IDEAS
For forward-thinking leaders
CLIENT STORY: How Emotional Triggers Were Stalling Katie’s Career—And How She Broke Through
Katie, a senior leader who recently finished my Breakthrough Program, was doing all the “right” things to advance her career, but something still felt off. Turns out, it wasn’t about what she was doing. It was about the emotional triggers running in the background—subconscious reactions that shaped how others perceived her leadership presence. And once she uncovered them? Everything changed.
Have you ever walked out of a meeting replaying a moment where you got defensive, over-explained, or completely shut down? You know it wasn’t a huge deal, but something about it felt bigger than it should have.
Katie, a senior leader in customer operations, was no stranger to this. She was doing all the “right” things to advance—taking on big projects, speaking up in meetings, and advocating for herself. But despite her efforts, something still felt off. She wasn’t getting the traction she expected, and feedback like “You need more executive presence” wasn’t helping her understand why.
The Hidden Roadblock: Emotional Triggers
When Katie joined my Breakthrough Program, she rated her leadership confidence at a 2 out of 10. Not because she lacked skills—she was highly capable—but because her emotional reactions were shaping how others perceived her.
Emotional triggers are those knee-jerk responses that feel bigger than the moment calls for. They might show up as:
🔹 Getting defensive when challenged
🔹 Over-explaining to prove credibility
🔹 Shutting down in high-pressure situations
None of these reactions reflect actual ability, but they do impact how others see you. And when you’re in a leadership role, perception is everything.
The Shift That Changed Everything
Through our work together, Katie identified the patterns driving these reactions. She realized they weren’t about the situation in front of her—they were about old, deeply ingrained beliefs about how she should show up as a leader.
Once she uncovered those patterns, everything changed. She:
✔️ Stopped reacting and started leading with intention
✔️ Developed a calm, confident executive presence
✔️ Strengthened relationships with her team and peers
✔️ Landed a well-earned promotion
By the end of the program, Katie rated her confidence at a 7+—a huge shift in just a few months.
Why Career Strategies Alone Aren’t Enough
Many high-achievers believe career success comes from doing more—learning new skills, taking on bigger challenges, or perfecting their external presence. But as Katie’s story shows, real growth happens when you address what’s happening internally.
Promotions don’t happen just because of what you do—they happen because of who you are as a leader. And that starts with understanding and shifting the unconscious patterns that hold you back.
If you’ve been feeling stuck despite doing all the right things, it might not be about strategy at all. It might be about what’s running in the background.
Want to explore this for yourself? Let’s talk. Shoot me an email with the word Triggers, and I’ll send you a few questions to see if we’re a good fit to work together.
Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform here:
***Unlock your authentic leadership potential with the BREAKTHROUGH coaching program—designed to help ambitious women lead with confidence, clarity, and impact; visit saraobriencoaching.com/breakthrough to get started.
Free Guide: 2-Second Confidence Shift for High-Stakes Meetings:
Visit saraobriencoaching.com to Download the Guide today.
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Keywords:
Keywords: Recognized at work, career growth, leadership confidence, professional success, burnout recovery, work-life balance, visibility at work, career advancement, leadership mindset
Timestamps:
1:52 – What are emotional triggers?
5:31 – Katie: The confidence myth that kept her stuck
9:22 – Katie: Trust in yourself is one of the biggest components of confidence
12:33 – How Katie got the promotion
17:54 – Myth: “Just tell me what to do”
21:39 – Next steps for getting recognized at work
Music Credit:Track Title: Over YouArtist: AtchSource: YouTubeLicense: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)
Music Credit:
Track Title: Over You
Artist: Atch
Source: YouTube
License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)
Energy-Driven Leadership: The 7 Levels That Define Your Influence
Energy-driven leadership is the missing link for high-achieving leaders who want to lead with confidence, resilience, and impact—without burnout. Leadership isn’t just about strategy; it's about how you show up, react under stress, and manage your energy.
Energy-driven leadership is the missing link for high-achieving leaders who want to lead with confidence, resilience, and impact—without burnout. Leadership isn’t just about strategy; it's about how you show up, react under stress, and manage your energy.
