Pretending you’re unbothered as a leader? It’s like wearing emotional Spanx; smooth on the outside, can’t breathe on the inside.
In this short and sharp episode, I’m calling out the pressure to perform instead of lead, and why trying to appear polished can actually kill connection, creativity, and trust on your team. I’ll share one cringe-but-true moment that changed the way I show up and give you a mindset shift (and one simple line) that will help you lead with power, not pretense.
In this episode, you’ll learn…
- Why performance-based leadership is suffocating your power
- How pretending you’re “fine” erodes team trust and creativity
- The leadership reframe: unreadable ≠ strong — relatable = powerful
This episode at a glance:
[0:30] – That’s not power. That’s performance under pressure.
[2:16] – I brought pain into that room voluntarily, I chose style over strength.
[2:54] –We think we’re being strong, but we’re silencing the very signals that make us powerful.
[4:25] –You weren’t born to suffer for your leadership aesthetic. You were born to lead grounded, real, and barefoot if you damn well please.
Resources and links mentioned in this episode:
- Download the Feedback Fix – Free Guide
- Grab our FREE RESOURCES!
- Check our BLOGS
- Dawn Andrews
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