11. Understanding Your Unique Identity with Dr. Stephanie Kirkland

In this episode, Sarah sat down with Dr. Stephanie Kirkland to explore the concept of 'living stoked,' which Dr. Kirkland describes as leading an identity-centered life, where one's interactions with the world are shaped by personal agency and choice. The conversation tackles the societal expectations placed on women, the importance of prioritizing one's personal identity, and the need for self-awareness. Dr. Kirkland also discusses her upcoming book, 'Identity: 12 Lessons on Unapologetically Owning Your Uniqueness in a World that Doesn't See it as Normal,' emphasizing the significance of being true to oneself and understanding one's beliefs and values. She sheds light on the idea of seeking permission, the importance of making intentional choices, and the need to shift one's own narrative.

Meet Dr. Stephanie Kirkland:

Known as the Identity Shaper, Dr. Stephanie M Kirkland is the CEO and founder of IDENTITY DYNAMICS, a leadership development company. Dr. Kirkland has created and facilitates an identity centered leadership development program for organizations that want to:

build resilient leaders
retain talent
have impactful performance initiatives
execute measurable DEIB goals
drive a sustainable culture of equity and inclusion and
enhance leadership capabilities

She believes that identity centered leadership sets the stage for transformational organizational growth. By guiding leaders in building and developing their leader identity and leadership philosophy, it creates sustainable impact on the day to day mindset and behaviors of the leader, the teams, and organizations.

In this episode we share:

Prioritizing personal identity over predefined roles
The journey towards self-awareness and understanding one’s values
The significance of making intentional life choices and creating personal narratives
Staying true to oneself in professional settings
Differentiating between adapting and losing integrity in different environments
Strategies for boundary-setting