Subscribe to Lead Easy and listen to this episode as I break down the science-backed framework of energy-driven leadership and how it helps mid-to-senior leaders overcome stress patterns, lead authentically, and sustain long-term success. You'll learn:
The two types of leadership energy—catabolic and anabolic
How to spot and shift unhelpful leadership habits
Simple shifts to lead with more clarity, confidence, and ease
Don’t let hidden leadership habits hold you back. Subscribe now and listen to Energy-Driven Leadership: The 7 Levels That Define Your Influence. Then, email me at sara@sarakobrien.com to explore how this framework applies to your leadership journey.
Resources Mentioned:
FREE 15 Minute Leadership Strategy Call:
Book today tinyurl.com/FREE-15-Min-Strategy-Call
Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform here:
***Unlock your authentic leadership potential with the BREAKTHROUGH coaching program—designed to help ambitious women lead with confidence, clarity, and impact; visit saraobriencoaching.com/breakthrough to get started.
Free Guide: 2-Second Confidence Shift for High-Stakes Meetings:
Visit saraobriencoaching.com to Download the Guide today.
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Keywords:
Energy-driven leadership, Leadership burnout, Executive coaching, Women in leadership, Career growth, Professional development, Authentic leadership, Confidence at work, Leadership transformation, Resilient leadership
Timestamps:
0:39 – What is energy-driven leadership?
1:06 – The science behind energy-driven leadership
2:28 – The difference between catabolic and anabolic energy
6:43 – Energy-driven leadership in everyday life
8:49 – Identifying your default leadership energy under stress
18:16 – Energy Leadership Assessment (ELI)
Music Credit:
Track Title: Over You
Artist: Atch
Source: YouTube
License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)
Why Women Leaders Hit Career Walls & How to Overcome It – Breakthrough Coaching, Part 1
Many experienced women leaders in sales and marketing face hidden challenges that can stall career growth. This episode of Lead Easy kicks off a two-part series where I dive into the barriers that often arise for women with a decade or more in their fields.
Hit a career wall? Tired of putting in the work without seeing promotions or recognition? You’re not alone.
Many experienced women leaders in sales and marketing face hidden challenges that can stall career growth. This episode of Lead Easy kicks off a two-part series where I dive into the barriers that often arise for women with a decade or more in their fields.
We’ll explore:
1. what’s holding you back,
2. why once-effective strategies may no longer deliver results,
3. and how my Breakthrough Coaching Program empowers driven professionals to reclaim confidence, authority, and the joy they deserve.
If you’re ready to stop chasing the dangling carrot of promotion, this episode is your starting point to break through, align, and finally feel recognized.
Resources Mentioned:
FREE 15 Minute Leadership Strategy Call:
Book today tinyurl.com/FREE-15-Min-Strategy-Call
Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform here:
***Unlock your authentic leadership potential with the BREAKTHROUGH coaching program—designed to help ambitious women lead with confidence, clarity, and impact; visit saraobriencoaching.com/breakthrough to get started.
Free Guide: 2-Second Confidence Shift for High-Stakes Meetings:
Visit saraobriencoaching.com to Download the Guide today.
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Timestamps:
0:00 – Overcoming Career Walls as a Woman in Leadership
1:30 – Reasons Behind Career Stagnation for Women Leaders
4:15 – Identifying Hidden Barriers Blocking Your Career Progress
6:23 – Success Stories from the Breakthrough Coaching Program
8:25 – How to Start Your Own Career Breakthrough Journey
Music Credit:
Track Title: Over You
Artist: Atch
Source: YouTube
License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)
3 Steps to Building a Meaningful and Authentic Leadership Style
In today’s episode, we’re dismantling the boxed-in definitions of leadership and paving the way for you to build a style that’s as flexible and authentic as you are.
Do traditional leadership labels leave you feeling confined like you’re supposed to be someone you’re not? In today’s episode, we’re dismantling the boxed-in definitions of leadership and paving the way for you to build a style that’s as flexible and authentic as you are. By the end, you’ll have actionable steps to create a leadership approach based on your unique values, strengths, and energy. Say goodbye to rigid “types” and discover a style that grows with you.
