Shameless Leadership

How do you feel when someone exerts authority over you? And how does that influence the way you exercise your own authority as a leader?

For many women, authority comes with baggage. If you’ve experienced someone abusing their power, dismissing you in some way, or making decisions that impact you without including you, stepping into your own authority can feel complicated. You might hesitate to set expectations because you don’t want to be controlling. Or you might get self-protective and defensive, perhaps doubling down on your autonomy when your authority is challenged, like me!

These patterns deserve our attention because they shape how we make decisions, communicate boundaries, and support the people we lead.

In this episode, we explore the three components of your perspective on authority: Relationship, Responsibility, and Resourcing. We’ll examine how your experiences with power influence your leadership, where you have a responsibility to take up more space, and how holding boundaries protects you and your team’s capacity to do meaningful work.

We’ll also explore five authority aspirations that can help you create the necessary space to develop a more commanding presence, communicate with conviction, and create opportunities for others to grow their own leadership.

Listen in to hear:

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Why you might resist other people’s authority while feeling uncomfortable exercising your own.

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How to recognize when you’re relinquishing your power or becoming defensive to protect it.

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What it means to use ethical authority in service of your values, your team, and your mission.

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What gets lost when you undermine your expertise, avoid difficult decisions, or hesitate to take up space.

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Why owning your authority includes deciding what gets access to your time, energy, expertise, and team.

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How to invite disagreement and reconsider your position while remaining grounded in your leadership.

A commanding presence helps people understand where you stand, what matters, and what you expect. It also makes room for their voices, judgment, and contributions.

As you listen in, I invite you to consider: Where would owning your authority more fully change how you lead — and what would your team see or hear you doing differently?

Links Mentioned:

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

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Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

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Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

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Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

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Take my Leadership Archetype Quiz:http://saradean.com/quiz

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Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visithttp://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

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I have followed Paul Ladipo’s work on LinkedIn for the last few years. Every time he posts, I can’t “like” his post fast enough. His expertise and ability to distill down tough topics related to race and inclusion are superb. Paul just released his book, It Was Never About That: Going Beyond Hate to Dismantle Everyday Racism in America, which is a must-read.

Paul has a combined fifteen years of experience in academia, non-profits, and faith communities, becoming well-versed in the DEI challenges and needs of each sector. In higher ed, he has facilitated bystander intervention and sexual misconduct trainings with athletic teams, discussed systemic racism with faculty, and led full-day workshops on building inclusive cultures with student leaders. For non-profits, Paul has developed curriculum to center the needs of persons with disabilities, survivors of intimate partner violence, and survivors of sexual assault. Within faith communities, he has given presentations and led discussions on breaking racial barriers to create multi-ethnic ministries.

Listen in to hear Paul share:

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How our unconscious bias shows up and how our ego and need to be seen as “good” hold us back from acknowledging this bias

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The importance of removing binary thinking when it comes to inclusion

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The serious consequences when we uphold a culture of silence - and how we recently saw this play out for Macklemore and Ed Sheeran

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What the shift in organizational commitments to DEI has really shown us over the last two years

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The 3 questions to ask yourself when you're feeling uncomfortable talking about race, discrimination, and inclusion

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How curiosity and openness to critical conversations can open our eyes to rich historical context and deeply personal stories

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The steps you can take to uphold inclusive practices even if your organization doesn't have (or has cancelled its) DEI initiatives and policies

Links Mentioned:

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Learn more about Paul and his work:http://paul-ladipo.com/http://paul-ladipo.com/

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Get Paul’s book: It Was Never About That: Going Beyond Hate to Dismantle Everyday Racism in America

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Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-ladipo/

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Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

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Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit http://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Very few women are looking for their opportunity to shatter glass ceilings from the time they are little girls. Wanda J. Herndon was one of the few. Raised in Flint, Michigan, in a working-class family shaped by the Great Migration, she became one of the first in her family to attend college, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism and an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Michigan State University. She built a groundbreaking career at Dow Chemical, DuPont, and Starbucks.

Wanda is an award-winning corporate communications trailblazer, author, speaker, mentor, entrepreneur, Broadway producer, and the first Senior Vice President of Global Communications for Starbucks, from 1995 to 2006. Howard Schultz, Starbucks founder and CEO, asked her to return to the role in 2008 for a one-year engagement to help execute the company’s turnaround strategy.

