Ranked in the Global Top 1.5%, The CLIMB: Leadership Development and Confident Leader Podcast is the definitive strategy for mastering Executive Presence and driving growth in the Staffing Industry. Hosted by Rahul Karan Sharma, this leadership blueprint empowers aspiring leaders in Washington, D.C., Reston, and the DC Metro area, while serving a global community of high achievers.

Why is conflict avoidance the silent killer of organizational growth? 🛑 In this episode of The CLIMB, Rahul Karan Sharma hosts leadership expert Julie Holunga to discuss the evolution of the "Career Lattice" and the power of the Titanium Rule.We explore why Attention to Detail is a non-negotiable trust-builder and how Staffing and Tech executives in Northern Virginia can navigate high-stakes conflict constructively. If you are an accidental manager or an executive looking to build a high-performance culture through Strategic Communication, this episode provides the blueprint for your next level of influence.

🚀 STRATEGIC CHAPTERS FOR THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE LEADER:

00:00 – Beyond the Ladder: Navigating the Career Lattice

05:48 – Startup Leadership: Lessons from the Frontlines

08:52 – The Titanium Rule: Communicating for Maximum Impact

12:11 – Conflict Resolution: Why Avoidance is the Real Problem

17:20 – Trust Building: The Power of Attention to Detail

21:16 – Frameworks for Scaling: Managing Different Leadership Stages

25:36 – Cultural IQ: How Global Experiences Shape Local Leadership

THE CLIMB FRAMEWORK™ INSIGHT: This conversation highlights the "L" (Leverage Strengths) and "M" (Magnify Impact) pillars. Rahul and Julie discuss how shifting your communication style to meet others' needs (The Titanium Rule) is the ultimate leverage for Executive Presence.

🔍 ABOUT THE GUEST: JULIE HOLUNGA

Julie Holunga is a renowned leadership trainer and executive coach who specializes in helping high-potential professionals navigate career transitions and lead with impact. With a background spanning startups and academia, Julie focuses on the "human side" of business—mastering communication, conflict, and trust to drive organizational results. Connect with Julie Holunga 🌐 Official Website: https://www.julieholunga.com/

ABOUT YOUR HOST: RAHUL KARAN SHARMA

🏆 GLOBAL TOP 1.5% PODCAST | FORBES COACHES COUNCIL MEMBER | KEYNOTE SPEAKER

THE AUTHORITY IN HIGH-VELOCITY LEADERSHIP

Rahul Karan Sharma is a Global Leadership Development Expert and the premier Staffing Industry Specialist for the Washington D.C. Metro area. He solves the "Accidental Manager" crisis by transforming technical experts into Executive-ready leaders.

COMMUNITY & INDUSTRY AUTHORITY A proud member of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce and Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, Rahul is deeply embedded in the Northern Virginia business ecosystem. As a Forbes Coaches Council member, he bridges the gap between local business needs and global leadership standards.

THE CLIMB FRAMEWORK™ & LEADERSHIP AUDIT Using his proprietary CLIMB Framework™, Rahul helps firms in Arlington, Fairfax, Reston, and Ashburn build resilient Leadership Pipelines. He specializes in solving high turnover and performance gaps through Organizational Strategy and Executive Presence coaching.

WORK WITH RAHUL: Whether you are looking for a Leadership Keynote Speaker for your next summit or a Fractional Leadership Consultant for a 6-month retainer, Rahul delivers "Strategic Acceleration."

🚀 FREE RESOURCE: Take the CLIMB Leadership Audit to identify your organization's growth gaps: https://climb-leadership-audit.scoreapp.com/

🏢 STAFFING INDUSTRY EXPERT: Solving turnover and talent gaps with Fractional Leadership strategies. 📖 FREE DOWNLOAD: Get your copy of "Be Action Oriented" – The definitive guide to overcoming stagnation and leading with high-velocity results: https://www.habits4miracles.com/jumpstart

🔗 BOOK RAHUL: www.rahulkaransharma.com

#TheClimbPodcast

How do you develop Executive Presence when you don’t have the job title yet? For aspiring leaders in the DC Metro area and staffing industry professionals, the "invisible" ceiling is real.

