In this episode Sarah dives into one of the most powerful differentiators for female leaders: executive presence. What does it really mean? Why does it matter for career advancement and leadership impact? And more importantly, how do you develop it authentically?

With her signature blend of practical insight and empowering coaching, Sarah breaks down what executive presence is, why it's essential, and actionable ways to cultivate your own, without burning out or selling out.

This episode is ideal for ambitious professional women who want to be seen, heard, and respected at the next level of leadership.

[00:00] – Welcome to Unstuck and Unstoppable

[01:00] – Why executive presence matters in your leadership journey

[02:00] – Defining executive presence in simple, authentic terms

[03:00] – The career impact of executive presence: The 26% promotion factor

[04:00] – Beyond promotions: How it helps with presentations, influence, and team leadership

[05:00] – Authenticity and the alignment of inner values with outward behavior

[06:00] – Elements of executive presence: poise, confidence, curiosity, body language, communication

[07:00] – Exercise 1: Identify someone with executive presence and unpack what they do

[08:00] – Client story: Having a conversation with someone you admire

[09:00] – Exercise 2: Self-assessment and feedback from trusted colleagues

[10:00] – Aligning executive presence with your leadership brand

[11:00] – Good news: Executive presence is a skill—and it’s learnable

[12:00] – The power of intentionality and experimenting in meetings

[13:00] – Reflecting after interactions to grow your presence

[14:00] – Mirror and learn: Spend time with people who exude presence

[15:00] – The role of appearance in executive presence (and why red lipstick might help!)

[16:00] – Avoiding invisibility: Why staying visible and vocal matters in meetings

[17:00] – Final recap: Your action steps to build presence

[18:00] – Free resource + invitation to connect with Sarah

Useful Links

Free E-Book: Five Steps to Creating Powerful Presence as a Female Leader

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Join The Love What You Do Facebook Group

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: sarah@careertreecoaching.co.uk

Be powerfully you. Shine brightly. Lead boldly. And unlock the...

In this episode, Sarah dives into a crucial topic for career clarity and confidence: how to identify your strengths when preparing for a new leadership role.Whether you're navigating a transition, returning from redundancy, or feeling unclear about your value, this episode will guide you through practical, reflective tools to uncover and articulate your unique strengths—so you can position yourself powerfully for what’s next.

[00:01:00] Why Identifying Your Strengths Matters

Understand the importance of knowing and communicating your strengths for your next role.

[00:02:00] Common Challenges Senior Women Face

From imposter syndrome to redundancy and lack of clarity—why strengths can feel hard to spot.

[00:03:00] Real Client Example: Shifting Interview Confidence

How coaching helped a senior leader improve confidence and articulation in interviews.

[00:04:00] How Strengths Drive Career Clarity & Pay Equity

Why strengths awareness impacts career enjoyment, performance, and pay.

[00:05:00] Client Story: From Playing Small to Strategic Leader

A redundancy led to discovering untapped strategic strengths and bigger career goals.

[00:06:00] Client Story: Owning Efficiency as a Superpower

Discovering a strength in driving efficiency transformed personal brand and job positioning.

[00:07:00] Step 1: Create a Personal Career Timeline

Use life and career highs/lows to reveal consistent themes and character strengths.

[00:08:00] Step 2: Reflect on Key Achievements

Analyze what made your past achievements successful—skills, passion, and business value.

[00:09:00] Step 3: Explore Your Reputation and Leadership Brand

What are you known for? Dig into the external perception of your leadership value.

[00:10:00] Step 4: Seek Feedback to Uncover Blind Spots

How asking trusted colleagues can bring strengths to light you may overlook.

[00:11:00] Step 5: Craft a Powerful Narrative

Align your strengths, experience, and impact into a compelling leadership story.

[00:12:00] Final Thoughts & Invitation

Reflecting on your strengths gives clarity, confidence, and career direction—reach out if you'd like support in this journey.

[00:13:00] Resources, Reviews & Closing Inspiration

Useful Links

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Join The Love What You Do Facebook Group

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at:

Receiving feedback, especially the difficult kind, can feel disorienting and emotional. But as a leader, learning how to process and respond to it effectively is key to your growth and success. In this episode, Sarah shares practical strategies to help you deal with tough feedback, reframe your response, and decide what’s useful to take on board, all while staying true to who you are.

Whether you're facing recent criticism or want to build a feedback-positive culture in your team, this episode is full of valuable insights to help you feel more empowered and less reactive.

[00:00:00] - Welcome & Podcast Purpose

Sarah introduces Unstuck and Unstoppable, her mission, and who the podcast is for: ambitious female leaders who want to thrive with authenticity.

[00:02:00] – Why Difficult Feedback Is So Hard

Explores the emotional reactions feedback can trigger and why it’s not always objective or helpful.

[00:03:00] – Feedback Isn't Always Fair

Understanding that feedback can be inaccurate, biased, or based on others' projections, and why discernment matters.

[00:04:00] – A Personal Story of Tough Feedback

Sarah shares a pivotal early-career experience of receiving difficult feedback and how it helped her grow.

[00:05:00] – The 8 Strategies:

1. Don’t React Immediately

How to give yourself space to process emotions using reframing techniques like cognitive reappraisal and self-affirmation.

[00:06:00] – 2. Get More Data

Seek feedback from multiple sources to validate, challenge, or contextualise the criticism.

[00:07:00] – Client Examples: Reframing Feedback

Real-life stories of clients using 360 feedback and peer insights to shift perspective and regain confidence.

[00:09:00] – 3. Find the Wisdom in the Feedback

Work with a coach or reflect independently to determine what to take forward and what to let go.

[00:09:30] – 4. Make Your Changes Visible

Use symbolic or public actions to shift perceptions, especially in leadership roles.

[00:10:30] – 5. Don’t Isolate Yourself

Why avoiding people who gave you feedback or playing the victim doesn’t serve your growth, and how to reconnect.

[00:12:00] – 6. When Change Isn’t the Answer

What to do when feedback conflicts with your core strengths or style, and how to ask for understanding instead.

[00:13:00] – Balancing Preferences with Expectations

Navigating differences in working styles, like structure vs. spontaneity, and finding a shared understanding.

[00:14:00] – 7. Don’t Shrink or Play Small

Why negative feedback shouldn’t diminish your confidence—and how to check if external factors are impacting your performance.

[00:14:30] – 8. Create a Feedback Culture

Modeling feedback-seeking and giving behaviors as a leader to encourage a growth-focused environment.

[00:15:30] – Recap of the 8 Key Strategies

A quick summary of all the tools and ideas shared in the episode to manage and learn from difficult feedback.

Useful Links

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call