Wanda’s new memoir, Working Class to Breaking Glass, chronicles her journey from Flint to corporate leadership, exploring race, gender, class, family legacy, belonging, and the courage to lead without compromising one’s true self while opening doors for others.

Listen in to hear Wanda share:

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What growing up in Flint, Michigan, a working-class General Motors town, taught her about ambition, survival, and possibility

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Her first executive decision at a very young age, in her self-declared role as the “CEO of Me”, that paved the way for a lifetime of success and shattering glass ceilings

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Her experience being the "first" and an "only" in many rooms and the accompanying emotional cost and the responsibility that came with those titles

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The significance of bringing people up with you as you grow in your career

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How to define yourself before others define you

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How building the Starbucks brand over the course of 11 years impacted the development of her own personal brand

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Her message of hope for people wanting to break glass ceilings

Links Mentioned:

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Visit Wanda’s Website:http://www.wcommgroup.com/

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Wanda’s Book: Working Class to Breaking Glass:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H82W9ZHB

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Connect with Wanda on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/wandajherndon

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Connect with Wanda on Facebook:https://facebook.com/wandajherndon

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Connect with Wanda on Instagram:https://instagram.com/wandajherndon

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

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Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

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Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

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Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

•

Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visithttp://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Integrity in leadership is easy to talk about when the stakes are low. The real test comes when living your values costs you something: approval, belonging, comfort, status, or social capital.

In this episode of Shameless Leadership, we’re talking about what leadership character actually looks like in practice. It’s one thing to say you support women, value inclusion, or believe in ethical leadership. It’s another to examine whether your actions consistently reflect those values, especially in rooms where speaking up might be uncomfortable, inconvenient, or risky.

We’ll explore the gaps that can emerge between our stated values and our behavior, from speaking poorly about another woman while claiming to support women, to staying silent when harmful behavior happens in front of us. This is about what it looks like to build character consistently over time, through leadership, self-awareness, personal accountability, and a willingness to notice when our integrity becomes conditional.

If you want to strengthen your leadership character, live your values more consistently, and contribute to a workplace culture where people are willing to stand up for what they say they believe in, this episode will give you practical questions and tools to start.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

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What integrity in leadership looks like when there is a real social or professional cost

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How to recognize gaps between your actions and values

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Why leadership character is revealed through everyday choices, not just your stated values

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How personal accountability strengthens ethical leadership

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How to practice courageous communication when you witness behavior that conflicts with your values

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Ways to approach difficult workplace conversations without immediately creating blame or defensiveness

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How speaking up, supporting women, and addressing harmful behavior contribute to healthier workplace culture

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Questions to strengthen your leadership self-awareness and help you decide what you want to do differently next time

Leadership isn’t simply about what we believe or the values you say you hold near and dear. It’s about the choices we make when those beliefs and values are tested.

Links Mentioned:

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

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Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

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Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

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Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

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Take my Leadership Archetype Quiz:http://saradean.com/quiz

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Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visithttp://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Communication breaks down between senior and mid-level leaders even when everyone is really hustling to do the very best they can in their respective roles.

In the work I’ve done with leaders and teams, I’ve had the opportunity to take a close look at what people are thinking and feeling behind the scenes - and how their thinking and feelings impact their behavior. In this episode, I share some of the patterns I consistently see and what leaders on both sides can do to communicate more effectively.

We’ll look at what happens when senior leaders pass down decisions without enough context, leaving mid-level leaders to explain the what without understanding the why. We’ll also talk about why well-intended mid-level leaders sometimes hold back difficult and pertinent information until a problem becomes urgent. We will also dig into how this can erode the trust they were hoping to protect by holding back.

We will address the very real pressure of leading in the middle. This typically includes trying to meet senior leaders’ expectations while taking care of your team, often with limited resources and conflicting priorities. I share how a propensity toward people-pleasing can make that squeeze harder. This leads us into the critical importance of being solution-oriented rather than problem-focused. It’s easy to find 27 problems on any given day. It’s the leaders who are finding and creating solutions, staying in momentum, and able to make strategic recommendations who are typically building more credibility, authority, and trust in their roles.

