What separates good managers from leaders people line up to work for? In this energizing conversation, host Anusha sits down with Whitney Faires—internationally recognized coach, keynote speaker, and former senior executive at Intuitive Surgical who helped scale a $2B business line—to unpack the Courageous Leader Roadmap. Whitney shares the “Sunday-night test” for honest self-assessment, explains why people-first leadership outperforms results-only management, and reframes fearless communication as a practice of refusing to let fear decide what gets said—not saying everything that crosses your mind.

You’ll learn how to identify your leadership archetype, build judgment and self-awareness in high-stakes moments, and consistently access your power zone using personal activators (and guarding against depletors). Whitney also talks candidly about navigating guilt, competing priorities, and career pivots you didn’t choose—plus how to reclaim agency by focusing on what you can control and designing growth inside any role.

Whether you’re managing your first team or scaling a division, this episode gives you practical prompts, mindset shifts, and repeatable routines to raise your game—and your team’s.

Connect with Whitney on LinkedIn or Instagram (@whitney_faires) and join her mailing list for upcoming workshops and group coaching opportunities.

Thank you to Gies College of Business for Sponsoring this Podcast. 

Want to be considered for the podcast? Send an email to [email protected]

with your topic focus and a short bio.

To learn more about Ellevate Network and how we’re building a community that supports women+ at every stage of their careers, visit ellevatenetwork.com or reach out to [email protected]

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