Where Old Power Fails (And What Actually Makes Leaders Great)
Host: Bron Stephens

Episode Summary:
If you’ve ever been told to “be more assertive,” “get tougher,” or “stop caring so much”—this one’s for you.

In this episode, Bron unpacks the outdated leadership model of power over—and why it doesn’t work. Through personal stories, corporate truths, and powerful real-world examples, she introduces the concept of power with (thank you Brené Brown)—and how it opens the door to confident, compassionate, and values-aligned leadership.

You’ll learn:

• Why intention and impact are rarely the same thing
• How to build trust without softening your standards
• Why organisational compassion is the leadership edge most executives are missing
• Tangible steps to lead with empathy, wisdom and accountability
• What “power with” looks like in feedback, performance, and decision-making

This isn’t about leading softer—it’s about leading better.

Key Topics Covered:

• Care and Power Over can exist together
• Why Power With trumps Power Over
• Empathy, wisdom and accountability as the pillars of compassionate leadership
• The ripple effect of organisational compassion
• Five practical ways to lead with power with in your day-to-day

Takeaway Questions:

• Where am I using power to protect, not connect?
• Where might my impact not match my intention?
• What systems, habits, or language reinforce “power over” in my team?
• Where could I lead with more curiosity—and still hold the bar high?

Links & Mentions:

• Learn more about Bron’s executive coaching: bronstephens.com
• Brené Brown on Power With, Power Over and Power Within: overviews and quotes from Dare to Lead
• Want support to lead with compassion and confidence? DM Bron on Instagram or LinkedIn

Subscribe & Share:
Love this episode? Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a colleague who’s ready to shift how they lead.

Your Loneliness Is Real: A Leadership Reality Check

This one’s personal and powerful. Bron opens up about the hidden loneliness that comes with leadership—especially for women. Whether you're a founder, a senior executive, or somewhere in between, this episode names what most won’t: the ache for connection, the hollowness that hides behind performance, and the simple but powerful tools to reclaim your leadership confidence through connection.

You’ll walk away with clear steps to:

• Build your Personal Board of Advisors (and exactly how to ask someone to join it)

• Practice high-impact coffee dates (and why 3 a week might be your leadership superpower)

• Use micro-moments of connection in meetings that change the energy in the room

• Name your needs and rewrite the loneliness story we’ve been conditioned to keep quiet

It’s time to stop pretending. You’re not alone—and leadership was never meant to be done solo.

• Personal Board of Advisors: Build your own powerful circle to stretch and support you

• The Art of the Coffee Date (shoutout to Tory Archbold)

• Micro-connection practices for your team and stakeholder meetings

• Language to name and normalise loneliness in your leadership world

Loneliness in Australia

• More than half of Australians report feeling lonely weekly; one in three are classified as highly lonely
  Medibank Loneliness Report

CEO and Executive Loneliness

• 55% of CEOs report serious mental health challenges including loneliness

• 70% of first-time CEOs say loneliness impacts performance
  The Science of Coaching: CEO Loneliness

‍ Women in Leadership and Isolation

• 60% of senior women feel increasingly lonely as their careers progress

• Only 19% of women of colour feel supported and respected at work
  Fast Company: Women Leaders and Loneliness

Female Founders and Isolation

• Two-thirds report high or extreme levels of loneliness

• Most lack same-gender peers, investors, or role models
  Positive Entrepreneurship: Female Founder Loneliness Report

Health Impacts of Loneliness

• Loneliness is associated with increased risk of premature death, depression, and poorer general health outcomes

• It is a key social determinant of health, according to national research
  AIHW: Social Isolation and Loneliness

✨ Follow on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bron-stephens
✨ Instagram: @transformandleadwithbron
☕ Book a coffee date

✔ Schedule one coffee date this week with no agenda
✔ Ask one peer: “Want to be on each other’s personal board?”
✔ Open your next team meeting with a gratitude check-in

Let’s create leadership that doesn’t just deliver results—but feels good to live.

️ Episode Title: Get Unstuck

You're Not Lucky & Loss Aversion is Keeping You Stuck: Why Brilliant Women Stay Too Long in Roles That Don’t Serve Them

Description:

Too many brilliant women are staying in roles, projects and environments that are draining them — not because they’re unsure, uncommitted or ungrateful, but because of something far more subtle: loss aversion.

In this episode, Bron breaks down the psychology that’s holding high-performing women back — and why feeling lucky for your current situation is a trap, not a truth. You’ll learn why smart women stay too long, how this contributes to burnout, and what to do when you know something’s no longer right but fear talking yourself out of change.