Finally, we’ll consider pace. When senior leaders move from one decision to the next too quickly, the people responsible for implementation may struggle to keep up. Before setting another priority or timeline, it helps to ask: Who is most likely to be negatively impacted by this decision?

If you recognize these dynamics on your team, I’d love to talk about how I can help you strengthen communication and strategic thinking across levels of leadership.

Links Mentioned:

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

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Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

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Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

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Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

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Take my Leadership Archetype Quiz:http://saradean.com/quiz

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[UNTIL 10/31] Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visithttp://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I met Dr. Sherri Lynch on my first day on campus for graduate school. I was told by another professor that I should introduce myself to her. I was admittedly nervous and fumbly. Luckily, Sherri is overwhelmingly kind and open to connections of all sorts. We quickly hit it off and have had the chance to get to know each other and partner for multiple events. My obsession with her work and her commitment to women began a few months later, the day after Election Day in 2024. You’ll have to listen in to hear that story!

Sherri Lynch, PhD, is the Assistant Dean at Gonzaga University's School of Leadership Studies, where she teaches in the Organizational Leadership & Comprehensive Leadership programs. She is a certified emotional intelligence practitioner and a highly skilled relationship builder. She co-founded the Women Lead program, which includes conferences, workshops, and a certificate program, to educate and empower women at all stages of their careers. She has presented to many professional organizations on leadership topics such as emotional intelligence, microaffirmations, mentorship and sponsorship, and the power of storytelling. Sherri has a heart for service and continues to serve on various community boards, including the YWCA and Canopy Credit Union.

Listen in to hear Sherri share:

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How to answer the question, “What do you do?”, in a much more impactful and strategic way

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Her current work on microaffirmations as a means of building culture in communities and organizations

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How to use microaffirmations in a way that is authentic to you to influence culture in a positive way

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Why and how to base your microaffirmations on behavior - not simply compliments

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Why your sense of self, self-identity, and leadership identity matter so much in your professional evolution

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The truth about “overdoing” positivity as part of your leadership brand

Links Mentioned:

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Connect with Sherri on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherrilynch/

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Women Lead Events:https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-leadership-studies/women-lead/conferences-and-events

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November 10th Women Lead Fall Conference with Bev Anderson:https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-leadership-studies/women-lead/conferences-and-events/women-lead-fall-luncheon

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Women Lead on IG: @zagwomenlead

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

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Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

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Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

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Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

•

Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visithttp://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I don’t know anyone who has breezed through life since 2020. Constant change, enduring uncertainty, and frequent downright chaos have become fixtures of life. It’s taken a toll on us all.

Constant change, uncertainty, and chaos not only rock your nervous system, it can also do a number on your confidence. When you’re navigating professional shifts, economic uncertainty, and ongoing instability, it’s easy to move from change overwhelm into uncertainty fatigue, and eventually into full-on burnout. And when that happens, the impact extends well beyond work. In my work wth executive coaching clients, I see this result in increased self-doubt, decreased self-trust, and questioning one’s capabilities.

Many clients come to me having made a hobby of collecting evidence that reinforces the idea that they have less power than they actually do. I don’t blame them. There have been many large-scale efforts to make most of us (anyone carrying a marginalized identity - women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ people, immigrants) feel completely powerless.

In this episode, I’m talking about how to maintain your confidence when so much around you feels unpredictable. We’ll explore why waiting for certainty before trusting yourself can keep you stuck, how chronic catastrophizing and hopeless assumptions quietly erode your self-trust, and why it’s crucial to identify the capabilities and strengths you can carry with you anywhere in life. I’ll also share how to hold legitimate risks alongside emerging possibilities so you don’t accidentally let fear become the only evidence you’re willing to consider.

While you may not be able to control what happens next, you can strengthen your leadership confidence, protect your sense of agency, and continue making grounded decisions without requiring certainty first.

Links Mentioned:

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[1 Spot Left] Join my Aligned Leadership Incubator:http://saradean.com/aligned

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

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Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

•

Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

•

Take my Leadership Archetype Quiz:http://saradean.com/quiz

•

Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visithttp://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Strong leadership communication isn’t just about knowing what to say. It’s also largely about knowing how to say what you need to say. It's about building the habits that help you communicate well when you’re frustrated, under pressure, or navigating tension. In this episode, I’m breaking down four communication skills every leader needs to practice:

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Checking your assumptions before reacting and responding

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Addressing tension immediately, directly, and transparently

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Stating the WHY behind the WHAT

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Strategically tailoring communication to meet your audience where they’re at

We’ll talk about what happens when you assume you know why someone is underperforming, why an email sounded snarky, or why someone missed the mark, and how quickly your reaction to those assumptions can undermine your leadership. We will explore what happens when you don’t share enough information with those you lead. We will address how to assess different people’s communication needs and how to best serve different kinds of people, even in tough and tense moments.

