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by Sara Dean
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 carry
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- Today56 min
1010: How Great Leaders Make People Feel Seen With Microaffirmations - with Dr. Sherri Lynch | Inclusive Leadership
I met Dr. Sherri Lynch on my first day on campus for graduate school. I was told by another professor that I should introduce myself to her. I was admittedly nervous and fumbly. Luckily, Sherri is overwhelmingly kind and open to connections of all sorts. We quickly hit it off and have had the chance to get to know each other and partner for multiple events. My obsession with her work and her commitment to women began a few months later, the day after Election Day in 2024. You’ll have to listen in to hear that story! Sherri Lynch, PhD, is the Assistant Dean at Gonzaga University's School of Leadership Studies, where she teaches in the Organizational Leadership & Comprehensive Leadership programs. She is a certified emotional intelligence practitioner and a highly skilled relationship builder. She co-founded the Women Lead program, which includes conferences, workshops, and a certificate program, to educate and empower women at all stages of their careers. She has presented to many professional organizations on leadership topics such as emotional intelligence, microaffirmations, mentorship and sponsorship, and the power of storytelling. Sherri has a heart for service and continues to serve on various community boards, including the YWCA and Canopy Credit Union. Listen in to hear Sherri share: How to answer the question, “What do you do?”, in a much more impactful and strategic way Her current work on microaffirmations as a means of building culture in communities and organizations How to use microaffirmations in a way that is authentic to you to influence culture in a positive way Why and how to base your microaffirmations on behavior - not simply compliments Why your sense of self, self-identity, and leadership identity matter so much in your professional evolution The truth about “overdoing” positivity as part of your leadership brand Links Mentioned: Connect with Sherri on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherrilynch/ Women Lead Events: https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-leadership-studies/women-lead/conferences-and-events November 10th Women Lead Fall Conference with Bev Anderson: https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-leadership-studies/women-lead/conferences-and-events/women-lead-fall-luncheon Women Lead on IG: @zagwomenlead Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 1 weeks ago24 min
1009: How to Maintain Your Confidence During Constant Change and Uncertainty | Leadership Mindset
I don’t know anyone who has breezed through life since 2020. Constant change, enduring uncertainty, and frequent downright chaos have become fixtures of life. It’s taken a toll on us all. Constant change, uncertainty, and chaos not only rock your nervous system, it can also do a number on your confidence. When you’re navigating professional shifts, economic uncertainty, and ongoing instability, it’s easy to move from change overwhelm into uncertainty fatigue, and eventually into full-on burnout. And when that happens, the impact extends well beyond work. In my work wth executive coaching clients, I see this result in increased self-doubt, decreased self-trust, and questioning one’s capabilities. Many clients come to me having made a hobby of collecting evidence that reinforces the idea that they have less power than they actually do. I don’t blame them. There have been many large-scale efforts to make most of us (anyone carrying a marginalized identity - women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ people, immigrants) feel completely powerless. In this episode, I’m talking about how to maintain your confidence when so much around you feels unpredictable. We’ll explore why waiting for certainty before trusting yourself can keep you stuck, how chronic catastrophizing and hopeless assumptions quietly erode your self-trust, and why it’s crucial to identify the capabilities and strengths you can carry with you anywhere in life. I’ll also share how to hold legitimate risks alongside emerging possibilities so you don’t accidentally let fear become the only evidence you’re willing to consider. While you may not be able to control what happens next, you can strengthen your leadership confidence, protect your sense of agency, and continue making grounded decisions without requiring certainty first. Links Mentioned: [1 Spot Left] Join my Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Take my Leadership Archetype Quiz: saradean.com/quiz Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 2 weeks ago25 min
1008: 4 Effective Communication Skills Every Leader Needs | Leadership Strategies
Strong leadership communication isn’t just about knowing what to say. It’s also largely about knowing how to say what you need to say. It's about building the habits that help you communicate well when you’re frustrated, under pressure, or navigating tension. In this episode, I’m breaking down four communication skills every leader needs to practice: Checking your assumptions before reacting and responding Addressing tension immediately, directly, and transparently Stating the WHY behind the WHAT Strategically tailoring communication to meet your audience where they’re at We’ll talk about what happens when you assume you know why someone is underperforming, why an email sounded snarky, or why someone missed the mark, and how quickly your reaction to those assumptions can undermine your leadership. We will explore what happens when you don’t share enough information with those you lead. We will address how to assess different people’s communication needs and how to best serve different kinds of people, even in tough and tense moments. Whether you’re working on team communication, giving feedback to employees in a way they can actually hear and integrate, navigating difficult conversations as you manage up or manage down, or simply trying to become a more thoughtful and emotionally intelligent leader, these are skills that will strengthen your leadership while also making your work significantly more rewarding. Links Mentioned: [1 Spot Left] Join my Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Take my Leadership Archetype Quiz: saradean.com/quiz [UNTIL 10/31] Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 3 weeks ago42 min
