Shameless Leadership

Shameless Leadership

Welcome to Shameless Leadership! This show is for women, transgender people, non-binary folks, and allies who are committed to advancing their leadership and the leadership of those around them. In this space, we believe everyone deserves to feel seen, heard, valued, and supported. Our mission is to help you foster these feelings within your own circles of influence to build trust, psychological safety, and a culture of belonging. In each episode, we dive into essential topics impacting women in leadership - everything from shutting down your inner critic and imposter syndrome to overcoming perfectionism to using your voice in new ways to advocate for yourself, your ideas, and other folks carrying marginalized identities. You'll hear practical tips, effective strategies, and inspiring stories that will not only enhance your leadership skills but also broaden your perspective to become a more confident, thoughtful, and empathetic leader. Our stories come from people carrying identities who are often underrepresented, underestimated, and excluded. By sharing their experiences, we aim to provide you with invaluable lessons that will transform your leadership journey. We are thrilled to have you join this community of Shameless Leaders who are actively creating a world where everyone, regardless of gender, can intentionally lead through a more curious, compassionate, and inclusive lens.

Episodes

September 30, 2025 50 mins
I met Michelle Desmond a few months ago at a birthday gathering for a mutual friend.  As Michelle started talking about her work in dying, death, and grief, I had question after question. I realized quickly I had to get her on the pod. I was so excited and grateful when she said yes. This is such an important topic that impacts every single human, yet very few ever talk about it. Michelle is a corporate executive turned thanatolog...
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"Sara, some of my newer leaders are really struggling. I know they want to shine, but they need support, and I don't have the time or skills to give them. Can you help?"  This is a conversation I've found myself in more and more over the last year. So, how did we get here?  More and more managers are being promoted into leadership roles without the training or support to succeed. In this episode, I unpack why so many emerging lea...
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Jamie Lee is an executive coach who specializes in women and underrepresented leaders who are "allergic" to risky conversations and office politics. She focuses on helping them get promoted and better paid without compromising their integrity or throwing anyone under the bus. In her practice, she blends proven self-advocacy strategies with evidence-based neuroplasticity tools. For over a decade, Jamie has trained thousands of prof...
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Public failures and fumbles are painful to say the least.  I’ve recently had a handful of clients come to me feeling crushed after making a mistake, fumbling, or failing publicly. The most prominent outcome in all of their stories? SHAME. Their instinctual behavior to manage the shame? Hide, deny, or deflect. Fun fact, people don't actually trust leaders who never admit to making mistakes. Mistakes are a demonstration of humanity...
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When you hear the phrase thought leader, what comes to mind? For a lot of people, it’s someone with a massive following, a bestselling book, or a keynote spot at a big conference. But here’s the truth: thought leadership isn’t about popularity, perfection, or being the smartest (or loudest!) person in the room. It’s about having the courage to share ideas that shape or shift how others think, act, or lead. In this episode, I’m pull...
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A few months ago, I shared some of my personal experiences in perimenopause.  Today I am back with a big update. Since the last episode on this topic, I had a severe shift in my mental health, including a raging comeback of my lifelong anxiety and panic.  On top of this, I started having emotional responses to situations that I could tell were very much disproportionate to the situation, yet I couldn’t seem to talk myself out of se...
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Empathy is one of the most critical leadership skills we can have—but like any strength, it can become a liability when it’s out of balance. In this episode, I’m diving into the dangers of both too much and too little empathy as a leader. Because here’s the truth: leaders without enough empathy lose trust, connection, and team cohesion… but leaders with too much empathy risk burnout, decision fatigue, and losing their leadership ed...
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I was thrilled to interview Themba Dayton, whom I was introduced to by Elena Joy Thurston, a past guest of the show and a friend. When I learned about Themba’s track record in building and guiding diverse teams, I immediately had a ton of questions for him. This conversation is a treasure trove of sage advice around the power of diversity in professional environments and why diverse teams will always have a leg up, no matter the st...
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Have you ever found yourself staring down a big decision, maybe making a move, a new job offer, a promotion, or even staying in a role that no longer fits — and thought, “How do I know if this is the right move?” In this episode, I walk you through four powerful questions I ask myself (and my clients) before making a big personal or professional decision. These questions help cut through the noise, slow down the overthinking spira...