Whether you’re working on team communication, giving feedback to employees in a way they can actually hear and integrate, navigating difficult conversations as you manage up or manage down, or simply trying to become a more thoughtful and emotionally intelligent leader, these are skills that will strengthen your leadership while also making your work significantly more rewarding.

Links Mentioned:

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[1 Spot Left] Join my Aligned Leadership Incubator:http://saradean.com/aligned

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

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Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

•

Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

•

Take my Leadership Archetype Quiz:http://saradean.com/quiz

•

[UNTIL 10/31] Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visithttp://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dana Robinson Slote and I originally connected on LinkedIn, where I stumbled upon her work and was immediately excited about some of our similar passions. In getting to know her a bit and learning more about her strengths, I knew she would be a great fit for the show. She loves to talk about things many leaders dread, such as public speaking and managing up. I love a leader who brings simplicity to things that can be overwhelming, if not downright scary. Dana does just that.

Dana brings more than two decades of experience in the political arena and the public sector to her work as a communications strategist. In her current role, she's responsible for advocacy communications in the External Affairs division for the country’s largest regional children’s hospital, serving four states and one million square miles. In prior positions, Dana served as the Director of Media Relations at the University of Washington and as the Director of Communications for the Seattle City Council and the Washington State Senate concurrently. Dana earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Western Washington University and a master’s degree in communication and organizational leadership from Gonzaga University. She’s also an affiliate faculty member at UW’s Communication Leadership program, a world traveler, and a two-time Ironman triathlete with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest.

Listen in to hear Dana share:

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How her overlap of working in politics, public sector work, media relations, and being a two-time Ironman triathlete brought her to her current leadership role

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How to find opportunities in moments of massive inconvenience or disappointment

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How to create “fake stakes” as self-imposed deadlines for discipline and accountability

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Her belief that all speaking is public speaking and her 3 Ps to make public speaking more approachable

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How to manage up more effectively by asking strategic questions to open up conversations

Links Mentioned:

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LI:Dana Robinson Slote, M.A. | LinkedIn

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Connect with Dana on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/danarobinsonslote1

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[2 Spots Left] Join my Aligned Leadership Incubator:http://saradean.com/aligned

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

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Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

•

Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

•

Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visithttp://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As I’ve talked about in past episodes about perimenopause and menopause (Episodes 924, 954, and 968), the transition from perimenopause to menopause took me down - HARD. Since navigating this journey myself, I’ve become hyperaware as clients start to share common difficulties at work that might also be connected to menopause (poor focus, forgetfulness, irritability, lack of patience, chronic fatigue, feeling “off,” feeling irrational (and maybe irate) for no particular reason, and more.

Perimenopause and menopause can affect far more than how you feel physically. Changes in sleep, focus, memory, anxiety, and energy can influence how you communicate, make decisions, handle pressure, and show up in high-visibility leadership moments. For women who have always been known as highly capable, these changes can be unsettling. I’ve noticed that it’s pretty common that we clock this as evidence that we are losing our competence, confidence, or leadership edge - which could not be farther from the truth.

It’s time to clear this up!

In this episode, I’m exploring five specific ways perimenopause and menopause can affect how women lead. I’ll talk about changes in access to executive functioning skills, shaken confidence in high-stakes situations, a reduced tolerance for dysfunctional workplace norms, the invisible workload of privately managing a major physical transition, and the need to redefine sustainable leadership.

If you’re navigating this transition and questioning your confidence, capacity, or next chapter, individual executive coaching can help you distinguish between what may be changing physically and what remains true about your experience, expertise, and leadership. Together, we can strengthen your boundaries, communication, decision-making, and leadership practices so you can continue growing without sacrificing your well-being. Coaching can complement appropriate medical care, but it does not replace evaluation or treatment from a qualified Healthcare professional. If I can support you during this season, please reach out!

