About the Hosts:

Lee Povey and Steve Mellor are leadership coaches and hosts of The Founders Catalyst, a podcast dedicated to helping founders, executives, and rising leaders navigate the complexities of personal and professional growth. With decades of combined experience in elite sports, executive coaching, and team development, Lee and Steve offer real-world insights, sharp coaching tools, and thought-provoking conversations for the modern leader.

About the Episode:

In this episode of The Founders Catalyst, Steve and Lee dive deep into what they believe is the most important leadership skill of all: self-awareness. They unpack why so many leaders think they’re self-aware (but aren’t), what self-awareness actually involves, and how to begin doing the real work.

The conversation spans everything from childhood programming and cultural influences to emotional intelligence, dyslexia, burnout, and building sustainable leadership habits. Expect powerful personal insights, practical frameworks, and a few laughs along the way.

If you're a founder or leader looking to improve your emotional intelligence, decision-making, and relationships with your team... this one’s for you.

Takeaways:

• Why self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership
• The emotional work of leadership: noticing vs. reacting
• How upbringing, trauma, and culture shape our responses
• Emotional intelligence (EQ) vs. intellectual intelligence (IQ)
• Why most people think they’re self-aware, and are wrong
• Emotions as data: understanding anger, sadness, fear, joy, interest, and disgust
• The importance of "noting" emotions in real time
• Building sustainable leadership practices: rest, boundaries, and balance
• Leading while tired, triggered, or overwhelmed and how to prepare for it
• Feedback loops, reflection, and what it really means to “do the work”

“You don’t become self-aware just by deciding to be. It’s a journey, a practice, one you get wrong, again and again, until slowly, you don’t.” – Steve Mellor

“Emotions are data. If we learn to listen, they tell us exactly what’s happening within us, and what we might need to change.” – Lee Povey

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Daniel Kahneman's research on decision-making and self-assessment
• Brené Brown’s research on emotional language (83 emotions)
• The six core emotions model: Fear, Joy, Anger, Sadness, Interest, Disgust
• Lee Povey’s men’s group (mentioned during emotional awareness segment)
• The Founders Catalyst LinkedIn Community: Join here
• Contact the hosts directly for feedback or coaching inquiries

Thank you for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Stay tuned for more insights and discussions to help you thrive in both your personal and professional life.

Join Our LinkedIn Group!
Become a part of The Founders Catalyst, a free community for founders, start-up executives, and high achievers. Network, ask questions, and participate in our free monthly Zoom meetings. Connect with like-minded individuals and expand your professional circle. Join here.