In this episode of The CLIMB: Confident Leader Podcast, Rahul Karan Sharma (Forbes Coaches Council) and Desiree Galicher (COO of Mentaa) reveal the exact Leadership Mindset shifts needed to command a room, master Self-Regulation, and lead through career transitions or layoffs.

Whether you are an accidental manager or a high-potential exec, this is your blueprint for Human-Centered Leadership.

🚀 KEY MOMENTS FOR LEADERS:

00:00 – The Secret to Leadership Transformation

06:08 – Turning a Layoff into a Career Breakthrough

09:39 – Pro-Techniques for Projecting Executive Presence

12:13 – Influence Without Authority: Leading without a Title

17:59 – How Leadership Coaching Scales Tech Startups

THE CLIMB FRAMEWORK™ INSIGHT: This episode dives deep into the "C" (Cultivate Mindset) and "I" (Integrate Purpose) pillars of Rahul Karan Sharma’s CLIMB Framework™. To move from an invisible contributor to an influential leader, you must first master internal self-regulation before you can manage external team dynamics.

ABOUT GUEST - DESIREE GALICHER

🎙️ Meet Désirée Galicher – COO of Mentaa, Career Strategist, Startup Advisor & Mentor. With over 20 years of experience guiding careers and building high-impact teams, Désirée Galicher is a powerhouse when it comes to leadership, growth, and purposeful work. As COO of Mentaa, a coaching platform redefining human connection in the digital age, she blends operational excellence with deep empathy to create spaces where both people and businesses thrive. In this episode, she shares her unfiltered take on leadership in modern work, how to build influence without burnout, and why coaching is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity. Connect with Desiree: http://www.linkedin.com/in/desiree-galicher

ABOUT HOST RAHUL KARAN SHARMA

🏆 GLOBAL TOP 1.5% PODCAST | FORBES COACHES COUNCIL MEMBER

Rahul Karan Sharma is a Global Leadership Development Expert and the premier Staffing Industry Specialist for the 2026 workforce. Recognized in the Global Top 1.5% of all podcasts, Rahul’s insights on Executive Presence and Organizational Development have set the standard for "Strategic Acceleration" across the US, India, and EMEA. As a member of the Forbes Coaches Council, he bridges the gap between high-potential technical talent and C-Suite leadership. His CLIMB Framework™ is the definitive system used by Staffing, Tech, and Fortune 500 firms to build resilient Leadership Pipelines and compress growth timelines.

Why Organizations & Leaders Partner with Rahul:

🏢 Staffing Industry Authority: Specialist in Fractional Leadership and solving the "talent turnover" crisis in high-growth recruitment firms.

🏛️ DC Metro’s #1 Leadership Keynote Speaker: The trusted advisor for organizations in Northern Virginia (Reston, Ashburn, Tysons) and Washington D.C.

🤖 AI Strategy for Leaders: Helping next-gen executives master Digital Fluency and Human-AI Collaboration.🌍 REGIONS SERVED DC Metro Area: Washington D.C. | Arlington | Alexandria | Reston | Herndon | Fairfax | Ashburn (Loudoun County)Global Hubs: New York City | San Francisco | Chicago | London | Toronto | Dubai

India: Delhi NCR | Bangalore | Mumbai | Pune | Hyderabad

Virtual & On-Site: Available for global keynote speaking and executive retreats.

🔗 CONNECT WITH RAHUL🌐 Website: www.rahulkaransharma.com💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rahulkaransharma📸 Instagram: @preparewithrahul🎥 YouTube: ⁨@rahulkaransharma⁩ #TheClimbPodcast #ExecutivePresence #StaffingIndustry #DCLeaders #RahulKaranSharma