Links Mentioned:

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[2 Spots Left] Join my Aligned Leadership Incubator:http://saradean.com/aligned

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

•

Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

•

Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

•

Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visithttp://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when too much goes unsaid at work? The conversations we avoid don’t simply disappear. Over time, unspoken concerns can become resentment, erode trust, and cause people to disengage from their colleagues and their work. Even when no one is openly arguing, unresolved tension can quietly shape how a team communicates, collaborates, and makes decisions. The long-term costs are even more significant - and frequently reflected in lost productivity, personnel, and revenue.

In fact, in a Crucial Learnings study of 1,000 employees across various organizations and industries, 33% shared that leaving things unsaid at work cost their organization at least $25,000. Another 19% shared that leaving things unsaid at work cost their organization a staggering $50,000 or more.

In this episode, I’m exploring the hidden emotional and organizational costs of leaving important things unsaid. We will examine why high-performing, “nice” teams can be especially prone to conflict avoidance, how much energy people expend working around unresolved issues, and how a daring conversation is very different from an aggressive confrontation. Daring conversations aren’t about being harsh or creating unnecessary conflict - they’re about addressing what matters with honesty, courage, curiosity, and respect - in order to work toward a common goal and shared vision.

I also share a simple way to begin saying the thing that needs to be said, even if you don’t have the perfect words. If unresolved tension or avoided conversations are affecting your leadership or your team, this is work I support through executive coaching and customized leadership development for teams. Together, we can build the trust, communication skills, and shared practices needed to address hard things before they become costly problems.

Links Mentioned:

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Early Bird Enrollment is open for my Aligned Leadership Incubator! Save $500 if you apply by June 30th:http://saradean.com/aligned

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

•

Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

•

Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

•

Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visithttp://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Change is inevitable and, these days, seemingly constant. The responsibility to manage change effectively is a large one that can weigh heavily on the shoulders of a conscientious leader. There are many ways to get it right and many ways to get it wrong when it comes to guiding your team or organization through change.

What I see too often is leaders announcing a new direction, initiative, or process without helping employees understand the larger context (what I call “the why behind the what”), or recognizing and honoring the impact the change will have on the people closest to the work. When leaders aren’t intentional and strategic in leading change, employees can be left carrying confusion, frustration, and an ever-growing workload. Over time, the costs of poorly managed change can undermine trust and organizational integrity, resulting in anything from decreased morale to a mass exodus of high-performing employees.

In this episode, I’m breaking down five common change-management mistakes that may be exhausting your team. I’ll talk about the key and critical difference between communicating change and managing change, what leaders miss when they underestimate the frontline experience, and why resistance isn’t necessarily a sign that employees are unwilling to adapt. Sometimes, what looks like resistance is actually a request for more information, more involvement, or more time to process what is being lost.

I’ll also share how leaders can create more thoughtful and sustainable change by communicating the bigger “why,” involving employees earlier, making space for questions and grief, and honestly assessing the team’s capacity before introducing another initiative. If your organization is navigating ongoing change - or your employees seem increasingly disengaged, cynical, or depleted - this episode will help you lead the transition with greater clarity, empathy, and intention.

Links Mentioned:

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Early Bird Enrollment is open for my Aligned Leadership Incubator! Save $500 if you apply by June 30th:http://saradean.com/aligned

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

•

Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

•

Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

•

Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visithttp://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While every leader I work with is deeply talented, many struggle to self-identify their own areas of excellence and what sets them apart. If we want to be strategic problem solvers, we need to know, identify, and share what sets us apart.

In this episode, I'm sharing how to identify and then strategically position your leadership strengths in a way that allows them to become your greatest leadership edge. Whether you're pursuing career advancement, building executive presence, or simply wanting to have a bigger impact in your work, the way you talk about what you do matters just as much as what you do.

I'll walk you through exercises I use with my coaching clients to uncover the expertise they're often overlooking. The skills you've practiced hundreds - or even thousands - of times are often the exact things someone else is struggling to learn. I'll help you identify your unique expertise, strengthen your personal leadership brand, and think differently about how your experience can support others.

