What happens when high-achieving leaders neglect to lead themselves? In this eye-opening conversation, executive coach Irene Ortiz-Glass pulls back the curtain on the hidden struggles of top performers and reveals the profound connection between personal history and leadership effectiveness.

Irene shares her powerful personal journey from childhood trauma to corporate success to complete burnout, demonstrating how our origin stories shape our leadership approaches. "What got you here didn't start today—it started 10, 20 years ago," she explains, highlighting how early experiences create the mindsets we bring to our leadership roles.

The discussion explores our "maladaptive" modern work environment, where constant connectivity and back-to-back meetings trigger chronic stress responses that impair decision-making. Leaders who thrive have learned to be intentional about energy management, creating clear boundaries while maintaining high performance. Irene provides practical insights on creating psychological safety for teams, explaining how threat responses trigger the "amygdala hijack" that prevents authentic engagement and strategic thinking.

For listeners feeling overwhelmed, Irene offers a starting point: ask yourself what you truly want, examine your core values, and honestly assess whether your daily activities align with those values. "The happiness factor in life is feeling connected to what matters to you," she notes, challenging the notion that success requires sacrificing personal well-being.

Whether you're leading a team through organizational change or seeking greater balance in your own leadership journey, this conversation provides both the neuropsychological framework and practical tools to become more effective. Ready to transform your approach to leadership? Start by understanding your own story.