1007: All Speaking Is Public Speaking. 3 Ps to Make It Approachable - with Dana Robinson Slote
Dana Robinson Slote and I originally connected on LinkedIn, where I stumbled upon her work and was immediately excited about some of our similar passions. In getting to know her a bit and learning more about her strengths, I knew she would be a great fit for the show. She loves to talk about things many leaders dread, such as public speaking and managing up. I love a leader who brings simplicity to things that can be overwhelming, if not downright scary. Dana does just that. Dana brings more than two decades of experience in the political arena and the public sector to her work as a communications strategist. In her current role, she's responsible for advocacy communications in the External Affairs division for the country’s largest regional children’s hospital, serving four states and one million square miles. In prior positions, Dana served as the Director of Media Relations at the University of Washington and as the Director of Communications for the Seattle City Council and the Washington State Senate concurrently. Dana earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Western Washington University and a master’s degree in communication and organizational leadership from Gonzaga University. She’s also an affiliate faculty member at UW’s Communication Leadership program, a world traveler, and a two-time Ironman triathlete with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest. Listen in to hear Dana share: How her overlap of working in politics, public sector work, media relations, and being a two-time Ironman triathlete brought her to her current leadership role How to find opportunities in moments of massive inconvenience or disappointment How to create “fake stakes” as self-imposed deadlines for discipline and accountability Her belief that all speaking is public speaking and her 3 Ps to make public speaking more approachable How to manage up more effectively by asking strategic questions to open up conversations Links Mentioned: LI: Dana Robinson Slote, M.A. | LinkedIn Connect with Dana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danarobinsonslote1 [2 Spots Left] Join my Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- 4 weeks ago33 min
1006: 5 Ways Perimenopause and Menopause Can Affect How Women Lead | Leadership Stories
As I’ve talked about in past episodes about perimenopause and menopause (Episodes 924, 954, and 968), the transition from perimenopause to menopause took me down - HARD. Since navigating this journey myself, I’ve become hyperaware as clients start to share common difficulties at work that might also be connected to menopause (poor focus, forgetfulness, irritability, lack of patience, chronic fatigue, feeling “off,” feeling irrational (and maybe irate) for no particular reason, and more. Perimenopause and menopause can affect far more than how you feel physically. Changes in sleep, focus, memory, anxiety, and energy can influence how you communicate, make decisions, handle pressure, and show up in high-visibility leadership moments. For women who have always been known as highly capable, these changes can be unsettling. I’ve noticed that it’s pretty common that we clock this as evidence that we are losing our competence, confidence, or leadership edge - which could not be farther from the truth. It’s time to clear this up! In this episode, I’m exploring five specific ways perimenopause and menopause can affect how women lead. I’ll talk about changes in access to executive functioning skills, shaken confidence in high-stakes situations, a reduced tolerance for dysfunctional workplace norms, the invisible workload of privately managing a major physical transition, and the need to redefine sustainable leadership. If you’re navigating this transition and questioning your confidence, capacity, or next chapter, individual executive coaching can help you distinguish between what may be changing physically and what remains true about your experience, expertise, and leadership. Together, we can strengthen your boundaries, communication, decision-making, and leadership practices so you can continue growing without sacrificing your well-being. Coaching can complement appropriate medical care, but it does not replace evaluation or treatment from a qualified Healthcare professional. If I can support you during this season, please reach out! Links Mentioned: [2 Spots Left] Join my Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- Aug 18, 202630 min
1005: The Hidden Costs of Leaving Too Much Unsaid at Work | Leadership Mindset