This episode provides real-life examples of how everyday experiences, from navigating difficult conversations and developing communication skills in the workplace to the work I’m doing with high schoolers in their first jobs to how my 13-year-old is positioning his skills on the baseball field. The goal isn't to sound impressive. It's to become more intentional about sharing what you know so you can increase your leadership visibility, grow your thought leadership, and create new opportunities and options for yourself moving forward.

If you've ever dismissed your strengths because they "come naturally," this episode is your invitation to reconsider and shine a little brighter. I'll leave you with practical reflection questions to help you identify your strengths, clarify who needs to learn from you, and begin leveraging your expertise with more confidence.

• Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit http://ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.

Links Mentioned:

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Enrollment is open for my Aligned Leadership Incubator:http://saradean.com/aligned

•

Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

•

Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

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Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

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If you're a woman leader looking to grow your career, build executive presence, increase your visibility at work, or develop your leadership skills, this episode is for you. I'm sharing four strategies my executive coaching clients are using right now to create career opportunities, establish thought leadership, strengthen their personal brand, and advance their careers—even in today's challenging environment.

It’s easy to find things that AREN’T working right now. And, to be fair, a lot of things truly are not working right now. However, navigating the world with a "nothing is working, why bother trying" attitude is going to harm you far more than help you.

One of my most important jobs with my executive coaching clients is to help them determine and tap into what IS working.

Right now, a number of my clients are exploring big questions like, "How do you find your power when it's easy to find evidence that power is systematically being taken away at every turn?" and "How do you maintain hope when you have so much evidence that people are deeply struggling right now?"

As they dig into these questions, my clients are taking action and seeing results! In a sea of “everything is horrible and broken” voices, here are a few things my clients are doing that ARE working:

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Thinking and strategizing at a level above their current title

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Investing in their learning and growth for their long-term career trajectory

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Establishing their voice and expertise

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Creating visibility opportunities outside their current roles and teams

You’re not wrong that it’s TOUGH out there right now. And… you still have the power to be seen, create opportunities, and open doors for yourself. In this episode, I’ll share what’s actually working, the real-life results my clients are getting, and what you can do today to feel a stronger sense of power and hope.

Links Mentioned:

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Early Bird Enrollment is open for my Aligned Leadership Incubator! Save $500 if you apply by July 31st:http://saradean.com/aligned

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

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Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

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Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jacqui Gordón Núñez and I met when we were both speaking at the same women’s leadership event last spring. From the moment she took the stage, I knew I wanted to interview her. She has an incredible story and such a deeply rooted leadership philosophy that the world needs to hear. She is passionate about her work and how the work she does in agriculture impacts the world in ways we don’t consider daily - but should.

Jacqui is the Vice President of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association and a passionate advocate for leadership development. Originally from Ecuador, she built her career in Washington helping people in agriculture grow their confidence, communication skills, and impact within their communities. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Food Science and her Master of Science in Horticulture from Washington State University.

Listen in to hear Jacqui share:

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Her path from Ecuador to the US, through immigration, and into agricultural leadership

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The importance of understanding cultural awareness and intercultural competence in the workplace

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The dangers of minimizing your own culture and the fine line between cultural adaptation and self-abandonment

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How leaders can create more space and safety for a wider range of cultural experiences and expressions so employees can show up authentically and contribute as optimally as possible

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How women leaders in agriculture are changing the landscape for women in agriculture

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Agriculture as a form of reverence

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How to navigate self-doubt when you feel like you don’t fit in or feel insecure about your ability to add value in a situation

Links Mentioned:

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Connect with Jacqui on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqui-gordon-nunez/

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Agriculture Leadership Program (ALP) website:http://www.alp-wa.com/

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Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI):https://idiinventory.com/

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Join Sara’s Aligned Leadership Incubator Early Bird Enrollment (save $500!):http://saradean.com/aligned

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the 1000th time, I sat down and hit record. This is a goal I have worked toward for 10 years. When I launched the podcast on March 15, 2016, my goal was to “feel this out.” I wanted to see if I liked podcasting as a medium for coaching, community building, and exploration. I quickly knew this was going to be my jam.

If you don’t know the origin story of this show, you might be surprised to learn that this little show that could largely exists as it does today because I was hit with a cease & desist within 48 hours of launching. The way that situation transpired lit a fire underneath me. In that messy moment of panic, I knew that if someone was going to try to take me down, I was taking this show TO THE TOP.

