Have you ever found yourself stuck in the cycle of trying to be the “perfect” leader (always switched on, always in control) only to end up burned out and disconnected? In this solo episode of Legendary Leaders, Cathleen O'Sullivan shares what happened when she finally let go of performing leadership and started showing up as herself.
From moments of self-doubt to the awkward reality of what she calls being a “cow at work,” Cathleen opens up about the pressures we put on ourselves to look like we’ve got it all together. She talks honestly about the impact it had on her well-being, her team, and her work and what changed when she chose presence over perfection. If you're feeling the weight of doing it all, or just wondering if there’s a more human way to lead, this episode is for you.
Episode Timeline:
00:00 Introduction
04:59 Leadership thrives in authenticity; burnout taught me to lead from presence, not performance.
09:15 I wanted to lead as me with flaws, feelings, tired days and all.
13:06 You can’t lead well in survival mode
14:45 The power of saying “I’m not quite on today”
16:55 Rethink feedback and self-leadership
Key Takeaways:
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Authenticity over perfection: Cathleen talks honestly about moving from trying to lead perfectly to simply showing up as herself. Letting go of the pressure to always have it together helped her build real trust with others even on the messy days
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Burnout changed everything: Working non-stop to meet impossible standards left Cathleen burnt out and disconnected. That low point pushed her to slow down, get honest with herself, and start leading with more care and clarity
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The SPACE method makes it practical: Cathleen shares a simple five-part tool to lead with more presence, not performance.
Connect:
Find | Cathleen O’Sullivan
Business: https://cathleenosullivan.com/
Email: cmc@cathleenmerkelcoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathleen-merkel/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legendary_leaders_cathleenos/
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