S2 E 8: What It Really Feels Like Inside a Toxic Workplace Featuring Dr. Sharalyn Payne

There comes a moment when the pressure you’re carrying at work stops feeling like “part of the job” and starts feeling like something deeper. Something heavier. Something you can’t quite name.

In this episode of We Are Women, Unapologetically, I sit down with Dr. Sharalyn Payne for an unfiltered conversation about what it really feels like inside a toxic workplace. Not the polished HR version. Not the vague “bad culture” summary. The reality.

The bullying.
The politics.
The silence from the people who should step in.
The fear from those who don’t want things to change.
And the emotional and physical toll it takes on high-achieving leaders who walk in ready to make a difference.

Dr. Sharalyn shares her experience of joining an organization to shape culture and elevate leadership, only to discover that the CEO, middle management, and HR leadership were all playing a part in a system that rewarded safety, fear, and control over integrity, growth, and transformation.

This episode is a mirror for anyone who has ever questioned themselves in environments that were never healthy to begin with.

What We Explore in This Episode

• The real experience of working inside a toxic work environment

• How misalignment shows up before you even recognize it

• What happens when HR is aware but unwilling to act

• The physical symptoms you should not ignore

• The moment she decided to reclaim her voice

• How toxic workplaces follow you home

• Why high achievers stay longer than they should

• Small but powerful ways to invest in yourself

  Key Takeaways

  By the end of this episode, listeners will understand:

  • You are not imagining the harm.

  • Toxic workplaces can rewrite your health, identity, and confidence.

  • Misaligned systems often punish the people trying to fix them.

  • Your silence is not proof that you are okay.

  • You are allowed to reclaim your voice even if nothing around you changes yet.

  • You do not have to carry what was never yours to fix.

  • Small investments in yourself are still investments.

  • The clarity you gain is often the thing that saves you.

  Who This Episode Is For

  This episode is for high-achieving professionals who:

  • Feel drained, unheard, or undervalued

  • Have been bullied or dismissed in rooms where they were supposed to be respected

  • Are carrying emotional weight at work and home

  • Have lost parts of themselves to a job

  • Feel obligated to stay even though their body and intuition are telling them otherwise

  • Need language, clarity, or validation to finally name what’s happening

    Meet the Guest: Dr. Sharalyn Payne

    Dr. Sharalyn Payne is an award-winning speaker, strategist, trusted advisor, and executive performance coach. She is a systems thinker and builder of leaders who transforms misaligned cultures into exceptional ones.

    Her work spans Fortune 500 companies, global organizations, and public institutions. She is known for taking on the challenges most avoid: fractured culture, leadership bottlenecks, and execution gaps.

    When credibility is on the line and transformation cannot wait, leaders call Dr. Sharalyn.

    Her mission is to raise the standard of leadership, empower organizations to thrive without compromise, and create impact that leaves a lasting mark.

    Connect with Dr. Sharalyn:
    • LinkedIn: Dr. Sharalyn
    • Substack: Ultra Influential (ultrainfluential.com)

    Listen to the Episode

    🎧 Listen to Episode 8: What It Really Feels Like Inside a Toxic Workplace on:

    • Spotify

    • YouTube

    • Apple Podcasts

    • Amazon Music

    • Or wherever you get your podcasts

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