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Emily chats with Tara Halliday about achieving effortless confidence by eliminating conditional worth and threat perception. Tara explains how her Inner Success Program helps people, including Chief of Staff Emily, overcome imposter syndrome, providing real-life examples and a three-step approach. They discuss Tara's book, "Outsmart Imposter Syndrome," and how accepting oneself reduces the weight of others’ opinions.
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Get in touch with Emily:
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.
Time Stamps:
00:25 Meet Tara Halliday: Imposter Syndrome Specialist
00:48 Defining Imposter Syndrome
02:30 Personal Experiences with Imposter Syndrome
03:13 High Achievers and Imposter Syndrome
05:15 The Root Cause of Imposter Syndrome
07:02 The Role of the Amygdala
08:44 Steps to Reprogram the Brain
16:50 Symptoms and Behaviors of Imposter Syndrome
24:04 The Inner Success Program
Emily shares a story about her coaching client who struggled with his fast-paced, detail-averse boss. She explains how they adapted by using short, bullet-point emails, formulating yes/no questions, and using Google Notes for quick information recall. These adjustments helped improve the boss-client communication despite different styles.
Links Mentioned:
Free Resources:
Get in touch with Emily:
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.
Emily Sander talks with Urs Koenig about his book, "Radical Humility: Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human." They discuss his experiences, including how tough feedback can piss people off but still foster growth. Urs shares leadership tips like "eyes on, hands off," referencing US Women’s Soccer Team Captain Carla Overbeck's style, and a new twist on feedback called "feedforward." He mentions that one of the most powerful things a leader can say is, "I screwed that up." They also touch on training for hostage situations, and the value of meaningful connections for Chiefs of Staff.
Links Mentioned:
Free Resources:
Get in touch with Emily:
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.
Time Stamps:
00:43 Meet Urs Koenig: A Multifaceted Leader
02:26 The Three Pillars of Radical Humility
07:02 Leading Relationally: Building Trust and Influence
11:37 The Importance of Relationships in Crisis
14:03 Governor Patrick's Leadership During Crisis
16:19 Empowered Execution: Lessons from Ukraine
17:37 Carla Overbeck: Humble Leadership in Sports
20:14 Personal Connection: Emily's Family Ties
23:43 The Concept of Feed Forward
27:07 Creating a Culture of Vulnerability
30:37 Experiential Learning and Team Building
35:30 Building a Fearless Culture
Emily Sander discusses the importance of understanding if your team members are in thinking or feeling mode. She provides practical examples, like asking, “How do you feel about launching this product?” to balance overly analytical thinking or “What else comes up when you think about protecting your team?” to address emotional defensiveness. Emily also shares tips on using deep breaths to help calm high emotions.
Links Mentioned:
Free Resources:
Get in touch with Emily:
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.
Time Stamps:
00:26 Understanding Thoughts and Feelings
01:06 Nudging Towards Balance
01:13 Handling Emotional Defensiveness
02:13 Encouraging Thoughtful Reflection
03:24 Using Breathing Techniques
04:39 Applying the Framework
Libby Cole shares insights about the Enneagram, focusing on motivation and vulnerability. For example, Eights are determined and goal-oriented but often misunderstood due to their direct nature. She describes characteristics of other types like Nines, who avoid conflict, and how the Enneagram helps in personal growth. Libby offers workshops and coaching on communication and conflict management through her company, Expand Coaching and Consulting.
Links Mentioned:
Free Resources:
Get in touch with Emily:
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.
Time Stamps:
00:25 Meet Libby Cole: Certified Enneagram Coach
01:05 Understanding the Enneagram
03:21 Exploring Enneagram Types 1 to 3
06:59 Exploring Enneagram Types 4 to 7
15:29 Relating to Type Seven
16:14 Understanding Type Eight
18:15 Exploring Type Nine
20:30 Determining Your Core Type
22:29 Using the Enneagram for Personal Growth
24:05 Lightning Round: The Nine Types Recap
25:22 Finding Your Enneagram Type
27:05 Applying the Enneagram in Professional Settings
Emily introduces a feedback framework that starts and ends with recognizing an individual's virtues, illustrated by examples like Matt, an employee who needs to address his outbursts in meetings. She offers techniques for highlighting strengths, even by discussing virtues with others, and explains how the framework applies to managing up, such as a Chief of Staff prompting a principal to provide team feedback. Practical insights include providing specific examples and knowing when to pause for the other person to fill the space.
Links Mentioned:
Free Resources:
Get in touch with Emily:
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.
