Shameless Leadership

Sometimes the biggest obstacle holding you back in your work and leadership isn’t related to your skillset at all. It’s your mindset. When your mindset is your obstacle, there is usually a pretty straight line to your dissatisfaction, and perhaps even hopelessness. This isn’t an indication you’re doing anything wrong. You’re human. You’re probably tired and overwhelmed. You feel short on time, energy, and resources. You start questioning yourself. The pressure builds, the stakes feel higher, and suddenly the voice of doubt gets louder than the voice of truth.  In those moments, it’s easy for your mindset to become more harmful than helpful. In these moments, you need a mindset reset - an often subtle but powerful shift in how you’re thinking, interpreting, and responding to what’s in front of you. Mindset shifts are where your power lives because they change how you show up in real time. Your mindset informs your habits, behaviors, and thinking. Your mindset allows you to access clarity when things feel messy, confidence when fear is loud, and grounded leadership when everything around you feels uncertain. When hope or belief starts to waver, it’s not a sign to pull back; it’s an invitation to lead yourself differently.  The women who become the most powerful, steady, and trusted leaders aren’t the ones who avoid difficult moments; they’re the ones who learn how to think their way through them with intention. In this episode, I walk you through the top 5 mindset shifts powerful women leaders make when the going gets tough. These mindset resets will allow you to take back your power even when you may not have the control you want over a situation or outcomes. This is an invitation to help yourself before you wreck yourself and to consistently maintain the kind of thinking you need to KEEP GOING in sticky moments and seasons.  Links Mentioned: 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

Emotional intelligence is that thing that most people agree is important but few understand how to develop. It can feel tricky - and vulnerable. In this episode, I’m breaking down emotional intelligence skills in a highly practical way. Most leaders assume EQ means “stay calm” or “be nice,” but real emotional intelligence is far more active than that. It’s a set of tangible skills that help you build trust, create psychological safety, and navigate the inevitable tension that comes with people working together. I’m sharing five emotional intelligence skills that I see leaders skip all the time - not because they don’t care, but because no one ever taught them how to actually practice these skills in real moments. Listen in as I walk you through the difference between noticing emotions and naming them, suppressing reactions versus regulating them, and why reading the emotional undercurrent of a room matters just as much as managing the agenda. I share examples from my own leadership experiences, including moments when I’ve felt nervous before stepping on stage for a keynote and how I manage that in real time.  I also talk about two of the more challenging leadership skills: holding space without immediately trying to fix someone’s problem, and repairing ruptures when things don’t go the way you intended. People make mistakes. Conversations get messy. What builds real psychological safety isn’t avoiding those moments; it’s how you show up afterward. These five skills are simple and transformative. When leaders practice them consistently, teams feel safer, communication improves, and belonging becomes something people actually experience instead of something written in a company value statement. Emotional intelligence isn’t about perfection. It’s about recognizing and honoring what’s happening inside you and around you, and then choosing how to respond in a way that protects trust and connection. Links Mentioned: 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

Ambition looks different for every woman. In this episode, we dive into the questions ambitious women ask themselves to define success on their own terms. Whether you're navigating leadership challenges as a woman leader or redefining your personal growth journey, these self-reflection prompts will help you clarify what ambition means to you in this season and set goals that actually align with your current life. This is also a chance for you to identify who your ambition serves and whether or not your current ambition actually serves YOU or not. While women talk a lot about how to be ambitious, we don’t talk nearly enough about how to be ambitious in a way that feels personally aligned and sustainable. In this conversation, I unpack the quiet, powerful habits of ambitious women - the ones that often go unnoticed, such as intentionally turning down opportunities, strategic rest, and protecting your reputation over popularity.  If you suspect you might benefit from a stronger success mindset or ambition mindset without sacrificing your health, relationships, or integrity, this episode will give you practical reflection questions to guide your goal setting on your own terms. This is a chance for you to explore what it really means to define your ambition by your season of life, detach your worth from outcomes, and build a version of success that reflects who you are now and who you are becoming.  Links Mentioned: 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

