Manage What Matters

11: Overcoming Confidence Compensation And Be The Leader You Were Born To Be

Jen Smollett is a Leadership and Confidence Coach who helps leaders lift the invisible weight of Confidence Compensation - the exhausting cycle of second‑guessing themselves while working twice as hard to prove themselves and become the confident, authentic leaders they truly are. Our conversation discusses the concept of confidence compensation and its impact on leadership effectiveness. It explores the damaging effects of overcompensating, the impact on leadership and team performance, and the wider role of confidence in leadership. Jackie's guest today, Leadership Coach Jen Smollett, also speaks about the impact of praise and self-doubt, navigating new territory in leadership, and transferable skills that took her from intensive care nursing to leadership coaching. The episode concludes as always, with a focus on Million Dollar Moment takeaways for what matters most in your leadership. Connect with Jen on LinkedIn here [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-smollett-coach/] Grab the FREE resources from Jen's website here [https://jensmollett.com/] Take Jackie's FREE Flow Finder assessment here [https://quiz.jackiehandy.com/flow-finder] Chapters * 00:00 Introduction and Confidence Compensation * 06:54 Creating Change and Assessing Leadership * 15:16 Transferable Skills from Intensive Care to Leadership * 21:36 What Matters Most in Leadership

10: What Makes Training Sticky (And Where It Falls Flat)

In this short episode, Jackie Handy discusses the importance of starting with the end in mind when it comes to leadership development. She shares the need for a learning needs analysis and the importance of ongoing learning and development beyond formal training programs. Takeaways * Starting with the end in mind * Learning needs analysis

9: Men's Mental Health Matters

Leading with courage, freedom and authenticity, Stephen J.Whitton is speaker and founder of a movement that aims to help leaders (especially men) to gain clarity, confidence and purpose.  Having gone through his own calamitous situation in 2020, Divorce, business collapse, pandemic AND coming out, Stephen reflects on his career in a very male dominated and target driven industry, that was so focussed on results it didn’t have space for considering the wellbeing of its people, Stephen is leading the march to change that and recognises that men’s mental health and the impact on the environment around them, is key to authentic leadership, inclusion and sustainable results. In our conversation, Stephen shares his journey through a male-dominated industry, highlighting the impact of early experiences on mental health and the challenges faced by leaders. He discusses the creation of Menable and its approach to supporting mental health in the workplace. The conversation examines the importance of mental health in leadership and provides advice for leaders to support mental health effectively. Takeaways * Authentic Leadership * Mental Health Awareness * Million Dollar Mental Health Moments Connect with Stephen on LinkedIn or via his website, StephenJWhitton.com [http://StephenJWhitton.com] To explore Menable.org click here [https://menable.org/]

8: Why Listening Feels So Difficult - And How To Do It Better

This solo episode with Jackie Handy explores the importance of listening, the different layers of listening, generative listening, challenges in listening, barriers to effective listening, and strategies for overcoming listening challenges. Takeaways * Listening builds trust and reduces conflict * Generative listening enables new thinking and shared ownership. Chapters * 00:00 The Importance of Listening * 07:05 Overcoming Listening Challenges

7: Exploring Leadership Restoration & Why It Matters

Rachael Edmondson-Clarke is an executive leadership coach and founder of Ellevar. She works with CEOs, founders, and senior leaders who want to lead with calm, clarity, and alignment to what matters most — even in the most demanding moments. With a background in leadership psychology, behavioural science, and twenty years of commercial and organisational experience, Rachael is known for her calm authority and her ability to help leaders see clearly, regulate their internal state, and make decisions rooted in purpose and presence. Her work strengthens the inner capacities that leadership demands — emotional steadiness, personal alignment, courageous thinking, and the ability to shape cultures where people and performance thrive. Our conversation explores the challenges of leadership, specifically the importance of well-being, the integration of restoration into work life, and the power of presence and connection in leadership. It emphasizes the need for leaders to prioritize self-care and emotional regulation to create a positive impact on their teams and organizations. Takeaways * Leadership challenges and well-being * Integration of restoration into work life * The power of presence and connection Chapters * 00:00 Leadership Challenges and Well-being * 15:37 The Power of Presence and Connection