This isn’t about dramatic exits. It’s about clear, grounded decisions that honour your ambition, protect your energy, and help you step into your next chapter without apology.

If you’ve ever said:

• “I know it’s not right anymore… but I’ve worked so hard to get here.”
• “It’s not terrible… I should be grateful.”
• “I don’t want to lose what I’ve built…”

…then this one’s for you.

What You'll Hear:

• Why loss aversion, sunk cost fallacy, and status quo bias hit women harder
• How these biases keep you managing energy instead of leading with it
• The difference between leaving now and deciding now
• Power-based questions to create clarity when you feel stuck
• How to build your own ‘gain map’ and shift from self-protection to self-leadership
• What happens when you stop calling it luck and start owning your value

References & Resources:

• Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1979). Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision under Risk. Econometrica. Read the paper
• McKinsey & LeanIn. (2023). Women in the Workplace Report. Access the report
• Womens Agenda. (2025). The burnout crisis facing Australian women in 2025 Read article
• The Decision Lab: Loss Aversion Bias Explained

Connect With Bron:

If this resonated, come connect with me on LinkedIn. I’d love to hear your thoughts — or better yet, join the conversation and tag a brilliant woman you know who's ready to lead from clarity, not fear.

Episode Length: ~15 minutes
Host: Bron Stephens, Executive Coach & ex-CEO
Podcast: Transform and Lead

Episode Summary:
Saying no doesn’t have to make you cold, difficult, or unreliable—it can be your most powerful leadership move when done right. In this episode, Bron shares the hardest “yes” of her career (and the lesson that came with it), explores the gendered double standards around saying no, and gives three real-world strategies to protect your energy, build trust, and lead with intention.

This isn’t about being blunt. It’s about being deliberate.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why women are disproportionately asked to take on invisible, non-promotable work
• The real cost of every “yes” that doesn’t align with your values
• How to say no without guilt, defensiveness, or shutting people down
• Three practical techniques to protect your time without burning bridges
• The research behind givers, takers, and why boundaries are a leadership skill

Mentioned & Referenced:

• Harvard Business Review – Are You Taking On Too Many Non-Promotable Tasks?
• Adam Grant – Give and Take book
• Linda Babcock – Research on non-promotable tasks (via CMU and HBR)
• The Science of Decision-Making: Neuroscience and Strategic Pausing – American Psychological Association
• Behavioural Economics & the Power of Framing

Love this episode?
Share it with a fellow leader who’s ready to stop saying yes out of habit and start leading with clarity.

✨ Follow Bron on LinkedIn
Learn more about Bron’s coaching and The Power Pivot program at bronstephens.com

Balance Is Broken: What to Drop, What to Protect, and Why 'Always On' Is Burning You Out

Episode Summary:
We’ve been sold a lie—balance doesn’t come from doing more, better. It comes from knowing what to drop. In this episode of Transform and Lead, I’m calling time on the pressure for high-performing women to be always available, always capable, and always holding it all together.

You’ll learn how to reframe your approach to balance using the glass balls vs rubber balls analogy—and why it’s not as simple as work = rubber and family = glass. I’ll share real stories, practical shifts, and a redefinition of success that centres your values, energy and leadership power.

If you’re feeling stretched, stuck, or like the price of ambition is your wellbeing—this one’s for you.

In this episode:

• Why the mental load—not your diary—is the real issue
• How to tell the difference between a glass ball and a rubber one
• What “always on” is costing your leadership and creativity
• A real-world client example of what happens when you let something bounce
• Four gentle, doable shifts to stop burnout before it starts

Listen if you’re:

• Tired of chasing the mythical work-life balance
• Feeling like you’re one notification away from snapping
• Ready to protect what matters most and release the rest
• Done with being the default organiser of everyone else’s needs

️ Try This:
At the end of the episode, I’ll walk you through a simple reflection to name what matters, what can wait, and how to make choices that align with your values—not with guilt.

Resources Mentioned:

• 2024 Burnout Stats: News.com.au Report
• Mental Load & Housework Gap: The Guardian
• Right to Disconnect in Australia: Worklogic

✨ Connect + Share:
Let’s stay in the arena together.
Come connect with me on LinkedIn—I’d love to hear what ball you’re choosing to drop this week, and which one you're finally choosing to protect.
And if this episode shifted something for you, share it with another woman who needs permission to let something bounce.

In this episode of Transform and Lead, Bron explores why pausing—really pausing—isn’t a luxury or a sign of weakness for high-performing executive women. It’s a bold strategic move. If you’ve climbed the ladder, hit the goals, and still find yourself wondering why it doesn’t feel like enough, this one’s for you.