What if your team isn’t getting along as well as you think?  What if… they’re just hiding? In this episode of Shameless Leadership, we’re talking about what your team might be hiding behind a facade of niceness and seemingly quiet contentment. When employees don’t feel psychological safety, they edit themselves, downplay ideas, avoid disagreement, and stay quiet in meetings. Silence gets mistaken for alignment. Politeness gets labeled as trust. But often, it’s fear. Fear-based compliance is one of the earliest warning signs of a toxic work environment. Psychological safety isn’t soft. It’s a measurable leadership skill and a foundational component of leadership development. When people don’t feel safe to challenge ideas, admit mistakes, or raise concerns, innovation slows, engagement drops, and diverse voices disappear first. The cost isn’t just emotional, it’s operational. If you care about performance, retention, and long-term results, psychological safety must be a strategic priority as you intentionally build out your team culture. In this episode, I share a simple 5-question Psychological Safety Audit you can run anonymously with your team to assess whether they are masking behind fear. The data may surprise you. Because masking doesn’t always look dramatic - it often looks like professionalism, harmony, and “everyone gets along great”. But underneath that surface, your culture may be training people to stay small, even if inadvertently. If you want to strengthen psychological safety and prevent a toxic work environment, you must lower the social cost of honesty. That means rewarding thoughtful dissent, staying regulated when challenged, and modeling curiosity instead of defensiveness. Your reactions shape your team culture more than the values on your wall. If people are masking, it’s not a performance problem. It’s a leadership opportunity for you to solve. Links Mentioned: Shameless Leadership Episode 930: The Hidden Costs of Women Masking at Work TED Talk: Dare To Disagree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY_kd46RfVE 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

I was recently given the opportunity to step into some volunteer work at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Seattle. While I suspected I would find this work meaningful and enjoyable, I didn’t expect to be so overwhelmingly impressed with every aspect of the Cristo Rey mission and how their work is setting up students to be incredible leaders from such a young age.  As this work has quickly become very near and dear to my heart, I thought it would be fun to have a different kind of leadership conversation here on the show.  I asked Katie Seltzer, the Vice President of Corporate Work Study at Cristo Rey, to join me.   Katie Seltzer leads the expansion of Cristo Rey’s signature (and truly exceptional) Corporate Work Study Program. In her role, Katie nurtures strategic partnerships with employers, ensuring students gain meaningful, real-world professional experience while earning toward the cost of their education. She is committed to preparing students from limited economic means for success in college and career through intentional mentorship, professional development, and high-expectation work placements.  Katie’s journey with Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle began as Feasibility Study Director, helping assess and mobilize support for the school’s launch in Seattle. In 2022, she relocated to Seattle to lead the foundational work of opening the new Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, collaborating with volunteers, donors, business leaders, families, and community leaders to bring the mission to open its doors in 2024. She holds a Master's degree from both Harvard Divinity School and Harvard’s Graduate School. Originally from the East Coast, she calls Queen Anne home now with her husband and six-year-old son. Listen in to hear Katie share: How she connects her family’s three generations of educational values to her work, impact, and service today Her commitment to expanding equitable outcomes and what that looks like in action in her current VP role Cristo Rey’s unique educational model built on service, mentorship, and sponsorship What it looks like when work and leadership opportunities are integrated into high school education programming The significance of providing a culture of belonging in Fortune 500 companies for young people who commonly face barriers to belonging A systems thinking approach to leadership legacy that layers youth leadership, educational leadership, and organizational leadership The power of dismantling systemic barriers to provide opportunity and advancement in your community and workplaces Links Mentioned: Watch the Cristo Rey Draft Day 2025 video: https://www.cristoreyseattle.org/corporate-work-study/cws-draft-day-2025 Learn more about Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle: cristoreyseattle.org Learn more about the Cristo Rey Network: cristoreynetwork.org Connect with Katie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-seltzer 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

