Spoiler alert: This episode discusses key moments from the recent celebrity series and the latest civilian series of The Traitors. If you have not finished watching, you may want to come back once you have.

In this episode, Sharon explores the hit TV series The Traitors through a leadership and followship lens.

Beyond the drama, deception, and round-table voting, The Traitors offers a fascinating window into how people behave under pressure, how trust is built or broken, and what loyalty really looks like when the stakes are high.

Sharon reflects on the dynamics between Faithfuls and Traitors, what voting reveals about conformity bias and groupthink, and how fear quietly shifts behaviour in teams. She also explores a powerful moment of integrity between Stephen and Rachel, and why values-led leadership matters most when no one would know if you chose otherwise.

Whether you lead a team or sit within one, this episode invites you to consider some uncomfortable but essential questions:

• Would your team trust you to keep your word when it costs you?

• Do people feel safe to stand apart, or only safe to fit in?

• And when pressure is on, would you have your team's back, and would they have yours?

This episode is a reflective exploration of leadership, trust, and followship, and what it really means to own your leadership when it matters most.

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In this episode, Sharon explores one of the biggest challenges in modern leadership - the tension between leading people and managing work. If you've ever felt stuck between tasks, team needs, expectations, and the pressure to "get it right", this episode gives you a grounded space to reset how you think and feel about your role.

You'll learn why leadership is rooted in influence, emotional intelligence, safety, and trust — while management focuses on process, structure, and delivery. Sharon shares how today's leaders need the confidence to navigate both, without slipping into micromanagement or losing their human touch.

You'll also be guided through a set of reflective questions designed to help you understand your leadership identity, strengthen followership, and shift from managing tasks to leading people forward.

· What really separates leadership from management

· Why new and emerging leaders often default to "managing people"

· How followership develops through trust, safety, and influence

· The emotional cues your team pick up from you

· What creates a sense of safety, growth, and belonging

· Simple, grounded leadership shifts that strengthen confidence and clarity

Use these prompts to deepen your awareness and reset your leadership identity:

👉 When you look honestly at leader vs manager, where do you naturally operate? 👉 Are you trying to manage people instead of leading them? 👉 How do your team experience you? 👉 Are they following you — or complying with you? 👉 What one behaviour could you shift this week to become more followable? 👉 What is the experience of being led by you? 👉 What signals do you give that say, "You're safe with me. You matter around me. You can grow with me."?

These questions are your anchor points for more intentional, emotionally intelligent leadership.

Sharon has written a dedicated blog exploring what followership really means and why it is the heart of effective leadership. Read it here: https://www.ownyourleadership.co.uk/leadership-blog/leadership-starts-with-followship

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In this first episode, Sharon Smith introduces herself and shares the story behind the Leadership & Management Reset Podcast. She reflects on her own leadership journey, including the challenges, burnout, and lessons that inspired her to become a leadership coach.

Sharon explains why leadership today can feel overwhelming, and shares the philosophy that guides her work.

This episode is a space to reflect, breathe, and begin thinking about what leadership could feel like when it's aligned, human, and sustainable.

Whether you're stepping into a leadership role, navigating the pressures of managing people, or simply curious about a different approach to leadership, this episode is your invitation to start owning your leadership in a way that feels authentic and grounded.

To find out more about the work Sharon does, please visit https://www.ownyourleadership.co.uk or follow Sharon on Instagram and Linkedin.