Time Stamps:
00:28 Framework for Delivering Feedback
02:25 Key Points for Effective Feedback
03:28 Using Real-Life Examples
05:00 Talking Up Team Members
07:01 Managing Up: Feedback for Your Boss
08:56 The Power of Disappointment
09:21 Personal Anecdotes and Lessons
Eric Williams talks about balancing life while being a dad to a four-month-old and working multiple roles, including Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer. He shares tips on creating systems to run a business smoothly, avoiding burnout, and maintaining sustainable growth. Eric also highlights the importance of flexibility and systematizing business processes for effective delegation.
Links Mentioned:
Free Resources:
Get in touch with Emily:
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.
Time Stamps:
00:25 Meet Eric Williams
01:15 Challenges and Solutions in Leadership
04:23 The Importance of Systematizing and Delegating
13:20 Streamlining Workloads for Overwhelmed Leaders
26:56 Sustainable Leadership: Pacing Yourself
28:15 Handling Unexpected Challenges
32:00 Staying in the Game: Long-Term Success
36:09 Health and Fitness: A Personal Analogy
37:36 Sustainable Growth and Opportunities
40:43 Optimizing Your Business for Success
Emily discusses the various titles that can encompass the role of Chief of Staff, such as VP of Strategic Initiatives or Head of Business Operations. She shares examples, including a VP of Special Projects effectively serving as a Chief of Staff. Emily also offers insights on how to handle political sensitivities and the benefits of role flexibility in job titles.
Links Mentioned:
Free Resources:
Get in touch with Emily:
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.
Time Stamps:
00:48 Alternative Titles for Chief of Staff
01:49 Executive Considerations for Hiring
02:40 Navigating Political Sensitivities
04:08 Dual Roles and Office Structures
In this episode of "Leveraging Leadership," Lenka Pincot, Chief of Staff at PMI, discusses her role in leading the office of the CEO and overseeing five enterprise teams, including transformation management. She emphasizes the need for structure, rigorous prioritization, and agility, explaining how her team handles day-to-day tasks while she focuses on strategic decisions. Lenka also highlights the importance of business awareness and working closely with a great CEO to be a successful Chief of Staff.
Links Mentioned:
Free Resources:
Get in touch with Emily:
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.
Time Stamps:
00:58 Lenka's Journey to Chief of Staff
02:58 Understanding PMI
04:54 Role and Responsibilities of a Chief of Staff
06:14 Managing Five Enterprise Teams
08:12 Building Effective Systems and Structures
12:59 Prioritization and Re-Prioritization
18:51 Team Coordination and Flexibility
20:11 Empowering Self-Sufficient Teams
22:24 Strategic Investment Decisions
22:41 Data-Driven Strategy and Investment
28:09 Project Management Skills Development
31:01 Reflections on the Chief of Staff Role
This episode explains why the definition of Chief of Staff is all over the place due to the role's relative newness in business. Examples from around the world illustrate how the role varies: in Singapore, it's little known; in Mexico, it's often confused with HR; and in Germany, it has military connotations. Emily suggests the role will become more structured and better understood in the next 10-15 years.
Links Mentioned:
Free Resources:
Get in touch with Emily:
Who Am I?
If we haven’t met before - Hi👋 I’m Emily, Chief of Staff turned Executive Leadership Coach. After a thrilling ride up the corporate ladder, I’m focusing on what I love - working with people to realize their professional and personal goals. Through my videos here on this channel, books, podcast guest spots, and newsletter, I share new ideas and practical and tactical tools to help you be more productive and build the career and life you want.
Time Stamps:
00:30 Most Common Question About Chiefs of Staff
01:04 The Emerging Role of Chief of Staff
01:43 Global Perspectives on Chief of Staff
02:12 Challenges and Misconceptions
03:31 Regional Variations and Examples
04:01 Chiefs of Staff in Multinational Corporations
05:33 Higher Education and Nonprofits
08:33 The Future of the Chief of Staff Role
From the publisher's feed
Leadership is messy. Most advice isn't built for the reality of competing priorities, difficult stakeholders, limited time, and imperfect information.
Leveraging Leadership is a…
Hosted by Emily Sander, former Chief of Staff and executive advisor, each episode delivers real-world lessons, practical frameworks, and candid conversations with leaders across business and beyond.
Topics include executive communication, leadership presence, decision-making, delegation, organizational influence, operating rhythms, team effectiveness, and the often-unspoken challenges leaders face behind the scenes.
If you're looking for thoughtful conversations, practical takeaways, and leadership advice you can actually use on Monday morning, you're in the right place.

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