Perhaps we need to stop celebrating resilience. Because we may actually be celebrating toxic resilience. Hear me out. In the corporate world, telling a woman she is resilient is often just a polite way of saying, “We are going to give you an impossible workload, broken systems, and no support… and we expect you to smile through it.”  In fact, if you’re complimenting my resilience, I may question if you were complicit in building and upholding the systems that made my resilience mandatory when yours was not.  Somewhere along the way, resilience became high praise for women in leadership. But too often it’s code for “Figure it out, we’re not going to fix this.” Women are expected to absorb dysfunction, manage emotional labor, navigate bias, and hold everything together without complaint. When resilience becomes a requirement instead of a choice, it stops being empowering and starts being extractive. The truth is, many women develop extraordinary resilience not because they lack capability, but because they are operating inside systems that demand more from them than from their male counterparts. They are expected to be competent but warm, assertive but not threatening, and ambitious but endlessly accommodating. So they adapt. They endure. They carry. And then they’re praised for how well they survive conditions that were never equitable to begin with. But endurance is not the same as leadership strength.  Endurance drains creativity, dulls voice, and quietly normalizes what should actually be challenged. Resilience is an important skill, but it should not be constantly taxed. Real leadership isn’t about how much you can tolerate - it’s about what you’re willing to transform. Instead of asking women to be more resilient, we should be asking why the system requires so much resilience in the first place. Sustainable leadership includes boundaries, advocacy, and the courage to disrupt what isn’t working. Sometimes the most powerful move a woman can make isn’t proving she can handle it. It’s refusing to carry what was never hers to hold. Links Mentioned: 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

How often do you take action in a way that makes you think, “This is going to get me where I want to go!” My guess is that you’re not taking these kinds of strategic action steps often enough, AND you’re probably taking many other action steps each day that are not helping advance your career growth.  In fact, you may be stuck in a vicious (exhausting?!) cycle of over-giving, over-producing, and over-proving yourself without any long-term benefit to your career.   In this episode, I’m sharing five leadership skills that truly accelerate women’s careers - not in a hustle-harder, fix-yourself way - but in a grounded, strategic, and sustainable way. Too often, women are given vague advice like “just be more confident” or “speak up more,” without being taught the actual skills that create visibility, influence, and momentum. This episode is about naming the skills that actually move the needle in your career advancement and then making them actionable.  This is especially for women who are doing great work and still feel stuck or overlooked. I walk through five specific skills that I’ve seen make a real difference over and over again: strategic self-advocacy, clear and confident communication (especially in high-stakes moments), intentional relationship-building, navigating power and bias without losing yourself, and setting boundaries that protect both your energy and your credibility. I talk honestly about the traps women are often socialized into, such as self-sacrificing, waiting to be noticed, staying quiet to stay “likable,” and how these skills help you move out of those patterns without becoming someone you’re not. This conversation is for women at any stage of their career who want to lead with more intention, influence, and ease. My hope is that as you listen, you’ll identify one skill that feels especially relevant right now - one lever you can pull that creates momentum instead of burnout. Leadership isn’t about perfection or a dazzling personality; it’s about practicing the skills that help you be seen, heard, and valued for the leader you already are, so that when the right opportunity opens up, you are well-positioned to step right into it. Links Mentioned: 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

When the world feels heavy and chaotic, I hear the same question from leaders over and over again: “What do I say?” In this episode, I talk about why that question matters and why saying nothing can be just as harmful as saying the wrong thing. When the people we lead are overwhelmed, grieving, angry, or exhausted, pretending it’s business as usual erodes trust and undermines our integrity as leaders. You don’t need perfect words or a polished message, but you do need the willingness to name the moment and lead with humility and humanity. What people truly need right now is trust, transparency, connection, and a sense of meaning in their work. This episode offers examples of what leaders can say to help people feel seen, supported, and safe, while still moving forward with compassion and grace. I share practical language leaders can use during tough days, weeks, or seasons - words that honor the moment without asking people to perform or explain their pain. These are ways you can acknowledge the reality of the moment without having to do a deep dive into sensitive topics.   I also name what inclusive leadership requires beyond empathy. Trauma and systemic harm are not new for many people, and leaders need to be mindful not to center their own shock or selectively extend compassion. This conversation is an invitation to recognize privilege and power, elevate Black and brown voices and experiences, and act with integrity when neutrality could erode trust and integrity. Rest assured, you don’t need to be an expert on the issues at the center of global politics.  You don’t need to be a therapist.  You just need to show up as a human who demonstrates awareness and compassion.  Sometimes the most powerful thing a leader can say is simply: I see this. I see you. You are not alone. Links Mentioned: 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

