Solving the Wrong Problem — Monica Maltzman

Monica Maltzman is the author of You Are the Prototype: Own Your Too Much in a World That Wants Less and an advisor on human-centered work. She works with professionals at critical moments in their careers — when their influence is expanding, their authority is being challenged, or their work environment is quietly eroding their clarity and ability to hold their ground.

After 15+ years leading global teams across corporations, government, startups, and technology, she identified a pattern most organizations overlook: the hidden human cost created by the way work is experienced day to day.

Her work helps people build trust-based influence and reduce the human cost of how they work — so they can stay, grow, or leave from a place of clarity, not pressure.

In today’s episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to identify the real problem keeping you stuck — and how to move forward from a place of clarity, not pressure.

Monica and I discuss:

• Monica’s career journey and transition out of corporate [02:48]
• Why organizations create corporate refugees [03:45]
• Her decision to leave Apple and go independent [04:22]
• The two distinct groups Monica works with [08:00]
• Why most stuck people are solving the wrong problem [09:33]
• A client story: building a product nobody could onboard [10:36]
• How leaders lose their voice in difficult environments [12:28]
• Plateaus Monica has faced and overcome [14:36]
• The role of trusted peers and thinking partners [16:37]
• One piece of advice for early-stage corporate refugees [18:53]

Learn more about Monica:

Your Next Move Strategy Session with Monica Maltzman: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/7RHUL93T9EPGE

Website: https://monicamaltzman.netlify.app

You Are The Prototype: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G275NNB8

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicamaltzman/

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About Smashing the Plateau

Smashing the Plateau is a podcast for experienced independent leaders who have left corporate roles to build sustainable, expertise-based businesses.

Each episode features a thoughtful, experience-driven conversation about what changes when you no longer have the infrastructure of an organization behind you.

We explore judgment, decision-making under uncertainty, growth plateaus, identity shifts, and the role of trusted thinking partners in sustaining long-term success.

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