What you’ll learn:
1. Why Leadership Assessments Can Hold You Back: Uncover how they box you into rigid roles.
2. Building a Value-Driven Leadership Style: Lead authentically by aligning with your core principles.
3. Harnessing Energy and Purpose: Tap into your unique strengths to lead with resilience.
Ready to dive deeper? Don’t forget to download your FREE “2-Second Confidence Shift” guide for those high-stakes moments—head to SaraOBrienCoaching.com.
Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform here:
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Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow as a leader and get promoted:
Follow me on LinkedIn
This is where I talk about career & leadership tips, lessons, and slightly unfiltered opinions on how to break through the secret blocks that prevent you from advancing in your career, feeling amazing about yourself, and having a lot more fun at work.Work with me closely in my coaching program Breakthrough
If you'd like to work directly with me to become an influential leader and get promoted without being someone you’re not, email me the word ‘Breakthrough’ and I’ll get you the details.Develop a higher-performing team
Transform your team dynamics with customized coaching and team-building sessions designed to foster trust, collaboration, and innovation, setting the foundation for lasting growth and success within your organization.
Email me at: sara@sarakobrien.com for more information.
How to Thrive in High-Visibility Roles
In this latest episode, I share a personal story about navigating a high-stakes presentation. Spoiler alert: I completely botched the internal review and left others questioning my capabilities. Listen to see how I turned it around and the lessons I learned.
In the last episode, we covered how to position yourself for high-visibility projects. Now that you’re in those roles, how do you show up confidently and make the impact you’re aiming for?
In this latest episode, I share a personal story about navigating a high-stakes presentation.
Spoiler alert: I completely botched the internal review and left others questioning my capabilities.
Listen to see how I turned it around and the lessons I learned.
I also discuss the importance of:
High-stakes = high mindset: Stay focused on growth, not judgment, and avoid the shame spiral.
High-stakes = high prep: Preparation is critical, but it’s not always about spending hours—sometimes, it’s just about reflecting on what’s important.
Building your own safety net: Trust in yourself is your ultimate safety net, allowing you to pivot and respond under pressure.
I’ll guide you through a powerful visualization exercise to experience the difference between forcing yourself to prove something vs. coming from a place of self-trust. You’ll notice how this creates a safety net by shifting your energy and confidence.
Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform here:
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Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow as a leader and get promoted:
Follow me on LinkedIn
This is where I talk about career & leadership tips, lessons, and slightly unfiltered opinions on how to break through the secret blocks that prevent you from advancing in your career, feeling amazing about yourself, and having a lot more fun at work.Work with me closely in my coaching program Breakthrough
If you'd like to work directly with me to become an influential leader and get promoted without being someone you’re not, email me the word ‘Breakthrough’ and I’ll get you the details.Develop a higher-performing team
Transform your team dynamics with customized coaching and team-building sessions designed to foster trust, collaboration, and innovation, setting the foundation for lasting growth and success within your organization.
Email me at: sara@sarakobrien.com for more information.
Get Visibility at Work Without the Hustle
In this episode, we dive into one of the most common pieces of advice given to professionals: "You need more visibility." But what does that really mean? I’ll walk you through how to interpret and act on this vague feedback by positioning yourself for high-impact projects.
In this episode, we dive into one of the most common pieces of advice given to professionals: "You need more visibility." But what does that really mean?
I’ll walk you through how to interpret and act on this vague feedback by positioning yourself for high-impact projects.
Rather than resorting to hustle and forced effort, we'll explore how collaboration, energy management, and a service-driven mindset can naturally open doors to opportunities.
I’ll also share a personal story of how I landed a high-visibility project early in my career by embracing these principles.
Tune in to discover a more effective, sustainable path to career growth.
Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform here:
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Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow as a leader and get promoted:
Follow me on LinkedIn
This is where I talk about career & leadership tips, lessons, and slightly unfiltered opinions on how to break through the secret blocks that prevent you from advancing in your career, feeling amazing about yourself, and having a lot more fun at work.Work with me closely in my coaching program Breakthrough
If you'd like to work directly with me to become an influential leader and get promoted without being someone you’re not, email me the word ‘Breakthrough’ and I’ll get you the details.Develop a higher-performing team
Transform your team dynamics with customized coaching and team-building sessions designed to foster trust, collaboration, and innovation, setting the foundation for lasting growth and success within your organization.
Email me at: sara@sarakobrien.com for more information.
Leading From the Front - How Great Leaders Trust the Process
Many leaders are unintentionally "driving from the backseat", meaning they are going very fast, living and working in a constant state of DOING, and reacting to roadblocks vs. having a plan.
Many leaders are unintentionally "driving from the backseat", meaning they are going very fast, living and working in a constant state of DOING, and reacting to roadblocks vs. having a plan.
Not only is this anxiety-producing for you as the leader, but also for the people who are driving people along with you - the team you are leading.
In this episode I break down:
What it looks like to lead from the front vs. the back seat
Why it's easy to default to "back seat" leading, even for great leaders
3 concrete steps you can apply to day to start leading from the front and trusting the process
If this has struck a chord with you, I have two invitations -
1. Schedule a 15-min strategy call. We’ll look at the top 3 challenges that might be holding you back from being an effective leader and reaching the next title.
2. Download the “10 underrated qualities of a great leader” and rank yourself to see how you are doing on each one.
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Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform here:
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Top 3 Qualities That Make a Great Leader
In this episode, I'm exploring intangible “great leader” qualities and how you can start to adopt them today so you can step up as a leader and land the next role.
We've all met those leaders who seem to have some intangible quality that makes them great. People want to follow them and they also are able to effortlessly excel in their career and land higher levels roles. In this episode, I'm exploring intangible “great leader” qualities and how you can start to adopt them today so you can step up as a leader and land the next role.
Grab the Core Values Worksheet Here: https://mailchi.mp/sarakobrien/values-sheet
Find Me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarakobrien/
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Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform here:
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3 Reasons You're Getting Overlooked for the Promotion
In this video, we break down three key reasons that could be hindering your professional growth. From overlooked skills to subtle office dynamics, discover actionable tips to propel yourself towards that well-deserved promotion. Don't let opportunities pass you by—watch now and take control of your career journey!
If you are a mid-senior leader looking to get promoted, you might be tempted to learn new strategies to do things like work on your executive presence, stop micromanaging, or be more engaged with your team. Usually, people work on these things by trying to be more aware and "not doing it anymore," but it doesn't work. These are all symptoms of something deeper, that, if not addressed, will keep popping up no matter how much you “work on them”.
In this video, we break down three key reasons that could be hindering your professional growth. From overlooked skills to subtle office dynamics, discover actionable tips to propel yourself towards that well-deserved promotion. Don't let opportunities pass you by—watch now and take control of your career journey!
Grab the Core Values Worksheet Here: https://mailchi.mp/sarakobrien/values-sheet
Find Me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarakobrien/
Learn More & Contact Me: https://saraobriencoaching.com/
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Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform here:
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Maintaining Confidence When the Evidence Isn’t There (Part 1)
Getting difficult feedback has the potential to derail your career, or even your life. I’ll be sharing how to maintain confidence when the “evidence” isn’t there, make peace with past feedback , and handle receiving it moving forward.
I’ve talked about imposter syndrome, which is when all the evidence or indicators point to your successes and talents (promotions, special projects, accolades), but you still lack belief in yourself or question your abilities.
But what about when you have “evidence” outside yourself that points to you NOT being as capable or talented as you thought? How do you maintain confidence then?
What I mean by outside evidence is either someone gives you constructive criticism or feedback OR the outcomes/results you are getting are not indicative of your success (e.g. you aren’t meeting your goals).
Getting difficult feedback has the potential to derail your career, or even your life. I’ll be sharing how to make peace with past feedback and know how to handle receiving it moving forward.
In part 2, I’ll talk about how to maintain confidence when you aren’t reaching your goals.
Check out the training: The 7 Levels of Leadership (that help you succeed or hold you back): https://bit.ly/boldleadershiptraining
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