“Work that is meaningful has the power to change not just what we do, but who we become.” Gloria Steinem Meaningful work isn’t just about what you do for a living—it’s about how your values, strengths, and sense of purpose show up in the world. Meaningful work is where your strengths, values, and actions intersect to drive a sense of purpose.  In this episode, I explore why meaningful work matters so deeply, especially for leaders and high achievers who look successful on paper but feel disconnected on the inside. I talk about how meaning sustains us through hard seasons, protects us from burnout, and helps us stay grounded in who we are rather than chasing external validation. I also unpack a misconception I see all the time: that your job should meet all of your meaning needs. That belief can create unnecessary pressure and disappointment. Meaningful work can live inside your workplace, but it can also exist outside of it through mentoring, service, creativity, advocacy, and leadership in your community. I share how anchoring meaning in values and strengths, rather than titles, opens up far more possibilities for fulfillment and impact. This episode also provides simple, practical ways to do more meaningful work right now, without quitting your job or blowing up your life. We talk about redefining work, creating micro-purpose moments, and giving yourself permission to diversify where purpose comes from. If you’ve been craving more depth, alignment, or impact in how you spend your time and energy, this episode will help you reconnect with what actually matters - and take your next meaningful step. Links Mentioned: Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network: https://waisn.org/ Become a Rapid Responder (next virtual training 2/6/26): https://waisn.org/events/ Create a neighborhood Whistle Brigade and other action steps: https://seattleindivisible.com/support-immigrant/ [Open Enrollment] Join Sara’s 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

Leadership in 2026 is asking more of us. But, not necessarily in volume, output, or productivity.  It’s asking more from us in terms of depth, awareness, nuance, and intentionality.  The old leadership rules simply aren’t holding anymore - which is a good thing! In this episode, I break down six leadership trends I’m seeing shift in real time and what they mean for how we communicate, build trust, measure success, and lead humans through complexity and change. Shift 1: Control >>> Adaptability: Leadership power is shifting from control to adaptability, where flexibility, responsiveness, and calm under constant change matter more than rigid authority. Shift 2: Output-Focused >>> Wellbeing-Centered: Burnout leadership is giving way to sustainable leadership, where boundaries, emotional regulation, and long-term stamina are performance indicators, calling leaders to separate self-worth from output and productivity. Shift 3: Information Hoarding >>> Transparent Communication: Trust now depends on transparent communication, where leaders openly share what they know, name what they don’t, and commit to frequent and consistent communication rather than gatekeeping. Shift 4: Information Access Point >>> Insight Provider: With AI at our fingertips, leaders are valued less for sharing information and facts that people can find on their own and more for providing insight by connecting dots, adding nuance, and offering a unique point of view. Shift 5: Individual Achievement >>> Collective Wins: Leadership success is moving from individual advancement to collective wins, where authority is shared, responsibility is distributed, and progress and success are measured by how people rise together. Shift 6: Skill-Based Presence >>> Identity-Aware Influence: Leaders are increasingly expected to lead with identity awareness, cultural humility, and equity literacy, shifting the focus from representation to true belonging, trust, and psychological safety. These shifts aren’t about becoming a “better” leader in the traditional sense.  They’re about becoming a more honest, adaptive, authentic, and human one. In 2026, the leaders who will have the greatest impact are those willing to let go of outdated metrics and practices, lead with clarity and care, and create environments where people don’t just perform, but actually belong, grow, and stay. Links Mentioned: 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

Leadership visibility sounds empowering, even exciting… until you’re the one being seen. In this episode, I’m talking about why stepping into new levels of visibility so often triggers discomfort, imposter syndrome, and a very loud inner critic, especially for women and others who were never encouraged to take up space or were judged for doing so in the past. I share a recent conversation with a friend facing a visibility opportunity and how it sparked a deeper reflection on why being seen can feel risky even when we know our work matters. I unpack what actually happens when your leadership expands beyond your comfort zone and opens the door to judgment, assumptions, people unfollowing or quietly pulling away - and why none of that means you’re doing it wrong. I offer a reframe I come back to often: those who judge are rarely in the arena with you. Those who are not in the arena are not entitled to live in your head rent-free.  Visibility brings up emotions in others, but their reactions are not your responsibility. Your responsibility is your mission, your values, and the people who are helped because you chose not to stay quiet. This episode is an invitation to think differently about visibility, not as self-promotion, but as service. I’ll walk you through questions to anchor yourself when discomfort shows up, including who your visibility helps, what’s at stake when you’re seen, and how being visible challenges the status quo and expands what’s possible for others. If you’ve been feeling the pull to step into a brighter spotlight in 2026 but the urge to avoid discomfort feels just as strong, this conversation is for you. Links Mentioned: [Open Enrollment] Join Sara’s 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 Book: Daring Greatly by Brene Brown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Lean In and McKinsey & Company Women in the Workplace 2025 report claims that, for the first time, women are less likely than men to want a promotion, stating that 80% of women want to be promoted to the next level, compared to 86% of men.  They label this development an “ambition gap”, stating that women are currently less ambitious than men.  This label is wildly inaccurate, deeply offensive, and grossly irresponsible. Calling these findings an “ambition gap” is strategic reframing that places blame back on women, per usual, while letting broken systems (and the power players who uphold them) off the hook.  When powerful institutions confuse correlation with causation and misdiagnose the problem like this, women pay the price. Again. These kinds of reports shape policy, leadership decisions, funding priorities, and how women are talked about at work. This label is not ok.  It is harmful. The report assumes ambition is singular and linear, defined by traditional corporate ascent, and treats women’s slower advancement or disengagement as a personal failure instead of a rational response to inequitable systems and poor resource allocation. Most critically, the report ignores caregiving realities entirely.  You cannot meaningfully analyze women’s ambition in 2025 without examining care infrastructures - or lack thereof.  Choosing to ignore this is a distortion of reality.  In other words, this is gaslighting.  In this episode, I highlight other voices and data that were conveniently ignored.  This counter data shows us what we already know - women are more ambitious than ever.  Rather than seeking out a deeper understanding of the data, Lean In and McKinsey opted to report dirty diagnostics.  What we know about data analysis is that to get to the real why, you have to dig deeper, think critically, and ask crucial questions of the actual people impacted.  This didn’t happen with this reporting. When you actually talk to women, the situation is clear.  We are no longer willing to self-abandon inside systems that refuse to evolve. We know that to get to the reported 80%, we were required to work exponentially harder with fewer resources.  This is proof of our ambition, resilience, and talent, not lack thereof. The headline is not about an ambition gap.  The headline is that women are growing, evolving, and working smarter while institutions largely are not. In reality, what we are seeing is an institutional gap, a patriarchal gap, and a systems gap.  The bottom line is this… If we want to truly understand the evolution of women’s ambition, we need to start by examining the systems that punish it. Links Mentioned: Lean In and McKinsey & Company Women in the Workplace 2025: https://leanin.org/women-in-the-workplace Blessing Adesiyan on the Care Gap:https://thecaregap.substack.com/ More about Blessing Adesiyan: https://blessingadesiyan.com/ Chief and Harris Poll Data on Women’s Ambition: https://chief.com/articles/calling-bs-on-the-myth-of-womens-fading-ambition [Open Enrollment] Join Sara’s 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

In early 2025, my dear friend Jennifer started telling me about how she was preparing for her youngest child to leave for college.  She was celebrating this parenting milestone while also preparing for the grief.  Simultaneously, she was watching her father’s health deteriorate.  She knew 2025 would be a year of massive change.  And, it most certainly was.  I had the opportunity to connect with Jennifer throughout the year, and when she felt ready, I was honored to invite her to the show to discuss the overlap of life, grief, work, and the magical opportunities that arise for midlife women.   Professionally, Jennifer R. Hudson is an award-winning communications leader with more than 25 years of experience helping organizations strengthen and grow their brands through strategic, effective communication. She has led communications programs, facilitated workshops, launched businesses, and secured high-impact media coverage for both corporations and nonprofits. Before founding ThinkBeyond Public Relations, Jennifer served as Vice President of Communications at British Airways, overseeing internal and external communications across 18 markets, and held senior communications roles at Sabre and American Airlines, where she was a Spanish-speaking spokesperson. Jennifer is an accredited public relations professional (APR), a certified mentor and coach supporting entrepreneurs and social impact leaders, and a past president of PRSA Greater Fort Lauderdale. She was named PRSA Greater Fort Lauderdale’s 2024 Communicator of the Year.  Most notably, Jennifer is the proud mom of two grown children who still love coming home to visit their mom on a regular basis.  Listen in to hear Jennifer share: The difference between mentally preparing for change, loss, and grief and actually enduring them How navigating change and life transitions has improved her leadership focus and personal and professional goals Practices that help leaders stay centered and purposeful when personal life changes collide with professional responsibilities The unique opportunities that come out of hard seasons to create new and transformational experiences How vulnerability builds leadership trust and perfectionism erodes it The importance of giving yourself time to reflect on 2025, release what needs to be released, and claim what you want to own and carry forward from 2025 The PR framework leaders can use to sustain visibility and consistency in their communications without burning out or losing themselves in the process Links: Learn more about Jennifer and ThinkBeyond: wethinkbeyond.com Reach out to Jennifer: jen@wethinkbeyond.com  Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenrhudson/ Connect with Jennifer on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thinkbeyondpr/ [Open Enrollment] Join Sara’s 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

As we head into a new year, I’m just as focused on breaking rules as I am on setting goals. In this episode, I share six leadership “rules” most of us have followed for years that I’m consciously unlearning as I step into 2026. These are the quiet, normalized rules that fuel burnout, decision fatigue, over-functioning, and self-silencing - especially for women and especially in midlife. This episode is both a reflection and an invitation to question the rules you’ve inherited, absorbed, or outgrown, and to decide what actually serves the person you are choosing to become as you step into a new year. I walk through productivity rules that say more output equals more value, and share why I’m shifting toward tracking energy instead of hours, creating more white space, and protecting time for thinking and breathing (I’m really bad at breathing). I unpack confidence rules like needing to “feel confident” before speaking up and the belief that strong leaders shouldn’t show doubt. We also dig into communication rules that tell women to soften their message to keep others comfortable, and visibility rules that limit us to who people think we’ve been rather than who we are becoming.  Finally, I challenge the midlife career rules that say you should have it all figured out by now and legacy rules that tell us impact only “counts” if it’s big, visible, or measurable. The truth is that midlife can absolutely feel like expansion, not a plateau.   For the next year, I’m focused on my 2026 legacy rather than a lifetime headline.  I’m doing this by doubling down on upholding my values, challenging myself, making meaning, and defining success on my own terms. As you listen, I invite you to reflect on this question: “In 2026, I’m breaking the rule that says ______.” Links Mentioned: [Dec 9th and Jan 8th] Shameless Rising: a 2-part workshop series to release the noise, reclaim your voice, and reignite your vision in 2026: saradean.com/rising [Open Enrollment] Join Sara’s Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire me to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with me: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with me 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

There is no denying that 2025 has been a doozy for women and anyone carrying a marginalized identity.  AND… I’m seeing midlife women step into a completely new season of power, clarity, and momentum. We are the backbone of everything strong and sustainable, including our companies, our communities, and our families. For decades, we've been the stabilizers, culture shapers/shifters/carriers, and trust-builders, and now organizations and society are finally waking up to the value of lived experience, emotional intelligence, and the quiet leadership skills we’ve built while carrying so much.  There is a growing recognition that our wisdom isn’t just nice to have, it’s our essential secret sauce, what sets us apart, what gives us undeniable collective power, and what is critically needed in workplaces, community organizations, and all sectors of government. We are also seeing a movement in reinvention. Mid-life women are moving up, out, around, and into what actually fits. We’re starting businesses, staking a claim, demanding appreciation, and refusing to shrink or settle. This is happening while we’re in the middle of a full-blown Health Revolution. We are normalizing perimenopause and menopause care, nervous-system support, rest, play, and renegotiating the division of caregiving labor in all environments. We’re leading this shift, no longer just whispering about it in the shadows, and it’s changing how we work, lead, and live.  And maybe the most powerful shift of all? Our confidence is starting to come from authenticity over performance. We’re tired of proving, perfecting, and pleasing. Showing up real, grounded, values-led, a little quirky, and deeply human is becoming the new leadership standard women are setting for ALL. We’re reframing our struggles as strengths—whether that’s caregiving experience, neurodivergence, or navigating perimenopause. This matters because there is real momentum available to us if we pay attention.  This episode will inspire you to think differently about your power, take bold action, and ask yourself a few critical questions to inform your 2026 decision-making. Links Mentioned: [Open Enrollment] Join Sara’s Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire me to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with me: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with me 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

I love having mentors.  Watching and learning as others navigate the world is one of my superpowers.  Sometimes I feel like a spy as I closely and quietly observe the behavior of others and think, “Oh, I want to be more like THAT.”  Because I love learning and growing personally and professionally, I have hired many mentors and coaches over the years - paying well over 6 figures to learn how to improve many aspects of my life.   However, some of the most important mentorships I’ve benefited from have been totally free and come from unlikely relationships.  In this episode, I talk about the mentorship I’ve received from one of my sisters-in-law.  On paper, our lives are wildly different.  We were born in different generations, have had very different career paths, and many different interests.  However, there is an overlap in some of our most important core values that has always made it feel like she just gets me.  That said, she approaches life with a quiet wisdom and deep curiosity that I don’t have (yet).  I pay close attention to how she asks questions, how she listens with her head and her heart, how she speaks with compassion, and how she is never afraid to learn or try something new.  I’m curious for you, who are the people you already have proximity to who might be your greatest teachers, even though they lead a very different life than you?  And, what might happen if you were to identify and adopt some of their greatest strengths as your next stepping stones of growth?  Listen in to learn how to find and learn from these kinds of unlikely mentors in your life.  Links Mentioned: [Open Enrollment] Join Sara’s Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire me to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with me: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with me 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

When I learned of Lauren Tetenbaum’s work around workplace menopause advocacy, I knew I wanted her to come on the show.  Talking about menopause at work is long overdue.  When there is something that directly impacts 50% of our population, 100% of us are impacted in some way.  We need to be talking about menopause at work.  Period.  Lauren Tetenbaum, LCSW, JD, PMH-C is a licensed clinical social worker, women's rights advocate, writer, and mom dedicated to supporting and empowering women through life transitions. With experience as both a lawyer and a psychotherapist, Lauren specializes in counseling women navigating identity shifts related to motherhood, career, and reproductive health. Lauren frequently contributes thought leadership to media and professional organizations; she is the author of the 2025 book Millennial Menopause: Preparing for Perimenopause, Menopause, and Life's Next Period.  Listen in to hear Lauren share: Why reproductive healthcare is a workplace issue The perimenopause/menopause symptoms that impact women at work Accommodations workplaces can make that support women in perimenopause/menopause (that benefit others too!) Benefits that workplaces can easily add to improve healthcare access for midlife women When and how to prepare for perimenopause instead of waiting for it to “hit you” in a way that profoundly impacts your life The costs we are seeing for employers who are choosing to NOT address menopause in the workplace How men can advocate for menopause friendly policies, education, and accommodations in the workplace Links Mentioned:  Connect with Lauren: millennialmenopause.com Get Lauren’s book: Millennial Menopause Lauren on IG: @thecounselaur: https://www.instagram.com/thecounselaur/ Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenatetenbaum/ Organization: Let’s Talk Menopause Organization: The Menopause Society [Dec 9th and Jan 8th] Shameless Rising: a 2-part workshop series to release the noise, reclaim your voice, and reignite your vision in 2026: saradean.com/rising [Open Enrollment] Join Sara’s Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire me to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with me: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with me 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

I recorded this episode on the eve of my 50th birthday.  I’m writing this show description at 6:23am on the morning of my 50th birthday.  50 feels weird.  Maybe because for the first 48ish years of my life, it felt one million years away.  Then, suddenly it’s just… here…  For the past few months, people have been asking me what I plan to do to celebrate this monumental birthday and it’s felt overwhelming to decide on one thing.  I feel this pressure to make the BEST choice because I’ll always remember whatever I choose.  Therefore, it must be super special and memorable.  That’s just too much pressure.  To date, I’ve made no decisions.  I don’t know how I’m celebrating. I guess I’ll have to keep you posted in that arena.   Instead of making the perfect birthday plan, I’ve been thinking about what 50 means.  I have a few thoughts about this milestone and the apparent wisdom everyone says women unlock at this age.  In fact, I was sitting with a multigenerational group of people last week and laughing about how at every new age milestone (20, 30, 40, 50, etc.) we think we “finally” have it all figured out.  However, I think the older I get, the more I realize there is so much more to still figure out.  That actually feels really exciting.  In this episode, I’m sharing 5 things I’ve figured out so far.  But, honestly, I’m so excited to uncover so many new learnings in the years and decades to come!  Today, I’ll share the major lesson my 13-year-old keeps reminding me (that is as profound as 6-7), how I’m embracing messiness and the “worst” parts of myself, what I’m protecting most, and where I’m mining for magic.   THANK YOU to you for listening to the show and being a significant part of my life.  10 years ago, on the morning of turning 40, I had no idea I would launch a podcast that would be approaching 10 years and 1,000 episodes.  In fact, at this time 10 years ago, I was just starting to think about, “maybe I’ll do a podcast… someday….”  It’s an honor to be in your ear.  Thank you for listening, sharing, and making my work feel meaningful.  Meaningful work has always been and always will be one of the very best parts of my life.  I couldn’t do it without you.  Links Mentioned: Join me for Shameless Rising, a 2-part workshop series to release the noise, reclaim your voice, and reignite your vision in 2026: saradean.com/rising [OPEN ENROLLMENT] Join Sara’s Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned Hire me to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with me: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with me 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