The show became a Top 10 show in multiple categories on Apple Podcasts. Today, in a sea of 3.4 million podcasts, our show is ranked in the top 0.5% globally. The show has been downloaded over 7 million times in over 140 countries. It is currently a Top 30 Management show - a category of over 30,000 shows.

These numbers are fun for me to see. But the story behind the numbers is so much more impactful. In this episode, I’m sharing the story of the show. From that cease & desist to building an international community of women, to landing on international stages to speak, to Glennon Doyle Zoom bombing our membership community, to a global shutdown, to failed IVF, PTSD/Anxiety/ADHD diagnoses, rebranding and renaming the show, a Masters Degree, returning to my roots in healthcare, and supporting Fortune 10 companies, this has been a wild ride I could have never predicted.

The impact of the show is so much bigger than me. And, that was always the plan. That was the goal. You all showed up and listened. You did the work. You got uncomfortable. You changed your behavior. You made your life better. You modeled to others how to make their lives better.

Collectively, we have changed lives. Thousands, if not millions, of lives impacted across 7 million downloads and 5.25 million hours of listening. For my fellow math nerds, that’s 600 YEARS of continuous listening.

I set out to do this alone. But I am never actually alone. At any given moment, someone somewhere is listening in. In every moment, one of you is with me. We are constantly in this together. And that means everything to me.

In this with you. Always.

Links Mentioned:

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Early Bird Enrollment is open for my Aligned Leadership Incubator! Save $500 if you apply by June 30th:http://saradean.com/aligned

•

Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

•

Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

•

Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’ve worked with high-achieving women for over two decades. I think I attract high-achieving women because this is an attribute I deeply relate to - sometimes to my own detriment.

One of the things I’ve noticed my clients and I can struggle with is FUN. High achievers tend to take things seriously. Like, very seriously. We are intense and motivated to make everything great, if not perfect. This drive can suck the life right out of what otherwise might have been a footloose and fancy-free experience.

Rather than embracing fun as a birthright, high-achieving women in leadership have a tendency to treat fun only as a reward - which must be earned after a remarkable and noteworthy win. It’s as if somewhere along the way, we convinced ourselves that fun belongs to others but not to us. But here's what I've learned: when you connect fun only to rewards and achievement, you aren't just flirting with leadership burnout; you're leaving one of the most underrated leadership skills on the table.

Fun isn't a reward or a distraction from the work of female leadership — it's an essential emotional intelligence practice that sharpens decision-making, deepens connection, and builds sustainable leadership. In this episode, I break down the essential elements that make something truly fun (hint: it's not just scheduling a happy hour), why high-achieving women are particularly prone to forgetting how to access it, and why reframing fun as a leadership strategy — not self-care, not a luxury, not an afterthought — changes everything.

We will also walk through a simple 5-step process for reconnecting to your version of fun — not the Instagram version, not what your team thinks sounds good, but the kind of fun and joy that actually replenishes you. Because the most powerful leadership development tool often isn't another productivity system or another personal development book - it's remembering how to be fully alive and in your joy while you lead.

Links Mentioned:

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Early Bird Enrollment is open for my Aligned Leadership Incubator! Save $500 if you apply by June 30th:http://saradean.com/aligned

•

Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

•

Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

•

Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Middle managers are getting squeezed from both directions right now. While this isn’t entirely new, the pace of change amid constant adaptation and uncertainty makes this season uniquely challenging. While you’re trying to keep senior leaders happy, your team needs clarity, support, and meaningful leadership. This can feel overwhelming, to say the least.

In this episode, I'm breaking down four management mistakes that are quietly trapping even the most well-intentioned leaders: the Task Trap, the Communication Trap, the Reactivity Trap, and the Talent Trap. While these aren’t new problems, the pace of today's workplace has made them far more expensive to ignore. If you find yourself questioning how to uphold effective leadership, this conversation will help you gain clarity on how to cultivate enduring, productive, and rewarding relationships that advance collaboration and positive outcomes with those you lead.

We will talk through how to bridge the gap between management and leadership, ensuring you’re more than just a project manager, but also a people developer. We will dig into how to avoid reactive leadership habits that impede the strategic thinking and action-taking your team actually needs from you. And we will discuss how to communicate to create clarity instead of more.