Bron unpacks how thoughtful, intentional stillness can lead to the clarity, confidence and power that overachievement alone won’t give you. From career-defining pivots to re-anchoring in your values, we’re talking about the kind of pause that realigns you with what truly matters.

We’ll talk:

• Why women at the top still experience confidence wobbles
• How the pause helps you get clear on what you want—not just what looks good on paper
• What high-achieving women often get wrong about ambition and alignment
• How self-reflection powers self-awareness—and why it’s essential for authentic leadership
• 3 practical strategies for building meaningful pauses into your leadership rhythm

Referenced Research & Resources:

• How Self-Awareness Elevates Leadership Effectiveness – Forbes (2024)
• The Importance of Self-Awareness in Becoming Better Leaders – International Hospital Federation (IHF)
• The Power of Pause – Advisory Board (2024)
• Why Self-Reflection Is Key in Great Leadership – Walden University
• Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self-Reflection – Harvard Business Review (2022)
• Debriefing Enhances Team Learning – PubMed / Human Factors Journal (2013)

Share This Episode

Know a brilliant woman who’s been powering through without a pause? Send this her way. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Let’s Connect

Want to explore what a powerful pause might look like for you? Book a clarity session at transformandlead.com.au or come chat with Bron on LinkedIn.

Music by audionautix.com

In this episode of Transform and Lead, Bron gets real about something most high-performing women know all too well: the exhausting cycle of performing leadership instead of owning it. Bron shares her personal experience of burnout at Telstra, unpacks the difference between power and performance, and guides you through practical, real-world actions to step into leadership that feels like yours.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right and still questioning whether it’s enough—you’re not alone. And you’re not broken.

This episode is your permission slip to stop over-functioning and start leading with clarity, alignment, and confidence.

• Bron’s own burnout story and the red flags she ignored
• The difference between performing leadership and owning power
• How performance-based habits keep us stuck in survival mode
• Three practical strategies to shift from performance to power
• A gentle coaching prompt to help you take action this week

• Start a confidence journal to track moments where you lead without justification
• Set “pause points” in your day to switch from reactivity to intention
• Check requests against your values before saying yes
• Use generous language to say no without guilt
• Shift from problem-solving to asking better questions

Where are you still over-performing to feel safe?
And what would shift if you led like you were already trusted?

This week, pick just one moment to experiment. Say less. Trust yourself more.
You don’t need to change everything—just start.

• Invisible Labor in the Workplace: Explores how women often undertake unpaid tasks that benefit company culture but don't advance their careers. ​Syndio+1HuffPost+1
• The Double-Bind Dilemma for Women in Leadership: Discusses the challenges women face due to gender stereotypes and the "think leader, think male" mindset. ​org
• Women in the Workplace 2024 Report: Provides insights into the state of women in corporate America, highlighting ongoing challenges and progress. ​McKinsey & Company+1WSJ+1
• Women and Leadership: A Pew Research Centre survey examining public perceptions of women in leadership roles and the traits attributed to them. ​Pew Research Centre
• How Invisible Labor Affects Relationships: Investigates the impact of unrecognized cognitive labour on women's mental health and personal relationships. ​wisc.edu+1ArizonaPAL+1

• Explore Bron’s executive coaching programs: https://bronstephens.com/individual-programs/
• Connect on LinkedIn: Bron Stephens
• Know someone stuck in performance mode? Share this episode with her.

Music by audionautix.com

That voice in your head—the one whispering that you’re not good enough, not ready, not capable—it’s not the truth. It’s your inner critic, and it’s been running on autopilot for far too long.

61% of women cite their inner critic as the biggest factor eroding their confidence at work.

In today’s episode, we’re calling it out. You’ll learn:
✅ What the inner critic actually is (and why it exists)
✅ The three ways it shows up and how it holds you back
✅ How to catch it in action and reframe it with self-compassion
✅ The exact steps to take back control and start leading with confidence

Because here’s the thing: your inner critic is loud, but it doesn’t have to run the show.

This episode is packed with practical strategies—but if you want to go deeper and truly shift your self-talk, grab my free workbook:
Download here → https://bronstephens.com/own-your-inner-critic/

Share it with a woman who needs to hear it.
Subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Leave a review—it helps more women find this work and step into their confidence.

Connect with me:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bron-stephens
Website: bronstephens.com

Because you deserve to lead, grow, and take up space—without that voice holding you back.

The Voice of Women at Work 2023 Report

Prevalence, Predictors, and Treatment of Impostor Syndrome: a Systematic Review

Dr Kirsten Neff Self Compassion

Positive Psychology and the Inner Critic

Music by audionautix.com