Creating leadership impact isn’t about one defining moment—it’s about the ripple effects your leadership generates over time. In this episode of Leadership Lounge, Emma Combe sits down with Shannon Knott and Erin Marie Collins to unpack what meaningful impact looks like today, and how leaders can sustain it. 

They explore: 

• Why impact extends beyond results to the experience others have of your leadership. 
• The key skills—curiosity, adaptability, and an understanding of your purpose—that enable long-term influence. 
• How to evaluate whether your leadership is truly landing across stakeholder groups. 
• Why reflection and feedback loops are essential to maintaining credibility and trust. 

“Leaders who can sustain real impact do so because they’re able to stay curious. They continually learn and adjust. They treat leadership less like a position and more as a practice.” 

— Shannon Knott, Leadership Advisor, Russell Reynolds Associates 

Four things you'll learn from this episode 

1. Impact is intentional: define it consciously and test it objectively through feedback. 
2. Curiosity sustains relevance: stay adaptable and open to learning at every stage. 
3. Feedback fuels evolution: build a trusted “cabinet” to give unfiltered perspectives. 
4. Purpose anchors action: a clear sense of values helps leaders maintain credibility and trust. 

In this episode, we cover: 

(01:35) How you define leadership impact and why it extends beyond results to lasting influence 

(04:10) The skills that sustain long-term impact 

(07:25) Why leadership must shift from mastery and control to influence and judgment as careers progress 

(09:42) Practical ways to assess whether your impact is landing across teams and stakeholders 

(12:10) How reflection, feedback, and purpose create a rhythm for sustained leadership effectiveness 

(14:38) What inspirational leaders do differently to remain authentic and effective over time 

A closer look at the research from this episode: 

Edelman Trust Barometer 2025 

Russell Reynolds Associates Global Leadership Monitor, H2 2025