Managing through fear and intimidation has long been a hallmark of high-pressure industries like tech, finance, and private equity. But now, the gloves are off. Domineering, manipulative leaders are not only more brazen in those fields, but they’re also spreading into workplaces everywhere, even public service. Employees need a toolkit to protect themselves, maintain agency, and thrive, and that’s exactly what our guest today and Silicon Valley veteran Kate Lowry delivers in her new book, ‘Unbreakable: How to Thrive Under Fear-Based Leaders’ (released October 28, 2025).
Kate is a CEO coach, venture capitalist, and author based in Silicon Valley. An expert in fear-based leaders, Kate developed her methodology growing up in a personal hierarchical family, then refined her approach navigating high-pressure roles in the elite worlds of start-ups, private equity, management consulting, and big tech at McKinsey, Meta, and Insight Partners. She helps audiences understand why these leaders are so predictable, how to gauge emotional maturity, and how to respond strategically instead of shutting down. But most of all, she stands by the fact that you are not powerless. Hit play to find out how.
[3:32s] Kate’s origins story
[10:04s] What prevents people from speaking up – operating under fear
[16:53s] ‘AI + Human Teams Are the Future of Work’
[20:43s] The rise of fear-based leadership in the age of AI
[23:45s] Catalyst for Kate’s book ‘Unbreakable: How to Thrive Under Fear-Based Leaders’
[30:30s] Kate’s top tips for thriving under fear-based leadership
RWL: Read Kate’s book ‘Unbreakable: How to Thrive Under Fear-Based Leaders’
Connect with Kate on Instagram and LinkedIn
Connect with Vinay on X and LinkedIn
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This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together’. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook
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