This episode will open your eyes to leadership mistakes to avoid when you find yourself in the midst of constant change and uncertainty, and help you take an honest look at where middle-management pressure meets real leadership development. You'll walk away with a clearer sense of which trap is costing you the most right now and what to do about it before it costs you your best people.

Links Mentioned:

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Early Bird Enrollment is open for my Aligned Leadership Incubator! Save $500 if you apply by June 30th:http://saradean.com/aligned

•

Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

•

Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

•

Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does visibility follow opportunities, or do opportunities follow visibility? The (perhaps hard) truth is that the opportunities you desire likely require visibility first. And… Creating that visibility lands squarely on you. Most people aren’t randomly discovered for their talent and unique perspective. The people who are platformed and promoted have intentionally and strategically made themselves visible enough to be discovered.

Do you find yourself thinking:

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I'd like to have a greater impact

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I'd like to be recognized for my expertise

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I'd like to be considered for bigger opportunities

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I'd like more influence

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I'd like to be known for something

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I’d like to be seen as the hands-down best candidate for a new role

Right now, the leaders who are getting invited into bigger conversations aren't necessarily the smartest, most credentialed, or most decorated people in the room. They're often the people who have done the work of clarifying what they stand for, what they know, and how they want to contribute.

In this episode, I walk you through the exact steps to become more of a go-to voice in your industry. You may be thinking you need more experience or education before positioning yourself as an expert in your field. Nope. You’re already ready. Promise.

I have no doubt your unique blend of education/experience/talent/perspective qualifies you to stand out in some way. So, let’s figure out how you can leverage that, shall we? Using my 5-step Authority Ascension Framework, you will move from Competence (owning your expertise, experience, and unique POV) to Clarity (your unique thought leadership framework) to Contributing (actually becoming more visible in various ways) to Confirmed Credibility (becoming known and trusted by others), and finally, to Called Upon (people coming to you with opportunities!)

We will also spend some time digging into how women miss the mark with visibility and leave the door wide open for others to take up the spaces they are ready and qualified to fill. This will help you see and understand the (likely arbitrary, if not completely made up) rules you are letting hold you back.

Major opportunities are often built from dozens of small visibility moments. This episode will help you position yourself for those little and not-so-little moments, from building your own content and frameworks to facilitating different kinds of conversations to speaking at events to mentoring others to getting interviews to getting published and more.

Links Mentioned:

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June 24th Free Workshop: The Future-Proof Leader: Why Your Thought Leadership Matters Significantly More in the Age of AI:https://saradean.com/future/

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Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

•

Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

•

Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the age of AI (yes, I kind of roll my eyes when I say that), you have a massive opportunity to double down on YOU. You are an original - literally one in eight billion… I want you to be strutting your stuff like that means something to you. Because if it means something to you, it will mean something to those around you, too.

AI cannot replicate you. No version of AI can create the unique overlap of your lived experiences, trained skills, innate talents, professional judgment, values, and unique points of view to create another you. While AI can generate endless information, it cannot replace the wisdom you've gained throughout your career or the way you connect ideas, solve problems, and influence others.

This episode will help you solidly step into your unique expertise, experiences, and insights that contribute to your personal leadership brand and make your contributions uniquely valuable in the future of work. It is time for you to define what you want to be known for. You have an opportunity to decide how you will be seen and how you will be valued as someone who is irreplaceable and indispensable.

In this episode, I will walk you through my thought leadership formula: (Knowledge x Lived Experience x Unique POV) + Communication = Thought Leadership.

Understanding how to leverage this formula will become increasingly important in the age of AI. This will help you future-proof your career and remain relevant in a rapidly changing environment.

I also tackle the often uncomfortable topic of visibility and why leadership visibility matters more than ever. For many women in leadership, being seen can feel vulnerable, yet visibility is often the bridge between expertise and influence. Whether you're focused on building your leadership legacy, increasing your impact, or becoming more intentional about how you show up professionally, this episode will challenge you to think differently about how you choose to be seen, what you want to be known for, and how your thought leadership can create meaningful influence for years to come.

Links Mentioned:

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June 24th Free Workshop: The Future-Proof Leader: Why Your Thought Leadership Matters Significantly More in the Age of AI:https://saradean.com/future/

•

Hire Sara to speak:http://saradean.com/speaking

•

Coach with Sara:https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

•

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks/

•

Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices