Burn The Rules with Chet Hirani

They called it a quick chat.Marisa Kamall was on maternity leave. Still recovering from pneumonia that had nearly killed her. Her newborn was in the next room. And HSBC the company she'd given 15 years to, the one where she'd grown from analyst to Managing Director, leading teams of thousands across four continents called to restructure her role. Over Zoom.When she cried, her manager said: 'I didn't think you'd react like this.'That moment taught her something that no performance review, no promotion, and no amount of over-delivering ever would: no company will care about your career the way you do. The system wasn't built to make room for her. And the life she has now GAIA, the leadership community, the coaching, the mission only exists because she stopped waiting for it to.This is one of the most honest conversations we've had on Burn The Rules.Chapters00:00 — Welcome + Marisa’s journey into the conversation04:05 — The inside reality of corporate success10:10 — Why Gaia exists and the mission behind it20:43 — The “quick chat” call that changed everything26:02 — Rebuilding identity, confidence, and leadership after corporate31:48 — Stop rehearsing the person you think you should be38:08 — What it really means to lead from within42:55 — The triple hit: motherhood, illness, and restructuring47:07 — Fitness, discipline, and regulating mind, body, and soul57:13 — Why the system doesn’t make room for you58:48 — How Gaia grew from an idea into a real community64:29 — ChatGP She and women shaping the AI era68:12 — The questions every leader should ask themselves69:09 — Ten and Done quickfire round72:35 — Who Gaia is for + how to connect73:54 — Final message: speak up and take care of yourselfConnect with Marisa:LinkedInGAIA: www.GaiaRises.comFor more information about me go to: chethirani.comGet my 2 x Award Winning Bestselling book:Burn The Rules HereConnect, Follow & Subscribe:LinkedInYoutubeInstagramFacebookTikTok

How many of your decisions this week were shaped by what you actually believe and how many were shaped by what you wanted other people to think of you?This is the most camouflaged leadership trap I know. It doesn't look like weakness. It looks like being collaborative. Like being emotionally intelligent. Like being a good person. But it's approval-seeking and it's costing you more than you know.And for the first time in the series, it doesn't just diagnose. It shows you a way through.I share my parents' story a love marriage that cost them everything the community approved of, and gave them everything that actually mattered. And a 2012 workshop that fell apart completely and taught me the most important thing I know about what happens when you finally drop the mask.The version of you that stops trying to be liked is the version that finally starts to lead.Chapters00:00 Introduction: The leadership trap of approval seeking02:54 How approval seeking manifests in leadership behaviors04:48 The story of the speaker's parents and leadership values08:21 The importance of authenticity and dropping the mask10:14 Action steps to overcome approval seeking in leadership14:51 Redefining Leadership15:20 The Practice of LeadershipMore on me:Take the Pressure Pattern CheckFor more information about me go to: chethirani.comGet my Award Winning Bestselling book:Burn The Rules HereConnect, Follow & Subscribe:LinkedInYoutubeInstagramFacebookTikTok

Most high-performing leaders spend years building a life that looks exactly like success is supposed to look. The title. The salary. The house. The holidays. The family photo that belongs on the front of a magazine.Deepika Sandhu had all of it. And she still felt profoundly, quietly empty.So she did something that almost nobody does. She scheduled her own breakdown. Put it in her calendar. Showed up for it. And in the space that created the slowing down, the silence, the sitting with herself she found the clarity that 25 years of relentless performance had never given her.Today, Deepika is the founder of Soul Sparks Press North America's fastest growing publishing house, built to over 106 authors in 21 months. She's a six-time award-winning bestselling author, CEO of the Year at the Unicorn Summit, and someone who now describes her life not by what it looks like but by how it feels.This conversation is between two people who are genuinely inside each other's worlds. Which is exactly why it goes to places most podcast conversations don't.Chapters00:00 The Pressure of Silicon Valley Leadership04:45 Transitioning from Corporate to SoulSparks Press07:41 Redefining Success and Impact10:26 The Journey of Self-Discovery13:07 The Power of Scheduled Breakdowns15:51 Dismantling Old Beliefs18:45 Taking Risks and Embracing Entrepreneurship21:48 Managing Pressure and Doubt24:24 The Importance of Support and Community27:11 Flow vs. Deadlines in Creativity30:01 The Evolution of Self and Business32:56 Navigating Pressure Moments35:42 Overcoming Doubt and Inner Critic39:38 Trusting the Process45:44 Owning Your Choices50:36 Lessons from Life Transitions56:24 Finding Your Authentic Voice59:31 The Power of Storytelling01:10:29 Redefining Leadership01:10:57 The Practice of LeadershipConnect with Deepika:InstagramSoul Sparks Press on InstagramSoul Sparks Press WebsiteMore on me:Take the Pressure Pattern CheckFor more information about me go to: chethirani.comGet my Award Winning Bestselling book:Burn The Rules HereConnect, Follow & Subscribe:LinkedInYoutubeInstagramFacebookTikTok

The return-to-office debate has nothing to do with culture, collaboration, or productivity. It has everything to do with control. And the leaders mandating it mostly can't tell you why beyond 'we need people back in the building.'But before the remote work crowd starts cheering this episode comes for you too. Because flexibility isn't automatically freedom. And a green dot on Slack isn't the same as doing your best work.The real problem isn't where people sit. It's whether your leaders can actually lead regardless of where anyone is.If that question makes you uncomfortable, this episode is for you.Chapters00:00 The Real Debate Behind Return to Office02:53 The Leadership Quality Problem05:41 Key Factors for Team Success08:30 Building Trust and ConnectionMore on me:Take the Pressure Pattern CheckFor more information about me go to: chethirani.comGet my Award Winning Bestselling book:Burn The Rules HereConnect, Follow & Subscribe:LinkedInYoutubeInstagramFacebookTikTok#BurnTheRules #LeadFromWithin #ReturnToOffice #RTO #RemoteWork #Leadership #HybridWork #ExecutiveLeadership #Podcast #OrganisationalCulture #Trust

Most high performers aren't stuck because they're not good enough. They're stuck because they've outgrown the version of themselves that got them there. And the system keeps rewarding the old version.Anam Irfan has spent 16 years inside the GCC's most complex organisations leading HR for 37,000 people at Majid Al Futtaim, shaping AI hiring as CPO at Bytespark, and now advising leaders and talent on how to navigate the market and build real pull.In this conversation, she says the things the HR world usually keeps quiet: that great talent doesn't always rise on merit, that the traditional hiring funnel is a trap, and that AI isn't coming for leaders who think it's coming for the ones who were never really leading.▶ IN THIS EPISODEWhy great talent doesn't always rise on merit and the two things that actually determine who gets promoted in the GCCAccess mapping: Anam's methodology for navigating career growth from 'what jobs are available' to 'who are the decision-makers and how do I get in front of them'The expat pressure nobody talks about and why it changes how people behave at work in ways that don't serve themThe worst thing you can do for your CV and what a top recruiter actually wants to see insteadHow AI has changed what gets you noticed and what gets you filtered out before a human ever sees your nameWhat high performers need to unlearn and why the system rewarding your current behaviour is the exact thing holding you backWhy vulnerability was the skill she learned last and what finally changed when she stopped needing to have all the answersConnect with Anam: LinkedInChapters:00:00 - Introduction and Personal Updates03:37 - Navigating Career Growth in the GCC05:55 - The Importance of Relationship Building08:49 - Challenges of Expat Life in the GCC11:27 - Career Transitions and Personal Growth14:03 - The Role of AI in Recruitment16:34 - Visibility and Access in Career Advancement19:09 - Leadership in the Age of AI22:01 - Strategies for Career Growth24:44 - Networking and Relationship Building27:04 - The Value of a Strong CV31:01 - Crafting a Standout CV36:07 - The Importance of Visibility and Communication39:26 - Navigating High-Stakes Decisions with Empathy43:42 - Embracing Vulnerability in Leadership50:56 - Leveraging AI in the Hiring Process54:47 - Taking Action: Building Your Personal Brand01:01:19 - Redefining Leadership01:01:47 - The Practice of LeadershipMore on me:Take the Pressure Pattern CheckFor more information about me go to: chethirani.comGet my Award Winning Bestselling book:Burn The Rules HereConnect, Follow & Subscribe:LinkedInYoutubeInstagramFacebookTikTok