In this episode, I’m exposing the Authenticity Trap for you.  The Authenticity Trap is the mixed messages women get about “being themselves.” We’re told authenticity is the key to trust, confidence, and influence, yet many of us were conditioned to 1) think we need to lead like men if we want to make it to the top to serve, and 2) constantly abandon our own needs and wants to center and care for those around us. That means when we try to show up authentically, we often bump up against years of social conditioning that taught us to prioritize likability over authenticity. The authenticity trap is what happens when the call to “be yourself” collides with systems and expectations that were never designed to make room for your full, real self. In this episode, I unpack why so many women struggle with authenticity in leadership.  It’s not because we lack confidence or clarity, but because we’ve learned to perform leadership instead of embodying it in a way that is true to who we are. We’ve been rewarded for being agreeable, accommodating, and endlessly capable, even when that performance costs us energy, boundaries, and joy. The result of the Authenticity Trap is burnout, disconnection, and missed opportunities to share your best self with the world.  Of course, I’m not going to leave you hanging without an action plan.  We will dig into simple ways to begin reclaiming your authenticity as a daily leadership practice. We’ll talk about getting clear on your values and boundaries, noticing when you’re performing versus connecting, and experimenting with small, brave acts of honesty and self-expression. My hope is that you walk away knowing that authenticity isn’t a luxury or a buzzword.  It’s a muscle that, when strengthened, allows you to tap into who you truly are when you disconnect from all the noise around you. When you strengthen this muscle and step out of the Authenticity Trap, you not only lead with more joy, ease, and impact — you also give everyone around you permission to do the same. Links Mentioned: [NOVEMBER 20th] Join my 90-minute Leadership Roundtable, Thriving in Leadership in Uncertain Times: saradean.com/roundtable [LISTENER SURVEY] Let me know what Programs & Events you want me to host in 2026: saradean.com/survey Hire me to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with me: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with me 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

I was thrilled when I learned that past podcast guest Jessica Frew wrote an entire book on decision-making.  Decision fatigue is real and so very exhausting.  It holds us back from taking action, best leveraging our time and energy, and truly trusting ourselves.  Jessica is a firecracker and I know this conversation will give you some great AHA’s about becoming a more decisive person.   Jessica Frew is an author, speaker, coach, wife, ex-wife, mom, stepmom, and BOLD action taker.  She believes that you find true peace, connection and confidence by making your next best decision.  Jessica helps you make clear, confident, and concise decisions to lead a BOLD life that is in alignment with who you were created to be while leaving behind overthinking, people pleasing, and the need to justify your decisions through her proven Be.Be.Be Decision Making Formula.  Her new book, Shove Your Shoulds: Become a Decision-Making Badass & Live the Life You Deserve is all about unlearning the decision-making patterns we were taught (especially as women, mothers, and leaders) and embracing choices that actually feel aligned. Listen in to hear Jessica share: The power in giving yourself permission to evolve yourself and your work over time How your “shoulds” quietly hijack your decision-making and breed negative self-judgment How her narrative around being a stepmom held her back and how she unpacked this old narrative to write a new, better one How to unravel long-term narratives that keep us stuck and how writing your own narratives elevates you as a leader Why women hold so much fear around decisiveness The connection between indecision and fear and how to reclaim your power by embracing decisiveness The actual (simple) steps you can take in releasing an old narrative that is no longer serving you or possibly even harming you Links Mentioned: Get Jessica’s Book, Shove Your Shoulds: https://shoveyourshoulds.com/ Follow Jessica on IG: https://www.instagram.com/heyjessicafrew/ [NOVEMBER 20th] Join my 90-minute Leadership Roundtable, Thriving in Leadership in Uncertain Times: saradean.com/roundtable [OPEN ENROLLMENT] Join Sara’s Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned [LISTENER SURVEY] Let me know what Programs & Events you want me to host in 2026: saradean.com/survey Hire me to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with me: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with me 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