What if life were simply a series of different adventures we say “yes” to?

Because often the most rewarding experiences are the ones we don’t plan.

My guest on this week’s Fearless Forward podcast is an international marketing leader whose career is a masterclass in saying “yes” to the adventures life brings.

Kathryn Giblin’s journey is shaped by a willingness to embrace life as it comes – even when she’s not 100% ready – and learning as she goes.

Looking back over a career that’s involved international moves, industry shifts, unexpected personal challenges, and some regrets, she chooses to focus on what she has – not on what she lacks.

And if you think a seasoned leader like Kathryn would be fearless, she shares a story about being more terrified during an assessment with her search and rescue dog than during any boardroom presentation. It’s a fascinating insight into how fear can show up in unexpected ways: in this case, fear of losing control manifesting as micromanagement.

“Over-managing anything invariably backfires,” says Kathryn. “I forgot that my dog already knew what to do.”

We also explore the mental and emotional toll of menopause. If you’re a woman reading this, you may appreciate Kathryn’s vulnerable sharing of her associated anxiety, cognitive challenges, and severely depleted energy reserves.

Kathryn doesn’t offer a one-size-fits-all answer, but she does encourage you to proactively seek the right help.

And she reminds us that leadership is about showing up - sometimes fearlessly, sometimes with trepidation, but always with curiosity and resilience.

If you’re navigating your own career crossroads, facing new challenges, or dealing with personal transitions, my conversation with Kathryn might help you see the adventure in it all.

This episode will help you:

• Discover how to approach life as a continuous adventure: proactively advance your career, embrace new opportunities, and network with purpose.
• Reframe personal and professional failures into valuable learning opportunities that drive long-term personal growth.
• Learn actionable mental training strategies towards managing sudden anxiety, overcoming the fear of failure, and resisting the urge to micromanage critical situations.

Highlights

• [00:01:16] Introduction to Kathryn Giblin
• [00:03:12] Career as an Adventure
• [00:05:08] Embracing the Present
• [00:06:15] An Unplanned Career Path
• [00:09:25] The Power of Saying Yes
• [00:11:47] Unexpected Anxiety and Fear
• [00:12:17] The Search and Rescue Assessment
• [00:13:49] Fear of Failure and Micromanagement
• [00:17:15] Learning to Trust and Let Go
• [00:19:21] Reframing Failure as Learning
• [00:22:57] Integrating Adventure into Career Choices
• [00:31:26] Current Role as Fractional CMO
• [00:33:59] The Challenges of Perimenopause
• [00:38:07] Fear of Losing Competence
• [00:42:39] The Importance of Talking About Menopause
• [00:47:45] What "Fearless Forward" Means

Resources

• Connect with Kathryn on LinkedIn
• Spotless Water website
• Essex Search and Rescue website