Welcome back to The Unworthy Leader Podcast, where we spotlight the raw, honest, and often unseen side of leadership. In this episode, host Kendra Dahlstrom, executive coach to Fortune 500 leaders, sits down with Megan Leuzinger, former WNBA All-Star turned coach and athletic director, to explore what leadership really looks like—on and off the court.
Together, they dig into the mental, physical, and emotional demands of elite athletic performance—and how those pressures mirror what many high achievers face in business and leadership roles. Megan shares her journey from grueling travel schedules and performance anxiety to cultivating inner strength through faith, community, and mindset.
💡 Key Topics
🏀 Behind the Highlight Reel
Megan gets real about the exhausting side of professional sports—sleepless nights, tough losses, and invisible expectations. Her story reminds us that leadership accountability isn't just for the boardroom—it's daily work in any high-performance setting.
🙏 Faith-Fueled Resilience
Throughout her career, Megan leaned on her faith to push through self-doubt, setbacks, and imposter thoughts. Her connection to spiritual grounding and team chaplain support created space for reflection and personal growth in high-pressure environments.
📣 From Player to Mentor: A New Leadership Role
Now a coach and athletic director, Megan embraces a unique coaching style that centers on identity, not just performance. Whether she's building confidence in young athletes or empowering unpopular teams, she models what ethical leadership truly means: showing up with integrity, vulnerability, and grace.
⚠️ Mistakes in Leadership = Opportunities for Growth
Both Kendra and Megan share personal stories of self-doubt and failure—and how reframing these moments as data, not defects, can drive transformation. This message resonates across industries, from athletics to cross-functional teams and beyond.
✨Megan’s ACT Framework:
- Attitude: Choose how you show up
- Thankfulness: Find gratitude in growth
- Commitment: Stay grounded in your purpose
🎧 Subscribe to The Unworthy Leader Podcast and join our growing community of leaders who know that perfection isn’t the goal—presence, purpose, and people are.
🧠 Curious what’s driving your leadership—inner wisdom or imposter thoughts?
Take our free self-assessment to uncover whether you're leading from grounded emotional intelligence or quiet self-doubt.
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Note: This quiz is for self-reflection and informational purposes only. It is not a diagnostic tool or substitute for professional mental health care.
2025 Copyright of The Unworthy Leader Podcast and Kendra Dahlstrom Leadership, LLC
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