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Having a boss who causes harm or holds leadership values that clash with yours is rarely a positive experience. But time and again, I’ve seen how negative role models can motivate people to lead better and do better. Poor leadership often sparks a commitment to do things differently and more effectively as we grow. So maybe, in the long run, even bad leaders leave us with something valuable? When I learned of Dr. Karen Hills Prude...
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Last year, Google invited me to come lead trainings for Aging Awareness Week. This was a truly enjoyable opportunity to work with some brilliant leaders. When I asked about who to expect in the audience, I expected to be told, “People over 55.” Instead, I was told, “This ERG is for folks over 40.”  40!  I don’t think of 40 as “aging” just yet. But, I guess it is when society and culture start to stigmatize us, isn’t it??   If you ...
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When the world feels heavy and hard, it can feel wrong or even selfish to feel joy amidst the suffering. But in this episode, we explore a powerful reframe: What if joy is not an escape, but an act of resistance or perhaps even revenge? As a leader, what if reclaiming your joy isn’t just allowed—it’s essential? As I’ve witnessed global unraveling happening alongside so many people’s individual pain and heartbreak, I’ve seen firsth...
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When I decided to start inviting guests onto Shameless Leadership, I immediately knew I wanted my dear friend and speaking colleague Elena Joy to join me. The work Elena Joy does around inclusion always captivates me. She is smart, witty, and strategic in all the best ways - as you’ll hear in this conversation. She knows what needs to be done to get the work done. Her unflinching commitment to tackling tough conversations while uph...
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Sometimes your boss is the biggest obstacle to your leadership growth. Whether they’re dismissive, manipulative, or flat-out toxic, their behavior or opinion of you does not define your worth. After watching too many women leaders suffer under harmful male leadership recently, it feels crucial to share actionable strategies to help you trust your instincts and keep your intuition grounded in truth. It’s time for you to reclaim your...
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Over the last few years, I’ve been developing curriculum and resources that help leaders establish trust with their teams and enable teammates to build trust with one another.  Because different people have different needs around trust, it can feel tricky to know exactly the right formula to help build trust with others.  In spite of that, there are plenty of small things you can do every single day to help people understand who yo...
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I was recently sitting in one of my Change Leadership classes for my Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, and my teacher asked us, “What would it look like if, as change leaders, we were to suspend certainty more often?”  I immediately made a note to myself, “podcast episode on suspending certainty!”  As someone who craves certainty but understands that nothing is certain, I often think about becoming more comfortable wit...
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I met Maria Ross 12 years ago when we shared the stage at a women’s event. Her work is centered around human behavior and empathy in the workplace. What I love about talking to Maria is how she can dig into the nuts and bolts of concepts and theory while also making tricky concepts very approachable and applicable to everyone. If you want to cultivate more empathy or help others cultivate more empathy, Maria is your gal.   Maria i...
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Stephanie Chung is a leader, fighter, survivor, breast cancer warrior, and barrier-breaker in corporate leadership who consistently embodies resilience and courage.  I knew from the moment we met online that this would be a special conversation, which is why Stephanie is the first guest to join me on Shameless Leadership! As a pioneering woman of color in the aviation sector with 35 years of aviation experience, Stephanie has asce...
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Consistency is pretty boring. It might be the least glamorous component of leadership.  This is probably why it tends to be an underrated leadership superpower. However, consistency is a key ingredient to leadership success, primarily because it allows you to create compounding interest. Your tiny gains over time build up to massive outcomes.  Consistency also thwarts perfectionism. Showing up repeatedly becomes more important tha...
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During a recent retreat I led for my business coaching clients, we had the opportunity to do a deep dive into visibility avoidance.  We discussed this phenomenon that happens when we want to grow in new ways, but the prospect of heightened visibility holds us back.  Sometimes, when we take steps into higher visibility opportunities, we are excited by the outcomes.  But, shortly after the perceived win, we feel a sense of vulnerabil...
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