What happens when too much goes unsaid at work? The conversations we avoid don’t simply disappear. Over time, unspoken concerns can become resentment, erode trust, and cause people to disengage from their colleagues and their work. Even when no one is openly arguing, unresolved tension can quietly shape how a team communicates, collaborates, and makes decisions. The long-term costs are even more significant - and frequently reflected in lost productivity, personnel, and revenue. In fact, in a Crucial Learnings study of 1,000 employees across various organizations and industries, 33% shared that leaving things unsaid at work cost their organization at least $25,000. Another 19% shared that leaving things unsaid at work cost their organization a staggering $50,000 or more. In this episode, I’m exploring the hidden emotional and organizational costs of leaving important things unsaid. We will examine why high-performing, “nice” teams can be especially prone to conflict avoidance, how much energy people expend working around unresolved issues, and how a daring conversation is very different from an aggressive confrontation. Daring conversations aren’t about being harsh or creating unnecessary conflict - they’re about addressing what matters with honesty, courage, curiosity, and respect - in order to work toward a common goal and shared vision. I also share a simple way to begin saying the thing that needs to be said, even if you don’t have the perfect words. If unresolved tension or avoided conversations are affecting your leadership or your team, this is work I support through executive coaching and customized leadership development for teams. Together, we can build the trust, communication skills, and shared practices needed to address hard things before they become costly problems. Links Mentioned: Early Bird Enrollment is open for my Aligned Leadership Incubator! Save $500 if you apply by June 30th: saradean.com/aligned Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- Aug 11, 202633 min
1004: 5 Change-Management Mistakes That Are Exhausting Your Team | Leadership Strategies
Change is inevitable and, these days, seemingly constant. The responsibility to manage change effectively is a large one that can weigh heavily on the shoulders of a conscientious leader. There are many ways to get it right and many ways to get it wrong when it comes to guiding your team or organization through change. What I see too often is leaders announcing a new direction, initiative, or process without helping employees understand the larger context (what I call “the why behind the what”), or recognizing and honoring the impact the change will have on the people closest to the work. When leaders aren’t intentional and strategic in leading change, employees can be left carrying confusion, frustration, and an ever-growing workload. Over time, the costs of poorly managed change can undermine trust and organizational integrity, resulting in anything from decreased morale to a mass exodus of high-performing employees. In this episode, I’m breaking down five common change-management mistakes that may be exhausting your team. I’ll talk about the key and critical difference between communicating change and managing change, what leaders miss when they underestimate the frontline experience, and why resistance isn’t necessarily a sign that employees are unwilling to adapt. Sometimes, what looks like resistance is actually a request for more information, more involvement, or more time to process what is being lost. I’ll also share how leaders can create more thoughtful and sustainable change by communicating the bigger “why,” involving employees earlier, making space for questions and grief, and honestly assessing the team’s capacity before introducing another initiative. If your organization is navigating ongoing change - or your employees seem increasingly disengaged, cynical, or depleted - this episode will help you lead the transition with greater clarity, empathy, and intention. Links Mentioned: Early Bird Enrollment is open for my Aligned Leadership Incubator! Save $500 if you apply by June 30th: saradean.com/aligned Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- Aug 4, 202626 min
1003: How to Better Position Your Top Strengths as Your Leadership Edge
While every leader I work with is deeply talented, many struggle to self-identify their own areas of excellence and what sets them apart. If we want to be strategic problem solvers, we need to know, identify, and share what sets us apart. In this episode, I'm sharing how to identify and then strategically position your leadership strengths in a way that allows them to become your greatest leadership edge. Whether you're pursuing career advancement, building executive presence, or simply wanting to have a bigger impact in your work, the way you talk about what you do matters just as much as what you do. I'll walk you through exercises I use with my coaching clients to uncover the expertise they're often overlooking. The skills you've practiced hundreds - or even thousands - of times are often the exact things someone else is struggling to learn. I'll help you identify your unique expertise, strengthen your personal leadership brand, and think differently about how your experience can support others. This episode provides real-life examples of how everyday experiences, from navigating difficult conversations and developing communication skills in the workplace to the work I’m doing with high schoolers in their first jobs to how my 13-year-old is positioning his skills on the baseball field. The goal isn't to sound impressive. It's to become more intentional about sharing what you know so you can increase your leadership visibility, grow your thought leadership, and create new opportunities and options for yourself moving forward. If you've ever dismissed your strengths because they "come naturally," this episode is your invitation to reconsider and shine a little brighter. I'll leave you with practical reflection questions to help you identify your strengths, clarify who needs to learn from you, and begin leveraging your expertise with more confidence. Thank you to our sponsor, Ironwall. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/SHAMELESS and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Links Mentioned: Enrollment is open for my Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire Sara to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with Sara: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
About 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 carry
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