be more valuable than having the “right” answer.
Build Trust Through Transparency
You don’t have to pretend you have it all figured out to be credible. Erika explores how being candid, steady, and clear can help you build trust, especially when you’re navigating unfamiliar work, difficult conversations, or an unexpected career detour.
Lead Through the Everyday
Leadership isn’t just about what you say. It’s also about how you enter a room, hold silence, ask questions, and push back. Erika explores the connection between leadership and customer experience and how these small, everyday choices shape the way people experience you as a leader.
Turn Big Moves Into Micro Steps
Big career moves can feel overwhelming when you’re staring at the entire mountain. Erika shares why you don’t need the perfect plan to start moving forward, you just need to identify the smallest next step and take it.
Ask What You’re Waiting For
Think about one career move, conversation, or idea you’ve been putting off because you don’t feel ready. Then ask yourself: What am I actually waiting for?
Just Do It, But Smaller
Take that big, scary thing and shrink it down. Send the email. Write the first draft. Schedule the meeting. Make the introduction. Momentum usually starts with one tiny action.
Practice Transparency
In your next high-stakes conversation, try being a little more candid than usual. Say what you know, what you don’t know, or where you see an opportunity to push back, and notice what happens to the trust in the room.
Your Freebie
This is your plug-and-play guide to building an environment where your team feels safe to share bold ideas, take creative risks, and fully engage in the work that matters most.
Download your Psychological Safety Playbook for Leaders here.
About the Guest
Erika Johnson is a dynamic executive leader with 20+ years of experience shaping customer and member experience at some of the world’s most recognized brands, including American Express, Capital One, Ernst & Young, Kantar, and Chief. As Senior Vice President of Member Experience and Community at Chief, Erika leads the strategy, operations, and experiences that shape how executive women grow and thrive. Her work sits at the intersection of strategy, leadership, and experience, helping leaders turn complexity into clarity, build stronger relationships, and move forward with confidence. She is passionate about redefining experience as a critical leadership skill, and using it to drive engagement, belonging, and results.